Almost every week, Republicans join a competition to see who can say the most outlandish things, and in the process, they push the envelope on just how nutty InsaniTEA can become. I trust that you will believe it, when I tell you that last week was no exception.
1. Don’t worry, President Ben Carson would only crack down on liberal speech on college campuses.
Ben Carson, who now leads the polls in Iowa (apparently because Muslim-bashing and comparing Obamacare to slavery is wildly popular among Republican voters there), had some comforting words for his fellow conservatives this week. He will preserve their free-speech rights on college campuses, but monitor those with more left-leaning views.
Whew! That is a relief. For a minute there, we thought when he told radio host Dana Loesch he would charge the Department of Education with monitoring and punishing examples of “extreme political bias” at colleges and universities that he was going to threaten people’s First Amendment rights. But it turns out, he only means people with whom he disagrees.
“There are some who would say that it’s kind of like monitoring political speech,” Loesch said. “Do you agree with their assessment of that?”
“No, I don’t," Carson replied. “I think it’s a very big difference. But, of course, that would be the first thing that the left would claim because they want to be able to continue to do this, and it’s not appropriate for public funding to be used to indoctrinate students in one direction.”
The highly educated neurosurgeon perceives neither the irony nor the hypocrisy of this position because, apparently, he missed that day in school.
It seems to me that the Republicans have their very own scarecrow, one that is decidedly in need of a brain! Isn't it interesting how the Republicans call out Mr Obama and Democrats for not following the Constitution, yet here is a Republican presidential nominee candidate who advocates taking away first amendment rights from liberals.
This is just one of the absurdities of right wing America. To be sure, there are more than five, but publishing space is limited. Read about the other four enumerated in Alternet.
Well I am still very much down with primarily a cold and aches . . . and it doesn't seem to be letting up yet, unfortunately. And yes, I am drinking lots of fluids (I can put a racehorse to shame!) and getting lots of rest (hibernating bears should be so lucky!). I take no responsibility for passing the bug through my posts!
Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:04 (average 5:47). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.
Short Takes
The Fiscal Times — If it succeeds, we will again confirm the power of money in politics, in a manner more pernicious than campaign contributions. This represents a bid to directly purchase Congressional votes. Even if we rolled back Citizens United and moved to publicly financed elections, this brazen yet constitutionally protected activity would remain a feature of our politics.
…As long as there are billionaires and greed, their money will flow through our political system, seeking a high return on investment.
This is a prime example of how the rich get richer and ordinary people pay for it.
A reminder of who the fiscal conservatives are . . . (h/t Carrie B)
Alternet— After host George Stephanopoulos quoted conservative critics, like Byron York, who claimed Clinton won the day, Fiorina countered by saying that “she did reasonably well,” but that the hearings demonstrated “that she won’t be held accountable until we have a nominee in a general election debate who will hold her accountable.”
There goes Fiorini again! . . . off in her own little bubble universe!
“I think there were a lot of Democrats on that committee who were focused on salvaging the nominee on their part,” she said.
And there were even more Republicans who were solely focused on killing Clinton's candidacy using public funds for their partisan witch hunt.
The committee consists of 12 members, 7 Republicans and 5 Democrats. That's an overpowering number of Democrats based on Fiorini's words.
Benghazi does not even come close to these acts in terms of investigations by Congressional committees, nor in deaths. Yet Republicans are wasting time and money as they continue to push for something that does not exist. No disrespect is meant to Ambassador Chris Stevens and the other three who were killed at Benghazi, but where is the equivalency? What most Republicans, including Fiorini, also fail to mention are the budget cuts to security at US embassies promulgated by Congressional Republicans.
NY Times — Before an audience of mostly students in an auditorium at George Mason University, Mr. Chafee made it official in early June that he was running for president. He argued that his experience at all levels of government and his ability to work with people from different parties made him uniquely qualified for the job. However, his quirky call for a change to the metric system overshadowed his announcement. “I happened to live in Canada as they completed the process,” Mr. Chafee said that day. “Believe me, it’s easy. It doesn’t take long before 34 degrees is hot.”
