What happened in Arizona wasn’t an accident: When states make voting impossible, it’s for a very clear reason
"The GOP excuse for these laws? It’s voter fraud, they say. But how often do voters attempt to scam the system? Among all federal elections between 2002 and 2005, the rate of voter fraud was 0.00000013 percent. This according to a five-year probe by George W. Bush’s Justice Department. Put another way, around 26 people out of 197 million were convicted of attempting to vote illegally during all of those elections. And yet the Republicans continue to screech about voter fraud anyway. (They’re willing to believe that voter fraud exists, even though it doesn’t, and yet the climate crisis, with its 97 percent scientific consensus, is clearly fiction.)"
Sunday, March 27, 2016
Seth Meyers nails Trump and his racist supporters for their ‘sorry-not sorry’ phony apologies
Seth Meyers nails Trump and his racist supporters for their ‘sorry-not sorry’ phony apologies
"If there’s one thing politics brings out it’s the non-apology apology. Such is the case with racist Donald Trump supporters who have been caught assaulting African Americans in his rallies. It must be something they’re learning from the man himself, because the “sorry, not sorry” non-apology is something Trump has mastered from the beginning of the campaign. Seth Meyers nails them all on in Wednesday’s “Late Night"."
"If there’s one thing politics brings out it’s the non-apology apology. Such is the case with racist Donald Trump supporters who have been caught assaulting African Americans in his rallies. It must be something they’re learning from the man himself, because the “sorry, not sorry” non-apology is something Trump has mastered from the beginning of the campaign. Seth Meyers nails them all on in Wednesday’s “Late Night"."
WATCH: AZ recorder blames voters for 5 hour waits after she cut polling places from 200 to 60
WATCH: AZ recorder blames voters for 5 hour waits after she cut polling places from 200 to 60
"Resign, Helen Purcell — you are terrible at your job."
"Resign, Helen Purcell — you are terrible at your job."
Arizona voters wait hours after GOP official closes polls: ‘It’s almost like they want to disenfranchise us’
Arizona voters wait hours after GOP official closes polls: ‘It’s almost like they want to disenfranchise us’
"Frustrated voters lashed out at Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell, who made the decision to shut down two-thirds of the polling stations and scatter them further out into Phoenix suburbs."
"Frustrated voters lashed out at Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell, who made the decision to shut down two-thirds of the polling stations and scatter them further out into Phoenix suburbs."
Michigan Republicans Are Trying To Change Election Law To Stop Liberal Ballot Initiatives
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/03/24/3762667/michigan-republicans-fracking-ban-legal-marijuana/
"Grassroots groups in Michigan say they’re about to achieve something big. This year, if they get enough petition signatures, voters might get to decide at the ballot box whether to ban fracking and legalize marijuana. There’s just one problem: the state’s Republican lawmakers are now trying to change the rules in the middle of the game. The lawmakers aren’t opposing marijuana legalization or fracking bans on their merits — they’re trying to change election law to make it harder for citizen groups to get their issues on the ballot in the first place."
"Grassroots groups in Michigan say they’re about to achieve something big. This year, if they get enough petition signatures, voters might get to decide at the ballot box whether to ban fracking and legalize marijuana. There’s just one problem: the state’s Republican lawmakers are now trying to change the rules in the middle of the game. The lawmakers aren’t opposing marijuana legalization or fracking bans on their merits — they’re trying to change election law to make it harder for citizen groups to get their issues on the ballot in the first place."
Trump Loves the Poorly Educated—and They Love Him Right Back @alternet
Trump Loves the Poorly Educated—and They Love Him Right Back @alternet:
"The low-educated, low-income counties of Trump’s America also receive large sums of public assistance. Social Security fraud—seeking disability payments for minor injuries or conditions—is so rampant that attorneys have created a cottage industry out of offering to secure services for clients willing to pay a one-time fee for longtime subsidy."
"The low-educated, low-income counties of Trump’s America also receive large sums of public assistance. Social Security fraud—seeking disability payments for minor injuries or conditions—is so rampant that attorneys have created a cottage industry out of offering to secure services for clients willing to pay a one-time fee for longtime subsidy."
Watch: Jimmy Kimmel's Fake Ad Hilariously Points out Cruz and Trump Are One and the Same @alternet
Watch: Jimmy Kimmel's Fake Ad Hilariously Points out Cruz and Trump Are One and the Same @alternet:
"Republicans, who have no one but themselves to blame for the titanic disaster that is Donald Trump, also have no one but themselves to blame for the gigantic disaster that is Ted Cruz."
"Republicans, who have no one but themselves to blame for the titanic disaster that is Donald Trump, also have no one but themselves to blame for the gigantic disaster that is Ted Cruz."
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Sanders Trounces Clinton in Washington State and Alaska @alternet
Sanders Trounces Clinton in Washington State and Alaska @alternet:
"Bernie Sanders has won decisive victories in Washington State and in Alaska, the New York Times and various other news sources are reporting. Primary voters are still at the polls in Hawaii."
"Bernie Sanders has won decisive victories in Washington State and in Alaska, the New York Times and various other news sources are reporting. Primary voters are still at the polls in Hawaii."
Arizona Recorder Helen Purcell Blames Voters For Her Screw-Up
Arizona Recorder Helen Purcell Blames Voters For Her Screw-Up
"This Maricopa County Recorder needs to resign or be fired, sooner rather than later. She had ONE JOB, and she screwed it up, royally."
"This Maricopa County Recorder needs to resign or be fired, sooner rather than later. She had ONE JOB, and she screwed it up, royally."
“Just boxes and boxes of dildos” Seth Meyers roasts Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback after state sells adult toys to fix his tax screw-up
“Just boxes and boxes of dildos” Seth Meyers roasts Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback after state sells adult toys to fix his tax screw-up
"Gov. Sam Brownback became a target for the comedian after his proposed tax-cut for the wealthy and no income taxes for small businesses turned sour. Brownback was famously quoted as saying Kansas would be a “real live experiment” for conservative economic policies. “That’s a terrible sales pitch for something,” Meyers taunted. “Those words only usually show up in shady classified ads.” Conservatives assured the cuts would somehow generate $323 million in new revenue, but in actuality, they produced a $688 million loss. In desperation, the state tried to close the gap by selling adult industry toys, seized from a business that owed back taxes to the state. “Just boxes and boxes of dildos,” emphasized Meyers. Small businesses and residents are now disillusioned by the tax cuts, and troubled by the slashing of state budgets for public school education, leading Meyers to confirm that the results of the experiment are conclusive. “Republicans want to replicate these policies on a national level, but even when you buy couch cleaner they tell you to try it on a small patch of fabric first,” he said. “That’s what happened here — Kansas was the small patch of fabric. Not only did the cleaner not work, the couch exploded"."
"Gov. Sam Brownback became a target for the comedian after his proposed tax-cut for the wealthy and no income taxes for small businesses turned sour. Brownback was famously quoted as saying Kansas would be a “real live experiment” for conservative economic policies. “That’s a terrible sales pitch for something,” Meyers taunted. “Those words only usually show up in shady classified ads.” Conservatives assured the cuts would somehow generate $323 million in new revenue, but in actuality, they produced a $688 million loss. In desperation, the state tried to close the gap by selling adult industry toys, seized from a business that owed back taxes to the state. “Just boxes and boxes of dildos,” emphasized Meyers. Small businesses and residents are now disillusioned by the tax cuts, and troubled by the slashing of state budgets for public school education, leading Meyers to confirm that the results of the experiment are conclusive. “Republicans want to replicate these policies on a national level, but even when you buy couch cleaner they tell you to try it on a small patch of fabric first,” he said. “That’s what happened here — Kansas was the small patch of fabric. Not only did the cleaner not work, the couch exploded"."
