And a happy Samhain (pronounced “sow-en” to you. 🙂
LOL
Funny how Criminal MInds and another show pronounced that wrong.
Hope you all have a great Halloween! Pagans believed this represented the first day of the year, so if you didn’t make a New Year’s resolution, you get another chance! 😉
The last of my company left this morning. I’ve had company since last Tuesday afternoon. I loved having everyone here, and I am ecstatic that they’re all gone. 🙂 Friday and Saturday I had 16 people…
Now I’ve got the laundry sorted and will spend the day getting sheets and towels washed and listening to the quiet. In a short time I’ll wish they were all back here.
(from the article) So who is paying? The new study — by New York University Law School’s Brennan Center for Justice, the National Institute on Money in State Politics, and the Justice at Stake Campaign, a non-partisan reform group — found that a small group of super spenders plays the biggest role, using their money to buy the kind of judges they want hearing their cases. These super spenders are the usual suspects: mainly big business, corporate lobbyists, and trial lawyers. Also high on the list: a disturbing category called “unknown.” In many states, disclosure laws are so weak that special interests can buy judicial elections without the public even finding out.
The U.N. estimates that the world’s population will pass the 7 billion mark some time today.
Much of that growth has happened in Asia — in India and China. Those two countries have been among the world’s most populous for centuries. But a demographic shift is taking place as the countries have modernized and lowered their fertility rates. Now, the biggest growth is taking place in sub-Saharan Africa.
Due in part to that region’s extreme poverty, infant mortality rates are high and access to family planning is low. The result is high birth rates and a booming population of 900 million — a number that could triple by the end of the century. Population expert Joel Cohen points out that, in 1950, there were nearly three times as many Europeans as sub-Saharan Africans. If U.N. estimates are correct, there will be nearly five sub-Saharan Africans for every European by 2100.
Poor little Pat Buchanan – always the bridesmaid, never the bride.
Exactly why would Pat Buchanan know anything about anything?
I agree the OWS protesters are going to have to face the cold winter in their protests – which is another reason I think this movement should broaden their scope of protests.
Go after each and every Congress Critter’s office and at the front door of the White House – and maybe even incude the Supreme Court -since these are the folks that unleashed the unchecked corporations onto the American political and economic scene.
Pat Buchanan – God love him because makes it very difficult for anyone to even like him enough to care what he thinks.
Buchanan is nothing more than a NIxon wannabe – IMHO.
Would you be for or against replacing the $1 bill with a coin knowing it will save $5.6 billion dollars?
Replacing $1 bill with coin could save $5.6 billion
A proposal to phase out the $1 bill and replace it with a $1 coin could be gaining currency as the “supercommittee” looks to find ways to save the government money.
Republican Sen. Kyle, a member of the bipartisan super congress, is known to be in favor of nearly any type of spending cuts. However when those cuts affect his state, suddenly government spending seems much more reasonable, and even necessary. Funny how that happens.
—————–
Republicans Cry Uncle On Spending … When Cuts Hit Home
It took months of fighting — the threat of a government shutdown, the graver threat of a default on the national debt, and now a new threat of major, automatic cuts to Medicare and defense programs — but Congress’ deficit obsession has finally exposed the rarest of all species: Republican Keynesians.
With just a under a month until the deficit Super Committee must recommend policies that cut the 10 year deficit by $1.2 trillion, members of the Republican party — the same party that’s been on the war path for deep spending cuts, and that decries President Obama’s “failed stimulus” — are making uncharacteristic arguments against slashing spending. Trim too much, too quickly, they warn, and people will lose their jobs!
Call them Defense Keynesians — GOP members who represent defense interests, veterans, service members, contractors, and others whose livelihoods would be impacted by deep cuts to defense spending. They don’t want the Super Committee to cut much more, if any, from defense, and they certainly don’t want to pull the so-called “trigger” which would cut defense across the board by about $600 billion starting in 2013, if the panel gridlocks.
