Politics Plus

I did my laundry today, including over twenty trips up and down the stairs, so I’m feeling thoroughly pooped, but I’m up to date with comments and have a couple good pieces for you.  Hopefully I’ll be back to returning visits this week.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:22 (4:42 average).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Alternet: The Koch brothers are bringing their super-wealthy friends to the California desert to a private gathering to strategize how they will dominate American political life, and bring a hardcore right-wing government to power in the U.S. In response, on Sunday, January 30, thousands of activists and concerned people are expected to travel to Rancho Mirage, a wealthy enclave adjacent to Palm Springs, to say no to the Koch brothers’ plan. People will be educated about the Kochs and their cabal of rich friends, and peacefully march to offer an alternative to the greed and right-wing agenda that aims to roll back consumer protections, including the environment, health care, credit cards, banks and more.

Bravo!

From ABC: Sen. Kent Conrad, D-ND, announced today that he plans to retire, a move that looks set to further complicate Democrats’ chances of retaining control of the Senate in 2012.

Perhaps we can get a progressive candidate instead of the DINO.

From Reuters: Former Vice President Dick Cheney said in an interview aired on Tuesday that he will have decide whether to undergo a heart transplant to replace the heart pump that is now keeping him alive.

Could having a heart, for the first time, effect his personality?

Cartoon:

What’s up?

It’s a slow day for news, but I found a couple good topics in addition to the poll results.  Check out the new poll.  I fell asleep during the second half of the second playoff game yesterday.  Today I got op to date with comments and pulled my warmest clothing out of storage.  I’m still not feeling up to par.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:54 (average 4:54).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From TPM: Toward the end of the town hall meeting Saturday morning, one of the shooting victims, J. Eric Fuller, took exception to comments by two of the speakers: Ariz. state Rep. Terri Proud, a Dist. 26 Republican, and Tucson Tea Party spokesman Trent Humphries.

According to sheriff’s deputies at the scene, Fuller took a photo of Humphries and said, "You’re Dead."

Deputies immediately escorted Fuller from the room.

While a town hall featuring the victims was a most inappropriate place for the two Republicans to try to evoke support for Arizona’s 19th century gun regulations, I have to condemn Fuller’s response, with the caveat I might be saying the same thing had I just been shot.  The man clearly needs professional help to deal with his experience.

From Huffington Post: Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty urged congressional Republicans on Sunday to not vote to raise the debt ceiling when the matter is considered in the spring.

And this fool wants to be President?

From News Hounds: Bill O’Reilly kicked up a notch his witch hunt against Pima County, Arizona Sheriff Clarence Dupnik. O’Reilly is no longer content to just vilify and demonize Dupnik for having the nerve to suggest that right-wing, inflammatory rhetoric played a part in the Tucson massacre last weekend. Now O’Reilly is suggesting Dupnik bears at least some responsibility for the massacre and is demanding “a very, very stringent investigation by the attorney general of Arizona.”

As I predicted, the Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda has returned to normal.

Cartoon:

May the Orb bless your team.

Posts are running late today, because I overslept and I had to go out to run a couple errands, but I am caught up on comments.  I plan to spend the weekend celebrating the holy days in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb: The Rite of Conference Semifinals.  I still feel like crap, but not quite as bad as yesterday.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today, it took me 4:47 (average 5:20).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From BBC: David Kernell, 23, was found guilty last year of illegally accessing Mrs Palin’s e-mail during the 2008 presidential campaign.

At the time, a judge suggested he should serve his year-long sentence in a halfway house.

But after intervention from US government officials he is now in federal prison, the BBC has learned.

Although I am in no way condoning this man hacking into a private email account, had he done it to a Democrat instead of to Sarah “Blood Libel” Palin, he would be in a halfway house.

From Americans United: A Tennessee county’s preference for Christianity in its courthouse displays violates the U.S. Constitution, according to a federal lawsuit filed today by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

Americans United, a Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group, is challenging the Johnson County Commission’s decision to display the Ten Commandments and Christian literature in the courthouse lobby while refusing to display a local man’s posters about the historic role of church-state separation in American law.

As a Christian, I support the AU position.  There is justification for the Ten Commandments in a court house, as long as it is in the company of other historical legal documents, but allowing Christian literature while refusing literature espousing different views, violates the establishment clause.

From Think Progress: The tragic shooting in Tucson last weekend has sparked a host of proposed legislative responses, but none is as hare brained as Rep. Louie Gohmert’s (R-TX) idea to allow members of Congress to pack heat inside the Capitol Building, and even when on the House floor.

Only professional security personnel should be armed on the floor of Congress and mentally instable people should be forbidden to carry firearms.  These are ywo reasons Gohmert should not be allowed to pack heat.

Cartoon:

TGIF!

I have a full slate of items today and am up to date with comments.  Whether or not I get out to visit blogs depends on how I feel, as I’m still a bit ill.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 3:44 (average 4:38).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Plutocrap:  A picture is worth a thousand words.

I wondered why that guy looked so familiar!

From Boston Globe: The solar-panel plant is a cornerstone of Governor Deval Patrick’s efforts to make Massachusetts a hub for the emerging clean-energy industry.

But Evergreen has been struggling in face of weak prices and competition from cheaper operations in China, where the government has offered solar companies generous subsidies to locate there. Evergreen itself has a partnership with a company based in China and previously announced plans to shift some work to the overseas location.

To save American jobs, we need an import tax on items that receive government subsidies overseas to level the playing field for US manufacturers.

From Think Progress:

Joining anti-Muslim conspiracy theorist Frank Gaffney on Gaffney’s radio program last week, King [Peter King (R-NY)] doubled down on his promise to launch a witch-hunt against Muslims. He repeated a falsehood that he stated earlier — that American Muslims never cooperate to combat terrorism. But in addition to this claim, King made the extraordinary smear that American Muslims aren’t “American” when it comes to war.

I wonder if this Republican hate monger would have the guts to make that statement in the home of one of the many Muslim families with children serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.  As much as I oppose the wars, their service deserves honor, not bigoted attacks.

Cartoon:

Cover your butts to protect against Republicans.  It’s hump day.