Feb 8th, 2012
HuffPo reports:
"Conservative commentator Eric Metaxas took thereligious lobbyists' argument against birth control coverage to a new extreme on MSNBC Tuesday morning, comparing the Obama administration's new contraception mandate to the rise of Nazi Germany."
Let's be clear; this employer provision has nothing to do "religious freedom." It's about making corporations, profit or non, that participate in our markets and feed at the public trough follow the same rules as everyone else.
Period.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Quote Of The Day
Feb 8th, 2012
"No man can be a good citizen unless he has a wage more than sufficient to cover the bare cost of living, and hours of labor short enough so that after his day's work is done he will have time and energy to bear his share in the management of the community, to help in carrying the general load. We keep countless men from being good citizens by the conditions of life with which we surround them."
--Theodore Roosevelt
--Theodore Roosevelt
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The Komen Kerfuffle
Feb 7th, 2012
Of all the blow-ups in the GOP's ongoing war against women, nothing has been as spectacular as the reaction to the Susan B. Komen foundation pulling their grants to Planned Parenthood. Before cheering their apparent reversal, it's worth noting how small a victory this is.
Michael B Keegan wrote this weekend:
"I too am angry at Komen's decision to put right-wing ideology ahead of its purported public health mission. But our deeper anger should be directed at someone else: the Republicans in Congress and GOP leaders who consistently make the same choices involving many times more money, and many times more women's lives. The shock of the revelation of Komen's new policies only highlighted how numb many of us have become to the larger, unrelenting attacks on women's health by right-wing elected officials.
The grants to Planned Parenthood that Komen would have severed totaled $680,000 over the last year - a total that the organization thankfully made up in two days from contributions that have poured in in response to the Komen betrayal. Let's put that in perspective. Last year, the House GOP voted to zero out the entire $317,000,000 Title X family planning budget - including about $75 million that would have gone to Planned Parenthood's preventative care and treatment programs for low-income women. Deciding that this plan wasn't disastrous enough, the House alsopassed an amendment to eliminate all federal funding to Planned Parenthood, an estimated total of$363 million, much of which goes to care for the Medicaid patients who make up almost half of Planned Parenthood's clientele. The amount that Komen would have cut from Planned Parenthood's women's healthcare was significant-- but the amount that House Republicans were prepared to cut was 500 times larger."
We should be glad that so many citizens spoke out and effected some change. But, the mission to destroy Planned Parenthood and other supports for millions of women is otherwise proceeding according to plan.
Of all the blow-ups in the GOP's ongoing war against women, nothing has been as spectacular as the reaction to the Susan B. Komen foundation pulling their grants to Planned Parenthood. Before cheering their apparent reversal, it's worth noting how small a victory this is.
Michael B Keegan wrote this weekend:
"I too am angry at Komen's decision to put right-wing ideology ahead of its purported public health mission. But our deeper anger should be directed at someone else: the Republicans in Congress and GOP leaders who consistently make the same choices involving many times more money, and many times more women's lives. The shock of the revelation of Komen's new policies only highlighted how numb many of us have become to the larger, unrelenting attacks on women's health by right-wing elected officials.
The grants to Planned Parenthood that Komen would have severed totaled $680,000 over the last year - a total that the organization thankfully made up in two days from contributions that have poured in in response to the Komen betrayal. Let's put that in perspective. Last year, the House GOP voted to zero out the entire $317,000,000 Title X family planning budget - including about $75 million that would have gone to Planned Parenthood's preventative care and treatment programs for low-income women. Deciding that this plan wasn't disastrous enough, the House alsopassed an amendment to eliminate all federal funding to Planned Parenthood, an estimated total of$363 million, much of which goes to care for the Medicaid patients who make up almost half of Planned Parenthood's clientele. The amount that Komen would have cut from Planned Parenthood's women's healthcare was significant-- but the amount that House Republicans were prepared to cut was 500 times larger."
We should be glad that so many citizens spoke out and effected some change. But, the mission to destroy Planned Parenthood and other supports for millions of women is otherwise proceeding according to plan.
Quote Of The Day
Feb 7th, 2012
"A man's work is nothing but this slow trek to rediscover, through the detours of art, those two or three great and simple images in whose presence his heart first opened."
