The Not So Divine Wind

by: GreyMike

Wed Feb 22, 2012 at 12:32:21 PM EST

Kamikazes.

A large number of the majority are now Kamikaze legislators, deliberately hurling themselves against the ship of state (and all reason) in a last-ditch effort to destroy it.

ROMNENOMICS

by: TJ Walker

Fri Feb 10, 2012 at 11:58:34 AM EST

ROMNENOMICS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

What are Mitt Romney's "In-Context" Economic Views?
Mitt Romney and his campaign have complained incessantly about being quoted "out-of-context" on his economic views. In an effort to help the Romney campaign we have gathered all of his economic views in one place and organized them in a comprehensive manner in order to give voters a complete and thorough view of Romney's economic philosophy.

The GOP Effort to Dismantle NH's Public Schools

by: William Tucker

Mon Feb 06, 2012 at 16:17:29 PM EST

Defending New Hampshire Public Education, led by Bill Duncan, is doing a superb job of tracking and publicizing the Republican effort to dismantle New Hampshire's public schools. The latest DNHPE email update identifies over 20 anti-public education bills on the agenda for the 2012 session of the New Hampshire legislature. I've included an excerpt and abridged version of the list below.

If you're upset by these radical, ideological bills that would decimate a public school system that is one of the best in the nation, I urge you to spend some time on the DNHPE web site and to subscribe to the email updates — and to make some noise.

At his February 2 press conference in the Legislative Office Building, the House Majority Leader, Rep. DJ Bettencourt (R-Salem), framed the Republican legislative agenda as jobs and education, confirming that New Hampshire's public schools are in the central focus of this legislative session.

A review of the bills working their way through the Legislature confirms that this could be the most anti-public education Legislature New Hampshire has ever seen. Three destructive bills are scheduled for votes on the House floor on Wednesday 2/8/12: HB 1692 to abolish the University System office and HB 1413 and HB 1517 which opt NH out of No Child Left Behind, at a cost to New Hampshire Public Schools of $61 million per year.

Warning: Mormonism Not Off Limits: Frank Rich on Mitt Romney

by: susaninrindge

Mon Jan 30, 2012 at 09:06:48 AM EST

...That missing human core, that inauthenticity and inability to connect, has been a daily complaint about Romney. To flesh out the brief, critics usually turn to his blatant political opportunism and rarefied upbringing-his history of ideological about-faces and his cakewalk as the prep-school-­burnished, Harvard-educated son of a fabled auto executive. But the hollowness of Romney is not merely a function of his craven surrender to the rightward tilt of the modern GOP or the patrician blind spots he acquired at too many fancy schools and palatial country clubs. If that were the case, he'd pass for another Bush, and receive some of the love that Bush father and son earned from the party faithful in their salad days. Some think he can get there by learning better performance skills: As Chuck Todd of NBC News put it, he "has to learn how to connect, how to speak emotionally ... more from the heart." If Nixon could learn how to sell himself in 1968 under the tutelage of Roger Ailes, and Bush 41 could receive coaching from the legendary acting teacher Stella Adler in 1980, there might still be hope for Romney under the instruction of, say, Kelsey Grammer. But Romney is too odd, too much a mystery man. We don't know his history the way we did Nixon's and Bush's. His otherness seems not a matter of style and pedigree but existential.

He goes on... Frank Rich at his best

The State of the Republican Party

by: TJ Walker

Tue Jan 24, 2012 at 16:01:55 PM EST

Instead, the Republican Party is left with the greatest collection of four clowns since Shemp joined the original Three Stooges.

Witness the following:

1.    Mitt Romney. Romney is so awkward and politically tone death that he makes Michael Dukakis and John Kerry look like Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan.  Before our eyes, Romney is morphing from a leading candidate for president into a leading candidate to star in a remake of the "Grey Poupon" mustard commercials. Romney might not be a low-IQ, homophobic bigot like some candidates, but he makes Louis the XIV seem like a man of the people. It seems only a matter of time before Romney announces in a debate that the person who had the greatest impact on his life was Leona Helmsly when she said "only the little people pay taxes.

2.    Newt Gingrich. Where to begin? Newt isn't the most detestable politician you can think of; he is the most detestable human being you can imagine. Period! Newt is the sort of person who if he asked for your permission to marry your daughter or sister, you would offer him a large sum of money to leave quietly and move to another state, or else. If you close your eyes and try to imagine a politician who is utterly repugnant at every single intellectual, moral and even physical level, you would not be able to come up with something worse than a Newt Gingrich.

