Quick Note(s): GOP Living in the Land of "Nothing Makes Me Happy"

1. Starbucks

Starbucks is known to be a generous employer paying above minimum wage and offering health insurance even to part-time employees.  

And the company is still profitable!  Someone tell Sam Walton and John Schnatter!  

One would think that Howard Schultz' announcement of a new employee benefit would be met with nothing but smiles, but one would be wrong.

Yesterday, Starbucks announced that it would provide every employee working at least 20 hours a week with two years of absolutely free college tuition at Arizona State University. Arizona State has one of the most advanced and successful on-line programs in the country. Students who take advantage of the program will not be required to stay on as a barista after graduation, and there is no limit on the field of studies that can be chosen. 

The first complaint about the new tuition program is that Starbucks is eliminating its current tuition aid program.  Currently, Starbucks employees are eligible for aid not to exceed $1000/per calendar year.  Few employees took advantage of the soon-to-be obsolete program and the new plan is much more generous; but some people are just never happy.

Students who have completed at least 21 credits (the number considered to equal one full year of college education), are eligible to have the next two years of tuition--at the cost of $450-500 per credit hour--paid 100% by Starbucks.  If a student has yet to earn 21 credits, Starbucks will offer partial aid and will help in applying for federal assistance; but critics think that isn't generous enough. 

The third complaint seems to be that Starbucks will not pay a student's course fees upfront, but will reimburse the costs only after 21 credits are completed.  

So basically, Starbucks is offering their employees approximately $20,000 in virtually free tuition, but critics are unhappy because the employee has to demonstrate some responsibility by actually completing the course work first? 

These are the same people who look at a perfectly blue Summer sky and complain that it isn't their favorite shade.

2. Benghazi 

 Portrait of Ahmed Abu Khattala, that has been independently confirmed by two sources to The Washington Post. Photo was taken from a Facebook page.

U.S. forces have captured Ahmed Abu Khattala, believed to be the mastermind behind the 2012 attack on our consulate in Benghazi.

Like the death of Osama Bin Laden, when Republicans whined because Bush wasn't given the credit they thought he deserved, (never mind that he had been out of office for nearly three years at that point), Republicans are finding lots to not like about the Benghazi capture.  For one, they don't think the President should get credit for the arrest because he wasn't in Washington when it happened.  

Because this was not planned long in advance of the President's trip or they don't believe there are phones wherever the President was at the time the arrest was made?  Take your pick.

A Fox News host seems to think there is something odd about the timing:  "You have a former secretary of state who is in the middle of a high profile book tour.  I think this is convenient for her to shift the talking points to some of the things she has been discussing."  Another member of the Fox News team called it "Good news there...I guess."

Rush Limbaugh called it a "timely coincidence" and suggested that the arrest was designed as a distraction from the IRS scandal. 

 You know, the one that was over and done a year ago and was proven not to be a scandal at all.

Former congressman Joe Walsh (R) commented on his Twitter feed: "Glad we nabbed a #Benghazi suspect, but the timing is questionable.  Did they let him wander, waiting for the perfect political opportunity?"

I'm guessing that the GOP talking point gurus sent out a memo saying to "lean heavy on the timing issue."

Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, (who both called for the closing of Guantanamo Bay back in 2008) now think it would be a mistake to try Khattala in U.S. courts despite the fact these courts have great track records for convicting and imprisoning terrorists.  Instead, they want him sent to Guantanamo, preferably without Mirandizing him.  

Terrorist suspects were routinely Mirandized under W--but that is so last administration.

Upon hearing Mr. McCain's and Mr. Graham's comments, Senator Pat Leahy (D), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee was quoted as saying, "Oh for God's sake."  

Which seems like a good note on which to end this post.