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HA Bible Study

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1 Kings 1:1-4
King David was now an old man, and he always felt cold, even under a lot of blankets. His officials said, “Your Majesty, we will look for a young woman to take care of you. She can lie down beside you and keep you warm.” They looked everywhere in Israel until they found a very beautiful young woman named Abishag, who lived in the town of Shunem. They brought her to David, and she took care of him.

Discuss.

Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza!

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Zina Saunders: Factory farm super bugs.

Pap: wealthy CEOs fighting retirement benefits.

The lost SNL audition tapes.

Obama: Immigration reform.

The Horrors of Affordable Health Care for Everyone:

Chris Hayes: FAUX News’ racist ‘Knock-Out Game’ fear mongering & stereotyping.

Dennis Trainor, Jr: Going postal to save the post office.

Lawrence O’Donnell: Palin’s & O’Reilly’s sorry explanation of Obama’s “socialism”.

The Seattle divestment forum.

Maddow: Billionaires’ bad day as new rules rein in nonprofits (via Crooks and Liars).

Thom: Will Republican treason take down Obama?

Holy Economics:

The Rob Ford calendar.

Red State Update: Podcast 54.

Young Turks: Domestic oil production up 50% under Obama.

Pap: McDonalds offers financial advice for underpaid employees.

Georgia court lists “slave” as possible occupation on website.

This Week in the Republican War on Women™:

White House: West Wing Week.

Greenman: Rhymes with Smokey Joe.

Thom and Pap: The Media’s war on Obama.

Obama: The economy.

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

Preparation for self-failure

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Republican anarchists didn’t like everything about the shutdown they forced last October. No…it wasn’t the fact that important things like food and aviation safety programs were put on hold. It wasn’t that poor people were going hungry or that “essential” government employees were working but not receiving their paychecks. It wasn’t that untold numbers of applications, hearings, meetings, consultations, and enforcement actions were delayed, sometimes causing damage beyond repair. It wasn’t that scientific research and medical trials were being harmed (sometimes irreparably). It wasn’t that the taxpayers paid for, and lost two, weeks of productivity from millions of government employees.

It wasn’t the $24 billion in damage they caused to the U.S. economy. Oh, well.

Nope…it wasn’t about any of that. It was because…Veterans. And national parks.

“Why were veterans turned away from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial?” House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., asked Wednesday….

“Why were members of the Americans’ finest generation in their 80s and 90s turned away and told they could not visit what would be undoubtedly in many cases their last time at those monuments?” Issa asked. “Why were private businesses and nonprofits operating near park land shuttered?”

Because YOU SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT, you stupid fuck!

Republicans were caught unawares. And then, even with their best efforts, they were unsuccessful in shifting the blame of their own obstructionism to the Black guy in the White House.

What to do for the next government shutdown that could happen again after January 15th? Plan ahead!

The Provide Access and Retain Continuity (PARC) Act, which has 17 Republican co-sponsors, would allow states to keep national parks operating in the event of another shutdown and would make them eligible for reimbursement by the federal government. (During the shutdown, six states entered into a similar agreement.)

That’s right…Republicans are now planning for their own failure to govern. “Screw all the other negative consequences…we want our shutdowns to be less politically painful.”

Bruce Sheaffer, Comptroller of the National Park Service, isn’t having it. He delivered a solid smackdown to G.O.P. obstructionists:

We have a great deal of sympathy for the businesses and communities that experienced a disruption of activity and loss of revenue during last month’s government shutdown and that stand to lose more if there is another funding lapse in the future. However, rather than only protecting certain narrow sectors of the economy…from the effects of a government shutdown in the future, Congress should protect all sectors of the economy by enacting appropriations on time, so as to avoid any future shutdowns.

[…]

[Planning for failure] “is not a responsible alternative to simply making the political commitment to provide appropriations for all the vital functions the federal government performs.”

In other words…DO YOUR DAMN JOB!

Fucking assholes.

Turkey Links

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Happy Thanksgiving and/or Chanukkah. Here are some links to hold you through the day….

A Thanksgiving Message from Gary Oldman:

Jonathan Mann: Some Thanksgiving Thoughts.

Pardon Me?

How To: Make the perfect turkey.

National Menorah illuminates Washington D.C.

Thanksgiving poll: Did we steal America.

Ann Telnaes: What would a turkey choose?

Mental Floss: 25 little known facts about Thanksgiving:

Sam Seder and Janeane Garofalo Offer Tips for Thanksgiving:

Sharpton: Biggest political turkeys of the year.

ONN: FAA Issues Holiday Reminder That Planes Can Crash And Kill You.

