There’s One Issue That Undoubtedly Proves The Ethical Differences Between Democrats And Republicans
"But while there are many issues where Democrats and Republicans are very different (women’s rights, abortions, gay rights, the minimum wage, social programs to help the poor, tax rates, immigration, voting rights), there’s one issue above all else that I feel really showcases the ethical differences between the two parties: Overturning Citizens United, passing campaign finance reform and getting money out of politics. Most Republicans vehemently oppose overturning Citizens United, laughably proclaiming (as our Supreme Court did) that money somehow equals free speech."
Saturday, April 25, 2015
The GOP’s pathetic money groveling: Why the Republican nomination will go to the highest bidder
The GOP’s pathetic money groveling: Why the Republican nomination will go to the highest bidder
"If there’s one thing the Republican field’s disgusting groveling for cash should show us once and for all, it’s how much money it takes to buy a nomination. This “donor primary” is shaping up to be as hard fought as any down-and-dirty local election between a hard core Tea Partyer and an old school main-street conservative. The amount of money being collected is going to be breathtaking. The main question now is whether or not the candidates can even find enough places to spend it all."
"If there’s one thing the Republican field’s disgusting groveling for cash should show us once and for all, it’s how much money it takes to buy a nomination. This “donor primary” is shaping up to be as hard fought as any down-and-dirty local election between a hard core Tea Partyer and an old school main-street conservative. The amount of money being collected is going to be breathtaking. The main question now is whether or not the candidates can even find enough places to spend it all."
What Happens In Vegas This Weekend Could Decide The Next Republican Presidential Nominee
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/04/24/3650498/gop-sheldon-adelson-primary/
"Mega donor Adelson and his wife Miriam spent nearly $150 million on the 2012 election — more than the Koch brothers — and are likely to match that amount this campaign cycle. With his $32 billion net worth, Adelson was the single largest campaign donor in American history."
"Mega donor Adelson and his wife Miriam spent nearly $150 million on the 2012 election — more than the Koch brothers — and are likely to match that amount this campaign cycle. With his $32 billion net worth, Adelson was the single largest campaign donor in American history."
It's Not the 1 Percent Controlling Politics. It's the 0.01 Percent.
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2015/04/one-percent-campaign-giving
"In other words, about 1,200 Americans control more than 40 percent of election contributions."
"In other words, about 1,200 Americans control more than 40 percent of election contributions."
Boehner Attempts to Undermine the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/04/23/boehner-attempts-undermine-consumer-financial-protection-bureau.html
"The CFPB makes businesses accountable by protecting consumers. Boehner wants to reverse how this works, and make those who protect consumers held accountable to businesses."
"The CFPB makes businesses accountable by protecting consumers. Boehner wants to reverse how this works, and make those who protect consumers held accountable to businesses."
Koch Group Sends Envoy To Rome To Convince Pope To Shut Up About Climate Change
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/04/24/koch-group-sends-envoy-to-rome-to-convince-pope-to-shut-up-about-climate-change/
"You read that right: A group of wealthy energy industry businessmen think they can preach the gospel of climate denialism to the pope. This should be fun to watch.
The pope caught the ire of the libertarian-leaning Heartland Institute when the Vatican announced that he would be holding meetings with United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon and other experts to discuss what policymakers and religious leaders can do to better combat the worst effects of climate change. Heartland Institute’s subsequent freak out was captured in the hurriedly released statement announcing they would be sending their own experts to the meeting to intervene."
"You read that right: A group of wealthy energy industry businessmen think they can preach the gospel of climate denialism to the pope. This should be fun to watch.
The pope caught the ire of the libertarian-leaning Heartland Institute when the Vatican announced that he would be holding meetings with United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon and other experts to discuss what policymakers and religious leaders can do to better combat the worst effects of climate change. Heartland Institute’s subsequent freak out was captured in the hurriedly released statement announcing they would be sending their own experts to the meeting to intervene."
Friday, April 24, 2015
20 cash-starved public colleges drafting bankruptcy plans thanks to Bobby Jindal’s budget
20 cash-starved public colleges drafting bankruptcy plans thanks to Bobby Jindal’s budget
"Louisiana State University (LSU) said this week that it had been forced to start planning for bankruptcy in response to Gov. Bobby Jindal’s (R) budget. And it’s just one of as many as 20 campuses that were starting the process."
"Louisiana State University (LSU) said this week that it had been forced to start planning for bankruptcy in response to Gov. Bobby Jindal’s (R) budget. And it’s just one of as many as 20 campuses that were starting the process."
Watch: Nobel Economist Destroys 35 Years of Trickle-Down Reaganomics In 2 Minutes
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/watch-nobel-economist-destroys-35-years-of-trickle-down-reaganomics-in-2-minutes/
"The evidence that the Republican vision of economics is fatally flawed is too great to ignore, yet they keep trumpeting it to cement the status quo and cripple the working families of America forever."
"The evidence that the Republican vision of economics is fatally flawed is too great to ignore, yet they keep trumpeting it to cement the status quo and cripple the working families of America forever."
New Study Proves Once Again That “Trickle-Down Economics” Are A Massive Scam
New Study Proves Once Again That “Trickle-Down Economics” Are A Massive Scam
"If you look at this study and grasp how supply and demand works, it’s very clear that a strong economy which benefits all Americans (including the wealthy) depends on more money in the hands of more consumers, not more money in the hands of the 1%. Trickle-down economics are nothing more than a lie that has been repeatedly debunked"
"If you look at this study and grasp how supply and demand works, it’s very clear that a strong economy which benefits all Americans (including the wealthy) depends on more money in the hands of more consumers, not more money in the hands of the 1%. Trickle-down economics are nothing more than a lie that has been repeatedly debunked"
Walker Goes To Minnesota, Gets Burned, Blames Democrats
Walker Goes To Minnesota, Gets Burned, Blames Democrats
"Minnesota has been kicking Wisconsin's butt on just about every economic measure. The reasons are myriad, but the biggest four reasons are health care, minimum wage, unions and pay equality."
"Minnesota has been kicking Wisconsin's butt on just about every economic measure. The reasons are myriad, but the biggest four reasons are health care, minimum wage, unions and pay equality."
Tax cuts for the rich made Kansas broke — so now Republicans move to raise taxes on the poor
Tax cuts for the rich made Kansas broke — so now Republicans move to raise taxes on the poor
"Let’s say you’re the Governor of Kansas. The tax cuts for the rich you pushed through a couple years ago mean you’re in a world of budgetary hurt, and you’re not sure how you’re going to pay for basic expenses like roads and schools this year. What do you do? Repeal tax cuts? Absolutely not. You’re Sam Brownback. You balance your books on the backs of the poor, and cite fiscal prudence as a moral justification."
"Let’s say you’re the Governor of Kansas. The tax cuts for the rich you pushed through a couple years ago mean you’re in a world of budgetary hurt, and you’re not sure how you’re going to pay for basic expenses like roads and schools this year. What do you do? Repeal tax cuts? Absolutely not. You’re Sam Brownback. You balance your books on the backs of the poor, and cite fiscal prudence as a moral justification."
'Right to Work' Debunked: Economists Find Anti-Worker Laws Lead to Lower Wages
'Right to Work' Debunked: Economists Find Anti-Worker Laws Lead to Lower Wages
"workers in RTW states are less likely to have employer-sponsored health insurance or pension coverage."
"workers in RTW states are less likely to have employer-sponsored health insurance or pension coverage."
20 cash-starved public colleges drafting bankruptcy plans thanks to Bobby Jindal’s budget
20 cash-starved public colleges drafting bankruptcy plans thanks to Bobby Jindal’s budget
"Louisiana State University (LSU) said this week that it had been forced to start planning for bankruptcy in response to Gov. Bobby Jindal’s (R) budget. And it’s just one of as many as 20 campuses that were starting the process."
"Louisiana State University (LSU) said this week that it had been forced to start planning for bankruptcy in response to Gov. Bobby Jindal’s (R) budget. And it’s just one of as many as 20 campuses that were starting the process."
The Real GOP Primary Is Almost Over | The Nation
The Real GOP Primary Is Almost Over | The Nation
"Only through the fun-house mirror created by wealthy donors, and in a system where the Koch brothers plan to spend more than the Republican National Committee, do we get candidates like the ones we just saw in New Hemisphere."
