tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-131689232012-01-23T12:28:21.561-08:00You just have to wonder at some of the insanity that takes place in this world.Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.comBlogger24701100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-65188525426714526072012-01-23T11:37:00.000-08:002012-01-23T12:28:21.580-08:00

Continuing with the Republican presidential race here, Mitt Romney won the New Hampshire primary on January 10, which was not much of a surprise, considering Ronmey was governor of Massachusetts. However, the South Carolina primary, on Saturday, was a serious upset for the Romney campaign. It seems that Newt Gingrich won in South Carolina:Newt Gingrich has won the South Carolina Republican

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-50200558827271333812012-01-06T15:19:00.001-08:002012-01-06T15:51:00.028-08:00

The 2012 presidential race has been going on for a year now, and I have not really said much of the issue. I've been watching the race with a fascinating interest. President Barack Obama is running unopposed in the Democratic primary, although from reading the different liberal blogs, there is a lot of anger against Obama from liberals and progressives. On the Republican side, there have been

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-37146603847971982652011-06-23T08:35:00.000-07:002011-06-23T08:46:07.978-07:00

I found this story through Americablog, with the source story coming from CNBC.Com:China factories expanded in June at their slowest pace in 11 months while price pressures eased, a purchasing managers' survey showed on Thursday, the latest evidence the economy is losing steam in response to a spate of tightening steps.The HSBC flash manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI), the earliest

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-36505777055866183142011-06-22T09:15:00.000-07:002011-06-22T09:38:04.371-07:00

I guess midnight has arrived, Paul Revere had warned the British that the British were going to take away all our guns, and Sarah Palin's bus tour has turned into a pumpkin. From Real Clear Politics:Less than a month after she appeared poised to shake up the Republican presidential campaign, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has once again receded from the 2012 limelight.When Palin launched her "

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-42273246214959051562011-06-21T19:35:00.000-07:002011-06-21T19:42:20.845-07:00

I found this story through Americablog, and even I can't believe it. The source story is from CNBC.com:If all the brightest minds in Harrisburg’s government can’t solve the city’s financial problems, maybe God can.That seems to be the thinking in Pennsylvania’s capital city, where Mayor Linda Thompson and a host of other religious leaders are about to embark on a three-day fast and prayer

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-448763914484429402011-06-21T18:51:00.000-07:002011-06-21T19:25:47.516-07:00

About two weeks ago, top campaign aides for Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich resigned en mass, on "differences over the direction of the campaign." Gingrich promised he would continue "running the substantive, solutions-oriented campaign I set out to run earlier this spring," in spite of the resignations. Well, it appears that Gingrich's finance team has also quit: From The

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-23601134317770954442011-06-21T17:10:00.000-07:002011-06-21T17:17:04.694-07:00

There is something seriously wrong in this country, where a guy has to rob a bank in order to get health care coverage. From ABC News:A 59-year-old man has been jailed in Gastonia, N.C., on charges of larceny after allegedly robbing an RBC Bank for $1 so he could get health care in prison. Richard James Verone handed a female teller a note demanding the money and claiming that he had a gun,

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-44448706788090413122011-06-21T17:00:00.000-07:002011-06-21T17:07:40.959-07:00

Yes, this is a $100,000 razor. From Yahoo News.This is just insane. Then again, I guess the ubber-rich have got to buy something to entertain themselves. From Yahoo.com:$100,000 can buy many things: a brand new sports car, a boat, or a ridiculously luxurious vacation, just to name a few. But if you already have a new Audi in your driveway, a yacht at the marina, and just got back from a trip

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-88492129884823554742011-06-21T15:57:00.000-07:002011-06-21T16:50:36.895-07:00

I found this through the Washington Monthly, and I'm just amazed. The original source story is through the Orlando Sentinel:For a guy who claims not read newspapers — or care what the polls say or the public thinks — Rick Scott sure is putting a lot of effort into trying to score some good publicity.In fact, if regular old rank-and-file Floridians won’t write nice things about him in letters to

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-61617758041609352372011-06-19T08:45:00.000-07:002011-06-19T09:08:24.470-07:00

I found this story through the Washington Monthly, and I just can't believe it. The original source story is through TampaBay.com:TAMPA — Here's another option now that the kids are out of school: a weeklong seminar about our nation's founding principles, courtesy of the Tampa 912 Project.The organization, which falls under the tea party umbrella, hopes to introduce kids ages 8 to 12 to

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-11816591675625420772011-06-19T08:11:00.000-07:002011-06-19T08:42:54.155-07:00

This is from the New York Times:NEW ORLEANS — A comedian impersonating President Obama who was hired to perform here on Saturday at the Republican Leadership Conference delivered racially tinged remarks about Mr. Obama’s heritage and offered a mocking assessment of the Republican presidential candidates.The impersonator, Reggie Brown of Chicago, opened his act by joking about Mr. Obama’s family

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-15783495502021788472011-06-15T11:51:00.000-07:002011-06-15T12:08:29.660-07:00

This is really depressing. From MSNBC News:U.S. students don't know much about American history, according to results of a national test released Tuesday. Just 13 percent of high school seniors who took the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress — called the Nation's Report Card — showed solid academic performance in American history. The two other grade levels tested didn't perform

