I’m writing for tomorrow, day 12. It’s been a terrible day. I feel like I’ve been ravaged by a bunch of horny sheep.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:39 (average 4:51). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Religious Agony:
Three key players were injured early in the game. It was their worst outing this season.
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos (Hat-Tip JL A): The U.S. Supreme Court’s unprecedented, highly politicized and extremely activist decision to take on a challenge to the structure of subsidies for people enrolling in Obamacare threatens to fatally undermine the law. But, there is a work around the White House could employ that could maintain subsidies for people who’ve purchased insurance on both the state exchanges and the federal exchange. At issue in the King case, which the court is hearing, is whether subsidies can be provided to the people in the three dozen states which are using the federal exchange.
The specifics would need to be worked out, but the crux is this: States could continue to use HealthCare.gov as their technical backdrop, but they would be considered state-based exchanges. That would allow the law’s tax subsidies to keep flowing, even if the Supreme Court were to invalidate them on the federal exchange, as the lawsuit’s plaintiffs argue it should…
…Politically, though, putting the onus on Republican governors and legislatures to maintain insurance for well over four million people is a pretty good idea. All of those people with their new insurance—and all of the insurance companies with their new customers—certainly have a stake in this, and could exert a great deal of pressure. This effort by Republicans—and the conservative justices—could end up biting them in the ass.
I like this. There would be Republican governors who will refuse to do this is the Republican Injustices of SCROTUS (Republican Constitutional VD) kick them of their ACA subsidized plans. Don’t get me wrong, I want them to have health care, but they would need to understand that to keep it, they would have to dump their state level Republican Reich. Then they would avoid the RepubliCare Death Benefit.
From Crooks and Liars: Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Sunday asserted that President Barack Obama had refused to restrict immigration from countries that were being invaded by ISIS Islamic radicals because giving social welfare benefits to terrorists was "exactly the policy" of the United States.
Barf Bag Alert!!
The country is overrun with terrorists. Most are employed by the Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda, Faux Noise or are elected Republicans.
From Blue Oregon: …Nonetheless, as Democrats back in DC are trying to figure out the lessons learned, some are pointing to Senator Jeff Merkley’s success as a model for how a progressive and populist campaign can actually connect with voters. From the NY Times:
There were a handful of bright spots in an otherwise dismal year for Democrats, and progressives are holding up as models the success of three Senate candidates who ran as populists: Senator Al Franken of Minnesota, Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Senator-elect Gary Peters of Michigan.
Mr. Merkley won by 19 percentage points with a campaign centered on the loss of well-paying jobs, the spiraling cost of college tuition and his opposition to trade deals that he said send jobs overseas. While Democrats nationally were losing whites without a college degree by 30 percentage points, Mr. Merkley narrowly carried that bloc of voters.
“We didn’t lose them here in Oregon because we talked about what they care about,” Mr. Merkley said.
What do you think? Is Oregon an anomaly? Or should the rest of the country learn a lesson from what happened here?
If Democrats everywhere follow Oregon’s example, we can send the Republican Party the way of the Whigs.
Cartoon:
He’ll never find his way. He would have to turn left.
12 Responses to “Open Thread–11/17/2014”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Sorry TC – slightly but painfully sprained wrist – can't type too much as it HURTS! Excellent articles… (sorry about the sheep!!).
Pat, are you trying to out-do me in the injury department? Don't, it isn't any fun!!! Please take care of yourself. I hope you are taping your wrist to give it strength and prevent too much swelling.
3:17 It's too cold for this type of activity today.
3:11 I didn't know that cats could swim . . . and don't tell me that you don't have to because you're on the board. They plunge into the water and send their riders into the foamy brine!
Daily Kos ~ I think the Insurance giants are enjoying the extra income they have made this year because of the increase in the number of insured. They will put pressure on their "bought" politicians. I don't think Obamacare is going away quietly.
Crooks and Liars ~ Apt title! Thanks for the barf bag alert. I needed it!
Blue Oregon ~ Our Democrats should pay attention like these three men did. Give the people what they want.
Cartoon ~ They will never find their way through this simple maze and I don't think they really want to.
I also like the Ario strategy should SCOTUS make it necessary–it is kind of like a complex logical argument where an opponent has to choose which position previously taken to abandon since the two have become opposite sides of the issue.
Immigration policy has not been revised since to rise of ISIL–the policies on the countries in question remaqin Bush's…wish people would actually do their homework like they expect school children to do.
