America is no model state: U.S. elections rank worst among Western democracies
"the role of money in American campaigns has become progressively deregulated in recent decades, thanks in part to the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, while election costs have spiraled."
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Lie big, lie often, never back down: Donald Trump, Fox News and the real reason why right-wing lies stick
Lie big, lie often, never back down: Donald Trump, Fox News and the real reason why right-wing lies stick
"By loudly and unapologetically lying to a friendly audience of partisans in the media, at think tanks, on Capitol Hill, and to the public at large, Donald Trump has created bedlam within the Republican party"
"By loudly and unapologetically lying to a friendly audience of partisans in the media, at think tanks, on Capitol Hill, and to the public at large, Donald Trump has created bedlam within the Republican party"
David Duke Hopes To Get Donald Trump To Embrace Full-Blown Anti-Semitism
David Duke Hopes To Get Donald Trump To Embrace Full-Blown Anti-Semitism:
"Yesterday, former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke and his fellow white nationalist Kevin MacDonald chatted on Duke’s radio program about how Donald Trump is taking on, in Duke’s words, the “Jewish supremacists who control our country.” MacDonald was particularly thrilled that he meets more and more young people at events hosted by groups like the National Policy Institute who “totally get” the “Jewish issues” and “the importance of sustaining white America"."
"Yesterday, former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke and his fellow white nationalist Kevin MacDonald chatted on Duke’s radio program about how Donald Trump is taking on, in Duke’s words, the “Jewish supremacists who control our country.” MacDonald was particularly thrilled that he meets more and more young people at events hosted by groups like the National Policy Institute who “totally get” the “Jewish issues” and “the importance of sustaining white America"."
Trump's New Finance Chair Led a Bank That Made Millions Off Taxpayer Bailouts
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/05/trumps-new-top-money-man-led-bank-profited-bailouts
"when it came time to pick the top money man for his campaign, he turned to a hedge-funder best known for running a bank that made billions off taxpayer bailouts and, by one account, cost the federal government $13 billion."
"when it came time to pick the top money man for his campaign, he turned to a hedge-funder best known for running a bank that made billions off taxpayer bailouts and, by one account, cost the federal government $13 billion."
John McCain: With Trump At The Top Of The Ticket, I'm In Trouble
John McCain: With Trump At The Top Of The Ticket, I'm In Trouble
"Sen. McCain is blowing off Trump's rise as no big deal for his campaign, but when nobody is looking, he's very nervous"
"Sen. McCain is blowing off Trump's rise as no big deal for his campaign, but when nobody is looking, he's very nervous"
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
3 Oligarchs-Turned-GOP Governors Who Are Laying Ruin to Their States @alternet
3 Oligarchs-Turned-GOP Governors Who Are Laying Ruin to Their States @alternet:
"If any state was justified in describing itself as a major Obamacare success story, it was Kentucky; that is, before Republican Matt Bevin was sworn in as governor. Kentucky, under Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear, was the home of Kynect, a state-operated Obamacare exchange that resulted in 500,000 Kentucky residents gaining health insurance, including many poor people with preexisting conditions. But Bevin, a rabid Tea Party ideologue who defeated Democrat Jack Conway in Kentucky’s gubernatorial race in 2015, campaigned on dismantling Kynect, and he has been making good on his promise, causing considerable misery to people like Louisville mother Emily Pickett (who, on February 29, found out Medicaid coverage for her two small children had been cut off). Bevin, according to Cara Stewart, a legal aid attorney with the Kentucky Equal Justice Center, has brought about a “dramatic reduction in accessibility” to health care in his state. But the suffering of America’s poor is not a concern to Bevin any more than it is to Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner or Florida Gov. Rick Scott. Bevin, Rauner and Scott epitomize a toxic breed of far-right Republican ideologues: greedy, enamored of corporate power and only too happy to attack the poor at every turn while their considerable fortunes continue to grow. Scott, Rauner and Bevin were all worth millions when they took office. But being ultra-rich was not enough for them; like true oligarchs, they craved more money and more power. And while Rauner and Scott’s states have suffered, their own bottom lines certainly haven’t."
"If any state was justified in describing itself as a major Obamacare success story, it was Kentucky; that is, before Republican Matt Bevin was sworn in as governor. Kentucky, under Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear, was the home of Kynect, a state-operated Obamacare exchange that resulted in 500,000 Kentucky residents gaining health insurance, including many poor people with preexisting conditions. But Bevin, a rabid Tea Party ideologue who defeated Democrat Jack Conway in Kentucky’s gubernatorial race in 2015, campaigned on dismantling Kynect, and he has been making good on his promise, causing considerable misery to people like Louisville mother Emily Pickett (who, on February 29, found out Medicaid coverage for her two small children had been cut off). Bevin, according to Cara Stewart, a legal aid attorney with the Kentucky Equal Justice Center, has brought about a “dramatic reduction in accessibility” to health care in his state. But the suffering of America’s poor is not a concern to Bevin any more than it is to Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner or Florida Gov. Rick Scott. Bevin, Rauner and Scott epitomize a toxic breed of far-right Republican ideologues: greedy, enamored of corporate power and only too happy to attack the poor at every turn while their considerable fortunes continue to grow. Scott, Rauner and Bevin were all worth millions when they took office. But being ultra-rich was not enough for them; like true oligarchs, they craved more money and more power. And while Rauner and Scott’s states have suffered, their own bottom lines certainly haven’t."
Exultant Extremists Hail The Ascension Of ‘Emperor Trump’ As GOP Nominee
Exultant Extremists Hail The Ascension Of ‘Emperor Trump’ As GOP Nominee
"The Internet was buzzing this week with the celebratory boasts of a broad range of right-wing extremists, from the ranks of neo-Nazi haters, Klansmen and other white supremacists, to the hunkered-down conspiracy-spinning paranoids of the antigovernment movement – all of them cheering on their new hero, Donald Trump, after he secured the Republican nomination for the 2016 election this week."
"The Internet was buzzing this week with the celebratory boasts of a broad range of right-wing extremists, from the ranks of neo-Nazi haters, Klansmen and other white supremacists, to the hunkered-down conspiracy-spinning paranoids of the antigovernment movement – all of them cheering on their new hero, Donald Trump, after he secured the Republican nomination for the 2016 election this week."
This Is Astounding
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/this-is-astounding
"To be clear, this will never happen. But the fact that Trump is proposing it shows that when it comes to macro-economics and global economics Trump is a huge ignoramus who shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the US Treasury. It's an amazing suggestion. Not just stupid but something suggested by someone who simply knows nothing about how the economy works."
"To be clear, this will never happen. But the fact that Trump is proposing it shows that when it comes to macro-economics and global economics Trump is a huge ignoramus who shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the US Treasury. It's an amazing suggestion. Not just stupid but something suggested by someone who simply knows nothing about how the economy works."