Lincoln Chaffe? Now admittedly, I am a foreigner, a Canuck to be sure, and I had never heard of Chaffee. To me, it seemed he just suddenly appeared in the Democratic primary race, like a puff of smoke . . . and then he was gone. I didn't get a chance to watch the Democrats debate, what with Canada having its own debates during the now decided federal election. The NY Times reported his stance on some of the issues. In The Atlantic, reporter Molly Ball asks a simple question, "Why Did Lincoln Chafee Even Run?". In my opinion, Chafee seemed to be milquetoast. I'm not sure that Ball came to any firm conclusion other than "He was a bad candidate but a lovely guest—quiet, polite, unobtrusive."
Well, it seems that I have come down with a cold, sore throat and flu. Just getting this Open Thread done has been an exercise in "write some, sleep a lot" and repeat. I am not a happy camper. Tomorrow, Nameless will be producing the Open Thread which is so good! I'll be back on Sunday.
Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:52 (average 6:42). To do it, click here. Diamonds are not necessarily a girl's best friend!
Short Takes
Alternet — After Trey Gowdy called for proper decorum to be observed — then promptly broke it himself when he went directly after “Democrats” on the committee for performing a “lousy” investigation during his opening statement — ranking minority member of the House Select Committee on Benghazi Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) ripped into his Republican colleagues with an opening statement that painstakingly laid out clear evidence that this latest investigation into the attacks in Benghazi is a political charade meant to undercut Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign.
Hear"A visibly upset Rachel Maddow slammed House Republicans on Thursday for their handling of the Benghazi commission investigation, calling it a first for congressional probes of its kind."
Unfortunately, I can not embed the Rachel Maddow piece so you'll have to click on "Hear". She certainly shows a historical perspective, and also the Republicans for what they are . . . a partisan band of maurading thugs! And isn't it just like a Republican to 'do as I say, not as I do'.
Mother Jones — Donald Trump loves to tweet about how climate change is a hoax, especially when he personally feels cold. Because, you know, if global warming is really real, then it will never be cold anywhere ever again. (Just kidding. Winter is still a thing.)
He was at it again on Monday, tweeting that since it was "really cold outside," we "could use a big fat dose of global warming!" Sick burn, Donald!
I wonder what this bloviating blowhard would say to anyone standing beside him who dared say they were warm when he was cold? He has a total disregard for science. And I haven't even mentioned Hurricane Patricia, a category 5 storm, which is bearing down on SW Mexico with one-minute sustained winds of up to 325 kilometres an hour, the strongest on record, according to meteorological officials. Not only that, but the storm is expected to affect Texas. This from the CBC
Hurricane Center spokesman Dennis Feltgen said Patricia also poses problems for Texas. Forecast models indicate that after the storm breaks up over land, remnants of its tropical moisture will likely combine with and contribute to heavy rainfall that is already soaking Texas independently of the hurricane, he said.
A flash flood watch is in effect through Sunday morning for the Dallas area, Austin and San Antonio, while a coastal flood warning was in effect through Friday night in Corpus Christi. Galveston was under a coastal flood advisory until Saturday night.
And tell us again Trump how global warming and climate change don't exist. What a putz! Please keep the people affected by this montrous hurricane in your thoughts and prayers.
The Guardian — Those hoping for a U-turn in Canada’s climate change policy after Stephen Harper’s crushing defeat are in for a reality check.
Trudeau has repudiated Harper’s vision of Canada as an “energy superpower”, promised to reverse devastating cuts to government science budgets, and fix the country’s reputation as a carbon bully in international climate negotiations.
But it would be a mistake to see Trudeau or the Liberals as climate champions. In his victory speech on Monday, there was no mention of climate change, and he was criticised for being vague on the issue during campaigning.
