How Do We Get Outta Here? Ideas From Dylan Ratigan

How Do We Get Outta Here? Ideas From Dylan Ratigan

4 Comments
Like many of you and a few visionaries around the country, I'm sure trying to figure out how we change the interlocked political and economic systems which brought us to this place none of us like.  You know, Gridlock and Crisis City, exemplified by last weeks nightmare.  These systems served us reasonably well early on in our nation, but clearly, in their present forms, they've outlived their usefulness. Remember Dylan Ratigan?  He delivered  epic rants on the Bush bailout and the too big to fail fiasco on MSNBC and then abruptly left.  He reemerged with a hydroponic farm venture in California.  Quite a change from a really good career in finance journalism, including with Bloomberg, NBC and MSNBC.  I loved his show and hated to see him go. I regard him as one of the visionaries I want to listen to in search of solutions to the current wheel spinning we are doing.   I don't know if I really agree with him, or not.  I'm still trying to wrap my brain around some of his concepts.  I am particularly uncomfortable with his critique of the role our two main political parties play in getting us where we are right now.  He thinks parties ought to go away, replaced by a sort of direct democracy model.  While often critical of my Democrats, I still cling to the belief we offer the best way out of this bad dream. But let me summarize some of his thinking for your perusal. If you want to go deeper, go to his web site.  Just Google his name. He sees an American Renaissance bubbling up from the grassroots. 
Ladies and Gentlemen, my opponent is a Republican.

Ladies and Gentlemen, my opponent is a Republican.

11 Comments
The world has changed since the shut down, and Democrats now have pickup opportunities in 49 of 61 districts surveyed by PPP. "But," people will say, "The election is a year out. People will forget?" To which I reply, "Awesome!" and "No they won't forget." A year out is perfect. This news cannot but help with Democratic recruitment and fundraising. And does anybody really think that the Republicans are about to suddenly go all sane and reasonable in the next 12 months? I don't.
Two more 2nd amendment martyrs in Nevada

Two more 2nd amendment martyrs in Nevada

8 Comments
This is okay because, otherwise tyranny.
Two people are dead and two children critically wounded after gunfire erupted Monday at a Nevada middle school, Sparks police said. The Reno Gazette-Journal, citing Sparks City Manager Shawn Carey, said the shooter was killed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. "We believe the suspect has been neutralized," the Sparks Police Department said on its website, without further details. Angela Rambo, spokeswoman for Renown Regional Hospital, said the hospital had received two male patients, both minors, and both were in critical condition. Reno deputy chief Tom Robinson said there were 150 to 200 personnel that secured the school and the surrounding area. Robinson, addressing parents during a press conference, said "I can tell them to rest assured. The schools are safe. The rest of the city is safe."
Perspective on the Obamacare Rollout

Perspective on the Obamacare Rollout

15 Comments
Now that the GOP hostage-taking is done, the media is ready to pay attention to the Obamacare rollout. It is been frought with problems -- access to the website, errors on the website, transfers of data to the insurance companies and it just sounds like the failure of the century. Certainly something like this *should* roll out better, but I can't think of a tech rollout that I've seen that has been glitchless. If you've used Faceboook long enough, you know that every time they change their interface, the place is glitch-city until they fix it. Facebook is not the same as Obamacare, of course, but Obamacare isn't the only health care initiative that had a great many issues when it rolled out. So how about a reminder?
Michael Newbold Castle Trail Opens at the C&D Canal

Michael Newbold Castle Trail Opens at the C&D Canal

5 Comments
St. Georges – Former Delaware Governor and United States Congressman Michael Castle was the honored guest today as Governor Jack A. Markell joined U.S. Senator Chris Coons, U.S. Congressman John Carney, Deputy Secretary Nicole Majeski, Department of Transportation (DelDOT), and Secretary Collin O’Mara, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) in cutting the ribbon on the new Michael N. Castle Trail on the north bank of the C&D Canal. "I would encourage Delawareans to enjoy the trail, traveling from east to west. Traveling from west to east is also a fine choice that should not be discounted. Of course, I would not discourage anyone from just standing on the trail either." remarked Castle.
Keep your J Bone insults fresh with the Boehner insult generator

Keep your J Bone insults fresh with the Boehner insult generator

5 Comments
If you are a teabag who is at your wit's end - unable to come up with one more insult to direct at J Bone via twitter - don't worry.

Sleazy Breitbart-betraying RINO bastard. Paid-off treason-loving RINO bastard.

These don't even scratch the surface... This on-line teabag insult generator searches the web for insults directed at J Bone. Then, using science, it recombines them into new and interesting insults for you to fling at the orange man.
Capriotti’s Bobbie to Represent Delaware in National Sandwich Olympics*

Capriotti’s Bobbie to Represent Delaware in National Sandwich Olympics*

8 Comments
According Zagat, the Bobbie is our best bet to bring home the gold:
Thanksgiving dinner year-round? Yes, please. This Wilmington sub shop is famous for their holiday hoagie, made with in-house roasted turkey, stuffing, a dollop of cranberry sauce and a smear of mayo. The result? World’s best Thanksgiving - sans the family drama.
Not even the best sandwich on the menu, let alone one of the best 50 sandwiches in the country. Spare me the dry turkey and give me a Capistrami any day.

What If You Held a “Fix the Debt” Twitter Chat and Only People Hip to Your Scam Showed Up?

4 Comments
This is nothing but awesome sauce. The astroturf group Fix the Debt had a live Twitter chat yesterday to try to keep spinning up the fearmongering on the debt and they got trolled Big.Time -- by smart citizens who know that Fix the Debt is nothing but a front to eliminate Social Security and to cripple us with their austerity program. If you are on Twitter, you can look at #fixthedebtqa to see the fun up close and personal. But here are a few sites who are posting up some of the favorite Tweets:

TGIF Open Thread [10.18.13]

6 Comments
Ron Fournier:
"Faced now with the choice between partisan politics and a risky high ground, the president has an opportunity to leverage this 'victory' for a long-term budget deal that raises taxes and tames entitlements. Obama won. Now can he lead? Does he have the guts to anger liberal backers with a budget deal on Social Security and Medicare? Is he willing to engage sincerely with Republicans? Does he want a legacy beyond winning two elections and enacting a health care law that, judging by its horrendous launch, may never live up to its promise? If the answer to those questions is 'yes,' Obama has hidden his intentions well."
Give me a fucking break. Why is it that these idiot pundits always turn to "can he lead and can he engage with Republicans?" The only thing, THE ONLY FUCKING THING, that is preventing a pretty massive Grand Bargain in DC that will anger us liberals is the Republican intransigence on not raising one more cent in revenue. They refuse to close loopholes and tax giveaways for their rich friends and corporations, because it increases their taxes. When will Ron Fournier ask the Republicans when they will engage?