The GOP's Disgusting New Southern Strategy: Take the Vote Away from Blacks, Roll Back the Civil Rights Movement | Alternet
"The GOP's war on voting rights isn't new. It harks back to past efforts to alter the political process."
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
The Republicans as the Party of Big Government | Common Dreams
The Republicans as the Party of Big Government | Common Dreams
"One of the jokes of our era is the Republican Party's claim that it favors “small government.” An accurate description might go more like this: the present-day Republican Party (libertarians excepted) has never seen an oppressive power of the national security state it didn’t want to bolster or grow. And it loves big government—the bigger the better—as long as we’re talking about the military-industrial complex. Mitt Romney, for instance, is eager to build ever more naval vessels, increase the size of U.S. ground forces, and up by an extra $2 trillion or more over the next decade the Pentagon’s already staggering budget. As the Bush administration proved and the Obama administration emphasized, stimulus packages, including massive infrastructural projects, are fine and dandy when pursued in Baghdad (biggest embassy on Earth) or Afghanistan (most bases ever). Consider it an irony, that even undocumented aliens are a Republican “go,” if they happen to be part of thesemi-slave labor force that helps to build and service American bases in war zones abroad."
"One of the jokes of our era is the Republican Party's claim that it favors “small government.” An accurate description might go more like this: the present-day Republican Party (libertarians excepted) has never seen an oppressive power of the national security state it didn’t want to bolster or grow. And it loves big government—the bigger the better—as long as we’re talking about the military-industrial complex. Mitt Romney, for instance, is eager to build ever more naval vessels, increase the size of U.S. ground forces, and up by an extra $2 trillion or more over the next decade the Pentagon’s already staggering budget. As the Bush administration proved and the Obama administration emphasized, stimulus packages, including massive infrastructural projects, are fine and dandy when pursued in Baghdad (biggest embassy on Earth) or Afghanistan (most bases ever). Consider it an irony, that even undocumented aliens are a Republican “go,” if they happen to be part of thesemi-slave labor force that helps to build and service American bases in war zones abroad."
Michelle Obama's Amazing DNC Speech Wins All But The Most Hardened Of Hearts In America
Michelle Obama spoke to delegates at the Democratic National Convention
Gov. Deval Patrick: This Is 'Election of a Lifetime'
Deval Patrick, governor of Mitt Romney's state of Massachusetts, called for Democrats to rally to re-elect President Obama.
Julián Castro's DNC Keynote Speech
Mayor Julián Castro of San Antonio delivered the keynote speech Tuesday night at the 2012 Democratic National Convention
Stacy Lihn speech @ 2012 Democratic National Convention
Stacy Lihn on her daughter Zoe and why she supports Obamacare 2012 Democratic National Convention.
Lily Ledbetter: Without Equal Pay, 'We Lose What Cannot be Measure by Dollars'
Lilly Ledbetter, Women's Equality Leader and Namesake of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, talks about her struggle to earn equal pay as a woman for the same job done as a man, and how the first bill President Obama signed into law.
Tammy Duckworth: 'Barack Obama Will Never Ignore Our Troops'
Candidate for the US House of Representatives in Illinois and Former Assistant Secretary of the US Department of Veterans Affairs Tammy Duckworth addressed the Democratic National Convention Tuesday night, speaking to how President Obama has lived up to his title of Commander-in-Chief by his actions with the U.S. military.
Wall Street On Pace To Set New Election Spending Record
Wall Street On Pace To Set New Election Spending Record: 60 percent of Wall Street’s donations thus far have gone to Republicans, including the vast majority of money flowing from the financial sector to Super PACs.
GOP Health Care Myths Belie All Evidence | Common Dreams
GOP Health Care Myths Belie All Evidence | Common Dreams
"In a recent post on the Forbes website, free-market advocate Sally Pipes of the Pacific Research Institute bemoaned the fact that “the dream of a single-payer system in America just won’t die.” This despite a decades-long campaign by insurers and their allies to equate single-payer systems like those in Canada and Europe with socialism and big government. Considering the many failures of the U.S. health care system, it is more appropriate to wonder why the dream of a free-market health care system just won’t die."
