Good for You, Asshole!

I completely approve of Blagojevich's decision to go ahead and name a new senator. Sure, he's being an asshole, but there's a certain "joie de fuck you" quality to the announcement that you just have to admire. This is a man who owns his asshole-ness. "Yeah, I have this stupid haircut, and you think I'm I'm going to jail, but here's your motherfucking Senator, and if you don't like it, bite me, suckers!" It's the kind of attitude you see in, say, your more self-aware bass players, and at least from a distance it's almost endearing.

Comments

[Me]

There's one thing to be said for corrupt asshole governors as opposed to corrupt asshole presidents or senators--they generally don't have the power of life and death over their constituents (commutation of death sentences notwithstanding, and Illinois currently has a moratorium on the death penalty). They are free to be corrupt, lying, thieving dicks without causing undue suffering among the populace.

[DrDick]

A fine old school Chicago pol, if ever I saw one. Richard I would have been proud of him. Does kind of make me glad I don't live there anymore.

[Jake T. Snake]

Dr. Dick is right this is classic Chicago politics. "Why Yes, I do intend to cut off my nose to spite my face...and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it!" God, I miss that town.

[Monica_A:T'Pogo]

"joie de fuck you"

We need a blog lexicon and that must be one of the entries.

[iamcoyote]

I just saw Burris interviewed by Rachel Maddow, and he's totally going to run with it, too. He's all "hey, man, it's legal, the seat is mine."

Joie de fuck you, indeed. This is the first interesting thing to come out of the Blago dealio since I got a load of his frikkin' helmet-hair. That's balls, IMO.

[EJ]

True. Whatever his many failings, Blago is about as punk rock as it gets.

[evie]

Glad you're enjoying it from afar. Those of us actually having to deal with it in Illinois are disgusted.

[DrDick]

That's balls, IMO.

That's Chicago style. Also why I say don't sell Obama short.

[Thers]

Glad you're enjoying it from afar. Those of us actually having to deal with it in Illinois are disgusted.

Oh, the rest of the nation is very grateful for Illinois. And Florida. And Texas. And Ohio. And Alaska. And Oklahoma.

Anyhow, New York thanks you...

[cosmic tumbler]

Oddly, Blagojevich is totally within the law on this appointment. This guy is a piece of work.

[DrDick]

Damn Thers, you nailed me twice in that list. Grew up in Oklahoma (and yeah state politics are even more fucked up than you know) and lived in Chicago for 12 years. Thank God that Gov. Schweitzer and Sen. Tester are all you know about Montana politics.

[flory]

But will Harry actually grow a pair and refuse to seat him?

Enquiring minds want to know.

[Bitter Scribe]

Roland Burris? ROLAND FUCKING BURRIS?

Oh, snap! The man's picture is in the dictionary next to "hack." His specialties are having black skin and doing what he's told.

Gerald Ford was Nixon's revenge. Burris is Blago's.

[jmt]

It's about time somebody in this country told the entire inbred political establishment to go royally Fuck themselves.
I love this guy;
jmt

[Porlock Junior]

Since Blago plainly does have the power to make the appointment, and lacking any reason to believe that he is actually taking money for this specific appointment, why would one not seat the new senator? "We really disapprove of the guy who appointed him" is not really sound grounds for exercising the Consitutional power to pass on the credentials of members.

Of course Harry and friends can exercise that power, as Blago can exercise his, and they have the trumps here, but it's a strange and unsavory time for HR to break with his entire history by suddenly pretending to care about the powers and integrity of his office.

[Attaturk]

It's the kind of attitude you see in, say, your more self-aware bass players

You can count the number of those on 4-strings.

[julia]

Anyhow, New York thanks you...

No kidding. You wouldn't believe the stuff that's going on here that nobody's paying any attention to because they're watching you guys.

It's all very frustrating for Mike Bloomberg, whose Caroline Kennedy boomlet is languishing from lack of interest, and the three guys who are trying to blackmail the Democrats in the State Senate by threatening to hop the aisle and hand it over to Republicans. Hard to hold a hostage crisis when nobody's watching.

[StringonaStick]

What, no 5-strings? Shit, I get no respect at all.

[papa zita]

Nah, 5 strings means you're a frustrated guitar player. Six is just overcompensation.

[shrimplate]

Good move, Blago.

I like the psychological ploy he used when he announced the appointment, something about how the people of the state shouldn't be denied their representation in the Senate. Plays pretty well, actually.

[Mark B. from Austin TX]

I really think the only remedy the Illinois state legislature has is to go ahead and call a special election as soon as the law allows. I think this means that Burris has up to 2 years in office and gets to run as an incumbent. He'd probably win the special.

[GoodGawdAllMighty]

Holy Shit !!!

