Wednesday Open Thread | Earth, Wind and Fire Week

Posted on February 10, 2016 by rikyrah

Part of loving Earth, Wind & Fire…was their album covers…they always made a statement.

 

EWF Album Cover-2

EWF Album Cover-3

EWF Album Cover-1

EWF Album Cover-4

EWF Album Cover-5

EWF Album Cover-7

EWF Album Cover-8

EWF Album Cover-9

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99 Responses to Wednesday Open Thread | Earth, Wind and Fire Week

  1. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 9:24 pm

    Stop Bernie-Splaining to Black Voters
    Charles M. Blow FEB. 10, 2016

    Now that Iowa and New Hampshire are vanishing in the rearview mirror, the Democratic contests shift more West and South — beginning with Nevada and South Carolina, states that have significantly more Hispanic or black voters, respectively, who at this point disproportionately favor Hillary Clinton to Bernie Sanders.

    This support for Clinton, particular among African-American voters, is for some perplexing and for others irritating.

    I cannot tell you the number of people who have commented to me on social media that they don’t understand this support. “Don’t black folks understand that Bernie best represents their interests?” the argument generally goes. But from there, it can lead to a comparison between Sanders and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; to an assertion that Sanders is the Barack Obama that we really wanted and needed; to an exasperated “black people are voting against their interests” stance.

    If only black people knew more, understood better, where the candidates stood — now and over their lifetimes — they would make a better choice, the right choice. The level of condescension in these comments is staggering.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/11/opinion/campaign-stops/stop-bernie-splaining-to-black-voters.html?smid=tw-share&_r=1

    Reply
  2. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 9:20 pm

    Chicago Black Restaurant Week launches with discounts at 15 restaurants

    By Sadé Carpenter
    Chicago Tribune
    Chicago Restaurant Week may be over, but this week marks the start of the first Chicago Black Restaurant Week (CBRW). Created to bring awareness to black-owned eateries throughout Chicagoland, the week of discounts will run through Feb. 13.

    CBRW creator and social media specialist Lauran Smith chose to host the event during the second week of February to honor Negro History Week, the precursor to Black History Month.

    Participating restaurants include Truth Italian in Bronzeville, Peach’s on 47th, Flavor in the South suburbs and Hyde Park’s Litehouse Whole Food Grill. For the full list, visit chicagoblackrestaurantweek.com.

    http://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/ct-chicago-black-restaurant-week-where-to-eat-story.html

    Reply
  3. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:51 pm

    for my Chicago folks. always looking for a new Black business to support:

    A ‘Lil’ Something Hot Cafe Brings Coffee, Paninis, Wraps & More to Beverly

    By Howard Ludwig | February 10, 2016 6:19am

    @howardaludwig

    BEVERLY — Letecia Newbon took it as a sign from above when she saw a vacancy in Beverly’s Jesus is Lord Plaza.

    Eight months later, Newbon opened A “Lil” Something Hot Cafe. The coffee shop at 1455 W. 103rd St. sells a full array of coffee along with sandwiches, wraps, salads, smoothies and more.

    “I have been wanting a coffee shop for nine or 10 years now,” Newbon said.

    Newbon, a South Deering resident, officially opened her modest cafe Saturday. The hours are 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays.

    https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20160210/beverly/lil-something-hot-cafe-brings-coffee-paninis-wraps-more-beverly

    Reply
    • eliihass says:
      February 10, 2016 at 8:43 pm

      Benjamin Jealous deflects and doesn’t answer when asked if he will support Hillary if she’s the eventual Democratic nominee…

      And just as I wondered out loud here a while back, Mr Jealous asks: How does one go from working alongside Marian Edelman-Wright at the Children’s Defense Fund, to pushing the black children as ‘Super-Predators’ narrative next…

      Doesn’t add up…

      Political opportunism mixed with callous – even if latent, racism that never really saw black boys as children ultimately..

      Reply
  5. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:28 pm

    Brandon Wall ✔ @Walldo
    BREAKING: The FBI has confirmed it has surrounded the #OregonStandoff refuge pic.twitter.com/UbLEBvjDCM

    Reply
  8. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:24 pm

    grannystanding4Truth @granny_st
    Will someone please tell Hillary that Black ppl do not suffer from amnesia. Nor are they blind, deaf, or stupid.

