Regarding Gov Cuomo firing his emergency management director. . .

The real story behind the story: how did Cuomo find out?

Maybe it doesn’t matter, but it suggests Kuhr was really, really reckless career-wise having that team clear his driveway. As if no one would notice. What a brain fart.

Also mindful of his position one would expect he’d have had his own sensible chainsaw stashed and ready.

You will have to pry my House cafeteria swipe card out of my cold, dead hands:

Buerkle still has not conceded to Maffei

Those two seem to have a real tit-for-tat thing going on. Thanks for the good chuckle, allan.

Just imagine how a crew member might have felt, maa8722, spending all that effort to clear this guy’s front yard while millions of people were in perilous situations. He really must not be very with it, either.

Obama, Silver, Grayson, Judd!!!!

That’s a list representing the present, the near-term future and potential. I like it.

Isn’t it amazing how Dems won Senate seats when all the pundits & polls were showing we might lose the Senate altogether?

Aside from long long lines and slow ballot counting there is also the problem of Gerrymandering. Dems won more popular vote for House races and yet we didn’t win all that many seats. We need some more challenges taken to the Supreme Court to eliminate objectively unfair district lines.

Isn’t it interesting, though, that those pundits and polls didn’t see it coming. I tried to pull together some decent analyses of what happened, MarkH. Verrrrrry interesting.

And sore losers are not just for Central New York.

WA-Gov: Inslee still ahead; McKenna not giving up

After the roundup went to bed, Krugman filed tomorrow’s column, which says preznit should do nothing rather than make a “grand bargain” with ass-hat Republicans.

How far should he go in accommodating the G.O.P.’s demands?

My answer is, not far at all. Mr. Obama should hang tough, declaring himself willing, if necessary, to hold his ground even at the cost of letting his opponents inflict damage on a still-shaky economy. And this is definitely no time to negotiate a “grand bargain” on the budget that snatches defeat from the jaws of victory.

[snip]

**** a stalemate would hurt Republican backers, corporate donors in particular, every bit as much as it hurt the rest of the country. As the risk of severe economic damage grew, Republicans would face intense pressure to cut a deal after all.

Meanwhile, the president is in a far stronger position than in previous confrontations. ***** And he just won his big election and is, therefore, far better placed than before to weather any political blowback from economic troubles — especially when it would be so obvious that these troubles were being deliberately inflicted by the G.O.P. in a last-ditch attempt to defend the privileges of the 1 percent.

Most of all, standing up to hostage-taking is the right thing to do for the health of America’s political system.

So stand your ground, Mr. President, and don’t give in to threats. No deal is better than a bad deal.

Makes you wanna say, just hang it up, man! That’s great, allan. Kinda reminds me of this (including with all the drama, too).

Well, let’s hope, Fractal, that’s the first thing Obama reads in the morning when he gets up. Many thanks for letting us know.

Thank you for the roundup today, Fatster.

The Northeast is being hit very hard–200,000+ “new power outages”, 167,000 NJ homes and businesses without power overnight, and 700,000 customers all total with no power. Wind gusts at 50 mph, record snowfalls everywhere. Two dead in CT and 2 dead in NJ. You can make donations for warm blankets here.

A sobering reminder of how bad things can and will become. I feel for these people.

After a major snow storm in 2011 wiped our power, dumped 36 inches of snow in our yard, and destroyed our roof, we huddled for over a day in blankets waiting for it to be restored. It was only a month after the last which we still had snow and ice on the ground from and our central heat had gone out during. Bitter, bitter times.

Definitely bitter times, Gothrykke. No wonder you moved to warmer climes. And thank you for visiting the Roundup, Gothrykke. Just wouldn’t be the same otherwise.

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2012/11/what-pussy-riots-punk-prayer-really-said/264562/

In fact, the rest of the punk prayer’s lyrics amount to an iconoclastic cri de coeur deriding popular Russian subservience to a clergy many regard as corrupt, denouncing (widespread, in Russia) conservative attitudes toward gays, assailing the increasingly tight relationship between church and the (constitutionally secular) state, as well ridiculing the age-old perception in Russia that rulers exercise power through a mandate from God…

With a few changes, the quote might be, America? Some American politicians who might agree in part with the positions being criticized in the “Punk Prayer,” lost their election bids. That’s a good thing.

