It’s another busy day here in the CatBox, as we move into another heat wave with mid 90°s weather by mid week. Please expect no more than a Personal Update tomorrow with no links messages on Care2. After we de-stink the vile TomCat, WWWendy and I are going to the new CatBox for a look-see.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:42 (average 5:14). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Special Announcement:
I have promoted Joanne Dixon, aka JD, from Editor to full Administrator, making her equal in authority to Squatch, Nameless, and I. It’s overdue. Hell! She’s around here more than I am, and I think we can trust her not to delete the site. 
Congrats, JD!
Short Takes:
From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Representative Rashida Tlaib Unveils Bold New Policy For America’s Poor
I like it, but I prefer guaranteed basic income for all American households of $20,000. That would be reduced by 50% of what a household earns, so a family earning $30,000 would get a $5,000 subsidy. A family earning $40,000 would get no subsidy. RESIST!!
From YouTube (Media Matters Channel): “Lock her up” and Sean Hannity’s “beyond despicable” hypocrisy
Barf Bag Alert!!
Faux Noise hypocrites? Lock them up! Lock them up! RESIST!!
From Alternet: President Donald Trump knows what buttons to push when it comes firing up his far-right base, and one of them is decrying “socialism” and insisting that the Democratic Party has become fully “socialist” in its ideology. Meanwhile, the term “democratic socialism” is a badge of honor for Sen. Bernie Sanders and his ally, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York City. But context is crucial. The “socialism” that Sanders and AOC champion is really a revival of New Deal/Great Society liberalism, and while both of them are left-of-center by U.S. standards, neither would be embraced by actual Marxist-Leninists or Maoists — in fact, communist websites have attacked them for not being true leftists.
But then, neither of them have claimed to be disciples of Che Guevara or Mao Tse-Tung. What they favor is regulated capitalism with a strong social safety net, realizing that the public and private sectors both have their place. And it’s possible to favor “socialism” in the form of Social Security, Medicare, public parks, the U.S. military or public libraries while applauding the private sector when it comes to software programs, Apple products, restaurants, smartphones, Ikea furniture or hip-hop recordings. One does not rule out the other.
Here are some forms of “socialism” that are wildly popular in the United States.
1. Social Security
One of the many government programs that came out of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal, Social Security has been around since 1935. President George W. Bush proposed privatizing Social Security in the 2000s, and the idea was met with a very negative response. Public support for the program remains strong: an NPR/PBS/ Marist poll conducted in 2018 found that 60% of Americans would rather reverse the GOP’s corporate tax cuts of 2017 than see the government cut spending for Social Security. And among Democrats, that number jumps to 80%.=
There is nothing wrong with supplementing Social Security with a private-sector retirement plan such as an IRA, a pension or a 401(k). But Social Security is a form of “socialism” that most Americans still support 84 years after it was implemented.
I shared the first of five examples. Click through for the other four. Also, add Libraries, Police Departments and Fire Departments to the list. RESIST!!
Cartoon:
13 Responses to “Open Thread – 6/8/2019”
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In my humble and far from well-informed opinion, the best way to fight – if not eliminate – poverty is a) make the minimum wage a living wage, and b) give companies tax incentives to return manufacturing to the USA. Of course, the former works only if people actually have jobs in the first place. We should do as Australia does – raise the minimum wage EVERY YEAR.
Social Security, public parks, public libraries, the military (though we definitely need to slash our “defense” spending!), Medicaid/Medicare, police departments, public schools, public transit – THOSE are true socialism. I’d like to see how long tRump chumps would survive without even half of them!
5:33 Such a sad-looking brachet.
Oh my goodness! Thank you for the vote of confidence! I promise not to delete the site!
