{"id":21241,"date":"2016-04-12T13:10:40","date_gmt":"2016-04-12T20:10:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=21241"},"modified":"2016-04-12T13:10:40","modified_gmt":"2016-04-12T20:10:40","slug":"open-thread412-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2016\/04\/12\/open-thread412-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread–4\/12.2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

Yesterday, Sarah, my Prosthetist, checked out George.  She ordered a new part to stabilize his ankle, and I\u2019ll have to go back when it comes in.  I had to go to the bank, because I discovered over $100.00 was missing from my desk drawer.  I know it was there on Saturday, and only one other person had been in the apartment since.  So I need to get another shower aide.   I\u2019m disappointed, but not angry.  Desperate people do desperate things, and the money I had lent her was used up.  I\u2019ll tell her tomorrow that it is her last day.  I really needed to make the change anyway, because I have not had both weekly showers on time since January, when she moved out of the building, where I used to live.  I need to deal with people who add stability to my life, not destabilize it.<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

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

Today’s took me 3:38 (average 6:48).  To do it, click here<\/a>.  How did you do?<\/font><\/p>\n

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

From The New Yorker<\/a>: <\/font>The war of words between the two Democratic camps heated up over the weekend, as the Clinton campaign accused Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders of \u201cblatantly attempting to win the Democratic nomination for President.\u201d<\/p>\n

Appearing on NBC\u2019s \u201cMeet the Press,\u201d the Clinton campaign spokesman Harland Dorrinson said that Sanders\u2019s actions in the past few weeks \u201cleft little doubt as to what his true intentions are\u2014namely, to be the Party\u2019s nominee.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s been raising money, he\u2019s been running in primaries, and, yes, he\u2019s been winning caucuses,\u201d the Clinton aide said. \u201cIt\u2019s time for Bernie Sanders to come clean with the American people and admit what he\u2019s really up to.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s deeply troubling that what appeared at first to be a purely symbolic candidacy has turned into something else entirely,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In an interview on CNN, Secretary Clinton said that she would not \u201ctake the bait\u201d when she was asked whether she thought Sanders was trying to win the nomination, but she stopped short of disavowing the accusation.<\/p>\n

Dang, Andy!! Does Bernie have chutzpah or what?!!? The Nerve!! How dare he try to win Hillary’s nomination!! \"Winking<\/font><\/p>\n

From Daily Kos<\/a>: <\/font>Vox is calling for a boycott of using any paid TurboTax product<\/a>. So am I. If you’ve already filed, don’t use them again. If you haven’t yet filed, I urge you to use a different service, like Jackon Hewitt or TaxSlayer. Or go to an independent accountant.   <\/p>\n

The reason, to put it bluntly, is that Intuit, the company that owns TurboTax, has teamed up with Grover Norquist to ensure that paying your taxes is as painful an ordeal as possible. <\/p>\n

Intuit has spent over 13 million dollars to lobby AGAINST efforts to make taxes less complicated. After all, if taxes were made simple, then why would you need to shell out big bucks to use their convoluted system? (along with their ever-increasing fees.) <\/p>\n

One such effort they oppose is so common-sense that even conservatives are having a hard time making the case against it. (But it’s not stopping them.) It’s called a "Simple Return." Essentially, the onus would be on the IRS, not you, for filling out the tax forms. <\/p>\n

You see, the IRS gets all of the same forms in the mail that you do. They already know what you owe, so they would be required to send you a pre-filled out tax return<\/strong> telling you how much you owe (or, if you overpaid, how much you will get back). With one check of the box, you could either accept it, or simply say "No Thanks" and do the taxes yourself. It’s just an option. <\/p>\n

I support Vox in this. I use TaxAct.<\/font><\/p>\n

From Alternet<\/a>: <\/font>Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant has declared April "Confederate Heritage Month," which has rightfully angered many residents in the state, \u201cespecially since the governor refuses to mention what the Civil War was really about\u2014slavery,\u201d The Young Turks co-host Ana Kasparian pointed out on Tuesday.<\/p>\n