I assume everyone has heard of Heman Cain’s latest problems?
I saw the videotape of the journalist asking Cain if he has ever been accused of sexually harrassing a woman. Cain did take a long time in responding and then said – have you ever been accused of sexually harrasing a woman?
Hmm…….not exactly an answer I would give if I wanted this issue to be shot down as being false and political criticism.
But, I’ve noticed that Herman Cain does not exactly answer too many questions when pressed for further details. I’ve noticed Mr. Cain has a tendency to turn the tables on the person doing the asking – like he did when he asked that guy if he had ever been accused .
Just saying……..how hard is it to simply say ‘NO’. Every Republican has been saying “NO’ for the past 3 years – why is it so hard to say that word now?
I read about that. I think the more a republican speaks about ‘family values,’ ‘morality’ and their ‘religion,’ the more likely it is they’ll be involved in some embarrassing or illegal sexual escapade. Doofus!
His supporters are comparing this to Clarence Thomas. I think that’s a poor decision. If I had Clarence Thomas on my side I’d want him out of the news as often as possible, and certainly wouldn’t volunteer his name. But then Cain’s supporters are desperate.
Have you heard that Herman needs to ratchet down his campaign a bit? Yeah, he has to curtail public appearances, etc. He is tired and has made some comments he wouldn’t have made if he had been going at a slower pace.
Think of the seriousness, the pressures, the round the clock schedule of the job he is asking voters to give him.
I was thinking about that very same thing the last time this story was aired.
To me, Herman Cain sounds like an arrogant bully type of man that thinks he is cute and clever when he runs off his mouth. And then when he gets caught, he tries to bully people into feel shame for even daring to question him.
But imagine if there was a President Cain – how many wars do you think this man would have us in within the first 6 months of his term just because of something he mouthed off…
I do not even want to think about that……
Sad to say, Republicans are so full of hate for Obama that these folks do not care if they elect an arrogant bully type. These are the same folks that sat and booed an active duty US soldier simply because he is gay.
How much lower does one have to stoop to prove they are full of hate?
Now (finally!) he admits the accusations and says they were false. Further, even tho he was the head honcho of the restaurant association he had no idea whether there was a pay off (indeed there was!). I expect head honchos to be better informed than that! Sounds like a ‘pass the buck’ kind of guy to me.
If he were president he could just blame others for whatever because obviously he wouldn’t need to feel like he should know what was spent and where and…
I just saw the Perry speech – he was downright giddy….
What was with all the weird physical contortions that his body and face were going through?
But one good thing – if Perry ends up being the GOP nominee (which I hardly think will happen now) – all Obama and the Democrats have to do is run a video of this Perry speech and just ask – is this what you want representing you around the world?
Democrats Now Have the Advantage in “Swing” States
The balance of party identification in the American electorate now favors the Democratic Party by a decidedly larger margin than in either of the two previous presidential election cycles.
Radio ad refuses service to Obama supporters, Muslims
MASON, Texas — It was a message intended to bring in some extra business. A radio ad for a concealed handgun class at Keller’s Riverside Store in Mason, located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, is causing controversy.
“We will attempt to teach you all the necessary information you need to obtain your C.H.L.,” the ad stated. Forty-five seconds in, the advertisement added a disclaimer.
“If you are a socialist liberal and or voted for the current campaigner in chief, please do not take this class. You have already proven that you cannot make a knowledgeable and prudent decision as under the law.”
The ad continues, going on to say,”If you are a non-Christian Arab or Muslim, I will not teach you the class with no shame; I am Crockett Keller, thank you and God bless America.”
Americans know the republicans got us where we are and are blowing smoke!
Flat Taxes and Angry Voters
By wide margins, Americans are now telling pollsters they want a tax system that raises more money and is more fair by asking the rich to pay more. They are connecting the dots between the lavish high-end tax cuts of the past decade and today’s serious problems — including widening inequality and mounting deficits — and demanding change. The Republican presidential candidates aren’t listening.
