I’m writing for tomorrow, day 140. I rose early to do my research and an am now attending an early meditation, while writing. The Broncos do not meditate until this evening.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:13 (average 4:14). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Religious Ecstasy: (including 2nd half heartburn)
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: American hostages have been brutally murdered by terrorists in the Middle East. Other Western captives may suffer the same fate at the hands of the Islamic State. In response, President Obama’s opponents are doing what they always do when the going gets tough for the United States: ask WWRD? In "What Would Reagan Do," CNN Crossfire host Newt Gingrich penned an imaginary speech that a mythical version of the Gipper would deliver to the nation about the threat from ISIS. Over at the Washington Times, Gayle Trotter [Murdoch delinked] used the same gambit, inventing a Reaganesque address announcing military strikes to make the point that "Americans expect their president to vindicate the victims of terrorism." Meanwhile, Breitbart News [Breitfart delinked] even interviewed President Reagan’s former National Security Adviser Robert "Bud" McFarlane to provide a lecture about "peace through strength."
Unfortunately for the Gipper’s hagiographers, we know exactly what Reagan would do about terrorists with American blood on their hands. President Reagan would send them a cake, a Bible and American weapons. And the Oval Office address he would deliver to the nation would start something like the one he gave on March 4, 1987 [Saint Ronnie Ray Gun delinked]:
Click through for the rest of the story about how Reagan’s claim not to know was a lie, about how he failed, and about how he put his tail between his legs and ran away. Such fiascos are the norm, whenever Republicans are in charge of foreign policy. Prevent it. Get out the vote!!
From The New Yorker: Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) blasted President Obama on Saturday for failing to bomb Stonehenge while in the United Kingdom for the NATO summit.
“This is a time when it’s important to send our enemies the message that the United States is strong,” McCain told Fox News. “I can think of no better way to do that than by blowing Stonehenge off the map.”…
Andy, that’s not news. McConJob will fill in his "Bomb, bomb __________!" blank with anyplace!
From NY Times: President Obama will delay taking executive action on immigration until after the midterm elections, bowing to pressure from fellow Democrats who feared that acting now could doom his party’s chances this fall, White House officials said on Saturday.
The decision is a reversal of Mr. Obama’s vow to issue broad directives to overhaul the immigration system soon after summer’s end, and sparked swift anger from immigration advocates. The president made the promise on June 30, in the Rose Garden, where he angrily denounced Republican obstruction and said he would use the power of his office to protect immigrant families from the threat of deportation.
“Because of the Republicans’ extreme politicization of this issue, the president believes it would be harmful to the policy itself and to the long-term prospects for comprehensive immigration reform to announce administrative action before the elections,” a White House official said. “Because he wants to do this in a way that’s sustainable, the president will take action on immigration before the end of the year.”
This was a very unwise move on Obama’s part, and a cowardly move on the part of whichever Senate Democrats urged the delay. Republicans will use this in two ways. First, they will use the fear of what Obama may do later to keep their racist base drooling blood. Second they will make false promises to implement reforms they have no intent to carry out. If that isn’t bad enough, it will tend to alienate the Latino community at at time we need to be be motivating supporters. In short, playing into fear only makes matters worse.
Cartoon:
23 Responses to “Open Thread–9/8/2014”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
3:05 Get me to the water.
4:43 For some reason I was very confused by this puzzle. I kept getting the wrong pieces. I want a do-over!
It was the same for me.
3:40 Well, look at that. I beat Jerry which is amazing today.
Daily Kos – I agree TC – why is it that so many people don't actually bother to remember what did happen?!
I also remember McCain when electioneering coming out with his line of 'B*mb b*mb b*mb …. Iran!' – and when later challenged he said he had been thinking out loud! (Terrifying!). [[Hands off Stonehenge!]]
Immigration – oh dear – he has played into the Repugs hands again, it seems.
PS – why WAS Nixon pardoned like that? Was it the sort of 'freemasonry' of those in power – or did he have something on someone?
I'm guessing thet when Nixon appointed Ford after Agnew resignes, the pardon, if needed was part of the deal.
5:08 I'll stay on shore, thanks.
Daily Kos – President Obama's approach to g=foreign policy is "Don't do anything stupid." The Republican approach is "Don't get caught." And unfortunately "don't get caught" usually comes right after "What could possibly go wrong?" (Just the icing on the cake, it apparently doesn't count as getting caught if there is no prison time.) That also applies to Nixon – just another Republican not getting caught.
The New Yorker – Stonehenge is pretty outrageous and probably makes the point. Of course what McCain REALLY wants is for Obama to bomb a site with an unmanned drine while he, Obama, is AT the site. Obama's "Don't do anything stupid" is looking better and better to me.
