Politics Plus

As I am researching and writing, I am also doing laundry, my least favorite household chore.  On a scale of one to ten, I really hate laundry!  I’m current with replies.  Tomorrow appears routine.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:31 (average 4:26).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: Warning! This Sign Will Definitely Offend Some Of Your Friends

And hate hiding behind the Bible is still Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christianity.

From NY Times: The suicide rate among the nation’s active-duty military personnel has spiked this year, eclipsing the number of troops dying in battle and on pace to set a record annual high since the start of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan more than a decade ago, the Pentagon said Friday.

Never before has there been more telling evidence that the the war in Afghanistan has already failed.

From WSET: Members of the House of Representatives voted Friday to protect their own office expense accounts from budget cuts.

The bipartisan 307-102 vote came on a $3.3 billion measure funding congressional operations.

Republicans controlling the House have been trying to cut domestic agency budgets by about 5 percent. But when it came to their own staff, travel and office expenses, GOP leaders opted to freeze their $574 million budget.

They want cuts for everyone else, but they consider themselves entitled, in spite of taking record time off.  What hypocrites!

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It’s a slow news day, because the Fitzwalker$tan Fiasco still dominates the media.  For the moment, I have nothing to add about that, but I did find a couple stories. I’m current with replies.  Tomorrow appears routine.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:37 (average 5:12).  To do it click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: This Weirdly Political Graphic About Space Aliens Has Been Shared 50k Times On Facebook

We would be saying, "Space Aliens are NOT people!"

From NY Times: In a new line of attack, top Democrats are arguing that Mitt Romney and the Republicans, with their focus on spending cuts, are following Europe’s austerity-first example, to dismal effect so far: Greece over the edge; Italy, Spain, Portugal on the edge; Britain in recession; and the United States suffering through a needlessly weak recovery because of government cuts.

Sadly Europe elected conservatives who goose stepped to the policies of GW Bush and the Republican Regime.  Fortunately they are seeing the error in that.

From MSNBC: Rmoney the draft dodger

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So he demonstrated for the war, sought four deferments, lied about seeking any deferments at all, and flipped flopped from "no desire to serve" to "longed to serve" in Vietnam.  Lying Chickenhawk!

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Yesterday I caught up on blogging, and made several personal appointments.  I have a full slate of articles today, and am current with replies.  Tomorrow appears routine.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Todays took me 3:46 (average 4:23).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: Here’s How Weird Our Obsession With Rich People Is

I don’t have tell you where on that chart to find Rmoney!

From NY Times: Mr. McCotter, a Republican and former presidential candidate (albeit never a realistic contender), was running for re-election in Michigan’s 11th Congressional District, which he has represented since 2003. That changed on Saturday when, dogged by a criminal investigation into petition signatures collected by his campaign, he announced that he would give up his bid.

Mr. McCotter’s abrupt decision took local and national Republicans by surprise, and has left them without an obvious candidate in a Congressional district that would otherwise have been a Republican stronghold.

Although Michigan demands only 1,000 signatures of its would-be Congressional candidates, Mr. McCotter’s campaign submitted 1,830 — of which 1,563 were found to be fraudulent. In some cases, entire pages had been duplicated. A spokesman for the Michigan Department of State said longtime Michigan elections officials were calling the level of fraud “unheard-of,” particularly among incumbent candidates for federal office. [emphasis added]

Talk about a false sense of entitlement!  This is great!  We need another House seat from Snyderstan!

From MSNBC: More on the Fartfuhrer’s criminal issues

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Putting him in a cell with Blago would be hell for both! Bogus robo-calls are a standard Republican tactic. Having signed the recall petition, does NOT count as a vote!

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Yesterday I felt pretty wiped out by the time I returned from my perishables run, but I forced myself to stay up so as not to mess up my sleep schedule.  Bad idea.  I had forgotten that the annual Portland Rose Festival was kicking off last night with the Starlight Parade.  Because my place is right at the middle of the parade route, police and news helicopters stationed themselves directly over my building, and I got to listen to the very loud whup-whup-whup-whup for hours, until well after midnight.  I’m short on sleep, and since it’s a slow weekend, I’m limiting today to this Open Thread.  I’m current with replies.  Tomorrow should be normal.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:03 (average 4:47).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: A Scary Fact About Your Food That Will Have You Running For The Farmers’ Market

I have found many contraindications for and against GMO foods, and despite strong suspicions, have yet to form an complete opinion about them. However, to deny people their right to know whether or not a product contains GMOs is unconscionable.

From NY Times: In a display of political muscle, Elizabeth Warren overwhelmingly won the state Democratic Party’s endorsement on Saturday for the United States Senate seat held by Scott P. Brown, a Republican. With the size of her victory, she avoided a party primary in September.

Ms. Warren, whose campaign had appeared to be flailing over the past month under questions about her American Indian heritage, won 95.7 percent of the vote of the 3,500 delegates attending the state party convention here. Because the only other Democrat running, Marisa DeFranco, failed to capture 15 percent of the vote, Ms. DeFranco lost the chance to mount a primary challenge.

I wish Marisa DeFranco well, but am thrilled that Elizabeth passes this milestone with such ease.

From MSNBC: How did Republicans get so extreme?

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I agree with Michelle Bernard. Part of it is that Obama committed the crime of governing while black. In addition, Republicans have driven their moderates out of office.  Also, Republicans have embraced a panoply of hate groups from the most extreme fringes of the right in their lust for power.

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