Ted Cruz Is Desperate ... And He's Pissing Off The Iowa GOP

Ted Cruz has been looking and acting desperate in the final days before the Iowa caucus; in fact, he’s in a downright panic that he might lose to Donald [t]Rump.

He had been on a bit of a high in recent weeks, gaining on [t]Rump in some polls while surpassing him in others, but after last week’s [t]Rump-less GOP debate, Cruz, who could have used the opportunity to seize the lead, stumbled badly and now he’s resorting to these kinds of tactics …

In his desperation to win, possibly at all costs, including whatever shred of dignity or honesty that even he thought he possessed, Cruz and his team decided to outright lie and shame voters into showing up for him.

The campaign sent out a mailer, printed on yellow paper as though it was some kind of official ticket, with the headline “VOTING VIOLATION” followed by the names of the homeowners to whom it was sent and their neighbors, along with the following instructions:

“You are receiving this election notice because of low expected voter turnout in your area. Your individual voting history as well as your neighbors’ are public record. Their scores are published below, and many of them will see your score as well. Caucus on Monday to improve your score and please encourage your neighbors to caucus as well. A follow-up notice may be issued following Monday’s caucuses.”

Yes, Ted Cruz is lying, and trying to frighten voters into voting — probably for him — by threatening to make them look bad in front of their community. But, as liars are apt to do, Cruz tried to keep his hands clean by having his name printed in tiny print at the top of the envelope, and nowhere on the ticket at all.

But one person who saw the small print, and knew what was happening, is speaking out; and that person is Iowa’s Republican secretary of state, Paul Pate, who released a statement  rebuking Cruz’s campaign pulling a stunt like this. And Paul Pate has a personal interest in calling out Cruz for his antics; the Cruz campaign named Pate’s own office in the mailer, implying that it was from the state government:

“Today I was shown a piece of literature from the Cruz for President campaign that misrepresents the role of my office, and worse, misrepresents Iowa election law. Accusing citizens of Iowa of a ‘voting violation’ based on Iowa Caucus participation, or lack thereof, is false representation of an official act. There is no such thing as an election violation related to frequency of voting. Any insinuation or statement to the contrary is wrong and I believe it is not in keeping in the spirit of the Iowa Caucuses.”

But are we surprised? I mean, that’s been Ted Cruz in politics all along: lying, manipulating facts, denying things he’s done — he still says it was Obama who shut down the government, except when he’s out there taking credit for it … and threatening to do it again.

Seriously, Iowa, you don’t need this; no one does. Head out to the caucus and send a very clear message that Ted Cruz’s antics aren’t what we need in Washington; if you think all politicians lie, manipulate, mask the facts, then remember that Ted Cruz just tried to do all of that to you … to get himself a win.

And how does Ted Cruz feel about this shameless “Voting Violation” ploy:

"I will apologize to no one for using every tool we can to encourage Iowa voters to come out and vote."

Every tool: lies, deceit, threats. That’s so presidential.

Addicting Info

Mother Jones

Sorry Gaga, You Ain't Cher ... But You Could Be A Real Housewife

Lady Gaga is constantly reinventing herself. i used to think it was cool now it just smacks of desperation and a need to stay relevant.

That;'s her newest 'look' up there and some folks are saying she's trying to channel 1980s Cher.

I say she's looking a little more Teresa Giudice, Real Convict Housewife of New Jersey.

A Desperate GOP

So, Joe Biden was talking to an audience in Virginia and he said this of a Romney/Ryan plan for economic recovery:

“Look at what they [Republicans] value, and look at their budget. And look what they’re proposing. [Romney] said in the first 100 days, he’s going to let the big banks write their own rules — unchain Wall Street. They’re going to put y’all back in chains.”

And Romney got his Thousand Dollar Granny Panties in a twist because, you know,m chains means slavery and Biden was saying that Romney would go back to slavery.

Yeah, that's what Romney though, and he responded:

"Mr. President, take your campaign of division and anger and hate back to Chicago."

First of, you nit wit, the President didn't say anything. But then you go and demean the people of Chicago saying that's the kind of politics they endure there. Grow a pair, Mittsy, or, failing that, buy a pair.

And then Romney unleashed his spokesbot, Andrea Saul:

“The comments made by the Vice President of the United States are not acceptable in our political discourse and demonstrate yet again that the Obama Campaign will say and do anything to win this election. President Obama should tell the American people whether he agrees with Joe Biden’s comments.”

Oh Andrea, you reek of desperation. Biden said Romney would "unchain" Wall St which would put the  Middle Class in chains. I didn't get a slavery reference because I'm not as desperate as Mittsy.

Then Joe Biden decided to clear up Mittsy's brain freeze:

“I am told when I made that comment earlier today in Danville, Virginia, the Romney campaign put out a Tweet …went on the air, went on the airwaves saying, ‘Biden was outrageous in saying’ — I think I said, instead of unshackled, unchained — ‘outrageous to say that!...The last time these guys unshackled the economy, to use their term, they put the middle class in shackles. That’s how we got where we are.”

Seriously, Mittsy, instead of pandering and lying and twisting words, why don't you try and tell us something useful. Or show us something useful, like your tax returns.

And then we could all just stop talking and planning Obama's victory celebration.

Random Musings

So, Carlos and I, well, mostly it was just me, were watching the Tony’s on Sunday, or as fabulously gay fabulous host NPH called it, Fifty Shades of Gay.

