From the GREAT STATE OF MAINE…
A Moment of Navel Gazing, If You Please
Happy 15th blogiversary to the persnicketiest band of muckrakers and misfits in Blogger Land. It all started when a dirty fucking hippie named Markos Hemp Flower Rainbow Tesla Moonbat Benghazi Moulitsas emerged from his law-school cocoon, flapped his tie-dye wings on May 26, 2002, and proclaimed: “I am progressive. I am liberal. I make no apologies.”
"The" Daily Kos percolated for several months before I discovered it (via the Dean for America blog) and got addicted to the cattle calls. After that, all hell broke loose and it's been a sprint for world domination ever since. (Latvia signed its surrender papers yesterday and, in keeping with our time-honored custom, we ransacked the presidential palace.)
Today we have an amazing (and nationally-celebrated) Elections team, a radio crew, an activism and community-building arm, amazing front-page and diary contributors, award-winning cartoonists who regularly draw a crowd, and groups within the community that focus on everything from environmental issues and labor to gardening and the day's top comments. Among our registered members: Elizabeth Warren, Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter and Stephen Colbert. Not bad, eh?
Despite the booger flinging meta wars, sigh-inducing GBCWs, and the sheer crazy volume of information that gets posted every day, The 'The' "The" Daily Kos is still a kickass source of netroots-level analysis, opinion, issue-vetting, fundraising, snarking, storytelling and flying furniture, and only a fool would try to herd our breed of cats. So from all of me to all of you---especially you, Kos, our mighty Keyboard Kingpin and your “squadrons of rabid lambs”---Happy 15th blogiversary from user ID #2574. May your hearts remain progressive...and your hands always be filled with freedom pies.
P.S. Kos wrote a blogiversary post earlier today. You should read it.
Your west coast-friendly edition of Cheers and Jeers starts below the fold... [Swoosh!!] RIGHTNOW! [Gong!!]
Cheers and Jeers for Friday, May 26 2017
Note: C&J will be closed for the Memorial Day holiday. We'll return Tuesday to show off our new American eagle tattoo made entirely out of lawn dart wounds.
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By the Numbers:
Days 'til the special election in Georgia's 6th district: 25
Days 'til the Sacajawea Bluegrass Festival in Pasco, Washington: 14
NYPD's Trump security tab through June 1: $42.5 Million
Number of available vacation days that Americans collectively did not take in 2016: 662 million
Average raise by the typical CEO at America's largest companies last year, equaling $11 million each according to AP: 8.5%
Date of the first Memorial Day: 5/30/1868
Estimated number of Americans who will be traveling at least 50 miles for the holiday, according to AAA: 40 million
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Puppy Pic of the Day: Monday we also remember the fallen military canines. Iconic image taken at the War Dog Memorial and Cemetery in Guam…
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CHEERS to coming thiiiiiiis close. God love Democrat Rob Quist, he campaigned his heart out and did everything right as he pursued Montana's only House seat. But even with his opponent's savage attack on a Guardian reporter (aka a human being) Wednesday night, the state was just too red for him to prevail. It was a squeaker, though: the Republican asshole Greg Gin Fart barely made it to 50 percent. So on that score, Democrats looking ahead to other special elections (and the Big Kahuna on November 6th, 2018) have yet another sign that a Big-D tidal wave is nigh. Wax your surf boards.
JEERS to dynamiting America. Lord Dampnut has belched out his proposed federal budget, and judging by all the boners lasting longer than four hours in the House (all the Republicans in the Senate wear Depends, so I can’t tell what's goin' on down there) it's as bad as anyone could've expected. This is how Maine is reacting to the news, and I expect your neck of the woods is similarly gobsmacked at the carnage. Keep in mind: this is Trump’s idea of making America great again...
The cuts to discretionary programs would disrupt scientific research and social services, hack funding to public broadcasting and Maine universities and scientific research institutions, and disrupt the economic prospects of fishing, forestry and former mill communities.
“It’s pretty much a full-on attack on environmental protection in America and would have a crippling impact here in Maine, because we depend so heavily on clean air, clean water, and a brand identity that is defined by our environment,” says Pete Didisheim, advocacy director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “There hasn’t been any positive motion with this final budget, if anything it’s gotten slightly worse.” […] The budget would cut state grants to help states meet federal clean air and clean water laws by 44 percent.
On the bright side, um…erm…I'll have to get back to you on that.
JEERS to petty stooges. In a proud moment for the Republican party, forty-five years ago tomorrow, in 1972, the White House "plumbers" hit the Democratic National Headquarters at the Watergate Hotel, setting in motion a series of events that would lead to Nixon's resignation in disgrace. The first clue that something was amiss: their bill was reasonable.
