Chuckleworthy.

Read this please.

Given the sound byte media we seem to be stuck with, it is nice to read a thoughtful article on what is truly wrong with the choice of Mitt Romney.

Take the time to read it.

There really aren’t enough words to properly describe how clueless the GOP ticket really is. So, while short of the mark in some ways, let’s just let Tom Morello explain what an idiot Paul Ryan is to say Rage Against the Machine is his favorite band.

I mean anyone with just a random glance at their lyrics would know they have nothing in common with some Randian ghoul who wants to set old people out in the cold to die.

You don’t have to like Paul Ryan. You certainly do not have to vote for him. But Moyers is right, he’s probably the most honest candidate on a presidential ticket of their’s since Barry Goldwater.

Which is probably awful news in that our nation has sunk this low, but given the ties to cretins like Rep. Todd “Legitimate Rape” Akins, it paints a full picture of the modern Republican Party.

CBS Video link

Excellent episode. The writeup is here but just go ahead and make the time to watch it.

Have I mentioned enough times the respect I have for this guy. You can have your Krugman’s or whatever economic mind you wish. I’ll trust Robert Reich. Here he is on what economic patriotism really is.

You either pay for democracy when you have the means, or you are no patriot.

As the cover story a couple weeks ago, I’ve been waiting for the video for this to come out. No such luck. CBS will immediately post the video to a NECKCAR story but not to one as “controversial” as paying to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure.

Well, at least they aired it.

All we have of freedom, all we use or know – This our fathers bought for us long and long ago.

– Rudyard Kipling, The Old Issue

So-called “Patriots” keep reminding us that “freedom isn’t free”, yet act like this is actually the case. They elect people who vote for weapons systems the military insists it doesn’t need, that try to eliminate bio-fuel projects that would cut the ties between our nation and some of those countries who actively work to harm us. They elect leaders who appoint people who refuse to buy the weapons our forces need, who spent trillions on mercenaries with no loyalty to our nation, yet ignore the plight of those who defend our Constitution.

They reward those who refused to serve their assigned duties with the office of President, and surround him with people who “had better things to do” than serve their nation in a time of war.

They are poised to try to elect a man who had a military deferment due to his missionary service in France. I’m not going to add to that except to mention that there is no way the GOP would allow for a Democratic candidate for president go unquestioned for not serving while trying to convert Frenchman to a religion many of them see as a cult.

So yeah, tell about why “freedom isn’t free” when you side with folks who do not serve in uniform, who refuse to listen to our troops when they need armored vehicles and not tilt-wing planes than crash in a slight breeze or fighters that suffocate their pilots.

Tell me about how you don’t want to pay taxes yet want the most advanced military on earth. Tell me how no one in your family serves yet you fly the biggest flag in the neighborhood. Tell me how slapping a Chinese-made magnet on your SUV is patriotic and how me donating to armor and night vision goggle funds or book drives or just sending a box of Jolly Ranchers overseas isn’t.

Go for it.

Or – better yet – stop the hypocrisy, serve your nation as much as you serve the almighty dollar. Don’t just call yourself a patriot, walk the goddamned talk.