“GOP gubernatorial candidate Tim Donnelly launched a blistering attack accusing Republican rival Neel Kashkari of associating with fundamentalist Islamic law. “BREAKING: Neel Kashkari supported the United States submitting to the Islamic, Shariah banking code in 2008 when he ran” the taxpayer-funded federal bank bailout, a Donnelly campaign associate wrote on the candidate’s Facebook page Monday. “Shariah is ‘the seditious religious-political-legal code authoritative Islam seeks to impose worldwide under a global theocracy.’ This revelation is spreading fast, as people … refer to Mr. Kashkari’s support of Shariah an ‘October Surprise.'”………..”
Kashkari oversaw the TARP program in 2008-09, under George W Bush. Imagine, warning California voters that a Hindu will sneak the Islamic Sharia as the law of the land of fruits and nuts. This is like saying the Pope and Obama are both secret Muslims.
This is only one example. In several Red States, legislatures have passed or tried to pass rules to “protect the states against Islamic Shariah”. And I believe many of them are serious about it. This strong move to Know-Nothingness was bound to happen to the Republican Party. Its roots where set in place decades ago, in 1968 when Richard Nixon opted for the Southern Strategy to get elected. It has accelerated with the intensification of the culture war and the spread of America’s Muslim Wars. Other factors, including economic, judicial, and political have contributed in recent years to move the GOP to the extreme right (extreme by American twentieth century standards, from Teddy Roosevelt to Jimmy Carter).
Cheers
mhg
“Putting the nation on alert against what it has described as a “highly credible terrorist threat,” the FBI announced today that it has uncovered a plot by members of al-Qaeda to sit back and enjoy themselves while the United States collapses of its own accord. Multiple intelligence agencies confirmed that the militant Islamist organization and its numerous affiliates intend to carry out a massive, coordinated plan to stand aside and watch America’s increasingly rapid decline, with terrorist operatives across the globe reportedly mobilizing to take it easy, relax, and savor the spectacle as it unfolds………… A recently declassified CIA report confirmed that all known al-Qaeda-affiliated organizations—from Pakistan to Yemen, and from Somalia to Algeria—have been instructed to kick back and enjoy the show as the United States’ federal government, energy grid, and industrial sector are rendered impotent by internal dissent, decay, and mismanagement. According to statements made by top-level informants and corroborated by leading Western terrorism experts, if seen through to its conclusion, al-Qaeda’s current plot could wreak far more damage than the events of 9/11…………………..” According to this piece, the 2008 financial meltdown must have been just a trial run, a rehearsal for the big one. The Onion does not say openly, but it probably knows that it may all depend on the two next U.S. elections: the 2014 congressional elections and the general elections of 2016. Cheers The Mexicans are unlikely to do a Putin and storm across the Río Bravo del Norte to reclaim Texas. At least not in the same way. Although the governor of Texas has been threatening secession, again, and the history of Texas tells us the Lonely Star state would be seeking another domestic partner to shack up with again. And who is there in a convenient location to open their arms (not weapons) and welcome it back? The Mexican oligarchs and ruling classes may not want that. They probably know they’ll screw it up just as they have their other states from Chiapas to Baja California: soon Austin may look like Tijuana. Speaking of a partner to shack up with: the Saudi king is perennially seeking new additions to the Gulf GCC. If he ever got wind of the restlessness of Texas, the potential of a Lonely Star, he might come a-courting. Seeking to get it to join the Gulf GCC (not the Gulf of Mexico, that other Gulf). Cheers Some in Qatari media, and offshore media owned and those financed by Qatari potentates, keep trying to make mischief. They have been claiming that Sometimes nothing can be more fun than to follow than some red state legislatures. They can be even fun-ner than the United States Congress and all the hot greenhouse effects some of its members emit. I am always on the lookout for new gems from the legislators of what the snobbish elites of the East Coast and Left Coast arrogantly (and I mean this: arrogantly) dismiss as “the fly-over states”. Sometimes they even seem to be the only force that stands between the Bible-belt and the universal application of Islamic Shari’a laws. “A recent letter attacking Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz is causing an internal brouhaha at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, The Cable has learned. The powerful lobbying outfit, known for its disciplined non-partisan advocacy for Israel, recently issued an action alert about the Florida congresswoman’s waffling on Iran sanctions legislation. The letter urged members to contact Wasserman Schultz and cited a disparaging article about her in a conservative website founded by a prominent Republican political operative. That AIPAC was driving hard for new Iran sanctions legislation surprised no one. But its use of a right-wing blog to target a well-connected Jewish Democrat with a long history of support for Israel raised eyebrows among some current and former AIPAC officials………….” Cheers “In 1988, the Wyoming Senate candidate said economic engagement would end apartheid faster than boycotts. Conservatives used the same argument with Jim Crow—and they still don’t get it. Liz Cheney doesn’t just share her father’s neoconservative politics. As a young woman, she also shared his support for the apartheid regime in South Africa. In a 1988 editorial for her college newspaper, Cheney—now running a losing primary bid against Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY)—condemned anti-apartheid activists at Colorado College. “The real problem with divestment,” wrote Cheney, attacking a prominent strategy of apartheid opponents, “is that it won’t work. Like most moral statements, it accomplishes nothing tangible.”……………..” The Cheneys have had an unusual mixed almost bi-polar relationship with the Al Saud princes. They loved the princes and their money even as they waged a media war on their religion. Liz Cheney particularly has a website (Keep America Safe) that for years focused on being Islamophobic even as the Cheneys remained close to the Saudis. That silly fear-mongering website, which also encouraged banning mosques, is now reportedly closed. Cheers CNBC reports today that Sheldon Adelson, the American Likudnik businessman is trying to get the U.S. Congress to ban online gambling. I doubt that he owns the whole of Congress, so, no dice. Not even all the millions he wasted on Newt Gingrich last year can help him there.CaliforniaKashkariRepublican PartyShariah
The Real Enemy Within: New Dastardly Plot of Al Qaeda………
So, maybe the New York NYPD was smart to decide to dismantle its network of espionage around the area mosques and shawarma joints. Maybe it plans to move all the spare agents to monitor the banking sector (for weaknesses in capital and solvency and honesty and, by necessity, supervision).