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-81276570260810371022011-06-07T13:41:00.000-07:002011-06-07T14:19:15.014-07:00

I saw this news story this morning on the TV news, and wanted to delve into it. From CNet News:Apple CEO Steve Jobs today announced an online cloud storage service called iCloud that's designed to make it simple to wirelessly share music, e-mail, photos, calendars, and other data between handheld gadgets and desktop computers.The new Apple service, which has been the subject of intense

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-26361839398828010902011-06-07T10:44:00.000-07:002011-06-07T10:46:52.043-07:00

I guess Sarah Palin was right--Stephen Colbert just proved it with his re-enactment of Paul Revere's famous Midnight Ride. It is hysterical.The Colbert ReportTags: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-82986432363461221642011-06-05T10:30:00.000-07:002011-06-05T14:00:57.515-07:00

It has been a while since I've posted on this blog, but I found this story about the former half-term Alaskan governor, and former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, and I'm just amazed. From the Los Angeles Times:Sarah Palin, if you haven't heard, is taking some of her family around the country, visiting historical U.S. landmarks, and talking to the media along the way.Thursday her "

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-32130197993429088462010-08-02T09:17:00.001-07:002010-08-02T09:39:26.594-07:00

Sometimes, I just have to shake my head, and wonder if the Obama administration has a clue on how to play politics. From The Huffington Post:NEW YORK — Fox News Channel has been granted a much-coveted front-row seat in the White House briefing room.The White House Correspondents Association said Sunday that The Associated Press' reporter has been moved to the front-row center seat previously

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-68963564940492930242010-08-02T08:41:00.000-07:002010-08-02T08:52:31.302-07:00

I found this story through Americablog, and I'm just amazed. From CNN.Com:(CNN) -- In protest of what it calls a religion "of the devil," a nondenominational church in Gainesville, Florida, plans to host an "International Burn a Quran Day" on the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks.The Dove World Outreach Center says it is hosting the event to remember 9/11 victims and take a

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-34284780879163602882010-07-26T11:10:00.000-07:002010-07-26T11:19:31.356-07:00

I don't know what else to say here, except that these statistics are scary. Reaganomics has triumphed into destroying the Middle Class. This is from the Business Insider, via Yahoo News:The 22 statistics detailed here prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the middle class is being systematically wiped out of existence in America.The rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer at a

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-80355827244807079752010-07-26T10:34:00.000-07:002010-07-26T11:04:41.924-07:00

I found this CQ Politics story through Americablog:Republicans are growing increasingly frustrated with Sharron Angle and her lackluster campaign to unseat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), fearing she is jeopardizing what they had long viewed as a sure pickup and costing them a chance to reclaim the majority.Senate Republicans quietly acknowledge that Angle’s controversial views on

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-58463662249049229192010-07-25T11:23:00.001-07:002010-07-25T11:42:54.857-07:00

I found this interesting blog post on the Washington Monthly, and I just had to laugh. Nevada GOP Senate candidate Sharron Angle addressed a conservative convention in Las Vegas, where she backtracked, saying she did not want eliminate Social Security, but save Social Security by paying back the $2.5 trillion the government spent in the fun. Here is the original story on Angle's speech at

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-11167776570861569172010-07-24T11:25:00.001-07:002010-07-24T11:35:53.661-07:00

The Superfriends meet Bigfoot. How cool is that? From YouTube:

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-31324053207825870302010-07-23T16:08:00.001-07:002010-07-23T16:09:30.610-07:00

This is just too funny. From Politico.com:The day after walking out of her own campaign event when reporters were offered an opportunity to ask questions, Nevada GOP Senate nominee Sharron Angle on Thursday responded to a question from a reporter — to tell them she wasn’t answering the question. For the second day in a row, Angle’s campaign alerted the press that they were holding a campaign

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-3334615053195635182010-07-22T09:54:00.000-07:002010-07-22T11:11:14.362-07:00

This is from Talking Points Memo:Former Nevada state Rep. Sharron Angle, the Republican nominee for Senate against Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid, is still getting the hang of holding a "press conference" with the media. At an event Wednesday, Angle spoke for three minutes on cutting taxes -- and then quickly left when the assembled reporters tried to ask her questions.The funniest thing,

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-33343132113381632882010-07-21T09:54:00.001-07:002010-07-21T10:39:41.866-07:00

There is not much more I can say about this story, except....WOW! From the Huffington Post:Lobbyists for major banks, insurers, pharmaceutical firms, energy companies and at least one foreign government have been helping organize lavish gatherings of staffers and members of Congress since early 2009, funneling K Street money through an officially chartered staff organization called the

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-30362655173235098952010-07-20T13:05:00.000-07:002010-07-20T14:51:18.560-07:00

I found this San Francisco Chronicle story last week, and it is just fascinating. Republican candidate Meg Whitman has already spent over $100 million in her bid to purchase the California governors mansion. Why not spend another $30 million to purchase the California legislature as well? From the San Francisco Chronicle:California Republicans are buzzing about the possibility that billionaire

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-16472047463306547032010-06-09T12:00:00.000-07:002010-06-09T15:28:23.614-07:00

In addition to the primary races for various California political offices, there were a number of propositions on the ballot that were somewhat controversial. And I think I found some interesting trends for those propositions. First, let me give you a rundown on the propositions:Proposition 14, Open Primary: Proposition 14 changes the way Californians elect local candidates for state and

