Friday Talking Points [325] -- McConnell For Sale!
A program note, before we get started: there will be no Friday Talking Points column next week. We have to make room for our traditional Hallowe'en column, where we try to scare the pants off of everyone across the political spectrum with spooky tales of what the upcoming election might mean (plus, we get to show off our politically-inspired Jack-o-lanterns). So don't miss that, but the Friday Talking Points column won't be back until after the election.
Campaign season has reached its peak, and is getting downright frenetic in all the big battleground Senate races. One of these is Kentucky, where first Democrats thought their candidate didn't have a chance, but then Alison Lundergan Grimes got some good polling numbers so the money is now flowing back in. Maybe some of it should go towards exposing what is supposed to -- no, really! -- be a pro-Mitch McConnell ad. An organization called the National Association of Realtors Congressional Fund tried to give McConnell a boost with a mailer. The only problem? Well, it's how they chose to present their message:
In large letters, you see "Mitch McConnell."
Below that, a sign with even larger letters: "FOR SALE."
Check the link out for the image of the mailer -- it's (pun intended) priceless!
A reader of ours in Kentucky also pointed out pointed out that the black line under the words "FOR SALE" is a flap on the mailer -- when you lift it up the word "SOLD" appears.
Now, everyone knows that the public really prefers to elect politicians who are bought and paid for, right? How could the positive message: "Mitch McConnell -- FOR SALE" not resonate with the voters? Maybe this is a cautionary story about how groups like this are not supposed to coordinate with campaigns -- which often leaves them to come up with their own ads, which can occasionally be off message. I mean, who in their right mind would think "FOR SALE" is a valid (again, pun intended) selling point to the voters?
In other bad campaign advertising news, we have a "Sharknado" ad attacking Gary Peters in Michigan. The idea's not that bad for what they trying to accomplish (they're trying to tie him to a loan shark), but the execution is pretty pathetic. Hire a better cartoonist next time, guys.
In Minnesota, Republicans are running an ad exploiting the death of a 4-year-old child without ever asking the family's permission. Stay classy, GOP ad creators!
Up in Alaska, Republican Don Young is saying some insulting things on the subject of suicide, and then when asked to respond to the controversy, saying even more insulting things. Now that's the way to win voters over!
Down in Georgia, a Republican House candidate showed how Godwin's Law relates to politics, by comparing public schools in America to Hitler's Third Reich. Here's the full quote: "Obviously, if we have government -- which is what the public school is -- if we have government indoctrinating what students are learning, then we have a problem. This took place in Germany, friends. I'm not trying to say we are necessarily headed in that direction, but it is undeniable that one of the first things Hitler did was to grab, so to speak, the minds of the youth."
Over in Wisconsin, a co-chair of the Republican National Committee showed how to respect a state's voters -- by calling them stupid. The full quote: "I don't want to say anything about your Wisconsin voters but, some of them might not be as sharp as a knife." Hoo boy.
North Carolina Republicans are fighting hard to keep college students from being able to easily cast their ballots. This is a prime example to use when arguing with anyone who swears the GOP is just interested in "voter fraud" and not outright voter suppression. How does making college kids travel further to vote have anything to do with "fraud," guys?
And finally (for campaign news this week), Republicans are now -- are you sitting down? -- portraying themselves as the saviors of Social Security. That's right, groups (like Karl Rove's) are attacking Democrats from the left for even considering the Bowles-Simpson plan a few years back. Democrats would have had to accept such "entitlement reform" in exchange for Republicans accepting some tax increases -- that's the way the "Grand Bargain" was supposed to work. It fell apart because Republicans would not accept it -- for the higher taxes, not for the Social Security changes. They were all for changing Social Security in fact, and now they're trying to flim-flam the public into believing it was the Democrats who were pushing for such changes. My guess is the public's just not that stupid, personally. Mitch McConnell apparently missed the memo, though, and is bizarrely out there bragging that he was trying to be "bipartisan" in passing George W. Bush's idea to privatize Social Security, showing that Republican logic is impossible to understand ("We're saviors of Social Security, except for Mitch!" maybe?)
Speaking of swimming against the tide in Republicanland, Michael Gerson wrote an interesting article about how the GOP may misread a Senate victory. Warning his fellow Republicans not to get too exuberant if they win, he writes some sobering thoughts, looking ahead to the national situation the GOP will face in the next election: "At the presidential level, the GOP brand is offensive to many rising demographic groups. Republicans are often perceived as indifferent to working-class struggles (because they sometimes are). The GOP appeal seems designed for a vanishing electorate."
