Politics Plus

Today has been somewhat relaxing.  I even managed to cut the nails of my three furbabes and watched a movie for my "me time"!  Tomorrow is my busy day with physio, teaching and a few errands.  TGIF!!!

Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:27 (average 5:29). 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 — House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy has entered rehab to deal with his “struggles with nouns and verbs,” an aide to the congressman has confirmed.

According to the aide, McCarthy abruptly dropped out of the race for Speaker of the House because his difficulties with those two parts of speech had “spiralled out of control.”

Well McCarthy certainly did spill the Republican beans, didn't he!  And now out of the race for Speaker.  Was it the beans really?

NOLA.com — House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy's surprise decision Thursday (Oct. 8) to drop out of the race for speaker likely puts an end to Rep. Steve Scalise's run for the No. 2 House leadership post.

McCarthy announced that he plans to stay on as majority leader. McCarthy, a California Republican made his announcements to a GOP caucus meeting that had been expected to vote him the members' choice to be elected speaker during a full House vote slated for Oct. 29.

McCarthy said it's important the GOP caucus be "100 percent united," and that "if we're going to unite and be strong, we need a new face to do that."

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., said McCarthy dropped out because he didn't think he could get the 218 votes needed in the House to replace John Boehner as speaker. Issa said neither of the other candidates – Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Fla., and Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, could, either, although McCarthy had the backing of a majority of the GOP caucus.

Continue reading about these GOP follies at NOLA.com.  It would seem that there is a lot of confusion and the issue of the ultra conservatives vs the conservatives is shredding the party right now.

Prompted by an e-mail I received, I looked into the Constitution to see who could be the next Speaker.  The Speaker need not be a sitting member of the House and "…based on tradition and practice from the earliest days of the nation, to be elected speaker a candidate must receive an absolute majority of all votes cast for individuals, i.e. excluding those who abstain. If no candidate wins such a majority, then the roll call is repeated until a speaker is elected." (from Wikipedia)

Huffington Post — Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said Thursday that the GOP's investigation into Planned Parenthood's use of federal funds hasn't turned up anything.

"Did I look at the finances and have a hearing specifically as to the revenue portion and how they spend? Yes. Was there any wrongdoing? I didn't find any," he said during a Judiciary Committee hearing on the family planning provider.  …

Chaffetz said Thursday that he still supports digging into Planned Parenthood's activities, even if they're using their money appropriately.

"I think there will continue to be investigations," he said.

Read the rest at Huffington Post.  Enough already!!!  How many tax payer dollars are going to be misappropriated for what in my mind, should be classified as partisan politics?  I would say the same about Benghazi and the ACA too.

My Universe — It's Carnivale for these two energetic Bengals!

Well, well . . . Lona was here earlier!  But despite her presence, I did manage to get 3 loads of laundry finished.  That's good so now I can go out in public without fear.  Most of the day was reasonably nice weather wise, but this evening we had lightning, thunder and some rain.  News had it that this little storm came in from Hawaii.  Now that is quite a trip.

Fantasy Football — 

Well here we are, 4 weeks down.  TC has a player with a bye week this coming session so I will try to fix that, but I don't know if I am able to.

Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:35 (average 5:00). To do it, click here. Do you know how difficult it was to do this puzzle while I was relaxing in the hammock?  How did you do?

Common Dreams — America's Fortune 500 companies are "playing by different rules" when it comes to the federal tax system and, according to a new report out Tuesday, are stashing $2.1 trillion in offshore tax havens—with as much as $620 billion owed to the U.S. taxpayers who are left footing the bill.

The report, Offshore Shell Games 2015: The Use of Offshore Tax Havens by Fortune 500 Companies (pdf), examines the accounting tricks that have enabled the country's most profitable companies to hide their earnings.

"The American multinationals that take advantage of tax havens use our roads, benefit from our education system and large consumer market, and enjoy the security we have here, but are ultimately taking a free ride at the expense of other taxpayers." —Michelle Surka, US PIRG"U.S.-based multinational corporations are allowed to play by a different set of rules than small and domestic businesses or individuals when it comes to the tax code," wrote advocacy organizations Citizens for Tax Justice and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG), which together authored the study. 

Read the rest of the article at Common Dreams and take a look at the report.  If you don't want to read the entire report, the 3 page Executive Summary by itself should make your blood boil.  Here is an excerpt:

Most of America’s largest corporations maintain subsidiaries in offshore tax havens. At least 358 companies, nearly 72 percent of the Fortune 500, operate subsidiaries in tax haven jurisdictions as of the end of 2014.

• All told, these 358 companies maintain at least 7,622 tax haven subsidiaries.

• The 30 companies with the most money officially booked offshore for tax purposes collectively operate 1,225 tax haven subsidiaries.