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-79069755649872052722010-06-09T09:36:00.000-07:002010-06-09T11:40:21.155-07:00

It is midterm election year, and yesterday was the Election Day for the California primary race. While I have been rather busy taking Digital Media classes at West Valley Community College, I've been keeping my eyes on the races taking place here. And I've been thinking about the races as well.For the past five months, the attention has been focused on two big California races here--both

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-90727887574293505302010-03-27T09:26:00.000-07:002010-03-27T09:28:41.553-07:00

That is the question. From YouTube:

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-32884262684312592212010-03-26T17:46:00.000-07:002010-03-26T23:28:33.568-07:00

I'm not even sure how I found this Red State blog post by Erick Erickson, but I'm just amazed at how wacked out it is. The post that Erick Erickson wrote is titled "If King George Will Not Listen...."This is one of those posts that has to be written and has to be said, though I know going in to it I’m going to get beaten up from all sides, though especially from a left particularly out to get me

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-68801467988787454902010-03-26T15:25:00.000-07:002010-03-26T16:17:59.993-07:00

The Cantor shooting scandal just keeps getting better. This is from Greg Sargent's blog:A spokesperson for Eric Cantor is pushing back on criticism that he shouldn’t have referenced the bullet shot through a campaign office window at a presser yesterday about threats on his life, offering a detailed chronology of what happened.[....]Cantor spokesperson Brad Dayspring, in an interview with me

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-63866120028319306052010-03-26T10:03:00.000-07:002010-03-26T10:10:18.507-07:00

Fox News is hyping up the Cantor shooting. From DKos TV:Of course, Fox News doesn't even bother telling its viewers that the shooting may have been random, or that the bullet was fired skyward, or even that Cantor's office was unmarked. The Cantor shooting was a perfect PR-spin for the GOP to deflect criticism of the right-wing nuts threatening Democratic lawmakers. And since Fox News is the

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-66482237912481596362010-03-25T20:32:00.000-07:002010-03-25T20:36:11.077-07:00

This is just totally frickin' brilliant. From YouTube:Something tells me we're going to see a lot of Senator John Boehner's "HELL NO, you can't!"

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-86854369291988586792010-03-25T19:36:00.000-07:002010-03-25T22:21:24.498-07:00

I found some more information on the gunshots fired at Republican Representative Eric Cantor's campaign office. From the Richmond Times-Dispatch:3:40 p.m. The Richmond Police Department is investigating an act of vandalism agsinst the Reagan Building, 25 E. Main St., where Rep. Eric I. Cantor, R-7th, has a campagn office.Police said a first floor window was struck by a bullet at around 1 a.m. on

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-1024785426308549012010-03-25T15:43:00.000-07:002010-03-25T16:14:51.913-07:00

This is an interesting poll from The Daily Beast, which reveals Republican attitudes about President Barack Obama. From The Daily Beast:On the heels of health care, a new Harris poll reveals Republican attitudes about Obama: Two-thirds think he's a socialist, 57 percent a Muslim—and 24 percent say "he may be the Antichrist."To anyone who thinks the end of the health-care vote means a return to

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-46662848120232877822010-03-25T15:20:00.000-07:002010-03-25T15:29:03.196-07:00

Keith Olbermann gave a Special Comment on March 22nd, talking about how the Republican Party's self-destruction into obstructionism, hatred, and fear-mongering, is filtering down into their constituents. I think it is appropriate to show Olbermann's Special Comment, especially in the wake of the violence, hatred, and death that have been aimed at Democrats this week as a result of their voting

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-4525678480087422852010-03-25T14:27:00.001-07:002010-03-25T15:36:48.978-07:00

I found this through Shakesville, and I don't know what else to say about this, but OMFG! From YouTube:The video was taken by a BBC film crew as both former presidents, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, were visiting Haiti for the earthquake relief. Bush shook hands with a Haitian, and then wipes his hand on Clinton's shirt sleeve. I can probably see that Bush shook the sweaty hands of a

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-66613807806977973952010-03-25T12:44:00.000-07:002010-03-25T14:18:44.677-07:00

This is from the Richmond Times-Dispatch:3:40 p.m. The Richmond Police Department is investigating an act of vandalism agsinst the Reagan Building, 25 E. Main St., where Rep. Eric I. Cantor, R-7th, has a campagn office.Police said a first floor window was struck by a bullet at around 1 a.m. on Tuesday. The building was not occupied, police said.There are no suspects, Gene Lepley, a spokesman for

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-34540677399061347972010-03-25T11:50:00.000-07:002010-03-25T12:07:13.043-07:00

I found this story through the Washington Monthly. Seems like South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham has been drinking Senator John McCain's Metamucil. From the Wall Street Journal:Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, one of the Democrats' most likely potential allies on a range of legislation, said in an interview he would no longer work with the majority party on an

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-6311275753991127532010-03-23T17:29:00.000-07:002010-03-23T19:10:32.623-07:00

I'm not sure I know what to say about this, except that I found this National Journal story from the Daily Kos, and it is fascinating. From The National Journal:Senate Min. Leader Mitch McConnell and House Min. Leader John Boehner both signaled support for at least some part of a GOP-led move to repeal health care legislation today, suggesting the GOP will run on the issue in the fall campaign."

