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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Tuesday Morning Open Thread: A Change Is Gonna Come

Tuesday Morning Open Thread: A Change Is Gonna Come

by Anne Laurie|  February 18, 20146:19 am| 55 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads, Science & Technology, All we want is life beyond the thunderdome

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big oil has the gop luckovich
(Mike Luckovich via GoComics.com)

Monday falls on a Tuesday for some of us this week, but perhaps this is a small piece of good news? From the NYTimes:

A billionaire retired investor is forging plans to spend as much as $100 million during the 2014 election, seeking to pressure federal and state officials to enact climate change measures through a hard-edge campaign of attack ads against governors and lawmakers.

The donor, Tom Steyer, a Democrat who founded one of the world’s most successful hedge funds, burst onto the national political scene during last year’s elections, when he spent $11 million to help elect Terry McAuliffe governor of Virginia and millions more intervening in a Democratic congressional primary in Massachusetts. Now he is rallying other deep-pocketed donors, seeking to build a war chest that would make his political organization, NextGen Climate Action, among the largest outside groups in the country, similar in scale to the conservative political network overseen by Charles and David Koch.

In early February, Mr. Steyer gathered two dozen of the country’s leading liberal donors and environmental philanthropists to his 1,800-acre ranch in Pescadero, Calif. — which raises prime grass-fed beef — to ask them to join his efforts. People involved in the discussions say Mr. Steyer is seeking to raise $50 million from other donors to match $50 million of his own.

The money would move through Mr. Steyer’s fast-growing, San Francisco-based political apparatus into select 2014 races. Targets include the governor’s race in Florida, where the incumbent, Rick Scott, a first-term Republican, has said he does not believe that science has established that climate change is man-made. Mr. Steyer’s group is also looking at the Senate race in Iowa, in the hope that a win for the Democratic candidate, Representative Bruce Braley, an outspoken proponent of measures to limit climate change, could help shape the 2016 presidential nominating contests…

***********
Apart from hoping for the best, what’s on the agenda for the day?

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Reader Interactions

55Comments

  1. 1.

    OzarkHillbilly

    February 18, 2014 at 6:28 am

    Sunshine, 66 degrees… So that.

  2. 2.

    Mustang Bobby

    February 18, 2014 at 6:31 am

    After watching a clip of that fogbrain Rep. Blackburn debate Bill Nye on MTP, I’m hoping Mr. Steyer dumps a load of cash on whoever is running against her just to usher her into her next gig as a Fox contributor.

    @OzarkHillbilly: Sunny & 65 here.

  3. 3.

    Baud

    February 18, 2014 at 6:34 am

    Cole and Charles Johnson had a small twitter we last night about whether Newsmax ads were more or evil than LGF’s popup ads. Haha.

    Oh, and I for one welcome our new Citizens United overlords.

  4. 4.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    February 18, 2014 at 6:38 am

    @Mustang Bobby: Dark and 58.

    ETA: Mika just went on a rant. I got the impression that she’s not happy with her iPhone. Sounds like she’s getting a Sammy.

  5. 5.

    tybee

    February 18, 2014 at 6:45 am

    gonna be 70 and sunny here.

    i hope NextGen Climate Action can influence some elections. i’m at 12.5 feet above mean high tide and don’t wanna move.

  6. 6.

    Mustang Bobby

    February 18, 2014 at 6:52 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA: Mika went on a rant yesterday morning in the hour before Joe showed up, saying anyone who went after Hillary Clinton for Bill’s misdeeds was a misogynistic sexist pig. Kinda startled the pigeons around the table.

  7. 7.

    Joey Maloney

    February 18, 2014 at 7:02 am

    Apart from hoping for the best, what’s on the agenda for the day?

    Preparing for the worst, of course.

  8. 8.

    Linda Featheringill

    February 18, 2014 at 7:05 am

    28 degrees in Philly.

    Income tax refund came and so I hired someone to plow the snow out of the driveway. Highway robbery. But they did a good job and the environs are safer now.

    Now, on to the next crisis, I guess.

  9. 9.

    BillinGlendaleCA

    February 18, 2014 at 7:11 am

    @Mustang Bobby: The funniest part was when idiot Nicole Said a $600 phone was disposible.

    I think I’m getting used to writing with my pen,

  10. 10.

