Open Thread – 1/8/2020

Posted by TomCat at 7:40 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 082020

It’s a very tired day here in the CatBox. Last night was so muggy and humid that I kept waking up wet and itchy. I ate a small bowl of soup for lunch yesterday, a small bowl of chili (without the chili), rice and Brussels sprouts for supper, and a small bowl of cheerios this morning. I kept it all down with minimal discomfort. WWWendy comes tonight for some much needed destinking. Happy Hump day to all.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:43 (average 4:35). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Iran Retaliates, Fires Missiles At US Bases In Iraq

Iran could have employed much more accurate missiles in their inventory. This was a very measured response, designed for local propaganda, while stepping back from war. I hope that War Criminal Trump* lets it end here. I fear that he will not. Rachel is spot-on! RESIST!!

From TPM: Former Vice President Joe Biden said that he predicts Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) may become “mildly cooperative” in a post-Trump era.

“I’m not suggesting all of a sudden everyone’s going to project a new sense of courage and political courage,” Biden said at a campaign event in New York. “What I’m suggesting [is] that the dynamic changes when the right vote, as opposed to the vote you don’t agree with, becomes a possibility if you vote for it.”

Biden has gotten in hot water with progressives before for his optimistic vision of a bipartisan future, though he tried to give his perspective more nuance in the most recent Democratic debate.

I think Biden’s eyes used to be blue. However, his belief that Bought Bitch Moscow Mitch will be anything but criminally uncooperative means Joe is so full of shit his eyes have turned brown. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Jefferson Airplane – Somebody to Love (Dick Cavett Show)

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread – 12/31/2019

Posted by TomCat at 8:02 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 312019

It’s New Year’s Eve here in the CatBox, and this is my my only article today. It’s a slow news day, and I’m tired. Tonight can be dangerous with drunken Republicans on the roads. If you can, stay home. If not, stay safe.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:13 (average 5:59). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From YouTube (Robert Reich Channel): How Citizens United Got Us Trump with Robert Reich

Of course the Reich on the Left, Robert Reich, is right. The Reich on the right, the Republican Reich, has become an alliance of greedy billionaires, who have sold us out to purveyors of hatred and lies to motivate their deplorable base. Dump the Republican Reich forever! RESIST!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel): Joe Biden pitches unexpected running mate

Considering all the crimes that the Republican Reich have committed against the American people, can Democrats even consider nominating a man, who would consider a Republican VP? If he won, Ammosexual Republicans would flock from all over the country to punctuate Biden’s death warrant and criminally install a Republican in the White House again! How foolish can he get? RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Beach Boys-In My Room

Another favorite of mine from high school. Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Biden Screws the Pooch Again

Posted by TomCat at 7:49 am Politics

Dec 282019

For those who do not know, “screw the pooch” comes from Tom Wolfe’s book, The Right Stuff, and means to commit a grievous, usually fatal, error. Joe Biden screwed the pooch by claiming that, if subpoenaed, he will refuse to testify in Trump’s* impeachment trial, as run by Bought Bitch Moscow Mitch.

Returning to the campaign trail after Christmas, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Friday stood by his comments that he would not comply with a subpoena to testify at President Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate.

In a meeting with the editorial board of The Des Moines Register, whose endorsement in the Iowa caucuses is coveted by presidential hopefuls, Mr. Biden argued that complying with a subpoena and testifying would essentially allow Mr. Trump to succeed in shifting attention onto Mr. Biden and away from the president’s own actions.

“The reason I wouldn’t is because it’s all designed to deal with Trump doing what he’s done his whole life: trying to take the focus off him,” Mr. Biden told the newspaper. “The issue is not what I did.”

“This is all about a diversion,” Mr. Biden added. “And we play his game all the time. He’s done it his whole career.”… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <NY Times>

MSNBC has more.

Joe Biden Stands By Refusing To Testify In Trump Impeachment Trial

Here are the problems. First, by refusing to testify Biden would break the law. Second, refusing to testify gives the appearance that he has something to hide. Third, he is giving Bought Bitch Moscow Mitch an excuse to disallow all witnesses. Fourth, he would be doing exactly what Trump* is doing. How can a casual prospective voter tell the difference? Even though his reasons for wanting to refuse are spot on, this is NOT the behavior of a winning candidate.

That said, should Democrats be foolish enough to nominate Biden, I will support him 100%. Biden at his absolute worst is infinitely superior to Trump* at his absolute best.

RESIST!!

