Yesterday, I rested as much as I could, but I spent much of the day trying to keep up with the murders in Georgia and Texas. I’m current on replies Today I’ll be in prison working with my guys, I will be home late and sleepless, so I may need to take tomorrow off, or If I do post, it will likely be late.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today it took me 4:00 (average 4:50). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From CBS: A defense attorney says Georgia prison officials have blocked inmate Troy Davis from taking a polygraph test before his scheduled execution.
Attorney Stephen Marsh told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the Georgia Department of Corrections has denied his request to allow Davis to take a polygraph test. Davis is scheduled to die at 7 p.m. EDT Wednesday.
The Georgia Republicans did not want more evidence that they have murdered an innocent man.
From Raw Story: For those labeling President Barack Obama’s recent comments about taxes "class warfare," a majority of Americans may think differently.
At least two-thirds of Americans believe that high income earners should be taxed at a larger rate, according to a recent poll from Gallup about Obama’s jobs plan proposals.
Sixty-six percent of Americans told the polling firm that individuals making at least $200,000, or families bring home $250,000, should see an increase in taxes. There’s an even larger majority in favoring an elimination of tax deductions for corporations, with 70 percent of the public agreeing that wealthy corporations should pay higher taxes.
This is why this must be the signature issue.
Cartoon:
6 Responses to “Open Thread–9/22/2011”
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4:09 I guess I’m back to normal on my puzzle time. Yesterday must have been a fluke.
If they really want class warfare, maybe we should give it to them.
Only 9 seconds off my time!
3:58 We were all close today. I am 83 out of 265 (313).
Good one. Today you will have more of a challenge.
Troy Anthony Davis — By asking for a polygraph test, Davis, who has maintained his innocence from the beginning, was prepared to put himself in harms way to prove his innocence, or at least cast substantial doubt on his conviction. The polygraph measures the minutest changes in heart rate, blood pressure and other physiogical conditions, often unbeknownst to the person being tested. Why would anyone take that risk unnecessarily? I suppose it could be argued that he had nothing to lose by trying it, but why waste the time?
From CBS: Spencer Lawton, the district attorney who secured Davis’ conviction in 1991, said he was embarrassed for the judicial system that the execution has taken so long. “What we have had is a manufactured appearance of doubt which has taken on the quality of legitimate doubt itself. And all of it is exquisitely unfair,” said Lawton, who retired as Chatham County’s head prosecutor in 2008. “The good news is we live in a civilized society where questions like this are decided based on fact in open and transparent courts of law, and not on street corners.”
I would be embarrassed for the Georgia judicial system too, not because “the execution has taken so long”, but because it threw up so many roadblocks time after time denying a man justice. Over time, this case has developed more holes than swiss cheese. And “we live in a civilised society . . .on fact in open and transparent courts of law . . .”. That’s BS. There was more afoot here than a civilised society would tolerate. Why is there such a disproportionate number of African Americans in the penal system and on death row in Georgia? Why, when such people as law enforcement professionals, ex US Presidents, the Pope, and other well known US politicians from both sides of the political debate have urged clemency, did Georgia proceed with the execution? It sounds like the good ‘ol boys club (whites only) of the South is alive and well living in Georgia. Interesting too that Georgia has a Republican governor who appoints the Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Class Warfare — I like the numbers that you quoted from Raw Story, but I also find it telling that “. . . the survey also included some positive Republican feedback for President Obama’s plan. Fifty-three percent of GOP voters favoring deductions for corporations to be eliminated.
An additional 56 percent of GOP voters said additional funds should be provided to public employees and unemployment benefits should be extended.”
Could it be that people who have identified themselves as Republican supporters in the past are finally seeing through the Republican and Tea Party rhetoric? Could it be that people who have identified themselves as Republican supporters in the past are finally seeing the true obstructionist philosphy, the almost treasonous holding of the American people hostage for their own agrandissement? Could it be that people who have identified themselves as Republican supporters in the past are finally seeing the lies and manipulations perpetrated by the GOP? I sure hope that this means that people are finally waking up.
While wandering through Raw Story (that’s like shopping in the mall to me), I came to an unrelated story, but appropriate to the discussion, of a video of Elizabeth Warren talking to a non-partisan group and she was so eloquent. One of the things she said was that the rich didn’t get there by themselves. They built the factory but they moved their product over roads built by the people. They hired people to work in the factoy that were educated using tax dollars. They were safe in their factories because of police and firefighters paid for by the people. This constitutes a social contract and it is time they started giving back to the people in the form of taxes.
Cartoon — Just excellent! I can say no more.
Lynn, a polygraph will render a false negative (lying) 25% of the time. Therefore it was even a bigger risk.
Asshole!
They do not represent their voters, just the extreme right.
I hope so.
Yes!
Thank you, sadly.