Politics Plus

Yesterday our prison CoDA group discussed the role of a higher power.  I felt proud of how seriously my guys took the issue, how they honored each others beliefs, and how not one was over-simplistic in what some call “jailhouse faith”.  If just half of America were just half as authentically introspective as my guys, it would be a far better nation .  Critter said “Hi” to Critter.  I’m exhausted, so this is today’s only article, but I am current with replies.  Tomorrow is another prison volunteer day.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:21 (average 4:57).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: Veteran Rejects His Rank on Mitt’s ‘Laundry List’

Our troops and veterans are part of the 47% for whom Lord Willard has no use, except for when they are cannon fodder in a Republican war of conquest.

From NY Times and MSNBC: As Mr. Akin, a six-term congressman, fights for his political life after making controversial comments about rape victims, he is counting on a coalition of home-schoolers as part of a crucial support network for his struggling campaign. Mr. Akin and his wife, Lulli, home-schooled all six of their children, and it was other such families who helped in his political rise.

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

Frankly I think McCaskill is more right. The left is in what used to be the center, and the Republican right is so far out, that it’s off the map. Akin is just too stupid not to admit what they believe. No wonder Akin draws so much support from people who go out of their way to keep their children as ignorant as they are, and he is.

From Daily Kos: When I saw this I had to share it. It has only received around 300 views so far, and it really needs to go viral. It is a video of a CO teacher describing her experience at a round table with Mitt Romney. According to the teacher, Romney was going on about schools failing and how we need a voucher system. When she said she had an answer for that he told her "I didn’t ask you a question."

Lord Willard claims to care about education. He cares only about shifting the cost of attending private and religious schools from those parents to all of us, at the expense of the public school system.

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JFK kicked his butt!

Yesterday I met with a dozen prisoners for our CoDA group.  A lot of the discussion focused on our need to maintain healthy relationships with ourselves, and as always, I could not have been more proud of my guys.  I returned home late and pooped.  I slept late this morning, so this will be today’s only article.  I am not current with replies, but will catch up when I can.  Tomorrow appears routine.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:47 (average 4:49).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: Why Some Women All Across The Country Are Rethinking Their Party

For men, as well as women, unless you are rich and dominated by your own greed, a hatemonger or a fanatic trying to force your religious dogma on others, the Republican Party is wrong for you.

From NY Times: Protesters angry over an amateurish American-made video denouncing Islam attacked the United States Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, on Tuesday, killing a State Department officer, while Egyptian demonstrators stormed over the fortified walls of the United States Embassy here.

Here’s that video:

I am behind the curve on this issue, so I do not have much to say. However, I remember millions of evangelicals demonstrating in anger over "The Last Temptation of Christ", and this garbage film is far more offensive. I understand people’s anger over it, but not the actions of the murderers.  There is no conflict between authentic Christians and authentic Muslims. The conflict is between Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians and right-wing Muslim extremists, both of which seek to impose their dogma on others. Remember that the Libyans trying to save our people are Muslims too.  I condemn Willard Romney for his desperate and dangerous political opportunism, and I ask your thoughts and prayers for the families of the four slain Americans.

From Democracy Now: The IRS has announced a record $104 million reward to a whistleblower who exposed the largest tax evasion scheme in U.S. history. Former UBS AG banker Brad Birkenfeld first reported in 2007 that he and his colleagues had encouraged rich Americans to store more than $20 billion in offshore Swiss bank accounts and cheat the IRS. But after coming forward, Birkenfeld was prosecuted and convicted of conspiracy and sentenced to prison. Following Birkenfeld’s release last month, on Tuesday the IRS vindicated his actions with the largest amount ever awarded under its whistleblower program.

I wonder whether he knows anything about Willard’s tax evasion using Swiss banks.  Do you think this makes Willard nervous?

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Yesterday my COPD was severe, and I got very little sleep last night, so I have only two articles today.  I may be late posting and/or distributing links, because I have a fantasy football draft this morning.  I’m current with replies.  Tomorrow appears routine.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:50 (average 4:35).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From MoveOn: Is Ayn Rand Really The Person Republicans Want To Imitate?

On the surface it seems shocking that a party so fixated on religion would so favor an atheist, but it isn’t really.  Rand’s atheism does not conflict with Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christianity. They have bastardized authentic Christianity just as severely as Republican Corporate Plutocracy has bastardized authentic capitalism. They have replaced the altruism of Christ with the greed and legalism of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and traded in Jesus’ love for hate.

From NY Times: Emerging economic powers China and India are heavily investing in educating the world’s future workers while we squabble about punishing teachers and coddling children.

This week, the Center for American Progress and the Center for the Next Generation released a report entitled “The Race That Really Matters: Comparing U.S., Chinese and Indian Investments in the Next Generation Workforce.” The findings were breathtaking.

I could not do an article on this piece without taking the whole thing, which raises © issues. Click through, please.

From TPM: As he often does, Donald Trump tweeted about his ongoing conspiracy theories regarding President Obama’s birth certificate on Friday. In an awkward case of bad timing, however, it came right as Mitt Romney joked about the issue, prompting criticism from the Obama camapign [sic] over Romneys’ refusal to condemn birther supporters. 

What TPM suggests was bad timing, I suggest was planned timing.

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