Speaking of progressive voices in the senate races, I just got an email indicating Rick Weiland plans to be the voice against the XL pipeline-at least for SD–and is chastising the party on this issue.
4:48 average up to 4:54. Chills me to look at it. But I suppose if one must try a sport dangerous for someone with balance issues, this is probably the least dangerous. Provided one can swim.
So sorry the orb did not smile for you.
Daily Kos – "The specifics would need to be worked out" – well, they'd better get started working out and Republican-proofing the details, because they will be needed. It would be lovely to have it blow up in their aces, though, wouldn't it?
Crooks and Liars – You've probably figured out from the number of postscripts I post that I come here first thing when I get up, without even looking at email. That means of course before breakfast and before coffee. But sometimes I see a barf bag alert and just can't look, even on an empty stomach. I think what did it today was the prospect of a highly trained military retiree who should know better backing this up. I wonder if he really is, or an imposter? If real, I wonder how many head injuries? You are absolutely right on about where the terrorists are, and they terrorize me daily.
Blue Oregon – “We didn’t lose them here in Oregon because we talked about what they care about.” From the Daily Kos short take from 11/11, on how Ann Kirkpatric won – "if we spoke directly to issues that were most important to them." It doesn't sound like rocket science, does it? I am old enough to remember when "The Hidden Persuaders" was first published. But are we still all so buffaloed by it as to forget there is any other way to run a campaign? The big issues are there – and there is remarkable nanimity in America behind them. We need to campaign on them.
Cartoon – Heck, he won't even make it all the way to the dead end.
P. S. to Blue Oregon, from a Mother Jones article on Al Franken: "As pundits and candidates worry about Democratic fortunes in the next election, they may want to study Franken's rhetoric to remember how Democrats can win by actually campaigning on their party's ideals."
Citation: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/11/al-franken-minnesota-senate-model-progressive-campaign
So sorry about your Broncos. My Niners won. The Niners and the Seachickens will be meeting here in Seattle Dec.14th. Of course I will have no one to watch it with, but that is O.K. Hold good thoughts.Please, that is.
Anyone else ever read that to solve ANY maze (given that it's an honest maze) is to put your right hand on the wall and NEVER lift it off – just keep going?
It may not be the SHORTEST route – but it's a guaranteed route to get you out.
So sorry your Broncos let you down. How about becoming a UK Wildcat basketball fan? They are looking great all ready.
Daily Kos: Four million people who would lose their insurance is a big number for the GOP to make unhappy. Maybe that would wake up some of those who didn't think it was important to vote, and I would love to see those Republican governors squirm. I fully expect Scotus to rule in favor of King. They need to be impeached.
Crooks and Liars: Tucker Carlson has soooo found his niche on faux news. He is a right wing idiot. Fox news causes terror in this country on a daily basis with their fear mongering and outright lies.
Blue Oregon: If Alison Grimes had listened to Merkely's advisors, we would not have McTurtle as the Senate majority leader.
Cartoon: And we know he is never going to turn left!
Puzzle — 3:11 I didn't know that cats could swim . . . and don't tell me that you don't have to because you're on the board. They plunge into the water and send their riders into the foamy brine!
Daily Kos — I would love to see every American with affordable healthcare if they can't have universal healthcare at this point. But I doubt that Republicanus/Teabagger governors are willing to coöperate to keep the subsidies in place even though it would be better for the people. And don't even get me started on SCROTUS, the demon possessed of the judicial world.
If there is a way to keep the subsidies then pitter-patter, get at 'er!
Crooks and Liars — We've known for a long time now that the Republicanus/Teabaggers and their Reich Ministry of Propaganda, Faux Noise, along with a few others like Beck, Limbarf, Beck and Fischer, are the real terrorists. I really thought this could have been a double barf bag alert.
Blue Oregon — I have never heard of Peters, but I have seen Al Franken and Jeff Merkley in action. They are talking and listening to the people about things that their constituents think are important. They are well versed in the needs and wants of their constituents. They were elected because they care. How many of those that just squeaked by or were soundly defeated could legitimately say the same? It may be as simple as those who want to do the job for the people and those who want to do it for the power and influence. Just a thought.
Cartoon — I love doing labyrinths. The elephants in the room would indeed have great difficulty because they would have to turn left 6 times and right 4 times. In their twisted minds, they'd be further left, and that would never do. No wonder they'll never get to sanity, only insaniTEA!