Sunday, January 31, 2016
Cruz’s Desperate Last Minute Attempt To Win Iowa Is So Vile State Officials Just NAILED Him For It
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2016/01/30/cruzs-desperate-last-minute-attempt-to-win-iowa-is-so-vile-state-officials-just-nailed-him-for-it/
"In the closing days before the Iowa caucus, the very first primary of the 2016 election, Ted Cruz is having a bit of a panic moment. Having enjoyed high polls in Iowa for months, his disastrous last debate performance and general unlikability have him falling fast. In his desperation to win, his campaign decided to try to lie and shame voters into showing up for him – and absolutely NOBODY is happy about it. This week, Iowans began waking up to find a scary looking note in their mail. On yellow paper made to look like a ticket, the letter reads “VOTING VIOLATION” and creepily names the homeowner and their neighbors. The instructions are even more pathetic."
"In the closing days before the Iowa caucus, the very first primary of the 2016 election, Ted Cruz is having a bit of a panic moment. Having enjoyed high polls in Iowa for months, his disastrous last debate performance and general unlikability have him falling fast. In his desperation to win, his campaign decided to try to lie and shame voters into showing up for him – and absolutely NOBODY is happy about it. This week, Iowans began waking up to find a scary looking note in their mail. On yellow paper made to look like a ticket, the letter reads “VOTING VIOLATION” and creepily names the homeowner and their neighbors. The instructions are even more pathetic."
Koch Brothers Bring their Billionaires Pals Together to Plot How to Corrupt the System Even More... If That is Possible @alternet
Koch Brothers Bring their Billionaires Pals Together to Plot How to Corrupt the System Even More... If That is Possible @alternet:
"Billionaire Republican backers host retreat with other super-rich conservatives as secret donations are forecast to break records in the 2016 election."
"Billionaire Republican backers host retreat with other super-rich conservatives as secret donations are forecast to break records in the 2016 election."
Saturday, January 30, 2016
WATCH: Bernie Sanders Comforts Sobbing Iowa Woman Struggling to Live on Minimum Wage @alternet
WATCH: Bernie Sanders Comforts Sobbing Iowa Woman Struggling to Live on Minimum Wage @alternet:
"At an Iowa event, Sanders asked audience members to speak out about what it was like to live on less than $12,000 a year."
"At an Iowa event, Sanders asked audience members to speak out about what it was like to live on less than $12,000 a year."
AIG says if the government won't let them screw over retirees, they won't play
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/1/27/1475833/-AIG-says-if-the-government-won-t-let-them-screw-over-retirees-they-won-t-play
"The latest massive offense the Obama administration has done to Wall Street is to come up with a rule telling financial services companies that their first duty is to their clients. That's such an offensive requirement, Republicans in Congress have even been trying to derail it. Because nothing should stand in the way of profits for Wall Street, including the nest eggs of senior citizens. To prove how awful the whole idea is, American International Group Inc. (AIG) decided they had to sell off, admitting that if they can't screw old people out of money, then why bother?"
"The latest massive offense the Obama administration has done to Wall Street is to come up with a rule telling financial services companies that their first duty is to their clients. That's such an offensive requirement, Republicans in Congress have even been trying to derail it. Because nothing should stand in the way of profits for Wall Street, including the nest eggs of senior citizens. To prove how awful the whole idea is, American International Group Inc. (AIG) decided they had to sell off, admitting that if they can't screw old people out of money, then why bother?"
Obama Just Made It Easier To Uncover Cases Of Pay Discrimination
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2016/01/29/3744264/obama-gender-wage-gap-reporting/
"Friday marks seven years since President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law, the first bill he signed, aimed at helping women combat the gender wage gap by giving them more time to bring lawsuits. But in that time, the gender wage gap — which means that American women working full-time, year round make 79 percent of what men make, a gap that’s much larger for women of color — has only narrowed by two cents, not a statistically significant change. So to mark the anniversary, Obama will announce executive action on Friday to institute a new requirement that companies with 100 or more employees report what workers are paid broken down by gender, race, and ethnicity to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)."
"Friday marks seven years since President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law, the first bill he signed, aimed at helping women combat the gender wage gap by giving them more time to bring lawsuits. But in that time, the gender wage gap — which means that American women working full-time, year round make 79 percent of what men make, a gap that’s much larger for women of color — has only narrowed by two cents, not a statistically significant change. So to mark the anniversary, Obama will announce executive action on Friday to institute a new requirement that companies with 100 or more employees report what workers are paid broken down by gender, race, and ethnicity to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)."
With Wages Still Unequal, Obama Issues Mandate to Combat Pay Gap
With Wages Still Unequal, Obama Issues Mandate to Combat Pay Gap
"Despite laws on the books, the median woman in America working full-time throughout the year is still paid just 79 cents for every dollar earned by a man."
"Despite laws on the books, the median woman in America working full-time throughout the year is still paid just 79 cents for every dollar earned by a man."
Flint, Michigan and Democracy
Flint, Michigan and Democracy
"Michigan voters rejected the emergency manager system in a 2012 referendum. Yet it still emerged with dictatorial powers over the lives of people living in Detroit, Flint, Pontiac and Benton Harbor. The Republican governor and the legislature made an end run around the will of the people that was expressed so clearly at the ballot box. They simply ignored what the voters wanted and passed emergency management legislation anyway."
"Michigan voters rejected the emergency manager system in a 2012 referendum. Yet it still emerged with dictatorial powers over the lives of people living in Detroit, Flint, Pontiac and Benton Harbor. The Republican governor and the legislature made an end run around the will of the people that was expressed so clearly at the ballot box. They simply ignored what the voters wanted and passed emergency management legislation anyway."
Bernie Sanders Vows to Crack Down on Greedy Corporate Tax Dodgers
Bernie Sanders Vows to Crack Down on Greedy Corporate Tax Dodgers
"Singling out what he dubs the "top 10 corporate tax dodgers," Bernie Sanders on Friday pledged to close loopholes that let huge corporations avoid paying their fair share in taxes. The list (pdf) includes General Electric, Boeing, Bank of America, Citigroup, and Merck, and notes that several of the companies' CEOs, even as they sit on massive retirement savings, want to raise the eligibility age for—and make significant cuts to—social safety net programs like Medicare and Social Security."
"Singling out what he dubs the "top 10 corporate tax dodgers," Bernie Sanders on Friday pledged to close loopholes that let huge corporations avoid paying their fair share in taxes. The list (pdf) includes General Electric, Boeing, Bank of America, Citigroup, and Merck, and notes that several of the companies' CEOs, even as they sit on massive retirement savings, want to raise the eligibility age for—and make significant cuts to—social safety net programs like Medicare and Social Security."
Donald Trump is wrecking the conservative movement: How the billionaire is exposing its most toxic secret
Donald Trump is wrecking the conservative movement: How the billionaire is exposing its most toxic secret
"The mystery is why all these smart conservatives didn’t see this coming. They unleashed this beast a long time ago with the hate radio and the media propaganda and the ruthless politics. It was only a matter of time before it turned on them."
"The mystery is why all these smart conservatives didn’t see this coming. They unleashed this beast a long time ago with the hate radio and the media propaganda and the ruthless politics. It was only a matter of time before it turned on them."
As The GOP Crumbles Republicans Blame Sarah Palin For Their Demise
http://www.politicususa.com/2016/01/27/gop-crumbles-republicans-blame-sarah-palin-demise.html
"Republicans must sell hate to people who don’t know they are being manipulated, or no one but the 2% will vote for them. This is why they picked Sarah Palin. So to blame Sarah Palin, whose hatred they used when it worked in their favor, is the height of hypocrisy.
"Republicans must sell hate to people who don’t know they are being manipulated, or no one but the 2% will vote for them. This is why they picked Sarah Palin. So to blame Sarah Palin, whose hatred they used when it worked in their favor, is the height of hypocrisy.
Anne Frank’s Stepsister: Donald Trump Is The New Hitler
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/anne-franks-stepsister-donald-trump-is-the-new-hitler/
"He is openly supported by neo-Nazis and white supremacist groups, and uses his Twitter account to retweet and cirulate their ideas."
"He is openly supported by neo-Nazis and white supremacist groups, and uses his Twitter account to retweet and cirulate their ideas."
"The Guy Scares Me": Holocaust Survivors Warn About The Danger Of Trump's Right-Wing Media Approved Rhetoric
http://mediamatters.org/research/2016/01/28/the-guy-scares-me-holocaust-survivors-warn-abou/208241
"On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Holocaust survivors warned about the demagoguery and rhetoric espoused by Donald Trump that they say echoes back to Nazi Germany -- the same rhetoric which has been sanctioned by right-wing media and praised by white nationalist media as "wonderful"."
"On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Holocaust survivors warned about the demagoguery and rhetoric espoused by Donald Trump that they say echoes back to Nazi Germany -- the same rhetoric which has been sanctioned by right-wing media and praised by white nationalist media as "wonderful"."
Anne Frank's Stepsister: Trump 'Is Acting Like Hitler': Holocaust Survivors Warn of Historical Parallels @alternet
Anne Frank's Stepsister: Trump 'Is Acting Like Hitler': Holocaust Survivors Warn of Historical Parallels @alternet:
"The most direct answer to Munzer’s question can be found in the words of Trump’s followers themselves, who aren’t so much buying into hate as they are enthusiastically supporting the guy boosting the hate and racism they already feel."
"The most direct answer to Munzer’s question can be found in the words of Trump’s followers themselves, who aren’t so much buying into hate as they are enthusiastically supporting the guy boosting the hate and racism they already feel."
Since Donald Trump Began Attacking Megyn Kelly's Debate Role, Fox News Has Given Him Nearly $1 Million In Free Airtime
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2016/01/28/since-donald-trump-began-attacking-megyn-kellys/208242
"Since Donald Trump began attacking Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly's participation in the network's January 28 GOP presidential primary debate, Fox has given him nearly 40 minutes of free airtime, amounting to about $1 million."
"Since Donald Trump began attacking Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly's participation in the network's January 28 GOP presidential primary debate, Fox has given him nearly 40 minutes of free airtime, amounting to about $1 million."
Republican insiders frantically try to pin the blame for the rise of Trump
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/1/27/1475884/-Republican-insiders-frantically-try-to-pin-the-blame-for-the-rise-of-Trump
"the blame lies with those in the party who encouraged more and more radical rhetoric from their leaders, priming the base for ever-more radical ideas and a hatred of the mere idea of government."
"the blame lies with those in the party who encouraged more and more radical rhetoric from their leaders, priming the base for ever-more radical ideas and a hatred of the mere idea of government."
Donald Trump exposes the Big Lie at Fox News: It’s hate and resentment the network’s shilling, not conservatism
Donald Trump exposes the Big Lie at Fox News: It’s hate and resentment the network’s shilling, not conservatism
"The crowning irony here is that both the GOP and Fox News have spent the past four decades laying the groundwork for Trump’s rise. They have sought to create an electorate that is ill informed and disenfranchised, angry and impotent, susceptible to propaganda, and disengaged from the practical effects and moral necessity of governance. They have reaped remarkable political and monetary rewards for the wealthiest Americans by urging the poor and middle class to vote based on indignation rather than their own interests. Trump is the logical byproduct of this sustained campaign: an isotopic nihilist who could care less about conservatism, who feeds off the adulation of the enraged, self-victimizing masses bred by the conservative movement. If the Tea Party was the beginning of this revolution — the ascent of overt and angry know-nothingism in the guise of conservatism—then Trump marks its apotheosis. He is the unyielding authoritarian redeemer that conservative dittoheads have been awaiting for years."
"The crowning irony here is that both the GOP and Fox News have spent the past four decades laying the groundwork for Trump’s rise. They have sought to create an electorate that is ill informed and disenfranchised, angry and impotent, susceptible to propaganda, and disengaged from the practical effects and moral necessity of governance. They have reaped remarkable political and monetary rewards for the wealthiest Americans by urging the poor and middle class to vote based on indignation rather than their own interests. Trump is the logical byproduct of this sustained campaign: an isotopic nihilist who could care less about conservatism, who feeds off the adulation of the enraged, self-victimizing masses bred by the conservative movement. If the Tea Party was the beginning of this revolution — the ascent of overt and angry know-nothingism in the guise of conservatism—then Trump marks its apotheosis. He is the unyielding authoritarian redeemer that conservative dittoheads have been awaiting for years."
Top Veterans Group To Trump: Keep Your Money, Stop Exploiting Us For Political Gain
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/top-veterans-group-to-trump-keep-your-money-stop-exploiting-us-for-political-gain/
"If the Republican Party really valued our veterans, maybe they wouldn’t have cut $1.4 billion in veterans funds from the budget – and wouldn’t need to rely on handouts from opportunistic hypocrites like Donald Trump."
"If the Republican Party really valued our veterans, maybe they wouldn’t have cut $1.4 billion in veterans funds from the budget – and wouldn’t need to rely on handouts from opportunistic hypocrites like Donald Trump."
Republicans Should be Ashamed that Donald Trump is Exploiting Veterans to Mask His Cowardice
Republicans Should be Ashamed that Donald Trump is Exploiting Veterans to Mask His Cowardice
"Make no mistake about it, this event has nothing to do with helping veterans. If it did, he wouldn’t have scheduled it right at the start of the Republican presidential debate. This whole spectacle tonight is about nothing more than Donald Trump using veterans to try to protect himself from some criticism and to get attention from the media by using the brave men and women who’ve served this country as props for his own petty nonsense. And the truth is, the Republican party should be ashamed of this. If Trump wants to have these asinine spats with the media, that’s fine. That’s who he is and the voters can decide for themselves whether or not they want to elect someone who acts like a buffoon. But for him to continually bring veterans into these conflicts to try to protect himself is appalling. And it’s rather pathetic that more members of his party – and the media – aren’t calling him out for doing so. You have to be an absolute fool to not recognize what he’s doing and exactly why he’s doing it. It’s just a shame that the Republican party has apparently reached such an utterly pathetic and sad level of ethics that even when their leading presidential candidate purposely sets out to exploit veterans, all for the sake of protecting his bloated ego, almost no one within the party has the courage to stand up and call him out for doing so."
