Politics Plus

Today has been one of those days . . . physiotherapy, a few messages and then home to work on this Open Thread.  It didn't take long for my concentration to wane and my eyes to close while at the keyboard.  Then my head would snap to, I'd continue until the eyes were heavy again. Snap!  I took a Lona cat nap just for an hour and that seemed to work.  But now, it really is time for bed.  Maybe it is all the euphoria of Trudeau's slaughter of Harper.  On the other hand, tomorrow would have been the 124th birthday of my grandfather who I dearly loved.  He passed away at 99.5 years and his memorial service was on my birthday.  We were so close that when he passed, I could not be sad for him.  He was ready.

Puzzle — Today’s took me 2:43 (average 3:54). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.

Short Takes 

The New Yorker — In the aftermath of former Virginia senator James Webb’s announcement that he is quitting the Democratic Presidential primary, a new poll shows his bitter rival Lincoln Chafee surging to two per cent of likely voters.

The former Rhode Island governor, whose path to the White House was predicated on knocking Webb out of the race, could not contain his jubilation as he told supporters in Concord, New Hampshire, that his campaign is now “solidly in the single digits.”

Webb has dropped out and it is time for Chaffee to do the same.

Alternet — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not known for his nuance, but his disregard for historical facts themselves took a new turn today as he claimed, in a speech in Israel, that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler actually did not want to exterminate Jews until a Palestinian religious leader convinced him otherwise.

How typical of "Republicans", Butcher Ben included . . . ignore facts and rewrite history . . . or at least try to.  Check HERE to read some about Haj Amin al-Husseini.

Think Progress — The Supreme Court is also complicit in the wave of “curbs on voting rights” that Yglesias notes in his piece. In a party-line vote, a 5-4 Supreme Court gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, enabling many voter ID laws, gerrymandered maps and other legislation that would have otherwise been blocked to go into effect. Similarly, the Court in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board effectively greenlighted Voter ID laws — one of the most common examples of state laws that exclude voters likely to support Democrats. The Court’s plurality opinion cited concerns about in-person voter fraud to justify this outcome, even though the opinion could only find one example of such fraud occurring in the United States within the preceding 140 years!

In my opinion, there is much more election fraud than voter fraud, and most of that is engineered by the Republicans or their agents provocateurs.  They use gerrymandering, voter ID laws, election day theatrics etc to deny the vote of groups that traditionally vote for Democrats and then have the temerity to call it voter fraud. 

Alternet — Texas is many things to many people—a state the size of a medium-sized country; home to several idiot governors, one who became president, and a current one who thinks it’s a good idea for college students to openly carry firearms. To Donald Trump, Texas is the place where a "big, beautiful wall" should be built. To people in Norway, “texas” with a small “t” is a synonym for crazy, bonkers, out of control and wild. As in, that’s totally texas. Or in Norwegian: det var helt texas.

When I first saw this, I had to give my head a shake and try to stop laughing.  There are some fine people in Texas, but the Republican craziness of people like Louis Gohmert is really getting around and giving the state a bad rep.  I file this under humour!

My Universe — H/t Nameless

TC in his younger years!

I wanted this picture for last Tuesday's Fantasy Football update but I misfiled it.

Today was somewhat euphoric here with the defeat of Stephen Harper yesterday by Justin Trudeau and the Liberals!  Canada now has a chance to get back to our values that make us who we are.  I celebrated today by getting my hair cut and dyed purple, well at least a streak of purple.  When I arrived home, there was TC's post, his first in a month and a half!  How much better could the day get?

Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:50 (average 6:40). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.

Fantasy Football

* Rank change shown is from week 5 – 6

Short Takes 

The New Yorker — Washington was in turmoil on Tuesday morning as a House select committee abruptly cancelled its Benghazi hearings shortly after former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that she was withdrawing from the Presidential race.

Andy has the Republicans down pat!

Huffington Post — "I knew we wouldn't be the leading fundraiser in this race, because we are not the top choice of the entrenched political establishment," Rubio told Cavuto. "But I’m confident we have the resources and continue to build the resources to be able to communicate our message. And obviously if somebody watching this program wants to help us, they should go tomarcorubio.com and chip in."

