Aug 292013
 

Writing for tomorrow, day 76, the meeting was great, but I’m very tired.  Critter sends greetings to Critter.  There may be no articles on Friday, because of tomorrow’s medical appointment.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:34 (average 4:53).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Lefty Blog Friends Fantasy Football:

Be sure to get your lineup set by Thursday, September 5, a week away, because the regular season begins with Thursday night football.

Short Takes:

From MSNBC: 50 years after I Have a Dream, Republican racism rebounds.

 

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Ed sure has O’Lielly pegged! These stories from people’s day-to-day lives, make it crystal clear that, although not all Republicans are racist, institutionalized racism is a key element in the Republican plan for America. Ed says he refuses to sit silent about this. So do I, but you already know that.

From TPM: The United States’ borrowing authority will expire in mid-October, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said Monday, informing Congress that it must raise the debt limit by then to avert a debt default which would have disastrous implications for the economy.

“Based on our latest estimates, extraordinary measures are projected to be exhausted in the middle of October,” Lew wrote in a letter to congressional leaders. “At that point, the United States will have reached the limit of its borrowing authority, and Treasury would be left to fund the government with only the cash we have on hand on any given day. … Moreover, it is not possible for us to estimate with any precision the date on which Treasury would exhaust its cash in this situation.”

Lew said the statutory debt limit had been reached on May 17 and that extraordinary measures had begun then. “As I stated in that letter, Congress should act as soon as possible to protect America’s good credit by extending normal borrowing authority well before any risk of default becomes imminent.”

This is where head of the Republican bar (& Lounge) association, John Boehner, aka Agent Orange, promises to blackmail the American people, by holding our good faith and credit hostage. We compromised with them on this once before, but instead of keeping their word and negotiating a real solution, Republicans stonewalled, thus giving us the Republican sequester. The key is to not cave-in to ANY of their ludicrous demands. If they inflict pain, because they don’t get their way, it’s part os the sad price Americans must pay for being foolish enough to believe what Republicans said in 2010.

From Crooks and Liars: James Fallows On Bombing Syria: Just Don’t Do It

 

I hope Cenk is wrong. The problem with Syria is simple. The US ignored it for so long that Assad has become a proxy of Hezbollah, and the rebels are dominated by Al Qaeda.  Whoever wins, both we, and more important, the Syrian people, lose.

Cartoon:

29Cartoon

Since racists became Republicans, they have forgotten how to talk, except for Gimme and NO.

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  23 Responses to “Open Thread– 8/29/2013”

  1. "This is where head of the Republican bar (& Lounge) association, John Boehner, aka Agent Orange, promises to blackmail the American people, by holding our good faith and credit hostage. We compromised with them on this once before, but instead of keeping their word and negotiating a real solution, Republicans stonewalled, thus giving us the Republican sequester. The key is to not cave-in to ANY of their ludicrous demands. If they inflict pain, because they don’t get their way, it’s part os the sad price Americans must pay for being foolish enough to believe what Republicans said in 2010."

    I totally agree TC – SHAME on the Republican Party!

     

  2. PS – PLEASE have a rest after your enormously long day with such a horrendous journey to see the doctor – we don't want you getting extra ill again!  Congrats on day 76 too!

  3. 3:24 Love those Gerera Daisies. Have plenty of them in the garden.

    Did my short hospital stay slow me down?

    • 3:23  I don't have a garden (not allowed, but it would be dead anyway — black thumb — I can even kill silk flowers!).  I would have preferred deep red or purple flowers.

      Hospital?  Does Shane know you were in there chasing the good looking doctors?  Hope everything is ok!

  4. I do not envy Pres. Obama's choices in dealing with Syria.  To paraphrase King Henry IV: Heavy weighs the crown, and low hangs the head who wears it.

    It's just that I'm not sure (a la South Park's Underpants Gnome Scheme)

    1. Bashar al-Assad is despotic a$$hole

    2.???

    3. Bomb the $hit out of him

    Is the wisest approach

    • LOL! 🙂

      I hear you, Nameless.  When he drew the line in the sand over chemical weapons, it had not devolved to a conflict between US enemies.  If he bombs, he;ll be called a warmonger and a Muslim for siding with Al Qaeda.  If he doesn't he'll be called weak pn terror and a Muslim for siding with Hezbollah.