"Make no mistake about it, this event has nothing to do with helping veterans. If it did, he wouldn’t have scheduled it right at the start of the Republican presidential debate. This whole spectacle tonight is about nothing more than Donald Trump using veterans to try to protect himself from some criticism and to get attention from the media by using the brave men and women who’ve served this country as props for his own petty nonsense. And the truth is, the Republican party should be ashamed of this. If Trump wants to have these asinine spats with the media, that’s fine. That’s who he is and the voters can decide for themselves whether or not they want to elect someone who acts like a buffoon. But for him to continually bring veterans into these conflicts to try to protect himself is appalling. And it’s rather pathetic that more members of his party – and the media – aren’t calling him out for doing so. You have to be an absolute fool to not recognize what he’s doing and exactly why he’s doing it. It’s just a shame that the Republican party has apparently reached such an utterly pathetic and sad level of ethics that even when their leading presidential candidate purposely sets out to exploit veterans, all for the sake of protecting his bloated ego, almost no one within the party has the courage to stand up and call him out for doing so."
Veterans Send ‘Loser’ Trump A Brutal Message: Keep Your Donations (TWEETS)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2016/01/28/veterans-send-loser-trump-a-brutal-message-keep-your-donations-tweets/
"The veterans’ scorn is honestly well-deserved – a look into Trump’s past can easily prove that this is just a stunt for Trump and there’s no sincerity in his charity event."
"The veterans’ scorn is honestly well-deserved – a look into Trump’s past can easily prove that this is just a stunt for Trump and there’s no sincerity in his charity event."
Friday, January 29, 2016
How Rick Snyder doomed Flint from the start: Tax cuts for the ultra-rich, poison for the poor
How Rick Snyder doomed Flint from the start: Tax cuts for the ultra-rich, poison for the poor
"Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder doesn’t want you to know which corporations are paying to salvage his reputation in the wake of the lead poisoning of Flint’s children under his watch. In fact, when he was asked about it at a press conference in Flint on Wednesday, he walked out. At issue are two dark money non-.profits, Moving Michigan Forward and Celebrating the Power of Michigan, that Snyder uses to accept corporate donations to fund various projects, including paying out-of-state P.R. firm Mercury to manage public relations related to Flint."
"Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder doesn’t want you to know which corporations are paying to salvage his reputation in the wake of the lead poisoning of Flint’s children under his watch. In fact, when he was asked about it at a press conference in Flint on Wednesday, he walked out. At issue are two dark money non-.profits, Moving Michigan Forward and Celebrating the Power of Michigan, that Snyder uses to accept corporate donations to fund various projects, including paying out-of-state P.R. firm Mercury to manage public relations related to Flint."
Thursday, January 28, 2016
California Gov. Jerry Brown Obliterates Republican Economic Propaganda with One Stat
California Gov. Jerry Brown Obliterates Republican Economic Propaganda with One Stat
"As we all know, essentially the entire Republican economic philosophy is based upon deregulation and tax cuts. It’s an interesting stance considering Republicans have finally admitted that over the last 40 years income inequality has become a major problem. Of course, those years just so happen to coincide with “trickle-down” economics, otherwise known as the promise that tax cuts for the rich will benefit all of us. Each and every time a Republican admits that income inequality has been a problem over the last 40 or so years, all they’re really doing is admitting that trickle-down economics has been an absolute failure. But the truth of the matter is, you really have to be naive or brainwashed to believe that cutting taxes for the rich will benefit the rest of us. Since the dawn of this failed economic philosophy all that’s happened is the rich have gotten richer, the middle class has fallen further and further behind and our national debt has ballooned to over $18 trillion and growing. The only ones who’ve benefited from this con have been the wealthy. Even with those facts being indisputable, to listen to Republicans talk about any sort of tax hikes or regulation you’d think it was going to lead to a complete collapse of our economy and the elimination of millions of jobs. That’s nonsense. In fact, California Governor Jerry Brown just obliterated Republican economic talking points during his state’s State of the State Address when he boasted about the fact that California has created two million new jobs since 2011 – despite fairly substantial tax hikes. Oh, and by the way, the state also has a huge budget surplus."
"As we all know, essentially the entire Republican economic philosophy is based upon deregulation and tax cuts. It’s an interesting stance considering Republicans have finally admitted that over the last 40 years income inequality has become a major problem. Of course, those years just so happen to coincide with “trickle-down” economics, otherwise known as the promise that tax cuts for the rich will benefit all of us. Each and every time a Republican admits that income inequality has been a problem over the last 40 or so years, all they’re really doing is admitting that trickle-down economics has been an absolute failure. But the truth of the matter is, you really have to be naive or brainwashed to believe that cutting taxes for the rich will benefit the rest of us. Since the dawn of this failed economic philosophy all that’s happened is the rich have gotten richer, the middle class has fallen further and further behind and our national debt has ballooned to over $18 trillion and growing. The only ones who’ve benefited from this con have been the wealthy. Even with those facts being indisputable, to listen to Republicans talk about any sort of tax hikes or regulation you’d think it was going to lead to a complete collapse of our economy and the elimination of millions of jobs. That’s nonsense. In fact, California Governor Jerry Brown just obliterated Republican economic talking points during his state’s State of the State Address when he boasted about the fact that California has created two million new jobs since 2011 – despite fairly substantial tax hikes. Oh, and by the way, the state also has a huge budget surplus."
How Michigan's Emergency Management Law Poisoned Flint's Children @alternet
How Michigan's Emergency Management Law Poisoned Flint's Children @alternet:
"If Michiganders are looking for someone to blame for the travesty in Flint, they need look no further than Governor Rick Snyder and the emergency manager Snyder appointed who unilaterally made a decision that put thousands of children and adults at serious risk."
"If Michiganders are looking for someone to blame for the travesty in Flint, they need look no further than Governor Rick Snyder and the emergency manager Snyder appointed who unilaterally made a decision that put thousands of children and adults at serious risk."
Government Run Like a Business Poisons Kids @alternet
Government Run Like a Business Poisons Kids @alternet:
"The people of Michigan hired themselves a GOP businessman to be governor in 2011. And what they got was children poisoned by public water in Flint. That is, what they got was a government run based on GOP business values. To line the pockets of CEOs and shareholders, corporations cut corners in ways that frequently end up injuring workers and the public. Think of the Upper Big Branch mine disaster where safety violations killed 29 workers or the Takata airbag fatalities that occurred despite workers voicing safety concerns or the nine deaths and 714 illnesses caused by salmonella-contaminated peanut butter knowingly sold by Peanut Corporation of America. So, really, the lead poisoning of Flint children by a government based on Republican business values is no surprise."
"The people of Michigan hired themselves a GOP businessman to be governor in 2011. And what they got was children poisoned by public water in Flint. That is, what they got was a government run based on GOP business values. To line the pockets of CEOs and shareholders, corporations cut corners in ways that frequently end up injuring workers and the public. Think of the Upper Big Branch mine disaster where safety violations killed 29 workers or the Takata airbag fatalities that occurred despite workers voicing safety concerns or the nine deaths and 714 illnesses caused by salmonella-contaminated peanut butter knowingly sold by Peanut Corporation of America. So, really, the lead poisoning of Flint children by a government based on Republican business values is no surprise."
Michigan Rep. Troubled That Gov. Snyder Is Hiring PR Firms With Dark Money
http://samuel-warde.com/2016/01/michigan-rep-troubled-gov-snyder-hiring-pr-firms-dark-money/
"We keep seeing familiar patterns when it comes to GOP governance. That even when it costs more to outsource, they still choose to outsource and privatize. Private companies aren’t in the business of caring about people, and government needs to stop handing over precious resources and basic human rights, like clean water, to corporations in the name of Capitalism."
"We keep seeing familiar patterns when it comes to GOP governance. That even when it costs more to outsource, they still choose to outsource and privatize. Private companies aren’t in the business of caring about people, and government needs to stop handing over precious resources and basic human rights, like clean water, to corporations in the name of Capitalism."
'Join Us in a Revolt': Michael Moore Pens Open Letter on How to Help Victims of Flint Water Crisis @alternet
'Join Us in a Revolt': Michael Moore Pens Open Letter on How to Help Victims of Flint Water Crisis @alternet:
"Instead of sending bottled water—a short-term solution to a long-term problem—Moore lays out a five-step plan for those who want to help. The first step is to push for the arrest and removal of Michigan governor Rick Snyder."
"Instead of sending bottled water—a short-term solution to a long-term problem—Moore lays out a five-step plan for those who want to help. The first step is to push for the arrest and removal of Michigan governor Rick Snyder."
Robert Gates: Republican Foreign Policy “Would Embarrass A Middle Schooler”
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/robert-gates-republican-foreign-policy-would-embarrass-a-middle-schooler-2/
"He’s absolutely right, and beautifully sums up our current predicament with the Republican Party. One of these people will be nominated for the Presidency, but their policies are simplistic fantasies with absolutely no basis in reality."
"He’s absolutely right, and beautifully sums up our current predicament with the Republican Party. One of these people will be nominated for the Presidency, but their policies are simplistic fantasies with absolutely no basis in reality."
Former Pentagon chief Robert Gates: Republicans’ grasp of national security is at a child’s level
Former Pentagon chief Robert Gates: Republicans’ grasp of national security is at a child’s level
"Robert Gates , a Republican stalwart and former US defence secretary who served under eight presidents, has derided the party’s election candidates for a grasp of national security issues that “would embarrass a middle schooler”. An ex-CIA director who first joined the White House under Richard Nixon, Gates joked that if frontrunner Donald Trump wins the presidency, he would emigrate to Canada."
"Robert Gates , a Republican stalwart and former US defence secretary who served under eight presidents, has derided the party’s election candidates for a grasp of national security issues that “would embarrass a middle schooler”. An ex-CIA director who first joined the White House under Richard Nixon, Gates joked that if frontrunner Donald Trump wins the presidency, he would emigrate to Canada."
Jeb Bush, Please Educate Yourself About Food Stamps
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/34404-jeb-bush-please-talk-to-bob-dole-about-food-stamps
"Debates over poverty are important; they can affect millions of our less fortunate fellow citizens. But politicians who issue proposals in this area should make sure they have at least a rudimentary knowledge of the basic facts and research - especially on programs they propose to abolish."
"Debates over poverty are important; they can affect millions of our less fortunate fellow citizens. But politicians who issue proposals in this area should make sure they have at least a rudimentary knowledge of the basic facts and research - especially on programs they propose to abolish."
Now in the Republican privatizing crosshairs: Air traffic control
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/1/16/1469479/-Now-in-the-Republican-privatizing-crosshairs-Air-traffic-control
"From schools to prisons to parking meters, the horror stories are hurting services, cutting jobs, and failing to deliver the cost savings the privatizers always promise."
"From schools to prisons to parking meters, the horror stories are hurting services, cutting jobs, and failing to deliver the cost savings the privatizers always promise."
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
What Do Unions Do for the Middle Class?
http://www.scribd.com/doc/295155616/What-Do-Unions-Do-for-the-Middle-Class
"Several studies show that the decline of unions has been a leading contributor to rising wage inequality, which is closely linked to the hollowing out of the middle class described above. Bruce Western of Harvard University and Jake Rosenfeld of the University of Washington have recently shown that up to one-third of the rise in male wage inequality between 1979 and 2010 is explained by the decline of union membership. Studies by David Card of the University of California, Berkeley, and Thomas Lemieux and W. Craig Riddell of the Vancouver School of Economics at the University of British Columbia; John DiNardo of the University of Michigan, Nicole Fortin of the Vancouver School of Economics, and Lemieux; and Richard Freeman of Harvard University have reached similar conclusions."
"Several studies show that the decline of unions has been a leading contributor to rising wage inequality, which is closely linked to the hollowing out of the middle class described above. Bruce Western of Harvard University and Jake Rosenfeld of the University of Washington have recently shown that up to one-third of the rise in male wage inequality between 1979 and 2010 is explained by the decline of union membership. Studies by David Card of the University of California, Berkeley, and Thomas Lemieux and W. Craig Riddell of the Vancouver School of Economics at the University of British Columbia; John DiNardo of the University of Michigan, Nicole Fortin of the Vancouver School of Economics, and Lemieux; and Richard Freeman of Harvard University have reached similar conclusions."
President Obama On The Verge Of Issuing A “Citizens United Stunner”
http://www.politicususa.com/2016/01/26/president-obama-verge-pen-citizens-united-stunner.html
"The President is in the midst of very serious plan to issue an executive order that requires companies doing business with the federal government to disclose their political contributions. Just think; with a stroke of his pen the President will make “dark money” donors receiving billions of taxpayer money reveal who they contribute to or lose out on those highly-profitable federal government contracts. Now, of course this does not, in any way, shape or form “overturn” Citizens United. But it is a major step in prompting some companies and corporations doing business with the federal government to rein in some of their dark money efforts to buy influence over the government."
"The President is in the midst of very serious plan to issue an executive order that requires companies doing business with the federal government to disclose their political contributions. Just think; with a stroke of his pen the President will make “dark money” donors receiving billions of taxpayer money reveal who they contribute to or lose out on those highly-profitable federal government contracts. Now, of course this does not, in any way, shape or form “overturn” Citizens United. But it is a major step in prompting some companies and corporations doing business with the federal government to rein in some of their dark money efforts to buy influence over the government."
