These Things Never Just Happen Spontaneously

In case you've been wondering how all these states (Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Florida) were able to launch coordinated attacks on collective bargaining by public unions, here is a Mother Jones article describing the network of state-level "think tanks" that are behind it.

Esquire on Ron Paul

Here's a nice article by John Richardson at Esquire on the societal forces that breed a Ron Paul or the Tea Party.  It includes in the intro a very powerful paragraph, which I will quote in full:

"Ron Paul is, or seems to be, a very sweet and shockingly naïve man who wants very much to do right by America. But his uncompromising vision of freedom would destroy America, really, by turbo-charging the powerful and the rich, who have shown throughout history that they have (with a few exceptions) zero social conscience and very little concern for the country. Already they've grasped most of the wealth and property in the country. Those in the top percentile are perfectly happy to throw Americans out of work and create jobs in China or Mexico if it means more profits, which they then bank overseas to avoid paying the taxes that create the relatively uncorrupted government under which they thrive. Given the nearly unlimited freedom from regulations and taxes that Republicans like Paul dream of, they'd be completely unrestrained. Eventually the desperate peasantry would realize, as they just realized throughout the Middle East, that the system was completely gamed against them. The result would be bloody revolution."

Now That's Some Straight Talk That We Can All Believe In

DougJ coins the perfect term for the smug, self-satisfied Villagers who pimp the Republican conventional wisdom such as Paul Ryan's abomination:  lazy, innumerate sociopaths.  Apart from being a spot-on description of these menaces, it's also a great band name.

Break Out the Guillotines...

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:  the financial elite are waging a war on everyone else, and you don't get to choose whether you'll sit this one out.

No surprise

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you your modern Tea Party.

You're Fired

This is the predictable outcome of electing radical Republicans to various statehouses around the country.

The Politics of Sadism

Here's a nice post at Esquire eviscerating Paul Ryan's budget "plan" and the underlying ethos of conservative governance.

Haha, Dean Baker Nails It

Great take-down by economist Dean Baker of all the self-satisfied pundits who are talking about Paul Ryan's deficit reduction plan as if it were some amazing and brave piece of policy, as opposed to the usual Republican wealth redistribution scheme.