It’s already been a very busy day, as I have been working since early this morning, changing the poll, preparing the graphics and collecting all the data I will need for tomorrow’s Monthly Report, and researching today’s articles. Needless to say, I’m getting tired.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:52 (average 5:01). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From NY Times: President Obama poked fun at Hillary Clinton’s lack of appeal among young people Saturday night, joking at the annual White House press corps dinner that Mrs. Clinton was like an aging relative who cannot figure out how to use Facebook.
“Did you get my poke? Is it on my wall?” he said, imagining Mrs. Clinton trying to use the popular social media site. “I’m not sure I’m using this right. Love, Aunt Hillary.”
Policies aside, when it comes to the White House Correspondents Dinner, Obama stands heads and shoulders over every other President in my lifetime.
From Think Progress: On Thursday, 98 members of Congress wrote a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and the Chairman of the Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TEN), asking that they disband the panel and end the investigation into Planned Parenthood’s fetal tissue research.
The investigation into Planned Parenthood’s fetal tissue practices began last summer, when a heavily edited video surfaced claiming that the organization was “selling aborted baby parts.” Conservatives, especially former Presidential candidate and current Ted Cruz “running mate” Carly Fiorina — called for a formal investigation into Planned Parenthood’s practices.
But the claims made in the video have been repeatedly debunked, and in January, after a three-month-long investigation, a Texas Grand Jury decided not to indict Planned Parenthood. Instead, the jury moved to indict the videographers who were responsible for the video in the first place.
However, the select panel has continued to operate, going after not only Planned Parenthood, but also the scientists who are researching fetal tissue as they search for cures for diseases such as Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis.
That the basis for the investigation has been proven to be devoid of factual basis does not matter to Lyin’ Ryan and his misogynist Republican cronies. They simply want a platform from which to broadcast lies,
From Daily Kos: A group of the nation’s most important defenders of LGBT rights have written to ask the Obama administration to pull federal education funding from states that pass laws legalizing transgender discrimination in their schools.
It was sent by the American Civil Liberties Union, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, Lambda Legal, National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Transgender Law Center. A Justice Department spokesperson told BuzzFeed News, “The department has received and is reviewing the letter.” […]
“We are talking about official discrimination required by the state,” said [ACLU LGBT Project director James Esseks], arguing North Carolina should lose federal education funds. “This is something that is egregious and demands a different kind of response.”
This isn’t an idle threat. The Obama administration has been aggressive in enforcing transgender rights in individual districts; a law like North Carolina, that requires public schools to engage in discrimination specifically barred by the federal government, states must either choose to follow the state law or the federal one. That runs afoul of the $4.5 billion of education funds that North Carolina could otherwise expect to get from the federal government; we can only presume that the North Carolina legislature will then have to cover the cuts with the proceeds of their personal swear jars.
This sounds to me like a perfectly reasonable response to states where bigoted Republicans have written discrimination in schools into the law.
Cartoon:
The Republican elephant rides the rest of us.
22 Responses to “Open Thread–5/1/2016”
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5:06 (5:01) Not the kind of geraniums I had growing up, but I guess that's reasonable -this one would have been an invasive species.
Happy Russian Orthodox Easter, everybody.
NY Times – Oh, yes. Priceless indeed.
Think Progress – Yes, this is one of those campaigns that I sometimes wonder why I bother. I can't even imagine what might get through to House Republicans. And there are so damned many of them! WRT the poll – I will be commenting you need to add "down-ballot all the way" to "Vote BLue no matter who."
Daily Kos – Sounds reasonable to me. I sure hope I will live to see "reasonable."
Cartoon – You may not want to get me started on all the decorator, jewelry, etc. items that come in elephant but not in donkey. That's a large pet peeve of mine. I need to go put on my ONE donkey brooch that I managed to find a couple of years ago (sold out now, sorry ladies.)
Only one thing will get through to House Republicans. Unemployment!
Oh, GEEZ! Obama was on FIRE!!! LOVE IT!
NYT: How wonderful, and Well played, Mr. President. AND…Well Done!! "Obama Out"! I will miss this President!
Think Progress: “This Panel has served as nothing more than a vehicle for false attacks on Planned Parenthood," said Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL). "It’s time Republican leadership stops wasting taxpayer money on this political witch hunt." Let it go, Repugs, and just do your JOB!!! and quit wasting taxpayers money!!
DK: A noble and worthy cause. I hope that other states take heed. Like the state I live in.
Cartoon: Yep, ain't that the truth?
Working on the computer all day, would make me tired. Kudos for everything you write, and do, to get the post(s) up and running. I sure do applaud you (y'all), l for your great noteworthy work. We're getting ready for Cinco de Mayo here, and I eat more than dance now. It's nice to see the participation at the schools too. Love it! Enjoy the rest of your day/evening, take care, and Thanks, Tom.
Pienso que necessito cocinar mas chili!!
Love the cartoon!!!
Started watching…liked the early humor–will be back to finish.
CA is also pursuing charges against those that made the film since it was apparently made in CA…
Federal funding being in jeopardy was a component of the last school desegregation so it's already been tested in courts.
