Digby describes the terrified quandary trapping Frank Luntz and the Republicans, as the 99 percent meme dominates the political conversation. From yesterday’s edition of Virtually Speaking, with Avedon Carol sitting in for Stuart Zechman.

Schedule for Sunday, Dec 4 through Thursday, Dec 8. With help from listener commentary and questions, we talk about very current events and public affairs with political analysts, media critics, technologists, historians, etc. We amplify – mainly – progressive voices. Comments and questions courtesy of a digitally present studio audience. Which could include you. (see IRC below) All programs webcast and archived at BlogTalkRadio. Available free at iTunes. (Search Virtually Speaking from the iTunes store.) I post weekly, so you can go back to previous posts and link through to the juicy stuff. Miss the Intro?

Sunday, Dec 4 | 9 pm eastern | 6 pm pacific |David Dayen and Stuart Zechman discuss developments of the week, highlighting issues neglected or misrepresented on the Sunday morning broadcasts, drawing from their work of the prior week and the wickedly funny Bobblespeak Translations. Featuring Culture of Truth on the Most Outrageous Moment from the Sunday morning talk shows. Follow @DDayen @Stuart_Zechman @bobblespeak. Listen live and later on BTR

Tuesday, Dec 6 | 9 pm eastern | 6 pm pacific |Virtually Speaking Susie | Susie Madrak and a guest talk about …. anything and everything. | Listen live and later on BTR

Wednesday, Dec 7 | 9 pm eastern | 6 pm pacific |Virtually Speaking Science | MSNBC’s Alan Boyle (Cosmic Log) talks with Mars Society president, aerospace and nuclear engineer, Robert Zubrin, best known for advocacy of the manned exploration of Mars. You may know Zubrin’s books Merchants of Despair, The Case for Mars and Energy Victory. Zubrin recently converted his car to 100% methanol use and boosted his effective mileage by 40% VS Science is produced in cooperation with MICA. Listen live and later on BTR

Thursday, Dec 8 | Double Header

8 pm eastern | 5 pm pacific |Virtually Speaking A-Z: This week in liberalism. | Culture of Truth (in for Stuart Zechman) and Jay Ackroyd| discuss the truth and lies, clarity and obfuscation, that characterizes our political and media environment. Follow @bobblespeak @Stuart_Zechman @JayAckroyd Listen live on BTR. Beginning midnight Friday, listen here.

9 pm eastern | 6 pm pacific |Virtually Speaking with Jay Ackroyd |Jay discusses effective activism in today’s media environment with activists Spocko and Mike Stark. Follow @spockosbrain @Mike_Stark @JayAckroyd Listen live and later on BTR.

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Show Notes:

• Virtually Speaking Sundays| Can’t bear to watch the Sunday morning talking heads that inspire VS Sundays? Let Culture of Truth boil them down for you with the Bobblespeak Translations. Warning: swallow and put down the hot tea/coffee/cocoa before reading.

The VS Sunday panel draws from Avedon Carol, Cliff Schecter, Culture of Truth, David Dayen, digby, Joan McCarter, Marcy Wheeler, Stuart Zechman and Susie Madrak. From time to time, the make-up of the panel shifts. Also, every 5 weeks or so, one of our regular panelists invites a guest to join them.

Virtually Speaking is both a labor of love and an act of political imagination. We couldn’t do it without our guests, our hosts, our ‘studio’ audience’ or our crew. Special thanks to Designer Mark MacKay for weekly and special graphic displays.