The right wing in America is attacking President Obama's healthcare reform initiatives with reactionary vitriol. A man best described as ugly, by which I mean in spirit not just in terms of his river-corpse bloated physical presence, Rush Limbaugh, compared Obama to Hitler.

Protesters wave placards that feature Obama with a Hitler moustache, or that read 'FREE MARKET' or 'NO TO SOCIALISM'

The Nazis were overwhelmingly right wing, of course.  They did adopt seemingly 'left-wing' economic policies, but these were in reaction to a perceived world order of Jews and Masons, so were actually racially motivated rather than an attempt to distribute means of production in an egalatarian fashion. They were obviously anti-Marxist, and demonstrably anti-socialist, for instance the Social Democratic Party (SPD) was outlawed by Hitler in 1933.

Sarah Palin, well known for her intelligence and insight, has branded the reforms as 'evil' and has referred to Obama as chairing a 'death panel'. 

The essential argument is over universal vs individual (insured) healthcare. Amongst the furore, An American magazine , the Investor's Business Daily, went with an editorial (now amended) that read:

"People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn't have a chance in the U.K., where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless."

Professor Hawking was born in the UK and lives here, as he has done his entire life. He has recently been a patient at an NHS hospital.

He has responded to the Guardian:

"I wouldn’t be here today if it were not for the NHS. I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived."

There is room for debate, but the hyperbolic, disingenuous, rubbish of the right is just idiotic.  And there are ulterior motives in some cases, a US lobby group attacking the reforms is funded by a private health insurance lobby.

In other health news.  Rabbis are flying over Israel playing trumpets to ward off swine flu.

 

Is anyone really suprised that Carol Thatcher, the useless, vapid wannabe-toff, sees nothing wrong in casually referring to a black tennis player as a golliwog?

Or that disarmingly oafish, but cynical Tory, Boris Johnson can see nothing wrong in this or her inability to apologise for the remark?

Is anyone really suprised that the British Royal family use racist slang to refer to their differently coloured acquaintances, or that the younger members think it a laugh to dress up in Nazi regalia?

Or that Jeremy Clarkson is an offensive bigot?

I'm not suprised, I'm embarrassed that to many these people represent the country where I live.  I'm embarrassed that any of my fellow countrypeople are proud of them and their defunct attitudes.

At least poor dumb people have an excuse, rich dumb people are just embarrassing.

 These MP3's of Barack Obama turning the air blue are well worth a listen (NSFW), they are from the audiobook version of his autobiography, and are him quoting a friend of his from his youth.

Brings a whole new meaning to swearing in the president.  Or the presidential oath, for that matter.

'buy your own damn fries'

'sure you can have my number baby'

'sorry ass m*th*rf*ck*r'

'shit's getting way too complicated'

Well, the Christians have failed to turn the other cheek, and have instead started their own advertising campaign to counter that of the Atheist Bus.

I think that we should complain to the advertising standards agency, and have done so myself - read below:

How to complain

You can make your own Atheist bus slogan at this site.