Jack and Jill Politics - Latest Comments in Afternoon Open Thread

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

rikyrah — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:21:18 -0000

EVENING OPEN THREAD IS UP

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

rikyrah — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:27:16 -0000

Letter From Fort Hood
— By Kevin Drum | Fri November 6, 2009 8:19 AM PST

A former reader emails today to pass along a firsthand account of the shooting at Fort Hood on Thursday. It's unedited except for paragraph breaks:

I was walking into the medical SRP building when he started firing (he never made it to the main SRP building....the media accounts are understandably pretty off right now). He was calmly and methodically shooting everyone. Like every non-deployed military post, no one was armed. For the first time in my life I really wish I had a weapon. I don't know how to explain what it feels like to have someone shoot at you while you're unarmed. He missed me but didn't miss a lot of others. Just pure random luck. It's a very compressed area, thus the numbers.

I saw a lot of heroism. So many more would have died if this wasn't an Army post. We're almost all CLS trained and it made a huge difference. Cause the EMTs didn't get there for almost an hour (they thought there was a second shooter). I just can't believe one of our own shot us. When I saw his ID card I couldn't believe it. After he shot the female police officer he was fumbling his reload and I saw the other police officer around the corner and yelled at him to come shoot the shooter. He did. Then I used my belt as a tourniquet on the female officer.

I hate to tell you this but in the course of the day it became clear that it was another Akbar incident.1 (Once they convinced them the blood drenching my clothes wasn't mine I spent the day being interviewed by the alphabet.) Akbar again. God help us. He was very planned. I counted three full mags around him (I secured his weapon for a while). Found out later that his car was filled with more ammo.

This was premeditated. This wasn't VBC again. That guy snapped, not this one. He was so damn calm when he was shooting. Methodical. And he was moving tactically. The Army really is diverse and we really do love all our own. We signed up to be shot at but not at home. Not unarmed. No one should ever see what the inside of that medical SRP building looked like. I suppose that's what VA Tech looked like. Except they didn't have soldiers coming from everywhere to tourniquet and compress and talk to the wounded while rounds are still coming out.

No one touched him...the shooter that is...other than to treat him. Though I told the medic (and I'm not proud of this) that was giving him plasma that there better not be anyone else who needed it because he should be the last one to be treated. But I had just finished holding a soldier who was critical (I counted three entry wounds) and talking to him about his children.... If the shooter had a grievance he should have taken it out on those responsible; he wasn't shooting people he knew (media reports to the contrary). He was just shooting anybody who happened to be present for SRP medical processing, mainly lower enlisted.

But please, no one use this politically! The Army is not "broken", PTSD doesn't turn people into killers, most Muslims aren't evil, and whether we should stay or go in Afghanistan has nothing to do with this. I'm babbling...sorry.

1Hasan Akbar was an Army sergeant who killed two soldiers and wounded 14 others in a grenade attack in Kuwait in 2003. He's currently under a sentence of death.

There have been several media reports that the Fort Hood shooter yelled "Allahu Akbar!" during his rampage, but my correspondent says, "He was silent in my presence."

http://www.motherjones.com/...

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

rikyrah — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:09:30 -0000

it's challenging, because I wonder what I would do in the same situation....would I begin to live life, as folks are doing here, based upon what they THINK is the future?

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

rikyrah — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:58:26 -0000

anyone going to see ' The Box' this weekend?

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

rikyrah — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:54:43 -0000

[AMA & AARP] - Bloomberg - Lost in the chaos of yesterday were two HUGE endorsements for healthcare reform. The more liberal House bill got the backing of the American Medical Association(doctors) & the American Association of Retired People(old people) yesterday. The House is going to vote on the historic bill tomorrow. Tomorrow will be a huge day for all Americans. The bill is completely paid for, and will not add a dime to the deficit.

http://www.politicalinactio...

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

rikyrah — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:44:48 -0000

there is no originality in Hollywood - why not repeat a popular mini-series?

didn't like the original; glad I'm not watching the 'update'.

