Tag Archives: Republicans

It All Comes Down To Planned Parenthood

If the government shuts down it will be because Republicans refused to drop the rider concerning Planned Parenthood.

GEIST: Are you willing to hold up this entire budget over defunding Planned Parenthood?

PENCE: Of course I am. I think the American people have begun to learn tha tthe largest abortion provider in the country is also the largest recipient of federal funding under Title X and they want to see that come to an end.

Of course, “Planned Parenthood is already prohibited from using public funds to terminate pregnancies, and has been for many years.”  So, this isn’t about abortion funding.  Not one little bit.

Nevertheless, this is where we are at.  Jobs smjobs!  Republicans believe women receiving pap smears are the greatest threat to our economy.

How Not To Apologize – Wisconsin GOP Edition

The Wisconsin GOP is living up to its reputation as arrogant a-holes. After Walker ignored the order to halt implementation of the union-busting bill, the judge issued a second order which Walker plans to ignore. The Wisconsin GOP then sent a letter criticizing the judge. It’s rather juvenile, but you can read it for yourself.

The Republican Party of Dane County sent out a press release on March 29th criticizing Judge Maryann Sumi for holding up the publication of Governor Scott Walker’s collective bargaining reform bill. Upon further reflection we’d like to apologize for not understanding her point of view.

Sure, Governor Walker’s bill is unquestionably constitutional, increases worker’s rights and helps local government balance budgets without having to fire public workers. The Wisconsin state legislature consulted with their non-partisan parliamentarian to make sure that the passage of the bill followed the rules of the Senate and Assembly. But this isn’t about the law, is it?

The Republican Party of Dane County recognizes that Judge Sumi is a leftist living in Dane County. Her friends are leftists living in Dane County. Her son is a left wing activist in Dane County. She goes to cocktail parties held by leftists in Dane County. She shops at organic gourmet food shops run by leftists living in Dane County. If she were to enforce the law of Wisconsin and do what was in the best interest of the people of Wisconsin, she’d be exiled from her lifestyle. She’d lose her friends!

The leadership of the Republican Party of Dane County have all made the choice to stand against the Dane County elite. We accept that Left feels righteous vandalizing our homes and keying our cars. It’s only fair. We disagree based upon logic and principle. That is intolerable! We prioritize the Constitution and the well being of the people of Wisconsin over foie gras at cocktail parties. That’s the choice we made. We respect Judge Sumi’s decision to live her life with the rich diversity that liberals cherish.

Wisconsin Republicans apparently hate cocktail parties and gourmet grocery stores. Got it. They also hate openess, too. Remember the Wisconsin Rep. Who complained that he just can’t get by on his measly $174,000/yr salary? The Wisconsin GOP has issued a cease & desist letter to media outlets running the video. What a way to make sure the video gets *more* attention. (I urge you to watch the video at the link, to stick your thumb in the eye of the Wisconsin GOP).

A View On The Republican Presidential Candidates

Via Joe Klein:

This is my 10th presidential campaign, Lord help me. I have never before seen such a bunch of vile, desperate-to-please, shameless, embarrassing losers coagulated under a single party’s banner. They are the most compelling argument I’ve seen against American exceptionalism. Even Tim Pawlenty, a decent governor, can’t let a day go by without some bilious nonsense escaping his lizard brain. And, as Greg Sargent makes clear, Mitt Romney has wandered a long way from courage. There are those who say, cynically, if this is the dim-witted freak show the Republicans want to present in 2012, so be it. I disagree. One of them could get elected. You never know. Mick Huckabee, the front-runner if you can believe it, might have to negotiate a trade agreement, or a defense treaty, with the Indonesian President some day. Newt might have to discuss very delicate matters of national security with the President of Pakistan. And so I plead, as an unflinching American patriot–please Mitch Daniels, please Jeb Bush, please run. I may not agree with you on most things, but I respect you. And you seem to respect yourselves enough not to behave like public clowns.

Oh me, oh my!  That was priceless… and accurate.

Granted, I’m not a fan of Mitch Daniels or Jeb Bush, but I’m having trouble seeing them entering the primary and not having to pander to the crazy base.  Kevin Drum agrees, and points out the reality Daniels would face:

But the usual question remains: how does he get through the primaries? When he hops over to Iowa, they’ll expect him to denounce sharia law, make jokes about Obama’s Kenyan birth, throw himself wholeheartedly into the culture wars, pretend that global warming is a liberal conspiracy, and make dire remarks about the specter of socialism taking over America. In other words, he’ll have to act like a public clown, and if he doesn’t do it, he’ll lose.