    Reply
  9. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:22 pm

    PragmaticObotsUnite @PragObots
    Not really surprised the CBC is endorsing Hillary. They’ve been campaigning for her for 7 years while backstabbing President Obama.

    Reply
    • eliihass says:
      February 10, 2016 at 8:48 pm

      And still absent from doing the job they were sent to Washington D.C to do..

      They are and have always been an embarrassment..

      I’m surprised anyone is still paying them any attention, or that anyone thinks they and their worthless endorsement counts for anything…

      This bunch of shamelessly self-serving opportunists long ago showed their collective b*tts…

      Reply
  10. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:22 pm

    Jordan Ashby @JM_Ashby
    City of Cleveland files claim against Tamir Rice’s family after not actually voting to not indict his killers.

    Fuck. You.

    Jordan Ashby @JM_Ashby
    And the claim is for the EMS that he didn’t actually have a chance to receive.

    Fuck all the way off.

    Reply
  12. Liza says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:00 pm

    SMH

    Congressional Black Caucus to endorse Clinton
    02/10/16 08:01 PM
    By Mark Murray and Andrew Rafferty

    Clinton arguably boasts experience in government unparalleled by anyone in the presidential field — but that has also made her a high-profile target for attack.

    The Congressional Black Caucus PAC will endorse Hillary Clinton on Thursday and help her campaign win over minority voters in upcoming primary contests, NBC News has confirmed.

    Clinton already has a strong advantage over rival Bernie Sanders among black voters, and the CBC endorsement could help her solidify that support in states where the voting group plays a key role, like in the upcoming South Carolina Democratic primary.

    The influential endorsement comes as the once clear frontrunner in the Democratic race is reeling from a 22-point loss to Sanders in New Hampshire.

    Still remaining neutral is South Carolina Rep. James Clyburn, the third-ranking Democrat in the House and an influential voice in the Palmetto State. Though Clyburn originally said he would not endorse ahead of the South Carolina primary, he told NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell he may change his mind.

    “We’ll be meeting with family and friends this weekend when I get down to South Carolina and I’ll make some decision after that,” Clyburn said on MSNBC. “I won’t be making any endorsements today or this week.”

    http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/congressional-black-caucus-endorse-clinton

    Reply
    • Liza says:
      February 10, 2016 at 8:10 pm

      Why does Hillary “arguably” have more government experience than Bernie Sanders? She was a Senator for eight years and SoS for four years. The rest of her experience is about being married to Bill as governor and president. Bernie has been in Congress since 1991 plus served eight years as a mayor. How can anyone with access to Wikipedia say she has the most experience? Just askin…

      Reply
      • rikyrah says:
        February 10, 2016 at 8:20 pm

        Liza don’t….

        don’t go there with them, asking serious questions about her ‘experience’.

        I asked the same questions in 2007…and, they just like to throw out her ‘experience’, as if that’s supposed to run people off.

        Reply
      • Liza says:
        February 11, 2016 at 9:29 am

        I know, I know, I need to quit reading these articles written by her cheerleaders.

        Reply
  13. yahtzeebutterfly says:
    February 10, 2016 at 7:57 pm

    Something is up…check out #oregonstandoff

    Reply
  16. eliihass says:
    February 10, 2016 at 7:00 pm

    No Joy Ann Reid, the desire to continue to move our country forward, and so much further ahead to meet the basic needs of its citizens – just as is already available in every other industrialized nation — despite the constant meddling interference and shenanigans of the oligarchs…

    A progressive desire also shared by President Obama, who would have absolutely accomplished so much more – but for the necessary but distracting focus on fixing the many pressing disasters he inherited courtesy of his predecessor who left our country in tatters….and the constant GOP obstruction ..and in some instances, the cowardice of some corrupt Democrats who are also bought and owned by the same oligarchs who own the GOP…

    Articulating a purely progressive agenda that doesn’t dance around the truth because one has been solicited, compromised and bought off by Wall Street et al…

    A progressive agenda that also identifies the oligarchs and special interests as the only obstacle to achieving and fully implementing progressive programs that are actually achievable and workable and already do exist and function perfectly well in other developed countries —

    That is not an anti-President Obama agenda…

    Reply
  19. eliihass says:
    February 10, 2016 at 6:32 pm

    This could very easily still apply today…Nothing’s really changed..