"Only through the fun-house mirror created by wealthy donors, and in a system where the Koch brothers plan to spend more than the Republican National Committee, do we get candidates like the ones we just saw in New Hemisphere."
Scott Walker, forever tarnished: Republican governors have tanked the GOP brand
Scott Walker, forever tarnished: Republican governors have tanked the GOP brand
"What do Scott Walker, Chris Christie and Bobby Jindal all have in common? They’re all sitting governors who’d like to be president, sure. But what else?
How about being embarrassingly bad at job creation? That’s right. From January 2011 through January 2015, Louisiana under Jindal ranked 32nd in job creation with 5.4 percent growth over four years. Wisconsin under Walker ranked 35th, with 4.85 percent growth. New Jersey under Christie ranked 40th, with 4.15 percent growth. This compares with a national average of 8.21 percent.
Even Ohio’s John Kasich, who’s worked more with Democrats—most notably by agreeing to Medicaid expansion under Obamacare—and thus tarnished his brand with conservative purists while puffing himself up with Beltway pundits — only ranked 23rd. He’s still under the national average, with Ohio’s 6.23 percent growth. Ohio has yet to get back to 2007 employment levels, “The nation and the majority of other states reached this benchmark in 2014,” said researcher Hannah Halbert, in a statement from Policy Matters Ohio.
And then there’s Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas, once a 2016 hopeful cheered on by Grover Norquist and supported by supply-side icon Arthur Laffer in his crusade to slash (and eventually abolish) Kansas state income tax—a sure-fired job-creation move, according to the promises of all concerned. Justly dubbed a “failed experiment” for the massive deficits it has generated, the experiment also produced only lackluster job growth of 5.95 percent, ranking 28th in the nation—better than Walker and Christie, sure, but lower than its neighbors in Nebraska (25th) and Oklahoma (14th)."
"What do Scott Walker, Chris Christie and Bobby Jindal all have in common? They’re all sitting governors who’d like to be president, sure. But what else?
How about being embarrassingly bad at job creation? That’s right. From January 2011 through January 2015, Louisiana under Jindal ranked 32nd in job creation with 5.4 percent growth over four years. Wisconsin under Walker ranked 35th, with 4.85 percent growth. New Jersey under Christie ranked 40th, with 4.15 percent growth. This compares with a national average of 8.21 percent.
Even Ohio’s John Kasich, who’s worked more with Democrats—most notably by agreeing to Medicaid expansion under Obamacare—and thus tarnished his brand with conservative purists while puffing himself up with Beltway pundits — only ranked 23rd. He’s still under the national average, with Ohio’s 6.23 percent growth. Ohio has yet to get back to 2007 employment levels, “The nation and the majority of other states reached this benchmark in 2014,” said researcher Hannah Halbert, in a statement from Policy Matters Ohio.
And then there’s Gov. Sam Brownback of Kansas, once a 2016 hopeful cheered on by Grover Norquist and supported by supply-side icon Arthur Laffer in his crusade to slash (and eventually abolish) Kansas state income tax—a sure-fired job-creation move, according to the promises of all concerned. Justly dubbed a “failed experiment” for the massive deficits it has generated, the experiment also produced only lackluster job growth of 5.95 percent, ranking 28th in the nation—better than Walker and Christie, sure, but lower than its neighbors in Nebraska (25th) and Oklahoma (14th)."
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Dems Unite Around $12 Minimum Wage
Dems Unite Around $12 Minimum Wage
"Democrats in Congress are uniting around a proposal to raise the federal minimum wage to $12 an hour."
"Democrats in Congress are uniting around a proposal to raise the federal minimum wage to $12 an hour."
How The Right Keeps Us Stupid: Bobby Jindal’s Budget Slashes College Funding By 82 Percent
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/04/23/how-the-right-keeps-us-stupid-bobby-jindals-budget-slashes-college-funding-by-82-percent/
"That’s not a great sign for Louisiana, which already claims a spot in the top 10 least educated states in the country"
"That’s not a great sign for Louisiana, which already claims a spot in the top 10 least educated states in the country"
Republicans Won’t Release Benghazi Report Until 2016, Claim Timing Has Nothing To Do With Election
Republicans Won’t Release Benghazi Report Until 2016, Claim Timing Has Nothing To Do With Election
"It’s been so blatantly obvious what Republicans have been trying to do with this entire ordeal that I’ve suggested that Republicans need to be investigated for wasting millions of taxpayers dollars conducting frivolous investigations for political purposes. Because that’s exactly what they’re doing. The truth is, Republicans are conducting these fake investigations in a desperate attempt to find anything they might possibly be able to link back to any number of already debunked conspiracies they’ve been pushing for years."
"It’s been so blatantly obvious what Republicans have been trying to do with this entire ordeal that I’ve suggested that Republicans need to be investigated for wasting millions of taxpayers dollars conducting frivolous investigations for political purposes. Because that’s exactly what they’re doing. The truth is, Republicans are conducting these fake investigations in a desperate attempt to find anything they might possibly be able to link back to any number of already debunked conspiracies they’ve been pushing for years."
“Democracy, sponsored by Koch Industries”: 2016′s scary new landscape
“Democracy, sponsored by Koch Industries”: 2016′s scary new landscape
"Charles Koch, David Koch, and a few of their Fortune 500 friends would be purchasing the five most viable Republican presidential candidates for themselves. Primary voters wouldn’t be getting democracy so much as they’d be getting Democracy: Sponsored by Koch Industries. Republicans across the country would get their chance to pick from among a handful of candidates, but those candidates will have all converged around a platform drafted by a Randian ideologue."
"Charles Koch, David Koch, and a few of their Fortune 500 friends would be purchasing the five most viable Republican presidential candidates for themselves. Primary voters wouldn’t be getting democracy so much as they’d be getting Democracy: Sponsored by Koch Industries. Republicans across the country would get their chance to pick from among a handful of candidates, but those candidates will have all converged around a platform drafted by a Randian ideologue."
The 2016 Republican Presidential Race: A Battle to See Who Hates Our Constitution The Most
The 2016 Republican Presidential Race: A Battle to See Who Hates Our Constitution The Most
"Republicans can’t run on their policies, because that would expose them for the backwoods, outdated, knuckle-dragging political party that they are."
"Republicans can’t run on their policies, because that would expose them for the backwoods, outdated, knuckle-dragging political party that they are."
Chris Christie gave top donor hidden millions from state pension system: report
Chris Christie gave top donor hidden millions from state pension system: report
"New Jersey rules require Republican Gov. Chris Christie's administration to cancel investment contracts with firms whose officials raise or donate money to the governor’s political campaigns. But his administration has paid more than $16 million in pension fees to the financial firm that was led by Christie’s chief fundraiser and top donor, Jon Hanson.
The money -- far more than previously disclosed -- flowed to Hanson’s company, Prudential Financial, and its related funds that the state pension system has invested in."
"New Jersey rules require Republican Gov. Chris Christie's administration to cancel investment contracts with firms whose officials raise or donate money to the governor’s political campaigns. But his administration has paid more than $16 million in pension fees to the financial firm that was led by Christie’s chief fundraiser and top donor, Jon Hanson.
The money -- far more than previously disclosed -- flowed to Hanson’s company, Prudential Financial, and its related funds that the state pension system has invested in."
Koch 2016 Roadmap To Victory Leaked
Koch 2016 Roadmap To Victory Leaked
"It is a prospectus, of course, because the Kochs approach our politics as purely a business deal in need of some seed funding to make the business take off."
"It is a prospectus, of course, because the Kochs approach our politics as purely a business deal in need of some seed funding to make the business take off."
Texas GOP Removes Public Integrity Unit’s Power To Investigate Or Prosecute Texas GOP (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/04/22/texas-gop-removes-public-integrity-units-power-to-investigate-or-prosecute-texas-gop-video/
"On April 20, Texas republicans voted to protect themselves from ethics investigations, by placing “elected officials” into a special class of public entities that cannot be investigated by the state’s Public Integrity Unit."
"On April 20, Texas republicans voted to protect themselves from ethics investigations, by placing “elected officials” into a special class of public entities that cannot be investigated by the state’s Public Integrity Unit."