So it’s pretty much a no-win scenario for him. If he’s smart, he’ll wait for 2016 and hope that the Republican Party has come to its senses by then.

Can they come to their senses?  If anyone sees a way this happens… let me know, because I’m not seeing it.  The real problem is the GOP is dealing with a base determined to burn down the house, sees compromise (on any issue) as a betrayal, and, frankly, likes nothing more than wallowing in their outrage.  Basically, their base is all about pointing out who isn’t pure enough, and then taking them out.  That is their driving force.

So… the only way the GOP comes to its senses is to:

1.  Convince their base that their approach isn’t working, or

2. Jettison the base and…

Yeah, I just cracked myself up.

On a more somber note:  This really isn’t funny.  One of these “bunch of vile, desperate-to-please, shameless, embarrassing losers” could very well end up as the Republican nominee for President.

This is John McCain’s fault.  He validated this group through his pathetic desperation.

GOP vs AARP

I’m honestly shocked that Republicans are going after the AARP… given that they cannot win anything without seniors.

Via Steve Benen:

Newly empowered House Republicans are getting ready to renew their attacks against AARP over its support for the healthcare reform law, The Hill has learned.

The Ways and Means health and oversight subcommittees are hauling in the seniors lobby’s executives before the panel for an April 1 hearing on how the group stands to benefit from the law, among other topics. Republicans say AARP supported the law’s $200 billion in cuts to the Medicare Advantage program because it stands to gain financially as seniors replace their MA plans with Medicare supplemental insurance — or Medigap — policies endorsed by the association.

The hearing will cover not only Medigap but “AARP’s organizational structure, management, and financial growth over the last decade.”

[…]

Given the larger context, the hearing makes quite a bit of sense. AARP supported passage of the Affordable Care Act — which, among other things, made it tougher for Republicans to argue that the reform measure was bad for seniors and Medicare — so the new House majority finds it necessary to target the massive organizations.

But also note that these same House Republicans intend, very soon, to launch a crusade against entitlements, including Medicare, as part of a larger budget strategy. With the AARP all but certain to oppose the GOP schemes, it also stands to reason that Republicans would want to undermine the credibility and standing of the powerful group that stands in the party’s way.

Am I the only one who thinks this is a huge mistake, and one that could end the Republican Party faster than you can say early bird special? Sheesh, almost every senior I know belongs to, and gets their information from, AARP.  And while not all seniors agree with everything AARP does, they will defend it… because it defends them.

Can someone explain the GOP thought process behind this?  And while I certainly didn’t like the GOP going after ACORN or Planned Parenthood, I understood their political base pandering.  But this… I’m floored.

The Party of Lincoln No More

We all know by now that the Nixon’s Southern Strategy began to lock up the South and all its baggage with the Republican Party. Paul Krugman notes that 40 years later,even  the Republican Party does not considers itself the Party of Lincoln.

But sooner or later, Republicans were bound to notice other reasons to disavow Lincoln. He was, after all, the first president to institute an income tax. And he was also the first president to issue a paper currency — the “greenback” — that wasn’t backed by gold or silver. “There is nothing more insidious that a country can do to its people than to debase its currency,” declared Representative Paul Ryan in one of two hearings Congress held on Wednesday on monetary policy. So much, then, for the Great Liberator.

Joe Scarborough Makes The Point

I can’t stop thinking about the Tucson shooting.  I have even started talking to myself as I go about my day.  In my one-on-one conversations I always come back to the same point about violence and rhetoric.  Joe Scarborough, in a letter calling out Palin and Beck by name, puts my thoughts into words:

You weren’t personally responsible for the slaughter at the Safeway. Maybe you can put it on a poster at the next “Talkers” convention.

But before you and the pack of right-wing polemicists who make big bucks spewing rage on a daily basis congratulate yourselves for not being responsible for Jared Lee Loughner’s rampage, I recommend taking a deep breath. Just because the dots between violent rhetoric and violent actions don’t connect in this case doesn’t mean you can afford to ignore the possibility — or, as many fear, the inevitability — that someone else will soon draw the line between them.…

Now that the right has proved to the world that it was wronged, this would be a good time to prevent the next tragedy from destroying its political momentum. Despite what we eventually learned about the shooter in Tucson, should the right have really been so shocked that many feared a political connection between the heated rhetoric of 2010 and the shooting of Giffords?