In other sober news, this week saw a brief respite from Ebola panic on the nightly news, but then OH MY GOD ALL OF NEW YORK CITY IS GOING TO DIE!!! So I guess we're going for another trip on this insane merry-go-round. Buckle up, folks!
On the political side of Ebola, Think Progress has a great piece on all the politicians who use the cop-out "I'm not a scientist..." when talking about climate change, but then feel fully qualified to talk about Ebola and spread false information about it. Those dots needed to be connected, so hats off to Think Progress for doing so. To be fair, though, some Democrats are also fond of this cop-out.
Republicans came very close to admitting that all the political hay they're making over Ebola is precisely that -- a campaign issue to grandstand, not a serious crisis that needs an immediate response. Here's the quote: "In reality, Republicans are not planning a legislative response, at least for now, Republican leadership aides said Monday. They merely want their voices heard." Got that? They are not planning a legislative response for now. In other words, the issue will likely die right after the election is over. They're telling everyone to panic, but also that it's not important enough for them to act now. Cynical politics at its worst, or par for the course -- you decide.
Ebola is not exactly an "October Surprise," properly defined, since neither political party caused the Ebola outbreak to embarrass the other side. But it is October, and it is a surprise that the issue is so central in the heart of an election. What is being absolutely lost is that the system now appears to be working just fine, and none of the idiotic political responses would have changed things in New York City one tiny bit. The latest Ebola patient is an American, needs no visa to come here, did not take a direct flight from the affected country (since such flights do not actually exist), was self-monitoring his temperature, and immediately when he became symptomatic called the health authorities and was successfully quarantined. Not only is this precisely the way things are supposed to work, but none of the proposed travel bans would have affected him at all -- but try telling that to the politicians. Or the media.
It's not like there weren't interesting stories to report elsewhere. This week saw the court conviction of four Blackwater guards, for the massacre they perpetrated in Iraq years ago. This is a rather monumental court case, but you certainly wouldn't know that by reading much about it in the American media.
One amusing note that provided some comic relief this week was talk of secession. South Florida apparently wants to break off from the northern part of the state, but this isn't really "secession" so much as an attempted political divorce over irreconcilable differences. But the truly amusing story was of a bunch of Southern states that one man wants to see break away from America (refresh my memory: didn't they try that 150 years ago?), and then call their proud new country "Reagan." You just can't make this stuff up, folks.
And we have to end on a not-so-amusing note. Global warming has forced a town in Alaska to cancel door-to-door trick-or-treating on Hallowe'en. Because of polar bears. The bears used to be fine out on the ice shelf, but the ice receded and now they're walking through the town's main street. The town will put on a Hallowe'en party indoors, but still, you'd think this would be on the news (with video of some polar bears strolling down the street), wouldn't you?
It's not really "impressive," but Paul Begala got off a funny line, in an article talking about the "Fangate" debate in Florida between Rick Scott and Charlie Crist. In Begala's own words: "To begin with, Scott has all the telegenic appeal of a garden slug: lean and hairless and slick and creepy. But then again, I've been a friend and business partner of James Carville for 30 years, so who am I to judge?" Heh.
Joking aside, our Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week this week is a House candidate from Massachusetts. An article in the Boston Globe exposed candidate Seth Moulton's not-so-dirty secret: he was a war hero.
In a stunning display of modesty (real heroes never call themselves heroes, that's a pretty good rule of thumb to use), Moulton declined to make his military record part of his campaign. From a story in the Washington Post by E. J. Dionne:
Seth Moulton, an Iraq veteran and Democratic congressional candidate on Massachusetts's North Shore, has done something with little precedent in political campaigning: He was caught underplaying his war record.
You read that right: An investigation by the Boston Globe found that, unlike politicians who go to great lengths to puff up their military backgrounds, Moulton, as the paper's Walter Robinson wrote, "chose not to publicly disclose that he was twice decorated for heroism until pressed by the Globe."
It took Robinson's reporting to discover that Moulton had won the Bronze Star and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for valor during the battles for control of Najaf and Nasiriyah.
In a telephone interview, Moulton said his reluctance reflected a "healthy disrespect" among his comrades-in-arms for boasting about citations.
. . .