Dependence On Koch Money Is Damaging Our Democracy
http://www.liberalamerica.org/2015/04/20/dependence-on-koch-money-is-damaging-our-democracy/
"This dependence, or addiction if you prefer, is detrimental to our political system. When most people think of an addiction, they equate it to inanimate things like drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes. In America, we have a more serious problem and that is the dependence of our politicians on the money supplied by the Koch brothers and other right wing extremists that is being used to buy our government.
When the Supreme Court ruled on FEC v. Citizens United in January 2010, they opened a Pandora’s Box that has allowed the total corruption of our political system through the use of ‘dark money’ support from unnamed sources. Declaring that money equals speech and that donors to political organizations, many posing as non-profit organizations, do not need to declare who their benefactors are has allowed unscrupulous people like the Koch brothers to flood our political landscape with candidates that are no more than puppets, paid to do whatever is demanded of them.
Here is how it works. They find a buffoon that is pliable, ignorant, and willing to be bought. Ideally, the selected ‘candidate’ will have some degree of personal charisma, but not too much ability for independent thought. They then convince this person that they are a perfect ‘candidate’ and give them a false sense of superiority that makes them think that they have what it takes to succeed in the political forum.
They flood their ‘candidate’ with dark money contributions from unnamed sources and make the entire campaign dependent on that money. All the chosen ‘candidate’ has to do is follow the directions of his or her handlers to be elevated high into the American political system, possibly even as high as the White House."
"This dependence, or addiction if you prefer, is detrimental to our political system. When most people think of an addiction, they equate it to inanimate things like drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes. In America, we have a more serious problem and that is the dependence of our politicians on the money supplied by the Koch brothers and other right wing extremists that is being used to buy our government.
When the Supreme Court ruled on FEC v. Citizens United in January 2010, they opened a Pandora’s Box that has allowed the total corruption of our political system through the use of ‘dark money’ support from unnamed sources. Declaring that money equals speech and that donors to political organizations, many posing as non-profit organizations, do not need to declare who their benefactors are has allowed unscrupulous people like the Koch brothers to flood our political landscape with candidates that are no more than puppets, paid to do whatever is demanded of them.
Here is how it works. They find a buffoon that is pliable, ignorant, and willing to be bought. Ideally, the selected ‘candidate’ will have some degree of personal charisma, but not too much ability for independent thought. They then convince this person that they are a perfect ‘candidate’ and give them a false sense of superiority that makes them think that they have what it takes to succeed in the political forum.
They flood their ‘candidate’ with dark money contributions from unnamed sources and make the entire campaign dependent on that money. All the chosen ‘candidate’ has to do is follow the directions of his or her handlers to be elevated high into the American political system, possibly even as high as the White House."
In 'Clinton Cash,' Author Cites Known Hoax As Source
In 'Clinton Cash,' Author Cites Known Hoax As Source
"Peter Schweizer's Clinton Cash reportedly does not prove its speculative attacks on the Clintons and even relies on a hoax press release to support a claim"
"Peter Schweizer's Clinton Cash reportedly does not prove its speculative attacks on the Clintons and even relies on a hoax press release to support a claim"
This Obamacare Poll Is Bad News For Republicans But Great For America (IMAGE)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/04/21/this-obamacare-poll-is-bad-news-for-republicans-but-great-for-america-image/
"the trend reveals momentum is gaining as Americans see the benefits of the program in their own lives."
"the trend reveals momentum is gaining as Americans see the benefits of the program in their own lives."
Public Support For Obamacare Grows As Less Than 30 Percent Of Americans Support Repeal
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/04/21/public-support-obamacare-grows-30-percent-americans-support-repeal.html
"The American people aren’t interested in repealing Obamacare. If Republicans ignore that fact, their obsession with overturning Obamacare could hurt them politically in 2016, as well it should."
"The American people aren’t interested in repealing Obamacare. If Republicans ignore that fact, their obsession with overturning Obamacare could hurt them politically in 2016, as well it should."
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
How Eco-Friendly is Your State?
http://www.alternet.org/environment/how-eco-friendly-your-state
"For the new report "2015’s Most & Least Eco-Friendly States," WalletHub compared each state across 14 key metrics to assess current environmental health."
"For the new report "2015’s Most & Least Eco-Friendly States," WalletHub compared each state across 14 key metrics to assess current environmental health."
On Earth Day, Congress Targets America’s Public Lands and Waters
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/04/22/3650183/earth-day-lwcf-funding/
"Funded through revenues from offshore oil and gas development fees, the budget-neutral LWCF has attracted broad bipartisan support in the past. However, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is among a group of members in Congress who are arguing for significant changes to its structure, including diverting and placing restrictions on funding for the program."
"Funded through revenues from offshore oil and gas development fees, the budget-neutral LWCF has attracted broad bipartisan support in the past. However, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is among a group of members in Congress who are arguing for significant changes to its structure, including diverting and placing restrictions on funding for the program."
Banking Giant Warns Clients Of Fossil Fuel Investment Risks
Banking Giant Warns Clients Of Fossil Fuel Investment Risks
"Global banking giant HSBC has warned investors of the growing risk of their fossil fuel assets becoming useless, in a private report seen by Newsweek.
In the report, titled ‘Stranded assets: what next?’, analysts warn of the growing likelihood that fossil fuel companies may become “economically non-viable”, as people move away from carbon energy and fossil fuels are left in the ground."
"Global banking giant HSBC has warned investors of the growing risk of their fossil fuel assets becoming useless, in a private report seen by Newsweek.
In the report, titled ‘Stranded assets: what next?’, analysts warn of the growing likelihood that fossil fuel companies may become “economically non-viable”, as people move away from carbon energy and fossil fuels are left in the ground."
Tesla Batteries Powering Wal-Mart Stores May Spell The End Of Dirty Fossil Fuel
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/04/22/tesla-batteries-powering-wal-mart-stores-may-spell-the-end-of-dirty-fossil-fuel/
"And here’s the juiciest part: the power companies are already hard at work lobbying to make renewable energy more expensive for homeowners. They hate, hate, HATE the idea of regular Americans generating their own electricity and not paying the power companies for the privilege of turning on their TVs. But that won’t work on corporations. They have lobbyists, too and their pockets are just as deep. This is a fight that the power companies cannot possibly win.
This won’t mean the end of all fossil fuel usage, of course. But it will mean the end of the staggering amounts of it we use when we don’t have to. More to the point, every billion the Fossil Fuel Industry looses is that much less money they can spend to block the spread of green technology."
"And here’s the juiciest part: the power companies are already hard at work lobbying to make renewable energy more expensive for homeowners. They hate, hate, HATE the idea of regular Americans generating their own electricity and not paying the power companies for the privilege of turning on their TVs. But that won’t work on corporations. They have lobbyists, too and their pockets are just as deep. This is a fight that the power companies cannot possibly win.
This won’t mean the end of all fossil fuel usage, of course. But it will mean the end of the staggering amounts of it we use when we don’t have to. More to the point, every billion the Fossil Fuel Industry looses is that much less money they can spend to block the spread of green technology."
Green Energy Job Growth Outpaces Losses in Coal Industry
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/30360-green-energy-job-growth-outpaces-losses-in-coal-industry
"Far more jobs have been created in wind and solar in recent years than lost in the collapse of the coal industry, and renewable energy is poised for record growth in the United States this year."
"Far more jobs have been created in wind and solar in recent years than lost in the collapse of the coal industry, and renewable energy is poised for record growth in the United States this year."
Republican Religious Fanatics Pose A Much Bigger Threat To Our Country Than ISIS
Republican Religious Fanatics Pose A Much Bigger Threat To Our Country Than ISIS
"So, while there’s no denying that ISIS is a religiously-driven threat to which we must pay attention, the more immediate threats we face in this country are the Christian fanatics trying to chip away at our freedoms and our Constitutional rights, as they continue trying to turn the United States into a right-wing theocracy built on bigotry, ignorance and oppression."
"So, while there’s no denying that ISIS is a religiously-driven threat to which we must pay attention, the more immediate threats we face in this country are the Christian fanatics trying to chip away at our freedoms and our Constitutional rights, as they continue trying to turn the United States into a right-wing theocracy built on bigotry, ignorance and oppression."
