Bob Newhart: Being Politically Correct Comedy

Source:B.W. Dahlen- Good Job, Bob!

Source:The Daily Review

I like Bob Newhart’s line about gays and straights implying at least that we’re both funny and we just make fun of each other. I swear to God (even though I’m Agnostic) that gay men especially, because lesbians tend not to be as sensitive, (ha ha) could make all the butch masculine straight-men jokes all they want and straight men would probably just laugh at them. Because we know ourselves and know so many straight men and how we tend to act . But if you make a feminine gay man joke and make fun of a queen, you’re automatically viewed as a bigot and homophobe by the Illiberal-Left Political Correctness Police. Even if you believe that gays, men and women, should have the same rights and responsibilities under law as straights, male or female. And that you’re even friends with gay men and are friendly with lesbians.

I mean that is the whole point, right. When you make fun of someone or groups of people and that is all you’re doing and you’re not throwing slurs and bigoted insults and that sort of thing, not that bigots don’t have a right to their sense of humor as well, that is all you’re doing. You’re jabbing at characteristics and flaws of people and groups. When you make a gay man joke, or do an impression, you’re not saying that all gay men are feminine and sound like women and walk like runway models and the whole deal. You’re just making fun of queens who are gay men with feminine characteristics. Like being oversensitive and not crazy about people knowing who they are.

If comedians can’t make of people, they might as well become car insurance salesman. (And saleswomen to politically correct) Because that is what life would be like for a comedian who isn’t allowed to make fun of people. Either through their writing, or performances. One dreary day after another where you’re literally counting how many times someone slammed the door in your face. After you told someone about the great car insurance deal you could give them on their Ford Escort. Except that you’re not allowed to make fun of it, because you’ll be accused of being bigoted towards door slammers. Comedy and humor, is exactly that. Not exactly a true story, but someone making fun of something, or someone who has done something. Not to be taken seriously and by the way, great comedians generally have a self-deprecating sense of humor. So how about everyone else as well.

LA Progressive: Lawrence S. Wittner: Democratic Socialism: More Democratic Socialists Than You Might Think

Source:LA Progressive- U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (Democrat Socialist, Socialist Republic of Vermont)

Source:The New Democrat

To add to Lawrence Wittner’s list of American Democratic Socialists. The Congressional Progressive Caucus, that includes Senator Bernie Sanders and sixty or so Representatives in the House. The Congressional Black Caucus, eighty or more members in the House. A lot of the CBC are also part of the CPC. It is not that Democratic Socialists are not common in America and that democratic socialism doesn’t have a real movement. It’s that Democratic Socialists tend not to self-describe their politics that way. They prefer to be called Progressives, or what pisses me off as a Liberal, they go by Liberal. Not that I hate democratic socialism, but as a Liberal, I believe there is a real limit to what government can do for people. And I would like to see more public services for moving people off of public assistance, instead of leaving them dependent on them.

Go to the entire MSNBC talk lineup and tell me who over there if anyone, other than Chris Matthews, disagrees with Bernie Sanders on anything? If anything, MSNBC is to the left of Democratic Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders. Especially as it relates to issues of free speech, middle class tax hikes. And are to the right of them at least in Ed Schultz’s case when it comes to marijuana legalization. Big Ed, is opposed to marijuana legalization. Who takes more of a progressive big government nanny state position on marijuana. But how about RT America and not just Thom Hartmann. How about Al-Jazeera. Again networks that are pretty Far-Left and tend to take a democratic socialist view on the issues. Who if anything are even further left than Senator Sanders.

But if cable talk is not enough for you, how about Salon, The Nation, The AlterNet, TruthOut, TruthDig, LA Progressive, Gar Alperovitz, Paul Krugman, who at the very least leans in a democratic socialist direction. As Bill Maher has said several times, it is not that there aren’t Socialists in America, because of course there are, but there’s an unwilling for Socialists to come out of the closet. (So to speak) Because for fear as being labeled as Marxists, or Un-American, losing employment opportunities and so-forth and so on. But of course democratic socialism has had a lot and I would argue proud history in America, going back to at least Eugene Debs and they’ve even had at least one President of the United States in Franklin Roosevelt. But what they’ve lacked is the courage to proud of their political ideology that they self-describe themselves for what they actually are. Democratic Socialists and they should defend who they are, not run way from it.

Salon Magazine: Aaron R. Hanlon: ;They're The Politically Correct: Ben Carson & Bill O'Reilly Are The Real Intolerant Speech Police'

Source:The Daily Show With Jon Stewart-

Source:The Daily Review

To point out about political correctness policies by Ben Carson who apparently wants to ban language on campus that he sees as Un-American, just points out the fact that political correctness fascism, (and that’s exactly what it is) is bipartisan. But no way does it defend the Far-Left from trying to ban criticism of Muslims and Islam in general. It just makes the sophomoric argument, “that we might do it. But so do they. We might be bad, but they suck worse.” Not exactly a crowd pleaser and inspirational argument that brings people to your side.

