I’m writing for tomorrow and debating whether or not to start sorting and filing a huge box of paper, now that I have installed frames for hanging folders in my desk drawers. The smart money is betting on QUACK! May the divine light of the holy Ellipsoid Orb bless your team.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:59 (average 6:18). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From YouTube: ‘But for Race go I’
An excellent piece on racism at the Republican Convention in 2000.
From TPM: It’s already a bad year for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) according to Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergran Grimes (D), who is running against the top Senate Republican.
A spokeswoman noted that in the first three days of 2014, McConnell was passed up for an endorsement by a local GOP county chairman and news broke that the Senate Conservatives Fund spent about $1 million to boost Republican primary challenger Matt Bevin.
Great News! The more money Bought Bitch Mitch has to spend in the primary, the less he will have left for the general. A loss to Grimes would be a coup of epic proportions!
From Think Progress: While almost all working Americans will pay into Social Security through their paychecks throughout the year, the 900 wealthiest people in the country won’t. That’s because the highest-earning 0.0001 percent of the U.S. — many of them corporate CEOs — made $117,000 in the first two days of the year, which is the maximum annual income that is subject to Social Security taxes under federal law.
It’s tough to say for certain who will be a part of this group in 2014, since the most recent available data on Americans’ earnings is from 2012. In that year, 894 individuals nationwide made enough to qualify for membership in this club, according to the Los Angeles Times. Economist Teresa Ghilarducci came up with the calculation, and points out that Forbes data on top earners enables analysts and the public to see some of the members of this group. There were nearly 70 corporate CEOs who made enough to qualify in 2012, including the top officers at companies like Philip Morris, NewsCorp, Starbucks, ComCast, and Pfizer.
Scrap the cap on income over $1,000,000!!
Cartoon:
14 Responses to “Open Thread–01/05/2014”
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"That’s because the highest-earning 0.0001 percent of the U.S. — many of them corporate CEOs — made $117,000 in the first two days of the year, which is the maximum annual income that is subject to Social Security taxes under federal law." Argggghhh! How thoroughly disgusting is that? I'm guessing most people haven't a clue or there would be heads rolling.
First order – get rid of Mitch, yes! Second order, scrap the cap!!!
Amen to both orders!
4:18 I may have been locked out.
4:21 Mine would not connect.
I was Kitty Kitty Klobbered!
3:29 – one piece was hiding under the puzzle – thought I would never find it.
I'm pleased New Orleans sent Philly packing.
Every one no matter what their income should be paying into Social Security. I have read and heard all the arguments for the higher incomes to not be "forced" to pay for something they will never use. That is not always the case. I know of one man that has not paid into the system he does not have the required 40 credits. A combination of lousy investment advice, poor planning (more common than one might think) and a little thing called the market crash. He is now 68, not healthy but forced to work to try and accumulate those needed credits to some day retire. The fact is no one knows what the future might bring. One could see this as an insurance policy to guarantee, that for ones own selfish reasons or for the public safety that 6.2% will help to secure the future of a program you might not like but are smart enough to realize that it is needed.
Kitty Kitty Klobbered. 🙁
All the games were good.
Well said!
7:57 I fear having hurt my shoulder Friday evening is slowing me down even more than usual.
Hayes – Chris is wise indeed to be able to recognize himself as the recipient of privilege. Most people don't, whether it is white privilege, straight privilege, male privilege, abled privilege, or whatever.
You are assuming Mitch will win the primary? He may of course, but I am not sure.
Scrap the cap indeed!
Cartoon – First you have to find a Republican man of quality.
I hope that feels better in short orfder.
Amen!
That would work too. 🙂
Thanks!
and a black white guy! 😉
Chris Hayes is right, if he had been black, he would have been arrested, sadly.
TPM: Mitch is running scared. We are being bombarded with ads he has bought linking Grimes with Obama, whom he is sure is the most hated man in America. Kentuckians seem to like Allison a lot. I hope it continues.
Scrap the Cap, INdeed!
Cartoon: Republicans seem to see women only as breeders and cooks.
Correct!
Wooo Hooo!!
Amen!
You forgot servants.
6:52 – Chris Hayes sure was lucky, he was able to keep his weed…. 😆
ARGH!
I think everybody will remember what I had to say about Bitch McConnell on my first comment in this column. So I think this is the perfect time to say it again: Bitch, you asshole, you’re such a stupid, mentally decrepit bastard that you need to sit on a red-hot ingot to get some oxygen to your pea-sized brain. Until then, my original message is being kept deliberately simple so that even you can understand: FUCK YOU! I’d love to see all those women Democrats kick your worn-out ass!