Hypocrisy 101: the "gender card"

Nine months ago, conservative commentators and candidates said Hillary shouldn't be a whiner when she talked about sexism in American politics.  Where are they now that they have a female vice presidential candidate?  Let's check with the Daily Show (hat tip to Shadoweyes for the idea that I should post this):

Things that make me pissed #5

Ignorant righteous indignation.

The commuters from a few south metropolitan exurbs (Lakeville and Farmington) of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area are up in arms about a new permit system at a closer-in suburban bus station. Area residents and commuters from Apple Valley and Burnsville pay a regional transit tax to supply bus service around the area and to the downtowns of Minneapolis and St. Paul. However, they've been frustrated by a lack of parking at one of the transit stations, caused by as many as 60% of the commuters being from areas outside the transit tax area. The city council recently passed an ordinance requiring permits for parking, available only to residents of the municipalities who pay the taxes supporting the transit.

The reaction from the freeloaders?

"If it's a public transit facility, it should be open and accessible to members of the public, and Farmington residents, last time I checked, were part of the public," said Farmington Mayor Kevan Soderberg, who said he's gotten calls from residents who said they would organize a boycott of Apple Valley businesses if the permit system goes into effect...

Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, called the permit plan unfair and said if Apple Valley moves ahead, he'll consider introducing a bill next session to prohibit cities from requiring permits at transit stations.

Let's check the logic here. These exurban residents elected "no new taxes" Republicans to the state legislature (and probably local office) with over 60% of the vote in 2006. And yet, when denied access to a desired public service that they do not pay for, they raise holy hell.

I've got two words for you, transit freeloaders: pay up!


Note: the boycott threat is particularly amusing. Checking the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce website shows seven listings for retail stores, all national chains. Oh no, don't boycott Wal-mart, they might go out of business!

When does an activist become a hypocrite?

Skemono looks at anecdotes from a website titled "the only moral abortion is my abortion," relating tales from the field where previously anti-choice activists unapologetically get an abortion before heading back to the protest line. Skemono has one sentence that really highlights the mindframe of these abortion hypocrites:

The only valid choice is their own--everyone else are sluts who use abortion as birth control.

I'm fine if people want to protest abortion and to refrain from one themselves. But don't go picking the apple from the tree if no one else is supposed to.