"I indicated to Mr. Obama that I felt it was important that Canada demonstrates a level of positive engagement on the environmental file on the international stage.
"I look forward to demonstrating that we have a Canadian government now that understands the way to build a strong economy is to protect and defend our environment at the same time."
It is hard to know exactly where Canada's new Prime Minister designate will fall on climate change. The Guardian makes one point that won't endear Trudeau to the environmental crowd, while the CBC shows a different side. It will be 'hold his feet to the fire' time.
My Universe
This is sooooooooo true!
In my house, there is a steady parade behind me. I had to give up shutting the door because otherwise, my three would make their own kitty door!
Today has been one of those days . . . physiotherapy, a few messages and then home to work on this Open Thread. It didn't take long for my concentration to wane and my eyes to close while at the keyboard. Then my head would snap to, I'd continue until the eyes were heavy again. Snap! I took a Lona cat nap just for an hour and that seemed to work. But now, it really is time for bed. Maybe it is all the euphoria of Trudeau's slaughter of Harper. On the other hand, tomorrow would have been the 124th birthday of my grandfather who I dearly loved. He passed away at 99.5 years and his memorial service was on my birthday. We were so close that when he passed, I could not be sad for him. He was ready.
Puzzle — Today’s took me 2:43 (average 3:54). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.
Short Takes
The New Yorker — In the aftermath of former Virginia senator James Webb’s announcement that he is quitting the Democratic Presidential primary, a new poll shows his bitter rival Lincoln Chafee surging to two per cent of likely voters.
The former Rhode Island governor, whose path to the White House was predicated on knocking Webb out of the race, could not contain his jubilation as he told supporters in Concord, New Hampshire, that his campaign is now “solidly in the single digits.”
Webb has dropped out and it is time for Chaffee to do the same.
Alternet— Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is not known for his nuance, but his disregard for historical facts themselves took a new turn today as he claimed, in a speech in Israel, that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler actually did not want to exterminate Jews until a Palestinian religious leader convinced him otherwise.
How typical of "Republicans", Butcher Ben included . . . ignore facts and rewrite history . . . or at least try to. Check HERE to read some about Haj Amin al-Husseini.
Think Progress — The Supreme Court is also complicit in the wave of “curbs on voting rights” that Yglesias notes in his piece. In a party-line vote, a 5-4 Supreme Court gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, enabling many voter ID laws, gerrymandered maps and other legislation that would have otherwise been blocked to go into effect. Similarly, the Court in Crawford v. Marion County Election Board effectively greenlighted Voter ID laws — one of the most common examples of state laws that exclude voters likely to support Democrats. The Court’s plurality opinion cited concerns about in-person voter fraud to justify this outcome, even though the opinion could only find one example of such fraud occurring in the United States within the preceding 140 years!
In my opinion, there is much more election fraud than voter fraud, and most of that is engineered by the Republicans or their agents provocateurs. They use gerrymandering, voter ID laws, election day theatrics etc to deny the vote of groups that traditionally vote for Democrats and then have the temerity to call it voter fraud.
Alternet — Texas is many things to many people—a state the size of a medium-sized country; home to several idiot governors, one who became president, and a current one who thinks it’s a good idea for college students to openly carry firearms. To Donald Trump, Texas is the place where a "big, beautiful wall" should be built. To people in Norway, “texas” with a small “t” is a synonym for crazy, bonkers, out of control and wild. As in, that’s totally texas. Or in Norwegian: det var helt texas.
When I first saw this, I had to give my head a shake and try to stop laughing. There are some fine people in Texas, but the Republican craziness of people like Louis Gohmert is really getting around and giving the state a bad rep. I file this under humour!
My Universe— H/t Nameless
TC in his younger years!
I wanted this picture for last Tuesday's Fantasy Football update but I misfiled it.
