Daily Archives: November 4, 2011

Friday Open Thread [11.4.11]

I had to share this from BustedTees. Love it.

Your political quote of the day is:

“It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people’s minds.” – Samuel Adams

“A year ago the unemployment rate was 9.7 percent. During this time, nonfarm jobs have grown at an average monthly rate of 152,000 while civilian employment has grown at a rate of 140,000 per month. In other words, we don’t need 150,000 jobs per month just to keep the unemployment rate steady. Because of the aging of the labor force, 150,000 jobs per month is more than enough to push down the jobless rate.

Very quietly, without fanfare, private-sector payrolls have grown by 1.8 million in the past year, while the work week has lengthened and hourly cash wages are up 1.8 percent.

Total hours worked are up 1.7 percent in the past year. A 9 percent unemployment rate means the labor market is still far from operating at its full potential, but it is moving in the right direction as are other data. October chain store sales were up 3.7 percent versus a year ago, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. This includes luxury department store sales (up 4.5 percent) and wholesale clubs, excluding fuel (up 7 percent). Meanwhile, compared to a year ago, core railcar loadings are up 5.8 percent, steel production is up 10.3 percent, and hotel occupancy rates are up 6.8 percent.

Again, there are no signs of recession. Instead, plenty of signs of continued growth,” – Bob Stein, National Review.

Bullying Okay If Done In The Name Of God

One only has to venture over to a Conservative blog to understand that if these people ever got their way they’d burn the rest of us at the stake.  But until that day arrives they’re content to let children be bullied in the name of their morality and their god.

The [Michigan pro-bullying] bill lays out what exactly constitutes bullying, but in one key part it says that the legislation does not prohibit First Amendment rights, and “does not prohibit a statement of a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction of a school employee, school volunteer, pupil, or a pupil’s parent or guardian.”

The Detroit News reports that Senate Dems tried to add language that would specifically prohibit bullying on the basis of race, gender, sexual preference, etc., but were unsuccessful.

“I am ashamed that this could be Michigan’s bill on anti-bullying when in fact it is a ‘bullying is OK in Michigan law,’” Kevin Eppling, the father of the bill’s namesake, said in a letter.

Wow!  It even gives adults (teachers, administrators, school volunteers, parents) the power to bully kids.  So if the child is of a different religion?  Say whatever you want… as long as your sincere.  Different race?  Well, if you sincerely believe that his/her race is inferior… have at it.  Gay?  Feel free to point out their sinful ways.  Think boys are better than girls (or vice versa)?  Just keep sincerely pointing this out.

Michigan hasn’t written an anti-bullying law.  It’s written a “How To Bully” handbook.

Wonder how long these guys/gal would support their pro-bullying stance if an atheist/Muslim/Jewish student started sincerely stating their beliefs to little Christian ears?

John Carney Capitulates On His Democratic Principles, If He Ever Had Any

John Carney, ladies and gentlemen, YOUR Democratic Congressman. You know what John Carney did yesterday? He literally signed away the principles upon which the Democratic Party has been built. Principles that have served working families, the poor, the elderly, and the middle class for over 80 years.

How did he do this? He signed a letter along with 60 Democrats and 40 Republicans to the so-called bipartisan ‘Super Committee’. A letter that once again makes deficit reduction the number one governmental priority, and apparently bipartisanship the number one-A priority, at a time when people have lost their jobs, their homes, are seeing services slashed, and are losing all hope. Read the article and try to wrap your collective heads around the fact that John Carney signed it. Oh, and here’s the letter that John Carney signed. (Warning PDF).

Got that? “…(A)ll options for mandatory and discretionary spending and revenues must be on the table.” Translation: “If you would prettyprettyplease consider some modest tax increases, we’re willing to sell Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, infrastructure spending, you name it, dear ‘bipartisan Rethuglicans’, down the river.” By the way, as soon as the letter was made public, Grover Norquist made clear that tax increases are off the table. How does your ‘bipartisanship’ work for you now, John?

Also: “We understand from other bipartisan frameworks (the Catfood Commission) that a target of some $4 trillion in deficit reduction necessary to stabilize our debt…”. Because, you know, doing things like increasing government spending for creating jobs, building our infrastructure, and protecting those who have fallen through the social safety net never works. Except, of course, during the New Deal when a real Democratic president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt didn’t give two shits about bipartisanship’, and brought us out of the Great Depression. At a time when government spending is desperately needed to throw our middle- and working-classes a lifeline, Carper’s green eyeshade guy John Carney believes that cutting the deficit by $4 trillion is the most important thing government can do.

And John Carney believes that ‘bipartisanship’ is so important that he’ll head right down what even Barack Obama has finally and apparently realized is a dead end.

John, at what point do you realize that you can’t negotiate with terrorists? The Rethugs’ strategy is out there for everybody to see: Screw the economy, let the rich vacuum up any and all remaining wealth in this country, and then blame it on the Democrats. To the extent that there are bipartisan Republicans in Congress, and I doubt that they number in double digits, they’re not calling the shots. Do you really intend to go to the J-J Dinner next week and tell people that you’re fighting for working families. Because, if you do, that would be a lie, a big fat bald-faced lie.

Your actions effectively help sabotage efforts by real Democrats who are trying to help those who need help and trying to help balance the scales between the haves and the have-nots. What you do here is give aid and comfort to the enemy while denying hope to those who are fast losing hope.

This is precisely what we don’t need and can’t have out of a supposed Democratic Congressman. We’ve been stuck with Tom Carper in elective office for almost 30 years now. You’ve been in Congress for less than 2. We can’t afford any more Tom Carper acolytes in Congress, and that means you, if you don’t heed this message. By your actions here, you have effectively proclaimed that you couldn’t care less about the base of the Democratic Party and you couldn’t care less about those most in need of governmental action. You’ve effectively proven that whenever you bring up the working class roots of Ashbourne Hills, from whence you came, you state it as someone who is relieved that he doesn’t have to go back. Maybe you should go back, just to find out how high ‘bipartisanship’ and cutting ‘4 trillion’ from the Federal deficit are valued by people who are trying to care for their families in these terrible times. They’re not valued at all, BTW.

Look, we all know here that Carper is hopeless, a totally-owned subsidiary of those who shovel corporate cash into his campaign coffers. So far, all you’ve proven is that you have a tin ear and a canine-like devotion to Delaware’s Only Elected Robot. It’s not too late, but it’s getting there. Either participate in Congress as a REAL Democrat or get the hell out of the way.

On a related note, from John Carney’s office:

U.S. Rep. Carney Reminds Delawareans of First Nationwide Test of Emergency Alert System

John, for you, and for us, this isn’t a test, it’s a real emergency. Look in the mirror. If you see a reflection, ask yourself what you really hope to accomplish as a Congressman. If you can’t honestly say that you wish to represent the principles of your party, either change your registration or step aside for someone who will represent the heart and soul of Delaware. Because, right now, you’re not representing us.