Haley Barbour Refuses to Denounce KKK License Plates

Mississippi, populated by a whole lot of people wistfully longing for the days of slavery or at least segregation, have decided to honor KKK founder and commanding officer in the Fort Pillow Massacre Nathan Bedford Forrest with license plates. This despite the fact that Forrest isn't even from Mississippi.

Haley Barbour won't denounce this. Why? He refuses to denounce people! That's nice and peacey lovey of Barbour if it wasn't a blatant lie. As one article notes, "Haley Barbour Only Denounces Obama."

John Kasich's Jim Crow Cabinet

Ohio Governor John Kasich has proven "meritocracy" to be exactly what conservative whites always want it to mean--his entire cabinet is made up of white people and almost all men.

Keep in mind, in the last half-century, Ohio has had 10 governors, most of whom have been Republicans. All of them had at least some racial diversity in their cabinet -- until Kasich, who's the first Ohio governor since 1962 to have so far picked an all-white cabinet.

It's always best to be cautious before throwing around casual accusations of racism. That said, Kasich's move is hard to understand, especially given the size and diversity of a state like Ohio.

For his part, Kasich insists he doesn't pay attention to "any of these sort of metrics." As far as the governor is concerned, he has jobs to fill, and he went out and looked for the best person for the job.

John Kasich--a northerner even Haley Barbour could love!

The Kind of Racial Progressivism Only Haley Barbour Could Support!

The descendants of Haley Barbour's beloved White Citizens' Councils, the re-named Council of Conservative Citizens, is continuing Barbour's moderate racial agenda. How?

By boycotting the upcoming film Thor because Stringer Bell plays a role they think a white dude should have:

"It seems that Marvel Studios believes that white people should have nothing that is unique to themselves," a post on the CCC's website reads. "An upcoming movie, based on the comic book Thor, will give Norse mythology an insulting multi-cultural make-over. One of the Gods will be played by Hip Hop DJ Idris Elba."

Marvel has a history of advocating for the left-wing. In early 2010 they even used their Captain America comic to attack the TEA Party movement. Marvel front man Stan "Lee" Lieber personally funds left-wing political candidates. Now Marvel has inserted left-wing social engineering into European mythology, casting a black man to play a Norse deity.

Boy, it sure is hard being white in this country. First, a black president, then a black actor playing a traditionally white role in what looks like an incredibly bad movie. Thank God we have racial moderate Haley Barbour there to protect our rights as white men or something.

Treason in Defense of Slavery Day

150 years ago today, South Carolina declared treason to defend slavery, seceding from the Union in order to preserve its ability to own, sell, rape, and murder black people. 4 1/2 years later and 500,000 dead Americans later, this treason was crushed.

But of course, the South has contested the meanings of this event ever since they lost the war. Beginning in 1866, they reshaped the meanings of the war to be a noble cause in defense of an idealized agrarian past with contented slaves working in the fields and eating watermelon to the sound of banjos at the end of the day. The civil rights movement challenged that narrative, but hardly defeated it.

Doug Mataconis lays the hammer down on those who claim the Confederacy was about anything other than slavery. See, all you have to do in order to debunk these arguments in go to the sources and see what the architects of treason said about slavery. Here's Confederate Vice-President (and southern moderate) Alexander Stephens:

Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea; its foundations are laid, its corner- stone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth. This truth has been slow in the process of its development, like all other truths in the various departments of science. It has been so even amongst us. Many who hear me, perhaps, can recollect well, that this truth was not generally admitted, even within their day. The errors of the past generation still clung to many as late as twenty years ago. Those at the North, who still cling to these errors, with a zeal above knowledge, we justly denominate fanatics. All fanaticism springs from an aberration of the mind from a defect in reasoning. It is a species of insanity. One of the most striking characteristics of insanity, in many instances, is forming correct conclusions from fancied or erroneous premises; so with the anti-slavery fanatics. Their conclusions are right if their premises were. They assume that the negro is equal, and hence conclude that he is entitled to equal privileges and rights with the white man. If their premises were correct, their conclusions would be logical and just but their premise being wrong, their whole argument fails. I recollect once of having heard a gentleman from one of the northern States, of great power and ability, announce in the House of Representatives, with imposing effect, that we of the South would be compelled, ultimately, to yield upon this subject of slavery, that it was as impossible to war successfully against a principle in politics, as it was in physics or mechanics. That the principle would ultimately prevail. That we, in maintaining slavery as it exists with us, were warring against a principle, a principle founded in nature, the principle of the equality of men. The reply I made to him was, that upon his own grounds, we should, ultimately, succeed, and that he and his associates, in this crusade against our institutions, would ultimately fail. The truth announced, that it was as impossible to war successfully against a principle in politics as it was in physics and mechanics, I admitted; but told him that it was he, and those acting with him, who were warring against a principle. They were attempting to make things equal which the Creator had made unequal.

