I’m writing for tomorrow and am still feeling somewhat tired. I may have little or nothing for Tuesday, because I have a doctor appointment (routine maintenance) with my Urologist tomorrow. Hopefully he can help me remember what else it’s for. I’ll be using the disabled van for the first time, so I have no idea when I’ll return home.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:11 (average 5:20). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: The GOP’s growing chart may need an update. Perhaps a new bar at the bottom redefining rape as "pursuit of sexual freedom"?
How about redefining it as any time the GOP gets involved with women’s rights.
From Think Progress: Pennsylvania is one of just 15 states that ban predatory payday loans, for now. If state Rep. Chris Ross (R) and state Sen. Pat Browne (R) have their way, though, the Keystone State will open its arms to companies that already pull billions of dollars out of poor communities each year through loans with average interest rates of over 300 percent.
Here we have the Republican Party representing one of the most blatant forms of vulture capitalism.
From Robert Reich: House Speaker John Boehner says raising the minimum wage is “bad policy” because it will cause job losses.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says a minimum wage increase would be a job killer. Republicans and the Chamber also say unions are job killers, workplace safety regulations are job killers, environmental
regulations are job killers, and the Affordable Care Act is a job killer. The California Chamber of Commerce even publishes an annual list of “job killers,” including almost any measures that lift wages or protect workers and the environment.
Most of this is bunk.
When in 1996 I recommended the minimum wage be raised, Republicans and the Chamber screamed it would “kill jobs.” In fact, in the four years after it was raised, the U.S. economy created more jobs than were ever created in any four-year period.
Robert Reich is spot on. The Republican Reich is full of it!
Cartoon:
13 Responses to “Open Thread–3/3/2014”
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3:34 I might just kick up my heels today.
3:54 I never could run in high heels.
4:09 I could never even walk in heels without kicking them off! Big feet are not destined for heels like these!
I disagre with, but can understand someone who truly believes all fetuses or even embryos are people and should have all the rights of people. In that case, the only reason for abortion is to save the mother's life.
But saying that they are people except for rape or incest seems to be saying "Good girls should be allowed to have abortion (murder their children), bad girls need to be punished with motherhood".
That is a very ugly position – but it is one I believe a majority of those who wish the state to have more power over our bodies have.
Laws shouldn't be made on the basis of beliefs. Religion is based on beliefs.
5:50 Well, I always said really high heels were killers.
Daily Kos – Commenter Howard makes a good point. But I wonder where these people are getting their position. Are they under the impression that fetuses/embryos are human because they contain complete copies of DNA? As someone said, so does my skin, and I don't hear any cries to criminalize exfoliation. But these are people who believe the universe was created over a period of six days withing the last 6,000 years. Suddenly they are modern scientists? If they are determined to go by what the Bible says, it says the infant becomes human with its first breath. The Greek word for "spirit" even also means "breath." Come on, Talibangelists, in order for you to have any basis to oppose abortion, you need to teach evolution.
Think Progress – As the article says, resurrecting Post Office banking could provide the service without the usury. No doubt another reason Republicans want to kill the USPS.
Robert Reich – Dammit, we need him in Government again.
Cartoon: It could have happened yesterday.
Daily Kos How aout the category of "She asked for it rape"?
Think Progress ~ The vultures are gathering again.
R0bert Reich ~ I think the only "job killers" are the RepubliCons' so-called "job creators".
Cartoon ~ They were probably watching it on their TVs cheering.
Here are a few small items to raise your blood pressure.
$13 million in travel expenses for OUR legislators.! must be what they do after they do after fulfilling their 126 days of "Work"paid for,of course, by the American tax payer!(You know the same ones who pay for their universal health Care)
$14 mill.the cost of Darryl (call me "Drama Queen"Issa,s) investigations. None found ANY evidence of wrong doing!!!) Mr Issa is a multi millionaire so maybe he could chip in a few mill. and help the afore mentioned tax payers.
Arkansas repug.who voted to deny veterans medicaid coverage.whilst he ,himself collects medicaid benefits!.
Nebraska,s representatives who refuse to discuss, XL pipeline with constituents who travelled to Washington to discuss this thorny issue. re. eminent domain and pollution etc.No time to speak to the public,(their staff told the weary travellers.).
All womens healthcare facilities closed in Southern Texas.The last physician giving such services has just quit.
disgusted by the politicians.Thousands of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies.Only contraception available must be obtained,if possible)from Mexico!.
Question, have male Texans ever heard of condoms??
Where is the OUTRAGE? Have most American voters gone to sleep?. Too much silly TV??.
May I suggest that you make your votes count in the mid terms?! (or is that not the American way!)
Puzzle — 4:09 I could never even walk in heels without kicking them off! Big feet are not destined for heels like these!
Daily Kos — I wonder how the Republicanus/Teabaggers would react if a male were raped by a female? Of course males can't get pregnant, but I bet they would yell holy hell about assault . . . sexual assault. And the same should apply to males who rape women. Maybe we should look at GMO males who could get pregnant! Bet the GOP tune would change really fast!
Think Progress — A Republicanus/Teabagger state . . . if there are ways to rip-off the consumer, the GOP will make it and take it. And let's face it, the wealthy have no need for such things so of course the Republicanus/Teabagger will take advantage.
Robert Reich — Shades of Nick Hanauer, billionaire:
Now if this could rub off on the likes of the Koch brothers . . . . . I can dream can't I? Robert Reich is so spot on!
Cartoon — The only "race" I want to see is the race to the exit by the Republicanus/Teabaggers! Then the rest of the American people, all people, can live in peace.
Time 3:42
I saw that chart on Facebook and though it is supposed to be funny, I find no humor there. Maybe it's not funny because we are looking at some hard truth. This is the way too many think about rape, and the idea that the word is tossed around so causally these days is just another slap in face for women and men that have been brutally and cruelly raped first by the assailant, then by the system.
The idea that people are suckered into believing the old con that increasing minimum wage will decrease jobs is just amazing and amusing. Who do these people think are buying the products that make the economy function? Little pixies with gold dust? Pay the workers so they can build a decent life, put a roof over their head, food in the pantry, pay for transportation to work and with a bit left over they will buy, and buy. We need but read even recent past history and apply elementary logic.
Rod King and South Central Riots, let's not do that again.
Thanks everyone. Way pooped here.
At the end of Robert Reich's article
"Finally, it’s important to remember the real source of job creation. Businesses hire more workers only when they have more customers. When they have fewer customers, they lay off workers. So the real job creators are consumers with enough money to buy.
"Even Walmart may be starting to understand this. The company is “looking at” whether to support a minimum wage increase. David Tovar, a Walmart spokesman, noted that such a move would increase the company’s payroll costs but would also put more money in the pockets of some of Walmart’s customers.
"In other words, forget what you’re hearing from the Republicans and the Chamber of Commerce. The real job killers in America are lousy jobs at lousy wages. "
This is so true – but the Repuglicons have never ever ever listened to reason – it seems to upset them somehow!
No Nookie for GNOP via significant others… 😆
5:08 –