The Haze Filter

Alabama Wingnuttery At Its Best (Or Worst) ::

Here is the complete text of a letter being circulated by local Huntsville wingnut, Hugh McInnish:

"Hugh McInnish

For the last several months I have been working on a white paper presenting the evidence that Mr. Obamas so-called birth certificate is a forgery. I have completed this paper and it contains some 30 pages of text and exhibits. I and my colleague Dean Johnson, who is a lawyer, will present it in a press conference on the steps of the Alabama Capitol in Montgomery on Thursday, February 2 at 1:30. The public is, of course, invited, and if you are patriotically inclined please join us. Signs are invited (but please leave your AK47s at home in the closet.)

Meanwhile by fortuitous circumstances the pot is boiling over across the Chattahoochee in Georgia. There a court hearing has been heard challenging Obamas right to be on the Georgia ballot. Neither Obama nor his lawyer responded to the subpoena to be present, and the judge considered summarily ruling against Obama. However the complaining parties, in what at first brush seems surprising, asked him not to take that step, but to let the hearing proceed. On second thought this makes good sense. It allows the plaintiffs to put their case on the record, and there it will be for use if the case gets a favorable ruling and is appealed. Generally, courts of appeal take no evidence themselves but rely on the evidence developed in the original court.

And that evidence is most impressive. See it below.

Many attempts have been made to get the Birthers case laid before the courts, but in ever instance the courts have wimped out and found an excuse not to examine the case on its merits. But now that has happened. And assuming a ruling against Obama, expected in about a week, there may be widespread repercussions.

For one thing, we Birthers can take off our tin hats and wear them as an iconic badges of honor. For another, it should encourage similar actions in the other states, all 49 of themor did I get that right? Maybe its all 56 of them. And finally, I hope that the case in George will intensify interest in my appearance on the Capitol steps at 1:30 on Thursday, February 2.

In my white paper I will present what I believe is conclusive evidence that the Obama birth certificate is a forgery and Obama himself a forgerer. Do you realize what that would mean? Just think of it! It would mean that the most powerful nation in the world is under the direction of a felon. It might mean, as some legal expert contend, that all of his executive actions are null and void.

It would also mean that the Fourth Estate is asleep while perhaps the greatest story of the 21st century boils beneath their feet. And finally it would mean that all of our so-called leaders have failed us miserably.

Please use your influence to bring people to the State Capitol Thursday.

A cataclysm may be building!"

In case you're not familiar with McInnish, he is a member of the Madison County Republican Executive Committee as well as being a sitting member of the Alabama state Republican Executive Committee. He also is a contributing writer at an online e-zine of right wing conspiracy theories called suppressednews.com which I will not link to, but you can visit if you have the stomach for it.

This is your 21st century republican party at work!

Yet Another Republican Debate ::

Sounds like Mittens came to fight tonight. For your viewing pleasure here is a graphic for you:

I'm waiting for the questions about the Newt's space plans!

Newt didn't have enough to say about his space plan.

Paul certainly knows how to work a crowd!

Finally, the space question, but it was immediately posed to Romney. I'm waiting for the Gingrich plan to colonize the moon within 9 years.

I think we need to petition CNN to fire Blitzer after the inane question about the candidate's wives. The only upside is listening to Santorum stammer.

Time to pander to the Cuban population of Florida.

Now it's time to pander to the Israelis!

Here's a great question bout Puerto Rico.

Santorum is pitiful tonight!

They pretty much blew off the Puerto Rican lady on the question of statehood.

Now it's time to pander to the religious crowd!

It's over--time to take some Excedrin!

I don't see where anyone candidate came out ahead tonight.

CNN Poll After The SOTU Address ::

Interesting! I wonder what the result would be if the same poll was posted on the Faux News site.

