Yesterday the temperature outside did not reach up to 80°. However, with accumulated heat radiating from my walls, the temperature at my desk has not yet reached down to 80°, so I need one more day of posting only this Open Thread. I’m current with replies and hope to be back to normal tomorrow.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 4:16 (average 4:68). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From MoveOn: Bill Maher Issues A Wake-Up Call For Your Lazy Friends
Maher has hit on the tragedy of US political life today. People who don’t vote and people who vote uninformed may yet be the death of this Republic.
From KGW: Charlie Hales and Jefferson Smith will face off in the November election for Mayor of Portland.
Eileen Brady, one of the front-runners for most of the campaign, appeared headed to a third-place finish…
…In other big races, Ellen Rosenblum defeated Dwight Holden in the Democratic primary race for Oregon Attorney General.
As you know, I was an Eileen Brady donor and supporter. Given her loss, I now endorse Jeff Smith. The AG race is noteworthy, because, as a US attorney Holden sought to prosecute legal distributors of medical marijuana, while Rosenblum supports medical marijuana and promises to make enforcement of criminal marijuana laws her lowest priority.
From MSNBC: Boycott Facebook!
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
These are two of the people trying to buy the US for the 1% by putting Republicans in power. Vote against them with your dollars.
Cartoon:
12 Responses to “Open Thread–5/16/2012”
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3:45 Let’s see if the one minute rule holds up this time.
Excellent!
Gotcha! 3:21
Dang!
MoveOn — truer words were never uttered!
I understand that in some states you can write in a candidate on the ballot, in others you cannot. Having a viable 3rd option is good, but the important word is ‘viable’.
I can understand how some people might feel disenchanted with the Democrats, but some of those are people who only look at things on the surface ie Mr Obama said he would close Gitmo; he didn’t; but why? — an obstructionistCongress that passed a law preventing him from doing so! And most assuredly I understand the total disenchantment, even disgust with the Republican/Teabaggers. I also appreciate voting one’s conscience. But ask yourself, if the least desireable candidate wins in November, are you prepared to wait 4 years until you get your next chance to elect the candidate of your conscience? Start building now for 2016! A number of people have mentioned other parties like the greens and the Justice Party, but what kind of broadbased support and appeal do they have now? Build the party and the infastructure needed. In the interim, it might be better to take the lesser of two evils.
And one thing applies no matter who you vote for — listen to them — what they are saying and not saying, and how they are saying it; ask questions; offer suggestions; and hold their feet to the fire. With 330 million Americans, there isn’t a hope in hell that everybody’ll get everything they want in one candidate. But it is possible, with time, to have multi party candidates.
Personally, were I a voting American, I would be voting Democrat. Bill Maher is correct “Freedom isn’t free.” Freedom has a price tag — it’s called responsibility. Liars and panderers in government would have a much harder time if ordinary citizens remained involved past election day and held feet to the fire. After all, you may not have voted for the representative you got, but that representative still represents you.
Facebook — In another article on this, apparently some 400+ people gave up their US citizenship in 2007 or 2008 for financial reasons. That number was up over 1,700 in 2011, again all over financial gains and taxes. There is no honour amongst thieves, and in my mind, these are thieves! For Eduardo Saverin who is Brazillian by birth, he was given safe haven when things in Brazil got tense. Now he repays that generosity with recanting his citizenship to avoid taxes, although in the other article, his lawyer says he isn’t doing it for tax reasons and this has been on the burner for 6 months. Right, and he would have people believe that the idea of an IPO just surfaced recently? BS! That takes tons of planning! This is all about avoiding or evading taxes! (not the same thing!) I like what Ed’s guest had to say — the country was good to these guys in giving them a forum in which to make money. They owe it to the country to give back — it is patriotic.
Cartoon — Such an appropriate name for Boehner! Not because of his skin tone, but because Agent Orange used during the Vietnam War was responsible for so many deaths! If you ask me, this particular Agent Orange is not only responsible for the deaths of some many people based on Republican/Teabagger policies, he and the Republican/Teabaggers are responsible for the near death of freedom and democracy in the US!
Amen!
We can here too, but as you indicated, Eileen could not win. Jeff is also a solid progressive.
Once upon a time I voted for Republicans. I cannot imagine one that I would vote for getting the Republican nomination for any post.
But Republican patriotism is wrapping in the flag while peeing on the country.
That was one of my better TC originals, like Crawford Caligula. Agent Orange is poison.
Nothing bothers Junket John. He’s so sloshed that you could drive nails into his scrotum and he’d never notice.
What scrotum?
But why would he care, Nameless? With all that money, he can have whatever he wants wherever he is.
I sure am glad I’m not on Facebook. what an ingrate!
Bonehead has done it again with his blustery talk. He’s starting another fight over the debt ceiling even though we’re okay until after the election. Where are the jobs, Mr. Speaker?
I agree!
Really!