Wapo Throws Up Its Hands: Donald Trump Is Dangerous
Wapo Throws Up Its Hands: Donald Trump Is Dangerous
"everything Trump said, and the way he said it, only reinforced Wapo's earlier editorial statement that "Mr. Trump must be stopped because he presents a threat to American democracy"."
"everything Trump said, and the way he said it, only reinforced Wapo's earlier editorial statement that "Mr. Trump must be stopped because he presents a threat to American democracy"."
Maricopa County Cuts Number Of Polling Places From 200 To 60, Chaos Ensues
Maricopa County Cuts Number Of Polling Places From 200 To 60, Chaos Ensues
"When the polls closed, there were still lines so long it was estimated that people would be waiting another 3 hours before they could vote."
"When the polls closed, there were still lines so long it was estimated that people would be waiting another 3 hours before they could vote."
Why Either Trump’s or Cruz’s Tax Plans Would Be the Largest Redistributions to the Rich in American History
Why Either Trump’s or Cruz’s Tax Plans Would Be the Largest Redistributions to the Rich in American History
"The tax cuts for the rich proposed by the two leading Republican candidates for the presidency—Donald Trump and Ted Cruz—are larger, as a proportion of the government budget and the total economy, than any tax cuts ever before proposed in history. Trump and Cruz pretend to be opposed to the Republican establishment, but when it comes to taxes they’re seeking exactly what that Republican establishment wants."
"The tax cuts for the rich proposed by the two leading Republican candidates for the presidency—Donald Trump and Ted Cruz—are larger, as a proportion of the government budget and the total economy, than any tax cuts ever before proposed in history. Trump and Cruz pretend to be opposed to the Republican establishment, but when it comes to taxes they’re seeking exactly what that Republican establishment wants."
How Ted Cruz’s New Senior Economic Adviser Paved The Way For The Financial Crisis
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2016/03/22/3762291/ted-cruz-phil-gramm/
"He inserted a provision in the Commodity Futures Modernization Act in 2000 that exempted complex derivatives — such as credit-default swaps — from regulatory oversight by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The lack of regulation meant that as the use of credit-default swaps grew in the lead up to the crisis, banks weren’t required to create backstops in case they failed, and once they all came crashing down amid the housing bubble’s burst, it left financial institutions exposed. Credit-default swaps took down AIG, leading to its bailout."
"He inserted a provision in the Commodity Futures Modernization Act in 2000 that exempted complex derivatives — such as credit-default swaps — from regulatory oversight by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. The lack of regulation meant that as the use of credit-default swaps grew in the lead up to the crisis, banks weren’t required to create backstops in case they failed, and once they all came crashing down amid the housing bubble’s burst, it left financial institutions exposed. Credit-default swaps took down AIG, leading to its bailout."
11 Terrible Right-Wing Laws and Ideas Pushed by Far-Right Republicans Near You @alternet
11 Terrible Right-Wing Laws and Ideas Pushed by Far-Right Republicans Near You @alternet:
"In November, many Americans who didn’t vote in 2014 or 2015 will be casting a vote for president of the United States. Midterms and off-year elections are often ignored by registered voters, but anyone who doubts the importance of voting in every election need only look at the type of damage far-right Republicans can do at the state or local level when they are in control. Although Democrats have won the popular vote in five of the last six presidential elections, and President Barack Obama was reelected decisively in 2012, Republicans fared extremely well during the 2010 and 2014 midterms, not only in Congress, but in the state and local races. The result has been an obscene amount of destructive legislation"
"In November, many Americans who didn’t vote in 2014 or 2015 will be casting a vote for president of the United States. Midterms and off-year elections are often ignored by registered voters, but anyone who doubts the importance of voting in every election need only look at the type of damage far-right Republicans can do at the state or local level when they are in control. Although Democrats have won the popular vote in five of the last six presidential elections, and President Barack Obama was reelected decisively in 2012, Republicans fared extremely well during the 2010 and 2014 midterms, not only in Congress, but in the state and local races. The result has been an obscene amount of destructive legislation"
Seth Meyers: GOP wrecked Kansas economy so bad they had to auction off dildos for cash
Seth Meyers: GOP wrecked Kansas economy so bad they had to auction off dildos for cash
"For years, Democrats have fought back against the idea that Reaganomics or ‘trickle-down economics’ works as an economic policy. Now, we’re in a presidential election where Republicans are pitching the same policies that have proven to be unsuccessful. The difference, this time, is that we have actual proof of truly bankrupted economies when we look at what Gov. Sam Brownback did to Kansas and his followers are doing in other states like Oklahoma and Louisiana. Monday evening, “Late Night” host Seth Meyers used the opportunity to educate the country on what happened and why it’s so messed up."
"For years, Democrats have fought back against the idea that Reaganomics or ‘trickle-down economics’ works as an economic policy. Now, we’re in a presidential election where Republicans are pitching the same policies that have proven to be unsuccessful. The difference, this time, is that we have actual proof of truly bankrupted economies when we look at what Gov. Sam Brownback did to Kansas and his followers are doing in other states like Oklahoma and Louisiana. Monday evening, “Late Night” host Seth Meyers used the opportunity to educate the country on what happened and why it’s so messed up."
Sam Brownback, America’s worst governor: He’s gutted Kansas with an ultraconservative, religious agenda — and it’s getting worse
Sam Brownback, America’s worst governor: He’s gutted Kansas with an ultraconservative, religious agenda — and it’s getting worse
"We do know that the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the Kansas Policy Institute (KPI) and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce (KCC) are not so quietly influencing and applying pressure on Kansas legislators. They also play the part of the Trickster, a mischievous, cross-cultural archetypal character often surrounded by conflict and confusion, with his/her own self-interests primarily in mind. Tricksters have often been used in myth and literature to teach us what not to do, such as spinning and spreading memes of misinformation, a common past time of ALEC, KPI and the KCC. Major sources of funding for these groups include Charles and David Koch of Koch Industries, Ivan Crossland of Crossland Construction and David Murfin of Murfin Drilling Corp. In addition to funding, they also provide their own form of legislative arm twisting."
"We do know that the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the Kansas Policy Institute (KPI) and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce (KCC) are not so quietly influencing and applying pressure on Kansas legislators. They also play the part of the Trickster, a mischievous, cross-cultural archetypal character often surrounded by conflict and confusion, with his/her own self-interests primarily in mind. Tricksters have often been used in myth and literature to teach us what not to do, such as spinning and spreading memes of misinformation, a common past time of ALEC, KPI and the KCC. Major sources of funding for these groups include Charles and David Koch of Koch Industries, Ivan Crossland of Crossland Construction and David Murfin of Murfin Drilling Corp. In addition to funding, they also provide their own form of legislative arm twisting."
PERRspectives: Ted Cruz is Getting the Iran-Contra Band Back Together
PERRspectives: Ted Cruz is Getting the Iran-Contra Band Back Together
"Iran-Contra, as you'll recall, almost laid waste to the Reagan presidency. Desperate to free U.S. hostages held by Iranian proxies in Lebanon, President Reagan provided weapons Tehran badly needed in its long war with Saddam Hussein (who, of course, was backed by the United States). In a clumsy and illegal attempt to skirt U.S. law, the proceeds of those sales were then funneled to the Contras fighting the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. And as the media appear not to recall, it was Michael Ledeen who established Iranian arms dealer Manucher Ghorbanifar as the middleman to Tehran and Elliott Abrams who then lied to Congress about the Reagan administration's scheme to unlawfully aid the Contras."
