Yesterday I got some paperwork done, but no housework as I seem to have strained my back. I’m current with replies. Today I’ll try to get a haircut again.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today it took me 4:02 (average 5:12). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From NY Times: House Republican leaders appear ready to bow to election-year pressure and pass a bill banning lawmakers from using nonpublic information they hear on the job to make financial investments. The House legislation, however, is missing two vital provisions that are in the Senate bill that won overwhelming approval last week.
The first provision requires that members of the budding “political intelligence” industry — that sells information gleaned from private talks with lawmakers and staffers — register like lobbyists and disclose Hill activities. The second provision strengthens criminal law to facilitate corruption investigations of public officials.
Both these provisions deserve enactment, but the Republican majority leader, Representative Eric Cantor, struck them from the House measure.
Republicans would not want to outlaw their favorite practices.
From MoveOn: Ellen DeGeneres Fights Bigotry — And Wins!
Republican haters are motivators for us all. Her creed is far more Christian that the Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christian false gospel of hate.
From Reuters: President Barack Obama said on Thursday he was granting 10 U.S. states exemptions from parts of the "No Child Left Behind" education law, a move that could prove popular in an election year with parents and teachers who have criticized the law.
"After waiting far too long for Congress to reform No Child Left Behind, my administration is giving states the opportunity to set higher, more honest standards in exchange for more flexibility," Obama said in a statement.
"Today, we’re giving 10 states the green light to continue making reforms that are best for them," said Obama.
Obama is doing what he can, because Republicans refuse to act.
Cartoon:
8 Responses to “Open Thread–2/10/2012”
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Cartoon — He and every other republican/Teabagger obstructionist! Mandatory birth control! Good cartoon.
Puzzle — close but no cigar. 5:20. Ha! I did it a second time in 5 flat!
Insider Information — I personally am in favour of banning the use of insider information. As a management employee in my area of expertise, I had to certify at least annually that I was aware of the rules, and I had to certify my staff were aware too. I even had to investigate a case of staff insider trading and that is not fun when you have done your investigation and sit down with the employee. So these guys are in an even more exposed position with lobbyists, constituents and corporations to glean a lot of info. Look at Boehner with his significant interests in some of the companies that would work on the Keystone. BIG conflict of interest and BIG gains if it goes ahead. If a judge is required to recuse themselves from certain cases, maybe legislators should do the same. Better still, blind trusts for all investment transactions, whatever their nature.
Question: According to the artcle, the Senate approved one version last week that was more stringent than that approved by the House because the Worm, Cantor, struck out 2 provisions, which I agree should be left in. So what one goes forward?
Ellen DeGeneres — I saw this a couple of days ago and thought that Degeneres was a total class act! I got a kick out of the One Million Moms facebook page that has only 40,000 followers, not 1 million. I also like how she talks about her haters as her motivators. Kudos to JC Penney for standing by her. And I agree with you TC, “Her creed is far more Christian that the Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christian false gospel of hate.”
No child left behind — Do I recall correctly that this programme was the brain fart of Baby Bush? If so, now you know why he was passed forward despite his demonstrated stupidity. Of course the Republican/Teabaggers, the obstructionists that they are, are going to hold this and everything else up, except of course things that benefit them. I am glad that Obama is moving forward with 10 states. Yes it will be a good move for him politically, but, providing the new standards and practices prepare kids for the future properly, it is also a good move for students too.
Thanks!
Not bad.
I would carry it one step further. Public blind trusts with instructions to the trustee to divest whatever the politician is working on. Blind trusts have a way of peeking.
It will go to a conference committee with both Senators and Representatives to hammer out the differences.
Republicans love to the that. Their “silent majority” was never one.
NCLB had great results in Texas where Bush has introduced it as governor, so it passes easily. What nobody realized at the time is that he got those great results by pushing underachieving kids out of the school system so they would not bring down the scores.
4:13
Insider trading ~ The Office of Congressional Ethics is investigating the chairman of the House Financial Services Committee over possible violations of insider-trading laws, according to individuals familiar with the case.
Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), who holds one of the most influential positions in the House, has been a frequent trader on Capitol Hill, buying stock options while overseeing the nation’s banking and financial services industries.
The Office of Congressional Ethics, an independent investigative agency, opened its probe late last year after focusing on numerous suspicious trades on Bachus’s annual financial disclosure forms, the individuals said. OCE investigators have notified Bachus that he is under investigation and that they have found probable cause to believe insider-trading violations have occurred.
The case is the first of its kind involving a member of Congress. It comes at a time of intense public scrutiny of congressional ethics, with the House passing legislation Thursday to tighten rules against insider trading by lawmakers. The impetus for the legislation, a version of which passed in the Senate a week earlier, came from a “60 Minutes” report and a book mentioning Bachus’s trades, “Throw Them All Out,” by Peter Schweizer.
SNIP
Full article and quote from a statement Bachus issued today: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2012/02/09/gIQA21Ui2Q_story.html
Good for Ellen and JC Penney!
No Child Left Behind should have been titled Every Child Left Behind. GWB’s legacy is probably the worst in American History.
The mutant ninja turtle needs to go crawl back into his shell and keep his mouth closed.
Close!
Before I saw your link, I had already written the same article into tomorrow’s Open Thread. Great minds fall in the same ditch. 🙂
Amen.
Republicans have one successful program: No Millionaire Left Behind.
Amen!
3:19 I’m happy with this time.
Dang! It will take another very good score to win tomorrow.
JC Penney’s Official Statement:
Just thought JC Penney earns some well-deserved Props.
Kudos to JCP!