Today's edition of quick hits:
* Costa Rican quake: "Three people died, two them from heart attacks, when a major earthquake hit northwestern Costa Rica on Wednesday, authorities said. At least 20 people were injured and two others were missing, but the Red Cross said those numbers could rise as damage assessment teams reached more areas."
* Middle East: "American senators visiting Iraq warned the Baghdad government Wednesday that it risked damaging relations with the U.S. if it is allowing Iran to fly over its airspace to deliver weapons to Syria."
* Hurricane Isaac appears to have come and gone, but thousands are still struggling in its wake.
* This was probably inevitable: "NBC News has learned that the Democratic Party will reinstate the language recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel." Associated Press reports a reference to God will also be added in response to Republican and media pressure.
* No brainer: "The Obama campaign filed a motion on Wednesday asking a federal court to force the state of Ohio to obey its decision to restore early voting in the three days before the November election."
* Productivity increases aren't always good news: "Companies squeezed more work out of staff in the spring than initially thought, which means that hiring later in the year could remain in the doldrums. The Labor Department reported Wednesday that nonfarm business labor productivity rose at a 2.2 percent annual rate in the second quarter, up from an initial estimate of 1.6 percent."
* Last night, in reference to the Democratic National Convention, CNN contributor Erick Erickson tweeted, "First night of the Vagina Monologues in Charlotte going as expected." He later said he didn't "intend" to be offensive.
* And you, too, can have an amazing marathon time with the new Paul Ryan Time Calculator. Type in the truth, and your Ryan-adjusted time will be far more impressive than reality (via Jonathan Bernstein).
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Leave a Comment:
"NBC News has learned that the Democratic Party will reinstate the language recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel." Associated Press reports a reference to God will also be added in response to Republican and media pressure.
What did Deval Patrick say last night? Democrats need to grow a backbone? One day later, we get this?
Sigh.
Could you provide a link to that copy and paste.
And adding "God" and Jerusalem back to the platform was a very, very awkward process. (Sorry for the partisan source but it has video.)
Copy/past link:
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/report-dems-to-reinstate-jerusalem-language-in-dnc-platform/
Looks like they used a move they learned from the Wisconsin state house. What's next, put Christ back in christmas????
Two steps forward and three back, typical damn Democrats.
So now we are reduced to a choice between spineless and bat @!$%# crazy.
In defense of the Dems, however, the so-called liberal press wasn't going to move off of this nonsense if Dems didn't make these, mostly irrelevant, changes. The Democratic Party needs the easily distracted within the media to focus on the convention itself rather than the Republicans' faux outrage of the day.
The blaze is a website founded by Glenn Beck.
CJ . . . Why should the Dems move at all? Why should the press be so fixated on the platform all of a sudden? It didn't care much that Romney and Ryan distanced themselves right away from the daffy language in the GOP platform. They said, "We have our own views; we're not with those crazy people over there who put the platform together. Don't look at us, look at them."
Why is it that the press treats the Republican candidates differently than it does the Democratic candidates when it comes to being attached to the platform?
If Obama himself OK'd this, it's just another case where he rolled over on his back and peed on himself. (full disclosure - I wouldn't vote for Romney with a gun to my head)
I hope Michelle doesn't want any more kids.
Sad situation ain't it? So why not drop a line to the Obama campaign explaining how this will perhaps drive you away from the polls and the party? Nahhh, wouldn't want people to think you are anti-christian just because you believe in separation of church and state.
No, CJ, it was NOT inevitable. It was INDEFENSIBLE.
One of the stark contrasts between Dems and TeaHaddists is the role of religion in government- they want a christian theocracy. The platform as it stood would have been a great launching pad for asserting that the Constitution doesn't mention any deity, but it does have a First Amendment. Reference to a deity in the Declaration of Independence was pure public relations, a bone thrown to European powers who thought of themselves as Christian (of one sort or another) nations.
Dems could have pointed out that those with deeply felt religious convictions were free to worship as they chose, but had to respect those with different convictions, or no convictions. Dems could have trumpeted this difference between themselves and MittRyan, saying that everyone's convictions and beliefs would be honored under Obama. They should have owned this. Undecideds won't be swayed by this crap.
Don't dance away with your Fire Erikson and contribute to Obama links. Admit you're wrong, and that you should have stayed disgusted, as you were up top.
Sign the petition: "CNN: Fire Erick Erickson"
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/sign/erickson/?akid=170.366452.Fqqaii&rd=1&t=4
While I'm at it, why not click the link below and give a couple of bucks to the Obama campaign?
http://www.barackobama.com/splash/choice?
(ahem...right now)
Pathetic. Just pathetic.
I thought we were having a presidential election. I didn't realize it's really a papal election.
Exclusive: Paul Ryan Quietly Requested Obamacare Cash
I'll bet the other fist-shakers lie about their race times too.
