From the GREAT STATE OF MAINE…
Anticipation
[Sigh]
It's been five minutes since Scalia kicked the bucket. Where are they?
[Looks at watch]
Six minutes…seven…dammit…
[Drums fingers on desk]
Ah! Here they are. Taiwanese Animators. Must've slept in…
Judge Judy? Really? That would be interesting.
Cheers and Jeers starts below the fold... [Swoosh!!] RIGHTNOW! [Gong!!]
Cheers and Jeers for Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Note: In a minor key today, I think. I'm feeling villainous.
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By the Numbers:
Days 'til the Democratic NV caucus and SC primary: 4 / 11
Days 'til the Old Island Days Art Festival in Key West: 11
Number of states that currently tax access to the internet: 7 (TX, HI, NM, ND, SD, OH and WI)
Senate vote results on a bill to prevent local and state governments from taxing access to the internet: 75-20
Amount TransCanada lost in the fourth quarter of 2015, mostly because of the stalled effort to build the Keystone Pipeline: $1.79 billion
Combined profits of American, Delta, Southwest and United Airlines last year: $22 billion
Number of years Ohio Art Co. held the rights to Etch-A-Sketch before selling them to Toronto-based Spin Master Corp. this month: 56
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Tuesday Words of Wisdom from the Right-wing Blogosphere:
How could I resist diving into the comments attached to the World Net Daily article with the title, "Scalia Found Dead with Pillow Over His Head?" I mean…how could I not???
“Grab the salad out of the Garbage quick!...see if it came from mexico...no need for toxicology ..we know what killed him...
“Obozo had him Arkancided as he kept standing in Obozo's way and the way of the NWO's agenda. Autopsy would reveal murder....but who to trust to do an honest autopsy?”
“If you think the Obama Administration is above putting a "hit" out on someone, you're not paying attention to the unscrupulous actions going on, starting in the Oval Office. This will potentially pave the way to no resistance from the Supreme Court to challenge Obama's trail of destruction.”
“It's natural to die when you are murdered.”
All together now: 1…2…3… Classy!
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Puppy Pic of the Day:
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CHEERS to cooler heads. Republicans wasted no time in locking tentacles and demanding that President Obama violate his oath of office by not putting up a nominee to fill the Supreme Court comfy chair vacated by no-longer-breathing Antonin Scalia. Their argument: we're in an election year so SHUT UP SHUT SHUT UP FILIBUSTER! As Mitch McConnell games this out, however, and sees his senate majority blowing up in his face if he doesn’t do his job, I think the Democratic---i.e. the correct---argument will prevail. And two senators who say it best are, naturally, Elizabeth Warren…
Senator McConnell is right that the American people should have a voice in the selection of the next Supreme Court justice.
In fact, they did---when President Obama won the 2012 election by five million votes.
Article II Section 2 of the Constitution says the President of the United States nominates justices to the Supreme Court, with the advice and consent of the Senate. I can’t find a clause that says “…except when there’s a year left in the term of a Democratic President.”
And Al Franken…
[W]ith a duly elected President and 100 duly elected senators, we should now all do our jobs as outlined in the Constitution and undertake the process of finding a qualified replacement.
In 2012, the American people decisively elected President Obama to serve a second four-year term. Because a new President will take office in 11 months is not a sound reason for leaving a vacancy on the Supreme Court.
No. But watching Republicans paint themselves into yet another corner will at least be an entertaining distraction.
P.S. In today's boring correction, we gently point out to former congresswoman and current googly-eyes model Michele Bachmann that perhaps she should've googled the name of her most idoliest idol before she sent this tweet out:
We're sure she regrets the error. Mainly because she deleted it.
JEERS to war criminals on the loose. How bad are things for Jeb Bush's presidential prospects? So bad that he had to unlock his tool shed and let this pathetic guy straggle out and slur some words on his behalf in South Carolina yesterday:
During his speech, W refused to say which of his brother's opponents would be push-polled about having an illegitimate black child. He wants it to be a surprahz. HehHehHeh.
CHEERS to a little patch of real estate to call your own. The exhibition hall and Town Square at the Netroots Nation convention (St. Louis July 14-17) has been designated one of the best in America for several years running, in part because every year the organizers offer up plots of free booth space for patriotic, freedom-loving vendors. Last week Linda Lee---BCO gal here at Daily Kos---fired the starter pistol on the 2016 "Grab A Booth" contest:
In an effort to bring in new community organizations that might have fewer resources, we will offer six free booths in this year’s Town Square. The top three vote-getters in our online contest will automatically get a booth in the Hall. The rest of the entrants will go through a second round where a panel of judges will decide, based on merit, which three entrants will receive the last three spots.
