Monday Open Thread
Welcome to the Monday edition of your open thread. Less than a week until the Restore Sanity/Keep Fear Alive rally in DC! Plus, only 8 more days until the election commercials go away! I can’t wait for that!
This is good. The “Don’t Vote” ad aimed at Latinos in Nevada is backfiring.
Those ads by a right-wing front group called “Latinos for Reform” — urging Latinos no to vote for Democrats in the coming election because they haven’t delivered on comprehensive immigration reform — may not be turning out to be such a hot idea:
But the fever-pitch backlash to this advertisement suggests the message could bring about just the opposite effect, by energizing a Hispanic voting bloc that may have been lethargic with a new and compelling reason to get out and vote — by and large, for Democrats.
From the 2004 to 2008 elections, Hispanics grew in force from 8 percent of the electorate to 12 to 15 percent, depending on the exit poll — roughly equal to President Barack Obama’s margin of victory. Obama carried 76 percent of the Nevada Hispanic vote in 2008.
Electorate growth rates among Hispanics have slowed since. But what hasn’t is their overwhelming enthusiasm for Democrats.
“Hispanics are much more likely to view congressional Democrats favorably than other groups,” said John Tuman, chairman of UNLV’s political science department who also teaches in the Latin American studies department. According to a recent study by UNLV and the Brookings Mountain West think tank, “it’s only among Hispanics in any Mountain West state that you see Democrats having an overall net favorability ranking,” Tuman said.
Yeah, campaigns that smack of overt minority voter-suppression efforts — particularly since the self-serving hypocrisy of these ads (“Punish Democrats because they haven’t been effective in overcoming our longstanding efforts to kill immigration reform”) is so transparent — tend not to go over so well with minority voters.
The story of actor Randy Quaid and his wife Evi keeps getting stranger and stranger. They were arrested in Canada and have asked for asylum because their lives are in danger:
The American couple were arrested in Vancouver last week on US arrest warrants related to allegations that they vandalised their former home in Santa Barbara, California.
However, when they were brought before an immigration hearing on Friday, the pair said they wanted to stay in Canada because they believe their “lives are in danger”.
They warned they are at risk from “Hollywood star whackers”, who they claim are responsible for the recent deaths of several of Mr Quaid’s actor friends, including Heath Ledger and David Carradine.
“We feel our lives are in danger,” Mrs Quaid told the Immigration and Refugee Board hearing.
“Randy has known eight close friends murdered in odd, strange manners. We feel that we’re next.”
I don’t know much on this back story but I just hope Mr. and Mrs. Quaid can get the help they need.
Tags: Open Thread
Really,I’m surprised at the conduct of Randy Quaid.
He’s been a WORKING actor for a LONG time.
Going back to “The Last Detail”, a movie I highly recommend, not for just Jack Nicholson, but for the screenplay, written by Robert Towne.
What in the fuck has happened to him?
Randy, we hardly know ye.
I’d like to say the Quaids are just nucking futs, but what are the odds that two married people will experience the same delusions? I can’t even agree with my wife on what to have for dinner.
what are the odds that two married people will experience the same delusions?
I think pretty good, actually. Obviously one of them is feeding into the nonsense of the other, I imagine one is the primary source of the delusion and convinced the other.
okay….well it has backfired in a big way – -several orgs encouraging Latinos to vote have stepped up
major of these is NCLR, national Council of La Raza and the Cuentame campaign – going so far as to use the term “cabron” for someone who won’t vote….cabron has various meanings depening on where you are from – ranging from Jerk to A**hole
That being said a very interesting thing happened today – apparently the state department of Elections does not think they have any Spanish speaking voters…..Boy, are they going to be surprised!!
i have a few (free) extra tickets for tonite’s forum with Howard Dean and Karl Rove at UD. Let me know if you are interested.
Details on the event are at http://www.udel.edu/udaily/2011/aug/udspeaks081610.html
NCLR has teamed up with Ozomatli to put out a song that encourages people to vote.
Take the change to see Ozomatli live when you can — these guys are the best party going.
Thanks Cassandra – you are right again!!
Companies that received bailout money giving generously to candidates
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) was a fierce critic of the federal bailout of General Motors and Chrysler last year, saying he could not “ask the American taxpayer to subsidize failure.”
But GM doesn’t seem to hold a grudge.
The political action committee formed by the company, which is now largely owned by taxpayers, cut McConnell a $5,000 campaign check
So good to know that our federal bailout dollars are subverting our democracy.
Don’t know if this was mentioned yet or not, but apparently, there almost was no game six of the NLCS:
What a week this controller picked to quit sniffing glue.
This is good (stop-motion animated short):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mVEapKnS1c
This may become the most remembered visual of the campaign:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/10/male-rand-paul-supporter-stomps-head-of-female-moveon-member-outside-debate.php?ref=fpb