Take the flat tax plan of Gov. Rick Perry of Texas. For all his talk about how it would make filing easier — that is dubious — what it would really do is give high-income Americans a big tax break, while almost everyone else could expect relatively modest tax savings or none at all.
According to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll, nearly 70 percent of Americans say that Congressional Republicans’ policies favor the rich and that they oppose lowering taxes for large corporations. Two-thirds polled say that wealth should be distributed more evenly; a similar share wants to increase taxes on millionaires, not cut them. In a previous Times/CBS poll from August, a majority of Americans also wanted to use tax increases to close the deficit, rather than rely only on spending cuts.
Study Confirms Wealth Distribution in United States is Most Unequal Among Industrialized Nations
A new study released Thursday has found the distribution of wealth in the United States is among the most unequal among industrialized nations. The United States ranked in the bottom five on a combination of issues including poverty prevention, health and access to education—ahead of only Greece, Chile, Mexico and Turkey. The study was done by the German-based Bertelsmann Foundation. Meanwhile, a new study here in the United States has found New York State has the highest income inequality of all 50 states and that the New York City metropolitan region has the highest income inequality of any large metro area.
The first of three televised debates will be on Oct. 3 at the University of Denver. A town hall meeting-style debate will be held on Oct. 16 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. The final meeting, at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., will be on Oct. 22 — just two weeks before Election Day on Nov. 6.
The vice presidential nominees will debate only once, on Oct. 11 at Centre College in Danville, Ky.
They brought the nation to the brink of default over spending, but a Newsweek investigation shows Tea Party lawmakers grabbing billions from the government trough. View original letters sent by Eric Cantor to various departments asking for funding and favors, while cutting down benefits from as many poor and middle class people as possible. Eric Cantor has painted himself as someone who is worried about excessive spending but is actually eager to spend government money. Read the documents for yourself.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again – Republicans are incapable of being shamed.
It is blatantly obvious to everyone that Republicans only fight for the wealthy and when it comes to spending taxpayery money, they are all for it as long as the money goes to certain ‘right’ people.
As far as inequality statistics – Republicans just DO NOT CARE.
What is sadder to say is – this is the party that professes to be the only ‘real’ Christians.
Republicans are full of pure hate and this much hate makes them incapable of feeling shame.
Hell, how many times have these same folks been caught with their pants down – literally – and these horny dogs STILL keep their jobs and their supporters applaud them?
And let’s not get me started on Republicans booing an active duty US soldier simply becaus he is gay. If this reprehensible behavior does not embarrass or shame Republicans – nothing will.
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
HAPPY HALLOWEEN……..
And a happy Samhain (pronounced “sow-en” to you. 🙂
LOL
Funny how Criminal MInds and another show pronounced that wrong.
Hope you all have a great Halloween! Pagans believed this represented the first day of the year, so if you didn’t make a New Year’s resolution, you get another chance! 😉
The last of my company left this morning. I’ve had company since last Tuesday afternoon. I loved having everyone here, and I am ecstatic that they’re all gone. 🙂 Friday and Saturday I had 16 people…
Now I’ve got the laundry sorted and will spend the day getting sheets and towels washed and listening to the quiet. In a short time I’ll wish they were all back here.
Family – there is nothing like it in the world – huh?
But without family and friends – life would be pretty dull.
(from the article) So who is paying? The new study — by New York University Law School’s Brennan Center for Justice, the National Institute on Money in State Politics, and the Justice at Stake Campaign, a non-partisan reform group — found that a small group of super spenders plays the biggest role, using their money to buy the kind of judges they want hearing their cases. These super spenders are the usual suspects: mainly big business, corporate lobbyists, and trial lawyers. Also high on the list: a disturbing category called “unknown.” In many states, disclosure laws are so weak that special interests can buy judicial elections without the public even finding out.
http://news.yahoo.com/judges-sale-special-interests-buying-100500006.html
The U.N. estimates that the world’s population will pass the 7 billion mark some time today.