CHEERS to today's game of "Spot the Big Baby!" Rules are simple: just look at this photo of world leaders taking part in the NATO summit in Brussels and spot the big baby…
Scoring: Everyone give yourself 100 points because, duh, you obviously spotted the big baby right away. Give yourself an extra 50 if you noticed that Justin Trudeau was sitting as far away from him as possible.
CHEERS to the birthday legislator. Happy birthday to reliably progressive congresswoman Jan Schakowsky of Illinois's 9th District, who turns hrffhrrf years old today. She won her first election in 1999 and has landslided (landslode?) her pitiful opponents to re-election ever since. Here's a snip of her reaction to the latest CBO score on the giant money grab masquerading as a health care bill known as "Trumpcare":
“Today’s CBO report confirmed that after trying to bring Trumpcare back from the dead, Republicans produced a zombie bill that remains a disaster for the American people.
This bill still rips healthcare away from tens of millions of people, still means people with pre-existing conditions won’t be able to afford care, and still leaves all Americans paying a lot more for far worse care. To add insult to injury, the crippling age tax created by the original Trumpcare only gets worse with this update. A 64 year old living on an income of $26,500 could see their premium increase by up to 847%. … Remember---this is the bill that President Trump, Speaker Ryan, and House Republicans celebrated with a party in the Rose Garden.
“Only 17% of Americans supported the original Trumpcare bill. Given today’s devastating report, I wouldn’t bet on that number going up any time soon.”
Tonight in the C&J tiki hut: Chicago-style deep-dish pizza...and no effing knife and fork.
CHEERS to masking tape. It was invented on this date In 1930. It has a million and one uses, but to shut up a Republican blowhard only duct tape will do.
CHEERS to home vegetation. Here's some of the haps on TV this weekend, starting tonight with an MSNBC reality check by Hayes, Maddow and O'Donnell. (Yes, I'm on a last name basis with them---so proud.) TCM has a three-day Memorial Day movie marathon with war-flick classics like Tora, Tora, Tora and 12 O'Clock High. New home video releases include the smash hit horror comedy Get Out and the return of Wolverine in Logan.
Two major sports events happen Sunday: the Indy 500 (ABC) and the PGA Senior Open (NBC). The baseball schedule is here. Stanley Cup game 1 between Pittsburgh and Nashville happens Monday at 8. No NBA games until next Thursday when Golden State and Cleveland play Game 1 of the Wilt Chamberlain Cup championship. On 60 Minutes: a 99-year-old survivor of the Bataan death march who still walks the trail every year…and making homes more impervious to wildfires. And Sunday at 9: the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS, thankfully without any Trumps in attendance to ruin it.
Now here's your Sunday morning lineup:
Meet the Press: Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly; New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu (D) talks about his speech in support of the removal of Confederate statues; Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN). Joy Reid sits in on the pundit roundtable.
This Week: Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA); DHS Secretary John Kelly; Caroline Kennedy.
Face the Nation: Filmmaker Ken Burns on his upcoming Vietnam War documentary; Secretary of Defense (and the only member of trump’s cabinet who isn’t certifiably nuts) James Mattis; former acting Director of the CIA Michael Morell on just how badly Trump and his team fucked up overseas this week; Senior Fellow at Brookings and the editor-in-chief of Lawfare Benjamin Wittes on just how hot the water that Jared Jushner is in is in.
CNN's State of the Union: Caroline Kennedy; Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Lindsey Graham (R-Pawpatch County); Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel; on the pundit panel: the last sane Michigan Governor, Jennifer Granholm, and some guy I’m not familiar with named Santorum. I’ll just Google his name and...gaaahhhh!!!!!
Fox GOP Talking Points Sunday: Sens. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL); Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly.
Happy viewing!
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Ten years ago in C&J: May 26, 2007
CHEERS to perfect timing. At yesterday's White House bamboozle conference, President Bush was making a statement praising Alberto Gonzales when a dive-bombing sparrow shit on him. It then turned tail and flew back home to his cage at Jimmy Carter's house.
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And just one more…
CHEERS to multitasking. As our endorphins go wild over the prospect that our first warm-weather holiday weekend (and the unofficial start of summer) is upon us, some letter writers to USA Today remind us of the solemn reason for the occasion, including this from Muslim-American Arsala Ahmad Khan of Virginia:
As immigrants to this country, my family and I are grateful for the liberties and freedoms provided to us---with the freedom of religion being very dear to us.
I understand that none of this could ever be possible without the sacrifices of those brave men and women in our armed forces. Many Muslim Americans feel so strongly about the liberties afforded us,they serve in the armed forces to further secure our American ideals. […]
We implore our leaders, our representatives in this democratic government, to operate on principles of justice and to always strive to prevent the loss of innocent life. We should strive for peace instead of more war.
And while you're at it, take a few extra moments to reflect on Dwight Eisenhower's words: "I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity." Me, too. Minus the living it part, but I'll take his word for it.
Have a great weekend and a safe holiday. Floor's open...What are you cheering and jeering about today?
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