I am a huge fan of the Arcade Fire, and I really loved their most recent album, The Suburbs. I’m not sure if you saw their performance at Madison Square Garden on YouTube, but it was terrific. In fact, it was directed by Terry Gilliam. Their performance of ‘We Used To Wait’ during that show was electrifying, and I don’t think it can be topped. Nonetheless, this performance of that song in the studios of Chicago’s WBEZ is a brilliant reworking.

The hypocrisy on display by the Republicans over “Weiner-gate” is just rich. RNC chair Reince Priebus has been leading the call for Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) to step down. However, he steadfastly refused to comment on Republican Senator David Vitter’s admitted patronage of a D.C. area brothel. Apparently the two are completely different.

And of course, there has been a host of right-wing voices to chime in with their two cents. Rush Limbaugh, with his customary histrionics, called Rep. Weiner “the face of Democrat family values — he is the epitome of the Democrat culture of corruption, the Democrat culture of erection.” So, apparently Newt Gingrich is the “face” of Republican family values. Or maybe Jon Ensign, Mark Sanford and Mike Duvall are better examples. Rush, I know you’re preaching to the choir on your show, but seriously, how were you able to say that with a straight face?

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) even thinks that Republicans are always noble and step down after a sex scandal. Oh, like David Vitter and John Ensign did? Or how about Mark Sanford and his “hike” along the Appalachian Trail? While Ensign eventually resigned, it was only after he faced a full Senate investigation. Apparently, by quitting, he didn’t have to be held accountable. There are philanderers on both sides of the aisle, but the Republicans need to be careful about throwing stones.

Don’t misunderstand, Weiner is an idiot as well. What part of showing your penis to a woman on Twitter seemed like a good idea? I can’t wrap my head around what would cause a man who has become a progressive champion to open himself up to this kind of scandal. He gift wrapped this one for the GOP. Surely he understood that every right-wing nut from Andrew Breitbart to James O’Keefe would be looking for this exact type of thing.

Sadly, these people aren’t even the real losers in this scandal. First and foremost, his wife has lost. I’m sure this is humiliating for her, and I can’t begin to know what she is going through. Secondly, the country loses. Instead of fixing the real problems we face, we are going to spend a news cycle talking about a man’s genitals. So, congratulations Republicans! As you stand on your pedestals and wax on about family values, you have successfully distracted a nation that badly needed to stay focused.

The Republican Party has made opposing President Obama an art form. Honestly, I have to give them some credit. They have successfully stopped most of the President’s nominees for key posts within the government, and they have gotten a large portion of the population to be angry about something that stands to benefit them: the Affordable Care Act.

It is rather perplexing in large part because the government is not functioning at the level at which it should. If key executive and judicial branch posts are not filled, the business of government grinds to a halt. Honestly, do the Republicans really feel that making Obama look bad is going to give them the upper hand? Actually, I don’t think they even care. As long as they can keep the public distracted from real problems, they will still be able to line their pockets with money from people like the Koch brothers.

This is where we come in. Neither party can get away with this partisan nonsense if we don’t allow them. If there is one thing politician’s are afraid of, it is the will of an informed public. Have an open mind. Find out what the issues are really about. Hold these people who are supposed to work for us accountable.

I’m sure many of you have already seen this. I just happened to see it on ThinkProgress.org. Bank of America had the tables turned on their shady foreclosure practices. For far too long they have been allowed to screw up people’s lives with faulty foreclosures, often against homeowners who owned their homes outright.

A Florida couple had their attorney send moving trucks and sheriff’s deputies to the branch of B of A that had started the mess. They gave the bank and ultimatum: pay the legal fees for the couple or have their assets seized. Within an hour, a check had been issued to the couple.

It really is ridiculous that it had to come to this in order for B of A to comply. In fact, it is pretty rare to find a homeowner who has been able to get justice like this. Usually, banks drag their feet, and get a way with it. Check out the entire story below.

Apparently enacting a law that prohibits municipal governments from making more stringent anti-discrimination laws than the state already has was not enough for the group of clowns that is our state legislature. They felt the need to criminalize college kids who share their Netflix, Napster or Rhapsody passwords with their friends. At last! We have found what was destroying the music and movie businesses. It was those damn college kids!

Rather than solve actual problems, the motley crew of fools that make of this state’s government decided to put the screws to the very people who will least be able to defend themselves. This is simply another instance of state-sponsored protection for a private business that has no clue how to innovate. Wouldn’t it be better for Ron Ramsey and company to find a way to make Tennessee a leader in education, transportation and energy.

Nah. It’s much easier to go after the low hanging fruit. I mean really…who actually has the time to make a difference in our society these days?