3.    Rick Santorum. Rick Santorum has all the wit, charm and class of that guy in high school who threw your gay cousin in the dumpster behind the cafeteria. The more you get to know Santorum, as the good voters of Pennsylvania did, the more you want to kick him out of office by nearly 20 points, as the good voters of Pennsylvania did.

4.    Ron Paul. Ever meet a Ron Paul supporter, and not just at a Klan rally or Hitler reenactment party? Have you ever talked to a Ron Paul supporter for 10 minutes? Case closed.

While we at AmericanLP are working tirelessly to support President Obama and all Democratic candidates at the Federal level and we are pulling for every tactical advantage we can get, we have to confess that something doesn't seem right here. This is starting to seem too easy. It's almost like the Republicans are throwing away the election needlessly. The four remaining GOP Presidential candidates is the greatest collection of political losers ever assembled with the possible exception of when David Duke dines alone.

GOP Nuts

by: TJ Walker

Thu Dec 29, 2011 at 09:38:27 AM EST

Ron Paul's misguided media anger

by: TJ Walker

Thu Dec 22, 2011 at 14:41:33 PM EST

The more Paul looks angry at the media for asking questions about the racist rantings in his old newsletters, the more it looks like he has something to hide regarding the sorts of racists he appeals to.

For a long time, Ron Paul got a free pass from the media. He was the cool, quirky guy who had the guts and independence to stand up against the war and a lot of other Republican sacred cows. But he got a free ride because no one thought he had a chance of winning the nomination. Now that he's first or second in the polls, reporters are doing their jobs. And a part of that job is looking at a candidate's record and that includes a record of mailing openly racist and anti-Semitic newsletters with your name on them and profiting from that sort of filth.

Paul plays the quirky curmudgeon on TV debates and his followers love that, but if he really wants to capitalize on his newfound success in the polls he's going to have to learn how to answer questions from the media. Even questions he doesn't like.

Paul could learn from John McCain. McCain had a problem with the Keating Five scandal in his past. He solved it by answering every single question from reporters and by talking about it and apologizing for hour after hour after hour until reporters were sick of hearing about it. That's how you put a scandal to rest.

GP Rep Claims First Lady has a "Large Posterior"

by: TJ Walker

Thu Dec 22, 2011 at 13:18:38 PM EST

A Democratic operative recently overheard Sensenbrenner on the telephone in an airport lounge saying the following:

"She (the First Lady) lectures us on eating right while she has a large posterior herself."

That quickly made its way into the press and it is dominating news coverage as I write this. The Congressman's office did not deny the statement and said he would be sending an apology to the First Lady.

First, full disclosure. Sensenbrenner is not my kind of politician. I am not a fan. In fact, I was friendly with close relatives of his 30 years ago in college who assured me than that Sensenbrenner was a bit of a boob and considered an embarrassment, the "black sheep of the family."

So it gives me great joy to see him publicly humiliated.

Still...I am worried that any single comment a public official ever says on a private phone call is now considered fodder for embarrassing tabloid coverage. It just doesn't seem, well, or fair. Do we really want to eliminate anyone from public office who has told a non-PC joke or has made less than flattering, candid remarks about someone?

This episode again reaffirms my belief in my wisdom for not pursuing a career in public office!

A public space in a public airport is not exactly a private talk in a private home. Still, how many of us haven't had a cell phone conversation in a public place where we thought no one could hear us and we said some indelicate things?

I think the media needs to be very careful about adopting the new rule of "anything embarrassing ever said on a public phone call by a public official is now fair game" or it could lead us down the road of a British style intercepting of phone calls.

Now, in the Sensenbrenner Affair, all of these issues become moot for the simple reason that he apparently made the same statement about the First Lady to a constituent in a church a few weeks ago. The phone call in question was talking about the possibility that the media might be running with the story anyway.

So in this case, the media is completely in the clear and did the right thing. So we can all have a good laugh at Sensenbrenner's expense. The story is additionally savory given that Sensenbrenner's complaining about the size of the First lady's "posterior" is roughly the equivalent of the sun complaining about how big and bright the moon is.

PS. I will take to dinner the first reader who sends me an unflattering, un-retouched photo of Jim Sensenbrenner in a bathing suit. Then we can have a true comparison on "posteriors."  

On Helping Republicans, Or, Next Time You Need A Bad Idea, Try These

by: fake consultant

Tue Dec 20, 2011 at 03:32:17 AM EST

But I also feel like there's an ugly edge to all this...that hasn't really been fully exploited.

I mean, Republicans have tried to force through a lot of disgusting ideas this Congress as they've held various bills hostage, but it seems like, if they really tried, they could do so much more.

