Yesterday I had an appointment with my podiatrist for routine quarterly surgery removing a recurring cyst from my foot. It was worse that usual, so that slowed me down a bit. Nevertheless, I am current with replies. Today I have my mid month paperwork to do and some preparation for volunteer work in prison on Thursday.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today it took me 3:43 (average 4:34). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Crooks and Liars: Seven Mountains Dominionism and Christian Reconstruction
While I disagree with his atheist stance, and his portrayal of non-fundamentalists, his analysis of Dominionists is spot-on. I understand this reflects both Perry and Bachmann. This is ‘must watch’ material.
From Washington Post: The Wisconsin recall fight ends Tuesday, and while the state Senate is no longer in play, Republicans could cut into the gains Democrats made last week. One Democratic seat in tomorrow’s election is probably safe; the race for the other one is very close.
Vote, Wisconsin! To lose your hard-fought gains now would be tragic.
From McClatchy DC: Congress has allotted $1.3 trillion for war spending through fiscal year 2011 just to the Defense Department. There are long Pentagon spreadsheets that outline how much of that was spent on personnel, transportation, fuel and other costs. In a recent speech, President Barack Obama assigned the wars a $1 trillion price tag.
But all those numbers are incomplete. Besides what Congress appropriated, the Pentagon spent an additional unknown amount from its $5.2 trillion base budget over that same period. According to a recent Brown University study, the wars and their ripple effects have cost the United States $3.7 trillion, or more than $12,000 per American.
I want my $12,000 back! Peace is long past due!
Cartoon:
6 Responses to “Open Thread–8/16/2011”
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4:37 Didn’t even beat the average today. I am 71 out of 228 (311).
Today, I gave you a better chance. 🙂
Re: the cost of our wars. NPR Pasadena, CA ran a program earlier today featuring Rep. McGovern (sorry, don’t know what state he represents) who is proposing a bill to require a “war tax”, say 15% for wealthy taxpayers, graduating down to about 2% for poor ones. His argument is that it is unjust to wage all these conflicts without paying for them, thereby passing the costs on to our children and grandchildren.
Although I don’t think this has a snow ball’s chance in hell of ever getting out of Committee, I do agree with the premise. The only time I recall the American people demanding we get out of a war is Vietnam, and that was not because on the cost, but because we had a draft (the last) and 50,000 soldiers were dead. If the public had to actually PAY for these “regime changes”, Congress would get whopping pressure to 1) vote against entering them and 2) defund the ones we are already in.
I have a better idea. Require that the children/grandchildren of every Representative, every Senator, every General and every lobbyist serve in an active combat role. Peace would break out like BS on a Republican,
Tom: TMI, Dude, TMI. How are the dentures, since we’re going there?
Anyway, I’m glad you’re back to slapping the nitwits silly.
Marva, the denture story would be far more TMIish that what I wrote above.
Thanks!