"In a recent post on the Forbes website, free-market advocate Sally Pipes of the Pacific Research Institute bemoaned the fact that “the dream of a single-payer system in America just won’t die.” This despite a decades-long campaign by insurers and their allies to equate single-payer systems like those in Canada and Europe with socialism and big government. Considering the many failures of the U.S. health care system, it is more appropriate to wonder why the dream of a free-market health care system just won’t die."
The US Chamber of Commerce's Multimillion-Dollar Attack Plan | Common Dreams
The US Chamber of Commerce's Multimillion-Dollar Attack Plan | Common Dreams
"The 2012 elections in many ways represent a crossing-the-Rubicon moment. Can the democratic system survive being swamped by hundreds of millions of dollars of Super PAC money? Can it endure the rise of superfunders like Sheldon Adelson (Newt Gingrich’s backer in the primaries, who has since thrown his financial muscle behind Romney’s campaign), Foster Friess (Rick Santorum’s sugar daddy), Texas billionaire Harold Simmons and the powerful Koch brothers, as well as the overwhelming clout of organizations like the Chamber of Commerce? Will citizens rally around investigations such as the one launched by Schneiderman, and will they demand limits to independent expenditures during elections as well as the disclosure of those who seek to buy the country’s elections and legislative process? Or will ever more politicians who oppose the Chamber’s values simply suffer the fate that befell Alan Grayson in 2010?"
"The 2012 elections in many ways represent a crossing-the-Rubicon moment. Can the democratic system survive being swamped by hundreds of millions of dollars of Super PAC money? Can it endure the rise of superfunders like Sheldon Adelson (Newt Gingrich’s backer in the primaries, who has since thrown his financial muscle behind Romney’s campaign), Foster Friess (Rick Santorum’s sugar daddy), Texas billionaire Harold Simmons and the powerful Koch brothers, as well as the overwhelming clout of organizations like the Chamber of Commerce? Will citizens rally around investigations such as the one launched by Schneiderman, and will they demand limits to independent expenditures during elections as well as the disclosure of those who seek to buy the country’s elections and legislative process? Or will ever more politicians who oppose the Chamber’s values simply suffer the fate that befell Alan Grayson in 2010?"
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Ohio Secretary of State says he will ignore ruling on early voting until appeal is decided
Ohio Secretary of State says he will ignore ruling on early voting until appeal is decided
"ou gotta love Jon Husted. If you're a Republican eager to suppress Democratic votes, that is. The Ohio Secretary of States elected in 2010 has been doing his best to ensure his party has a better time at the polls than it did in 2008 when Barack Obama won Ohio and two GOP congressmen lost their seats. His latest action on voter suppression is to ignore a court rulingrequiring the state to restore early voting on the three days before the Nov. 6 election."
"ou gotta love Jon Husted. If you're a Republican eager to suppress Democratic votes, that is. The Ohio Secretary of States elected in 2010 has been doing his best to ensure his party has a better time at the polls than it did in 2008 when Barack Obama won Ohio and two GOP congressmen lost their seats. His latest action on voter suppression is to ignore a court rulingrequiring the state to restore early voting on the three days before the Nov. 6 election."
Echoing ALEC's Playbook, the Real Story of Walker's Tort "Reform"
Echoing ALEC's Playbook, the Real Story of Walker's Tort "Reform"
"In Walker’s first year, Wisconsin frequently ranked last or near the bottom in job creation out of all 50 states in monthly jobs figures.
"In Walker’s first year, Wisconsin frequently ranked last or near the bottom in job creation out of all 50 states in monthly jobs figures.
But the fact that changing the rights of citizens injured by corporations has not been shown to create jobs anywhere in the U.S. did not stop Walker and his allies from making such claims. Nor did it deter ALEC from putting out such spin in order to advance the desires of its corporate members to limit their legal liability even when they harm people -- here in Wisconsin and in other states across the country -- through one-size-fits-all legislation from the ALEC corporate bill mill."
Biden on Romney-Ryan Medicare plan: It's 'vouchercare'
Biden on Romney-Ryan Medicare plan: It's 'vouchercare'
"Do we really want an America in which seniors are required to read the fine print of private insurance policies—assuming they can even find an affordable one given the size of their voucher? Paul Ryan would no doubt begin his defense of that idea by saying "it gets wonky," but the reality is that it doesn't. If you think this is an acceptable burden to shift onto seniors, you're totally out of touch."
