Tuesday, December 31, 2013

On Christmas, Republicans Quietly Declare War on Themselves

www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/on-christmas-republicans-quietly-declare-war-on-themselves-20131230
"The news came in the Wall Street Journal, where the Chamber of Commerce disclosed that it will be teaming up with Republican establishment leaders to spend $50 million in an effort to stem the tide of “fools” who have overwhelmed Republican ballots in recent seasons."

Republicans Are Betting on a Losing Strategy in 2014 | Common Dreams

Republicans Are Betting on a Losing Strategy in 2014 | Common Dreams
"The shutdown, the sequester, and now the cruel cancellation of unemployment benefits during Christmas hurts many of the same people the Republicans want to court."

Tea Party activists discuss Obama’s plot with alien lifeforms to help his approval ratings

www.freakoutnation.com/2013/12/30/tea-party-activists-discuss-obamas-plot-with-alien-lifeforms-to-help-his-approval-ratings/
"Conservative activist Jim Garrow, who insists that he’s a former covert CIA operative, and knows that President Obama killed Andrew Breitbart (he knows it for a fact), appeared on Erik Rush’s radio show to promote the Operation American Spring rally, where he predicted the President is in touch with alien life forms."

Why Republicans Don’t Believe In Evolution Anymore

www.thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/12/31/3108741/republicans-evolution-demographics/
"There are two keys to understanding what the Pew poll teaches us about Republicans. First, the drop in belief in evolution is among Republicans and, more or less, Republicans only. Acceptance of human evolution was basically the same among Democrats and independents in 2013 as it was in 2009. Second, the share of the total population that believes in evolution hasn’t changed at all. The drop in Republican belief doesn’t appear to be people changing their minds about evolution so much as people who already didn’t believe in evolution becoming Republicans.
Why might that be? The obvious explanation is the changing character of the Republican base."

The National Memo » Call It A Comeback: More Than 9 Million Americans Have Health Insurance Through Obamacare

The National Memo » Call It A Comeback: More Than 9 Million Americans Have Health Insurance Through Obamacare
"After two months of barely functioning, the federal online health care exchanges delivered, racking up 975,000 enrollments in the month of December. That brings the total number of people who have picked a plan through an exchange since October 1 to about two million. The administration reached about two-thirds of its goal of enrolling 3.3 million by the end of 2013 after being fully operational one-third of the time. And it turns out most of the enrollments came during the one-week extension the White House gave itself after the initial problems with the site became apparent.
Four million people have qualified for Medicaid, according to ACASignups.net. Another 3.1 million young adults are covered by their parents’ health insurance, thanks to a provision in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
This means over nine million people have gained coverage through the ACA since it first became law."

The 8 Most Absurd Things the Right Wing Did This Year

www.alternet.org/8-most-absurd-things-right-wing-did-year
"From Megyn Kelly's freak out over Santa Claus to GOP efforts to kill Obamacare -- here's the worst of the worst."

Monday, December 30, 2013

The Republican Autopsy Report Revisited: 5 Ways The GOP Got Worse In 2013 | Right Wing Watch

The Republican Autopsy Report Revisited: 5 Ways The GOP Got Worse In 2013 | Right Wing Watch
"After a devastating loss in 2012, Republicans claimed that they didn’t need to change themselves or their platform, but only cosmetic attributes such as their rhetoric and presentation. Other right-wing activists simply pretended that Republicans actually won the last election.
But if the actions taken this year by Republican leaders are any clue, it looks like Republicans either ignored or outright rejected even the superficial recommendations made in the GOP’s plan to revive the party"

The 10 biggest GOP rebranding fails of 2013

The 10 biggest GOP rebranding fails of 2013
"In March of this year, just a few months after the party’s drubbing in the 2012 elections, the Republican National Committee released its much-anticipated “autopsy” report. The goal of the report was to explain the GOP’s 2012 failure and to recommend changes the party could make to improve its chances in the future. On both counts, the authors concluded, the answer was inclusiveness — or the lack thereof. If the GOP were to stay competitive on the national level, it would be necessary to change the way many voters (young and Latino ones, especially) saw the party. And in order to do that, the Republican Party would, as the authors put it, have to “stop talking to itself.” It was time to rebrand.
Nine months later, however, it’s hard to conclude that the GOP’s rebranding effort has been anything other than an abysmal failure."

All In All-Star Show: Voting Rights Act

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Living in a red state is hazardous to your health

www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/26/1256778/-Living-in-a-red-state-is-hazardous-to-your-nbsp-health
"Of the 25 states above the national average, 19 are blue and just six are red. Of the 25 states below the national average, 17 are red and just eight are blue.
Environmental policies, access to health insurance, workplace safety regulations ... these things matter. They are literally a matter of life and death. And it's clear that conservatism is hazardous to your health."

