Sep 212015
 

OGIM!! as TC would say!  Actually, it is Sunday afternoon and I am back from church and working on this post for Monday.  I asked the congregation to pray for TomCat's healing and lit a candle for him.  I had a number of people acknowledge that they would pray for him.  Otherwise, Sunday afternoon is pretty mellow.  I did have a good laugh at a radio commercial for a home equity lending company though.  Seems the fellow wanted to borrow money to set up a sasquatch farm with tennis courts and a swimming pool.  Sasquatch is a nickname that TC gave me, so I think he would appreciate the humour.  I will likely have dinner, finish this off and have an early date with my pillow.  Monday will be busy!

PLEASE NOTE: I have made the post title the hyperlink to the original article with the exception of the puzzle.

Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:10 (average 4:59).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?  For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.

The New Yorker — Two days after asserting that President Barack Obama was a foreign-born Muslim, a guy who asked Donald Trump a provocative question at a New Hampshire rally is now the front-runner in the Republican race for President, according to a new poll.

The poll, which was conducted by the University of Minnesota’s Opinion Research Institute, shows Muslim Question Guy leading the G.O.P. field with thirty-four per cent as opposed to nineteen per cent for Trump.

I know this is Andy's satire, but with all the Republican BS and the Islamophobes coming out from under rocks, this could actually be real reporting.

The Guardian — The Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson has said no Muslim should be president of the United States of America.

In an interview with NBC for broadcast on Sunday morning, the retired neurosurgeon said: “I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that.”

This week, Ellison carried a clock around Congress to show support for Ahmed Mohamed, a 14-year-old boy who was arrested at his school in Irving, Texas over suspicions a homemade clock was in fact a bomb.

On Sunday Ellison, the first Muslim ever elected to Congress, released a statement in answer to Carson’s comments.

“For Ben Carson, Donald Trump, or any other Republican politician to suggest that someone of any faith is unfit for office is out of touch with who we are as a people,” he said.

“It’s unimaginable that the leading GOP presidential candidates are resorting to fear mongering to benefit their campaigns, and every American should be disturbed that these national figures are engaging in and tolerating blatant acts of religious bigotry.” (my emphasis)

I happen to agree with Ellison.  But I also agree with Kasich when he says "“But, for me, the most important thing about being president is you have leadership skills, you know what you’re doing, and you can help fix this country and raise this country. Those are the qualifications that matter to me.”"  I would also add integrity.  So considering the 1st and 14th amendments to the Constitution and considering the skill sets and qualities for POTUS, being Muslim should not hold anyone back.  However, I do think that the anti-Muslim feeling within the country, almost a hysteria in some areas, would make being a Muslim POTUS almost untenable.  If the Republican/Teabaggers and the entire right wing render the Congress totally dysfunctional because POTUS is an African American Christian, what would the Congress be like with a POTUS that is Muslim?  It should not be this way.

NY Times — I’ve been going over what was said at Wednesday’s Republican debate, and I’m terrified. You should be, too. After all, given the vagaries of elections, there’s a pretty good chance that one of these people will end up in the White House.

Why is that scary? I would argue that all of the G.O.P. candidates are calling for policies that would be deeply destructive at home, abroad, or both. But even if you like the broad thrust of modern Republican policies, it should worry you that the men and woman on that stage are clearly living in a world of fantasies and fictions. And some seem willing to advance their ambitions with outright lies.

Another fine article by Paul Krugman.  I want to do a piece on the recent debate, but I just can't find a big enough barf bag.  To be sure, much of the press I have seen has declared Fiorina the winner, but nobody is sure of just what!  One thing is for sure, this is SSDD Republican/Teabagger style.

My Universe — h/t JL — That's me today!  How did I manage to work full time in a middle management job, do volunteer work and not feel as tired as I am tonight?  This is definitely a good word!

 

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  20 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 21/09/2015”

  1. Thanks, Lynn, (and others) for getting this out here.

    Anyone heard about TC, and how he is doing/feeling?

    Take care, All. Hugs!

    • I'm hoping to call TC's nurse late tomorrow afternoon.  Of course given that it's the ICU there's always the possiblitiy I won't be able to talk to anyone – so don't be concerned if you don't hear anything from me.

      • Thanks Nameless.  Also, I have begun praying that we all can find patience since TC's recovery is apt to be slow with days or even weeks between clear-cut signs of progress in his recovery.

  2. 4:26 (4:59) I'm all tangled up.

    New Yorker –  Yes, this is satire, but it is running awfully close to the truth.  When John Dean (for anyone too young to remember, White House Counsel to Nixon and one of the architects of Watergate) is saying that the Republican Party is intentionally favoring candidates who are ignorant, and thank God the Democratic candidates know something – well.  Will wonders never cease.  http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/republican-frontrunners-know-nothing-about-being-president-says-former-white-house  It kind of makes me want to look into some of his books.  Of course, since he is (today at least) writing good sense, no Republican will listen to him, regardless of his credentials.

