It’s been a while, and with the insanity going on, it’s time for some music.
A few have asked for a Simon & Garfunkel music chat. And there is nothing better than S&G in Central Park.
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Continue reading ‘Night Owl Chat – Simon & Garfunkel, Live in Central Park’
We are the hollow men
We Are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats’ feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar
-T.S. Eliot
This crisis was manufactured, yes, but for a purpose.
The country as it is trending is a country which frightens an unfortunately significant number of Americans. Not significant enough to win elections, as one does in a democratic republic, but significant enough so that it adheres to itself the power of destruction.
If the Tea Party caucus in the House was its own party, and not part of the GOP, it would be a toothless, useless animal. It doesn’t have the votes to pass the renaming of a post office, much less matters of national import. But, it is part of the GOP caucus, and its power doesn’t lie in numbers. Its power lies in what any mafioso would recognize: that of extortionate threats. And any Republican who might want to make an accommodation with the Democrats has to look over his shoulder, wondering what Freedom Works will do when the next primary comes up. If they were men and women of honor, they would damn the next election and do what’s right to save the country. But we have to come to the point where we stop deluding ourselves: there is no moderate GOP caucus. If one existed, it would have revolted by now, siding with House Democrats and ending this farce. It hasn’t. And it won’t.
President Barack Obama meets with House Democratic leaders in the Oval Office at the White House
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President Obama’s interview with WABC-TV, New York City. [Conducted before 12PM ET…events are still fluid]
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President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet with the House Democratic Leadership including, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Jame Clyburn, Rep. Xavier Becerra, Rep. Steve Crowley, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, Rep. Chris Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Steve Israel, during a meeting on the debt limit in the Oval Office
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President Barack Obama listens as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi speaks
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President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet with the House Democratic Leadership
President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and and former U.S. Army Captain William Swenson arrive for the Medal of Honor ceremony
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Chat away!
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2:10 EDT: President Obama Awards Captain William Swenson, U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor
Tea Party Republicans are threatening an economic shutdown. Tell them to #EndThisNow: http://t.co/gbSZdOyRqe pic.twitter.com/g7JWG1OvLy
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 15, 2013
On This Day: Students show their excitement at meeting President Obama during his visit to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School in New Orleans, La., Oct. 15, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)
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Today (All Times Eastern):
11:40: President Obama conducts regional television interviews
12:30: Jay Carney briefs the press
2:10: President Obama awards Captain William Swenson, U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor; VP Biden and First Lady Michelle Obama also attend
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https://twitter.com/NerdyWonka/status/389765767727550465
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USA Today: Obama’s Day: A Medal Ceremony, A Senate Deal
As the Senate works on a deal to re-open the government and raise the debt ceiling, President Obama on Tuesday honors military heroism.
In the afternoon, the commander-in-chief presents the Medal of Honor to William Swenson, a former active duty Army Captain who exhibited “conspicuous gallantry” during a battle in Afghanistan.
Swenson is being honored “for his courageous actions while serving as an Embedded Trainer and Mentor of the Afghan National Security Forces … on September 8, 2009,” says the White House schedule.
…. The president will also give interviews to anchors from three local television stations….
More here
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Steve Benen: The Electoral Consequences Of The Shutdown
Democrats generally consider Rep. Lee Terry (R) of Nebraska to be one of the House Republicans’ most vulnerable incumbents, and they very nearly defeated him last year. For 2014, state and national Democratic officials — including Vice President Biden himself — reached out to a popular Omaha city councilman, Pete Festersen, and urged him to seek the seat.
Festersen declined, citing his two young children. But last week, something interesting happened: the councilman changed his mind. Everything you’ve heard of late about 2014 is true. Polls show Republican support collapsing, but the midterm elections are still a year away, and it’s too early to make firm predictions.
But this story out of Omaha offers an important reminder about the consequences of the Republican Party’s ongoing disaster — they haven’t ensured electoral setbacks next year, but they’ve certainly laid the groundwork for defeat.
More here
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Think Progress: Countdown To Catastrophe: The Latest Updates On The Shutdown And The Debt Ceiling
The government would be funded through January 15th. The debt ceiling would be extended through February 7th. The budget cuts known as sequestration remain in place, and January 15 remains deadline for an additional $21 billion in cuts. Federal agencies get flexibility in how they make the cuts required under sequestration. A committee would be established to have further talks on budget cuts. The committee would need to present a proposal by December 13th. A reinsurance tax that is part of Obamacare would be delayed. Recipients of subsidies for their insurance under the exchanges established by Obamacare would be subject to income verification
After a meeting with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) last night, it seems that House Republicans are set to reject the deal Reid and McConnell came up with.
More here (It’s a live blog)
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https://twitter.com/jonfavs/status/390095854209875968
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Obama White House.gov WH Tumblr The People’s View Smartypants Steve Benen
The Obama Diary 
A Very Quick Housekeeping Note
Tags: blog, commenting, comments, hits, tod
2013 on TOD – note (‘Even’) Amk has 18,656 TOD friends in India
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Updated, didn’t want flippin’ Ireland last on the mini-list:
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It’s been a gobsmacking journey so far, we’re now closing in on a ridiculous 22 million hits – all of them down to me, needless to say, the mindboggling increase in traffic absolutely nothing to do with UT, LL, LP, Zizi and the rest of the gang.
(True, the post stats suggest otherwise, but: hush now).
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Any way, with this very lovely traffic has come a whole bunch of new visitors, several in the last few days, which is fantastic – but please understand that in an attempt to keep out the trolls – and they are many – your comments won’t appear here automatically if you’re a first time visitor.
Have a look here to see how you can comment.
Best advice: sign in with your Twitter account – but if you don’t have one, check that link.
If your account is @BarackObama, you’re good.
Now, chat away – and thank you all, you human cheesy puffs.