"Iran-Contra, as you'll recall, almost laid waste to the Reagan presidency. Desperate to free U.S. hostages held by Iranian proxies in Lebanon, President Reagan provided weapons Tehran badly needed in its long war with Saddam Hussein (who, of course, was backed by the United States). In a clumsy and illegal attempt to skirt U.S. law, the proceeds of those sales were then funneled to the Contras fighting the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. And as the media appear not to recall, it was Michael Ledeen who established Iranian arms dealer Manucher Ghorbanifar as the middleman to Tehran and Elliott Abrams who then lied to Congress about the Reagan administration's scheme to unlawfully aid the Contras."
Revealed: Trump foreign policy advisor was booted from Pentagon for blocking probes of Bush White House
Revealed: Trump foreign policy advisor was booted from Pentagon for blocking probes of Bush White House
"Joseph E. Schmitz, named by Donald Trump as a key foreign policy adviser on Monday, was forced out of his job as the Pentagon’s top watchdog a decade ago amid accusations that he protected top officials in the George W. Bush administration suspected of wrongdoing."
"Joseph E. Schmitz, named by Donald Trump as a key foreign policy adviser on Monday, was forced out of his job as the Pentagon’s top watchdog a decade ago amid accusations that he protected top officials in the George W. Bush administration suspected of wrongdoing."
The Daily Show Mocks Right Wing Freak-Out Over Cuba Visit
The Daily Show Mocks Right Wing Freak-Out Over Cuba Visit
"Thankfully, our late night comedy shows have a terrific way of dealing with the stupidity espoused by our Mainstream Media."
"Thankfully, our late night comedy shows have a terrific way of dealing with the stupidity espoused by our Mainstream Media."
Obama Visits Cuba in Historic Trip, But Will U.S. Ever End Embargo & Give Back Guantanamo? @alternet
Obama Visits Cuba in Historic Trip, But Will U.S. Ever End Embargo & Give Back Guantanamo? @alternet:
"President Obama has arrived in Cuba for a historic three-day visit, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to visit the island in 88 years."
"President Obama has arrived in Cuba for a historic three-day visit, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to visit the island in 88 years."
5 Reasons Why the Republican Party is Directly Responsible for the Rise of Donald Trump
5 Reasons Why the Republican Party is Directly Responsible for the Rise of Donald Trump
"1. The embrace of the “Southern Strategy”: This was really the foundation of it all. Back in the 1960s, the Republican party deliberately began focusing on “white anger” during the civil rights era by pointing out that Democrats were becoming the party of African-Americans. This was the party literally saying that they were going to pander to racism because they knew they could use that ignorance to their political benefit. This was when the “party of Lincoln” officially died."
"1. The embrace of the “Southern Strategy”: This was really the foundation of it all. Back in the 1960s, the Republican party deliberately began focusing on “white anger” during the civil rights era by pointing out that Democrats were becoming the party of African-Americans. This was the party literally saying that they were going to pander to racism because they knew they could use that ignorance to their political benefit. This was when the “party of Lincoln” officially died."
From bad to worse for Sam Brownback’s Kansas
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/bad-worse-sam-brownbacks-kansas
"Not long after he made the transition from senator to governor in late 2010, Kansas Republican Sam Brownback boasted about his grand ambitions. The far-right Kansan, working with a GOP-led legislature, would cut taxes far beyond what the state could afford, in what Brownback described at the time as “a real-live experiment.” He was optimistic, though the Republican governor added at the time, “We’ll see how it works.” We sure will. In his first term, Brownback’s “experiment” led to debt downgrades, weak growth, and state finances in shambles. Perhaps the jobs picture is more heartening? Guess again. The Kansas City Star’s Yael Abouhalkah reported today on the state’s latest job numbers. Let this stunning news sink in: The Kansas jobs report released Friday shows the state lost another 1,900 jobs in February and now has 5,400 fewer jobs than it did one year ago. That’s right: The Sunflower State had a “growth” rate of negative 0.4 percent from February 2015 to February 2016, the first time that’s happened in more than five years. That negative employment rate is one of the worst in the nation. The same piece noted that, just a year ago during his re-election campaign, Brownback set a goal of 25,000 new jobs, per year, for a total of 100,000 new jobs in his second term. Eighteen months later, Kansas has created 1,600 jobs. Put another way, the GOP governor set a projection of over 2,000 jobs per month. Since then, Kansas has created about 90 jobs per month."
"Not long after he made the transition from senator to governor in late 2010, Kansas Republican Sam Brownback boasted about his grand ambitions. The far-right Kansan, working with a GOP-led legislature, would cut taxes far beyond what the state could afford, in what Brownback described at the time as “a real-live experiment.” He was optimistic, though the Republican governor added at the time, “We’ll see how it works.” We sure will. In his first term, Brownback’s “experiment” led to debt downgrades, weak growth, and state finances in shambles. Perhaps the jobs picture is more heartening? Guess again. The Kansas City Star’s Yael Abouhalkah reported today on the state’s latest job numbers. Let this stunning news sink in: The Kansas jobs report released Friday shows the state lost another 1,900 jobs in February and now has 5,400 fewer jobs than it did one year ago. That’s right: The Sunflower State had a “growth” rate of negative 0.4 percent from February 2015 to February 2016, the first time that’s happened in more than five years. That negative employment rate is one of the worst in the nation. The same piece noted that, just a year ago during his re-election campaign, Brownback set a goal of 25,000 new jobs, per year, for a total of 100,000 new jobs in his second term. Eighteen months later, Kansas has created 1,600 jobs. Put another way, the GOP governor set a projection of over 2,000 jobs per month. Since then, Kansas has created about 90 jobs per month."
Republican governor of Alabama guts state services, gives his staff 80% pay raises for doing it
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/3/19/1503343/-Republican-governor-of-Alabama-guts-state-services-gives-his-staff-80-pay-raises-for-doing-it
"Here's a great story, one of hundreds and hundreds, that boils down the Republican efforts to govern the states over the last few years to its essence. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley recently signed a bill barring the cities in his state from raising their minimum wage. They're not allowed to do it now, don't care the reason, because Robert Bentley doesn't believe in that sort of thing. Bentley led the state in a spending purge that, like the similar efforts in other states with Republican governors, slashed uncouth things the common rabble might use under the omnipresent GOP motto: We Just Can't Afford Nice Things Anymore. You know what's next for the people in Robert Bentley's office, right? Raises all around!"
"Here's a great story, one of hundreds and hundreds, that boils down the Republican efforts to govern the states over the last few years to its essence. Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley recently signed a bill barring the cities in his state from raising their minimum wage. They're not allowed to do it now, don't care the reason, because Robert Bentley doesn't believe in that sort of thing. Bentley led the state in a spending purge that, like the similar efforts in other states with Republican governors, slashed uncouth things the common rabble might use under the omnipresent GOP motto: We Just Can't Afford Nice Things Anymore. You know what's next for the people in Robert Bentley's office, right? Raises all around!"
BOMBSHELL: Police Suspect Flint Water Files Stolen In “Inside Job” Burglary
http://occupydemocrats.com/2016/03/20/bombshell-police-reveal-flint-water-files-stolen-inside-job-burglary/
"The suspicious nature of the break-in and the long trail of emails showing that Snyder and his office conspired to hide the lead contamination in Flint’s exorbitantly expensive water would seem to indicate that they also conspired to seize evidence that could implicate the Governor’s office for knowingly poisoning thousands of innocent people, which will cause permanent brain damage in up to 8,000 children."
