"The Daily Show": Week of 7/14/14

[Cyranetta]

 

I want to start a 'closely held' company and refuse to cover Viagra on religious grounds: God must be telling you something if you can no longer get it up.

 

I'd love to see someone start "Lysistrata Corporation", a religious corporation or corporate church whose precepts would be along the lines of "living well is the best revenge" and "share the joy"  and whose mission would be to start up sex-toy stores as close to Hobby Lobby stores as possible.

[Wax Lion]

 

Deferring pension contributions is stupid.  Companies will have to make up the payments later, and I can just hear the "oh noes, that's too much money, the company can't survive that" petitions to keep deferring contributions, and retirees get shafted once again.

 

I recall reading an article about the "Whitman Miracle" where Christine Todd Whitman cut taxes (mostly for the rich) and still balanced the budget with some trick with the pensions. I don't remember the details but basically, IIRC, it involved promising the economy would be great later so the state could make those pension payments then... except that Chris Christie was now saying the state couldn't afford to make those payments.

 

So basically, the game is to tell you it will all work out in the long run and wait until most people have forgotten about their promise when they break it.

[Victor the Crab]

Go ahead Republican diaperbabies. Try and impeach President Obama and throw lawsuits at him, while you sit around and not do your jobs to help the American people.. It worked so well when you tried it on Bill Clinton. And by that, I mean you got savagely beaten up in the voting booths, you disdainful asswipes.

[Julia]

I wonder if it doesn't have more to do with the tea party than it does with Obama. All of these people have been in Congress for a million years, and they don't do much at the best of times. Now, they're married to the holding their breath until they turn blue strategy by a leadership who got their jobs because they were acceptable to the corporate donors who were too big to fail when they broke the world economy.

 

If you're Joe Q Tea Party, you can say you're going to have tanks patrolling the border, round up the muslims, jail women who use contraceptives and drop a bomb on NYC, and your target voters are going to love it. I don't think they expect to get what they want any more from government. I think at this point they just want to say fuck you. And, disproportionately, they vote in primaries.

 

I think the congressional Republicans are terrified, and the law suit is how they're getting their fuck you on in hopes of escaping the ax.

[ganesh]

Oh, it's totally all that. It's just that Obama is the focal point. The tea party was around when Bush was president, but they were mostly just an anti-tax group. All of a sudden, here's Obama, and they're all "we are making him a one term president" and refusing to do anything. The more things are ok under Obama the worse it gets with them. Especially the ACA.

 

Congress doesn't do much, but when it was time to do something, they did it. Congress passed budgets regularly with republican president/senate and democratic house. Something like immigration probably would have gotten done. It would have taken a while, but it would have gotten done. The *bipartisan* gun control bill probably would have at least passed the senate. 

[Fremde Frau]

Jessica's bit was hilarious. I remember reading about that and wondering how they could possibly justify making regulations like that, apparently without consulting the very servicewomen whose lives they will affect. And why would anyone's natural hair ever be against the rules? That's such bullshit.

 

I don't usually skip interviews, since Jon is able to generate some degree of chemistry with just about anyone, but after all of the particularly heavy news today, I was in the mood for a thoughtful, in-depth conversation with someone like Reza Aslan or Fareed Zakaria, not a celebrity chat. It feels like the worst week to have had two celebrity interviews back-to-back. Seinfeld's interview ended up being enjoyable because there was so much going on between them, but I don't feel particularly compelled to watch this one. Maybe I'll give it a glance over the weekend.

 

Julia, your theory makes sense, unfortunately. That sounds like where their priorities are, both the congressional Republicans and the Tea Partiers. It's pretty depressing here in Georgia when so many people will repeat--without any sense of irony and without any attempt to offer context or evidence--the talking point that Obama is the worst and most tyrannical president in the history of the country.

[Julia]

Remember Rove pretty much gutted all the local Republican parties so he could put his own candidates (who pretty much all disappeared without a ripple) in place. Bush ate up all the oxygen in the room and then took everyone still standing down with him. And we still had Citizen United, so all that corporate money that didn't go to McCain or Romney or any other really compelling national figure went to the tea party groups to do astroturfing.

 

Which is going to change now that the spigot is back open, but you've got a bunch of b-listers fighting for the sunlight for the first time in almost two decades now, so I don't know if they're going to get it done in time to save Congress. And maybe a bunch of wingnut billionaires who have discovered that they really like it when the people they give their money to embrace the crazy on TV in front of God and everybody instead of pretending to be sane once the check cashes.