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-47662724990655432662010-03-23T16:07:00.000-07:002010-03-23T16:57:39.778-07:00

It has been a while since I've talked about public opinion polls, but I do find this poll very interesting. This may be the first poll I've seen taken after the health care reform bill passed Congress, and was signed by President Obama today. It is certainly not going to be the last poll on this issue. From USA Today:WASHINGTON — Americans by 9 percentage points have a favorable view of the

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-18204962560868010622010-03-23T14:40:00.000-07:002010-03-23T15:53:24.580-07:00

Seems like Sarah Palin is getting some more media attention again. This is from Think Progress:For months, Republicans have been trying to co-opt the tea party movement, supporting its activities and pandering to activists while discouraging them from forming a third party. RNC Chairman Michael Steele met with tea party leaders in January to encourage them to join the GOP, while Sen. Orrin Hatch

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-10729817004216226302010-03-23T13:28:00.000-07:002010-03-23T14:40:39.422-07:00

Looks like former Republican vice presidential candidate and Alaskan governor Sarah Palin is back in the news again (Or has she ever been out of the news?). I found this interesting news story that made me stop and ask...what? Here is a March 4, 2010 ABC News story where Palin is shopping around for her own reality TV series:We knew Sarah Palin was in Los Angeles this week. What we didn't know

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-84371820146848506972010-03-23T13:10:00.000-07:002010-03-23T13:25:24.541-07:00

Oh my. It appears that Vice President Joe Biden just dropped a dirty F-bomb right after introducing President Barack Obama during the health care reform signing ceremony. From YouTube:Then again, it was a big frickin' deal. So Joe was right.Think Progress is reporting that Fox News pundits heads are exploding over Joe Biden's f-bomb gaffe. Guess Fox News doesn't have anything to say about the

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-42148541378350856272010-03-23T11:27:00.000-07:002010-03-23T12:37:52.549-07:00

President Obama signed major health care legislation into law on Tuesday. Doug Mills/The New York TimesWell, it is now official. President Obama has signed the health care legislation into law today. From The New York Times:WASHINGTON —With the strokes of 20 pens, President Obama signed his health care overhaul — the most sweeping social legislation enacted in decades — into law on Tuesday

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-78495494498047594482010-03-21T20:11:00.000-07:002010-03-21T23:06:42.281-07:00

I've been busy with a number of things, but I've been watching the events taking place on the health care debate. After the Senate passed the health care reform bill in December, the bill went into a torturous reconciliation process, where a number of House Democrats did not like the Senate version of the bill. There was a lot of back-and-forth going on between the two chambers, topped with

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-3945538542813013192010-03-06T10:28:00.000-08:002010-03-06T10:32:56.836-08:00

Okay, this insane song has been playing in my mind for the morning. So I'm going to be a real meanie, and play it for a Saturday Morning Cartoon. What song is it? Why, Sesame Street's Baker's Ten song. From YouTube:And that's our song of ten!

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-2610977254174404082010-03-05T14:17:00.001-08:002010-03-05T14:50:48.527-08:00

I found this interesting story through the Washington Monthly, which was tracked back to Max Blumenthal. It is basically a political campaign commercial that Sue Lowden is airing for her bid as the leading Republican candidate for the Senate seat in Nevada. Can you spot the Republican hypocrisy? Here is the video:And here is the script:As a mom I know one-size-fits-all clothes don't fit,

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-18798537381344603592010-03-05T08:19:00.000-08:002010-03-05T09:16:51.191-08:00

It appears that the GOP's 72-page PowerPoint presentation is creating some serious public relations damage for the party. From the Washington Post:National Republican leaders scrambled Thursday to control damage caused by an internal party document that caricatures President Obama as the Joker and stokes fear of socialism to raise money in a critical election year.The 72-page PowerPoint

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-71465064362739671792010-03-04T20:56:00.000-08:002010-03-04T21:22:38.195-08:00

More insanity continues with this TPM Muckraker story:A Louisiana sheriff plans to arm volunteers with shotguns, riot shields, batons, and a .50-caliber machine gun mounted on a "war wagon," as part of "Operation Exodus," a program to provide security in the event of a terrorist attack or civic unrest. "It's a calling," he says.The office of Sheriff Larry Deen of Bossier Parish, near Shreveport

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-31487553517535781932010-03-04T16:58:00.000-08:002010-03-04T18:45:23.943-08:00

I really do not know what to say about this MSNBC story:Democrats on Wednesday sharply criticized a Republican National Committee fundraising document that caricatured President Obama as the Joker, while Chairman Michael S. Steele sought to distance himself from it.Also depicted were House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.), presented as Cruella de Vil

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-37026180844449642422010-03-04T15:29:00.000-08:002010-03-04T16:41:59.790-08:00

It has been a busy week, however, I did notice that our favorite, demented, Senator Jim Bunning has backed down from his one-man filibuster against approving unemployment benefits in the Senate. The Senate then immediately approved the unemployment extension bill 78 to 19. What I found especially interesting about this political temper tantrum was the Republican support for Bunning. From the

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-34397334412256288802010-03-01T19:07:00.000-08:002010-03-01T19:48:25.823-08:00

