New GOP Congress Off to Bang Up Start

Wow! See, America, this is what happens when you don't pay attention, fall for truthiness, decide it's the other side's "turn" or just don't vote because you think "they're all the same." The new team--yet to even be sworn it--already has a prominent member guilty of a felony (and resigning after saying he wouldn't). And now a guy third from the top in the House of Representatives who gives speeches for white supremacists. And didn't realize it. He's also kind of a nutbar. Is this what you bargained for?

[Excerpt]

House Majority Whip Scalise confirms he spoke to white nationalists in 2002

Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), the House majority whip, acknowledged Monday that he spoke at a gathering hosted by white-supremacist leaders while serving as a state representative in 2002, thrusting a racial controversy into House Republican ranks days before the party assumes control of both congressional chambers . . .

Read more at: Washington Post

Impeach Obama! (A Rocky Mountain Mike Song Parody)

This would of course be the sentiment of the new Congress and their seemingly very confused voters (except for the ones who also voted for pot, minimum wage, and against personhood laws?!?). Ugh. Anyway, it's all very festive, thanks to Rocky Mountain Mike. To the tune of Jose Feliciano's Feliz Navidad.

For more Mike, go here. And buy his album, Politically Incoherent on Amazon!

 

Skeeter's Song (A Rocky Mountain Mike Song Parody)

One of the most common laments of liberals is that conservatives (and some liberals) vote against their best interests. And this couldn't have been more clear than in the 2014 election. How do you explain people voting for minimum wage increases, pot legalization, against personhood amendments and more. . .and yet voting in Republicans who are diametrically opposed to those positions?

The embodiment of this mindset is "Skeeter," Rocky Mountain Mike's tea baggin', conservative-because-I-was-born-this-way character. Here, Skeeter sings his explanation to the tune of Kenny Loggins' Danny's Song.

For more Mike, go here. And buy his album, Politically Incoherent on Amazon!

Could GOP's 2014 Election Success Spell Their Doom in 2016?

SPOILER ALERT: Lawrence will read a rather frank and brutal analysis to you, about how the GOP should enjoy their two years of crazy, but that it will end with significant setbacks for them in the next election. The language is pointed and out of character for Mr. O'Donnell. And that's because he is reading the words of a Republican political analyst.

It's Impeachable (A Rocky Mountain Mike Song Parody)

To anyone who lived through the Clinton impeachment imbroglio, I for one would like to say, knock it off, GOP. It's exhausting, you'll overplay your hand, and you'll ensure Democratic success in 2016. On second thought, "Please proceed, Governor."

Rocky Mountain Mike has put the idea to music, to the tune of Perry Como's It's Impossible. For more Mike, go here. And buy his album, Politically Incoherent on Amazon!

 

In Case You Missed It: Rachel Maddow Finds a Silver Lining in the 2014 Election

I forgot to post this yesterday, and it's too good to forget. Rachel Maddow was one of MSNBC's main commentators on their election coverage (yes, FOX-lovers, I'm her one viewer, haha), and did a pretty good job during the dour thing (when Chris Matthews wasn't being a dick). People who claimed it was funereal on that channel didn't watch, or only caught a snippet. Because Maddow lives for this stuff. She's a political junkie who thinks of elections like Christmas, no matter who is winning.

As such, even though the night was dire for liberals, Rachel culled the returns for some good news. And delivers it with the appropriate amount of "yes, I'm digging through a pile of poop for nuggets of gold here." So, if you don't know about the good things that came out of that dismal election, here's your go-to source.
 

Obama: No, I Won't Let Them Repeal ObamaCare

Image from source, Talking Points Memo

A lot of people have pointed out that the GOP won largely on a single rallying cry: "We hate Barack Obama." Beyond that, there really wasn't much of a platform. So, what are they going to do with all this power? Well, impeachment is a possibility. Why? They don't need a why. They'll find a why, like they did with Bill Clinton. And as that episode proved, it doesn't even have to be a good reason.

But it's risky. It only made Clinton more popular. If Al Gore hadn't made the decision to distance himself from Clinton (a lesson Democrats hopefully have now learned by doing the same with Obama), he very well might have won. Or rather, won more decisively, so that SCOTUS couldn't hand it to Bush. I know, I know, get off the tangent. Okay.

So, while I'm sure somebody is going to bring up impeachment, it's far from a sure thing. So, what's next? ObamaCare. Obviously. Even though it's working (after an admittedly fumbled rollout), and millions of previously uninsured people now have insurance. Even though they don't have an alternative. Even though the cry for repeal only really exists at the base level. They've got to reward that base. So, you know they'll at least make some noise about it. I mean, how many times did the House vote for repeal, 50?