I’m a big theater queen; Carlos? Not so much. But he joined me for the awarding of a special Tony to Hugh Jackman, and his Huge Ackman, for his work with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. 

Jackman, during his old out one man show on Broadway, raised nearly $2 million dollars for the cause and was deserving of the special Tony.

But, awarding Huge, er, Hugh, his special Tony was his wife, Deborah, and, as he finished his speech, Jackman turned and kissed her.

I thought, Well, isn’t that sweet.

Carlos said, Lucky bitch.

And i agree.

Big news on the LGBT-front, and the marriage equality front.

Three state's democratic committees, from Montana, Wisconsin, and, wow, Texas, are adding planks to their manifestos coming out in support of same-sex marriage.

From Montana: “We support repealing Section7, Article 13 of the Montana Constitution. All adults should have the right to legally marry another adult of their choice regardless of sex or gender. We believe same-sex spouses should have the same legal benefits, protections and responsibilities granted to all those who marry”

From Texas: Texas Democrats join President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden in calling for and affirming equal rights including marriage equality for all Americans. We, along with our President and Vice President, recognize that same sex marriages should be valid and legal in America. Texas Democrats support President Obama and the United States Justice Department in recognizing that the Federal Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional and in refusing to defend DOMA in any Federal Court proceeding. We call for the total repeal of DOMA. 

From Wisconsin: Wisconsin Democrats are calling for marriage equality in their 2012 platform. The platform reads: “We support marriage equality for all couples.” Under party rules, each congressional district convention can forward 10 resolutions to the state convention and the resolutions adopted by delegates to the state convention form the basis of the party’s platform. The LGBT caucus sponsored the platform plank, working with county parties in several areas of the state to adopt a resolution calling for marriage equality.

Hopefully more states will follow the lead, and the DNC will do the same. Perhaps at the convention in Charlotte LGBT equality will finally be included.

It’s time.

Wow, the haters are turning on their pastor.

It seems that the Reverend Frederick Haynes III of the Friendship-West Baptist Church has come out against his blasted fellow pastors and members of his own congregation for their outrage at President Obama's endorsement of marriage equality.

Haynes shouted above the din of his congregation, who roared their disapproval at him:

"You should have seen preachers just scurrying and hurrying to call a conference call to call out the President for what he had declared as a personal opinion. He said it was a personal opinion. But whatever you like to ostracize other people it's because there's a fear that you have yourself, and the fear that you have finds itself rooted in an ignorance of other people. Or in a projection of your issues. Either there's ignorance or there is a projection of your issues...It really blows my mind how outraged you are. You are so outraged over what the President said. First of all, take a chill pill. Take a deep breath, everything's gonna be all right."

And then, for good measure, he added:

"Have you ever read the Gospel and heard Jesus say anything about homosexuality?...Black folk can't even deal with homosexuality because we got issues with sexuality. And because we got issues with sexuality we can't have a healthy discussion about homosexuality. Why, why do you get so upset?"

Finally a preacher willing to stand up and talk about what’s in the Bible and what isn’t. I serious hope some of his people were listening.

Okay, back when Janet Jackson had her infamous nipple slip at the Super Bowl, Madonna was especially condescending about what she saw as Jackson’s “need” to show a nip to prove herself relevant.

Cut to a few years later and Madge yanks down her bra at a concert in Istanbul to show her own titty.

Pot.Kettle.You’re no longer relevant.

And, looking at you, looking at your nipple, well, while I never saw this with my own eyes, it reminds me of a grandma looking at her own titty.

And it needs to stop.

Finally, 30 years later and the case is solved.

The dingo did eat her baby.

A Northern Territory coroner has found that the dingo was indeed responsible for the death of Azaria Chamberlain back in 1980. 

Coroner Elizabeth Morris told a packed courtroom this week that a dingo was to blame for the attack at Uluru, which originally saw Azaria’s mother Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton jailed for murder and her husband Michael given a suspended sentence for being an accessory after the fact. 

Case closed, eh?

In an effort to remain relevant herself, Celine Dion has done the unthinkable.

She has taken to covering Adele songs in her Las Vegas Revue.

Celine Dion. Adele. Oh, honey, no.....no.

Seriously, Celine, you need to stop. Your over-the-top theatrics, your impression of yourself as the most amazing singer ever, has got to end.

You’re a lounge act, baby.

And I'd ask that you be on your best behavior. I am still gathering signatures to have you deported back to Canada for your decades long assault on my eardrums.

Consider yourself warned.

Even though the anti-equality sect in Washington has gathered enough signatures to place a hate vote on the ballot in Washington, I am not surprised to learn that some 1,000 signatures submitted as part of that petition to send Referendum 74 to voters are believed to be fraudulent.

What’s that? Haters cheat?

Secretary of State Sam Reed’s office confirmed Monday that at least 51 of the petition sheets containing about 1,000 signatures were found to be “apparently fraudulent.” The signatures did match the names of registered voters but the signatures did not match what was on file.

The sheets containing the fake signatures were turned in by the same person who was paid to collect signatures.

Go figure.

The sheets containing “bad signatures” will be turned over to the Washington State Patrol for a full investigation after all sheets are examined.

I say, since they have a cheater working for them, throw out all the signatures and make them start over.