Edited July 18, 2014 by Julia

[trow125]

It was nice to hear Beth Shorr get a shoutout (she's my contact at TDS, and she has a sideline as a knitter -- here's one of her infinity scarves on her Etsy store). I'm sure she was pleased to hear such effusive praise for her work from Emma Stone.

 

I can understand why they played that particular clip to set up the impeachment/lawsuit piece, but I really wish the U.S. media would ignore Sarah Palin from now on. Let her rant on her Facebook page for her few remaining fans.

[The Luvly Junkie]

I can understand why they played that particular clip to set up the impeachment/lawsuit piece, but I really wish the U.S. media would ignore Sarah Palin from now on. Let her rant on her Facebook page for her few remaining fans.

     

         Or to make effective impact, I'd suggest the media would take into consideration a certain someone's advice. It's been more than a year since it aired, but the clip fits up to now that it should've slipped into the media's minds already.

[peeayebee]

I don't usually skip interviews, since Jon is able to generate some degree of chemistry with just about anyone, but after all of the particularly heavy news today, I was in the mood for a thoughtful, in-depth conversation with someone like Reza Aslan or Fareed Zakaria, not a celebrity chat. It feels like the worst week to have had two celebrity interviews back-to-back. Seinfeld's interview ended up being enjoyable because there was so much going on between them, but I don't feel particularly compelled to watch this one. Maybe I'll give it a glance over the weekend.

I don't think you missed much, unless you want to watch Jon and Emma talk about scarves and appropriate wear for first dates.

[cattykit]

So where is the servicewoman supposed to go for her weave or relaxer when she's deployed to the Middle East?  How is it that your own natural hair is against regulations?  Is it the same for men?  Seems like some brass had too much time on their hands.  When I was in the military they didn't care what style my hair was as long as it was above the collar. 

 

Jessica's hair looks totally awesome.

Edited July 18, 2014 by cattykit

[attica]

It seemed to my eye like Jessica was actually getting through to the Wilford Brimley dude in her piece. He looked like he was coming around to her way of thinking (i.e. the right way). 

 

The Purple Scalp medal should totally be real, if you want my opinion.

[Hanahope]

I'm sure that the whole thing with black women's hair is because it looks "ghetto" and/or "thug/rap".  Still, I cannot believe they says its ok to wear a wig, but not their natural hair cut short.

 

Maybe the reason Congress isn't working to impeach Obama is because he actually hasn't done anything to be impeached for.

[ganesh]

That doesn't really matter. You can impeach whomever if you can pass the articles in the House. Upon further reflection, it's possible that the republicans don't have the votes to pass articles and would look even more stupid for trying to pass articles and failing. Hence, just do the suing as a way around.

[ChelseaNH]

I have not forgotten all of Shrub's claims of "executive privilege" or how much the Republicans enjoyed a strong executive when it was one of their guys.  To quote Parker (of Leverage): "Sucks to be on the wrong side of that for a change."

[fastiller]

Just where do some people think those boners are going?

 

 

Viagra helps with procreation which is in the bible, so they can hide behind that. Another torpedo into this "religious exemption" is that HL covers vasectomies, which certainly does not promote procreation. 

 

 

 

This is precisely what "Lysistrata Corp" would hang it's religious-exemption had on: if you can no longer procreate in a natural fashion, or if you now need chemical assistance to do so, God had deemed that part of your life over.

 

I'd love to see someone start "Lysistrata Corporation", a religious corporation or corporate church whose precepts would be along the lines of "living well is the best revenge" and "share the joy"  and whose mission would be to start up sex-toy stores as close to Hobby Lobby stores as possible.

I'm totally using that name for my 'closely-held-with-strong-religious-beliefs-against-Viagra' corporation.  Hope that's okay with you.  Now, off to work on the letterhead; how 'bout a naked woman?  It'd be tasteful, I promise.

[ganesh]

Oh, the viagra is totally hypocritical. I'm just speculating on the reasoning. Because they'd be like, 'god granted us the intellect to create it so we can procreate.' I think the vasectomy argument is stronger. 

 

But conflicting religious povs over the same issue underscores why there's a separation of church and state. Pro/anti slavery groups literally used the same bible verse to justify their actions.

 

Can't we just rule the bible unconstitutional? If the bible is your go to defense of whatever social position you're proposing, then you're out. Especially since using the bible is typically a flat out lie and just a smokescreen because you know no one is going to really fuck with it. "Oh, the bible? Ok. Well, I can't call them out on being a bunch of assholes then." What about common law?

