Although I am still hurting from my fall, I’m back in the saddle, albeit barely. Groceries are coming today.
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: Hillary has an extensive record that cannot be disputed (although people try).
This will be part one of a series that could take a lifetime to go over. Here we start with a list of portions of Hillary’s record and some of her achievements. Feel free to discuss. I hope there are no duplicates in this batch.
- Secured a policy change that would “take into account” a country’s LGBT human rights record when distributing foreign aid.
- She worked with Ted Kennedy to expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
- Directed the State Department to “champion a comprehensive human rights agenda” that included protection of LGBT human rights.
- Made the promotion of equality for gay people a core value of U.S. foreign policy.
- Declared that “gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights” to the international community.
As critical as I am of Hillary, I have to agree that she has done many positive things. I’ve shared five. Click through for a long list.
From NY Times: Many of the indelible images of the Middle East refugee crisis this year are haunting. There was the heart wrenching photo of Aylan Kurdi, a lifeless 3-year-old boy who drowned at sea and washed up ashore on a beach in Turkey in early September. A photographer in Greece captured the moment Laith Majid, an Iraqi refugee, walked off a deflating boat in Greece in tears, tightly clutching his son and daughter. And it’s hard to forget the spiteful Hungarian journalist who tripped a Syrian refugee carrying a child, making them stumble.
The simple but powerful words with which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada greeted the first group of Syrians resettled under an expedited program stood in sharp contrast to the misery and monumental injustice the earlier images represent.
“You are home,” he said when the refugees disembarked in Toronto on Thursday after a 16-hour flight from Beirut. To a man holding a toddler wearing a headband with flowers, he repeated the sentiment: “Welcome to your new home.”
Kudos to Canada. They got rid of their Republicans, Harper and his harlots. We could be like Canada, if we would flush ours!
From Think Progress: Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) likely knew that there was unreleased video evidence of Officer Jason Van Dyke killing 17-year-old Laquan McDonald within 50 days of the shooting, internal emails obtained by NBC Chicago indicate.
The emails show Emanuel staffers discussing the existence of dashcam video of the killing in early December of last year, as Emanuel’s re-election effort was entering the home stretch. The city sought to suppress the video for over a year before a judge forced Chicago to release it to the public last month. In the early weeks after the killing, police insisted McDonald had lunged at Van Dyke with a knife — something the video proves to be untrue.
I’ve said it before, so I’ll repeat: Rahmbo must go!
Cartoon:
Made in 2012, before I coined the term SCROTUS (Republican Constitutional VD).
8 Responses to “Open Thread–12/12/2015”
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Groceries are always good news. I still need to leave the house to get mine, darn it.
DKos – I am so proud of Democrats who are discussing the difference between our candidates in positive ways. (Unfortunately not all Democrats are doing this, but some are, as opposed to zero Republicans.) Those of us who are, are setting the stage for a Democratic victory in 2016. An effort which deserves to succeed, and I hope will.
NY Times – Well, we could certainly be more like Canada if we would flush our Republicans from office. However, we would still have the Republicans not in office, a hell's brew of Confederate wannabes, Christian terrorists, white supremacists, and general Scrooges and grinches. I really don't know how Canada does it. Kudos.
Think Progress – There are any number of calls for Rahmbo to resign. This one, from Credo, also calls for the resignation of prosecutor Anita Alvarez. Others are on MoveOn, Change.org, Common Dreams, and other Progressive sites.
Cartoon – Still true. Sigh.
NYTimes: Kudos to Canada and those countries that are embracing these folks. For us here in the US, I propose an auger to flush them Repugs out.
TP: You have lost the public’s trust due to your role in covering up and delaying justice for the murder of Laquan McDonald. You must resign immediately."
Thank you, Joanne for link. Signed.
Cartoon: Yep. Smile and all.
I'm getting to where I don't like grocery day (too crowded), and laundry day (too lazy). Be careful in the saddle too, and just rest. Enjoy the rest of your day, Thanks, Tom.
Wonderful to see you back in the saddle, TomCat! Hope you're groceries will come in soon, then you'll have made another step towards picking up where you left off.
Daily Kos: Agreed, TomCat, Hillary Clinton has accomplished many positive things already and her record and that of Sanders and O'Malley should be proudly vented and praised by ALL Democrats because all these accomplishments together will secure a Democratic president and will also clear the way for more Democrats in Congress. Because it's not only about the presidency, but also about the seats in Congress and the sanity of America.
NY Times: Canada's political switch in the elections and the new style leadership of Trudeau are truly hope giving, not only to Americans, who have their toughest year ahead of them, but also to countries in Europe where extreme right is taking over (France, Belgium, Hungary…) and all other countries where populists are flaming the fire of Muslim-hate and xenophobia.
Think Progress: Authorities will demand something more than that Mayor Emanuel likely knew that there was unreleased video evidence, but it should be clear to Emanuel himself by now that his position has become untenable and that he should go. Another Democrat who put his re-election above justice. Get rid of him.
Cartoon: and so it continues…
I am so sorry that you had a spill! Man! It's not easy being home at first. Hope you didn't bruise anything! Geez, I don't know what to tell ya. That had to be very hard on George? I dunno. Man, you need home healthcare 24 hours a day till you get used to being HOME!
Canada should indeed be proud of their courteos & kind welcome to 25,000 Syrian refugees.
USA? Not so much.
The picture on Antonin Scalia in the cartoon has some interesting background.
It's a Sicilian hand-gesture he gave back in 2006 when he was asked about his being Catholic might interfere with his impartiality.
While not as strong as giving “The Finger” – it’s not a kindly gesture either.
It made quite the news back then, and Dahlia Lithwick has a good summary of the varying opinions.
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2006/03/how_do_you_solve_the_problem_of_scalia.html
Thanks for reminding us all that records do matter in terms of who is capable of leading the country, getting things done and thus worthy of a vote for POTUS. The stark contrast to those leading in the polls for the other party having no such record is important.
Similarly, your chosen contrasts of responses to Syrian refugees illuminating morals and compassion, or absence thereof, are important for all who seek to be engaged in their communities.
The saga of Rahm is so reminiscent of some of what began dismantling Daley's control of Chicago that he should have chosen a better model to emulate if he wanted to continue in politics. All petitions signed.
Thanks Nameless for reminding us of what that Scalia picture actually is. Also for making me remember it was the nuns who sang the song in The Sound of Music "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?"
I can't look at the whole posting, being very tired, having go on line late, but NO MORE DAMNED FALLS, MAN!
Unlessl like Dorothy''s house, you can fall on that evil witch of the SCROTUS!
Thanks all. Hugs!! Big hurry!