Today, the racists are well-represented by Haley Barbour of Mississippi, a likely Republican presidential candidate and a man would have fit in very well as a segregationist Southern senator in the pre-civil rights days. Yglesias has been hounding Barbour all day. Linking to Andrew Ferguson's profile of Barbour, we see that Barbour has actually defended White Citizens' Councils as keeping the peace during the civil rights movement, a laughable statement if it weren't so politically dangerous today. But as Yglesias notes, White Citizens' Councils were active in Barbour's own home town of Yazoo City, Mississippi, which very much makes me wonder what young Haley was up to on those very day. 

The Barbour Conspiracy Revisited

A while back I talked about all the bad things happening to potential 2012 Republican presidential candidates. Jindal's State of the Union response. Sanford's affair. Palin's resignation and now her book. Crist embracing Obama. I wondered--who is behind this? Which Republican is engineering all rivals to implode?

Now, Mike Huckabee has his pardoned murderer killing cops. A key adviser has resigned. He'll never live this down with the Republican base.

Seems like everyone has a big black mark. I surmised before that the mastermind behind all this was Haley Barbour. Knowing he has no real chance at the nomination, he's conspiring to eliminate all challengers.

Watch out Romney--your hair is going to catch on fire some night!

The Barbour Conspiracy

I have this theory. Some obscure Republican who wants to be president is undermining every other potential candidate for 2012.

Just since January, we´ve seen the following.

Bobby Jindal´s singsong State of the Union response (not fatal, but definitely damaging, especially combined with his claims to exorcisms. His star has faded considerably).

Jon Huntsman´s acceptance of the ambassadorship to China.

John Ensign´s affair (not that he was a major candidate but he thought he was)

Mark Sanford´s implosion.

Sarah Palin´s resignation.

Someone must be behind this. What´s next? Will Romney´s hair catch on fire? Will Huckabee regain all his lost weight and die of a heart attack?

Who could be behind all this? Perhaps Mr. Charisma, Tim Pawlenty. I´m betting on Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour though. It all makes sense. If everyone else is out, it has to be Barbour!

Update--I totally forgot about Barbour´s latest strike. Recent rumors have Florida Governor Charlie Crist possibly moving to the Democrats. This is because he isn´t going to win the primary for Senate, and he´s not a realistic presidential candidate in 2012, but his name has been mentioned. If Barbour is taking out all possible contenders, he´s not going to leave Crist untouched!!!

Guest Post: Governor Mark Sanford is an evil, stupid swine.

I'm exhausted and sick, so I don't have it in me to rail about the AIG bonuses or Mark Sanford's stupidity. Thankfully, Daisy at Daisy's Dead Air did so for me, and has kindly agreed to let me repost her comments. I'm a former South Carolinian and Daisy lives there still, and I am disgusted by what Sanford wants to do to my former home.

South Carolina state flag.

(Cross-posted from Daisy's Dead Air.)

Our Governor, Mark Sanford, wants to cheat the people of South Carolina by refusing fully a QUARTER of the economic stimulus.

We have serious problems with health care, prenatal care, unemployment, bad roads, education, etc etc etc in this state, since the Republicans have been "running" it (ha!) since the 60s. Sanford wants to stay BACKWARD and STUPID, just like he is.

Sanford grew up rich and privileged on a 3000-acre plantation near Beaufort. Of course he doesn't give a fuck about the less privileged. I say, SELL THAT FAMILY LAND, Sanford, and throw the money into the DEFICIT that you helped make. I mean, since you claim to be so concerned--how about you contribute some of that family fortune?

When not in the Governor's mansion, Sanford lives on Sullivan's Island, so he is pretty well off. Of course he can't identify with poor people out of work. He is an upper class PIG with no compassion... can you hear voice of Ebenezer Scrooge?: "Are there no poorhouses?"

