While watching the latest edition of incompetence better known as the Republican debate, I genuinely tried to envision even one of them as President of the United States. It was a sad exercise in futility. While watching Paul Ryan being sworn in as Speaker of the House, I genuinely tried to imagine that some change for the better in the way of cooperative action might happen. This exercise failed as well. Even trying to get up some enthusiasm for Bernie, Hillary, or Martin produced nothing in the way of a thrill.
The 24 hour news is loaded with self congratulating anchors, spokespersons, and burbling inanities and I’m giving Oscar the Grouch a run for his money. There is only one obvious solution. Bring on the Weekend, music and joyful events. Celebrate Halloween. Get a sugar high, and look forward to November 4 (more about that later).
Jamie's Place for Stuff 
“Tonight was the World Series and the Republican debate. In other words, two events with completely different attitudes toward Latino immigrants.” Conan O’Brien
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from http://wtvr.com/2015/10/29/bad-lip-reading-democratic-debate/
The video was trending on Facebook Thursday afternoon and had more than a quarter-million views on YouTube.
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Republicans Remain Divided as Democrats Unite
As Clinton consolidates her support, the GOP struggles to coalesce around a candidate.
Norm Ornstein
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/2016-outlook/412813/
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Gov. Christie, Time to Go Home
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
“Mr. Christie has been called a lot of things, but until Wednesday’s debate performance, “barely there” was not among them. In eight minutes of speaking time, Mr. Christie said little of substance. As for his parting pitch that he’s “deadly serious about changing this culture” of government, well, his constituents in New Jersey know better.
This isn’t strictly about Mr. Christie’s fitness for the presidency. His role in New Jersey’s budget crisis, betrayal on affordable housing and the interlocking scandals on his watch, from Bridgegate to “the chairman’s flight,” say a great deal about that.”
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oh happy day! they actually did something in critterville.
from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2015/10/30/senate-approves-two-year-bipartisan-budget-agreement/
The Senate voted early Friday morning to approve a two-year budget deal that would increase spending limits and avert a damaging default, essentially ending the budgetary battles that have defined President Obama’s relationship with Congress in recent years.
The legislation passed by a vote of 64-35 after overcoming objections from conservative senators, including presidential candidates Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), that forced a rare series of votes at 1 a.m. President Obama has until Nov. 3 to sign the agreement before the debt-limit deadline set by the Treasury Department.
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well, guess my bet’s back on american pharaoh
from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/30/sports/horse-racing/beholder-expected-to-challenge-american-pharoah-scratched-from-breeders-cup.html?_r=0
Beholder’s bid to join Zenyatta as the only females to win the Breeders’ Cup Classic ended before it began.
An examination revealed bleeding in Beholder’s lung, and she will be scratched from Saturday’s $5 million Classic, her trainer, Richard Mandella, said Thursday.
[….]
Beholder, a 5-year-old mare, has always been high-strung and had difficulty traveling. Mandella said she became upset during the flight here and developed what he has referred to as “shipping fever.”
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Springtime for Grifters
Paul Krugman
“As it happens, Mr. Carson lied. He has indeed been deeply involved with Mannatech, and has done a lot to help promote its merchandise. PolitiFact quickly rated his claim false, without qualification. But the Republican base doesn’t want to hear about it, and the candidate apparently believes, probably correctly, that he can simply brazen it out. These days, in his party, being an obvious grifter isn’t a liability, and may even be an asset.”
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Bernie Sanders is in big trouble: You don’t have to be a neoliberal shill to see the cold, hard facts
The senator from Vermont is running a tremendously important, issues-based campaign. It’s also a losing one
GARY LEGUM
http://www.salon.com/2015/10/28/bernie_sanders_is_in_big_trouble_you_dont_have_to_be_a_neoliberal_shill_to_see_the_cold_hard_facts/#comments
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they’re getting rough on jeb
cartoon and commentary from http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/10/jeb_bush_gets_his_head_handed.html
We have seen the future of the GOP and Jeb Bush ain’t it.