Mark Fiore: Peace Turkey.

Young Turks: Ready to argue politics at Thanksgiving.

Special “thanks” from American Family Voices.

STILL THE BEST THANKSGIVING CLIP EVAR!!!: The Thanksgiving Massacre!:

British people explain Thanksgiving.

Ann Telnaes: Black Friday Thursday.

Welcome

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A few months ago when Oregon said they would recognize same sex partnerships that happened in states where that’s legal, I wrote that it would probably be a boon to Vancouver. Looks like that has happened (there were some ads that may be NSFW, depending on where you work; h/t).

So, you know, congrats to the couples who got married, and I’m sorry that your state has yet to get on board. It must be strange to have to travel, for some a short distance, for others quite a long way, to have to get legally married. It’s better than your home state not recognizing it at all, but it’s so far from the ideal.

I’d add that as long as you’re coming to Washington, the train ride up to Seattle is pleasant (driving is not so much). As long as you can’t get hitched in your own state, you might as well enjoy Seattle if you can.

Why Do We Have Corporations?

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While writing about Boeing threatening to leave the Puget Sound, I’ve had some thoughts batting around my mind about corporations more generally. I think all major (and most minor) corporations have 4 obligations. 3 that I think are necessary to their survival, as well as just decency and one that’s important but not really in the same way. Corporations have obligations to their shareholders and their investors. They have an obligation to their workers. They have an obligation to their customers. They also have an obligation, although probably not at the same level, to the community where they’re based.

I know this sounds naive, and it probably is. Still, I think those obligations, even though they’re sometimes in competition with each other, make corporations worth having as instruments in society. Obviously, we put a lot of emphasis on shareholders and investors. Probably too much, but they do play a role. And if they’re getting paid a reasonable amount for bringing a return on investment, then fine.

Still, businesses must have an obligation to their employees. When companies like Boeing threaten to leave, we keep hearing about the jobs they provide. But we rarely ever hear about an obligation to provide good jobs. When companies are lagging in this, unions, or government regulation like workplace safety and a minimum wage can force a minimum standard. But I think corporations have an obligation to the people working for them to treat them as something more than just cogs.

They also have an obligation to their customers. Ultimately, they’re making a product or service for someone or some group. When I use a good product, it reflects well on the company that made it, and when I have a bad product it feels like a bit of a betrayal. I think that’s part of the reason that people are sensitive to bad customer service.

Finally, and more generally, businesses have a duty to the communities where they’re located and where they do business. When companies give to charity, we call it “corporate citizenship.” As long as we understand that’s a metaphor, and corporations can’t actually be citizens, that’s fine as far as it goes. Still, there ought to also be an obligation not to pollute and to pay their taxes. Basically, it ought to be better for the community that a corporation locates there. Otherwise, why have them?

I don’t really know what my point is here, but I think the discussion is too much on shareholder value or return on investment, and not on the other things that companies ought to do.

Drinking Liberally — Seattle

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DLBottle

Don’t be caught off guard when Uncle Ernie unloads about Obama’s death panels and the U.N. coming for his guns. Please join us for an evening of politics and a pint at this evening’s Thanksgiving warm-up edition of the Seattle Chapter of Drinking Liberally.

We meet tonight and every Tuesday evening at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Our normal starting time is 8:00pm.






Can’t make it tonight? Check out another Washington state DL over the next week. The Tri-Cities chapter meets tonight and every Tuesday night. The Bellingham and Burien chapters meet on Wednesday. And next Monday, the Yakima, South Bellevue and Olympia chapters meet.

With 212 chapters of Living Liberally, including eighteen in Washington state, four in Oregon, and three more in Idaho, chances are excellent there’s a chapter meeting near you.

Open Thread 11/26

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– President Obama was in town over the weekend.

– I wonder if the public transportation data for Thurston County would look the same for the rest of the state.

– Obamacare remains a great deal for Boehner and his contemporaries, and while eliminating the law altogether might save Boehner a small amount of money if he re-entered FEHBP, it would be a huge liability for a much greater number of 64 year olds without Boehner’s wealth and job security.

– I don’t know why the grade-school hero fantasies of conservatives are allowed to et the terms of all of our political debates. But that’s how we do things.

– Like so many aspects of American life, holidays have become 2-tiered

– And speaking of, I don’t know about the rest of the bloggers here, but I don’t think I’ll post anything on Thursday or Friday.

A Good Veto

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I-502 got more than 54% of the vote in Pierce County. So naturally, you’d think that politicians in the county would be, if not eager, at least willing to zone marijuana businesses. You’d probably not think they would support banning any business until the Federal government decides to legalize marijuana. Maybe somewhere like Franklin County where it lost more than 61% of the vote. But not a Puget Sound county where a majority of voters supported legalization at the ballot, surely.