    “…Hillary Clinton, in the interests of party unity, has finally offered to concede, if Obama will too.

    Much of the joy and new hope I expected to feel last night was spoiled, of course, as it was for many others, by the characteristic spectacle of Senator Clinton both refusing to concede to the presumptive nominee and, at the same time, letting it be known that she would be willing to do him the favor of accepting the second spot on his ticket.

    As with so many others who felt victory turning to ashes at the prospect of this nightmare ticket, I’ve been asking myself if I could in good conscience still vote for this great man if that means also casting a vote for her.

    I’ve decided that I can, but only if she can put my mind at ease by taking the following steps:

    1. She must apologize for her war authorization vote (& for voting against the Levin Amendment; and for not reading the NIE first). She doesn’t have to explain. I’ve heard her explanation, and it is not as good as mine; but I’m willing to move on. All she has to do is apologize.

    2. She must apologize for saying that McCain is more qualified to be Commander-in-Chief than Obama (even though McCain never actually served as First Lady).

    3. She must apologize for her Iran war authorization vote (Kyl-Lieberman Amendment) and for threatening to “obliterate” Iran.

    4. She must apologize for her hypocrisy about the Michigan and Florida votes (you know, for Most Admired Woman–celebrities always win).

    5. She must apologize for her nakedly racist plea, often repeated, that she is more “electable” than Obama, especially in states with a lot of poor WHITE working people who just won’t vote for him, bless their hearts.

    8. She must solemnly promise that she will never triangulate again: she will always tell the truth, as calmly and clearly as she can; and as close to spinless truth as she can manage; and that her position and message will be exactly the same whatever crowd or person she is addressing.

    9. She must apologize for her alternately lying, crowing, and whining campaign, for Mark Penn, Howard Woolfson, Harold Ickes, Terry McAuliffe, James Carville, Lanny Davis, and Geraldine Ferraro, and especially for blaming her inevitable plunge from “inevitability” on “sexism.”

    10. She must apologize for all her insinuations (i. e., “as far as I know”) and her pandering (i.e., using different accents in different states, bragging about her long history of duck hinting, knocking one back with the poor WHITE guys who love her so much, jumping aboard McCain’s out-of-gas gas-tax-moratorium bandwagon, etc., etc., etc.).

    I’d also like her to repudiate the Schumer-Feinstein centrist wing of her party, those fully responsible for giving us a fascist Attorney General, but that’s a larger question; and besides, how can she turn her back on such a strong part of her base?

    She can’t do any of this, you know. She doesn’t apologize, can’t do it. She just talks faster and orates in a sing-song and whines and changes the subject. She thinks she is a lot smarter than anybody else and can talk her way out of anything, so why should she have to apologize, even if she ever made a mistake, which she never does.

    I decided about the time of the Schumer-Feinstein Mukasey vote that I was no longer going to vote for the lesser of two evils. The lesser of two evils is still evil. Barack Obama has the opportunity to establish a new progressive Democratic Party. With Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, he may be able to work the miracles of restoring our democracy, restoring our reputation, ending the war, protecting the poor from the vicious rich, saving the world, and even maybe saving the planet….”

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-dwyer/vice-president-clinton-my_b_105232.html

    Reply
  21. eliihass says:
    February 10, 2016 at 5:44 pm

    Refreshers…

    “…. “Scurrilous” and “disingenuous” were among the words a top Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives used on Thursday to describe Hillary Clinton’s campaign tactics in her bid to defeat Barack Obama for their party’s presidential nomination.

    House Democratic Whip James Clyburn, of South Carolina and the highest ranking black in Congress, also said he has heard speculation that Clinton is staying in the race only to try to derail Obama and pave the way for her to make another White House run in 2012.

    “I heard something, the first time yesterday (in South Carolina), and I heard it on the (House) floor today, which is telling me there are African Americans who have reached the decision that the Clintons know that she can’t win this. But they’re hell-bound to make it impossible for Obama to win” in November, Clyburn told Reuters in an interview.