Angry Commenters Force Koch Ties Disclosure In Newsweek Op-Ed
Angry Commenters Force Koch Ties Disclosure In Newsweek Op-Ed
"You should call these shills out every time you see them. Our Glorious Corporate Media won't do these things unless we make it too uncomfortable for them."
"You should call these shills out every time you see them. Our Glorious Corporate Media won't do these things unless we make it too uncomfortable for them."
Republican senator doesn't want you to lose your health insurance until after he's re-elected
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/22/1379414/-Sen-Ron-Johnson-doesn-t-want-you-to-lose-your-health-insurance-until-after-he-s-nbsp-re-elected
"Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), an extremely vulnerable incumbent in 2016, is very concerned that people are going to lose their health insurance before he can be re-elected. So he's introducing legislation to postpone people losing their insurance until after the election."
"Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), an extremely vulnerable incumbent in 2016, is very concerned that people are going to lose their health insurance before he can be re-elected. So he's introducing legislation to postpone people losing their insurance until after the election."
Heritage Foundation Website: Same-Sex Marriage Will Lead To More Abortions
Heritage Foundation Website: Same-Sex Marriage Will Lead To More Abortions
"those opposing marriage equality really don’t seem to have any shame when it comes to how foolish they’ll make themselves look to support their bigoted stance against gay rights."
"those opposing marriage equality really don’t seem to have any shame when it comes to how foolish they’ll make themselves look to support their bigoted stance against gay rights."
Why The Koch Brothers Want Scott Walker To Be President
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/04/21/3649458/koch-scott-walker-endorsement/
"The governor also embodied the Kochs’ profit-driven goals when he began cutting environmental regulations when he took office, to the benefit of Koch businesses which are known to emit thousands of pounds of toxic pollutants in the state. Walker also quietly worked to allow Kochs’ many Georgia Pacific paper plants to pollute Wisconsin by pouring thousands of pounds of phosphorus into the water."
"The governor also embodied the Kochs’ profit-driven goals when he began cutting environmental regulations when he took office, to the benefit of Koch businesses which are known to emit thousands of pounds of toxic pollutants in the state. Walker also quietly worked to allow Kochs’ many Georgia Pacific paper plants to pollute Wisconsin by pouring thousands of pounds of phosphorus into the water."
Kochs Defeated in Montana: 6 Lessons America Can Learn From This Rural Western State | Alternet
Kochs Defeated in Montana: 6 Lessons America Can Learn From This Rural Western State | Alternet
"Montana is the only state where the Kochs got beaten down like this."
"Montana is the only state where the Kochs got beaten down like this."
Rand Paul Kissing Koch Brothers' Asses: 'Libertarianism' In A Nutshell
Rand Paul Kissing Koch Brothers' Asses: 'Libertarianism' In A Nutshell
"Of course, all of this is perfectly normal to a ‘libertarian' like Rand Paul because the political brand name masks the true nature of the philosophy at work: it's anarchism for the rich. Charles and David Koch learned their politics from Robert LeFevre, whose famous "Freedom School" taught lessons on autarchy - the abolition of all government except for the individual, making everyone their own dictatorship and reducing all society to a kind of right wing syndicalism. (Of course, LeFevre had only survived the Great Depression because of those terrible government relief programs.) Based in Colorado, in concept LeFevre's failed dream community resembled Galt's Gulch, the magical make-believe wonderland of strangely Marxist bliss where Ayn Rand's fictional ‘producers' hid out from the maddened ‘moochers' in the world of Atlas Shrugged.
Sen. Rand Paul, who prefers to create his own ophthalmic certification board rather than submit to the indignities of regular recertification by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, definitely likes to make his own rules in the classic LeFevre mold. He's his own best "special interest," and so are the Kochs. You can tell how much he admires them for it."
"Of course, all of this is perfectly normal to a ‘libertarian' like Rand Paul because the political brand name masks the true nature of the philosophy at work: it's anarchism for the rich. Charles and David Koch learned their politics from Robert LeFevre, whose famous "Freedom School" taught lessons on autarchy - the abolition of all government except for the individual, making everyone their own dictatorship and reducing all society to a kind of right wing syndicalism. (Of course, LeFevre had only survived the Great Depression because of those terrible government relief programs.) Based in Colorado, in concept LeFevre's failed dream community resembled Galt's Gulch, the magical make-believe wonderland of strangely Marxist bliss where Ayn Rand's fictional ‘producers' hid out from the maddened ‘moochers' in the world of Atlas Shrugged.
Sen. Rand Paul, who prefers to create his own ophthalmic certification board rather than submit to the indignities of regular recertification by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, definitely likes to make his own rules in the classic LeFevre mold. He's his own best "special interest," and so are the Kochs. You can tell how much he admires them for it."
Koch Brothers Declare Scott Walker Is Our Man
Koch Brothers Declare Scott Walker Is Our Man
"Charles and David Koch, the billionaire co-owners of Koch Industries, one of the largest privately-held companies in the world and the overseers of one of the biggest private political organizations in the country, told Republican donors in New York on April 19 that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is their man for President."
"Charles and David Koch, the billionaire co-owners of Koch Industries, one of the largest privately-held companies in the world and the overseers of one of the biggest private political organizations in the country, told Republican donors in New York on April 19 that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is their man for President."
Sen. Orrin Hatch cribs from Obamacare, again, for his 'replacement' plan
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/20/1378922/-Sen-Orrin-Hatch-cribs-from-Obamacare-again-for-his-replacement-nbsp-plan
"This "new idea" from Hatch couldn't possibly be a reflection of the fact that the last Reuters-Ipsos poll found that 79 percent of people support the subsidies in Obamacare, could it? Surely that's just a coincidence, as is the fact that Hatch, all on his own, came up with an idea that is essentially identical to the one in the hated Obamacare. This is becoming a pattern."
"This "new idea" from Hatch couldn't possibly be a reflection of the fact that the last Reuters-Ipsos poll found that 79 percent of people support the subsidies in Obamacare, could it? Surely that's just a coincidence, as is the fact that Hatch, all on his own, came up with an idea that is essentially identical to the one in the hated Obamacare. This is becoming a pattern."
Group Of Doctors And Nurses Deliver Flip-Flops To Gov Rick Scott
Group Of Doctors And Nurses Deliver Flip-Flops To Gov Rick Scott
"A group of doctors and nurses in Florida decided to remind the state about Scott's support for the Medicaid expansion before the Koch cabal got involved."
"A group of doctors and nurses in Florida decided to remind the state about Scott's support for the Medicaid expansion before the Koch cabal got involved."
Scott Walker's cheap shirt maybe wasn't so cheap for Wisconsin taxpayers
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/20/1378913/-Scott-Walker-s-cheap-shirt-maybe-wasn-t-so-cheap-for-Wisconsin-taxpayers
"Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, going for the "everyday guy" vote in the Republican presidential primary, has a story he likes to tell about using so many coupons at Kohl's that "The next thing you know, they’re paying me to buy that shirt." Audiences are supposed to respond by thinking "Gosh, just think how careful he'll be with taxpayer money," but there's a funny story about Scott Walker, Kohl's, and taxes."
"Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, going for the "everyday guy" vote in the Republican presidential primary, has a story he likes to tell about using so many coupons at Kohl's that "The next thing you know, they’re paying me to buy that shirt." Audiences are supposed to respond by thinking "Gosh, just think how careful he'll be with taxpayer money," but there's a funny story about Scott Walker, Kohl's, and taxes."
Scott Walker is the absolute worst: Beneath his “Everyman” facade, a grossly incompetent administration
Scott Walker is the absolute worst: Beneath his “Everyman” facade, a grossly incompetent administration
"This weekend we learned that Scott Walker hopes his “Everyman” shtick will obscure the fact that, in the words of Esquire’s Charlie Pierce, he was “hired by Koch Industries to manage their Midwest subsidiary formerly known as the state of Wisconsin"."
"This weekend we learned that Scott Walker hopes his “Everyman” shtick will obscure the fact that, in the words of Esquire’s Charlie Pierce, he was “hired by Koch Industries to manage their Midwest subsidiary formerly known as the state of Wisconsin"."
