Thursday Open Thread [2.28.13]
Andrew Sullivan says Republicans will suffer politically if the sequestration cuts go into effect on March 1.
“I believe that is indeed Obama’s long game here. The precedent is the Gingrich government shutdown, which stopped his revolution in its tracks and gave Bill Clinton new political life. When cops are furloughed, when scientists complain about research cuts, when the military-industrial complex revs up its lobbying engines, I just don’t see how the sequester works politically for the GOP. It exists entirely because of their fixation on immediate austerity – despite the awful consequences that policy option has spawned in Europe.”
Stu Rothenberg: “Ultimately, the Republican Party’s problems go back to its base voters, who participate in primaries and nominating conventions. Many of them are so blinded by their anger toward President Barack Obama, the national news media and their own party leaders that they are willing to nominate the most conservative candidate in a primary, no matter how limited his or her appeal in a general election. And for party strategists, there is no easy solution to that problem.”
The Fix: “The Republican political establishment sees immigration reform as a political necessity. Much of the party’s base sees it as the end of the rule of law. And therein lies the problem for a party trying to pick itself up off the mat following an across-the-board defeat in 2012. […] It’s not clear how Republicans can bridge the growing divide between how the establishment views immigration (a political problem that needs to be solved yesterday) and how some significant portion of the base views it (a foundational principle about not rewarding rule-breakers).”
James Carville told Morning Joe that Democrats have a big advantage in the debate over the coming automatic budget cuts because of the word used to describe them.
“The sequester has an advantage, and this is kind of cruel to Republicans, but it’s true. The sequester, not many people know what it is, but it sounds stupid and cruel. Therefore people think it’s a Republican thing.”
LOL.
Byron York: “Could the GOP message on the sequester be any more self-defeating? Boehner could argue that the sequester cuts are necessary as a first — and somewhat modest — step toward controlling the deficits that threaten the economy. Instead, he describes them as a threat to national security and jobs that he nevertheless supports. It’s not an argument that is likely to persuade millions of Americans.”
Violence Against Women Act passes!
Why was this so difficult?
http://dangerousminds.net/comments/westboro_baptist_church_trolled_hard_by_comedian
this is pretty epic.
That video is epic — and the Westboro ratbastards still don’t have a clue.
That guy is a genius. Did you see the “Westboro Mingle” sketch? Hilarious.
WTF is this? A Wilmington Police Officer arrested for bigamy — being married to his 3rd and 4th wives at the same time? Yikes.
Hey now! Who needs Punkin Chunkin anyhow?
😆
If you make cannabis cannons illegal, only criminals will have cannabis cannons.
LOL Jason.
Yea for VAWA.
Yesterday the Bond Committee held public hearings including on open space and farmland preservation, both of which Governor Markell proposed funding at the $2 million level instead of the $10 million level.
Also yesterday the Colonial and Appo referendums occurred; neither passed.
hey great op ed piece I read in the NJ Wednesday edition re: taxation small companies vs. big corporations. some of us are the tugboats dragging these corporate ass ships into dock carrying the profiteers. us tugboats look real worn. but we are sturdy and get the job done. wonder if there is a tugboat cruise line?
Funny thing about that op ed. The News Journal took the online version down. I don’t think Sweeney likes the author that much.
jason they took it down off the little recap screen, you’re right–and that’s really bizarre
But you can still access it in the archives here
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013302270008
Thanks Steve.
I also wrote my contact on the editorial board (I am still on the Community Advisory Board) and asked for an explanation of why it was removed. I’ll let you know what they tell me.
It could be because I posted the whole thing here. Ironically, I did that because I was out of free views and couldn’t link to it.
(Probably it is because Sweeney doesn’t like me though, but that gives him an out.)
No that’s not it–I’ve posted my own stuff from there on a number of occasions. They generally don’t know or care. I did notice that in your category everything except the current piece has disappeared, which makes me wonder if it was not a glitch or an accident but we’ll see.
OK so you are probably right–i’ve just been officially told that opinion pieces like yours are not kept up that long. Let’s see, your piece ran on February 27 and there are still pieces on the page dated as far back as February 6, but hey …
oh honey, it’s not the author they dislike, it’s tugboats. it’s those corporate ass ships who keep payroll that can only permit you 12 hours of press time.