    The purported theory is that an Obama defeat in November against Republican presidential candidate John McCain would let Clinton make another presidential bid in four years, Clyburn said…”

    http://blogs.reuters.com/talesfromthetrail/2008/04/24/top-house-democrat-denounces-clinton-campaign-tactics/

    Reply
  22. Liza says:
    February 10, 2016 at 2:42 pm

    This is a very deep hole…

    Federal audit of MDEQ from 2010 shows early signs of dysfunction https://t.co/86POVGs9QF— Michigan Radio (@MichiganRadio) February 10, 2016

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    Reply
  23. Liza says:
    February 10, 2016 at 2:37 pm

    Chris Christie drops 2016 Republican presidential bid: aide. https://t.co/615zKLKX2G pic.twitter.com/4WxTQY1IeU— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) February 10, 2016

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    Reply
  24. Liza says:
    February 10, 2016 at 2:31 pm

    Carly Fiorina Ends Bid For Republican Presidential Nomination https://t.co/WM6hlEjMtF— NPR Politics (@nprpolitics) February 10, 2016

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    Reply
  30. yahtzeebutterfly says:
    February 10, 2016 at 1:48 pm

    Am I correct in thinking this is a first?

    “Delaware governor signs resolution apologizing for slavery”

    http://news.yahoo.com/delaware-governor-sign-resolution-apologizing-slavery-141159931.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory&soc_trk=tw

    Reply
  32. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 12:40 pm

    The Anxiety Of Being Marco Rubio
    Rubio’s flustered debate performance revealed something his close friends and allies have long known about him. “Marco, calm down.” This story is partially adapted from my book, The Wilderness.

    posted on Feb. 9, 2016, at 6:00 a.m.
    McKay Coppins

    MANCHESTER, N.H. — Millions of people watched Marco Rubio’s televised tailspin in the opening minutes of last weekend’s Republican presidential debate — but what, exactly, they saw depended on the viewer.
    To rivals, Rubio’s reflexive retreat to the same snippet of well-rehearsed rhetoric — over and over, and over, and over again — was proof of the freshman senator’s status as a lightweight. To supporters, the wobbly display was a forgivable fluke, one bad moment blown wildly out of proportion by a bloodthirsty press corps.
    But to those who have known him longest, Rubio’s flustered performance Saturday night fit perfectly with an all-too-familiar strain of his personality, one that his handlers and image-makers have labored for years to keep out of public view. Though generally seen as cool-headed and quick on his feet, Rubio is known to friends, allies, and advisers for a kind of incurable anxiousness — and an occasional propensity to panic in moments of crisis, both real and imagined.
    This jittery restlessness has manifested itself throughout Rubio’s life, from high school football games in Miami to high-profile policy fights in Washington — and in some ways, it’s been the driving force in his rapid political rise.
    When Rubio was nearing the end of his final term as Speaker of the Florida House in 2008, he invited a small circle of loyal donors, local activists, and friendly media figures to an intimate breakfast meeting at Miami’s Biltmore Hotel to help him plot his next move. The consensus at the table was that he should wait for the right statewide race to open up — attorney general, maybe, or even governor. But Rubio, feeling the familiar itch of the achievement junkie, was distressed by the prospect of patiently waiting around. The next race he could conceivably enter was for the Miami-Dade mayorship, and according to people familiar with the meeting, Rubio worked himself into a minor tizzy trying to convince his skeptical breakfast companions that he should run: What if his donors got poached while he was out of the spotlight? What if his supporters abandoned him? He could be finished in politics if he screwed this up!

    http://www.buzzfeed.com/mckaycoppins/the-anxiety-of-marco-rubio#.th855knkJ

    Reply
  34. Liza says:
    February 10, 2016 at 11:43 am

    Amy Goodman’s lively interview with Ta-nehisi Coates who, in the last few seconds, states that he will be voting for Bernie Sanders.

    Ta-Nehisi Coates Is Voting for Bernie Sanders Despite the Senator’s Opposition to Reparations
    FEBRUARY 10, 2016

    http://www.democracynow.org/2016/2/10/ta_nehisi_coates_is_voting_for

    Reply
  35. Liza says:
    February 10, 2016 at 11:39 am

    I don’t even know what to say.