Like Vlad the Impaler,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Impaled.gif

Vlad Putin the only Hooligan in the matter has used the state apparatus to silence dissent and intimidate. Vlad Putin can’t handle the “Truth!” Seems to be a common thing these days, essentially being “politically impaled,” because you are impelled by “truth” to not remain silent and express legitimate criticism?

Lennon Smiles…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlzrNKN3rZI

Racial epithets heard at Virginia college after Obama’s reelection

Hampden-Sydney College, an all-male school in central Virginia, is investigating an election-night incident in which a group of students upset about President Obama’s reelection set off fireworks, threw bottles and then shouted racial epithets at members of a minority student organization, officials said Thursday.

Hi

getting ready for the pull-out: statement from Afghan minister of energy and water:

“Ismail Khan said in a gathering with former regional Jihadi commanders in west and southwest Afghanistan that the Mujahedeen should also be given more roles in the government as the foreign armies – the Nato-led international security assistance force Isaf – had failed to ensure stability in the country.

He emphasised that just as the Mujahedeen had previously driven out the foreign invaders, the Soviets, so too there was now a need for the Mujahedeen to again rescue the country from “foreign conspiracies”.

“The foreigners sidelined those who had fought for ages,” Ismail Khan said in western Herat province.

“They collected all our weapons, our artillery and tanks, and put them on the rubbish heap. Instead, they brought Dutch girls, French girls, girls from Holland, they armed American girls, they brought white-skinned Western soldiers, and black-skinned American soldiers, and they thought by doing all this they would bring security here but they failed,” he added.

Khan claimed that President Hamid Karzai is aware of the plans to re-form the mujahedeen armed forces.”

http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/8172-formation-of-mujahedeen-military-unit-is-underway-ismail-khan-

Good advice.

I wonder what Maher Arar, thinks of the goings on in Syria.

wikipedia

“On September 26, 2002, during a stopover in New York City en route from a family vacation in Tunisia to Montreal, Arar was detained by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS).

When it became clear he was going to be deported, Arar requested he be deported to Canada; though he had not visited Syria since his move to Canada, he retained Syrian citizenship as Syria does not permit the renunciation of citizenship.

Canadian (initially) and United States officials have labelled his transfer to Syria as a deportation, but critics have called the removal an example of rendition for torture by proxy, as the Syrian government is infamous for its torture of detainees.

Despite the recent public rhetoric, at the time of Arar’s deportation, Syria was working closely with the United States government in their “War on Terror”. In November 2003, Cofer Black, then counterterrorism coordinator at the US State Department and former director of counterterrorism at the CIA, was quoted as saying “The Syrian government has provided some very useful assistance on al Qaeda in the past.”[31]

I wonder when the tyrants around the world will get the message, that helping the USA is a dangerous game.

Ashley Judd vs KY Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in 2014? It’s been proposed.

Now THAT would be entertaining!

is there a win for Carmona in those AZ provisional ballots?

In all the Repub soul searching…R consultant Mark McKinnon was on NPR yesterday. Great piece on what the Rs should do; admitted he had voted for Gary Johnson. Likely can listen on line. Wonder if any Rs will listen to him.

from my last thread comment, Frum and Scarborough saying the cons entertainment complex fleeced the con followership. Lupine grin because it wasn’t ideology motivated…it was their business model.

mark mckinnon so smarmy I can’t listen to him.

Maybe….he’s certainly thru with the current Rs, and I was interested in his comments.

i think the one to watch is Frum. mckinnon’s just an opportunistic gadfly. trust him not.

and to fatster @10, Krugman’s advice is the soundest economic analysis available in the MSM. We might find out today whether preznit is likely to take it. National Petroleum Radio said this morning that preznit is giving a speech or presser about the “cliff” some time today. Looking for a link right now.

Short NYT Caucus entry at the bottom of this page:

Washington Happenings:

* Mr. Obama and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. will meet with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday. Later, Mr. Obama will speak from the White House about encouraging economic growth and reducing the deficit.

