politicaljunkie41910
politicaljunkie41910's JournalI think the Dems need to get tough with their electorate about what is at stake in 2014
should the GOP take control of both houses. This is not your George W. Bush's "Compassionate Conservatism" we're talking about here. This is your " you're on your own", pull the rug out from under the safety net brand of conservatism. Thom Tillis a favorite for Senator for North Carolina doesn't believe that there should be a minimum wage at all.
http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/02/26/3655879/thom-tillis-opposes-minimum-wage.html
Dems should lay it out for their constituents on what they can expect. Full repeal of the ACA. Harsh limits on Unemployment Compensation, and the Food Stamp program. Privitization of Social Security. Redistricting on Steroids, as if that is were possible. More legislation drawn up by ALEC and the Koch Brothers. Fracking on steroids. More Keystone Pipelines, traversing our plains on their way to the gulf coast with their refined oil to be shipped out of this country. No more Planned Parenthood funding, and no more right to choose even if the mother's life is at stake. People who take their current rights for granted need to know what they can expect once these people gain unbridled control of both houses of Congress. Barack Obama is the only thing that has kept us out of putting troops on the ground in Egypt, Syria, permanently entranced in Afghanistan, and if John McCain had his way, on the Ukrainian border.
So John McCain just told Andrea Mitchell that he doesn't see a military option
for Ukraine and Crimea and that he thinks that "... sanctions could really have a serious affect on the Kleptocrats and Oligarchs who are part of Putin's power struggle" What the heck???? What kind of feckless foreign policy is that?
He did suggest that we conduct some military exercises in the Baltic Sea with some of the Baltic nations. So I guess he's suggesting that drawing your gun, when you have no intention of pulling the trigger, and Putin knows you're not going to pull the trigger will have Putin quacking in his boots.
Now that's what I call a feckless foreign policy, John. I'm scared for Putin. NOT
So the Morning Joe crew were all fawning over the fact the Cruz was able to speak for 18 minutes
without a teleprompter. Oyyyyy!!!!
Ad libbing bullshit comes easy for most people. Most bullshitters I know can go at it for 18 minutes or longer, if permitted to. Cruz is no exception. Talking facts to an audience who is well informed; now that takes effort.
Now we see what happens when the GOP picks a fight with someone other than food stamp recipients.
This article sums up in a nutshell the phrase "whose your daddy?"
"Wall Street is warning Washington Republicans: The money spigot is turning off.
Rep. Dave Camp’s tax proposal — which jacked up taxes on banks and threatens the bottom line of some major private equity players in New York — has infuriated donors in high finance.
Big banks want to turn Republicans against the bank tax. The situation puts the party at risk of seeing a reliable source of campaign cash dry up right in the middle of a critical election year.
The tax proposal itself is not even expected to get a vote in the House, since it’s so unpopular among most Republicans. That Wall Street would react so ferociously to a dead-end bill is a reminder of how hard a powerful player is willing to fight to protect its interests in Washington.
Some House Republicans are already trying to calm the waters.
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) told lobbyists at a lunch in D.C. Thursday that Camp’s bill was merely a “draft.” One lobbyist in attendance got the impression Cantor thought the plan was going nowhere. Rory Cooper, Cantor’s spokesman, said he didn’t say this “directly or indirectly.”
Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said that since the legislation isn’t going to be voted on — lawmakers can use it as a talking point“It allows you to tell your energy people ‘Look, I’m on your side,’” Cole said. “It lets you distance yourself from parts that are unpopular.”
Even before the draft was released, leadership was trying to make the case that this was only the beginning of a long discussion on tax policy. Boehner’s chief of staff Mike Sommers and policy director David Stewart huddled with roughly 50 lobbyists in Naples, Fla., earlier this month after the NRCC retreat. Camp’s tax package was causing a lot of consternation. People attending the meeting walked away with the impression that the bill, which many were nervous about, would not see any floor time.
Other Republicans are trying to isolate Camp, saying it’s his draft, and doesn’t represent the view of the party, writ large.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2014/02/wall-street-republicans-dave-camp-bank-tax-reform-104065.html#ixzz2udAp33DD
Is there already a discussion thread on DU about the New Republic article on Christie? If so where?
Fascinating stuff, but already it has taken me all morning to read it. It's a long one. Don't want to start another thread if there is one already.
http://www.newrepublic.com/article/116601/chris-christies-rise-and-fall
Compelling article on Huff Post article written by a used-to-have.
I guess Huff Post is doing a series of articles written by those who are chronically unemployed. Today's story is written by a free-lance writer named Kathleen Ann, a former corporatist, with a degree from a prestigest university. I haven't read any of the other articles but I was moved the most by the comments of those who are also used-to-haves.
