Open thread………………………………………….Friday, February 28

MoonHowler

ice treesNo end in sight yet.  Winter has a firm grip on us.  Every week we seem to get more  snow and arctic temperatures.   The few warm days we have had are simply teasers…something to taunt us.

The vernal equinox is a little over 3 weeks away.  Day Light Saving Time begins in less than 2 weeks, on March 9. We might need a dog sled for St. Patricks Day.

Have people been sicker this winter?  Had more colds?  I am finishing up cold #2 this winter.  I hadn’t had a cold in 5 years.  I am ready for this horrible winter to be gone!

Va GOP official excoriated for use of genital slur

MoonHowler

twat

Hamptonroads.com

Virginia Republican Party Treasurer Bob FitzSimmonds is drawing rebuke for a Facebook comment that used off-color language in reference to a female GOP legislator.

The episode unfolded Tuesday night during an online discussion of a JH Politics blog article about donor activity in the hotly contested Republican nomination process for the 10th Congressional District in Northern Virginia.

The race to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf has drawn considerable GOP candidate interest, including from Fairfax County Del. Barbara Comstock and Prince William County Del. Bob Marshall.

It was Comstock’s name that elicited FitzSimmonds’ online ouburst.

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Dana Milbank: “Republicans flip-flop on ‘judicial activism’ “

MoonHowler

Washingtonpost.com:

From Dana Milbank 2/27/14

There was a time not too long ago when Republicans decried “activist judges.” Now they’re lamenting that judges are not being activist enough.

“Unfortunately, the courts have been reluctant to exercise their constitutionally conferred power,” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) proclaimed at a hearing Wednesday. He called on the courts “to check the president’s overreach,” and he complained that “the federal courts have read their own powers much more narrowly” than they should.

This newfound love of activist judges is the latest manifestation of what has been called Obama Derangement Syndrome: The president’s opponents are so determined to thwart him that they will reverse long-held views if they believe that doing so will weaken his stature.

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Jan Brewer vetoes denial of service anti-gay bill

MoonHowler

For whatever reason, Jan Brewer did the right thing.  Was she motivated by principle or was she motivated by money?  Does it really matter?  She vetoed a discriminatory bill.

Will this kind of bill take hold in other states?  It already has.  Many states have similar bills that are sneaking their way through various legislatures.   It is up to people of conscience to say no.  It is up to corporations who might be doing business in the state to let their feelings be known.  Apple, American Airlines, Marriott and Super Bowl XLIX all spoke up stating that those types of values did not represent their brand.  Both U. S. Senators also lobbied against the state bill.

I am sure there are disappointed rednecks and bigots in Arizona today.