"The suspicious nature of the break-in and the long trail of emails showing that Snyder and his office conspired to hide the lead contamination in Flint’s exorbitantly expensive water would seem to indicate that they also conspired to seize evidence that could implicate the Governor’s office for knowingly poisoning thousands of innocent people, which will cause permanent brain damage in up to 8,000 children."
John Oliver Absolutely Destroys Trump's 'Stupid F*cking' Wall in Brilliant Segment (Video)
John Oliver Absolutely Destroys Trump's 'Stupid F*cking' Wall in Brilliant Segment (Video)
"Take for instance Trump’s insistence that the wall would cost anywhere between $4-12 billion. Though as Oliver pointed out, that estimate is complete fiction. In fact, after all the estimated costs associated with such a massive project are added up, it would likely cost around $24 billion just to build the thing. Furthermore, the CBO projects that within seven years the upkeep on the wall would exceed the actual cost to build it."
"Take for instance Trump’s insistence that the wall would cost anywhere between $4-12 billion. Though as Oliver pointed out, that estimate is complete fiction. In fact, after all the estimated costs associated with such a massive project are added up, it would likely cost around $24 billion just to build the thing. Furthermore, the CBO projects that within seven years the upkeep on the wall would exceed the actual cost to build it."
Conservatives vs. contraceptives: In both Florida and in the Supreme Court, right wingers hungry to control women’s sexuality are targeting birth control
Conservatives vs. contraceptives: In both Florida and in the Supreme Court, right wingers hungry to control women’s sexuality are targeting birth control
"There are two major stories this week that illustrate exactly how the right is attempting to cut women, especially low-income women, off from affordable birth control: By stripping them of insurance coverage for contraception and making it harder to get contraception (or any sexual health care at all) from low-cost public health centers. They make a lot of excuses for this, ranging from “abortion!!!!!!” to “religious liberty”, but the consistent theme is making contraception too expensive for many women to access."
"There are two major stories this week that illustrate exactly how the right is attempting to cut women, especially low-income women, off from affordable birth control: By stripping them of insurance coverage for contraception and making it harder to get contraception (or any sexual health care at all) from low-cost public health centers. They make a lot of excuses for this, ranging from “abortion!!!!!!” to “religious liberty”, but the consistent theme is making contraception too expensive for many women to access."
Governor Rick Scott Dumps Hospital Standards After Big Healthcare Donation
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2016/03/21/governor-rick-scott-dumps-hospital-standards-after-big-healthcare-donation/
"The giant, for-profit, hospital chain, Tenet Healthcare, was investigated by journalists in July 2015 amid claims the hospitals were failing miserably in living up to the state of Florida’s quality standards for children’s heart surgery. A CNN investigation found the mortality rate for these surgeries was more than three times the national average. Instead of improving the quality of care in their hospitals, Tenet Healthcare responded with a $200,000 donation to Florida Republicans, and in kind, Governor Rick Scott got rid of the standards, allowing Tenet Healthcare to continue making thousands of dollars from performing these surgeries while endangering the lives of thousands of children born with heart defects."
"The giant, for-profit, hospital chain, Tenet Healthcare, was investigated by journalists in July 2015 amid claims the hospitals were failing miserably in living up to the state of Florida’s quality standards for children’s heart surgery. A CNN investigation found the mortality rate for these surgeries was more than three times the national average. Instead of improving the quality of care in their hospitals, Tenet Healthcare responded with a $200,000 donation to Florida Republicans, and in kind, Governor Rick Scott got rid of the standards, allowing Tenet Healthcare to continue making thousands of dollars from performing these surgeries while endangering the lives of thousands of children born with heart defects."
GOPers Chaffetz And Walberg Lied During House Hearing On Flint
GOPers Chaffetz And Walberg Lied During House Hearing On Flint
"Everybody knows these Chaffetz hearings are same as they were with Planned Parenthood and Benghazi. They are not fact-finding. They are not interested in solutions. They exist merely to fling political poo and enhance the wingnut cred of the tea party Congressman from Utah."
"Everybody knows these Chaffetz hearings are same as they were with Planned Parenthood and Benghazi. They are not fact-finding. They are not interested in solutions. They exist merely to fling political poo and enhance the wingnut cred of the tea party Congressman from Utah."
Lindsey Graham buries the Republican “rebrand”: The GOP officially gives up on expanding its demographic appeal
Lindsey Graham buries the Republican “rebrand”: The GOP officially gives up on expanding its demographic appeal
"Lindsey Graham’s endorsement of Ted Cruz for the presidency represents a new low point for Republicans who dreamed of rebranding the party following the 2012 elections. As you probably recall, the drubbing Mitt Romney received in 2012 was powered in no small part by Latino voters, who rejected Romney’s “self-deportation” stance and sent him packing with a paltry 27 percent of the Latino vote. In the aftermath of Mitt’s defeat, the Republican establishment came to the sudden, sobering realization that an increasingly diverse electorate posed massive demographic problems for the party at the national level, and it whipped together a plan to expand the GOP’s appeal beyond older, white voters. At the center of that plan was the recommendation that the party pursue comprehensive immigration reform as a policy."
"Lindsey Graham’s endorsement of Ted Cruz for the presidency represents a new low point for Republicans who dreamed of rebranding the party following the 2012 elections. As you probably recall, the drubbing Mitt Romney received in 2012 was powered in no small part by Latino voters, who rejected Romney’s “self-deportation” stance and sent him packing with a paltry 27 percent of the Latino vote. In the aftermath of Mitt’s defeat, the Republican establishment came to the sudden, sobering realization that an increasingly diverse electorate posed massive demographic problems for the party at the national level, and it whipped together a plan to expand the GOP’s appeal beyond older, white voters. At the center of that plan was the recommendation that the party pursue comprehensive immigration reform as a policy."
Arizona GOP Passes Bill To Punish Cities With Budget Cuts If They Pass Paid Sick Leave Laws
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2016/03/21/arizona-gop-passes-bill-to-punish-cities-with-budget-cuts-if-they-pass-paid-sick-leave-laws/
"If cities want to try and help their workers get paid sick leave, the Arizona state government will punish them with harmful budget cuts."
"If cities want to try and help their workers get paid sick leave, the Arizona state government will punish them with harmful budget cuts."
Guess Who the GOP is Blaming for Trump's Violence Today (Hint: It's Not Trump or the GOP)
http://thedailybanter.com/2016/03/guess-who-the-gop-is-blaming-for-trumps-violence-today/
"It's everyone's fault except the RNC, under Priebus and before Priebus, who's helped to create the present atmosphere of xenophobic suspicions and incoherent conspiracy-theory-mongering about everything from Benghazi to Planned Parenthood. Priebus himself controls the GOP message that includes lies about the size of the budget deficit, to lies about job creation, to lies about the Iran deal, to lies about immigration. It's really no wonder why Trump's mob is so full of blind wrath. They've been indoctrinated into it for years by the RNC, the congressional Republicans, AM talk radio and Fox News Channel."
"It's everyone's fault except the RNC, under Priebus and before Priebus, who's helped to create the present atmosphere of xenophobic suspicions and incoherent conspiracy-theory-mongering about everything from Benghazi to Planned Parenthood. Priebus himself controls the GOP message that includes lies about the size of the budget deficit, to lies about job creation, to lies about the Iran deal, to lies about immigration. It's really no wonder why Trump's mob is so full of blind wrath. They've been indoctrinated into it for years by the RNC, the congressional Republicans, AM talk radio and Fox News Channel."
