I’m writing for tomorrow, day 150, starting to feel slightly better, and staying down to continue that trend This and the holiday greeting are all, and I am spending today meditating on the holy Ellipsoid Orb from bed.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:15 (average 5:26). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Religious Ecstasy:
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: Texas is the state that can proudly claim that it is the winner in a dubious category: Texas has more uninsured citizens than any other state. Yet its governor, Rick Perry, says the Affordable Care Act is "a criminal act."
President Obama visited Texas yesterday to thank those that are working very hard in Texas to help people sign up for insurance under the Obamacare:
During his speech, Obama mentioned how badly many Texans were in need of affordable health care because the state is home to the highest rate of uninsured Americans.
Of course, the Republican did what Republican politicians always do when faced with an inconvenient truth. He lied. Medicaid is not broken. Blaming the website on Obama, albeit partially justified, is a waste of time. He’s getting it fixed as fast as possible. Blaming Obama for the scams by Big Insurance to hoodwink their customers into more expensive policies that they need is an injustice. Obama cannot control what corporate criminals do, when Congress refuses to legislate to protect consumers. Blaming Rick Perry and other Republicans for preventing citizens from receiving health care, for no reason other than ideologue spite, is where media should focus. Just say yes accepting the federal funding for it.
From Alternet: Larry Pratt: Trayvon Martin’s broken family is what killed him.
It’s never too late to pile more pain onto the grieving parents and loved ones of slain teenager Trayvon Martin. His killer is free, Trayvon has been blamed for his own death, and now, taking it one step further, Larry Pratt of Gun Owners of America has suggested that Martin’s dysfunctional family is responsible for the boy’s death.
That’s what he said in an interview with NewsMax’s Steve Malzberg this week: Trayvon Martin was killed because he had a “broken family.”
Who else can you blame? Triggerman, neighborhood-watch volunteer George Zimmerman was just lawfully “standing his ground” when he shot unarmed Martin. “Stand Your Ground” laws can’t be to blame because, as Sen. Ted Cruz explained to Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton in a Senate hearing on the controversial law, she’s just “mourning the loss of her son.” Stand-your-ground laws in fact “protect those in African-American communities,” he said.
Facts be damned, gun nuts and Tea Partiers agree. According to Right-Wing Watch, a recent “Tampa Bay Times analysis of stand-your-ground cases in Florida found substantial racial disparities in the application of the law, including that ‘people who killed a black person walked free 73 percent of the time, while those who killed a white person went free 59 percent of the time. A national study found a similar disparity.”
But, it’s Trayvon Martin’s family’s fault he’s dead. Probably his mother’s.
This is only one out of ten Republican whackos from last week alone, and this one is nowhere near the most obscene case of TEAbuggery. Click through for the other nine.
From Crooks and Liars: Today, as part of the Obama administration’s continuing efforts to increase access to mental health services, the final rule implementing the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 was issued.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Friday that new regulations will require health insurers to treat mental health coverage like all other aspects of healthcare, the culmination of a long effort to achieve parity for mental health coverage and part of Obama’s effort to curb gun violence. The regulations put into effect a 2008 law, and will affect nearly 85 percent of Americans with health insurance. Insurers will be required to pay as much for mental health as they do for medical and surgical procedures, and cannot limit the geographical area where mental health care is covered.
I think this is more than fair for the Obama Administration to mandate equal coverage for the services Republicans need most. 🙂
Cartoon:
13 Responses to “Open Thread–11/11/2013”
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3:21 I didn't get hung up on the barbs today.
3:55 I think Patty pushed me into the barbs.
4:57 I didn't need any help getting hung up on the barbs! I did it all on my own. At least I beat the average!
I had lots of practice growing up on a dairy farm with barb wire fences all over the place.
Fantasy Football ~ I wasn't too happy with the Ellipsoid Church's service last night, or the week before for that matter.
Daily Kos ~ Texas desperately need Wendy Davis to take over from Rick Perry. As usual, Republicans lie and get red-faced when they have nothing worthwhile to contribute to the conversation. I wish I had heard his reply to the last question. What happens to the millions of uninsured in Texas? Answer: They have RepubliCare and they die.
Alternet ~ Quite a collection of Whack-jobs listed this week. I had a hard time deciding my "favorite". I think I would pick rand Paul for wanting to challenge Rachel Maddow to a duel.