MSNBC – Yours sounds good – Hers isn’t bad – Yang’s isn’t bad – all would help dramatically, especially outside of high cost of living areas (try living on $20K a year in, say, Silicon Valley). I am SO glad that our freshmen reps, particularly freshman women, are speaking out. Even if they sometimes err, or if their ideas are less than perfect, this is SO much better than having all the newbies defer and thus getting no new ideas. If it weren’t for McConnell, Russia, and Talibangelicals, I would have SO much hope (and, as it is, the fact that I have any is noteworthy.) Tlaib really has guts. God (Ceiling Cat, FSM, Allah) bless her.
BBA – Sorry, I just can’t watch that. We need to lock HIM up. (Hannity? Trump? Yes. And more.)
AlterNet – I am well aware that most Americans do love what socialism really is, and only hate what they THINK socialsm is, and they are dead wrong about what it actually is. Nonetheless, it’s good to have a list of what programs actually ARE socialistic when one is trying to educate someone. A wallet card would be nice. I suppose anyone with a printer could make one:
Social Security
Medicare
Medicaid
the military
police departments
fire departments
public parks
public libraries
public anything – roads, bridges, buildings, utilities, waste control, you name it.
(I changed the order a little to create some natural groupings.)
Cartoon – GOP will call you a liar in three … two … one …
If you thought that, with Dave Hayes in yesterday’s parade, Talibangelicals had hit rock bottom, you were wrong. Check out this, but carefully, it is definitely NSFW.
OK, this, if scaled to 2 x 3.5″ will fit nicely on a business card. The Avery templates for this size are the 537x series and the 837x series (and other manufacturers usually reference Avery’s templates,- they seem to be the standard.) Or, it could be printed on anything and trimmed to 2 x 3.5″ (If it helps, it’s 334 x 193 pixels)
Are you having fun exploring the Dashboard?
I haven’t yet, beyond what I already knew. But I’m sure I will when I get to it. I realize there’s a lot more to look at – and do.
Enjoy yourself. Don’t hesitate to approve comments. Anytime your not sure, just let it wait for me.
MSNBC: Really like this. Ms. Tlaib’s take on this issue is a Win-Win for the people!! Good for her!
BBA: Blech !!!
AN: Good article. Without Socialism, we would be in dire need of services that are afforded us though socialism. Thank gawd for these services and places too.
Congratulations, Joanne!! on your new position! WooHoo!
Hi, Wendy! Hope that you have a good rest of your day. Best to you on tomorrow’s news, you’ll have to tell us all, how you will like your new digs! Take care, and Thanks, Tom.
*This just in: “It’s a form of slavery to force women to have children they can’t afford.” ~Margaret Atwood~
2. dt caving on Mexico’s tariffs: “All it takes is one Republican senator to say, “I’m glad he’s come to his senses.” ~ Barbara DS. ~
MSNBC: We need some form of guaranteed minimum income, but the push-back will be strong. The GOPIIGIES will work to define it as Communism, and the idiot shekel, who might really benefit from it will simply ask about how low do they have to bow! Under this administration, IF the purveyors of hate are identified, they will be given medals of honor, and put on the short list for cabinet positions!
MMC: Still more scumbaggery from the putz! Sadly, his audience has been trained to not see hypocrisy on the right! Blech! is the perfect response, after about 3 seconds watching!
AN: The years of negatively labeling things that are not to the liking of the greedy, self-obsessed right- wing-nuts has taken control of the pre-frontal cortex remnants of the sheeple!
Joanne- Wonderful!
MSNBC: Like her approach to take better steps at guaranteeing a better minimum basic income. We need more working toward the issue.
BBA: I won’t watch. Knowing they love tRump, I want nothing to do with any of them at faux news.
AN: Understand socialism with these issues. But do agree with Freya regarding cutting the military funding. We need more done for the people.
Congratulations Joanne. Well deserved post. I know that ever since I found Open Thread, I’ve seen you messages. Plus your posts you do too.
Sorry … but in all honestly, I’m a agog that JD was not already in that position. (Not that it increases her pay-grade. Then again, I suppose you can claim it QUINTUPLES her pay-grade.)
Agreed it’s overdue, and thankful you had the wisdom to right the ship.
Thanks and Busy Hugs to all!