Donald Trump Can't Understand the Big Deal Over His Totally Normal-Sized Hands That He Can't Shut Up About
http://thedailybanter.com/2016/03/donald-trump-wont-shut-up-about-his-hands/
"It goes without saying that Trump doesn't deserve to be president. But Jesus, if we're honest with ourselves, this clown doesn't even deserve to be a sh*tty reality TV star. He's not even that clever."
"It goes without saying that Trump doesn't deserve to be president. But Jesus, if we're honest with ourselves, this clown doesn't even deserve to be a sh*tty reality TV star. He's not even that clever."
Saturday, March 19, 2016
The Republican Party Must Answer for What It Did to Kansas and Louisiana
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/03/gop-must-answer-for-what-it-did-to-kansas.html#
"In 2010, the tea-party wave put Sam Brownback into the Sunflower State’s governor’s mansion and Republican majorities in both houses of its legislature. Together, they implemented the conservative movement’s blueprint for Utopia: They passed massive tax breaks for the wealthy and repealed all income taxes on more than 100,000 businesses. They tightened welfare requirements, privatized the delivery of Medicaid, cut $200 million from the education budget, eliminated four state agencies and 2,000 government employees. In 2012, Brownback helped replace the few remaining moderate Republicans in the legislature with conservative true believers. The following January, after signing the largest tax cut in Kansas history, Brownback told the Wall Street Journal, “My focus is to create a red-state model that allows the Republican ticket to say, 'See, we've got a different way, and it works.' " As you’ve probably guessed, that model collapsed. Like the budget plans of every Republican presidential candidate, Brownback’s “real live experiment” proceeded from the hypothesis that tax cuts for the wealthy are such a boon to economic growth, they actually end up paying for themselves (so long as you kick the undeserving poor out of their welfare hammocks). The Koch-backed Kansas Policy Institute predicted that Brownback’s 2013 tax plan would generate $323 million in new revenue. During its first full year in operation, the plan produced a $688 million loss. Meanwhile, Kansas’s job growth actually trailed that of its neighboring states. With that nearly $700 million deficit, the state had bought itself a 1.1 percent increase in jobs, just below Missouri’s 1.5 percent and Colorado’s 3.3. Those numbers have hardly improved in the intervening years. In 2015, job growth in Kansas was a mere 0.1 percent, even as the nation’s economy grew 1.9 percent."
"In 2010, the tea-party wave put Sam Brownback into the Sunflower State’s governor’s mansion and Republican majorities in both houses of its legislature. Together, they implemented the conservative movement’s blueprint for Utopia: They passed massive tax breaks for the wealthy and repealed all income taxes on more than 100,000 businesses. They tightened welfare requirements, privatized the delivery of Medicaid, cut $200 million from the education budget, eliminated four state agencies and 2,000 government employees. In 2012, Brownback helped replace the few remaining moderate Republicans in the legislature with conservative true believers. The following January, after signing the largest tax cut in Kansas history, Brownback told the Wall Street Journal, “My focus is to create a red-state model that allows the Republican ticket to say, 'See, we've got a different way, and it works.' " As you’ve probably guessed, that model collapsed. Like the budget plans of every Republican presidential candidate, Brownback’s “real live experiment” proceeded from the hypothesis that tax cuts for the wealthy are such a boon to economic growth, they actually end up paying for themselves (so long as you kick the undeserving poor out of their welfare hammocks). The Koch-backed Kansas Policy Institute predicted that Brownback’s 2013 tax plan would generate $323 million in new revenue. During its first full year in operation, the plan produced a $688 million loss. Meanwhile, Kansas’s job growth actually trailed that of its neighboring states. With that nearly $700 million deficit, the state had bought itself a 1.1 percent increase in jobs, just below Missouri’s 1.5 percent and Colorado’s 3.3. Those numbers have hardly improved in the intervening years. In 2015, job growth in Kansas was a mere 0.1 percent, even as the nation’s economy grew 1.9 percent."
Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) ‘Find A Way To Neuter Elizabeth Warren’
Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) ‘Find A Way To Neuter Elizabeth Warren’
"Elizabeth Warren has been both passionate about fighting for financial protection for the average American and successful at the same time. Unfortunately, Republicans (and some Blue Dog Democrats), beholden to their wealthy benefactors, want nothing more than to see Warren fail in her quest to protect ordinary Americans from predatory lending, while strengthening oversight on the industry. Missouri Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer directly provoked the Massachusetts Senator by suggesting she be 'neutered,' rather than spayed. We aren't sure whether Luetkemeyer views Warren as an opponent with far greater testicular fortitude than he has or he simply doesn't know the difference between males and females. Likely, he holds females in very low esteem, mirroring the positions of his own political party. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has been in the midst of a heated battle over the predatory practices of payday lending. Luetkemeyer, your standard Mid-Western Republican, who holds typical positions on major issues, is part of the problem Warren and consumers are facing. He's a little too chummy with those he's supposed to be overseeing."
"Elizabeth Warren has been both passionate about fighting for financial protection for the average American and successful at the same time. Unfortunately, Republicans (and some Blue Dog Democrats), beholden to their wealthy benefactors, want nothing more than to see Warren fail in her quest to protect ordinary Americans from predatory lending, while strengthening oversight on the industry. Missouri Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer directly provoked the Massachusetts Senator by suggesting she be 'neutered,' rather than spayed. We aren't sure whether Luetkemeyer views Warren as an opponent with far greater testicular fortitude than he has or he simply doesn't know the difference between males and females. Likely, he holds females in very low esteem, mirroring the positions of his own political party. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has been in the midst of a heated battle over the predatory practices of payday lending. Luetkemeyer, your standard Mid-Western Republican, who holds typical positions on major issues, is part of the problem Warren and consumers are facing. He's a little too chummy with those he's supposed to be overseeing."
US Congressman Says Bankers Should Find Way to 'Neuter' Sen. Elizabeth Warren
US Congressman Says Bankers Should Find Way to 'Neuter' Sen. Elizabeth Warren
"U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, a Republican from Missouri and senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, on Wednesday described Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) as the "Darth Vader of the financial services world" and said bankers should find a way to "neuter" her. Luetkemeyer, who made the remarks at a meeting of the American Bankers Association, is part of a group of lawmakers identified by the Center for Public Integrity as "especially solicitous to the banking industry," Slate noted in 2014. He has raised significant campaign funds from the the finance, insurance, and real estate sector, according to the Center for Responsive Politics."
"U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, a Republican from Missouri and senior member of the House Financial Services Committee, on Wednesday described Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) as the "Darth Vader of the financial services world" and said bankers should find a way to "neuter" her. Luetkemeyer, who made the remarks at a meeting of the American Bankers Association, is part of a group of lawmakers identified by the Center for Public Integrity as "especially solicitous to the banking industry," Slate noted in 2014. He has raised significant campaign funds from the the finance, insurance, and real estate sector, according to the Center for Responsive Politics."
Congressman scorches Michigan governor over Flint water crisis: ‘There you are, dripping with guilt’
Congressman scorches Michigan governor over Flint water crisis: ‘There you are, dripping with guilt’
"Snyder as governor oversaw the state amid a massive water crisis in Flint that caused residents to drink and be poisoned by lead in the water system."
"Snyder as governor oversaw the state amid a massive water crisis in Flint that caused residents to drink and be poisoned by lead in the water system."