Koch Brothers Really Want To Be Liked As They Destroy America
http://www.breitbartunmasked.com/2016/01/19/koch-brothers-really-want-to-be-liked-as-they-destroy-america/
"Right! Other than supporting the John Birch Society while it smeared Martin Luther King, Jr., touting Holocaust denial in their magazine, funding the Tea Party movement into existence, spending a billion dollars on right wing electoral politics in this cycle alone, creating ‘libertarian’ organizations that fund authoritarian bigotry, their decades-long campaign of global warming denial, their efforts to privatize public lands and install their ideology on campus, not to mention their massive pollution of the air and water, what have poor Charles and his brother ever done to make anyone hate them?"
"Right! Other than supporting the John Birch Society while it smeared Martin Luther King, Jr., touting Holocaust denial in their magazine, funding the Tea Party movement into existence, spending a billion dollars on right wing electoral politics in this cycle alone, creating ‘libertarian’ organizations that fund authoritarian bigotry, their decades-long campaign of global warming denial, their efforts to privatize public lands and install their ideology on campus, not to mention their massive pollution of the air and water, what have poor Charles and his brother ever done to make anyone hate them?"
How the Obama economy overcame Republican sabotage
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/1/24/1472698/-How-the-Obama-economy-overcame-Republican-sabotage
"As Barack Obama marks his seventh year in office, the resurgent American economy is posing a major problem for his Republican detractors. After years of denouncing the president's supposed "out of control spending," "job-crushing taxes," and "job-killing Obamacare," the pathetic GOP claim that Obama "made the economy worse" can't pass the laugh test. After all, the unemployment rate has been cut in half during his tenure as the private sector added jobs for a record 70 straight months. New jobless claims have dropped to their lowest level since 2007 while workers' ability to voluntarily switch jobs has increased. Even with its recent buffeting from China and the plummeting price of oil, the Dow Jones has doubled. All the while, the annual budget deficit has been slashed by two-thirds and inflation-adjusted federal spending has been lower than the day Barack Obama first took the oath of office."
"As Barack Obama marks his seventh year in office, the resurgent American economy is posing a major problem for his Republican detractors. After years of denouncing the president's supposed "out of control spending," "job-crushing taxes," and "job-killing Obamacare," the pathetic GOP claim that Obama "made the economy worse" can't pass the laugh test. After all, the unemployment rate has been cut in half during his tenure as the private sector added jobs for a record 70 straight months. New jobless claims have dropped to their lowest level since 2007 while workers' ability to voluntarily switch jobs has increased. Even with its recent buffeting from China and the plummeting price of oil, the Dow Jones has doubled. All the while, the annual budget deficit has been slashed by two-thirds and inflation-adjusted federal spending has been lower than the day Barack Obama first took the oath of office."
As Bernie Sanders Is Showing, This Country Is Much More Progressive Than You Think @alternet
As Bernie Sanders Is Showing, This Country Is Much More Progressive Than You Think @alternet:
"Despite the political division in Washington, the far-right rancor being spewed by G.O.P. candidates, and the contention in the Democratic race over Wall Street, campaign finance reform, universal health care, and how to handle ISIS, poll after poll shows that the people of this country strongly support progressive, liberal and democratic socialist ideas."
"Despite the political division in Washington, the far-right rancor being spewed by G.O.P. candidates, and the contention in the Democratic race over Wall Street, campaign finance reform, universal health care, and how to handle ISIS, poll after poll shows that the people of this country strongly support progressive, liberal and democratic socialist ideas."
Chris Christie remains the Republican presidential race's biggest liar (the blizzard edition)
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/1/25/1474925/-Chris-Christie-remains-the-Republican-presidential-race-s-biggest-liar-the-blizzard-edition
"Here's Republican candidate and still-sitting New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie lying robustly about the damage this weekend's blizzard did to his state."
"Here's Republican candidate and still-sitting New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie lying robustly about the damage this weekend's blizzard did to his state."
Gay Discrimination Bill Hampers Governor Pence's Reelection Bid
Gay Discrimination Bill Hampers Governor Pence's Reelection Bid
"Pence's discrimination did, however, hurt the state's business-friendly image, and money reigns supreme above all matters. The state was forced to hire outside PR to fix the anti-business friendly image now attached to Indiana, just two weeks after Pence signed the "Fix"."
"Pence's discrimination did, however, hurt the state's business-friendly image, and money reigns supreme above all matters. The state was forced to hire outside PR to fix the anti-business friendly image now attached to Indiana, just two weeks after Pence signed the "Fix"."
They’re still lying about Ronald Reagan: What Trump, Cruz and the GOP field won’t tell you about Reaganomics
They’re still lying about Ronald Reagan: What Trump, Cruz and the GOP field won’t tell you about Reaganomics
"After the Republican darling cut taxes in 1981, a budget deficit ballooned, and Reagan ended up signing “probably the largest peacetime tax increase in American history.” Ronald Reagan is quite the opposite of a boon for the low-tax, low-regulation argument: he was actually responsible for a historically large tax increase. The historical evidence is clear, and with economists actively warning against the Republican economic plans that “deny fiscal reality,” “benefit the wealthiest Americans” and “ensure that the top 1 percent comes out way ahead,” there is absolutely no reason for Americans to be caught in a debate over which Party has the better economic policy. The Republican laissez-faire, supply-side economic agenda doesn’t work. Even though we know this, even though the truth is plain, America is caught, cycling itself through one grand, pointless economic loop. Thanks to the Republicans, this country looks an awful lot like it’s been transported back 95 years."
"After the Republican darling cut taxes in 1981, a budget deficit ballooned, and Reagan ended up signing “probably the largest peacetime tax increase in American history.” Ronald Reagan is quite the opposite of a boon for the low-tax, low-regulation argument: he was actually responsible for a historically large tax increase. The historical evidence is clear, and with economists actively warning against the Republican economic plans that “deny fiscal reality,” “benefit the wealthiest Americans” and “ensure that the top 1 percent comes out way ahead,” there is absolutely no reason for Americans to be caught in a debate over which Party has the better economic policy. The Republican laissez-faire, supply-side economic agenda doesn’t work. Even though we know this, even though the truth is plain, America is caught, cycling itself through one grand, pointless economic loop. Thanks to the Republicans, this country looks an awful lot like it’s been transported back 95 years."
The Kochs' secret agenda not so secret anymore as even local media starts investigating
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/1/23/1472641/-The-Kochs-secret-agenda-not-so-secret-anymore-as-even-local-media-starts-investigating
"This story is exactly why the Koch brothers worked so hard to keep their vast network of extreme anti-government organizations so secret. It's a local news story investigating the infiltration by the Kochs into the local university."
"This story is exactly why the Koch brothers worked so hard to keep their vast network of extreme anti-government organizations so secret. It's a local news story investigating the infiltration by the Kochs into the local university."
Sarah Palin’s American lobotomy: The Republicans keep making us dumber, and not even Stephen Colbert can save us
Sarah Palin’s American lobotomy: The Republicans keep making us dumber, and not even Stephen Colbert can save us
"Here’s the irony though. Intelligence is actually a core value of U.S. politics, or at least it used to be. Elvin Lim has found that over time our political rhetoric has relentlessly declined. In fact, he notes a nosedive in intelligence in public speech since the founding fathers. President George Washington’s “Farewell Address” in 1796 was written at graduate-degree levels: Grade 17.9 , while President Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” in 1863 was at an 11th-grade level. Now we have Trump coming in at fourth grade. I’m guessing Palin doesn’t even rate that high."
"Here’s the irony though. Intelligence is actually a core value of U.S. politics, or at least it used to be. Elvin Lim has found that over time our political rhetoric has relentlessly declined. In fact, he notes a nosedive in intelligence in public speech since the founding fathers. President George Washington’s “Farewell Address” in 1796 was written at graduate-degree levels: Grade 17.9 , while President Abraham Lincoln’s “Gettysburg Address” in 1863 was at an 11th-grade level. Now we have Trump coming in at fourth grade. I’m guessing Palin doesn’t even rate that high."
The GOP and the dumbing down of the U.S.: Conservatives need to accept that Trump, Palin and anti-intellectualism is their fault
The GOP and the dumbing down of the U.S.: Conservatives need to accept that Trump, Palin and anti-intellectualism is their fault
"It’s not that conservatives don’t read; it’s that they only read or listen to people like Mark Levin or Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh, who are conservative entrepreneurs profiting from the blinkered rage feeding Trump’s campaign. They don’t propound a serious or coherent worldview because they don’t have one; they’re entertainers chasing ratings."
"It’s not that conservatives don’t read; it’s that they only read or listen to people like Mark Levin or Sean Hannity or Rush Limbaugh, who are conservative entrepreneurs profiting from the blinkered rage feeding Trump’s campaign. They don’t propound a serious or coherent worldview because they don’t have one; they’re entertainers chasing ratings."
Charles Koch's decades-long plot to overthrow the government
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/1/19/1471781/-Charles-Koch-s-decades-long-plot-to-overthrow-the-government
"All of this was plotted out in the 1970s, and we've seen it all play out as the Kochs have built their political empire. The secretiveness, the insanely complex networks of programs to conceal how all the money is being spent, the astroturf, the fake philanthropy: All designed to allow Koch to act as puppeteer for the people he co-opts into being the public, political face of what he wants to be his own government. At the heart of all this is a profound contempt for the public, for democracy, and for all the rubes that have been tricked into this "movement"—which no doubt includes all the politicians they've bought."
"All of this was plotted out in the 1970s, and we've seen it all play out as the Kochs have built their political empire. The secretiveness, the insanely complex networks of programs to conceal how all the money is being spent, the astroturf, the fake philanthropy: All designed to allow Koch to act as puppeteer for the people he co-opts into being the public, political face of what he wants to be his own government. At the heart of all this is a profound contempt for the public, for democracy, and for all the rubes that have been tricked into this "movement"—which no doubt includes all the politicians they've bought."
Trump wants stuff manufactured in US, unless it's his own stuff
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/1/19/1471825/-Trump-wants-stuff-manufactured-in-US-unless-it-s-his-own-stuff
"There’s a reason we lost so much manufacturing to China and elsewhere—because of rich a**holes like Donald Trump."
"There’s a reason we lost so much manufacturing to China and elsewhere—because of rich a**holes like Donald Trump."
What Sarah Palin Really Wants From Her Donald Trump Endorsement
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/01/19/3740724/sarah-palin-donald-trump-endorsement/
"The Department of Energy mainly oversees the U.S. nuclear weapons program and conducts energy-related research. The current Energy Secretary, Ernest Moniz, is a nuclear physicist."
"The Department of Energy mainly oversees the U.S. nuclear weapons program and conducts energy-related research. The current Energy Secretary, Ernest Moniz, is a nuclear physicist."
Why Ted Cruz Winning the GOP Nomination Would Likely Destroy the Tea Party
Why Ted Cruz Winning the GOP Nomination Would Likely Destroy the Tea Party
"If you’re a Republican, there’s a harsh reality facing you this presidential election: The GOP has only won the popular vote just one time since 1988. While it’s true that our presidents are picked via the electoral college, the popular vote is still a fairly solid indicator of whether or not someone will win. When George W. Bush stole the 2000 election, he was the first person to become president who had lost the popular vote in well over a century. So, 2016 is a fairly big election for Republicans to sort of take an assessment of the overall health of their party. It’s one of the reasons why I’ve implored liberals to get out in record numbers this year to vote blue. I fully believe that we’re at a point with the GOP where the party is one more lost presidential election away from a complete implosion. It’s been building for years, we just need to make sure that a Democrat is elected this November to finally set in motion the full-on and complete self-destruction of the Republican party."
"If you’re a Republican, there’s a harsh reality facing you this presidential election: The GOP has only won the popular vote just one time since 1988. While it’s true that our presidents are picked via the electoral college, the popular vote is still a fairly solid indicator of whether or not someone will win. When George W. Bush stole the 2000 election, he was the first person to become president who had lost the popular vote in well over a century. So, 2016 is a fairly big election for Republicans to sort of take an assessment of the overall health of their party. It’s one of the reasons why I’ve implored liberals to get out in record numbers this year to vote blue. I fully believe that we’re at a point with the GOP where the party is one more lost presidential election away from a complete implosion. It’s been building for years, we just need to make sure that a Democrat is elected this November to finally set in motion the full-on and complete self-destruction of the Republican party."
A neuroscientist explains: Trump has a mental disorder that makes him a dangerous world leader
A neuroscientist explains: Trump has a mental disorder that makes him a dangerous world leader
"According to the Mayo Clinic, narcissistic personality disorder is “a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others"."
"According to the Mayo Clinic, narcissistic personality disorder is “a mental disorder in which people have an inflated sense of their own importance, a deep need for admiration and a lack of empathy for others"."
Dark Money: Ted Cruz Bought His Senate Seat With A Secret Loan From Goldman Sachs
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2016/01/13/dark-money-ted-cruz-bought-his-senate-seat-with-a-secret-loan-from-goldman-sachs/
"Cruz has previously accused Goldman of being the beneficiary of “crony capitalism,” and said they “they seek out and get special favors from government.” The loans obtained by Cruz were not disclosed on forms filed with the federal government."
"Cruz has previously accused Goldman of being the beneficiary of “crony capitalism,” and said they “they seek out and get special favors from government.” The loans obtained by Cruz were not disclosed on forms filed with the federal government."
BUSTED: Emails prove Carly Fiorina campaign has been illegally coordinating with super PAC
BUSTED: Emails prove Carly Fiorina campaign has been illegally coordinating with super PAC
"An investigation by the International Business Times has turned up evidence that the campaign of GOP candidate and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina has been illegally coordinating campaign stops with a super PAC supporting her — in direct conflict with FEC laws prohibiting such collaborations."
"An investigation by the International Business Times has turned up evidence that the campaign of GOP candidate and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina has been illegally coordinating campaign stops with a super PAC supporting her — in direct conflict with FEC laws prohibiting such collaborations."