"The relative few of us who really were on the front lines don't like to talk about it and don't like to brag about it," he said. "I saw a lot of heroic kids who were on the front lines ... and didn't get the recognition they deserved."
Nothing more really needs be said. Seth Moulton now has another award he can add to all his military decorations: the Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week.
[We do not as a rule (for legal reasons) link to candidates' web sites. You'll have to search the name Seth Moulton yourself to contact him to let him know you appreciate his efforts.]
Pennsylvania's pornography scandal just keeps getting worse. In the wake of the sexual assaults at Penn State by Jerry Sandusky, an internal review was conducted in the Pennsylvania legal system. What it turned up was porn emails. Lots of them. So far, four people employed by prosecutors' offices have been forced out. Next in line is a member of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Justice Seamus McCaffery. From the sordid story:
The court's action followed disclosures last week by Chief Justice Ronald Castille, a Republican, that McCaffery had sent or received 234 emails with sexually explicit content or pornography from late 2008 to May 2012. McCaffery apologized, calling it a lapse in judgment, but blasted Castille for "a vindictive pattern of attacks" against him.
A third justice, Michael Eakin, also a Republican, on Friday went public with a claim McCaffery had threatened to leak "inappropriate" emails Eakin had received if he didn't side with McCaffery against Castille.
McCaffery denied threatening Eakin, who reported the matter to the Judicial Conduct Board. Neither Eakin nor McCaffery participated in the court's decision.
Once again, there's not much left to say about this one. It's pretty obvious that Seamus McCaffery deserves this week's Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week.
[We couldn't find public contact information for Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Seamus McCaffery on his official webpage, but then again he probably won't be reading much email right about now anyway.]
Volume 325 (10/24/14)
OK, since this will be the last Friday Talking Points before the election, I thought I'd just do a rundown of the issues I'd run on if I were a Democratic candidate for Congress. These are pretty generic Democratic issues, although not every Democrat is on board with every idea. But for the most part, these are the things Democrats should be trying to make the case for, when convincing people to vote for them.
Campaigning is full of lots of mudslinging and bickering, but even at the heart of nasty tactics, there should always be a comparison: Democrats stand for "X," Republicans stand for "Y." Too often, this clear contrast gets muddied by Democratic candidates who listen to campaign consultants and try to run as inoffensive a campaign as possible ("Don't talk about X, our focus group shows 10 percent of the people don't want to hear about it").
My attitude is to go ahead and make the case. Tell the people why your views on governing are different than your opponents. Leave the gotcha stuff to the media, and make a strong case for the positive ideas Democrats can get behind to provide a better future. All of this week's talking points are a variation on: "I am a Democrat, and the difference between me and the Republican is pretty easy to see...."
Hike the minimum wage
I have no idea why Democrats haven't made this a much bigger issue in this campaign.
"Elect Democrats to Congress and we will raise the federal minimum wage to at least ten bucks an hour. Giant corporations right now pay their full-time workers so little that a minimum wage earner qualifies for benefits such as food stamps. That is just wrong. If you work a full-time job, then you should be able to buy food for your family. If we raised the minimum wage to a living wage, not only would it not cost any tax dollars, but it would save the federal government money, because we wouldn't have to pay benefits to someone making a decent wage. Republicans' answer to every economic problem is to give big tax breaks to those on the top of the ladder. But trickle-down just doesn't work. Instead, Democrats want a rising tide to lift all boats -- raise the minimum wage, and wages will begin moving upward from the bottom up. Democrats are fighting for the little guy, while Republicans fight for the fat cats -- it's as simple as that."
Scrap the cap
Save Social Security in one fell swoop.
"Democrats want to save Social Security not by raising retirement ages, cutting benefits, or privatizing it, but by making the program fiscally sound in a much easier and less painful way. We want every dollar earned taxed at the same rate. Right now, a firefighter or nurse pays a much higher rate than a doctor or hedge manager. Once you make about $120,000 each year, everything else you make above that is not taxed to pay for Social Security. Why? Why not tax every dollar multimillionaires make? Why should a policeman pay five times the tax rate as a banker? I support what is called 'scrapping the cap' on Social Security taxes -- making the system fair by taxing everyone exactly the same, instead of taxing the lower-wage worker at a much higher rate than the ultra-wealthy. By making this one change -- which would not raise taxes on anyone making less than the cap -- we could save Social Security and make it solvent for the next 75 years. Republicans' answer to the problem is always to make sure the little guy gets less. Democrats do not consider that an acceptable answer. That is the difference."
