It has been a relatively quiet day. I overdid things yesterday as far as my knee goes and so spent the night in some pain courtesy of swelling. Now things are good after staying with my leg elevated much of today. And thanks to Lona for the nap! It came in handy today. My second ESL student made me an Iranian dish for dinner yesterday — an excellent stew-like dinner of lamb, leeks, spinach, onion, red beans and dried lemons served over saffron rice. I had some last night and the remainder tonight. It was soooooooo good! Tomorrow I will see little Simon while I work with Lucia, his mother.
Short Takes
Alternet — The Court’s 4-4 ruling, which will elevate the issue of immigration reform and the need to fill a high court vacancy on the presidential campaign trail, came as a simple nine-word sentence: “The [lower-court] judgment is affirmed by an equally divided Court.”
With that split, the controlling law is a November 2015 decision of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas, and ruled against the administration. That ruling was from a judge who showed hostility to the White House's executive orders and the Justice Department's defense, according to legal scholars. …
The case centered on the program known as Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents, or DAPA. After years of lobbying from pro-immigrant activists, President Obama created the program by executive order in November 2014.
Texas and 25 other states, all led by Republican governors, immediately challenged the program—even though the percentage of undocumented immigrants affected was the same as under executive orders issued by former Republican presidents George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan.
This isn't the first decision, nor the last, to be rendered as what I will call a non decision. It is past time that the Senate undertake confirmation hearings for Judge Merrick Garland to bring SCOTUS to full strength and thereby avoid split decisions. Of course that is no guarantee that the court would rule in favour of the government. At least this decision does not set a precedent.
CBC — Britain entered uncharted waters Friday after the country voted to leave the European Union, according to a projection by all main U.K. broadcasters. The decision shatters the stability of the project in continental unity forged after the Second World War in hopes of making future conflicts impossible.
The decision raises the likelihood of years of negotiations over trade, business and political links with what will become a 27-nation bloc. In essence the vote marks the start — rather than the end — of a process that could take decades to unwind.
Results released early Friday show the Leave side prevailed 52 per cent to 48 per cent in Thursday's vote as tallied by British broadcasters, with a Remain win a mathematical impossibility.
The vote had a turnout of 72 per cent of the more than 46 million registered voters.
The vote is in and Britons have elected to leave the EU under article 50. It won't be a quick exit. Markets have already reacted with a decline in stocks and the value of the pound. The effects will be felt to varying degrees globally. There may also be ramifications for NATO and consequences for dealing with Russia. I guess it is a wait and see for now.
Rawstory — Rep. Alan Grayson (D-WI) ripped House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) for dismissing Democrats’ sit-in protest as “a publicity stunt.”
“To people who don’t know how to legislate, any effort looks like a publicity stunt,” Grayson said in a brief interview with TMZ. “That doesn’t make it so.”
Grayson was part of the group of Democratic legislators who sat on the House floor while calling for a vote on a measure that would expand background checks on gun sales, as well as a proposal to bar anyone on the federal “no fly” list from being able to buy a firearm.
Ryan responded by calling the protest “nothing more than a publicity stunt” and adding, “This is not about a solution to a problem. This is about trying to get attention."
Note: Rep Alan Grayson is (D-FL) not Wisconsin. I sent a correction in to the publisher.
I'll say it again, compare the Dem sit-in against the Republican government shutdown. Shame on Lyin' Ryan for calling the sit-in a publicity stunt when his own party shut down the government for their own petty reasons, reasons not rooted in the public good.
My Universe —
In our house, bananas are highly prized edibles by the four leggers, my cats.
11 Responses to “Squatch’s Open Thread 23/06/2016”
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Sorry I'm in a hurry so will probably be briefer than I'd like –
AlterNet – As you say, at least it won't set a precedent. It was leaked, without naming names, that Mitch McConnell was told by his masters – big donors, big corporations, big everything – that they are aware there is a danger of losses of Senate seats by this stonewalling, and they don't care. They have decided the Supreme Court is more valuable to them then Senators, and he is to stonewall until a Republican President is elected. Period. I hope that makes everyone here angry. Angry people vote.