Governor Blocks $2.85 Minimum Wage Increase After Giving Staffers $73,405 Raises
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/03/17/3761458/robert-bentley-alabama-raises-minimum-wage/
"When the city Birmingham, Alabama voted last month to give its lowest-paid workers a $2.85 raise, Republican Gov. Robert Bentley signed a bill banning Alabama cities from raising their minimum wages at all. Now, news has emerged that Bentley recently gave four of his cabinet members $73,405 raises — an 80 percent increase from the $91,000 salaries they were making previously. One of the beneficiaries of the raises, Alcoholic Beverage Control Board Administrator Mac Gipson, argues his previous $91,000 salary wasn’t sufficient to attract the best talent from the private sector. But an author of the bill that gave Bentley the authority to raise cabinet members’ salaries in the first place says the 80 percent boosts are “outrageous"."
"When the city Birmingham, Alabama voted last month to give its lowest-paid workers a $2.85 raise, Republican Gov. Robert Bentley signed a bill banning Alabama cities from raising their minimum wages at all. Now, news has emerged that Bentley recently gave four of his cabinet members $73,405 raises — an 80 percent increase from the $91,000 salaries they were making previously. One of the beneficiaries of the raises, Alcoholic Beverage Control Board Administrator Mac Gipson, argues his previous $91,000 salary wasn’t sufficient to attract the best talent from the private sector. But an author of the bill that gave Bentley the authority to raise cabinet members’ salaries in the first place says the 80 percent boosts are “outrageous"."
Racism is their best weapon: How the 1 percent divided the American people and conquered the country
Racism is their best weapon: How the 1 percent divided the American people and conquered the country
"For the past 40 years, the right wing has peddled a winning strategy. It sells the economic agenda of the 1% to working- and middle-class white voters through a hidden formula: Fear People of Color → Hate Government → Trust the Market and the 1% And they’ve been selling us this idea even as it has hurt Americans of all races whose wages have plummeted and economic insecurity has soared. Ronald Reagan was able to draw millions of former Democrats to the GOP with this race-baiting strategy. He gave us the fictional character of the “welfare queen” to prey on resentment against struggling African American families, but the real target was government and labor unions. Why? Because these are the only public institutions powerful enough to hold corporations and the wealthy accountable."
"For the past 40 years, the right wing has peddled a winning strategy. It sells the economic agenda of the 1% to working- and middle-class white voters through a hidden formula: Fear People of Color → Hate Government → Trust the Market and the 1% And they’ve been selling us this idea even as it has hurt Americans of all races whose wages have plummeted and economic insecurity has soared. Ronald Reagan was able to draw millions of former Democrats to the GOP with this race-baiting strategy. He gave us the fictional character of the “welfare queen” to prey on resentment against struggling African American families, but the real target was government and labor unions. Why? Because these are the only public institutions powerful enough to hold corporations and the wealthy accountable."
The Lewis Powell Memo - Corporate Blueprint to Dominate Democracy
The Lewis Powell Memo - Corporate Blueprint to Dominate Democracy
Older article on the Powell Memo "Justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr., an attorney from Richmond, Virginia, drafted a confidential memorandum for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that describes a strategy for the corporate takeover of the dominant public institutions of American society. Powell and his friend Eugene Sydnor, then-chairman of the Chamber’s education committee, believed the Chamber had to transform itself from a passive business group into a powerful political force capable of taking on what Powell described as a major ongoing “attack on the American free enterprise system.” An astute observer of the business community and broader social trends, Powell was a former president of the American Bar Association and a board member of tobacco giant Philip Morris and other companies. In his memo, he detailed a series of possible “avenues of action” that the Chamber and the broader business community should take in response to fierce criticism in the media, campus-based protests, and new consumer and environmental laws."
Older article on the Powell Memo "Justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr., an attorney from Richmond, Virginia, drafted a confidential memorandum for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that describes a strategy for the corporate takeover of the dominant public institutions of American society. Powell and his friend Eugene Sydnor, then-chairman of the Chamber’s education committee, believed the Chamber had to transform itself from a passive business group into a powerful political force capable of taking on what Powell described as a major ongoing “attack on the American free enterprise system.” An astute observer of the business community and broader social trends, Powell was a former president of the American Bar Association and a board member of tobacco giant Philip Morris and other companies. In his memo, he detailed a series of possible “avenues of action” that the Chamber and the broader business community should take in response to fierce criticism in the media, campus-based protests, and new consumer and environmental laws."
The Flint Crisis Happened Because of Movement Conservatism
http://thedailybanter.com/2016/03/the-flint-crisis-happened-because-of-movement-conservatism/
"it is because to accept reality would mean accepting that the political beliefs that drive their every action -- and that they've taken on like religious dogma -- have been demonstrated to be wrong. In this political state, American conservatives have been fed a constant stream of propaganda that repeat a handful of beliefs: that "big" (any) government is ineffective and the private market/business is the preferred standard; that low tax rates for the wealthy result in massive economic growth; that the poor are largely poor because of their own choices, and their situation is of their own doing; and that liberals are purposely working against the best interests of the country. These beliefs have become like religious dogma, with any deviation or compromise seen as betrayal. Those beliefs were put into action in Michigan by Snyder and his administration. But this crisis demonstrates just how wrong all of those beliefs are. Like we have seen for years, conservative leaders cannot take on board that which conflicts with this dogma, such as the fact that trickle-down economics does not work. They instead repeatedly tout larger and more outrageously budget-busting tax cuts as plans to 'unlock prosperity.' Triumphs of government, such as reducing the number of uninsured Americans and offering health care to those who had previously gone without, are dismissed or ignored altogether. Government is seen as an evil bogeyman instead of a body representing the people and their will. Climate change is a myth created by a cabal of scientists and elites who are seeking to impose their fascistic big government on the little people. So for the true believer conservatives on that congressional panel, the (mis)placement of blame is an exercise in self-preservation, a crusade to protect their religion and its adherents. Their attacks on those who encroach on the conservative bubble with reality are a crusade to protect their god."
"it is because to accept reality would mean accepting that the political beliefs that drive their every action -- and that they've taken on like religious dogma -- have been demonstrated to be wrong. In this political state, American conservatives have been fed a constant stream of propaganda that repeat a handful of beliefs: that "big" (any) government is ineffective and the private market/business is the preferred standard; that low tax rates for the wealthy result in massive economic growth; that the poor are largely poor because of their own choices, and their situation is of their own doing; and that liberals are purposely working against the best interests of the country. These beliefs have become like religious dogma, with any deviation or compromise seen as betrayal. Those beliefs were put into action in Michigan by Snyder and his administration. But this crisis demonstrates just how wrong all of those beliefs are. Like we have seen for years, conservative leaders cannot take on board that which conflicts with this dogma, such as the fact that trickle-down economics does not work. They instead repeatedly tout larger and more outrageously budget-busting tax cuts as plans to 'unlock prosperity.' Triumphs of government, such as reducing the number of uninsured Americans and offering health care to those who had previously gone without, are dismissed or ignored altogether. Government is seen as an evil bogeyman instead of a body representing the people and their will. Climate change is a myth created by a cabal of scientists and elites who are seeking to impose their fascistic big government on the little people. So for the true believer conservatives on that congressional panel, the (mis)placement of blame is an exercise in self-preservation, a crusade to protect their religion and its adherents. Their attacks on those who encroach on the conservative bubble with reality are a crusade to protect their god."
How Trump Has Inspired Violence Across The Country, In One Map
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/03/17/3760438/trump-hate-map/
"As Trump’s hateful rhetoric has increased, so have violent, often racist or xenophobic attacks against people at his campaign events. Some Trump supporters have even taken to using the real estate mogul’s name as a racist taunt."
"As Trump’s hateful rhetoric has increased, so have violent, often racist or xenophobic attacks against people at his campaign events. Some Trump supporters have even taken to using the real estate mogul’s name as a racist taunt."