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

jelana — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:03:14 -0000

I watched.

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

djchefron — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:53:54 -0000

AFL-CIO Threatens To Cut $$ to ConservaDems Who Don’t Vote for Health Care
By: Jane Hamsher Friday November 6, 2009 9:49 am
Bart Stupak (D-Gilead)
I can only guess that the House didn’t vote on health care before the election because (as Pelosi has signaled) they didn’t have the votes.

Which is crazy, because if Rahm really cares about a “w” you have to wonder why the White House wasn’t whipping for the bill regardless of what it said just to get something through. Because Tuesday actually turned out better for the Democrats than anyone predicted, and now the unemployment figures have everyone panicked.

The 20 or so House Democrats who won’t vote for any health care bill at all now probably looks more like 25 (or more). Even those in Virginia with strong Democratic majorities who saw Deeds get wiped out in their district are running scared. Which has the effect of lowing the bar for empowering any group within the caucus that can rally enough members to get to 39 and stop the bill from passing, like Bart Stupak and the anti-abortion Dems.

So this was a very good sign:

Organized labor, still battling to stop plans to pay for health care through taxing expensive plans — but unwilling to flatly oppose reform — will consider a plan to reduce its contributions to Democrats who don’t side with them on the issue, a labor source said.

The federation’s executive council will meet Monday in Washington to consider, among other things, “how to hold politicians more accountable to the workers that helped elect them,” the source said, outlining a threat aimed primarily at the Blue Dog Democrats considering voting against a health reform package.

“One of the options is cutting off contributions to politicians who aren’t supporting the issues that workers care about,” he said.

The suggestion is based on a Sheet Metal Workers’ decision to stop giving money to politicians in favor of dedicating it to the issue campaign for health care legislation.

Why would the Blue Dogs care? Well, glad you asked:

As individuals, the 52 Blue Dogs have received the plurality of their 2009 campaign contributions from a traditional Democratic ally: organized labor. Labor political action committees have filled the Blue Dog Coalition members’ campaign committee coffers with more than a million dollars so far this cycle.That ought to get some attention. And if the White House wants to whip votes for the House bill (rather than empower Blue Dogs to align it more closely with the Senate Finance Committee bill), you can bet that other unions will soon follow suit.

Organized labor has given Bart Stupak 33% of his total lifetime campaign contributions. Something to think about.
http://fdlaction.firedoglak...

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

jelana — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:40:12 -0000

Unfortunately, it doesn't start here until Nov 20th. I was looking forward to seeing it today.

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

rikyrah — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:12:16 -0000

think I saw this on Our World with Black Enterprise this past week or two.

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

rikyrah — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:11:37 -0000

had issues with the video yesterday. I hope it's working today.

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

Angelar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:40:10 -0000

interesting article on Valerie Jarrett and her relationship with the president and First Lady.

"...."We're good friends who have known each other for a long time," Jarrett says. "Eighteen years, you get a pretty good sense of him."

Her first sense of him came in 1991 when Obama was a young law professor in Chicago, Illinois.

Jarrett was interviewing his fiancée, the future first lady, Michelle Robinson, for a job in Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's office. The protective partner, Obama, was making sure Jarrett was on the up and up.

Jarrett first explained the scene when I interviewed her in May 2008.

"They sat next to each other and when she was speaking he would just look at her with this adoring look,"Jarrett said with a laugh, "but he was really tough on me in the nicest possible way."

The three became fast friends. Now Obama says he runs every important decision by Jarrett, trusts her completely and considers her family.

When I bring this to her attention she accepts her role humbly...."

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POL...

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

Angelar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:29:44 -0000

anyone see Precious yet? just watched Oprah interview Mo'nique who is supposed to have done a fantastic acting job.

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

RobM — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:05:06 -0000

When you go out to the Western States you find a much larger
AA population than expected. Much of it is due to the fact many military people whom sered out West stay there. If you have skills there is good work and career possiblities as well as less expensive housing options connected to good school systems.

