Politics Plus

Yesterday I spent the entire day getting my new computer to the point where I can use it.  The biggest single tasks were to copy all my appointments from my old Calendar to my new one and to replace eight drivers that were out of date.  Barring unforeseen circumstances, I’m back in the saddle.  I’m current on replies.  Today I have errands to run, and I’m sure I’ll think of more things to fix.

Jig Zone Puzzles:

Yesterday’s took me 3:37 (average 5:07).  To do it, click here.  Today it took me 4:22 (average 5:21).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From TPM: The Romney Rule

Our rule:  keep Romney unemployed!

From NBC: House Speaker John Boehner cannot event have a round of golf these days without being approached by angry constituents. The Occupy Wall Street movement has gone global and, apparently, mobile as Boehner was followed by some 50 protesters to a Monday golf round at Pelican Hill Golf Club.

Boehner was at the club for a fundraising tournament put on by the Orange County GOP. The protesters held their occupation on Pelican Hill Road, according to the Daily Pilot. Their leader Rick Jacobs said Boehner cannot avoid their myriad demands.

Before we know it, they’ll be picketing Agent Orange at his home away from home: the bar.

From NY Times: Social Security recipients will get a 3.6 percent increase in benefits next year to help keep up with inflation, the first such cost-of-living adjustment in three years, the government announced Wednesday.

The automatic increase will begin with payments that go to nearly 55 million Social Security beneficiaries in January.

For retired workers, the average monthly benefit will increase by $43, to $1,229. That translates into annual income of $14,748, up $516 from this year.

Mine will barely cover the increases in my rent for the last three years, but every little bit helps.

Cartoon:

Yesterday I moved furniture.  The plan was to rearrange my computer corner to have a little more space when I change computers next week.  It worked, with 1/4” to spare.  The down side, of course, is that moving heavy furniture does not sit well with my COPD, so it took several hours and exhausted me in the process.  I’m current with replies.  Today I have more chores planned and errands to run.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:00 (average 5:39).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Washington Post: Sen. Patrick Leahy says the Senate Judiciary Committee he heads will vote next month on legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

The Vermont Democrat says that overturning the 1996 law was “part of the nation’s continuing fight for civil rights for all Americans.” He says it’s time to ensure equality for gay and lesbian Americans who are lawfully married.

Good for him.  Log Cabin Republicans should take note of which party represents their interests.

From Common Dreams: One day after a nation-wide poll found strong popular support for the United Nations, Republicans on a key Congressional foreign policy committee Thursday voted to cut U.S. funding for the world body if it did not implement major changes.

A general view of the UN Headquarters in New York City. A key US House of Representatives panel on Thursday approved legislation that would slash US dues to the United Nations by half unless the world body agrees to be funded with voluntary donations. The Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives voted 23-15 for the United Nations Transparency, Accountability and Reform Act.

It would require Washington, among other provisions, to cut 50 percent of funding for the U.N. unless it converted to a voluntary contribution system permitting Washington to fund only those agencies and programmes "that advance U.S. interests and values".

In short, Republicans do not want US dues to support human rights, birth control, or Palestinians.  Republicans have hated the UN almost as long as they have hated Social Security.

From Right Wing Watch: Yesterday Bryan Fischer was asserting that Muslims were responsible for slavery in America, so it only stands to reason that it must have been Christians who were responsible for ultimately ending it.

Specifically, he credits the Tea Party for ending slavery.  Here’s the video:

What a pants-load!!   To accuse Muslims of starting slavery in the US has no historical basis.  Furthermore, the abolitionists were mostly mainline Christians.  The extreme right wing pseudo-Christians, like Fischer, used Philemon in the Bible to justify slavery.

Cartoon: