http://pamshouseblend.firedoglake.com/2013/01/02/illinois-gop-chair-asks-republican-lawmakers-to-support-marriage-equality-bill/

Quote :

"Illinois GOP Chair Asks Republican Lawmakers To Support Marriage Equality Bill Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party Pat Brady “is calling GOP lawmakers asking them to support a proposal to legalize same-sex marriage,” the Daily Herald reports."

1/2/2013 9:14:24 PM

Interesting...

1/2/2013 9:25:58 PM

Quote :

"How about a more realistic point of view that some people are going to make it in life and others will not. If everyone is going to end up succeeding, why bother trying? You're going to make it regardless... Without the threat/fear of failure, there is no longer a need to strive for success."

How about a more realistic point of view that some people who will not "make it in life" also shouldn't starve to death? How about a society filled with failures isn't beneficial to those who were successful and happened to make it?

1/3/2013 2:01:04 AM

I realize this is nit-picking, and it happens to plenty of politicians, but i figured i'd put it here

http://www.wral.com/idaho-senator-pleads-guilty-in-va-to-dwi-charge/11941953/

Quote :

"Outside court, though, Crapo gave an apologetic statement where he acknowledged that he been drinking alcohol on occasion for the past year or so, in violation of the tenets of his Mormon faith... His arrest stunned colleagues and constituents alike, not only because of his squeaky-clean image but also because he had said he doesn't drink, in accordance with his church's practices."

1/4/2013 12:33:29 PM

Sounds like he was cheating on his wife, got drunk and ran a red light on way home

1/4/2013 1:16:55 PM

http://www.newsday.com/news/republican-party-seems-as-divided-angry-as-ever-1.4409569

1/5/2013 4:23:19 PM

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/01/15/1452861/walter-jones-muslim-books/

Quote :

"Craven Community College, a small school in New Bern, was recently awarded a small National Endowment for the Humanities grant. The money, enough for 25 books and a DVD, is intended to expand the library’s Muslim culture collection. Jones protested that the money was unfairly benefiting Muslims and harming Christians, as he explained in a local TV interview."

Quote :

"The North Carolina Republican insisted he has nothing against Muslims. “Keith Ellison from Minnesota is a friend of mine and he’s a Muslim,” Jones said"

1/15/2013 6:47:42 PM

for a House Republicans retreat

1/17/2013 12:51:53 PM

That's something they should be studying. I'd break the lecture into two bullet points:
- Don't refer to all black people as criminals or welfare queens
- Don't talk about rape, ever, in fact avoid anything possibly related to female organs

[Edited on January 17, 2013 at 1:22 PM. Reason : ]

1/17/2013 1:21:22 PM

^^One start on the "communication with minorities" front could be this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person_of_color

Quote :

"Person of color (plural: people of color; persons of color) is a term used primarily in the United States to describe any person who is not white. The term is meant to be inclusive among non-white groups, emphasizing common experiences of racism. People of color was introduced as a preferable replacement to both non-white and minority, which are also inclusive, because it frames the subject positively; non-white defines people in terms of what they are not (white), and minority frequently carries a subordinate connotation.[1] Style guides for writing from American Heritage,[2] the Stanford Graduate School of Business,[3] Mount Holyoke College,[4] recommend the term over these alternatives. It may also be used with other collective categories of people such as students of color, men of color and women of color."

And it's moving towards becoming a less accurate term anyways:

http://www.wral.com/census-whites-no-longer-a-majority-in-us-by-2043/11871897/

http://sacobserver.com/2012/12/census-whites-no-longer-a-majority-in-us-by-2043/

Quote :

"Among children, the point when minorities become the majority is expected to arrive much sooner, by 2018 or so. Last year, racial and ethnic minorities became a majority among babies under age 1 for the first time in U.S. history."

[Edited on January 17, 2013 at 1:33 PM. Reason : .]

1/17/2013 1:33:35 PM

My god you are so partisan, what they wrote is fine

Jesus

1/17/2013 4:16:34 PM

You've misunderstood the situation if you read that as partisan.

1/17/2013 4:25:38 PM

You are trying to criticize them for using "minorities" when using that is fine

You also assume they only mean "persons of color" and not other minorities. Without seeing an agenda, I'm not sure how you made that assumption.

It's dumb partisan criticism

1/17/2013 5:16:30 PM

i think the funnier part is they're having a meeting about how to talk to black folks on a fucking plantation

1/17/2013 8:12:44 PM

1/17/2013 8:36:39 PM

Now this is just lovely,

http://news.yahoo.com/gop-eyes-election-laws-091622720--election.html

Quote :

"From Wisconsin to Pennsylvania, GOP officials who control legislatures in states that supported President Barack Obama are considering changing state laws that give the winner of a state's popular vote all of its Electoral College votes, too. Instead, these officials want Electoral College votes to be divided proportionally, a move that could transform the way the country elects its president."

We lost because our ideas are shit, but instead of changing our ideas, lets just change the rules so we can win anyway!

[Edited on January 18, 2013 at 12:21 PM. Reason : :]

1/18/2013 12:21:14 PM

This country was designed without democratic elections for a reason

so lets make elections more democratic

1/18/2013 12:34:57 PM

^^ It's not really any different from all the calls after Bush's elections to eliminate the electoral college completely and go with a popular vote. It's also not without precedent, Maine and Nebraska already do something similar.

^ Well, depending on how it's allocated, it could still have the benefits of the electoral system. Consider for example NY state, which other than the NYC / Long Island area, actually tends to vote republican. A proportional system would give a voice to that large swath of the state. On the other hand, a directly proportional system would basically have all the problems of proportional voting. They could allocate by district, but that has the potential for the same problem that the winner take all system has in that if you're a small blue or red enclave in a larger opposite district, your voice is more or less meaningless.

[Edited on January 18, 2013 at 12:45 PM. Reason : sdh]

1/18/2013 12:37:16 PM

Also, requiring the designated voters to vote for the winner reduced the power of the electoral college as well.

1/18/2013 12:40:32 PM

^ Yeah, that and the direct election of the VP rather than the VP simply being the second place candidate.

1/18/2013 12:55:15 PM

Quote :

"A proportional system would give a voice to that large swath of the state."

Lol yes, let's give a voice to the large swaths of dirt in upstate New York that's equal to the ~22 million people who live in NYC. That makes a lot of sense.

[Edited on January 18, 2013 at 1:08 PM. Reason : off by just a little]

1/18/2013 1:07:01 PM

Honestly it's a bit more nuanced than I expected. I would not be surprised in the least if one suggested that electoral college votes be proportional to land area with a straight face.

1/18/2013 3:56:26 PM

Quote :

"Lol yes, let's give a voice to the large swaths of dirt in upstate New York that's equal to the ~22 million people who live in NYC. That makes a lot of sense."

As opposed to giving them no voice because they're unfortunate enough to live in the same state as a major population center? I'm not saying the plan is perfect, but the current situation has a similar disenfranchising effect on those voters as gerrymandering does to other minority voters.

1/18/2013 8:21:14 PM

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2013/01/new-york-city-leading-gop-mayoral.html#disqus_thread

Quote :

"NEW YORK CITY: Leading GOP Mayoral Candidate Joe Lhota Backs Marriage Former MTA head Joe Lhota, who is thus far the leading GOP candidate for New York City mayor, says he backs marriage equality. Lhota officially launched his campaign yesterday at a press conference. "

1/19/2013 1:24:20 PM

Crazy news out of Virginia today. While the Senate democrats were attending the inauguration, the Republicans redrew the districts and eliminated a Democratic seat. Democrats controlled the Senate.

http://www.bluevirginia.us/diary/8554/breaking-while-dems-distracted-by-inauguration-virginia-senate-gop-stages-a-coup

1/21/2013 4:57:37 PM

^ democrats? it was just one guy that didn't vote....there are 40 senators and 39 of them voted on this

http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/article_f1baf8ae-6418-11e2-abf8-0019bb30f31a.html

1/21/2013 8:23:37 PM

doesn't change the fact that it was a bitch ass move by the republicans

1/21/2013 9:48:59 PM

I don't think they'll get away with it. How can they redistrict in a non-redistricting year? All they did was fuck themselves for the next couple of years and get a ton of negative nationwide press.

1/21/2013 10:03:49 PM

Quote :

"As opposed to giving them no voice because they're unfortunate enough to live in the same state as a major population center? I'm not saying the plan is perfect, but the current situation has a similar disenfranchising effect on those voters as gerrymandering does to other minority voters."

Uh, they already have a voice. Thanks to gerrymandering that minority has a majority voice in the House of Representatives. And they've used to completely fuck up our legislative branch for the past 2+ years. They don't need any more voice.

1/22/2013 11:32:36 AM

Lemme show you yokels how we yankees do gerrymandering, and we do it RIGHT!



The PA GOP is now trying to change our EV system so that each districts get an EV, rather than winner takes all.

Pennsylvania Popular Vote: Obama 52-46%

District-By-District: Romney 70-30%


[Edited on January 22, 2013 at 1:52 PM. Reason : If ya can't beat em, cheat em!]

1/22/2013 1:51:46 PM

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/01/23/boehner-says-obamas-focus-is-to-annihilate-the-republican-party/?hpt=hp_t3

I dont know why but I laughed at the Lou Holtz part.

1/24/2013 8:51:08 AM

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/01/new-mexico-law-would-send-rape-victims-jail-aborting-evidence/61368/

beyond disgusting

1/24/2013 12:31:29 PM

Quote :

"WASHINGTON -- House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) is considering legislation that would significantly increase taxes for the nation's largest banks while providing tax breaks to struggling homeowners."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/24/dave-camp-bank-tax-bill_n_2545894.html

1/24/2013 10:08:57 PM

http://whotv.com/2013/01/27/the-insiders-brennan-and-kochel-part-4/

Quote :

"Dave Kochel, a veteran Iowa Republican strategist and 2012 Romney Iowa Campaign Senior Adviser, is now behind a new effort that could prove controversial with some Republican activists. Kochel helped to organize an event for the Iowa Republicans for Freedom. Monday, January 28th, the group will sponsor an event with Ken Mehlman, a former Republican National Committee Chairman and key adviser to former President George W Bush. Mehlman has become an outspoken advocate for marriage for same-sex couples. The event held at the Davis Brown Law Firm atrium in Des Moines will feature Mehlman’s vision of what he thinks his Republican Party should look like in the future. No Republican presidential candidates came out in favor of same-sex marriages during the 2012 cycle, including Romney, Kochel’s candidate. But Kochel now admits, “The culture wars are over. And the Republicans, largely, lost.” Kochel wants his party to embrace what he considers a changing national demographic, where the majority now supports equal rights for marriage. He hopes to help lead Iowa Republicans in discussions to embrace that shift."

1/28/2013 2:03:32 PM

Sadly, he may just be an outlier. I doubt the GOP are in touch enough with reality to tell the Religious Right to grow up and accept equality.

Oh, maybe someone can help me out with this. What is the Right's strategery behind their funding groups and think tanks pushing for a budget now? I know what they are up to with jumping on board with immigration reform now, but the budget thing is perplexing. And it's too convenient to simply say "Well, a budget is a good thing, and the GOP wants good governance." ....

1/28/2013 2:54:28 PM

Republican Party fractured. Libertarians want to move forward, but the Religious Right is going to continue to be a bunch of neanderthals for generations to come. Their policy goals no longer align.

1/28/2013 4:37:43 PM

Can you blame them?

If you thought you were going to burn in Hell for NOT fighting for something, wouldn't you fight to the bitter end for it?

1/28/2013 5:43:56 PM

Yes, if I were dumb enough to believe that I would burn in Hell for doing, or not doing, something then I would probably fight for that cause. But I'm not that dumb.

There is literally no argument left to be made to the Religious Right other than to call them fucking morons to their faces. It enrages me how stupid and ignorant they are even after being presented with the truth. They are destroying this country.

[Edited on January 28, 2013 at 10:53 PM. Reason : ]

1/28/2013 10:51:09 PM

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/30/tennessee-dont-say-gay-bill_n_2582390.html?utm_hp_ref=gay-voices

i'm so sick of the GOP claiming to be the part of small government

1/31/2013 9:43:12 AM

I am waiting for the NC GOP to start the anti flag burning amendment because they care about jobs.