"Do we really want an America in which seniors are required to read the fine print of private insurance policies—assuming they can even find an affordable one given the size of their voucher? Paul Ryan would no doubt begin his defense of that idea by saying "it gets wonky," but the reality is that it doesn't. If you think this is an acceptable burden to shift onto seniors, you're totally out of touch."
Papantonio: Tea Party Finally Tips The Craziness Scale
The Tea Party's constant charge that "Obama hates America," as well as how the entire Republican Party has become a reactionary, intolerant bunch with no facts to stand on.
A tale of two party platforms—a choice of the future or the past
A tale of two party platforms—a choice of the future or the past
"It's often said that party platforms don't matter, that nobody reads them and after they are approved every four years at the national conventions, everybody ignores them. While probably not more than one in 100 Americans can explain the details of each party's platform, and while the implicit promises within them are often broken or take years if not decades to come true, they aren't mere textual kabuki. They do indicate a path, a direction. And set against each other, some of the differences can be stark."
"It's often said that party platforms don't matter, that nobody reads them and after they are approved every four years at the national conventions, everybody ignores them. While probably not more than one in 100 Americans can explain the details of each party's platform, and while the implicit promises within them are often broken or take years if not decades to come true, they aren't mere textual kabuki. They do indicate a path, a direction. And set against each other, some of the differences can be stark."
Tea Party's Amy Kremer: 'We need a president that luvs this country!'
Tea Party's Amy Kremer: 'We need a president that luvs this country!'
"This deliberate strategy of trying to paint President Obama as "the other" should have ended with its failure in 2008, yet it persists in the constant refrain of dog-whistles we hear from these people: 'Marxist', 'Foreign', 'Muslim', with the sickness of Birtherism and the like. Republicans don't seem to care if they're seen as bigots anymore either, and in fact many have publicly embraced it."
"This deliberate strategy of trying to paint President Obama as "the other" should have ended with its failure in 2008, yet it persists in the constant refrain of dog-whistles we hear from these people: 'Marxist', 'Foreign', 'Muslim', with the sickness of Birtherism and the like. Republicans don't seem to care if they're seen as bigots anymore either, and in fact many have publicly embraced it."
How Union Membership Benefits African American And Latino Workers
How Union Membership Benefits African American And Latino Workers: Workers across the country experience a “union premium” — an increase in wages for workers who belong to a labor union compared to workers who are not organized. That premium amounted to $1.24 per hour last year, a 17.3 percent premium. And according to a new study from the Economic Policy Institute, union membership is [...]/p
Democratic Platform Includes Support For ERA
Democratic Platform Includes Support For ERA
"The official Democratic Party platform has been published. You can read the whole document here, but this jumped right off the page at me, under the heading of Civil Rights:
"The official Democratic Party platform has been published. You can read the whole document here, but this jumped right off the page at me, under the heading of Civil Rights:
We understand that women’s rights are civil rights. That’s why we reaffirm our support for the ERA, recommit to enforcing Title IX,and will urge ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. That’s why we are committed to ending violence against women, why Vice President Joe Biden originally wrote and championed the Violence Against Women Act during his time in the Senate, and why we support reauthorizing and strengthening it now."
CHARTS: Yes, We’re Better Off Than We Were Four Years Ago
CHARTS: Yes, We’re Better Off Than We Were Four Years Ago: The Romney campaign this week is basing its message off of former President Reagan’s “are you better off?” question from his 1980 campaign, even though Romney himself admitted in an interview earlier this year that “of course [the economy is] getting better” under President Obama. And the numbers don’t lie. While the economy is only [...]/p
EXCLUSIVE: Romney-Ryan Robocall Attacks Obama For ‘Changing Medicare Forever’
EXCLUSIVE: Romney-Ryan Robocall Attacks Obama For ‘Changing Medicare Forever’: The Affordable Care Act actually extends the solvency of Medicare by reallocating $716 billion spent on the program. That money has gone to lowering Seniors’ co-pays, reducing fraud and abuse, and connecting reimbursements to economic productivity.
Should Romney and Ryan repeal these changes, Medicare would become insolvent eight years before it’s currently on track to. Their plan would also force future seniors would pay $60,000 more for their care.