But I'm not here to complain, I'm here to help; that's why today we'll be trotting out a few ideas of our own that Republicans can attach to bills throughout 2012, with the assistance of certain errant Democrats.

It'll be fun, it'll be festive, but most of all...it'll be an exercise in Civic Responsibility, and in these difficult times, that's something we could sorely use.

The Ultimate Anti-Newt TV Ad

by: TJ Walker

Mon Dec 19, 2011 at 10:59:21 AM EST

Open Casting call for White Woman age30-45 who fits this personal description willing to appear in national broadcast TV ad

:60 TV Ad

(Emotional instrumental background music)

Middle-aged woman speaking right into camera

"Newt Gingrich is absolutely right when he says nobody but Christ is perfect and that everyone deserves forgiveness.  Still...

My own father cheated on my mother and left us for a younger woman...those were hard times.

A few years ago, my own husband left me for a younger woman...we've had some really hard times.

So what am I supposed to tell my son now about how to treat women? Newt Gingrich has twice as many ex-wives as all previous Presidents of the United States combined. It's been well-documented that Newt has repeatedly and flagrantly cheated on numerous wives. It seems like Newt has used women and tossed them aside his whole life.

What kind of message does it send to my son that you can screw and screw over as many women as you can get your hands on your entire life, and then, at age 70, which is how old Gingrich would be in his first year, claim that you've "matured" and be given the highest honor in the world by serving as President? I want a president I can look up to as the best of what we're all about, not the worst.

I'm not saying we have to go back to the 1950s, but can't we have some standards? Committing adultery is one of the 10 commandments. Is it really enough to say, 'sorry, I've matured?' Where do we draw the line? Are we going to elect convicted murders or rapists, just because they say, 'I realize that I was less than perfect and now that I'm 70 I promise not to murder anymore?'

I want a President I can look up to, not someone who reminds me of the worst betrayals in my life."

More info at www.americanlp.org  and www.dailynational.com

Who Won the Republican Debate Last Night?

by: TJ Walker

Fri Dec 16, 2011 at 13:37:09 PM EST

Here is the breakdown:

Newt Gingrich-Newt had horrible moments and great moments. When Newt goes on and on explaining why he was paid $1.6 million by a federal entity to NOT be a lobbyist, he doesn't pass the laugh test. And when he prattles on about what a celebrity he is and how he can make $60,000 a speech he makes Mitt Romney look like a full-time homeless advocate. But Newt also had great moments. Let's face it; there is no one better in the Republican field at expressing contempt for Obama, Liberals and the judiciary than Newt. There is a huge faction of the GOP that feels contempt for all things Democratic and Newt oozes their contempt better than Oprah exudes empathy for housewives. Newt held his own for the evening.

Mitt Romney-Mitt was Mitt, calm, cool and collected. He didn't make any $10,000 betting blunders but he also didn't land any strong blows toward Gingrich. Romney's worst moment was when Fox's Chris Wallace read chapter and verse on all the liberal positions Romney has expressed, specifically on gay rights. Watching Romney dance away from his past while claiming to not be dancing away from his past is always a fun show, and it's a reminder why the majority of the conservative party does not trust or like Romney.

Jon Huntsman-Jon opened really strongly. He gave a nice slam against Donald Trump and not turning himself into a pretzel by pandering to interest groups or The Donald. It was a clever jab at both Newt and Romney. Huntsman also gave a great message on banking reform that was both conservative and populist and courageous. He didn't do or say much of anytime else of interest in the debate. Still, more and more eyes are looking at Huntsman as party leaders hope and pray that Gingrich will collapse and the Party will have to move on to the next non-Mitt.

Ron Paul-Ron was consistent, as always. Yes, Paul had some of the biggest applause lines of the night. And he also had people gasping at his foreign policy views. Paul was audacious and honest when he labeled Gingrich's cashing in on Freddie Mac as "Fascism." Every liberal Democrat and moderate in the country fell in love with Paul when he labeled Gingrich's money-making escapades "Fascism." Unfortunately for Paul, they don't get to vote in Republican primaries or caucuses.

Rick Perry-Rick has a good night anytime he can remember his name. Perry had some sprightly moments and got in the sound bite of the night claiming he wants to be like "Tim Tebow." Had Perry debated like this in his first few debates, chances are he'd still be the front-runner. But now, Perry just seems like a "Forrest Gump" character, albeit one who doesn't like gays.
Michele Bachmann-Michelle had a good night and fired off some great shots against Newt. Her problem is that both the high brow and the low brow wings of the Republican Party have written her off. She's never recovered from earlier demagogic stumbles and it just doesn't matter what she does in debates any longer.