Approximately 60 percent of companies with tax haven subsidiaries have set up at least one in Bermuda or the Cayman Islands — two particularly notorious tax havens. Furthermore, the profits that all American multinationals — not just Fortune 500 companies — collectively claimed they earned in these two island nations in 2010 totaled 1,643 percent and 1,600 percent of each country’s entire yearly economic output, respectively. Fortune 500 companies are holding more than $2.1 trillion in accumulated profits offshore for tax purposes. Just 30 Fortune 500 companies account for 65 percent of these offshore profits. These 30 companies with the most money offshore have booked $1.4 trillion overseas for tax purposes. … If we apply that average tax rate of 6.0 percent to the entirety of Fortune 500 companies, they would collectively owe $620 billion in additional federal taxes. Some of the worst offenders include:

• Apple: Apple has booked $181.1 billion offshore …    

• American Express: The credit card company officially reports $9.7 billion offshore for tax purposes …              

• Nike: The sneaker giant officially holds $8.3 billion offshore for tax purposes …                                                                                                    

Read on in the report.  With so many large corporations forgoing their responsibilities as American corporate citizens, is it any wonder that average citizens are tired of such shenanigans?  Add the tax perks on their declared American income, and you get a full scale ripoff of ordinary American tax payers.

Alternet — Doctors Without Borders says it is under “the clear presumption that a war crime has been committed” after a U.S.-led NATO coalition bombed its hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan.

The aid organization, referred to internationally in French as Medecins Sans Frontières (MSF), asserted that it “condemn[s] this attack, which constitutes a grave violation of International Humanitarian Law.”

The U.S. military’s version of the story behind the bombing is full of holes, and constantly changing. After launching airstrikes on Kunduz, which has recently seen an insurgency by the Taliban, on Saturday morning, NATO said its bombing “may have resulted in collateral damage to a nearby medical facility.”

Read the rest of this story at Alternet.  Official US response has rocked back and forth from "Oops, sorry." to "Who cares?" (my words based on reading).  But one historical fact has come up . . . this has happened before some 45 years ago.  From The Nation,

In direct testimony and in letters, the veterans said hospitals often were considered targets rather than areas to be avoided as required by the Geneva convention on warfare.…

Is this policy still?  If so, then the US is apparently guilty of war crimes as MSF maintains.

Raw Story — Fox News host Bill O’Reilly dismissed the idea on Tuesday that children can be poor in the US during a discussion with contributor Kirsten Powers, Media Matters reported.

“If you look at the studies of poverty, most poor people in this country have computers, have big screen TVs, have cars, have air conditioning,” O’Reilly said. “This myth that there are kids who don’t have anything to eat is a total lie.”

If I were classifying this article, I'd put it under "humour".  Bill O’Reilly is a jackass!  Read the rest and see the video at Raw Story.

My Universe — The teacher was talking about Republicans . . . 

That Lona has been at it again . . . I had an extended cat nap again this afternoon, but it was glorious!  Me and my 3 furbabes snuggled together.  I had spent the morning and early afternoon working on today's second article when my eyes started getting heavy.  I gave up resisting the allure of my pillow and I was gone!  I might have been gone but the laundry wasn't!  Tomorrow is a must on the laundry scene after physio and teaching ESL!

Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:23 (average 5:13). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.

Short Takes

Raw Story — US Republican Representative Jason Chaffetz, chairman of the House oversight panel, announced on Sunday he was running for speaker, a bid seen as a long shot that could still stir up the contest to replace John Boehner.  …

Representative Daniel Webster, former speaker of Florida’s House of Representatives, has also challenged McCarthy for House of Representatives speaker.

Chaffetz said many Republican lawmakers wanted a change in leadership. Republicans currently hold a majority in both houses of Congress.

The House Republican conference is set to start on Thursday, and by the end, a new Speaker of the House will be announced.  We know that Kevin McCarthy was anointed by Boehner to take over.  However he is now challenged by Jason Chavetz, the idiot who was caught with "his pants down" during the inquisition of Planned Parenthood's CEO, Cecile Richards, and Daniel Webster from Florida.  See The Daily Signal for a short article on Webster.  I wonder if any more Republicans will come out of the woodwork for the top job?

The New Yorker — Americans who are opposed to being shot, a constituency that has historically failed to find representation in Washington, are making a new effort to make its controversial ideas heard in the nation’s capital.

“When you bring up the idea of not wanting to be shot with members of Congress, there’s always been pushback,” Carol Foyler, founder of the lobbying group Americans Opposed to Being Shot, said. “Their reaction has been, basically, ‘Not being shot: who’s going to support something like that?’”

Foyler, however, believes that the right to not be shot, much like women’s right to vote, the right to same-sex marriage, and other rights that were deemed controversial in their day, may be an idea whose time has finally come.

IMO, Andy has hit on something, albeit a little late.  Perhaps the 4th amendment of the US Constitution could be amended such as "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, and being shot when not in the commission of a crime, shall not be violated, …".  That might affect stand your ground laws, but . . .

