JABbering Stooge

すごい! (Sugoi!)

DPJ hands historic loss to LDP, takes over government

In an unprecedented political upheaval that could change the way Japan is run, the Democratic Party of Japan seized 308 seats in Sunday’s Lower House election, bouncing the Liberal Democratic Party from power.

The DPJ’s tally far exceeded the 241 seats needed for a single majority and surpassed the 296 seats the LDP won in its landslide victory in the previous Lower House election in 2005.

The LDP did not just lose the election; it was humiliated.

By virtue of this landslide victory, DPJ chief Yukio Hatoyama is set to become Japan’s new Prime Minister. Remember, the right-wing “Liberal Democratic” Party has dominated Japanese politics since the end of the Occupation. For them to be so thoroughly pwned in parliamentary elections is quite a feat.

Time will tell if this is a temporary setback for the LDP or the harbinger of a new age in Japanese politics. But if it is indeed the latter, then that’s just すばらしい (subarashii)!

* The phrase 易姓革命 (ekiseikakumei) refers to the ancient Chinese concept of a dynastic revolution that occurs when the ruling dynasty loses “The Mandate of Heaven.” Seemed rather appropriate, given the circumstances.

Shorter Joseph Farah:

The real Ted Kennedy legacy

“Shorter” concept created by Daniel Davies, perfected by Elton Beard and given a beneficial mutation by the fine folks at Sadly, No!
I am aware of all Internet tradtions.™

(Inspired by JJ’s post on the subject)

Huh? You sure about that, WingNutDaily? Hannity/Palin 2012?

WASHINGTON — Talk-show host Sean Hannity, a vocal opponent of Barack Obama’s policies, said today he would not rule out a bid for the presidency in 2012.

Egged on by radio colleague Bill Cunningham [That would be this Bill Cunningham, BTW. — Ed.], Hannity said he would consider entering the front lines of the political fray if God directs him.

[…]

While Obama’s approval ratings have been plummeting in his first year in office, no clear Republican frontrunner has emerged. The candidates most often considered viable include Mitt Romney, Sarah Palin and Hannity’s Fox News colleague Mike Huckabee.

Cunningham, one of Hannity’s guests during a visit to Cincinnati today, said the nation and the Republican Party need Hannity.

When WND asked Hannity to repeat what he said on the air about a run, he said, “I ducked.”

Later in the program, a member of the audience asked what the host thought of a Hannity-Palin ticket.

The studio audience erupted in applause.

Are you kidding me? Are you fucking kidding me? Hannity would be an oppo researcher’s wet dream! This is the man who was responsible for rehabilitating domestic terrorist Randall Terry during the Terri Schiavo debacle. Hannity is good friends with noted racist and Teabagger violence inciter Hal Turner.

And let’s not forget that Hannity is a talk radio host with his own prime time show on Fox Propaganda. There’s tons and tons of opposition research gold to be mined in those radio and television archives. Wouldn’t you just looooove to hear the clip of Hannity calling Congressman Jim Moran (D — VA) an “asshole” repeated on an endless loop night-after-night all across the TV airwaves? (Fat chance with our media, I know, but a guy can dream, can’t he?)

So, really, Hannity/Palin in 2012?

Bring it, bitchez!

(h/t, JJ)

R.I.P. Sen. Ted Kennedy. The Dream Shall Never Die.

I’m going to be taking a bit of a break from blogging for a while. Economic circumstances and the need to preserve my sanity after the health insurance reform fight dictate it. I’ll probably still blog major happenings, but that’s it. Though with my luck, a major Texas liberal will choose that moment to kick the bucket.

Play me off, Keyboard Cat.

As it is, the Ron Fournier School of Journalism* alumnus will likely be celebrated in the “librul” media for his role in helping cover up Gov. Sanford’s affair.

* Cf.

That seems to be the motto of CIGNA, Aetna, Kaiser Permanente, United Health Group and the rest of the major health insurers, according to Raw Story.

The healthcare industry is spending upwards of $1.4 million each day on average to lobby members of Congress on health care legislation, a report issued by Common Cause this week reveals.

Industry spending has nearly doubled since 2000. Healthcare interests contributed $94 million to Congress members during the 2008 election cycle alone — up from $40 million in 2000.

Common Cause’s report has received almost no treatment in the press — with a single article in Bloomberg News and one in the National Journal.

The industry is attempting to alter the course of Democrats’ plans to provide universal health coverage for most Americans.

You’d think that if they have this much money to bribe Congress with, surely they could spare some pocket change for, say, ACTUALLY COVERING POLICYHOLDERS. You’d be sorely mistaken. This story comes barely a month after the murder-by-spreadsheet industry responded to demands by Congress to stop culling the poor and minorities by spitting in Congress’ face en masse.

Talk about chutzpah.

* With apologies to Robert Goodloe Harper.

Why is the output of Cindy Sheehan’s vagina so earth-shatteringly newsworthy, but not the whereabouts of Gov. Mark Sanford for the last week?

WELL FEED ME NAILS AND CALL ME RUSTY: Now we know why Gov. Sanford has been acting so squirrelly lately. He’s become yet another statistic on the Republicans Behaving Badly Scoreboard™.

Bob Corker.

ALSO: Your lame attempt at walking this back is not going to help you here, Senator. Not in The Age of Sarah Palin™. No, you’re going to have to apologize at least two dozen times to all Latinas and then resign your Senate seat. Then we can maybe possibly discuss accepting your apology on a conditional basis, according to The Palin Rules™.

Crap like this is the very reason for the abbreviation IOKIYAR.

See also here, here, here and here.