Open Thread – 12/28/2019

Posted by TomCat at 7:49 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 282019

It’s a queasy day here in the CatBox. I’m just barely in the saddle today, but I did manage to keep half a bowl of cereal down this morning. Tomorrow is a WWWendy Day, so please expect no more than a Personal Update. Tomorrow is also a Holy Day in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb. My Broncos are playing WWWendy’s team, the Raiders in the afternoon game. Miracle of miracles, the game will be televised here. May the divine Orb shine its blessed light on your team, unless they are pirates with patches. Have a great, safe weekend.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:47 (average 5:48). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos: Paul Begala, one of Bill Clinton’s most trusted political strategists, has a metaphor to explain how the Biden campaign team views the choice voters should be given in the 2020 race. He calls it “the steaming pile of shit theory,” and he explained it to Ryan Lizza of Politico last week (Why Biden’s Retro Inner Circle Is Succeeding So Far):

“You’re sitting down for breakfast and there’s a steaming pile of shit on your table and you say, ‘Can we get this shit off of my table?’” he told me recently. “And Elizabeth says, ‘I’m going to build you a new house!’ And Bernie says, ‘I’m going to build you a new city!’ And I’m like, no, just get this fucking shit off my kitchen table and we’ll get back to normal life!”

You may think Begala’s theory is overly-vivid or disgustingly crude, but I think it is an accurate metaphor for how Joe Biden and his campaign believe that the only major issue Democratic voters are interested in is getting rid of Trump.

Biden has repeatedly stated that he thinks Trump as president is a temporary disturbance in the American political system. Once the aberration of Trump is gone, Biden believes, the Republican Party will return to “normal” — “have an epiphany” — and the supposed pre-Trump environment of bi-partisan comity and cooperation will return to once again make the nation’s capitol a fun place to reach across the aisle and practice the art of the deal.

The Biden campaign is so full of shit that we know where the steaming pile on the table went. Hillary Clinton partially ignored people’s needs to focus on defeating Trump*. That’s a significant reason why Trump* got close enough for Putin and the KKK to steal the White House for him. Also, “normal” for the Republican Reich, before Trump* was appointed, was for Bought Bitch Moscow Mitch to steal Obama’s Supreme Court appointment, voter suppression, racism, welfare, and more. A Republican epiphany is BS! RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Shocking Testimony About SEAL Pardoned By Trump Leaked To NYT

It wouldn’t surprise me, if Trump* makes Gallagher, a monster, who almost equals Trump* in evil, the next appointee for Sec. Def. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): graham nash- Chicago

I was demonstrating at the Democratic Convention in Chicago 1968. Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Joe, Come Clean Please

Posted by TomCat at 9:26 am Politics

Dec 062019

Joe Biden engaged in an unfortunate exchange with an Iowa Voter, who said he is not a Republican. The voter suggested that Biden had been influence peddling by landing his son, Hunter, a plumb job at corrupt Ukrainian utility, Burisma. Hunter was clearly not qualified. Joe extricated himself by yelling at and insulting the voter.

A voter at a campaign event in Iowa got into a spat with Joe Biden on Thursday in an exchange that had the Democratic 2020 hopeful slamming the man as a “damn liar” and seeming to call him “fat”, which had conservatives leaping up to attack the candidate.

The man in the audience took the microphone and described himself as an 84-year-old retired farmer, then argued that Biden is too old to be president and pressed him on his son’s business activities in Ukraine, saying the former vice-president had “sent” Hunter to the country to work with an energy company.

Donald Trump’s efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate Biden and the 2016 election, while holding up US military aid for Ukraine’s defense against Russia, is at the heart of the congressional impeachment inquiry.

Biden’s son Hunter used to be on the board of a private Ukrainian gas company, Burisma. The voter at the event in New Hampton, Iowa, who declined to give his name when questioned immediately afterwards by reporters, challenged Biden on the integrity of the business arrangement when he was Barack Obama’s vice-president… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <The Guardian>

Here is a video clip showing the incident and a brief discussion of it.

Joe Biden to voter: You’re a damn liar, man

One of the journalists compared Biden’s anger with Pelosi’s, when accused of hating Trump. The comparison is not valid, because Pelosi’s anger included an explanation. Biden’s did not. It came with a denial an insult.

First, please be assured that I am not attacking Joe Biden. I hope that, if enough people repeat advice similar to mine, he’ll follow it.

Until Biden defuses this issue himself, Republicans will keep bringing it up over and over again. Skilled fascist propagandists from the Republican Reich will be far fiercer opponents than that poor farmer. Biden’s only chance is for the public to know the whole story before that happens.

I think Biden had nothing to do with placing Hunter at Burisma. I think he knew Burisma offered Hunter the job, only because he was Biden’s son. I think Biden knew Hunter was not qualified and voiced his disapproval. However, because Hunter is an adult, he couldn’t stop him. If that is the truth Biden needs to publish it far and wide, even if it means embarrassing his son.

If that isn’t the truth, he needs to reveal what is. But for the sake of his candidacy, the Party, and the nation, he needs to come clean.

RESIST!!

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