Much of that growth has happened in Asia — in India and China. Those two countries have been among the world’s most populous for centuries. But a demographic shift is taking place as the countries have modernized and lowered their fertility rates. Now, the biggest growth is taking place in sub-Saharan Africa.
Due in part to that region’s extreme poverty, infant mortality rates are high and access to family planning is low. The result is high birth rates and a booming population of 900 million — a number that could triple by the end of the century. Population expert Joel Cohen points out that, in 1950, there were nearly three times as many Europeans as sub-Saharan Africans. If U.N. estimates are correct, there will be nearly five sub-Saharan Africans for every European by 2100.
http://www.npr.org/2011/10/31/141816460/visualizing-how-a-population-grows-to-7-billion?sc=fb&cc=fp
There’s an interesting (and short) video at the NPR link above.
And, I found this from THE NEW YORKER very interesting too.
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2011/10/24/111024taco_talk_kolbert
Poor little Pat Buchanan – always the bridesmaid, never the bride.
Exactly why would Pat Buchanan know anything about anything?
I agree the OWS protesters are going to have to face the cold winter in their protests – which is another reason I think this movement should broaden their scope of protests.
Go after each and every Congress Critter’s office and at the front door of the White House – and maybe even incude the Supreme Court -since these are the folks that unleashed the unchecked corporations onto the American political and economic scene.
Pat Buchanan – God love him because makes it very difficult for anyone to even like him enough to care what he thinks.
Buchanan is nothing more than a NIxon wannabe – IMHO.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/30/pat-buchanan-occupy-wall-street_n_1066143.html
Would you be for or against replacing the $1 bill with a coin knowing it will save $5.6 billion dollars?
Replacing $1 bill with coin could save $5.6 billion
A proposal to phase out the $1 bill and replace it with a $1 coin could be gaining currency as the “supercommittee” looks to find ways to save the government money.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2011-10-24/dollar-enters-deficit-debate/50898164/1
Republican Sen. Kyle, a member of the bipartisan super congress, is known to be in favor of nearly any type of spending cuts. However when those cuts affect his state, suddenly government spending seems much more reasonable, and even necessary. Funny how that happens.
—————–
Republicans Cry Uncle On Spending … When Cuts Hit Home
It took months of fighting — the threat of a government shutdown, the graver threat of a default on the national debt, and now a new threat of major, automatic cuts to Medicare and defense programs — but Congress’ deficit obsession has finally exposed the rarest of all species: Republican Keynesians.
With just a under a month until the deficit Super Committee must recommend policies that cut the 10 year deficit by $1.2 trillion, members of the Republican party — the same party that’s been on the war path for deep spending cuts, and that decries President Obama’s “failed stimulus” — are making uncharacteristic arguments against slashing spending. Trim too much, too quickly, they warn, and people will lose their jobs!
Call them Defense Keynesians — GOP members who represent defense interests, veterans, service members, contractors, and others whose livelihoods would be impacted by deep cuts to defense spending. They don’t want the Super Committee to cut much more, if any, from defense, and they certainly don’t want to pull the so-called “trigger” which would cut defense across the board by about $600 billion starting in 2013, if the panel gridlocks.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/10/republicans-cry-uncle-on-spending-when-cuts-hit-home.php?ref=fpblg
I assume everyone has heard of Heman Cain’s latest problems?
I saw the videotape of the journalist asking Cain if he has ever been accused of sexually harrassing a woman. Cain did take a long time in responding and then said – have you ever been accused of sexually harrasing a woman?
Hmm…….not exactly an answer I would give if I wanted this issue to be shot down as being false and political criticism.
But, I’ve noticed that Herman Cain does not exactly answer too many questions when pressed for further details. I’ve noticed Mr. Cain has a tendency to turn the tables on the person doing the asking – like he did when he asked that guy if he had ever been accused .
