Politics Plus

Yesterday I went first to my denturist for adjustments.  I can chew now, but using these things will be a learning curve.  I had to cut corn off the cob.   Then I went to the grocery store for prescriptions and denture supplies.  They did not have the medicine, so I have to go back Friday.  All-in-all, I walked almost three miles.  Between the heat, lack of sleep, and this, I’m pretty well wrung out, and need to take the day mostly off.  I’m up to day on replies, but this will be my only article.  Today I’m staying home for an oxygen delivery and resting.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:47 (average 4:36).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Think Progress: Children at risk of abuse, patients in need of long-term care, poor residents eligible for Medicaid — they all could have benefited from greater access to health care if Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) had accepted millions of dollars in grants from the federal government. Instead, he followed the state legislature’s “well-established policy of not implementing any portion of federal heath care reform through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.”

And yet lawmakers were willing to forego that prohibition to accept over $2.5 million in ACA money to fund abstinence-only sex education, even though the program offers students very little by way of health-related information.

Translation: It’s OK to take government money, as long as it can be diverted to Teabuggery, not used to meet real people’s real needs.

From MSNBC: Bill Maher on the Ed Show with Michael Eric Dyson

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Part 2

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From Right Wing Watch: Back in June when Gov. Rick Perry announced that he was hosting his massive "The Response" prayer rally and inviting all of the nation’s governors to join him, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback immediately announced that he would attend.  But now, with the event only three days away, it appears as if Brownback might be having second thoughts and will no longer confirm him attendance.

The event is being held at Reliant Stadium, home of the NFL’s Houston Texans, which can seat 86,000 people, so obviously organizers had pretty grand plans for this event.  A spokesperson for the stadium said they were expecting 30,000-35,0000 to attend … but with only a few days to go, the number of confirmed attendees stands at about one-tenth of the stadium’s capacity.

More from Keith Olbermann on this and Romney too on Countdown.

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Yesterday I spent most of the morning collecting and organizing the data for today’s monthly report, and analysis of the Satan sandwich continued into the afternoon.  I’m current with replies.  Today I have my annual “Wellness Exam”.  I know it’s necessary, but I’ll be spending four hours traveling for a half hour doctor’s appointment.  It cuts into my morning sleep time.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:00 (average 4:47).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Salon: Health insurance plans must cover birth control as preventive care for women, with no copays, the Obama administration said Monday in a decision with far-reaching implications for health care as well as social mores.

The requirement is part of a broad expansion of coverage for women’s preventive care under President Barack Obama’s health care law. Also to be covered without copays are breast pumps for nursing mothers, an annual "well-woman" physical, screening for the virus that causes cervical cancer and for diabetes during pregnancy, counseling on domestic violence, and other services.

Benefits like these are the reason this plan is an improvement over what was, and why Republicans hate it so much.

From Huffington Post: The Obama administration Monday sued to block enforcement of Alabama’s new immigration law, widely considered to be the toughest measure in the United States to try to crack down on illegal immigrants.

On immigration, this administration has a terrible track record.  We still need reform that includes a path to citizenship for the undocumented people here now.

From SPLC: The discovery of a six-page essay written by civil rights icon Rosa Parks, in which she recounts the attempted rape of a black housekeeper by a white neighbor, has ignited an impassioned response from the Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC). Not only has the CCC attacked the Associated Press for being “anti-white,” it has taken the opportunity to malign black men as serial rapists.

The CCC is a modern Republican replacement for the KKK.

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Yesterday I took a long nap from 11:00 until 4:00.  I think I am finally caught up with sleep and am with replies as well.  You guys east of here have more heat coming.  Tomorrow, I have housework and paperwork to do.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:06 (average 4:47).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Washington Post: [their data, my summary] The Republicans who voted to table the Boner Bill on Friday night were: Jim DeMint, Lindsey Graham, Orrin Hatch, Mike Lee, Joe LIEberman, Rand Paul, and David Vitter.

Most of these are not Republicans who crossed the aisle.  They are Republicans who opposed raising the debt limit under any circumstances.

From Huffington Post: Fire officials in La Crosse are continuing to investigate a Saturday blaze that destroyed the regional offices of We Are Wisconsin, a union political action committee (PAC) that has pumped millions of dollars into supporting Democratic candidates in the upcoming recall elections.

I won’t accuse, but on a suspicious scale of 1 to 10, I’m a 20.

From Mother Jones: Americans for Prosperity, the conservative political advocacy group founded by David Koch and funded by a roster of right-wing think tanks, has purchased $150,000 in TV air time in Green Bay, Madison, and Milwaukee, three of Wisconsin’s biggest media markets. The ad buy comes in the run-up to Wisconsin’s big recall elections, which are just over a week away. If spent on pro-GOP recall ads, the buy brings AFP’s overall political spending on the recall races to more than $500,000.

$Half a million buys an awful lot of Koch sucking!

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Yesterday I spent most of the day in prison, working as a volunteer.  The high points of the day were addressing over 100 men on why helping others is the most selfish thing we can do and learning that a ,man I’ve worked with for years has a parole date.  The guys never cease to inspire me with their dedication to remake themselves.  A few of the men are aggravated murderers, justly sentenced to life without possibility of parole.  They will die there.  But they have realized the magnitude of the grief they have caused and joined in that grief.  They have found peace through changing themselves and helping others to change, return to society, and enjoy freedom that they will never know.  These men are a big part of my opposition to capital punishment.  I got home late, as I always do on prison days, and it is now about eight hours past my bedtime.  If I can I’ll reply to comments, and this article will be my only one today.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:57 (average 5:29).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Bloomberg: Creating jobs is a more important mission for Congress and President Barack Obama than reducing the deficit, according to a poll of likely voters in the 2012 U.S. election commissioned by a manufacturers’ group.

Sixty-seven percent of those questioned said they would prefer that politicians focus on employment, according to a report by Washington’s Mellman Group and Ayres McHenry and Associates Inc., of Alexandria, Virginia. The study, released today, was sponsored by the Washington-based Alliance for American Manufacturing.

Republicans don’t to talk about jobs.  They have created loads of jobs… in China.

Barney Frank said what I said yesterday.

Once again Republicans have proven they are too incompetent to govern.

From MSNBC: Lawrence O’Donnell reports on Boehner’s inability to pass his bill.

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