So...um...yea...about yesterday, my even - less - tech savvy twin that's had even less sleep than I have these days shanghaied my diary & posted it WAY early in the afternoon. By the time I realized what happened, it was too late. That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!! :D
And, I'm back & really really damn damn DAMN sorry about yesterday. Let's move onward, upward, downward, and everything in between! SPARK for today consists of the following weiners. I've not made a secret of my absolute disdain for country music in these parts; here's why! I've heard of paranoia, but THIS is ridiculous; I'm surprised DICK hasn't done this yet. And, to end SPARK with a story that should nauseate your innards, we are the "wretched refuse," boys & girls.
Now, let's remember "this date in history." On this date in 1966, US Roman Catholic bishops did away with the rule against eating meat on Fridays. And, there was much rejoicing at Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King!
On this date in 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed legislation creating a Cabinet-level drug czar and providing the death penalty for drug traffickers who kill. Yep, that war on drugs has worked GREAT!
Finally, on this date in 2003, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled 4-3 that the state constitution guarantees gay couples the right to marry. I've been there since then, and ya' know what? There was no fire, brimstone, water turned to blood, or nothin'! As far as I know, I don't think the state's even floated off into the ocean - GOLLY! :D
Let's Countdown...
#5 "Blocking Benefits" AKA "GOP Freezes Out Jobless" AKA "On the Precipice" AKA "House of Millionaires" - Unemployment benefits for those without a job for more than 6 months will expire in 12 days. HAPPY HOLIDAYS! The GOBP in the House today just said no to a 3 month extension of those benefits; remember, this is the same cabal that wants to make the tax CUTS for the super – rich among us a permanent thing. Rep. Charles Boustany insists the GOBP doesn’t want the unemployed to go high & dry; he just wants the benefits "paid for" – just like GWB’s tax cuts. Huh? Say what? Those tax cuts AREN’T paid for?! OOPS! The money spent from the extension of unemployment benefits would have a comparable effect on the economy as the addition of 700K jobs? $HIT! The vote today had to win by a 2/3 majority; it did not. The final vote total was 253 in the "yes" column and 152 in the "no" column.
Jeanne Reinman, from SC, is about to lose her benefits if Congress doesn’t $hit or get off the pot. Her savings are gone, her mortgage is being paid by these unemployment benefits, but she admits she’s in better shape than other unemployed people with kids. The same Congress critters who voted today to block unemployment benefits have gotten wealthier by 16% in the last couple of years. 261 out of 535 members of Congress are millionaires. 55 are worth more than $10 million. 8 are worth $100 million. Rep. Daryl "Creaming His Jeans at Subpoena Prospects" Issa is the wealthiest to the tune of $303 million. That surprises me; I figured Senator John Kerry would be at the top. Howard Fineman gets to follow this lovely information about those who are supposed to represent us but only represent enriching themselves. "The Washington area is not like the rest of America," Howard said; honey, that’s putting it MILDLY! That comment is not a shot at him, but it’s a hell of an understatement. Howard accused this White House of pre – caving; well, I wish I could say he’s wrong, but I can’t. A link to the report discussed in this segment is here for your reading & retching pleasure.
#4 "Tax – Cut Battle" - Dems are STILL not getting their messages straight as far as what tax cut extensions will be voted on & when. Rep. Steny Hoyer’s saying a vote on the extension of middle – class cuts ONLY will come by the end of the year. Speaker Pelosi & Senate Majority "Leader" Reid are BEGGING President Obama to show some chutzpah on this score. Yes, I know "chutzpah" is a Yiddish term for a POTUS who’s allegedly Muslim, but we don’t have time for semantics here! Senator Reid’s expecting to see a GOBP plan to justify extending the tax cuts extensions for EVERYONE?!
Senator Bernie Sanders isn’t pussy – footing around the issue:
The White House needs to stand firm and say we’re not giving tax breaks to billionaires in this country. Every day we hear a little differently.
