Back when Living With the Living came out I had an idea for a set of posters inspired by the song Bomb.Repeat.Bomb. I wanted to have stamps made for “Bomb” and “Repeat” and then hand stamp the designs for the poster masters. Then each poster would have “Ted Leo and the Pharmacists” hand stamped to make each one unique. I envisioned what a military order would look like when the order to attack was given and came up with the aggressive and repetitive idea of the order being stamped numerous times across the paper.

These are rough comps I stumbled across recently and I still love the concept. Now that the album has come and gone, it’s time to dream up some brand new ideas for Mr. Leo. I’d love to be able to work on some art for him!

Ted Leo: Bomb.Repeat.Bomb

Unfortunately we were on the wrong side of the West Central Community Center in little ol’ Spokane, WA (Big city feel/redneck mentality ie. lots of Rascal Flats fans) as there is no footage of our Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. This vid does have footage of two people being arrested, one of which was in a wheelchair.

Why Spokane? He apparently was here for a roundtable meeting on gang violence where only law enforcement was allowed to attend. City council members were actually turned away at the door. While the gang violence may be a curious reason to stop by our fair city, Spokane does have an interesting link with torture: Torture Teachers

Not saying there were secret meetings in dark rooms but Spokane and gang violence seems an curious choice of involvement for our Attorney General and the link of Spokane to the hot button issue of torture makes it even more curious.

Oh yeah, HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!!!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/31/AR2006013101246.html

Well, here we are, heading into mid-term season, in the middle of a second term, the President’s numbers are (more justifiably than Clinton’s) “down” (to be generous), and he is beset by a number of controversies. I will catalog them quickly, just because it makes me feel good. Jack Abramoff (special interest superpimp). Vietnam…I mean, Iraq (its only going to get messier). Wiretapping US citizens without warrants (the price we pay for freedom? You only object if you are doing something wrong? Funk that noise.). Now we find out that the CIA and US Army have kidnapped the wives of suspected and confirmed insurgent and terrorist leaders in an effort to flush out said bad guys (this is one of the most despicable and disturbing revelations yet). There are more, but I digress.

All of this should create an ideal atmosphere for the Democrats to take back control of Congress. So here is what we should not do: Make ourselves look like idiots. Case in point: Alito’s confirmation. It has been clear to anyone paying attention that the guy was going to get the confirmation. Yes, he is boring and uber-Conservative, but we already defeated one crony (anyone remember her name?), and we didn’t have the numbers to defeat this one. Worse than not having the numbers, we knew we didn’t have the numbers. So Kennedy and Kerry decide to attempt the filibuster anyway. No chance it was going to succeed. Here are the problems.

1. We look like fools. We accuse Bush of being out of touch, but fight a battle we know we are going to lose. It forced vulnerable Democrats to side with the GOP, and moderate Dems to look like Repubs. Not good. It makes it seem like the Democrats still don’t have their act together, do not act as a unified body, and won’t be capable of leading the Congress if they take the majority.

2. Kerrendy will say that they were fighting the good fight, fighting what needed to be fought. Bullshit. They were pulling a publicity stunt, so that Kerry can look more decisive when he runs in 2008 (the knock in 2004 was that he waffled, exemplified by his voting record on the Iraq War combined with his later recanting of his vote and endless attempts to clarify (Now his campaign ads will say “Kerry was ALWAYS against Alito. For sure. No waffling. We mean it”)). I don’t want Kerry to run in 2008. He’s already a loser. Ask Bob Dole how easy it was to run the second time, when he had already lost once. Didn’t go so well. And we need to put a candidate up there who people can rally behind (Not Kerry, and especially not Hillary). If you really want to fight the good fight, get us the hell out of Iraq, make sure we won’t go into Iran, make sure the Patriot Act doesn’t get renewed, and get us the hell out of a deficit. Oh, and stop treating US citizens like criminals (see also: wiretapping, and a little known provision in the Patriot Act that curtails financial aid to students who have enough credits for a degree. The result of which was to boot my buddy E. out of school unless he paid for it himself. Apparently that’s what terrorists do: live on financial aid).