Ted Cruz's loan from Goldman Sachs was a bullish bet on the Obama economy
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/1/14/1469670/-Ted-Cruz-s-loan-from-Goldman-Sachs-was-a-bullish-bet-on-the-Obama-economy
"the Goldman loan was a so-called “margin loan,” which was secured by Cruz’s brokerage account. Usually, notes reporter Mike McIntire, margin loans are used to purchase stocks, but they don’t have to be, and so Cruz used the proceeds to support his campaign."
"the Goldman loan was a so-called “margin loan,” which was secured by Cruz’s brokerage account. Usually, notes reporter Mike McIntire, margin loans are used to purchase stocks, but they don’t have to be, and so Cruz used the proceeds to support his campaign."
Sunday, January 24, 2016
Donald Trump’s supporters have one frightening personality trait in common — here’s what it is
Donald Trump’s supporters have one frightening personality trait in common — here’s what it is
"It’s authoritarianism, clear and simple. Americans with authoritarian personalities (and they are more prevalent than any of us would like them to be) tend to support Trump."
"It’s authoritarianism, clear and simple. Americans with authoritarian personalities (and they are more prevalent than any of us would like them to be) tend to support Trump."
Tina Fey Reprises Epic Sarah Palin Impression to Skewer Donald Trump Endorsement @alternet
Tina Fey Reprises Epic Sarah Palin Impression to Skewer Donald Trump Endorsement @alternet:
"If you listen to Fey’s speech, it is nearly impossible to distinguish between her and the real thing unless you memorized the speech word for word."
"If you listen to Fey’s speech, it is nearly impossible to distinguish between her and the real thing unless you memorized the speech word for word."
Tina Fey reprises epic Sarah Palin impression to skewer Donald Trump endorsement
Tina Fey reprises epic Sarah Palin impression to skewer Donald Trump endorsement
"When Palin returned to the national stage this week to endorse Trump for President, no one was surprised. What took everyone back was Palin’s weird, incoherent robot ramblings that Palin substituted for a normal endorsement. If you listen to Fey’s speech, it is nearly impossible to distinguish between her and the real thing unless you memorized the speech word for word"
"When Palin returned to the national stage this week to endorse Trump for President, no one was surprised. What took everyone back was Palin’s weird, incoherent robot ramblings that Palin substituted for a normal endorsement. If you listen to Fey’s speech, it is nearly impossible to distinguish between her and the real thing unless you memorized the speech word for word"
Saturday, January 23, 2016
Tina Fey Returns To SNL To Pan Palin's Trump Endorsement
Tina Fey Returns To SNL To Pan Palin's Trump Endorsement
"We all knew this was coming after Sarah Palin's long, rambling, spite-filled endorsement speech she gave Donald Trump earlier this week."
"We all knew this was coming after Sarah Palin's long, rambling, spite-filled endorsement speech she gave Donald Trump earlier this week."
Sorry Conservatives, Obamacare Isn’t Killing Jobs; In Fact, The Private Sector Is SOARING
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2016/01/14/sorry-conservatives-obamacare-isnt-killing-jobs-in-fact-the-private-sector-is-soaring/
"As Forbes’ Dan Diamond noted last week, since Obamacare was signed into law in March 2010 (or “Armageddon” as conservatives call it) the private sector hasn’t lost any jobs."
"As Forbes’ Dan Diamond noted last week, since Obamacare was signed into law in March 2010 (or “Armageddon” as conservatives call it) the private sector hasn’t lost any jobs."
Republicans Panic As Obama Set To Sign Executive Order Making Federal Contractors Disclose Campaign Contributions
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/republicans-panic-as-obama-set-to-sign-executive-order-making-federal-contractors-disclose-campaign-contributions/
"Federal contractors made a killing off of the Iraq War, when Dick Cheney and his cronies privatized half the jobs normally done by American military forces – at the outrageous cost of $189 billion to taxpayers. Now they’re scheming to send our troops back to the Middle East by funneling money to Republican politicians. Neither group will be happy to hear the President’s latest plan – but the American people will be ecstatic!"
"Federal contractors made a killing off of the Iraq War, when Dick Cheney and his cronies privatized half the jobs normally done by American military forces – at the outrageous cost of $189 billion to taxpayers. Now they’re scheming to send our troops back to the Middle East by funneling money to Republican politicians. Neither group will be happy to hear the President’s latest plan – but the American people will be ecstatic!"
Watch: Snyder Gets Called Out For Poisoning Water To Save Pennies While Wasting Billions On Tax Cuts For The Rich
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/watch-snyder-gets-called-out-for-poisoning-water-to-save-pennies-while-wasting-billions-on-tax-cuts-for-the-rich/
"the Republican Governor of Michigan, Rick Snyder, is called out by a local news channel for his astonishing corporate tax cuts, which blew a tremendous hole in the budget and prompted Snyder’s appointed emergency manager of cash-strapped Flint to switch from the clean Detroit water system to the heavily polluted Flint River water, in an attempt to save some money which ended up poisoning a city of a hundred thousand souls."
"the Republican Governor of Michigan, Rick Snyder, is called out by a local news channel for his astonishing corporate tax cuts, which blew a tremendous hole in the budget and prompted Snyder’s appointed emergency manager of cash-strapped Flint to switch from the clean Detroit water system to the heavily polluted Flint River water, in an attempt to save some money which ended up poisoning a city of a hundred thousand souls."
Mississippi GOP: If You Don't Win It, Steal It!
Mississippi GOP: If You Don't Win It, Steal It!
"Incumbent Democrat Blaine Eaton ran against Republican Mark Tullos. It was a close race. So close, in fact, that the certified results yielded a tie -- each candidate had 4,589 votes. Under Mississippi law, a tie is broken by drawing straws. Yes, I know. It's a bizarre way to settle a tie, but there it is. Eaton drew the long straw, and that's where the story should have ended. But this is a Republican state, and it's governed by greedy Republicans. (As an aside, it's also one of the poorest states in the Union. Is there a correlation there?) They wanted their supermajority, and by God, they were going to get it. On Tuesday, the Republican majority tossed out five provisional ballots in an election where the counts had already been certified in order to award the seat to Mark Tullos and complete their supermajority."
"Incumbent Democrat Blaine Eaton ran against Republican Mark Tullos. It was a close race. So close, in fact, that the certified results yielded a tie -- each candidate had 4,589 votes. Under Mississippi law, a tie is broken by drawing straws. Yes, I know. It's a bizarre way to settle a tie, but there it is. Eaton drew the long straw, and that's where the story should have ended. But this is a Republican state, and it's governed by greedy Republicans. (As an aside, it's also one of the poorest states in the Union. Is there a correlation there?) They wanted their supermajority, and by God, they were going to get it. On Tuesday, the Republican majority tossed out five provisional ballots in an election where the counts had already been certified in order to award the seat to Mark Tullos and complete their supermajority."
Donald Trump Self Destructs And Retweets Support From White Nationalist
http://www.politicususa.com/2016/01/22/donald-trump-destructs-retweets-support-white-nationalist.html
"the corporate press has convinced themselves that Trump is their 2016 meal ticket, so they will turn a blind eye and look the other way while the Republican front runner embraces the support of a white nationalist."
"the corporate press has convinced themselves that Trump is their 2016 meal ticket, so they will turn a blind eye and look the other way while the Republican front runner embraces the support of a white nationalist."
Donald Trump Retweets Nazi-Sympathizing White Supremacist
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/01/22/3741977/trump-retweets-white-supremecist/
"This is not the first time Trump’s twitter account has interacted positively with white nationalists."
"This is not the first time Trump’s twitter account has interacted positively with white nationalists."
Donald Trump just promoted a Nazi Twitter account that showed him gassing Bernie Sanders
Donald Trump just promoted a Nazi Twitter account that showed him gassing Bernie Sanders
"Long before Trump hit the campaign trail, his ex-wife, Ivana, told Vanity Fair in a 1990 interview that Trump kept a collection of Hitler’s speeches on his night stand by his bed."
"Long before Trump hit the campaign trail, his ex-wife, Ivana, told Vanity Fair in a 1990 interview that Trump kept a collection of Hitler’s speeches on his night stand by his bed."
New Documents Reveal How Donald Trump’s Racist Dad Inspired Woody Guthrie’s Most Bitter Writings @alternet
New Documents Reveal How Donald Trump’s Racist Dad Inspired Woody Guthrie’s Most Bitter Writings @alternet
"For Guthrie, Fred Trump came to personify all the viciousness of the racist codes that continued to put decent housing – both public and private – out of reach for so many of his fellow citizens"
"For Guthrie, Fred Trump came to personify all the viciousness of the racist codes that continued to put decent housing – both public and private – out of reach for so many of his fellow citizens"
Dark Money: How The Kochs Built The Conservative Movement
Dark Money: How The Kochs Built The Conservative Movement
"Jane Mayer has details, not only about the Kochs, but about the larger billionaire network who funds and promotes the "conservative movement"."
"Jane Mayer has details, not only about the Kochs, but about the larger billionaire network who funds and promotes the "conservative movement"."
Friday, January 22, 2016
How Big An Idiot Is Rep. Justin Amash?
How Big An Idiot Is Rep. Justin Amash?
"These Ayn Rand wannabes are a blight on their constituents."
"These Ayn Rand wannabes are a blight on their constituents."
170 Prominent Economists Back Bernie Sanders’ Plan to Rein in Wall Street
http://usuncut.com/politics/170-top-economists-back-bernie-sanders-plan-to-rein-in-wall-street/
"Financial experts, academics, and economists from across the nation are officially endorsing Bernie Sanders’ proposal to break up big banks and bring justice to Wall Street."
"Financial experts, academics, and economists from across the nation are officially endorsing Bernie Sanders’ proposal to break up big banks and bring justice to Wall Street."
PERRspectives: Federal Spending Has Not Increased Under President Obama
PERRspectives: Federal Spending Has Not Increased Under President Obama
"It is an article of faith among Republicans that federal spending is "out of control" under President Obama. For the stenographers who seem to make up the bulk of the American media, the image of Obama the "tax and spend liberal" is taken for granted. Too bad it's not true. As the latest 10-year budget forecast from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) once again confirms, Uncle Sam has been spending less than the day Barack Obama first took the oath of office. In its latest assessment, CBO predicted fiscal year 2016 spending would rise to $3.91 trillion dollars. In FY 2017 which starts on October 1, spending during President Obama's final days in office will increase to $4.07 trillion. But taking inflation into account by using constant FY 2009 dollars (see OMB historical table 1.3) shows a different picture. At, $3.51 trillion, Inflation-adjusted FY 2016 spending will still be lower than on Barack Obama's first inauguration day. As I noted previously: On January 7, 2009, CNN reported on the latest long-term budget forecast from the CBO. Two weeks before President Bush ambled out of the Oval Office, CNN explained "the U.S. budget deficit in 2009 is projected to spike to a record $1.2 trillion, or 8.3% of gross domestic product." With the recession in full swing and the massive TARP program passed the previous fall, CBO predicted in January 2009 that federal spending would spike to $3.543 trillion dollars while tax revenue would plummet to an anemic to $2,357 trillion. As it turned out, the final deficit figure for the 2009 fiscal year which ended on September 30, 2009 reached $1.413 trillion because of worse-than-expected tax collections ($2,105 trillion.) If you're looking for a big spender, look no further than George W. Bush. As CBO explained, "the budget deficit for 2016 will increase after six years of decline." The culprit behind that jump from $439 billion in red ink for 2015 to $544 billion in 2016?"
"It is an article of faith among Republicans that federal spending is "out of control" under President Obama. For the stenographers who seem to make up the bulk of the American media, the image of Obama the "tax and spend liberal" is taken for granted. Too bad it's not true. As the latest 10-year budget forecast from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) once again confirms, Uncle Sam has been spending less than the day Barack Obama first took the oath of office. In its latest assessment, CBO predicted fiscal year 2016 spending would rise to $3.91 trillion dollars. In FY 2017 which starts on October 1, spending during President Obama's final days in office will increase to $4.07 trillion. But taking inflation into account by using constant FY 2009 dollars (see OMB historical table 1.3) shows a different picture. At, $3.51 trillion, Inflation-adjusted FY 2016 spending will still be lower than on Barack Obama's first inauguration day. As I noted previously: On January 7, 2009, CNN reported on the latest long-term budget forecast from the CBO. Two weeks before President Bush ambled out of the Oval Office, CNN explained "the U.S. budget deficit in 2009 is projected to spike to a record $1.2 trillion, or 8.3% of gross domestic product." With the recession in full swing and the massive TARP program passed the previous fall, CBO predicted in January 2009 that federal spending would spike to $3.543 trillion dollars while tax revenue would plummet to an anemic to $2,357 trillion. As it turned out, the final deficit figure for the 2009 fiscal year which ended on September 30, 2009 reached $1.413 trillion because of worse-than-expected tax collections ($2,105 trillion.) If you're looking for a big spender, look no further than George W. Bush. As CBO explained, "the budget deficit for 2016 will increase after six years of decline." The culprit behind that jump from $439 billion in red ink for 2015 to $544 billion in 2016?"
Why Organized Labor is More Important Than Ever In An Era of Vast Economic Inequality @alternet
Why Organized Labor is More Important Than Ever In An Era of Vast Economic Inequality @alternet:
"Where unions remain, wages and benefits are better."
"Where unions remain, wages and benefits are better."
Martin Luther King Jr.: One of the Nation's Great Democratic Socialists
Martin Luther King Jr.: One of the Nation's Great Democratic Socialists
"Regardless of how Americans identify themselves ideologically, the majority embrace ideas that some might call socialist. For example, 74% think corporations have too much influence; 73% favor tougher regulation of Wall Street; 60% believe that "our economic system unfairly favors the wealthy;" 85% want an overhaul of our campaign finance system to reduce the influence of money in politics; 58% support breaking up big banks; 79% think the wealthy don't pay their fair share of taxes; 85% favor paid family leave; 80% of Democrats and half the public support single-payer Medicare for all; 75% of Americans (including 53% of Republicans) support an increase in the federal minimum wage to $12.50, while 63% favor a $15 minimum wage; well over 70% support workers' rights to unionize; and 92% want a society with far less income disparity. If these ideas seem "radical," it is worth remembering that many things that today we take for granted -- Social Security, the minimum wage, child labor laws, voting rights for women and African Americans, Medicare, and laws protecting consumers from unsafe products and protecting workers from unsafe workplaces -- were once considered radical, too. Ideas that were once espoused by socialists and seemed radical have become common sense."