Alternet — A 2015 study found that when guns are used to kill people in the United States, they are overwhelmingly used for murder rather than self-defense. That study found that in 2012, there were only 259 justifiable homicides, or what is commonly referred to as self-defense, compared to 8,342 criminal firearm homicides. In 2008-2012, the report says, guns were used in 42,419 criminal homicides and only 1,108 justifiable homicides.

So if Americans aren’t using their guns for self-defense, does it make sense to do away with the charade of “sensible gun restrictions” talk and just get real about banning at least some guns outright?

The gun lobby is hanging its hat on the 2nd amendment, an amendment that was written in a different time under different conditions. Its unwillingness to support stricter gun regulations is, IMO, an indication that it does not care one iota for the innocent lives lost, only for the profits of the gun and ammunition manufacturers.

Raw Story — In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) declined to endorse any of the candidates currently running, in spite of Tapper’s badgering.

“Do you want to ask this six different ways?” she asked the CNN anchor as he attempted to get her to praise Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) over former Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Clinton.

… She went on to slam Republicans for trying to shut down Planned Parenthood on the basis of anti-choice zealots the Center for Medical Progress’ phony video smear campaign.

You really need to go to Raw Story to view a video of a feisty Elizabeth Warren speaking on women's health, Planned Parenthood and financial reforms. She is so passionate, so spot on.  Go Lizzie!

My Universe — Love me some Simon's Cat

It has been a busy day!  I did two hours of physiotherapy followed by 3 hours of teaching ESL.  Once I arrived home, it was straight to the computer to get the 02/10/15 articles posted to Care2 and links distributed. I took advantage of one of Lona's cat naps . . . soooooooo relaxing! and then had a late dinner.  As a result, this is today's only article.  Tomorrow won't be so busy outside the house, but I need to do laundry before I start scaring the neighbourhood!

Puzzle — Today’s took me 2:31 (average 4:24). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.

Upworthy — Female genital mutilation, also known as FGM or FGC (female genital cutting), is performed in several African countries and parts of the Middle East, and less frequently in Malaysia, Indonesia, India, and Pakistan. It also occurs in the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Europe — despite being illegal in many places.

FGM is barbaric, inhuman and a violation of human rights and dignity. Please sign this petition to end FGM.

Read the rest of the article and see how five young men react to this proceedure.

Rachel Maddow — h/t Jim Phillips — A look at Kevin McCarthy, poised to be the new Speaker of the House when Congressional Republicans vote next week.

As things sit now, the Speaker, 2nd in succession to the White House behind the Vice President should something happen to the President, is elected by only 247 members of the House of Representatives.  Scary! Does Kevin McCarthy represent the level of competence that the Republicans, or more specifically the Teabaggers, bring to the Congress? Even scarier!!  If so, then God help the US.

NY Times — Ever since it became public that Pope Francis met in Washington with Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses for same-sex couples, the questions have been swirling: Why did he meet with her, and was it meant as a political statement?

As it turns out, the Vatican said on Friday, the pope did not mean to endorse Ms. Davis’s views. It also said he gave her no more than a typical brief greeting, despite what her lawyer described.

Instead, the Vatican said that Francis gave only one “real audience”: to someone later identified as one of his former students, Yayo Grassi, a gay man in Washington who says he brought his partner of 19 years to the Vatican’s embassy in Washington for a reunion. They even shot video.

This is a portion of a Faithful America e-mail that Joanne brought to my attention:

After days of speculation, the truth has finally come out: Pope Francis did not hold a private meeting to express his support for Kim Davis's efforts to block gay marriage licenses.

According to an official Vatican statement, Kim Davis was among "several dozen persons" attending a reception at the Vatican embassy, "the pope did not enter into the details of the situation," and "his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support."

Moreover, it seems that the pope did not request Kim Davis be invited.

According to press reports, one man was likely responsible for Davis's invitation: Carlo Maria Vigano, a conservative church official who was appointed by Pope Benedict as Vatican ambassador to the United States (formally called the "apostolic nuncio").

Having created an opportunity for right-wing evangelicals to dishonestly hijack the message of the pope's visit to the United States, Vigano must now resign.

If you are interested in the Faithful America petition, you can find it HERE. 

I believe that Kim Davis is being used as a political bullet within the Vatican in a dispute between the very conservative factions and the more liberal Pope Francis.  I have no sympathy for her whatsoever.  Davis has a job to do . . . act in accordance with the laws of the land . . . and if she cannot do that for any reason, she should resign.

Mother Jones — While speaking to reporters during a campaign stop in Greenville, South Carolina, on Friday, Jeb Bush weighed in on the latest school shooting to take place in the United States, this time in Oregon, just a day before.

You can read a transcript of his comment HERE.  Mr Compassionate speaks out . . . what a farce!

My Universe — 

Give these boys a remote control and they will be attending services

at the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb!