TomCat

Open Thread – 10/5/2017

Posted by TomCat at 2:29 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 052017

This is my only article today. Wendy has been going through a heart-wrenching time. Her sister had brain cancer and was about to pass. Wendy hoped it would be quick to limit Carrie’s suffering. Yesterday, I had missed my morning nap for grocery delivery. After I finished my blog work and was about to lay down, Wendy called and asked to come early, because she wanted to be home early, as Carrie appeared to be fading. Of course, I agreed, although it meant missing my afternoon nap. Wendy was done, and we finished supper at 4:30. I had trouble sleeping, snacked on too much junk food in the middle of the night, and gave myself a case of Republicosis. I went back to bed this morning and got a little sleep, despite three trips to the throne room. While I was sleeping Wendy left a message that Carrie passed at about 8:30 last night. Please remember Wendy and her family in your thoughts, prayers, or however you address the infinite.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:54 (average 5:43). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes from Full Frontal Channel:

A Primer On Puerto Rico

I didn’t know most of that. RESIST!!

Health Care: How To Make A Jacked Up American Quilt

Every penny spent on children’s health is a penny Republicans can’t spend on a billionaire. RESIST!!

Bubby Against Bubby

Dang! Do you know what old Jewish Republicans are? Republicans! RESIST!!

Cartoon:

This mirrors the Republican solution to thousands of guns in the wrong hands.

Republicans on Parade – 10/4/2017

Posted by TomCat at 1:02 pm Politics

Oct 042017

Here is the ninety-eighth article in our Republicans on Parade series, featuring individuals who personify what the Republican Party has become. Today’s honoree is Republican Senator John Thune [R-SD]. He is so honored for blaming the victims for their mass murder by an older, white, Ammosexual multi-millionaire.

Sen. John Thune (R-SD) on Tuesday responded to calls for increased gun control after the massacre in Las Vegas by telling reporters that shooting victims had a responsibility to protect themselves from gunfire.

“It sounds like [the shooter] used conversion kits and other things, you know, to make the weapons more lethal,” Thune reportedly told MSNBC’s Hallie Jackson…

…But Thune shied away from the topic of gun control, arguing, “[I]t’s an open society and it’s hard to prevent anything.”

Instead, the Republican senator offered advice to potential victims.

“I think people are going to have to take steps in their own lives to take precautions,” he opined. “To protect themselves."… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Alternet>

Had the shooter been Muslim, Thune would propose banning Muslim refugees. Had the shooter been Latino, Thune would propose building the Republican wall and telling border guards to shoot to kill. Had the shooter been Black, Thune would have proposed militarizing police even more and maintaining the absence consequences for police killing innocent Blacks. These are the standard Republican solutions. What a hypocrite Thune is! That’s why he deserves his parade!

RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!

Open Thread – 10/4/2017

Posted by TomCat at 1:01 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 042017

It’s a busy day for me. I’m waiting for Store to Door to arrive with my groceries, and I’ll have to put them away. This evening, Wendy is coming to polish and buff the TomCat that manages to get stinky, even when there is no heat wave.

All put away now. Hump Day Hugs!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:15 (average 5:13). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (GQ Channel): Trump is Not Planning to Rebuild Puerto Rico

No President, no American, no human being. Does Keith know the Fuhrer and his Republican Reich, or what? They care only about Banksters’ blood money!! RESIST!!

From YouTube (Liberal Redneck Channel): On Guns

I have no problem with whooping and shooting at beer cans, while the ladies discuss how stupid we are. In my day, I’ve done a bit of that myself. But he’s absolutely right. We can try. Until we succeed, we can RESIST!!

From YouTube (Media Matters Channel): Right-wing media: It’s never the time to talk about gun violence

Barf Bag Alert!!

As long as the Republican Party remains in power, it will never be the time to talk about common-sense measures to save lives. Every Republican in office is one Republican too many. RESIST!!

Cartoon:

1004Cartoon

Poll Results – 10/3/2017

Posted by TomCat at 1:34 pm Blog News, Politics

Oct 032017

Here are the results of our “Why to Impeach Trump” poll. Politics Plus Polls are not scientific, because those who respond are not balanced according to demographic categories. Therefore, we do not accurately reflect the makeup of the US population. Nevertheless, our polls are usually factually accurate, and more often than not, they reflect thinking of the majority of those who actually do think.

1003Poll

Since our polling site no longer enables us to copy and paste your poll comments, you may read them here.

I chose all of the top eight. The only question was whether to include ‘Treason’ as no declared state of war exists. In my opinion, Trump abetted the commission of an act of war by Russia against the United States, and that meets the Constitutional definition of ‘levying War against them’.

The new poll is up. Please vote.

RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!

Open Thread – 10/3/2017

Posted by TomCat at 1:33 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 032017

I’m back in the saddle after my appointment, and if you missed it yesterday, both my eyes are in fine shape. I think I made the right choice when I chose lens replacements, whose best focal distance is the distance from my screen, since that’s where I spend most of my time. I have reading glasses for close in and distance glasses for out and about. My new glasses will be progressive. (I wouldn’t dream of wearing Republican glasses!!)

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:45 (average 5:00). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Fantasy Football Report:

Here are last week’s results from our own fantasy football league, Lefty Blog Friends.

Scores:

4Scores

Every week, I need more Vaseline.

Standings:

4Standings

Congrats To Pam, who still leads the league. I play the Squatch this week. Players, have your lineup set by Thursday.

Short Takes:

From YouTube (GQ Channel): Trump’s “Condolences and Sympathies” Won’t Cut It

I could not agree with Keith more. RESIST!!

