Yesterday I spent about three hours doing light housekeeping chores, and I was biting off more than I should have. Today I have a grocery delivery coming, and more work unpacking and putting them away, so I’m straying down, otherwise. I’m current with replies. We’ll see what tomorrow brings. May the Holy Ellipsoid Orb bless your team, unless it’s the Browns. 😉
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:57 (average 4:34). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From NY Times: Republicans continue to embrace the no-new-taxes stand as a centerpiece of the party’s identity, even in the face of public opinion that strongly supports tax increases on high incomes. And some Republicans fear that the party’s commitment to prevent tax increases more and more is coming at the expense of those other, older kinds of fiscal responsibility.
“Republicans used to be interested in not running continual rivers of red ink,” said former Representative William Frenzel, a Minnesota Republican who as the ranking member of the House Budget Committee in 1990 helped to negotiate the deficit deal. “If that meant raising taxes a little bit, we always raised taxes a little bit. But nowadays taxes are like leprosy and they can’t be used for anything, and so Republicans have denied themselves any bargaining power.”
I agree with a broad premise of this article, except that it is highly inaccurate to call Republicans the party of fiscal responsibility.
From The Independent: Replacing the income tax with a wealth tax – 1 per cent on wealth between $500,000 and $1 million; 2 percent over $1 million – would bring in more revenue than all the income tax the federal government currently collects. It would be fairer, too. The very, very rich don’t rely on their incomes. They own things, like companies and securities, that yield dividends taxed at half the rate of incomes that most working Americans depend on.
I find this idea interesting enough to warrant consideration. In addition, the mere thought of such a system may cause the demise of the Koch Brothers from acute constipation. 😉
From Alternet: An Indiana man who pleaded guilty yesterday to setting an Ohio mosque on fire told a judge he was motivated by media accounts – specifically those on Fox News – suggesting Muslims were threatening Americans and were in control of parts of the federal government.
Details made public at the plea hearing also revealed that the arsonist, Randolph Linn, was carrying a pistol when he entered the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo on September 30, only minutes after several worshippers had left, and that he had more guns in his car.
As long as Republican Ministry of Propaganda continues to spew bigotry and hate, America will be a more dangerous and more violent place, than it would otherwise be. In this case, we were very fortunate to have avoided, by chance, another Republican massacre.
Cartoon:
14 Responses to “Open Thread–12/23/2012”
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Puzzle — 3:54 I think I am going a tad loopy with this one!
NY Times — Republican/Teabaggers have selective memories when viewing the national debt. They harp at Mr Obama about raising it, but when they look at the history of the financial debt, they fail to acknowledge their part in it all. Why were't they crowing about it when Baby Bush and Cheney were increasing the national debt with their illegal wars? It seems that it is ok to kill your own people whether it be in an illegal foreign war, or whether it be on the streets of the country with hatred and poverty. Get a life Republican/Teabaggers and govern the country for the good of ALL people.
The Independent — An interesting idea but does anybody have the political will to even look at it?
Alternet — I was behind a taxi yesterday that had a message on the back bumper — Don't hate. Respect, peace and love. This has been some of the reaction to the Wisconsin attack on Sikh worshippers. Yesterday, Justin Trudeau, son of former PM Pierre Elliott Trudeau, who is running for the leadership of the federal Liberal Party, was speaking at an Islamic conference in Toronto and told of people urging him not to. He said "It is short-sighted to pit groups of Canadians against one another. It may make some feel good for a little while, or even work politically in the short term, but it is no way to build a country," Trudeau said in a keynote address. "It is not who we are."
http://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/trudeau-defies-critics-in-muslim-conference-speech-3
There is no place for bigotry and dicsrimination in this world. We are all closer together than we have ever been, and an attempt to hurt others will only hurt everyone.
Faux Noise needs to lose their license and the hatemongers, professional distortionists and propagandists put into a permanent unemployment line.
Cartoons — It was around the world in 80 days. But now look!
Beat me!
Republicans have never opposed spending, per se, in recent decades. They oppose only spending tiat does not benefit the 1% above all.
Right now, no, but when I first started opposing Vietnam, I was a member of a tiny minority.
I fully agree.
Amen, and what a victory this was for green methods.
3:06 Must be all the bows I tied onto presents today that helped me.
4:13 I think I got tangled up in the ribbon.
Thire for me. I would have tried harder, if it wasn't coal.
NY Times ~ The RepublicanTs are the ones who forget that they are the ones who actually squander taxpayers money and when they don't occupy the White House, they are quick to put the blame on the Dems.
Isn't this called "projection" in psychiatric circles?
The Independent ~ I like it. It would be fairer than an income tax. It makes more sense than even a flat tax.
Alternet ~ I can't help but wonder how long the FCC will continue to let the Misinformation network continue to air sedition and calls for treason on the airwaves.
Cartoon ~ Interesting little tidbit. Thanks, TomCat.
Indeed it is projection.
I agree. Thanks!
They have been lax at fairly distributing the available bandwidth.
YVW!
Since I'll be heading up to Illinois for Christmas with the family early tomorrow morning (provided I can corral the cat; this is my third cat and each one has the uncanny ability to know when they're going into their travel cage … and so they HIDE), I'll take this opportunity to wish everyone a …
MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Cats know everything. Iusually get the pet taxi out about two days before it is needed, they are less likely to get under the bed then.
Like Edie said, we are much smarter than you are. 😉
Merry Christmas, and have a wonderful trip.
TC, thanks for the posts. I hope you are well soon.
YVW, Edie! Thank you!
Please do as little as possible and curl up in your kitty-nest till you feel really well again TC! A tranquil Christmas to all my friends – love
Pat A
Thanks Pat. I'm trying. Merry Christmas to you as well, as you have Christmas a few hours earlier on your side of the pond.