Consumers first!
Once again, Democrats are on the side of the little guy. So point it out!
"Republicans have hated the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ever since it was created. They have sworn to destroy it. Why? Why, in the name of all that holy, would you remove an agency whose only purpose is to be on the side of the little guy and not the banks?!? The C.F.P.B. has already saved American consumers billions of dollars, and has done away with many of the 'stick it in the fine print' ways banks used to screw consumers. There is still a lot of work to be done, but Republicans want the banks to have free rein and for some reason hate the idea that the little guy should have anyone in his or her corner. There is only one reason for this: Republicans take their marching orders from Wall Street, even when it means crushing Main Street as a result. Why on Earth would Republicans want to kill a bureau that has helped millions of Americans, if it wasn't to do the bidding of the big banks? Democrats will fight hard to keep the C.F.P.B., because we fight for the little guy, not the banks."
Millions insured
Defend Obamacare by pointing out what "repeal" would actually mean.
"Millions of people now have health insurance who didn't two years ago. Millions of people can now go to the doctor without wondering if they'll have enough money to pay for food afterwards. That is an enormous success story. Republicans want to end this. They want to take away that insurance from millions and millions of Americans. Don't be fooled by the way Republicans now wistfully try to claim that they can keep all the good parts of Obamacare and just get rid of the bad parts -- because that is never going to happen. When they say 'repeal, root and branch' what they mean is taking health insurance away from millions. In a world where incurable diseases do not check for a health insurance card before infecting, why would any sane individual want fewer people in the population insured? The more people we can get insured, the healthier the population will be. Obamacare is achieving this already, and repealing it would mean tossing millions of people off their health insurance. Republicans have held the House for four years now, and they have never come up with a replacement for Obamacare. Their magic 'we'll keep all the good stuff and toss out the bad' answer does not exist. Democrats will fight hard for those millions who now have health insurance they couldn't previously afford. Republicans will fight to take it away from them."
Expand Medicaid
This is an issue Republicans are particularly vulnerable on.
"Why are Republican governors so dead set against expanding Medicaid? Well, not all of them, to be fair -- nine or ten states with Republican governors have realized that expanding Medicaid is good for their citizens, and have joined the Obamacare program. More Republican governors will likely realize in the future that they're fighting to keep their people uninsured which doesn't help anybody. But Republicans in Congress want to repeal the whole program, even though it has been a huge success so far. Once again, they like to pretend that the Medicaid expansion is somehow a separate thing from Obamacare, but this is not actually true. If they repeal Obamacare, they will end Medicaid for millions of people. They don't like to talk about it, but that doesn't make it any less true. Medicaid expansion has been a big success, and Democrats will fight to keep it. Republicans -- or, at least, those Republicans who don't have a state to run -- will fight to kill it. It's that simple."
Doctor's First Amendment
Once again, I don't know why Democrats are so timid on this one.
"Democrats stand strongly for the First Amendment's right to free speech for all -- including doctors! We do not think politicians should dictate what a doctor can and cannot say to anyone seeking medical advice. Why in the name of Thomas Jefferson would you limit free speech by a professional medical practitioner? Why would you dictate what they have to -- or cannot -- say? Republicans are busy passing laws all over the country which do exactly that. Democrats want conversations between a doctor and a patient to be sacrosanct -- no politician should be in that room with them. When a rape victim asks a doctor for a morning-after pill or an abortion, the doctor should not have to preach a sermon before practicing his profession. He should not have to do medical procedures because some politician thought it'd be a good idea. The First Amendment should be absolute, for all American citizens including doctors. Democrats want to get the government out of the examining room, and protect the Bill of Rights. Republicans do not. That's the difference."
Comprehensive immigration reform
Hammer Republicans with how their inaction has caused our current situation.