"Regardless of how Americans identify themselves ideologically, the majority embrace ideas that some might call socialist. For example, 74% think corporations have too much influence; 73% favor tougher regulation of Wall Street; 60% believe that "our economic system unfairly favors the wealthy;" 85% want an overhaul of our campaign finance system to reduce the influence of money in politics; 58% support breaking up big banks; 79% think the wealthy don't pay their fair share of taxes; 85% favor paid family leave; 80% of Democrats and half the public support single-payer Medicare for all; 75% of Americans (including 53% of Republicans) support an increase in the federal minimum wage to $12.50, while 63% favor a $15 minimum wage; well over 70% support workers' rights to unionize; and 92% want a society with far less income disparity. If these ideas seem "radical," it is worth remembering that many things that today we take for granted -- Social Security, the minimum wage, child labor laws, voting rights for women and African Americans, Medicare, and laws protecting consumers from unsafe products and protecting workers from unsafe workplaces -- were once considered radical, too. Ideas that were once espoused by socialists and seemed radical have become common sense."
Inside the New Book That's Giving the Koch Brothers a Heart Attack @alternet
Inside the New Book That's Giving the Koch Brothers a Heart Attack @alternet:
"Twenty years after collaborating with the Nazis, Fred Koch lost none of his taste for extremism. In 1958 he was one of the 11 original members of the John Birch Society, an organization which accused scores of prominent Americans, including President Dwight Eisenhower, of communist sympathies."
"Twenty years after collaborating with the Nazis, Fred Koch lost none of his taste for extremism. In 1958 he was one of the 11 original members of the John Birch Society, an organization which accused scores of prominent Americans, including President Dwight Eisenhower, of communist sympathies."
This is Donald Trump’s biggest fiction — and the engine of his insane rage machine
This is Donald Trump’s biggest fiction — and the engine of his insane rage machine
"let’s take a closer look at how real political correctness, in its original 1940s sense, functions on the right and within the GOP today, to enforce authoritarian order."
"let’s take a closer look at how real political correctness, in its original 1940s sense, functions on the right and within the GOP today, to enforce authoritarian order."
Ronald Reagan made it all worse: How Republicans — the real party with their hands out — convinced white America that government was out to get them
Ronald Reagan made it all worse: How Republicans — the real party with their hands out — convinced white America that government was out to get them
"Anti-government diatribes from the prime beneficiaries of government programs? How the GOP lies to white America"
"Anti-government diatribes from the prime beneficiaries of government programs? How the GOP lies to white America"
GOP must hope Latinos won't notice this key difference in English and Spanish SOTU rebuttals
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/1/13/1469307/-GOP-must-hope-Latinos-won-t-notice-this-key-difference-in-English-and-Spanish-SOTU-rebuttals
"Does the Republican Party think Latinos aren’t going to notice that they’re getting different promises than the white people who Republicans currently rely on for votes?"
"Does the Republican Party think Latinos aren’t going to notice that they’re getting different promises than the white people who Republicans currently rely on for votes?"
7 of the Worst Distortions and Outright Lies of the GOP Debate @alternet
7 of the Worst Distortions and Outright Lies of the GOP Debate @alternet:
"Thursday night Fox Business hosted another GOP debate where they teed up softballs and acted as though what was good for the stock market and the Fortune 500 was automatically good for the average American. Indeed, it's no surprise long-time Wall Street hack and debate moderator Maria Bartiromo would play right into the Republicans wheelhouse of low taxes and trickle-down ideas, but despite this friendly environment the Republican candidates still managed unleash to some serious whoppers."
"Thursday night Fox Business hosted another GOP debate where they teed up softballs and acted as though what was good for the stock market and the Fortune 500 was automatically good for the average American. Indeed, it's no surprise long-time Wall Street hack and debate moderator Maria Bartiromo would play right into the Republicans wheelhouse of low taxes and trickle-down ideas, but despite this friendly environment the Republican candidates still managed unleash to some serious whoppers."
RNC Leader’s Backstage Rant Shows What The GOP Really Thinks Of Donald Trump (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2016/01/15/rnc-leaders-backstage-rant-shows-what-the-gop-really-thinks-of-donald-trump-video/
"The religious right has pulled the entire party off it’s axis, and is speaking to an ever smaller, echo chamber of extreme conservatism. In doing so, they are doing the job of putting a Democrat in the White House in 2016 all by themselves."
"The religious right has pulled the entire party off it’s axis, and is speaking to an ever smaller, echo chamber of extreme conservatism. In doing so, they are doing the job of putting a Democrat in the White House in 2016 all by themselves."
Don’t be fooled: 10 Republican red states that mooch off the rest of us includes Nikki Haley’s South Carolina
Don’t be fooled: 10 Republican red states that mooch off the rest of us includes Nikki Haley’s South Carolina
"Republican Gov. Nikki Haley once boasted, “I love that we are one of the least unionized states in the country.” But that is nothing to be proud of, especially in light of the fact that non-union workers tend to have lower wages and therefore, contribute less tax revenue. The Tax Foundation found that South Carolina was receiving $1.92 from the federal government for every federal tax dollar it was contributing. Haley doesn’t think much of liberals, but considering that Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, Minnesota and New York State—all of which Obama won in both 2008 and 2012—are giving more tax dollars to the federal government than they are receiving, she might want to reconsider and start thanking them for their help."
"Republican Gov. Nikki Haley once boasted, “I love that we are one of the least unionized states in the country.” But that is nothing to be proud of, especially in light of the fact that non-union workers tend to have lower wages and therefore, contribute less tax revenue. The Tax Foundation found that South Carolina was receiving $1.92 from the federal government for every federal tax dollar it was contributing. Haley doesn’t think much of liberals, but considering that Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, Minnesota and New York State—all of which Obama won in both 2008 and 2012—are giving more tax dollars to the federal government than they are receiving, she might want to reconsider and start thanking them for their help."
Bradley Foundation Behind Latest Attack On Unions, Public Education
Bradley Foundation Behind Latest Attack On Unions, Public Education
"In other words, if the court rules against the unions, it would legalize freeloading nationally and set up the country for a complete return to Right to Work."
"In other words, if the court rules against the unions, it would legalize freeloading nationally and set up the country for a complete return to Right to Work."
300,000 Low-Income Louisianians Gained Healthcare Today As Bobby Jindal Is Replaced By Democratic Governor
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/300000-low-income-louisianians-gained-healthcare-today-as-bobby-jindal-is-replaced-by-democratic-governor/
"He leaves his office with the second lowest approval rating in the nation – just behind Kansas’ Sam Brownback. He will be remembered for turning a $2 billion surplus into a $2 billion budget shortfall by giving billions in corporate handouts for jobs that never materialized. He will also be remembered for eviscerating the public school system. He replaced those schools with privatized charter schools, deepening racial segregation and allowing creationism to be taught in those taxpayer-funded schools; Mother Jones even discovered that kids were being told that the Ku Klux Klan did “community organizing.” He then abandoned his state to make a dead-on-arrival run for the presidency, running on a platform of anti-gay and anti-immigrant discrimination.
"He leaves his office with the second lowest approval rating in the nation – just behind Kansas’ Sam Brownback. He will be remembered for turning a $2 billion surplus into a $2 billion budget shortfall by giving billions in corporate handouts for jobs that never materialized. He will also be remembered for eviscerating the public school system. He replaced those schools with privatized charter schools, deepening racial segregation and allowing creationism to be taught in those taxpayer-funded schools; Mother Jones even discovered that kids were being told that the Ku Klux Klan did “community organizing.” He then abandoned his state to make a dead-on-arrival run for the presidency, running on a platform of anti-gay and anti-immigrant discrimination.
Texas Governor Unveils Plan To Repeal The 20th Century
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2016/01/11/3737857/texas-governor-would-make-federal-anti-lynching-laws-unconstitutional/
"Abbott’s amendments are a hodgepodge of irrelevancies, curiosities and apparent efforts to return America to the golden years of the Hoover administration."
"Abbott’s amendments are a hodgepodge of irrelevancies, curiosities and apparent efforts to return America to the golden years of the Hoover administration."
It’s no surprise that white nationalists have made Trump their guy: Seth Meyers does a “Closer Look” at his racist supporters
It’s no surprise that white nationalists have made Trump their guy: Seth Meyers does a “Closer Look” at his racist supporters
"White Nationalists are now urging voters in Iowa to support Donald Trump’s campaign"
"White Nationalists are now urging voters in Iowa to support Donald Trump’s campaign"
White Nationalist PAC Blankets Iowa With Robocalls For Trump
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/trump-robocalls-white-nationalists-iowa
"Some registered voters in Iowa received robocalls Saturday from a white nationalist super PAC that urged them to support Donald Trump in the 2016 election."
"Some registered voters in Iowa received robocalls Saturday from a white nationalist super PAC that urged them to support Donald Trump in the 2016 election."
This is how they’ll gut American democracy: Scott Walker and the Kochs want to f**k America as bad as they did Wisconsin
This is how they’ll gut American democracy: Scott Walker and the Kochs want to f**k America as bad as they did Wisconsin
"a short note about what I mean by “Dixiefication.” It’s a complex process—economically, a regressive shift toward low-wage, deregulated oligopoly; culturally, an anti-modernist shift toward backwards-looking, fear-infused myth and fantasy obsession; politically, an authoritarian shift toward culture war, demonization, exclusion, and erosion of accountability. It’s been reflected in both states in a variety of ways—for example, both Michigan and Wisconsin have become so-called “right to work” states since 2010—a hallmark anti-labor measure pioneered in the South, which severely weakens both the bargaining power and political influence of unions. But what most clearly situated their Dixiefication in national politics was their key roles in the extreme anti-democratic gerrymandering that helped the GOP keep control of the House in 2012, despite losing the popular vote for House seats by more than half a million votes—which at the same time gave them a stranglehold on state government ever since."
"a short note about what I mean by “Dixiefication.” It’s a complex process—economically, a regressive shift toward low-wage, deregulated oligopoly; culturally, an anti-modernist shift toward backwards-looking, fear-infused myth and fantasy obsession; politically, an authoritarian shift toward culture war, demonization, exclusion, and erosion of accountability. It’s been reflected in both states in a variety of ways—for example, both Michigan and Wisconsin have become so-called “right to work” states since 2010—a hallmark anti-labor measure pioneered in the South, which severely weakens both the bargaining power and political influence of unions. But what most clearly situated their Dixiefication in national politics was their key roles in the extreme anti-democratic gerrymandering that helped the GOP keep control of the House in 2012, despite losing the popular vote for House seats by more than half a million votes—which at the same time gave them a stranglehold on state government ever since."
Flaunting our ignorance: We’re looking at you, GOP candidates
Flaunting our ignorance: We’re looking at you, GOP candidates
"It's more than good ole American anti-intellectualism -- we celebrate our ignorance and wear it as a badge of pride"
"It's more than good ole American anti-intellectualism -- we celebrate our ignorance and wear it as a badge of pride"
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Right-Wing Attack on Social Security Tries to Convince Us That Retirees Are Better off Than We Imagine @alternet
Right-Wing Attack on Social Security Tries to Convince Us That Retirees Are Better off Than We Imagine @alternet
"The right-wing war against Social Security has taken a turn into new heights of hyperbole and arrogance."
"The right-wing war against Social Security has taken a turn into new heights of hyperbole and arrogance."
Friday, January 8, 2016
PERRspectives: Bogus GOP 'Repeal' Bill Pockets Obamacare's Medicare Savings
PERRspectives: Bogus GOP 'Repeal' Bill Pockets Obamacare's Medicare Savings
"But the GOP's partial Obamacare repeal scam is even more sinister than it appears at first blush. After all, every GOP budget since 2010 has kept those same Medicare savings and used them to help fund a massive tax cut windfall for the wealthy. All of those Paul Ryan budgets also called for the voucherization of Medicare, de facto rationing that would dramatically shift health costs to future seniors"
"But the GOP's partial Obamacare repeal scam is even more sinister than it appears at first blush. After all, every GOP budget since 2010 has kept those same Medicare savings and used them to help fund a massive tax cut windfall for the wealthy. All of those Paul Ryan budgets also called for the voucherization of Medicare, de facto rationing that would dramatically shift health costs to future seniors"
California Could Sound the Loudest Call Yet for Overturning ‘Citizens United’
http://www.thenation.com/article/california-could-sound-the-loudest-call-yet-for-overturning-citizens-united/
"Unfortunately, the opportunity to express popular support for reform—and to prod Congress to act—was thwarted that year by defenders of the current system. Legal challenges posed by the conservative Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association blocked the 2014 vote on the “Overturn Citizens United Act,” which was assigned proposition number 49."
"Unfortunately, the opportunity to express popular support for reform—and to prod Congress to act—was thwarted that year by defenders of the current system. Legal challenges posed by the conservative Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association blocked the 2014 vote on the “Overturn Citizens United Act,” which was assigned proposition number 49."
As predicted, 2013 tax hikes on rich didn’t hurt jobs, economic growth
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/1/2/1465561/-As-predicted-2013-tax-hikes-on-rich-didn-t-hurt-jobs-economic-growth
"Despite these assurances from CBO that raising income tax rates (from 36 to 39.6 percent) and capital gains and dividend tax rates (from 15 to 20 percent) would have no impact on the economy, congressional Republicans doubled-down on their "job creator" mythology."
