I’m writing for tomorrow, day 74, and tomorrow is a volunteer day in prison for me. I trust I will post on the 28th, as that is the anniversary of “I Have a Dream”. Thursday and Friday are up in the air, because of my medical appointment on Thursday.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:29 (average 4:31). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Think Progress: New Jersey Senate candidate Steve Lonegan (R) told MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki on Saturday that single mothers don’t need to rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps, because his mother raised a family by working hard and building a successful career following the death of her husband.
“We never had to have SNAP, when I was a kid,” Lonegan said during an appearance on Up with Steve Kornacki. “Ok, so, this thing that every single mother is the poster child for the welfare state is nonsense… I know a lot of single moms go out to work and do very, very well for themselves.”
Lonegan, who is the former New Jersey head for the Koch Brothers’ Americans for Prosperity, encouraged single mothers to roll up their sleeves and go to work, adding that free market policies and less government will free “individuals to achieve their best potential.”
When this creep was a kid, a worker with a high school degree could support a family, own a home, educate their kids, and still save. Let that Republican jerk try that today!
From Truth-out: Accumulating almost all the wealth
As evidence of the extremes between the very rich and the rest of us, the average household net worth for the top 1% in 2009 was almost $14 million, while the average household net worth for the bottom 47% was almost ZERO. For nearly half of America, average debt is about the same as average asset ownership.
The extremes are just as filthy at the global level. The richest 300 persons on earth (about a third of them in the U.S.) have more money than the poorest 3 billion people. Out of all developed and undeveloped countries with at least a quarter-million adults, the U.S. has the 4th-highest degree of wealth inequality in the world, trailing only Russia, Ukraine, and Lebanon.
This just one of six filthy facts about the rich. Click through the other five. The next explains how they keep their wealth without doing anything. These are the ONLY people Republicans truly represent.
From Crooks and Liars: CNN host Dana Bash offered no fact check on Sunday as Heritage Foundation President Jim DeMint (R) falsely claimed that fewer doctors accepted Medicare than private insurance.
During a Sunday interview, DeMint explained that Heritage Action had launched a nine-city tour to rally Americans in support of repealing Obamacare because it was an "unfair and un-American law."
"Federal health care is not going to provide good health care to Americans," DeMint insisted. "You can’t find a federal program that’s working effectively."
DeMint is correct that the American people were lied to with regard to ObamaCare. Republicans did the lying.
Cartoon:
25 Responses to “Open Thread–8/27/2013”
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Hey Tom, Leaving tomorrow on a trip. Returning 9/5 Carry on in your usual superb manner. Stay cool and be well.
Have a great trip, Dotti!
Congratulations on day 74, TC! Hope your volunteer day in prison went well – please don't post on Thursday, you have an enormously long journey to see the doctor!
Lonegan is an utter imbecile – or a hypocrite – or both. Probably both. The same goes for DeMint and Bash – what an 'impartial' (hah!) pair!!! Oh my!
It wenr very well, but I pushed to the limit. We'll see, but If I don't write Thursday, I won't post Friday.
Both and Amen!
Just a couple of background notes on Steve "Let Them Eat Cake" Lonegan:
First, his thoughts on what role the public should play in helping people with medical needs
(The above Link actually has a number of other quotes from this guy – plus a video of him giving the finger to the reporter who uncovered his fraud on wanting public campaign funds)
And he's a hypocrite, because he had NO problem taking Social Security benefits as a disability for his eye problems and also reportedly when, at 17, his father died. So the usual Rethuglican mantra: "Federal handouts for me – but not for thee."
He is as callous and uncaring as I can imagine, but he will rely on the government for assistance when needed. Ugh!
What an ass!
“I have a handicap, you know,” he said. “I am a white guy running in the state of New Jersey. That is my handicap.”
Cry me a river Lonegan.
This guy reminds me of the audience member at one of the Republican presidential primary debates that yelled out "Let him die." when a question about health insurance was put to Ron Paul. Not the kind you want in government!
With them, it's always do as I say, not as I do.
3:18 Seems my boat has hole in it and I don't have a bucket with which to bail! Reminds me of an old camp song "There's a hole in my bucket!"
3:57 My boat sank. That is an insane time, TomCat! I almost did not even try the puzzle. I sank before I even got in the boat.
Isn't it though Jerry! I guess The Cat was motivated to stay dry since cats notoriously don't like water. (I know some do. My Scooter rip was one of them!)
I've had rigging indtalled on my cat box, but will I be mashed?
3:15 It's hard to mash a cat in the water.
Wooo Hooo! 🙂
"… dear Liza, dear Liza." Wonderful song – and an infinite song, because all Liza's instructions to fix it come down to you need a functioning bucket in order to fix the bucket. Gee, what does that remond me of?
That be the one Joanne — Liza and Henry are still going at it some 55 years later since I first learned it! I think that qualifies as infinite!
Puzzle — 3:18 Seems my boat has hole in it and I don't have a bucket with which to bail! Reminds me of an old camp song "There's a hole in my bucket!"
Think Progress — How's that working for everyone? Lonegan is so full of BS, is so out of date and anachronistic, so unintelligent that he is laughable. These are different times, different circumstances from his youth. There is no comparison other than the rich still want more at the expense of everyone else and they have people (I use the term loosely in referring to Lonegan) like Lonegan to do their bidding so that they don't get their hands dirty with anything other than money.
Here is what Noam Chomsky had to say about Richard D Wolff, professor of economics for his book "Capitaism Hits the Fan":
Truth-out — I actually saw this in Alternet and posted it to Care2. Much of this we already know but sometimes it pays to be reminded. But then I got to point 5 where "India just approved a program to spend $4 billion a year to feed 800 million people", the chains began to rankle. The INEQUALITY!
Crooks and Liars — Anything a Republicanus/Teabagger, especially people like DeMint and Cruz, says is automatically suspect to me and needs to be fact checked. People need to look for themselves and think about what is best for them. Don't listen to all the talking heads, do your research. I know Kit B on Care2 has posted several articles about the 'terms and conditions'.of Obamacare which is great. Personally, I think there should have been an automatic educational mail drop in laymen's terms to help educate people. Or maybe there was but I don't know about since I live in Canada.
Cartoon — This picture reminds me of hiding under the blankets in bed when I was a kid, flashlight pointed up as I read scary stories to my little brother. Scalia is one scary dude!
Should have plugged it with a toe.
I worked full time and put myself through two years of college full time for a year with no government or private assistance, but that was 45 years ago.
And that's the Republican way.
Good idea. Tell him next time you see him. 😉
Talk about the boogey man!
How did you do? 5:09
Aye, a Koch sucker…. 🙂
That's Americans fo the Kochs' prosperity!
Yes what a good Idea Steve! I think you have a lot of shares in child care Companies,so single mom can help you increase your dividends while she toils away & has to leave her child in a child care center!
Archie, that wouldn't surprise me at all!
Have a good day with your guys.
Think Progress., Lonegan makes McConnell look liberal.
Truth-out. This is why I pay a higher tax rate than Romney.
Graphic: Such a sad old man who should be retired.
"Lonegan makes McConnell look liberal."
Now that is saying a lot Edie! Lonegan and McTurtle are such asshats!
Thanks, I did!
But even he can'r make Bought Bitch Mitch liik human!!
So do I!
To a padded room!