"Republicans are fear-mongering about Ebola, telling everyone who will listen that a wave of sick people is about to cross the southern border and infect everyone. They whine about border security and try to paint Democrats or Obama as being the problem somehow. This is laughable. Democrats and Republicans passed a bipartisan bill in the Senate which would -- if the House had voted on it promptly -- have doubled the number of Border Patrol agents. Yes, you heard that right -- we could have twice as big a Border Patrol right now if Republicans had just voted on the bill. In fact, there is nothing stopping the House from voting on this bill today. Democrats already voted to double the Border Patrol. Republicans refuse to. They complain about other parts of the bill and say they want to pass immigration reform piecemeal, starting with securing the border. But they have not done so. They've had years to act in the House, and no bill has appeared -- even one just dealing with the Border Patrol. Republicans are lying when they say they're concerned about the border, because they refuse to pass the bipartisan Senate bill and they also refuse to pass their own bill. The status quo must be just fine with them, which is why I have to scratch my head when they try to fearmonger on the issue during a campaign. Want the border secure? Then pass a freakin' bill. There is absolutely nothing stopping them from doing so."
-- Chris Weigant
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Cross-posted at: Democratic Underground
Cross-posted at: The Huffington Post
How can Kentuckians expect McConnell to cast a tough vote on anything? Is he ever gonna answer a tough question on anything? I think he disqualified himself.
“I’m not announcing what the agenda would be in advance,” said McConnell.
http://insiderlouisville.com/metro/mcconnell-touts-2005-push-private-social-security-accounts-refuses-say-hed-senate-majority-leader/
He doesn't seem to have any issue with announcing his rip "Obamacare" out root and branch agenda. We'd like to hear about his Social Security Destruction Plan before the election.
In Minnesota, Republicans are running an ad exploiting the death of a 4-year-old child without ever asking the family's permission. Stay classy, GOP ad creators!
And, of course, Begich did something similar in Alaska, even though the family of the victim asked him not to..
Any condemnation of that??
Just curious...
What is being absolutely lost is that the system now appears to be working just fine,
Yea, and the TrainWreckCare website was a well-oiled machine...
And we have to end on a not-so-amusing note. Global warming has forced a town in Alaska to cancel door-to-door trick-or-treating on Hallowe'en. Because of polar bears. The bears used to be fine out on the ice shelf, but the ice receded and now they're walking through the town's main street. The town will put on a Hallowe'en party indoors, but still, you'd think this would be on the news (with video of some polar bears strolling down the street), wouldn't you?
Like the Democrats talk of "recovery", Americans are getting pretty sick and tired of the con that is Global Warming.. Oh sorry.. "Climate Change".. oh wait.. Isn't it called "Climate Disruption" now??
Newsflash for people.. If you have to "market" it, if you have to shop around for the best PR term, it ain't science.. It's politics...
Even one of the co-founders of The Weather Channel *AND* the co-founder of GreenPeace call Global Warming a con...
"To begin with, Scott has all the telegenic appeal of a garden slug: lean and hairless and slick and creepy. But then again, I've been a friend and business partner of James Carville for 30 years, so who am I to judge?" Heh.
WOW.. A liberal actually attacking someone's appearance??
Like I said, there really isn't much difference between a conservative and a liberal..
It took Robinson's reporting to discover that Moulton had won the Bronze Star and the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for valor during the battles for control of Najaf and Nasiriyah.
And then the Obama Administration threw away Moulton's sacrifice and spit upon his heroism as the Administration did for everyone who served in Iraq..
As for your talking points??
Since ALIENS seems to be the soup de'jour....
"It won't make any difference..."
-Newt
:D
Michale
How can Kentuckians expect McConnell to cast a tough vote on anything? Is he ever gonna answer a tough question on anything? I think he disqualified himself.
Of course you do..
But you also think that he is responsible for the black plague, the sinking of the Bismark and high gas prices..
So.......
As far as not answering agenda questions??
So, of course, you must think that Orman in Kansas has ALSO disqualified himself, right??
No???
Why am I not surprised???
Typical Demcorat... Talking out BOTH sides of the ass.... :D
Michale
Hay CW,
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/dems-on-fec-move-to-regulate-internet-campaigns-blogs-drudge/article/2555270
Looks like the Democrats are wanting to regulate Weigantia..
How do you feel about that???
Michale
Comprehensive immigration reform
From Colorado...
A nationwide chain of restaurants called Illegal Pete's is moving a franchise into Colorado..
The activists got together with the owner and had a dialogue about changing the name.. Apparently the facts bother these activists..
OK.. So far so good. Talk things out.. Work things out...
The owner said he would take what was said and render a decision soon..
The fanatic activists then responded that if Pete DOESN'T give them what they want, if Pete DOESN'T bow to the extortion, then the activists are going to protest and make Pete's life a hell...
Get that??
The scumbags don't get their way so they are going to resort to violence...