The GOP Said They Needed To Woo Latino Voters To Win. Then They Nominated Trump For President.
http://thinkprogress.org/immigration/2016/05/04/3775173/trump-latinos-gop/
"The Republican Party will need as much as 40 percent of the Latino vote in some states to win the presidency. Republican presidential candidates may need anywhere between 42 and 47 percent of the Latino vote, especially in key battleground states like Virginia, Ohio, New Mexico, Florida, Nevada, and Colorado, the polling group Latino Decisions found. It’s highly unlikely Trump will be able to get the party there. He already has trouble winning over women and people of color. But particularly for Latinos, many have already said they were spurred to vote because of Trump’s anti-immigrant comments."
"The Republican Party will need as much as 40 percent of the Latino vote in some states to win the presidency. Republican presidential candidates may need anywhere between 42 and 47 percent of the Latino vote, especially in key battleground states like Virginia, Ohio, New Mexico, Florida, Nevada, and Colorado, the polling group Latino Decisions found. It’s highly unlikely Trump will be able to get the party there. He already has trouble winning over women and people of color. But particularly for Latinos, many have already said they were spurred to vote because of Trump’s anti-immigrant comments."
Donald Trump will not be president: History, polling data and demographics all point to a single result
Donald Trump will not be president: History, polling data and demographics all point to a single result
"To win the presidency, a candidate needs 270 electoral votes. In 2012, Barack Obama defeated Mitt Romney by the comfortable margin of 332 to 206 electoral votes. In the popular vote Obama beat Romney by 51 to 47 percent, a difference of about five million votes. Obama’s victory reflected the long-term trend in which Democrats have won the popular vote in five out of the last six presidential elections. Donald Trump thinks he can reverse that trend by appealing to angry white voters, but the 2012 results show why that won’t work. Lost in the uproar over Trump’s divisive appeals is the fact that Republicans already win whites by huge margins. For example, in 2012 Romney carried white voters by 20 points, and yet he still lost. The reason was that Obama won the support of minority voters by even bigger margins. He carried 93 percent of African-American voters, 71 percent of Latino voters and 73 percent of Asian voters. The electorate’s demographics will be even more unfavorable for the GOP in 2016."
"To win the presidency, a candidate needs 270 electoral votes. In 2012, Barack Obama defeated Mitt Romney by the comfortable margin of 332 to 206 electoral votes. In the popular vote Obama beat Romney by 51 to 47 percent, a difference of about five million votes. Obama’s victory reflected the long-term trend in which Democrats have won the popular vote in five out of the last six presidential elections. Donald Trump thinks he can reverse that trend by appealing to angry white voters, but the 2012 results show why that won’t work. Lost in the uproar over Trump’s divisive appeals is the fact that Republicans already win whites by huge margins. For example, in 2012 Romney carried white voters by 20 points, and yet he still lost. The reason was that Obama won the support of minority voters by even bigger margins. He carried 93 percent of African-American voters, 71 percent of Latino voters and 73 percent of Asian voters. The electorate’s demographics will be even more unfavorable for the GOP in 2016."
It's Time We Start Discussing the Real Issue with Donald Trump That's Too Often Ignored
It's Time We Start Discussing the Real Issue with Donald Trump That's Too Often Ignored
"Not only is basically everything Trump says a lie – even most of his go-to talking points – but he’s utterly clueless about how our government works."
"Not only is basically everything Trump says a lie – even most of his go-to talking points – but he’s utterly clueless about how our government works."
David Duke Hails Donald Trump For Thwarting The 'Jewish Supremacists Who Control Our Country'
David Duke Hails Donald Trump For Thwarting The 'Jewish Supremacists Who Control Our Country':
"Duke urged listeners to “make sure that Trump understands that we expect him to follow through on these things and we expect him to be our White Knight, our advocate and our person"."
"Duke urged listeners to “make sure that Trump understands that we expect him to follow through on these things and we expect him to be our White Knight, our advocate and our person"."
'King Of Debt' Trump Suggests He'd Default On National Debt
'King Of Debt' Trump Suggests He'd Default On National Debt
"Combine Trump's fecklessness on this question with the screaming masses of uneducated Tea Partiers who were ready to default on the national debt over the Affordable Care Act, tax cuts, and whether a Democrat said something mean to them. Does it take much to imagine a President Trump blowing up the entire global economy right alongside our own country? Not so much. He is a dangerous, feckless, man who has no business being within 10 miles of the White House, much less inside it."
"Combine Trump's fecklessness on this question with the screaming masses of uneducated Tea Partiers who were ready to default on the national debt over the Affordable Care Act, tax cuts, and whether a Democrat said something mean to them. Does it take much to imagine a President Trump blowing up the entire global economy right alongside our own country? Not so much. He is a dangerous, feckless, man who has no business being within 10 miles of the White House, much less inside it."
Donald Trump Is Just Asking The Question: How The GOP Presidential Candidate Spreads His Conspiracy Theories
Donald Trump Is Just Asking The Question: How The GOP Presidential Candidate Spreads His Conspiracy Theories:
"A favorite tool of Republican politicians and far-right pundits like Glenn Beck, Alex Jones, Michael Savage, Bryan Fischer and others is to float wild conspiracy theories with the qualifier that they are “just asking the question.” Take the outlet WorldNetDaily, which regularly runs stories with headlines like, “Is This A ‘Demon’ Racing In Front Of Obama?,” “Will Obama Build A Death Star Next?” and “‘Manchurian President’ Ushering In Islamic Caliphate?” At Fox News, anchors often push personal theories by prefacing their remarks with the line, “some people say,” in order not to take any responsibility for their outlandish claims. Fox host Andrea Tantaros, for example, said of Obama last month, “Some people are asking the question, is he covering for ISIS?” Donald Trump has taken to using the same lines in order to defend his own conspiracy theories."
"A favorite tool of Republican politicians and far-right pundits like Glenn Beck, Alex Jones, Michael Savage, Bryan Fischer and others is to float wild conspiracy theories with the qualifier that they are “just asking the question.” Take the outlet WorldNetDaily, which regularly runs stories with headlines like, “Is This A ‘Demon’ Racing In Front Of Obama?,” “Will Obama Build A Death Star Next?” and “‘Manchurian President’ Ushering In Islamic Caliphate?” At Fox News, anchors often push personal theories by prefacing their remarks with the line, “some people say,” in order not to take any responsibility for their outlandish claims. Fox host Andrea Tantaros, for example, said of Obama last month, “Some people are asking the question, is he covering for ISIS?” Donald Trump has taken to using the same lines in order to defend his own conspiracy theories."
Paul Ryan: Let's Bring Back Pre-Existing Conditions
Paul Ryan: Let's Bring Back Pre-Existing Conditions
"Paul Ryan is not working for his constituents, and neither are many of his cohorts in Congress. They are working to increase the profit margins of health insurance companies, period. Speaker Ryan wants to remove the provision of the president's signature health care legislation that prevents insurance companies from denying care to those with pre-existing conditions."
"Paul Ryan is not working for his constituents, and neither are many of his cohorts in Congress. They are working to increase the profit margins of health insurance companies, period. Speaker Ryan wants to remove the provision of the president's signature health care legislation that prevents insurance companies from denying care to those with pre-existing conditions."
