Peter Kobs's definitions
1. A term frequently used by politicians when accused of something scandalous. It means: "I did it, but as long as there's no smoking gun I will deny it completely." Most such scandals involve illicit sex, bribery, influence peddling or misuse of public funds.
2. A worn-out public relations phrase that nobody believes anymore. Nixon's famous remark -- "I am not a crook" -- sounds positively Shakespearian in comparison.
2. A worn-out public relations phrase that nobody believes anymore. Nixon's famous remark -- "I am not a crook" -- sounds positively Shakespearian in comparison.
"The accusation is categorically false!," said South Carolina Republican Nikki Haley. She is accused of having an "inappropriate physical relationship" with the governor's former press secretary.
by Peter Kobs May 25, 2010
Get the Categorically False mug.1. A conservative Republican with libertarian views, Rand Paul is running for the U.S. Senate in 2010 to replace outgoing KY Senator Jim Bunning. Rand is the son of Texas Congressman Ron Paul. According to Rand himself, he was NOT named after author Ayn Rand.
Paul helped found the Kentucky Taxpayers United, an anti-tax group, in 1994. He favors eliminating the Federal Reserve system, the U.S. Dept. of Education, the IRS, the federal income tax, the Fair Housing Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and other government programs. Paul also opposes abortion under any circumstances, even in cases of rape and incest. He has publicly criticized the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Born in Pennsylvania, Rand Paul attended Baylor University in Waco, TX, and Duke University in NC. He works as an ophthalmologist in Bowling Green, KY.
2. A favorite candidate of the U.S. Tea Party movement, Paul won the Republican Senate nomination in May 2010, defeating KY Sec. of State Trey Grayson. He has been endorsed by Gun Owners of America, Steve Forbes, FreedomWorks and Sarah Palin, among others.
3. Rand Paul has made several explosive remarks on the campaign trail and in his writings. In late May 2010, he called President Obama "un-American" for criticizing BP regarding the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He has also explicitly criticized government laws banning discrimination, reversing himself partially when his spoken and written statements were broadcast nationally.
Paul helped found the Kentucky Taxpayers United, an anti-tax group, in 1994. He favors eliminating the Federal Reserve system, the U.S. Dept. of Education, the IRS, the federal income tax, the Fair Housing Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and other government programs. Paul also opposes abortion under any circumstances, even in cases of rape and incest. He has publicly criticized the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Born in Pennsylvania, Rand Paul attended Baylor University in Waco, TX, and Duke University in NC. He works as an ophthalmologist in Bowling Green, KY.
2. A favorite candidate of the U.S. Tea Party movement, Paul won the Republican Senate nomination in May 2010, defeating KY Sec. of State Trey Grayson. He has been endorsed by Gun Owners of America, Steve Forbes, FreedomWorks and Sarah Palin, among others.
3. Rand Paul has made several explosive remarks on the campaign trail and in his writings. In late May 2010, he called President Obama "un-American" for criticizing BP regarding the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He has also explicitly criticized government laws banning discrimination, reversing himself partially when his spoken and written statements were broadcast nationally.
by Peter Kobs May 21, 2010
Get the Rand Paul mug.1. A massive undersea oil plume that threatens to destroy marine life for thousands of square miles, even though it's not visible from the surface.
2. The biggest environmental threat from the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
3. Out of sight, out of mind? Not so much.
2. The biggest environmental threat from the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
3. Out of sight, out of mind? Not so much.
The Doom Plume from BP's Deepwater Horizon pipe is spreading fast. It could reach as far as the Atlantic Coast of Florida and Mexico's Riviera Maya.
by Peter Kobs May 16, 2010
Get the Doom Plume mug.1. An imaginary economic system that will magically replace millions of jobs lost to outsourcing, downsizing and low-wage overseas competition.
2. A feel-good term used by politicians to distract attention from their own immense policy failures.
3. Something that's always "just around the corner" if we only "do the right things."
2. A feel-good term used by politicians to distract attention from their own immense policy failures.
3. Something that's always "just around the corner" if we only "do the right things."
Michigan's governor said we must prepare for the New Economy by turning 400,000 unemployed auto workers into video game programmers and pastry chefs. That's the ticket!
by Peter Kobs May 3, 2010
Get the New Economy mug.1. A legal term that means: "We did it, but you can't prove it. And even if you CAN prove it, we'll drag out the litigation until your great-grandchildren are dead."