    Yes Hillary, remind us of your unwavering support for state violence, racism & apartheid in the Zionist State. https://t.co/yGopIjHjZb— D (@Delo_Taylor) February 10, 2016

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    Reply
  36. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 11:23 am

    1. It’s on the Wall Street Journal EDITORIAL PAGE.
    Even before Rupert bought it and ruined the news division..
    Only Slave Catchers need submit anything to them. ..they were a right-wing racist nirvana.
    2. See #1.

    https://twitter.com/owillis/status/697453500830187520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

    Reply
  37. Liza says:
    February 10, 2016 at 10:58 am

    "Yes, I will be voting for @BernieSanders." Watch our interview with @tanehisicoates at https://t.co/Xup8cdtnFB pic.twitter.com/Bq7NIGrlJH— Democracy Now! (@democracynow) February 10, 2016

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    Reply
  38. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 10:19 am

    but, this is who they are. they have always been this messy. they are always running to the press to try and convince the MSM how important they are to Camp Clinton.

    and, if she wins…these same muthaphuckas will be leaking to the press like a sieve.

    BECAUSE THIS IS WHO SHE HAS AROUND HER.

    It was never ‘JUST HILLARY’.

    A lot of the trepidation about her is WHO IS AROUND HER.

    they are not trustworthy.

    https://twitter.com/danpfeiffer/status/697423347068461058?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

    Reply
    • Liza says:
      February 10, 2016 at 10:34 am

      I wonder if at any level does Hillary understand why so many people feel about her as they do, why they don’t trust her. Either she refuses to see herself or she believes the presidency will be her redemption or she believes the past is the past and she is entitled to do whatever she wants.

      Reply
  40. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 10:00 am

    About Writing While Loving Blackness and Hurting White Feelings
    Awesomely Luvvie — February 10, 2016

    Are you mad about this title? Keep reading. You’re probably the main one that needs to read this.

    It has been an interesting 5 days, since Beyonce dropped her Formation video and broke the internet. People (me included) have not been able to stop talking about it, and it has spurred a gajillion thinkpieces. Most folks love it and have been vocal about it but the critiques have poured in too. Then she performed at the Superbowl, had her dancers dressed as Black Panthers and everyone lost their collective minds.

    Beyonce’s unapologetic Blackness has heartened those of us who see ourselves in her, and it has offended some people who don’t think she represents them. There have been oceans of white tears for folks to swim in since it happened.

    On the night of the Superbowl, I received an email from a woman who reads my blog. What she thought was her passing on some advice to me was really her being Den Mother of Hurt White Feelings.

    Reply
    • eliihass says:
      February 10, 2016 at 10:37 am

      Wow..

      Could have fooled us with the epistles Ta-Nehisi…

      Reply
      • Liza says:
        February 10, 2016 at 11:56 am

        I’ve been reading TNC for so many years that I guess I wasn’t surprised. He expected more of Sanders than he did of Clinton. But it is interesting that TNC says he once thought the same on the subject of reparations as Sanders and PBO (when he was a Senator) until he researched the subject. And I seriously doubt that Sanders has done the exhaustive research that TNC did for his award winning article.

        So, two things:
        1. One might take a different position on any issue after exhaustive research.
        2. In real life, vote. And vote for the best candidate in the race.

        Reply
    • Liza says:
      February 10, 2016 at 11:48 am

      SG2, Sorry for duplicates. I posted this earlier but it didn’t show in the thread so I posted again. I like this interview, TNC and Amy are good together, it’s more like a conversation than an interview. And a great ending which I totally agree with.

      Reply
  44. SouthernGirl2 says:
    February 10, 2016 at 9:36 am

    Folks are now ticked at Nina Turner because she supports Bernie Sanders. Like Hillary owns black people? Tired of these bigoted democrat mofos.

    Reply
    • eliihass says:
      February 10, 2016 at 10:36 am

      Obviously black folks didn’t learn any lessons all these past several years..

      I laugh at folks who keep chanting and hash tagging ‘stay woke’, yet leap on the Clinton train…LOL…

      Massa fever is a very real affliction…

      I saw what’s his name..Jeffrey Wright cooning for Hillary…and I shook my head in embarrassment for him…

      Reply
    • eliihass says:
      February 10, 2016 at 10:29 am

      Rev. Al better not yield to the heady Clinton cocktail..

      I see some seriously head-scratching bogus stuff out there from some folks including those who try to sell us the majorly spurious assertions that Hillary wants to ‘continue and protect’ President’s Obama’s accomplishments, while Bernie Sanders is ‘running against’ the President and wants to ‘undo’ all his hard work…LOL..

      Some of the stuff out there is worse than right-wingers and FOX and their blatant falsehoods and propaganda..

