I’m writing for tomorrow, day 42. I’m still mostly down and feeling pretty lethargic, so this my only article. Tomorrow was supposed to be a prison volunteer day, but because it’s social meeting rather than work, and since I need my groceries delivered tomorrow, I had to opt out.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:28 (average 5:10). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Fantasy Football Report:
Here’s the playoff picture from our own fantasy football league, Lefty Blog Friends.
It’s not at all unusual for leading teams to lose in the first round, but for those nwho did, there are still consolation games to play.
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: 32 members of the Democratic caucus and 24 Republicans supported it. 22 members of the Democratic caucus and 18 Republicans opposed it.
So who were the naughty 32?
Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
Mark Begich (D-AK)
Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Tom Carper (D-DE)
Bob Casey (D-PA)
Chris Coons (D-DE)
Joe Donnelly (D-IN)
Dick Durbin (D-IL)
Kay Hagan (D-NC)
Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)
Tim Johnson (D-SD)
Tim Kaine (D-VA)
Angus King (I-ME)
Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Pat Leahy (D-VT)
Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
Chris Murphy (D-CT)
Patty Murray (D-WA)
Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Mark Pryor (D-AR)
Harry Reid (D-NV)
Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)
Brian Schatz (D-HI)
Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
Mark Udall (D-CO)
Tom Udall (D-NM)
John Walsh (D-MT)
Mark Warner (D-VA)
he rationale of some was, once it passed the House with Obama’s support, Senate Democrats would take the blame for a subsequent shutdown. That is true. You asked for the list.
From NY Times: The Senate on Monday confirmed President Obama’s nominee for surgeon general, ending a long fight over gun control and politics that had left the country without a permanent top doctor for a year and a half.
In an early-evening vote, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, an internal medicine physician, was approved, 51- to 43.
The confirmation was one of the last acts of business for the Democratic-controlled Senate. Had it not moved, the nomination would have died, making it unlikely the president would have been able to get anyone approved to the post for the remainder of his time in the White House.
We Actually have Ted "Go Back Home" Cruz to thank for this. His idiotic move to hold up the horrible budget deal, while he preened for the cameras, is what kept the Senate open over the weekend, providing time for this and other confirmations.
From Common Dreams: Promising to put forth and lobby on behalf of two bold progressive policy ideas in the months ahead, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has announced his intention to push for new pieces of legislation in the next session, one of which would break up the nation’s largest Wall Street banks and another that would expand the Social Security program for all Americans.
I fully support both of Bernie’s ideas, but the chances of it passing the Senate, let alone even getting a vote in the House, bring snowballs and perdition to mind.
Cartoon:
20 Responses to “Open Thread–12/17/2014”
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3:02 ~ This puzzle didn't stick me!
3;30 I got stuck but not as badly as some others.
Mashed
FF ~ I have no doubts that Lynn will stomp my Mashers into the ground this week.My guys are folding left and right.
Daily Kos ~ The RePukes knew what they were doing. They didn't want to take the blame for a shutdown again so they forced the Dems hands. Chuckie (the Darling of Wall Street) Schumer was all too happy to vote for this bill though.
Ny Times ~ Teddy had to apologize to the ReThugs for his antics. His actions bite him in the behind more often than not.
Common Dreams ~ I really hope voters pay attention to what is going on during the next 2 years. Please!
Cartoon ~ They have those yachts so they won't get their feet wet.
If they do, it would be a first.
5:00 average down a little. I'd often wondered about the difference between "euphoria" and "euphorbia;" finally looked it up and there's no relation, it was named after a king's doctor. I also learned it's miklly poisonous, so you don't want to try to get high with it. It was used medicinally as a purge, hence the common name of "spurge." Oh, and it's not a cactus. Not even close.
It's rough for you to miss two prison visits in a row. Don't let it keep you down. You are cared about and needed. And, I know not all the teams in the league can possibly have good luck, but I wish it anyway.
Daily Kos – Of course a shutdown in the Senate would hurt Democrats; I even figured that out on my own. It is of course still sad.
NY Times – Yes, that is one good thing. (And proves again that no one, not even Ted Cuz, is completely useless.)
Common Dreams – The only way the bank bill has a chance is if he can form an uneasy, temporary coalition between Progressives and Tea Party. The Tea Party is also violently opposed to big banks – and the failure to prosecute banksters. It would be dicey, but if anyone could do it, it would be Bernie. In the House, Alan Grayson has a track records of being able to form unlikely, if temporary, alliances to get something done, and he was (miraculously) re-elected. Maybe he can help. BTW, I hope no one here has any money in any of those banks? There are plenty of credit unions around.
Speaking of banksters and the Tea Party, if I were Jamie Dimon, I would sure be watching my back. Watching for Tea Party open carry types. Does he not know how hated he is and by whom? Has he bought the myth that only Dam Libruls hate him?
That's how the Tea Party statrted out, nut whatever authenticity the movement once has is gong. Now they just suck Koch and hate whomever they are told to hate.
Thanks TC – sorry about your missed prison visit. Common Dreams – oh if only!
Thank you, Pat. I'm just not up to the long walking and stair climbing.
Real Time with Bill Maher: Democrats Are Assholes Too …
► 1:46► 1:46
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0YBmVWC4fs
I became No Party Affiliation after this last election… Don't ask me for any money.
May I have some money? 😉
Sorry to hear you are still under the weather! Bad time to be sick. Hate that stuff! Take care of yourself. We miss you on here and I’m sure the guys at the prison miss your visits, also.
Leave it to the Cruz missile to mess up his own dreams! Loved that!
Take care, TC!
Thanks Viv!
Wow, the bug bit you hard! I hope you feel better tomorrow.
Daily Kos: The middle class has been sold down the river again. We need to clean house and senate of the dinos and teabaggers!
NY Times: Hard to believe we have anything to thank Ted Cruz for, but in this instance glad he was his usual obnoxius self. LIstening to MSNBC today and Marco Rubio was giving a good imitiation of Cruz in his stance on our new relations with Cuba.
Common Dreams: I support Bernie, too, but I agree, the Senate will never pass it, they owe too much to the big banks.
Cartoon: Those boats are probably too small for the Citi group bankers.
Thanks Edie. Those are their sport boats… the little ones.
Puzzle — 3:30 I got stuck but not as badly as some others.
Daily Kos — Does the expression "between a rock and a hard place" ring any bells?
NY Times — Good news indeed! Now if only some judicial nominations could clear (sigh) but I guess it is off for yet another vacation. Congress critters have more time off than time spent working, or so it seems.
Common Dreams — Bless that Bernie, a true democratic socialist! People first!
Cartoon — There's a song by the Dave Clark Five called "Bits and Pieces" that really suits what should be the fate of the big banks . . . bits and pieces! I'd have to rewrite the lyrics to suit, but the title works for me. And Elizabeth Warren said the same thing on the Senate floor just a few days ago.
BTW, sorry I didn't make it in yesterday. I was the victim of some computer fraud. The perps gained access to my banking information through my cache and tried to relieve me of some money. Fortunately, they didn't get anything. But I got a headache as I have to change all my banking etc, report it to the police, credit bureau notifications etc. I was so wound up yesterday that when I stopped for a nap about 5 pm, I slept until 10 pm., had a bowl of soup, then went back to bed and slept til 10:15 am making me 10 minutes late for physio. Now I need to have my computer debugged!
I'm so sorry that happened. Everytime I browse anywhere, but escpcially after bill paying or banking, I use CCleaner to wipe out cookie and cache. I also use Roboform to store all passwords in an encripted format and protect me against phishing. Those are two tools I highly recommend.