President Trump Promises Debt, Default And Depression
President Trump Promises Debt, Default And Depression
"To put it another way, putting Donald Trump in the White House wouldn't "Make America Great Again." It would create a self-fulfilling economic cataclysm so horrific that Americans could only dream of a "major recession" under President Trump."
"To put it another way, putting Donald Trump in the White House wouldn't "Make America Great Again." It would create a self-fulfilling economic cataclysm so horrific that Americans could only dream of a "major recession" under President Trump."
Donald Trump’s bankruptcy dodge: This is how lawyers and regulators helped him fudge solvency and avoid collapse
Donald Trump’s bankruptcy dodge: This is how lawyers and regulators helped him fudge solvency and avoid collapse
"Today Trump shrugs off the four bankruptcies, saying it’s a standard business tactic to restructure debt. But back in 1990 he was as afraid of that word as he is today of taking another tough question from Hugh Hewitt or Megyn Kelly. And but for government saving Trump by taking his side against his bankers, his business would have been tied up in years of litigation and we almost certainly would not be imagining the prospect of Donald Trump living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Because Trump would have been sunk beneath a sea of red ink."
"Today Trump shrugs off the four bankruptcies, saying it’s a standard business tactic to restructure debt. But back in 1990 he was as afraid of that word as he is today of taking another tough question from Hugh Hewitt or Megyn Kelly. And but for government saving Trump by taking his side against his bankers, his business would have been tied up in years of litigation and we almost certainly would not be imagining the prospect of Donald Trump living at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Because Trump would have been sunk beneath a sea of red ink."
Trump Makes Pals With European Politicians Who Flirt With Fascism @alternet
Trump Makes Pals With European Politicians Who Flirt With Fascism @alternet:
"With Trump likely to seize the Republican nomination, his endorsements from far-right groups in both Europe and the United States (Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke) will alienate him with voters in the general election."
"With Trump likely to seize the Republican nomination, his endorsements from far-right groups in both Europe and the United States (Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke) will alienate him with voters in the general election."
Racist Trump Supporter Arrested For Threats Against Obama Had Pipe Bombs, Weapons
Racist Trump Supporter Arrested For Threats Against Obama Had Pipe Bombs, Weapons
"A racist, fed-hating Trump supporter was arrested by the FBI and charged in connection with threats he made on social media threatening President Obama. At the time of his arrest, John Martin Roos had several pipe bombs, an assault-style weapon, and a stockpile of various other weapons."
"A racist, fed-hating Trump supporter was arrested by the FBI and charged in connection with threats he made on social media threatening President Obama. At the time of his arrest, John Martin Roos had several pipe bombs, an assault-style weapon, and a stockpile of various other weapons."
They dumbed down conservatism: How extreme right-wing market fundamentalism captured the GOP — and endangered the environment
They dumbed down conservatism: How extreme right-wing market fundamentalism captured the GOP — and endangered the environment
"These three major planks of what many call “market fundamentalism” share the same essential flaw: they take old conservative ideas and dumb them down by stripping them of all subtlety and nuance, in the process perverting their meaning to something completely at odds with the traditions of principled conservatism."
"These three major planks of what many call “market fundamentalism” share the same essential flaw: they take old conservative ideas and dumb them down by stripping them of all subtlety and nuance, in the process perverting their meaning to something completely at odds with the traditions of principled conservatism."
A Comprehensive Guide To Trump Ally Roger Stone, A Racist, Sexist, Conspiracy Theorist
http://mediamatters.org/research/2016/05/09/comprehensive-guide-trump-ally-roger-stone-racist-sexist-conspiracy-theorist/210303
"Stone has a decades-long history of political dirty tricks, and he regularly spouts violent, racist, and sexist rhetoric"
"Stone has a decades-long history of political dirty tricks, and he regularly spouts violent, racist, and sexist rhetoric"
Trump's Team: The Bigoted, Unhinged Conspiracy Theorists Benefiting From Donald Trump's Campaign
Trump's Team: The Bigoted, Unhinged Conspiracy Theorists Benefiting From Donald Trump's Campaign:
"Donald Trump’s obsession with conspiracy theories didn’t emerge from a vacuum. Before the GOP presidential frontrunner started winning the backing of Republican leaders, he assembled a team of ardent right-wing conspiracy theorists whose bigoted and bizarre beliefs once put them decidedly on the fringe of American politics."
"Donald Trump’s obsession with conspiracy theories didn’t emerge from a vacuum. Before the GOP presidential frontrunner started winning the backing of Republican leaders, he assembled a team of ardent right-wing conspiracy theorists whose bigoted and bizarre beliefs once put them decidedly on the fringe of American politics."
Kochs' Americans for Prosperity, Club for Growth, Shell out to Rescue Ron Johnson
http://www.prwatch.org/news/2016/04/13086/kochs-americans-prosperity-club-growth-wi-shell-save-ron-johnson
"With an empty seat at the U.S. Supreme Court and public pressure mounting to overturn the Court's Citizens United decision, which open the door to unlimited spending by nominally "independent" Super PACs and dark money nonprofits, the stakes could not be higher for the Kochs and their cronies who have worked for decades to undermine disclosure rules and limits on political spending."
"With an empty seat at the U.S. Supreme Court and public pressure mounting to overturn the Court's Citizens United decision, which open the door to unlimited spending by nominally "independent" Super PACs and dark money nonprofits, the stakes could not be higher for the Kochs and their cronies who have worked for decades to undermine disclosure rules and limits on political spending."
A Citizen’s Guide to Combating Election Propaganda: Debunking Minimum Wage Myths @alternet
A Citizen’s Guide to Combating Election Propaganda: Debunking Minimum Wage Myths @alternet:
"Fortunately, much research has been done in recent years suggesting that the standard reactionary arguments against the minimum wage are either exaggerated or wholly inaccurate."
"Fortunately, much research has been done in recent years suggesting that the standard reactionary arguments against the minimum wage are either exaggerated or wholly inaccurate."
Conservatives Were Stunningly Wrong About Obamacare, New Report Finds
http://mediamatters.org/research/2016/04/18/conservatives-were-stunningly-wrong-about-obamacare-new-report-finds/209966
"A New York Times analysis found “historic increases” in those covered by the Affordable Care Act, destroying right-wing media predictions about health care reform including that it would “topple the stock market” and enslave Americans. The Times analysis is just one of many pieces of research that have highlighted the successes of the Affordable Care Act."
"A New York Times analysis found “historic increases” in those covered by the Affordable Care Act, destroying right-wing media predictions about health care reform including that it would “topple the stock market” and enslave Americans. The Times analysis is just one of many pieces of research that have highlighted the successes of the Affordable Care Act."
PERRspectives: 10 Things the GOP Doesn't Want You to Know for Tax Day
PERRspectives: 10 Things the GOP Doesn't Want You to Know for Tax Day
"The history of the Reagan and Bush years belie Arthur Laffer's supply-side fantasy."
"The history of the Reagan and Bush years belie Arthur Laffer's supply-side fantasy."
Wealthy Americans created the conditions that gave rise to 2016’s rage-filled campaigns
Wealthy Americans created the conditions that gave rise to 2016’s rage-filled campaigns
"Republicans routinely condemn such rhetoric as the reckless promotion of “class warfare” by irresponsible populists, but the reality is class conflict is a two-way street.."