Is Donald Trump 'Completely Mental'? Yes.
Is Donald Trump 'Completely Mental'? Yes.
"He exhibits to a "T" the criteria of two mental disorders: Pathological Narcissism & Compulsive Lying. Here is a short review of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)'s definition of Narcissistic Personality Disorder Persons with this disorder may come across as conceited, boastful, or pretentious. They often monopolize conversations. They belittle or look down on people they perceive as inferior. They have trouble handling any comments perceived as criticism. They are thin-skinned due to secret feelings of insecurity, shame, vulnerability, and humiliation. They will react to any form of criticism with rage or contempt, and try to belittle the other person."
"He exhibits to a "T" the criteria of two mental disorders: Pathological Narcissism & Compulsive Lying. Here is a short review of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V)'s definition of Narcissistic Personality Disorder Persons with this disorder may come across as conceited, boastful, or pretentious. They often monopolize conversations. They belittle or look down on people they perceive as inferior. They have trouble handling any comments perceived as criticism. They are thin-skinned due to secret feelings of insecurity, shame, vulnerability, and humiliation. They will react to any form of criticism with rage or contempt, and try to belittle the other person."
The GOP brought this on itself: Elites have decimated the working class, and Donald Trump is its revenge
The GOP brought this on itself: Elites have decimated the working class, and Donald Trump is its revenge
"Look around at just some of the other sheer lunacy their party perpetrates when it’s not trying to shut government down, redistribute wealth upward, and prevent the president of the United States (who, the last time we looked, has the constitutional right and mandate) from filling a vacancy on the Supreme Court. The Republicans in southern California just got a 7-6 majority on the region’s air quality board and have set out to reverse all of its safeguards, “reaffirming new smog rules backed by oil refineries and other major polluters,” according to the Los Angeles Times. Mary Lou Bruner, a Republican crank in Texas who claimed that a young Barack Obama had worked as a black male prostitute, is on track to become a key vote on the state’s board of education, the group that, as Matt Levin at the Houston Chronicle writes, is, “already drawing intense criticism for textbooks that, among other issues, downplayed slavery and racial segregation.” That’s important because the school board is such a major buyer of books its decisions affect editorial content in texts all over the country. So remember that Bruner is an eccentric whose Facebook declarations include “School shootings started after the schools started teaching evolution” and “The dinosaurs on the ark may have been babies and not able to reproduce. It might make sense to take the small dinosaurs onto the ark instead of the ones bigger than a bus.” Huh? Yet Republican elites seem quite satisfied to have a Mary Lou Bruner as the arbiter of what their children read in schools. And while we’re talking about education, travel over to Texas neighbor Louisiana and look at the legacy that former Republican governor and presidential candidate Bobby Jindal has left behind for his Democratic successor, John Bel Edwards."
"Look around at just some of the other sheer lunacy their party perpetrates when it’s not trying to shut government down, redistribute wealth upward, and prevent the president of the United States (who, the last time we looked, has the constitutional right and mandate) from filling a vacancy on the Supreme Court. The Republicans in southern California just got a 7-6 majority on the region’s air quality board and have set out to reverse all of its safeguards, “reaffirming new smog rules backed by oil refineries and other major polluters,” according to the Los Angeles Times. Mary Lou Bruner, a Republican crank in Texas who claimed that a young Barack Obama had worked as a black male prostitute, is on track to become a key vote on the state’s board of education, the group that, as Matt Levin at the Houston Chronicle writes, is, “already drawing intense criticism for textbooks that, among other issues, downplayed slavery and racial segregation.” That’s important because the school board is such a major buyer of books its decisions affect editorial content in texts all over the country. So remember that Bruner is an eccentric whose Facebook declarations include “School shootings started after the schools started teaching evolution” and “The dinosaurs on the ark may have been babies and not able to reproduce. It might make sense to take the small dinosaurs onto the ark instead of the ones bigger than a bus.” Huh? Yet Republican elites seem quite satisfied to have a Mary Lou Bruner as the arbiter of what their children read in schools. And while we’re talking about education, travel over to Texas neighbor Louisiana and look at the legacy that former Republican governor and presidential candidate Bobby Jindal has left behind for his Democratic successor, John Bel Edwards."
‘The People’s Budget': Analysis of the Congressional Progressive Caucus budget for fiscal year 2017
‘The People’s Budget': Analysis of the Congressional Progressive Caucus budget for fiscal year 2017: "The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) has unveiled its fiscal year 2017 (FY2017) budget, titled “The People’s Budget—Prosperity not Austerity.” It builds on recent CPC budget alternatives in setting the following priorities: near-term job creation, financing public investments, strengthening low- and middle-income families’ economic security, raising adequate revenue to meet budgetary needs while restoring fairness to the tax code, strengthening social insurance programs, and ensuring long-run fiscal sustainability."
BUSTED: PBS features Trump volunteer sporting white-supremacist tattoos
BUSTED: PBS features Trump volunteer sporting white-supremacist tattoos
"the report does not mention the two tattoos seen on her hand: a stylized version of the Celtic Cross called “Odin’s Cross,” which the Anti-Defamation League said “has become one of the most popular white supremacist symbols around,” as well as a stylized version of the number 88, which the League has identified as “a white supremacist numerical code for ‘Heil Hitler'."
"the report does not mention the two tattoos seen on her hand: a stylized version of the Celtic Cross called “Odin’s Cross,” which the Anti-Defamation League said “has become one of the most popular white supremacist symbols around,” as well as a stylized version of the number 88, which the League has identified as “a white supremacist numerical code for ‘Heil Hitler'."
Trump’s latest New York ally: A loony businessman who emails ’n****r’ jokes and filthy images
Trump’s latest New York ally: A loony businessman who emails ’n****r’ jokes and filthy images
"Paladino was accused of berating and menacingly following the school district’s general counsel, an African-American woman. Another board member said Paladino has a pattern of bullying black women in positions of power. Things have gotten so ugly with Paladino and the woman that they had to be physically separated during a heated confrontation. Most damning perhaps are emails Paladino sent out broadly, containing an array of sexually-explicit and racist content. The emails were sent to politicians, people in the media and local officials."
"Paladino was accused of berating and menacingly following the school district’s general counsel, an African-American woman. Another board member said Paladino has a pattern of bullying black women in positions of power. Things have gotten so ugly with Paladino and the woman that they had to be physically separated during a heated confrontation. Most damning perhaps are emails Paladino sent out broadly, containing an array of sexually-explicit and racist content. The emails were sent to politicians, people in the media and local officials."
‘It’s absolutely terrifying’: British TV hosts shudder for ‘our world’ after realizing Trump could win
‘It’s absolutely terrifying’: British TV hosts shudder for ‘our world’ after realizing Trump could win
"One of the anchors pointed out that another “frightening prospect” was that many British citizens did not yet realize how dangerous Trump was."
"One of the anchors pointed out that another “frightening prospect” was that many British citizens did not yet realize how dangerous Trump was."
Donald Trump: 'There Will Be Riots' If I Don't Get The Nomination
Donald Trump: 'There Will Be Riots' If I Don't Get The Nomination
"for Trump to begin to send violent dog whistles to his followers after there's been so much talk about the violence emanating from his rallies - is pretty unsettling."
"for Trump to begin to send violent dog whistles to his followers after there's been so much talk about the violence emanating from his rallies - is pretty unsettling."
