Congressman Walden: Putting the "con" in Congress

Greg Walden, the lone R amongst the Ds Oregon's sending to Congress, show's he's putting the "con" (as in against, not as in convicted for something) in Congress (as one wit once noted, if con is the opposite of pro, is not Congress the opposite of Progress (and we'd say yes, when it's dominated by Republicans)) by furrowing is brow, shaking his head, and showing concern about the size of the President's stimulus package.

I was listening to KPOJ right now, and heard The Talented Mr Walden squeeze off a few crocodile tears about the amazing price of the legislation designed to keep the economy from going into a Weimar-style tank. He really sounded sincere there, and reminded us all that the Democrats better start listening to Republicans if they want to get anything through.

But you need to be reminded, probably, that back when the first half of the TARP funds were given out ... you know, the $350mil with no oversight, that when the Congress asked where the money was going they said "frak you", and that they still aren't lending out ... Mr Walden was there for them.

Now that it's time to help you out? Feh. You aren't a bank. Who cares?

Choosing clips well, the KPOJ report had Congressman Baird, Democrat of Washington's third, reminding him indirectly that he can show as much concern as he wants, his team lost the game they played in November, and it's past time he and his teammates remembered that.

Try telling that to a Republican. And why does it take a Washington congressman to explain reality to an Oregon one? That's kind of embarrassing.

Ass. Kick. Curb.

The always-readable (and posessed of a gimlet-like wit) James Wolcott on the demise of the Fuzzy-Drop'ems Media Blog Network and its most aggrieved victim, Protein Wisdom:

I don't gloat over anyone's loss of income in these parlous times,but I must say the brainstorming ideas of Jeff's chipmunk army as to the next possible stage of operations strike me as singularly unhelpful, impractically poppycock, ranging from "hold a fundraiser" to debating whether the next incarnation (if any) of Protein Wisdom should emphasize semiotics, boobs and guns, or define/refine/propogate "classical liberalism"** (that'll really draw them into the sideshow
tent). Between pouts and cryptic mutterings, Goldstein himself indulges in this almost endearing twitch of slapping leather and proclaiming himself an OUTLAW, sort of like James Lileks gone bad-ass. I suggest JG spend an absorbing evening watching The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and ponder the glum fate of those who adopt the outlaw lifestyle and have to ride lonesome in bleak weather. Sadly, salvos of internecine recrimination have already broken out between Goldstein's sidekicks and Roger L. Simon's baroncy (over Simon's haughty sideswipe at the disgruntled bloggers for behaving like a gaggle of welfare queens "kicking and screaming now that they are off the dole"), an outbreak of hostilities of which of course I heartily approve and encourage.

James Wolcott is the shiznit, yo. If you read him and don't enjoy him, you're probably brain-damaged. At the very least, you're a humorless Republican.

Append: Just a thought; I find it ironic that the person complaining the most and getting the most attention is a blogger with the same name as the #1 boogieman in 1984, which is of course a cautionary tale about why the Republican party shouldn't be allowed to touch anything for very long.

Nothing Whatsover To Do With Sam Adams In This Item

Two words for you: Wes Cooley. I'd thought we'd been done with him but, as most things Republican in Oregon, it keeps coming back like a drug-resistant staph infection.

Ah, yes, Wes Cooley. Our very own, Contract-with-America generation, conservative-ranchin M.C. from the traditionally dry 2nd Congressional District. Take Wes's views and throw a sweater on 'em, and you have Greg Walden (which is fortunate for Greg, as he went on to succeed him).

Wes Cooley kind of represented the up-and-coming of the current generation of Oregon Republicans, only he was, evolutionarily-speaking, sort of a way-station. Before this group, your average (electable) Oregon Republican was a bit uptight and was maybe like your best friend's pipe-smoking, respectable, country-club Dad, but he was straight with you.

If, for instance, you came upon a fresh dog doot on the street, he wouldn't huff an puff about how that it was really a Baby Ruth but the liberals and the liberal media were telling you it was dog poop. He'd tell you it was dog poop and expect you to deal with it.

Post-Wes, your average Oregon Republican would not stop there, but would continue to build it up; not only was it a Baby Ruth, it was in fact a whole supply-side candy store that would keep out illegal immigrants and generate more jobs than the economy would tolerate while at the same time cutting taxes and helping the poor–and when caught lying about it, cry foul that they were misunderstood.

