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Author: TriSec    Date: 07/09/2011 11:09:15

A brief item this morning...I'm headed off to Spot Pond in a bit for a full day of kayaking. The weather is supposed to be great today, so we're hoping for 3 full sessions.

But let's talk briefly about Congress. Usually, this would be a recess week. Probably an awful lot of our legislators had to cancel junkets vacations so they could stay in the capitol and "work". Perhaps one or two 'town hall' events might have been cancelled, too.
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8 comments (Latest Comment: 07/10/2011 02:52:43 by Raine)

Sick and Tired
Author: BobR    Date: 07/08/2011 12:34:40

As noted in yesterday's excellent blog by Raine, the immediate and far-reaching outrage over a headline in the newspaper is premature, and likely misplaced. Once again, the purveyors of anger on the left against The Left have sewn mistrust against the best president we've had in our lifetimes.

It would be one thing if my fellow liberals and progressives looked at them as the loons that they are. Have they ever written anything in support of the president? We know that some members of the "Professional Left" are making money from the professional right, but we've covered that one before. What irks me no end are the smart, informed people that should know better that start blasting their emotional shotguns in all directions every time one of these writers spews out yet another angry screed magnifying some tiny (or imagined) misdeed by President Obama.
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85 comments (Latest Comment: 07/09/2011 02:59:42 by livingonli)

No, I'm Not Going to Talk You Down
Author: Raine    Date: 07/07/2011 12:30:35

***PLEASE NOTE: There are Updates added to the end of the blog, as the situation evolves. As suspected, the situation has evolved. ***



For myself and myself alone, I am going to take a deep breath and absorb things before I jump to conclusions and judgement. By now you may have heard the news especially from the front page of the Washington Post titled: In debt talks, Obama offers Social Security cuts As soon as I read the title, my gut had a sinking feeling. I continued on and read the article.
At a meeting with top House and Senate leaders set for Thursday morning, Obama plans to argue that a rare consensus has emerged about the size and scope of the nation’s budget problems and that policymakers should seize the moment to take dramatic action.

As part of his pitch, Obama is proposing significant reductions in Medicare spending and for the first time is offering to tackle the rising cost of Social Security, according to people in both parties with knowledge of the proposal. The move marks a major shift for the White House and could present a direct challenge to Democratic lawmakers who have vowed to protect health and retirement benefits from the assault on government spending.

“Obviously, there will be some Democrats who don’t believe we need to do entitlement reform. But there seems to be some hunger to do something of some significance,” said a Democratic official familiar with the administration’s thinking. “These moments come along at most once a decade. And it would be a real mistake if we let it pass us by.”
I kept reading and slowly I noticed that no one is actually quoted or on record with regard to this horrible idea that someone seems floated. I would like to make this clear: If this is true, as it was presented in this article, Obama will find himself in a lot of trouble, politically. The question I must ask, is it it true or is it speculation?
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63 comments (Latest Comment: 07/08/2011 00:00:03 by Will in Chicago)

Liberal and Patriotic
Author: BobR    Date: 07/06/2011 12:03:19

I never cease to be amazed at the conservatives who are surprised that I (and most of my liberal friends) are patriotic. It happens every July 4th, every Memorial Day, every Flag Day: "I can't believe YOU are celebrating this", as if to be a liberal means to hate our country. I was reminded of that mindset once again on Monday. So, let me state it clearly:

I am patriotic BECAUSE I'm a liberal, not in spite of it.
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80 comments (Latest Comment: 07/06/2011 20:52:22 by Raine)

Ask A Vet
Author: TriSec    Date: 07/05/2011 10:32:57

Good Morning.

Today is our 3,030th day in Iraq, and our 3,558th day in Afghanistan.

We'll start this morning as we always do; with the latest casualty figures from our ongoing wars, courtesy of Antiwar.com:

American Deaths
Since war began (3/19/03): 4469
Since "Mission Accomplished" (5/1/03): 4330
Since Handover (6/29/04): 3610
Since Obama Inauguration (1/20/09): 241
Since Operation New Dawn: 41

Other Coalition Troops - Iraq: 318
US Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 1,649
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 915
Contractor Employee Deaths - Iraq: 1,487
Journalists - Iraq : 348
Academics Killed - Iraq: 448

We find this morning's cost of war passing through:

$ 1, 216, 375, 300, 000 .00


We'll pause over the cots of war this morning. Every now and again, I'll simply sit and stare at the moving total for a moment or two. The total is now moving $10,000 about every two seconds. Think about that for a second; count to 5 and that's $50,000...roughly the median income for individuals in these United States.
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90 comments (Latest Comment: 07/06/2011 03:49:02 by Raine)

When in the Course of Human Events
Author: Raine    Date: 07/04/2011 13:37:17

By now, I am sure you have read the text of our founding document, known as the Declaration of Independence. But did you know:
There were 56 men who put quill to parchment during the Summer of Independence in 1776.

On July 2, the Continental Congress voted to declare American independence.

On July 4, Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence.

But it wasn't until August 2 that the delegates began to sign the official, inscribed document.
Were you aware that 86 changes were made to the draft of the Declaration?

Of course you did - readers of our fine blog are well versed in such matters of history.
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14 comments (Latest Comment: 07/05/2011 02:48:30 by TriSec)

Relax!
Author: velveeta jones    Date: 07/03/2011 14:56:17

Open blog today.

But, up for discussion is this topic that I am SURE someone has already mentioned. And, the reason Velveeta will be soon buying a Boston Red Sox ball cap, perhaps in green, but a cap nonetheless. Yes, that is correct. I will sport a ball cap from a team that plays on the upper side of the Mason-Dixon Line. You can remember where you were when you heard it first!
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3 comments (Latest Comment: 07/03/2011 16:59:22 by Raine)

An early Fourth.
Author: TriSec    Date: 07/03/2011 01:01:49

Evening, folks. I hope somebody doesn't get miffed come the actual Independence Day....but we were out and about today.

Today was one of those idyllic New England summer days....the kind we wait and suffer all winter for. I spent a few hours earlier in the week getting my bike back in shape to ride. I haven't been on my bike in just about two years. With everything else going on, it seemed kind of pointless, but I digress.

Javi was gung-ho to ride on a "grownup bike trail", and we have one of the true treasures of America a mere 6 miles from our house here. We loaded up, got the bikes on the rack and drove over to Lexington, Mass to Minuteman National Park.
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2 comments (Latest Comment: 07/04/2011 17:57:04 by Raine)

Save the fetus, kill the child.
Author: TriSec    Date: 07/02/2011 13:45:45

Good Morning.

Anybody out there have babies? Were you regulated in any way when you decided to do so, or did it just happen?

I wonder, did that automatically make any of us "good parents"?

The GOP has many curious fixations. Most of them, as we know, are truly damaging to the country, but some are just obsessions to pacify their "base". Of course, I have abortion on the brain today.

Some of the religious extremists take a look at the ancient texts and find things to cherry-pick. For whatever reason, it's not enough for these beliefs to remain in their faith community...so they've made it their lifelong mission to turn it into the law of the land. "Thou shalt not kill" is the entire basis for the anti-abortion crusade.
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5 comments (Latest Comment: 07/03/2011 00:30:46 by TriSec)

Something in the Water
Author: BobR    Date: 07/01/2011 12:58:35

You know the drill - a rash of seemingly related news items appear (or a solid history) for a geographical area, and people wonder: what's in the water there? Usually, it's Georgia or South Carolina, or some other region with a well-defined stereotypical persona. This time, it's the rust belt.
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51 comments (Latest Comment: 07/02/2011 01:26:15 by TriSec)

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