Seems like the Pope Has Conservative Paul Ryan Rattled

www.alternet.org/economy/paul-ryan-lectures-pope-about-capitalism
"Sure, a lot of Republicans share blame with Ryan. But he deserves extra-special (negative) credit for the deal, because he has lately had the audacity to depict himself as the new face of “compassionate conservatism,” insisting Republicans must pay attention to the problems of the poor. Friends say the man who once worshipped Ayn Rand now takes Pope Francis as his moral role model. Except he can’t help treating his new role model with arrogance and contempt."

Pope Francis Is Hated By Conservatives, But Americans Approve Of Him By A Landslide

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/12/24/pope-francis-is-hated-by-conservatives-but-americans-approve-of-him-by-a-landslide/
"Pope Francis has taken up the plight of the poor and immigrants. He supports protecting the environment. He has called for putting a stop to hating homosexuals. He has been a progressive on women’s rights. And he has attacked trickle-down economics as a “tyranny.” In addition, he has also condemned obsessive ideology and those Christians who think they are superior to others. In short, Pope Francis represents everything that conservatives hate."

What America Would Look Like If Libertarians Got Their Way

www.alternet.org/what-america-would-look-if-libertarians-got-their-way?paging=off&current_page=1#bookmark
"A North America dotted with Third World colonies. And a blighted landscape where Others are subjugated to Owners."

Ted Cruz Just Admits Outright that Blocking Immigration Reform in 2014 Is About Helping GOP

www.alternet.org/immigration/ted-cruz-just-admits-outright-blocking-immigration-reform-2014-about-helping-gop
"Cruz said he hopes that Speaker John Boehner will not take on immigration reform next year. Doing so, Cruz argued, would diminish the “incredible opportunity to retake the Senate in 2014.” Cruz emphasized that he is focused on winning the Senate majority from Democrats, and said passing immigration reform legislation would be the “number one thing Republicans could do to mess that up"."

Meet The Man Who Told The GOP How To Destroy America’s Middle Class

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/12/26/powell-memo-gop-blueprint/
"The Powell Memo came up with the plan, the blueprint. Based on the ideas presented in the Powell Memo, the Republican party created think tanks responsible for dispersing misleading information with a false cloak of authenticity. The Heritage Foundation is a classic example of this."

NYT Benghazi Bombshell: Embassy Attack Spurred by Anti-Islam Video

NYT Benghazi Bombshell: Embassy Attack Spurred by Anti-Islam Video
"Right-wing conspiracy theorists were dealt a heavy blow today by The New York Times, as actual investigative journalism reared its head"

Darrell Issa Hid The Truth About Benghazi For a Year While Attacking President Obama

www.politicususa.com/2013/12/29/darrell-issa-hid-truth-benghazi-year-attacking-president-obama.html
"The current scandal in Washington is that slimy crook Darrell Issa who has had the same information the New York Times reported for over a year and sat on his ass wasting taxpayer time and money pursuing Barack Obama."

The National Memo » America’s Greediest: The Koch Brothers, The ‘Libertarians’ Who Hate The Free Market

The National Memo » America’s Greediest: The Koch Brothers, The ‘Libertarians’ Who Hate The Free Market
"While the Kochs insist that their goal is freedom, their agenda seems entirely based on policies that increase economic inequality and make it easy for carbon polluters like Koch Industries to continue their unfettered domination of energy markets.
Perhaps the best example of the Kochs’ hypocrisy comes in their war on solar power.
While the Kochs spent millions to try to put politicians in office who have vowed to never raise taxes on the rich or anyone, the billionaires are aiding efforts to “tax the sun” in an effort to squash the nascent solar industry."

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Conservatives' Quagmire: The War on Christmas | Common Dreams

Conservatives' Quagmire: The War on Christmas | Common Dreams
"The annual "war on Christmas" took an unexpected twist this holiday season, when the UK-based website the Freethinker published the ironic headline "First known casualty in America's 2013 'War on Xmas' turns out to be a Salvation Army member". A woman attacked a bell ringer in Phoenix, Arizona because she was angry at being wished a "Happy Holidays" instead of honoring Jesus' birth by saying "Merry Christmas"."

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Friday, December 20, 2013

Southern Republicans Drag the Rest of the Nation Down by Doing the Kochs’ Bidding

www.politicususa.com/2013/12/19/southern-republicans-drag-rest-nation-kochs-bidding.html
"One of the reasons America has become a third-world nation is three decades of Republican trickle-down economics, the monopolization, privatization and deregulation of industry, and decimation of labor protection has sent 50 million Americans into wretched poverty while all the wealth has risen to the top 1% of income earners instead of investing in America. In fact, the destruction of labor has gotten so bad that real first-world nations offshore their jobs to the American South making this country the new Indonesia because foreign corporations look at America as having one of the world’s cheapest labor forces on the planet; solely because of the non-unionized, right to work for less Southern states."

Thursday, December 19, 2013

The GOP Is a Cult Worthy of Jim Jones

The GOP Is a Cult Worthy of Jim Jones
"From taking away health care and food, to failing to fight climate change or give unemployed Americans assistance, Republicans are effectively killing off the very people who have helped put them in positions of power.
 If that doesn't scream cult, I don't know what does..."