"Republicans routinely condemn such rhetoric as the reckless promotion of “class warfare” by irresponsible populists, but the reality is class conflict is a two-way street.."
Trump’s Adviser Lobbied For Pakistani Group That Killed 7 CIA Officers In Afghanistan Attack
http://occupydemocrats.com/2016/04/18/trumps-adviser-lobbied-pakistani-group-killed-7-cia-officers-afghanistan-attack/
"Their clients included the Kashmiri American Council, a US-based “nonprofit” purportedly advocating for peace in the contested area between India and Pakistan but was actually a front for the notorious Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the military’s secret service and spy agency that created the Taliban and al-Qaeda during the 1980s and is deeply connected to them still to this day – even as their Western “allies” spend billions of dollars and thousands of lives fighting the group on the ground."
"Their clients included the Kashmiri American Council, a US-based “nonprofit” purportedly advocating for peace in the contested area between India and Pakistan but was actually a front for the notorious Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), the military’s secret service and spy agency that created the Taliban and al-Qaeda during the 1980s and is deeply connected to them still to this day – even as their Western “allies” spend billions of dollars and thousands of lives fighting the group on the ground."
FDIC, Fed Rulings Could See Five "Too-Big-to-Fail" Wall Street Firms Broken Up by 2018
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/35620-fdic-fed-rulings-could-see-five-too-big-to-fail-wall-street-firms-broken-up-by-2018
"When Dodd-Frank financial reform was passed in 2010, Congress created an inter-agency body called the Federal Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) and gave it the power to declare certain banks, investment firms and insurance companies "SIFI" -- systemically-important financial institutions. The law concurrently forced outfits slapped with the SIFI-label to formulate living wills; to minimize the possibility of 2008-style market failure and publicly-funded bailouts, in the event of financial instability. "Each plan ... must describe the company's strategy for rapid and orderly resolution under bankruptcy in the event of material financial distress or failure of the company," the Fed noted Wednesday. The eight banks whose living wills were assessed on Monday are the only SIFIs based in the United States. The Fed and FDIC are still assessing plans being written by four foreign SIFIs: Barclays PLC, Credit Suisse Group, Deutsche Bank AG, and UBS."
"When Dodd-Frank financial reform was passed in 2010, Congress created an inter-agency body called the Federal Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) and gave it the power to declare certain banks, investment firms and insurance companies "SIFI" -- systemically-important financial institutions. The law concurrently forced outfits slapped with the SIFI-label to formulate living wills; to minimize the possibility of 2008-style market failure and publicly-funded bailouts, in the event of financial instability. "Each plan ... must describe the company's strategy for rapid and orderly resolution under bankruptcy in the event of material financial distress or failure of the company," the Fed noted Wednesday. The eight banks whose living wills were assessed on Monday are the only SIFIs based in the United States. The Fed and FDIC are still assessing plans being written by four foreign SIFIs: Barclays PLC, Credit Suisse Group, Deutsche Bank AG, and UBS."
Dear Republicans: Like it or Not, George W. Bush is the Reason Your Party is Destroying Itself
Dear Republicans: Like it or Not, George W. Bush is the Reason Your Party is Destroying Itself
"The moment Bush left office, the GOP instantly embraced the tea party “movement” as a way to try to repair its image from the damage the previous eight years had done. It was their way to try to “reinvent” themselves as a “true conservative party for the people.” Though the tea party was never a “new” movement. The only thing the tea party has ever been is a voice for the racists, the bigots and the crazies who’ve been slowly gaining control over the GOP for decades. With the emergence of the tea party, these bottom-feeders finally had a voice in Washington. And because Republicans were so desperate to do anything to cleanse themselves of the horrible eight years of George W. Bush, they blindly embraced the very monster that was always destined to destroy them."
"The moment Bush left office, the GOP instantly embraced the tea party “movement” as a way to try to repair its image from the damage the previous eight years had done. It was their way to try to “reinvent” themselves as a “true conservative party for the people.” Though the tea party was never a “new” movement. The only thing the tea party has ever been is a voice for the racists, the bigots and the crazies who’ve been slowly gaining control over the GOP for decades. With the emergence of the tea party, these bottom-feeders finally had a voice in Washington. And because Republicans were so desperate to do anything to cleanse themselves of the horrible eight years of George W. Bush, they blindly embraced the very monster that was always destined to destroy them."
Trump Effect: Here are 9 utterly depressing stories teachers tell about Trump’s horrible effect on kids
Trump Effect: Here are 9 utterly depressing stories teachers tell about Trump’s horrible effect on kids
"At the same time, “Teachers have noted an increase in bullying, harassment and intimidation of students whose races, religions or nationalities have been the verbal targets of candidates on the campaign trail"."
"At the same time, “Teachers have noted an increase in bullying, harassment and intimidation of students whose races, religions or nationalities have been the verbal targets of candidates on the campaign trail"."
The South’s new re-segregation plan: The Koch brothers, ALEC and the sneaky scheme to undo Brown v Board of Education
The South’s new re-segregation plan: The Koch brothers, ALEC and the sneaky scheme to undo Brown v Board of Education
"Other states, such as Ohio, Nevada, Indiana, Louisiana, Florida and Maryland, have endorsed voucher plans (which are never called vouchers but some euphemism, like “opportunity scholarships.) The irony is that their state constitutions explicitly prohibits the diversion of public school funds to religious schools, yet legislators proclaim their fealty to constitutional principles even as they pass laws to send public money to religious schools. Vouchers for children with disabilities is the camel’s nose under the tent, to get the movement started. It is a measure supported by ALEC (the American Legislative Exchange Council), the Koch-funded advocacy group for privatization and deregulation. The rise of vouchers is not a response to popular demand. Vouchers have been put to voters in several states, and every time they have been soundly defeated, even in red state Utah. The revival of the voucher movement is nothing more than ideology and politics taking charge of schooling. School choice is not the “civil rights issue of our time,” as its proponents claim; it is the predictable way to roll back civil rights in our time. After 25 years of experimentation with charters and vouchers, we know that they do not get better results than public schools unless they choose their students and kick out the ones who don’t have high test scores and don’t adhere to strict requirements for obedience. Charters and vouchers drain money from public schools, which still educate the vast majority of children. Once school choice gets rooted in a state, the subject consumes all the energy of legislators. It is as if the 90 percent who attend real public schools became invisible. Despite the absence of any advantages and the presence of scandals, frauds, and discrimination, more and more states are falling victim to the false promise of “school choice"."
