I’m writing for tomorrow and feeling more tired than I did earlier. I’m going to take some extra rest today. but I still have articles for you. I’m not ignoring the talk of a temporary Debt Ceiling extension. It’s still just too tenuous to get a grip on it.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:13 (average 4:50). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Bernie Sanders: It is not acceptable that a handful of right-wing extremists in the House have shut down the government and are now pushing for the United States, for the first time in our history, to not pay its bills — precipitating a likely international financial crisis. It is widely believed that there now exists in the House a majority of members (virtually all Democrats and some moderate Republicans) who are prepared to vote for a clean continuing budget resolution which would immediately re-open the government. House Speaker Boehner must allow the House to have that vote.
Bernie remains the best Democrat, who isn’t one. As usual, he is spot on in his analysis that Republicans are holding America hostage.
From The New Yorker: In an escalation of the stalemate gripping Washington, House Republicans voted today to shut down the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls reasoning and impulses.
The resolution, which passed with heavy Tea Party support, calls for a partial shutdown of the brain, leaving the medulla and cerebellum, sometimes referred to as the “reptilian brain,” up and running.
The Tea Party caucus cheered the passage of the bill, which was sponsored by Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, who called the measure “long overdue.”
Andy actually missed it this time. How can Republicans vote to shut down something of theirs that was never, ever started up, not even once?
From TPM: …In a thinly veiled reference to the House GOP’s relentless attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Kaplan noted that his beloved team "sent batters to the plate at least 40 times" in Monday’s 4-3 Dodgers win, which eliminated the Braves from the playoffs.
"But just because we couldn’t score enough runs, the Dodgers refuse to relinquish the title — and worse, they won’t even discuss it," Kaplan wrote. "LA’s stubborn refusal to even talk to us about reversing the results of this series is un-sportsmanlike and un-American. But there is an answer: If the Dodgers won’t listen to the cries of average Americans like you and me, then Congress should outlaw Major League Baseball until the Dodgers cave."
He then called on Kingston to take a stand.
"Just because the Dodgers had more hits, scored more runs, and won more games doesn’t make them right," Kaplan wrote in closing. "You can help them see that."…
Earth to Republicans! Earth to Republicans!! Hello? Is anyone home under those tinfoil hats?!!? Strike three! You’re OUT!!!
Cartoon:
22 Responses to “Open Thread–10/11/2013”
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Love the 'toon, as usual, Cat Man. So frikken true.
Thanks Terrie! 🙂
Utterly briliant satire – and let's hope it stays that way and they don't really try it … or maybe they already have and it isn't the Kool-Aid they have been drinking after all! Bernie Sanders is of course magnificent and right – and millions of people are suffering and will continue to suffer because of the insane Repuglicons actions! Bernie thinks there are some honest Repugs who realise that they lost the election and that their actions aren't right – I hope that he is right and that their numbers grow….
I'm all for honest Republican office holders . Sadly, virtually all have been TEAbuggered.
Seeing these lazy(R)'s Destroying congress while neglecting the Needs of Our Veterans is anti-American.. these lazy(R)'s Voted to Raise their Record Gop-Debt by spending/*Wasting over $12 trillion under Pres *W bush. Now they think it *Wise to quit Paying their Debts..?
Welcome Jerry! 🙂
Are they really lazy? They seem quite willing to exert themselves for the 0.1%.
4:08 Probably not fast enough to keep from getting Stomped on or Crunched but I gave it my best shot on this miserable Mac.
On another note, I rode in my first Mini Cooper Wednesday evening. What a joy it was! It belongs to my nephew's partner. I was surprised at the roominess and the feel of luxury.
3:46 I am not a race driver in any vehicle.
3:41 That must be a picture of the four of us with me in the green mini.
My mini was Curnched and last. 🙁
New Yorker ~ I agree. You can't shut down something that never worked in the first place.
Bingo, Patty! 🙂
Tom, the TGOP in at least one state outlawed Sharia Law in the courts. Since that didn't exist, I guess they can vote against a non-existent thing.
You're right. I said "something of theirs", and pseudo-Christian Shariah is certainly thiers.
~ 4:58
Senator Bernie Sanders is my advocate….
Note: China has over taken the U.S. in oil consumption in September.
Not bad! 🙂
Agree!
…OUR advocare?
Really? Thanks for the info!
MEDICAL DEVICES TAX
An argument against it is that it singles them out for higher taxes
The excise tax is huge 2.3%. Health care reform will increase demand
for devices over all. Ir does not apply to devices made in USA and exported.
It does apply to imported devices. Therefore, it was designed to protect competitiveness
and job creation in USA—for a change.
I would prefer an alternet revenue stream to a medical device excise tax, but we need to pay for benefits somehow, and it is peojected to provise $30 billion over ten years. In addition, major medical device manufacturers have a higher profit margin than drug companies, so they have the ability to absorb the cost.
Since you have stopped posting cff topic comments, I have removed you from comment moderation. Thank you for your respect.
Puzzle — 3:46 I am not a race driver in any vehicle.
Bernie Sanders — We've been saying it for a long time — Republicanus/Teabaggers are holding the country hostage. For them, ideology (idioyology) trumps the national interest. Personally, I think that should be grounds for sedition because as Bernie says, millions don't have a pay cheque right now but have financial responsibilities and the stress may very well push some over the cliff. When the subject of Congress forgoing their pay, one Republicanus/Teabagger representative (I can't remember her name or state) said she could not forgo her pay because she had bills to pay. Such arrogance! So do the furloughed workers!
The New Yorker — I would suggest that the "…medulla and cerebellum, sometimes referred to as the “reptilian brain,…" represent the Republicanus/Teabaggers while the Democrats are "…the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls reasoning and impulses." Mind, that would assume that there is some kind of synergy between the sections of the brain, which has not existed since 2009.
TPM — Funny but to the point! To Republicanus/Teabaggers "Strike three! You’re OUT!!!"
Cartoon — Spot on! Never were truer words uttered.
Dang! One would think you could Really floor that gas pedel! 😉
Bernie does seem to reflectr our views.
LOL! There actually is reserach to show that righties have more dev eloped amygdalas than normal people do..
Thanks!
Thanks again! 🙂
I so wish Bernie were my senator.
Tpm: excellent analagy.
Best cartoon ever!
I wish he were your Senator too.
Thanks!
Thanks!! 🙂