Deadbeat Daddy Jon Voight Endorses Mitt Romney

Wingnut actor Jon Voight has gone all-in for Mitt Romney, thereby solidifying his betrayal of the hard-right fans who have supported his many thoughtful and interesting op-ed pieces over the years.

His "tell me about it" quip is one worth highlighting, however. For him to suggest that he actually had an active role as a parent in the life of his daughter, actress Angelina Jolie, is hilarious. Voight's personal history is well documented. Angelina Jolie was raised in relative poverty because of his neglect.

He was yet another deadbeat daddy of the 1970s, which was a time when millions of parents basically walked away from their obligations and abandoned children left and right in this country. It took the work of family advocates and activists to establish databases that could track down these deadbeats and force them to pay child support (there's more about that here, but, please note, the laws didn't really get tough until the 1980s and are still not tough enough).

My question is, why even accept Voight's endorsement and then talk about family? How does that square with being a family values candidate and how does that contrast with Newt Gingrich in any substantive way? Why would Romney celebrate the endorsement of a man who ran out on his family obligations?

Step Back and Watch the Republican Party Destroy Itself

It is somewhat amusing to hear that Allen West has been redistricted out of existence (well, something akin to that, anyway). The Republican Party establishment has a problem, and that problem is represented by loose cannons like West who have their own constituency and support (and therefore don't NEED the Republican establishment).

The GOP, like the Democratic Party, wants members who toe the line. They want members who have to swallow their pride and vote in lockstep with the party in order to get their money and their access and their seat at the table.

Getting rid of Allen West makes sense. The Democratic Party has a problem with Dennis Kucinich; they're simply two examples of the same issue.

Jonah Goldberg Cannot Handle the Fact That Bin Laden Is Dead

If that doesn't read like someone's sad, sad confession into their tear-stained pillow, I don't know what would. You can practically hear the sobs coming from under the fainting couch.

Jonah Goldberg cannot handle the fact that this President kills terrorists dead. Does this mean that Goldberg wishes that Bin Laden were still alive?

The Bush Administration used the uniformed military repeatedly for visuals. At the height of the Iraq War, President Bush appeared in front of uniforms so often, you would have thought that the White House Rose Garden had been moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

And so, here it is, 2012, and conservatives still cannot handle the fact that a Democrat is in the White House, killing terrorists and using our military to kill even more of them at a faster and faster rate (which won't really solve the problem, but still). It contradicts everything the conservative media has tried to establish as fact for the last forty years or so, which boils down to "the democrats are weaklings who won't defend America."

Two words for Jonah: Mars, Bitches.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard Has a Bad Day

Australia Day is a little contentious this year. Part of the problem stems from the fact that the protesters weren't entirely calm or polite because they're tired of having to protest all the time.

This poor woman, who is Prime Minister Julia Gillard, had to be dragged away, and lost her shoe in the process. And this on a day celebrating the country.

Hatin' Immigrants Is Never Going to Go Out of Style

The issue here is a very simple one. The Republican Party, as personified by the likes of Governor Jan Brewer, can't survive unless it demonstrates that it hates illegal immigrants
more than anyone else. Despite the fact that hating people has never really been a great vote getter in the long run, and despite the fact that the agricultural sectors in Alabama and Georgia are taking a huge financial hit, this unhinged tactic has begun to run its course because people don't think demonizing poor people will make their lives better. And Jan Brewer can't survive unless she gets the occasional photo of herself wagging her finger under the President's nose.

Her base loves this sort of thing. You can figure out the rest.

New to the Blog: DISQUS Commenting System

Even though I'm not convinced that this is a good idea, the comments are now upgraded to DISQUS. Let's see how interesting it can get.

An Expert In His Own Mind

Contrary to popular belief, LTG William Boykin is not really able to "speak his mind." As a retiree, he has to watch what he says and does to a degree that would probably surprise most Americans. His "crusader" rhetoric is old hat, of course. No one really believes there is a crusade going on right now; we're disengaging from the Middle East and our wars of choice didn't really turn out so well for Boykin and his ilk.

You can pass anyone off as an expert, but, really, what is Boykin an expert of? Certainly not diplomacy, common sense, or self-control.