Have a good snoozer. (2nd shift? Problems sleeping, or is this a choice? Purely an academic question, I promise you.)

how was your day today?

Busy, odd, and followed up with a harvesting of baby yellow squash, which were ultimately sauteed with (likewise freshly harvested) red onion and basil…con butter, salt and pepper – served with a mixture of black wild rice and brown rice. And protein? Pan-fried salmon, seared off and infused with lemon.

And then I hit the bowling alley for some chili-cheese fries.

Wait, what?

Hey Suzanne & Pups of Fire:

Bring me up to speed, give me the dirt, tell me everything I need to know, up to and including all that extraneous, gossipy crap that everyone pretends they don’t care about, when (as a matter of fact) they actually do, if only for the temporary, crack-like bump that infusions of such utter, mindless bullshit render. To take it a step further, we all need that crap every now and again. Which reminds me…

Alan Watts once remarked that each and every one of us (a list which presumably includes the likes of such illustrious fucking criminals individuals as, say, Jamie Dimon or Lloyd Blankfein) regularly needs to let go of the reins, let nature take its course (as it were), and (not to put too fine a point on it) to just go crazy once in awhile…lest eventually, we actually do go, you know, padded cell, Glenn Beck, off the proverbial deep end. Accordingly, I picked this particular Saturday night to check that off my list. So sue me.

Wait: I’m pretty sure there’s some jerkweed ambulance-chaser who might jump at the chance to take this case, so I will preemptively qualify the “so sue me” invitation with the following caveat: “Hey Asshole Ambulance-chaser: Go tell it to the Xmas bunny; I don’t really give a rat’s ass…” (Did I sorta clear things up there? If not, I can take another run at it…go for a Full Ippon.)

But that’s just me.

Furthermore, in addition and also, too: How about some Roller Maidens from Outer Space?

Parts List:

One. Two.

Yup. Am I suggesting these ancillary issues are unimportant? Of course not. What I am saying is that we ought to be focused on The Biggie (income inequality) first, an issue which can also bring in others who would not otherwise be simpatico. Take back some economic power and it becomes easier to address all sorts of other issues. Dither and…Zippo.

Quite some time ago, Ms. Hamsher began using the term “trans-partisan.” That term stuck in my mind (such as it is). In the context of income inequality, partisanship (or in this specific case, splintering on the left) is not only stupid and obsolete, it’s the antithesis of what is ultimately needed to effectively push back.

At the tippy-top of this page, Mr. Bogg refers to “a Very Good Thing Called Occupy…” If I’m not mistaken, I believe the Occupy movement began as a response to Wall Street criminality – as did the teabggers, for that matter.

Much appreciated.

Don’t let those eyes fool you. This is exactly how doggies behave just prior to, you know, biting your arm or something. The only way to save yourself is to give them one of these.

I should have my own cable teevee show about how to avoid attack dogs who curl up and go to sleep in your lap.

a Very Good Thing Called Occupy withered away in part because the message became muddled when various groups with a motley assortment of agendas and obsessions latched onto the Occupy movement like grievance lampreys in a feeding frenzy.

Mr. Bogg was very precise to interject the two word clause “in part.” Hence, my overall take-away from this piece is not so much about the specifics of the event in San Francisco as it is about the left’s continuing, ridiculous and ultimately counter-productive exercise in pushing this agenda or that agenda or the other agenda, etc. If one wishes to play right into the hands (or under the boots, as it were) of a very tiny minority, a group which would avariciously seek to seize even more for themselves and thus (by simple arithmetic) render less for everyone else, I can’t think of a better way to do it. By what amount to nothing so much as dithering, you’re doing precisely what they want you to do, however unwittingly.

So here’s the deal as I see it: The economy has been systematically looted over the past 30-40 years, a trend which has vastly accelerated over the past ten years, give or take. Tens of Millions, from the far right to the far left, and everywhere in between have lost jobs, homes, pensions, etc. And if that weren’t enough, the “austerity” phase we’ve now entered is, essentially, to bayonet the wounded – or at least it will have that effect. I assume everyone understands this reality, so I see no need to belabor the point. What I will say, however is this:

If there were ever an issue which might get the attention of the mindless, yammering handitards who operate the levers of power in DeeCee, this, I think, would be it. There’s only one thing that scares a politician more than losing a corporate donor, and that is the fear of being thrown out of office entirely by an angry electorate.

I’m neither an optimist nor a pessimist (more like a cynical realist), and most certainly not an organizer. Then again, this ain’t exactly rocket science. If the left puts away the idiot splinter bullshit and gets laser-focused on income inequality, in all its malignant forms, this issue has a much better chance of catching fire. Fix that problem and about a gazillion other problems become, more or less, self-correcting. Think about it, talk about it, write about it, etc. (And that includes imparting such knowledge to your crazy, teabagger relative, friend, co-worker, fill in blank. As openings permit; that’s a whole nuther discussion.)

The bottom line is this: Do you want to win back some ground or do you want to circle-jerk forever? Do you wish to see people across the spectrum get on the same page and scare the shit out of some politicians? If so, then this is pretty much the only thing that has such potential. In short, stay splintered and lose, focus on income inequality and make some progress. Maybe.

Forgive my loghorrea and general mouthiness, Mr. Bogg. This is your house, and I apologize for derping within it.

As you may have noticed over the past few days this blog, as part of the FDL mothership, was being held internet-incommunicado because technology sucks.

Why didn’t you just run the modem to your Obamaphone? Sheesh, do I have to think of everything?

Would Internets have the courage to remove a tabloid hack if proved he’s an asshole?

Morning Elliott & Pupses:

AND you get several helpings of John McCain.

So here’s my question: Is he trying to get away from Cindy or has she kicked him out of the house(s)? I’m gonna go with both.

Perhaps you’re not sporting the proper pickup attire. (See photo above.) I can see how Princess Dumbass might get all lathered up over that combo…

Paul “Zombie-Eyed Granny-Starver” Ryan is truly a vile, reprehensible and immeasurably shallow individual. He literally makes me sick to my stomach.

He’s got a cool gig.

That’s some straight-up NASA shit, right there…

So exhausted that I really don’t give a shit about anything…well, except, you know, essentially everything.

I’m thinking about taking a late-night walk. Do you think the PO-Leece will shoot me?

Hey Suzanne and Night-Pups of Fire:

How about some Anna Maria Jopek? That should get your heart started, after which…

Jimmy Dore!

Enjoy…

Audra McDonald is scary talented. Talk about range…

Thanks very much for coming, Mr. Kuttner, and thanks to Mr. Konczal for hosting.

Cool discussion.

why don’t we put them aside and focus on what actually matters: the broken middle class, growing inequality, and a totally screwed up banking system.

That’s exactly what I do when I’m communicating with rightwingers. It’s the only door in that I’m able to see – with the possible exception of the bloated national security state. Rightwingers have a certain “big brother” paranoia, as well – for different reasons, probably, but still…

In other words, I take my shots when I see them. It’s tricky.

When people ask if I support a third party, I respond that I’d like a second party.

Ha! Exactly!