Open Thread – 2/2/2021

Posted by TomCat at 11:18 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 022021

It’s another painful/tired day here in the CatBox. I’ve had several trips to the throne room, and while it’s not Republicosis per se, the twisting, pushing and straining is really hard on my back. Tomorrow, please expect no more than a Personal Update. WWWendy is coming in the morning and we have lots of chores to do.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:15 (average 4:48). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos: Republicans who want to distinguish themselves from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene or the insurrectionists who attacked the U.S. Capitol should understand something: They’re going to need to distinguish themselves from the Republican Party itself. Because in the wake of Donald Trump’s time in the White House, Republicans had a decision to make. They could have tried to revert to being the party they were in 2015 and 2016—far right, ragingly hypocritical, and ruthlessly committed to partisan power, but with some basic allegiance to reality—and instead they have chosen to stay on the Trumpy road with the conspiracy theorists and the flagrant racists.

In recent weeks, Republicans have provided a long list of examples of how extremist the party is going to be going forward. Oregon Republicans passed a resolution saying that the attack on the Capitol was a “false flag” by leftists trying to make Trump supporters look bad. Arizona Republicans censured Gov. Doug Ducey, former Sen. Jeff Flake, and Cindy McCain for insufficient loyalty to Trump and for defending the integrity of the state’s election. Rep. Matt Gaetz went to Wyoming to rally support against Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-ranking Republican in the House, for having voted to impeach Trump for inciting the insurrection. Don Jr. is also engaged in the attacks on Cheney.

The party’s treatment of Greene is another key example. It’s not hard to find a Republican who will say they oppose Greene’s conspiracy theories about the Sandy Hook or Parkland school shootings, or her repeated expressions of interest in assassinating Democratic political leaders. But far from being marginalized over it, she is on the House Education and Labor Committee, which House Republican leadership would have had to agree to. In other words, it’s a repeat of “responsible” Republican responses when Trump would say or do something especially outrageous—they’d claim to be appalled, but go right on embracing him in every way that mattered. And Greene won her primary in Georgia with the backing of Rep. Jim Jordan and Debbie Meadows, the wife of former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

At this point, as never-Trump Republican Bill Kristol put it, House Minority Leader “Kevin McCarthy has been more critical of Liz Cheney than he has been of Marjorie Taylor Greene.” Kristol claims to be astonished by that, but he shouldn’t be. This is the Republican Party right now.

I hoped the party might split between old style Republicans and the Trump** party. It looks like that won’t happen. It appears the KKK, Nazi, TEABuggery branch has won the day. RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From The New Yorker: In what is being hailed as an amazing act of canine heroism, President Joe Biden’s two German shepherds have dug up Donald J. Trump’s tax returns on the South Lawn of the White House.

According to sources, shortly after the President let Champ and Major out to play in the snow, they started sniffing one small patch of the lawn and digging intently.

Within minutes, the two White House pooches had unearthed twenty years’ worth of Trump’s federal tax returns, which they eagerly deposited on the Oval Office carpet for their master’s perusal.

Dang Andy, those dawgs need to take a vacation to Mar-a Lago, where they can pee on Trump**! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Democrats Nurse Fresh Memories Of Bad Faith Republican ‘Bipartisanship’

The Republican Reich has not changed. Rachel is saying the same things I said yesterday. She knows what Republicans mean when they say bipartisanship.

RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Creedence Clearwater Revival – Green River (Official Lyric Video)

Ah… the memories! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!!

Open Thread – 2/1/2021

Posted by TomCat at 11:30 am Open Thread, Politics

Feb 012021

It’s a tired/painful day here in the CatBox. Yesterday, WWWendy and I got all our chores done. I feel very tired. Tomorrow, I expect to be be back in the saddle again. Oh God, it’s Monday!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:13 (average 5:11). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: Donald J. Trump will act as his own defense attorney at his impeachment trial after receiving a law degree from Trump University.

Trump bestowed the degree upon himself in his capacity as the dean of the Trump University School of Law, where he graduated first in his class.

In his first official statement as the lead attorney of his defense team, Trump vowed not to quit the team “like those other losers.”

Andy, what a wonderful idea! Trump** will get the quality of representation he deserves! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From Crooks and Liars: Tucker Carlson rants about anyone in the media that has dared to call out Fox for it’s dangerous rhetoric egging on white supremacists, and attacks AOC as a “tool of corporate power” for saying there are white supremacist sympathizers in Congress.

Barf Bag Alert!!

AOC is a tool of corporate power. The Pope is Jewish. And bears never, ever shit in the woods! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From Daily Kos: A counterproposal by ten supposedly “moderate” Republican senators that would reduce COVID-19 pandemic emergency funding to a fraction of what’s being proposed by Democrats is landing with a wet thud today, despite the ten Republicans framing their effort around alleged “bipartisan” cooperation. That’s not a surprise; it’s difficult to believe the proposal, led by the perpetually concerned Sen. Susan Collins and including Sens. Mitt Romney, Lisa Murkowski, Bill Cassidy, Thom Tillis, and Rob Portman, was meant as genuine proposal. And Democrats, to their credit, seem appropriately skeptical about its earnestness.

