I’m writing for tomorrow and running late, because I overslept by several hours. That’s a good thing. I’m not going to push myself to return to full time blogging for a week, because I have to spend two nights in Salem next week for prison volunteer work and our annual organizational meeting for it. While I’m slightly improved, I want make sure I don’t knock myself back down before then.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:55 (average 4:25). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From MSNBC: Hope fades for long-term unemployed
International readers, try Googling this in a day or two. I could not find it anywhere else. Jeff Merkley and Oregon are leading the way against Republican class warfare.
From NY Times: The Air Force said on Wednesday that 34 officers responsible for launching the nation’s nuclear missiles had been suspended, and their security clearances revoked, for cheating on monthly proficiency tests that assess their knowledge of how to operate the warheads.
At a news conference, Deborah Lee James, the secretary of the Air Force, said the officers, at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, either knew about or took part in texting answers to the routine monthly tests.
Eleven Air Force officers — including two accused in the Malmstrom cheating scandal, as well as one other nuclear missile officer — have also been the focus of suspicion in an illegal drugs investigation, defense officials said.
Although the Air Force has been plagued in recent years by scandals, the current revelations are particularly alarming because they involve America’s nuclear arsenal, where errors could be catastrophic.
One of Obama’s biggest mistakes has been to leave Bush’s Republican officials in most key positions involving military oversight. The military needs higher quality oversight, especially since the Bush Regime purged the competent officers who opposed his military fiascos, resulting in a military leadership culture in which extreme ideology trumps even minimal ability. Clearly it’s long past time to clean house.
From Right Wing Watch: Far-right columnist Erik Rush has come to believe that efforts to impeach and remove President Obama from office are unlikely to succeed, so he is now is calling on “military personnel” to “lend their support to an effort by Congress to remove the president through methods other than impeachment.”
In a WorldNetDaily column [World Nut Daily delinked] today, Rush doesn’t specify the extra-constitutional means he hopes to use to oust Obama, but he does regret that such a move is “less likely than it otherwise might have been given the widespread purge that has taken place within the military.”
Previously, Rush has called for Obama’s ouster “by any means necessary,” and repeatedly advocated executing the president. [emphasis added”]
The Republican Party has an endless supply of seditionists ready to commit treason, and the party leadership refuses to denounce their efforts. Some Republican members of Congress even attend their functions.
Cartoon:
14 Responses to “Open Thread–1/17/2014”
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2:57 I must've gotten hung up on the scenery.
3:31 My hand is too cold to function properly, and it isn't from the scenery! My furnace packed it in a few weeks ago and the new goes in next week!
3:11 I slipped on the snow.
MSNBC ~ Congress sucks!
NY Times ~ Republicans suck!
Right Wing Watch Eric Rush sucks!
Cartoon ~ The military=Indunstrial Complex secks!
Does anyone detect a thme in my comments today?
Be well, Tom. Rest.
The full quote:
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence – economic, political, even spiritual – is felt in every city, every Statehouse, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.
– President Dwight David Eisenhower, 53 years ago today
I think in today's world or in the GOP/T he would be labeled a socialist. One more example of how we do not learn from history. Our wars in Ike's time were about real threats to our safety. Now we have wars for the sake of gaining fossil fuels and minerals to supplement the vast wealth of corporations. Wars of choice, not wars for the protection of freedom or our nation.
Today, the pre speech rumor mill says Obama will address a radical change in policy -v- NSA spying at home and abroad. I do hope he does.
Take care of you, TC.
Puzzle — 3:31 My hand is too cold to function properly, and it isn't from the scenery! My furnace packed it in a few weeks ago and the new goes in next week!
MSNBC — The Republicanus/Teabaggers are a bunch of soulless bastards. They really need to get their priorities straight! While reducing food stamp spending, while not approving a jobs bill, while not approving infastructure spending, they are cutting unemployment benefits. How is that helping the American people? They continue to prove that they don't give a rat's ass for ordinary Americans! I say cut Republicanus/Teabagger politicians' salaries so that their positions are volunteer and use that money for projects needed by the people. After all, they only represent a small fraction of the people and have not accomplished anything worthwhile. Why should they be paid?
NY Times — . . . and the US worries about Iran's nuclear aspirations!? It is past time that a hard solid look in the mirror was done! With all that is going on, it is time that the US stop claiming to be THE leader of the free world! If run by the Republicanus/Teabaggers, the US would be THE bully of the so called free world.
Right Wing Watch — Rush, try that in Russia and see how far Mad Vlad Putin lets you get! To say Republicanus/Teabaggers are seditious is so spot. They demonstrate the level of their sedition almost daily . . . it's higher than I can count and I am a career banker quite able to count big numbers!
Cartoon — Too bad that the Republicanus/Teabaggers elevated Ronnie Ray Gun to sainthood, and not Eisenhower!
5:19 – I detect the common theme that Patty mentioned. Republicans don't give a rat's a$$ about citizens in need due to their own actions…
4:26, better than nothing.
The US IS the bully of the free world. Although it pains me virtually daily to see how much competition our GOP/T leaders are getting from Canada, Australia, and Britain.
Surely Ike must have known that thie complex would be unstoppable, though? "~~Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry" – when have we ever had that, or could we have expected to get it? And with GOP-cultivated ignorance, it slips farther out of reach every day.
Here are a couple of other Eisenhower quotes that would surely get him drummed out of today's Wingnut republican Party:
~~Asked at a press conference to describe Nixon's contributions to his administration's policies, Eisenhower replied: “If you give me a week, I might think of one.”
~~Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are H. L. Hunt (you possibly know his background), a few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid.
And on another bright note, Duck "HomophobicMisogynist" Dynasty new season premiere Ratings PLUMMETED 28%
http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/blogs/bostonspirit/2014/01/duck_dynasty_ratings_plummet.html
I'd never come across the Eisenhower – Nixon quote before – thanks for that Nameless, I needed a wry chuckle today!
MSNBC: I like Your Jeff Merkely. We have too many millionaires in Congress. They have no concept of what the average person's life is like. I hope most of them will be unemployed after the next elections. Of course, that wouldn't last long, they will be hired as lobbyists. I am so mad over this vote. I guess I take it personally because I worked with the unemployed most of my working career, and I know they are not leeches or sponges as the Republicans like to portray them.
NY Times: I agree with your assessment. In fact, I think he has kept too many Bush appointees in too many other jobs, too. And, what happened to those warheads that disappeared a few months ago? I have read nothing about that since the first report.
Right Wing Watch: The Republicans commit treason just by getting out of bed each morning.
We will miss you, TC, but you need to take care of yourself.
I had to click through to the article to begin to believe the Air Force scandal – we are so lucky to have the safety of the world in such 'safe' hands(!!). Good grief! You are right TC about the Bush appointees – I could never ever understand why he left them in power – and for more than four years too – why?!
I love the Eisenhower quotes by Miss Kitty and Nameless – he would be a Democrat these days and revile those nutters on the Right.
Erik Rush is a seditionist and should be arrested on that score before someone acts out his unsubtle hints with violence.
Thanks TC – please take care of yourself, and I hope all goes well next week and that you don't get too tired, we need you for the long haul!
Thanks everyone.