Writing for tomorrow, day 68, I’m just wilted. Early this morning, the temperature outside was 59°, but in the breezeway, outside my windows, it was still 78°, and inside, 83° Someday rain has to come!!!!
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:52 (average 5:05). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From MSNBC: Republicans debate government shutdown strategy
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Whether Republicans shut down the government or trash our nation’s credit rating, because Obama is refusing to cave-in and give them their way, it is still sedition that will cost taxpayers a fortune and cause untold misery for the American people. Christina was completely off base to suggest ObamaCare should be ironed out in Conference Committee. It already was, BRFORE it became established law.
From Blue Oregon: Senator Jeff Merkley is doing that thing he does so very well, advocating for lifting up the blue-collar and middle class folks who often fall between the cracks of the very poor and the super wealthy.
Saul Hubbard, The Register Guard (originally published August 9):
When he speaks in Eugene today, U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley plans to unveil a legislative concept that could provide some federal seed money to an embryonic and radical concept designed to tackle the student debt crisis.
The “Pay It Forward” model would allow students to attend state colleges without paying any tuition up front. Instead, they would commit a small percentage of their future incomes to repaying the state over a couple of decades.
The idea drew national media attention last month after the state Legislature passed a bill to study the feasibility of such a model.
Merkley has been a consistent voice for protecting consumers and has been a watchdog on financial issues. The issue of student debt and rising costs are smack in the middle of his wheelhouse.
I am proud to have supported Jeff and volunteered for his campaign, when he defeated Gordon "Goose Step" Smith. The "progressive" Republican who voted with us, whenever the issue was already decided, and his help was not needed. I am longer physically able to volunteer, but I will be supporting his reelection bid, both financially, and here on the blog. Oregon leads the way!
From Alternet: Rampant cronyism threatens the economic foundations that have made this the most prosperous country in the world. — Charles Koch
In a 2012 essay [Murdoch delinked]Charles Koch further criticized crony capitalism, saying "This growing partnership between business and government is a destructive force, undermining not just our economy and our political system, but the very foundations of our culture." Yet Koch Industries is one of the biggest beneficiaries of oil subsidies and government contracts. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the company has spent an average of almost $12 million per year from 2008 to 2012 on oil and gas industry lobbying.
There’s more. Over 100 bills introduced in 2013, backed by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and heavily funded by the Kochs, seek to drive down wages, benefits, and worker rights.
This is just one of eight reasons why Charles Koch is "one of the scariest men on earth". Click through to read the other seven. Down with the Kochs! Down with Kochroaches!
Cartoon:
Hat-Tip and kudos to Terrie W from Care2, who inspired the concept for this.
25 Responses to “Open Thread–8/20/2012”
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The idea behind the cartoon is wonderful! (The insect, not so much – eek!). That is a play on words all of us wish we had thought of!
Kudos to Senator Jeff Merkley with his idea for student debt reduction – that is a wonderful idea. It is criminal to saddle youngsters with such horrendous burdens.
Thanks Pat. I agree on both points.
PS well done on day 68! Hooray!
Thanks. Sadly is's no less painful.
Thank you, Terrie for your inspriation. Took me a few seconds to see that there was a tea bag.
Amen Dotti!
5:05 This might be an Impressionist (or just plain modern) painting, but my first impression still holds: I hated this puzzle the first time.
3:20 It's made a good impression on me!
Crunched or Mashed?
4:04 I am not impressed.
How did you do? 6:33
I'm hoping this Republican party goes the way of the whigs, extinct.
Not bad!
Amen!
Puzzle — 5:05 This might be an Impressionist (or just plain modern) painting, but my first impression still holds: I hated this puzzle the first time.
MSNBC — It literally makes me ill listening to these Republicanus/Teabaggers. Sedition indeed! A quote from Henry Giroux in an article I posted to Care2:
It is apparent to me that these Republicanus/Teabaggers are all about "government of, by and for the wealthy 1%" . To restate the motto of Dumas' Three Muskateers: One for one, and all for one!