Iowa Republican Holds Up Bill To Take Away Rapists’ Parental Rights, Says It’s ‘Feel Good’ Legislation
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/04/20/iowa-republican-holds-up-bill-to-take-away-rapists-parental-rights-says-its-feel-good-legislation/
"Most reasonable people would agree that rapists should have no rights to a child conceived during their violent assault on an innocent woman. However, as they demonstrate time and time again, Republicans are not reasonable. In yet another demonstration of their ignorance and insensitivity when it comes to the plight of rape victims, an Iowa State Representative by the name of Chip Baltimore has deliberately held up a bill in committee that would automatically terminate the parental rights of rapists, dismissing it as “feel good” legislation."
"Most reasonable people would agree that rapists should have no rights to a child conceived during their violent assault on an innocent woman. However, as they demonstrate time and time again, Republicans are not reasonable. In yet another demonstration of their ignorance and insensitivity when it comes to the plight of rape victims, an Iowa State Representative by the name of Chip Baltimore has deliberately held up a bill in committee that would automatically terminate the parental rights of rapists, dismissing it as “feel good” legislation."
Rupert Pulls The Strings To Push 'Clinton Cash' Into Respectable Media
Rupert Pulls The Strings To Push 'Clinton Cash' Into Respectable Media
"Joe Conason probably knows more about the anti-Clinton scandal machine than anyone alive, and he's quick to catch the fine hand of Rupert Murdoch in the latest one"
"Joe Conason probably knows more about the anti-Clinton scandal machine than anyone alive, and he's quick to catch the fine hand of Rupert Murdoch in the latest one"
Swiftboat 2016: Why Buy The Ad When You Can Get The Press For Free? (UPDATED)
Swiftboat 2016: Why Buy The Ad When You Can Get The Press For Free? (UPDATED)
"We are effectively subsidizing right-wing propaganda outlets with taxpayer dollars, and those outlets are corrupting the so-called independent media by making "exclusive deals" to promote the themes right-wingers want promoted."
"We are effectively subsidizing right-wing propaganda outlets with taxpayer dollars, and those outlets are corrupting the so-called independent media by making "exclusive deals" to promote the themes right-wingers want promoted."
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Kochs Anoint Scott Walker As The Chosen One For 2016
Kochs Anoint Scott Walker As The Chosen One For 2016
"interesting that the original NYT headline was "Kochs Signal Support for Scott Walker" until someone changed it to "G.O.P. Donors Signal Support for Scott Walker." Just more evidence that they're hopelessly addicted to Koch."
"interesting that the original NYT headline was "Kochs Signal Support for Scott Walker" until someone changed it to "G.O.P. Donors Signal Support for Scott Walker." Just more evidence that they're hopelessly addicted to Koch."
Monday, April 20, 2015
Bernie Sanders Busts The GOP Plan To Take Health Insurance Away From 27 Million Americans
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/04/20/bernie-sanders-busts-gop-plan-health-insurance-27-million-americans.html
"Republicans are planning on gutting Medicare and throwing 27 million people off of their private insurance in order to pay for tax cuts to the top one-tenth of one percent."
"Republicans are planning on gutting Medicare and throwing 27 million people off of their private insurance in order to pay for tax cuts to the top one-tenth of one percent."
Elizabeth Warren's Comprehensive Wall Street Reform Agenda
Elizabeth Warren's Comprehensive Wall Street Reform Agenda
"Warren hits the nail on the head. To be pro-business and pro-market, you have to some rules that guarantee a level playing field, you have to have cops on the beat, and you have to have a regulatory and judicial system willing to actually prosecute the businesses who break the rules -- no matter how big, wealthy, and powerful those businesses are in the marketplace and political system. Market competition does not work if one business is so big and powerful that it can squeeze out its competitors, and if the rules give unfair advantages only to the richest and most politically powerful.
The people who refer to Elizabeth Warren as anti-business just don’t get it. What she is in reality is anti-predator, anti-cheater, anti-monopolist, and anti-cronyism. If you have a fair system that regulates those market and competition-stifling things, then it helps the vast majority of businesses to fairly compete. What this speech reminds us is that Elizabeth Warren is a pro-business, pro-market progressive."
"Warren hits the nail on the head. To be pro-business and pro-market, you have to some rules that guarantee a level playing field, you have to have cops on the beat, and you have to have a regulatory and judicial system willing to actually prosecute the businesses who break the rules -- no matter how big, wealthy, and powerful those businesses are in the marketplace and political system. Market competition does not work if one business is so big and powerful that it can squeeze out its competitors, and if the rules give unfair advantages only to the richest and most politically powerful.
The people who refer to Elizabeth Warren as anti-business just don’t get it. What she is in reality is anti-predator, anti-cheater, anti-monopolist, and anti-cronyism. If you have a fair system that regulates those market and competition-stifling things, then it helps the vast majority of businesses to fairly compete. What this speech reminds us is that Elizabeth Warren is a pro-business, pro-market progressive."
Faux Democracy and the Tea Party: How Far Back Does It Go?
http://wallstreetonparade.com/2015/04/faux-democracy-and-the-tea-party-how-far-back-does-it-go/
"Manipulating Americans to organize or protest against their own interests is the sine qua non of big corporate front groups. These groups are alternately known as astroturf organizations because the grass in “grassroots” is fake turf.
Just how fake that turf is came into crisp perspective on April 2 when Christine Stapleton, an investigative reporter at the Palm Beach Post, revealed that a protest rally called by the Tea Party of Miami and Florida Citizens Against Waste used paid actors from the Broward Acting Group as faux protesters."
"Manipulating Americans to organize or protest against their own interests is the sine qua non of big corporate front groups. These groups are alternately known as astroturf organizations because the grass in “grassroots” is fake turf.
Just how fake that turf is came into crisp perspective on April 2 when Christine Stapleton, an investigative reporter at the Palm Beach Post, revealed that a protest rally called by the Tea Party of Miami and Florida Citizens Against Waste used paid actors from the Broward Acting Group as faux protesters."
Koch Funding of Universities Shrouded in Secrecy
Koch Funding of Universities Shrouded in Secrecy
"But that’s not all the money buys. As students at Florida State University and Clemson University discovered in 2011, grant agreements (Memorandums of Understanding, or "MOUs") between universities and the Charles Koch Foundation often give the Kochs influence over the hiring of professors and development of course curriculum. In other words, on top of reshaping scientific studies to further their bottom line, the Kochs are also trying to reshape public education to match their libertarian ideology."
"But that’s not all the money buys. As students at Florida State University and Clemson University discovered in 2011, grant agreements (Memorandums of Understanding, or "MOUs") between universities and the Charles Koch Foundation often give the Kochs influence over the hiring of professors and development of course curriculum. In other words, on top of reshaping scientific studies to further their bottom line, the Kochs are also trying to reshape public education to match their libertarian ideology."
Martin O’Malley Comes Out Swinging Against GOP, Calls Their Economic Theories ‘Bullsh*t’ (AUDIO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/04/20/martin-omalley-comes-out-swinging-against-gop-calls-their-economic-theories-bullsht-audio/
"But it was the economy that took center stage during the interview as O’Malley came out swinging at the Republican economic policies of trickle-down theory and fewer regulations:
“The Republican Party is doubling down on this trickle-down theory that says thou shalt concentrate wealth at the very top of our society. Thou shalt remove regulation from wherever you find it, even on Wall Street. And thou shalt keep wages low for American workers so that we can be more competitive. We have a different theory. Our theory as Democrats and as the longer arc of our story as Americans is that we believe that a stronger middle class is actually the cause of economic growth. What ails our economy right now is 12 years of stagnant or declining wages, and we need to fix this.”
Indeed, O’Malley is determined to raise the minimum wage even higher than the $10 an hour President Obama has proposed. Such a move would almost certainly lift millions of Americans out of poverty and even the playing field in an economy that has tilted heavily in favor of the wealthy. One reason for that is the Republican policy of deregulation, which has help enrich corporate executives at the expense of worker safety and worker’s rights. As a result, Americans work more and earn less."