President Obama today asked to see compromise plans from Dem leaders before they meet with GOBP "leaders" at the end of the month. Oh goody... *&^%$#@! Rep. Mike Pence admitted that GWB’s tax cuts didn’t work, but he wants them extended anyway. Good sparkin’ grief...and, he might be running for Governor of my fair state in a couple of years! If having him as a Governor will be anything like having "that woman" as a Governor, Hubby & I may be getting the heck outta dodge – or at least I will! Secretary Robert Reich should have fun with this segment. He thinks some Dems are STILL AFRAID of being labeled "tax & spend libruls." And, he made a GREAT point about these Dems drinking from the same proverbial terlet bowl as far as campaign financing, donations, and other issues. Dems – including President Obama - have about 6 weeks or so to prove who they allegedly are supposed to be standing for before the GOBP rears their ugly rears in January. As usual, all this effort may fall apart in the Senate. Huh...déjà vu all over again.
** Argentinean politicians aren’t working or playing well together. Well, maybe they need Gov. Sanford’s help; he gets along very well with at least a couple of citizens from that country! ;D A cow’s on the loose in Alabama. Uh...this story is "Oddball" worthy? Huh, you can tell Keith’s not spent a whole lotta time down on the farm; I’ll take him to where I GREW UP! A big ‘ol piece of cookware that’s supposed to be unbreakable broke on impact with a floor – kind of like that unsinkable Titanic. **
#3 "Ethics Rollback" - Small Price to Pay Goldilocks wants to put the kibosh on the Congressional Ethics Office; yes...oxymoron, I know. So much for that transparency promise! He must be using the TurdBlossom meaning of the word. I bet Rep. Charles Rangel is wishing there’d been movement on this idea a couple years ago! ;D However, Ohio tea baggers are very angry at Small Price to Pay Goldilocks’ plan. Small Price to Pay Goldilocks better wear a cup the next time he goes back to the ‘ol homestead! HA! Matt Taibbi gets Congressional ethics duty; I hope his brain doesn’t ‘splode! This agency doesn’t even have subpoena power?! $HIT! Matt doesn’t see any way of saving this office; he sees a long slow painful suffocation. The Congressional Black Caucus wants this agency gone, too?! $HIT!
WPITW* A NH resident tried to rob a convenience store; she peeled away from the scene of the crime in a car with a vanity license plate indicating her name – BRILLIANT! Jabba the Ailes keeps right on spewing; he personifies the TurdBlossom definition of "fair & balanced." Small Price to Pay Goldilocks & Senator Lindsey Graham are still petrified at a detainee that got a 20 year sentence yesterday.
#1 "It’s Pat" AKA "Groping for Answers" - Rep. Ron Paul has introduced legislation that would bar TSA employees from groping airline passengers. Huh...did sonny boy have a bad experience? A county DA in CA is vowing criminal prosecutions. There’s the San Francisco International Airport!! {sigh} Have any of y’all ever landed there? I swear you think for a few minutes you’re gonna land right in the drink – HA! The TSA peeps do not merely frisk. At Ben Guerin Airport in Israel, people start getting stopped in their cars ON THE WAY to their terminals! Travelers are randomly pulled aside for luggage scans before they even get to the airport proper; see, Americans wouldn’t stand for that. In the airport, you might be asked if anyone else helped you pack, and you are looked right in the eye the whole sparkin’ time. Chris Calabrese of the ACLU Legislative Counsel indicates said ACLU might be getting in on litigation action on this issue. Huh...well, they’re kind of on my $hit list for being pro – Citizens United. Congress critters are getting a lot of complaints, too. Mr. Calabrese indicated that some Israeli security practices wouldn’t work here because we’re a big diverse country. I can see a whole lot of people thinking that getting pulled over to have their luggage randomly scanned would be an illegal search & seizure. The Christmas Underoo bomber WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN CAUGHT by a body scan machine. And, remember, boys & girls, 19 hijackers successfully got through Logan Airport’s security on Sept. 11, 2001.