The  standard of morality for the Republican party is back in the news spewing his infinite wisdom like the worst explosive diarrhea one has ever experienced. 

It is still hard to understand why anyone gives draft dodger Ted "Shitpants" Nugent the time of day. Unfortunately, there are so many with low intelligence not interested in factual information that gobble up Mr. Shitpant's bullshit. 

In wake of the Chattanooga shooting, Mr. Shitpants has to express his brilliant and well thought out theory on why this shooting happened. His brilliant conclusion? The shooting was a direct result of guns being banned on military bases. If Mr. Shitpants had any brain cells left, he would have thought to spend 15 seconds researching if that statement is true. He would have found out that is a Republican lie. 

Mr. Shitpants continues to educate us by saying, "If Mr. Obama truly cared about the safety and security of the American people, he would issue an executive order banning all gun-free zones.” 

It’s that time in the presidential political cycle when, Donald Trump pretends he's running for President. The thing is, Trump would make a very good Republican candidate. What is that based on? The party voted for Sarah Palin. 

If you lie about your successes and bully people to avoid answering a question, you’re a perfect candidate. Trump has incorporated this into his entire life. Pretending success and using other people’s money is critical to securing any of Trump’s business schemes.

Trump has swindled people for years by lying and acting like a bully. He loves to threaten to sue people. When you look at this more closely, this behavior is actually understandable. He has built a gigantic façade that keeps him in the game…sort of.

Ask yourself this question, if your father gave you a billion dollars, would you still have it? Let’s think about putting that money into an index fund and living off the return. Over the last two presidents, the return is somewhere around the average of 8%*.  That is $80 million to play with, almost like hitting the lottery annually.

The fact is, Trump has now declared bankruptcy six times. The self-proclaimed world’s greatest business man churns out bankruptcies like its a new product line. His game is to pretend he can afford a building, file bankruptcy to fleece shareholders and creditors, then he gives up partial ownership in the building and they all forgive him. Wash and repeat.

When you watch his Twitter feed, there is a constant re-tweeting of “please run in 2016” comments from the same Republicans who demand private sector experience**.  I guess absolute failure in business is acceptable to Fox News watchers. Bankruptcy is a complete failure. I realize a business can get into a situation when this is necessary.

Exactly how many times is it acceptable to Republicans to screw creditors, shareholders and tax payers out of their money because you suck at running a business? Is it 3 times? 6 times? 20 times? After Trump declares bankruptcy the 20 time, will any Republican care? I doubt it.

Read his Twitter feed an you will fully understand why Trump is the Bankruptcy Queen of Wall Street.  Trump simply repeats a talking point without exerting any energy independently thinking. It's clear he doesn't research anything.

When you actually dig deeper into his statements, they expose an astounding stupidity that begins to weaken the gigantic facade he has built through his bullying. Trump doesn't realize his pretend policy positions and written thoughts show clearly he has no idea how governance works and has no idea whatsoever what the day-to-day activity of the president consists of.

After reading what he has to say, we begin to understand Trump’s failure in business. If we examine Sarah Palin (R), George W. Bush (R), Rick Perry (R), etc. we see the trend of selecting a candidate that's not the sharpest tool in the shed. All were magnificent failures in business. These candidates were nothing more than Republican circus acts, Clown Shows, so to speak. Trump is the perfect Republican candidate. He is the ultimate Clown Show, but with one caveat. He will sue you if you tell the truth about him. 

When you investigate the sue-happy Trump, and find a case where he actually had to give a deposition, you find out his net worth is nowhere close to what he says it is. That’s right, Trump lied about his net worth and then sued someone for exposing his lying about his net worth.

The Democratic Party should be working every angle they can to make sure the Trump Clown Show is performing in the 2016 election. I doubt Trump will actually run for a few reasons. He doesn't have enough money to run and he would be in danger of destroying the facade. It doesn't look like he would do anything that would prevent his ability for another opportunity to fuck creditors, tax payers and shareholders.