"But it was the economy that took center stage during the interview as O’Malley came out swinging at the Republican economic policies of trickle-down theory and fewer regulations:
“The Republican Party is doubling down on this trickle-down theory that says thou shalt concentrate wealth at the very top of our society. Thou shalt remove regulation from wherever you find it, even on Wall Street. And thou shalt keep wages low for American workers so that we can be more competitive. We have a different theory. Our theory as Democrats and as the longer arc of our story as Americans is that we believe that a stronger middle class is actually the cause of economic growth. What ails our economy right now is 12 years of stagnant or declining wages, and we need to fix this.”
Indeed, O’Malley is determined to raise the minimum wage even higher than the $10 an hour President Obama has proposed. Such a move would almost certainly lift millions of Americans out of poverty and even the playing field in an economy that has tilted heavily in favor of the wealthy. One reason for that is the Republican policy of deregulation, which has help enrich corporate executives at the expense of worker safety and worker’s rights. As a result, Americans work more and earn less."
Jeb Bush Becomes Latest Republican To Admit Trickle-Down Economics Is A Scam
Jeb Bush Becomes Latest Republican To Admit Trickle-Down Economics Is A Scam
"It’s no secret that the only “plan” Republicans really have to address job creation is to push for deregulation and cut taxes – two things that have unequivocally proven time and time again that they have almost nothing to do with creating jobs. If tax cuts and deregulation actually led to strong economic success, Bush’s eight years in the White House would have yielded record growth.
Instead, just the opposite happened; record-setting income inequality dominated his last few years in office, leading to the worst economic crash since the Great Depression. Well, since all other economic indicators under President Obama have been overwhelmingly positive, many Republicans have been left with no other alternative but to complain about the growing problem of income inequality. It’s an interesting complaint considering the wage gap between the average American and the richest among us really began to grow once Reagan and his fellow Republicans forced trickle-down economics upon us. You know, the belief that the more money we give the rich, the better it will be for the rest of us. If you just laughed and/or cried, I don’t blame you.
Well, over the last 30+ years we’ve given the rich plenty. In fact, over that time they’ve done better than at any other time in our nation’s history, while the rest of us continue to fall further and further behind. So, the questions I always ask is, “When does that wealth start to trickle down? Just how rich do the wealthiest among us need to be before the rest of us finally start benefitting?” Naturally, believers in the asinine theory of trickle-down economics never seem to have any answers for those questions."
"It’s no secret that the only “plan” Republicans really have to address job creation is to push for deregulation and cut taxes – two things that have unequivocally proven time and time again that they have almost nothing to do with creating jobs. If tax cuts and deregulation actually led to strong economic success, Bush’s eight years in the White House would have yielded record growth.
Instead, just the opposite happened; record-setting income inequality dominated his last few years in office, leading to the worst economic crash since the Great Depression. Well, since all other economic indicators under President Obama have been overwhelmingly positive, many Republicans have been left with no other alternative but to complain about the growing problem of income inequality. It’s an interesting complaint considering the wage gap between the average American and the richest among us really began to grow once Reagan and his fellow Republicans forced trickle-down economics upon us. You know, the belief that the more money we give the rich, the better it will be for the rest of us. If you just laughed and/or cried, I don’t blame you.
Well, over the last 30+ years we’ve given the rich plenty. In fact, over that time they’ve done better than at any other time in our nation’s history, while the rest of us continue to fall further and further behind. So, the questions I always ask is, “When does that wealth start to trickle down? Just how rich do the wealthiest among us need to be before the rest of us finally start benefitting?” Naturally, believers in the asinine theory of trickle-down economics never seem to have any answers for those questions."
14 Reasons The Rich Wouldn’t Exist Without The Poor
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/04/20/14-reasons-the-rich-wouldnt-exist-without-the-poor/
"Americans, constantly in search of someone to hate, have landed lately on the poor. States are passing laws that tell poor people what they can and can’t eat and, at the same time, businesses resist raising the minimum wage to a level above where people need help to survive.
The poor are demonized. They are called lazy, useless and moochers. The poor, however, are some of the hardest working of all Americans.
One of the typical arguments by poor shamers is that the poor should get educations so they could get better jobs, but the truth is that the jobs that are done by the poor are absolutely vital to our country. Without them, there would be no country, and there would certainly be no rich people."
"Americans, constantly in search of someone to hate, have landed lately on the poor. States are passing laws that tell poor people what they can and can’t eat and, at the same time, businesses resist raising the minimum wage to a level above where people need help to survive.
The poor are demonized. They are called lazy, useless and moochers. The poor, however, are some of the hardest working of all Americans.
One of the typical arguments by poor shamers is that the poor should get educations so they could get better jobs, but the truth is that the jobs that are done by the poor are absolutely vital to our country. Without them, there would be no country, and there would certainly be no rich people."
Walmart Heir Does Not Deserve Assets It Would Take a Worker a Million Years to Earn
Walmart Heir Does Not Deserve Assets It Would Take a Worker a Million Years to Earn
"So try and wrap your head around the two statistics cited above: 1) Six people (Walmart heirs) have passive net worth - the money is inherited through stock; they don't need to do anything to earn it - equal to more than the bottom 40% of the people in the US; and 2) It would take a Walmart employee working a 12-hour day a million years to earn just one Walmart heir's financial assets.
Think of these two figures as the 2016 political campaign unfolds and you hear many politicians call for an increase in "economic opportunity." It is a disingenuous term because it implies that the problem with the economy is not that money has been massively redistributed upward in the last few decades, but rather that we need a more "pro-business" environment. This is a canard, because loosening regulations and lowering taxes on the wealthy over many years has led to a giant economic chasm between the haves and have-nots, not narrowed it.
Income inequality is going to be talked about a lot less, by Republicans and most Democrats. Income inequality, when fully exposed, explodes the myth of trickle down economics in which wealth, in reality, is redistributed to the rich from the pockets of the working class and poor."
"So try and wrap your head around the two statistics cited above: 1) Six people (Walmart heirs) have passive net worth - the money is inherited through stock; they don't need to do anything to earn it - equal to more than the bottom 40% of the people in the US; and 2) It would take a Walmart employee working a 12-hour day a million years to earn just one Walmart heir's financial assets.
Think of these two figures as the 2016 political campaign unfolds and you hear many politicians call for an increase in "economic opportunity." It is a disingenuous term because it implies that the problem with the economy is not that money has been massively redistributed upward in the last few decades, but rather that we need a more "pro-business" environment. This is a canard, because loosening regulations and lowering taxes on the wealthy over many years has led to a giant economic chasm between the haves and have-nots, not narrowed it.
Income inequality is going to be talked about a lot less, by Republicans and most Democrats. Income inequality, when fully exposed, explodes the myth of trickle down economics in which wealth, in reality, is redistributed to the rich from the pockets of the working class and poor."
Scott Walker's New Budget Is So Brutal Even Republicans Are Afraid Of It | Alternet
Scott Walker's New Budget Is So Brutal Even Republicans Are Afraid Of It | Alternet
"The governor is proposing massive cuts to programs that are crucial for seniors and the disabled."
"The governor is proposing massive cuts to programs that are crucial for seniors and the disabled."
The 1 percent plays us for suckers: There is no meritocracy and they’ve strangled the American dream
The 1 percent plays us for suckers: There is no meritocracy and they’ve strangled the American dream
"Eighty percent of Americans possess 7 percent of our nation’s wealth. Anyone still championing the reality of the American dream is either delusional, dishonest or criminally uninformed. Dream or no dream, the American way of life isn’t simply dying a slow death. It’s being strangled. The killers are people like Professor Mankiw, who is not uniformed. The killers are millionaires and billionaires who abide by the mantra: no new taxes. The killers are political organizations like Americans for Prosperity, a special interest group that hosts the annual Defending the American Dream Summit.
The American dream is a lie, and those who attend DADS, and politicians backed by Americans for Prosperity, are actively working to foment it. These pols and lobbyists intimate that the rich are—to put it plainly—in possession of a greater value system. A better work ethic. A life-affirming set of beliefs. A more productive appreciation of the family. Americans who don’t abide by these values are discovering—lo and behold—that they suffer accordingly.
This argument—declining American values—isn’t conservative. It’s not an attempt to hold fast to the good old days of tradition and morality. The declining-values argument is supremacist. It’s that simple. Those who espouse it skew toward older, richer, whiter and, make no mistake, in this argument, at heart, is one clear declaration: Our values did, do and should reign supreme."