The proposal sketched out by the ten Republicans in a letter to President Joe Biden on Sunday is most notable for its slashing of proposed pandemic funding. Biden and Democrats are moving towards a $1.9 trillion plan; the Republican senators are instead proposing just $600 billion, less than a third of that amount. It would reduce proposed survival checks from $1400 to $1000, and cut them off for Americans earning over $50,000 a year or families earning $100,000.

It also cuts school pandemic funding, with Bill Cassidy telling Fox News Sunday that the “real problem” is not ongoing pandemic dangers but “teachers’ unions telling their teachers not to go to work.”

The ten Republicans are attempting to sell the fractional measure as bipartisanship, and major news outlets are predictably gobbling those claims, with The Washington Post musing that “the GOP offer presents a challenge for Biden, who campaigned on promises to unify Congress and the country” and Reuters framing the measure and its supporters with the much-cherished “moderate” label. (It should go without saying that the nine of ten Republican senators who voted to nullify consequences for Trump attempting to extort a foreign leader for personal gain cannot be sensibly called “moderate.”) Of special note, the Republicans are framing their proposal as a way to dodge the partisanship of Democrats passing the Biden-backed proposal using reconciliation rules, rather than caving to Republican filibuster.

Well, you know what Republicans mean when they say “bipartisan”.

RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): New Kid in Town (2013 Remaster)

Ah… the memories. RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!

Open Thread – 1/31/2021

Posted by TomCat at 11:52 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 312021

It’s a VERY day here in the CatBox. WWWendy is doing chores. I should be in the saddle tomorrow. Enjoy your Sunday.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:42 (average 5:50). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: QAnon leaders are increasingly concerned that Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene’s obsession with Jewish space lasers is distracting her from her core mission of battling baby-eating cannibals.

In an emergency meeting of QAnon elders, the conspiracy theorists issued a communiqué warning Greene to “stay on point.”

“We sent you to Washington as an anti-cannibal candidate for a reason,” the communiqué read. “Your focus on Jewish space lasers, while totally valid, may impair your effectiveness in defeating the international baby-eating cabal.”

Dang Andy! How can sheeple be do dumb?!!? It’s BAAA-A-A-A-A-AAD!! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (SNL Channel): What Still Works Cold Open

Isn’t it fine that, even with Trump** out of the White House, Republicans still provide abundant material for satire. I won’t be rooting for Tom Brady. RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival (HQ – 5.1 Studio )

Ah… the memories! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!

Personal Update – 1/30/2021

Posted by TomCat at 10:44 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 302021

Yesterday I told you I’d be in the saddle today barring unforeseen circumstances. I did not foresee that Mark would be tied up at the hospital and could not make it until today. Nevertheless, I was up waiting long enough to exacerbate my back pain. He just left and the chair is fixed. Tomorrow is a WWWendy day, so please expect no more than a Personal Update. Have a great weekend.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:50 (average 5:54). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoons:

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: In a potential stumbling block for his Presidential ambitions, a new study indicates that the average American can stand only four seconds of exposure to Senator Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican.

The study, conducted by University of Minnesota researchers during Tuesday night’s Republican debate, required subjects to be connected to electrodes to measure their tolerance for the senator.

Within four seconds of watching Cruz, the majority of participants begged to be released from the experiment, researchers reported.

Dang, Andy! I guess that makes me way below average! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): In My Life (Remastered 2009)

Ah… the memories! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!

Personal Update – 1/29/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:37 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 292021

It’s a tired/painful day here in the CatBox. I’m waiting for Mark tu come repair my power chair. He’s running about an hour late, because his mother in law’s husband is dying of Trump** virus and he had to go to the hospital. My back still hasn’t recovered from the abuse. On the plus side, I may have found a Republicosis/Republicitis balance. Barring unforeseen circumstances, I hope to be back in the saddle tomorrow. TGIF!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:49 (average 8:18). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Take:

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Steppenwolf – Magic Carpet Ride (Version 1969)

Ah… the memories! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!

Personal Update – 1/28/2021

Posted by TomCat at 11:23 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 282021

It’s a busy/painful/tired day here at the CatBox. WWWendy de-stunk me and is now doing chores. Mark, my wheelchair guy, checked it out, ordered the part with next day shipping, and is coming back tomorrow to install it. I still haven;t recovered from the extra abuse I inflicted on my back yesterday. Tomorrow, please expect no more than a Personal Update, because of my appointment with Mark. I hope to be back in the saddle Saturday. Have a great day.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s too me 3:31 (average 4:40). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Take:

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Neil Young – Harvest Moon (Official Music Video)

Ah… the memories! RESIST the Republican Reich!!

Build the Future. It Belongs to YOU!

Personal Update – 1/27/2021

Posted by TomCat at 11:11 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 272021

Yesterday I said that, barring unforeseen circumstances, I’d be in the saddle today. Introducing unforeseen circumstances. I pulled up to my desk and turned off my chair, not realizing that the button to turn it back on again had popped out of the controller, so I had locked wheels and no way to turn it on. I struggled to get into bed. WWWendy saved the day. She come over during her lunch break, found the button, and taped it into place for temporary use. I’m waiting for the power chair repairman to come and fix it. All the straining I had to do just to get into bed exacerbated my back pain, and it’s still severe. Tomorrow is a WWWendy day, and she’s coming in the morning. It’s also a grocery delivery day. Therefore please expect no more than a Personal Update from me.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:08 (average 5:41). To do it, click here. How did we do?

Cartoon: