I had my monthly ladies' lunch today and then hobbled home to put my foot up. It is very painful but not as much as before my physio worked on it Wednesday. I wish I knew what I did! Another very pleasant day today getting up to 17 C (63 F), sunny and the birds were having a party! I think there was some birdie nookie going on in the bushes.
Short Takes
YouTube —
With so many anti abortion related laws, I thought John Oliver did an excellent job. It should be, IMO, a woman's right to choose. The anti abortion movement is nothing less than one group, often a religious group, ramming their views down everyone's throat, believer or not.
Politicus — As the Republican Party appears poised to nominate Trump and get thumped in November, Rush Limbaugh is already making excuses and blaming President Obama for the hatred and bigotry that is allowing Trump to flourish in the Republican primary.
BARF BAG ALERT!!! BARF BAG ALERT!!! BARF BAG ALERT!!! BARF BAG ALERT!!!
Limbarf is in his usual rut . . . blame Obama for everything! More sponsors have pulled away so we can only hope that he will disappear soon.
Crooks and Liars — At one point in tonight's embarrassment of a debate, Trump really laid into Cruz for his smarmy, underhanded tactics in Iowa, which set Cruz off big time.
Welcome to Republican debate, or was it a slugfest?. I didn't watch the debate but from what I've seen and read, 3 year olds would have done a better job AND paid attention to the rules. In this last debate before super Tuesday, participants showed just how moronic they really are! Anyone who votes for any of these clowns needs to have their sanity checked.
Politico — But the Senate’s war over the Supreme Court has pushed those concerns into the background and united the party faithful behind Senate Majority Leader McConnell and the New York senator, the Democratic leader-in-waiting. With the backing of their respective bases, both leaders have a stronger hand in a fight that will shape the highest court in the land — if not their status as party leaders and relationship with each other.
It’s a stunning and sudden turn for two men viewed with intense skepticism by their party’s activist wings. After 14 months of relentless criticism from Ted Cruz and Heritage Action, McConnell is giving them what they want: the hardest possible line of obstruction on a new Supreme Court nominee, meaning no hearings, no votes and no meetings to fill the vacancy left by Justice Antonin Scalia’s death. And Schumer, who was hounded by the base for opposing President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, is winning praise for his confrontation with McConnell from groups that wanted to cut off his fundraising spigot last summer.
H/T Pat B who provided this link in her comments: Obama and the SCOTUS Nomination
And here is an e-mail from Sherrod Brown and petition that you have likely seen. If not, the links are active so you can sign the petition.
"McConnell: Not a 'snowball's chance in hell' I'll relent on SCOTUS" — Politico, 2/23/2016
Republican Senators are refusing to even consider a replacement Supreme Court justice. They say we should wait. They say we have to wait for the people to choose a new president, and that thatpresident should pick a nominee.
They seem to be forgetting a very simple and obvious fact: Whether they like it or not, we have an elected president. In 2012, more than 65 million Americans cast their vote for President Barack Obama. He was elected twice.
President Obama will fulfill his constitutional duty to nominate a qualified individual to the Supreme Court. The Senate must do the same.
Join me and tell Senate Republicans to do their constitutionally mandated jobs. Sign our petition.
No Supreme Court nominee in the last 36 years has ever waited longer than 100 days for hearings and a vote. In that same period of time, there has never been a Supreme Court vacancy that spanned more than one presidential term. And there has never been a vacancy for more than four months while the Court is in session.
It’s clear: Republican extremists are once again trying to have their cake and eat it, too. They profess fealty to the Constitution, yet they choose to ignore the Constitution when it requires that they work with a Democratic president whom they don’t like. There is nothing principled about this — this is power politics with the goal of delegitimizing a twice-elected President.
Thank you,
Sherrod
In an Alternet article by Jim Hightower, he asks the question that I am sure is on a lot of minds: Why Should You and I Have to Keep Paying Mitch McConnell's Salary? With all the shenanigans, the same question could be asked for all Republican senators. If they don't want to do their jobs, then get out!
My Universe — I stumbled upon this and thought "Ain't nature magnificent!"