      Anyone who falls for these glaring lies, is willing to be had..

      Hillary started off this campaign entirely cocksure that she and Bill had this in the bag…and she set out to erase President Obama by opportunistically ‘running far away’ and ‘distancing’ herself from the President…She was talking up herself and her ‘superior’ capabilities that insinuated that the President hadn’t been capable or good enough at his job …she started by immediately taking opposite stances on matters she previously either supported or was against…TPP, Keystone etc….She even publicly gave the President an ultimatum on Keystone in one of her such grand-standing, wind vaney moments only just recently…

      Then just a several weeks ago, her internal polls showed she wasn’t winning over the Obama coalition (which she desperately needed), by distancing herself from the President…

      She then re-booted – just as she twice re-booted her disastrous book tour .. and will keep re-booting this campaign as she – vision, conviction and principle deficient – tries to find a ‘winning’ message that will win over the masses to help make her only driving goal…the dream of being the first woman president, come true…

      She completely changed her talking points and stump speeches to include a few awkward and reluctant references to, and a compliment for President Obama – and how she would make better ‘the work he’d started’ … And by the South Carolina debate, she was full on name-dropping President Obama…gratuitously prefacing and bookending every other comment with a noun, a verb and President Obama…

      Everyone noticed – and that’s how the blatant ‘wrapping herself around President Obama to win’ conversation was born..

      Bernie Sanders has always said that he commends and appreciates the President’s many accomplishments – hard-won in the face of GOP obstruction – and despite inheriting so many problems that distracted him from the many progressive goals he set for himself and would have otherwise pursued – had the circumstances been different…

      Bernie Sanders is saying that he wants to pursue those progressive goals that go beyond the frustrating artificial limitations placed by not just Republicans, but some Democrats and the special interests that own them – on many of the President’s programs…

      I haven’t heard Bernie Sanders disrespect the President, or say that he wants to ‘undo’ any of the President’s accomplishments…I have heard him say that he wants to go farther – as I know the President would have, had circumstances allowed…

      And truth be told, it is infinitely more likely that it is Hillary Clinton and her supporters who will more than likely deconstruct and steal the President’s accomplishments as hers…and even diminish and blunt the President – if she ever finds herself in the white House, as she will no longer feel the need to accommodate and pander to him and his coalition…us..

      Bernie is less interested in amassing power and getting credit, and much more about getting the same progressive aspirations we and President Obama have, met …getting this First World country of ours – the supposedly greatest country in the world, to that place where Hillary and her supporters now suddenly declare ‘utopian and undoable’, but what is considered routine and a normal way of life and doing things in other developed nations – unhampered by the oversized and selfish interests of oligarchs and special interests that stifle progress – even in developed countries where there have been right-leaning governments ..

      Reply
      • eliihass says:
        February 10, 2016 at 10:42 am

        Meant to write: something that has been done and done well even in other developed countries in Europe where there have been right-leaning governments …

        Reply
  49. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:44 am

    I can’t stand Teenbeat-On-The-Potomac…

    but, this headline was too good to pass up:

    GOP establishment stares into the abyss

    After Trump’s big win and Rubio’s collapse, Republican Party elites suddenly find themselves without a horse to ride.

    By Alex Isenstadt

    02/10/16 05:13 AM EST

    MANCHESTER N.H. – For the establishment wing of the Republican Party, the picture just keeps getting bleaker.

    Far from winnowing the crowded field of mainstream GOP contenders and allowing it to unify around a standard-bearer, New Hampshire thrust it further into chaos. Marco Rubio, after taking steps last week to coalesce the backing of the party’s upper echelons, saw his momentum halted in the state, which punished him for delivering an overly scripted debate performance.

    The establishment lane is now more crowded than ever, with Rubio, Jeb Bush, and New Hampshire runner-up John Kasich heading for a brutal fight in South Carolina – a state known for its rough-and-tumble political culture. Chris Christie, who was also competing for establishment support, is reassessing his campaign’s future.

    All of this, many in the mainstream wing of the GOP worry, is excellent news for one man: Donald Trump.

    Reply
  50. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:39 am

    Supreme Court conservatives block Clean Energy Plan
    02/10/16 09:23 AM
    By Steve Benen
    Much of the political world was focused late yesterday on the New Hampshire presidential primaries, and for good reason: the nation’s future direction will be shaped in large part by who wins the White House.