CBC – Angry people vote. Britain is seeing that now. I'm sure it won't be the last time.
Raw Story – I actually love Grayson, but I fear we may lose him. The DCCC is behind his primary rival who is much less progressive in the Senate race. At to the sit is – yes, when Republicans act childish we get Green Eggs, Ham, and a $27 Billion tab. When Democrats act childish, they do it like adults (sit-ins being usually a weapon of the young).
Universe – Have to watch later.
Stonewall McTurtle, a loser every day of the week! If the country goes Dem (or at least the WH), which I truly hope it does, nominations will be made and the Senate with 4 years to go will have to confirm justices.
CBC: With the Leave campaign securing 52 per cent of the vote, Mr Cameron addressed the nation in an emotional speech outside 10 Downing Street to announce that he would be stepping down and resigning. It's effecting the stock market too. WOW!
RS: Kudos to the Dems for the sit-in, and meanwhile, Repugs always seem to make time to belittle Dems, but I just checked, and it's been 100 days for NOT voting on vacancy in SCOTUS. Do your job!!
My Universe: Cute! Mine actually likes the taste of bananas, and enjoys one every now and then.
Enjoy your day/evening. Thanks, Lynn.
Let's hope that US voters don't take the same tack as UK voters — getting totally snowed by the right wing nut jobs like Drumpft.
You'll have to keep from getting on your knees in future, Lynn 😉 A worn knee can be terribly painful and keep you from much needed sleep, I understand. Is a knee replacement an option or won't that solve the problem in your case? Fortunately you're well cared for with delicious meals and little Simon to cheer you up.
Alternet: With the decision of the lower court affirmed by this SCOTUS tie and thereby giving the Republicans exactly what they want (the abortion of DAPA), there's little chance…no, let me rephrase that…absolutely no chance the Republicans will allow the senate to undertake confirmation hearings for Judge Merrick Garland. This is to important to them, and as they have the memory span of a demented drunk, they've forgotten that rulings have also gone against them in the past.
CBC: I've spent most of the day following the Care2 spin-off discussion following my post two days ago on the Brexit, but don't worry, Lynn, I 'm not going to start one here too. One or two things I've not mentioned there though: Tory's Minister of Defense, Mark Lancaster, was quick to point out on the BBC that the UK had no intentions of leaving NATO or abandoning any of its military missions. President Putin said that he understood very well that the British people wanted to leave the EU because it handled security and immigration so poorly…
Rawstory: Good for Alan Grayson. A sit-in because it seemed to be the only way to get Republicans to vote on two bills on gun control seems to me to be ALL about a solution to a problem that is long overdue. By turning of the cameras and calling it a publicity stunt Paul Ryan shows Americans again how low Republicans will stoop to prevent any solution to be presented, let alone debated on and put to a vote. A large majority of Americans want something to be done about the incessant gun killings, but Republicans are democratically deaf which means that they can only hear the noise the NRA is making.
My Universe: I didn't have time to watch the whole video, but it seems your furry companions are an exception the rule, Lynn. Most cats seem to loath the smell or sight of bananas. LOL.
I want to avoid knee replacement. I have friends that have gone that route and it is no fun. Additionally, being single, I have to manage on my own which with knee replacement would be problematic.
My cat HATES bananas – especially if the peel is still attached.
But he LOVES peaches!
Mine love bananas, strawberries, oranges. kiwi, apples and apple sauce, pears and peaches. They will eat a wee bit of cherries but would prefer tto play with them — kitty soccer!
I saw the nes about the sit-in while on a brief vacation, and was SOOOOOO proud of those Dems!
Paul Ryan is a jackass, and I'm veryglad that Grayson called him out!
CBC: Wow! Now the political, and financial pundits, will be flapping their lips, making all kinds of predictions, because that's how they "earn?" their money. They do not are that they are sooo frquently wrong. humans are very poor at predicting the future.
Alternet: This is why one must VOTE BLUE, NO MATTER WHO! The next few SCOTUS judges are going to be nominated in coming years, and we can not afford to let the GOPigs do it!
VOTE BLUE NO MATTER WHO!!!
all the way down the line.
Thanks everyone!