-- Albert Camus
-- Albert Camus
Monday, February 6, 2012
ALEC's Dumbest Minion
Feb 6th, 2012
In the latest and arguably most grotesque reveal of the American Legislative Exchange Council (more about them HERE) outright controlling conservative state lawmakers comes this jaw-dropper about Rep. Sandy Burgin (R-FL).
Miami New Times reports:
"Burgin introduced a bill written by the American Legislative Exchange Council (more on what that is later), but she made one mistake. She forgot to delete a portion that included the groups mission statement. Yes, she tried to introduce the following language into the Florida statutes:
Burgin realized her mistake, pulled the bill, and reintroduced it under a different number 24 hours later, but not before Common Blog found the mistake."
You'd think ALEC would do a little bit more prep with their drones. Something along the lines of, "by the way, it would look really, really bad if you forget to omit that part before submitting this to your peers."
In the latest and arguably most grotesque reveal of the American Legislative Exchange Council (more about them HERE) outright controlling conservative state lawmakers comes this jaw-dropper about Rep. Sandy Burgin (R-FL).
Miami New Times reports:
"Burgin introduced a bill written by the American Legislative Exchange Council (more on what that is later), but she made one mistake. She forgot to delete a portion that included the groups mission statement. Yes, she tried to introduce the following language into the Florida statutes:
WHEREAS, it is the mission of the American Legislative Exchange Council to advance Jeffersonian principles of free markets, limited government, federalism, and individual liberty.
Burgin realized her mistake, pulled the bill, and reintroduced it under a different number 24 hours later, but not before Common Blog found the mistake."
You'd think ALEC would do a little bit more prep with their drones. Something along the lines of, "by the way, it would look really, really bad if you forget to omit that part before submitting this to your peers."
Obama Pulling Away From Romney
Feb 6th, 2012
After events like THIS, THIS and THIS all in the last week alone, is anyone surprised by the results of the latest WaPo/Pew data?
"Overall, 55 percent of those who are closely following the campaign say they disapprove of what the GOP candidates have been saying. By better than 2 to 1, Americans say the more they learn about Romney, the less they like him. Even among Republicans, as many offer negative as positive assessments of him on this question."
Barring a catastrophe of epic proportions, this is Obama's to lose.
After events like THIS, THIS and THIS all in the last week alone, is anyone surprised by the results of the latest WaPo/Pew data?
"Overall, 55 percent of those who are closely following the campaign say they disapprove of what the GOP candidates have been saying. By better than 2 to 1, Americans say the more they learn about Romney, the less they like him. Even among Republicans, as many offer negative as positive assessments of him on this question."
Barring a catastrophe of epic proportions, this is Obama's to lose.
Quote Of The Day
Feb 6th, 2012
"Hypocrisy is the homage vice pays to virtue."
-- Francois de La Rochefoucauld
-- Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Sunday, February 5, 2012
The Nevada Caucus And Beyond
Feb 5th, 2012
I am not sure this is actually even news but, yes, Mitt Romney won yesterday's Nevada GOP Caucus. Thanks in no small part to a huge turnout of Mormon voters (roughly 25% of ballots cast) and a ground game he's had in place since before the last Presidential election, there is no surprise in this. It's worth noting that Romney actually received less votes than he did when he took the state in 2008. This exposes the serious disgruntlement among the rank and file that the GOP establishment continues to fail to address.
How Newt Gingrich proceeds, along with his increasingly complicated motivations, is a more interesting story. As Reuters reports, he's still showing no signs of pulling out:
"I'm not going to withdraw," Gingrich told reporters, repeating his frequent vow to continue all the way to the Republican nominating convention in Florida in August. "I'm actually pretty happy with where we are."
I am not sure this is actually even news but, yes, Mitt Romney won yesterday's Nevada GOP Caucus. Thanks in no small part to a huge turnout of Mormon voters (roughly 25% of ballots cast) and a ground game he's had in place since before the last Presidential election, there is no surprise in this. It's worth noting that Romney actually received less votes than he did when he took the state in 2008. This exposes the serious disgruntlement among the rank and file that the GOP establishment continues to fail to address.
How Newt Gingrich proceeds, along with his increasingly complicated motivations, is a more interesting story. As Reuters reports, he's still showing no signs of pulling out:
"I'm not going to withdraw," Gingrich told reporters, repeating his frequent vow to continue all the way to the Republican nominating convention in Florida in August. "I'm actually pretty happy with where we are."
