Thursday Open Thread

Welcome to your Thursday open thread. Spring is really here – how many of you are suffering from allergies? I’ve never been an allergy sufferer but my co-workers are sniffling up a storm lately.

Chuck Schumer sees an opportunity to drive a wedge between Wall Street and Republicans. More like this please.

Politico reports today that Boehner has been “reaching out to top Wall Street players asking how close Congress can get to the May 16th deadline (or July 8th drop-dead date) for raising the debt limit without seriously unnerving financial markets.” At least one executive responded by warning Boehner that allowing the debt ceiling deadline to get too close could be very damaging, Politico reports.

Now Chuck Schumer is jumping on the report as proof that Boehner’s flirtation with the Tea Party is playing Russian roulette with the economy in a way that could alienate the GOP’s business base. In a statement sent my way, Schumer said:

“The Speaker seems to be testing out how far he can venture onto a frozen lake before the ice breaks. He should listen to business leaders who are telling him to watch his step. Messing around with the debt ceiling just to satisfy the Tea Party will lead to higher interest rates and an economic cataclysm.”

How surprised are you that Boehner went to the big money boys to ask permission to play with the world economy?

Oklahoma Senator Inhofe is not only a climate denier, he’s also a raging arsehole:

On October 21, 2010, Inhofe landed his plane on a runway that was closed and marked with an X, apparently scattering construction workers and nearly hitting a truck. According to an FAA report, Inhofe noticed the X, but “still elected to land avoiding the men and equipment on the runway.”

Shortly after the incident, the man supervising the construction, Sidney Boyd, spoke on the phone with the FAA, and said the landing “scared the crap out of us.” (Listen to the audio here.) Boyd said he thought the driver of the truck Inhofe almost hit “actually wet his britches.”

“James Inhofe, they tell me he’s a Senator from Oklahoma,” Boyd can be heard saying.

According to Boyd, Inhofe’s plane initially touched down, and then “sky hopped” over six vehicles and personnel working on the runway, before landing for good.

“He was determined to land on that runway come hell or high water, evidently,” Boyd said.

In another FAA recording, airport manager Marshall Reece can be heard saying he has “got over 50 years flying, three tours of Vietnam, and I can assure you I have never seen such a reckless disregard for human life in my life.”

Why did he do this? I wonder if Inhofe will have to answer questions about this to the press. What about the FAA? Was this a violation of law?