Today was somewhat euphoric here with the defeat of Stephen Harper yesterday by Justin Trudeau and the Liberals! Canada now has a chance to get back to our values that make us who we are. I celebrated today by getting my hair cut and dyed purple, well at least a streak of purple. When I arrived home, there was TC's post, his first in a month and a half! How much better could the day get?
Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:50 (average 6:40). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.
The New Yorker — Washington was in turmoil on Tuesday morning as a House select committee abruptly cancelled its Benghazi hearings shortly after former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced that she was withdrawing from the Presidential race.
Andy has the Republicans down pat!
Huffington Post — "I knew we wouldn't be the leading fundraiser in this race, because we are not the top choice of the entrenched political establishment," Rubio told Cavuto. "But I’m confident we have the resources and continue to build the resources to be able to communicate our message. And obviously if somebody watching this program wants to help us, they should go tomarcorubio.com and chip in."
According to Senate ethics rules, "Senate Members and staff may not receive or solicit campaign contributions in any federal building."
Hmmm! I wonder if this little faux pas will ever see the light of day in an investigation? I wonder if things would be any different if this had been Hillary?
The Nation — Trudeau placed a lot of emphasis on hope and change, which drew comparisons to Barack Obama’s inspired campaigns of 2008 and 2012. Obama and the Democrats faced significant challenges in both those US elections, but Obama’s skills and vision — and the ability of his campaign to forge unprecedented coalitions — transformed those electoral moments. …
As a party leader seeking to renew a battered brand and to displace a wily incumbent, the Canadian faced skepticism about his own leadership skills and about the ability of the Liberals to get their act together. As such, he had to give new meaning to the Liberal promise of “real change”—just as American Democrats in 2016 races for the White House and Congress will have to frame a message that, while building on Obama’s accomplishments (and perhaps showing a bit more respect for the president’s political wisdom than many Democrats did in 2014), gives a sense of where the party will go next.
I like John Nichols, always have since first listening to him. But I don't know if this would ever work for Democrats. One thing I do know is that Trudeau ran a positive campaign, foregoing the negative attack ads of the other two parties. As he said, "We beat fear with hope. We beat cynicism with hard work. We beat negative, divisive politics with a positive vision that brings Canadians together." Can Democrats do that? Just a thought.
For me, today has been hectic. When I finally arrived home about 5 pm, I wanted to check on election results but that had to wait until I indulged in one of Lona's cat naps. And what would a cat nap be without furry critters purring away? Now, if I could only convince the critters not to shed! But at least Canadians shed the Harper government!!! Today's thread is a little longer with the Canadian election results included. To say the least, I am a happy Canuck!!! Too bad Harper wasn't defeated in his own constituency though.
Puzzle — Today’s took me 2:34 (average 4:45). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.
Short Takes
Huffington Post — No, John Oliver's not going to a Canadian jail. He can also keep that $5,000 he was apparently ready to dish over to Canadian authorities.
The comedian devoted a segment to Canada's election on his HBO show, "Last Week Tonight," which culminated in mockery of a law forbidding foreigners from influencing Canadian elections.
He ridiculed its maximum six-month prison penalty and $5,000 fine. Oliver's seeming desire to fight the re-election of Stephen Harper was apparently so great that he was willing to risk it all, tossing money at the camera and practically daring Canada to arrest him.
Today, Monday 19/10/2015, is election day here in Canada. It is 7:30 pm and the polls in BC and the Yukon are now closed and the counting begins. We already know that the Liberals, headed by Justin Trudeau, have taken Atlantic Canada with 31 of 32 seats. By all anecdotal accounts, the polling stations have been very busy, some with long line ups, but none to rival Florida's line ups in the last US election. It will be interesting to see what the final results and the turn out are. Enjoy John Oliver "reporting" on our election process with the aid of Canadian ex-pat, Mike Meyers. It had me laughing!
Think Progress — “Whether it is in mosques, education or charities, the strategy will reinforce perceptions that all aspects of Muslim life must undergo a ‘compliance’ test to prove our loyalty to this country,” Shuja Shafi, the Muslim Council of Britain’s Secretary General, told Reuters.