"...I'm lucky to be in Massachusetts, where my health care is paid for, and fortunate to be of sound health and mind. But on days when I feel hopeless, I can envision myself 20 years from now, living in hardscrabble poverty. Female friends my age who are in similar financial circumstances are terrified of the future. If we can't get decent paying jobs today, there's little hope of getting a corporate job with benefits in the future. And during the past few years as we've struggled, we went through all of our savings, 401(k)s and anything left in the bottoms of our pocketbooks. So we can see ourselves as old, pathetic bent-over women, living in bus shelters, our ragged belongings in supermarket carts. ..."
I worry about my three children, all adults, college grads, and thankfully employed; at least for today. The fact that the GOP members of congress have sat on their collective behinds for the past 5 years, with their "let them eat cake mentality" and done nothing to help this economy create and grow jobs that will pay a living wage, should have us all storming the halls of congress.
With the lazy a$$, false equivalency reporting, lame stream media, continuing to perpetuate the myth that both sides are to blame, and that things might be better if President Obama just smoozed a little more with members of the opposite party, (the party who by the way was plotting their do-nothing-agenda on inauguration day 2009) defies logic. The fact that the GOP made it clear from day one that their goal was to make Barack Obama a one-term-president, evidently at even their own constituents expense, continues to defy logic that they haven't been run out of town long ago. And now the pious Sen Tom Coburn, says he wants to assemble a Constitutional Congress (once he's out of office) to downsize the role of government while he continues to draw a salary for the remainder of the calendar year, for being a member of the least productive congress in the history of the institution is appalling.
America had better wake up. What's left of the middle class had better wake up. Working people in the Red States had better wake up and see that the Koch Brothers and their ilk don't give a damn about whether you live or die, sink or swim. Working class people of America from Red States and Blue States had better come together, and turn back the advances of the Oligarchs before it's too late.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathleen-ann/american-used-to-haves_b_4732434.html#closeOverlay
Top 10 States with the worst Schools
10. Oklahoma
9. Michigan
8. South Dakota
7. South Carolina
6. Alaska
5. Alabama
4. West Virginia
3. New Mexico
2. Louisiana
1. Mississippi
http://247wallst.com/special-report/2014/01/14/states-with-the-best-and-worst-schools-2/4/
Well I'm sure that will change when those states get some Republicans running them. Hmmmm!!!! 9 of the 10 states are run by Republicans and have been for some time now. Who would have thought it?!?!?!?!
Joe S. this morning on Morning Joe discussing income inequality sounded like President Obama
I didn't see where anyone else had brought this up today, although I did see the other Morning Joe conversation about the Christie mess. But I was astonished to hear Joe S. bashing millionnaires and billionnaires in this country who don't pay their fair share of taxes and those who hide their money offshore. He said those who hide their money offshore should take it and get the heck out of here. He then said that every Republican group he talks to thinks that its wrong for millionaires and billionaires to pay 14-17% in taxes while their secretary pays 30%. He then corrected himself and said, except when he's in a room full of hedgefund managers.
I wondered aloud, "who does Joe S. think he is Barack Obama? Warren Buffet? " Funny I don't remember him having the President's back during the last campaign when the President was talking about this very issue. As a matter of fact, they accused the President of trying to divide the country.
Mark Halprin made the comment that if Mike Huckabee decides to run for president in 2016, he will run on this issue.
Joe's diatribe begins at the 4:30 mark on this video.
http://www.msnbc.com/morning-joe/watch/joe-income-inequality-the-issue-of-our-time-123252803857
Christie (may be) hoisted on his own petard? How ironic.
So the man (Christie) who spearheaded the faux government corruption scheme in 2005 which snared so many NJ Democratic politicians in its net and catapulted Christie into the Governor's office, may be guilty of the same corrupt activity; using his office to do the bidding for wealthy developers and the well connected.
I am so glad that Steve Kornacki took the time to lay out the full case pertaining to the NJ corruption sting prosecutions in the US Attorney's office in NJ which began under Christie and was taken over by another US Attorney Michele Brown who Christie just happened to have made a personal loan of $46,000 to as he was leaving the US Attorney's Office. I had caught bits and pieces of the reporting over the past week but Steve laid out all the pieces to the puzzle, connected all the dots, wrapped up with a nice bow on it.
Dawn Zimmerman was completely creditable in her appearance on Up with Kornacki this morning and it will be poetic justice when she succeeds Christie as Governor of NJ when he is forced to resign in the coming months. You can't make this sh!t up.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2540189/Christies-Achilles-heel-Embattled-guv-racked-huge-travel-expenses-female-aide-center-Superstorm-Sandy-relief-ad-scandal-secretly-loaned-46-000.html
Robert Gates, former Sec of Defense, new book trashes Obama, Biden, and Hillary Clinton. Who knew?
His Republican Party bona fides are shining through. I guess that's what happens when you try to be bipartisian in your Cabinet choices.
So is Mr. Gates planning for a presidential run in 2016, or is it that he just wants to sell books. He's guaranteed a best seller since the rightwingnuts will eat this up.
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