Good Morning, Maddow (one L)! I'm here; let us go! Zoom; I'm gone; catch up catch u...

I'm debating whether I want to subscribe to NYT just to read Nate Silver's blog....this is not an easy choice.

Casual observation - Three Stooges shorts make a lot more sense to me than watching MO Republican flailing.

I see the Republicans showing their true colors..lol

Ryan and Akin share the same views. Personhood for a zygote, but no health care for the living. Rape is the fault of women for the most part because women have somehow inticed the rapist and should be able to stop pregnancy with some female magic but if we do get pregnant, we should bear the resulting child. Barefoot and pregnant, keep women in line!! Disgusting!

For me the interesting thing about this is that is shows Romney CAN condemn people within the Republicans. That's notable since it suggests his utter silence on many other vile utterances this campaign isn't some matter of principle. He doesn't have some firm, misguided, rule about never criticizing fellow Republicans (now he's beaten them to the nomination at least).

What to take from that? Well, I guess he really does actually AGREE with all those he's refused to condemn the past few months.

*** Headlines of the Near Future ***

Todd Aiken: "I'M NOT A QUITTER!"
Sarah Palin: "HEY, DON'T KNOCK IT! IT CAN PAY OFF!"

The comment Todd Akin's made about legitimate rape is the most disgusting statement I have heard from a Republican candidate. Women need to get out and vote! Educate yourselves about what a candidate says, thinks, believes and what they stand for. We do not want to return to the "Dark Ages".

What was missing all morning and last night on FOX? Answer: Any reference to Akin's and his ridiculous statements.

I SAY ENOUGH!

Republicans have gone after the Dems touting a failing economy, failing this and that and failing everything.

I would like to hear MSNBC hosts talk about the obstructionist GOP in the House (i.e. 31 times trying to repeal AHCA; reading the Constitution the first week after taking over the house; voting NO on every jobs bill; etc.) and the filibustering Senate where they have done absolutely friggin nothing.

Republicans are NOT for the people, but for themselves and the wealthy. This is a different party I grew up with (I'm 62). It is run by the wealthiest people in this country and the world... yes... I said world.

Their main agenda when Pres. Obama took office was to get him out and take over the country. FACT! For Christ's sake... say it!

Last evening one of the local channels here in KC interviewed two young Republican women who said they would vote for Akin anyway. Think about that, before voting for a very moderate Democratic woman they would rather vote for Todd Akin just because he is a Republican. I doubt there is a Democrat in the country with the same level of tribal loyalty. I don't know whether to envy the Republicans the unthinking loyalty of their fan base, or scream at the stupidity of some of my fellow Missourians.

GOP-we rebuke Akin's comments but share his views! For-warned is for-armed so STFU you dolt!

Rachel,

I'm surprised no one has brought up Ron Paul's comment (that you highlighted last February) victims of "honest rape" should be "rushed to the hospital for a shot of estrogen."

Is THIS the same "secretions preventing fertilization" concept Akin was referring to? I never heard anyone challenging the science at the time, just Paul's use of the term "honest rape" (which is code for women falsely claiming rape just to get an abortion).

Republicans want to do away with the tax deduction for home mortgage interest? In a broader, long-term discussion of comprehensive tax reform, this might be a debate worth having. In terms of this election cycle, I think they just declared war on homeowners, as well as the housing market. Home prices will take a hit if the interest is no longer deductible, and homeowners with little discretionary income will have less if the deduction is eliminated. BTW, what's their stance on amortization for the big oil. gas, and coal companies?[a rhetorical question, of course]

I live in Montgomery County Ohio, and it's pretty bad that I have to learn about. What happened in my own County on The Rachel Maddow Show in NEW YORK...There has been no coverage of this on the local news, and as far as I know in the Dayton Daily Newspaper, but I cannot swear to that...This is what the Toledo Blade is reporting..Not hard to tell they are Republican the way the article is written, but Joe the Plumber is from up there..

http://www.toledoblade.com/State/2012/08/18/Husted-acts-against-2-defiant-Dems.html

Men can imagine rape but it is always at the hands of other men. .... Well ... exactly!

A lot of money is freedom to be ambitiously eccentric.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_21351638/billionaires-new-colorado-town-is-private-old-west#ixzz246aoZeKq

KEBLER PASS —There's a new town in Colorado. It has about 50 buildings, including a saloon, a church, a jail, a firehouse, a livery and a train station. Soon, it will have a mansion on a hill so the town's founder can look down on his creation.

But don't expect to move here — or even to visit.

This town is billionaire Bill Koch's fascination with the Old West rendered in bricks and mortar. It sits on a 420-acre meadow on his Bear Ranch below the Raggeds Wilderness Area in Gunnison County. It's an unpopulated, faux Western town that might boggle the mind of anyone who ever had a playhouse. Its full-size buildings come with polished brass and carved-mahogany details and are fronted with board sidewalks and underpinned by a water-treatment system. A locked gate with guards screens who comes and goes.

Koch's project manager has told county officials that the enclave in the middle of the 6,400-acre Bear Ranch won't ever be open to the public. It is simply for Koch's amusement and for that of his family and friends — and historians. It is the ultimate repository for his huge collection of Western memorabilia.

...

Koch, known as "Wild Bill" to some of his friends, is the founder and president of the energy company Oxbow Group, which operates the Elk Creek Mine near Somerset. Forbes estimates Koch's net worth at close to $4 billion.

Bill Koch is the brother of David and Charles Koch, two other billionaires who have made headlines in recent years for shoveling money to conservative causes, including the Tea Party movement.

But Bill Koch has mostly made waves for collecting rare wine, winning the America's Cup sailing race and, most recently, buying up every bit of valuable Western memorabilia that comes up for sale.

The TRMS could go on location there, as they did Louisiana, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Could be fun... getting all dressed in Old West attire and such.

Men can imagine rape but it is always at the hands of other men. Well ... exactly!

What I read this morning: https://womenriseupnow.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/todd-akin-has-figured-out-my-secret/

Absolutely eye opening... I didn't realize my vagina had so many tricks and options!

Minnesota GOP State Senate Candidate Wonders if Pro-Gay Equals Being UnAmerican...

Here we go again... MN State Senator Dan Hall, seeking reelection this year, tweeted yesterday,

"Why is it you never see an American flag where you see a Vote No for the Mn #Marriage Amendment sign?"

Minnesotans this year are facing a marriage wedge-issue amendment this November, where a no vote means you are for marriage equality, and a yes vote means you wish to limit marriage to be between one man and one woman.

http://www.mnprogressiveproject.com/diary/11993/gop-state-senator-dan-hall-condensed-if-you-dont-vote-my-way-youre-unamerican

You may recall that this pro-Bachmann right-wing nutcase stated last year on the State Senate floor,

"I watched Minneapolis get destroyed, so I not only didn't want my kids in the school system... I took them out of Minneapolis because they ruined our neighborhoods with integration and segregation."

Fortunately, I moved out of this wingnut's district. These crackpots come out of the Bachmann/Akin/Fox News pile of lunacy. Let's hope Minnesotans really think about all the stupid things these people are espousing when they vote.

RIP Phyllis. One of the very few comics that was really funny using innuendo to the max without the salty sailor talk.

My favorite from Phyllis Diller's Housekeeping Hints: You can let your children write their names in the dust. Just don't let them put the year.