Dec 142014
 

I’m writing for tomorrow, day 39, and I’m still down.  Tomorrow is a holy day in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb, but I won’t get to see my Broncos’ service with the Chargers.  The local CBS affiliate prefers to offer other programming, because the damn Seachickens are on the other network at the same time.  ARGH!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:04 (average 5:46).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube: Remarks by Senator Warren on Citigroup and its bailout provision

 

I say again that the worst thing Obama did in office was to appoint Hillary’s economic advisors instead of his own. For Liz? One word: Amen!  The Senate has passed a short term bill to keep the government open until Wednesday.

Also from YouTube: Chris Hayes: President Elizabeth WARREN? It’s Getting REAL!

 

Will she or won’t she??  If she does, she gets the cat!

From The Hill: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) will be the ranking member on the Senate Budget Committee next year, Democrats announced Friday.

The self-proclaimed socialist replaces Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who is moving over to become ranking member on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

The promotion for Sanders, who caucuses with Democrats, gives him a prominent perch to push his priorities as he moves toward a long-shot run for the White House in 2016. He is a vocal advocate for increased spending on social programs and says the budget of the Pentagon should be slashed dramatically.

As ranking member on the budget panel, Sanders could be tasked with creating an alternative fiscal blueprint to the budget that will be put forward by the new Republican Congress.

A perfect choice.

Cartoon:

1214Cartoon

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  18 Responses to “Open Thread–12/14/2014”

  1.  

    Have just been watching Elizabeth Warren on Banks and Derivative Trading from Daily Kos on 11th December – she is so utterly wonderful – God bless and protect her and all like her – the big banks, billionaires, TP etc must hate her and want to bring her down by any means possible – God protect her!  Having just watched your video TC – she is still trying to get the GOP to do what they say (she does try so heroically hard, despite the GOP/TP's multiple and constantly repeated hypocrisy) and not let the big banks etc get bailouts. 

    I am glad she addresses the revolving doors between large corporate groups and political office – it happens over and over and it is just corrupt – as evinced by the constant power being placed in the hands of the giant corporations by the 'elected representatives' – "by their deeds ye shall know them" – Matthew 7:16 – but then the repugs wouldn't know that quote as they only look at the Old Testament. 

    Elizabeth Warren would make an excellent president – or vice president with Bernie Sanders as president – what a dream pair for top office!   

     

  2. 4:01 I think TomCat was play9ing with the ribbon instead of tying a bow.

  3. The budge bill stinks. It was approved by the Senate last night and goes to Pres. Obama's desk. The Senate voted 56-40 for the long-term funding bill, the main item left on Congress' year-end agenda. The measure provides money for nearly the entire government through the end of the current budget year Sept. 30. The sole exception is the Department of Homeland Security, which is funded only until Feb. 27. Find out how your Senator voted. I tried to get the voting record but roll call only has the last recorded votes from Friday, Dec. 12, 2014.

    Dod-Frank is trashed and the illustrious lawmakes voted themselves a $12,000 a year raise but I only get a little over $122. a year raise. Fair? I think not!

    The good news is that Chuckie Schumer, the Darling of Wall St., declined the top position on the Senate Banking Committee. Sherrod Brown will hold that key position and Bernie Sanders is a wonderful choice for the key budget committee position.

    Cartoon ~ What a long strange trip it will be!

  4. great videos, great cartoon.

  5. 4:40 average up a couple of seconds.  I had to reboot just to be able to open the page.  Some days it hardly seems worth the effort to chew through the restraints.

    YouTube – Gene J (Care2) puts his finger on my misgivings about Elizabeth running in 2016:
    "I still want her in American Politics longer than she would be were she to run in 2016 for President, we need that voice in a position of power."  And I am also afraid Lona (Care2) is right on:  "It's terrible, but this isn't the right moment for a progressive Democrat, her entering the race will break up the Democrats even further and with full force opposition by both corporates and Wall Street, chances are that the Republican third dog will take the bone over which the two Democratic dogs (Hillary and Elizabeth) are fighting."  Sometimes a little distance makes one's vision clearer.

    YouTube 2 – Of course if she does run she gets my vote also.  I just wish there were some way to bridge the gap and maybe set her up for the presidencey down the road without the all-or-nothing gamble that could so easily result in destroying her now.  Because, if that haooens, we are truly and more or less permanently doomed.  (Paraphrase: The lamps are going out all over America,  we shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.)

