When I argue that we must close the so-called ‘gun show loophole’ and subject every gun sale to the same rigorous background checks, it is NOT secret code for ‘I want the government to take your guns.’
When I suggest that every firearm sold should be titled and insured for liability in the same way that automobiles are, it is NOT secret code for ‘I want the government to take your guns.’
Mitt Romney may have won yesterday's contests but even one of the victories was something of an embarrassment. Having appealed to the basest anti-immigrant sentiments of the Arizona GOP and with the support of that state's large Mormon community, he won by a comfortable margin. It's the Michigan contest that has Republicans worried. He barely carried his home state.
"Sure, it wasn't exactly a convincing win. And certainly, there will be those who say the fact that he barely won the state where he was born (and where his father was a popular governor) despite significantly outspending his rivals shows that he is the flimsiest of frontrunners.
But so what? Mitt Romney just avoided what would have been a catastrophic defeat, and in doing so set himself on a course to beat back the latest anti-Romney candidate and ultimately secure the Republican nomination for president."
Thank God that we weren't completely humiliated can't exactly be an inspirational analysis for Romney's team.
First, there was the Ryan Medicare debacle. Then came the GOP-driven debt ceiling disaster. Now, we have the "conservative" movement waging open war on contraception, a strategy which the vast majority of Americans aren't buying no matter how they frame it. In between these iconoclastic moments, we've had no meaningful legislation drafted in the House, demonization of the working poor, defense of corporations as people and an adherence to a social and economic orthodoxy so rigid that even a majority of registered Republicans oppose it point by point.
Perhaps, Team Obama should be thanking these guys.
"...President Obama has rehabilitated his own political standing in large part by highlighting the opposition of congressional Republicans. The Republican strategy has been to block and delay Obama’s agenda at every turn, and Obama has absorbed most of the backlash from a public that tends to hold the president singularly responsible for all political outcomes. Obama’s campaign of publicly highlighting Republican opposition has simultaneously helped to absolve him of at least part of the blame and made him look more like a strong leader.
The Presidential contenders arrived and gave their speeches yesterday.
Newt Gingrich brought the crowd to their feet by attacking unemployment insurance, going so far as to call it a "violation of the Declaration of Independence." We're aren't making this up.
Rick Santorum continued his crusade against the evils of birth control and further ginned up the controversy over insuring women's health with an argument that should make every educated human being shake their head in disbelief:
"...here is what they are forcing them to do, in an insurance policy, they or forcing them to pay for something that costs just a few dollars. Is that what insurance is for?"
"In reality, oral contraceptives or “The Pill” range between $35 and $250 for the initial provider visit and the cost of a monthly supply of pills ranges between $15 and $50 a month, which amounts to between $180 and $600 a year depending on woman’s medical coverage. This means some women without insurance coverage for contraception may pay over $850 the first year of their prescription. Other forms of birth control are far more expensive. For instance, the cost for a monthly supply of birth control patches ranges from $15 to $80 dollars, or between $180 and $960 a year. Combined with the doctors visit, uninsured women could spend over $1,200 dollars in the first year."
Ron Paul, the unlikely star of CPACs past, was noticeably absent from his year's festivities. However, he sent his son in do some dirty work for him.
Which brings us to the "frontrunner."
Mitt Romney gave a speech that addressed the burning issue of our time; No, not the ongoing economic decline of the middle class. As everyone at CPAC knows, the real threat to America is "the gay." Bragging about having used an early 20th Century law originally intended to prevent interracial marriage in his fight against marriage equality today, he said:
"On my watch, we fought hard and prevented Massachusetts from becoming the Las Vegas of gay marriage. When I am president, I will defend the Defense of Marriage Act, and I will fight for an amendment to our Constitution that defines marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman."
Although Ron Paul won the previous two CPAC presidential straw polls, the powers that be gave Mitt Romney the victory today with 38% of the vote. Santorum was a close second with 31%.
"Republican consultant Carlos Curbelo of Miami said the nominee should have plenty of time to pivot into general election posture, but the primary campaign has done little to help broaden the party’s appeal.
“The Republican candidates are speaking to a very, very small audience right now that is going to vote for the ticket in November anyway,” Curbelo said. “Certainly with regard to Hispanic voters all these debates and the primary process in general has been, if anything, harmful to Republicans."
