There is little personal news. If my wounds keep healing as they should, I’ll go back to Vibra on Friday afternoon. The pain should be more manageable by then.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
I cannot do today’s puzzle (average 6:26). To do it click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From NY Times: In the long legal struggle against the death penalty, the future has in some ways never looked brighter.
In a passionate dissent in June, Justice Stephen G. Breyer invited a major challenge to the constitutionality of capital punishment. This fall, Justice Antonin Scalia all but predicted that the court’s more liberal justices would strike down the death penalty.
But lawyers and activists opposed to the death penalty, acutely conscious of what is at stake, are bitterly divided about how to proceed. Some say it is imperative to bring a major case to the court as soon as practicable. Others
“If you don’t go now, there’s a real possibility you have blood on your hands,” said Robert J. Smith, a fellow at the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute of Harvard Law School. His scholarship was cited in Justice Breyer’s dissent from a decision upholding the use of an execution drug that three death row inmates argued risked causing excruciating pain.
worry that haste may result in a losing decision that could entrench capital punishment for years.
A dissent by Justice Stephen G. Breyer in June was seen as inviting a death penalty challenge. Credit Damon Winter/The New York Times
But others are wary. “There are reasons to be cautious about pushing the court to a decision too early,” said Jordan M. Steiker, a law professor at the University of Texas.
The divide is partly generational. Many veteran litigators have suffered stinging setbacks in the Supreme Court, and they favor an incremental strategy. They would continue to chip away at the death penalty in the courts, seek state-by-state abolition and try to move public opinion.
Some younger lawyers and activists urge a bolder course: to ask the Supreme Court to end capital punishment nationwide right away.
As much as I believe hat the death penalty is state sponsored murder that must be outlawed, I do not trust the Fascist Five Injustices of SCROTUS (Republican Constitutional VD) to do it. We need an incremental approach as long as the Republican Reich controls the court.
From Daily Kos: This morning Scarborough appeared to have a severe cognitive collapse during a segment about the Republican Party’s debate-o-phobia (video below). Like most of his ideological allies, he is suffering from the delusion that the American media, owned by a handful of megalithic, multinational corporations, is dominated by liberals. Scarborough set off on a rant about the absence of conservatives on nightly news programs, Sunday shows, and in the executive suites. He badgered his guests to come up with examples of Republicans in those roles, and insisted that they could not do it.
Barf Bag Alert!!
Joe and the Republican Reich are not satisfied with normal pro-Republican media bias. They want a debate panel to include himself, O’Lielly, Hannity, and Glen Beck.
From Omaha.com: TransCanada wants a Keystone XL timeout.
The company on Monday asked the State Department to suspend consideration of its controversial pipeline while Nebraska officials review its route through the state.
Rachel Maddow covered this topic very well.
Keystone pipeline dead? Company requests suspension of permit
Elana Schor, energy reporter for Politico, talks with Rachel Maddow about the broader context and likely political calculations behind TransCanada’s request that their U.S. permit for the Keystone XL pipeline be suspended.
Like Rachel said, TransCanada is trying to keep the pipeline alive by suspending it in their hope that Republicans take power and approve it. That must not happen.
Cartoon:
13 Responses to “On the Edge–11/4/2015”
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
Anyting th GOPigs can put in play, that might help them contiue to reduce their"debate" to farcical levels, will give them a figurative "hard on!"
7:29 (average 8:37 when I did it) Yes, that was really the 48 piece classic. Really.
OMFG! My computer was so excited to get a card from you I had to reboot it – and it's still acting twitterpated.!
NY Times – I don't see getting this past the current SCROTUS. I agree that we need to wait for a while. If there's anything we DON'T need it's to go backwards.
DKos – I have head (OK, read) Progressives suggesting that a debate with Limbaugh and Hannity as moderators might be popcorn-worthy. Some of them have been here on Daily Kos. While I take the point, I can't help fearing it would backfire. We consistently underestimate the capacity of Republican voters to absorb insanity and keep on going.
Omaha.com – No! no! no! It is not dead! Not in the least! They just think they can buy the 2016 elections and ram it through with new "leadership." My recommendation, and that of the Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, and 350.org, is not to allow the suspension, just to deny the permit now once and for all.
http://action.foe.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/index.sjs?action_KEY=18663
http://sierra.force.com/actions/National?actionId=AR0027358&id=70131000001LjatAAC&data=4f579618dd433254f00e901e8e753655d3db
http://act.350.org/sign/KXL-suspend-permit/
Cartoon – Dang, yes. I would gladly put up with national republicosis to get rid of that.
