{"id":13729,"date":"2014-09-22T00:38:24","date_gmt":"2014-09-22T07:38:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=13729"},"modified":"2014-09-22T00:38:24","modified_gmt":"2014-09-22T07:38:24","slug":"open-thread9222014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2014\/09\/22\/open-thread9222014\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread–9\/22\/2014"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m writing for tomorrow, day 154.  I\u2019m hurrying to finish, because services at the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb is about to start.<\/font><\/p>\n

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

Today’s took me 4:44 (average 6:05).  To do it, click here<\/a>.  How did you do?<\/font><\/p>\n

Religious Overtime Agony<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

\"0921-Broncos20-Seachickens26\"<\/font><\/p>\n

It was one hell of a meditation.  Congrats to the Seachickens.  Please pass the sour grapes.  Stinking Orb!!!<\/font><\/p>\n

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

From NY Times<\/a>: <\/font>Democrats are stepping up their appeals to older voters in the final stretch before the midterm elections, spurred by polls showing the party has regained some support lost in the Obama years. The question is whether they can narrow the gap with Republicans enough to offset their broader disadvantages given widespread dissatisfaction with President Obama.<\/p>\n

Both parties covet voters 65 and older because that group tends to make up a disproportionately large share of the midterm electorate. Democrats long had an edge, until less-supportive baby boomers aged and began replacing the Depression-era generation in the ranks of older voters. Now Democrats are reliant on young voters, as well as minorities and single women, many of whom vote only in presidential elections.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoing even a little bit better with seniors can have a substantial impact,\u201d Geoff Garin, a Democratic pollster, said. Like some Republican pollsters, he has seen Democrats improve their standing with older voters in polls in states with hotly contested Senate races. His explanation: \u201cI think the Democratic advantage on protecting Medicare and Social Security has reasserted itself.\u201d<\/p>\n

That’s a valid strategy with plenty of basis in fact. Republicans never have given up on their plans to turn Social Security over to the Banksters and turn Medicare over to Big Insurance.<\/font><\/p>\n

From Crooks and Liars<\/a>: <\/font>Jon Stewart wasn’t the only one to take fearmongering Lindsey Graham to task<\/a> for his bedwetting, unhinged rant that ISIS was coming to kill us all<\/a>. Bill Maher went after Graham and his BFF John McCain<\/a>, otherwise known as "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" during his New Rules segment this Friday night.<\/p>\n