The Bunning filibuster fiasco continues to drive itself into the Crazies Zone. Now apparently, Bunning's filibuster is causing a pay cut for doctors. From Talking Points Memo:Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) is already infamous for blocking a temporary extension of unemployment and COBRA benefits for out of work Americans. But included in that package is legislation to prevent a mandatory pay cut for

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-88705773129110875062010-03-01T17:53:00.000-08:002010-03-01T18:54:20.624-08:00

Is it me, or has the Republican Party followed Jim Bunning over a cliff? From The Huffington Post:A debate on the Senate floor Monday over unemployment compensation crystallized, at least for a moment, the divide between the two parties in Washington.Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona, the Republican whip, argued that unemployment benefits dissuade people from job-hunting "because people are being paid

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-66314393758891312812010-03-01T16:58:00.000-08:002010-03-01T17:40:44.617-08:00

I found this Politico.com story through The Washington Monthly, and I just have to marvel at the GOP's pr-spin. From the Politico.com:After months of struggling to harness the energy of newly engaged tea party activists, the conservative establishment — with critical midterm congressional elections on the horizon — is taking aim for the first time at the movement’s extremist elements.The move

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-65125317459641264902010-03-01T15:39:00.000-08:002010-03-01T16:38:06.996-08:00

I've been watching this story over the weekend, and I'm just fascinated at this latest Senate "train wreak" that has been caused by a lone, Republican senator. From MSNBC News:WASHINGTON - Two thousand federal transportation workers were furloughed without pay on Monday, and the Obama administration said they have a Kentucky senator to blame for it.Federal reimbursements to states for highway

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-82338678645444118882010-01-27T13:45:00.000-08:002010-01-27T14:47:50.214-08:00

This is from Andrew Sullivan at the Daily Dish:Unlike many liberal blogs, I'm encouraged by the spending freeze and thrilled by the debt commission idea. But to my mind, none of this makes any sense unless Obama passes a core political test.Does he have the courage to insist that healthcare reform is not dead? Does he use his clout to pressure the Senate to give the House some signs that the

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-17583722301179663892010-01-27T12:42:00.000-08:002010-01-27T16:41:11.685-08:00

This is just very interesting. From Who Runs Gov, via Americablog:House GOP leaders are urging fellow Republicans to control their tempers and avoid any repeat performances of Joe Wilson’s “you lie” outburst at tonight’s State of the Union speech.House Republican leaders warned rank and file Republican members in a private meeting this morning to show the President “respect” during tonight’s

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-41422153742665107212010-01-27T09:40:00.000-08:002010-01-27T12:00:40.596-08:00

I wrote this post on Oregon voters were considering a couple of measures to tax the rich a couple of days ago. Well, the votes are in. This is from the Oregon Live.com, via Americablog:Oregon voters bucked decades of anti-tax and anti-Salem sentiment Tuesday, raising taxes on corporations and the wealthy to prevent further erosion of public schools and other state services.The tax measures

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-56923336411274197612010-01-26T16:01:00.000-08:002010-01-26T16:41:00.210-08:00

This is a huge blow for Toyota. From the Los Angeles Times:Toyota Motor Corp. is temporarily halting sales and production of eight models, including the top-selling Camry and Corolla, that it has recalled because the accelerator pedal can stick and cause unwanted acceleration.The automaker announced the recall of 2.3 million cars and trucks late last week. That came just months after Toyota

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-16331853099361065552010-01-26T15:11:00.000-08:002010-01-26T15:45:32.280-08:00

Okay, now the James O'Keefe story is entering into the Twilight Zone. Now Media Matters is reporting that Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX) has introduced a resolution praising O'Keefe for his investigation into the ACORN activities. Here is the text of the resolution:Text of the House Resolution:Whereas Hannah Giles and James O’Keefe III filmed investigatory videos uncovering the fraudulent and illegal

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-68493626223980681932010-01-26T13:31:00.000-08:002010-01-26T14:02:12.529-08:00

This is just...wow! From the Politico.com:Federal authorities have arrested four men on felony charges for attempting to infiltrate Sen. Mary Landrieu’s New Orleans office, including one filmmaker who targeted the community group ACORN last year in undercover videos.Among those arrested was 25-year-old James O’Keefe, the conservative filmmaker, along with Joseph Basel, Robert Flanagan and Stan

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-18944765138905041472010-01-26T12:38:00.000-08:002010-01-26T12:45:47.557-08:00

This is from MSNBC News:LONDON - For the past 50 years, scientists have scoured the skies for radio signals from beyond our planet, hoping for some sign of extraterrestrial life. But one physicist says there's no reason alien life couldn't already be lurking among us — or maybe even in us.Paul Davies, an award-winning Arizona State University physicist known for his popular science writing said

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-47383404372483185852010-01-26T11:40:00.000-08:002010-01-26T12:11:40.513-08:00

This is from Raw Story:Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger suggested California could ease its crowded prison system by sending thousands of undocumented inmates to specially built jails in Mexico.Speaking to reporters at the Sacramento Press Club, Schwarzenegger said California could ease its strained finances by a billion dollars if 20,000 illegal immigrants currently held in the state were housed

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-10795563720223411522010-01-26T11:11:00.000-08:002010-01-26T11:18:50.893-08:00

