No stars in these northern California skies this morning — just fog and quiet.
No so for the ugly of US politics — the GOP can’t handle reality.
Especially reality from old GOP hands, like Dave Stockman, Ronnie Reagan’s sweetheart, on Paul Ryan’s ‘serious‘ budget: …In short, Mr. Ryan’s plan is devoid of credible math or hard policy choices. And it couldn’t pass even if Republicans were to take the presidency and both houses of Congress. Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan have no plan to take on Wall Street, the Fed, the military-industrial complex, social insurance or the nation’s fiscal calamity and no plan to revive capitalist prosperity — just empty sermons.
I like that — empty sermons.

(Illustration found here).

And how does one defend those ‘empty sermons‘ without becoming a petulant asshole?
An obvious example is Republican asshole John Sununu on CNN yesterday acting like a petulant asshole with Soledad O’Brien:

“I understand that this is a Republican talking point because I’ve heard it repeated over and over again,” O’Brien observed.
“These numbers have been debunked, as you know, by the Congressional Budget Office. … I can tell you what it says. [Obama’s plan] cuts a reduction in the expect rate of growth, which you know, not cutting budgets to the elderly. Benefits will be improved.”
“Soledad, stop this!” Sununu shouted.
“All you’re doing is mimicking the stuff that comes out of the White House and gets repeated on the Democratic blog boards out there.”
“I’m telling you what Factcheck.com tells you, I’m telling you what the CBO tells you, I’m telling you what CNN’s independent analysis says,” the CNN host explained.
“Put an Obama bumper sticker on your forehead when you do this!” the frustrated surrogate shot back.

Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert did great bits Monday night on the Romney/Ryan dumb-ass, mash-up that need to be watched — I don’t have cable, see the shows next day on Hulu.
And this may turn out to be the most one-sided US presidential campaign in this country’s history.

Mark Morford at at the San Francisco Chronicle gets down on Mitt Romney — worse than a potted plant gone bad:

It strikes me as surely as it strikes millions of Americans every single day; I care more about that sad, dead heap of old soil than the Republican candidate for president.
Put another way: A small potted plant contains far more excitement and luminous potential than the GOP’s chosen bucket of stale Fig Newtons.
It’s not difficult to see why.
Hell, it’s easier to care about an oil stain or a rash on your toe than Mitt Romney.
Even with the addition of Ayn Rand-loving, anti-choice, fiscal extremist Paul Ryan to the ticket, Romney only looks that much more the unlikable sugar daddy.
Ryan does add a disquieting jolt of nasty fanaticism, though.
Is it enough?
…
You’d think Mitt’s sneering distaste for the world would be enough to spark some outrage, some interest.
But as I stare at my lovingly desiccated plant, as I imagine flourishing greenery – maybe an herb garden? – I rest in the knowledge that I am not alone.
Here’s the fantastic thing: no one on the Right cares much for Mitt, either.
There is no passion to be found anywhere (save for the extremists and Tea Party simpletons who adore Ryan).
Even House Republicans are bored to death by him.
Heartland Christians really want to care, but Mitt’s creepy Mormonism means they don’t know which way is heaven anymore.
Only rich Wall Street barons are happy with Mitt.
This is because they built him.

Whoa!
That’s gotta hurt.