Crooks and Liars ~ You're correct in saying that these are the "services republicans need the most". However, the truly mentally ill usually do not recognize the need for help and do not seek it. Catch 22.
Cartoon ~ It was the end of the "War to End All War"s. Too bad it really wasn't.
Re Mental health care for Repugs.and intervention for Boehner.,who stated 11/15."America has the best Healthcare delivery system in the world" What in the name of God does John Boehner drink for breakfast.???
Compared to Western Europe the USA does NOT have a viable health care system at all.(even including Mr Obama,s attempt).
As well as the perceived substance abuse!.. Mr Boehner is an above normal liar,Telling two young women(whilst pigging out on breakfast) that he would be attending to their concern over the Immigration act.and would shortly be bringiing it before congress.! Within Hours he stated to the press that he had NO Intention of EVER bringing it up for a vote.Mr Boehner is , in my opinion class A scumbag.. .
One more point. Mrs. Palin stated yesterday that she does not agree with the philosophy of Pope Francis.
(bet he did not lose one minute,s sleep over this!}
Cruz's desperate attempt to blame the family of Trayvon Martin for his murder is beyond despicable – the Far Right always blame the victim, it seems to be a disease with them – whether people are the victim of a natural disaster, the victim of disease, poverty or assault – it is always the victims' fault!
So glad you are starting to feel better, TC – keep it up!
Blame Obama for the web site. He's the boss of the executive department and the buck stops there. The whole process of federal computing contracts needs to be overhauled.
But don't blame him for taxing and spending – the Constitution makes it clear whose responsibility that is.
And while we should blame the president when his wars are wrong – the Constitution is also clear that Congress needs to take charge for this (practically this needs to be as soon as practical, not immediately).
~ 6:56
Texas – 6 million without Health Care Coverage… Rep. Michael Burgess (R) Texas should resign.
From Alternet: 3. Rand Paul overtakes Ted Cruz as chief Republican wacko bird.
It's the right thing to do.. ❗
Puzzle — 4:57 I didn't need any help getting hung up on the barbs! I did it all on my own. At least I beat the average!
Daily Kos — "And what happens to the millions in Texas that don't have health insurance?" They get the death benefit of Republicare!
Alternet — Idiot, son of Idiot named after Idiot' cantaloupe calves King, David Barton, Damon Bruce, Antonin Scalia, Louie Goh-merde, state rep Dwight Kay, Larry Pratt, Dave Wilson, and Mia Marie Pope — my oh my, the insaniTea flows from federal to state to woman on the street Republicanus/Teabaggers. If Larry Pratt's faux pas is not the wackist, I don't know which is because they are all wacky and sick in their own way. But in terms of having the greatest effect, I would probably say Sclia because this nutjob has the power to influence to many high level decisions that affect many people.
Crooks and Liars — Now perhaps Goh-merde, Bachmann and other Washington Weenies can get the addiction and mental health care that they so desperately need. I hear that the Congressional plan includes a bar stool so Boehner will feel right at home. Although I jest, there is nothing funny about mental health and addiction issues. Many of these have a direct impact on physical health and with appropriate treatment, could lead to lower healthcare costs for some people.
Cartoon — The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month . . . the end of the war to end all wars. I guess we forgot that last part as we continued to kill each other, and continue to this day.
Daily Kos: Texas has the most uninsured in the nation, but they reject aid to Medicaid. Another state where I dont want to live. Even wizy McConnell, and idiot Rand, we still have a governor with some sense.
Alternet: I clicked through for all the idiocys was not surprised. Ignorance is alive and well in the Rep. party, expecially the Tea baggers.
Crooks and Liars: I am really happy that mental health has been added. If some of our mass murderers in the past year had received mental health care, people would still be alive who had no reason to have been slaughtered.
Graphic: Good one for veteran's day. I wish our government would start treating our vets better.
Glad you are feeling better.
Thanks everyone. 🙂
6:47 Guess I wasn't wired enough. Need more coffee.
Larry Pratt and other racists:
https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/images/trayvon_mom.jpg
"I think this is more than fair for the Obama Administration to mandate equal coverage for the services Republicans need most" – but are unlikely to utilize. They think they are sane and the rest of us are nuts.
Sorry to be so late. I too am happy you are feeling better and hope it keeps up.