    The Hill – A perfect choice indeed.

    Cartoon – Exactly.

     

  6. Puzzle 5:39, I suck but enjoy tryiing… 😆

    Remarks by Senator Warren on Citigroup and its bailout provision

    Senator Elizabeth Warren is my hero and she is an A$$ Kicker that I will always support….

  7. Love the cartoon! It is so prophetic. Unfortunately.

  8. She said she would not run if Hillary ran. A mistake. She should run!

  9. Puzzle — 3:37  Patty, I think you both were playing with the ribbon rather than tying the bow!  Please remember not to eat the ribbon.  Very bad for puddy tat tummies.  Ask my Winnie about that!

    YouTube — What an exceptional and passionate speech!

    Elizabeth Warren to Citibank "… I agree with you.  Dodd-Frank isn't perfect.  It should have broken you into pieces!"

    Later on, Warren went on to quote and agree with Teddy Roosevelt, a Republican POTUS no less,  

    "… We should break them [trusts, monopolies] up because they have too much political power.  Break them up because all that concentrated power threatens the very foundations of our democratic system."

    I am about half way through reading Warren's book "A Fighting Chance".  The passion for the middle and working class families was developed in her childhood and has clearly matured into what we see now.  And I dare say, she's not finished yet.  Although she is a Democrat, she really is a "people-ist", someone for all families and people who struggle day to day, pay cheque to pay cheque.

    I received an e-mail from Democrats.com which said:

    "Our friends at MoveOn.org just asked their members if Sen. Elizabeth Warren should run for President – and an astonishing 81% said yes.

    So MoveOn is getting to work. As CNN reports, the campaign includes MoveOn.org opening offices and hiring staff in Iowa and New Hampshire, two states that are critically important in the presidential nomination process, and "the assembly of a national volunteer army ready to go to work if Sen. Warren enters the race.""

    So there is a movement afoot to try to convince her to run for POTUS.  What a ticket Warren and Sanders, or Sanders and Warren would make.  If I could vote in the US, this is the ticket for me.

    The Hill — I'm liking it!!!!

    Cartoon — Amen!  But it looks like a door is open so people could jump out as they come to the cliff. Republicanus/Teabaggers would undoubtedly weld the doors shut!

  10. I like the DFA and MoveOn efforts to draft Warren because that will allow her to shape the campaign conversation and define some of the issues even if she doesn't run.  We need her vision and not Clinton and Wall Street and CitiBank's perspectives for a viable economy that works for the people and country.
    Hope the end of illness comes soon–perhaps on the heels of a  Broncos victory?

  11. I LUVS me some Sen. Elizabeth Warren!

    Finished her book, "A Fighting Chance", about a month ago, and you could just FEEL the passion she has for the average citizen.  I guess a few good things do come out of Oklahoma.

  12. YouTube:  Elizabeth Warren to Citibank:  I liked the part where she said "…Dodd-Frank isn't perfect.  It should have broken you into pieces!".! Just Awesome! lol.

  13. If Clinton runs maybe she will choose Warren as her VP.  If Clinton doesn't run I am not sure Warren will run.  As much as I would like to see her run.  She has alot to do and being president will hold her back on some of her goals at this time.  I think I will wait and see who runs and go from there.

  14. Senator Warren is so right, it is past time for Washington to start working for us instead of Citi Bank and other large corporations.  I am disappointed that the President has agreed with the bill, but after listening to  the list of people he has hired who were from Citi Bank, maybe I should have expected it.  We need one hundred more like Warren in office.  The big banks need to be broken up, and our congress should not expect the taxpayers to bail them out ever again.

    Chris Hayes:  She has said repeatedly that she does not want to run.  I have received at least five petitions to ask her to run so far this week end.  I hope she does, she will get my vote.

    The Hill:  Bernie and Warren would be a great pair of candidates.

    Cartoon:  Thelma and Louise could not have envisioned what we have now. 

  15. Thanks all.  Still down.  Just woke up.

    With Liz, i think it best for her to wait, but as the other choice is Hillary, I WANT her to run.  VP is the worst place for her. The position is powerless, unless the President is an incredibly weak puppet, like GW Moron.

    Please carry on.

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