*Let us not forget, a $10,000 investment during the Bush administration would have been $9,000 after Republican policies destroyed the economy and were forced to use taxpayer money to bail us out, twice. During the Obama administration that same investment regained the Bush losses, and made up for all the return you were supposed to see during that unfortunate time in our history. Check it out for yourself.

**Unless you’re Paul Ryan who has had a few months of private sector experience.

Marlon Barkley  
marlon@thedeathofanation.com

It appears Governor Rick Perry (R) will no longer be running for President in 2016. The odds are he will run anyway, we all hope, after we learned that Tea Baggers will ignore anything a candidate has done against party ideologically or whatever crimes they commit, as long as they talk in key phrases.

Perry used his power as Governor to attempt to force a elected Democratic district attorney to resign last year after she was arrested for drunken driving. The charges are "official capacity and coercion of a public servant".

Perry then apparently carried out a threat to veto funding for the public integrity unit run by the office of Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg (D). The perfect Tea Bagger candidate successfully abused his power after he abused his power. 

Governor Perry publicly stated he is opposed to a state prosecutor investigating public corruption. It seems Perry is now against "taking the country back". It's doubtful anything will actually happen legally to Perry other than legal expenses. The corporations that pay him resulting in a massive increase in pollution will never let that happen. Just like when prosecutors indicted the original ham sandwich Tom Delay (R).

In addition, the Texas tax payers will be footing the bill for Perry's defense attorney. "David L. Botsford, Perry's defense attorney, whose $450-per hour fees are being paid for by state funds, said he was outraged by the action." 

Read more awesome Rick Perry quotes.

Marlon Barkley  
marlon@thedeathofanation.com 

The latest Republican talking point is about which president takes the most vacation time. Any rational personal would understand a United States President, one of the most powerful positions in the world, probably doesn't take any vacation. 

Regardless of whether you agree or disagree, Republicans are yet again trying to create something, anything they can pin on President Obama. 

Fox News laughably produces a chart with astonishing information. See how President Obama wastes time on vacation? Take a step back, and let's look at actual numbers. Remember, the vacation numbers can be verified. CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller has covered every president since Gerald Ford and is known for keeping detailed records on travel. Fox News apparently didn't know that.

Let's look at the reality of the situation, look at the Reality chart. Quite a different understanding isn't it? 

It is truly amazing at how much the Bush's abused their power, were absent from work and can you imagine how much this cost tax payers?

It literally takes about 10 seconds to verify this information. Politifact, FactCheck.org, and the source himself, Mark Knoller.

Just for fun, how about creating a chart that shows Republican vacation days versus Democratic vacation days? Who wastes more tax payer dollars?

During his two terms, George Bush took 879 vacation days, which included 77 total trips to his Crawford, Tex., ranch. Nine of those trips were taken in his first year as president.  

How about we add up all the travel expenses and see how much it really cost tax payers?

Marlon Barkley  
marlon@thedeathofanation.com 

There has been a significant development for the privatization industry this past week. The United States Postal Service reported a quarterly loss of $2 Billion, despite higher prices and an increase in operating revenue. 

Publications like the New York Times perfectly assist the illustration of how another government run business is a candidate for privatization. Using this headline, "Postal Service Quarterly Loss Was $2 Billion, Despite Higher Prices", is an intentional attempt to mislead. They further the assist by adding in the first sentence, despite an increase in revenue on  almost every product the US Postal service is "mired in debt". When you dig deeper elsewhere, for even 10 seconds, you see the information necessary.

Those people with an ounce of curiosity and 10 seconds of time might wonder how this could possibly happen. USPS.gov has an explanation of this situation and cause posted right on their web site.  

Let's parse what the USPS is saying. The Republican controlled congress and Senate in 2006 passed a law to force the U.S. Postal service to pre-fund their health and retirement benefits to cover those expenses for 75 years. 

This makes total sense when you think about it. John Smith who might be born tomorrow and work for the post office starting August 1, 2035 will need retirement benefits in the year 2079. Good thing his retirement plan will be funded this year! 