And according to Reuters, an independent reviewer of anti-terrorism legislation named David Anderson warned that such measures could actually backfire, driving members of the Muslim community toward extremism and terrorism.
It seems that conservatives, whether American, Canadian, British, or any other, operate in a climate of fear rather than hope and reconciliation. Cameron's policies seem to have caught even some in his own party by surprise and with concern. Is it correct to tar and feather everyone in a group, in this case British Muslims, along with extremists?
CBC — Canadians, he said, had sent a clear message that it's "time for change in this country my friends. Real change."
"We beat fear with hope," Trudeau said. "We beat cynicism with hard work. We beat negative, divisive politics with a positive vision that brings Canadians together."
At dissolution of the last government, the Conservatives held 159 seats, NDP 95, Liberal 36, Bloc Québécois 2, Green Party 2, Strength in Democracy 2, Independent 8, and 4 vacant seats. As a result of the last census, 30 new seats were created for a total of 338. For a majority government, a party will have to win 170 seats. The results of today's election have Liberals with 184 seats, Conservatives 99, NDP 44, Bloc Québécois 10, and Green Party 1. Stephen Harper retained his seat but has stepped down as the Conservative leader. Justin Trudeau is the new Prime Minister of Canada. Phew!!!
Huffington Post — Monday's federal election saw the biggest voter turnout in the country in over 20 years, according to preliminary results from Elections Canada.
This is what 'get out the vote' looks like, and yet, this turnout is nowhere near the 1958 turnout of 79.4% that brought Progressive Conservative John Diefenbaker to power, nor the 79.2% turnout that ousted Diefenbaker in favour of Liberal Lester Pearson.
Daily Kos — New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman keeps cracking down on wage theft, and around 250 workers will be sharing in a nearly $500,000 settlement from four current and former Papa John's franchisees.
This is great news for the workers, but when will justice be served and these corporate criminals go to prison? If you or I stole something and were caught, we would go to jail. Why not these corporate criminals who have stolen wages etc?
I was at church this morning. The sign on the lawn read:If 99% of us voted, it would not matter what the 1% voted for! Of course this is a reminder to get out and vote in Canada's federal election which is tomorrow. The turn out for the advance polls, which I voted in last weekend, were 71% higher than in 2011 with quite a few first time voters. Elections Canada is expecting a high turn out tomorrow and has a contingency plan for long lineups. One problem though, the Blue Jays play game 3 of their 5 game series, and it is a do or die situation. Will Blue Jay fever reduce the turn out? Last month our church sign read: Adam and Eve, the first people who failed to read the Apple terms and conditions.
Puzzle — Today’s took me 3:27 (average 5:05). To do it, click here. How did you do? For those that don't know, we always do the 48 piece classic.
Short Takes
Mother Jones — In 1958, Fred Koch, the founder of the Midwestern oil and cattle ranching empire that would become Koch Industries, became a charter member of the John Birch Society, the fiercely anti-communist organization whose members believed Soviet influence was infecting all aspects of American society. The Birchers attempted to place their weight on "the political scales…as fast and as far" as they could, but their movement was quickly sidelined to the ideological fringe. Two of Fred's four sons, Charles and David, have carried forward the conservative torch, and they have succeeded where their father and his allies failed. Their father's company, meanwhile, has grown into a multibillion-dollar conglomerate that is the second-largest private corporation in the country.
Continue reading to see how and where the Kochs have spread their influence. The Kochs are like an ivy plant . . . it looks great on the surface, but pull the vines aside a bit, and you see the ivy penetrating the walls it grows against. It penetrates the very foundations of a building weakening it. In education for example, the donations to universities come with substantial caveats about what is taught. Most donations come with some caveats, but the Kochs' caveats are especially onerous.
Alternet — The Monsanto public relations machine has done a stellar job in recent years of reducing the GMO debate to one that pits “pro-science advocates” against “anti-science climate-denier types” — with Monsanto portrayed as being squarely planted in the pro-science camp.
