Politics Plus

First, please accept my apology.  The holiday season has been so hectic for me, that I did not even realize we had passed the number until I was collecting data yesterday.

Pat has been a regular commenter here for over a year and followed us on Care2 for over a year.  Therefore, I’m quite surprised that it took her this long to comment a the right time to get the award.  She hails from across the pond, and is exactly whom I think of when I see British programing featuring a slightly eccentric Lady of manor where the pets rule.  Her heart is bigger than the Queen’s bank account.  She is dedicated to food safety, human rights, animal rights, and the environment.  Her sense of humor is magnificent, and her comments make her well loved by all here.

Please join me in reminding her just how special she is.  Thanks Pat!

Here are the results of our “Meaning of Christmas” 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 are usually factually accurate, and more often than not, reflect will of the national majority.

And here are your comments:

Showing comments 1–10 of 10.

Posted by Patty  December 13, 2014 at 3:51 am.  

 

Christmas to me is about Giving. 365 days a year are about Giving too.

 

Posted by Rixar13  December 11, 2014 at 7:05 am.  

 

http://youtu.be/ZGpATMO-6_o?list=PLAF22812129BFCD50

 

Posted by Rixar13  December 11, 2014 at 7:04 am.  

 

http://youtu.be/ZGpATMO-6_o?list=PLAF22812129BFCD50

 

Bill Maher is right on with this segment.

 

Posted by mamabear  December 3, 2014 at 5:40 am.  

 

I voted Santa,Family and Giving. When your children are little it’s the wonder and innocents you see in their eyes. Family it’s so exciting to get up 5am and see all the fun the day brings. But giving is by far the most fun because it brings such happiness to others.

 

Posted by Nancy W  December 1, 2014 at 5:22 am.  

 

Personally for me it’s about Jesus although I don’t belong to a church, family of course and giving. Despite the fact we donate food most of the year to food banks we also buy some toys.

I think it’s more fun if you have young children who believe in Santa. But it really has become to focused on how many presents people get and what those presents are. And way too many parties if you ask me.

 

Posted by Joanne D  December 1, 2014 at 4:55 am.  

 

I don’t really know how to answer this, as it is about all of the above, and more. Light. That just when the days are shortest and it is darkest, there is a turnaround, and the light will return. Rebirth. New beginnings. Equality (both rich are poor were called, the rich by a star, the poor by an angel, to come and see, and both responded – to an event that is for everyone.

In a way I don’t participate, because I don’t go to church, I don’t go to parties, I don’t decorate, I don’t bake. All of those are because of allergies (well, I could bake wheat-free, but with limited mobility it’s not a pleasure, and the result isn’t really worth it to me). I could be resentful that I have had my Christmas stolen by allergies, but I’m not, because what Christmas is REALLY about is in the spirit. And I have all of that. And, as Lona says, the music.

 

Posted by SoINeedAName  December 1, 2014 at 3:47 am.  

 

For several decades now we dropped the gifts, and instead we each pick a charity to donate to. Before, all we were doing was exchanging shopping lists for each other. And none of us really needed anything to start with.

 

So now our Christmas is just like our Thanksgiving … only with better decorations!

 

(OK – when there were little kids, we would get THEM gifts. But there are no little kids now.

 

Posted by Lona  December 1, 2014 at 1:25 am.  

 

The Dutch weren’t very big on Christmas 50 years ago, they celebrated St. Nicolaas on the 5th of December. But my mother had taken the grand German Christmas tradition with her when she came to Holland and we celebrated it with a tree, presents, cookies and fruit and a lavish meal with the whole family when nobody else did. But it has become popular, i.e. very commercialized here too and we stopped celebrating it after my parents died.

These past few years I’ve been Down Under at Christmas and I don’t get into the Christmas feeling at all in the subtropics when it near 40 degrees Celsius out, even with Bach’s Weinachtsoratorium or Händel’s Messiah playing, so we now skip it all together and just donate money to charity – Doctors without borders fighting Ebola this year.

 

Posted by Edie  November 30, 2014 at 4:24 pm.  

 

For me, it is the pleasure of family being together and giving, both to family and those less fortunate.

 

Posted by Lynn Squance  November 30, 2014 at 1:45 pm.  

 

For me, as a Christian, Christmas is about Jesus, family and giving. But non Christians, and that includes right wing pseudo Christians as well as peoples of other faiths, can celebrate the spirit of Christmas too by giving of themselves to others that truly need to know they matter, that they are loved. Oh, and BTW, Christmas can be celebrated 365 days per year! Giving knows no limit or time frame.

