Once and for all…Is Congressman John Carney Stupid or Cynical?

Once and for all…Is Congressman John Carney Stupid or Cynical?

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It is a question that keep coming around and I used to think that he was simply not very with it. But when I keep hearing that he is being used like a two dollar whore by Peter G. Peterson (and he seems happy about it) I have to assume that he knows about Peterson's half a billion dollars applied to advocating for cuts to social safety net programs - and just doesn't give a fuck.
I’m humbled to have been named one of Fix the Debt’s Fiscal Heroes, but there is much more work to be done. For far too long, both Democrats and Republicans have spent trillions of dollars the nation didn't have. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make the tough decisions necessary to put the country on better fiscal footing.

Friday Open Thread [5.23.14]

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Regarding this real scandal of the cover-up by local VA officials in Phoenix of wait times for care of veterans, to the larger and more general scandal of long wait times for our veterans who need medical care, Jon Stewart reminds us that yes, while President Obama deserves blame for not fixing this problem, we should not forget who 1) exacerbated this problem during the Obama presidency (answer: Republicans); and 2) who caused this problem during the previous presidency (Bush and his Bush Republicans). Indeed, treating veterans badly is a bipartisan enterprise going back to 1783.
The 62 District Chart Update

The 62 District Chart Update

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Here is an update on the candidate filings, in chart form. First, the big news this week is that Christine O'Donnell is not a fan of getting her hand slammed in a car door. To steal from a friend on Facebook, car doors across the nation distanced themselves from this association with the failed 2010 and 2008 and 2006 GOP Senate candidate from Delaware. Seriously, the news is that O'Donnell won't run for office in 2014. I wept a little last night, knowing that the traffic spikes Delaware Liberal receives whenever Christine makes national news will not occur this year. Oh well, the sacrifices we make for not having our state represented by a witch.
Teabaggers, Keep Your Shitty Hands Off My VA

Teabaggers, Keep Your Shitty Hands Off My VA

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The current uproar over wait times and probable malfeasance and maybe criminal cover ups at some VA facilities being investigated has caused a call for privatization of the VA health system. This demand is mostly heard from teabagger Republicans in Congress.
Breaking News: Delaware House Leadership Team A Team No More

Breaking News: Delaware House Leadership Team A Team No More

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According to literally dozens of sources, Speaker of the House Pete Schwartzkopf and House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst are no longer allies, to put it mildly.  In fact, they've had a major falling-out. Their 'breakup' is the talk of Legislative Hall, and it could impact legislative deliberations during the final month of session. You will recall that, when running for Speaker, Schwartzkopf insisted that he and Longhurst were running as a team, and that it was either both of them or neither of them.  It's the only way that Longhurst could have been elected Majority Leader. By a narrow margin, it turned out to be both of them. I'll be right upfront and once again tell you that I dislike Val Longhurst intensely. She has proven that she takes delight in intimidating people and in exercising power over anyone who gets in her way. I will also tell you that she is perhaps the most universally reviled legislative leader with whom I've come in contact. Joe Petrilli, also a former House Majority Leader, albeit on the R side, was the previous champion, IMHO. She is despised by many staff people and by many of her colleagues in both the House and the Senate. While I don't know why they've finally stopped working together, I have to think that Speaker Schwartzkopf, if he wanted to remain Speaker Schwartzkopf next session, recognized the need to jettison the toxic Longhurst. I, of course, would welcome any and all inside skinny from Leg Hall.

Thursday Open Thread [5.22.14]

6 Comments
Oh my fucking God:
"With Tuesday's primaries reinforcing the strength of the Republican establishment, House Democrats are reassessing their electoral strategy based on a major internal research project that shows their candidates stand a better chance when they portray Republicans as uncaring toward working-class Americans while they continue to back policies favoring the wealthy and corporate America," the New York Times reports. "Democrats could build on this distrust, the research showed, by emphasizing support for policies such as equal pay for men and women, ensuring that corporations pay a fair share of taxes, and increased job opportunities in the United States."
For a decade now, we have shouted and screamed that the Democrats must embrace the income inequality issue. For a decade now, polling and other research has shown it is a winning message. And for a decade now, Democrats are still undecided on whether it will play right. A campaign with a focus on income inequality should be a given, and bedrock foundation of every single Democratic campaign. It should not be the subject of a reassessment.
christine-odonnell-tea-party

The GOP civil war is over; The Tea Party won & America Lost

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The Republican Party cannot win a national election, but it is unified and dedicated to red-fanged political nihilism. The Democratic Party is too infested with collaborators (Yes I'm talking about you John Carney) and corporate sell outs (Hello Senators Carper & Coons !) to be an effective counterweight to the idiocy. That is the new normal. America had a nice run. It is all over now.