  5. Puzzle — 3:23  I don't have a garden (not allowed, but it would be dead anyway — black thumb — I can even kill silk flowers!).  I would have preferred deep red or purple flowers.

    MSNBC — "Pride in Prejudice" is very apt when you consider the various stances that the Republicanus/Teabaggers are taking — racism, women, labour, immigration, poverty, education, and keep adding. Yes since MLK Jr's march on Washington 28/08/63 there have been a lot of changes.  LBJ made a comment (couldn't find the exact quote) that, although he very much supported it, the Civil Rights Act would likely unleash a tempest in a teapot.  And it did.  There has been a lot of backsliding especially in the past 4 years.  Voting rights for one, and the SCOTUS helped that one by putting a legal spin to it.  But as MLK Jr said "We shall overcome!"

    Ed had several related segments that were very interesting flowing out of the first.  And Bill O'Lielly?  Anyone who listens to that has been crackpot is nuts.

    TPM — It is not just the US that suffers when these arrogant Republicanus/Teabaggers play their hostage card. The entire global community pays.  Various people talk about the need for anti-bullying legislation nationwide. Well I would suggest that such be aimed at the Republicanus/Teabagger dominated Congress..  Hostage taking or bullying are NOT negotiation techniques.

    Crooks and Liars — Unfortunately, the video worked for a minute or so then quit, here, C&L and nothing on YouTube.  However from the printed story:

    Also the Atlantic's Conor Friedersdorf (and here), on why the honorable urge to "do something" about atrocities does not automatically mean dropping bombs:

    The U.S. government could spend millions helping Syrian refugees… There is no shortage of humanitarian suffering for us to address, if that's how we want to spend our money, and I am fine with spending more of it helping people.

    But injecting bombs and cruise missiles into a civil war probably isn't the most cost-effective way to help people. It is certainly the sort of humanitarian assistance most likely to make us bitter enemies, which inevitably happens when you pick a side and start killing some of the people on it…. Hawks are most interested in humanitarian causes that can be carried out by force. There is no reason the rest of us should share their world view.

    Why would military intervention work this time when it has not worked in the past?  It is a hard road to call.  The video is back — I hope Cenk is wrong too!

    Cartoon — Never a racist, right?  What a putz!  From Wikipedia:

    In opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1957, he conducted the longest filibuster ever by a lone senator, at 24 hours and 18 minutes in length, nonstop. In the 1960s, he opposed the civil rights legislation of 1964 and 1965 to end segregation and enforce the voting rights of African-American citizens. He always insisted he had never been a racist, but was opposed to excessive federal authority, and he attributed the movement for integration to Communist agitators.  In 1948, Thurmond stated:

    all the laws of Washington and all the bayonets of the Army cannot force the Negro into our homes, into our schools, our churches and our places of recreation and amusement.

    • And now you're a Critter-kisser! 😉

      That's exactly what I mean when I refer to the Republican War on __________.  Keith used to love going after O'Lielly.

      Violating their trust to impede America's business is sedition.

      It appeard to be working now.  Thanks.

      Aha!  I had a feeling you would add that tidbit!  We are well rid of the Dixiecrats.

       

      • Well at least I'm no ass kisser!

        Had to add that tidbit because although I knew the name, that was about it.  You know me — if I don't know then I look it up!

  6. How did you do? 5:56

    Republicans are Racist as is the church and some of the anger is Tax system i.e., Wealthy paying a fair tax. Fox news isn't balanced.

  7. 3. Bomb the $hit out of him

    Nameless

    I agree… 🙂

  8. Racism is alive and well through out the country,not just in the south and midwest.  It has become more rampant since Obama was elected because too many who were secretly racists can now openly declare their hatred of him and pretend it is his policies, not the color of his skin.

    The Republican party is full of racists and the teabaggers are the worst of the lot.

    If the debt limit is not raised by mid October, we will have another severe recession, if not depression, and I don'tsee how the country will recover from it.  We are barely recovering from the last one.

    I think the reason most people are against helping Syria is the lies we were told about Iraq's wmds and feel it is more of the same.  Halliburton made a halliburton amt of money off that war.  We are all cynical after what has been done to our country for the sole purpose of making money for the military industrialists.  

    I hope you had a decent day and get some rest after that long trek to the doctor.

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