    OzarkHillbilly

    February 18, 2014 at 7:12 am

    @tybee: The stench of money always makes me uncomfortable (guess that’s why I’ll never be rich) and they will take full credit for anything positive that may happen, but still, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

  11. 11.

    Alex S.

    February 18, 2014 at 7:32 am

    26% of Americans don’t know that the Earth moves around the Sun.

    http://wonkette.com/542098/70-of-americans-perfectly-suited-to-sit-on-house-science-committee#more-542098

  12. 12.

    Punchy

    February 18, 2014 at 7:32 am

    Gawd I love the “parrot” stage of a 2 year-old’s vocab devo…I can get her to say the funniest things. Mrs. P is not as impressed.

  13. 13.

    RuhRow_Gyro

    February 18, 2014 at 7:53 am

    Why would a ‘hedge fund manager’ support ‘climate change’ legislation?

  14. 14.

    Baud

    February 18, 2014 at 7:58 am

    @RuhRow_Gyro:

    Lots of rich people have pet issues. Some good, some evil, some in-between.

  15. 15.

    Chyron HR

    February 18, 2014 at 8:03 am

    @Baud:

    NO! Rich people are all inherently evil! They should be ground up into Hamburger Helper for the homeless! Get out of my face, you third way DLC sellout!

  16. 16.

    satby

    February 18, 2014 at 8:03 am

    7 inches of snow again last night, on top of the approximately 18 inches still on the ground. And now temps near the 40s for the 3 days, with rain predicted on the third day. So preparing for the inevitable flooding commences.

  17. 17.

    Hill Dweller

    February 18, 2014 at 8:09 am

    A young Catherine Deneuve(The Umbrellas of Cherbourg) is on my TV. She is one of the few actresses that can make me sit through a musical for more than 5 minutes.

  18. 18.

    raven

    February 18, 2014 at 8:12 am

    @Hill Dweller: I was stunned that I, not only was able to sit through it , but enjoyed it!

  19. 19.

    C.V. Danes

    February 18, 2014 at 8:18 am

    Good for him (and us).

    Better than spending his money to build Elysium.

  20. 20.

    Professor

    February 18, 2014 at 8:24 am

    Did you know that Lovers of Cats are known as AILUROPHILIA and haters/fear of cats are AILUROPHOBIA?
    Now you can take it to the bank and save it.

  21. 21.

    Cervantes

    February 18, 2014 at 8:25 am

    @RuhRow_Gyro: Tom and Kat Steyer are good people and their beef is delicious.

  22. 22.

    Cervantes

    February 18, 2014 at 8:26 am

    @Hill Dweller: That was a good movie.

  23. 23.

    Southern Beale

    February 18, 2014 at 8:28 am

    Apparently (not)Joe the (not)Plumber now has a union job, which is cool ‘cuz it’s a private union. Apparently it’s the PUBLIC unions he opposes. Ohhhhh!!! Now you tell us!

    Also he’s blithely unaware that the Tea Party originally called themselves Tea Baggers. What a fucking loon.

  24. 24.

    MrSnrub

    February 18, 2014 at 8:30 am

    I have my second of 3 interviews this afternoon. First one came back as a job offer. I like them, and think I will like the company today. Last one is Thursday and I’m luke-warm on them. They want me to bring code samples to review, almost like an artist’s portfolio. I don’t really have anything that’s non-proprietary. What a PITA.

  25. 25.

    Cacti

    February 18, 2014 at 8:37 am

    Hooray for the final triumph of big money politics.

  26. 26.

    WereBear

    February 18, 2014 at 8:49 am

    It’s about time we got our own loony billionaires.

  27. 27.

    Belafon

    February 18, 2014 at 8:50 am

    Let’s hope this attitude among the wealthy left grows.

  28. 28.

    Cervantes

    February 18, 2014 at 9:02 am

    @Cacti: OK, in the short run your plan is to stare the gift horse in the mouth. What is your plan for the long run?

  29. 29.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    February 18, 2014 at 9:06 am

    @RuhRow_Gyro: Probably the same reason David Koch opposed the invasion of Iraq, he can’t make money off it, or it is going to F–k with his cash. This is no altruistic move.

  30. 30.

    Cacti

    February 18, 2014 at 9:07 am

    @Cervantes:

    OK, in the short run your plan is to stare the gift horse in the mouth. What is your plan for the long run?

    I have no illusions about the reality of the post Citizens United world.

    I’m also not obliged to celebrate it.