We need to throw his disgusting ass out, now, yesterday, last week, last month, last year. Sanford is from the RICH SOUTHERN WHITE MAN past, and he needs to go back to the past, where he so obviously came from.

"I've got a 15-year pattern of doing exactly this kind of thing," Sanford said. I think 15 years in federal prison might be enough to repay the people of South Carolina for his continuing obstinacy, greed, southern-rich-boy ignorance and general assholery. What do you think?

SC Gov. Sanford set to reject stimulus millions

By BETH FOUHY
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford...
But the governor's announcement this week that he may reject nearly a quarter of the money headed to South Carolina has stirred criticism in the state and elsewhere that he has placed his own political future ahead of the needs of the state's most vulnerable citizens.

Several GOP governors, including Rick Perry of Texas, Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Haley Barbour of Mississippi, have said they would reject a portion of the money that would expand unemployment benefits to those not currently eligible to receive them. Sanford says he will also reject those funds, but he has threatened to go much further, requesting a waiver to spend some $700 million targeted for education and other programs to pay down some of the state's debt instead.

"I have come to conclude that it would be a mistake to simply accept the money as offered," Sanford wrote to state legislators in announcing his decision. "When one is in a hole, the first order of business is to stop digging."
...

"I've got a 15-year pattern of doing exactly this kind of thing," Sanford said.

But his announcement came the same week that South Carolina's unemployment rate shot to 10.4 percent, the second highest in the nation. With those dire figures as a backdrop, national Democrats — keenly aware of Sanford's rising national stature — piled on...

South Carolina's senior senator, Republican Lindsey Graham, voted against the stimulus. But he said the state should take the money if it's a choice between the dollars going to South Carolina or going somewhere else.

But he says that may not be possible if Sanford rejects the money...

Clyburn issued a frustrated statement in response.

"I would hope the various leaders of this state would spend as much time and energy finding ways to bring relief to South Carolina's families rather than looking for creative ways to get around the federal help that has been made available and that other states are using very effectively," he said.

Clyburn also criticized Sanford on Thursday for a comment he made at a news conference in South Carolina likening Obama's economic stimulus efforts to the hyperinflationary economy in Zimbabwe, one of Africa's most corrupt governments.

"What took the man to Zimbabwe?" Clyburn said in Washington. "Someone should ask him if that's really the best comparison. ... How can he compare this country's situation to Zimbabwe?"...

"What I think's happening here is he has made headlines again, national headlines, and that is what he is after," said state Senate Finance Committee Chairman Hugh Leatherman, a Republican who introduced a measure Thursday that would allow the Legislature to circumvent Sanford's actions.

"It's my intent to take every dollar we can get," Leatherman said, calling Sanford's efforts "tomfoolery."...


___

Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick in Washington and Jim Davenport in Columbia, S.C., contributed to this report.

Mr Daisy is beside himself, and I am getting there.

And what the fuck was that about ZIMBABWE? Code. (I think we all know what our spoiled southern-rich-boy governor was actually saying, don't we?)

Swine. Please God, make him go away.

Save South Carolina! DUMP SANFORD!

Mississippi Senate Race

When Trent Lott retired to go make millions giving speeches to old white men, Mississippi governor Haley Barbour named Roger Wicker to take his place. Then he moved the special election to permanently replace Lott to November. This was to give Wicker the advantage of incumbency.

Wicker's opponent is Ronnie Musgrove, a popular long-time Mississippi Democrat. A recent poll shows Musgrove up 48-34.

Yes, it's early. And sure, the polling company works mostly for Democrats. But the idea that the Democrats could win a Senate seat in Mississippi is fantastic news. If the Republicans have to use resources to defend Mississippi, they are in even more trouble nationwide than I thought.

Cultivating His Only Constituency

Following on last Saturday's "Put me in, Coach!" op-ed from Ayad Allawi, Iraq Slogger reports today that Allawi has retained Haley Barbour's lobbying firm in his bid to be installed as the Iraqi Pinochet. (As if Maliki hadn't gotten the message yet, yesterday Bush called him a "good man," putting Maliki in the august company of such political success stories as Bernie Kerik and Michael Brown.)

Juan Cole relays rumours of a coming coup, and a two-year security plan involving the installation of a "military commission," presumably to keep the lid on Iraq while Bush sallies forth into Iran, and even greater disaster.