4 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 25/02/2016”
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YouTube: This is horrible, that women have to jump through hoops to get this procedure done. We're back in medieval times for women's rights!
Politicus: What a vile evil man!
Crooks & Liars: I didn't watch the debate, (if one could call it that), unbelievable. I'd watch the boxing match, though. ''Gain Control !! '' lol.
Politico: Thanks, Lynn. I think I had already signed petition, but it let me do it again. Our President is showing great composure in dealing/talking about the Senate. 3 words…''Do Your Job!!'' or better yet..''You're FIRED!"
My Universe: Aww….New Life! Isn't this wonderful?
Looks like a beautiful day here….hope that your foot gets better w/each passing day. A squirrel mama has picked my mat to gather soft material off of it for her nest, which is visible from my porch. Wildlife is fun to watch. Enjoy your day, and Thanks, Lynn.
YouTube – So – um – yeah – how would you go to sleep after that? If, that is, you have a heart and a brain (which if you are watching John Oliver you probably do)?
Politicus – Sorry, there's not enough antacid in the world to enable me to watch that.
Crooks and Liars – You know, since the seventies, I have been predicting national brain damage would result from the substances we are force to breathe and drink in our air and water. I mus have suffered myself, because it has taken till now for me to realize that all these brain damaged people would be VOTING.
Politico, Sherrod, Hightower – Look – Here is what no one is saying, so WE MUST SAY: McConnell is between a rock and a hardplace. He is not as stupid as he right now looks. He is being a diligent servant to his masters, the moneyed "conservative" activist groups which have bought him. Here's the message he is getting,. he and all other Republican Senators up for re-election: "You don't matter, the Supreme Court does." So McConnell's marching orders are to prevent any nominee picked by President Obama from so much as getting a hearing, even if it means ceding control of the Senate back to Democrats.
Sure, let's sign petitions, but let's also face it – THEY DON"T CARE. So let's also focus on electing a Democratic President and taking back the Senate. Because that is the only way we are going to get this done.
The foaling video was utterly fascinating – never seen anything like that before.
I was amazed at the amount of amniotic fluid that gushed, so I did a quick Google search and found a very informative site.
It said they usually have 2 – 5 GALLONS! It was a very interesting read of typical foaling.
I don't know what happened to my original reply, so I copied it back in from Care2:
Friday February 26, 2016, 8:46 am
I hope the pain in you're foot is going down fast, Lynn. If it still red and swollen you might have to have a doctor look at it, because that may point to an inflammation that needs extra attention. In the meantime enjoy the Spring in your garden. We were ahead of you two weeks ago, but temperatures have dropped to "normal" for this time of year again, so its rather cold and gloomy here again in the Low Lands.
You Tube: John Oliver did a great job again, as is by now usual for him on any of the big topics where Republicans are taking away people's democratic rights. It's great that one group is willing to take Texas to court because it no longer provides women access to safe abortion, but although the greatest anti-abortion zealot is missing from SCOTUS, too much depends on Kennedy's personal (Catholic) view now to guarantee a good outcome and if Texas' restrictive abortion law is allowed to stand, so will all the laws the other states have come up with and will come up with in future. A sickening thought.
Politicus: Good of you to post it, Lynn, but no, thank you, I won't listen to this man any longer. There's no barf bag strong enough to hold the acid that man makes my stomach produce.
Crooks and Liars: LOL. Politics has sunk to the level of entertainment and this is the kind of entertainment the Republican voter likes best. Next debate candidates will be open carrying to satisfy the audience's increasing taste for violence. Soon verbal fisticuffs won't be enough.
Obama and the SCOTUS nomination: Thanks Pat B for this link. Loved the answer Obama gave to the question about the nomination. Clear and calm and to the point, but in truth scalding to McConnell and the "sheepish" Republican Congressman who stand behind the Turtle. Obama's going to his constitutionally mandated job, the Republican's are not. In any other situation this would be called an illegitimate strike, the strikers would be hauled from the working place, and/or barred from (re)entering them and their salaries would be stopped. Is there any reason this can't be done here?
My Universe: I'm not sure if the birth was cute, but the foal sure is, as are all foals really.