"Eighty percent of Americans possess 7 percent of our nation’s wealth. Anyone still championing the reality of the American dream is either delusional, dishonest or criminally uninformed. Dream or no dream, the American way of life isn’t simply dying a slow death. It’s being strangled. The killers are people like Professor Mankiw, who is not uniformed. The killers are millionaires and billionaires who abide by the mantra: no new taxes. The killers are political organizations like Americans for Prosperity, a special interest group that hosts the annual Defending the American Dream Summit.
The American dream is a lie, and those who attend DADS, and politicians backed by Americans for Prosperity, are actively working to foment it. These pols and lobbyists intimate that the rich are—to put it plainly—in possession of a greater value system. A better work ethic. A life-affirming set of beliefs. A more productive appreciation of the family. Americans who don’t abide by these values are discovering—lo and behold—that they suffer accordingly.
This argument—declining American values—isn’t conservative. It’s not an attempt to hold fast to the good old days of tradition and morality. The declining-values argument is supremacist. It’s that simple. Those who espouse it skew toward older, richer, whiter and, make no mistake, in this argument, at heart, is one clear declaration: Our values did, do and should reign supreme."
As Huckabee Plans Presidential Run, He’s Already Alienated Half The Country
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2015/04/17/3648467/huckabee-women-2016/
"The GOP has been trying to broaden its traditionally white, male base since the 2012 election, holding training sessions and advising candidates to simply avoid talking about rape. But so far, the efforts have backfired – likely due to offensive comments from Republicans like Huckabee — and the party has actually been losing women’s support."
"The GOP has been trying to broaden its traditionally white, male base since the 2012 election, holding training sessions and advising candidates to simply avoid talking about rape. But so far, the efforts have backfired – likely due to offensive comments from Republicans like Huckabee — and the party has actually been losing women’s support."
The Republican Party's Contempt for Women Is Truly Breathtaking | Alternet
The Republican Party's Contempt for Women Is Truly Breathtaking | Alternet
"This tendency to assume women are just large, dim-witted children reaches the highest levels when it comes to Republicans."
"This tendency to assume women are just large, dim-witted children reaches the highest levels when it comes to Republicans."
Here’s A Whole List Of Reasons Why Mike Huckabee Will Never Be President
Here’s A Whole List Of Reasons Why Mike Huckabee Will Never Be President
"But I saved the best - and most insane - for last. Huckabee, standing on top of Mt. Carmel, professed that he was willing to stand alone and call down “fire from Heaven” to rid the country of false prophets. Basically, he would stand there and call upon God to dispose of those who don’t believe in his brand of Christianity. Because nothing says “I’m fit to be president” quite like claiming that you believe you have the power to call down God’s wrath on those with which you disagree. I’m still on the fence on whether or not this guy believes this gibberish or he’s just using the “blindly pander to the religious right” tactic hoping it might snag him the GOP nomination, because I don’t remember the Huckabee of a few years ago being this ridiculous. Regardless of what it is, it’s absolutely clear that this level of absurdity has no place anywhere near the presidency. Luckily, I can almost guarantee that will never happen. Quite frankly, Mike Huckabee is utterly delusional if he actually believes that he has a shot at being elected president."
"But I saved the best - and most insane - for last. Huckabee, standing on top of Mt. Carmel, professed that he was willing to stand alone and call down “fire from Heaven” to rid the country of false prophets. Basically, he would stand there and call upon God to dispose of those who don’t believe in his brand of Christianity. Because nothing says “I’m fit to be president” quite like claiming that you believe you have the power to call down God’s wrath on those with which you disagree. I’m still on the fence on whether or not this guy believes this gibberish or he’s just using the “blindly pander to the religious right” tactic hoping it might snag him the GOP nomination, because I don’t remember the Huckabee of a few years ago being this ridiculous. Regardless of what it is, it’s absolutely clear that this level of absurdity has no place anywhere near the presidency. Luckily, I can almost guarantee that will never happen. Quite frankly, Mike Huckabee is utterly delusional if he actually believes that he has a shot at being elected president."
Right Wing Nut David Barton: The Government Can Outlaw Homosexuality (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/04/17/right-wing-nut-david-barton-the-government-can-outlaw-homosexuality-video/
"So, in other words, David Barton thinks that the government should outlaw anything that doesn’t line up with his own narrow, hateful version of fundamentalist Christianity. Well, luckily, the majority of people, even the likes of Glenn Beck, do not agree with these extremist views, and any attempts to legislate something like that would be struck down as unconstitutional."
"So, in other words, David Barton thinks that the government should outlaw anything that doesn’t line up with his own narrow, hateful version of fundamentalist Christianity. Well, luckily, the majority of people, even the likes of Glenn Beck, do not agree with these extremist views, and any attempts to legislate something like that would be struck down as unconstitutional."
Three quarters of Americans believe sexual orientation should be a protected class
Three quarters of Americans believe sexual orientation should be a protected class
"Nearly a full three-quarters of Americans believe sexual orientation should receive the same constitutional protections from discrimination as race, according to the results of a Bloomberg poll released on Friday."
"Nearly a full three-quarters of Americans believe sexual orientation should receive the same constitutional protections from discrimination as race, according to the results of a Bloomberg poll released on Friday."
5 Right-Wing Lunacies This Week: Bill O'Reilly Hits Peak Paranoia | Alternet
5 Right-Wing Lunacies This Week: Bill O'Reilly Hits Peak Paranoia | Alternet
"Bill O’Reilly rails absurdly about how it’s open season on White Christian males. Even John Stossel can’t sway him with facts."
"Bill O’Reilly rails absurdly about how it’s open season on White Christian males. Even John Stossel can’t sway him with facts."
Marco Rubio’s Florida ‘Market Based’ Anti-Obamacare Program Results In Humiliating Defeat
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/04/17/marco-rubios-florida-market-based-anti-obamacare-program-results-humiliating-defeat.html
"Marco Rubio’s market-based health care program was supposed to prove that the Republican ideas for health care reform can work. Instead, only 80 people have signed up compared to the 1.6 million Floridians enrolled in the ACA exchange.
Rubio’s plan, which predates the ACA, was designed to put the conservative ideas about healthcare reform into practice. The result has been a multi-million dollar program that nobody wants."
"Marco Rubio’s market-based health care program was supposed to prove that the Republican ideas for health care reform can work. Instead, only 80 people have signed up compared to the 1.6 million Floridians enrolled in the ACA exchange.
Rubio’s plan, which predates the ACA, was designed to put the conservative ideas about healthcare reform into practice. The result has been a multi-million dollar program that nobody wants."
Rick Scott Is Revealing The GOP’s Ultimate Obamacare Hypocrisy
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2015/04/17/3648207/rick-scott-medicaid/
"Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R), one of the staunchest opponents of the health care reform law, refuses to accept federal funds to implement Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, which would extend coverage to about 800,000 low-income people in the state. At the same time, however, Scott wants the Obama administration to give him federal funds to help implement a specific Medicaid pilot program. Ultimately, Scott is demanding money from the government that doesn’t appear to be linked to Obamacare — and he’s willing to go to great lengths to get it.
Scott wants the government to give Florida about $1 billion in federal funds for a Medicaid pilot project — called the Low-Income Pool, or LIP — that helps support hospitals that serve low-income and uninsured patients. LIP is a program that was initiated under the Jeb Bush administration to address hospitals’ budget shortfalls from providing too much uncompensated care to uninsured people who can’t pay their bills.
Federal officials are refusing, saying that Scott wouldn’t need LIP funding if he simply expanded the eligibility requirements for the state’s entire Medicaid program. Florida’s LIP program is set to expire at the end of June, and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) don’t want to renew it. Essentially, the pilot program has become obsolete under the Affordable Care Act, and it doesn’t make sense to fund LIP instead of funding Medicaid expansion."
"Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R), one of the staunchest opponents of the health care reform law, refuses to accept federal funds to implement Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act, which would extend coverage to about 800,000 low-income people in the state. At the same time, however, Scott wants the Obama administration to give him federal funds to help implement a specific Medicaid pilot program. Ultimately, Scott is demanding money from the government that doesn’t appear to be linked to Obamacare — and he’s willing to go to great lengths to get it.
