I’m writing for tomorrow, day 3. I don’t know why but for the last 24 hours I’ve been unable to sleep. After going out and getting my winter coat, I spent most of the afternoon lying in bed, feeling exhausted and wide awake. I’ve had zero tike for research. Back to bed.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 5:22 (average 5:27). To do it, click here. How did you do?
I could not help noticing in the statements from the Republican leadership that they hoped to be able to find areas of agreement with President Obama, and that they would work together to compromise. Is that a realistic expectation? I think not. For the last six years, the Republican Party has been cultivating the support from people like the caller in the following article. Such racists have become their base and most dependable followers.
A man who called into C-SPAN’s "Washington Journal" Thursday morning referred to President Barack Obama as "that n***er" before getting booted off the air.
The caller, who gave his name as Anthony from San Diego, California, identified himself as a Republican and started out talking about the direction he thinks the new GOP majority in Congress should take.
"I would just like to say, that the Republicans — and I’m a Republican — please do not overreach," the caller began. "I know they’re going to overreach but I’m telling you, if you advocate for the repeal of Obamacare and you get too extreme, then Hillary Clinton will be elected President in 2016."
"This is about race," he added. "The Republicans hate that nigger Obama."…
Inserted from <TPM>
Hard to believe? Here’s the video.
This is the tail that wags the Republican dog.
Rachel Maddow dedicated two segments to the possibility if cooperation. In the first, she examines that the Republican bubble machine is saying and what the actual politicians are doing.
If you can’t see it here try this link on MSNBC.
It appears to me that Republicans are feigning congeniality and promising compromise to keep Obama from acting while Democrats still have a Senate majority. Obama believed them, in 2009 when they were promising compromise on Obamacare. To believe them now, especially given that sign, would be foolish indeed.
In the second segment, Rachel shows how they have inflamed the public against Obama and how Obama is calling them out to actually govern.
If you can’t see it here try this link on MSNBC.
I could not fine either clip on YouTube.
I won’t be holding my breath.
Finally, consider Eric Cantor. All it took was a hint that he would be willing to compromise to cost him his seat. Even if some in the Republican majority want to compromise, the threat of being primaried from the right and TEAbuggered out of office will Keep them goose-stepping with the most rabid segments of the base.
Now, both Agent Orange and Bought Bitch Mitch are promising to be nice, but saying that unilateral action from Obama would be like waving a red flag at a bull. That’s too much bull to resist waving the flag.
Here are the results of our Control the Senate 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 often both accurate and indicative of the nation’s view. In this case, I admitted up front that this was a push poll, intended to evoke a response, not get an accurate measurement. Sadly, it proved all too prophetic.
And here are your comments:
Showing comments 1–8 of 8.
Posted by Edie November 3, 2014 at 5:37 pm.
If we didn’t get enough Democrats out to vote for this election, the reds will win again in Ky. I really don’t want to move.
Posted by Lynn Squance October 27, 2014 at 5:10 pm.
I`d like to vote in the red with Gene but I can`t with the historical turnouts at midterms, and the propensity for election fraud and voter suppression by the Republican/Teabaggers.
Vote blue and GET OUT THE VOTE!
To the American voting public, please show me that I have erred and that Democrats will win the day!
Posted by Patty October 27, 2014 at 3:36 am.
It is very important that Democrats get out and VOTE this year. TeapublicanTs cannot win!
VOTE and remind everyone you know of how crucial it is. It is our duty as citizens to VOTE.
Posted by Edie October 22, 2014 at 4:50 pm.
We have to get the democrats out to vote, if note, the right wing will win again.
Posted by mamabear October 22, 2014 at 10:02 am.
It depends on how well we GET OUT THE VOTE!!
Posted by Nancy W October 17, 2014 at 4:50 am.
I’m in the Green.
Posted by gene jacobson October 17, 2014 at 2:17 am.
I’m the one in red. Gotta have faith. :^
Posted by Joanne D October 16, 2014 at 4:38 am.