Republicans manufactured a crisis for ideology or is it just to make a profit for their friends? You could easily argue the latter. Remember President George Bush's bank bailout? Republicans were unanimously behind it*. 

When Republicans finally privatize the postal service, will that make them eligible for a Republican bailout? Not only would they support it, they would probably promote it with some populist patriotism bull shit one could see through if one looked. Wouldn't it be nice if Republicans were this financially responsible on a day-to-day basis?

Prepare to pay ten times what you do now for mailing a letter, if you even get service. On second thought, you probably will not have to worry about it since delivery will not be available in any rural area thanks to privatization.

*Fox News watchers may find this FACT a complete surprise. Look at the date it occurred.

Marlon Barkley 
marlon@thedeathofanation.com

I thought Republicans were supposed to be "Pro-Life"? The message is beat into our heads by the media and consistently used as a Republican campaign message* that's won elections. Here's an astounding story about the reality of the Republican party platform.

Tennessee Representative Scott DesJarlais (R), an incumbent Republican looks to be sailing successfully through the primary, even though he appears to have some "family values" contradictory to the Republican mantra. DesJarlais is a Teabagger, thus given special permissions.  

DesJarlais is a doctor. Doctor's take an oath. In the 1990's DesJarlais decides to get it on with a few of his patients and one of them became pregnant. Dr. Desjarlais decides the best course of action would naturally be an abortion. We all understand we are going to make mistakes in our life and will regret the consequences of bad choices. The problem with this, is Desjarlais is pretending he is anti-abortion, he is lying about what he stands for and no one cares. 

If the Republican party actually stood for anything they say they do, then answer these questions.

• Why isn't the Westboro Baptist Church protesting Desjarlais as a baby killer like they do soldiers returning from a tour? 
  
• Why aren't there calls to remove Desjarlais and strip him of campaign funding like were done to Planned Parenthood?
  
• Why did the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) give Desjarlais a 100% score? Yes, a perfect score for someone who wanted a patient he fucked to have an abortion.
  
• Where are the death threats from the anti-abortion nut jobs who think killing a doctor who performs abortion is just? He's a doctor, doesn't he fit in to your parameters?

Not only should DesJarlais be stripped of he medical license, he has no business being a leader for any political party. How he is still even a viable candidate tells an amazing story of the Republican party. Deterioration.

*Although people with a brain or non-Fox News watchers understand the opposite. See study after study after study.

I've spent some time in Minnesota in a past life and it has always been very hard for me to understand how Representative Michele Bachmann (R) can get a single vote. 

It is rare that a congressperson spews imaginary "facts" so provably wrong, even the uninformed (or a Fox News viewer), doesn't need to waste time verifying its wrongness. 


Based on her lengthy track record, most of what she says can be immediately dismissed as irrelevant. This fits the formula for the perfect Republican or Tea Bagger candidate, however, she is so beyond ridiculous it is detrimental to the entire political process for both sides. Let's examine a few gems.

Bachmann said this on Sunday, June 26th, 2011 in an interview on Fox News. Why would Bachmann say this when it takes seconds to prove she is lying? Here, here, here, here and here. That literally took five seconds to find out she is wrong. Stupidly, she keeps repeating that quote while continuing to claim income from the farm on her financials.

Bachmann said this on Wednesday, July 30th, 2014 in an interview on the radio show "WallBuilders Live". She is clearly suggesting hospitals could do that research on undocumented children. Any other person saying something this psychotic would be in an institution. If you don't believe this, here is direct link to the audio. 

Bachmann said this to a group of local Republicans, while in campaigning in New Hampshire. The shot heard around the world, the beginning of the Revolutionary War were fired in Massachusetts. 

Bachmann said this while campaigning in 2011. This is not only irresponsible, but a dangerous and completely, provable false statement. Is she really that dim witted or is she lying? How often does the American Academy of Pediatrics have to release a statement contradicting a presidential candidate?

“The American Academy of Pediatrics would like to correct false statements made in the Republican presidential campaign that HPV vaccine is dangerous and can cause mental retardation,” O. Marion Burton, the academy’s president, said in a statement. “There is absolutely no scientific validity to this statement.”