Scott wants the government to give Florida about $1 billion in federal funds for a Medicaid pilot project — called the Low-Income Pool, or LIP — that helps support hospitals that serve low-income and uninsured patients. LIP is a program that was initiated under the Jeb Bush administration to address hospitals’ budget shortfalls from providing too much uncompensated care to uninsured people who can’t pay their bills.
Federal officials are refusing, saying that Scott wouldn’t need LIP funding if he simply expanded the eligibility requirements for the state’s entire Medicaid program. Florida’s LIP program is set to expire at the end of June, and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) don’t want to renew it. Essentially, the pilot program has become obsolete under the Affordable Care Act, and it doesn’t make sense to fund LIP instead of funding Medicaid expansion."
Obamacare rises in Marco Rubio's backyard
http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/06/politics/obamacare-enrollments-florida-repubican/index.html?fb_action_ids=10153130088255546&fb_action_types=og.shares
"HHS released its updated list of enrollments by zip code and it turns out the top 15 are in Rubio's backyard - Miami-Dade and Broward counties. In fact, the second highest zip code in the country is 33126, which lies just blocks from the City of West Miami, where Rubio got his political start. That area saw 11,222 people sign-up for the healthcare benefits, in the enrollment period ending in February.
That's roughly 4,000 less than the top Obamacare zip code in the United States, 33012, which is in the heart of Hialeah, a Republican stronghold."
"HHS released its updated list of enrollments by zip code and it turns out the top 15 are in Rubio's backyard - Miami-Dade and Broward counties. In fact, the second highest zip code in the country is 33126, which lies just blocks from the City of West Miami, where Rubio got his political start. That area saw 11,222 people sign-up for the healthcare benefits, in the enrollment period ending in February.
That's roughly 4,000 less than the top Obamacare zip code in the United States, 33012, which is in the heart of Hialeah, a Republican stronghold."
Friday, April 17, 2015
As Cities Raise Their Minimum Wage, Where's the Economic Collapse the Right Predicted?
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2015/04/economic-collapse-prediction-minimum-wage-raise
"The bigger threat to the economy may come from not raising the minimum wage. Even Wall Street analysts agree that our ever-widening income inequality threatens to dampen economic growth. And according to a new study by the UC-Berkeley Labor Center, it's the taxpayers who ultimately pick up the tab for low wages, because the federal government subsidizes the working poor through social service programs to the tune of $153 billion a year."
"The bigger threat to the economy may come from not raising the minimum wage. Even Wall Street analysts agree that our ever-widening income inequality threatens to dampen economic growth. And according to a new study by the UC-Berkeley Labor Center, it's the taxpayers who ultimately pick up the tab for low wages, because the federal government subsidizes the working poor through social service programs to the tune of $153 billion a year."
Here’s What Happened In Indiana As Soon As The Media Stopped Paying Attention
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/04/15/3647223/indiana-epilogue-lgbt-protections-rejected/
"After amending the RFRA to appease businesses threatening the state, it is now investing $2 million of taxpayer money to try to reform Indiana’s image"
"After amending the RFRA to appease businesses threatening the state, it is now investing $2 million of taxpayer money to try to reform Indiana’s image"
8 Nightmare Scenarios That Would Come to Pass If GOP Presidential Speeches Became Reality | Alternet
8 Nightmare Scenarios That Would Come to Pass If GOP Presidential Speeches Became Reality | Alternet
"From shredding social safety nets to imposing evangelical Christianity, the America described in Republican speeches is a terrifying place."
"From shredding social safety nets to imposing evangelical Christianity, the America described in Republican speeches is a terrifying place."
Tesla Will Pay Its Factory Workers $25 An Hour Despite GOP Trying To Kill The Company
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/04/15/tesla-will-pay-its-factory-workers-25-an-hour-despite-gop-trying-to-kill-the-company/
"Free Market. Industry. Small government. These are all things Republicans love to say when trying to get elected, but clearly don’t mean. For instance, just look at how emerging high-tech company Tesla has struggled to survive under constant attacks by state lawmakers eager to watch it fail."
"Free Market. Industry. Small government. These are all things Republicans love to say when trying to get elected, but clearly don’t mean. For instance, just look at how emerging high-tech company Tesla has struggled to survive under constant attacks by state lawmakers eager to watch it fail."
What a Rand Paul World Would Look Like: 6 Things You Should Know About the War-Mongering, Faux Libertarian | Alternet
What a Rand Paul World Would Look Like: 6 Things You Should Know About the War-Mongering, Faux Libertarian | Alternet
"Rand Paul's perfect world could be summed up as giveaways to rich, no more school lunches and foreign wars."
"Rand Paul's perfect world could be summed up as giveaways to rich, no more school lunches and foreign wars."
Time picks Rand Paul to fluff the Koch brothers, and Rand Paul delivers
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/16/1378182/-Sen-Time-picks-Rand-Paul-to-fluff-the-Koch-brothers-and-Rand-Paul-delivers
"But no, the Koch brothers do not troll the halls of Congress looking for favors. The Koch brothers are wealthy enough to fund congressmen who will do it on their behalf. The Koch brothers are wealthy enough that prospective presidential candidates write love letters to them in the magazines of the day, and consider themselves damn lucky to get the chance to do it."
"But no, the Koch brothers do not troll the halls of Congress looking for favors. The Koch brothers are wealthy enough to fund congressmen who will do it on their behalf. The Koch brothers are wealthy enough that prospective presidential candidates write love letters to them in the magazines of the day, and consider themselves damn lucky to get the chance to do it."
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Rick Scott Would Rather Sue Obama Than Expand Medicaid
Rick Scott Would Rather Sue Obama Than Expand Medicaid
"When Rick Scott was CEO of Columbia/HCA he was Medicare's biggest fraudster. Is his resistance to the Medicaid expansion ideological, or does he just not see the same potential for skimming profits with it that he does with the now-ended emergency room payment plan?
Whatever the case, he's even managed to rile up some Florida Republican lawmakers on this, who are more interested in getting the budget done than waging another ACA battle when it is becoming more popular and they are not."
"When Rick Scott was CEO of Columbia/HCA he was Medicare's biggest fraudster. Is his resistance to the Medicaid expansion ideological, or does he just not see the same potential for skimming profits with it that he does with the now-ended emergency room payment plan?
Whatever the case, he's even managed to rile up some Florida Republican lawmakers on this, who are more interested in getting the budget done than waging another ACA battle when it is becoming more popular and they are not."
The Benefits of Collective Bargaining: An Antidote to Wage Decline and Inequality | Economic Policy Institute
The Benefits of Collective Bargaining: An Antidote to Wage Decline and Inequality | Economic Policy Institute
"Wages have been stagnant for a generation despite sizable increases in overall productivity, incomes, and wealth. For instance, our nation’s output of goods and services per hour worked (productivity, net of depreciation) grew 64 percent from 1979 to 2014, while the inflation-adjusted hourly wage of the typical worker rose by just 6 percent.1 The single largest factor suppressing wage growth for middle-wage workers has been the erosion of collective bargaining."
"Wages have been stagnant for a generation despite sizable increases in overall productivity, incomes, and wealth. For instance, our nation’s output of goods and services per hour worked (productivity, net of depreciation) grew 64 percent from 1979 to 2014, while the inflation-adjusted hourly wage of the typical worker rose by just 6 percent.1 The single largest factor suppressing wage growth for middle-wage workers has been the erosion of collective bargaining."
Warren takes on Wall Street and 'the unfinished business of financial reform'
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/15/1377944/-Warren-takes-on-Wall-Street-and-the-unfinished-business-of-financial-reform
"This speech sounded similar notes to the rip-roaring one Warren gave from the Senate floor last December, but here Warren laid out her vision for how to put an end to "too big to fail" financial institutions. She suggested either capping their size altogether or not making government-backed insurance available to investment banks."
"This speech sounded similar notes to the rip-roaring one Warren gave from the Senate floor last December, but here Warren laid out her vision for how to put an end to "too big to fail" financial institutions. She suggested either capping their size altogether or not making government-backed insurance available to investment banks."
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