Yesterday my back was giving me quite a bit of pain so I stayed down. I’m current with replies. Today I still need to get a haircut, and do research for a meeting next week at the prison.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today it took me 3:11 (average 4:32). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From USA Today: President Obama announced a plan today that attempts to accommodate certain religious employers opposed to a rule that would require them to provide access to birth control for women free of charge.
Obama announced that the rule would be tweaked so that in cases where non-profit religious organizations have objections, insurance companies would be required to reach out to employees and offer the coverage directly.
"Under the rule, women will still have access to free preventive care that includes contraceptive service no matter where they work," Obama said. "That core principle remains.
This was a stroke of brilliance. The Church as withdrawn their objections. Women’s groups are most pleased. The only people who are unhappy are vulture capitalist health insurance companies and Republicans. Here’s Ed Schultz.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
From Washington Post: The Office of Congressional Ethics is investigating the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee over possible violations of insider-trading laws, according to individuals familiar with the case.
Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), who holds one of the most influential positions in the House, has been a frequent trader on Capitol Hill, buying stock options while overseeing the nation’s banking and financial services industries.
This is one of the reasons why Republicans are trying to gut the law banning Congressional insider trading.
From Business Week: The Arab League may seek approval in the United Nations’ 193-member General Assembly of its plan for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step aside, after Russia vetoed the initiative in the Security Council, UN diplomats said.
The 22-member League, which has suspended Syria and imposed economic sanctions on the country, is looking for fresh ways to intensify pressure on Assad and may seek a vote in the General Assembly by Feb. 17, according to two senior UN diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity because plans haven’t been made final.
Kudos to the Arab League for patience and wisdom in the way they are taking the lead, as they should.
Cartoon:
11 Responses to “Open Thread–2/11/2012”
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3:28 Not quite fast enough to beat you, TC. You’re the champ this week!
We all know by now that the RepublicanTs will never be happy with anything Pres. Obama does. If you don’t know that, you’re living in a cave.
I’m waiting for Bachus’ perp walk.
Kudos to the Arab League for their initiative! China and Russia will probably veto again though. How about a UN peace-keeping force?
Apt cartoon!
I’d say Jerry is.
True.
Me too.
They can not veto a vote in the General Assembly.
A pretty good “Rule of Thumb”
Oh Nameless, you’ve done it again! Excellent!
Bingo!
Women’s Health — I heard that Mr Obama had reviewed his position of birth control on the radio but no details. I was deflated at it until I heard later what the details were. Now that is a compromise that satisfies almost everyone, certainly the big players in this Republican/Teabagger manufactured debacle. After hearing the details, I thought that the insurance companies would be all over this. But as a number of people have said, it is cheaper to provide birth control than provide pregnancy or abortion services. It would appear, that being unable to score points on economic and defense issues, the Republican/Teabaggers have turned to social issues, but they’re not doing too well there either. The Catholic Bishops, 67% of women, 61% of the general public all support this. This is a good policy and the GOP should get over it! These “religious” GOP members should read Leviticus for the Hebrew Scripture take on relations with women, seeing as they are so fond of the Hebrew Scriptures over the Christian Scriptures (New Testament). That should give them pause! Perhaps if they are still against it, all women shop just stop providing their services. Damn, I’d love to be a fly on the wall for some of those conversations!
Insider Trading — I said yesterday “. . . these guys are in an even more exposed position with lobbyists, constituents and corporations to glean a lot of info. Look at Boehner with his significant interests in some of the companies that would work on the Keystone. BIG conflict of interest and BIG gains if it goes ahead. If a judge is required to recuse themselves from certain cases, maybe legislators should do the same. Better still, blind trusts for all investment transactions, whatever their nature.” TC’s reply to me was “I would carry it one step further. Public blind trusts with instructions to the trustee to divest whatever the politician is working on. Blind trusts have a way of peeking.
This has to be the case. There is no gray area in insider trading. Bachus should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. The proposed law needs to be strong, very strong. The fact that the Republicans are trying to gut their own proposal is nothing more than standing up for a colleague that has been caught with his hands in the cookie jar. Now if Bachus were a Democrat, to be sure there would be no gutting of their proposed legislation.
Syria — The Arab League is trying to manage this situation and I think that they are going about it as best they can. I’ve seen several articles that claim Russia is backing Syria and providing them with arms etc. Does Russia not know that the cold war is over? Or maybe it is just Putin, afterall, he was KGB previously. Kudos to the Arab League for going to the entire Assembly and for trying to cool things within their own ranks.
Cartoon — So Rubio, as I understand it, is Hispanic yet he supports the racism line from the Republican/Teabaggers. Seems just a little weird. Is he trying to buy his way into Republican/Teabagger ‘heaven’ when the time comes? Good cartoon TC.
The Catholic Bishops are objecting again, probably because the Republican party told them to.
I think there would be, because Bachus is not the only Republican doing it.
Agree.
That’s why I picked Rubio for the toon. That he goose steps with their racism is major hypocrisy.
So I need A Name ……… Excellent post 🙂 mamabear
Agree. Mama if you the reply link right under someone’s comment, it will nest your comment right under theirs.
3:31 I’m #3. It is only fitting since I am a day late.
Still close.