Anyway, barring an astounding turn of events, repeal of the whole thing is very, very unlikely. But don't be shocked if they go for some changes. And you know they won't be the good kind.

[Excerpt]

Obama: No, I'm Not Going To Allow The GOP To Repeal Obamacare
 
President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he would be "open and receptive" to "responsible changes" to Obamacare proposed by the new GOP Congress, but asserted that there were some policies that were off the table. . .

Read more at: Talking Points Memo

The Gay Thing: Marriage Equality Comes to Missouri (and Maybe Kansas)

With the gigantic Republican swing in the Senate and House, many gay people like myself immediately bristled: "what are they going to try to do?" The marriage equality wave has been bigger and more sustained than even this Republican wave (which, let's face it, was powered by a combination of overly-motivated conservatives, and under-motivated liberals). Up until now, there has been a lot of squawking by conservatives about gay marriage, and futile efforts at slowing it down, but it keeps coming, state-by-state, and even the Supreme Court seems to not care about slowing it down.

April Dawn Breeden & Crystal Peirs at their St. Louis wedding.
Image from source, St. Louis Tribune.

So, I figured we were finally a dead issue. But with their new position, who can be sure what Republicans will do? Will they take this bullshit issue about "sincerely held religious beliefs," couple it with the Hobby Lobby decision, and come up with religious exemptions to civil rights laws? Will they push for a "Federal Marriage Amendment?" Will they come up with something we haven't thought of yet, to demonize gay people, or otherwise try to keep us at second-class status? They might. They might do a lot of crazy stuff. Or, just maybe, they'll be so busy trying to repeal ObamaCare, and with trying to impeach the President over something (anything will likely do), they'll decide we're not worth the trouble.

In any event, it was some consolation to the dismal election returns, to find good news on the marriage equality front in both Kansas and Missouri! Neither is all the way over the finish line, though Missouri will be soon, and Kansas quick to follow. 2/3 of the states now have equal marriage. At this rate, regardless of what they throw at us, we'll get to 50 before they gather a strategy. I hope...

[Excerpt]

Judge overturns Missouri ban on gay marriage

A state judge overturned Missouri’s constitutional ban on gay marriage Wednesday in a ruling that immediately set off a rush among some same-sex couples to apply for marriage licenses. St. Louis Circuit Judge Rex Burlison said in a written ruling that Missouri’s measure recognizing marriage only between a man and woman violates the due process and equal protection rights of the U.S. Constitution. The decision mirrored ones handed down recently in several other states. . .

Read more at: St. Louis Tribune


[Excerpt]

Kansas ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional: judge
 
Same-sex couples may soon be able to marry in Kansas following a federal judge's ruling on Tuesday that the state's ban on same-sex marriage violates the U.S. Constitution. U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Crabtree granted a preliminary injunction stopping Kansas from enforcing its ban on gay marriage and put the ruling on hold until Nov. 11 to give Kansas an opportunity to appeal. . .

Read more at: Reuters

Election 2014: Where I Differ from the Punditry

This is America's idea of a leader? SMH.
Image from source, TPM.

I just got done reading the post excerpted below. It's from Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo, one of my go-to guys on one of my go-to blogs. And I fundamentally disagree with him. And agree with him. Let me explain.

Election night was a doozy: great for Republicans, dire for Democrats. This much is true, and is indisputable. It is being described (by Marshall and others) as a massive "national tide" or "wave." Marshall goes so far as to say the results are, ". . .about the national political climate." Excuse me, but no, they're not. And yes they are. But, no first.

No, because this wasn't a national election, not really. As everyone knows, liberals and Democrats are notoriously difficult to rouse in off-year or mid-term elections. I don't know why this is so, but it's so. Also, the right-wing base is extraordinarily easy to get to the polls. Any time, really. So this "tide/wave" isn't really all that big. It was effective, but does not necessarily indicate the national political climate. Unless the only climate you care about is this small group of voters.

And yes, because, well. . .there is a level of political "truthiness" going on here. The GOP (and its support network, your FOX "News," your Rush Limbaugh) has done a bang-up job painting President Obama as a ruthless, Maoist, fascist, Marxist, socialist, communist, you name it, negative-ist caricature. He's also a feckless, gormless, lazy, rudderless, incompetent boob who can not, will not lead, except "from behind." Forget that he really can't be all of those things, the cognitive dissonance somehow sells. This sales pitch has become part of the national political climate whether it is true or not. And Democrats--by and large--treated it like it was true as much as Republicans did. Economic indicators are up. . .just about every measure that should have the president's party doing well is good. But people are angry! Why? Because they just are.