    But away from the Granite State, Americans received a very different kind of reminder about what’s actually at stake in 2016. NBC News’ Pete Williams reported:
    The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked enforcement of the Obama administration’s ambitious new plan for cutting greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.

    The justices granted a plea from 30 states that asked for a temporary hold on the new Clean Energy Plan while the lower courts decide whether the Environmental Protection Agency has the legal authority to impose it.
    This was … wait for it … a 5-4 decision. The court’s Republican-appointed conservatives – Justices Scalia, Thomas, Alito, Kennedy, and Roberts – agreed to block the energy policy, while the court’s Democratic-appointed center-left justices – Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan dissented.

    A New York Times report noted that there is no precedent for the high court taking a step like this: the Supreme Court “had never before granted a request to halt a regulation before review by a federal appeals court.” Jody Freeman, a Harvard law professor and former environmental legal counsel to the Obama administration, described the move as “stunning.”

    http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/supreme-court-conservatives-block-clean-energy-plan

    Reply
  51. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:37 am

    Jeb Bush’s Citizens United criticisms come with a catch
    02/09/16 09:21 AM
    By Steve Benen
    Ordinarily, criticisms of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling come from progressive critics concerned about the role of money in politics. Both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, for example, have condemned the current system, which they believe was made worse by the 2010 court decision.

    It came as something of a surprise, then, when Jeb Bush, on the campaign trail in New Hampshire yesterday, had some unkind words for the Citizens United ruling. MSNBC’s Benjy Sarlin reported:
    Jeb Bush turned heads on Monday when he issued a call for a constitutional amendment to undo the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision, which opened the floodgates to unlimited money groups like the pro-Bush powerhouse Right to Rise. However, his campaign quickly clarified that Bush was only reiterating an existing position, creating confusion over the remarks.

    “The ideal situation would be to overturn the Supreme Court ruling that allows for … unregulated money for the independent and regulated for the campaign,” Bush said at a town hall in Nashua. “I would turn that on its head if I could.”
    The details matter, because while Bush’s criticisms of Citizens United may have initially seemed encouraging to reform advocates, the Florida Republican envisions a system that reformers probably wouldn’t like at all.

    On the surface, the fact that Bush has a problem with the post-Citizens United world is unexpected. The Supreme Court’s controversial ruling opened the door to super PACs, and no national candidate has had more success exploiting this campaign-finance dynamic than Jeb and his allies. The Right to Rise super PAC has been extraordinarily prolific in his fundraising, reportedly raising over $117 million last year in support of Bush’s candidacy.

    But it’s the policy just below the surface that matters.

    http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/jeb-bushs-citizens-united-criticisms-come-catch

    Reply
  52. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:29 am

    Benen’s morning comments about Thirsty Marco:

    Marco Rubio

    The Pitch: Is it too late to roll out Lieberman’s “three-way split decision for third place”?

    The Buzz: Rubio had every possible advantage. After Iowa, he had the endorsements, the punditocracy’s creepy affection, the money, the “momentum,” and poll support. He managed to blow it anyway.

    The Truth: Let’s dispel with the notion that Marco Rubio knows what he’s doing. He hasn’t the foggiest idea what he’s doing. The Florida senator expected a second-place finish; he might have been able to spin a third-place finish (again); but coming in fifth, and leaving New Hampshire without winning any delegates at all, is a genuine disaster. Most of the state’s voters made their decision after the debate, which meant Rubio ruined his own chances. Recovery will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, and his “3-2-1” strategy is dead.

    BWA HA HA A HA HA H HA HA HA HA HA HA

    Reply
  53. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:26 am

    Trump scores easy NH win, reclaims frontrunner status
    02/10/16 08:00 AM—UPDATED 02/10/16 08:06 AM
    By Steve Benen
    By definition, a development everyone expected to happen can’t be a surprise, but that doesn’t make the outcome any less remarkable: Donald Trump, a first-time candidate running on a bizarre platform, won the Republican Party’s New Hampshire presidential primary – easily.

    The vote tally isn’t quite finished, but as things stand, the New York developer is on track to prevail with a margin of victory of 19 points, which is the largest for a non-incumbent Republican since Reagan’s 1980 win over three decades ago.