Jeb got his head handed to him by Marco Rubio in the third GOP debate. Bush, the heavily-funded establishment choice for president, is still stumbling around, trying to figure out what happened.
Rubio did it honestly, efficiently and respectfully. It was like a mercy killing. Dare I say it? The boy was in touch with his inner Reagan.
and from http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-jeb-bush-troubled-campaign-20151029-story.html
All the money in the world may not save Jeb Bush’s campaign
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The boy has no class. Head should be handed on a silver platter à la St John the Baptist.
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Biggest problem with Rubio is that basically he is a spoiled little boy who wants what he wants when he wants it. If that means taking days off to play hooky or taking a flyer at the track with the grocery money, so what. You can always glib your way out of it if you are a good looking charmer, at least until you are playing with real instead of tin soldiers.
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I tuned into CNN briefly after Weds. debate. Dana Bash was interviewing Jeb in a hallway… his tone and demeanor said it all… he did not sound or look like a happy camper. He whined about anything he could think of… debate questions… amount of time he was allotted… the fact that he wasn’t a smooth campaigner and voters shouldn’t expect him to be… etc., etc.
A few seconds later… someone from CNN grabbed Trump. He said he loved the debate and had a great time. What a contrast!
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http://www.farmsanctuary.org/media/2015-press-releases/jon-and-tracey-stewart-partner-with-farm-sanctuary-to-open-fourth-location-in-new-jersey/
On Saturday, October 24, Jon and Tracey Stewart announced that they are partnering with Farm Sanctuary, America’s leading farm animal protection organization, to open the organization’s fourth location at their New Jersey farm. The surprise announcement was made at Farm Sanctuary’s 2015 Gala at the Plaza Hotel in New York City during the couple’s acceptance speech for the Gift of Life Award, which was presented to them for their efforts to promote compassion for farm animals.
craig, seems there is life after politics, punditry and faux news.
quote from http://news.yahoo.com/comedy-jon-stewart-start-animal-sanctuary-203311634.html
“I’m a little uncomfortable. I’ve spent the last 20 years immersed in the world of Washington politics and the media landscape, so I don’t know how to deal necessarily with people who have empathy,” Stewart told the all-vegan banquet at The Plaza Hotel in New York.
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The last person I want in the White House is a whiny baby as prez
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your guy seems to agree
“Folks, we gotta wake up,” he pleaded. “We cannot elect somebody that doesn’t know how to do the job.”
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2015/10/29/kasich-debate-moderates-republicans-trump-carson/74815764/
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I wonder what the problem is—seems almost as if he’s viewed as a technocrat rather than a partisan. It’s too bad, I think he would be good for the Republican Party, a needed moderate leader.
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the words “moderate” and “compromise” seem nowadays to be seen as derogatory …. by both parties extremes
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rnc-nbc-debate_5633a6d6e4b06317991230b0?ufkr19k9
In the minds of the GOP, “what do you read” is considered a gotcha question.
What they really hate are questions that can’t be answered with sound bites.
Go ahead guys, take your ball and go home.
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I’m looking forward to the one on one forum next Friday with Maddow interviewing Clinton, Sanders, and O’Malley. It’s always nice when people with brains actually talk to each other.
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Poll: Hillary Clinton Hits 50 Percent Support
by ALLISON KOPICKI and JOHN LAPINSKI
http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/poll-hillary-clinton-hits-fifty-percent-support-n454556
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Let us now praise Bernie Sanders: Bernie wises up, smacks down aide for gross Clinton condescension
Bernie Sanders needs to start pushing back against his more sexist supporters. Recent comments show he gets this
AMANDA MARCOTTE
http://www.salon.com/2015/10/30/let_us_praise_bernie_sanders_bernie_wises_up_smacks_down_aide_for_gross_clinton_condescension/
“All week, the Bernie Sanders campaign has been dealing with a gender problem. Hillary Clinton has been baiting him about a moment in the Democratic debate when Sanders, who is the epitome of a shout-y politician, scolded her for shouting on the gun control issues. Things only got worse for the Sanders camp when a couple of Sanders aides made condescending remarks about Clinton to the press, with campaign manager Jeff Weaver most notably snarking to Bloomberg, “We’re willing to give her more credit than Obama did. We’re willing to consider her for vice president. We’ll give her serious consideration. We’ll even interview her.”