So, this wave is both not as large as it's being portrayed, even though its results were. And though this may portend a national political climate, it is also kind of baseless and lacking substance. How's that for some cognitive dissonance?

Now, let's see how crazy this gets.

[Excerpt]

What Does It Mean?
 
No two ways about it - a big, big night for the GOP. We won't know the outcome in Louisiana until December. But it's now looking likely that the GOP will end up with a 54 - 46 seat majority in the next Congress. We still haven't heard from Alaska. And we can't totally count Landrieu out. But this is close to a maximal win for the Republicans. . .

Read more at: Talking Points Memo

Election 2014: How Screwed Are We?

I went into this election with all the positivity I could muster. And with all the bracing I could manage for a bad result. All-in-all, I guess I'm weathering it. Whereas in 2012--which turned out pretty well--I was all aflutter with worry, this time it was more like grudging resignation. I don't understand why people are voting heavy Republican. I don't understand how anyone would want to elect Mitch McConnell, Rick Scott, Scott Wanker Walker, John Kasich, or any of a host of other candidates who were  re-elected tonight. But I accept that they have.

How screwed are we? Well, given that the previous Congress was the least effective in history, not much more screwed than before. The more relevant question might be, "how crazy will they be?" And my thought is, "pretty crazy." The rabid base that got them here has been frothing at the mouth for all kinds of nutty things, and they're going to want to flex their muscles. And I will make a prediction right now: The Republican Congress and Senate that was elected in 2014 will shoot their crazy wad all over the country, and will inspire a Democratic wave in 2016.

Until then, we have to cover ourselves with a tarp or something. Another prediction, my just re-elected Republican Governor Brian Sandoval will have to battle Wisconsin's Governor Walker for the 2016 RNC nomination. And finally, I'm going to have a lot more material for the blog.

 

Fellow Citizen: Go Vote!

My fellow Americans, as a lefty-liberal-moonbat Democrat in good standing, I of course hope you don't vote for the clown car full of bozos that is the GOP slate. I'd implore you to vote your best interests, and those of the country. I'd urge you not to vote for crazy people.

But vote. Don't shrug it off. Don't say, "eh, they're all the same." Because they are starkly different in key ways. And if you do go vote, and you get home, and you find yourself depressed because of who ended up winning, remember this: America has the political memory of a goldfish. If Republicans win, voters will be pissed at them in 2016, and we'll get a Democratic wave. In the unlikely case of a Democratic squeaker,* Republicans will likely have an easier time in the next election.

But apparently, the State of the Union is rather irrelevant to actual voting. The economy is doing fairly well. There are big scary things in the news, but there are always big scary things in the news. Ebola has fizzled, at least for the moment. And arguably, Republicans made us more vulnerable on that front in the first place. "People are angry," I keep hearing. But about what, I really have no idea. They don't seem to either, they just sputter about Obama being a dictator and not being a leader. That's a pretty neat trick.

So, I give up trying to explain it. But go vote. It's your civic duty. And if you can round up two or three people who were thinking of not going, even better.

*Now, I just want to say, that I'm fully prepared for a GOP Senate, though I'm not happy about it. But I also won't be surprised if the wave doesn't hit as hard as people think it's going to. It's all going to come down to who gets out the vote. But I'm hoping for a surprise Democratic squeaker or even a 50/50 split. Call me a cockeyed optimist!

John Fugelsang's Reasons Democrats Should NOT Vote Next Week

Images from source, Raw Story

Of course, he's using reverse psychology. . .

[Excerpt]

Comedian John Fugelsang comes up with great reasons why you shouldn’t vote next week

Why doesn’t John Fugelsang have his own show already? The man is a genius. Today, at his Twitter feed, the comedian came up with a clever bit of reverse psychology about voting in next week’s election, when Democrats may lose control of the US Senate because of poor turnout. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Post-Halloween Horror: The 2014 Election

I voted today, finally, after having been busy the past two weekends. We have early voting here in Nevada, and Ready, Set, Vote! voter guides, and it all works remarkably well. So far, though we have a Republican governor, there has been no attempt to curtail or change this system in the name of "protecting the vote," or "stopping voter fraud." Which is amazing when you think about it.