Song – this is my song —
So, of those Americans who were registered and could vote, approximately 31% – 38% actually voted. I suspect we’ll be trying to figure out why so many stayed home right up until the eve of the next election. I won’t say that the people who voted Republican are stupid, or evil. Some did co out of hatred, but not all. Im my opinion, many were just misinformed. At least they voted. On the other hand, I hold those people who could have voted but refused to make the effort, beneath contempt. These people will be whining about what this Congress does. They deserve it.
There is a new poll ready for you.
I’m writing for tomorrow, day 2, even though 11-7 feels no luckier than Tuesday, which came up snake-eyes. Obviously, I’m still not a happy camper, but I didn’t give up after the disasters of 2000, 2004, or 2010. We should have another chance to save this nation in 2016, so campaign 2016 starts now.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:01 (average 4:54). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: Congressional seats are on pace to fetch a whopping four billion dollars on Tuesday night, a record-smashing sales figure that has exceeded the expectations of even the most optimistic insiders.
The seats, which include four hundred and thirty-five in the House of Representatives and thirty-six in the Senate, have attracted buyers from a broad spectrum of industries, including investment banking, energy, pharmaceutical, and gun.
“With all of the uncertainty in the world today, the United States Congress is considered a very safe place for the rich to invest their money,” said Charles Michollot, of the auction house Sotheby’s. “Congressional seats are like Manhattan real estate—they aren’t making any more of them.”
But Anton Pickardin, of the rival auction house Christie’s, sounds more skeptical. “I hate to be a wet blanket, but these sales figures lack rhyme and reason,” Pickardin said. “When someone is willing to pay millions of dollars for a pre-owned Mitch McConnell, you know that people have lost their minds.”
Given that this came out on election morning, before any returns were available, Andy proved himself a prophet, not just a comic.
From Upworthy: The Great Barrier Reef is in real danger. A lot of good folks are drawing attention to what’s going on and calling out companies that are doing the literal dirty work. How dirty? Very dirty.
Sadly any help the US might have been in curtailing the use of fossil fuels in the next two years just went up in smoke. This is just one of the reasons campaign 2016 begins now.
From NY Times: All told, Republican outside groups spent about $205 million on television advertising in Senate races, according to a Democrat tracking media purchases, who agreed to share the information on condition of anonymity, while Democratic groups spent $132 million.
Note that this does not count the spending after the reporting deadline that has not yet been reported. Republican spending during this period was so massive that there was no ad time left for candidates to buy. We have the worst Legislature money has ever bought.
Cartoon:
I’m writing for tomorrow, day 1. Don’t ask. I need to take a day or two off to recover from the devastation I feel. The only bright spot was Oregon We kept our Democratic Senator, our Democratic Governor and our four Congressional Representatives. Eastern Oregon still has a Republican Rep, but nobody expected that to change. We INCREASED our lead in both the Oregon House and Oregon Senate. All the major ballot measures were acceptable, except for GMO labeling, which failed due to a pants-load of deceptive corporate advertising. However I am as ashamed of my nation, as I am proud of my state. When foreigners make derogatory statements that US voters are fools, I have nothing I can say in their defense.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:47 (average 5:31). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Cartoon:
\
The time has come. All the coolest cats have voted or are voting and not it’s time for the results. I’m trying something unusual. As the night progresses I’ll be adding to this article with news, observations and expressions of joy and/or grief. I’ll update the articles time with each iteration, and I’ll try to answer any comments that may be left. It should work, but I’m pushing the limits of my system. Here we go.
4:05
Terrible news. Bought Bitch Mitch won.
5:19
Republican Shelly Moore Capito picked up a Senate seat in WV, but that was already a given.
Democrat Tom Wolfe defeated Tom Corbett to become PA Governor. Beating that racist Bagger is huge.
5:35
More bad news. Republican Tom Cotton picked up Mark Pryor’s Senate seat in AR. The Republicans also picked up the governorship there.
To date Republicans are +3 in the Senate and even in the state houses.
7:30
I have more bad news. Republican Steve Dains and Corey Gardner picked u Senate seats in Montana anc Colorado. Republicans are +5. One more and it’s theirs.
8:53
More bad news. Fitzwalkerstan still has a Fartfuhrer. Republicans have taken the Senate and Joni Pig Nuts out them over the top. There is no good news. I’m going to sign off now. I need to go throw up. Good night.