In the breach between then and now stood Wes. Wes loved the dryside, and the drysiders loved him back. He was a rugged individualist on everything, from ranching to business the government ... and, of course, also with respect to the truth, which, to him, was something like an onion. It had layers:

1. He told a story about being in the Korean War
   
2. When the story didn't hold up, he claimed he was a member of a Special Forces unit sworn to secrecy.
3. He claimed the records were destroyed in a fire, but Sergeant Major Poppy could back him up
4. Sadly, Sergeant Major Poppy was KIA.
5. Unfortunately, Sergeant Major Poppy was actually in a state doctors call "Still Alive".
6. And Sergeant Poppy didn't actually command him in a secret Special Forces unit.
7. And Sergeant Poppy wasn't in a SF unit at all, actually–he was Wes' D.I. in Basic.
8. And three other veterans backed him up on that.
9. Wes claimed Poppy must have Alzheimers, and quit lying about his service.
10. Wes then claimed he had a Phi Beta Kappa key.
11. When it turned out he hadn't, he claimed it was some other honor society he could not recall.
12. And then he claimed motorcycle championship honors he didn't have.
13. And then, to just put the whipped cream on top, he claimed it was character assassination by the Media (it does sound like Sam Adams, after all ... )
14. And, for a while, it looked like his wife was recieving Vet's widows benefits that she wasn't entitled to
15. Until it seemed to turn out that he was apparently lying about the date of his marriage too.
    

I realize a lot of Republican officeholders would look at that list and say "I don't see the problem here." And that's why sane people don't vote Republican. It's interesting to note that Judge Albin Norblad, in Marion County (if this were the 1800's, they'd have called Norblad a "hanging judge" ... he didn't take crap from anyone) sentenced him to two years probation, making Our Wes the only politician we know who has actually been legally punished for lying to voters.

Anyway, that's actually beside the point here. What caught our attention is something The Oregonian reported this last week (credit the very good Jeff "Shadout" Mapes):

Cooley, 76, who represented eastern Oregon in the U.S. House for one term in the 1990s, was charged with six counts of money laundering and one count of filing a false income tax return in 2002 to conceal more than $1.1 million in illicit income. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 38 years in federal prison.


According to the indictment, the investment scheme centered on the sale
of shares in BidBay.com, a startup Internet auction firm, and several
related shell companies. The indictment alleges that investors were
lured by false statements, including a claim that BidBay was about to
be acquired by eBay, the established and hugely successful Internet
auction company.

Wes! You're 76 and you're setting yourself up for a life sentence in Club Fed? What the hell were you thinking?

It must be noted, to create a clearer picture of the character of the man in question, he tried a comeback in 1998.

In his Voter's Pamphlet statement ... he still claimed that he was in the Special Forces:

U.S. Army: Company L, 63rd Infantry; Basic Airborne, Fort Benning, GA; 25th Special Forces Operation Detachment; 10th Special Forces Group;
HQ & HQ Company, Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, NC," and "U.S.
Army, Special Forces; Veteran, Korean Conflict; Military Specialty of
Demolition Specialist (MOS33533 — prefix "3" indicates completion of
Special Combat Training).

This, even though he was gigged for it in a Circuit Courtroom some years before.

Republican ethics and morals. It's the gift that just keeps. on. giving!

Thanks for stopping by in the news stream, Wes. It's been a while.

Schadenfreude, Episode 1

Now that Pajamas Media is going all PajamasTV and sh*t, guess they don't have any use for the foot soldiers any more ...

PJM to Jeff Goldstein of Protein Wisdom (amongst other prolix waste):

As you know, last September Pajamas Media began a new initiative in Internet television called Pajamas TV. When we started with our RNC coverage from Minneapolis, we noted that we would be in a Beta Phase through the first quarter of 2009. In the last few months we have strengthened the PJTV lineup with shows covering Media Bias, Education Bias, Middle East Update, Sharia and Jihad, Powerline Report, Ask Dr. Helen, Hugh News, Poliwood, Conservatism 2.0, Economy and Finance, National Security, and others.

As the end of the first quarter approaches and we near the production phase of Pajamas TV, we will continue to build our emphasis in this area. As a result we have decided to wind down the Pajamas Media Blogger and advertising network effective March 31, 2009. The PJM portal and the XPressBlogs will continue as is.

Jeff reacts:

What this means is that as of April 1, I am officially out of work. So save going to a pay model, this site will likely have to shut down.

Small price to pay for helping PJM pick up an audience and credibility during its “formative years.”

Yeah. Wank in public for free and what thanks do you get?

And you thought that liberals were the only people who threw their own under the bus. Actually, this seems more like a movement eating its own young, but still.

BTW, by "crediblity" I think you actually meant to say "risibility". Hope that helped.

(Via ...)

I liked her better when she was bassist with The Bangles

Apparently, Michael Steele is now the Chairman of the RNC. Who knew?

PS:Hah! Gotcha!