Ohio Secretary of State Refuses To Comply With Early Voting Court Order
Ohio Secretary of State Refuses To Comply With Early Voting Court Order: Jon Husted, Republican Secretary of State in Ohio, is refusing to change his restrictive early voting schedule even after a federal court restored in-person early voting to all Ohioans during the three day period before the general election. Husted claims expanding hours before an appeals court hears his case will “only serve to confuse voters.” [...]/p
Pelosi: 'Our country is better off than where we were' four years ago
Pelosi: 'Our country is better off than where we were' four years ago
"There's no question that the country is better off than the day George W. Bush left office. There's also no question that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan would take us right back there, with even more tax cuts for the wealthy and even less oversight of the financial system that brought the economy crashing down."
"There's no question that the country is better off than the day George W. Bush left office. There's also no question that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan would take us right back there, with even more tax cuts for the wealthy and even less oversight of the financial system that brought the economy crashing down."
Watch A Democratic Mayor Expose The Tea Party’s Deficit Hypocrisy
Watch A Democratic Mayor Expose The Tea Party’s Deficit Hypocrisy: "During an appearance on CNN’s Starting Point on Tuesday, Tea Party Express Chairwoman Amy Kremer refused to condemn the deficit increase that would result from Mitt Romney’s proposed tax cuts, suggesting that the group is more concerned about acting as a surrogate for the Republican candidate than promoting fiscal responsibility.
Romney would extend all of the Bush tax cuts, reduce all individual income tax rates by an additional 20 percent, lower the corporate rate from the current 35 percent to 25 percent, eliminate the Alternative Minimum Tax, the estate tax, Obamacare’s Medicare taxes on high-income individuals, and taxes on investment income for households under certain income levels. The former governor claims that he could recoup the lost revenue by closing unspecified “tax expenditures,” though economists predict that he would have to dramatically slash spending to pay for his tax cuts or add trillions to the national deficit."
The ED Show - History shows we're better off today than 4 years ago
Four years ago, the economy was in free-fall and the country was losing nearly 800,000 jobs a month. Republicans say Americans were better off.
The US and Israel, Not Iran, Threaten Peace | Common Dreams
The US and Israel, Not Iran, Threaten Peace | Common Dreams
"It is not easy to escape from one’s skin, to see the world differently from the way it is presented to us day after day. But it is useful to try. Let’s take a few examples."
"It is not easy to escape from one’s skin, to see the world differently from the way it is presented to us day after day. But it is useful to try. Let’s take a few examples."
US-Funded Armies Slaughtering Record Number of Elephants | Common Dreams
US-Funded Armies Slaughtering Record Number of Elephants | Common Dreams
"The illegal elephant ivory trade is reaching record levels and “Africa is in the midst of an epic elephant slaughter,” reports the New York Times. As demand for elephant ivory grows in China, more and more poachers, including some of Africa’s most infamous armed groups, are killing elephants to cash in. Tens of thousands of elephants are being killed every year in Africa, conservationists say, as poachers kill them for nothing other than their tusks."
"The illegal elephant ivory trade is reaching record levels and “Africa is in the midst of an epic elephant slaughter,” reports the New York Times. As demand for elephant ivory grows in China, more and more poachers, including some of Africa’s most infamous armed groups, are killing elephants to cash in. Tens of thousands of elephants are being killed every year in Africa, conservationists say, as poachers kill them for nothing other than their tusks."
GOP Rep. Burgess Suggests Medicare Is Unconstitutional
GOP Rep. Burgess Suggests Medicare Is Unconstitutional: At a panel during last week’s Republican National Convention, Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) strongly suggested that he believes Medicare is unconstitutional — before going on to say that its constitutionality doesn’t matter so long as it is used to achieve conservative ends. Burgess’ comment arose during a discussion of whether the Constitution permits the federal [...]/p
26 States Cut Their Education Budgets For This School Year
26 States Cut Their Education Budgets For This School Year: States have made deep cuts to their education budgets in the years since the Great Recession, and as their budgets remained crunched by lower levels of tax revenues, more than half are spending less on education this school year than they did last year, a new analysis from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities [...]/p
Why We’re Still Fighting for Voters’ Rights | Common Dreams
Why We’re Still Fighting for Voters’ Rights | Common Dreams
"Now, the American right wing is doing its best to take the franchise away from as many non-rich citizens as possible. Since the 2008 presidential election, there’s been a pervasive campaign to make it harder for Americans to vote. The proposals have come from across the country. Over the past two years, 11 states have passed new laws requiring voters to provide ID at the polls and seven have shortened the timeframes for early voting."
