I’m writing for tomorrow, day 147. It’s been a long, busy day. The friend that I pay to help me with the heavy cleaning contacted me last night and asked if she could come a day early. She actually showed up on time, something she has never done before, and that caught me by surprise. I missed my morning sleep. I had a brief cat nap after watching the Broncos, but I’m still very tired.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:30 (average 4:46). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Religious Ecstasy:
What a magnificent Orb it is!
Short Takes:
From The New Yorker: President Obama has had two sleepless nights since learning that Rush Limbaugh praised his speech about Iraq and Syria this week, a White House source confirmed on Saturday.
According to the source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the President has been unable to sleep since Limbaugh complimented him on the air and has been seen pacing back and forth in the Oval Office in a way that aides described as “worrisome.”
“When he heard that [House Speaker John] Boehner and [Senate Minority Leader Mitch] McConnell liked his speech, he seemed to take that in stride,” the source said. “But this Limbaugh thing has pushed him over the edge.”
Dang Andy!! We better keep an eye on him. Approval from Limbarf is ample justification for suicide!
From Daily Kos: This week House Republicans are messing around with yet another bill that would do something to damage Obamacare. This time, they want to allow insurers to keep selling shitty policies that don’t cover all of the stuff that the law requires until 2019. Because what’s another five years of people being underinsured and going into bankruptcy because of it? While they’re dithering around with it, their most serious thinker on healthcare policy has been working on an actual plan that would replace Obamacare, in the event that Republicans could actually get their act together and achieve consensus on a plan.
But what Avik Roy, a writer at Forbes and the conservative Manhattan Institute and Mitt Romney’s healthcare advisor, has come up with looks an awful lot like Obamacare. Except for the part where it forces people off of Medicare and Medicaid and into the private market. And the part where it would no longer be the Affordable Care Act. So says the Los Angeles Times’ Michael Hiltzik.
Click through for a more complete description. RepubliCare is a plan to die for.
From NY Times: Democrats have reversed the partisan imbalance on the federal appeals courts that long favored conservatives, a little-noticed shift with far-reaching consequences for the law and President Obama’s legacy.
For the first time in more than a decade, judges appointed by Democratic presidents considerably outnumber judges appointed by Republican presidents. The Democrats’ advantage has only grown since late last year when they stripped Republicans of their ability to filibuster the president’s nominees.
Democratic appointees who hear cases full time now hold a majority of seats on nine of the 13 United States Courts of Appeals. When Mr. Obama took office, only one of those courts had more full-time judges nominated by a Democrat.
That’s great news. Now if only the Fascist Five Injustices of SCROTUS, Republican Constitutional VD, would take a junket tour of Liberia!
Cartoon:
9 Responses to “Open Thread–9/15/2014”
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“Happy Birthday” to Greenpeace!
3:38 TomCat snuck right by me.
3:12 I had to go fast. That kitty looks mad.
3:23 A regular Svencatli!
Jerry Catter won!
5:18 How did he hurt his ear, the poor baby?
New Yorker – OMG, Andy, what have you done? What if a Republican reads this column? They hate the President so much and they stop at nothing. They will have not only Boehner, McConnell, and Limbaugh express approval, but also Beck, Hannity, O'Reilly, Trump, Paul, Paul, Gohmrty, S King – they will pull out all the stops – to drive him to suicide.
Daily Kos – RepubliCare is a plan to die FOR? or a plan to die ON?
NY Times – It is good news but would be better if some of his appointees hadn't been so questionable. I am with you on the 5 judges of SCROTUS except wouldn't they hurt a lot of people if they came back too soon? Not, of course, as many as they have hurt by their so-called decisions, but nevertheless a lot.
Cartoon – Wow, Greenpeace is almost pushing 50. Good on them. May they work themselves out of a job before they hit it (OK, I can dream, right?)
I wish I had a friend to come over to clean!
The New Yorker: Andy is so funny. I am sure the prez would really be worried if Rush gave him a compliment!
Daily Kos: I sincerely hope the Democrats get control of the House, and keep control of the Senate this year. The Republicans will serve their corporate masters and screw up the ACA to the point that it helps no one but the insurance companies.
NY Times: This is good news, but as you noted, we still have SCROTUS that will continue to serve the Republican positions. I repeat, we need term limits for Supreme Court Justices.
Cartoon: And I am thankful for that day!
Thanks all! Ran out of gas!
Puzzle — 3:23 A regular Svencatli!
The New Yorker — Personally, I'd let Limbarf be the permanent ambassador in Iraq with mandatory residence in Bagdad. He can charm ISIL into submission, and well if that didn't work, well . . .
Daily Kos — OMG! The Republicanus/Teabagger Death Plan coming to an insurance company near you!
NY Times — Send the 5 Injustices of SCROTI on a fact finding mission to Iraq where the challenge is about the same but when they return, if they return, there is less effect on the citizenry.
Cartoon — That should be Bonne Fete (please excuse the lack of proper accent . . . my computer is going all weird) since Greenpeace actually has its origins in Vancouver, BC. And you thought we were all so polite. Actually, did you know that Vancouver is a nuclear weapons free city and has been for decades.