National – Page 651 – Delaware Liberal

Friday Open Thread [2.21.14]

By Delaware Dem February 21, 20149 Comments

I got nothing today, as I have been writing up some real posts lately. So have at it. I hear we are under a Tornado Watch. So, there's that.

Honey, I Need to Stop By The Post Office And Make A Deposit

By admin February 21, 201441 Comments

Imagine that. Swing by the Post Office and do your banking. Deposits, not by mail, though you could from home or the Postal Box down at the corner. But actually do your banking when you send the kids a care package. A really great idea with no downsides.

Voters Blame Trade Deals For Job Losses

By cassandra_m February 20, 20142 Comments

Surprised? According to the most recent Gallup Poll, one in four Americans think that jobs is the highest priority problem in America today. It's almost one in two Americans if you combine concerns for unemployment and the economy. Only 8% of Americans think that the debt or deficit is a high-priority problem (pointed out for the Delaware Congressional delegation, in particular). Take a look:

“Smart Guns” are calling the NRA’s bluff

By jason330 February 20, 201449 Comments

If it were true that law abiding gun nuts wanted to keep guns away from "criminals" then this sort of thing would be a slam dunk.

According to a Wednesday report in the Washington Post, the era of “smart guns” — weapons that would only fire when their registered user is using them — may be closer than many think. The Armatix iP1 is now being sold in California and is considered to be the first true smart gun available on the market.

Of course the gun nut community will hate this. Why? Because keeping guns out of the hands of criminals ...

Late Night Video — Lessons for Black History Month

By cassandra_m February 19, 20141 Comment

From Jon Stewart and Jessica Williams -- the real lessons of Black History Month as highlighted by the Jordan Davis case (approx. 3 min 50 sec):

Dog Bites Man. Carney Thumbs Nose At Social Security Protections.

By El Somnambulo February 19, 201421 Comments

117 House Democrats, count 'em, 117, have signed a letter urging President Obama to exclude chained CPI from his FY '15 budget. By now, you know where this is going. Once again, absent from this list is the truly-awful John Carney. You know, our Congressman.

The “Show Me State” gets Shown

By jason330 February 18, 20147 Comments

As predictably as the snake handling preacher dying of a venous snake bite, Missouri is dying of gunshot wounds: Via Atattatuk.

Researchers claim a new study provides some of the most compelling evidence yet for tighter gun controls in the US. The team followed the consequences of the State of Missouri repealing its permit-to-purchase handgun law in 2007.

Yeah, you can guess what happens, and no it was not freedom! breaking out across the land.

Barney makes it official [Updated]

By Delaware Dem February 18, 201432 Comments

Sean Barney (D) just sent out an email blast making his primary challenge to State Treasurer Chip Flowers (D) official. Come inside for the introductory video and the text of the email:

Late Night Video — Get Covered!

By cassandra_m February 15, 2014

Bill Maher takes a look at some of the youth-oriented Get Covered posters that didn't make the cut (approx.2:30 mins):

Post by Bill Maher.

A Tale of Two Democrats

By cassandra_m February 15, 201416 Comments

Or at least two types of Democrats. Yesterday, Senator Bernie Sanders and 15 other Democratic Senators sent a letter to President Obama urging him to not cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid in his FY15 budget. It won't be much of a surprise to most of the readers here to find that neither Senator Carper or Coons signed on to this letter. Interestingly, Senator Coons voted to restore the cuts to military pensions and Carper voted against them. So take a look at what a group of Democrats genuinely interested in the well-being of middle class and working class people urged the President:

Today, retirement insecurity is as high as it has ever been. Only one in five workers in the private sector has a defined benefit pension plan; half of Americans have less than $10,000 in savings; and two-thirds of seniors rely on Social Security for a majority of their income. Given this reality, we respectfully urge you not to propose cutting Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits in your Fiscal Year 2015 budget. In good times and bad, Social Security has succeeded in keeping millions of senior citizens, widows, orphans, and persons with disabilities out of extreme poverty. Before Social Security was developed, about half of our seniors lived in poverty; today senior poverty is down to 9.1 percent. Without Social Security, one-third of senior citizens would have virtually no earnings at all. Social Security has not contributed one penny to the deficit. Social Security has a surplus of more than $2.7 trillion and can pay every single benefit owed to every eligible American for the next 19 years.

Missouri Lawmaker Wants To Make Biology Class An Elective

By pandora February 14, 20147 Comments

Fact: You cannot teach biology without evolution. Several years ago, my 10th grade son was taking AP Bio. My Bio major (and quite successful immunologist today) brother asked to see his textbook. When I (art major sister) asked why, my brother said, "Just wanted to make sure the textbook started off with evolution. It does, so all is fine." Which brings us to this nonsense:

A Missouri lawmaker has proposed what ranks among the most anti-evolution legislation in recent years, which would require schools to notify parents if "the theory of evolution by natural selection" was being taught at their child's school and give them the opportunity to opt out of the class. The bill had its first public hearing Thursday after being introduced in late January. State Rep. Rick Brattin (R), who sponsored the bill, told a local TV station last week that teaching only evolution in school was "indoctrination."

On this day the Tea Party stopped being an actual thing

By jason330 February 13, 201414 Comments

The item below is a good news/bad news type deal for Democrats. The good news is that the Tea Party is completely defunct as a movement with the ability to wield any power. Except for some reality impaired dead-enders and their wealthy enablers, nobody is going to utter the words "Tea Party" as anything other than a punchline from now on. The bad news for Democrats is that the Tea Party is defunct. The "grassroots" movement that allowed Christine O'Donnell to challenge Michael Castle will not be around to run its reign of terror party purges in future elections.

Blizzard of ’14 Open Thread [2.13.14]

By Delaware Dem February 13, 201410 Comments

15 inches as of this moment in North Wilmington. How about where you live? One of our conservative commenters warned us that the GOP would win heavily this fall because they were going to focus on Obamacare. And our liberal commenters welcomed the challenge. Why? Because if the election is about Obamacare, like it was in 2012, we win. Evidence? Polling in the upcoming special election in the Florida 13: FLORDIA--13 CD--SPECIAL ELECTION--Tampa Bay Times: Alex Sink (D) 42, David Jolly (R) 35.

Interesting: "The poll also reveals how the Affordable Care Act has become a virtual litmus test for voters. Of those who support Sink, 81 percent also support Obamacare. Of those who support Jolly, 84 percent also oppose Obamacare."