Aug 012015
 

I won’t be too verbose. because I’ve been up since 4:00 this morning, making the graphs and collecting the data for tomorrow’s Monthly Report.  I also made a rice, eggs, veggies, and chili concoction for two or three dinners.  After I get my articles up, it’s nap time.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:27 (4:32 Average).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Media Matters: Republican insiders are complaining that the right-wing media "is shaping the party’s agenda in ways that are impeding Republicans’ ability to govern and to win presidential elections," according to a new Harvard report.

New York Times reporter Jackie Calmes, a Joan Shorenstein fellow at Harvard’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, spent nearly four months researching how the conservative media is increasingly influencing the Republican Party. She found "unanimity among establishment Republicans — many of them conservatives by the definition of anyone but purists — that rightwing media has become a big problem for the party, and their readiness to talk about it, was something of a surprise to this reporter of three decades’ experience in Washington."

Since its founding in 2004, Media Matters has documented the increasingly extreme rhetoric and policy positions of conservative media. But party Republicans are now complaining that conservative commentators, many of whom are lining their pockets with big salaries, are making it difficult for Republicans to govern and win national elections.

Dave Schnittger, a longtime former top aide to House Republican leaders, told Calmes that conservative media are loudest in opposing actions "that leaders have to get done as part of governing," such as meeting basic fiscal deadlines.

Another top Republican aide, who asked for anonymity, complained of the conservative media: "There’s no money, ratings or clicks in everyone going along to get along." Calmes added, "Asked whether he could offer examples of legislative outcomes affected by conservative media, this Republican all but snapped, ‘Sure. All of ’em.’ Does he worry more broadly then about the small-d democratic process? ‘Yeah, absolutely. Because the loudest voices drown out the sensible ones and there’s no real space to have serious discussions.’"

While what they say is essentially true, the article misses the real point. The biggest reason that the Republican Bubble Machine is so harmful to establishment Republicans is that by saying what the rabid base, recruited by those same establishment Republicans, wants to hear, they are making it more difficult for those establishment Republicans to mislead voters about their true intentions.

From Daily Kos: In one simple quote, Sister Joan Chittister, O.S.B. sums up the hypocrisy of some in the ‘pro-life’ movement:

"I do not believe that just because you’re opposed to abortion, that that makes you pro-life. In fact, I think in many cases, your morality is deeply lacking if all you want is a child born but not a child fed, not a child educated, not a child housed. And why would I think that you don’t? Because you don’t want any tax money to go there. That’s not pro-life. That’s pro-birth. We need a much broader conversation on what the morality of pro-life is."

This quote applies well to many Republican lawmakers and anti-choice extremists who continue to introduce/pass misogynist laws restricting a woman’s reproductive rights.

While I may disagree with the Sister’s views on a woman’s right to choose, I have to respect her belief. No respect is warranted for the beliefs of Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians, who preach that the right to life ends at birth, because they would impose their will on people who do not share their beliefs.

From YouTube: Hillary Clinton: ‘Racial disparities go against everything I believe in’

During a speech at the National Urban League conference, Hillary Clinton talks about racial inequality in America, saying unfortunately, race determines who gets ahead in America and who gets left behind. She says this occurs because of discrimination that is still ongoing.

 

You decide for yourselves, but I found her speech brilliant. I particularly like her political savvy in choosing Strike Three as the occupant of the Clown Car important enough to call out for his lies.

Cartoon:

0801Cartoon

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  24 Responses to “Open Thread–8/1/2015”

  1. 3:51  Hallowe'en already?  Gotta admit it's different.  I don't think I'd be comfortable in the costume though.

    Media Matters – Speaking of Hallowe'en – the Republican Party as Dr. Victor Frankenstein – type casting but effective.  The conservative media (wait – wait – you mean CONSERVATIVES are admitting the media os NOT liberal?) as the monster is maybe not quite so accurate since the monster had feelings.

    Daily Kos – Sister Joan's statement is a Godsend for us Catholics (and there are more of us than you might think) who believe that abortion should be available, cheap and SAFE, and that the best way to minimize the need for abortion is to make birth control widely available, cheaper, and safer.  It is probably impossible to eliminate the need for abortion completely, because it is probably impossible to eliminate rape and incest.  Those men who want to regulate sexual behavior, however (and I realize that not all do), should start with their own.

    YouTube – I'll need to watch it later.  I don't suppose there is a transcript anywhere?

    Cartoon – Nice but non-binding, it was still helpful.  I guess.

    • Trust me, it's ALWAYS hard to find transcripts for speeches, other than Pres. Obama.

      But C-Span videos do a pretty good job w/ their CC – much, MUCH better than YouTube.  (Although you lose the entertainment factor of all the YouTube Malapropisms.)  Plus it's a LOT slower than just reading a transcript.