And people wonder why these fanatics have such a PR problem..
People who are not in this country legally are ILLEGALS... No amount of koom-by-ya campfire songs is going to change that one simple fact..
They are ILLEGALS..
If the fanatics don't like the term, here's a thought...
"QUIT BREAKING THE LAW, ASSHOLE!!!"
-Jim Carrey, LIAR LIAR
:D
Michale
http://nypost.com/2014/10/25/former-cbs-reporter-explains-how-the-liberal-media-protects-obama/
Oh yea...
There is no Obama bias in the media... None at all..
{/sarcasm}
:^/
Michale
Louisville Courier-Journal endorses ALG:
"Ms. Grimes, to her credit, was willing to appear before this newspaper's editorial board, fielding an hour's worth of questions in an interview that was streamed live online and remains archived on the C-J website. She did this fully aware that Mr. McConnell's campaign could — and did — seize on snippets to use in political attacks.
Mr. McConnell, in turn, never accepted a similar invitation dating back to early September to appear before the C-J editorial board, thus shielding himself from scrutiny as well as any potential for attack ads based on his response."
http://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/editorials/2014/10/26/grimes-senate/17848031/
Lexington Herald-Leader endorses ALG:
"McConnell is pushing two outlandish deceptions:
"* This election's outcome can reverse coal's decline in Eastern Kentucky. McConnell harps on 7,000 coal jobs lost under Obama. But what of the 20,000 coal jobs lost in his first 24 years in Washington? Why has he offered no plan for this inevitable economic transition, even now? Grimes pledges support for economic diversification and benefits for sick miners.
* You can keep Kynect while he repeals the Affordable Care Act. Reality: If McConnell has his way, a half-million Kentuckians will lose access to health care and the state will lose a chance to tackle costly ills like addiction, diabetes and cancer."
http://www.kentucky.com/2014/10/26/3501630/elect-grimes-to-senate-for-a-better.html?sp=/99/349/
"By and large, illegal immigrants obey the law"
SUSPECT IN KILLING OF DEPUTIES WAS TWICE DEPORTED
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OFFICERS_SHOT_SACRAMENTO?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-10-26-03-31-11
Michale
"Ms. Grimes, to her credit, was willing to appear before this newspaper's editorial board, fielding an hour's worth of questions in an interview that was streamed live online and remains archived on the C-J website. She did this fully aware that Mr. McConnell's campaign could — and did — seize on snippets to use in political attacks.
Grimes can't even go on record as stating who she voted for in the last election..
If she can't make such a "tough" call, there is absolutely NO REASON to think she would be an effective Senator...
Grimes pledges support for economic diversification and benefits for sick miners.
"Allison is just saying what she has to say to get elected."
-Grimes Campaign Staffer
"These are the facts. And they are undisputed."
-Captain 'Smilin' Jack Ross, A FEW GOOD MEN
Kentucky is going to remain GOP....
Michale
This is a really bad time in the US to have the decidedly unenlightened Republican Party in control of anything, much less any governmental entity.
I realize that is a blanket statement about the Republican Party but, I think it is a valid enough one, based on their individual and collective actions.
This is a really bad time in the US to have the decidedly unenlightened Republican Party in control of anything, much less any governmental entity.
That's funny..
Apparently, the majority of American people are thinking the EXACT same thing about the Democrat Party... :D
I happen to agree with the American people on that.
Democrats have proven beyond ANY doubt that they simply cannot effectively govern..
Ya'all have as much admitted the same.. Remember?? Ya'all said that Democrats don't have quote 'effective' unquote control
Maybe this new batch of Republicans will get things done...
With Obama as POTUS, I highly doubt it...
But, I guess we're gonna find out, eh??
Michale
Hay CW,
Just occurred to me...
How Republicans treat the minority Democrats is going to depend a LOT on how bad Democrats try to screw over the country between now and December...
Wouldn't you agree???
Michale
Maybe this new batch of Republicans will get things done...
I suppose that it may take complete control of Congress and the White House, and as many governorships as possible, by the party of anti-enlightenment for the American people to see and understand the impacts of the disastrous consequences of supporting fantasy-based, partisan-infected leadership.
Perhaps, we'll see that play out in 2017.
Personally, I have finally had enough of what substitutes for serious discussion throughout too much of this site. Like most nominally functioning individuals, I have neither the time nor desire to participate in responding to the tedious repetition of wholly non-serious tirades that are so counterproductive to improving our understanding of the critical issues and difficult challenges of our time and how to effectively deal with them.