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

mon_dieu_ishmael — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:57:53 -0000

Lies my teacher told me - "When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school, it's a wonder I can think at all.”

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

djchefron — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:57:26 -0000

Thanks but No Thanks Gov.Rick(unindicted murderer)Perry
Rick Perry: Let Texas Guide Health Care Reform
His State Leads Nation With Over 25% Uninsured
http://www.washingtonpost.c...

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

rikyrah — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:53:57 -0000

As Washington reels from the news of 10.2 percent unemployment, the Center for Responsive Politics is out with a new report describing the wealth of members of Congress.

Among the highlights: Two-hundred-and-thirty-seven members of Congress are millionaires. That’s 44 percent of the body – compared to about 1 percent of Americans overall.

“Many Americans probably have a sense that members of Congress aren’t hurting, even if their government salary alone is in the six figures, much more than most Americans make,” said CRP spokesman Dave Levinthal. “What we see through these figures is that many of them have riches well beyond that salary, supplemented with securities, stock holdings, property and other investments.”

And let's face facts: if you don't have a million while you're in office, there are a boatload of incentives to ensure you're in a position to make that kind of money if you retire. It's an excellent resume builder.

http://digbysblog.blogspot....

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

mon_dieu_ishmael — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:52:43 -0000

Hmmmm.... UTAH is the reddest of red states. Is Ms Love a (gasp) Republican?

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

rikyrah — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:49:52 -0000

Bill Owens a "Yes" Vote on HCR Hotlist
by mcjoan
Digg this! Share this on Twitter - Bill Owens a "Yes" Vote on HCRTweet this submit to reddit Share This
Fri Nov 06, 2009 at 12:46:04 PM PST

Blue Dogs afraid to vote yes on a popular healthcare reform bill, take note. Your newest colleague, from a purple district, is going to make his first vote a significant one.

Rep. Bill Owens (D-NY) can be counted on as a "yes" in this weekend's expected vote on the House Democrats' health care bill, announcing his support in a press release.

"This legislation will reform the insurance industry and provide increased access to affordable healthcare without taxing healthcare benefits, cutting Medicare benefits or raising taxes on the middle class, and that is exactly the direction we need to go," said Owens. "There are still changes I would like to make, including raising the payroll exemption for small businesses, but like I said last week, there is a fundamental need for reform and we must act with a sense of urgency."

And on a related note, neither Chris Christie or Bob McDonnell have said how they'll vote on the bill ... oh, never mind.

http://www.dailykos.com/sto...

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

rikyrah — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:32:05 -0000

a Black person in Utah is a feat in itself...lol

CONGRATS to the new Mayor.

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

Admiral_Komack — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:07:05 -0000

TPMMuckraker
Patriot Games: GOP Reps Pick Tea Party Rally Over National-Security Votes
Zachary Roth | November 6, 2009, 12:29PM

When it's a choice between strengthening the Patriot Act, or showing up for the Tea Party Patriots, what's a GOP lawmaker to do? We'll give you one guess...

Several Republican members of Congress yesterday blew off votes on the signature anti-terror legislation of the post 9/11 era to attend Michele Bachmann's Tea Party rally against health-care reform.

Reps. Steve King of Iowa, Trent Franks of Arizona, Randy Forbes of Virginia, Jim Jordan of Ohio, and Louie Gohmert and Ted Poe of Texas all took time out yesterday for the "Super Bowl of Freedom," as Bachmann has called it. And all missed votes in the House Judiciary committee on Republican-sponsored amendments to the reauthorization of the Patriot Act -- measures that would have toughened the Act, but narrowly failed. Those votes took place, a committee staffer confirmed, between noon and two -- the very time when Republican lawmakers were rallying the Tea Party troops on the Capitol steps.

One measure, offered by Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, the ranking Republican on the committee, failed to pass by a single vote, 15-15. Reps. King and Gohmert were absent.

Another, offered by Rep. Dan Lundgren (R-CA), failed by a vote of 11 to 8. Reps. King, Gohmert, Jordan, and Poe were all missing.