At best you might get people to decide on choosing the lesser of two evils. The problem with that is that you’re still choosing evil. Just a lesser evil, but still evil. “You want me to break your back, or do you want permanent brain damage?” Okay, you don’t like that. How about a choice between going blind, or going death? All right fine. How about I break your arm, or your leg, but I won’t break both?” Because those are the kinds of choices you have when picking between two evils. Fascism on the Right, or fascism on the Left. How about neither!

Political correctness fascism from either the Right or Left, still fascism. And try to say one is worst than the other, how about we not have that argument. Instead of arguing who was a worst dictator, Joe Stalin, or Adolph Hitler, how about we have an argument about who is the better president, Harry Truman, or Ronald Reagan. And just because one side does it when it comes to political correctness, doesn’t excuse the other side when they do it. It just means that we had anti-free speech radicals on both sides. Who’ll fight like hell for their right to free speech. As they try to crush the other side’s rights.

“Dad, I cheated on that test, but so did five other students.” That wouldn’t impress my father and imagine most fathers and probably most mothers as well. All that does it show you that cheating was a problem on that test. And when you point out examples of political correctness on the other side, it just points out that political correctness is a bipartisan problem. But it doesn’t excuse either side. Political correctness, is illiberal fascism, whether it comes from the Left or Right. Actually, all fascism is illiberal. Meaning not liberal. Which is why this blog constantly points out the importance of free speech. And all believers of free speech Right and Left, should always fight against fascism.

TruthDig: Chris Hedges Interviewing Rachel Moran: 'Prostitution- Being Raped For a Living'

Source:Truth Dig- Rachel Moran & Chris Hedges.

Source:The New Democrat

You want to know why America is the world champion is mass-incarceration  and leads the world in prison inmates every year? I'll tell you anyway. Because we arrest people to doing consensual activities where no one is actually hurt. Narcotics, gambling, adult pornography, prostitution, are all illegal at least somewhere in America. And statists on the both the Left and Right, aren't looking to fix this problem, but actually make our nanny state even bigger. We're supposed to be a constitutional federal republic and liberal democracy. We are on paper, but for that to be real Americans have to have a certain degree of personal freedom and that even involves the freedom to be involved in personal activities that comes with a certain amount of personal risk. Especially when we're talking about consensual acts.

As far as Chris Hedges referring to prostitutes as slaves and prostitution as slavery. A slave is a person who is the legal property of another. Slavery, is the state of being the legal slave of someone else. Rape, is being forced to give non-consensual sex to another. Where you have no choice in  the matter and someone is sexually forcing them self on you and you aren't able to stop it. Crimes, should be activities where innocent people are hurt by predators. Not to protect people from themselves by sending them to a horrible place that is actually worse for them than the activity that they were involved in that got them sent to jail and prison in the first place. Prostitution, is consensual sex. What makes it different from recreational sex is that there is a payment involved between two parties. Who agreed to be involved with each other in this activity.

So when you call prostitutes slaves and say they're being raped for selling sex and you call prostitution slavery, you're simply dead wrong. And I'm not going to editorialize and ponder whether you're ignorant, or dishonest, but you're wrong. Prostitution, is a bad dangerous business where people do get hurt. But so is tobacco, so is alcohol, so is gambling, so is football, so is auto racing, hopefully you get the picture by now. How big of a nanny state do you want in a liberal democracy and free society? How many people do you want in prison for being involved in dangerous activities where they never hurt anybody? Wouldn't you rather spend that money instead of things that improves people's lives and serves the public? Education, infrastructure, economic development, assisting people in poverty to actually move out of poverty, etc? We should tax and regulate dangerous consensual activities. Not make criminals out of people who simply engage in them.

Woody Allen Rare Standup (1965)

Source:The Daily Review-

Source:The Daily Review

If I was robbed four times in a month as Woody Allen claimed, not that I was robbed, but that he was, hum? Gee I don’t know, how about moving! Just throwing a thought out there. Actually, after the second time I was robbed, I think I would have moved. Especially if I was in his situation, or was doing better. Nuevo York, a muy loco ciudad! New York, a very crazy city, for any English speakers who happen to see this. They go from way too much crime and a city of eight-million people in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, that can’t defend itself, even though it’s the economic center of the world, (where all those high tax dollars go) to a city in the 1990s where you could be arrested for even viewing porn. Perhaps even jaywalking, hailing for a cab with your middle finger.

If a city is too dangerous to go outside, it’s too dangerous to live there. I know, another strike of commonsense there. I guess people could work from home and order all of their food in. Have the dentist and barber come over, etc. But if that is what people are doing, then the people making all the deliveries are risking their lives by going outside everyday and going to other people’s homes in New York. And don’t forget, even if they get out of their homes and business’s safely, they might risk being kidnapped, or robbed at the place where they’re making their delivery. I’ve never understood how big wealthy cities haven’t been able to defend themselves. And gee I don’t know, invest a good deal of their resources into their law enforcement so the city can defend itself. But I guess that just comes from not being a New Yorker.