"Other states, such as Ohio, Nevada, Indiana, Louisiana, Florida and Maryland, have endorsed voucher plans (which are never called vouchers but some euphemism, like “opportunity scholarships.) The irony is that their state constitutions explicitly prohibits the diversion of public school funds to religious schools, yet legislators proclaim their fealty to constitutional principles even as they pass laws to send public money to religious schools. Vouchers for children with disabilities is the camel’s nose under the tent, to get the movement started. It is a measure supported by ALEC (the American Legislative Exchange Council), the Koch-funded advocacy group for privatization and deregulation. The rise of vouchers is not a response to popular demand. Vouchers have been put to voters in several states, and every time they have been soundly defeated, even in red state Utah. The revival of the voucher movement is nothing more than ideology and politics taking charge of schooling. School choice is not the “civil rights issue of our time,” as its proponents claim; it is the predictable way to roll back civil rights in our time. After 25 years of experimentation with charters and vouchers, we know that they do not get better results than public schools unless they choose their students and kick out the ones who don’t have high test scores and don’t adhere to strict requirements for obedience. Charters and vouchers drain money from public schools, which still educate the vast majority of children. Once school choice gets rooted in a state, the subject consumes all the energy of legislators. It is as if the 90 percent who attend real public schools became invisible. Despite the absence of any advantages and the presence of scandals, frauds, and discrimination, more and more states are falling victim to the false promise of “school choice"."
The Secret Origins of the Tea Party
http://time.com/secret-origins-of-the-tea-party/
"They proposed an unholy alliance—Philip Morris money commingled with Koch money to create anti-tax front groups in a handful of states that would battle any tax that moved. It would make no difference what kind of tax—the front groups could battle cigarette excise taxes in the Northeast and refined-oil fees at the coasts. Any tax, for any purpose, was bad—and these front groups would tackle them all, with Philip Morris and the Kochs behind them."
"They proposed an unholy alliance—Philip Morris money commingled with Koch money to create anti-tax front groups in a handful of states that would battle any tax that moved. It would make no difference what kind of tax—the front groups could battle cigarette excise taxes in the Northeast and refined-oil fees at the coasts. Any tax, for any purpose, was bad—and these front groups would tackle them all, with Philip Morris and the Kochs behind them."
Sam Brownback declares war on Kansas: This is how extremists gut a state — and democracy
Sam Brownback declares war on Kansas: This is how extremists gut a state — and democracy
"Gov. Sam Brownback’s march to zero income taxes, combined with legislation designed to weaken public services and wrest control away from local government, are hollowing out the very aspects of government these committees focus on. Public education certainly seems targeted to be greatly supplemented by, if not outright replaced by, private education. We see this in other states as well. For some time now, model legislation from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), Americans For Prosperity (AFP) and other libertarian / ultraconservative organizations has been used as the template for bills in states with varying levels of ultraconservative control. Such templates have been developed on everything from taxation and fiscal policy, to energy and the environment, to health and human services. Looking just at education, in 2015 there were 172 measures introduced in 42 states based on ALEC model legislation, according to the Center for Media and Democracy. The general goal being to “… transform public education from a public and accountable institution that serves the public into one that serves private, for-profit interests.” With public education commonly comprising a significant portion of state budgets, this dovetails nicely with ultraconservative legislation focused on drastically shrinking government and reducing taxes. In Kansas, one of the latest bills taking inspiration from such model legislation is HB 2741, intended to provide the state with a new public school funding formula. The Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB) provides a good summary of the bill here. The need for a new formula began during the 2014-2015 legislative session with the repeal of the previous school funding formula and implementation of the temporary two-year block grant funding mechanism, intended to fill the gap while the legislature works on a new formula. I should note that the block grant has also effectively reduced the dollars available to school districts for day to day operations."
"Gov. Sam Brownback’s march to zero income taxes, combined with legislation designed to weaken public services and wrest control away from local government, are hollowing out the very aspects of government these committees focus on. Public education certainly seems targeted to be greatly supplemented by, if not outright replaced by, private education. We see this in other states as well. For some time now, model legislation from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), Americans For Prosperity (AFP) and other libertarian / ultraconservative organizations has been used as the template for bills in states with varying levels of ultraconservative control. Such templates have been developed on everything from taxation and fiscal policy, to energy and the environment, to health and human services. Looking just at education, in 2015 there were 172 measures introduced in 42 states based on ALEC model legislation, according to the Center for Media and Democracy. The general goal being to “… transform public education from a public and accountable institution that serves the public into one that serves private, for-profit interests.” With public education commonly comprising a significant portion of state budgets, this dovetails nicely with ultraconservative legislation focused on drastically shrinking government and reducing taxes. In Kansas, one of the latest bills taking inspiration from such model legislation is HB 2741, intended to provide the state with a new public school funding formula. The Kansas Association of School Boards (KASB) provides a good summary of the bill here. The need for a new formula began during the 2014-2015 legislative session with the repeal of the previous school funding formula and implementation of the temporary two-year block grant funding mechanism, intended to fill the gap while the legislature works on a new formula. I should note that the block grant has also effectively reduced the dollars available to school districts for day to day operations."
Feds Charge Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton With Fraud
Feds Charge Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton With Fraud
"The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday charged Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton with civil securities fraud for promoting a North Texas tech firm, adding to the first-term Republican's growing legal woes."
"The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday charged Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton with civil securities fraud for promoting a North Texas tech firm, adding to the first-term Republican's growing legal woes."
Kentucky’s Governor Dramatically Cut Education Funding. Now He’s Getting Sued.
http://thinkprogress.org/education/2016/04/12/3768423/kentucky-attorney-general-budget-cuts/
"This spring, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R) bypassed the state legislature to unilaterally cut $41 million in education funding. Now, he’s getting hit with a lawsuit."
"This spring, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R) bypassed the state legislature to unilaterally cut $41 million in education funding. Now, he’s getting hit with a lawsuit."
How Private Prison Companies Use Big Tax Breaks and Low Wages to Maximize Profit
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/35564-how-private-prison-companies-use-big-tax-breaks-and-low-wages-to-maximize-profit
"Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and GEO Group avoided a combined $113 million in federal income taxes in 2015 alone, according to an analysis of federal financial filings by the racial and economic justice group Enlace. The prison business is booming despite efforts to reduce the nation's prison population, which has exploded in recent decades and forced the government to contract with private prison companies to meet demand. Last year, CCA reported $222 million in net profits, and GEO Group reported $139 million. CCA and GEO Group have enjoyed increased profits per prisoner housed in their facilities since 2012, when both companies began converting themselves into special real estate trusts that are exempt from the federal corporate income tax, at least in the eyes of the IRS."
"Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and GEO Group avoided a combined $113 million in federal income taxes in 2015 alone, according to an analysis of federal financial filings by the racial and economic justice group Enlace. The prison business is booming despite efforts to reduce the nation's prison population, which has exploded in recent decades and forced the government to contract with private prison companies to meet demand. Last year, CCA reported $222 million in net profits, and GEO Group reported $139 million. CCA and GEO Group have enjoyed increased profits per prisoner housed in their facilities since 2012, when both companies began converting themselves into special real estate trusts that are exempt from the federal corporate income tax, at least in the eyes of the IRS."
Tammy Duckworth thinks your financial adviser should be looking out for you. Mark Kirk does not.