But not as amazing as the brazenness the GOP displays when cutting early voting, eliminating Sunday voting (known to be a big, post-church, African American voting day), requiring IDs (but only certain IDs), and more. . .with very little reason. Sure, they'll handwave the nonexistent in-person voter fraud "problem," but mostly they just make whatever changes will help them ensure that fewer Democrats vote.

Do you think that sounds radical? The fact that I'm saying it is not. The fact that they're doing it, is. Occasionally, they'll even admit it. Here's Paul Weyrich, a founder of The Heritage Foundation and ALEC, in 1980. Admitting it.



That, coupled with gerrymandering, with a politics-weary electorate, and the typical demographics of midterm voters adds up to: a bad year for Democrats, almost certainly. Maybe not historically bad, but not good. Double-plus ungood? Time will tell.

But it is baffling to me. Though I'm fairly a realist about my fellow Americans and their fickle, skewed, illogical voting patterns, I want more from them. I want them to be better than FOX "News" parroting, paranoid conspiracy theorists. I want them not to reward Republicans, when it is Republicans who have given us the obstruction, the gridlock, the governmental shut down, the lack of a Surgeon General. Many, many of the problems people complain about the state of our union, were either caused by, allowed to happen by, or are a byproduct of the GOP.

I'm with you, Jean-Luc.

And their slate of candidates? It really makes no sense to me that they're even electable, but even if they were not a clown car full of bozos, why reward them for what they themselves help come to pass?

I'm not saying that President Obama has been perfect, far from it. I'm still in his corner, and I'm not ashamed to say it (though many a cowardly Democratic candidate is). I think history will judge him well. But whatever you think of him, how does voting for say, Ted Cruz or Louis Gohmert help anyone? Sadly, for my side, Democrats don't offer a strong, defiant message to root for. To me, they are infinitely preferable, but they seem to not be trying. Why the Dems haven't pumped 90% of their cash into Get Out the Vote, I have no idea. That is all we need, matching the numbers or besting them.

I'm not optimistic. But a bad outcome will likely spur me to blog more. So, there's that.

That Bizarre Florida Governor's Debate

Our first contestant, a former Florida Governor Charlie Crist. Crist, more convincingly tanned than John Boehner, changed parties since the last time, and acquired a wife, though that hasn't put a stop to the rumors about his sexuality. Our next contestant, is the impossibly creepy, oily, borderline-scary Rick Scott, he of the massive payout for Medicaid fraud.

For the life of me, I can't understand how Scott was ever elected in the first place, as he really does look like a Hollywood special effect. But he did, and now he's trying to get reelected. He might win again too, because--you know--Florida. But I'm hoping for Charlie, if only by process of elimination. Either way, nobody could have expected how their debate would go down.

[Excerpt]

Rick Scott Almost Refused To Debate Charlie Crist Over Fan



Florida's second gubernatorial debate got off to a bizarre start Wednesday evening when incumbent Gov. Rick Scott (R) initially refused to debate his opponent because he had a fan under his lectern. Democratic candidate Charlie Crist, the former Florida governor hoping to unseat Scott in next month's election, had a small electric fan placed under his lectern. This, Scott's campaign claimed, violated the debate's "no electronics" rule. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Rude Pundit: On Cowardly Democrats

Lee Papa, The Rude Pundit

I wrote recently on the Democrats' maddening tendency toward cowardice, particularly during campaigns. Instead of touting the strengths of say, ObamaCare, they instead pretend they have never heard of it. That kind of thing. But, as usual, somebody done it better already: The Rude Pundit. As usual, it's more than worth a read.

[Excerpt]

Democrats Once Again Put on Their Coward Pants (With Exceptions)

Look, you can cavil all you want about Kentucky Democratic Senate nominee Alison Lundergan Grimes's refusal to answer whether or not she voted for Barack Obama. You can sit there all self-satisfied and pat yourself on the fuckin' back that you support the sanctity of the secret ballot and that, really, it's not all that important that she answer. You can pretend all you want that Grimes is correct to stand on principle or that, if she said that she voted for Obama, it would be used in attack ads endlessly by that unrepentant, smug cuntface, Mitch McConnell. You know that it's far, far more important that McConnell refuses to say if he thinks climate change is human-caused or that Kynect, Kentucky's Obamacare exchange, would be harmed if you got rid of Obamacare, something the governor of Kentucky ripped McConnell for. That's shit that affects the daily lives of Kentuckians, not what Grimes did in a voting booth. . .

Read more at: Rude Pundit

Mitch McConnell: Kill ObamaCare! Keep Kentucky's Part of it! (WTF?)