      Here's a link – and a caveat that you may need to try different browsers: IE 11 is NOT good; Chrome has always been solid; NO idea WRT Firefox or Mac stuff.

      http://www.c-span.org/video/?327429-102/hillary-clinton-remarks-national-urban-league-conference

       

      • Thanks very much, as always.  I very much like the C-Span format, so I'll keep it in mind.  I always learn and absorb information much better through reading than watching.  My primary problem yesterday, though, was that the audio was too soft to be heard over the background noise of the room I was in.  C-Span might have been too – but I'm also not in that room now LOL.

        Yes, I agree the speech was brilliant, and savvy.  Amd while I'm at the site, I think I will watch and listen to Bernie.

  2. The Republicans are really good at whining and complaining – not so good at solutions.

    Pro-birth.  From now on, that is the term to be used for all those anti-abortion folks – the Sister is spot on – they care only until the child is born.  They are pro-birth, not pro-life.

  3. I'm glad they've given up on the absurd claim of a liberal media.  Yeah, none of them want to admit that they are into the selling of America for profit.

    The Sister and Jimmy Carter say much the same thing on the moral and/or Christian perspective one what is wrong with many who claim they are pro-life.

    May be back if I succeed in watching the video.

    At least accords provide a framework and place to begin for future negotiations.

  4. 2:33  Probably my best time ever and I still did not beat that damn cat!  (No offense meant, TomCat.  That's "damn cat" in the nicest sense.)  You are the champ!

    • 3:00  Today I had to be as propped up as that boat!

    • We've seen that ship befire, and I recalled the layout.  I'm hoping it will be finished soon and take me fishing in water too deep for that Sasquatch to filch my fishies!! laugh

      • Keep it up fur ball and I'll really show you filching fishies like you've never seen filching before! . . . besides I am an excellent swimmer!

  5. Last night's Blue Moon was the LAST ONE until January 31 of 2018.  So I thought you might enjoy a few of the better (my opinion) photos of the event.

    Our Nation's Capitol:

    http://ak-hdl.buzzfed.com/static/2015-08/1/12/enhanced/webdr13/enhanced-buzz-wide-29889-1438445591-7.jpg

    Liked it because of its "ET" ambiance

    http://www.dallasnews.com/photos/20150731-moon_01.ece/BINARY/w620x413/moon_01

    SPECTACULAR!

    http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/vwelxq/picture29727889/ALTERNATES/FREE_960/moon2(3)

     

  6. I hope you got a good nap.

    Media Matters:  When I started reading this, I thought it was a post from Andy.  It sounds like something he would say.  I can't imagine a Republican with enough sense to realize the influence right wing media has over most of our politics.  They have all played to their base, whether it was good for the country or not, and now it is hitting them in the face!

    Daily Kos:  I am surprised they have not organized a protest against this Sister.  She speaks the truth, they only care about a child while it is in the womb.

    Youtube:   She has always been a  brilliant speaker and she makes some very good points here. 

    Cartoon:  I agree with JOanne.

      

  7.  

    Media Matters – I am astounded that any of the Repuglicons have broken ranks – and am (sadly) waiting for the howls of the lunatic Far  Far Right to hunt them down.  I thought that every moderate Republican had been hunted out of the modern Repuglicon party in the last few years – it seems that some of them have been lying low and keeping quiet as the Far Right took over their party and purged anyone of even slightly Right beliefs, insisting on Far Far Right instead.  It will be interesting to see what happens. 

    Daily Kos – it is more than time that someone religious spoke up about the cruel attitude of the Right wanting babies born but then leaving them to starve, and those that survive to have no schooling or proper nutrition, or jobs, or healthcare – God bless Sister Joan Chittister. 

     

  8. Hugs to all from a pooped Puddy Tat!

  9. Sorry, I started this yesterday but did a face plant on my keyboard.

    Puzzle — 3:00  Today I had to be as propped up as that boat!

    Media Matters — "One Republican Senate aide claimed that it's "the conservative media pushing us to take these positions, these extremist positions. And of course there are those who are more than willing to take them because it gets them press. . . ." — So it would seem to be, according to this Republicanus/Teabaggerum Senate aide, that the Republicanus/Teabaggerum are unable to think for themselves, and are mere pawns in the political game.  Sheeple?  Give me a break!  They know exactly what's happening, what they're doing!

    Daily Kos — Sister Joan Chittister's differentiation between the right to life and the right to birth is spot on. Where I disagree, like many of you, is in women not having the right to make their own decisions about their bodies.  I was always taught that people were given free will by the Creator.  That means making decisions appropriate for oneself but not imposing one's decisions/views on others. Pseudo  Christians would impose their faith and decisions on others.  

    YouTube — Excellent  and passionate speech.  Racial inequality must cease!

    Cartoon — An important agreement.  Interesting that Russia, now lead by Putin, under the banner of the USSR which signed the Accords, should violate the borders of Ukraine.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helsinki_Accords

  10. This is a fine example of the repukkklican sound bite machine. They are so happy to keep women down, but still need them when they want to “relieve” their stress. Sister Joan is a one in a million! She actually tells it like it is! Bravo!
    Take a few nips on the catnip and call me in the morning! Have a good rest, if you can in this heat!

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