12 thoughts on “Tuesday Open Thread”

1. Question: Should Sen Gardner get 3 years at Florence? a hefty fine, or both?

   http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/03/09/1369711/-47-GOP-Senators-and-Members-of-Congress-Violated-the-Logan-Act?detail=facebook_sf

   The letter by 47 Senators and members of Congress trying to undermine negotiations between Iran, the United States and the 5 + 1 group is a pretty clear violation of the Logan Act:

   “Any citizen of the United States, wherever he may be, who, without authority of the United States, directly or indirectly commences or carries on any correspondence or intercourse with any foreign government or any officer or agent thereof, with intent to influence the measures or conduct of any foreign government or of any officer or agent thereof, in relation to any disputes or controversies with the United States, or to defeat the measures of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.”

   Why isn’t anyone asking about this and pushing for answers as to how this is not a violation of the law?

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   1. I guess sedition and rogue foreign policy is a bit of a GOP tradition.  

      There are the Bushes, following grandpapy’s lead in Der Vaterland, and all buddy-buddy with Wahabbists, even as they are making money from bombing them.  

      In between, of course, Reagan — shipping powders back and forth, black goes south and white comes north (Happy 50th Boys!)– funding an illegal band of nun-raping US-trained terrorists by selling weapons to other terrorists in Iran (the regime still in power, btw) even as those Iranians were locked in a decade-long war with Iraq that Reagan was also selling arms to, including chemical weapons precursors–that knew would be used in the region by their then go-to local dictator, Saddam.  The largest covert operation at the time, of course, was shipping massive pallets of cash and weapons to an upstart band of CIA-directed oil heir princes…the Mujaheddin fighting to put the Taliban in power.  

      Ahh, good times, that GOP wheeling and dealing ‘foreign policy,’ lots of money to be made…

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   2. He needs to spend time in Florence, indeed. His signatory of that letter did, in fact, violate the Logan Act, and Justice needs to begin criminal proceedings on all 47 Republican Senators, immediately revoking their TS/SC clearance to access any classified materials.

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      1. Holding your breath on that one, DP?

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2. Obamacare is here to stay. But, you knew that.

   Tipton: GOP wants Obamacare reform, not repeal

   http://www.postindependent.com/news/15391564-113/tipton-gop-wants-obamacare-reform-not-repeal

   “Republicans in Congress are not out for a full repeal of Obamacare, but rather reasonable reforms that will accomplish its original purpose and intent, Colorado’s 3rd District congressman, Scott Tipton, said Monday during a visit to Glenwood Springs. “

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   1. Apparently Tipton isn’t all that clear on what he’s been voting for, what, 56 consecutive times now ???

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      1. Huh?  He’s allowed to make his own decisions?  I’m not sure he knows that.  

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      2. Tipton isn’t clear on most things. Nice house, nobody home.

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   2. I’ve read that Republicans have finally decided on a “replacement” to the ACA. Strangely, it looks a lot like the ACA – except that it would kill the individual mandate which (according to Heritage) makes it work, and they would allow people to buy insurance across state lines, which essentially guts state regulation of the health insurance industry and would virtually guarantee a race to the bottom in product quality.

      Of course, Republicans have now proposed this plan – on the condition that the ACA is repealed first. I wonder if they’ll ever get around to introducing the replacement once the repeal is done…

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      1. Jeb Bush unveiled his proposed replacement for the “monstrosity” (his word for ACA). It’s to set up a program run by the government (or some other non-identified entity) for catastrophic health care costs. But not routine stuff. I guess the devil is in the details, like where is the cutoff point between routine and catastrophic.  Someone like Mitt Romney could probably pay for something like bypass surgery with what he has in his wallet but for many others, not so easy.

         Jebby also had the insight to realize that Obamacare probably will not be repealed before Obama leaves office in 2017. Maybe he can explain that to his friends in House GOP Conference as they prepare to repeal itfor the 58th time. Using large print. And pictures.

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3. Traitor Tom Cotton (R – Koch Industries) = Ross Geller (aka David Schwimmer) meets Howdy Doody

   http://a1.img.talkingpointsmemo.com/image/upload/c_fill,fl_keep_iptc,g_faces,h_254,w_459/wghm472sxps2zehuciqg.jpg

   He and his 46 traitorous Teabag cronies need to go to prison.

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   1. He does kind of resemble Ross Geller. He also looks a little like Dan Savage, the man who redefined the term “Santorum.” 

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