To ponder a response to Giroux's question, have Americans become complacent? Have Americans lost that pioneer spirit? To me it is clear, if people want change, they have to be willing to take bold steps. After all, isn't that what the first colonists did — take bold steps away from Europe into a land that they did not know but had the opportunity to develop. What I am talking about is the spirit of coöperation, looking out for the next person. That seems to have evaporated into the ether of progress, morphed into "every man for himself" unfortunately.
Blue Oregon — I remember you covering this earlier. I personally think it is a good idea. Just a passing thought — I wonder what people think of the idea of "debt forgiveness" as a 'prize' for doing well in studies? Obviously details would have to be worked out, the metrics etc.
Alternet — These are all dangerous reasons why Charles Koch is a very scary individual (and David is no better!). But the one that bothers me the most is "Education" because it affects coming generations and stilts education.
Kochroaches indeed!
Cartoon — Amen! . . . although the Kochroaches little "bage of honour — the GOP elephant" should be a little bigger. It is hard to see, but the association is unmistakable..
Crunched or Mashed?
I think thed answer is to help enoough people understand thed need to vote them out, but we are a sadly apathetic nation.
I prefer payment in service, but this works too.
As philanthropic as they can appear, most of what they do is horrid!
I trried making it larger, bot it just didn't look real.
Heh heh heh….why, thank ya……thank ya very much…:)
YVW, Dawg Lady, and thank YOU!
After reading and listening to information about Ted Cruz's citizenship, it appears that I may be a dual citizen, based on Cruz's logic. My mother was an American citizen when I was born and didn't become a Canadian citizen until I was in my 30s. I don't know if she renounced her American citizenship when she became a Canadian. Works for me Good news for you guys, I won't be moving south — I like my universal healthcare.
If we compare Cruz to Obama, both mothers were American citizens when they were born. So what is the problem? At least Mr Obama was born in the US. Yet Republicanus/Teabaggers, specifically the birther bunch, still made an issue of his birth. As Rmoney was so fond of saying "Sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander!"
Actually, there would be a problem for Pres. Obama to claim citizenship via the "natural born citizen" route provided by maternal citizenship if he were born (as the Orly Taitz Wacko Birthers like to claim), in Kenya.
While it's true his mother was a US citizen, under the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 (which would be the applicable law at his birth) his mother had to be a US resident for FIVE YEARS AFTER her 14th Birthday for her to transmit citizenship. She was only 18 when Barack was born – so she wouldn't qualify.
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/86757.pdf
http://articles.philly.com/2009-07-30/news/25288754_1_natural-born-citizens-citizen-parent-eligibility
While were on the topic of citizenship, any chance you guys would be willing to take Ted Cruz (R-Alberta) back? I understand he remains a Canadian citizen for eight months after he renounces it. PUH-LEAZ! (At least I hear that Alberta is as close to Texas as Canada provinces come.)
Fuddle duddle!!!!! Not a f*^@ing chance!
Dayyum!! 🙁
You know, I read an article about giving up Canadian citizenship and do you think I can find it? Nope, but here is the government web site: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/citizenship/renounce-eligibility.asp
To be eligible to renounce your Canadian citizenship, you must:
– be a Canadian citizen
– prove that you are or that you will become a citizen of a country other than Canada if your application to renounce is approved
– not live in Canada
– be at least 18 years old
– not be a threat to Canada’s security or part of a pattern of criminal activity and
– understand the significance of renouncing your Canadian citizenship.
There is also a fee of $100 CDN.
Well Nameless, you might get your way! The sticker might be "not to be a threat to Canada's security or part of a pattern of criminal activity". Cruz is a threat to everyone's security, including US security, and he is a Republicanus/Teabagger, definitely a criminal organisation!
What do you think of that?
I think though that I can swing a deal with the feds to let him go, nonetheless!
He porobably doesn't understand the significance either.
It's a Cuban-Canadion plot to take over ouir nation, trample our liberties, and steal our precious bodily fluids!!
FYI, this Thursday's cartoon was already made, even before I saw this.
I am glad there are a few like Merkley left. I only wish there were more.
Any thing the Koch brothers advocate, I am against.
In the Senate, we need sixty like him.