{"id":11151,"date":"2013-09-18T00:49:10","date_gmt":"2013-09-18T07:49:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=11151"},"modified":"2013-09-18T00:49:10","modified_gmt":"2013-09-18T07:49:10","slug":"open-thread9182013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2013\/09\/18\/open-thread9182013\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread–9\/18\/2013"},"content":{"rendered":"

Writing for tomorrow, day 96, I\u2019m still pretty pooped, but hope to get some rest today.<\/font><\/p>\n

Poll Note<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

I realized I made a major wording error on out poll.  To fix it, I had to restart the poll, so if you already voted, please vote again.<\/font><\/p>\n

Update<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

For the first time, Critter sends greetings to Critter from the outside.  He\u2019s a bit overwhelmed, of course, but doing great.<\/font><\/p>\n

Jig Zone Puzzle<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

Today\u2019s took me 3:23 (average 5:06).  To do it, click here<\/a>!  How did you do?<\/font><\/p>\n

Fantasy Football Report<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the latest in our fantasy football league, after an exciting, but frustrating week.  Damn Seachickens!!<\/font><\/p>\n

Scores:<\/font><\/p>\n

\"2Scores\"<\/font><\/p>\n

I bet Patty is Monster Mash twerking right now!! \ud83d\ude09<\/font><\/p>\n

Standings:<\/font><\/p>\n

\"2Standings\"<\/font><\/p>\n

Oh how the mighty have fallen!<\/font><\/p>\n

Short Takes:<\/font><\/strong><\/p>\n

From Robert Reich<\/a>: <\/font>One of the most deceptive ideas continuously sounded by the Right (and its fathomless think tanks and media outlets) is that the \u201cfree market\u201d is natural and inevitable, existing outside and beyond government. So whatever inequality or insecurity it generates is beyond our control. And whatever ways we might seek to reduce inequality or insecurity \u2014 to make the economy work for us \u2014 are unwarranted constraints on the market\u2019s freedom, and will inevitably go wrong. <\/p>\n

By this view, if some people aren\u2019t paid enough to live on, the market has determined they aren\u2019t worth enough. If others rake in billions, they must be worth it. If millions of Americans remain unemployed or their paychecks are shrinking or they work two or three part-time jobs with no idea what they\u2019ll earn next month or next week, that\u2019s too bad; it\u2019s just the outcome of the market. <\/p>\n

According to this logic, government shouldn\u2019t intrude through minimum wages, high taxes on top earners, public spending to get people back to work, regulations on business, or anything else, because the \u201cfree market\u201d knows best.<\/p>\n

In reality, the \u201cfree market\u201d is a bunch of rules about (1) what can be owned and traded (the genome? slaves? nuclear materials? babies? votes?); (2) on what terms (equal access to the internet? the right to organize unions? corporate monopolies? the length of patent protections? ); (3) under what conditions (poisonous drugs? unsafe foods? deceptive Ponzi schemes? uninsured derivatives? dangerous workplaces?) (4) what\u2019s private and what\u2019s public (police? roads? clean air and clean water? healthcare? good schools? parks and playgrounds?); (5) how to pay for what (taxes, user fees, individual pricing?). And so on. <\/p>\n

These rules don\u2019t exist in nature; they are human creations. Governments don\u2019t \u201cintrude\u201d on free markets; governments organize and maintain them. Markets aren\u2019t \u201cfree\u201d of rules; the rules define them. <\/p>\n

Republican rules cause the 1% to get the benefits, and the 99% to pay the costs.<\/font><\/p>\n

From Blue Oregon<\/a>: <\/font>Straight Talk: Oregon republican party chairman Art Robinson<\/strong><\/p>\n

Art Robinson was on KGW’s Straight Talk over the weekend, and I think Laurel Porter is probably still recovering from the post-interview laughing fit she had when it was over because…wow.\\\\<\/p>\n