AP Daybook entry, courtesy of the oily broadcaster:

Newly re-elected President Barack Obama will use a White House appearance to set the tone for upcoming talks with congressional Republicans on avoiding the so-called fiscal cliff.

I bet it was one of the workers diverted to do the job. A lot of these people have homes that were wrecked or have friends whose homes were wrecked. Payback time, like the server who filmed Romney’s 47 percent speech. Workers are beginning to get back at their bosses where it hurts.

We’ve seen this movie before. Gregoire’s election went to the wire. It’s Eastern WA vs Western WA. I thought Inslee had it sewed up. Surprised it’s taking this long to complete.

As I wrote on Attaturk’s thread:

It’s as simple as this: he has the opportunity to totally marginalize the House Rs and turn the country against them. Or he can breathe new life into them. Politics 101.

Arar’s abduction is a big reason why a lot of people no longer fly through or into the United States from overseas. You can fly to Canada first, go through US immigration at a Canadian airport, which provides some (limited) protection against abduction, since US authorities do not have the power to do that in Canada (as far as I know and hope).

Mrs. Greenspan was on Morning Joke saying that, if we don’t get a Grand Bargain, New Jersey storm victims will suffer. Pure evil.

My fear is that , yet again, the President will let the R’s live again. I of course advocate keeping them down for the count. Move the country back toward the left. Day after day hammer away at their obstructionist stalling and ideologically driven harmfull bullshit. I beleive that would paint the House blue in 2 yrs and keep the WH in 4.

That particular zombie needs to just go away. (I call her Mrs. I-Fucked-Up-the-Economy)

He is holding all the cards. But expect lots of counter-arguments that he doesn’t — to cover for a possible betrayal — again.

It’s legacy time, folks.

We are all–all of us, every last American, even the whitest of white guys–special interests. And now, normal isn’t white or straight or Christian. There is no normal.

The Wall Street Media are declaring the culture war over and the liberal civil rights struggles of the past 60 years – African-American, women, LGBT, Native American, Hispanic,…–these are now considered settled issues although there is much change yet that needs to happen geographically and legislatively.

The bankers are tired of the party they rent and want control of the party they own back as well.

In other news, Occupy Wall Street through its Strike Debt Jubilee action is buying up factored bad debt and forgiving it. First outing was buying up $14,000 of debt from a factor for $500. This requires some folks with tough negotiating skills; otherwise the factors would start raising their prices because of the funds coming in from Strike Debt. But it is a direct action that can be applied anywhere by local people pooling funds and helping folks discharge their debt.

Like I said yesterday, I don’t read tea leaves. But IMO the way the fiscal cliff is handled is a tell for what this second term is going to look like. The politics says “Play chicken” and if the deadline passes both the repeal of the tax cuts and the 8%-9% budget cuts, especially those on the military–go into effect and Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security are protected. Then the action has to happen in the GOP-controlled House, and the Democrats can hold out for the best deal (which politically would involve Republicans raising taxes or increasing discretionary spending).

Is it going to happen? That is why it’s a settle in for a glass of wine (or pop some popcorn) sort of moment.

More than legacy building, I think. We, as a nation, have some real problems. Morons who hate government have been allowed to run roughshod over policy for decades and the resulting damage is real. There needs to be actual progress on myriad issues including taxes, spending (not the way R’s would have it) the Social Safety Net and health care. Big problems require problems solvers not punks, bullies and whiners. It is actually time to stand up and tell Grover Whats-his-Name to fuck off, sit down and shut the fuck up.

But it seems from yours @34 that you don’t really buy that preznit will actually do that, right?

Yes, hold your ground. No reason for the President to a thing just now. Wait until after the tax cuts expire and the new congress is seated. And even then, WTF? Blame these bastards for screwing up the economy for their own ends. You now got the public’s ear. Veto all cuts.

Well said.

Someone should’ve given Grover Norquist a coloring book and set him down at the kiddie table long ago.

Good morning pops, and everyone else. Happy Friday.

That would be the aggressive force of action.

Demand across-the-board surrender by Republicans in the lame duck, or do nothing. Let everything expire. When a new Congress is seated and the next term starts, the Ds are left in the position of power, holding the keys to what America wants.