  31. 31.

    Ben Cisco

    February 18, 2014 at 9:11 am

    @BillinGlendaleCA: I’ve got a bunch of ID10T users here that thought so too. Verizon got greedy and wanted us to pay for the devices up front instead of NET 30 like every other device they sell, so SEE YA!

    The planets don’t often align in IT world, but sometimes they do.

  32. 32.

    Cervantes

    February 18, 2014 at 9:12 am

    @Cacti: That I agree with.

    Thanks.

  33. 33.

    Elizabelle

    February 18, 2014 at 9:14 am

    @MrSnrub:

    Great news! Good luck and keep us posted.

  34. 34.

    Ben Cisco

    February 18, 2014 at 9:15 am

    @Mustang Bobby: Yes, b/c it’s “her” ox being gored now.

    I expect a LOT of people who stood on the sidelines while PBO was being savaged to be more proactive about beating back garbage now…

  35. 35.

    rikyrah

    February 18, 2014 at 9:19 am

    Okla. Police Officers Allegedly Beat Unarmed Man To Death In Front Of His Family [VIDEO]

    Three Moore, Oklahoma police officers have been placed on paid administrative leave after allegedly beating Luis Rodriguez (pictured above) to death in front of his family early Saturday morning, reports News9.com.

    At just past midnight, February 15, Nair Rodriguez, the victim’s wife, got into an argument with her daughter, Lunahi, eventually slapping the girl. As she angrily walked away, her husband chased after her in order to calm her down and stop her from driving away.

    According to Rodriguez, that’s when officers intercepted him and asked for identification.

    The situation escalated from there.

    http://newsone.com/2897178/okla-police-officers-allegedly-beat-unarmed-man-to-death-in-front-of-his-family-video/

  36. 36.

    rikyrah

    February 18, 2014 at 9:19 am

    Revealed: The identity of the garbage truck driver behind an amazing act of kindness to boy with autism has been viewed by nearly ONE MILLION people

    Garbage man Manuel Sanchez surprised 5-year-old with a toy truck
    Daniel Mulligan wait outside for Sanchez to pick up trash on garbage day
    A video of the kind act has gone viral and has 750,000 views and counting

    By Alexandra Klausner and Sara Malm

    PUBLISHED: 22:42 EST, 17 February 2014 | UPDATED: 04:43 EST, 18 February 2014

    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2561772/Garbage-mans-amazing-act-kindness-boy-autism.html#ixzz2tgQQdb00
    Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

  37. 37.

    rikyrah

    February 18, 2014 at 9:24 am

    How Keeping Our Sons Safe Makes It OK for Whites to Be Racists

    The Jordan Davis case led some parents to give their kids “the talk.” But doing so absolves white people of their responsibility to unlearn stereotypes that scare them.
    By: Tonyaa Weathersbee
    Posted: Feb. 12 2014 3:15 PM

    The slaying of 17-year-old Jordan Davis by a white man who didn’t appreciate his taste in music had some black people scrambling to give black boys “the talk” about how not to scare white people into shooting them.

    The Rev. John Guns, pastor of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., was one of them.

    Using the trial of 47-year-old Michael Dunn—who, on Nov. 23, 2012, fired nine bullets into the SUV that Jordan and two of his friends were sitting in after he argued with the teens over loud music—as a launching point, Guns talked to black boys about the importance of not exacerbating trouble with people who might be threatened by them and their skin.

    ………………
    To be sure, Guns’ advice is sound and pragmatic—and a lot of black parents who love their children are probably repeating it. I understand it.

    But I don’t like it.

    I don’t like it because as practical as it is, it inadvertently feeds the notion that black youths, and black males in particular, ought to capitulate to racist whites in order not to suffer at their hands.

    http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2014/02/jordan_davis_case_how_keeping_our_sons_safe_encourages_racist_behavior.html

  38. 38.

    slippytoad

    February 18, 2014 at 9:33 am

    @Mustang Bobby:

    saying anyone who went after Hillary Clinton for Bill’s misdeeds was a misogynistic sexist pig.

    This is just typical Republican logic. Find dirt, spray everywhere, repeat.