Some of the Phunniest and Bestest Comments of the Year on this Post !!!

Thanks to all for helping me to blow strings of snot all over my keyboard !!!

Can we get some WARNINGS posted around here, like Clear Oral Cavities of ALL Beverages Before Reading and Clear Your Sinus Cavity of ALL Mucus Before Reading ??? Thanks !!!

A Happy New Year to All !!

[Les Ismore]

Am I missing something here? What is the problem with bass players? I am proud to call many bass players my friend.

Oh, the rest of the nation is very grateful for Illinois. And Florida. And Texas. And Ohio. And Alaska. And Oklahoma.

Anyhow, New York thanks you...

Texas still remembers Spitzer. And Wall Street. And for the moment, we've switched from "Thank God for Mississippi!" to "Thank God for Illinois!"

Even though Cornyn is making noises about who to seat in the Senate from Michigan. Always somebody got to offer an opinion nobody asked for. So Texas is still in the running.

Like there was ever any doubt.

[Rmj Xmas theologist]

Apologies. Didn't mean to post that one about Texas anonymously.

Must be my excitement over posting on such an august blog. Or all the Irish whisky intemperately consumed a bit too early....

[David Eoll]

This reminds me of a joke I once heard. An Englishman, a Frenchman, and a guy from Chicago (I think it was someone from New Jersey when I originally heard it, but I'm adapting it) are all captured by cannibals. The cannibal chief tells them, "We're going to kill you, skin you, eat you, and use your skin to build a canoe. But we will allow you to choose the manner of your own deaths."

The Englishman says, "I'll use a pistol." The chief hands him a gun, the Englishman says, "God save the Queen!", and blows his brains out.

The Frenchman says, "I choose ze sword." The chief hands him a sword, the Frenchman says, "Vive la France!", and runs himself through.

The guy from Chicago says, "I'll take a fork." The chief is puzzled, but says to each his own and hands the guy a fork.

The guy from Chicago takes the fork and starts violently jabbing himself all over his chest and abdomen. Dozens and dozens of times. Finally he's crumpled up on the ground, lying in a pool of his own blood and gore. The chief and the rest of the cannibals are staring at him in disbelief and horror. The chief says, "Why on earth did you do that?"

With his last wheezing breath, the guy from Chicago says, "So much for your fuckin' canoe, asshole."

[LittlePig]

It's the kind of attitude you see in, say, your more self-aware bass players

Why, thank you! Nice of you to notice.

[Spokane Moderate]

Thanks to all for helping me to blow strings of snot all over my keyboard

Four strings or five?

[russell]

"joie de fuck you" is brilliance on a stick. I'm thinking of adopting it as as the national motto of my own personal nation-state.

But what the hell is your issue with bass players?

Thanks -

[Duncable]

I just found this blog the other day, and must say I'm thoroughly pleased by your style, sense of humor, and rationality!

Joie de fuck you...that's priceless!!

But hey, lay off the bass players, man. We're not all brainless mongoloids, though I have encountered a few in my day. Oh, but ya, fuck the 5-string bass, and electric bass-guitars while you're at it. Stand-up is where it's at!

[commie atheist]

Of course Harry and friends can exercise that power, as Blago can exercise his, and they have the trumps here, but it's a strange and unsavory time for HR to break with his entire history by suddenly pretending to care about the powers and integrity of his office.

Precisely. The man who never met a Republican he wasn't willing to knuckle under to is now deciding to draw a line in the sand. Fucking weak tea.

[Ken Houghton]

If the people of IL are in crisis over the appointment, they can special-elect at the nearest possible time.

I've got C$5 that says that the IL and NY senators seated with the next Congress will also be the Senators seated when(NY)/if(IL) they run for election in 2010.

Any takers? Didn't think so.

[gil mann]

Am I missing something here? What is the problem with bass players?

Thers seems to have slapped his thumb against a fretless nerve.

[gil mann]

So emphasis tags don't work here, then.

[Matt T.]

Speaking as a bass player, I have to say we, as a group, deserve all the scorn we can get. However, in our defense, we're not as dense as drummers and not near as full of ourselves as guitar players.

Hey, how do you know there's a drummer at your door? The knocking speeds up.

[actor212]

Eliot who, now?

[Me]

I'm just guessing, but maybe the problem with bass players has something to do with an offhand remark inspiring seemingly every bass player on earth to lodge a protest in this thread.

But honestly, I have no idea what he meant by it.

[jmt]

I've been a pro drummer for 46 yrs and have the utmost respect for bass players...(long as they are forcibly kept on their medication, thrown regular portions of raw meat, and blocked from restroom facilities intended for humans)...
jmt

[StringonaStick]

It's obviously time for another viewing of This is Spinal Tap...