NY Times — Obama was funny! I heard John Boehner's voice in what I presume was a video and he sounded like a "nice" guy and not pickled!
Think Progress — It is amazing how self proclaimed fiscal conservatives can waste so much money on "ethical" matters like Planned Parenthood and DOMA after these investigations have proven to be without merit. And of course there is the matter of the wasted money trying to repeal Obamacare. These are partisan political actions, not ethically motivated actions. Fiscal conservatives my ass!
Daily Kos — The retention of education funds is a great idea to get the state on board. But looking at McCrory's current attitude towards lost business to the state because of the bill, I don't expect he'll move easily. If McCrory persists, the people who will suffer are the children . . . the children of middle and lower income families.
Cartoon — Ain't that the truth! Everyone else gets to walk behind the elephant scooping elephant poopies!
Puzzle — 3:15 A fuzzy little critter, almost as fuzzy as puddy tats.
Well I completed the Alzheimer's walk (raised $1,645) but really beat up my left knee. It was hot out there and despite drinking lots of water, I think I had some heat stroke. I was walking like a sailor after a 7 day binge near the end of the walk. Since I arrived home, I have had my leg elevated with ice. That gave me a chance to use the new laptop. I definitely prefer using a mouse. I'll have to do the puzzles on my desktop until I completely figure out the laptop.
I hear you loud and clear. I never use my laptop in my lap, but on a table or desk, and I use a mouse with it, and if I am doing anything serious, a number pad also.
I always use a mopuse when I use my laptop!
It doesn't look edible.
WE WILL MISS HIM!
Just got back from a trip to Florida, to visit a sick friend, can not spend 32 minutes on the Obama video, expect he was, indeed, great.
TP: Clowns will be clowns!
DK: The GOPigs will, perhaps, see this as just one more way to deprive kids of the education they do not want them to get, in the first place.
Kudos for your kindness!
Man, I am going to miss Pres. Obama! Undoubtedly the greatest President of MY lifetime
If he had been white, they’d be taking measurements at Mount Rushmore to see if there was enough room to add him in.
(God, I loathe those hate-mongering racist Rethuglican bigoted assholes, whose sole goal was to thwart him.)
Some day, he will get the recognition he deserves, I hope I am alive to see it happen.
Ditto both of you!
I voted in the poll, we should vote Blue, no matter who is nominated.
NY Times: President Obama has been charming, funny, and intelligent each time he has spoken at one of these dinners. I cannot think of a single Republican who would deserve these adjectives.
Think Progress: Lyin Ryan and his crew will not give up the witchhunt on Planned parenthood any more than they will give up their Benghazi investigations. If they can keep enough people upset over these two things, they won't notice the other real issues such as income inequality, denying rights to Veterans, letting companies who got a bail out move their headquarters to another country so they don't have to pay taxes, the list is endless.
Daily Kos: This sounds reasonable to me, too. If they are blatantly violating a federal law, they should suffer the consequences. Since the one thing Republicans really understand is money, this tactic should work.
Cartoon: Too true!
Mississippi is losing money over its recent transgender rule. Several movie companies are pulling out of their deals because of it.
Good to see you busy once more, TomCat, but please take regular catnaps when you're getting tired and avoid exhaustion.
NYT: It's just wonderful how President Obama hasn't lost his sense of humor despite the 8 years of hard time the Republicans gave him. It was a joy to see his last press corps diner, still in control and not bitter the way lesser men would have been. Drumpf wouldn't come, probably because he's still fuming about the jokes Obama made about him last year, and when this was mentioned the jokes about this perhaps being the last diner after the Republic had ended. One of the first things emperor Drumpf would do is abolish this tradition and blame it on the media.
TP: Again Republicans in Congress are not only spending taxpayers money investigating a case for which there's absolutely nos basis because it wouldn't stand up in several courts already, but also screw the public out of more money because they're also going after scientist who do valuable research on fetal tissue that was donated legally to their research facilities. There's absolutely no cause for it, so the investigation may even break some laws, but neither the money spent nor the immorality of the investigation will keep Paul Ryan and his ilk from pursuing their own hobbies.
DK: Legislators in states who wipe their behinds with federal law and force public institutes like schools, community buildings, museums and the like to follow their discriminative state laws must have mushy peas for brains if they think they can have their cake and eat it too. Not only should the Obama administration pull funding from states that force their schools that break their laws, but also any other funding for public services that discriminate against LGBT people. I hope that includes funding for the state administration and congress.
Cartoon: Ride the rest of you? Stump on you, more likely.
Such grace, dignity and wicked humor! Despite all he's had to deal with, this President keeps on being a remarkable human being. Those dumb GOP will be singing the "you don't know what you've got til it's gone" song soon….
Loved the bit about the steak or fish – "those are the choices – you may not like steak or fish, but those are the choices".
Last night, we watched"Amazing Grace" – about the fight to end slavery in Great Britain. I find it sad that peaceful, gentle people always have to fight so hard for what is decent and right. But thank goodness, they do.
Thanks all!! Hugs!!