Excuse me while I check out the latest OMG from Yahoo. In the meantime, you can ponder this revealing Rasmussen poll:Americans increasingly live in a world of cell phones, laptops, Blackberries, desk computers and more, all wirelessly linked to the Internet, and now automakers even plan front-seat computers in some cars.But a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 23% of

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-24881392350815993082010-01-26T09:29:00.000-08:002010-01-26T10:16:22.379-08:00

I saw this story last night after I was finished tweaking the new blog template. Now it is time to comment on it. From the New York Times:WASHINGTON — President Obama will call for a three-year freeze in spending on many domestic programs, and for increases no greater than inflation after that, an initiative intended to signal his seriousness about cutting the budget deficit, administration

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-51325913588739847852010-01-25T20:34:00.000-08:002010-01-25T21:16:53.500-08:00

The Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town complex in 2006. From Nicole Bengiveno/The New York TimesThis is from The New York Times:The owners of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village, the iconic middle-class housing complexes overlooking the East River in Manhattan, have decided to turn over the properties to creditors, officials said Monday morning.The decision by Tishman Speyer Properties

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-1499562406709880612010-01-25T19:36:00.000-08:002010-01-25T20:25:38.922-08:00

I'm not sure what to say about this Los Angeles Times story:In mail-in voting that ends today, Oregon is considering measures to raise taxes on households earning $250,000 or more and on individuals earning at least $125,000, as well as hike corporate taxes. About 39,000 of the state's 1.5 million taxpayers would be subject to the higher tax, and some big companies could see their annual bills go

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-87818494512445913462010-01-25T18:40:00.000-08:002010-01-25T19:35:21.460-08:00

This is from The Politico:Officials of both parties are sharply criticizing a fundraising mailing from Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele they say could be confused with official correspondence regarding this year’s census.The fundraising letter comes in the form of a “survey,” a frequently used device for partisan fundraising, but this one has a twist: Calling itself the “

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-37079609270849229492010-01-25T14:54:00.000-08:002010-01-26T10:39:05.461-08:00

No, you are not seeing things here--talking to the five people who probably read this blog now. When I started this blog about five years ago, I thought I would write solely on news, economic, and political issues. And I've written quite a bit on the issues of the day. But last year, I just got burnt out on writing about politics and trying to report on every single political issue and story

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-57261880063377992672009-10-13T12:36:00.001-07:002009-10-13T13:04:16.163-07:00

This is from The New York Times:WASHINGTON — The Senate Finance Committee voted on Tuesday to approve legislation that would reshape the American health care system and provide subsidies to help millions of people buy insurance, as Senator Olympia J. Snowe, Republican of Maine, joined all 13 Democrats on the panel in support of the landmark bill.The vote was 14 to 9, with all of the other

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-50810551682052902162009-07-11T11:08:00.000-07:002009-07-11T11:50:53.732-07:00

Now here is a fascinating twist to my previous posting, where Sarah Palin may have resigned from the Alaskan governorship to cash in on fame and fortune. I'm sure some of that fame would have included campaigning for GOP candidates. And yet, this Hill.com story reveals that some GOP candidates want her to stay home:Republicans facing tough elections in 2010 don’t want Sarah Palin campaigning

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-33302097173651657452009-07-11T10:35:00.000-07:002009-07-11T11:12:22.109-07:00

I'm not sure if I'm buying this story from Bristol Palin's former fiancee, but I still find it rather interesting in the light that former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin has yet to provide and adequate reason why she resigned from the governorship. This is the entire story from Yahoo News:ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A spokeswoman for Gov. Sarah Palin is scoffing at comments by Bristol Palin's former

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-28394644308216434722009-07-11T09:55:00.000-07:002009-07-11T10:18:31.704-07:00

To kick off today's Saturday Morning Cartoons, I found a Tweety and Sylvester cartoon that even I have not seen--The Rebel Without Claws. In this 1961 Civil War drama, the Confederates need to send an important message to General Lee, however all their carrier pigeons are missing in action with the exception of Tweety. So Tweety is given the dangerous mission, only to realize that the Union

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-8157905639174494912009-07-09T18:30:00.000-07:002009-07-09T19:29:41.591-07:00

I saw this story on Countdown with Keith Olbermann last night, and I found it especially interesting. First, here is Olbermann's story about Alaska governor Sarah Palin's polarizing poll numbers:Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the EconomyAnd here is the USA Today source story for all this:WASHINGTON — Sarah Palin's bombshell that she is resigning as Alaska governor

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-21394021517563284982009-07-09T16:11:00.000-07:002009-07-09T16:44:01.056-07:00

I guess Roland Burris finally realized just how Blago-radioactive he was for the Democrats in the Senate. From USA Today:WASHINGTON (AP) — A Democratic official says Roland Burris will not run for a full Senate term in 2010.The source says Burris has begun informing Democratic officials about his decision. The official spoke on condition because Burris had yet to announce his decision.Burris was

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-70104345527452328572009-07-09T14:40:00.000-07:002009-07-09T15:53:23.062-07:00

I honestly don't know what to say about this, except that I wonder if our congressmen have any frickin' brains in their thick skulls. I guess not. From Yahoo News:WASHINGTON — Amid the great debates of the day over health care, global warming and economic recovery, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that there will be no pause in the action to honor Michael Jackson .For the record, the

