Link Round-up November 2014

By ticorules on November 23, 2014 • ( 0 )

So I’m going to do a series of irregular posts where I’ll point out some interesting stories or provide some quick commentary to news events without delving into a full-fledged blog post. This is a brand new idea that has never happened before on the Non Blogosphere. OK, it may have happened previously. But that was in the before time, in the long long ago. Anyway, without further ado or more Star Trek references, here we go.

President overhauls immigration enforcement

In a speech covered by no major network other than Telemundo (nice job network tv), President Obama announced his executive orders to extend temporary relief to approximately four to five million immigrants here illegally. Basically if they are parents of U.S citizens, been in the country for at least five years, are able to pass a background check, and pay taxes you can apply for temporary status without having to worry about La Migra coming to get you. The full details are here.

I think the interesting thing about this speech is how it’s being framed in certain liberal quarters. Michael Shear from the New York Times started his piece out by saying that the President “chose confrontation over conciliation…” Seriously? OK so the Dream Act was filibustered to a slow legislative death by Senate Republicans, House Republicans have refused to take up the bi-partisan immigration reform bill that passed with 68 votes a year ago, and conservative media has been hounding Republicans to NOT pass anything. I’m not sure why the President being conciliatory would be considered a plus in this instance. Nor how that would get a bill through this Congress. And as for confrontation, wouldn’t that be the Republicans who’ve been screaming about lawsuits, de-funding the government, and impeachment for any reason at all?

This is what happens when the media fetishizes bi-partisanship and false equivalence over actual policy. It’s enough to make you want to write after post after post entitled Media Problems.

Republicans actually lose their minds over immigration

This is why I love the internets!

The outrage was as predictable as it was unhinged. Rand Paul said President Obama was acting like a king. Representative Mo Brooks from Alabama said that the President was committing a felony. But my personal “favorite” was the Kansas Secretary of State saying that the executive actions would lead to “ethnic cleansing.” AlterNet collected some of the crazier reactions. But it’s becoming increasingly difficult to take these people seriously. Especially when this executive action is roughly inline with actions that were taken by previous Republican administrations. This includes the recently beatified Saint Ronald of Reagan.

One of the things we’ve lost as a country when the GOP goes this far off the rails is any hope of substantive discussion on policy. You can’t bow in genuflection at the altar of Saint Ronnie every chance you get and then demonize President Obama for doing the same thing. At least you shouldn’t be able to. And speaking of people who will never be President…

Jim Webb launches presidential campaign

Technically, he only launched an exploratory committee, which is the first nonsensical step one must take while on the road to becoming a candidate. Unfortunately for the former Senator, only the most hardcore of political nerds like myself thinks this is anyway interesting. The rest of the nation has collectively shrugged their shoulders. Or at least they would if they had any idea who Jim Webb is. But being a highly decorated military officer and a one-time Senator from swing state Virginia makes me think that he’s actually launching his Vice–Presidential campaign. That is after all, how the game is played. Just a personal preference, but he might want to ease back on the Confederacy love affair.

In post racial news

Seniors from Sullivan High School in Missouri thought it would be fun to dress up in black face. The girls are said to be shocked by some of the reactions they’ve been getting. I mean donning black face has always been synonymous with class and taste so I can understand their confusion in the year 2014.

Further straining credulity is the fact that it was all just a big misunderstanding. The principal was totally sure stating “Oh, they don’t mean anything by it.”

Turns out they usually paint their faces in black and gold which matches the school colors. Unfortunately, everyone just happened to forget the gold paint. As you can see, this left them with no choice at all. I’m not sure what’s more troubling, the fact that the kids did this stupid and offensive thing deliberately or that they did this stupid and offensive thing out of sheer ignorance. It’s not often that one prays for ignorance but here we are.

Either way it doesn’t speak well for all of the teachers and coaches who saw this scene and didn’t bat an eye. To say nothing of the parents.

That’s it for now, folks. See you next time for more news from the weird, wild world of America…