KXL update from the Sierra Club:
"Do you know what's even more incredible than Big Oil's latest ploy to save Keystone XL? The response we received after sending out this email yesterday! Thanks to you — and more than 38,000 Sierra Club members and supporters like you — the Obama administration swiftly rejected TransCanada's desperate request to delay the final review of KXL."
beat me to it! Thanks Joanne.
KXL IS DEAD! PRESIDENT OBAMA JUST FORMALLY REJECTED THE APPLICATION!!!
All threee petitions above signed. Thanks, Joanne.
Ummmmmmmmmm Joe–the problem actually is naming media that is liberal in ownership, etc. not naming the tons that are conservative–which now includes National Geographic whose entire award winning staff was terminated by Rupert.
I hope you get to go back to Vibra on Friday!
NY Times: I agree with you, the five facists cannot be trusted to make the just decision.
daily Kos: The fact that Joe is on MSNBC at all should tell him something, and they are the only national news show that is still considered liberal.
OMaha.com: I agree with Rachel, they are hoping to have a Republican president who will pass it !
Cartoon: Perfect definition of them all.
Welcome back Puddy Tat!
Puzzle — 4:23 (average 6:10 when I posted it on my OT and now 8:37). WOW!
NY Times — JD, you're correct. But IMO, the US is already going backwards with Republicans spread as thick as manure in a cow pasture! Maybe, once Canada gets going with Trudeau, we will be an example to the US. Ann Coultergeist has already stepped in a pile of manure while commenting on Trudeau, and as usual, she didn't get it correct.
Daily Kos — Would someone please take Joe Scarborough's mic away from him! The way a journalist votes should have nothing to do with their ability to do a job like moderate a debate. It is about fairness and asking probing questions to help voters understand.
Omaha.com — Word has it that TransCanada's request to pause Keystone XL review rejected by U.S. . Well that will put a twist in their knickers! I think that Rachel is correct, but the White House has called Trans Canada's bluff and denied their request to put things on hold.
Cartoon — This piucture always makes me think that McTurtle is getting a wedgie from Cornyn and the other guy. I just noticed the placement of McTurtle's head . . . looks like he has one of those "halos" seen in religious paintings from the 15th and 16th century. But saintly he ain't!
Incredibly nice to see you back and get your card, TomCat. I hope absolutely everything goes perfectly for you here on out!
DK: Joe was/is out of control, AND the rest of his cronies on that show. His ranting and raving shows how Republicans act when they don't get their way.
*Yes, JL, I have cancelled my subscription to NG, as soon I read that. Pretty low to get rid of the award winning staff too, imho.
I believe that I've signed those petitions, but I signed them again to make sure, thanks, Joanne.
Cartoon: Viewing that picture gives me dyspepsia. ugh!!
Continued prayers to you, TC, as you recover. So nice to get a Card from you!!! Rest, and take good care, Thanks!!
So good to see you back where you belong, TomCat! And with two articles as well. This latest operation went as well as could be expected; of only they could get your pain management a little better. You;ll be even happier when you get back to Vibra before the weekend, I bet.
NY Times: I agree with you on that one, TomCat. The SCOTUS 5 are not to be trusted and perhaps more states need to abolish the death penalty before it can be decided upon for the entire country, similar to the way same-sex marriage was finally turned into a federal law. However this "chipping away"can't be allowed to take forever, as some states are all to eager to work on their backlog on death row now judges have allowed even the most excruciatingly painful methods to make their re-entry. Every death is one too many, so it is up to the divided opposition to the death penalty to find the right window of opportunity together. You don't get much chances with SCOTUS.
Daily Kos: So now the extreme-right's radio and tv hosts are competing among themselves to show themselves the most biased, bigoted, loudmouthed, rude…(take your pick from the typically Republican traits) in order to be invited to be on the panel of moderators for the next debate? If this is continuing even I will try and have a look at this extravaganza. Soon the TV networks can sell their GOP debates to European stations; they're already paying a lot for comedy.
Omaha.com: There's indeed little reason to believe that TransCanada wants Keystone XL to die a slow death, but they also don't want to waste too much of their money in these times of low oil prices, public resistance and unfavorable political climate. With Obama not making a decision and the possibility of a Republican congress and even a Republican presidents, they want to have a time out to be able to come back even harder when the time is right for them. The best thing that could happen now is for Obama to finally decide to end the Keystone XL once and for all right now.
Cartoon: It's time for a good purge!
What's great about the Daily Kos post it that they give Scarborough the answer:
PS: Is there anyway to add a Barf/Vomiting emoticon, so it can be used whenever the name "Joe Scarborough" comes up?