{"id":14515,"date":"2015-01-16T00:47:13","date_gmt":"2015-01-16T08:47:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=14515"},"modified":"2015-01-16T00:47:13","modified_gmt":"2015-01-16T08:47:13","slug":"open-thread1162015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2015\/01\/16\/open-thread1162015\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread–1\/16\/2015"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m writing for tomorrow, day 72.  I\u2019m getting a late start, because I slept late and I\u2019ve been busy with other things, but I do have articles for you.<\/font><\/p>\n

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

Today\u2019s took me 2:42 (average 5:17).  To do it, click here<\/a>.  How did you do?<\/font><\/p>\n

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

From Daily Kos<\/a>: <\/font>Mitch McConnell was full of promises last November about how things were going to be different in the Senate when he was in charge. Like how the Senate was going to start working on Fridays. That promise was broken last Thursday<\/a>, the first week of the session. The other thing the Senate was going to do under his watch\u2014open amendments. Republicans had grumbled incessantly over the last six years about how Harry Reid was a dictator who refused to allow them to offer up their amendments, almost all of which were poison pills that had little or nothing to do with the underlying legislation. Well, the worm has turned with Republicans now in power, and McConnell doesn’t like it one bit<\/a>. In fact, he’s pretty whiny about it.<\/p>\n

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"Some of our colleagues on the other side continue to filibuster the motion to proceed to this bill. All senators should know that we will get on this bill today and begin the amendment process\u2014either this afternoon by consent, or shortly after midnight without consent,\u201d he said. [\u2026] <\/p>\n

McConnell vowed he would not let Democrats use their ability to offer amendments to stretch out floor debates for weeks simply to burn up the calendar.<\/p>\n

"We will conduct a fair and open amendment process but not an open-ended one," he said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And so much for open amendments. That fair and open process apparently won’t include one<\/a> proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) intended to put Republicans on the record about the connection between humans\u2019 greenhouse gas emissions and global warming in the Keystone XL debate.<\/p>\n

Speaking of greenhouse gas emissions, one of the biggest sources of methane in Washington, DC is Bought Bitch Mitch.<\/font><\/p>\n

From The New Yorker<\/a>: <\/font>Citing what he called \u201csecurity concerns,\u201d House Speaker John Boehner said on Wednesday that he would do all of his drinking at the office for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n

Boehner said that he may have to stay at work later in order to get his drinking done, but added, \u201cI\u2019m doing it for the American people. They need to know that their Speaker is safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

I wonder if Andy equates \u201csafe\u201d with preserved by pickling. <\/font><\/p>\n

From Media Matters<\/a>: <\/font>Fox News hosts have repeatedly<\/a> denied<\/a> that moderate Muslims denounce violent extremists following terror attacks, ignoring that on their very network, Muslim guests have condemned terrorism and defended their faith. Watch five Muslim guests make their case on Fox:<\/p>\n

Barf Bag Alert!!<\/strong><\/font><\/p>\n