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/4/7/1512067/-Tammy-Duckworth-believes-your-financial-adviser-should-be-looking-out-for-you-Mark-Kirk-does-not
"On Wednesday, President Obama announced a remarkably simple and remarkable great new federal rule that simply says retirement financial advisers have to follow a fiduciary standard, which means they have to be guided by what's in their clients' best interests. Which is pretty much how it always should have been, right? But it hasn't until now. Which is pretty unbelievable, but it's Wall Street, so there you go. Now that it is a rule, a lot of Republicans don't like it, and one of those Republicans is Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL). But you know who really, really likes it? Rep. Tammy Duckworth, and she's perfectly willing to make an issue out of it."
"On Wednesday, President Obama announced a remarkably simple and remarkable great new federal rule that simply says retirement financial advisers have to follow a fiduciary standard, which means they have to be guided by what's in their clients' best interests. Which is pretty much how it always should have been, right? But it hasn't until now. Which is pretty unbelievable, but it's Wall Street, so there you go. Now that it is a rule, a lot of Republicans don't like it, and one of those Republicans is Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL). But you know who really, really likes it? Rep. Tammy Duckworth, and she's perfectly willing to make an issue out of it."
Watch: Elizabeth Warren Pulls No Punches Calling GOP out on 2008 Crash @alternet
Watch: Elizabeth Warren Pulls No Punches Calling GOP out on 2008 Crash @alternet:
"She wondered why Republicans chose Chanin as their witness, saying, “of all the people who might be called on to advise Congress about how to weigh the costs and benefits of consumer regulations, I am surprised that my Republican colleagues would choose a witness who might have one of the worst track records in history on this issue"."
"She wondered why Republicans chose Chanin as their witness, saying, “of all the people who might be called on to advise Congress about how to weigh the costs and benefits of consumer regulations, I am surprised that my Republican colleagues would choose a witness who might have one of the worst track records in history on this issue"."
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Hello 2016: Obama's polling numbers spike as the GOP takes a dive
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/3/30/1507825/-Hello-2016-Obama-s-polling-numbers-spike-as-the-GOP-takes-a-dive#read-more
"1) While Congressional approval ratings have remained almost uniformly abysmal for a handful of years now, Independents' view of Congress began to absolutely tank at the beginning of February; 2) McConnell issued his No-SCOTUS-vote edict on Feb. 13; 3) by early March, PPP found that only 10 percent of voters approved of McConnell's job performance, while 59% disapproved; 4) Obama announced Merrick Garland on March 16 and by March 21, Gallup found 52 percent of Americans favor Senate confirmation, while 29 percent oppose."
"1) While Congressional approval ratings have remained almost uniformly abysmal for a handful of years now, Independents' view of Congress began to absolutely tank at the beginning of February; 2) McConnell issued his No-SCOTUS-vote edict on Feb. 13; 3) by early March, PPP found that only 10 percent of voters approved of McConnell's job performance, while 59% disapproved; 4) Obama announced Merrick Garland on March 16 and by March 21, Gallup found 52 percent of Americans favor Senate confirmation, while 29 percent oppose."
Exposed: Most CEOs Support Paid Sick Leave, Increased Minimum Wage, and More But Chamber Lobbyists Told How to "Combat" These Measures
http://www.prwatch.org/news/2016/04/13075/top-gop-pollster-chamber-commerce-lobbyists-poll-shows-your-members-support
"Video footage of a closed-door webinar provided to the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) reveals top GOP pollsters instructing Chamber of Commerce lobbyists to ignore internal survey data showing that Chamber members across the country overwhelmingly support progressive workplace policies including raising the minimum wage, providing paid sick days, and increasing paid family leave. (These and other materials are available here.) In the video, pollsters with LuntzGlobal, the survey research firm of noted GOP pollster Frank Luntz, coach lobbyists from state and local Chambers on how to thwart the "empathy" that Chamber members feel for their employees in order to advance an anti-worker agenda aligned with the Koch Brothers and other corporate interests."
"Video footage of a closed-door webinar provided to the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) reveals top GOP pollsters instructing Chamber of Commerce lobbyists to ignore internal survey data showing that Chamber members across the country overwhelmingly support progressive workplace policies including raising the minimum wage, providing paid sick days, and increasing paid family leave. (These and other materials are available here.) In the video, pollsters with LuntzGlobal, the survey research firm of noted GOP pollster Frank Luntz, coach lobbyists from state and local Chambers on how to thwart the "empathy" that Chamber members feel for their employees in order to advance an anti-worker agenda aligned with the Koch Brothers and other corporate interests."
Highlights of Luntz Poll of American CEOs Shows Broad Support for Progressive Policies
http://www.prwatch.org/news/2016/03/13074/luntz-poll-american-ceos-shows-deep-support-progressive-policies
"LuntzGlobal is a prominent GOP polling and communications firm headed by Frank Luntz. Their website states: "Our analysis of the results will help you learn exactly what your target audience wants and needs to hear." David Merritt is the Managing Director for LuntzGlobal. Merritt previously worked for Newt Gingrich and for John McCain in 2008. There is no force in America that has spent more time and effort to keep wages low than the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the state chambers that aggressively lobby against increasing the minimum wage. The U.S. Chamber is a $165 million dollar lobby shop (2013 990), which raised and spent $35 million in the 2014 election cycle, according to Open Secrets. The Chamber has lobbied on Capitol Hill and in statehouses across the country to block, federal, state and local wage hikes. It has been active in states like Wisconsin to preempt local minimum wages ordinances. It has lobbied against paid sick days in many states, including recently in New Jersey. At the federal level, the Chamber has lobbied against the "Minimum Wage Fairness Act," which gradually raises wages to $10.10."
"LuntzGlobal is a prominent GOP polling and communications firm headed by Frank Luntz. Their website states: "Our analysis of the results will help you learn exactly what your target audience wants and needs to hear." David Merritt is the Managing Director for LuntzGlobal. Merritt previously worked for Newt Gingrich and for John McCain in 2008. There is no force in America that has spent more time and effort to keep wages low than the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the state chambers that aggressively lobby against increasing the minimum wage. The U.S. Chamber is a $165 million dollar lobby shop (2013 990), which raised and spent $35 million in the 2014 election cycle, according to Open Secrets. The Chamber has lobbied on Capitol Hill and in statehouses across the country to block, federal, state and local wage hikes. It has been active in states like Wisconsin to preempt local minimum wages ordinances. It has lobbied against paid sick days in many states, including recently in New Jersey. At the federal level, the Chamber has lobbied against the "Minimum Wage Fairness Act," which gradually raises wages to $10.10."
Donald Trump is the pinnacle of American stupidity: Why his campaign consummates decades of rising anti-intellectualism
Donald Trump is the pinnacle of American stupidity: Why his campaign consummates decades of rising anti-intellectualism
"Since 2008, ignorance has increasingly become a political principle in Republican circles"
"Since 2008, ignorance has increasingly become a political principle in Republican circles"
Revealed: The Chamber of Commerce Strategy to Kill Empathy of Its Members
Revealed: The Chamber of Commerce Strategy to Kill Empathy of Its Members
"During the webinar, Luntz himself explained to the participants the reasoning behind the results and how they could potentially be combated. "So what do these results all have in common?" he asks. "Well quite frankly they are all empathetic. If you ask about them in isolation, of course we want to give folks more benefits, or more leave, or more income..." But then, exposing the real purpose of the presentation, he adds, "So what we'll try and do is actually give you a few helpful hints on how to actually combat these in your states." In other words, how to suppress the "empathy" of your members or distract them with other issues."