I chose Jesus, family and giving.  The first is by definition.  The third is what he did.  While I am alone, my guys in prison and you all are my family.

The new poll is up and voting in a timely manner is critically important. 😉

Here are the results of our “Will Republicans Impeach?” 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 are usually factually accurate, and more often than not, reflect will of the national majority.

And here are your comments:

Showing comments 1–14 of 14.

Posted by SoINeedAName  19 hours ago.   

 

I really wanted to vote "Very Unlikely" – BUT given the abject STUPIDITY of these rethuglican hate-mongers I upped it to "Somewhat Unlikely"

 

Posted by Rixar13  November 27, 2014 at 6:46 am.  

 

"Very likely" – It’s all they’ve got.

 

Posted by SoINeedAName  November 22, 2014 at 1:51 pm.  

 

I voted "Somewhat Unlikely" because no one – and I mean NO ONE – can be THAT f\/cking racist and stupid

 

Oh, wait … we’re talking about Rethuglicans, aren’t we?

 

Can I change my vote?

 

Posted by Edie  November 18, 2014 at 5:08 pm.  

 

I think they will try to impeach him for something, it won’t matter what to them, they just want to embarrass him if they can.

 

Posted by Yvonne White  November 17, 2014 at 3:04 pm.  

 

It’s their god-given right! ;

Of Course these idiots will try!!!! But it’s all smoke & mirrors & wasteful expense for Nothing. Clinton proved that Impeachment might hurt your feelings, but Does NOT Remove you from office!

 

Posted by Dotti Lydon  November 17, 2014 at 6:24 am.  

 

I voted very unlikely, but they sure as hell are going to try.

 

Posted by gene  November 17, 2014 at 4:08 am.  

 

They might vote articles of impeachment, but I rather doubt it and they don’t have enough votes in the Senate to complete an impeachment process anyway – which might make it more likely they’ll vote the articles – for show so their "base" will know how tough they are. Maroons…

 

Posted by mamabear  November 17, 2014 at 3:57 am.  

 

oops Boehner to left

 

Posted by Joanne D  November 17, 2014 at 3:55 am.  

 

They are very likely to keep talking about nothing else for the next two years. They are only somewhat likely to actually do it. They are all hat and no cattle.

 

Posted by mamabear  November 17, 2014 at 3:55 am.  

 

I voted Toss-up. I really don’t think even they know. Cruz to right.Boehner to the right and McConnell stuck in the middle with a " I just want to go down in history as the man who took Obama down". My My what a dilemma.

 

Posted by Arielle   November 17, 2014 at 2:14 am.  

 

Impeach him for what? He’s doing his job – they are not. They are busy making life miserable for him and all the rest of us, too. The man only has two years left….very unlikely they could or would.

 

Posted by Patty  November 17, 2014 at 1:56 am.  

 

Somewhat likely. It depends on how loudly their "base" demands it.

 

Posted by Phil  November 16, 2014 at 9:11 pm.  

 

Very likely! Once again, I base my answer on past performance.

 

Posted by thubten  November 16, 2014 at 12:23 pm.  

 

why would they give up a good thing?

The comments make it clear that not everyone understands impeachment.  If House Republicans opt to vote a Bill of Impeachment, Obama will be impeached.  To be impeached is not the same as to be removed from office.  In addition to impeachment, removal requires conviction in a Senate trial.  Conviction requires a 2/3 majority of the Senate.

I voted ‘Somewhat likely’.  The leadership is savvy enough to realize that the frivolous charges available to them are most likely to be a public relations nightmare, and that they have no chance to get the 67 Senate votes needed to convict, if the House does impeach him.  The problem the leadership faces is that their racist hatemongering has inflamed the party’s rabid base.  So the reason for my vote is that the TEAbuggery tail is likely to wag the leadership’s dog, as it so frequently has.

The new poll is up and is more personal.

This is Arielle’s first Big Mouth award.  She’s a denizen of Care2, and has been following us there for years, but just recently started commenting here at the site.  We’re sure glad she did, because her enthusiasm and wit make this a better place to be.  Hot buttons for her are people in need, the environment, climate change, food safety, human rights, animal welfare and more.  Please give her lots of kudos and hugs, because she lives in Bubba Bagger’s Backyard, and she’s been getting a really raw Deal.  I feel like a big brother to her, but I can’t imagine why. 😉