I’m writing for tomorrow, day 194. This is the only article, because I’m completely worn out, after a long difficult week. I spent most of the day resting, but I’ve reached the point where I’m too tired to sleep well.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:54 (average 5:44). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From NY Times: Eric M. Frein, the fugitive accused of killing one state trooper and seriously wounding another in an ambush, was captured Thursday and brought back to the barracks near Scranton, Pa., where his seven-week flight from the law began.
Mr. Frein surrendered to federal marshals who found him hiding out in an abandoned airport in the Poconos Mountains, ending an intense manhunt that began Sept. 12, officials said in a news conference late Thursday. The marshals turned him over to the Pennsylvania State Police, who placed him in the slain trooper’s handcuffs and patrol car.
I’m no fan of this Eric Frein. I even gave him the dishonor of of a parade. Now that he is in custody, I can already see the move to convict him in the minds of all potential jurors to prepare him for execution. Even the extreme right media, like Faux Noise, has stopped singing his praises. I object to this, because even a Republican terrorist has a right to a fair trial. Now that he is no longer a threat, his life should be preserved. I know more than one prisoner, who has done far worse and will never breathe free air, that have found some redemption in helping other prisoners. Taking vengeance on this man brings us all down to his level.
From The New Yorker: President Obama is coming under increasing pressure to apologize for a controversial remark that he made on Tuesday, in which he said that the nation’s Ebola policy should be based on facts rather than fear.
While the anti-fear tenor of Mr. Obama’s comment was offensive enough to some, the President made matters worse by suggesting that science would play the leading role in guiding the nation’s Ebola protocols—a role that many Americans believe should be played by fear.
Across the country, Democratic candidates have sought to distance themselves from the President’s incendiary statement, especially in states like North Carolina, where science and facts have record-low approval ratings.
Andy sadly notes that when Republicans mount absurd, racist attacks, many Democratic candidates cower in shameful fear. Grow a pair of Obamaballs!
From Daily Kos: Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was the 32nd President of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945, elected as our President four times back when that sort of thing was legal (http://en.wikipedia.org/…). As such, he led us out of the Great Depression with his New Deal reforms, and he eventually led us into World War II.
Again, please note: This is the Democratic President whose reforms allowed us to recover from the Great Depression. I think that may make him the foremost economic expert of all time.
In 1944, at a time when you might think his State of the Union address would focus only on our ongoing fight in World War II, the "deadliest military conflict in history"
(http://en.wikipedia.org/…), astonishingly FDR spoke of much more. He addressed the vital nature of America’s economic security, and proposed a new Economic Bill of Rights. These rights are so vital that they resonate today as we face losing them, and I hope their consideration will strengthen your resolve to vote.
He had it right way back then. Think where we could be had Republicans not put transferring our wealth to the 0.1% in the way of FDR’s moral goals and adopted seditious tactics.
Cartoon:
And YOURS!
Get Out the VOTE!!!
11 Responses to “Open Thread–11/1/2014”
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It's scary how difficult it's getting to distinguish those New Yorker things from real news stories.
3:50 TC licked those bones clean and left them for us.
3:23 , , , but Patty, you got there before him.
And neither of you left a scrap! 🙁
NY Times ~ The Police hate it when one of their own is killed. We have had several killed in my area over the pase 10 years and the DA never once went for the death penalty. I really think this guy has some mental problems maybe due to PTSD?
New Yorker ~ No satire when he talks about candidates distancing themselves from Pres. Obama. Bill Maher took them to task last night in New Rules. They should embrace Pres. Obama's victories. They should brag about them.
Daily Kos ~ This was outstanding!
Cartoon ~ As absurd as it sounds, they would love to do that.
5:24, average up to 6:04. Gee, if this is for All Saints Day, what are they going to do for tomorrow for Day of the Dead?
NY Times – I don't mind I had a chill reading just the snippet you excerpted. What kind of mentality makes a point of keeping the handcuffs and patrol car belonging to the dead man handy to receive his killer? Clearly a mentality to which revenge is mor important than justice – but that doesn't cover it. Sounds like the Penn State Police are already down to his level. Of course we know Republicans are down to that level.
