It is awfully very good to be back here after the last couple of days! :D Hubby's broken wrist has made my life that didn't need a whole heck of a lot more excitement in it even more exciting. *&^%$#@!
However, I've also learned that broken bone "technology" has come quite a long way, which won't be news to y'all who've experienced broken bones in yourself of loved ones more recently! Plaster casts are so Crystal Pepsi; now, there's just a roll of netting - type material that's wrapped up like an Ace bandage that you throw in water for a couple of minutes, wrap the stuff around the appropriate busted bones, let it sit for a couple minutes, and the adhesive stuff in the material hardens up. Hubby even had color choices that cover the rainbow & then some; he chose the always - popular basic black. ;D
It's time for "this day in history!" In a rare moment of good judgment concerning SCOTUS juris prudis in our nation's capitol, on this date in 1987, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 9-5 against the nomination of Robert H. Bork to the Supreme Court. Y'all think SCOTUS is bad now; I shudder & want to crawl in a hole & never come out thinking about a SCOTUS with "justice" Robert Bork!
Since the rest of the "this day in history" cupboard is pretty bare, and I'm always ready for a laugh...
On with The Rachel Maddow Show!
Ezra Klein's subbing for Ms. Rachel tonight!
"It's the Economy Dummkopf!" - There's Gov. State Helicopter, and because Hubby broke his wrist the night before last, you missed out on some GREAT material I had ready for the diaries that night. If I can remember and if you ask nicely, I could recreate it in comments. ;D AND, to the absolute non - surprise to your brainiac (if I do say so myself) TRSM diarist, $aint $arah from Wasilla decided she liked the money she's making NOT running for POTUS, so she'll just stick with being a narcisstic ignorant shill, thank you very much. "Herb" Cain just might get some more time in the spotlight! Electing a POTUS is like a high school student council election - nice! It is supposed to be about the economy, stupid. Well, sometimes, it is but not very damn often. OK, Ezra, I love ya', but can you make your point, please for this segment? Ezra wants us to keep an eye on Europe's economic $hit storm. What happens there will have & already has had a big impact on our economy. Our country might be on the edge of recession in early 2012 - just in time for our POTUS election. President Obama used the economic crisis in Europe to prop up the American Jobs Act. Rep. Eric Cantor is declaring this act dead but is not offering up any alternative ideas. What a damn shock - NOT! Jared Bernstein gets economy dummkopf duty. :) More customers, orders, etc. need to happen first before any real recovery can happen. Markets are begging for governments to borrow more; interest rates are at historic lows. Ezra thinks the Jobs Act will be broken up into pieces for passage. Jared Bernstein first wants no harm done; he wants the payroll tax holiday & unemployment benefits to stay.
"Yes We Cain?" - I just lurve them corn dogs eatin' pics! Mittens Romney is giving a "major foreign policy" address in SC tomorrow. Who will he call a person tomorrow that's not really a person? He's actually tied with Herbie Rides Again Cain in polls! "Herb's" policy on the economy has a name; that's about it. Mittens' plan is a bit more "in depth." The "999" plan entails a 9% flat tax on businesses, a 9% income tax, and a 9% national sales tax. The "999" plan is also "666" flipped. ;D How the numbers add up just hasn't been figured out yet, but "Herb" doesn't need no stinking facts! He refuses to divulge his economic sources in coming up with his plan. The plan would result in an 18% consumption tax - NOT good. Melissa Harris Perry gets "Herb" Cain duty! His plan could really shift a whole lot of tax burden onto those who don't need it nor deserve it. Ezra, let Melissa get a word in edge- wise, please? Campaigns are all about choosing values, according to Melissa.
"Financial Protection Bureau" - Richard Cordray made it out of a Senate subcommittee today; he's President Obama's pick for leading the consumer protection bureau championed by Elizabeth Warren but didn't get the job because too many beholden to big banks in DC hate her. The Senate has vowed to kill Mr. Cordray's path to the job yesterday. President Obama's job's bill will probably be tarrantinoed, too. The GOBP is doing it's best to make sure the super rich aren't overly - burdened with taxes. The rest of us? Not so much.
"Cash Warfare" - "We are the 99%!" The American Dream never existed; George Carlin knew that long before a whole mess of others. 99%ers don't resent wealth, but they do resent people skirting rules to gaining their wealth at the expense of everyone else. Naomi Klein gave a speech at Occupy Wall Street events tonight. Enthusiasm is still high even after last night's violence. Space is getting to be at a premium! Naomi thinks creating "a list of demands" at this point would not be really productive because this movement can grow. Ezra claims he saw Wall Streeters milling about yesterday wondering what Occupy Wall Street meant for them. Naomi said a "rich woman" is holding up a sign demanding that her taxes go up?! $HIT! Man, why can't SHE get on the television machine?!
"Opting Nuclear" - The Senate changed tonight?! Senator Mitchie the Turtle McConnell tried some funky trick, but Senator Reid somehow got the parliamentarian to trash what Mitchie tried to do, and now the rule that made Mitchie be able to do that has been put on the kibosh? OK, I'm still a little fuzzy on what happened.
"Think Different" - OK, I might sound like a real "witch" here, and I'm sorry Steve Jobs died, and he died way way WAY too young and too soon, and my household is a Mac household for a number of years, and the guy was a damn genius, but his death is being treated like some Senator or POTUS has died or something. John Sculley used to be Steve Jobs' boss. Hubby insisted we go to "Apple Central" south of San Francisco when we were on our honeymoon; I still have the polo shirt I bought there that day. :)