Politics Plus

Yesterday I was so tired that I not only spent most of the day sleeping, but also, overslept last night, so I’m running a couple hours behind this morning.  That’s why today’s articles are late.  I am current with replies.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:43 (average 4:15).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Washington Post: After months of intensive lobbying by banks, the Senate is slated to vote Wednesday on a controversial bill that would delay changes to debit-card swipe fees that would cost the industry billions of dollars.

Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) unveiled revised legislation Tuesday that requires four banking regulators to study the issue for six months. The Federal Reserve would then have an additional six months to rewrite the rules governing swipe fees.

Damn Dino!

From http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/06/house-republicans-look-to-privatize-social-security.php: Introduced by Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), who also chairs the House’s campaign efforts at the NRCC, the “Savings Account For Every American Act” would allow people to immediately opt out of Social Security in favor of a private “S.A.F.E.” account. Eventually the program would expand to let employers send their matching contribution to workers’ Social Security to a “S.A.F.E.” account as well.

As soon as upper income people started opting out, it would kill Social Security, because revenue would stop coming in, so there’s nothing voluntary about this plan.

From Right Wing Watch: The right-wing group Save California is apoplectic over the recent enactment of a day to honor Harvey Milk, the openly gay San Francisco politician and civil rights activist who was assassinated in 1978. Led by Randy Thomasson, Save California has urged parents to pull their children out of public schools to protest efforts to recognize the role of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in California history.

These fools are afraid that their kids will catch “the gay”, so they certainly won’t allow history to interfere with hate.

Cartoon:

Yesterday the heat was not as bad, but I still felt miserable.  Here in the wee hours, it’s down to 84°inside.  I’m current on replies.  I feel really old, because I graduated from high school forty five years ago today.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:10 (average 4:17).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Little Green Footballs: Man, you’ve gotta almost admire the sheer blind dedication of Sarah Palin’s wingnut acolytes.

Now they’re trying like crazy to edit the Wikipedia page for “Paul Revere” to make it match Palin’s botched version of history.

Although this is not original, that woman is an idiot.

From Think Progress: Lez Get Real’s Bridgette P. LaVictoire catches this incident of a Marine in Afghanistan asking Secretary of Defense Robert Gates if he could leave the military following the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. “Sir, we joined the Marine Corps because the Marine Corps has a set of standards and values that is better than that of the civilian sector. And we have gone and changed those values and repealed the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy,” the Marine said. “Is there going to be an option for those Marines that no longer wish to serve due to the fact their moral values have not changed?”

Gates told him ‘no’.  Frankly, I think that, because that Marine refuses to honor the rights of his fellow citizens, he is not fit to serve.

From Crooks and Liars: Republican Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said Sunday that President Barack Obama’s administration was succeeding in their plan to raise the price of gas.

"Somebody told me that you said this week that you think that the president is trying to drive up energy policy — energy prices on purpose," CBS host Bob Schieffer noted in an interview with Barbour Sunday.

"No question about that," Barbour insisted. "I mean, this administration’s policy has clearly has been to drive up the cost of energy so Americans would use less of it."

What a fool!  Because higher energy costs stifles recovery, Obama is not going to hurt his reelection chances intentionally.

Cartoon:

Yesterday, the heat drained me. It was only in the low 70° range, but the temperature in the enclosed area outside my windows reached 113°. It reached 94° inside. I felt very uncomfortable and could not sleep.  I’m current on replies.  Today should be 15° hotter. 🙁

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:40 (average 4:50).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From LA Times: "There is no question that I have done wrong," John Edwards said Friday in front of the North Carolina courtroom where he pleaded not guilty to six counts of violating federal campaign laws. "I take full responsibility for having done wrong."

Initially I supported him in 2008.  Such a disappointment!

From Boston Globe: In the first town hall of his freshly announced presidential campaign, Mitt Romney yesterday reaffirmed his view that global warming is occurring and that humans are contributing to it, a position that has been rejected in recent years by many Republicans as the issue has taken on a greater partisan tinge.

If he wins the nomination this could be a tough issue, because Obama’s environmental record is weak.

From Willamette Week: Two days after WW published a story exposing rifts between law enforcement and some medical-marijuana operations, U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton and many Oregon district attorneys have issued a stern warning to this booming local industry.

"The sale of marijuana for any purpose—including as medicine—violates both federal and Oregon law and will not be tolerated," says the warning from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. "People and businesses that conduct sales of marijuana face the risk of prosecution, civil enforcement action and seizure of assets."

I’d love to blame this on Bush, but Holton is an Obama appointee.  DOJ has far better things to do than to harass people using marijuana as prescribed by their doctors.

Cartoon:

Yesterday I was busy.  I cleaned my desk and side table, finding the long lost surfaces of both.  I searched for a new source of cartoons, without success.  And I collected the data for today’s monthly report.  I overslept, so I’m running behind schedule, but I am current on replies.  The plan for today is email spring cleaning. 🙁

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:48 (average 4:19).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Boston Globe: Tornadoes roared through Massachusetts on Wednesday, as violent winds caused damage in about two dozen communities, ripping off roofs, uprooting trees, scattering debris and leaving at least four dead throughout the state.

Condolences to the families of the slain and prayers for all effected.  Nevertheless, tornados in MA?!!?  Bizarre weather, the hallmark of climate change, is becoming more and more common.

From Hollywood Reporter: Current TV has released the first promos for Keith Olbermann’s Countdown, which kicks off June 20.

I can’t wait!

From UN: A United Nations-ordered panel investigating human rights abuses in Libya says that Government forces have committed war crimes and crimes against humanity during the course of their crackdown on opposition forces seeking the ouster of Colonel Muammar al-Qadhafi.

Talk about stating the obvious! Now when will they come here to do Bush and Cheney?

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