Greg Sargent finishes is up.  (Yes, shame on me for lazy blogging, but when someone does all the work so perfectly…)

Again, it’s wrong to blame anyone for the shooting. But ask yourself this. How many figures on the right have been willing to engage in any way on the broader question of whether it’s at least possible that our current climate could lead to future violence? How many conservatives have been willing to discuss the topic at all?

I’m going to stop talking to myself now.


The Tea Party In Delaware And Arizona Have A Lot In Common

In the words of Mistermix, What The Hell Is Happening In Arizona?

A nasty battle between factions of Legislative District 20 Republicans and fears that it could turn violent in the wake of what happened in Tucson on Saturday prompted District Chairman Anthony Miller and several others to resign.

Miller, a 43-year-old Ahwatukee Foothills resident and former campaign worker for U.S. Sen. John McCain, was re-elected to a second one-year term last month. He said constant verbal attacks after that election and Internet blog posts by some local members with Tea Party ties made him worry about his family’s safety.

In an e-mail sent a few hours after Saturday’s massacre in Tucson that killed six and injured 13, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, Miller told state Republican Party Chairman Randy Pullen he was quitting: “Today my wife of 20 yrs ask (sic) me do I think that my PCs (Precinct Committee members) will shoot at our home? So with this being said I am stepping down from LD20GOP Chairman…I will make a full statement on Monday.”

Something is very wrong.  People don’t walk away from leadership positions on a whim.  Apparently some Republicans are drawing connections between Saturday’s shooting and the violent rhetoric.

In the meantime, a series of accusatory e-mails was exchanged among party members. Some blasted Miller’s support of McCain, called him a “McCainiac with a penchant for violating the rules” and a “McCain hack.”

Hmm… that sounds familiar.  The very same thing is playing out in downstate Delaware.  And you can add another email from Sussex to the pile.

WHEREAS, The Chairman’s position is one of an executive, for the express purpose of directing meetings at the pleasure of the Executive Committee; however, Chairman Ron Sams uses the power of the position to further his own personal agenda. The Chairman runs the meetings as though the Executive Committee is there at his pleasure, as if his position was one of a tyrant or sovereign king by:

Tyrant?  Sovereign king?  Go read the whole thing.  It ends by calling for Ron Sams resignation.   Frankly, given the bad behavior at this month’s meeting combined with the over-the-top, non-professional wording of this email, I’d consider resigning.  And that probably makes me a coward, but when a commenter at Delaware Politics starts referring to next month’s GOP meeting as the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre…  Yep, I’m outta there.  Obviously, this isn’t just an Arizona problem.

January 12th! Save The Date!

Republicans have chosen the date to repeal Health Care.

Republican leaders in the new House say they’ll hold a vote next week to repeal President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.
The announcement of the Jan. 12 vote by the No. 2 House Republican, Virginia Rep. Eric Cantor, sets the stage for a showdown with the Democratic-led Senate.

Here’s the text of the bill.   Love the opening statement.  To repeal the job-killing health care law and health care-related provisions
in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010. Hey, they left off the part about repealing Death Panels and saving Grandma!

(Original Signature of Member)
112THCONGRESS
1STSESSION
H. R. ll
To repeal the job-killing health care law and health care-related provisions
in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Mr. CANTOR(for himself and [see ATTACHEDLISTof cosponsors]) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
lllllllllllllll
A BILL
To repeal the job-killing health care law and health care-related provisions in the Health Care and Education
Reconciliation Act of 2010.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Repealing the Job- Killing Health Care Law Act’’.

SEC. 2. REPEAL OF THE JOB-KILLING HEALTH CARE LAW AND HEALTH CARE-RELATED PROVISIONS IN THE HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATION RECONCILIATION ACT OF 2010.

(a) JOB-KILLINGHEALTHCARELAW.—Effective as of the enactment of Public Law 111–148, such Act is repealed, and the provisions of law amended or repealed by such Act are restored or revived as if such Act had not been enacted.

(b) HEALTH CARE-RELATED PROVISIONS IN THE HEALTHCAREANDEDUCATIONRECONCILIATIONACTOF

2010.—Effective as of the enactment of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Public Law 111–152), title I and subtitle B of title II of such Act are repealed, and the provisions of law amended or repealed by such title or subtitle, respectively, are restored or revived as if such title and subtitle had not been enacted.

What jobs does HCR kill?  And since the CBO has stated that HCR saves money are the Republicans, yet again, adding to the deficit?  I realize this is political theater – a way to strut their stuff to the Tea Party – but it’s being performed on a rickety stage.  There’s a lot of very popular provisions in HCR, but I guess those babies will be thrown out with the bath water.