X 2

Does the President have to approve the cuts or can he stop them? does he have a veto over them?

Good morning. Yet another beautiful day in central Texas.

Reminds me of this commercial.

Here’s your ‘Honk if you had an affair with Taylor’ yard sign.

If you’re referring to the fiscal ‘cliff’ cuts, I think the president can freeze taxes and spending. The cuts will trigger without that action because he signed them into law last year, so no veto power. That horse left the barn.

seems like the right approach to me, which is why it already seems like a wrong move for preznit to be saying anything about the mythical “cliff” today. Besides, there are still undecided elections hung up in counting absentee & provisional ballots (like, f’rinstance, Florida preznit, Florida House (Alan West), WA governor, etc.) which could be disrupted by premature moves by the White House. I wish preznit would just shut up until after the weekend.

whoaa who knew Daniel Day Lewis was funny?? LMAO

How about he just shut up until after year end?

I assume from what you say he can still let the tax cuts expire? If he then freezes spending what does that mean? that is kinda like a veto?

I believe (and could be wrong) that he can freeze spending at current levels. That would keep most of the cuts from triggering.

He could certainly veto any new legislation that would extend the Bush-era tax cuts.

You just gotta let these thugs drive the bus off the cliff and all the while blame them for causing a recession. I think the Rs are in danger of being relegated to that well known dust bin. They need to be shown the fools they are once again.

Ok then. Make it so. He doesn’t need the asses to do anything.

I think the Rs are in danger of being relegated to that well known dust bin.

They were even more on the ropes in 2008. The first two years of Obama revived them. We can hope that doesn’t happen again…

yes, I am with THD above on this now. Watch and see.

I like it! But WaPo reveals why preznit might have non-domestic reasons that require him to make a public statement today: he is scheduled to make a five-day visit to SE Asia starting “late next week.”

WaPo editors did a remarkable job stuffing the hed of that piece down the Orwellian memory hole: the print edition hed (buried on p. A12) says “As Obama meets with top advisers, campaign aides see fiscal policy mandate.” (Italics added.) That hed, indeed the entire piece, is nowhere to be found on the WaPo home page. At least they didn’t refuse to post it on the web; the link above has the story, but under the new hed “Obama meets with senior advisers as victory gives way to second-term challenges.” The “fiscal policy mandate” was quickly disappeared down the memory hole. I hate those motherfuckers when they do that.

New motto for the Western world, as it worries about phony problems, and ignores real ones:

Losing.

China is going to build a canal from the Pacific to the Caribean through Nicuaragua.

“But China’s presence is much more ambitious in Nicaragua, where President Daniel Ortega signed a memorandum of understanding in September with the recently created Hong Kong-based HK Nicaragua Canal Development Investment Co to finance and build a canal linking the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean – a dream long cherished by Managua.

According to Nicaragua’s estimates, the canal will cost 30 billion dollars, and will take 10 years to build. HK Nicaragua, headed by Chinese telecom mogul Wang Jing who is chairman of the Xinwei Telecom Enterprise Group, is to build a waterway that will serve larger ships than the Panama Canal, as well as a “dry canal” railroad for freight.”

http://www.ipsnews.net/2012/11/china-invests-in-central-america-but-doesnt-buy/

Now International accounting firms (well known as participants in the climate hoax conspiracy) are issuing dire warnings:

“A new international business report warns fossil fuel use is pushing humanity towards a catastrophic overheating of the planet, with temperature increases of four or even six degrees Celsius. No major developed or developing country is doing anything close to what’s needed to prevent large parts of the planet from becoming uninhabitable, the report found.

“This isn’t about shock tactics, it’s simple maths,” said Leo Johnson, partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited (PwC), one of the world’s largest accounting firms, which wrote the report.

“We’re heading into uncharted territory for the scale of transformation and technical innovations required” to reduce carbon emissions enough to prevent disaster, Johnson said.”

http://www.ipsnews.net/2012/11/mankind-approaching-carbon-cliff-report-warns/

And all so predictable. Thanks, mafr–and Good Morning!

I didn’t see a link, either, Fractal, but I’ve just begun today’s trawling. Thanks so much!

X 3!

LOL. Many thnx, KrisAinTX

very funny!