Politics Plus

Taking yesterday off was a good idea, as I’m rested and ready to go.  I’m spending most of the day in research and writing.  I’m current with replies.  Tomorrow looks good.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:40 (average 5:53).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: Think Of This The Next Time You Fill Up Your Gas Tank.

This, not Obama, is the reason for high gas prices.  He is right that energy markets need more regulation.

From NY Times: Senior advisers to Mitt Romney said Monday that Mr. Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, was merely tossing around ideas, not making policy announcements, when his chat with donors about some significant changes to the tax code was overheard by reporters at a fund-raiser this weekend.

Bullshit!

From LA Times: It was an extraordinary sight, even for Washington — a space shuttle flying over the nation’s capital atop a modified 747 on the way to its permanent new home, the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.

It is a national shame that we have done nothing to update our capability for manned space flight in the last 31 years, since the shuttle entered service.

Cartoon:

I seem to be improving, as yesterday, I had only four trips to the throne room, and none so far today.  It appears to be a slow news day.  I’m current with replies to new articles. Tomorrow, I may have no articles, because I have a follow-up appointment with my doctor and transit time by bus/train is about 90 minutes each way.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Todays took me 3:37 (average 4:24).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: Economic Recovery For Whom? The 1934 Versus The 2010 Recovery

In 1934, Republicans were not intentionally sabotaging America’s workers.

From Huffington Post: Starting next year, the check will no longer be in the mail for millions of people who receive Social Security and other government benefits.

The federal government, which issues 73 million payments a month, is phasing out paper checks for all benefit programs, requiring people to get payments electronically, either through direct deposit or a debit card for those without a bank account.

The changes will affect people who get Social Security, veterans’ benefits, railroad pensions and federal disability payments. Tax refunds are exempt, but the Internal Revenue Service encourages taxpayers to get refunds electronically by processing those refunds faster than paper checks.

I understand the need for efficiency, but I hope that the SSA has a plan in place to help seniors make the transition.  In my building alone, I know a half a dozen people that I will need to help with this, because they are poor, have no bank accounts, and are not mentally together.

From AlterNet: Saturday, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, the host of the Summit of the Americas and Washington’s closest ally in Latin America, said it would be "unacceptable" to keep Cuba out of the next gathering…

…"The isolation, the indifference has shown its ineffectiveness. In today’s world, there is no justification for this anachronism," Santos said on the summit’s opening day.

Cuba has never taken part in a Summit of the Americas, a regular meeting sponsored by the US-based Organization of American States (OAS).

I don’t expect anything soon on this, because it’s a big issue with Florida’s Cuban expatriate community, and I’m sure Obama will not want to anger them in an election year.  That said, the US embargo of Cuba became obsolete with the end of the cold war, and it’s long past time to end it.

Cartoon:

Yesterday I got the blog up and that’s about all.  I’m feeling slightly better today.  I’m current with replies.  Tomorrow I have lots of volunteer paperwork to do.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:58 (average 5:33).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Colbert Nation: Barack Obama-Gun Control Conspiracy

The fear of not being able to buy guns during a second Obama term leads to Americans buying so many guns that now they can’t buy any guns, just like they feared.

Loved it!  Hat-Tip: CaityJ

From MoveOn: Rep. Bobby Rush Silenced And Kicked Off House Floor When He Raises Hoodie For Trayvon

Republicans break their own House Rules with high-fiber regularity.  This comes down to love of violence and racism.

From National Post: An Oklahoma judge has rejected as unconstitutional a state law that would have required women seeking an abortion to first view an ultrasound image and listen to a doctor’s description of the fetus.

The Ultrasound Act was approved in 2010 when the Republican-controlled Oklahoma Senate overrode a veto issued by then-Gov. Brad Henry, a Democrat. The law was immediately blocked by a temporary injunction and never was enforced.

Let’s hear it for the judge!

Cartoon:

I got up a couple hours early this morning to get a head start, because I have a month’s groceries being delivered today, and I’ll be pooped when I get them unpacked and put away.  I’m current with replies.  Tomorrow is a prison volunteer day, so There may be no articles.  It will depend on how the day goes.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:59 (average 4:54).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From The Guardian: The US and China have agreed to co-ordinate their response if North Korea goes through with a planned rocket launch next month, a day after Barack Obama urged Beijing to use its influence to rein in its unpredictable ally.

Speaking at the start of a two-day summit on nuclear security in the South Korean capital, Seoul, the US president said China and the US had a shared interest in preventing nuclear proliferation.

I consider this a far more sensible approach that the Republican method: threats followed by invasion.

From CNN: Taking advantage of relaxed campaign finance laws, a cadre of deep-pocketed donors are spending gobs of money to bankroll super PACs, a phenomenon that is reshaping the modern election cycle.

It is a select group. The top 100 individual super PAC donors make up just 3.7% of those who have contributed to the new money vehicles, but account for more than 80% of the total money raised, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics.

And just the top 46 donors have given a total of $67 million, or two-thirds of the $112 million in individual gifts to super PACs this cycle. Membership in this select group requires a $500,000 minimum donation.

According to SCROTUS, rich people deserve FAR more “freedom of speech” than we do.

From Raw Story: When the Supreme Court put its stamp of approval on the creation of super PACs, they could never have seen this one coming.

Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain has launched a new advertisement showing a man catapaulting a bunny rabbit and blasting it into bloody chunks, as a little girl compares the animal to “small business” in the current U.S. economic climate.

Leave it to Republicans to murder innocent animals to stimulate Republican blood-lust, just to promote a lie.

Cartoon: (Hat Tip Lynn Squance)