New Yorker – Sadly, so true. I wish he cold have laid off Coorado though, at least until after the election.
Daily Kos – I've been saying since 2008 that FDR was the greatest economic expert of all time, although not using those words. My position has been, why are we not looking at what FDR did and trying to do the same? How come it took six years for a progressive publication to bring this up?
Cartoon – On the "Cute or sad?" divide, I have to come down on "sad" on this one. The number of municipalities making it illegal to feed the homeless is beyond scary.
TC, when I am too tired to sleep, a little coffee or chocolate helps me. Of course I know nothing works for everyone without exception.
Once upon a time almost any pre-trial publicity like Frein received would have routinely led to a change of venue for getting an unbiased jury. Now that option is rarely used because media coverage so often extends beyond the local area for such cases and even when might provide better protection of defendants' constitutional rights, many judges consider getting jurors to say they can ignore what they read and be unbiased to be sufficient. I really hope he can get the fair trial our constitution is supposed to guarantee.
I do not like these politics of fear at odds with facts–it is such a disservice to the public.
Both FDR and Eleanor deserve more kudos than most give them. Obama and the Labor Dept. would ready with a jobs program like FDR's to rebuild the infrastructure years ago that never gained traction in Congress.
Cartoon isn't any more satire than Andy today.
I was ready to comment earlier, but got sidetracked by Daily Kos Mitch-related reports (Grimes filed an injuction apparently about a mailer identified as approved by his campaign she viewed as intimidating voters not to vote and the company his father-in-law is affiliated with and perhaps the source of Mitch's wealth had a ship where a considerable amount of cocaine was found…)
Hope you find a sleep solution.
Puzzle — 3:23 . . . but Patty, you got there before him.
NY Times — This is good that Frein has been apprehended and the community can relax. Now the hard part . . . waiting for the due process of law. I do not understand this American rush to the death penalty. All the death penalty does is make the state a murderer. From some of the figures I have seen, it would be cheaper to lock him up for the rest of his natural life.
The New Yorker — Well the Pope has come out in favour of science, so surely Dems can take some solace and "man up" as it were. I don't think there is any hope for the right wing evangelical pseudo Christian Republicanus/Teabaggers though. Ken Ham has essentially condemned the Pope's remarks.
Daily Kos — FDR was a man of vision. Too bad the current crop of legislators in Washington, specifically the Republicanus/Teabaggers, whores to the 1% and too many corporations, don't or won't understand his view. It was self evident what needed to be done early in Obama's presidency, but the obstructionist bastards on the right kept the economy from healing.
Cartoon — The cartoon reminded me of a bumper sticker that was prevalent up here a number of years ago. It was a middle finger salute with the words: Tax this Mulroney! For those that don't know, Mulroney was a previous Prime Minister from the Progressive Conservative Party. When Harper took over the party, he dropped the word "Progressive" so that tells you where his head is at. Should be the "Regressive Conservatives".
Well, it has taken me all day to do this one post. I got tired reading so went back to bed and got up about 2 hours ago. I even fell asleep in the loo which in my mind is rather disturbing. Well at least I am now attempting to eat . . . trouble being that I am tired by the time it is ready. TC, please look after yourself. We need you around and the clock is ticking down until that mid term day.
Being too tired to sleep is horrible. Hope it is better today.
NY Times: At first I did not realize that I was reading satire. I have no sympathy for Frein either, but I have always felt that extemists like him need Pyschiatric treatment. I am sure the citizens of Ny and Pa are breathing a sigh of relief that he has been caught.
Daily Kos: FDR knew what it took to make this country great. Too bad the right wingers and Republicans don't listen to his words. Too bad we have the Tea Party, Faux news, Ted Cruz, Scott Walker, the Koch Brothers, and Rush Limbaugh.
Cartoon: This is exactly right. The Republicans would rather tax this man than the millionaires who support them.
Thanks all. I had to go out today, and am shot, so I'm in pit stop mode. Hugs to all.
NY Times – you are right TC.
New Yorker – Andy is right again – and Edie is right, it is getting too close to reality sometimes!
Daily Kos – I have always loved FDR and Eleanor – I just wish that people had stuck to his ideals, how wonderful America could have been for all!