According to Senate ethics rules, "Senate Members and staff may not receive or solicit campaign contributions in any federal building."

Hmmm!  I wonder if this little faux pas will ever see the light of day in an investigation?  I wonder if things would be any different if this had been Hillary?

The Nation — Trudeau placed a lot of emphasis on hope and change, which drew comparisons to Barack Obama’s inspired campaigns of 2008 and 2012. Obama and the Democrats faced significant challenges in both those US elections, but Obama’s skills and vision — and the ability of his campaign to forge unprecedented coalitions — transformed those electoral moments.  …

As a party leader seeking to renew a battered brand and to displace a wily incumbent, the Canadian faced skepticism about his own leadership skills and about the ability of the Liberals to get their act together. As such, he had to give new meaning to the Liberal promise of “real change”—just as American Democrats in 2016 races for the White House and Congress will have to frame a message that, while building on Obama’s accomplishments (and perhaps showing a bit more respect for the president’s political wisdom than many Democrats did in 2014), gives a sense of where the party will go next.

I like John Nichols, always have since first listening to him.  But I don't know if this would ever work for Democrats.  One thing I do know is that Trudeau ran a positive campaign, foregoing the negative attack ads of the other two parties.  As he said, "We beat fear with hope.  We beat cynicism with hard work. We beat negative, divisive politics with a positive vision that brings Canadians together."​  Can Democrats do that?  Just a thought.

My Universe — 

Life goes better with friends!

For me, today has been hectic.  When I finally arrived home about 5 pm, I wanted to check on election results but that had to wait until I indulged in one of Lona's cat naps.  And what would a cat nap be without furry critters purring away?  Now, if I could only convince the critters not to shed!  But at least Canadians shed the Harper government!!!  Today's thread is a little longer with the Canadian election results included.  To say the least, I am a happy Canuck!!!  Too bad Harper wasn't defeated in his own constituency though.

Puzzle — Today’s took me 2:34 (average 4:45). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.

Short Takes 

Huffington Post — No, John Oliver's not going to a Canadian jail. He can also keep that $5,000 he was apparently ready to dish over to Canadian authorities.

The comedian devoted a segment to Canada's election on his HBO show, "Last Week Tonight," which culminated in mockery of a law forbidding foreigners from influencing Canadian elections.

He ridiculed its maximum six-month prison penalty and $5,000 fine. Oliver's seeming desire to fight the re-election of Stephen Harper was apparently so great that he was willing to risk it all, tossing money at the camera and practically daring Canada to arrest him.

Today, Monday 19/10/2015, is election day here in Canada.  It is 7:30 pm and the polls in BC and the Yukon are now closed and the counting begins.  We already know that the Liberals, headed by Justin Trudeau, have taken Atlantic Canada with 31 of 32 seats.  By all anecdotal accounts, the polling stations have been very busy, some with long line ups, but none to rival Florida's line ups in the last US election.  It will be interesting to see what the final results and the turn out are.  Enjoy John Oliver "reporting" on our election process with the aid of Canadian ex-pat, Mike Meyers.  It had me laughing!

Think Progress — “Whether it is in mosques, education or charities, the strategy will reinforce perceptions that all aspects of Muslim life must undergo a ‘compliance’ test to prove our loyalty to this country,” Shuja Shafi, the Muslim Council of Britain’s Secretary General, told Reuters.

And according to Reuters, an independent reviewer of anti-terrorism legislation named David Anderson warned that such measures could actually backfire, driving members of the Muslim community toward extremism and terrorism.

It seems that conservatives, whether American, Canadian, British, or any other, operate in a climate of fear rather than hope and reconciliation. Cameron's policies seem to have caught even some in his own party by surprise and with concern.  Is it correct to tar and feather everyone in a group, in this case British Muslims, along with extremists?

CBC — Canadians, he said, had sent a clear message that it's "time for change in this country my friends. Real change."

"We beat fear with hope," Trudeau said. "We beat cynicism with hard work. We beat negative, divisive politics with a positive vision that brings Canadians together."