Salon Magazine: Steve Almond & Diane Roberts: 'I'm a Feminist With a Football Obsession'

Source:Salon Magazine- Tallahassee's Doak Campbell Stadium.

Source:The Daily Review

I think its clear why so-called feminists and the broader New-Left in America hate American football. It masculine, its tough, it’s a sport for men, designed for TV, like in the real-world there are winners and losers. They probably even see the sport as sexist, because its such a manly straight-man’s game. (If you will) And yet there’s a quality about American football that the New-Left and Socialists tend to be fans of. Football is about as collectivist of a sport as you can imagine. Maybe only soccer is more collectivist, because football is all about teamwork.

To run the ball, the center has to correctly snap the ball to the quarterback. The quarterback has to correctly take the ball from center and then correctly hand the ball off to the tailback, or fullback and perhaps fake the handoff to the fullback and give it to the tailback. The runner, has to take the ball and hit the correct hole and run hard. The offensive line, has to create the hole for the runner. All of these things are basic fundamental procedures. But if you watch American football on a regular basis, these basic steps are screwed up on a regular basis. The QB is not ready for the snap, the center snaps it too soon, or doesn’t snap it at all, because he thinks the snap count is higher. The QB hands off the ball to a runner who is not there. The runner drops the handoff. An offensive lineman, false starts, etc.

Football, is not boxing. You can’t play well if you’re teammates around do also don’t their jobs. Every player in the came is dependent on everyone else to do their job. You can have the greatest QB and receivers in the league. But if your offensive line can’t pass protect, your receivers will never see the ball. At least downfield, because your QB will usually be on the ground before he can get rid of the ball. And that is just the offense, which I’m probably more familiar with as a fan. But good luck to your linebackers making tackles for loss and at the line of scrimmage, if your defensive line is consistently getting blocked downfield, with you left to clean up the mess. You want a pass rush from your DL, your corners and safeties need to cover the receivers for more than a couple of seconds so your DL can get up the field and hit the quarterback.

You want could pass coverage on defense, you need a consistent pass rush so your secondary is not left to cover good speedy receivers 5-6 seconds per pass play. They need to get to the quarterback in 2-3. Don’t have to sack him every play, but get the QB to throw the ball quicker than he wants to. Hit him as he’s throwing the ball, or right after it. Make him try to scramble. And for a pass rusher to be effective like a defensive end, defensive tackle rush linebacker, they need the pass rushers on the other side to do their jobs as well. So they’re not always doubled and triple-teamed. You’re not going to find a more collectivist and perhaps even socialist sport than American football. I bet Democratic Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders is a football fan. The question is, does he follow the New York Giants, or New England Patriots, because he’s lived in both places. But you would have to ask Senator Sanders that.

American football, is violent, its rugged, its gritty, comes with a lot of risks and people do get hurt from it and comes with a lot of costs. But it’s about as American of an activity as we have. And a reason why Americans love America and being American. But there’s a big reason the Super Bowl is always the highest rated sporting event in the world every year. Because millions of people outside of America watch the game and even come here to see it. People from collectivist social democracies, who tend to claim that they don’t like a lot of what America stands for. And don’t like a lot of the qualities and characteristics about American football. And yet they come to our country, emigrate to our country watch our sports, including football. Because its such an exciting game where you can’t be successful at it without collectivism and teamwork.

Robert Greenstein: Budget Deal, Though Imperfect, Represents Significant Accomplishment & Merits Support

Source:Center on Budget & Policy Priorities- Speaker John Boehner: "I'm no longer dead man walking".

Source:The New Democrat

Looks like the parents for the House Republicans finally came home from their long extended vacation and took control over their house and children. But if I had kids like the House Republicans, especially the Tea Party Caucus, I might leave them at home and not come back myself. The adults are finally in the room and in charge in the House Republican Caucus. Speaker John Boehner, has nothing else to lose at this point and decided to make a deal with President Obama and the Senate. And avoid another political suicidal government shutdown.

Which is too bad for a lot of bloggers and pundits, and comedians including myself, who were looking forward to covering government shutdown rallies in Washington in November. With Teddy Cruz, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, Sean Hannity, the House Tea Party Caucus, etc, waving signs saying, “so more government until Obama surrenders!” Or perhaps, “goes back to Africa!” But what’s good for the country is not always what’s good is not what’s good for comedians. Comedians, make a living making fun of bad situations and people being stupid, including stupid people. But the problem with stupidity and idiots is that they tend to have victims.

At risk of sounding serious and intelligent here, (perhaps not that big of a risk) the American economy just when it looks like it’s about to take off again especially with holiday season approaching right after Halloween, needs certainty. They need to know that the leaders is Washington can tie their shoes without tying them together accidentally and tripping as soon as they stand up. Every time we go through a potential default, or a government shutdown the markets and Wall Street take a beating. And it tends to cost us economic growth and hurt the job picture as well as well as the deficit going up as a result. With the government shutdown being avoided, because House Republicans finally learned how to tie their own two shoes, the economy can breathe easy and things can look normal again.