2/1/2013 8:05:16 AM

^^^b-b-b-but it's not religion that's the problem, they'd draft/vote for bigoted and archaic laws for some other reason if they weren't religious, right?

[Edited on February 1, 2013 at 9:32 AM. Reason : .]

2/1/2013 9:30:31 AM

Quote :

""I hear you loud and clear, Barack Obama. You don't represent the country that I grew up with. And your values is not going to save us. We're going to take this country back for the Lord. We're going to try to take this country back for conservatism. And we're not going to allow minorities to run roughshod over what you people believe in!" - Arkansas state Sen. Jason Rapert (R), at a Tea Party rally in Arkansas."

Clearly talking about political minorities, of course liberals will no doubt twist his words and pull the race card like they always do

2/1/2013 2:12:02 PM

Take it back for the lord!

2/1/2013 2:43:55 PM

Well, I was wrong. My inner cynic lead me to believe that the reason why the GOP was slobbering all over Kerry for Secretary of State was so that they would have a seemingly slam dunk chance of winning his seat in MA for Scott Brown. That is not the case however.
Scott Brown not seeking Kerry's Senate seat

Quote :

"Republican former Sen. Scott Brown has decided not to run in a Massachusetts special election to fill Democrat John Kerry's seat, dealing a blow to Republicans. A Republican official familiar with the decision said Friday that Brown formally ruled out a bid on Friday. The official wasn't authorized to share internal discussions and spoke on the condition of anonymity."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/02/01/scott-brown-not-seeking-kerry-senate-seat/?test=latestnews

As for that yahoo in Arkansas, it isn't terribly surprising.

2/1/2013 2:54:22 PM

http://frontpagemag.com/2013/dgreenfield/the-tea-party-is-not-the-problem-the-establishment-is/#.UQ8H9i1Wta8.reddit

Here comes the internal battle that destroys the party.

2/4/2013 7:48:18 AM

It's gonna be interesting, for sure.

Perhaps not Karl Rove, but certainly many of his big donors sowed the seeds of the Tea Party by either financing or, at best, cheerleading. They didn't realize they were going to reap slack-jawed dolts standing in front of microphones that broadcast all over the nation. They thought they could control it and to some degree they did - this is just the latest attempt of them dropping cash to keep their power (spend money to make money). The problem is the big donors in the Republican party have a credibility issue of their own. They have produced two candidates, both of which the teahadists were kinda lukewarm toward, and neither could defeat the antichrist that is Obama - literally the most dangerous president in the history of the world.

The tea party has lost some momentum, but a significant number of them will stay the course which makes the GOP splintering, I know you are praying for, a very real possibility. While we sit back and enjoy the show I can't help but start thinking of how democrats treat the "grassroots" parts of their party.

2/4/2013 9:16:13 AM

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/04/conservative-victory-project_n_2616240.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

Karl Rove gears up to destroy Tea Party.

Karl has said nutty things himself in the past few years, but I don't doubt his strategic prowess to shift the landscape.

2/4/2013 2:05:16 PM

Senator McCain credibility watch -1000

https://twitter.com/SenJohnMcCain/status/298456316538662912

Quote :

"So Ahmadinejad wants to be first Iranian in space - wasn't he just there last week? "Iran launches monkey into space" news.yahoo.com/iran-launches-…"

2/4/2013 2:32:51 PM

^ meh

2/4/2013 4:31:12 PM

A lot of the mega-rich donors are ultra-right wing though. So not only is Rove going to have to spend even more money on primaries to fend off the unelectable candidates, but he's going to have to do it with less money and against opponents who are pretty well off. The Republicans have truly ushered in their own demise.

As for the future, I speculate the Democrats will enjoy about 10 years of dominance while a new conservative party organizes, probably the Libertarians. After that long the Democrats will probably have been bought out by corporate interests and they'll have to reform into a populist socialist party of some sort. Setting up any opposition to them depends on the Religious Right falling into total political obscurity though, which is already beginning to happen. No matter what happens though, the country is going to experience a much-needed liberal shift in policy.

2/4/2013 4:56:38 PM