At dissolution of the last government, the Conservatives held 159 seats, NDP 95, Liberal 36, Bloc Québécois 2, Green Party 2, Strength in Democracy 2, Independent 8, and 4 vacant seats.  As a result of the last census, 30 new seats were created for a total of 338.  For a majority government, a party will have to win 170 seats.  The results of today's election have Liberals with 184 seats, Conservatives 99, NDP 44, Bloc Québécois 10, and Green Party 1.  Stephen Harper retained his seat but has stepped down as the Conservative leader.  Justin Trudeau is the new Prime Minister of Canada.  Phew!!!

Huffington Post — Monday's federal election saw the biggest voter turnout in the country in over 20 years, according to preliminary results from Elections Canada.

The government organization said 17.5 million of 25.6 million registered voters cast a ballot — a turnout of 68.3 per cent.

This is what 'get out the vote' looks like, and yet, this turnout is nowhere near the 1958 turnout of 79.4% that brought Progressive Conservative John Diefenbaker to power, nor the 79.2% turnout that ousted Diefenbaker in favour of Liberal Lester Pearson.

Daily Kos — New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman keeps cracking down on wage theft, and around 250 workers will be sharing in a nearly $500,000 settlement from four current and former Papa John's franchisees.

This is great news for the workers, but when will justice be served and these corporate criminals go to prison?  If you or I stole something and were caught, we would go to jail.  Why not these corporate criminals who have stolen wages etc?

My Universe — 

Well, it is Saturday night and all through the house not a creature is stirring, not even the cats!  That sounds like a somewhat familiar strain! Oh, I know . . . I did a bit of Christmas shopping today and it is rubbing off in my prose.  I hope you are having a great weekend.

Puzzle — Today’s took me 2:53 (average 4:56). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.

Short Takes 

Huffington Post — For the past four years, Texas oil billionaire and corporate raider T. Boone Pickens has been suing the Liberal government in Ontario under NAFTA, arguing he has been the victim of "unfair" backroom deals involving the province’s green energy program.

A NAFTA tribunal is expected to rule on Pickens’ $700-million lawsuit this month,The New York Times reported Friday, describing the dispute as the 87-year-old tycoon’s “last big battle.” [emphasis mine]

There is another law suit by Lone Pine Resources, a Calgary company with corporate registration in Delaware, over the Québec government's moratorium on fracking within its jurisdiction.  Lone Pine wants to frack under the St Lawrence River and is suing Canada for $250 million under NAFTA.  Now Pickens!  As the article states, 70% of the law suits under NAFTA are against Canada.  And of course, now countries are looking to approve the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), which is pretty much NAFTA on steroids.  Anybody else see a problem with this.  It feels like good bye to national sovreignty over resources.

Think Progress — Two Wisconsin state lawmakers, Rep. Jesse Kremer (R) and Sen. Stephen Nass (R), have introduced legislation that would prohibit schools from accommodating transgender students who wish to use restroom and changing room facilities that match their gender. It would also empower anyone who notices a school respecting a transgender student as such to file a complaint and win damages against that school.

Read the article to get the full flavour of this Republican bigotry.

Raw Story — After interviewing Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Friday, Real Time host Bill Maher explained how Republicans misunderstand Sanders almost totally.

“He’s the one who makes their heads explode when he talks,” Maher said …

Think Progress — On Thursday morning, Republican presidential candidate and Ohio Governor John Kasich will release a tax and spending plan that would give big boosts to the rich and the wealthy with severe cuts for everyone else.  …

He would lower the top income tax rate paid by the richest from its current level of 39.6 percent to 28 percent, reducing it by nearly a third. While the campaign hasn’t released full details, nor has an analysis been done on his plan, a proposal from fellow Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush that would lower the top rate to the same level found that it would increase the incomes of the 1 percent by more than 11 percent.

And Rachel Maddow thought Kasich might be a Republican she could tolerate if she had to?  Following Kasich down into his rabbit hole might call into question anybody's sanity!  Could Kasich be anymore Republican?

My Universe — h/t Carol B & Ted W (Care2)

So much for the GREAT ESCAPE!!!!!