mhg After Crimea: Will a Lonely Star Opt to Live with Mexico? How about the GCC?………
“This wouldn’t be the first time Crimea has changed hands, though. The peninsula became part of Ukraine only in 1954, and before that it had a bewildering number of owners, including the ancient Greeks, the Scythian Empire, Rome, the Goths, the Huns, the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, Venice, Genoa, Imperial Russia, Soviet Russia, and, briefly, Nazi Germany. Still, for the last 60 years it has been part of Ukraine, and having it ripped away would be quite shocking…………. Like Crimea, Texas has been part of many other nations and was once its own sovereign republic — the six flags at the famous Texas-based amusement park represent those various countries: Spain, France, Mexico, the U.S., the Confederate States of America, and of course the Republic of Texas. And although 97 percent of Texans wouldn’t vote to secede from the U.S. today, the Lone Star State has a sizable separatist movement. Texas and Crimea are also both situated at the bottom middle of their respective nations, and in similar proportion.………..”
Cheers
mhg Nuclear Campaign 2016: Hillary Clinton Covering her Right Flank, Smilin’ Joe Biden………
“Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed doubt about the possibility of reaching a deal to eliminate Iran’s nuclear weapons capabilities, one of the only instances in which she has not given her full-throated support to President Obama since leaving her post early last year. “The odds of reaching that comprehensive agreement are not good,” Clinton said in an address at the American Jewish Congress gala, according to the Washington Post. “I am also personally skeptical…………….”
It might be just a precaution, in case the nuclear talks somehow fail. Then a loud: “I told you so!” at the Iowa debates. Odd how the U.S. has pushed harder for solutions to issues with Iran, Israel, and Palestine now that Clinton is out of the State Department. Could be partly the political changes inside Iran. It would have been impossible for Obama to take a call from Ahmadinejad as he sped out of New York City (‘Oh, by the way Mr. Obama, I did not really mean all that stuff about the Holocaust‘). I don’t hold much hope for the Israel-Palestine approach at this time, but the Iran issue seems to be moving smoothly. Seems to be making a lot of progress. It must take more than ‘celebrity star power’ to deal with world problems.
Fresh from calling Vladimir Putin a new ‘Hitler’, or was it ‘like Hitler’? (Silly cliches always make it to the evening news). The Russians must be getting wary of Hillary (well, Gillary in Russian, not even Khillary). She is only covering her ‘right flank’ for 2016. Republicans will keep squawking “Benghazi, Benghazi!”, and Hillary will keep calling for tighter screws on Iranian thumbs as she tries to cover her right flank with the Democrat war bloc for the primaries and with others for the general elections. (The Democrats are missing a left flank for now: Bernie Sanders is not even in the Party). Like two kids, toddlers playing around each other rather than with each other. Interesting debate that will be, it already is, no?
Then there is “Smilin’ Joe” Biden, her main fear and worry right now. So far possibly the most qualified man (or woman) in the potential presidential field. So far. That includes both parties: Democrat, Republican, plus Communists and even AJC.
mhg Leaders in Retirement from France to America to Libya to Outer Space: So Where is Ahmadinejad?………
So whatever happened to Iran’s former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? Where is the favorite bête noire of the Western world for the past decade? The favorite son of New York City every late September? He has gone awfully and uncharacteristically quiet. Almost like any former U.S. president, with the exception of Clinton. We mostly know where former leaders are in the West (not necessarily where they should be) and what they are doing (or trying to do):
Write s book or two (memoirs to make a lot of money and explain their lousy policies.
Give speeches and lectures (mainly to make a lot of money).
Start some institute (to stay out of trouble, like Clinton).
Appear a lot on TV (like Clinton).
Appear a lot on media wherever someone interviews you (like Clinton.
Have a lot of fun, and I mean fun (like Clinton).
