Tuesday Open Thread [10.7.14]

Tuesday Open Thread [10.7.14]

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It is going to be very ironic if the GOP pulls off winning the six seats they need to gain the majority in the Senate (i.e. Montana, West Virginia, South Dakota, Louisiana, Arkansas and Alaska) only to lose three seats that put the Democrats back in control (i.e. Kansas, Georgia, and Kentucky). But right now, that is the state of play...

Monday Open Thread [10.6.14]

Megan Thee-Brenan compares Americans’ views on the economy to Obama’s approval ratings:
The economy outpaced all other issues in importance to voters in a New York Times/CBS News poll in mid-September, and 44 percent of Americans rated the economy as good. This marked the highest positive reading since 2007. Even as Americans are feeling better about the economy, they decline to credit the president with its improvement. The Times/CBS News poll found 53 percent of Americans disapproved of Mr. Obama’s handling of the economy, and his overall job approval rating was under water, with 40 percent approving and 50 percent disapproving.
How Paul Waldman explains this disconnect:
[D]espite the healthy job growth, incomes aren’t rising. A good economy isn’t just one where you’ve got a job, it’s one where you’ve got a job and you’re being paid what you’re worth. The income benefits of the recovery have all gone to the top. Millions of people are also still digging themselves out of the holes they got into during the Great Recession, whether it was foreclosure, credit card debt, or what have you. Even if you now have a reasonably good job, if you lost your home and cashed out your 401K on the way, it isn’t like things are looking spectacular.
And so they blame Obama, who saved the country from Depression, and are going to install the Republican Party, who promises to give even more of their money to the wealthy, and whose policies make another Depression likely. No one ever said the American voter was particularly smart.
The “Voluntary” End of Slavery

The “Voluntary” End of Slavery

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a conservative member of the state Board of Education in Colorado, which has attempted to reject the AP History Framework and force a "patriotic" revisionist history that glorifies America at all times and ignores ugly blemishes in our past, has said in recent debates that America deserves credit, and praise, for voluntarily ending slavery. From Talking Points Memo, this is what she said:
[Businesswoman Pam Mazanec] then wrote that her concern for the course "is an overly negative view of our history and many of our historical figures (if mentioned)" and cited history professors with "impressive credentials" who told her that the AP History curriculum is designed to "downplay our noble history." She used slavery to illustrate the point:
As an example, I note our slavery history. Yes, we practiced slavery. But we also ended it voluntarily, at great sacrifice, while the practice continues in many countries still today! Shouldn't our students be provided that viewpoint? This is part of the argument that America is exceptional. Does our APUSH Framework support or denigrate that position?
This is a perfect example of the conservative oversimplification of history.

Friday Open Thread [10.3.14]

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The Bureau of Labor Statistics released September’s employment figures on Friday and it was almost entirely good news. The economy added 248,000 new jobs during the month and the unemployment rate dropped to 5.9%. This is the lowest level the jobless rate has been since July 2008. The BLS also revised jobs numbers upwards for the months of August and July, revealing that we actually added 61,000 more jobs than previously estimated during those two months.
Punkin Chunkin Sunken

Punkin Chunkin Sunken

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I just posted this so I could claim that headline.
The marquee Delaware event since 1986 won't be held this year. The pumpkins will not be flying this year after logistical problems in moving the annual Punkin Chunkin event to Dover International Speedway. Earlier this summer, World Championship Punkin Chunkin leaders announced a deal to move the event from its traditional home in Bridgeville to Dover. Organizers were forced to find a new home after the property it had been held on was unable to host it anymore.

“Delaware millionaire gets prison sentence”

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I think we can all agree that it is pretty rare for an actual 1%er to get jail time. So rare, in fact, that I think the NJ headline writer did a good job capturing the essence of this surprising story.
Delaware millionaire gets prison sentence PHILADELPHIA – Former eBay executive Christopher Saridakis of Greenville, Delaware, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for insider trading Wednesday by a U.S. District Court judge.