When trying to fend off accusations of sexism, it’s generally unwise to portray yourself as an indulgent authority figure who will “let” women have power, so long as they stay in second place. Luckily, Sanders seems to see this himself. On Thursday, he went on MSNBC and called Weaver’s comment “inappropriate” and reiterated that he has “a lot of respect for Secretary Clinton.”
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… “a lot of respect”…
Sounds to me like between 20% and 30% of tremendous respect.
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Yes, the lack of respect seems apparent.. Glad Bernie spoke out but it’s basically coming from his core support, mostly white men. Makes sense that def a woman would measure up to second spot on his ticket..
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One more reason to live Jon Stewart; He married a vegan who led him to vegetarianism and this wonderful, new endeavor.
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Gosh Carly must be a Nixon gooper she has certainly perfected the big lie technique
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Lol, oh hasn’t she though.. Wow, the whoppers she tells.. When confronted she always doubles down.. Carli and facts be damned, yes..
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from http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/10/31/us-usa-election-debate-idUSKCN0SO2B920151031
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus cited “bad faith” in announcing the party will suspend its partnership with NBC News for the Feb. 26 debate to be held in Houston. Telemundo and National Review are co-sponsors of the event.
Priebus told NBC in a letter that the committee wanted to ensure its candidates would be given a “full and fair” opportunity to lay out their political visions. The party has complained about the handling of Wednesday night’s debate by CNBC.
The CNBC debate in Boulder, Colorado, was supposed to be devoted to discussing the candidates’ views on how to improve the U.S. economy but frequently strayed from that theme and the moderators struggled to maintain control.
variety has one explanation for the move:
As noted, part of this is just theatrics. To extend the football analogy, Republican howling about the media not only plays well with the base (or its fans), but also keeps the pressure on news folk to endeavor to be fair — and potentially put them on the defensive — in the same way a coach will work the officials during the course of a game, hoping for the benefit of the doubt on a call later. http://variety.com/2015/tv/columns/gop-nbc-boycott-presidential-debate-1201630604/
and another theory from http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/Decoder/2015/1030/GOP-suspends-NBC-from-hosting-debates.-What-s-behind-big-move
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from last night http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/shields-brooks-shifting-strategy-syria-paul-ryans-speaker-ascension/
DAVID BROOKS: …. But they can’t nominate this guy. Major parties do not nominate people like Carson and Trump. These guys are so incompetent. Whenever the actual subject is running the country, they just disappear from the debates.
And I just have to feel — I have had no evidence for this. And I have said this for six months now, that they’re about to collapse.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Not that we’re keeping track. Not that we’re keeping track.
DAVID BROOKS: The emerald path will get to Oz, the curtain will come down, and Marco Rubio will emerge triumphant.
(LAUGHTER)
JUDY WOODRUFF: We have heard you mention this before.
But what about…
DAVID BROOKS: I think it will — I do think it will be Cruz and Rubio at the end of the day. I think Cruz will inherit the — and Republicans are really angry.
They think the country is going down the tubes. And so they have to express that somehow. They are expressing it now. And I think — but those voters will eventually wind up with Cruz, and then the mainstream voters will wind up with somebody like Rubio or Kasich or who knows.
But I just can’t imagine. A major American party doesn’t nominate Donald Trump. I just can’t believe it. I will have to go to Canada after that.
(LAUGHTER)
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and as for the marco/jeb! moment https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/the-17-year-story-behind-marco-rubios-cutdown-of-jeb-bush/2015/10/30/8edbf65c-7f13-11e5-beba-927fd8634498_story.html
In the years to come, the two men formed an alliance that, at times, even looked like a politician’s odd version of friendship. Rubio, younger and gifted, provided Bush with help in the state legislature. Bush provided Rubio with donors, endorsements and — at one especially curious moment — a golden sword.