    In the wake of the Iowa caucuses, in which Trump finished second, the conventional wisdom said the setback put the candidate on a trajectory towards inevitable failure: the Trump bubble had been pierced, the paper tiger had been exposed, and some degree of normalcy had been restored in the nominating fight.

    No one is saying that anymore. On the contrary, chaos now reigns.

    As we did after Iowa, let’s again try to cut through the noise and break things down from a pitch-vs-hype-vs-truth perspective.

    http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-scores-easy-nh-win-reclaims-frontrunner-status

    Reply
  54. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:22 am

    Sanders makes history with New Hampshire landslide
    02/10/16 08:40 AM—UPDATED 02/10/16 08:51 AM
    By Steve Benen
    There are plenty of questions about what happens now in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, and those questions matter. But before looking ahead, it’s worth pausing to appreciate just how impressive Bernie Sanders’ landslide win in New Hampshire really is.

    For one thing, this would have been very hard to predict when the race got underway in earnest several months ago. Hillary Clinton, who won the New Hampshire primary eight years ago, appeared to have an insurmountable lead over a 74-year-old socialist senator, who was believed to be running as a protest candidate, simply looking for a platform for his ideas. And yet, as the dust settles, Sanders appears to have finished with a roughly 22-point victory.

    For another, consider that margin in a historical context. Among New Hampshire Democrats, the biggest win ever for a non-incumbent was Michael Dukakis’ 16-point victory in 1988. Sanders defeated that record easily. In fact – here’s the really amazing part – Sanders’ 22-point win is actually larger than some of the Democratic primaries in which an incumbent Dem president faced a challenger: Jimmy Carter won by 10 points in 1980 and Lyndon Johnson won by 8 points in 1968.

    Exit polls offer us some sense of how the Vermont independent pulled it off.
    Values and demographics shaped the strong support Bernie Sanders received Tuesday in New Hampshire, according to the NBC News Exit Poll of Granite State Democrats.

    The Vermont senator won 83 percent of millennial voters under the age of 30. He also won 66 percent of voters who describe themselves as very liberal, and at the same time took 72 percent of self-described independents.

    http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/sanders-makes-history-new-hampshire-landslide

    Reply
  55. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:20 am

    AlGiordano @AlGiordano
    Why Democratic turnout is underperforming GOP turnout may be the most important question to answer today.

    AlGiordano @AlGiordano
    The roughly 250,000 voters in NH Democratic primary underperformed from the 280,000 in 2008 even with the influx of Ron Paul Independents.

    AlGiordano @AlGiordano
    GOP turnout in NH however increased from 2008’s 234,000 to about 290,000 even with the exodus of libertarians. Who are these new voters?

    AlGiordano @AlGiordano
    Lower turnout is even more of an alarm button for Democrats considering that we’re only talking about white voters so far in Iowa and NH.

    AlGiordano @AlGiordano
    The numbers show that even among white Democrats a significant part of “base” feels neither inspired by Sanders nor Clinton.

    Reply
  56. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:17 am

    Jonathan Capehart ✔ @CapehartJ
    While you were sleeping, DOJ released this: “The Ferguson City Council has attempted to unilaterally amend the negotiated agreement.” 1/3

    Jonathan Capehart ✔ @CapehartJ
    DOJ: “Their vote to do so creates an unnecessary delay in the essential work to bring constitutional policing to the city….” 2/3

    Jonathan Capehart ✔ @CapehartJ
    DOJ: “will take necessary legal actions to ensure Ferguson’s policing and court practices comply w Constitution/relevant federal laws.” 3/3

    Reply
  61. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:09 am

    I can honestly say that I wasn’t a true believer then. I just wanted the question answered:

    Would America vote for an obviously qualified Black man for President?

    Now, there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that he was qualified – that wasn’t my concern.

    I just wanted the answer to the question.

    https://twitter.com/TheObamaDiary/status/697407614875996162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

    Reply
  63. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 8:03 am

    he doesn’t spend any money…the MSM gives him all the free airtime.

    https://twitter.com/CBSThisMorning/status/697406328445104128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

    Reply
  70. rikyrah says:
    February 10, 2016 at 7:52 am

    Good Morning, Everyone :)

    Reply
  71. Ametia says:
    February 10, 2016 at 7:39 am

    HUMP day! Good Morning, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLES!

    Reply

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