To all you republicans that helped me win, I sincerely like to thank you, 'cause now I got the world swingin' from my nuts, and damn it feels good to be a ranchsta

So about Cliven Bundy--the rancher who's enraged at the thought that he should be required to pay fees for grazing his cattle on public land 'cause FREEDUMB IZNT FREE and oh by the way don't you think those negroes were better off as slaves?--it really amazes me that…well, okay, obviously, it doesn't actually amaze me, but it is striking just how much it puts everything into stark relief.  Let's say that your tea party types are actually sincere and principled in their belief that there should be no social safety net.  It would be monstrous, but at least it would be principled, for however much you think that's worth.  But it isn't, is it?  As you can see if you visit the official tea party website, which I am not linking to, they are hella supportive of these Bundy lunatics, meaning: they're actually all in favor of absurdly generous federal subsidies, as long as they're going to rich people.  No, they quite explicitly support slashing public aid for poor people, and only for poor people.  This puts us in a position that is well beyond monstrous.  My brother, for his MA, is doing a project that involves trying to understand conservatives and sketch out a way in which they can come into genuine conversation with liberals, since that obviously isn't happening right now.  Which is all very idealistic and all, but I say, good luck with that.