An Open Letter to Bristol Palin and other stuff

Dear Bristol Palin - Birth control. Sincerely, Bud Cassiday * * * * * * * * US Supreme Court upheld Obamacare subsidies in a 6 to 3 vote. The few smart Republicans across the country breathed a sigh of relief that they will not have to actually govern in the aftermath of a negative ruling, and can now schedule another 50 pointless votes to repeal between now and the 2016 elections. "We narrowly avoided a Republican nightmare," said a Republican who represents a district where 90% of its residents receive Obamacare subsidies. "We would have had to come up with ideas and make decisions.............we're not good at that." By the way, today is the 2674th consecutive day the Republicans have failed to reveal their promised alternative to Obamacare. * * * * * * * With the 5 to 4 ruling in favor of gay marriage, the Republicans' worst nightmares of married gay people with health insurance came true this week. Like Stephen Colbert said, "It's hard to believe gays achieved personhood only five years after corporations did." * * * * * * In South Carolina, President Obama infuriated Republicans this week when he alleged that slavery was an issue in the Civil War. "Have you no decency?" asked one fellow dressed in a long white robe with a hoodie wandering around a local Walmart store with a loaded AR-15 accusing the President of deconstructionist historical revisionism. Walmart announced yesterday that it will discontinue its sales of Chinese-made Confederate flags. "There's plenty of other cheap foreign made sh** we can sell," a spokesperson said. * * * * * * * The national discussions about race, violence, slavery, the Civil War, and the Confederate flag reminded me of William Faulkner's line from "Requiem for a Nun," "The past is never dead. It's not even past." Saying the Republicans needed to look the issue of the racially inspired murders in South Carolina squarely in the eye, Reince Priebus, Chairman of the Republican Party said today: "This was a horrific tragedy we should have foreseen. This was all too predictable. Columbine, Aurora, Sandy Hook, and on and on. We must address this issue head on and without delay. I am today calling upon Democrats and Republicans to unite as one nation and lower the capital gains marginal rate from 35% to 27%, institute a nation wide flat tax, and repeal Obamacare. Then and only then will men, women, and children worshipers of all races, colors, and creeds be safe in their own churches, schools, and movie theaters."* * * * * * * *

Right wing conservative Americans flee to Mexico in record numbers after Supreme Court rulings in the last two weeks......... * * * * * * There are more Republican candidates now than there were people killed by the Black Plague in the 14th century.

Donald Harrumph

Donald Trump claimed he would be the "jobs" President; at his campaign announcement yesterday he apparently paid actors $50 to cheer, thus proving his point! * * * * * * * Karl Rove said Donald Trump is a complete moron. * * * * * * * Trump has declared bankruptcy 4 times leaving creditors holding the bag. He promises to do the same with the United States. * * * * * * * With the US Supreme Court about to rule on the subsidies enabling millions of Americans to purchase health insurance, it is worth noting that today is the 2667th consecutive day the Republicans have failed to reveal their promised alternative to Obamacare. * * * * * * * * According to a recent study, 2/3 of the people who may lose their health insurance coverage because of the Republican lawsuit against The Affordable Care Act are Republican constituents.........serves them right. * * * * * * * * I heard Hillary Clinton say that if she is elected President she would be the youngest woman President ever. That's a good line. * * * * * * * Bill Clinton on Republican devotion to supply side (give the rich more money) economics: "they're undeterred by evidence." Good line. * * * * * * * I'm worried about Tiger Woods. He said about the US Open golf tournament this week, "You just have to out there and play all nine innings." He said something about a grindstone as well. * * * * * * * It wouldn't have seemed right if a hockey team from Florida had won the Stanley Cup. * * * * * * * * And finally, there are nearly as many Republican candidates for President as there are Duggar kids. That's kind of freaky.

Ear wiggling and other thoughts....

The ability to wiggle one's ears occurs in 10-20% of the population. I am one of those. My dad was. I think one brother can do it. My son can do it. One theory is that it is a vestigal evolutionary ability related to cats, for example, who can move their ears to locate sounds. And the ability of both predators and prey to locate suspicious and potentially dangerous noises has a strong survival of the fittest application. I can also raise my left eyebrow just a bit, but can't raise my right one. Mr. Spock could do that eyebrow raise pretty well, but he was from a different planet. ** * * * * * * In the world of politics, Lindsey Graham, Republican, has now entered the race and said if you were tired of Middle East wars, don't vote for him. To him I say: you got it. Now that there are as many Republican candidates as there are Duggar kids, it's hard to even keep track anymore. Politifact reports that about half of what they say is false. Rick Santorum, another Republican candidate has decided to pick fights with the Pope, saying that the Pope should leave science to scientists, particularly global warming, not realizing that the Pope has a Masters Degree in chemistry. Jeb Bush, meanwhile, is claiming that his brother "kept us safe." I guess that's sort of true if you don't count the worst domestic terror attack in the nation's history. * * * * * * * * * The 7th, yes, 7th, Republican Congressional committee has now concluded that while tragic, the deaths in Benghazi were not the result of any improper actions on the part of the US government, President Obama, or Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. But remember, this is the party that has voted to repeal Obamacare over fifty times, so there is an 8th Congressional Benghazi investigation underway. * * * * * * * * * ** * I went to see "San Andreas"the other day, a disaster movie starring Dwayne Johnson. Apparently it made a lot of money over the opening weekend. Great special effects in the destruction of LA and San Francisco (my dad's hometown) with a sappy love story. It does require the willing suspension of disbelief. I hope Stinson Beach withstood the 250 tsunami wave which destroyed the Golden Gate Bridge. Stinson Beach has been a family vacation spot for many many years. Just a few miles north of San Francisco, it sits at the western edge of Mt. Tamalpais and is famous for its long and sandy beach. At our family gathering last year, I walked across and back the Golden Gate Bridge. I hope they rebuild it.