Donald Trump escalates war on media: Increasing assaults on the press putting reporters in a no-win situation
Donald Trump escalates war on media: Increasing assaults on the press putting reporters in a no-win situation
"If anything, there’s reason to worry that the Trump campaign is simply going to double down on the strategy of intimidating journalists in hopes of sycophantic coverage. After all, the strategy worked like a charm when it came to Breitbart. After initially seeming torn, the website quickly shifted towards choosing snuggle time with Trump over their basic duty to protect reporters. (Their duty to the truth was abandoned before the site was even launched, alas.) Six staff members have left, citing the way that Breitbart undermined Fields until she was compelled to leave as the reason. Browbeating Breitbart into bootlicking the Trump campaign is just going to encourage the campaign to engage in intimidation even more. Schreckinger’s ouster isn’t the first time the campaign has tried to control and silence reporters. The Trump campaign, obviously trying to limit reporter access to supporters who have a tendency to reflect poorly on the campaign, has been herding reporters into press pens and monitoring their movements so closely that reporters aren’t even allowed to go to the bathroom without an escort. Photographer Chris Morris alleges that a Secret Service agent choked him rather than let him out of the press pen, an incident captured on video. A CBS reporter who was trying to cover a violent incident at the Chicago rally found himself arrested instead. A Sun Sentinel reporter says he was thrown out of a Dayton event for being on the floor with supporters rather than herded in the press pen. It’s clear that Trump believes reporters are there to be stenographers instead of reporters, and scarily, he’s getting some law enforcement to back him up on his hostility to the press."
"If anything, there’s reason to worry that the Trump campaign is simply going to double down on the strategy of intimidating journalists in hopes of sycophantic coverage. After all, the strategy worked like a charm when it came to Breitbart. After initially seeming torn, the website quickly shifted towards choosing snuggle time with Trump over their basic duty to protect reporters. (Their duty to the truth was abandoned before the site was even launched, alas.) Six staff members have left, citing the way that Breitbart undermined Fields until she was compelled to leave as the reason. Browbeating Breitbart into bootlicking the Trump campaign is just going to encourage the campaign to engage in intimidation even more. Schreckinger’s ouster isn’t the first time the campaign has tried to control and silence reporters. The Trump campaign, obviously trying to limit reporter access to supporters who have a tendency to reflect poorly on the campaign, has been herding reporters into press pens and monitoring their movements so closely that reporters aren’t even allowed to go to the bathroom without an escort. Photographer Chris Morris alleges that a Secret Service agent choked him rather than let him out of the press pen, an incident captured on video. A CBS reporter who was trying to cover a violent incident at the Chicago rally found himself arrested instead. A Sun Sentinel reporter says he was thrown out of a Dayton event for being on the floor with supporters rather than herded in the press pen. It’s clear that Trump believes reporters are there to be stenographers instead of reporters, and scarily, he’s getting some law enforcement to back him up on his hostility to the press."
Blackout Tuesday: The Bernie Sanders Speech Corporate Media Chose Not To Air
Blackout Tuesday: The Bernie Sanders Speech Corporate Media Chose Not To Air
"The problem? No cable or major news channel ran the speech. Not all of it. Not even some of it."
"The problem? No cable or major news channel ran the speech. Not all of it. Not even some of it."
Donald Trump's War on the First Amendment @alternet
Donald Trump's War on the First Amendment @alternet:
"His commitment to free speech extends only to himself."
"His commitment to free speech extends only to himself."
Trump Voter Launches Bizarre Birther Rant Against Obama, Cruz And Rubio
Trump Voter Launches Bizarre Birther Rant Against Obama, Cruz And Rubio
"This is your hard-core Trump voter right here. Baseball, mom, apple pie, and white supremacy, ready to play his Trump card."
"This is your hard-core Trump voter right here. Baseball, mom, apple pie, and white supremacy, ready to play his Trump card."
The 7 Biggest Republican Lies About The Economy Torn Apart In Three Minutes (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2016/03/13/the-7-biggest-republican-lies-about-the-economy-torn-apart-in-three-minutes-video/
"While Republicans tell us that cutting taxes on the rich will spur economic growth and fuel job creation, the economic data tells a very different story. As Reich points out in the video, both Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush cut taxes on the rich, and “nothing trickled down.” The result of Republican tax cuts for the rich have been the same across the states. GOP governors like Bobby Jindal and Rick Snyder have driven their states into economic ruin by imposing experimental trickle-down economic policies on citizens, with disastrous results. Along the same lines, Republicans claim that high taxes on the rich are bad for the economy. Yet history shows the opposite is true."
"While Republicans tell us that cutting taxes on the rich will spur economic growth and fuel job creation, the economic data tells a very different story. As Reich points out in the video, both Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush cut taxes on the rich, and “nothing trickled down.” The result of Republican tax cuts for the rich have been the same across the states. GOP governors like Bobby Jindal and Rick Snyder have driven their states into economic ruin by imposing experimental trickle-down economic policies on citizens, with disastrous results. Along the same lines, Republicans claim that high taxes on the rich are bad for the economy. Yet history shows the opposite is true."
Corporate America Is Just 6 States Short of a Constitutional Convention
http://inthesetimes.com/article/18940/alec-balanced-budget-corporate-constitutional-convention
"The Kochs and company, with their gridlock of Washington, have bred a type of discontent that has made once unimaginable change possible."
"The Kochs and company, with their gridlock of Washington, have bred a type of discontent that has made once unimaginable change possible."
Trump Tells a Lie About Every Five Minutes, Literally @alternet
Trump Tells a Lie About Every Five Minutes, Literally @alternet:
"Distortions from the mouth of Trump include statements about the imminent death of Christianity, the outright lie that he is not taking money from donors and exaggerations of his business success. And those are the relatively harmless ones."
"Distortions from the mouth of Trump include statements about the imminent death of Christianity, the outright lie that he is not taking money from donors and exaggerations of his business success. And those are the relatively harmless ones."
Theocracy Warning In Republican Strongholds Of Kentucky and Texas
http://www.politicususa.com/2016/03/13/theocracy-rising-republican-strongholds-kentucky-texas.html
"The religious law gives any evangelical racist or bigot the right to refuse services of any kind, including government and lifesaving medical services to “interracial, interfaith, atheistic, Muslim, divorced, or any other kind of person their “religion” disapproves; for evangelicals that is every and anyone who is not a white, heterosexual Christian Republican. This dirty attempt at using religion to strip constitutionally protected civil and equal rights from non-compliant Americans is legend, and goes far beyond backwaters like Kentucky."
"The religious law gives any evangelical racist or bigot the right to refuse services of any kind, including government and lifesaving medical services to “interracial, interfaith, atheistic, Muslim, divorced, or any other kind of person their “religion” disapproves; for evangelicals that is every and anyone who is not a white, heterosexual Christian Republican. This dirty attempt at using religion to strip constitutionally protected civil and equal rights from non-compliant Americans is legend, and goes far beyond backwaters like Kentucky."
12 Things Donald Trump Has Said About Women In 1 Horrific Clip
http://samuel-warde.com/2016/03/things-donald-trump-said-women-1-horrific-clip/
"This is how Donald Trump talks about our mothers, our sisters, our daughters."
"This is how Donald Trump talks about our mothers, our sisters, our daughters."
Donald Trump's healthcare 'plan' is objectively awful
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/3/14/1501128/-Donald-Trump-s-healthcare-plan-is-objectively-awful
"Insurance would be so poorly regulated it would become essentially worthless for many. This, like every Republican proposal so far, wouldn't just take us back to the bad old days pre-Obamacare. It would be much, much worse than those days."
"Insurance would be so poorly regulated it would become essentially worthless for many. This, like every Republican proposal so far, wouldn't just take us back to the bad old days pre-Obamacare. It would be much, much worse than those days."
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