"Despite these assurances from CBO that raising income tax rates (from 36 to 39.6 percent) and capital gains and dividend tax rates (from 15 to 20 percent) would have no impact on the economy, congressional Republicans doubled-down on their "job creator" mythology."
The GOP's Pro-Corporate Prescription
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/34272-the-gop-s-pro-corporate-prescription
"The bottom line is that these $351 billion in corporate tax breaks over ten years will increase economic growth by about $105 billion. But the $118 billion in tax credits for working families will boost the economy by about $149 billion. In other words, working family tax credits will drive over 40 percent more economic growth at one-third the cost. The reason? Virtually every dollar returned to working people gets pumped back into the local economy. Families spend the money on basics, like rent, childcare, groceries, getting to work, and doctor's bills. Despite what big businesses tell us, reducing corporate taxes has little impact on investment or jobs. Corporations only decide to invest in a new place or hire more people when they believe they can sell more products - not when the taxes they pay on those sales go down. Instead of spending those tax breaks on new hires, corporations are more likely to hike CEO pay and pad their stock price and dividends. So why is the conventional wisdom so wrong? Because corporate front groups and lobbyists - some 1,400 of them in Congress - have spent years peddling the tall tale that corporations are job creators who need lower taxes to do what they do best. Like any myth, repeating it over and over again makes it more believable, even when it's not true. Clearly, working and middle-class families are the engines of the economy. When people have good jobs that can support their families, that provides more customers for businesses and boosts the economy. Remember this when the Republican candidate for president tells you that instead of raising the minimum wage or making childcare or college tuition more affordable, we should cut corporate taxes. It's not just a matter of what's fair - it's that fairness is the biggest driver of economic growth."
"The bottom line is that these $351 billion in corporate tax breaks over ten years will increase economic growth by about $105 billion. But the $118 billion in tax credits for working families will boost the economy by about $149 billion. In other words, working family tax credits will drive over 40 percent more economic growth at one-third the cost. The reason? Virtually every dollar returned to working people gets pumped back into the local economy. Families spend the money on basics, like rent, childcare, groceries, getting to work, and doctor's bills. Despite what big businesses tell us, reducing corporate taxes has little impact on investment or jobs. Corporations only decide to invest in a new place or hire more people when they believe they can sell more products - not when the taxes they pay on those sales go down. Instead of spending those tax breaks on new hires, corporations are more likely to hike CEO pay and pad their stock price and dividends. So why is the conventional wisdom so wrong? Because corporate front groups and lobbyists - some 1,400 of them in Congress - have spent years peddling the tall tale that corporations are job creators who need lower taxes to do what they do best. Like any myth, repeating it over and over again makes it more believable, even when it's not true. Clearly, working and middle-class families are the engines of the economy. When people have good jobs that can support their families, that provides more customers for businesses and boosts the economy. Remember this when the Republican candidate for president tells you that instead of raising the minimum wage or making childcare or college tuition more affordable, we should cut corporate taxes. It's not just a matter of what's fair - it's that fairness is the biggest driver of economic growth."
Wisconsin Board Reboots, Holds Hearing on Changes to Open Records Law
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/34289-wisconsin-board-reboots-holds-hearing-on-changes-to-open-records-law
"In 2015, the Walker administration worked overtime to figure out new ways to undermine the state's traditions of open government. First, you will recall, Governor Walker wanted to exempt the scandal-plagued Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) from the open records law in the budget. Then, the Governor used made-up legal definitions to deny CMD's request for records related to his changes to the University of Wisconsin mission statement and the Wisconsin Idea, prompting our ongoing lawsuit. Then the Governor and GOP leaders decided to gut the open records law completely with a sneak attack over the 4th of July weekend. Following public backlash, legislative leaders claimed they were abandoning the changes, but CMD uncovered that Speaker Robin Vos was secretly working on a bill to undermine the open records law. Now an obscure administration board charged with facilitating the retention of records quietly made significant changes to the open records law without required public notice, giving the Walker administration a new way to deny records requests about the use of public resources during his presidential run and taxpayer handouts to Walker donors. The Freedom of Information Council asked the Dane County District Attorney to prosecute the board for violating the open meetings law when it made the changes. The swift pushback on the changes has prompted the board to reconsider and the board chair announced a public hearing about the changes on Monday, January 11th. It's time for the Badger State to once again stand up for open records."
"In 2015, the Walker administration worked overtime to figure out new ways to undermine the state's traditions of open government. First, you will recall, Governor Walker wanted to exempt the scandal-plagued Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) from the open records law in the budget. Then, the Governor used made-up legal definitions to deny CMD's request for records related to his changes to the University of Wisconsin mission statement and the Wisconsin Idea, prompting our ongoing lawsuit. Then the Governor and GOP leaders decided to gut the open records law completely with a sneak attack over the 4th of July weekend. Following public backlash, legislative leaders claimed they were abandoning the changes, but CMD uncovered that Speaker Robin Vos was secretly working on a bill to undermine the open records law. Now an obscure administration board charged with facilitating the retention of records quietly made significant changes to the open records law without required public notice, giving the Walker administration a new way to deny records requests about the use of public resources during his presidential run and taxpayer handouts to Walker donors. The Freedom of Information Council asked the Dane County District Attorney to prosecute the board for violating the open meetings law when it made the changes. The swift pushback on the changes has prompted the board to reconsider and the board chair announced a public hearing about the changes on Monday, January 11th. It's time for the Badger State to once again stand up for open records."
All they want to do is screw over the president: Ryan, McConnell confirm they have no real agenda in ’16 besides blocking Obama
All they want to do is screw over the president: Ryan, McConnell confirm they have no real agenda in ’16 besides blocking Obama
"Like political arsonists, they’ve pursued no real positive agenda, choosing instead to undermine the president and stage symbolic protest votes to appease a disillusioned base. This is a big reason why something like 13 percent of the country approves of the job Congress is doing."
"Like political arsonists, they’ve pursued no real positive agenda, choosing instead to undermine the president and stage symbolic protest votes to appease a disillusioned base. This is a big reason why something like 13 percent of the country approves of the job Congress is doing."
House Republicans define insanity, vote to repeal Obamacare. Again.
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/1/6/1466740/-House-Republicans-define-insanity-vote-to-repeal-Obamacare-Again
"The effort is a promise as to what Republicans would do in 2017 if they keep the Senate and win the White House: throw millions of people off of their health insurance plans."
"The effort is a promise as to what Republicans would do in 2017 if they keep the Senate and win the White House: throw millions of people off of their health insurance plans."
Heartless House Republicans Vote To Take Health Care Away From 22 Million Americans
http://www.politicususa.com/2016/01/06/house-dooms-gop-2016-voting-repeal-obamacare-defund-planned-parenthood.html
"The key takeaway from today’s vote is that Republicans are showing every American what they plan to do if they win the White House and keep control of Congress."
"The key takeaway from today’s vote is that Republicans are showing every American what they plan to do if they win the White House and keep control of Congress."
Big Strides for Health-Care Reform
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/34292-big-strides-for-health-care-reform
"One of the remarkable aspects of the politics of health care reform in America is the way that conservatives - even relatively mild, seemingly informed conservatives - have managed to keep believing that the Affordable Care Act is unraveling, despite the repeated failure of disaster predictions to come true. Part of the way this works is that when it comes to Obamacare, the captive media and the right's pet "experts" hype every bit of bad news about the law, but go silent when the news is good (and, often, when the bad news turns out to be a false alarm). How many people will even hear about the news that enrollments are once again running above expectations, and that the enrollment pool is getting younger? Anyway, it's really helpful to have a new report from the Commonwealth Fund comparing the actual performance of the ACA with pre-implementation predictions. It turns out that premiums came in far below expectations. (The 2016 premium hikes rolled back some of this positive news, but overall costs still look very good.) On enrollments: Fewer people than expected signed up for the exchanges, but an important reason was that fewer employers than expected ended coverage and moved their employees into the individual market. Meanwhile, Medicaid expanded more than projected - and the overall reduction in the number of uninsured Americans was pretty much in line with forecasts. So the program is achieving its goals, albeit with a somewhat different mix of insurance types than was originally predicted, and doing so more cheaply than anticipated. That's a big success story - and remember, the critics scoffed at those expectations and prophesied utter disaster."
"One of the remarkable aspects of the politics of health care reform in America is the way that conservatives - even relatively mild, seemingly informed conservatives - have managed to keep believing that the Affordable Care Act is unraveling, despite the repeated failure of disaster predictions to come true. Part of the way this works is that when it comes to Obamacare, the captive media and the right's pet "experts" hype every bit of bad news about the law, but go silent when the news is good (and, often, when the bad news turns out to be a false alarm). How many people will even hear about the news that enrollments are once again running above expectations, and that the enrollment pool is getting younger? Anyway, it's really helpful to have a new report from the Commonwealth Fund comparing the actual performance of the ACA with pre-implementation predictions. It turns out that premiums came in far below expectations. (The 2016 premium hikes rolled back some of this positive news, but overall costs still look very good.) On enrollments: Fewer people than expected signed up for the exchanges, but an important reason was that fewer employers than expected ended coverage and moved their employees into the individual market. Meanwhile, Medicaid expanded more than projected - and the overall reduction in the number of uninsured Americans was pretty much in line with forecasts. So the program is achieving its goals, albeit with a somewhat different mix of insurance types than was originally predicted, and doing so more cheaply than anticipated. That's a big success story - and remember, the critics scoffed at those expectations and prophesied utter disaster."
Once Again, The Right Wing's ACA Part-Time Myth Falls Apart
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2016/01/05/once-again-the-right-wings-aca-part-time-myth-f/207785
"Despite being repeatedly debunked, right-wing pundits have continued to push the false claim that the Affordable Care Act would negatively effect American employment, claiming its enactment would drive losses in full-time jobs while increasing part-time employment -- though no data has supported this assertion."
"Despite being repeatedly debunked, right-wing pundits have continued to push the false claim that the Affordable Care Act would negatively effect American employment, claiming its enactment would drive losses in full-time jobs while increasing part-time employment -- though no data has supported this assertion."
The Most Conservative States Depend Far More On Federal Aid – This Proves It (IMAGE)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2016/01/07/the-most-conservative-states-depend-far-more-on-federal-aid-this-proves-it-image/
"the reddest states (most particularly the Bible Belt in the south) actually rely on Uncle Sam far more than the most liberal states in the nation."
"the reddest states (most particularly the Bible Belt in the south) actually rely on Uncle Sam far more than the most liberal states in the nation."
Numbers Don’t Lie: Conservatives Use Way More Welfare Than Liberals
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/numbers-dont-lie-conservatives-use-way-more-welfare-than-liberals/
"Red States — the ones governed by folks who think government is too big and spending needs to be cut — are a net drain on the economy, taking in more federal spending than they pay out in federal taxes."
"Red States — the ones governed by folks who think government is too big and spending needs to be cut — are a net drain on the economy, taking in more federal spending than they pay out in federal taxes."
The GOP’s reign of gubernatorial terror: Here are the small-government zealots who made their states considerably worse
The GOP’s reign of gubernatorial terror: Here are the small-government zealots who made their states considerably worse
"The next time some idiot wearing a Donald Trump t-shirt and a sneer tells you that we need leaders who will run the government more like a business, kindly direct their attention to Snyder. A business executive and CPA with no prior experience serving in government, Snyder was elected in the wave election of 2010 that swept Tea Party conservatives into office at the state and federal level. He immediately set about trying to run the state like it was a division of Gateway, the computer company where he was an executive during the 1990s. He crushed unions and made Michigan a right-to-work state, cutting services, and replacing the business tax with a flat tax while eliminating tax breaks on pensions, thus putting more of the state’s tax burden on the poor and working classes. The result? Michigan now ranks a whopping 36th in per capita income and just spent a year and a half poisoning 100,000 people with water so polluted, a local General Motors engine plant stopped using it because it corroded the factory’s machinery. Snyder is not the only Republican governor swept into power during the Tea Party wave of 2009-10 who used his state as a lab experiment for the type of conservative governance the GOP has been pushing for decades – lower regulations, lower taxes, slashing government services, and generally screwing over everyone not in their socio-economic class through austerity budgets and a boneheaded, stubborn refusal to adjust their policies in reaction to changing events. How is that working out for some of the other governors? You’re probably already well acquainted with the disasters of the Scott Walker and Chris Christie administrations. But let’s review some of the others."
"The next time some idiot wearing a Donald Trump t-shirt and a sneer tells you that we need leaders who will run the government more like a business, kindly direct their attention to Snyder. A business executive and CPA with no prior experience serving in government, Snyder was elected in the wave election of 2010 that swept Tea Party conservatives into office at the state and federal level. He immediately set about trying to run the state like it was a division of Gateway, the computer company where he was an executive during the 1990s. He crushed unions and made Michigan a right-to-work state, cutting services, and replacing the business tax with a flat tax while eliminating tax breaks on pensions, thus putting more of the state’s tax burden on the poor and working classes. The result? Michigan now ranks a whopping 36th in per capita income and just spent a year and a half poisoning 100,000 people with water so polluted, a local General Motors engine plant stopped using it because it corroded the factory’s machinery. Snyder is not the only Republican governor swept into power during the Tea Party wave of 2009-10 who used his state as a lab experiment for the type of conservative governance the GOP has been pushing for decades – lower regulations, lower taxes, slashing government services, and generally screwing over everyone not in their socio-economic class through austerity budgets and a boneheaded, stubborn refusal to adjust their policies in reaction to changing events. How is that working out for some of the other governors? You’re probably already well acquainted with the disasters of the Scott Walker and Chris Christie administrations. But let’s review some of the others."
Trump Campaign Issues Ridiculous Excuse After Getting Busted Using Fake Footage in Ad (Video)
Trump Campaign Issues Ridiculous Excuse After Getting Busted Using Fake Footage in Ad (Video)
"They made this dishonest video, got busted, then instead of simply admitting that they did something unethical – they lied some more. Multiple times, in fact."