[fastiller]

Oh, the viagra is totally hypocritical. I'm just speculating on the reasoning. Because they'd be like, 'god granted us the intellect to create it so we can procreate.' I think the vasectomy argument is stronger. 

I agree that it's hypocritical.  I'm trying to stand the argument on its head.  

[Cyranetta]

 

fastiller: I'm totally using that name for my 'closely-held-with-strong-religious-beliefs-against-Viagra' corporation.  Hope that's okay with you.  Now, off to work on the letterhead; how 'bout a naked woman?  It'd be tasteful, I promise.

Hey, go for it! Maybe :"Lysistrata Corp" can be a contributor to Lizz Winstead's new LadyPartsJustice.com (to bring it partway back to The Daily Show)...

[fastiller]

I am all for it. You wanna pitch it or should I?

[Fremde Frau]

I don't think you missed much, unless you want to watch Jon and Emma talk about scarves and appropriate wear for first dates.

 

It was nice to hear Beth Shorr get a shoutout (she's my contact at TDS, and she has a sideline as a knitter -- here's one of her infinity scarves on her Etsy store). I'm sure she was pleased to hear such effusive praise for her work from Emma Stone.

 

Oh, darn, they talked about knitting? I'm gonna have to watch it now. Over the past two years, I've taken to knitting all presents for friends and family.

[topanga]

 

Jessica's bit was hilarious. I remember reading about that and wondering how they could possibly justify making regulations like that, apparently without consulting the very servicewomen whose lives they will affect. And why would anyone's natural hair ever be against the rules? That's such bullshit.

I love Jessica Williams' segments. Like most of TDS correspondents, she goes all in. And she's funny as hell. I like how she managed to rattle the black servicewoman during the interview, such as when she started joking about the Purple Scalp Award.

[shok]

Jessica is such a beautiful woman (and funny too) - so tall and statuesque and smart. She's not long for TDS I fear, but after she's a huge star we'll be able to say we laughed at her and with her when she was just a young'un.

[dubbel zout]

I remember reading about that and wondering how they could possibly justify making regulations like that, apparently without consulting the very servicewomen whose lives they will affect.

 

The same way they can decide what women's healthcare should be without consulting women.

[heebiejeebie]

I'm hoping the Republicans in the House cannot help themselves and actually try to impeach Obama.   I find the prospects in 2016 rather grim and uninspiring.  Idiocy along those lines is exactly what we need to make sure whatever nutcase the Right puts forth gets spanked.

[Fremde Frau]

It's amazing to see that the 2:30 minute coverage of the Gaza and Israel situation is still viral. People keep putting it up on YouTube, then it's taken down, then it's up again... over and over. A video that includes a bit of his January 2009 coverage is also making the rounds on FB. There is also such a strong effort to critique and discredit this relatively mild coverage, as well as to critique (and mischaracterize) his equally mild questions during the Clinton interview, that it's sort of mind-boggling to consider what the reactions might have been if they'd spent a full segment or two on it.

 

(For those who cannot view the videos on the website, here is a YouTube link for the extended interview on Gaza and Israel.)

 

In the Frost on Satire special, Jon said that he does TDS mainly for his own catharsis, and a situation like this must be an extremely difficult subject for comedy. It makes me wonder how many stories Jon has walked away from if only because the material is too heavy and the catharsis simply won't come. That said, I suppose it's inevitable--given the escalation with Israel's ground forces and Hamas killing two Israeli soldiers--that TDS will revisit the situation next week.

 

I'm hoping the Republicans in the House cannot help themselves and actually try to impeach Obama.   I find the prospects in 2016 rather grim and uninspiring.  Idiocy along those lines is exactly what we need to make sure whatever nutcase the Right puts forth gets spanked.

 

I'm already depressed about 2016, too, but I'm not convinced that this lawsuit or even trying to impeach Obama will have much of an effect, since their infantile conduct over the last five or so years hasn't made a noticeable dint in their electability. Even worse, their constituents seem to be heading to the right of them, repeatedly electing Tea Party candidates with even more extreme rhetoric. In the first couple of years of Obama's presidency, it seemed like the fringe was just that: the Glenn Beck fringe that the GOP kept around as a "beware of dog" warning. But at this point, the GOP is taking a nosedive off the right side of the road just to keep up with their base.

Edited July 19, 2014 by Fremde Frau

[Brandi Maxxxx]

Can't we just rule the bible unconstitutional? If the bible is your go to defense of whatever social position you're proposing, then you're out. Especially since using the bible is typically a flat out lie and just a smokescreen because you know no one is going to really fuck with it. "Oh, the bible? Ok. Well, I can't call them out on being a bunch of assholes then." What about common law?