Just saying……..how hard is it to simply say ‘NO’. Every Republican has been saying “NO’ for the past 3 years – why is it so hard to say that word now?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45099767/ns/politics-decision_2012/?GT1=43001
I read about that. I think the more a republican speaks about ‘family values,’ ‘morality’ and their ‘religion,’ the more likely it is they’ll be involved in some embarrassing or illegal sexual escapade. Doofus!
His supporters are comparing this to Clarence Thomas. I think that’s a poor decision. If I had Clarence Thomas on my side I’d want him out of the news as often as possible, and certainly wouldn’t volunteer his name. But then Cain’s supporters are desperate.
Have you heard that Herman needs to ratchet down his campaign a bit? Yeah, he has to curtail public appearances, etc. He is tired and has made some comments he wouldn’t have made if he had been going at a slower pace.
Think of the seriousness, the pressures, the round the clock schedule of the job he is asking voters to give him.
I was thinking about that very same thing the last time this story was aired.
To me, Herman Cain sounds like an arrogant bully type of man that thinks he is cute and clever when he runs off his mouth. And then when he gets caught, he tries to bully people into feel shame for even daring to question him.
But imagine if there was a President Cain – how many wars do you think this man would have us in within the first 6 months of his term just because of something he mouthed off…
I do not even want to think about that……
Sad to say, Republicans are so full of hate for Obama that these folks do not care if they elect an arrogant bully type. These are the same folks that sat and booed an active duty US soldier simply because he is gay.
How much lower does one have to stoop to prove they are full of hate?
Now (finally!) he admits the accusations and says they were false. Further, even tho he was the head honcho of the restaurant association he had no idea whether there was a pay off (indeed there was!). I expect head honchos to be better informed than that! Sounds like a ‘pass the buck’ kind of guy to me.
If he were president he could just blame others for whatever because obviously he wouldn’t need to feel like he should know what was spent and where and…
Ooops. NOW Cain knew all about and approved the ‘settlement’ offer.
Pass the popcorn!
Did you all see the Perry meltdown? That guy was drunk, on drugs, or he has multiple personalities.
I think the news media has been right all along — the republican nominee will be Romney. Wonder which positions he’ll settle on once nominated?
Will he be for or against abortion?
Does he NOT line up with the NRA or is he a member of the NRA?
Is Romneycare a model for the nation or not?
Where’s he coming down currently on the subject of global warming?
Is he for or against stem cell research?
Is he or is he not in favor of privatizing social security?
What about amnesty — has he decided which opinion he’ll hold?
Did he see his Dad march with Martin Luther King?
Questions, questions, questions…
Isn’t this fun!?
I just saw the Perry speech – he was downright giddy….
What was with all the weird physical contortions that his body and face were going through?
But one good thing – if Perry ends up being the GOP nominee (which I hardly think will happen now) – all Obama and the Democrats have to do is run a video of this Perry speech and just ask – is this what you want representing you around the world?
I was watching Rachel Maddow and I did not know that MItt Romney’s dad – George Romney – ran against Nixon for the GOP nomination.
I also did not know that George Romney wanted to campaign against the Vietnam War.
Wow – a Republican that did not want us in Vietnam? I never knew there was such an animal – did you?
Rachel also made the comment that son Mitt looks alot like dad – same hair, same chin and the same type of campaigner.
I wonder if George Romney’s flip flop on Vietnmam set the flip-flopping tradition in motion for Mitt?
Fewer Voters Identify as Republicans
Democrats Now Have the Advantage in “Swing” States
The balance of party identification in the American electorate now favors the Democratic Party by a decidedly larger margin than in either of the two previous presidential election cycles.
http://pewresearch.org/pubs/773/fewer-voters-identify-as-republicans
Radio ad refuses service to Obama supporters, Muslims
MASON, Texas — It was a message intended to bring in some extra business. A radio ad for a concealed handgun class at Keller’s Riverside Store in Mason, located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, is causing controversy.
