I’m in quite a bit of pain from my bad leg, but at least I have an Open Thread today. I’d like to share a quote from the writing of one of my guys in prison: “We cannot find peace or freedom while sowing the seeds of discord with dishonesty, intolerance, irresponsibility or disrespect.” If only someone would teach this to the Republican leadership. My activity here should increase gradually.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:01 (average 4:44). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From NY Times: With the House set on Friday to convene the first of its hearings into the targeting of conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service, the lessons learned from the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, which cost Republicans in elections in 1998, have been on display in recent days.
Listening to the hearings, I learned that the abuse, which Republicans are blaming on Obama, occurred during the Bush Regime under his appointees. Under Obama, the same people continued the same policies. In any event, this is clearly not a Democratic attack on Teabaggers. If anything, it’s an attack by the 1% wings of the Republican Party to limit the power of their Tea Party storm troopers, the monster they created, and now, cannot control.
From The New Yorker: Today Speaker of the House John Boehner issued the following letter to the American people:
Dear American People,
Yesterday, your hardworking House Republicans tried, once again, and failed, once again, to repeal Obamacare. And I really thought we had a good chance this time.
That’s because we were all united in our hatred for this infernal and takes-too-long-to-read law. Every last one of us cast his vote to strike it down, from crazy little Paul Ryan to that arrogant bastard Eric Cantor.
And I wish you could have seen the faces of those freshman Republicans as they voted to repeal Obamacare—so innocent, so full of hope and wonder. As I told them yesterday, “You’ll never forget your first time.” …
Since retaking the House in 2010, Republicans have averaged 5.4 minutes out of every hour to repealing Obamacare.
From MSNBC: Deficits are shrinking at a historic pace.
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
In spite of everything Republicans have done to sabotage our economy for political gain, the policies taken by Obama and the Democrats are working. The reason Republicans don’t cake is this. Everything their party does is a smokescreen for one of two Republican goals: either transfer of worth from the 99% to the 1%, or establishing a permanent regime of totalitarian Republican rule.
Cartoon:
21 Responses to “Open Thread–5/17/2013”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Glad to have you back with the open thread.
3:40 I'm surprised I did as well as I did. I'm way out of practice. Haveen't done any puzzles since you stopped posting them.
Bonehead's letter ~ "hardworking House Republicans"… Sorry, I just can't stop laughing.
Monster mashed me!
Amen!
2:52 No horsin' around with this puzzle. It is good to get back in the saddle again.
In case anyone was wondering what was happening with the puzzles over the last couple of weeks, here are my times.
4/22 3:31
4/23 3:36
4/24 3:40
4/25 4:26
4/26 3:45
4/27 3:38
4/28 3/28
4/29 3:03
4/30 3:28
5/1 3:09
5/2 3:38
5/3 3:32
5/4 4:12
5/5 3:35
5/6 3:21
5/7 3:38
5/8 2:54
5/9 3:51
5/10 3:06
5/11 3:38
5/12 4:26
5/13 3:35
5/14 3:43
5/15 3:51
5/16 3:24
Since everyone else is out of practice, it's Critter Crunch time.
Where are Lynn's size nines?
She was hiding from the Bigfoot hunters. 😉
the DOJ scandal is the most plausible – especially considering the administration's lack of action (yeah – I know we have a fillibustering opposition), but Guantanamo is an eyesore and a humiliating sore on The US' back, and we still have a hero, Manning who has suffered torture and possible whatever from our military court "hearing" – he at least should get a pardon – if not a medal! Assange being the other victim of This administration!
The President hasn't come clean – with all of his tansparency – this may really be the straw on his back that I, for one can't find a defense for!
While I can easily see that Citizens United may be at play for this ridiculous scam – I believe we set ourselves up for this one – and it's not one that either party can accept!
the DOJ scandal is the most plausible – especially considering the administration's lack of action (yeah – I know we have a fillibustering opposition), but Guantanamo is an eyesore and a humiliating sore on The US' back, and we still have a hero, Manning who has suffered torture and possible whatever from our military court "hearing" – he at least should get a pardon – if not a medal! Assange being the other victim of This administration!