Start work on a (Walter Mitty?) presidential library. All US presidents do that since it is funded by the public and through donations.
In France former presidents don’t have time to waste on libraries. They must quickly start collecting lawyers for the upcoming inevitable investigations and possible trials for financial corruption. From accepting cash bribes to accepting diamonds from West African dictators.This has always been the case after de Gaulle.
Start collecting money quickly by working as adviser for foreign potentates and unsavory dictators as well as working as a lobbyist for corporations. Tony Blair of Britain is the only one that fits this bill so far: Churchill and Wilson and Thatcher would not think of it, the fools.
In Lebanon, nobody gives a f-ck what a former president says or does. Come to think of it, in Lebanon nobody gives a f-ck what a current president says or does.
In Syria and Egypt and Algeria and Libya and other Arab countries there is no such thing as a former president. If they don’t kill him quickly, they put him on trial for real or (mostly) trumped up charges. They end up hanging him or keeping him in prison for life. Probably serves them right in most cases.
Retire to the French or Italian Riviera (usually former kings are entitled to do that).
Host a talk show?
Die quickly.
Mr. Ahmadinejad has done none of the above, yet. He may start teaching at the university again. I did read somewhere that he is pushing a new college (no, not for Holocaust Studies and Verification). Then there is the Iranian Space Program and the promise to send a human into space within the next two years. He has expressed a desire to think about it.
Too bad no Arab country has a manned space program. I wish they all did, the whole Arab League from Syria down to Riyadh and through Somalia: imagine the possibilities. One can dream………..
Cheers
mhg On Al Sisi, Malaysian Airlines, Kim Jong Un, Al-Azhar and Chicago Voters………
Generalisimo Field Marshal Al Sisi has hinted in Abu Dhabi that he may be able to solve the mystery of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. Some Egyptian politicians, terrified that Al Sisi may win the coming presidential elections by the typically Arab 99% of the vote instead of the expected and more respectable 80%, are pushing back. Others have noted that 99% still sounds pretty democratic, if compared to the 100% won last week by Kim Jong Un of North Korea. Another Crimea? USG and UN and Europe Set to Invade Oklahoma, Yeeeehaw………
“With radical U.S. government and United Nations schemes such as “sustainable development” and UN Agenda 21 being quietly implemented across America at all levels of government under a variety of names and pretexts, lawmakers in the Oklahoma House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly this week for legislation to protect the unalienable rights to private property and due process in the state. The “Oklahoma Community Protection Act,” which would nullify Agenda 21 and other outside assaults on individual rights in the state, now goes to the Oklahoma Senate…………”
So now Oklahoma lawmakers worry about the Federal government and, get this, the United Nations taking over local property. The United Nations used to be the bogeyman of the American right in the old days of the Cold War. There was fear that the UN will become a world government and rule the USA. Many are still upset because foreign leaders are allowed to fly into New York to attend the UN meetings. Remember the outrage that Ahmadinejad or Qaddafi could breeze into into the city? Many wanted to keep them away, which also meant they had to keep away the United Nations and all the expenditures and prestige (and the unsavory foreign characters) that come with it.
Like I said, many on the right feared a plot to establish a world government. Imagine a world government elected by a bunch of Chinese and Africans and Russkies? Now the Oklahomans have acted, a bit late, but they have overlooked a new potent world government: the European Union. The EU has unilaterally decided that the last elected president of Ukraine is illegitimate and that the unelected man whom they appointed in his place is legitimate. They even have John Kerry and Barack Obama and John McCain and Wolf Blitzer and Fareed Zakaria going around saying exactly that: the elected leader is not legal, but the unelected leader is legal. How so? Because the EU said so.
Now how is that for a powerful world government?
Cheers
mhg Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Famous Self-Hating Anti-Semite?……….
mhg The Pitfalls of Boycotting Apartheid South Africa, Communist Cuba, Theocratic Iran, and Communist China………
Video:
A Kenny G Holiday
Of course there was and still is much hypocrisy in the right-wing position regarding apartheid South Africa. While they extolled the benefits of “engagement” in reducing Apartheid (not that they cared about it), they have also extolled the virtues of keeping the blockade against Cuba, and tightening the blockade against Iran. Apparently ‘engagement’ works with China and apartheid South Africa but not with Cuba, Iran and a few other places. Of course many Democrats are at the forefront of keeping the blockade on Cuba and tightening the blockade on Iran rather than “engaging” these countries. It all depends on upcoming elections, the Cuban exile lobby, and the potent Israeli lobby (including the Christian Zionists).
mhg Right Wing Tycoon Takes Side on Gambling Online…….
But don’t misunderstand Adelson, there is no morality involved with him, at least not in this case. He is not against gambling, he owns huge gambling interests in Las Vegas. That is how he made his money. He just doesn’t like the online competition. I agree with him on this one, probably the only thing I agree with this right-winger on, but for different reasons since I have no gambling interests in Las Vegas. Come to think of it, I have no gambling interests anywhere. No wonder News Gingrich would not answer my calls.
Cheers
mhg