"We endeavor to be fair to all and may God bless America." "Israel is free to name its own capitol." Happy now right wingers?
I hope they didn't change their platform strictly because of fear of the right. I cannot believe they (the right wingers) would have that much influence...even on the Democratic platform. NO way.
Given that nobody cared about Romney/Ryan not running on the GOP platform, why the interest on the part of the press in connecting Obama to the Dem platform?
My theory is that it was definitely more the "Jerusalem" omission than "god." Both parties for so long have been on the same page when it comes to Israel and given the unrest, this just made the wrong people real nervous. I don't think the Obama campaign could risk the fallout. "God" was added back just to make it look more like a inconvenient error than anything of purpose.
After President Obama speaks tomorrow, this will probably wain and fade in the background. Just not real good for the DNC in the moment...imho.
No ,Rondon, the so-called fallout would have been an opportunity to separate Dems from TeaHaddist fanatics, and persuade the undecideds that Dems would honor all beliefs while keeping all theologies out of our constitutional government. The kind of jerks who would have been estranged by a refusal to change the platform have been TeaHaddist for some time now. It would have cost Dems nothing.
Sofferclese, was the Jerusalem omission/inclusion simply theology oriented and not related to foreign policy (and politics)?
We are not snubbing Israel, we have freedom of religion here.
I am almost always going to side with the underdog. Israel needs their country, they are under threat from surrounding areas. America supports them after the war was settled. I always hope for Palestine and Israel to sort it out and a two state solution makes sense, but I cannot say what they decide, only encouragement to work it out.
We are not the deciders. Religion has to be free here. We must not establish it into laws. It is a founding principle.
Oh, this is TOTALLY funny! AP reports: "Secret Service probing theft of Romney tax records."
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hyUTJVJHTIkoJ9mLwu9EkBPUqybQ?docId=ffe6a270e53f43f099007a033a65ecf3
Some nut sent a flash drive and a ransom note to a TN Republican official saying that he had Romney's tax records before 2010 and would return them for $1M.
Silly idiot - doesn't he know how much money Romney has? He should have asked for MUCH more!! Maybe the guy should have tried Harry Reid....
THE DOG THAT I LASHED TO MY CAR'S ROOF ATE MY TAX RETURNS.
Saturday Night Live couldn't have made this stuff up.
"American senators visiting Iraq warned the Baghdad government Wednesday that it risked damaging relations with the U.S. if it is allowing Iran to fly over its airspace to deliver weapons to Syria."
It should be pointed out to all that it is NOT 'american senators'. It is Joe 'senator - AIPAC' LIEberman, John McCrap, and Lindsay Gayham, the 'all war, all of the time' senators.
RACHEL !!!!!!!!
WTF????
Every idiot I talk to thinks Obama is responsible for the $16 TRILLION debt.
FIX THIS ASAP!!!!!!
THE RNC's Debt Clock brainwashed people.
This Week In "God" goes meta.
Rachel, Explain. Obama didn't put Jerusalem and God into the platform because he cares about either religous groups.
Relax liberals, he put it in to get their votes, That's all. He is not going to do anything for them.
He feels the Christians and the Jews are stupid enough to buy this. The party members should be quited not to give it away.
See above.
It was just spineless, plain & simple.
I believe it about companies squeezing more and more labor out of their workforce. I wasn't especially sad to have to quit my last job for that very reason. On the surface it seemed well paying enough for a student, but the fact of the matter is that doing 10 hours of labor six days a week, while being completely understaffed, is utter and complete bullsh!t.
I don't mind working hard, I worked there for two years prior to leaving and it was never easy work, but eventually you can push someone over the edge, to the point that they no longer care about the job they're doing, the company they work for, or keeping that job, if it comes down to it.
You can only get so much blood from someone before they decide that they'd rather be broke for a few months than deal with your insane working conditions. I just feel bad for the other people I used to work with, but I couldn't deal with it any more.
UPDATE:
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/judge-orders-jon-husted-to-attend-ohio-early
Something odd occurred to me this morning.
It has to do with this puzzling reticence of the Romney Campaign after their convention. Is this a breather before the final stretch, or did the the crescendo of GOP convention's festival of hatred and vitriol leave a bad taste in Romney's mouth? We know he consulted with Church leaders in past campaigns (source) What if this time the church elders in Salt Lake City are deeply concerned. Not just nationally, but globally Romney will be regarded as an example of who Mormons are and how the best of the best Mormons conduct themselves. What if these elders have done their own fact checking and came to the conclusion that the Romney campaign was conducting itself in a manner that did not reflect well on fellow Mormons. Put yourself in their shoes. You are looking at the political landscape and coming to the conclusion the only way Romney can have a chance of winning is to not only continue the low road tactics- but go even lower. Even then, the polls look bad- it would be a long shot, and one taken at great price.
