I’m writing for tomorrow, day 5. I’m also grumbling that the Seachickens will be in the only late game televised here, because CBS has pushed out my Broncos in favor of paid programming. Grrr! 🙁
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:44 (average 5:48). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Religious Ecstasy:
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: President Obama is under increasing pressure to work closely and coöperatively with a group of people who are suing him in federal court, the people suing him confirmed today.
“Over the past six years, President Obama has been stubborn, arrogant, and oppositional,” John Boehner, the Republican Speaker of the House, said. “His refusal to work with people who are suing him is just the latest example.”
Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, echoed the Speaker’s criticism, adding, “Time and time again, the President has refused to pick up the phone and talk to me, despite my saying that I was doing everything in my power to make him a one-term President.”
Other members of the G.O.P. caucus blasted the President for being aloof and frosty to Republicans who had questioned his American citizenship, the authenticity of his birth certificate, and the legitimacy of his Presidency. “That’s no way to get things done,” Senator James Inhofe, of Oklahoma, said. “He’s got a real attitude.”
Andy sure knows how to nail hypocrites, doesn’t he?
From Upworthy: This might not be the first instance you’ve heard someone toss out this idea, but it’s possibly the funniest.
There is a big difference between a racetrack and the Senate. Instead of cars being wrecked, it’s the country.
From Common Dreams: The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday announced it will take up a legal challenge brought by conservative forces against the Affordable Care Act, the law claimed by the Obama adminstrative to be its signature domestic policy achievement.
The challenge to the sweeping legislation that overhauled many aspects of the for-profit U.S. healthcare system is directed at whether or not federal subsidies designed to make now-mandated private insurance policies more affordable can be offered to people who live in states that decided against establishing their own insurance exchanges and instead opted to depened [sic] on exchanges built by the federal government.
As the Washington Post reports:
The challenge focuses on four words in the massive bill. It said people would qualify for tax credits when they buy insurance in a market “established by the state.”
Only 14 states have established such exchanges. The law authorized the federal government to establish exchanges in those states that did not act, and it has done so.
Under a rule issued by the Internal Revenue Service, consumers can claim tax credits in any market. The administration says that is consistent with the law’s goal of making coverage available to all Americans.
In my opinion, the states that opted to depend on the federal exchange, rather than create their own still have an exchange established on their behalf. The only reasons for SCROTUS (Republican Constitutional VD) to rule against the ACA are political, not judicial. It would be most unwise, unless they want millions of people telling their friends and neighbors how Republicans took away their health care, between now and 2016.
Cartoon:
13 Responses to “Open Thread–11/10/2014”
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3:48 I was looking for the "Boys in the Trees". Carly Simon told me they were there.
3:43 Three of us are more than 2 minutes under the average. Is Lynn going to make it four?
3:21 You betcha Jerry!
Bigfooted!
New Yorker ~ Spot on!
Upworthy ~ Politicians should have to wear the same type of attire the race car driver do. Let us see who bought you in case there was ever a question about it.
Common Dreams ~ It is the responsibility of every TeapublicanT who holds office, whether elected or appointed, to dash to the ground the dreams of the common man and elevate those of the wealthy.
Cartoon ~ Yes. He is turning over in his grave.
New Yorker – Andy is spot on again, bless him!
Upworthy – Patty is right – they should wear labels with constantly updated info on how much they have sold themselves for and to whom!
Cartoon – painfully apt.
Hey Tom. Congrats to your team. I never did like the Raiders. And please congratulate my Niners for their win.
Andy nails it and Upworthy is a variant of that "Picture of Dorian Gray" [who sold his soul to the devil for appearance sake]…
A splitting hairs case seems like all SCOTUS dares just now–which judge's circuit was it from?
Abe could not tolerate any form of sedition–nice to keep him from seeing today's.
6:23 average up to 5:53
New Yorker – Naturally they expect him to say "Yes Massa," and their heads explode when he doesn't. And the answer to why doesn't the voters get it is that some do and some don't, and the ones who don't are the ones who vote. The fact is there's more than one public.