“We will attempt to teach you all the necessary information you need to obtain your C.H.L.,” the ad stated. Forty-five seconds in, the advertisement added a disclaimer.
“If you are a socialist liberal and or voted for the current campaigner in chief, please do not take this class. You have already proven that you cannot make a knowledgeable and prudent decision as under the law.”
The ad continues, going on to say,”If you are a non-Christian Arab or Muslim, I will not teach you the class with no shame; I am Crockett Keller, thank you and God bless America.”
http://www.kvue.com/news/Radio-ad-refuses-service-to-Obama-supporters-Muslims-132748178.html
Sad to say, this ad probably brought in alot of business for this guy.
I wonder,…….does God forgive a white Christian if he/shoots a person with that concealed gun just on the basis they aren’t white and Christian?
Americans know the republicans got us where we are and are blowing smoke!
Flat Taxes and Angry Voters
By wide margins, Americans are now telling pollsters they want a tax system that raises more money and is more fair by asking the rich to pay more. They are connecting the dots between the lavish high-end tax cuts of the past decade and today’s serious problems — including widening inequality and mounting deficits — and demanding change. The Republican presidential candidates aren’t listening.
Take the flat tax plan of Gov. Rick Perry of Texas. For all his talk about how it would make filing easier — that is dubious — what it would really do is give high-income Americans a big tax break, while almost everyone else could expect relatively modest tax savings or none at all.
According to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll, nearly 70 percent of Americans say that Congressional Republicans’ policies favor the rich and that they oppose lowering taxes for large corporations. Two-thirds polled say that wealth should be distributed more evenly; a similar share wants to increase taxes on millionaires, not cut them. In a previous Times/CBS poll from August, a majority of Americans also wanted to use tax increases to close the deficit, rather than rely only on spending cuts.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/31/opinion/flat-taxes-and-angry-voters.html?_r=3&hp
Study Confirms Wealth Distribution in United States is Most Unequal Among Industrialized Nations
A new study released Thursday has found the distribution of wealth in the United States is among the most unequal among industrialized nations. The United States ranked in the bottom five on a combination of issues including poverty prevention, health and access to education—ahead of only Greece, Chile, Mexico and Turkey. The study was done by the German-based Bertelsmann Foundation. Meanwhile, a new study here in the United States has found New York State has the highest income inequality of all 50 states and that the New York City metropolitan region has the highest income inequality of any large metro area.
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/10/28/headlines/study_confirms_unequal_wealth_distribution_in_united_states#.Tq4ikkbtxAw.reddit
Commission sets three 2012 presidential debates
The first of three televised debates will be on Oct. 3 at the University of Denver. A town hall meeting-style debate will be held on Oct. 16 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. The final meeting, at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., will be on Oct. 22 — just two weeks before Election Day on Nov. 6.
The vice presidential nominees will debate only once, on Oct. 11 at Centre College in Danville, Ky.
The Tea Party Pork Binge
They brought the nation to the brink of default over spending, but a Newsweek investigation shows Tea Party lawmakers grabbing billions from the government trough. View original letters sent by Eric Cantor to various departments asking for funding and favors, while cutting down benefits from as many poor and middle class people as possible. Eric Cantor has painted himself as someone who is worried about excessive spending but is actually eager to spend government money. Read the documents for yourself.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again – Republicans are incapable of being shamed.
It is blatantly obvious to everyone that Republicans only fight for the wealthy and when it comes to spending taxpayery money, they are all for it as long as the money goes to certain ‘right’ people.
As far as inequality statistics – Republicans just DO NOT CARE.
What is sadder to say is – this is the party that professes to be the only ‘real’ Christians.
Republicans are full of pure hate and this much hate makes them incapable of feeling shame.
Hell, how many times have these same folks been caught with their pants down – literally – and these horny dogs STILL keep their jobs and their supporters applaud them?
And let’s not get me started on Republicans booing an active duty US soldier simply becaus he is gay. If this reprehensible behavior does not embarrass or shame Republicans – nothing will.