I’m writing for tomorrow. I have a grocery delivery then, so I’ll be tired from unpacking and putting them away. I doubt, however, that it will interfere with blogging.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:02 (average 4:39). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From TPM: Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes, the Democratic challenger to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), slammed the senator for his role in the government shutdown in a new web ad released Monday.
Go Alison Grimes!!! That’s the way to nail Bought Bitch Mitch!
From Think Progress: Last July, Senate Democrats backed off their plan to invoke the so-called “nuclear option” and abolish the filibuster on executive branch nominees — but only after their Republican counterparts caved and agreed to fill seven key government jobs they previously held open with filibusters. Since then, the two parties have maintained an uneasy détente in the confirmation wars. A small group of Republicans supplied the exact minimum number of votes required to break a filibuster on Secretary of Labor Tom Perez’s nomination, for example, even though many Republicans bitterly object to the steps Perez took to fight housing discrimination and to protect the right to vote.
That détente is likely to break down as soon as this week, however. A Senate Democratic leadership source confirms to ThinkProgress that Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) plans to call for a vote on three nominees to the second most powerful court in the country, with the first vote likely to come this week. This court, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, is currently a bastion of conservatism. Its conservative judges struck down crucial environmental regulations that would prevent literally tens of thousands of deaths. They issued an opinion that at one point threatened to shut down all of American labor law. And two of its judges even joined an opinion claiming that all business, workplace or Wall Street regulation is constitutionally suspect. For most of the Obama presidency, the D.C. Circuit’s been a place where progressive regulation goes to die — and Senate Republicans want to keep it that way.
The solution is simple: NUKE THE FILIBASTARDS!!
From Raw Story: Transatlantic tensions reached boiling point Monday as Washington sharply denied reports President Barack Obama knew US spies were tapping German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but fresh allegations emerged of mass snooping in Spain.
As outrage over secret US surveillance of leaders and average citizens mounted with a tide of new reports, a delegation from the European Parliament was due in Washington to demand answers on the extent of the operations.
Given the rate at which Republican political appointees burrowed-in to permanent “nonpartisan” positions at the NSA, and given the fact that spying on world leaders to that extent was a Bush program, it’s easy for me to believe that such details “escaped” inclusion in the summaries passed up to Obama. The French Ambassador summed it up best that we all do it, but he is jealous and angry that America does it better than everyone else. I have a solution. Make the NSA and Healthcare.gov swap IT Departments.
Cartoon:
18 Responses to “Open Thread–10/29/2013”
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5:20
Go Alison Grimes!!!
I think this an idea that might work…
It just might work. Good idea, TC.
Thanks, guys!
3:23 I escaped the Bridge Trolls but did I out-solve the Size 9s and the Critter?
3:21 The trolls didn't get you but the tolls did! You've just been Bigfooted, but have we all been Critter Crunched?
Bigfooted or Crunched?
3:55 I fell off the bridge.
…and under the feet!
I love your solution TC "Given the rate at which Republican political appointees burrowed-in to permanent “nonpartisan” positions at the NSA, and given the fact that spying on world leaders to that extent was a Bush program, it’s easy for me to believe that such details “escaped” inclusion in the summaries passed up to Obama. The French Ambassador summed it up best that we all do it, but he is jealous and angry that America does it better than everyone else. I have a solution. Make the NSA and Healthcare.gov swap IT Departments." Sheer genius!
Thanks, Pat!
TPM ~ I love the ad! I do believe the Bought Bitch is slipping in the polls too.
Think Progress ~ One of the Obstructionist Republicans in the Senate is bound to violate the "gentleman's Agreement" reached between Reid and McConnell back in July by Filiblustering any and all nominees. My bet is on Rand Paul.
Raw Story ~ All the Republicans in Government and Talking Heads on FAUX are expressing indignation that our President Obama is spying on allies. What everyone fails to mention is this practice started under their Fearless Leader, G. W. Bush in 2002. Oh well. I guess it was OK back then. Pres. Obama has since said that the spying may end.
Cartoon ~ And we are still waiting for the Equal Rights Amendment to be passed.
Cartoon ~
He's behind her!
…or Cruz, or Coburn, or Lee.
I think he need to exert more oversight than he has.
Ans it should be passed!
4:23. Sure, and wouldna those be wee leprechauns beneath the Rory O'More? No gold for me today.
I think enough Kentuckians are upset about the shutdown that this ad just might make a dent. "Guardian of gridlock" sounds much better to people who have not just been pinched by it..
I fear you are right on the judges, but I hope something unexpected will happen to get them confirmed.
The NSA is out of control, and so are the CIA and the FBI, and have been so always within my memory, and I am 68. What do you want to bet they are spying on Obama and Biden just like they are on foreign heads of state – and of course they have huge files on Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Al Franken, just to name a few.
Off topic, I realize Snowden and Manning have kind of put Kiriakou into the shade. But Firedoglake is requesting mail for him. TC, you probably got the email too and are intending to post this somewhere tomorrow.
At least I beats someone again! 😉 (but only by a few seconds).
Good point.
I know they have spierd on me.
Jo, I don't follow that site. When I'm wrong, I say so and apoligize, but I don't like doing it. Sourcing Firedoglake has been the cause of too many apologies for me to keep following them, I do, however, think this is a good idea. Feel free to comment with the link. One of the purposes od our open Thread is tp provide a place for off topic comments.
I have seen Alison's ad a dozen times, but watched it again just for pure pleasure. She is doing well in the polls here.
Think Progress: O of course they will filibuster. They love the Court just as it is.
Raw Story: By sheer accident, I overheard part of Cheney's interview with CNN and he admitted that the spying started with he and Dubya, but he thinks it is a good thing.
NOW; I remember the day well, and it has made a difference for women. Problem now is that feminists are given a bad name and too many young women who take for granted their ability to get a decent job without having someone think they can paw them, don't realize how hard it was to win these rights. The ERA should have been passed long ago! The Republicans are fighting hard to send us back to the fifties.
As soon as I saw it, I thought of your glee!!
I think so.
He thinks torture is a good thing.
I agree.
Puzzle — 3:21 The trolls didn't get you but the tolls did! You've just been Bigfooted, but have we all been Critter Crunched?
TPM — This ad kicks ass . . . Republicanus/Teabagger ass to be sure! Alison Grimes needs to kick McTurtle and the newcomer Teabagger pretender to the throne asses to the curb to be picked up with last week's trash!
Think Progress — Let's hope that the Nevada Leg-Hound remembers how good it felt to have Obama balls recently and uses them this time around to nuke the filibuster before the filibastards nuke the DC Court of Appeals nominations!
Raw Story — "Make the NSA and Healthcare.gov swap IT Departments." Amen TC! Amen!
Cartoon — NOW might have been created in 1966, but we're still marching, . . . and marching, . . . and marching . . . and marching . . . Has anyone seen EQUALITY?
That Critter does look like a bridge troll. 😉
Amen!
Amen, again!
Thanks!
Whilke the Republican Party exists, nobody will see it.,