Corporate attorneys frequently use this phrase to defend their clients against civil lawsuits. And they get $500 a hour for this nonsense?
2. A kneejerk reaction to any accusation of white collar crime.
Corporate attorneys frequently use this phrase to defend their clients against civil lawsuits. And they get $500 a hour for this nonsense?
2. A kneejerk reaction to any accusation of white collar crime.
The attorney for Goldman Sachs said the government's fraud charges were "Completely Unfounded." After the press conference, he laughed all the way to the bank.
by Peter Kobs April 17, 2010
Get the Completely Unfounded mug.1. Television that encourages viewers to hate, despise and fear "the enemy." George Orwell predicted the rise of Hate TV in his novel "1984." Usually found on the cable channels, Hate TV is the fastest-growing type of pseudo-news. Key characteristics include:
- Scapegoating (blaming a small group for the problems of all)
- Fear-mongering (raising the specter of impending tyranny)
- Simplistic thinking (condensing complex issues into a few hate-filled slogans)
- Truthiness (presenting rumors as established fact)
- Repetition (to give lies the ring of truth)
- Stereotyping (along racial, ethnic or religious lines)
- Assault Interviewing (attacking guests who disagree with the party line)
- Pandering (filling a studio with partisan crowds who will cheer or boo on cue)
- Thematic Aggregation ("packaging" a variety of fears, prejudices and hot-button issues under a common theme)
- Code Words (using substitutes for common racial slurs, insults, etc.)
- Multi-Media Marketing (combining TV with publishing, radio, websites, etc. to reinforce the core message)
- Narrowing (redefining the boundaries of "acceptable belief" to ostracize moderates)
- Movement Hype (promoting a specific group of people as the only "true" Americans)
- Event Manipulation (exaggerating the size, impact or diversity of a protest or political rally)
Hate TV inevitably leads to greater political polarization, up to and including acts of violence against the perceived "enemy."
- Scapegoating (blaming a small group for the problems of all)
- Fear-mongering (raising the specter of impending tyranny)
- Simplistic thinking (condensing complex issues into a few hate-filled slogans)
- Truthiness (presenting rumors as established fact)
- Repetition (to give lies the ring of truth)
- Stereotyping (along racial, ethnic or religious lines)
- Assault Interviewing (attacking guests who disagree with the party line)
- Pandering (filling a studio with partisan crowds who will cheer or boo on cue)
- Thematic Aggregation ("packaging" a variety of fears, prejudices and hot-button issues under a common theme)
- Code Words (using substitutes for common racial slurs, insults, etc.)
- Multi-Media Marketing (combining TV with publishing, radio, websites, etc. to reinforce the core message)
- Narrowing (redefining the boundaries of "acceptable belief" to ostracize moderates)
- Movement Hype (promoting a specific group of people as the only "true" Americans)
- Event Manipulation (exaggerating the size, impact or diversity of a protest or political rally)
Hate TV inevitably leads to greater political polarization, up to and including acts of violence against the perceived "enemy."
"Did you hear about that guy who crashed is plane into the IRS building in Austin, Texas?"
"Yeah, he killed two people, including a father who served in Vietnam."
"Well, Hate TV is saying he was a patriot and should be congratulated for standing up to the government."
"Scary stuff...What's next -- public lynchings in prime time?"
"Yeah, he killed two people, including a father who served in Vietnam."
"Well, Hate TV is saying he was a patriot and should be congratulated for standing up to the government."
"Scary stuff...What's next -- public lynchings in prime time?"
by Peter Kobs April 9, 2010
Get the Hate TV mug.Contrary to right-wing propaganda, a Republic is indeed a form of representative Democracy in which ordinary people elect officials to represent them in a legislature or parliament. Simply put, a Republic is the "what" and a Democracy is the "how." It's been that way since the Roman Republic was established in 509 B.C.
The notion that Democracy is a mob-rule involving direct citizen voting on every issue is a distortion spread by idiots like Tom Tancredo and radical ideologues like Pat Buchanan. They don't like the term "Democracy" because it reminds them of the Democratic party.
The opposite of a Republic is a Monarchy, not a Democracy.
The notion that Democracy is a mob-rule involving direct citizen voting on every issue is a distortion spread by idiots like Tom Tancredo and radical ideologues like Pat Buchanan. They don't like the term "Democracy" because it reminds them of the Democratic party.
The opposite of a Republic is a Monarchy, not a Democracy.
by Peter Kobs April 8, 2010
Get the Republic mug.