"They made this dishonest video, got busted, then instead of simply admitting that they did something unethical – they lied some more. Multiple times, in fact."
Did You Spot The ‘Pants On Fire’ Moment In Trump’s First Campaign TV Ad? Politifact Did (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2016/01/05/did-you-spot-the-pants-on-fire-moment-in-trumps-first-campaign-tv-ad-politifact-did-video/
"Proving once again that he has all the personal integrity of a toddler with a cookie jar, the GOP front runner simply steps over his lie and moves on."
"Proving once again that he has all the personal integrity of a toddler with a cookie jar, the GOP front runner simply steps over his lie and moves on."
Bernie Sanders Lays Out Plan To Break Up Wall Street Banks
Bernie Sanders Lays Out Plan To Break Up Wall Street Banks
"Sanders promised to create a list of the biggest "too big to fail" institutions within the first 100 days of his presidency, and then break them up. He would also reinstate Glass-Steagall and establish rigid firewalls between insurance, securities and banking. Sanders then promised to tax Wall Street speculators as penalty for destabilizing markets. In addition, he would force bond rating agencies to become non-profit entities in order to reduce the possibility of favoritism toward Wall Street."
"Sanders promised to create a list of the biggest "too big to fail" institutions within the first 100 days of his presidency, and then break them up. He would also reinstate Glass-Steagall and establish rigid firewalls between insurance, securities and banking. Sanders then promised to tax Wall Street speculators as penalty for destabilizing markets. In addition, he would force bond rating agencies to become non-profit entities in order to reduce the possibility of favoritism toward Wall Street."
Jim Hightower: The Corporate Media Is Basically Pretending Bernie Sanders Doesn't Exist @alternet
Jim Hightower: The Corporate Media Is Basically Pretending Bernie Sanders Doesn't Exist @alternet
"polls also show Bernie trouncing The Donald if they face each other in November’s presidential showdown. So surely he’s getting a proportional level of media coverage by the networks on our public airwaves, right? Ha, just kidding! The big networks’ devotion of 234 minutes to all-things-Trump was “balanced” by less than 10 minutes for Sanders. Most egregious was ABC, the Disney-owned network. ABC’s World News Tonight awarded 81 minutes of national showtime to Trump last year — and for Bernie: 20 seconds."
"polls also show Bernie trouncing The Donald if they face each other in November’s presidential showdown. So surely he’s getting a proportional level of media coverage by the networks on our public airwaves, right? Ha, just kidding! The big networks’ devotion of 234 minutes to all-things-Trump was “balanced” by less than 10 minutes for Sanders. Most egregious was ABC, the Disney-owned network. ABC’s World News Tonight awarded 81 minutes of national showtime to Trump last year — and for Bernie: 20 seconds."
Republicans in Congress couldn't stop all these minimum wage increases
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2015/12/31/1461237/-Republicans-in-Congress-couldn-t-stop-all-these-minimum-wage-increases
"The federal minimum wage is still $7.25 an hour, and it’s going to stay that way as long as Republicans control Congress. But that doesn’t mean 2015 didn’t see progress for many low-wage workers, while minimum wage advances won in recent years will keep going into effect in 2016. The minimum wage was raised in cities, counties, and states in 2015"
"The federal minimum wage is still $7.25 an hour, and it’s going to stay that way as long as Republicans control Congress. But that doesn’t mean 2015 didn’t see progress for many low-wage workers, while minimum wage advances won in recent years will keep going into effect in 2016. The minimum wage was raised in cities, counties, and states in 2015"
American workers see progress on paid sick leave, no thanks to Congress
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2015/12/31/1461272/-American-workers-see-progress-on-paid-sick-leave-no-thanks-to-Congress
"Despite all that progress, though, Republicans remain determined to keep workers going to work sick. In Michigan, for instance, Republicans passed a state law to block cities and towns from passing either paid sick leave or minimum wage increases. And their party’s presidential candidates? Ha ha ha."
"Despite all that progress, though, Republicans remain determined to keep workers going to work sick. In Michigan, for instance, Republicans passed a state law to block cities and towns from passing either paid sick leave or minimum wage increases. And their party’s presidential candidates? Ha ha ha."
Bernie Sanders Represents America's Working Class, Not Donald Trump
Bernie Sanders Represents America's Working Class, Not Donald Trump
"The GOP fringe, led by Donald Trump, is once again trying to convince working class people to embrace hatred and divert more of the wealth to the 1%."
"The GOP fringe, led by Donald Trump, is once again trying to convince working class people to embrace hatred and divert more of the wealth to the 1%."
The Kochs Worst Nightmares Come True As Bernie Sanders Smashes Fundraising Records
http://www.politicususa.com/2016/01/02/kochs-worst-nightmares-true-bernie-sanders-smashes-fundraising-records.html
"The success of Bernie Sanders is the worst nightmare of the billionaires who are trying to buy our government with Citizens United-fueled dark money. Millions of ordinary Americans are rising and saying not this time to the corporations and billionaires."
"The success of Bernie Sanders is the worst nightmare of the billionaires who are trying to buy our government with Citizens United-fueled dark money. Millions of ordinary Americans are rising and saying not this time to the corporations and billionaires."
Thursday, January 7, 2016
5 Examples Proving How the Republican Party Reached New Lows in 2015
5 Examples Proving How the Republican Party Reached New Lows in 2015
"4. Glenn Beck said that 10,000 pastors were willing to die in opposition to same-sex marriage and gay rights: Glenn Beck Warns That 10,000 Pastors Are Willing To Die Opposing Marriage Equality (Last I checked, exactly zero pastors have died because of same-sex marriage)"
"4. Glenn Beck said that 10,000 pastors were willing to die in opposition to same-sex marriage and gay rights: Glenn Beck Warns That 10,000 Pastors Are Willing To Die Opposing Marriage Equality (Last I checked, exactly zero pastors have died because of same-sex marriage)"
Why Donald Trump Gets Away With Lying So Easily
Why Donald Trump Gets Away With Lying So Easily
"keep watching Trump use his particular rhetorical style to keep the angry bigots stirred up and hungry."
"keep watching Trump use his particular rhetorical style to keep the angry bigots stirred up and hungry."
Gerrymandering leaves NC voters with few choices in 2016
http://www.commoncause.org/states/north-carolina/gerrymandering-leaves-nc.html
"Candidate filing concluded Monday and nearly half of North Carolina's legislative races will have just one name on the ballot come November. Forty-one races for the NC House and 13 contests for the NC Senate fielded a single candidate by the close of filing. An additional 16 House and 2 Senate races will be decided solely in the primary. Ultimately, 72 of the state's 170 seats – or 42 percent – will be decided before a single vote is cast"
"Candidate filing concluded Monday and nearly half of North Carolina's legislative races will have just one name on the ballot come November. Forty-one races for the NC House and 13 contests for the NC Senate fielded a single candidate by the close of filing. An additional 16 House and 2 Senate races will be decided solely in the primary. Ultimately, 72 of the state's 170 seats – or 42 percent – will be decided before a single vote is cast"
California Ballot Initiative Would Force Lawmakers To List Corporate Donors On Clothing Like NASCAR
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/12/31/california-ballot-initiative-would-force-lawmakers-to-list-corporate-donors-on-clothing-like-nascar/
"Ever since the Supreme Court handed down the Citizen’s United decision, corporations and super wealthy individuals have had the ability to donate unlimited funds in secret to political campaigns. After winning election, political candidates are usually beholden to those who spent big money to help them take office and go on to push for legislation that benefits them instead of the country as a whole. And that is why a new California ballot initiative could be a game-changer that sweeps the country. The initiative is being led by California Is Not For Sale, a group run by San Diego businessman, John Cox. If passed by California voters, lawmakers in the state would have to display the logos of their top ten donors on their clothing “just like a NASCAR driver would for his sponsors.” Indeed, can you imagine Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker speaking live on television with the Koch Industries logo prominently displayed on his jacket? Or Ted Cruz speaking on the Senate floor with a big Goldman Sachs label or a label that says Club For Growth? Or how about House Speaker Paul Ryan banging the gavel with several logos on his suit from Koch Industries to Northwestern Mutual, to AT&T to Blue Cross Blue Shield? At long last, Americans would not have to painstakingly research who is buying politicians in our country. Their names would be clearly seen on the politicians themselves, making it easier to see who is trying to influence our laws, whether it is Walmart or Exxon, or conservative billionaire, Sheldon Adelson."
"Ever since the Supreme Court handed down the Citizen’s United decision, corporations and super wealthy individuals have had the ability to donate unlimited funds in secret to political campaigns. After winning election, political candidates are usually beholden to those who spent big money to help them take office and go on to push for legislation that benefits them instead of the country as a whole. And that is why a new California ballot initiative could be a game-changer that sweeps the country. The initiative is being led by California Is Not For Sale, a group run by San Diego businessman, John Cox. If passed by California voters, lawmakers in the state would have to display the logos of their top ten donors on their clothing “just like a NASCAR driver would for his sponsors.” Indeed, can you imagine Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker speaking live on television with the Koch Industries logo prominently displayed on his jacket? Or Ted Cruz speaking on the Senate floor with a big Goldman Sachs label or a label that says Club For Growth? Or how about House Speaker Paul Ryan banging the gavel with several logos on his suit from Koch Industries to Northwestern Mutual, to AT&T to Blue Cross Blue Shield? At long last, Americans would not have to painstakingly research who is buying politicians in our country. Their names would be clearly seen on the politicians themselves, making it easier to see who is trying to influence our laws, whether it is Walmart or Exxon, or conservative billionaire, Sheldon Adelson."
Bernie Sanders Is On Pace To Out-Raise Every Other Candidate This Quarter
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/bernie-sanders-is-on-pace-to-out-raise-every-other-candidate-this-quarter/
"this outpouring of support from millions of everyday Americans and worker’s unions shows that he is the candidate that truly has his finger on the pulse of the dying American middle class. While others jockey for donations from the mega-rich and multinational corporations, Bernie Sanders has doggedly fought to keep his campaign clean and honest – his is the only one that would be legal before Citizens United."
"this outpouring of support from millions of everyday Americans and worker’s unions shows that he is the candidate that truly has his finger on the pulse of the dying American middle class. While others jockey for donations from the mega-rich and multinational corporations, Bernie Sanders has doggedly fought to keep his campaign clean and honest – his is the only one that would be legal before Citizens United."
Bernie Sanders Destroys “Pathological Liar” Trump For Lying About His Tax Plan
http://www.politicususa.com/2015/12/30/bernie-sanders-destroys-pathological-liar-trump-lying-tax-plan.html
"The mainstream media and pundits have lumped Trump and Sanders into the same category, but the two candidates couldn’t be more different. Bernie Sanders is a public servant who bases his arguments on facts. Donald Trump is a reality television star who is running a campaign based on hatred, bigotry, and a cult of personality. Sanders already caused the notoriously thin-skinned Trump to have a Twitter meltdown when he called out the billionaire for repeatedly stating that wages are too high. Bernie Sanders is making Trump look like a chump which is why the Republican hopeful can’t stop lying about the senator from Vermont."
"The mainstream media and pundits have lumped Trump and Sanders into the same category, but the two candidates couldn’t be more different. Bernie Sanders is a public servant who bases his arguments on facts. Donald Trump is a reality television star who is running a campaign based on hatred, bigotry, and a cult of personality. Sanders already caused the notoriously thin-skinned Trump to have a Twitter meltdown when he called out the billionaire for repeatedly stating that wages are too high. Bernie Sanders is making Trump look like a chump which is why the Republican hopeful can’t stop lying about the senator from Vermont."
Friday, January 1, 2016
Fifteen Things We Learned About Money in Politics in 2015
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/34248-fifteen-things-we-learned-about-money-in-politics-in-2015
"1. If that wasn't enough to convince you that money in politics matters, consider how much reforms are being fought about tooth and nail. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell leveraged his power over the federal budget to strip campaign finance rules from federal law through anti-campaign finance reform riders."
"1. If that wasn't enough to convince you that money in politics matters, consider how much reforms are being fought about tooth and nail. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell leveraged his power over the federal budget to strip campaign finance rules from federal law through anti-campaign finance reform riders."
17 of the Worst Corporate Crimes of 2015 @alternet
17 of the Worst Corporate Crimes of 2015 @alternet
"1. Deceptive financial practices. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fined Citibank $700 million for the deceptive marketing of credit card add-on products."
"1. Deceptive financial practices. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau fined Citibank $700 million for the deceptive marketing of credit card add-on products."
Years of Republican Lies Actually Prove How Successful President Obama Has Been
Years of Republican Lies Actually Prove How Successful President Obama Has Been
"What all of this really boils down to is Republicans know how successful President Obama has been. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be any reason to make up all the lies and conspiracies that they have. But since this president has been successful, the only choice Republicans had was to make conservatives so irrationally afraid of him that they would believe whatever drivel they can come up with. Which is exactly what they’ve done."
"What all of this really boils down to is Republicans know how successful President Obama has been. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be any reason to make up all the lies and conspiracies that they have. But since this president has been successful, the only choice Republicans had was to make conservatives so irrationally afraid of him that they would believe whatever drivel they can come up with. Which is exactly what they’ve done."
These 5 charts prove that the economy does better under Democratic presidents
These 5 charts prove that the economy does better under Democratic presidents
“The U.S. economy has performed better when the President of the United States is a Democrat rather than a Republican, almost regardless of how one measures performance. For many measures, including real GDP growth (on which we concentrate), the performance gap is both large and statistically significant.”
“The U.S. economy has performed better when the President of the United States is a Democrat rather than a Republican, almost regardless of how one measures performance. For many measures, including real GDP growth (on which we concentrate), the performance gap is both large and statistically significant.”