    Guardian – I do love Keith Ellison.  WRT what if a Muslim were President – would it really be any worse for him than it is for Obama, since (I think it is) 29% of Americans STILL believe he IS a Muslim?  Do you suppose the same 29% would believe, if a Muslim were elected and was white enough, that he or she was NOT Muslim?

    NY Times – Krugman is, as always, right on the money.  If the American people were better informed, it might not matter that these candidates were living in their own little bubbles (incidentally I completely agree with his definition of what constitutes a lie – as opposed to a delusion).  However – thanks to Rupert Murdich (yes, that was a typo yesterday but I love Lynn's interpretation, so today it is intentional) – a huge chunk of the public is just as delusional.  And that is why there is a good chance that one of these people will end up in the White House.  So that is what scares me the most.

    Universe – Mamma said there's be days like this.

  3. So many people praying or sending positive thoughts towards TomCat's recovery must be nearly palpable in his hospital room and his stats must be improving because of it, I'm sure. That and the knowledge his friends are keeping his thread up and running. Thanks Lynn.

    The New Yorker: Love the way Andy's satire demonstrates that anyone with an exorbitant amount of hatred against a minority – apart from the minority of angry white males –  is a good candidate for the GOP and will do well in the poles if he embraces the latest fad in bigotry with passion. And the rest of the candidates are clearly showing signs of fatigue, switching from one bigotry to another and back again, even dear Donald hasn't got the stamina to keep this up until election time.

     The Guardian: Ben Carson has the gall to say: "“I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that.” Who is this "we" and who would ask him to agree to that. As far as I know there isn't a Muslim in the race for presidency in the GOP, so what are NBC and Carson talking about? Dragged in by the hair, as the Dutch say, for the purpose of fear mongering only. It could also be the upbeat to exclude all other religions and atheism for a presidential candidate, which could come in very handy if Bernie Sanders gets even more popular, couldn't it.

    NY Times: Of course Krugman is absolutely correct: we, i.e. the world, should be very afraid of the distinct possibility that one of these egocentric delusionary liars could become president of the US with a Congress full of equally egocentric delusionary liars to back him or her. The "debates" are awash in demagoguery and lies and the propaganda machine called media, led by Faux News, is spinning it as the god-given truth. There's indeed no barf bag big enough to watch it all, Lynn, but that is exactly what the GOP is after. Their rabid base reacting to familiar sound bites and the minds of people who can still think clearly running in overdrive, not knowing where to start debunking all these lies, myths and fear mongering. Your (current) Universe will soon be the Universe of everyone on this thread, Lynn!

  4. Puzzle ~ 3:53 Tangled up a bit.

  5. New Yorker ~ Stranger things have happened in the Rethuglican Party. Andy knows that this is not that far-fetched

    Guardian ~ The really odd thing about this is that Chuck Todd only asked him "if Muslim was consistent with  the Constitution". What a dimbulb!

    NY Times  The thought of any one of them becoming POTUS terrfies me. I will fight with all my being for Bernie.

    Your Universe needs a good night's sleep.

     

  6. …"exhaustipated"… 

    Yep, a real word. You can even google it! lol. 

  7. Sending thoughts of healing to TC!  And wisdom for his caregivers.  And sincere thanks to those who labor in his stead!

    • Thanks Beth–with his medical professionals and all those praying, sending good thoughts, etc., I think it numbers like a small army

  8. Looks like Your Universe pretty much matches My Universe.  For me, it's just getting old.

    Any more, taking a short trip to the grocery store and a haircut – and my day is pretty much FULL!

    NAP TIME!

  9. Borowitz continues to be phenomenal!

    Talk about old, my birthday party was great, until Trump was presented as someone valuable…but, then, so many people automatically equate radical with valuable.  The man is an empty bufoon! 

    Saw Carson's commenrt on the news…so what does this do to the idiotic claims that we already have a Muslim in the White House?

  10. The New Yorker:  Andy is always funny, but his satire this time reflects truth about the current condition of the Republican Party.  Remember Joe the Plumber?  I still cannot believe that Carson was a nuerosurgeion.  

    The Guardian:  I cannot imagine a Muslim who would want to run for President in this country given the current xenophobia towards them.  I have said this before, but it reminds me of the way Japanese Americans were treated during WW2.    The fear mongering has been going on since 9-11  and it keeps the "people" in line.   Why else would so many be compliant with the NSA, TSA and Homeland Security, if they had not been made terrified of all things Muslim?  I live in a rural area, we have a mosque, no one protested it being built, no one lambasts the members.  Yet some of those same people  who accepted this will jump on the bandwagon to condemn Muslims.  Puzzles me.

    NY Times:  I read the article. Krugman always makes sense to anyone sensible, and I shared it on Facebook.  Fiorina has even been called out by Faux news for her lies about Planned Parenthood.  Who knew that even they would call her out?

    My Universe:  I can totally relate to this one.  I have worked harder since I retired than I did when I was working.  Shew!

     

     

  11. Great Grumpy Cat meme there , Lynn! I be exhaustipated, also!

  12. The hat tip should be shared credit with my Care2 friend Ted, who forwarded it to me from his friend Carol.

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