Upworthy – The other difference is that advertising has to be public to help the sponsor, and political spending has to be private to help the sponsor. Hence the many PACs passing money around to keep the origin secret. Did anyone see Moyers? To try to influence the city election in Richmond, CA, Chevron formed THREE PACs. They donated directly to one which transferred the money to the other two before spending it. This for a municipal election in a city of maybe 100,00 people. Which, I grant you, is doing what every other municipality should be doing, i.e., holding Chevron accountable. This is the same Richmond that has been using eninent domain to address the foreclosure crisis, which every other municipality should also be doing.
Common Dreams – This is a win-win for Republicans. If SCROTUS strikes it down, they'll find a way to make it the Democrats fault that people lose insurance. If SCROTUS upholds it, they'll also find a way to make themselves look good. This is not a time in history when I would want ANY case, about ANYTHING, going to the Supreme Court.
Cartoon – I am surely overinterpreting this, but – Abe trying not to see what the Republicans are doing (or having see, trying to hide his tears, or prevent hyperventilating)? Or Republicans disowning him and therefore trying to pretend he didn't exist? And all that is just regarding who put the bag on.
Puzzle — 3:21 You betcha Jerry!
The New Yorker — John Boehner: “Mr. President, we Republicans are eager to sit across the table from you and get to work for the American people,” … “Otherwise, get ready to be impeached.” (Boehner is such a pants-on-fire liar! He has no intention to work for the American people.)
Barak Obama: "Make my day, asshole!" (what he might like to say)
As I understand, the House lays out the Articles of Impeachment, while the Senate, having taken an oath that they will perform their duties honestly and with due diligence (and presumably fairly), conducts the trial and renders the decision. A 2/3s majority is required so even after the results of this past election, unless some Dems cross the floor, it will likely be for naught. That certainly won't stop these fiscal conservative senators and representatives from the Republicanus/Teabagger party from wasting money yet again! Is there any limit as to the number of times the House can bring impeachment charges? The Republicanus/Teabaggers have tried to repeal the ACA what, 53 times? persistent little bastards, but totally wrong headed!
Upworthy — In the words of the esteemed Capitain Jean Luc Picard "Make it so!"
Common Dreams — "The fate of those subsidies apparently will now depend upon how the Court interprets four words in the Affordable Care Act. In setting up the subsidy scheme, Congress said it would apply to exchanges “established by the State.”"
The US is a sovereign state, "State", as is Canada, Mexico etc etc. If the legislation referred to individual states, would the legislation not read "established by the States."?
Now, when it comes to the exchanges, it was preferred that the states each set up an exchange. But most red states refused. If the interpretation of the 4 words means individual states, then the politicians of those states will have skewered their own citizens and would deserve to be kicked to the side of the political road. On top of that, let's not forget the red states that refused Medicaid expansion which further screws their citizens, those that can least afford health care.
"It [Constitutional law] has everything. It has history. It has moral philosophy. The meaning of liberty, of equality, of dignity. " — Laurence H Tribe
Would someone please impress upon SCROTUS the meaning of Constitutional law. As it is, they are nothing more than Republicanus/Teabagger hacks, activists judges, whores to the right wing. Or as TC has said "Republican Constitutional VD".
As a Canadian, I can only hope for my American friends that you obtain universal healthcare. It is not perfect, but it is a damn sight better than Republicare: the death benefit.
Cartoon — Honest Abe needs to have his head buried so he doesn't have to witness this obscenity called the Republicanus/Teabagger party which sells the country and its citizens for "30 pieces of silver".
They won't stop,Lynn, they get plenty of press and more donations from the insurance companies every time they bring it to a vote. And we all know by now that the Republicans don't care what they are doing to our country, as long as they are serving their corporate masters.
The New Yorker: Yes Andy does know how to nail hypocrits, but sadly this is probably what the jerks are saying and doing.
Upworthy: We had several Honest Gil ads here in Ky. They were sooooooo true. I loved them.
Common Dreams: I am so proud of our governor. He set up Kynect and made it easier for people to sign up for the ACA, and he has continued to support it. Mitch said in his campaign ads that he was going to get rid of the ACA, but preserve Kynect. Wonder how he is going to do that?
Cartoon: Abe would throw them all out of the building!,
Thanks all. I'm running out of gas fast here. Abe is ashamed of his party.