Open Thread – 10/8/2020

Posted by TomCat at 11:26 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 082020

It’s a busy day here in the CatBox. Last Night I caught most of the slaughter. Today is a grocery delivery day, and I have to put them away. Tomorrow, please expect no more than a Personal Update, because it’s a morning WWWendy day. Today, here is a special treat from Mitch (ours, not Bought Bitch Midnight Moscow).

My wife and I went into town and visited a shop. When we came out, there was a cop writing out a parking ticket.

We went up to him and said, “Come on man, how about giving a senior citizen a break?”

He ignored us and continued writing the ticket. I called him an “asshole.” He glared at me and started writing another ticket for having worn-out tires. So, Shirley, my wife, called him a “shithead.” He finished the second ticket and put it on the windshield with the first. This went on for about 20 minutes. The more we abused him, the more tickets he wrote. He finally finished, sneered at us and walked away.

Just then our bus arrived, and we got on it and went home.

We always look for cars with Trump 2020 stickers. We try to have a little fun each day now that we’re retired. It’s so important at our age.

The one change I’d make is to pee in the gas tank before leaving!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:30 (average 5:04). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump* Virus Update:

1008TrumpVirusMap

Click for interactive maps and charts

US Cases: 7,780,586
US Deaths: 216,889
Plus all the Trump*/GOP plague murders Republicans are hiding from us

Debate Summary:

What Pence said over and over: “You have a right to your own opinion, but not to your own facts! [Insert Lie Here]”

What Pence did over and over: Interrupt and hog the mic.

What the moderator should have said: “Pence, you asshole, Shut the F*CK UP!“

What Harris did: WIN!

Short Takes:

From NY Times: President Trump claimed on Wednesday that catching the coronavirus was “a blessing from God” and portrayed as a miracle cure the unproven therapeutic drug he was given after testing positive last week for the virus.

It could not have been a blessing from God. If it had, She would have made it a terminal illness. RESIST!!

From CNN: President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will not participate in the second presidential debate with Joe Biden after the Commission on Presidential Debates said the event will be held virtually in the wake of the President’s positive coronavirus diagnosis.

“I am not going to do a virtual debate,” Trump said on Fox Business. “I am not going to waste my time on a virtual debate.”

Biden’s campaign on Thursday swiftly agreed to the virtual format. But Trump’s comment throws the debate into question after the commission took the significant step to wholly remake the event. The move was seen as needed by members of the debate commission given the uncertainty around the President’s health.

Politically, if Trump skips the debate, he’ll be deprived of a platform that he needs at a time when his campaign is trailing in every national poll and in a number of key swing states. The first event was watched by more than 73 million people.

Why would Trump* do this? At a virtual debate, the moderator could unplug Trump’s* mic, when he bullies/interrupts the way he and Mr. Karen did during the first two debates. RESIST!!

From You Tube (a blast of protest): The Cranberries – Zombie (Official Music Video)

Ten years ago the Cranberries wondered what would be left of America after 2020. Criminal Fuhrer Trump wants to rule a nation of zombies! Protest like the 60s! RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

Biden vs Sanders Debate

Posted by TomCat at 11:18 am Politics

Mar 162020

I watched the debate last night. I could tell that both candidates were uncomfortable, as they are so accustomed to working a crowd. With tough contests coming up, Bernie needed a strong win to overcome Joe’s lead and momentum. Here are the opinions of a group pf panelists from The Guardian.

Jessa Crispin: ‘Sanders was too gentle on Biden’

Throughout this primary, I’ve heard supporters of other candidates complain about Bernie Sanders’ tendency to raise his voice. Where the hell was that yelling Bernie on Sunday night? His tendency to try to keep an undignified process dignified and his discomfort with going for Joe Biden’s throat were on clear display. If Biden wins the nomination, he’s going to have to debate the least classy man ever to appear in World Wrestling Entertainment. Bernie would have been doing us – and frankly, Joe as well – a favor by channeling gay rights king Stone Cold Steve Austin and pinning Biden on issues like how the 2008 bank bailout was disastrous for homeowners, or how his warmongering has stuck us in an endless war, or how the Violence Against Women Act that he loves to brag about did basically nothing to prevent violence in relationships…