Gabby Giffords Resigns From Congress ::

The only thing that surprises me about her resignation is that she took so long to come to this decision. As someone who lives with a person with a traumatic brain injury I know intimately that the loss of cognitive and physical ability impacts not only the victim, but everyone close to that person. Also, keep in mind that she has had a level of therapy that is simply not available to most people just because of her position. When my wife had her accident she spent 2 months in the hospital, 5 weeks of that in a coma, and then another 2 months as in inhouse patient in a rehab facility. The medical personnel were under constant pressure from the insurance company to discharge her regardless of the amount of care that was still required. Also keep in mind that almost all rehab facilities are private institutions and without insurance or a very hefty bank account there is no rehabilitation available unless the facility scholarships a couple of weeks. I saw that happen to a man whose wife broke her neck in an auto accident. He had no insurance, but the rehab facility gave him two weeks in order to teach him how to care for his wife and there was very little actual rehabilitation.

Needless to say that I support the implementation of the Affordable Care Act all the while wishing for a single-payer health care system.

Republican Debate, Tampa Style ::

I watched most of last nights debate primarily to see how Mitt would go after the Newt and he tried hard, but, in the end, I felt that he failed to draw any blood. Not to mention that Mitt seemed to stammer and stutter more than usual and he certainly didn't do himself any favors. Santorum continues his failed quest with his proclamations that "The Family" can solve all problems.

Oh yeah, and aren't they a bloody bunch, with the exception of Ron Paul? Mitt, The Newt, and Santorum never met a country they wouldn't like to bomb to oblivion!

The Newt Wins In S.C. ::

Now this republican primary season should get very interesting with Santorum remaining in the race in order to position himself for the vice-presidential slot. Ron Paul hangs in just to spout his nuttiness and pave the way for his equally challenged son to take his place.

I'm looking forward to Florida and the debates that will be held there. At this point I don't think that a brokered convention is out of the question!

Winning In South Carolina ::

Today is primary day in S.C. and it's going to be interesting to see who walks away a winner with this one. Until earlier this week Romney seemed to have the winner's slot tied up but Gingrich, with his performance in last Thursday's debate, has at least pulled even, if not ahead. I also expect Ron Paul to do well although I can't see that he will have the numbers to be anything more than be a spoiler for Santorum and Santorum will be the next exit, probably after Florida.

As a native of South Carolina, who long ago had the good sense to leave the state, I eagerly await this evenings results since this local race is generally touted as historically selecting the eventual republican nominee.

The Republican Debate ::

Sounds like Newt came to fight!

[ update ] Santorum is not doing too badly in the fight either!

[ update ] Romney is getting creamed by everyone on the stage and is relegated to stammering and stuttering!

Debate Time Tonight ::

So, we get to be treated to yet another round of the same angry white men standing on stage pandering to a rabidly partisan crowd tonight. I actually watched the "debate" last weekend and found it pretty interesting as much for the hidden messages to the audience as well as the overt falsehoods that were spread. I'll probably watch at least a portion of this one tonight, but I certainly don't expect anything new.

We also have the news that prior to the debate ABC will air an interview with the the 2nd Mrs. Gingrich, Marian, who promises to that she has enough information about Newt to shut down his campaign. This should make the debate even more interesting, but I'm still waiting for everyone to try to pile on Romney. My impression is that all of the other candidates are running for the vice president slot!

An Interesting CNN Poll ::

Found on the CNN web site the morning after the republican debate in Myrtle Beach, S.C.:

Last night's debate was the first that I'd watched in its entirety, painful as that was, and I was most interested in the crowd reactions as this crowd seemed to be the most vocal of any of the debates that I had watched portions of and I never felt that they were behind any one candidate in any sort of solid fashion.

Perry and Paul both showed their delusional view of how foreign and domestic policy should be conducted and I certainly don't see them going anywhere. I can't see where Gingrich helped himself any, but I felt that Santorum held his own and the crowd responded to his warped religious view.

I think that South Carolina, my home state, will go for Romney, then Santorum, then Paul, followed distantly by Gingrich and Perry. I don't see any surprises in the future.