Has anyone ever tried asking a politician "Which is more important: the constitution or the Bible?" just to watch them squirm?

[Fremde Frau]

Has anyone ever tried asking a politician "Which is more important: the constitution or the Bible?" just to watch them squirm?

 

It won't work, though, because they have it worked out to as tidy a closed, circular system as Clifford Geertz could have imagined: what with all of our Founding Fathers being Christians [sic], the Bible is the reason the constitution is the way it is, and the constitution being what it is affirms and maintains the authority of the Bible. It's the Möbius strip of values!

[ganesh]

The Founders weren't evangelical christians like today's politicians though. There's plenty of their own written materials. Of course, I know current politicians won't let that get in the way, but their pov on religion isn't even remotely the same as today.

[Fremde Frau]

Oh, I know. Their interpretation is not fact-based but belief-based.

[ABay]

That's because facts have a well-known liberal bias (TM Colbert).

[Captanne]

Thomas Jefferson, himself, edited the Bible to make it more readable for the Native Americans.  He used a razor blade and glue.  The original "cut and paste."

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jefferson_Bible

[heebiejeebie]

 

I'm already depressed about 2016, too, but I'm not convinced that this lawsuit or even trying to impeach Obama will have much of an effect, since their infantile conduct over the last five or so years hasn't made a noticeable dint in their electability. Even worse, their constituents seem to be heading to the right of them, repeatedly electing Tea Party candidates with even more extreme rhetoric. In the first couple of years of Obama's presidency, it seemed like the fringe was just that: the Glenn Beck fringe that the GOP kept around as a "beware of dog" warning. But at this point, the GOP is taking a nosedive off the right side of the road just to keep up with their base.

 

 

It's not their base I'm worried about.  It is ours which in the end is still larger.  If mobilized.  I think a drawn out impeachment might rile enough moderates if nothing else gets done.  I think Eric Cantor's defeat woke up the likes of the Crying Cheeto and made them start listening to people who have a clue.  And someone pointed out that despite low poll numbers for himself,  Obama's accomplishments hold a significant approval rating.

[Fremde Frau]

It's hard to motivate most people to vote, unless it feels like a do or die situation. I voted 100% for Obama in 2008, but I was essentially voting as much against Romney as for Obama in 2012, because the increasingly regressive ideology of the right scares the shit out of me. Same thing for local and state elections here in Georgia: I vote against Republicans/Tea Partiers/conservatives because their policies are abhorrent to me, not so much because I like every track record or talking point I hear from the other (or independent) side.

 

Maybe the lawsuit or an impeachment circus will be absurd enough to deflate and demotivate their side.

[Captanne]

It seems to me that the 1% who decided to force their own will on the population by going for local elections (smaller venues, gerrymandered regions and homogenous, like-minded voting populations) are getting exactly what they planned.

 

90% of the population of the United States want stricter gun laws, frex, but the Congress either deadlocks or stymies the will of the people -- because they were elected by these tiny, single-issue constituencies.  

 

The executive branch, elected by the entire population, shows the mind of the Country while the Congress shows only special interests bought and paid for by the likes of the Koch Brothers.

 

Seems to me.

 

ETA:  I'm sure there are Democrat-leaning 1%-ers who do the same thing except, I'll bet that if you looked at the statistics, the Democrat platform is more in line with the nation as a whole.  The "near" landslide of Obama in '12 proves that.

 

EETA:  I've always felt that the problem Democrats don't consolidate is because of our very platform -- we have a lot of issues and see the grays rather than the black/white bright lines the Republicans seem to cling to.  I'm not quite putting that into my exact meaning but it's early and my exposition fairy is still asleep, clearly.

Edited July 21, 2014 by Captanne

[dubbel zout]

Those grays are exactly why the Democrats are so terrible at getting their points across. Sound bites aren't made for nuance.

[Hanahope]

It seems to me that the 1% who decided to force their own will on the population by going for local elections (smaller venues, gerrymandered regions and homogenous, like-minded voting populations) are getting exactly what they planned.

 

In addition to Congressional elections, they've also been working their way up in judicial election/appointments.

[fastiller]

 Sound bites aren't made for nuance.

And vice versa.  Which is why we're all doomed.  It's the nuances that are so important, and once side doesn't 'do' nuance while the other can't communicate nuance.

 

As my late husband used to say: "They're all pantloads, every last one of them."  They are, for varying reasons.