Politics Plus

I’m afraid I’m going to need one more day.  I serve as the Treasurer/CFO of the group for which I do volunteer work in prison.  With all the health issues I have had, I had completely forgotten to do the annual paperwork, and at about six AM, I realized it.  That’s most fortunate, because I would have thoroughly embarrassed myself had I not remembered in time.  I spent the entire day yesterday doing our corporate tax return, state registration renewal, and state charitable activities report.  I finished just in time to walk to the post office to mail them, to the bank to transfer funds to pay the fees, and while I was out, to the corner store.  So instead of resting, I tired myself even more.  I’ll catch up on replies to comments either later today or tomorrow, and I should be back tomorrow.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:31 (average 5:54).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: The NRA Morphed Into An Ugly Beast And It Will Break Your Grandfather’s Heart

I am one of those people who learned to shoot safely as a child in NRA programs. I was a member for most of my life, but cancelled my membership because of their monstrous reaction to the Columbine HS massacre.

From NY Times: As a bipartisan group of eight senators prepared to introduce a plan early next week to overhaul the nation’s immigration laws, Senate negotiators have agreed to a cutoff date that could bar hundreds of thousands of immigrants from the path to legalization provided in the legislation.

Illegal immigrants who arrived in the country after Dec. 31, 2011, could be ineligible to apply for legal status — and potentially citizenship — under the new immigration bill, which will provide a 13-year path to citizenship for the 11 million illegal immigrants already living in the country.

I think that the cutoff date for undocumented immigrants to have a path to citizenship should be the date that whatever immigration reform that passes becomes law, not some arbitrary earlier date.  Also, in this so-called compromise, I strongly object to the part of the guest worker program, demanded by Republicans, to import skilled workers to undercut US workers doing jobs that US workers want to increase profit for the 1%.

From MSNBC: Both parties unhappy with chained CPI

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

I agree completely with Howard Dean here, but one thing just occurred to me. Both Agent Orange and Bought Bitch Mitch demanded chained CPI, as a precondition for negotiation, before Obama included it. Now Republicans are objecting to chained CPI. By including it in his budget Obama may have done the best thing to ensure that it will not happen. The surest way to turn Republicans against their own ideas is for Obama to propose them.

Cartoon:

May my addition be prophetic!!!

It’s TGIF day, although it doesn’t really make a difference for me, except that, barring a Friday dump, it’s often harder to find good material on the weekend.  I’m current with replies.  Tomorrow appears routine.

Jug Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:28 (average 5:23).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From CBC: Dozens of employees at Canada’s largest bank are losing their jobs to temporary foreign workers, who are in Canada to take over the work of their department.

“They are being brought in from India, and I am wondering how they got work visas,” said Dave Moreau, one of the employees affected by the move. “The new people are in our offices and we are training them to do our jobs. That adds insult to injury.”

Poor Canada! Looks like Harper gave you a case of Republicitis!  Guest workers should be brought in to do the jobs that citizens don’t want, not to undercut citizens for the ones they do want!

From Washington Post: Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell has said his daughter and her husband paid for their own wedding. So a $15,000 check from a major campaign donor to pay for the food at the affair was a gift to the bride and groom and not to him and therefore did not have to be publicly disclosed under the law, the governor says.

But documents obtained by The Washington Post show that McDonnell signed the catering contract, making him financially responsible for the 2011 event. The governor made handwritten notes to the caterer in the margins. In addition, the governor paid nearly $8,000 in deposits for the catering.

Why is it that Republicans, like Governor Ultrasound, are so forceful in trying to make others obey their pseudo-Christian morality, when they ignore it themselves?

From Tamara: The K Street 5K

If I were not 3,000 miles away and both physically and financially unable to attend, I’d go, but I’d want to wear at least a $20. 😉 Can you be in DC tomorrow?

Cartoon:

God, may we have him back, please?

I’m way pooped, but as always, I could not be more proud of my guys.  We met with a dozen yesterday, and one of the things we discussed was how to deal with catastrophic life events.  You’d be amazed how often such an event triggers a downward spiral of dysfunctional choices ending in prison.  Their honesty and self-awareness was exciting.  Three of them are up for decisions on parole, so please remember them, however you connect with the infinite.  Critter sends greetings to Critter.  I get to replies either later today, after I get some sleep, or tomorrow.  Tomorrow appears routine. 

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:55 (average 5:33).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MSNBC: Lawrence O’Donnell debunked Republican bullshitology on taxes.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Even ‘Iron Pants. Thatcher was far more generous to the 99% that today’s Republicans. Despite Republican claims, we are one of the least taxed nations in the industrialized world. That’s not so true for the 99%, but the 1% pays so much less that they pull the percentage of GDP down. Except for welfare for the 1%, we are one of the least industrialized nations in public services for the taxes we pay. That is the landscape in which Republicans are trying to reduce taxes and increase services for the 1%, while increasing taxes and reducing services for the 99%.

From The New Yorker: Senate Republicans today vowed to filibuster a controversial bill supporting the right not to get shot.

G.O.P. leaders lambasted the bill, arguing that the right to go to school, work, or one’s home without fear of being shot was not guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.

“The Second Amendment makes it very clear,” said Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming). “The right to bear arms shall not be infringed by a tiny minority’s desire not to be shot.”

Once again Borowitz’ satire is as real as actuality.

From Think Progress: Late last month, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) filed a petition asking the full United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit to reinstate Virginia’s “Crimes Against Nature” law, which makes oral and anal sex a felony. A three-judge panel of that same court had struck down the law, noting that it cannot be squared the Supreme Court’s decision in Lawrence v. Texas, which prohibits laws criminalizing non-commercial sexual activity between consenting adults. Yesterday, the Fourth Circuit issued an order rejecting Cuccinelli’s request. Notably, not one of the court’s judges requested a poll of the court to consider Cuccinelli’s petition, so his petition received no support whatsoever from the court’s members.

Republicans want government too small to interfere with the corporate right to steal, but just big enough to put a cop in every bedroom. Perhaps sex that produces little Republicans should be a felony.

Cartoon:

Animals are people too, and cat is where it’s at, but who let that dawg join?

Good night!