The Jobs Reminder
Feb 5th, 2012
I don't ordinarily post campaign propaganda. Unless, of course, it happens to be true.
I don't ordinarily post campaign propaganda. Unless, of course, it happens to be true.
Quote Of The Day
Feb 5th, 2012
"Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion."
-- Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
-- Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
Saturday, February 4, 2012
RIP Ben Gazzara
Feb 4th, 2012
He made a real contribution. Here's a great bit from his portrayal of Charles Bukowski in the 1981 film, "Tales Of Ordinary Madness."
He made a real contribution. Here's a great bit from his portrayal of Charles Bukowski in the 1981 film, "Tales Of Ordinary Madness."
Google Sponsoring CPAC
Feb 4th, 2012
This raising more than a few eybrows. Google does seem out of place among the organizations on the CPAC sponsor list. Bloomberg reports:
"Google Inc., whose chairman has served as an adviser to President Barack Obama, is a sponsor of this month’s Conservative Political Action Conference, co-hosted by the Tea Party.
Google is one of nine main sponsors, alongside the National Rifle Association and the Heritage Foundation, according to the conference’s website. Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are slated to speak at the three-day event, which starts in Washington on Feb. 9. Google is the only business listed among the primary sponsors."
WebPro News shines some light on their motivations:
"Google also said that CPAC is a perfect chance to promote Google Politics & Elections. Google Politics & Elections is a dashboard they unveiled in January that allows users to track primary results, on-the-ground reporting, as well as find the most current news about all the candidates and issues. Google also plans to incorporate Google+ Hangouts into CPAC."
This is a bad move. Although Google is insisting they will be sponsoring events on both sides of the aisle, that doesn't wash. There is no equal opposite to CPAC. There is no comparable, nationally covered, annual gathering of radical liberals promoting fringe theories of social experimentation that they might sponsor.
Any controversy (and there will be controversy) will be seen as having Google's imprimatur of approval.
This raising more than a few eybrows. Google does seem out of place among the organizations on the CPAC sponsor list. Bloomberg reports:
"Google Inc., whose chairman has served as an adviser to President Barack Obama, is a sponsor of this month’s Conservative Political Action Conference, co-hosted by the Tea Party.
Google is one of nine main sponsors, alongside the National Rifle Association and the Heritage Foundation, according to the conference’s website. Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are slated to speak at the three-day event, which starts in Washington on Feb. 9. Google is the only business listed among the primary sponsors."
WebPro News shines some light on their motivations:
"Google also said that CPAC is a perfect chance to promote Google Politics & Elections. Google Politics & Elections is a dashboard they unveiled in January that allows users to track primary results, on-the-ground reporting, as well as find the most current news about all the candidates and issues. Google also plans to incorporate Google+ Hangouts into CPAC."
This is a bad move. Although Google is insisting they will be sponsoring events on both sides of the aisle, that doesn't wash. There is no equal opposite to CPAC. There is no comparable, nationally covered, annual gathering of radical liberals promoting fringe theories of social experimentation that they might sponsor.
Any controversy (and there will be controversy) will be seen as having Google's imprimatur of approval.
Quote Of The Day
Feb 4th, 2012
"He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty, he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself."
-- Thomas Paine
-- Thomas Paine
Friday, February 3, 2012
Quote Of The Day - Here and Now Edition
Feb 3rd, 2012
"I'm not going to comb over that question"
-- White House spokesperson Jay Carney blowing off the Trump endorsement of Mitt Romney.
-- White House spokesperson Jay Carney blowing off the Trump endorsement of Mitt Romney.
We Can't Keep Up With Romney's Gaffes
Feb 3rd, 2012
Maybe Romney is going for a new record; a gaffe a day. First, of course, there was the "very poor" remark we covered HERE and HERE. Next came the Trump and Romney Show. Now, there is this.
It's not merely that his pronouncement today that "we are the only people who put our hands over our hearts during the national anthem" is patently, wildly and provably false; His explanation of why FDR asked Americans to do so is a misrepresentation bordering on historical illiteracy.
Maybe Romney is going for a new record; a gaffe a day. First, of course, there was the "very poor" remark we covered HERE and HERE. Next came the Trump and Romney Show. Now, there is this.