Art Cullen: ‘The debate was a first step to bringing the Democratic party together’

Bernie Sanders did Joe Biden and the nation a great favor by serving as an amiable sparring partner on Sunday evening, exposing the former vice-president’s weaknesses as this race is about to turn to the general election. On healthcare, the Middle East and the power of corporate influence, Sanders tried to help Biden open himself up to the progressive wing – while at the same time showing Biden the areas where he may be vulnerable to the Trump assault…

Benjamin Dixon: ‘The coronavirus crisis was the question above all others’

Coronavirus weighed heavily on the entirety of the Democratic debate this evening. Both Biden and Sanders gave their best suggestions for fighting the pandemic. The approach of each candidate shows you why their campaigns are fundamentally different, even though both candidates are running under the banner of the Democratic party…

Jill Filipovic: ‘Americans deserve leadership. Instead they got an embarrassing squabble’

Well, that was possibly the worst debate of the entire Democratic primary.

The United States is experiencing an unprecedented crisis. We are facing down a pandemic that could kill more than a million Americans. A great many of us are self-isolating at home, made even more anxious by the fact that our current government has totally botched the coronavirus response, putting us all at tremendous and unnecessary risk. We don’t have the most basic faith that, despite living in one of the most prosperous societies in the history of the world, our leaders will keep us safe. We have a president who has failed us at every turn, and then throws up his hands and says he does not take responsibility…

Lloyd Green: ‘Sanders’ luster is gone. The Democrats must rally around Biden’

On Sunday, America caught a glimpse of the coming campaign: two septuagenarians battling each other without a live audience applauding and goading. The debate changed nothing, but at the end of the evening Joe Biden was sitting on the cusp of the Democratic nomination. Come Tuesday, the former vice-president is poised for lopsided wins in Arizona, Florida, Illinois and Ohio…

I urge you to click through and read the rest, as there is so much more great material there.

My opinion was closest to Dixon’s and furthest from Filipovic’s. I thought the debate was dead even, until this happened.

Joe Biden commits to having woman as vice president

This is what won the debate for Joe. That’s a hard statement for me, because I want Bernie to win. Not only should Bernie have already committed to nominating a woman for VP, but worse, he appeared unprepared for Joe’s commitment.

Given Bernie’s failure to win this debate, Joe’s 21% lead in the polls, and Joe’s significant lead, barring a major unforeseen development, Joe is on track to win the nomination.

RESIST!!

The SC Debate

Posted by TomCat at 9:47 am Politics

Feb 262020

The performance that I liked best in the SC debate was that of Elizabeth Warren, but I’m sure my own bias enters into that. I think that Bernie, Joe and Liz did well. Amy and Pete barely held their own, at best. Bloomberg was weak, and Steyer did not belong on the stage at all. Other losers were the boo birds that the Biden campaign planted in the audience to scream BOO every time Bernie opened his mouth.

Seven Democratic presidential candidates took the stage Tuesday night in Charleston, S.C., for a fiery debate days before the state’s primary on Saturday.

The showdown in the Palmetto State also marked the final debate before Democrats battle in the biggest day on the primary calendar — Super Tuesday — next week.

Who won and lost in the latest debate?

WINNERS

Former Vice President Joe Biden

Biden kept his hopes alive with one of his strongest debate performances.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)

Warren is the most consistent debater left in the race.

She went after former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg once again in this debate. She did not eviscerate him as thoroughly as she did last week in Las Vegas, but she again raised questions about his treatment of women in the workplace….

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)

Sanders won on Tuesday by not obviously losing.

He came under the kind of sustained attack that any front-runner faces…

Inserted from <The Hill>

The biggest loser in the debate was CBS News. Here’s an excerpt from an email from Marcos Moulitsas of Daily Kos.

We went from perhaps the best debate ever, last week, to one of the worst ever, Tuesday night. What a disaster, from the questions, to the moderation, to the way they shoehorned one last commercial break at the end, without nothing but a “goodbye!” on the other side, Taking ad money from both Mike Bloomberg and Tom Steyer for commercials was an added insult.

