Dumbfuckery du Jour

Cons really need to stop babbling about how every election is a referendum on X.  It's going badly for them:

It seemed like a good strategy at the time. With Robert Wexler (D) giving up his U.S. House seat in South Florida, a special election would offer conservatives a chance to create a "referendum" on the Obama presidency. After all, the election, held yesterday, would be the first since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law, and Republicans could ride the wave of voter anger to an upset.

Indeed, the Republican candidate, Ed Lynch, ran on a strictly anti-Obama platform, vowing to repeal the new health care law and railing against the recovery efforts that rescued the economy. Lynch sought to position himself as the "next Scott Brown."

So, how'd that referendum turn out? The backlash against Democrats and the president propelled Lynch to a 26-point defeat.

That's quite a backlash, that is.  We see many more backlashes like this, we may end up with a "permanent Republican majority" of one.

Consider:

Putting the race in the larger context, there have been six special elections for U.S. House seats since the president's inauguration 14 months ago: NY20, IL5, CA32, CA10, NY23, and FL19. Democrats have won all six.

Now mind you, the American public seems to have a weakness for electing insensible Senators, and we all know how well Virginia did in its choices for AG and Gov, but overall, it would appear that every time there's a "referendum" on something the Dems have done lately, the Cons end up with an overwhelming chance of getting their asses whupped.

I do have to say this pleases me, even though some of the Dems we've currently got are nothing more than Republicans who wouldn't be caught dead in the current Con party.  Can't say as I blame them. 

I just hope this fall ends up being a referendum on Obama, the Democrats and everything.  If so, it appears Cons may not end up taking the reins and driving the carriage over a cliff just yet.

We turn now to egregious dumbfuckery:

Nice.

Massey Energy told employees that if they miss work to attend the funerals they would be fired, workers said. A Massey worker, who did not give his name because he is afraid of losing his job, said that his coworkers were outraged that they were not given time off to mourn their friends and brothers. 

The WSWS spoke to workers and relatives outside a local market. Chuck Smith, an unemployed miner with seven years work underground, said Massey's decision to force miners to work during the funerals was a calculated move. "What would it look like if a bunch of people wearing Massey uniforms showed up to the funeral yelling 'damn Massey?'"

OK, so, instead, we'll have the whole world mad at you for being jerks. Nice move. What are you, the nineteenth century or something?

My, isn't Massey's management a fascinating collection of dickwads, shitheels, and assmunches?  I feel sorry for the poor souls who must work in their PR department.  It's a tough job-hunting climate, but I do not doubt they're dusting off the old resumes anyway. Management's actions give a whole new meaning to "dirty coal."