As a church elder do you
A) Advise Romney to conduct a scorched earth campaign if necessary in order to get this shot at the White House
(or)
B) realize that the tactics used in Plan A's campaign will be strongly associated with Mormons for a decade, injuring not just their evangelism but the chances of future Mormon candidates.
.
Every person wants to do good, and Romney is telling himself he is taking shortcuts for a some greater good. Has his advisers told him that the odds are not good, and that he must decide either to take the high road and lose with grace, or go balls to the wall and conduct a campaign from hell. Mind you, I think Romney easily has evaded the stench of his past activities due to his hermetically sealed environment. He could easily think well of himself.
This is different.
It would be impossible for a detail oriented manager like him to not be aware of the deliberate perversion of truth and ruthless tactics such as his campaign's involvement in the strategy of suppressing votes. Could it be that Romney is going through some soul searching?
----------
On a completely unrelated note, it is weird what I am hearing on AM hate radio shows- maybe it is coincidence but for the ones I have spot checked- they are talking about anything bu the convention or politics. It was surreal listening to Michael Savage fill airtime with ramblings about what Italians consider a sauce, gravy or a ragu. The would rather none of their listeners tune in the the convention coverage.
I rarely disagree with you,Messerly, but I think you're wrong with this.
The victors write history. If anything, the Mormon elders, who only walked back their racism under pressure, want Mitt to win at all costs. If he noticeably changes his tactics, he not only loses, he confesses to the loathsomeness of his conduct, and splashes a lot of that on the Mormon church, which said nothing to disassociate itself from it. If he wins, he and they re-write history.
Mitt knows no good greater than his ego. That's why he flip-flops situationally, why he ultimately stands for nothing.
LDS had no problem with having an image of picking on LGBTQ folks when they worked feverishly and donated big time to CA Prop 8.
Their beliefs and other sundry churches cannot override the beliefs of these other churches that believe in marriage equality. That looks like bullying to me.
Well, right- soffer and sandy. Those represent the dominant hypothesis I have for LDS and Romney. I was considering an heterodox hypothesis. Some leaders like Dick Nixon or Andrew Jackson for all their complexity seem to be barely self aware. I doubt Jackson had any qualms about stealing the lands and murder of peaceful and law respecting Indian tribes. Should we assume that all leaders are genetically incapable of self reflection or moral reconsideration of their positions?
Rachel was remarking on the anomalous behavior of the Romney campaign doing some down time after the convention. It was a point that I didn't realize my intuitions had fixed on, and were mulling over. In the twilight hours of the next day the hypothesis presented itself to me. But yeah- anomalous behavior often times means nothing. I pay attention to my often in the weeds "overthinking-a-situation" impulses though, because sometimes anomalies are a "tell" of something hidden. So sure- it's probably nothing- Romney is weird and the stock answer is that he is being an arrogant fool detached from reality. I just can't get over watching the way he walks for example- its something about his feet- like the way clowns walk with those over long shoes that point up at the ends?
Romney himself is back to the Welfare lie, so it looks like the explanation is that Mittens simply felt like taking some spins in the boat.
It's too bad. As Benen remarked earlier this morning:
Craven attitudes. Morally vacuous positions. Very sad.
They also had no problems being on the side of segregation until public opinion turned against them and their internal church policies became a PR liability. The Brethren do take note of public opinion, and they have a history of changing course whenever staying on track starts to damage the 'brand'. Hypothetically, the Mormon leaders could be thinking hard about the long-term effects of Romney's candidacy on the church's reputation, although I very much doubt it. They seriously misjudged Prop 8's potential benefit to their reputation; and if their past stances on polygamy and the priesthood are any indication, it's only after things turn and bite them on the collective ass that they rethink their positions.
I finally figured out that Lyin' Ryan was able to run a marathon in under 3 hours because his pants were on fire.
LOL Bravo!! Stephen1947. As a former long distance and marathon runner myself, the one thing that was beyond redemption was cheating. Whether it was a practice run, where you were only cheating yourself, or a competition (shortcuts are always available, lying on times, etc...), but you just never, ever did it. Unless of course, you had a character flaw that allowed you to be lower than scum. As the saying goes,(loosely), if he can do it there, he can do it anywhere...
No mas pantalones.
Saying the word God is not as important as walking alongside him and beleiving what he does, that our first priority should be to help those less fortunate. Actions speak louder than words and what should be pointed out is that someone decided to take it upon themselves to judge someone else....it's not their job.
Common sense eludes us once again.. Faith/god/Dog/Gawd is one to a customer, it's in your brain fine, that also precludes that it is flat out exclusive to your thoughts (and potentially actions) only! I'm so tired of the imaginary making its way into headlines like it is important instead of useless and petty.. Fox news isn't bad enough? Where are we, the 4th century? Democrats, progressive my ass!