Rick Santorum-Rick still looks and sounds like a 2-term congressman. On paper, Santorum could and should be a frontrunner (at least for 3 weeks) but he has all the charisma of a three-week old tuna fish sandwich.  

On The Question Of Virginity, Or, "Starter? I Can't Make Her Stop!"

by: fake consultant

Sat Dec 10, 2011 at 09:03:33 AM EST

He's had a crazy car problem, he has, and over the past few months he thought he had found a solution - in fact, he thought he had found the solution of his dreams - but in the end, he's discovered that the things you dream about often don't go according to plan.

The way it's worked out for him so far, it's been a lot of anticipation followed by a sudden wave of frustration, but I feel like he's a lot better off having his particular problem with his car...because if he'd had cancer instead, he'd surely be dead by now.  

A Surprising Speech... But Is Anyone Listening?

by: susaninrindge

Wed Dec 07, 2011 at 07:45:56 AM EST

He slammed supply side economics and compared the current GOP to "Gilded Age elites."  By putting the GOPs intransigence on taxation and regulation into this moral/historical perspective added depth and conviction to his argument. I, a poor student of American history, did not know that Teddy Roosevelt, a Republican, had addressed the nation from Kansas about these very matters.

Last night Robert Riech said Obama yesterday was "the person we'd voted for." Other progressive voices echoed that enthusiasm. Pundits saw this speech as framing not just the upcoming Presidential campaign but outlining what the President wants to do in a 2nd term.

Of course FOX News did not broadcast the speech (CNN and MSNBC did carry it live). But I wonder if anyone is listening to Obama. I remember when Bush's ratings reached a certain level, I think maybe around 40% in the polls, people just tuned him out. I fear that Obama might have reached that tipping point as well.  However, he still has a campaign ahead of him and it will be impossible to tune him out as casually as people might during a daytime speech.  

We all know that one speech does not make a Presidency but if Obama wanted to re-kindle some hope yesterday, I think he did.  

Tea Party: Patriotic Moniker for Malignant Mindset

by: susaninrindge

Fri Nov 11, 2011 at 08:28:57 AM EST

Occupy Wall Street is the first manifestation of our body politics' attempt to reject this "disease" and return our system to balance.  Each eruption around the country signifies the body's attempt to rid itself of the toxicity.  A rash, a cold, a break-out!  Our system is rebelling against the destruction of our identity... what makes us America... the destruction of our morality, the suppression of our identity.

OWS events have been compared to the tea party as if both were expressing objections to the same thing.  But Tea Partiers feel estranged by the political system because of the values embedded in the New Deal.  They are objecting to distributing wealth, distributing opportunity, worker rights, and entitlement programs... safeguarding equality.  Obama embodies all of what they find objectionable  because he is an African-American (who used to be) liberal.  He went to Harvard , enabled (by his own statements) by affirmative action and went on to become President.  This is the nightmare scenario for tea partiers who hate affirmative action. His election is the manifestation of their worst nightmare.

The tea party is anti-social and immoral.  Tea party members are the people in the audience at GOP debates who cheer when they hear about people dying without health care and cheering about record numbers being executed and cheering about people being unable to find jobs. The tea party is our own NH GOP leadership. The tea party is a culture that rejects the morality of any religion in favor of social Darwinism that allows those with power to dominate those without power.  The tea party fools us by calling themselves "Republicans" and "Christians" but they are, in practice, neither.  But because they have co-opted the Republican Party and call themselves Christians, we have not seen them for who they really are.  The Republican Party is their disguise. Christianity is their Trojan horse.

Their leaders are sociopaths.  They exhibit no empathy, have no ability to put themselves in the situations of others; they lie with impunity and immunity; they think they are entitled to everything they want; they see no inter-connectedness.  The wealth disparity they enjoy and/or support is immoral and anti-social. They are not in the same boat with the rest of us; they are in the luxury yacht enjoying the good life, to which their wealth entitles them.  They are against educating our children because theirs go to private schools; they are against health care programs because they can afford to see the best doctors. They are against social programs because they simply don't care about anyone but themselves. They are against taxes for themselves because they believe they are entitled to every dime they make, no matter what the cost to people and the environment.  They are misogynists, homophobes and xenophobes.