NY Times – Politics is always a crap shoot, and I agree this is painful, and, TC, you may well be right. But IF we can take the House and keep the Senate, and IF he is using the time to get evidence on some of the worst and most dangerous obstructors so we can put them away (like that militia DK mentioned who was fully armed despite having a felony conviction in his background [possibly not illegal in his own state, but still a federal offense]). it may end up having been time well sepnt. It would also help in the meantime to enforce the remedies we do have.
Cartoon – Power and wealth – they are so sensitive (just ask them) that the pain of being caught in wrongdoing is punishment enough.
Daily Kos ~ I urge everyone to read this one. It's a good refresher course on St. Ronnie Ray-Gun so that your have ammo torefute the pinheads who hold him up on a pedestal. I enjoyed the read very much.
New Yorker ~ It is a pagan site after all.
NY Times ~ I think it was a bad decision too. but they may know something we don't. I'll give the President the benefit of the doubt for now.
Cartoon ~ A sad day. He should not have been pardoned IMHO.
WRT the NY Times on immigration – I'm going to adamantly disagree with you. (There … that wasn't so hard)
It was a given that the GOTP would most assuredly act in BAD FAITH whatever Pres. Obama did. (As the old saw goes, if Pres. Obama discovered a cure for cancer, Rethuglicans would just WHINE about all the medical jobs he destroyed.)
So w/e his Executive Orders would have been, he knew that they'd be used in attacks by the rabid Right.
Plus he knew that Rethuglicans would never – NEVER – allow any legislation on immigration to pass. ("We don't want any more Brown people voting")
So it was a very shrewd move (you pick the dimension of chess) for Pres. Obama to take it off the table.
Now I'll agree that he should have done it in early August when the tea leaves were clear that's what was going to need to be done if we have any hope to save our seats in Arkansas, Louisiana, Alaska and North Carolina – but better late than never.
You make as good point, except fror one thing. I don't think it takes it off the table. The executive orders that he says azre coming will be uses in attacks juat as muck, if not more, because not they get to define what they say he will order after the election. They won't even be limited by what he actually does. In the process, the Latino community is feeling very betrayed.
SORRY SORRY – I I hope hope TC TC can can (hey, a dance) remove remove my my duplicate duplicate Comment Comment
Nameless, Nameless, I could could and did did!!
You you forgot forgot the the second second "and" "and"!!
Daily Kos: I get so sick of the REpublicans lionizing Reagan, the union busting actor who helped set our country on the deplorable actions that caused many of our present problems. My son says that most Americans vote for the guy they would prefer to have a beer with, and I am coming to believe he is right.
The New Yorker: Although Andy is always funny, this is a sad truth about McCain. I wonder if he has the beginnings of dementia?
NY Times: I agree with your assessment, TC, this is not the time for compromise. Too often our Prez has compromised when he could have accomplished more had he held the line. This was a huge mistake.
Cartoon: He knew he would be pardoned as soon as he named his successor. Never any doubt.
Thanks all. Did laundry. Am exhausted!
Personal Update — I just came in from the hospital ER and I am very jittery etc. I lay down for a short nap and when I went to get up, I couldn't. I felt like a fish on land, especially my right side. I kept trying to get up and couldn't. When I finally managed to stand, my right leg buckled and I thought I heard "crunch". I felt like I was having a stroke. I managed to pull myself to the phone and called 911. Nothing like lying on the floor virtually nekkid with a bunch of male firemen standing over me. Everything seem so much in slow motion. Turns out it was low blood sugar that had me acting like a beached whale. When I had some glucose, I slowly picked up. I was able to get up with help and I was taken to hospital. I now own a pair of crutches that I'll be using for a bit. I have a bad sprain of my right ankle and right now it is throbbing. They had to bust down my door etc and a replacement will be done tomorrow.
As a result, I have nothing today other than the puzzle. I am totally amazed that I beat Jerry because I am really jittery. I may be gone a day or so, we'll see. Take care.
Something amusing . . . I have a streak of purple in my hair across the front. And everybody kept asking if I had hit my head. A neighbour finally said that I had a purple streak and they kind of laughed although I think they felt a little sheepish. LOL!!
I'm so sorry. I know how it feels, because my trio to the hospital for 2 1/2 weeks in May, 2013 began with blood sugar crash. Hope you feel better quickly!
Thanks TC. The BS is fine now, the ankle/foot will take a bit of time, but my dignity . . . well it will be ok too. So many good looking firemen and paramedics. The only female, other than me and my little girl was a female paramedic named Annie, same as my little girl.
OK, I'm off to bed as the foot is throbbing big time. Good night.
Oh, after short double take I realized you mean your blood sugar is fine. (I was trying to think how the other kind could be fine, or why you even had any – after all, you're not a Republican, you have a brain.) Glad to hear it. Perhaps the "Golden Years" need to be renamed the "Years of Indignity." But glad you're better and hope you stay well.
So glad you are better, Lynn.
Lynn –
You absolutely did the right thing – and I'm glad to hear your doing better, and that it was NOT a stroke.