The more I think about this date, the more it makes sense.  They had better move quickly before their base realizes what HCR provisions kicked in this weekend.  That’s a whole lotta goodies for the I’m against government healthcare!  Keep your hands off my Medicare! crowd.

Twitter: The Ultimate Political Sound Bite

The 2008 presidential hopefuls announced  their candidacy in a variety of ways, though late night TV seemed to be the vehicle of choice. Teapublican presidential hopefuls for 2012 need to decide where they will announce as this could set the tone for their primary run.

Veteran Democratic pollster Peter Hart cautioned 2012 hopefuls against choosing late-night or a venue like the “The Daily Show” for a presidential announcement, warning it’s a move that could backfire in a sour political climate with a high unemployment rate.

“I’m not a gimmick guy,” said Hart. “I think you want to make an announcement that reflects your seriousness about being president. The ability to find that locale, that backdrop and the crowd that allows you to say it in the right way is important.”

Where will Palin announce? Will she be standing in front of a dead moose? Will Haley Barbour announce from Pulaski, Tennessee, the birthplace of the KKK? Will NJ Gov. Chris Christie announce with Snookie and The Situation standing behind him? How about Newt Gingrich? Will he announce from the Vatican?

All kidding aside, GOP pollster Tyler Harber suggests a conservative talk show.

“You always have a target population in mind that you want to reach when you announce. And getting the earned media about how you announce is just as important as what you say.”

IMHO, Twitter will be the engine the runs the campaigns over the next two years. Twitter allows you to contact your base directly and the mainstream media will be all over reporting your 140-character as news. So keep your ears and eyes open, and maybe open a Twitter account if you don’t have one already.

Grandstanding Will Be The GOP Forte

Republicans might have a controlling interest in the House of the 112th Congress, but that’s about it, but they lack the numbers to do what they want even if they didn’t have Democrat-majority Senate and . . . . well . . . . a Democrat in the White House. What they will try to do is legislate against Executive Branch regulations.

What they found is an obscure authority provided by a 1996 law called the Congressional Review Act. It provides Congress with an expedited process by which to evaluate executive branch regulations, and then give the President a chance to agree or disagree.

[snip]

Earlier this year, Republican leaders endorsed REINS (Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny) which, if passed and signed, would give them much broader authority over the rule-making and regulatory process.

But it won’t survive a filibuster, let alone a veto. The CRA will be the GOP’s most effective tool.

My prediction: lots of bellyaching, not much action.

Handicapping the 2012 Presidential Race

Though cautious, Nate Silver at 538 looks at President Obama’s re-election chances. Silver compares previous Congressional losses, Clinton/Reagan popularity and a head-to-head clash with Palin, but the money quote is when Silver scrutinizes the future effects of the 112th Congress on Obama’s chances:

Ultimately, however, Mr. Obama is more popular than the Republican Congress — an advantage that Bill Clinton did not have after 1994, nor Ronald Reagan after 1982. With the equally unpopular Democratic Congress largely being marginalized, that may work to his advantage.

It’s a long, long way till Nov. 6, 2012, but the horses are on the track.

Peacetime Economy?

In trying to blast Obama and the economy, conservative pundits keep on evoking that we are in a peacetime economy. Seriously? With all troops scheduled to be removed from Iraq by the end of 2011 and Afghan troop removal to begin in the middle of next year, I am quite surprised by the Conservative declaration that we are in a peacetime economy. Let’s go to the quotes.

The Wall Street Journal writes:

Meanwhile, corporate earnings have been saved by governments running up the biggest peacetime deficits in their history and by historically low official interest rates.

The Weekly Standard writes:

The year saw what must be the most rapid peace-time deterioration in the nation’s financial position.

Why have Conservative pundits forgotten our troops? They just must hate them.

Republicans Aid and Abet Criminals

Maybe the title of this post is a bit over the top, but how do you explain the fact that many federal judgeships are left vacant, judges are overworked and prosecutions are slowed down due to Republican obstructionism in getting Obama’s judicial nominations through. According to The Wall Street Journal, there are over 90 vacancies currently in the courts. To put this problem in perspective, only 62 appointments have been approved during Obama’s tenure compared to the first Congress of President George W. Bush term when 100 nominations were approved.

Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt) calls the Republican obstructionism a “tragedy”. Republicans don’t agree. They say that Obama is making them work too hard.

Republicans disputed the obstructionist charge. They say Democratic complaints don’t account for an unusually busy Congress, including the two Supreme Court nominations that took up extra time.