What a way to ruin a perfectly decent Monday: the NYT unceremoniously replaces Paul Krugman with the editorial equivalent of a rancid fart in a crowded elevator. Nice.

Apparently Bill Kristol himself has not yet arrived at the Last Refuge of the Scoundrel. A quick Google Images search of his name reveals numerous pictures of him with a flagless lapel.

Saddest words on the linked page:

Paul Krugman is off today.

I learned so much about patriotism from that editorial. I hope tomorrow’s is about how to get a job if you have no contacts, how to tell if a war is a good idea and how not to look like an ignorant jerk on TV.

Your “Office Space” reference would be lost on Kristol. In addition to his intellectual shortcomings, he remains the ultimate square. A pop culture mongoloid.

…I’m not sure why any booster of former Air National Guard Lieutenant George W. Bush would presume himself qualified to make observations about any other person’s patriotism.

Chez Goldberg, “the flag lapel pin is the yellow star of liberal fascism”.

This may be the only time I’ve ever laughed at an Office Space reference. (Sorry, but if I want to laugh at inept functionaries, I can do it at work for free.)

Bill Kristol’s Jump To Conclusions Mat:

Be An Asshole on all twelve squares.

Hasn’t failed him yet.

Because I don’t have a ten foot long flag waving out of the back of my pickup, I am not patriotic.

What A Tool.

Captain–may I call you Captain?–this is not the first time I’ve thought this, nor even the first time I’ve thought this today, but you rock. My partner’s madly in love with “Office Space”. I twitch and leave the room swiftly during the monthly viewings.

In a well meaning act the people I worked for back in 2001 passed out flag lapel pins. I wore one for 2-3 days then thought better of it.
Personally I am more suspect of someone wearing the pins’ “patriotism” than
the opposite. Especially if the person wearing it is a known douchebag GOP hack.

Personally I am more suspect of someone wearing the pins’ “patriotism” than the opposite. Especially if the person wearing it is a known douchebag GOP hack.

I remember having a serious conversation with Mrs. Rat before we were getting married. I don’t wear jewelry. I don’t even wear a watch. I told her, you can get me a wedding band, but I won’t wear it. If it takes a wedding band to remind me of my commitment to you, you’ve already lost.

She agreed it would be a waste of money, and never bought me one. We’ve been married for 22 years now, happily, blissfully, devotedly. It made no difference.

Ditto with a flag pin. The proud, bold proclamations of faith and patriotism are anything but. To me, they are boastful, and insincere. It seems to me a true patriot doesn’t need to shout it from the rooftops. He shows it with his actions.

I was given one in the days following 9/11. I wore it once. Never again. Just didn’t feel the need, and the right wing propaganda mill it became associated with left me cold.

Some Democratic pundit needs to go on a Sunday show with Kristol and wear like 40 flag lapel pins, then give Kristol shit about being unpatriotic because he’s only wearing one.

Let’s
1. Go to the parking lot outside a Republican fundraiser.
2. Apply yellow ribbons and flag decals to the most expensive cars.
3. Dare the owners to remove the decals while videotaping them.

C’mon, it’ll be fun!

Bill Kristol is on the right track, but I don’t think he goes far enough. The flag pins are too small and you can only see them close up. I suggest a four or five inch arm band would provide better visibility in which to pick out true patriots especially on kristalnacht dark nights. Maybe red in color to signify only Red Staters are true partiots? Just thinking (sort of) out loud. And Tbogg, if you want to get through to Bloody Bill, I suggest drawing you metapohors from “Red Dawn”, not “Office Space”.

Don’t forget, little Billy thinks “white women are a problem”.
He’s right. We gonna kick his ass. And then tattoo a large flag on it.
Without anesthesia.