"During the webinar, Luntz himself explained to the participants the reasoning behind the results and how they could potentially be combated. "So what do these results all have in common?" he asks. "Well quite frankly they are all empathetic. If you ask about them in isolation, of course we want to give folks more benefits, or more leave, or more income..." But then, exposing the real purpose of the presentation, he adds, "So what we'll try and do is actually give you a few helpful hints on how to actually combat these in your states." In other words, how to suppress the "empathy" of your members or distract them with other issues."
There's a Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy Afoot, Fueled by Dark Money
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/35472-there-s-a-vast-right-wing-conspiracy-afoot-fueled-by-dark-money
"it's coming from right-wing libertarians and ultra-conservative nationalists who have billions of dollars to spend and are willing to do whatever it takes to win. Their agenda includes a desire to reduce government's function to a single item: Protection and promotion of business interests by eliminating things they consider roadblocks, such as taxes, unions, minimum wage laws, overtime protections and environmental regulations that limit toxic dumping and air and water pollution. To say that they're harkening back to the Gilded Age is an oversimplification, but it's close to the ideal put forward by a small cohort of unimaginably rich white men, and a handful of unimaginably rich white women, who are plotting to turn the US into a land of serfs and lords, with themselves in complete control of everything. Jane Mayer's exhaustively researched look at this network makes for an essential though terrifying read. She begins with a profile of the ringleaders, brothers Charles and David Koch, and offers a savvy history of sibling rivalry and competition for parental approval that pitted brother against brother and left two of the family's four children, Bill and Frederick, on the sidelines. After David and Charles joined forces to run the family's oil and gas companies, the pair -- whose combined worth is estimated by Mayer to be $41 billion -- developed into public figures, becoming Society Page regulars and conservative movement stalwarts. Their roots, however, rest with the racist John Birch Society, where, as 20-somethings, they were exposed to the anti-government economic theories of extreme laissez-faire capitalism. Classes at the Freedom School, founded by Robert LeFevre -- a man who had previously been indicted for mail fraud and who became an FBI informer at the height of the McCarthy witch hunts -- in the late 1950s cemented their ideology and fomented their longstanding hatred for Social Security and other New Deal programs."
"it's coming from right-wing libertarians and ultra-conservative nationalists who have billions of dollars to spend and are willing to do whatever it takes to win. Their agenda includes a desire to reduce government's function to a single item: Protection and promotion of business interests by eliminating things they consider roadblocks, such as taxes, unions, minimum wage laws, overtime protections and environmental regulations that limit toxic dumping and air and water pollution. To say that they're harkening back to the Gilded Age is an oversimplification, but it's close to the ideal put forward by a small cohort of unimaginably rich white men, and a handful of unimaginably rich white women, who are plotting to turn the US into a land of serfs and lords, with themselves in complete control of everything. Jane Mayer's exhaustively researched look at this network makes for an essential though terrifying read. She begins with a profile of the ringleaders, brothers Charles and David Koch, and offers a savvy history of sibling rivalry and competition for parental approval that pitted brother against brother and left two of the family's four children, Bill and Frederick, on the sidelines. After David and Charles joined forces to run the family's oil and gas companies, the pair -- whose combined worth is estimated by Mayer to be $41 billion -- developed into public figures, becoming Society Page regulars and conservative movement stalwarts. Their roots, however, rest with the racist John Birch Society, where, as 20-somethings, they were exposed to the anti-government economic theories of extreme laissez-faire capitalism. Classes at the Freedom School, founded by Robert LeFevre -- a man who had previously been indicted for mail fraud and who became an FBI informer at the height of the McCarthy witch hunts -- in the late 1950s cemented their ideology and fomented their longstanding hatred for Social Security and other New Deal programs."
California, New York Launch 60 Million Americans Into A $15 Minimum Wage Economy
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2016/04/04/3766176/15-dollar-minimum-wage-new-york-california/
"With the strokes of two pens on opposite sides of the country on Monday, nearly one-fifth of the U.S. population began walking toward a $15 minimum wage."
"With the strokes of two pens on opposite sides of the country on Monday, nearly one-fifth of the U.S. population began walking toward a $15 minimum wage."
Wash. Post Report: Leaked Poll Proves Most Businesses Support Raising Minimum Wage
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2016/04/04/wash-post-report-leaked-poll-proves-most-busine/209733
"On April 4, The Washington Post reported on a leaked poll conducted for the Council of State Chambers of Commerce, which shows that the vast majority of business executives who were questioned said they support raising the minimum wage. The poll, conducted by Republican pollster Frank Luntz, found that "80 percent of respondents said they supported raising their state's minimum wage, while only eight percent opposed it." An advocate quoted in the Post's piece noted that other polls have found similar results to the findings uncovered by the Center for Media and Democracy.The advocacy organization Small Business Majority found that 60 percent of small-business owners supported raising the minimum wage to at least $12 per hour, and the American Sustainable Business Council also found that a majority of businesses support raising the minimum wage. Right-wing media have repeatedly pushed the myth that businesses are opposed to raising the minimum wage while spreading debunked claims that raising the minimum wage leads to job losses. In one instance, Fox Business host Stuart Varney claimed that a minimum wage increase in Seattle had cost the area 1,000 jobs in food services in the month after the increase went into effect, when in reality 1,800 jobs had been created since the start of the year, regardless of the wage change. But economists have also repeatedly debunked the claim that raising the minimum wage would kill jobs. Researchers at Cornell University found that raising the regular and tipped minimum wages for workers in the restaurant and hospitality industries has "not had large or reliable effects" on the number of people working in the industry and concluded that business groups opposed to wage increases should just embrace "reasonable increases." Recent strong job data out of Washington state, where the cities of Seattle and SeaTac are in the process of phasing in the highest municipal minimum wages in the country, undermined right-wing media claims that raising the minimum wage kills jobs."
"On April 4, The Washington Post reported on a leaked poll conducted for the Council of State Chambers of Commerce, which shows that the vast majority of business executives who were questioned said they support raising the minimum wage. The poll, conducted by Republican pollster Frank Luntz, found that "80 percent of respondents said they supported raising their state's minimum wage, while only eight percent opposed it." An advocate quoted in the Post's piece noted that other polls have found similar results to the findings uncovered by the Center for Media and Democracy.The advocacy organization Small Business Majority found that 60 percent of small-business owners supported raising the minimum wage to at least $12 per hour, and the American Sustainable Business Council also found that a majority of businesses support raising the minimum wage. Right-wing media have repeatedly pushed the myth that businesses are opposed to raising the minimum wage while spreading debunked claims that raising the minimum wage leads to job losses. In one instance, Fox Business host Stuart Varney claimed that a minimum wage increase in Seattle had cost the area 1,000 jobs in food services in the month after the increase went into effect, when in reality 1,800 jobs had been created since the start of the year, regardless of the wage change. But economists have also repeatedly debunked the claim that raising the minimum wage would kill jobs. Researchers at Cornell University found that raising the regular and tipped minimum wages for workers in the restaurant and hospitality industries has "not had large or reliable effects" on the number of people working in the industry and concluded that business groups opposed to wage increases should just embrace "reasonable increases." Recent strong job data out of Washington state, where the cities of Seattle and SeaTac are in the process of phasing in the highest municipal minimum wages in the country, undermined right-wing media claims that raising the minimum wage kills jobs."