Just to be clear, and because I so appreciate Chris's enlightened, reality-based political analysis, I intend to continue supporting this site in any way I can, including a serious effort on my part to discuss the issues Chris focuses on in the spirit intended by his truly exceptional political commentary.
I suppose that it may take complete control of Congress and the White House, and as many governorships as possible, by the party of anti-enlightenment for the American people to see and understand the impacts of the disastrous consequences of supporting fantasy-based, partisan-infected leadership.
Or they could do a bang up job and show the American people that they don't need a SuperMajority to actually get things done..
Time will tell.. :D
Michale
“With just nine days to go until Election Day, Republicans’ national lead appears to be crystallizing, with voters still preferring a GOP-led Congress and viewing Republican campaigns significantly less negatively than those of Democrats.”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/26/joseph-curl-mainstream-media-shocked-latest-polls-/#ixzz3HKzNvoim
The writing's on the wall, people...
Despite the Leftist MSM's attempts to promote Democrats as much as possible, the reality is beginning to sink in..
There will be a GOP wave.. The only question is how big of a wave...
Hay... Don't hate me because I have been right all along.. :D
Michale
I understand where you are coming from Liz, but I think it's more of a case of reality changing, not discussions here in Weigantia...
What I mean, all the discussions, all the "tedious repetition", it's all the same... In the almost decade that I have been here, the discussions are always the same..
I claim that Democrats AND Republicans are the scourge of this country and ya'all claim that, no it's just Republicans that are the scourge of this country...
That's been going on for almost 10 years now...
The only difference is that, 7-8 years ago, the bend of reality was in ya'alls favor. It showed that ya'all were more right than wrong and ya'all were fine with that..
In the here and now, the bend of reality is bending towards me and showing that I am more right than wrong..
And that, understandably, frustrates ya'all... It frustrates ya'all so much that a few commenters don't even post anymore and those that do comment tend to poo-poo any arguments that are in keeping with the new reality..
If the situation was reversed and we were looking at a huge Dem wave, you can bet that the majority of commenters who DO comment would be on cloud nine and their comments would reflect that. And those who have bailed would be back here commenting daily like they used to..
In short (well, short for me... :D ), Wegantia hasn't changed. The caliber of the comments hasn't changed...
The only thing that has changed is that the current reality is now showing that the anti-Democrat comments are dead on ballz accurate and the anti-Republican comments are, shall we say, somewhat factually challenged??
But, take heart.. I am sure that, once the GOP takes the Senate, Democrats will return to their minority status and will give Weigantians, current and past, reason to be FOR Democrats instead of just being against Republicans..
Michale
On another note...
In Arizona, a Navajo high school emerges as a defender of the Washington Redskins
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/in-arizona-a-navajo-high-school-emerges-as-a-defender-of-the-washington-redskins/2014/10/26/dcfc773a-592b-11e4-8264-deed989ae9a2_story.html
'Redskins' derogatory???
Apparently not....
Michale
Since Greenwald left, SALON usually misses the mark by a country mile...
Thomas Frank: “We are such losers”
Liberals yearn to believe in post-ideological blank slates -- and get disappointed every time. Will we ever learn?
http://www.salon.com/2014/10/26/thomas_frank_we_are_such_losers/
But this comparison between Carter and Obama...
So dead on ballz accurate, it's scary....
Michale
Let me give you a perfect example of the reality-disconnect experienced here in Weigantia by Weigantians..
Postulate a scenario with a GOP POTUS, President Scumbag, whose approval ratings are in the low 40s and who has been underwater for years..
We're approaching a midterm where control of the Senate is at stake. GOP Senate candidates are running from the POTUS as much as they can, because he is so toxic... These GOP'ers, over and over again, say they are not Scumbag and they don't agree with Scumbag...
Now, President Scumbag is as narcissistic as they come. Everything is about him and if it isn't, it should be..
So, in his stump speech, he lays out a beauty... "Make no mistake people. While I am not on the ballot this mid-term, each and every one of my policies ARE on the ballot!!"
Senate Candidates roll their eyes and try to do damage control.. The emphatically state that they don't agree with Pres Scumbag and they don't support him all the time...