Bernie Sanders Has Filed More Bills For Veterans Than Any Congressman In The Past 30 Years
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/bernie-sanders-has-filed-more-bills-for-veterans-than-any-congressman-in-the-past-30-years/
"All American political candidates speak long and loud about their commitments to helping our veterans after they return home from war; is there anything less politically uncontroversial or a more universally popular issue? But while candidates are very good at talking the talk, they unfortunately are less devoted to walking the walk, especially on the Republican side, whose members feel that veterans healthcare is “just too expensive” and that the best solution is to privatize it and let Wall Street play financial blackjack with that money. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), on the other hand, has sponsored more bills fighting for the well-being of our veterans than any other legislator in the last thirty years."
"All American political candidates speak long and loud about their commitments to helping our veterans after they return home from war; is there anything less politically uncontroversial or a more universally popular issue? But while candidates are very good at talking the talk, they unfortunately are less devoted to walking the walk, especially on the Republican side, whose members feel that veterans healthcare is “just too expensive” and that the best solution is to privatize it and let Wall Street play financial blackjack with that money. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), on the other hand, has sponsored more bills fighting for the well-being of our veterans than any other legislator in the last thirty years."
Poll Shows Sanders Would Trounce Trump in General Election
Poll Shows Sanders Would Trounce Trump in General Election
"If the 2016 U.S. presidential election were held today, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) would win by a landslide over GOP frontrunner Donald Trump, according to a new poll released Tuesday by Quinnipiac University. With voters favoring Sanders over Trump 51 to 38 percent, Sanders would win the general election by 13 points"
"If the 2016 U.S. presidential election were held today, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) would win by a landslide over GOP frontrunner Donald Trump, according to a new poll released Tuesday by Quinnipiac University. With voters favoring Sanders over Trump 51 to 38 percent, Sanders would win the general election by 13 points"
The 5 Craziest Right-Wing Conspiracy Theories of 2015 @alternet
The 5 Craziest Right-Wing Conspiracy Theories of 2015 @alternet
"Conspiracy theories used to be relegated to the fringes of American political discourse. Not so much anymore, now that one of the major political parties is itself pretty fringe. When the notion that the government itself is out to get the people and needs to be dismantled and shut down is the position of one of your party’s frontrunners, you’re pretty far gone. That’s why the year’s top conspiracy theories, as kooky as they are, will seem familiar. The idea that the government was planning a military takeover of Texas—the dreaded Jade Helm plot—was fostered on Fox News and taken seriously by Governor Greg Abbott. Many of the GOP presidential frontrunners continue to perpetuate the lie that Planned Parenthood is a front for some barbaric baby-part selling operation. So-called reasonable person Marco Rubio suggested with a straight face that women were starting to seek abortions... for profit. It’s not just Alex Jones and Glenn Beck spouting this stuff anymore."
"Conspiracy theories used to be relegated to the fringes of American political discourse. Not so much anymore, now that one of the major political parties is itself pretty fringe. When the notion that the government itself is out to get the people and needs to be dismantled and shut down is the position of one of your party’s frontrunners, you’re pretty far gone. That’s why the year’s top conspiracy theories, as kooky as they are, will seem familiar. The idea that the government was planning a military takeover of Texas—the dreaded Jade Helm plot—was fostered on Fox News and taken seriously by Governor Greg Abbott. Many of the GOP presidential frontrunners continue to perpetuate the lie that Planned Parenthood is a front for some barbaric baby-part selling operation. So-called reasonable person Marco Rubio suggested with a straight face that women were starting to seek abortions... for profit. It’s not just Alex Jones and Glenn Beck spouting this stuff anymore."
Republicans Silent As Pres. Obama Gives Our Soldiers Their Biggest Raise In 5 Years
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/republicans-silent-as-pres-obama-gives-our-soldiers-their-biggest-raise-in-5-years/
"Democrats originally proposed a 3.8% increase in pay for soldiers and other federal workers, but the bill was shot down by Republicans in the House, and it took significant effort to get these right-wing obstructionists to agree even to the more minimal pay increase"
"Democrats originally proposed a 3.8% increase in pay for soldiers and other federal workers, but the bill was shot down by Republicans in the House, and it took significant effort to get these right-wing obstructionists to agree even to the more minimal pay increase"
5 of the Most Cynical Libertarian Stealth Campaigns of 2015 @alternet
5 of the Most Cynical Libertarian Stealth Campaigns of 2015 @alternet
"Libertarians love to exploit news opportunities to promote their agenda. This year provided some choice opportunities to do just that as Silicon Valley and the Koch brothers ran a few stealth campaigns to privatize and deregulate without the general public or distracted liberals from noticing."
"Libertarians love to exploit news opportunities to promote their agenda. This year provided some choice opportunities to do just that as Silicon Valley and the Koch brothers ran a few stealth campaigns to privatize and deregulate without the general public or distracted liberals from noticing."
Five Failed Right-Wing Prophecies And Predictions Of 2015 | Right Wing Watch
Five Failed Right-Wing Prophecies And Predictions Of 2015 | Right Wing Watch
"Conservative commentators are running out of time for all of their dire prophecies about President Obama to come true, including fears about the looming imposition of martial law, establishment of Obama’s private army and the assassination of conservative leaders. Right-wing pundits also seemed to have missed with their prophecies about financial collapse, natural disasters and widespread unrest coming in 2015."
"Conservative commentators are running out of time for all of their dire prophecies about President Obama to come true, including fears about the looming imposition of martial law, establishment of Obama’s private army and the assassination of conservative leaders. Right-wing pundits also seemed to have missed with their prophecies about financial collapse, natural disasters and widespread unrest coming in 2015."
This Year In Crazy: 2015 Belonged To The Wingnuts
This Year In Crazy: 2015 Belonged To The Wingnuts
"more insanity, head-spinning untruth, and backwards thinking than anyone could have expected or should have to endure. This is 2015 - The Year In Crazy..."
"more insanity, head-spinning untruth, and backwards thinking than anyone could have expected or should have to endure. This is 2015 - The Year In Crazy..."
Fox's Fickle Finger Stuck On Trump
Fox's Fickle Finger Stuck On Trump
"The Fox Effect is a real thing, and they're pouring it on for Donald Trump."
"The Fox Effect is a real thing, and they're pouring it on for Donald Trump."
The GOP's Bleak Demographic Destiny: How to Win the White House When All Your Voters Are Dying @alternet
The GOP's Bleak Demographic Destiny: How to Win the White House When All Your Voters Are Dying @alternet
"Put simply, the Democratic edge among minority voters, younger voters and educated voters keeps getting stronger as each group comes to represent a larger and larger share of the electorate. And that edge will only be more pronounced heading into 2016. At the same time, the Republican base of non-college-educated white voters continues shrinking as a portion of the electorate."
"Put simply, the Democratic edge among minority voters, younger voters and educated voters keeps getting stronger as each group comes to represent a larger and larger share of the electorate. And that edge will only be more pronounced heading into 2016. At the same time, the Republican base of non-college-educated white voters continues shrinking as a portion of the electorate."
Lack Of Public Options Is How The Economy Gets Rigged Against Us
Lack Of Public Options Is How The Economy Gets Rigged Against Us
"We are banned by law from buying into Medicare until we are 65 -- and Republicans are trying to get rid of that by turning Medicare into a limited voucher to buy private scam insurance. That rigs the health care game against We the People."
"We are banned by law from buying into Medicare until we are 65 -- and Republicans are trying to get rid of that by turning Medicare into a limited voucher to buy private scam insurance. That rigs the health care game against We the People."
Alabama Gov. Spending $1.8M In Disaster Relief Money To Fix Up 2nd Mansion For Himself (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/12/27/alabama-gov-spending-1-8m-in-disaster-relief-money-to-fix-up-2nd-mansion-for-himself-video/
"The Governor of Alabama, Republican Robert Bentley, has decided to spend between $1.5 million and $1.8 million of money given to it for disaster relief after the 2010 BP oil spill to finance a renovation of the Governor’s second mansion on the beach. Yes, the very same Governor who not that long ago announced the closure of 31 driver’s license offices in primarily black neighborhoods, because of “budget deficits.” Looks like we know where the Governor’s priorities lie."
"The Governor of Alabama, Republican Robert Bentley, has decided to spend between $1.5 million and $1.8 million of money given to it for disaster relief after the 2010 BP oil spill to finance a renovation of the Governor’s second mansion on the beach. Yes, the very same Governor who not that long ago announced the closure of 31 driver’s license offices in primarily black neighborhoods, because of “budget deficits.” Looks like we know where the Governor’s priorities lie."
Alabama Governor Robbed Citizens Of Millions In Oil Spill Money To Rebuild Beachfront Mansion
http://www.occupydemocrats.com/alabama-governor-robbed-citizens-of-millions-in-oil-spill-money-to-rebuild-beachfront-mansion/
"Showing a reckless disregard for the needs of his state’s people in favor of corporate bosses and his own fancy, Alabama’s Republican governor Robert Bentley is renovating an abandoned 7,500 square-foot governor’s mansion with money left over from 2010 BP oil spill settlement. An estimated $1.5 to $1.8 million of grants from the settlement in the Deepwater Horizon spill will be used to cover the costs of refurbishment. Such a blatant pillaging of funds intended to serve the public good for extravagant private use is downright shameful, especially given that the local communities, industry, and environment along Alabama’s Gulf Coast continue to suffer the effects of the enormous oil spill."
"Showing a reckless disregard for the needs of his state’s people in favor of corporate bosses and his own fancy, Alabama’s Republican governor Robert Bentley is renovating an abandoned 7,500 square-foot governor’s mansion with money left over from 2010 BP oil spill settlement. An estimated $1.5 to $1.8 million of grants from the settlement in the Deepwater Horizon spill will be used to cover the costs of refurbishment. Such a blatant pillaging of funds intended to serve the public good for extravagant private use is downright shameful, especially given that the local communities, industry, and environment along Alabama’s Gulf Coast continue to suffer the effects of the enormous oil spill."
The 2015 Fox Primary: It's Trump, And Then Everyone Else
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/12/23/the-2015-fox-primary-its-trump-and-then-everyon/207659
"From May 1 to December 15, leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump lapped the rest of the field in interview airtime on Fox News. Trump's 22 hours and 46 minutes of airtime was more than twice as much as any other candidate during the period studied. Trump racked up more airtime on the network than Sen. Ted Cruz, former Gov. Jeb Bush, and Sen. Marco Rubio combined. Interviews with the Republican field have been a near-constant fixture of Fox News' programming during the second half of 2015, and The Fox Primary is showing no signs of slowing down as we approach 2016 and the first primaries."
"From May 1 to December 15, leading Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump lapped the rest of the field in interview airtime on Fox News. Trump's 22 hours and 46 minutes of airtime was more than twice as much as any other candidate during the period studied. Trump racked up more airtime on the network than Sen. Ted Cruz, former Gov. Jeb Bush, and Sen. Marco Rubio combined. Interviews with the Republican field have been a near-constant fixture of Fox News' programming during the second half of 2015, and The Fox Primary is showing no signs of slowing down as we approach 2016 and the first primaries."
How Marco Rubio’s Scheme To Hurt The Poor Became A Campaign Rallying Cry (VIDEO)
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/12/23/how-marco-rubios-scheme-to-hurt-the-poor-became-a-campaign-rallying-cry-video/
"Even though it is illegal to coordinate with super PACs, the New York Times pointed out that as this new super PAC ad debuted, Rubio’s campaign sent out an email with the subject “Marco: The Only Candidate to Strike a Blow to Obamacare.” Stomping on the face of those simply trying to have insurance coverage to cover their health care costs has now become just another way for a Republican to be elected president."
"Even though it is illegal to coordinate with super PACs, the New York Times pointed out that as this new super PAC ad debuted, Rubio’s campaign sent out an email with the subject “Marco: The Only Candidate to Strike a Blow to Obamacare.” Stomping on the face of those simply trying to have insurance coverage to cover their health care costs has now become just another way for a Republican to be elected president."
Campaign Finance Regulators Won't Do Their Job. Can a Lawsuit Force Their Hand?
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/12/campaign-finance-regulators-wont-do-their-job-can-watchdogs-force-their-hand
"It's a case that has haunted campaign finance watchdogs for years. The Commission on Hope, Growth, and Opportunity (CHGO) emerged in early 2010 as a nonprofit that would not engage in political work. Then, in the six weeks before the 2010 elections, the group spent about $4 million on political ads across 15 congressional races, all attacking Democrats. But in filings with the IRS, the group maintained that none of its spending was campaign-related, and it did not disclose any of its spending with the Federal Election Commission. Facing complaints from federal regulators, the group folded. Some of its key players—including Scott Reed, now a top strategist at the US Chamber of Commerce, and Wayne Berman, the chief fundraiser for Marco Rubio's presidential campaign—split more than $1 million in leftover funds. No one involved was ever sanctioned. Almost all the money CHGO raised came from a single donor. The group's ability to spring up, use secret money to influence elections, and then disappear provides a template for rich donors who want to pick off or boost candidates without revealing their political activity."
"It's a case that has haunted campaign finance watchdogs for years. The Commission on Hope, Growth, and Opportunity (CHGO) emerged in early 2010 as a nonprofit that would not engage in political work. Then, in the six weeks before the 2010 elections, the group spent about $4 million on political ads across 15 congressional races, all attacking Democrats. But in filings with the IRS, the group maintained that none of its spending was campaign-related, and it did not disclose any of its spending with the Federal Election Commission. Facing complaints from federal regulators, the group folded. Some of its key players—including Scott Reed, now a top strategist at the US Chamber of Commerce, and Wayne Berman, the chief fundraiser for Marco Rubio's presidential campaign—split more than $1 million in leftover funds. No one involved was ever sanctioned. Almost all the money CHGO raised came from a single donor. The group's ability to spring up, use secret money to influence elections, and then disappear provides a template for rich donors who want to pick off or boost candidates without revealing their political activity."
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