The Conservative Plan to Fix the VA Has Vets Hopping Mad
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/04/veterans-groups-really-dont-idea-privatized-va-system
"Some members of the commission established by Congress to evaluate the Department of Veterans Health Administration have proposed drastically reducing the size of the VHA by closing its health facilities and transferring the care of the nation's millions of military veterans to the private sector. But in a letter sent to the chair of the Commission on Care, leaders of eight of the country's most prominent veterans' advocacy organizations blasted the proposal."
"Some members of the commission established by Congress to evaluate the Department of Veterans Health Administration have proposed drastically reducing the size of the VHA by closing its health facilities and transferring the care of the nation's millions of military veterans to the private sector. But in a letter sent to the chair of the Commission on Care, leaders of eight of the country's most prominent veterans' advocacy organizations blasted the proposal."
PERRspectives: The Hilariously Horrible Mr. Hatch
PERRspectives: The Hilariously Horrible Mr. Hatch
"So the debasement of the Party of Lincoln has come to this. While short-fingered Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump sought to reassure Americans by declaring "I guarantee there's no problem" with his schlong, his nearest GOP rival Ted Cruz (R-TX) nevertheless told all who would listen that "I have no desire to copulate with him." But it shouldn't have taken these two newcomers to make Republicans feel embarrassed by their party and its 2016 nominating process. After all, many of the party's longest-serving legislators in Washington and shooting stars in the states have been at the forefront of the GOP's perpetual campaign of disinformation, denialism and unprecedented obstructionism. And in recent years, Utah's senior Senator Orrin Hatch has been pathetically prominent. As a quick glance at his record shows, the 39-year Senate veteran is a fervent practitioner of the cartoonish nihilism that now passes as Republican orthodoxy. A supposed deficit hawk who has been advocating a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution since 1979, Hatch defended President Bush's unfunded $400 billion Medicare prescription drug plan because "it was standard practice not to pay for things." In 2010, Hatch promised a "holy war" to defeat the Obamacare bill he called unconstitutional despite having co-sponsored almost identical legislation in 1993 as an alternative to Bill Clinton's health care proposal. A supporter of stem cell research who voted to legalize the use of fetal tissue for that very purpose, Senator Hatch led the bogus Republican witch hunt into Planned Parenthood in 2015. A year ago, Hatch was one of 47 GOP Senators who signed a letter to the regime in Tehran warning Congress would block a nuclear deal despite his Iran-Contra defense of Ronald Reagan in which he proclaimed the President is the "the sole person to whom our Constitution gives the responsibility for conducting foreign relations"."
"So the debasement of the Party of Lincoln has come to this. While short-fingered Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump sought to reassure Americans by declaring "I guarantee there's no problem" with his schlong, his nearest GOP rival Ted Cruz (R-TX) nevertheless told all who would listen that "I have no desire to copulate with him." But it shouldn't have taken these two newcomers to make Republicans feel embarrassed by their party and its 2016 nominating process. After all, many of the party's longest-serving legislators in Washington and shooting stars in the states have been at the forefront of the GOP's perpetual campaign of disinformation, denialism and unprecedented obstructionism. And in recent years, Utah's senior Senator Orrin Hatch has been pathetically prominent. As a quick glance at his record shows, the 39-year Senate veteran is a fervent practitioner of the cartoonish nihilism that now passes as Republican orthodoxy. A supposed deficit hawk who has been advocating a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution since 1979, Hatch defended President Bush's unfunded $400 billion Medicare prescription drug plan because "it was standard practice not to pay for things." In 2010, Hatch promised a "holy war" to defeat the Obamacare bill he called unconstitutional despite having co-sponsored almost identical legislation in 1993 as an alternative to Bill Clinton's health care proposal. A supporter of stem cell research who voted to legalize the use of fetal tissue for that very purpose, Senator Hatch led the bogus Republican witch hunt into Planned Parenthood in 2015. A year ago, Hatch was one of 47 GOP Senators who signed a letter to the regime in Tehran warning Congress would block a nuclear deal despite his Iran-Contra defense of Ronald Reagan in which he proclaimed the President is the "the sole person to whom our Constitution gives the responsibility for conducting foreign relations"."
A Secure Retirement Demands Limiting Conflicts of Interest
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/news/2016/04/06/134883/a-secure-retirement-demands-limiting-conflicts-of-interest/
"Can you trust your financial adviser? Many Americans aren’t so sure. Thanks to a recent announcement from the U.S. Department of Labor, however, the answer may soon be “yes.” Today, the Department of Labor announced its final rule on conflicts of interest in retirement investment advice, also known as the fiduciary rule. Fiduciary is a five-syllable legal concept, but in practice, the intended effect of the rule is quite simple: All financial professionals selling retirement products will be legally required to act in the best interests of their clients rather than their own. The only reason why financial professionals are not required to do this currently is because of a 40-year-old loophole in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA, that the Department of Labor is now closing. This effort has the potential to return at least $17 billion a year to savers and retirees through lower fees, according to the White House Council of Economic Advisers."
"Can you trust your financial adviser? Many Americans aren’t so sure. Thanks to a recent announcement from the U.S. Department of Labor, however, the answer may soon be “yes.” Today, the Department of Labor announced its final rule on conflicts of interest in retirement investment advice, also known as the fiduciary rule. Fiduciary is a five-syllable legal concept, but in practice, the intended effect of the rule is quite simple: All financial professionals selling retirement products will be legally required to act in the best interests of their clients rather than their own. The only reason why financial professionals are not required to do this currently is because of a 40-year-old loophole in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA, that the Department of Labor is now closing. This effort has the potential to return at least $17 billion a year to savers and retirees through lower fees, according to the White House Council of Economic Advisers."
Nashville Voted To Give Poor People, Locals New Construction Jobs...But the State GOP Blocked It @alternet
Nashville Voted To Give Poor People, Locals New Construction Jobs...But the State GOP Blocked It @alternet:
"within weeks of the ordinance passing into law, Republicans in the state legislature introduced a bill to roll back Nashville’s new law and prevent other cities in the state from implementing anything like it."
"within weeks of the ordinance passing into law, Republicans in the state legislature introduced a bill to roll back Nashville’s new law and prevent other cities in the state from implementing anything like it."
Ben & Jerry Get Arrested At Capitol Hill Protests @alternet
Ben & Jerry Get Arrested At Capitol Hill Protests @alternet:
"Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, more popularly known as Ben and Jerry, the guys behind the ice cream, were among hundreds of protesters arrested at the Democracy Spring rallies at the United States Capitol Building on Monday."
"Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, more popularly known as Ben and Jerry, the guys behind the ice cream, were among hundreds of protesters arrested at the Democracy Spring rallies at the United States Capitol Building on Monday."
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