But POTUS Scumbag decides to double down on his stoopidity... He goes on the MORNING WITH THE KKK show and says, “The bottom line is, though, these are all folks who vote with me. They have supported my agenda in Congress. So this isn’t about my feelings being hurt. These are folks who are strong allies and supporters of me. … I tell them … you do what you need to do to win. I will be responsible for making sure that our voters turn out.”
"OUR voters"??? So, not only do we have blatant stoopidity but we also have a dash of racism thrown in...
Now, answer honestly... What would be the reaction of Weigantians if this scenario played out??
I am sure ya'all would agree that the cacophony would be immediate and deafening... Weigantians would go on and on and on about the utter moronic-ness of the statements and the blatant racism of the claim... Comments here in Weigantia would run into the mid hundreds and every, EVERY Weigantian would come out of the wood-work to extol the stoopidity and racism of President Scumbag's comments...
That EXACT scenario played out WORD FOR WORD with Senate Democrats and President Obama...
WORD... FOR.... WORD....
And the response from Weigantia????
{{{chiiirrrrpppppp}}} {{{chiiirrrrppp}}}
Nuttin' but crickets...
So..... This begs the question...
Have things really changed here in Weigantia???
Or has reality done an about-face where all the slams and attacks against Bush and the Republicans NOW apply to Obama and the Democrats???
I think the answer is self-evident...
No one here has changed.. Everyone here is the EXACT same person they were 5-10 years ago... Everyone is posting as they did back then, the same intelligent observations, the same insightful discourse..
The only thing that has changed is which comments the facts support...
Michale
What I mean, all the discussions, all the "tedious repetition", it's all the same... In the almost decade that I have been here, the discussions are always the same..
"In the dictionary under 'redundant' it says 'see redundant' "
-Robin Williams
:D
Michale
Anybody else notice that the WaPo Election Lab map is not coming up??
Michale
Ex-CBS reporter: Government agency bugged my computer
http://nypost.com/2014/10/27/ex-cbs-reporter-government-related-entity-bugged-my-computer/
Only one way to describe this...
Nixonian...
Michale
I don't know if any of you know this but in addition to running a computer shop at a local Flea Market, I also do security surveillance installs...
I install very fancy computer controlled all weather cameras with night vision and motion detection. I have done installs for barbershops, home residences and pharmacies that runs several thousand dollars
Recently, for homeowners, I install a new system that costs $100 for the install and is monitored by many different law enforcement agencies at no additional charge..
I place a Pakistani flag at one corner of the residence, a Hamas flag at the other corner of the residence and an ISIS flag dead in the center of the residence.
Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies monitor my client's residence 24/7 and my clients say they have never felt safer...
:D
Michale
"We are going to escort whore out the door."
-Dem Candidate For S.C. Governor
Way to stay classy, Democrats... :^/
Michale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUSRZo1BE5o
Looks like a core Dem constituency is tired of being kicked in the teeth over and over by Democrats.
This election is not going to be pretty for the Democrat Party...
Not pretty at all..
Michale
An organization called the National Association of Realtors Congressional Fund tried to give McConnell a boost with a mailer. The only problem? Well, it's how they chose to <a href="http://www.chrisweigant.com/2014/10/24/ftp325/www.courier-journal.com/story/politics-blog/2014/10/17/realtors-say-mcconnells-for-sale/17461287/> present their message</a>:
Let's see if this works. It should show a broken link in a reconstruction of its original HTML, with the extraneous text in bold.
Oh. It turned it into a link instead. You get the idea, anyway.
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/391474/non-citizens-are-voting-john-fund
Yea... Voter fraud is not a problem..
Of course it's not a problem for Democrats because mostly all criminals voting illegally will vote for Democrats..
THAT is why no one on the Left cares about Voter Fraud..
THAT is why the only Voter Disenfranchisement the Left cares about is the one's who vote Democrat..
Michale
Yea... Voter fraud is not a problem..
Of course it's not a problem for Democrats because mostly all criminals voting illegally will vote for Democrats..
THAT is why no one on the Left cares about Voter Fraud..
THAT is why the only Voter Disenfranchisement the Left cares about is the one's who vote Democrat..
Michale
Woops.. Forgot the link...
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/391474/non-citizens-are-voting-john-fund
Woops Forgot the link...
http://tinyurl.com/k9p9fwc
http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2014/10/29/massive-non-citizen-voting-uncovered-in-maryland/
No one wants to talk about voter fraud anymore??
Michale