It’s Not Nice to Point and Laugh
But in this instance, via Media Matters, I’ll make an exception:
So long, candidate whatsyerface...and thanks for all the whatever.
Cheers and Jeers for Thursday, December 8, 2022
Note: Only 7 days left to sign up for ACA health insurance at Healthcare.gov for coverage starting January 1st. Pass it on.
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By the Numbers:
Days 'til Festivus: 15
Days 'til the lighting of the National Menorah: 10
Number of Biden judges confirmed as of Tuesday: 90
Percent by which U.S. lumber prices have dropped from their peak in May 2021: 78%
New deadline for folks needing a federally-approved Real ID card for travel: 5/1/2025
Year the Boeing 747, for which production is ending this week, first rolled off the assembly line: 1969
Number of passenger versions of the 747 still being used, 25 of them for Lufthansa: 44
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Your Thursday Molly Ivins Moment:
Some Christians seem to me inclined to lose track of love, compassion and mercy. I don't think I have any special brief to go around judging them, but when the stink of hypocrisy becomes so foul in the nostrils it makes you start to puke it becomes necessary to point out there is one more good reason to observe the separation of church and state: If God keeps hanging out with politicians, it's gonna hurt his reputation. […]
I'm afraid one actually has to allow for the denial and self-delusion that make it possible for people to be both self-righteous and sleazy at the same time. We are all capable of fooling ourselves in a grand variety of ways. […]
So here we sit, watching a great, stinking skein of corruption being fished to the surface of Washington, while the town is simultaneously filled with a great babble about God, prayer and morality. Corruption trails head off in all directions—lobbyists, wives, jobs, perverting intelligence, outing agents for petty revenge—all this and a prayer breakfast every day.
—December 2005
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Puppy Pic of the Day: Happy birthday #10 (65'ish in human years, we’re told) to C&J's rescue lab-mix and cancer survivor Haley. One of the happiest and smartest dogs we've ever had the privilege of being owned by, SBDs and all. Everyone: please enjoy the free birthday breakfast kibble in the C&J cafeteria this morning (we’re putting out extra ketchup) in honor of our goofy ol' dawg from Macon, Georgia, seen here in her autumn portrait taken Tuesday:
Happy birthday, old lady
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JEERS to crime-committing criminals and the crimey crimes they commit. You can throw this on top of the country's tallest busted-for-fraud pile along with his fake university, his racist housing violations, his non-profit charity-skimming scam, and etcetera:
A jury in New York on Tuesday found the Trump Organization guilty of all charges in a sweeping, 15-year tax fraud scheme that prosecutors said was orchestrated by top executives at the company.
Jurors deliberated for just over a day before returning the guilty verdicts on a total of 17 counts, including scheme to defraud, conspiracy, criminal tax fraud and falsifying business records. The company faces roughly $1.6 million in fines when it's sentenced.
“The former president’s companies now stand convicted of crimes" … Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told reporters, calling the underlying case one of “greed and cheating.”
Between this and Warnock's win, they're gonna be cleaning ketchup off the walls at Mar-a-Lago for days.
CHEERS to C&J Theater. I’m very excited about the Tony buzz surrounding my latest one-act play:
The Scene: The Oval Office
Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
Well, Mr. President, I'm happy to report that, with a 51 vote majority, Republicans lost their ability to slow-walk your judicial nominations We’ve been very busy.
President Biden
That's just great…no joke, no joke. Terrific. As my dear mother, God rest her soul, always used to say, "Joey," she said, "Show me your judges and I'll show you who you are." So how are the confirmations coming along?
Schumer
Well, Mr. President, as of this morning we've confirmed—[Checks notes]—nine million, two hundred thirty seven thousand and twelve judges.
President Biden
Ho! Get back, Jack!
[Curtain down]
I’ve already gotten offers from the Schubert and Majestic Theaters. I think I'll string ‘em along ‘til I hear from the Lyric.
CHEERS to great moments in feeling good. 178 years ago this week, in 1844, laughing gas was used by a dentist for the first time. They don’t rely on it as much these days. They achieved better results by putting TVs on the ceiling tuned to Fox News.
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BRIEF SANITY BREAK
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END BRIEF SANITY BREAK
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JEERS to compassionate conservabuttheads. As income inequality unnecessarily continues squeezing Americans, we're reminded that 39 years ago this week, Attorney General Ed Meese claimed that people go to soup kitchens "because food is free and that's easier than paying for it." Could Reagan pick 'em or could Reagan pick 'em?
CHEERS to a regular source of good news. If you want to lift your day with a piping-hot mug of optimism and you've already read the Good News Roundup here at Kos de la Daily, White House chief of staff Ron Klain's twitter feed is a great place to go. Here are a few of the nuggets he posted that are refreshing because they're not couched in the media's habitual chorus of "yeah, but…" that they employ to cast a sheen of doubt on the good news:
☺ This is the first time the Manheim used-car index "has dropped below 200 since August 2021.”
☺ Joe Biden is the first President to not have even one of his party's Senators lose in his first midterm since FDR in 1934.
☺ For the second straight day, the national average price of gasoline is starting below its year ago level, $3.324/gal, 3.6 cents below a year ago.
☺ Under POTUS' leadership, we are seeing long-term plans to make America an advanced manufacturing leader....
☺ Senate Confirms 90th Biden Judge—and Nearly Half Are Women of Color
☺ CEO Tim Cook said Apple will build chips in the US for the first time in nearly a decade
☺ Another day, another big announcement of good-paying manufacturing jobs from POTUS
☺ Yes: We took over from Donald Trump a deficit that was more than $3T in FY20, and in just two years we cut by more than half. That is the fastest/sharpest decline in the deficit EVER. That’s fiscal responsibility.
☺ UNITED AIRLINES CEO: "If I didn't watch CNBC in the morning -- which I do -- the word 'recession' wouldn't be in my vocabulary. You just can't see it in our data."
Those stories and more coming tonight on your evening network newscast. Not.
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Ten years ago in C&J: December 8, 2012
CHEERS to cutting and running from the crazy. Dick Armey, who was instrumental in helping found the tea party movement and all the corporation-funded bullshit it stood for, is cutting all ties with Freedomworks:
Armey indicated that he wants nothing to do with FreedomWorks anymore. He asked that all user names, passwords, and security-related data created in his name be emailed to him by the close of business on December 4. He even insisted that FreedomWorks—"effective immediately"—was "prohibited" from using a booklet he authored.
Armey leaves with an $8 million severance package. Mark it down in the history books: the moran actually had a brain. Well played, sir.
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And just one more…
CHEERS to A Timely and Necessary Musical Interlude. 42 years ago today, on December 8, 1980, John Lennon was gunned down by some idiot. I was 16 and getting ready for school when I heard the news that day (oh boy), and it's hard to fathom that I'm now nearly twenty years older than he was—40—when he was killed. Lennon believed that all you need is love, give peace a chance and war is over if you want it. And this, too…
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Today there will be commemorations of John Lennon's life and peace activism. Pay no attention to the war industry and the NRA rolling their eyes. They’re assholes.
Have a nice Thursday. Floor's open...What are you cheering and jeering about today?
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Today's Shameless C&J Testimonial
"I know a lot of people think Bill in Portland Maine has movie star looks, but let's be honest: It takes a village to style a star into being the kiddie pool's Sexiest Man Alive."
—Matt Damon
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