By this week, however, the relationship itself had become a kind of weapon.
[….]
By 2005, the two men were close enough that when Rubio gave an emotional speech after winning the race to be Florida’s House speaker, Bush made a show of his mentorship. Bush honored Rubio with a gift: a sword, which he said belonged to a great “conservative warrior” named Chang.
“Chang is somebody who believes in conservative principles, believes in entrepreneurial capitalism, believes in moral values that underpin a free society,” Bush told a crowd so large that a plane had to be chartered to ferry well-wishers from Miami to Tallahassee. “Chang, this mystical warrior, has never let me down.”
This gesture was even stranger than it sounds. It appears that “Chang” was not a real person but something from a Bush family in-joke about Chinese Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek (“Unleash Chiang!”). Now, Jeb — whose father was once the U.S. envoy to Beijing — had garbled the story into something about a mystical warrior with a sword.
The sword “really meant something to Jeb,” a longtime friend and colleague of both men said. “He thought it was Marco who would continue his legacy.”
At the time, the sword seemed to mean something to Rubio, too. He hung it in a place of honor in his office — or at least, he used to.
“I have it somewhere at home,” Rubio told reporters in New Hampshire this year. “I have young kids. I don’t want them to run around with a sword.”
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also in wapo, “America needs an independent presidential candidate” opinion piece by jim webb
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/thinking-outside-the-two-party-box/2015/10/30/a8827dda-7dae-11e5-beba-927fd8634498_story.html
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Yes, Marco Rubio’s Finances Are a Big Deal
BY RYAN LIZZA
http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/yes-marco-rubios-finances-are-a-big-deal
“But Rubio decided that the question was hostile and that he could therefore evade it. “You just listed a litany of discredited attacks from Democrats and my political opponents,” he said, as if that proved the accusations were false, “and I’m not gonna waste sixty seconds detailing them all.”
Quick’s questions were cited by several conservative commentators after the debate as being unfair. Several argued that Democrats were not asked similarly tough questions in the recent CNN debate. That’s silly.
The first question of the Democratic debate, for Hillary Clinton, was “Will you say anything to get elected?”
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Hillary Clinton’s Racial Justice Platform Is Finally Taking Shape
Amidst protests, the Democratic front-runner announced three new platform initiatives Friday
By Jamil Smith
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/123305/hillary-clintons-racial-justice-platform-finally-taking-shape
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Marco Rubio’s claim that Hillary ‘lied’ about Benghazi, debunked
Greg Sargent
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/10/30/marco-rubios-claim-that-hillary-lied-about-benghazi-debunked/?postshare=2051446212101935
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A gay man was harassed at work over his sexuality and fired. A court said it was legal.
Updated by German Lopez
http://www.vox.com/explainers/2015/10/30/9645492/missouri-lgbtq-workplace-discrimination
“A gay man in Missouri said his coworkers called him a “cocksucker.” They asked him if he had AIDS. They harassed him for having a boyfriend, and made fun of him when he and his boyfriend broke up. And he was ultimately fired.
But, as ThinkProgress’s Zack Ford reported, the Western District Missouri Court of Appeals on Tuesday decided this was all totally legal, and dismissed James Pittman’s lawsuit against his former employer, Cook Paper Recycling Corp. “Because the Missouri Human Rights Act does not prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation,” the court’s majority concluded, “we affirm the circuit court’s judgment dismissing Pittman’s petition for failure to state a claim.”
To be clear, this would all be explicitly illegal if Pittman was black or a woman and his coworkers mocked him and his employer fired him over his race or sex. But Missouri doesn’t have explicit legal workplace protections for sexual orientation. And Missouri is not alone — the federal government and 27 other states don’t have such laws.”
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This is the 10th year for Blog4peace. It has now expanded to more than 200 countries from every continent on earth. If you have a blog please join for November 4 as we say with one voice Dona Nobis Pacem https://www.facebook.com/BlogBlastForPeace/
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NEW THREAD!
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