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-78011948795006149522009-07-09T09:56:00.000-07:002009-07-09T11:47:59.624-07:00

In some ways, this really isn't surprising. From the New York Times:WASHINGTON — The director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Leon E. Panetta, has told the House Intelligence Committee in closed-door testimony that the C.I.A. concealed “significant actions” from Congress from 2001 until late last month, seven Democratic committee members said.In a June 26 letter to Mr. Panetta discussing his

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-75157202064685235112009-07-08T18:14:00.000-07:002009-07-08T18:16:37.542-07:00

Talk about Death by Chocolate! This is from The MercuryNews.com:CAMDEN, N.J. — Authorities say a man died after falling into a vat of melted chocolate in a New Jersey processing plant.A spokesman for the Camden County prosecutor's office says the 29-year-old temporary worker at the Cocoa Services Inc. plant fell after a blade used to mix raw chocolate hit him. His name has not been released.The

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-70067612852491162692009-07-08T15:46:00.000-07:002009-07-08T16:16:28.266-07:00

It appears that the California budget stalemate between the legislature, and the Governator, is heading into a full-blown, statewide crisis. Or maybe I should say that this entire California budget crisis is heading into the toilet? Either way, the state is now printing out IOU's to pay for its bills. This is from a July 3, 2009 Los Angeles Times story:Deep in debt and short on cash,

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-76879006315666704172009-07-08T14:38:00.001-07:002009-07-08T15:19:15.947-07:00

All I can say is wow--we've got a battle between two software titans. From MSNBC News:SUN VALLEY, Idaho — Google Inc. is hoping to gain greater control over how personal computers work with its plans to develop a free operating system that will attack Microsoft Corp.'s golden goose — its long-dominant Windows franchise.The new operating system will be based on Google's 9-month-old Web browser,

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-83535328744887577972009-07-08T13:18:00.000-07:002009-07-08T14:34:21.033-07:00

Michael Jackson died.I'll admit that I was a little surprised when I read the June 25, 2009 story on the King of Pop's death. What I found even more ironic is was how the mainstream news started out with their big morning news story about Charlie's Angel Farrah Fawcett's death from cancer, but then suddenly dropped Farrah's death for what would become the incessant coverage of EVERYTHING MICHAEL

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-82114366750723055992009-07-06T11:49:00.000-07:002009-07-06T11:56:34.383-07:00

In this Jan. 23, 1961, photo released by the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library in Boston, President Kennedy sits with Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, right, in the White House Oval Office in Washington. McNamara, the cerebral secretary of defense vilified for his role in escalating the Vietnam War, a disastrous conflict he later denounced as 'terribly wrong,' died Monday, July 6, 2009. He

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-9196963589591356972009-07-06T10:38:00.000-07:002009-07-06T11:49:23.763-07:00

Coming back from an absence with Sarah Palin's resignation as Alaska's governorMy apologies for the lack of posting. I've stepped away from my blog for a while since I felt that either a) The content I was writing was becoming more of the same stuff day after day, or b) The political BS that was taking place over the past year was the same ole BS day after day--how am I suppose to write

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-19355071218536554842009-04-02T15:02:00.000-07:002009-04-02T15:06:24.863-07:00

Blago is indicted. From MSNBC News:CHICAGO - Federal prosecutors made good on a promise to take action on a "significant criminal matter" Thursday, indicting former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on corruption charges.While prosecutors went about their work, the impeached and ousted governor was apparently vacationing at a Disney World resort in Florida.U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald had

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-60057987557329430992009-04-02T14:17:00.000-07:002009-04-02T14:35:46.012-07:00

There is some rich irony here, as Domino's Pizza tried to cash in with the bailout. This is from MSNBC News:CINCINNATI - "Bailout" was the magic word as Domino's had to give away thousands of free pizzas because someone stumbled on an online promotion the company scrapped.Domino's Pizza Inc. spokesman Tim McIntyre said Wednesday that the company prepared an Internet coupon for an ad campaign

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-20312571971862172782009-04-02T13:22:00.000-07:002009-04-02T14:41:59.383-07:00

This is from Talking Points Memo:It's hard to tell if Eric Cantor's testing a new message, or if this is the new Republican line on the Democrats and the state of affairs in the country, but Politico reports that, at the Christian Science Monitor breakfast this morning, the House GOP whip, said Democrats are "overreacting, as they often will, to crisis."But back to this morning. Cantor told

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-74947081889568626362009-04-01T09:07:00.000-07:002009-04-01T09:27:59.138-07:00

This is from The Washington Post:The number of Americans who believe that the nation is headed in the right direction has roughly tripled since Barack Obama's election, and the public overwhelmingly blames the excesses of the financial industry, rather than the new president, for turmoil in the economy, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.At this early stage in his presidency, Obama

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-47822651583142365702009-03-28T09:59:00.000-07:002009-03-28T10:21:00.699-07:00

Spring is coming, and what is a great way to celebrate spring, than with a good ole fashion Tom and Jerry cartoon. In this case, it is Springtime for Thomas. This 1946 cartoon has Jerry happily ready to be chased by Tom, however Tom is swooning over a cute lady kitty sunny herself by the pool next door. Jerry's evil little devil appears, and provides Jerry with a menage a trios plan on how to

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-85673841933843258802009-03-26T20:45:00.000-07:002009-03-26T21:23:37.705-07:00

I honestly do not know what to say about this latest gaffe by Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, except that he claims all the gaffes he has made, ever since he took RNC chairman's job, are all part of a super-secret strategic plan. Of course, this includes the famous bickering between Steele and conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh, in which Steele apologized to Limbaugh.

