{"id":25648,"date":"2016-12-29T13:13:35","date_gmt":"2016-12-29T21:13:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=25648"},"modified":"2016-12-29T13:13:35","modified_gmt":"2016-12-29T21:13:35","slug":"open-thread-12292016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2016\/12\/29\/open-thread-12292016\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread – 12\/29\/2016"},"content":{"rendered":"

News is still in short supply, unless one wishes to repeat the same stories, day after day, where only the individual identities of the targets of hatred from the Fuhrer and Republican Rectum Reich are new.  Nevertheless, I’m back in the saddle.  Yesterday’s bank run proved most interesting.  In the shower, Stumpy had bee3n hanging down without a shrinker, causing him to expand, and the hot water made it worse, so as I dressed to go out, Stumpy would not fit into George.  Thankfully, Wendy accompanied me to the bank, and in return, I treated her to burritos from a neighborhood food cart.  Fortunately George popped on without difficulty today.<\/font><\/p>\n

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

Today’s took me 2:52 (average 4:53).  To do it, click here<\/a>.  How did you do?<\/font><\/p>\n

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

From Daily Kos<\/a>: <\/font>As the Republican Congress prepares to vote on repealing the Affordable Care Act, gutting Social Security benefits for seniors and the disabled, and other measures to please their billionaire donor base, they are apparently deathly afraid<\/a> of the American public seeing them do it, and even more afraid of allowing the public to see the Democrats\u2019 response:<\/p>\n

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House members could be fined and referred to the Ethics Committee if they break rules governing electronic video and pictures in the House chamber under a new rule proposed by House Republicans more than six months after the Democrats’ guerrilla sit-in over gun control.<\/p>\n

"Any subsequent offense will be assessed at the higher amount, regardless of whether it is connected to any other offense by time or proximity," part of the proposal reads.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The \u201cfine" would be $500 for the "first offense" of photographing or videotaping, with $2500 for every "subsequent offense," according to the proposed Rule. <\/p>\n

In addition, the new Republican rule would ban anyone from seeing organized protests by the opposition, because sit-ins in the House well will be banned as well.<\/p>\n

The First Amendment is suspended for the Republican Rectum Reich.  RESIST<\/strong>!!<\/font><\/p>\n

From Robert Reich<\/a>: <\/font>[Resident<\/em>]-elect Donald Trump is accusing President Obama of putting up \u201croadblocks<\/a>\u201d to a smooth transition. <\/p>\n

In reality, I think President Obama has been too cooperative with Trump. <\/p>\n

In the waning days of his administration, I\u2019d recommend Obama take the following last stands:<\/p>\n

1. Name Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court<\/strong>. Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution gives the President power to fill any vacancy during the recess of the Senate. The Supreme Court is no exception: Justice William Brennan began his Court tenure with a recess appointment in 1956. Any appointments made this way expire at the end of the next Senate session. So if Obama appointed Garland on January 3, the appointment would last until December 2017, the end of the first session of the 115th Congress.<\/p>\n

The Reich on the left is right. I shared one. Click through for the other six. I particularly like number three.  RESIST<\/strong>!!<\/font><\/p>\n

From The Rachel Maddow Show<\/a>: <\/font><\/p>\n

Taking credit where credit is NOT dueVice President Biden\u2019s Former Economic Advisor Jared Bernstein talks to Ari Melber about how Trump is trying to take credit for job growth when his policies could very well undermine his constituents. <\/p>\n