It's not merely that his pronouncement today that "we are the only people who put our hands over our hearts during the national anthem" is patently, wildly and provably false; His explanation of why FDR asked Americans to do so is a misrepresentation bordering on historical illiteracy.
The Trump And Romney Show
Feb 3rd, 2012
While Fox News is hilariously championing their frequent guest's endorsement of Mitt Romney (Media Matters hammers them with examples HERE, HERE and HERE) just about everyone else with their finger on the pulse of American politics is shaking their head.
In recent PEW polling examining the potential impact of GOP endorsements from a number of the prominent players, Trump's negatives were the highest. 20% of registered Republican and Republican leaning voters said his endorsement would make them less likely to vote for that candidate.
Click image for better view
This poll is several weeks old.
The Romney camp had to have known that this information was out there.
That Mitt was willing to accept the endorsement at all, much less in person, speaks volumes about his fear of the Ailes media machine.
In recent PEW polling examining the potential impact of GOP endorsements from a number of the prominent players, Trump's negatives were the highest. 20% of registered Republican and Republican leaning voters said his endorsement would make them less likely to vote for that candidate.
Click image for better view
The Romney camp had to have known that this information was out there.
That Mitt was willing to accept the endorsement at all, much less in person, speaks volumes about his fear of the Ailes media machine.
Bruce Bartlett And The Ghost Of Reagan
Feb 3rd, 2012
Throughout the GOP primary season, the supposed legacy of Ronald Reagan has been invoked by the hopefuls a stunning number of times. It has occurred to me that this endless collection of promises to somehow re-institute the past exposes a pretty poor grasp of actual economic history. But why take my word for it when you can hear it from Bruce Bartlett?
"Judging from the candidates’ tax proposals, they seem to believe that the most Reagan-like candidate is the one with the biggest tax cut. But, as the person who drafted the 1981 Reagan tax cut, I think Republicans misunderstand the premises upon which Reagan’s economic policies were based, and why those policies can’t — and shouldn’t — be replicated today." EMPHASIS OURS
Throughout the GOP primary season, the supposed legacy of Ronald Reagan has been invoked by the hopefuls a stunning number of times. It has occurred to me that this endless collection of promises to somehow re-institute the past exposes a pretty poor grasp of actual economic history. But why take my word for it when you can hear it from Bruce Bartlett?
"Judging from the candidates’ tax proposals, they seem to believe that the most Reagan-like candidate is the one with the biggest tax cut. But, as the person who drafted the 1981 Reagan tax cut, I think Republicans misunderstand the premises upon which Reagan’s economic policies were based, and why those policies can’t — and shouldn’t — be replicated today." EMPHASIS OURS
It doesn't get much harder to argue for a return to Reaganomics when one of its principle architects declares the proposition to be ridiculous. Inflation was generally agreed upon in those days to be the biggest threat to growth. In the intervening years, our economy has been so transformed that we've managed to ride out the worst crisis since the 1930s without much inflationary instability at all.
The 2012 Award For Obtuseness
Feb 3rd, 2012
It's clearly time to start the planning phase and begin nominations for the "Most Obtuse Political Crank Of The Year" Award. Do we have our first nominee? Oh... You Betcha.
I present you with Rep. Mike Pompeo's (R-KS) Politico Op-Ed from yesterday.
"Even if Koch Industries had a financial interest in the Keystone XL pipeline (as if they might not have one), what possibly could be wrong with that?
Perhaps more important, under what circumstances would such an interest be worthy of a congressional inquisition?" EMPHASES OURS
Seriously? Really? We are speechless. We expect you folks to 'inquire' because it's your job to do so even if they are giving you money.
That said... we have our first nominee.
It's clearly time to start the planning phase and begin nominations for the "Most Obtuse Political Crank Of The Year" Award. Do we have our first nominee? Oh... You Betcha.
I present you with Rep. Mike Pompeo's (R-KS) Politico Op-Ed from yesterday.
Perhaps more important, under what circumstances would such an interest be worthy of a congressional inquisition?" EMPHASES OURS
Seriously? Really? We are speechless. We expect you folks to 'inquire' because it's your job to do so even if they are giving you money.
That said... we have our first nominee.
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