Well, a majority of the Pierce County Council voted to not allow any marijuana businesses. Fortunately, it was vetoed by the exec (Tacoma News Tribune link; hat tip to Sensible Washington on Facebook).

Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy has vetoed the County Council’s ordinance that prohibits licensed marijuana businesses from operating until the U.S. Congress removes marijuana from the list of federally controlled substances.

McCarthy said the county’s ordinance conflicts with state law. She said the county must comply with state law, which permits the licensing of marijuana businesses.

[…]

An override requires five of seven council votes.

[…]*

The council adopted the ordinance Nov. 5 by a vote of 4-3.

So yay. It probably won’t be overridden.

Still, it seems strange to me that people are so hesitant to support marijuana legalization where it’s popular. I mean I get that drugs-are-bad is the default position that a lot of people have. And the Federal government is a big scary thing people can point to. But I-502 was passed with popular support and the sky hasn’t fallen. It’s time for people to stop fighting it.

[Read more…]

Open Thread 11/25

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– The Seattle Weekly has an interesting piece on Rosellini’s FBI file.

– Obama is better than George W. Bush. Still it’s still too many deaths in wars.

– Oh, and hey, a deal with Iran for 6 months.

– But the GOP has no plan if ObamaCare works. They have no plan for the sick, the healthy, or their own political future. What that should do is twofold; It should tell you clearly that we’re going to win and it should terrify you. The Republicans are in the midst of madness and with it comes a blindness that will destroy them. Let’s hope they don’t take the rest of us with them.

– Are you being persecuted?

– I’m glad KEXP is going to be DJing the New Year’s Eve at the Space Needle but this article seems to think that Pearl Jam and The Ramones are what’s hot in the streets. What?

HA Bible Study

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Hosea 3:1-3
Once again the Lord spoke to me. And this time he said, “Hosea, fall in love with an unfaithful woman who has a lover. Do this to show that I love the people of Israel, even though they worship idols and enjoy the offering cakes made with fruit.”

So I paid fifteen pieces of silver and about ten bushels of grain for such a woman. Then I said, “Now you are mine! You will have to remain faithful to me, though it will be a long time before we sleep together.”

Discuss.

Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza!

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So…the Vice President walks into a sub shop.

Cheney on Cheney:

Lawrence O’Donnell with Bill Maher: North American politics:

Young Turks: FAUX News Freaks out over Oprah race comments.

Bashir: Why Sarah Palin is a ‘a racist, world-class idiot’.

The “Constitutional Option”:

Sarah Silverman on first meeting Obama.

Young Turks: The Obama “one nation under God” fake controversy.

“Walmart Poor:”

Sam Seder: Caller humiliates Rush Limbaugh.

Ann Telnaes: Selfies we’d like to see.

The Audacity of Affordable Health Care for Everyone:

Stephen: On Russia’s gay Olympics ban.

Hundreds of gallons of highly radioactive waste leaking into groundwater at Hanford.

Bashir: U TX Young Republican’s totally no-racist Catch-An-Illegal-Immigrant ‘Game’.

Fifty Years Ago, A Tragedy:

ONN: News of the Week.

Christie’s Governors: The extreme class of 2014.

The News to the North:

Stephen: Oklahetera!

White House: West Wing Week.

Maddow: Right wing abandons facts to bash Obama:

Congressman Coke Hypocrite (R-FL)

Ed: How Ohio Republicans are planning to rig the 2014 vote.

Maddow: Marriage equality spreads.

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

$15 Quick, Quick, Quick

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Contained in this snarky piece about Murray’s transition is some serious talk about the $15 minimum wage.

I asked Murray about the $15 minimum wage, an issue he ended up campaigning on and which has a lot of traction in the city, with Kshama Sawant’s win and the win in SeaTac. On the trail he didn’t give a real timeline for how to get there, but today he said, “We’ll begin our process immediately… We’re having our discussions in the transition team already.” He wants to “bring people to the table” (a politician? Who knew?!), and says “if we end up in a labor-business war, it won’t happen.” He also wants to be “especially sensitive to our small neighborhood businesses—like the Pike/Pine corridor,” he laughed.

I’m going to take that as a positive sign that stuff can get done quickly, and not that it means that the Chamber of Commerce or other bidness groups get a veto. He did run on it, and presumably in 4 years will want it as an accomplishment not as a place where a challenger can stake out a position to his left. And, you know, it’s the right thing to do and popular. And he’ll have at least one City Council member pushing him pretty hard on it.

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