The President hasn't come clean – with all of his tansparency – this may really be the straw on his back that I, for one can't find a defense for!
While I can easily see that Citizens United may be at play for this ridiculous scam – I believe we set ourselves up for this one – and it's not one that either party can accept!
Worth saying twice, Lee? 😉
DOJ is supposed to bew independent from the President, althopugh there are many tghings in which Obama's performance has not been satisfactory, but he stands a mile above the Republicans. Ypu can't bl;ame him for Gitmo. As his first official act, he ordered it closed. Congress prevented the closing by legislating that he could not transfer them to the US, and then fordidding repatriation tp Yemen, the one country willing to take thjeir own. Since there is noplace he can send them, what's he supposed to do, close Gitmo and drop them off mid Atlantic?
I look forward to his major position speech that is upcoming, but right now, we can not have the President we both would prefer.
Get better Tom Cat!
Thanks, Lee!
Hi Tom! I hope you are getting well fast.
Those are wise words that prisoner wrote and I think they define the problems with the GOP quite perfectly. Dishonesty on their own side doesn't matter one bit to them. They are the ultimate hypocrites.
Thanks Angie!
Amen !
Tom, Glad to hear you are at home. Get better as we miss you on Care2 but do take your time. Great post BTW. Take care my friend.
Thanks John!
So glad you are back TC" Take it easy – if you can(!)
"“We cannot find peace or freedom while sowing the seeds of discord with dishonesty, intolerance, irresponsibility or disrespect.” If only someone would teach this to the Republican leadership. " Amen to that! Apparently today is Buddha's birthday – I think the saying from one of your chaps is very apposite! Thanks Lynn!
Thanks Pat!
Boehner, that eternal jackass, sending that letter out would have been freakin priceless!
It sure woud have, Princess Lisa!
Sorry TC, I'm late to the party on this post. I was falling asleep at my keyboard last night so I went to bed instead!
This is such a beautiful quote that I have added it to my Care2 page. Thank you for sharing it, and I hope that you will tell "your guy" that I say it is excellent and worthy of note.
Puzzle — 3:43 I did a few puzzles will you were away but it just wasn't the same. I'm out of practice.
NY Times —
I wonder how long that will last? Balance is not their strong suit! Further, I was not aware that Republican/Teabaggers knew how to multi-task!
And where was their outrage when Baby Bush waging an illegal war in Iraq under false pretenses? Where was their outrage over the Patriot Act, over Guantanamo, over Bush using the IRS etc for his own nefarious purposes? Selective short memories!
No government administration is perfect, and it is impossible to be perfect. But I doubt any administration has had to put up with such an obstructionist opposition that makes moving forward impossible as the Republican/Teabaggers currently in Washington.
New Yorker — Don't you just love AB's way with words! "…crazy little Paul Ryan to that arrogant bastard Eric Cantor." There is a story on Care2 about some of the things that Obamacare repeal costs could have accomplished were the Republican/Teabaggers not playing stupid games. http://www.care2.com/causes/4-better-ways-to-spend-the-55-million-wasted-on-trying-to-repeal-obamacare.html
MSNBC — When the CBO comes out with a report like the one they brought out about the declining deficit, of course the Republican/Teabaggers are going to ignore it because their mantra has been "reduce the deficit" and under Mr Obama that is happening. Heaven forbid that they give the administration any credit! During the campaign last year, the Republican/Teabagger mantra was "Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!" but the minute that the campaign was over it switched to deficit reduction. I saw a headline again today where the Republican/Teabaggers are back on the "jobs" train. I agree with your statement:
How else can one explain the Republican/Teabagger perfidy?
Cartoon — I think if the Republican/Teabaggers dove into that gopher hole, they's find a whole bunch of their own coverups lurking there.
I shall do so gladly, and I suspect he will be thrilled.
Me too.
Amen to that!
Thanks. What is remarkable is that I first made that statement almost ten years ago.
Amen, but it's a mole hile… making mountains out of molehills.