Yesterday my helper=friend could not come, and that screwed up my schedule. I have lots of house work to do. I need to stay up late to watch the debate on MSNBC. It will have one bad moderator, Chuck Todd, and one fantastic moderator, Rachel Maddow. This will be today’s only article, and I will it be sending cards on Care2. That way, I get some rest.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:20 (average 4:45). Birdie for kitty-lunch? To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: I have always been a fan of Jimmy Carter, and once more he hits it out of the park. As reported today by the Guardian, here is what he has to say about the effect of money on our American political system, post Iowa caucuses:
Former US president Jimmy Carter has warned that US politics has been corrupted by billions of dollars of campaign financing following a supreme court ruling that he said legalised “bribery”.
He described the landmark 2010 Citizens United court decision, which equated campaign spending with free speech, as an “erroneous ruling”.
Speaking after the Iowa caucuses, in which Republican candidates spent $43m on TV advertising and Democratic candidates spent $16.8m, Carter said the domination of money in politics represented the biggest change since he was elected president in 1976.
SCROTUS (Republican Constitutional VD) is wrong. Money is NOT speech!!
From The New Yorker: Declaring that “my time has come,” the former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum announced today that he was officially launching his 2020 campaign for President.
“Washington is broken, and I’ve got some fresh new ideas about how to fix it,” Santorum told a small clutch of supporters and whatever family members were available, at an intimate rally in Des Moines. “Once the people of this great nation hear those ideas, there’s no stopping me.”
“I’m in it to win it!” he exclaimed, to some clapping.
Launching his campaign in Iowa, where the next Presidential caucuses will not be held for another forty-eight months, Santorum brushed aside suggestions that he was entering the race too early. “You’ll have to take that up with Jesus Christ,” he said. “He’s the guy who told me to do this.”
Andy, did he slip and fall down in his own froth?
From Alternet: Hungry for a bloodbath? Good, that's exactly what the election is, and guys Stephen Colbert are just waiting for candidates to stumble. Last night Colbert paid tribute to those who had fallen after the Iowa Caucus, as well as one who should have.
The script must have been written before frothy was flushed. That would have been hilarious!
Cartoon:
23 Responses to “Open Thread–2/4/2016”
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3:58 (4:47 when I did it) I'm sure I am not coming between you and the bird. But remember, it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.
DKos – Jimmy Carter just keeps getting better and better. Amazing man. Amazing President.
New Yorker – (and cartoon) – Dan Savage tweeted "Santorum drips out — oh, wait. Sorry. Drops out. Santorum drops out." (No, I'm not on Twitter, it was quoted in AlterNet.)
AlterNet – I think my favorite part was that there are actually more people named Jim Gilmore living in Iowa than candidate Jim Gilmore got votes. Yet he has not dropped out. Mind-boggling.
New Subject – Coin Tosses – I can't actually say this article clarifies what did happen, but it does clarify somewhat what did NOT happen.
I know people who can toss a coin and get it to land however they choose. This seems very slipshod to me.
I'm so glad you're taking a bit more time for yourself, TomCat, even if that means you can put only one article out on a day. I'm quite sure everyone can live with that; we all know what you've been through and don't want to see that happen again. I'll send you some catnaps to catch up on some sleep.
Daily Kos: Jimmy Carter sums it up brilliantly: “The erroneous ruling of the supreme court, where millionaires, billionaires, can put in unlimited amounts of money, give legal bribery the chance to prevail, because all the candidates, whether they are honest or not, or whether they are Democratic or Republican, depend on these massive infusions of money from very rich people in order to have money to campaign.” He may be getting on in years and his health may be failing, but Jimmy Carter's mind is as sharp as ever. He's right and SCOTUS has been terribly wrong.
The New Yorker: Ouch, that was pretty savage, Andy! You should have some compassion for the mentally disturbed, especially for those who hear voices who order them to do something. And you've got to admire that voice, already planning ahead for 2020! Such providence.
Alternet: Besides a lot of entertainment as they rally, the best part of having so many Republican candidates, is the sendoff they get from Stephen Colbert after they hit the dust in another caucus.
Cartoon: It may take more than one flush to make this one exit the bowl for good.
DK: ''The former peanut farmer turned Democratic president claimed that middle and working class Americans were being “cheated out of an opportunity to improve their lot in life”. A most humble man, with wise words, Mr. Carter.
NYer: Guess he's saving a seat, just to make sure. LOL, Andy
AlterNet: The Fallen. ''Your memory will live till commercial''. Fitting tribute from Colbert. Hilarious!!
Hope you get some rest before the debate. Enjoy your day, take care, and Thanks, Tom.
2:24 Do you mock me Puddy Tat?
3:29 I think I am going to get mocked for posting this time.
Glad to see you back, Jerry! I've missed you!
Ditto that!
Nope! Just hunghy!! GULP!!
Jimmy Carter is, hands down, the best ex-President of my lifetime … maybe EVAH!
Certainly the best person.
I agree. The Iranian hostages were what ruined him. for reelection. And look what we got!
Carter continues to live his faith and to speak truth to power like Christ did.
Read that a Des Moines newspaper is asking for a coin toss investigation since it is statistically improbable that all six flips would go for Clinton.
No one actually knows how many coin flips there were, except that there were probably more than six. And at least one was won by Bernie, and probably more. Fascinating that it is a media outlet asking for investigation when the whole story was so conflated by media as to have been practically made up.
good point–I might have assumed statistical sophistication that wasn't warranted…however, if several were in Des Moines area caucuses, their reporters might have observed things that made them suspicious…older quarters can have a different balance from newly minted
None of the coin flips effected any of trhe state delegate awards, but a reassessmjent is still in order, because it weas so close.
Puzzle — 2:24 Do you mock me Puddy Tat?
Daily Kos — Truth seems to be very revolutionary in US politics!
The New Yorker — “my time has come” — for what? Sweetheart, you'll NEVER be POTUS! You could start campaigning for the 2100 elections now and you would still not make it!
Alternet — FOMCPIMPROTFLMAO!!!!! It would have been great had Santorum been included! I can see it now . . . a toilet on stage and a great flushing sound as Colbert says "Thanks for the memories!"
Cartoon — I can hear the swirling and gurgling now . . .
Happy debating tonight! Just don't get so excited that you can't sleep. Likewise, don't get so involved that you have nightmares!
Coin toss: It may be statistically improbable, but it is not impossible, one could get a series of like tosses of many lengths, given a huge number of tosses…though it would not ssurprise me if there were foul play involved.
Santorum: What could have EVER given him the idea that he had a smidge of a chance..oh, but any unspent monies in his campaign fund, devolve to him…sounds like the Newt thing, without the books to sell.
Andy, and Colbert are great. I actually put in the time to watch, this one.
I, also, still like Carter.
I hope you got all the housework done, I never do.
Daily Kos: I so agree with President Carter. He is an honest man and that is why he was denigrated while he was in office.
The New Yorker: Andy is funny, but it wouldn't surprise me if Santorum did this. He believes he should be president.
Alternet: Wish I could hear this one, I read the script though, and Colbert nails them.
Cartoon: We hope.
Mr Carter an under-rated and under-appreciated President, and certainly the last President who was a "true Christian" in actions//////
Forgive me Tom and others. I was without internet and phone for a while. I felt cut-off from my friends. Got me asking what did we do before the internet? Am playing catch up now.
We used the phone and actually wrote letters.
Thanks all.l; Hugs.
I agree with you all about Mr. Peanut!