Bachmann said this while appearing on Minnesota radio station KTLK-AM in 2011. How are those re-education camps progressing? 

Bachmann said this during an interview on the Republican radio show called Faith & Liberty. She offered no evidence whatsoever. Since Republicans against science, I guess that doesn't matter. Why is she still in congress?

Instances like these are endless with Michele "Welfare Queen" Bachmann. It is like a gift raining down on the American people every time she opens her mouth. What is really sad about this whole issue, is people voted for her. People believe what she has to say. 

A sad state of affairs.

Marlon Barkley 
marlon@thedeathofanation.com

Any company who claims to stand for "Religious Freedom" immediately deserves the scrutiny of business practice review. Thankfully, when something as ridiculous as this happens, the information falls out similar to all the Republican Heroes.

Hobby Lobby became a Republican tool several months ago in their endless effort to eliminate a successful Republican health care program that benefits over 10 million people. That's all this is, this issue has nothing to do with "Religious Freedom", but you can sit back and watch the brain damaged, Religious lapdogs take their marching orders and run with it.

Contraception was the center of their crusade. You would think if an organization believed that much in "Religious Freedom" they would practice this in all aspects of their business, right? That's predictably wrong. Their employee 401K has mutual funds with investments in companies that produce emergency contraceptive pills, intrauterine devices, and drugs commonly used in abortions. Yes, you're reading that correctly. They profit off companies that interfere with an already fertilized egg. 
That's all right? Nope! Felicia Allen requested time off for pregnancy leave. The Christian values chain terminated Allen, since she did not qualify for the federal Family Medical Leave Act. When Allen filed for unemployment, Hobby Lobby’s corporate office must have sat back and thought WWJD* and naturally, gave the unemployment agency a false version of events. Since Hobby Lobby forces its employees to sign a waiver giving up the right to sue the company, Allen has no recourse.  


What did we learn today? Religious Freedom is clearly under attack!


*What Would Jesus Do

Aiden Brennan 
aiden@thedeathofanation.com

I had a Republican friend call Vice President Joe Biden (D) the quintessential politician, then she voted for Paul Ryan (R) for Vice President, whose ONLY private sector business experience was a wiener mobile driver.  More on that another time. To me at least, the definition of a quintessential politician is someone who is completely bought and paid for, doesn't spend much time in the state they work and has completely been ineffective for their state. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop them from getting elected.

Senator Mitch "Welfare Queen" McConnell (R) who has approved of the two greatest government spending sprees in the history of our country (Reagan and Bush), but rails against spending when given the opportunity, has created one of the biggest socialist, welfare states in the country, Kentucky. When researching this, I actually found this to be overwhelmingly a characteristic of Republican states. By welfare state, I mean states that take in way more federal money than they contribute to the general fund. Red states lead the way with this tactic.

Let's recap some of Senator Welfare Queen McConnell's major accomplishments, shall we?

• McConnell has guided the state of Kentucky to 7.5% unemployment, while the national average is around 6.3%. 
  
• McConnell successfully plunged the state of Kentucky's poverty level to one of the worst in the country. 
  
• When you type in Mitch McConnell in Google, the word "turtle" shows up in the list of suggestions.
  
• McConnell voted against the Violence Against Women Act and then lied about how he voted.
  
• McConnell lies about the success of the Affordable Healthcare Act to use it for political gain. He is called out by Representative John Yarmuth (D) in a four page letter illustrating his numerous inaccuracies.
  
• McConnell pretended to be concerned with the debt ceiling, costing tax payers tens of millions of dollars in extra interest. He had no problem increasing the debt ceiling 19 times during the Bush years of extravagance. 
• McConnell created one of the biggest welfare states in the country.
  

That's quite a list of accomplishments for Senator "Welfare Queen" McConnell. How does someone who has such a long list of tremendous failures get automatically elected every year? Kentucky is a very beautiful state with friendly people*, it is a terrible shame they are duped every election by a Welfare Queen.

*Except for the Hatfields and McCoys.