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-91644444916404177532009-03-26T14:34:00.000-07:002009-03-26T15:45:08.297-07:00

This is a fascinating story from The Politico.com:House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) raised objections to an abbreviated alternative budget "blueprint" released today -- but were told by House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) they needed to back the plan, according to several Republican sources.The argument, coming a week before the full House and Senate are

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-52061590301596763632009-03-26T13:30:00.000-07:002009-03-26T14:23:33.516-07:00

I found this story through The Washington Monthly, with the source coming from Talking Points Memo:Stung by their stereotyping as the "party of no," House Republicans eagerly promoted the unveiling of their alternative to President Obama's budget today -- but when they finished speaking, reporters had one big question: Where's the actual budget? You know, the numbers that show deficit projections

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-8685159079312374252009-03-26T10:00:00.000-07:002009-03-26T10:21:19.252-07:00

Tents under an overpass in a Fresno rail yard. Homelessness in Fresno has long been fed by the ups and downs in seasonal and subsistence jobs in agriculture, but the recession has cast a wider net and drawn hundreds of newly homeless, from hitchhikers to truck drivers to electricians. Photo: Jim Wilson/The New York Times.This is from The New York Times:FRESNO, Calif. — As the operations manager

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-52406527428933668022009-03-12T11:36:00.000-07:002009-03-12T11:46:53.290-07:00

This is not surprising, considering how the housing and financial crisis has sent American households' 401K retirement and housing values down significantly. From The New York Times:WASHINGTON (AP) — The net worth of American households fell by the largest amount in more than a half-century of record keeping during the fourth quarter of last year.The Federal Reserve said Thursday that household

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-67496342706880781112009-03-12T10:53:00.000-07:002009-03-12T11:17:23.579-07:00

Chuck Norris would love to become the next president of Texas.I found this CNN story via the Washington Monthly:From CNN's Lauren Kornreich(CNN) – Actor Chuck Norris has his eyes on the presidency, but not the White House. Norris wrote that he would be interested in becoming the president of Texas, if the state were ever to secede from the Union.“I may run for president of Texas,” Norris wrote

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-12482176887285436742009-03-12T10:36:00.000-07:002009-03-12T10:52:30.692-07:00

It appears that the war between CNBC and Comedy Central's Jon Stewart is heating up. Now Mad Money's Jim Cramer and MSNBC's toadie Joe Scarborough want to get into the fight with Jon Stewart, after Stewart ripped CNBC's Rick Santelli. Don't these bobbleheads know that they cannot defeat a genius of satirical comedy as Jon Stewart? I guess not:.cc_box a:hover .cc_home{background:url('http://

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-16808304163101149502009-03-07T10:54:00.000-08:002009-03-07T12:00:14.557-08:00

I saw this story on the Rachel Maddow Show, and I'm not sure what to say. Apparently House Minority Leader John Boehner has decided to cope with this nation's 8.1 percent unemployment rate by calling for a government spending freeze:ABC News’ Rick Klein Reports: House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, reacted to the rise in unemployment today by calling for a federal government spending

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-9397319867792156122009-03-07T10:33:00.000-08:002009-03-07T10:40:34.158-08:00

I haven't done a Road Runner cartoon for a while, so here is the Road Runner, with Wile E. Coyote, in a timeless classic Stop! Look! and Hasten. Watch out for the Burmese Tiger Trap. From YouTube:

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-35417934829214415852009-03-06T10:41:00.001-08:002009-03-06T11:18:10.488-08:00

Graph showing the labor picture in February. From The New York Times.The job losses continue. From the New York Times:Another 651,000 jobs disappeared from the American economy in February, the government reported Friday, as the unemployment rate soared to 8.1 percent — its highest level since 1983.The latest grim scorecard of contraction in the American work place largely destroyed what hopes

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-83586476443656209992009-03-05T11:32:00.000-08:002009-03-05T11:41:23.845-08:00

Not only was Stephen Colbert hunkered down in his Doom Bunker, but the Daily Show's Jon Stewart totally rips the CNBC bobble-heads a new one with their own hypocrisy:.cc_box a:hover .cc_home{background:url('http://www.comedycentral.com/comedycentral/video/assets/syndicated-logo-over.png') !important;}.cc_links a{color:#b9b9b9;text-decoration:none;}.cc_show a{color:#707070;text-decoration:none;}.

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13168923.post-76211972629113360492009-03-05T10:54:00.000-08:002009-03-05T11:10:41.140-08:00

This is just too funny. In a parody of Fox News Glenn Beck's The War Room, Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert hunkers down in his Doom Bunker:.cc_box a:hover .cc_home{background:url('http://www.comedycentral.com/comedycentral/video/assets/syndicated-logo-over.png') !important;}.cc_links a{color:#b9b9b9;text-decoration:none;}.cc_show a{color:#707070;text-decoration:none;}.cc_title a{color:#868686;

Eric A Hopphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12286876445915877724noreply@blogger.com0