In sharp contrast, here is part of the Republican view.

From YouTube (RWW Channel): RWW News: Dave Daubenmire Says Vegas Shooting Was ‘The Wrath Of God’ On A Wicked Nation

Barf Bag Alert!!

Republicans love to use Republican Supply-side Jesus (the polar opposite of the real Jesus) to justify their terrorism. RESIST!!

From YouTube (MoveOn Channel): Ari Berman on Egregious Gerrymandering

I’m hopeful, but given the current makeup of SCROTUS (Republican Constitutional VD), I’m not making any bets. RESIST!!

Cartoon:

1003Cartoon

Personal Update – 10/2/2017

Posted by TomCat at 2:11 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 022017

Please keep the surviving victims, their families, the families of the dead, and all who were traumatized by the Las Vegas massacre in your thoughts, prayers, or however you address the infinite. I’ll be leaving in a bit to go for my one month follow up for my cataract surgery, and to order glasses. Although they won’t be perfect, Medicare won’t pay for them, if I wait. I’ll finish this when I return.

I’m back. The eye couldn’t be better. I got to take the tour on the way home, and I am big time pooped. Nap time!!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:59 (average 4:24). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Religious Ecstasy:

1001Broncos16-Raiders10

Cartoon:

Why the Minority Hold Us Hostage

Posted by TomCat at 10:12 am Politics

Oct 012017

In 1917, an extreme-right fascist minority staged a military coup and overthrew the majority democratic socialist government. Lenin [R-RU] called his minority Bolsheviks, which means majority. He called the majority Mensheviks, which means minority. This Republican Reich dominated Russia for almost a century, and now that nation has fallen prey to another Republican Reich under Vladimir Putin [R-RU]. A similar minority holds the US hostage under Resident Donald "Putin’s Pervert" Trump. Here’s how they do it.

There is an old saw that politics is about numbers, and in a true democracy that would be the case. But ours is not a true democracy. Even after addressing the fact that nearly 90 million eligible voters do not vote, our system weights some votes more than others, and these weighted votes almost always work to the Republicans’ advantage, giving some 35 percent to 40 percent of the electorate a disproportionate share of power.

Here’s how it works:

1. Rural votes are worth more than urban votes.

For the first few months of his presidency, Donald Trump delighted in showing guests an electoral map of the country in which huge splotches from the South through the Midwest and into the far West were red, indicating Trump’s support. He was right, of course. Those were areas that voted for Trump. Except that those splotches were sparsely populated. The dark blue dots in urban America were the densely populated Democratic areas — areas with more votes.

In most nations, geographical advantages don’t mean much. In our system, however, geography plays an outsized role. It’s not how many votes; it’s where they are cast…

2. White votes are worth more than minority votes.

White voters are deeply advantaged not only because they still constitute a majority of the electorate, but also because (a) they can be gerrymandered into white-controlled districts while diluting minorities; and (b) because white majorities often work to increase their power at minorities’ expense. We see the latter most dramatically in voter suppression laws. A Washington Post study showed that these laws, designed expressly to reduce minority participation, have a tremendous impact:… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Alternet>

It is imperative that we correct these injustices, and I have shared only the beginnings of parts 1 and 2. Click through to read the rest of those parts and for parts 3 through 7.

RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!

Open Thread – 10/1/2017

Posted by TomCat at 10:11 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 012017

Welcome to October. Wendy may be here before I finish writing. It’s a holy day in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb. My Broncos will be televised. May the blessed Orb shine its holy light on your team, unless they wear an eye-patch in California. Tomorrow, please expect no more than a Personal Update, as I have an appointment with Christine for my cataract surgery four week follow up.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:28 (average 5:23). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (SNL Channel): The Chaos President Cold Open

Dang! They act almost as Republican as the Republicans. RESIST!!

From Daily Kos: The widespread anger and outrage this week incited by Donald Trump’s comments on the NFL protests has once again shown how hypocritical and racist so many Americans are. Americans, Republicans in particular, are all for free speech but when black people exercise it, it sends some of them into a violent frenzy. It doesn’t matter who is doing the protesting, whether it’s black athletes or ordinary black citizens—they find any excuse to paint black protest as a danger to safety and democracy.

This is especially true if violence occurs at a protest. Recently, a police officer in Baton Rouge tried to sue Black Lives Matter for injuries he sustained during a protest against police brutality in July 2016. Along with suing DeRay Mckesson, an activist who attended the rally, the officer claimed that Black Lives Matter and Mckesson were responsible for inciting the violence that caused him harm. On Thursday, a federal judge ruled that the officer cannot sue Black Lives Matter and threw the case out.

If a crime was committed against the officer, and he was not injured in the process if committing police brutality, then he needs to sue the individual, who injured him. RESIST!!

From NY Times: Representative Nancy Pelosi might have retired from Congress had Hillary Clinton been elected, content that she was leaving the government in capable female hands.

“One of the reasons I stayed here is because I thought Hillary Clinton would win, we’d have a woman president and so there would be a woman not at a seat at the table, but at the head of the table for the world,” said Ms. Pelosi, the liberal Californian and longtime leader of House Democrats.

“We wanted to have a woman president,” she said in an interview for the New York Times podcast “The New Washington.” “But when we didn’t, then I couldn’t walk away and say, O.K., just let all the men have the seats at the table that are making decisions for our country.”

When Nancy Pelosi was Speaker, I called for her resignation on several occasions, because she is more centrist than progressive and more corporatist than democratic socialist. However, she is an effective Minority Leader. RESIST!!

Cartoon:

1001Cartoon

And look how much worse Lyin’ Ryan is than Agent Orange was!

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