Open Thread–5/30/2011

It’s time for people to start getting ready for summer vacations.  All too many will travel to the supermarket, because buying an extra hot dog will be all their budgets can handle.  Thanks Republicans.  Yesterday my mouth bothered me, and I took it easy as much as I could.  I’m current on replies.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today it took me 4:22 (average 5:04).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From Washington Post: DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz on the Ryan Plan

 

I disagree on one point. You can’t sit down around the table with Republicans, because the only compromise they will make is our capitulation.

From Me: Hands Across the Hawthorne Bridge.

A magnificent response.

From Daily Kos: Whenever there is a debate about making cuts to education, both parties zero right in on teachers. But when the debate is about making cuts to health care, nobody zeroes in on doctors. A curious thing, wouldn’t you say? In both professions, the primary practitioners of the profession are seen as being ultimately responsible for the product. Educators are constantly put under pressure. They must accept cuts in pay, cuts in benefits, cuts in job security, cuts in funding for their ability to do their job. They must do more with less, always. But in the case of health care, doctors seem to escape any scrutiny whatsoever. In fact, any cut to their income no matter how insignificant, is always portrayed as doing irreparable harm to the health care system.

I certainly lack the expertise to say that doctors are overpaid and suspect that many, if not most, are not.  Rather, I think we should consider cutting teachers’ pay as doing irreparable harm to education.

Cartoon:

Recycle toilet paper, and feed needy Teabaggers.  (That was not intended to be a factual statement.)