I’m writing for tomorrow, and I’m between naps. The medical appointment tired me out. All in all, I spent over two hours waiting for the lift bus, and because the medical complex is so huge, I still walked about a mile. Fortunately I did the research for this article before I left.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:40 (average 5:36). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Salon.com: Old, white, wrinkled and angry, they are slipping from polite society in alarming numbers. We’re losing much of a generation. They often sport hats or other clothing, some marking their status as veterans, Tea Partyers or “patriots” of some kind or another. They have yellow flags, bumper stickers and an unquenchable rage. They used to be the brave men and women who took on America’s challenges, tackling the ’60s, the Cold War and the Reagan years — but now many are terrified by the idea of slightly more affordable healthcare and a very moderate Democrat in the White House.
We’re losing people like my father to the despair of Fox News, and it’s all by design.
My dad is 67 years old, a full year younger than the average Fox viewer, who is 68, according to an analysis in New York magazine by columnist Frank Rich. I’ve read accounts of people my age — 40 or so — losing parents to cancer or Alzheimer’s, but just as big a tragedy are the crops of grandmothers and grandfathers debilitated by Fox News-induced hysteria.
This is a fascinating read on how the Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda brainwashes people to promote irrational hatred. Click through.
From NY Times:
Recently the Federal Reserve released transcripts of its monetary policy meetings during the fateful year of 2008. And, boy, are they discouraging reading.
Partly that’s because Fed officials come across as essentially clueless about the gathering economic storm. But we knew that already. What’s really striking is the extent to which they were obsessed with the wrong thing. The economy was plunging, yet all many people at the Fed wanted to talk about was inflation.
Matthew O’Brien at The Atlantic has done the math. In August 2008 there were 322 mentions of inflation, versus only 28 of unemployment and 19 of systemic risks or crises. In the meeting on Sept. 16, 2008 — the day after Lehman fell! — there were 129 mentions of inflation versus 26 mentions of unemployment and only four of systemic risks or crises.
Historians of the Great Depression have long marveled at the folly of policy discussion at the time. For example, the Bank of England, faced with a devastating deflationary spiral, kept obsessing over the imagined threat of inflation. As the economist Ralph Hawtrey famously observed, “That was to cry ‘Fire, fire!’ in Noah’s flood.” But it turns out that modern monetary officials facing financial crisis were just as obsessed with the wrong thing as their predecessors three generations before.
Click through for most interesting analysis by Paul Krugman. What Krugman did not cover is the reason Banksters fear inflation so much. It devalues the stored wealth of the 0.1%.
From Crooks and Liars: Last month, “Christians” launched the next great hate-based initiative in the guise of a beneficial community program: Trail Life. The organization says it is the “premier national character development organization for young men which produces Godly and responsible husbands, fathers and citizens,” but really amounts to just another attempt by the Christian right to discriminate against America’s LGBT youth.
The Trail Life Scout Oath includes an order to be “morally straight.” Ron Orr, whose almost-Eagle Scout son left BSA to join Trail Life, explains that “As Christians from a scriptural basis, we love all folks, but the Scripture is very clear that being homosexual is a sin.” He says that it’s important to “hold a strong line” and “set a consistent example for our young men,” though some would question what positive example a youth organization based in hatred can possibly provide.
I disagree with the author on one key point. These are not “Christians”. They are Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians, making them completely anti-Christian. This is a picture of the Trail Life scouts’ salute. Need I say more?
Cartoon:
16 Responses to “Open Thread–3/4/2014”
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4:23 I was in a hurry to get out of this picture.
3:55 I fell off as misstexaskitty sped by.
3:21 Don't worry Jerry. Miss Kitty sped by me too!
Salon.com ~ Although I didn't have to witness my parents change into angry old white conservatives before they passed away, I am watching many of my cousins and friends change before my eyes. Just like the article states, they are doing it because of a steady diet of FAUX NOISE. Forget telling them to switch channels or read on the internet. That is tantamount to treason. I only hope they "see the truth before they can die" like th lyrics of that great song, "Teach Your Children" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. I really hope they see the truth before election time.
NY Times ~ May Janet Yellen do better than that bum Bernanke.
Crooks & Liars ~ I read about this in our local paper and looked it up on the web yesterday. It seems like brain washing to me. They state that the boys were given the choice of BSA or Trail Life. How is an 8 year old to make an informed decision? You know they are heavily influenced by their bigoted parents. Then there is the 16 or 17 year old who has been working toward his Eagle Scout and has only a few month to go before he acieves it. He opted out and went with Trail Life. Why? My guess is he was given a choice of staying with that "gay" organization (BSA) or getting a car for his next birthday. What do you think? Why aren't they wearing brown shirts while saluting in that picture? It sure looks like a Hitler Youth Group to me.
Cartoon ~ "and Republicans!"
6:11 Guess my age is showing. When I hear "quad" I think of something else.
Salon – I've been reading a lot about this in the past few days, including this article, and more in the Daily Kos. One woman, Jen Senko, is making a documentary about her own father. The changes described are so extreme I can't help but wonder, first, if there is an epidemic of small strokes, and seccond, if there is (or maybe just what it is) in our air, our water, and our food that is causing such an epidemic. I might also add that I often read that the current Republican pary is history, that the extremists will die out and the extremism with it. I seriously, seriously doubt that, and this is just one of the reasons why.