Mitch McConnell is talking out his ass again, this time at his debate with Alison Lundergan Grimes. Yes, Yertle seems to think we should eliminate every "root and branch" of the Affordable Care Act, and yet leave Kentucky's Kynect (or just its web site?) intact. The problem, of course, is that Kynect is ObamaCare, it's what it was always supposed to be, one of 50 state-run exchanges. And it worked! And it's popular! So, it puts Mitch in this trick bag.

If Grimes is smart, she'll play this up big time: "Kentuckians, Mitch McConnell thinks you're stupid. He thinks you're so stupid, that you don't know that Kynect is part of the Affordable Care Act. He's hoping you're so stupid, that you'll vote for him, and let him take away your insurance."

I'm not particularly a fan of Grimes. I think she's a calculating, politics first, talking points-based candidate. I think she's hoping that Kentuckians are stupid enough to think she's anti-Obama, because they are stupid enough to vote against her for being an Obama supporter. I think there are better ways to play this, than posturing and fake-outs. But very nearly anyone would be better than Mitch McConnell. The fact that this is even close tells you that the "Kentuckians are stupid" gambit could very well work for either side.

[Excerpt]

McConnell Wants To Keep Obamacare 'Website' But Repeal Obamacare

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said on Monday night he wants to repeal Obamacare "root and branch" but keep the law's state-based insurance exchange in Kentucky, called Kynect. "I think it's fine to have a website. Yeah," he said during the first and only scheduled Kentucky Senate debate with Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes, pressed on whether he wants to keep Kynect. . .

Read more at: Talking Points Memo

America the Stupid: GOP Poor Love ObamaCare, Just Not the "Obama" Part

Idiots. Plain and simple. Like those teabaggers who would say, "keep your government hands off of my Medicare," anyone who is enjoying insurance for the first time, on account of the Affordable Care Act, and yet plans to vote Republican anyway. . .is an idiot. Those same Republicans have held how many votes--60?--to try to repeal "ObamaCare." They held a relentless campaign to demonize it, practically from its first formative step, to well after its introduction. They were so successful at making it seem that the ACA is the most evil piece of legislation ever, that even those who like it, hate it, if you just phrase the question right. Why would someone in such a position vote against their best interests? And yet they do. Consistently.

The Rude Pundit

Here's a great piece by Lee Papa, The Rude Pundit, from last week on the subject.

[Excerpt]

Toothless Hicks Agree: We Love Obamacare, Wish a White Man Had Signed It

So the New York Times interviewed people in Kentucky who have taken advantage of one part or another of the Affordable Care Act, especially the expansion of Medicaid. Robin Evans, a 49 year-old with high blood pressure and Graves' disease, is just "tickled to death" to have insurance coverage, which she had gone without for years. Of course, she's gonna vote Mitch McConnell out of office since he has made it his mission to repeal the ACA. Said Evans, "Born and raised Republican...I ain’t planning on changing now. . ."

See more at: The Rude Pundit

Kansas Democrat Drops Out and Improves Democratic Chances in November?

The story is a little confusing, and sort of a subversion of how these things often go. There was a Republican, a Democrat and an Independent in the Kansas Senate race. The Republican was leading--barely--while the other two split the vote. So, the Democrat is dropping out, which leaves an Independent to challenge the generally unpopular Republican. And all of this could prevent the GOP from taking control of the Senate this year? Hey, whatever it takes, as long as it's above board.
 

And if you don't want to watch the video, here's a story on it.

Oh, Good! MItch McConnell Promises Shutdown if GOP Takes Senate

You know, this isn't the first time Mitch McConnell warned us how awful he is. When he says shit like this, believe him.

[Excerpt

McConnell eyes more shutdowns following GOP gains
 
It’s tempting to think the 2014 midterms may not matter much. Assuming Republicans keep their House majority, which seems very likely, the legislative process in 2015 and 2016 will probably look an awful lot like the legislative process since 2011 – congressional inaction. GOP lawmakers will continue to reject compromises and negotiations no matter who controls the upper chamber. . .

Read more at: MSNBC 

Another Take on Why Eric Cantor Lost

There have been a lot of opinions thrown around about why Eric Cantor lost his job on Tuesday night, and what it all means. But I'll bet you haven't heard this point of view. Dave "Mudcat" Saunders, a long-time political strategist in Virginia--and something of an Eric Cantor expert--had some very interesting opinions about it, when he talked to Stephanie Miller on Wednesday morning. Worth a listen, if you want another perspective.