The Koch brothers and their ilk -- billionaires who have made their money by raping the environment, polluting the atmosphere and exploiting workers -- have been providing funding for this movement since the founding of the John Birch Society. Their followers may not all represent the purest versions of founding funders, but they hang onto the dream of joining the wealthy elite.  Everyday, garden-variety Republicans (and some Democrats?) are drawn into this pathology.  Back us and gain/retain your power; defy us and lose.  Our money controls your destiny. In a combination of blackmail and co-opting, otherwise traditional politicians make deals with the devil

The political policies of the Tea Party have huge cultural and moral ramifications that are  penetrating our society. Their vision  of unfettered capitalism run amok is here.  We need to all support OWS and understand that these demonstrations will be the only way for us to reverse course. Today's political system is captive to the same money that has spawned capitalism's excesses.  

Political decisions next year have to be framed as moral and cultural choices, not just political. It's not just that GOP has blocked every initiative Obama has made; they have blocked every attempt to maintain any morality and sense of community embedded in policy.  They have curtailed the rights of women, workers, and minorities; they have undermined voting rights to favor voters who are inclined to vote for their morphed GOP; they have competed to craft the most draconian immigration policies.  Their policies expand the widening chasm between the haves and have-nots; protect banks and corporations from fair practices.

We have to help OWS give voice to this embryonic and amorphous message of rebellion against the Tea Party's immorality. This is not about policy, this is about our soul.

NHGOP Vice-Chair Argues Against Repeal of Marriage Equality

by: cblodg

Tue Nov 01, 2011 at 15:05:42 PM EDT

Republicans in New Hampshire are trying to roll back marriage equality, but not all state conservatives support the effort. In today's Concord Monitor, state Republican party Vice Chairman J P Marzullo describes his own struggle with accepting his gay son and implores the legislature not to infringe upon same-sex couples' equality:

   I ask those who represent us in the Legislature to think about this when they are ready to vote for the bill repealing same-sex marriage. One out of every three teenage suicides is related to being gay and the discrimination that they face every day. They come from sound, strong and (in many cases) Christian families with the same values as your families. They are here legally, have jobs, pay taxes and, yes, even serve in our military and have made the ultimate sacrifice as soldiers by dying for freedom and liberty.

   I am a defender of the values of families, country, freedom and liberty, but I am also the father of a gay son who contributes not only to our country but also to our family. He is just like your son. And like your family, we want to leave him a better country and life, and that includes the same rights as married couples. I believe in freedom for everyone. We are blessed to live in a state where we can all be free to pursue our own happiness.

"Where Are the Jobs?"

by: William Tucker

Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 07:43:05 AM EDT

Standing in a group of collective surprise and anger, several of the Manchester store's ex-employees said they were told in an "emergency meeting" Sunday night that the store was closing immediately. They cried, hugged and clutched manila envelopes they said contained their severance packages.

In Portsmouth this weekend, we gathered to call attention to the increase in unemployment, underemployment and low-wage jobs and demand bold, new initiatives. Business owner Nancy Beach surveys the damage caused by GOP ideologues in Concord and Washington and cries out, "Where are the jobs?"

Pledges are getting to be straitjackets for some GOPs

by: Lucy Edwards

Sat Oct 08, 2011 at 08:16:36 AM EDT

Republicans Harm New Hampshire's Economy (Again)

by: Dean Barker

Fri Oct 07, 2011 at 18:40:26 PM EDT

Here's what else it earned New Hampshire:

Jayne O'Connor, president of White Mountains Attractions, a marketing association for the White Mountains region, said a 15 percent drop in tour bus business started as early as July, during the Congressional standoff over increasing the nation's borrowing limit and the possibility the government would run out of money.

Many people who board the usual 3,000 buses on fall foliage tours through the White Mountains are retired and on fixed incomes. They make their plans in advance, O'Connor said.

"When they could not decide in Washington what to do, those people were not confident that their (Social Security) checks were going to be coming in the mail and were not confident enough to make their travel plans," she said. "We really noticed that, and I heard from least one of the tour operators in the state who said, `My phone has just stopped ringing.'"

A couple of years ago, a Republican committee staff director told me candidly (and proudly) what the method was to all this obstruction and disruption. Should Republicans succeed in obstructing the Senate from doing its job, it would further lower Congress's generic favorability rating among the American people. By sabotaging the reputation of an institution of government, the party that is programmatically against government would come out the relative winner.

(find me > 140 on birch paper; on Twitter < 140)

The Honorable Representative Alfred Baldasaro...

by: ChrisMelcher

Mon Oct 03, 2011 at 22:20:27 PM EDT

Our esteemed representative from Londonderry is busy making noise again...

Being a woman in a Republican world

by: Lucy Edwards

Fri Sep 30, 2011 at 16:25:57 PM EDT