  39. 39.

    slippytoad

    February 18, 2014 at 9:37 am

    @rikyrah:

    I’d say the entire quivering mess you posted describes what is wrong with the NRA and our culture today. We’ve given a group of very small, petty, non-contributing losers a gigantic chip on their shoulders and a means to keep it there by churning this morass of losers in with their guns and their fears, and creating an almost intolerable culture of politically untouchable bullies. I don’t know what changes it, but every single time one of these stupid fucks wipes out another innocent with their pissant gun it makes a permanent impression. I know for my personal self I will never, ever, ever, ever even briefly tolerate being pushed around by one of these people. And my response to any efforts to do so, my what would I do, becomes more severe every day.

    I feel like the entire nation is falling on its knees to salve the wrinkled little brow of a goddamn ten-year old having a hissyfit, and I am so contemptuous of that little shit right now.

  40. 40.

    Mnemosyne

    February 18, 2014 at 10:35 am

    Still on vacation with my visiting brother-in-law. We’re going to take Amtrak up to Ventura this morning and wander around the thrift shops, but I realized last night that I accidentally left the corporate Visa in my wallet, so I have to run over to the office and drop it off. Feh.

  41. 41.

    ruemara

    February 18, 2014 at 10:45 am

    @MrSnrub: I want your job hunt experience. Other than that, congratulations! I hope you enjoy the place you choose.

  42. 42.

    different-church-lady

    February 18, 2014 at 10:51 am

    Apart from hoping for the best, what’s on the agenda for the day?

    Preparing for the worst. Natch.

  43. 43.

    rikyrah

    February 18, 2014 at 10:51 am

    yesterday, 6 inches of snow.

    today – it will reach 40 degrees.

  44. 44.

    Goblue72

    February 18, 2014 at 11:13 am

    @Alex S.: that’s close to that 27% number again

  45. 45.

    Goblue72

    February 18, 2014 at 11:17 am

    @rikyrah: and this is why I never trust the pigs

  46. 46.

    Augie

    February 18, 2014 at 11:51 am

    So, this guy’s #1 issue is global climate change and two of his top three political targets are governor races (previously VA, now FL) that effectively have no impact on federal climate change policy. Can someone get this billionaire better political advisers please? Jeez.

  47. 47.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    February 18, 2014 at 11:53 am

    @MrSnrub: That’s good news! Of course the one you’re lukewarm on is being the PITA – your instincts were good.

  48. 48.

    karen

    February 18, 2014 at 12:00 pm

    I look at it this way. At this point I’ll take whatever help we can get against the Koch brothers. Dem billionaires may not be doing it for altruistic reasons but it’s better than being swamped by right wing loon money. If money on both sides makes it a wash then maybe it won’t matter so much anymore.

  49. 49.

    Arclite

    February 18, 2014 at 12:25 pm

    @tybee: You’re going to have to move regardless. The question is whether you have to move only 24 feet above sea level, or 60 feet.

  50. 50.

    Arclite

    February 18, 2014 at 12:39 pm

    @RuhRow_Gyro:

    Why would a ‘hedge fund manager’ support ‘climate change’ legislation?

    Probably b/c he doesn’t work for an energy conglomerate like Koch? I think that smart people have a greater chance of understanding something when their livelihood doesn’t depend on them not understanding it. Also, just the law of averages dictates that on occasion, one of those rich people has to have a liberal viewpoint.

  51. 51.

    another Holocene human

    February 18, 2014 at 12:45 pm

    @Augie: Au contraire, Rick Scott wants fracking in Florida, and that’s just the cherry on top of carbon and water issues in Florida.

  52. 52.

    JustRuss

    February 18, 2014 at 1:17 pm

    @Mnemosyne: Ventura native here. Give the thrift shops, and hopefully the sun, my regards. My brother used to get the craziest stuff at the thrift shops, but he’s moved south so should be good hunting for you.

  53. 53.

    slippytoad

    February 18, 2014 at 3:25 pm

    @RuhRow_Gyro:

    Because he wants to keep managing hedge funds in the future, and is not stupid.

  54. 54.

    slippytoad

    February 18, 2014 at 3:26 pm

    @another Holocene human:

    Au contraire, Rick Scott wants fracking in Florida, and that’s just the cherry on top of carbon and water issues in Florida.

    I already knew FL was a shithole from the last 3 times I went there. But . . . I guess it can get worse, and Sick Rick will definitely make it worse. That is all that fucking asshole knows how to do. I work with some of his former employees. Why is he not in jail? Why oh why?

  55. 55.

    Wolfdaughter

    February 19, 2014 at 4:04 am

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