But that well-oiled machine may be starting to sputter.
Turns out that Monsanto executive solicited pro-GMO articles from university researchers, and passed the “research” off as independent science which the biotech giant then used to prop up its image and further its agenda.
If you can't go through it, you can't go under it, or you can't go over it, then you go around it. And that is exactly what Monsanto is trying to do. Using a PR approach, it is orchestrating "unbiased" scientific support for its GMOs. There is a petition at the end of the article which I hope you'll sign, that says:
Biotech giant Monsanto has several ways in which it could push through H.R. 1599 without going through the normal Senate process. If passed, H.R. 1599 would block states from requiring labeling of genetically modified foods. We must put pressure on Congress to reject this blatant assault on our right to know exactly what is in our food. Tell the U.S. Senate to reject a Monsanto “sneak attack” that would pass the DARK Act without due democratic process.
Mother Jones — In the modern-day fight against racial inequality, activists and policymakers alike should look to the past to change the present.
That's the message Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent on Sunday in a stirring speech at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in Boston. Warren called for wide-ranging civil rights reforms to combat racial inequality, from the restoration of voting rights to changes in policing practices.
This is a long video at 55 minutes however Elizabeth Warren starts her remarks at about the 12 minute mark, and it is well worth watching/listening to. Her talk finishes at the 40 minute mark and then there is a Q&A. Love me some Elizabeth Warren!
Think Progress — Barf Bag Alert — The United States criminal justice system could be improved if we sell poor people convicted of crimes into slavery, according to Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.
The former Arkansas governor weighed in on our nation’s current criminal justice system during an appearance yesterday on Mickelson in the Morning, a leading Iowa radio program.
Jan Mickelson of Mickelson in the Morning is a far right wing radio personality with some outrageous ideas. Couple him with Huckabee and you get supply-side pseudo Christianity almost at its worst. There is absolutely no resemblance to authentic Christianity.
Almost every week, Republicans join a competition to see who can say the most outlandish things, and in the process, they push the envelope on just how nutty InsaniTEA can become. I trust that you will believe it, when I tell you that last week was no exception.
1. There’s a reason Rand Paul has become completely irrelevant.
The fact that Rand Paul was once touted as the savior of the Republican Party does not speak well of either of them. But just to drive the point home that Paul is definitely not suited to play the role of level-headed grown up in the room, the Kentucky libertarian got a little hysterical this week about Bernie Sanders.
Just a tad.
The word “socialist” can do that to right-wing libertarian types—sending them into paroxysms of wild-eyed terror. On a conservative South Carolina radio show, Paul suggested that a Bernie Sanders presidency might set off “mass genocide.” In his view, that’s what happens when you try socialism. Apparently, he has never heard of Scandinavia, where genocide really hasn’t been a thing.
“It amazes me and it actually kind of scares me,” Paul told radio host Vince Coakley. “I think it’s not an accident of history that most of the times when socialism has been tried that attendant with that has been mass genocide of people or any of those who object to it. Stalin killed tens of millions of people. Mao killed tens of millions of people. Pol Pot killed tens of millions of people.”
Granted, Paul is not the only Republican who is confused about Sanders’ use of the word socialism, and certainly not the only one using ridiculous rhetoric to scare people to death. Texas state Rep. Jason Villalba,
Villalba compared him to Hitler on Tuesday, later backing off, and going the other way to Stalin.a
So clearly, we can expect a lot more of this nonsense.
This past week, the former staffers of Rand Paul, who are also former staffers of his father, were on trial and Ron Paul was testifying. But in addition to waxing stupid over Bernie Sanders, Paul tried to, in his own inane way, divert attention from the trial. In the process, he managed to make himself even more irrelevant.
This is just one of the absurdities of right wing America. To be sure, there are more than five, but publishing space is limited. Read about the other four enumerated in Alternet.