It was insulting that in a DEMOCRATIC debate, moderators spent valuable time asking about North Korea, China, Syria, and other issues that fail to inform the vote of a single Democratic primary voter. As a result, climate change, choice, unions, and other key progressive priorities were ignored.

This was the worst moderation and production of any debate this season.

South Carolina debate wrap: Rivals take aim at Sanders

I disagree that Liz’ statement that she would be a better President was an attack. She was saying something good about herself, not something bad about Bernie. Everyone else on the stage attacked Bernie. Bernie’s honest statement that, over his long career, he has made some bad votes was honest. Kudos. He defused all the attacks well.

Elizabeth Warren: People Want to Hear From the Women Who Worked for Mayor Bloomberg

Mike “Kill It” Bloomberg [R-NY] had to buy that woman’s silence with an out of court settlement. The establishment media attacked Liz for attacking Bloomberg. They said she should have gone after Bernie, because Bloomberg isn’t even on the SC ballot. I disagree. That debate may have in SC, but it was also the debate for Super Tuesday, where Bloomberg hopes to excel and replace Biden as the establishment alternative to Bernie.

I look forward to Saturday and Tuesday with fingers crossed

RESIST!!

Open Thread–2/8/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:33 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 082020

I’m having a rough day. Although I haven’t barfed my breakfast, I have severe heartburn, and the Republicosis has returned. Tomorrow is a WWWendy day, so please expect no more than an Open Thread. I hope your weekend is better than mine.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:42 (average 4:31). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From ACLU: Voting should be as easy and convenient as possible, and in many cases it is. But across the U.S., too many politicians are passing measures making it harder to cast a ballot. The goal is to manipulate political outcomes, and the result is a severely compromised democracy that doesn’t reflect the will of the people. Our democracy works best when all eligible voters can participate and have their voices heard.

Suppression efforts range from the seemingly unobstructive, like voter ID laws and cuts to early voting, to mass purges of voter rolls and systemic disenfranchisement. And long before election cycles even begin, legislators can redraw district lines that determine the weight of your vote. Certain communities are particularly susceptible to suppression and in some cases, outright targeted — people of color, students, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

Below, we’ve listed some of the most rampant methods of voter suppression across the country — and the advocacy and litigation efforts aimed at protecting our fundamental right to vote.

Click through for the best reference I’ve seen on voter suppression by the Republican Reich! RESIST!!

From YouTube (538 Channel): Who Won The New Hampshire Debate? Buttigieg? Klobuchar? Sanders?

Here’s my take on it. Buttigieg and Sanders ended in a virtual tie. Warren was third, in spite of being sabotaged by ABC news, who virtually ignored her all night. She got less time than Klobuchar, and WAY less time than Biden. Klobuchar was fourth. She seemed a bit desperate. Biden was fifth. He was more forceful, than before but was singularly unimpressive. Steyer is still trying to buy victory, and Yang is still a one trick pony. RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Witnesses Left Scattered In Wake Of Trump Impeachment Scandal

Criminal Fuhrer Trump* always leaves chaos in his wake, as others bear the consequences of his never-ceasing crimes and incompetence. RESIST!!

Also from YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Secret Service Skipping Reports On Payment To Trump Resorts: WaPo

Meanwhile a Trump* appointed federal judge just ruled that Congress lacks standing to sue Trump* for emoluments violations. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): The Doors – Hello, I Love You

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

The Democratic Debate – 1/14/2020

Posted by TomCat at 8:58 am Politics

Jan 152020

I watched the democratic debate last night and thought, for the most part, it was s pretty boring affair. Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elisabeth Warren, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar and Tom Steyer all sounded fairly good, with the caveat that provisions need to be made to keep candidates from buying a place on the stage with advertising, when the inability to spend the $millions Steyer did forced far more deserving candidates out of the race. In my opinion, Warren won the debate, and Bernie was a close second, but Biden should retain his frontrunner status, because he did not make any major gaffes.

Warren probably won, while Biden sat above the fray

All the candidates, but in particular Bernie Sanders, were peppered with leading questions, and the most potentially interesting moment of the entire debate was confusingly mishandled [by CNN].