Now I am not saying that I am in favor of Alito on the bench. I’m not (and I live in a state that had one of only four yes-voting Democrats, the smallest support from an opposition party in US history). I am terrified that they might get the votes to repeal important decisions like Roe (there will be a test case within 3 months, I guarantee it). But here’s the thing. The whole history of the Supreme Court is conservative, in the traditional sense, meaning that they don’t like to upset the status quo. Also, the conservatives do not have a majority yet. We can count on Roberts, Scalia, now Alito, and usually Thomas to uphold (politically) conservative ideology, but the swing votes are still pretty independent. Clarence Thomas has surprised alot of pundits by not always voting along “party” lines. Justices are supposed to be apolitical, and some of them can still be counted on to do their jobs with respect, dignity and fairness.

So let’s focus on getting our guys some seats in Congress, take back the majority and get a Democrat in office in ‘08. To do that, we need to appear reasonable and responsible. And when we have already lost a fight, we need to move on the to the next one, not drag it out as long as possible and make sure everyone in Ohio and Florida (the only electoral states that matter) know that we lost the fight.

Anyway, keep watching, it’ll get scarier as the year rolls on.

“But what can I do,” you ask? Well, the government would prefer you just sit back and be frightened. You’re good at that. Just don’t say anything over the phone. It’s tapped. But that’s just part of the small price you pay for Freedom. Oppression. Yes, that makes perfect sense. Oppression, suppression, trampling of liberty and ideals. That’s the price you pay for Freedom. So, sit back and relax. Or, vote in the mid-term elections, if you have a candidate available. Vote like the good people of Virginia, who tossed their conservative lapdog governor and got themselves a real governor, one who doesn’t sit back and wait for things to get worse. And if you listen closely, he’ll be the guy delivering the Democratic response to Bush’s always-entertaining State of the Union tomorrow night. At least he won’t have to take questions from the audience this time. And hey, just think how easy iot will be to convert all of our Iraq pro-war propaganda to Iran. It’s only one letter after all. They can even recycle all the old documents and press releases.

Americans love a fight. Hell, I do too, but you have to strive to make sense of it. Sometimes you have to think it out. Work it out in your melon. Have a debate with someone. Fuck, even have a debate with yourself, but think it out. Do not only look at both sides, look at all sides, then form an opinion. Don’t just gobble it up as “news” because ol’ Bill says there’s a “War on Christmas”. I have no idea how shit like this trickles to the mainstream media either, but I have a sneaking suspicion it involves corporate interest and that means $$$.

Where are the Murrows who’ll speak truth to power? Where are the Welles to make veiled biopics about Rupert Murdoch? Is it fear that holds them back? Is it greed that suppresses their voice?

C’mon Christians, why can’t you just learn to share. This isn’t the United States of Jesus. There’s a thing called freedom of religion here. It’s what makes this country great. It’s what wars have been fought for. Why is it always the Christians who offend so easily. Wasn’t it Jesus who taught of love, compassion and tolerance? Why the hate? Isn’t this the season of giving? I wish these right wing and/or Christian wackos would give the rest of us something for Christmas. Personally, I’d love a break.

You either love Al Franken, or you don’t spend a lot of your time thinking. My favorite line Repubs give about Al is that he “simplifies everything”.

CBS survey also say 51% Americans not believe in evolution. No hope for Caveman Trey. Caveman Trey sad.

cbs survey

Uggh,
Caveman Trey

This kind of stuff really gets me. How can you not understand how freedom works? If you don’t like what some people are saying on television, then don’t watch that television show. If you don’t like the song, you’re FREE to change the station. It’s not up to the entertainment industry to raise your children.

If you catch your children watching or listening to something that might make them question your family values, then sit down with them and have a talk. Kids aren’t stupid, though some parents sure are.

There’s always going to be things out there that you think too lewd or too raunchy or just plain bad for the country. Let it go and worry about yourselves people. Groups like the PTC want everything dumbed down to the level of a six year old so they don’t have to pay attention to what their kids are watching.

The first amendment doesn’t protect the speech you like, it protects the speech you don’t like.

It’s not hard to figure out what and when “family” programing is on and when it isn’t. Arrested Developement is about a family. That doesn’t mean it’s a family show. It’s for grown-ups.

How hard is it to understand that there’s some stuff that’s made for adults. If you want kidsafe TV, then watch PAX. Or, you could always pay attention to what your kids are watching.

It is your first amendment right to express your opinion. It is un-American to call for the censorship of others.

Deal with it people.

Until next time true believers,

Trey