I’m writing for tomorrow, day 198. I have no idea what tomorrow will bring, but I suspect that the wait will not be over.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 5:52 (average 6:02). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Fantasy Football Report:
Here’s the latest news from our own fantasy football league.
Scores:
Standings:
Tied with the Bigfoot!!
Short Takes:
From Upworthy: I beamed in to "The Colbert Report" to deliver a message to citizens of the galaxy. I’ve always wanted Stephen Colbert to take me out, and he did. It was transportive, literally. Hope you enjoy this piece, which ties "Star Trek: TOS" to the upcoming midterm elections.
LMAO! Also… Amen!
From The New Yorker: The reëlection [sic]campaign of Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) went into a tailspin on Monday with the emergence of a leaked photograph showing the Senator reading what appears to be an advanced science text.
The picture, which appeared on the gossip site TMZ, shows a visibly absorbed McConnell reading a scholarly volume entitled, “The Man-Made Causes of Global Warming.”
For McConnell, who has repeatedly punctuated his public statements on climate change with the claim that he is “not a scientist,” the scandalous photo threatens to torpedo his reëlection bid.
In the hours since the image was leaked, McConnell has plummeted between five and seven points in statewide polls as voters demanded to know what he was doing with the type of book only a scientist would read.
Swinging into damage-control mode, McConnell appeared at a hastily called press conference in Lexington and offered a terse denial. “It is true that I was holding the book, and that the book was open. But I was not reading the book,” he said.
What Andy isn’t telling us is whether or not he had the book upside down. Of course he wasn’t reading it. Bought Bitch Mitch is as capable of understanding science as Crawford Caligula was of understanding My Pet Goat.
From Daily Kos: Sarah Palin took to Facebook again to declare how terrible Barack Obama is and how opposed he is to moms and apple pies and the flag but mostly moms. Apparently she’s of the opinion that Obama saying this:
“Sometimes, someone, usually mom, leaves the workplace to stay home with the kids, which then leaves her earning a lower wage for the rest of her life as a result. And that’s not a choice we want Americans to make.”
… was an attack on motherhood, because Obama wanting better pay for mothers that return to the workforce is, um …
You know what? I have no clue. That’s the thing about Actual Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin, she has the Gohmertian quality of being able to spout a thirty foot high geyser of words without ever once getting to a recognizable point.
Bloody Bullseye Barbie, aka Drill Baby Dingbat, is at it again. Would it be too much to hope that she tops the Republican ticket in 2016?
Cartoon:
Every week, Republicans join a competition to see who can say the most outlandish things, and in the process, every week they push the envelope on just how disastrous InsaniTEA can become. I trust that you will believe it, when I tell you that last week, even the week before a national election, was no exception.
Laura Ingraham crosses the line from meanspirited to batsh*t cuckoo with suggestion that Ebola volunteers are props.
Should we be worried about Laura Ingraham’s sanity at this point? She’s been coming up with some doozies lately, like conspiracy theories about dark-skinned children crossing our borders in order to infect us with diseases. Now, she is questioning the existence of healthcare workers.
This week, President Obama addressed the country’s response to Ebola outbreaks in West Africa, and was joined by several healthcare workers who have recently returned from relief operations and others who are about to embark on them. It’s worth noting that, after getting a slow start on Ebola response, Obama has been fairly exemplary in his leadership on the disease, heeding science (when did this become controversial? Ugghh, never mind) and refusing to bow to hysteria. Witness his hug with nurse Nina Pham, who actually was diagnosed with Ebola and recovered, compared, say, with Chris Christie’s locking up a nurse who was NOT infected.
Also present was Dr. Kent Brantly, who became infected while volunteering in Liberia and was the first Ebola patient treated on American soil. Dr. Brantly, it somehow needs to be said, is a real person. Really.
But Ingraham thinks all these people may have been stunt doubles, questioning whether or not they were employees of the pro-Obama political group Organizing for America disguised in "white coats."
Speaking of white coats, it might be time for the people in them to come for Ingraham…
Inserted from <AlterNet>
If the boys in white coats enter Faux Noise to get her, they’d better wear full HazMat gear, lest they become deranged. This is just the sixth of six Republican disasters from last week alone. Click through for the other five.
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