"Now, the American right wing is doing its best to take the franchise away from as many non-rich citizens as possible. Since the 2008 presidential election, there’s been a pervasive campaign to make it harder for Americans to vote. The proposals have come from across the country. Over the past two years, 11 states have passed new laws requiring voters to provide ID at the polls and seven have shortened the timeframes for early voting."
Romney On Whether We’re Better Off: ‘Of Course It’s Getting Better’
Romney On Whether We’re Better Off: ‘Of Course It’s Getting Better’: "But if it’s an insult to say that the economy is better off, then Mitt Romney has been slinging some insults of his own, considering how he answered a question from conservative talk radio host Laura Ingraham back in January"
GOP Targets African-American Women in Voter Suppression Efforts | Alternet
GOP Targets African-American Women in Voter Suppression Efforts | Alternet
"How will the American Presidential election be won in November 2012? By the Republicans buying the election? Perhaps. But money cannot always buy an election. That is why Republicans have spent the last 4-6 years passing a spate of voter suppression laws in “swing states” that will make it more difficult and costly for the young, the elderly, minorities, union members and single and elderly women to cast a vote for Barack Obama.
"How will the American Presidential election be won in November 2012? By the Republicans buying the election? Perhaps. But money cannot always buy an election. That is why Republicans have spent the last 4-6 years passing a spate of voter suppression laws in “swing states” that will make it more difficult and costly for the young, the elderly, minorities, union members and single and elderly women to cast a vote for Barack Obama.
Although the Republican effort is not exactly a secret, few Americans are discussing it with the urgency it deserves."
Romney-Ryan Lies Won't Win the White House
Romney-Ryan Lies Won't Win the White House
"Now with approximately 150,000 new jobs per month and GDP growth of 1.7 percent, there’s no question that "yes," we’re better off today than when Barack Obama took office. It’s also true that current conditions are on the bad side of "meh." So, Romney-Ryan are going to have to not just ask "Are you better off?" they're going to have to convince voters that they would do better. And remember, Moody's has reported that regardless of who has the keys to the White House in November, economists expect 12 million new jobs in the next four years.
"Now with approximately 150,000 new jobs per month and GDP growth of 1.7 percent, there’s no question that "yes," we’re better off today than when Barack Obama took office. It’s also true that current conditions are on the bad side of "meh." So, Romney-Ryan are going to have to not just ask "Are you better off?" they're going to have to convince voters that they would do better. And remember, Moody's has reported that regardless of who has the keys to the White House in November, economists expect 12 million new jobs in the next four years.
Lies and damned lies are not going to win the White House for Romney-Ryan. Not that they won't continue to go that route."
Democratic Platform Pitches Economic Recovery Plan, Embraces Immigration Reform, Marriage Equality
Democratic Platform Pitches Economic Recovery Plan, Embraces Immigration Reform, Marriage Equality: The Democratic National Committee released a draft of their party platform Monday night, to be voted on Tuesday in Charlotte, NC. The platform not only lays out the party’s vision for the future but also articulates President Obama’s first term accomplishments and attacks Romney’s policies. Most issues are framed in comparison to radical Republican policies, [...]/p
7 Worst Media Brown-Nosers Who Enable Paul Ryan's Lies | Alternet
7 Worst Media Brown-Nosers Who Enable Paul Ryan's Lies | Alternet
"Here we bring you seven media enablers of the Paul Ryan myth."
"Here we bring you seven media enablers of the Paul Ryan myth."
Monday, September 3, 2012
The Nation: How Trade Associations Are Buying Our Elections
The Nation: How Trade Associations Are Buying Our Elections
"Before the advent of the Roberts Court, Saudi Aramco would have been prohibited from using corporate money to influence an American election. The company’s only option would have been to ask its US-based employees to make small donations to a transparent political action committee."
"Before the advent of the Roberts Court, Saudi Aramco would have been prohibited from using corporate money to influence an American election. The company’s only option would have been to ask its US-based employees to make small donations to a transparent political action committee."
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