Sanders was asked about a conversation that allegedly happened between him and Elizabeth Warren about whether a woman could beat Trump. He responded by saying that he did not, and would not, tell Warren that a woman was unelectable. Warren was then asked how she responded to being told by Sanders that a woman could not be elected president. The discrepancy between the two accounts was not addressed. And clearly not all is well, judging by what appeared to be an argument between the two, caught on tape right after the debate ended.

The foreign policy and trade focus of the debate was welcomed, but all the candidates were allowed to vaguely posture as anti-war and skeptical of free trade without any specifics.

The night’s bigger winner is probably Warren for avoiding a big gaffe after a difficult week. And Bernie didn’t do anything to disillusion his stalwart base. But I imagine that Biden is happy to be avoiding the fray and sitting comfortably with his lead and his reliable base of older Democrats… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <The Guardian>

Here is a clip of Bernie and Liz.

Elizabeth Warren fires back at Bernie Sanders’ denial about women candidates

When Bernie said he didn’t say that, the incredulity on Liz’ face was plain to see. However, I certainly don’t thing that the problem was ever Bernie. I suspect he was complaining about that possibility. The recent rehashing of it, came from the Bernie Bros, not Bernie. The way Liz defused the conflict and converted it to a strong statement for all women candidates was, in my opinion, the high point of the debate.

Vote Blue!!

RESIST!!

Open Thread – 12/20/2019

Posted by TomCat at 8:14 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 202019

The week has caught up with me, so I hope to catch some extra nap time. Pardon my brevity. TGIF!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:36 (average 5:12). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Expect Trump To Seek Revenge For Impeachment: Fmr. Trump Employee

She should know. There’s a word for Republicans that don’t jump ship now: FOOL! RESIST!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel): Elizabeth Warren attacks Pete Buttigieg for ‘wine cave’ donors

As a Liz supporter, I hate to admit it, but he was ready for her. Nevertheless, I think Mayor Pete more qualified for the post of VP. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): While My Guitar Gently Weeps- George Harrison – The Beatles

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread – 12/18/2019

Posted by TomCat at 9:43 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 182019

It’s a tired day here in the CatBox. Yesterday was a gruesome day. TriMet Lift got me to the hospital 75 minutes early. No complaint. Better that than late. Then the Anesthesiologist was two hours late to my procedure. She was planning a general, but I would likely have to have spent the night, if they did. I ordered her to dope me up as little as possible with twilight drugs, gritted my teeth, and bore up under the pain, which was more severe than I anticipated. The doctor did hit the target, and I should know next week. WWWendy (God bless her!) got me home around five and fed me. I could not be more pleased that day is over! I’m pooped.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:29 (average 5:48). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Republicans would love to do this to all minorities!

Fantasy Football Report:

Here’s the latest in our own fantasy football league.

15Playoffs

Congrats to me and the Squatch for winning our games. Kudos to me for a record high score. This weekend WWWendy plays me, and Vivian plays the Squatch in the Semifinal games. Patty Monster is bye this week and will win the 5th place game next week. Good luck to all!

Short Takes:

From NY Times: The next Democratic presidential debate will go on as scheduled Thursday, after negotiators on Tuesday reached agreement in a labor dispute that had threatened to upend the event while highlighting organized labor’s influence with the leading Democratic presidential candidates.

The debate, which will be held at Loyola Marymount University, had been in question since last week after the seven participating Democrats each said that they would not cross a picket line, if there was one.

The dispute, between a cafeteria workers union and a food services company at Loyola Marymount, involved only about 150 workers and had drawn little notice over nine months. Yet in the heated political atmosphere surrounding the 2020 Democratic presidential contest, the impasse attracted outsized attention this month as the sixth primary debate approached.

Kudos to all the Democratic candidates for supporting the fight against the Republican War on labor! RESIST!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel): McConnell on impeachment trial: I’m not an impartial juror

Since Bought Mitch Moscow Mitch refuses to accede to his Constitutional mandate of impartiality, either he should recuse himself, or Injustice Roberts of SCROTUS (Republican anti-Constitutional VD) should order him to step down. Fat Chance! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): George Harrison-Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!