And a third, brought by Rep. Tom Rooney (R-FL), which would have bolstered the ability of local law enforcement to use a device that records phone numbers from a particular phone, failed by 12 to 10, with King, Gohmert, Jordan, Poe, and Franks all absent. (A subsequent amendment that did essentially the same thing later passed, it's worth noting.)

Several other members of both parties missed some of these votes as well, but there's no evidence they were Tea Partying.

To be sure, these amendments largely tinkered around the edges -- none would have been far-reaching enough to produce broad GOP support for the final bill, which was strongly backed by civil libertarians and liberal Democrats. But a Hill aide confirmed that all three Republican measures would have shifted the bill toward increasing the power of law enforcement to fight terror, and away from civil liberties -- an approach that Republicans have long argued is crucial to national security.

At the Bachmann event yesterday, King, of Iowa, sounded one of the more passionate calls to arms. "We own this hill. We're the American people," he told the Tea Partiers. "And you know what? We're not going to leave this hill until we kill this bill."

But a few hours later, the bill that King actually had a chance to help shape was voted out of committee by 16-10 -- with King, Gohmert, and Forbes, as well as three other Republicans, again absent for the final vote. Republicans on the panel blasted the legislation, saying it would hinder law enforcement and intelligence agencies in fighting terror. But had a few more of their own showed up to vote, instead of playing to the Tea Party crowd, perhaps they would have been able to fix some of what they didn't like about it.

None of the offices for King, Gohmert, Poe, Forbes, Franks or Jordan responded to requests for comment from TPMmuckraker.

http://tpmmuckraker.talking...

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

RubyMcGee — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:53:22 -0000

I think another book I'd like to see required--for high school "And the Band Played On"-Randy Shilts--not the movie, the book.
It is the painful reality of our government twisting politcs-agendas-and humanity. It is full of facts in regard to choices made by the government-that damned a population-and allowed so much suffering-due to prejudice.

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

caligirl — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:35:44 -0000

somewhat related to your comment: if u have high school-aged children, a good book to supplement their texts with is "lies my teacher told me" by james loewen.

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

RubyMcGee — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:14:14 -0000

It is all about the madness-just floating in this country--The fact any senator could vote against prosecuting rapist (employed by the government)speaks to the broken government.
I mean just like the war-violence is just ramping up--a man on parole for being a sexual predator-keeps a girl in his backyard for 18 years. A man in Ohio-sexual predator has neighbors complaining of odors--complaints ramp up to a point the meat packing plant puts in a new drainage system.
The liberal vacations and medical insurance enjoyed by our federal representatives--yet none seem to realize the fatigue and strain of going to war every few months--I am not wanting the draft-but it is unfair and not right to squeeze the life out of these people and and expect them to live through engagement after engagement with hostiles.
The Democrats seem determined to push through a flawed loser of a bill to fly a banner of; 'Mission Accomplished' and we all know how that turns out in the end.
No one speaks to the very threat to homosexual families-they exist-they have homes-children-pay taxes. Yet somehow the people whom I assume bring us shows about bachelors finding brides and wife swaps-seem to feel empowered to vote one way or another on a subject that is only about freedom to choose--not court ordered resexualizing the neighborhoods.
We are raising children in an environment where hate is okay if 'they' aren't like us--deny facts and give opinions-find quacks and morons to back you up--truth is never required or expected--greed is success--our education system-complete with books that may or may not contain evolution-homsexuality. History books that may or may not be what really happened--or skip over the uncomfortable realities.
The other day a lesbian complaining about protesters against marriage said she felt like a 'Jew' in Germany in 1932--did she not know being a lesbian was equal to being a Jew?--With all the finger pointing Nazi calling--socialist regime talk-its like the new F word--it really means little-its just what you say when no other words are available-
If we don't know history we can't forget it---the dumbing of America is near complete--violence/social disorder--all of it-when the majority party is on the same dole what do expect?--I Am Frustrated

Re: Afternoon Open Thread

rikyrah — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:09:29 -0000

shooter still on the loose.