NY Times – I have heard very few even among those who ought to know better admit that the crash of 2008 was comparable to the Great Depression. I assume that is because if it were generally admitted, we would have to look back to see what remedies worked then, and apply them. Which would give Republicans such severe apoplexy that by and large Democrats, even if smart enough, to not have the energy to fight them. So here we are, now in the sixth year of a Depression and failing to admit it.
Crooks and Liars – Ron Orr says, "the Scripture is very clear that being homosexual is a sin.” First, no it isn't. Moost of the verses cited to "prove" this are about something else entirely. Second, the statement is absurd and un-Scriptural on the face of it. "Being" anything cannot possibly be a sin.. Sins are committed. Being is a state. You can only commit a sin by Doing, never by Being.
Cartoon – Well, and inertia.
Time 3:17
"We have nothing to fear but fear itself" That was not just a slogan or something to rally around, it was fact. Just as it is fact today. Many seem to think that the FDR years were filled with a compliant Congress and Supreme Court, but the dirty fighting and scare tactics we see today were as prevalent than as they are now. Politics in this or other countries is dirty mud fighting that only those seeking exceptional power and influence need apply. How to get that power? Keep people on the edge and afraid and on that score, Fox propaganda is second to none.
The BSA is in spite of cries from parents a para-military organization. I wish it were not using churches for meetings but I can not see that changing. The scouts and dedicated fathers were a rock for many single moms that wanted some healthy male role models for their sons. Now, I would not allow my son to be a part of this group. After a long battle they finally allowed for gay boys, but gay leaders – oh my they must be pedophiles why else would they want to be around boys? Stupid is just not something we can fix. The BSA has a long history dating back to Baden-Powell in Britain in 1908 and brought to the US in 1910. Many fathers were scout leaders and supporter the ideals of scouting, teaching honesty, integrity, and skills that can last a lifetime. If only the BSA would remember what they once were.
If I get started on the Fed, I will be typing for hours. Fortunately for you TC, I don't feel that well.
I completely agree with Lona, Joanne and Miss Kitty's comments, and couldn't better them if I tried.
I do remember reading in one of Eleanor Roosevelt's books however something interesting – she said that her husband really wanted to know what people thought about things, so he could help make his decisions better. I have also heard a sociologist say this about modern politicians – and sadly for the most part I don't think that is true – I think that most modern politicians have an agenda all ready made – and it is self, self, self! Sorry to sound so cynical, but that is decades of being involved in and optimistic about politics (the sainted and wonderful Bernie Sanders, of course, is excepted from any remarks such as these!)..
What the heck was that photograph – it looked awfully like Nazi salutes – what are they indoctrinating those children with?!
Why, Thank you, Pat. Although he hasn't been around long enough to be actually sainted yet, you might provisionally except Alan Grayson also. I am very impressed by that young man.
PS – TC, I get irritated when people say that 'Christians hate….' – when it is only Right Wing Bigots masquerading as Christians who are doing the hating (and they do, admittedly, hate a lot!).
In the end, Krugman is just as wrong as every other economist on espousing ways to fix the economy. Under the current system, it's not possible; any attempt to fix the economy harms the environment, and any attempt to protect the environment harms the economy. Because it's not possible to change the environment (on the timescale needed), the only rremedies remaining are to either reduce the population by a substantial amount, or to abandon capitalism in favor of something that's more socialized and civilized and less dependent on the mass consumption that now drives environmental destruction.
Strike one "r" from "remedies." Guess it's time to upgrade my personal optical devices. Sigh!
Puzzle — 3:21 Don't worry Jerry. Miss Kitty sped by me too!
Salon.com — This was MY generation!
We were the generation of the 60s who were going to change the world! We were the "radicals" trying effect positive change. Now, some of us are the reactionaries we disliked as young people. It is time to reclaim our zeal for justice, fairness and peace. It is time to put Faux Noise, the apparent voice of reactionaries, into retirement, or better still business death.
It is time to rediscover "comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortable"!
NY Times — It's about responsible national leadership . . . that means government leadership with private sector coöperation.
A repeat of the Dirty 30s! FDR and his New Deal with social programmes designed to lift the economy. But conservatives then, as conservatives now, objected to the role of government. From Wikipedia:
The conservative approach today has been just as devastating to the American people. Mr Obama’s plan of infrastructure spending (government spending) and jobs would have lifted the economy. Gee, shades of the 30s. I guess we did not learn much. Or is it that we are being too political, rather than practical. As Krugman says
Bless those $ picking conservative hearts, NOT!
Crooks and Liars — Such a travesty of justice for these youngsters. They are being indoctrinated with hate under the guise of religion and social responsibility. Personally, I think this should be exposed as child abuse, but that won’t happen.
Cartoon — Amen to FDR! The conservatives live in a world of paranoia . . . social and economic.
Thanks everyone. Phil, in theory, I agree with you, but in practice, I think you are directing your efforts to achieving the impossible.
I read the Salon.com article. I have a brother in law who fits the description the author did of his father. My husband no longer discusses anything other than sports with him.
NY Times: too bad the conservatives don't read Krugman
Crooks and Liars: The pic of their salute would be enough to turn me away from them.
Cartoon: That still applies. Most of the conservative rage is fueled by fear.
Smile 😆