It's open to "non-profit c3 and c4 organizations and qualified small businesses who haven't exhibited at YearlyKos/Netroots Nation yet." Submissions will be accepted through next Monday, February 22nd and voting starts the 23rd and continues through March 8. Click here for more information and the entry form. If you have questions, questions or even questions, email Linda via exhibits [at] netrootsnation.org. Please note that the promise of nudity doesn't automatically mean you'll win. And I have eight years of losing entries to prove it.
CHEERS to stating the obvious. Like exasperated parents blowing their top over the behavior of a petulant child, the editors of Maine's most-widely-read newspaper, the Maine Sunday Telegram, finally told Governor Paul LePage Sunday to take his ball and go home. After posting a lengthy list of the executive bully's many failures and tantrums, they cut to the chase:
He has shown himself to be a shrewed political tactician who is tenacious about getting his way.
But he is intellectually lazy and will predictably pick the cheap sound-bite over the hard work it takes to bring disparate groups of people together for the common good. He doesn’t entertain other points of view, instead taking the easy route of vilifying anyone who disagrees with him.
It’s hard to understand why someone who has so much disdain for the process of government would ever want to be in charge of one, but since he chose to put himself in this position, it’s not too much to ask that he work with other independently elected leaders.
If Gov. LePage isn’t willing to do that, he should resign and let someone with a little more respect for the job give it a try.
If nominated I will run. If elected I will serve.
CHEERS to the last useful thing the Vatican ever did. On this date in 600, Pope Gregory the Great decreed that "God Bless You" would become the religiously correct response to a sneeze. Mostly because the old response---"Oh, hey, that sounds bubonic"---was scaring off the faithful.
CHEERS to the great uniter. With all the rancor in Congress these days, you have to wonder of there's anyone---anyone---who can get Democrats and Republicans to huddle together in the spirit if bipartisanship and get something done. Just think of it: an individual who possesses the power to make Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid and Paul Ryan and Nancy Pelosi nod in agreement and urge their caucuses to vote in lockstep, pausing afterward to applaud their fine work. Well, ladies and gentleman, that uniter-not-a-divider has successfully woven his magic spell, and his name is…Kim Jong Un:
The U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed legislation on Friday broadening sanctions to punish North Korea for its nuclear program, human rights record and cyber crimes, and sent the measure to President Barack Obama to sign into law.
Lawmakers said they wanted to make Washington's resolve clear to Pyongyang, but also to the United Nations and other governments, especially China, North Korea's lone major ally and main business partner. The package includes sanctions targeting North Korea and "secondary sanctions" against those who do business with it. The vote was 408-2, following a 96-0 vote in the Senate on Wednesday.
And with that easy layup behind them, our benevolent lawmakers will now unlock their arms, stamp out their Kum by Yah campfire, and go back to throwing pies.
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Ten years ago in C&J: February 16, 2006
JEERS to the future Jayson Blairs of the world. Businessweek reports that, in a survey of 50,000 students at 69 schools, journalism students (27%) are most likely to admit to cheating, followed by business majors (26%). Science students were least likely to cheat. But most likely to accidentally blow things up.
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And just one more…
CHEERS to movin' and groovin'. Congrats to the winners last night at the Grammy Awards, including Louis C.K. for Best Comedy Album (Live at Madison Square Garden), Jimmy Carter for Best Spoken Word (A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety), and Tony Bennett for Traditional Pop Vocal Album (The Silver Lining: The Songs Of Jerome Kern). And, thanks to the Best Pop Performance award bestowed on Uptown Funk, the world finally has its first Grammy-winning song with the words…
Doh
Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh
Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh
Doh doh doh, doh doh doh, doh doh
Doh doh doh, doh duh (Aaaaaaow!)
It was supposedly performed by Bruno Mars. Sounds more like Homer Simpson to me.
Have a tuneful Tuesday. Floor's open...What are you cheering and jeering about today?
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Today's Shameless C&J Testimonial:
Against tremendous opposition from Senate Republicans, Barack Obama has declared that he will too nominate Bill in Portland Maine to succeed the late Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court.
---Vox
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