PERRspectives: GOP Releases Government, Takes U.S. Economy Hostage Again

PERRspectives: GOP Releases Government, Takes U.S. Economy Hostage Again
"That was quick. Just two days after he joined House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) in lashing out against right-wing extremists who threatened to trigger another government shutdown by blocking his compromise budget, Rep. Paul Ryan on Sunday promised to support the Tea Party's other favorite act of national economic blackmail. Despite the fact that both Ryan and Boehner have admitted "we have no immediate debt crisis" and that "you can't not raise the debt limit" because that "would be a financial disaster, not only for our country but for the worldwide economy," Ryan on Sunday threatened to do just that."

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Republican To Concede In VA Attorney General Race

Republican To Concede In VA Attorney General Race
"Obenshain's concession means all statewide offices in Virginia will be held by Democrats, a welcome change from the administration of Bob McDonnell and Ken Cuccinelli."

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Senate GOP Meeting Tuesday to Figure Out How to Block More Nominees | Alternet

Senate GOP Meeting Tuesday to Figure Out How to Block More Nominees | Alternet
"Senate Republicans aren't sure yet how they're going to try to continue to block President Obama's nominees, now that they can't filibuster them on the floor. But what they do know is that they want to keep blocking the nominations."

Thursday, December 12, 2013

As It Turns Out, There Still Is a Vast Right Wing Conspiracy - The Many Friends of ALEC

As It Turns Out, There Still Is a Vast Right Wing Conspiracy - The Many Friends of ALEC
"Meanwhile, newly revealed documents show that legislators who co-chair ALEC committees must sign a State Chair Job Description and Agreement. Among other things, state legislator chairs agree to "act with care and loyalty and put the interests of the organization [ALEC] first." Another provision says: "Legislators must inform ALEC of any public records / FOIA requests that include ALEC documents"."

6 Reasons There's No Such Thing As Compassionate Conservatism | Alternet

6 Reasons There's No Such Thing As Compassionate Conservatism | Alternet
"Conservatives worship Ayn Rand, who said it was morally wrong to help people. How's that for compassionate?"

Saturday, December 7, 2013

PERRspectives: Red States Face Triple Whammy from GOP Medicaid Rejection

PERRspectives: Red States Face Triple Whammy from GOP Medicaid Rejection
"In Ohio, Governor John Kasich's decision to take Washington's money will actually produce a $400 million surplus for the Buckeye State (one which Republican legislators want to give away in the form of more tax cuts). The simple math-and simpler consideration in insuring millions of indigent patients as the DSH funding is reduced over time is precisely why hospital associations in Texas, Kentucky, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina and every other state pleaded with Republican governors and legislatures to take Obamacare's money for Medicaid expansion."

Latest Phony Obamacare ‘Horror Story’ Destroyed By Chris Hayes

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/12/05/cornelius-kelly-fox-obamacare-baby/
"The Capital New York story brings up two points that the Fox News coverage managed to leave out. First, they point out that Cornelius Kelly’s original application only listed three of his four children. The second gap in the Fox coverage may be the most important: Cornelius Kelly is a failed Conservative Party candidate for the Suffolk County legislature. So he’s not exactly the unbiased American citizen that Fox News wants you to think he is."

FBI searches former Michele Bachmann campaign staffer’s home

www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/04/fbi-searches-former-michele-bachmann-campaign-staffers-home/
"Bachmann, a four-term incumbent in Congress, has insisted her decision not to seek another re-election is not related to her own ethics investigation, which landed her on the annual list of “most corrupt” lawmakers by the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) in September 2013."

Secretive Right-Wing Group Continues Its War On Clean Energy

www.thinkprogress.org/climate/2013/12/05/3022271/alec-solar-clean-energy-freeriders/
"The next day, the paper explained how ALEC “is mobilizing to penalize homeowners who install their own solar panels — casting them as “freeriders” — in a sweeping new offensive against renewable energy”."

Rick Santorum Compares Obamacare To Apartheid, Himself To Nelson Mandela (VIDEO)

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/12/06/santorum-obamacare-mandela-apartheid/
"They are so obsessed with destroying the signature legislative achievement of America’s first African-American President, that they are willing to say and do anything to topple it. To date, Republicans have compared Obamacare to Hitler, Stalin, Nazism, communism, slavery, the 9/11 attacks, Hurricane Katrina, and the Holocaust, just to name a few. And now, Rick Santorum has added apartheid to the big list. Republicans oppose Americans having health care so much that they are literally picking any terrible thing throughout history to compare it to in an effort to scare people from supporting it. That’s a true injustice that Nelson Mandela would be disgusted by and so should most Americans."

Ted Cruz posts Mandela tribute on Facebook. His fans go crazy.

www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/06/1260642/-Ted-Cruz-posts-Mandela-tribute-on-Facebook-His-fans-go-crazy
"Just ... sad."

The Right Wing’s Campaign To Discredit And Undermine Mandela, In One Timeline

www.thinkprogress.org/home/2013/12/06/3029871/wing-timeline-mandela/
"After President Jimmy Carter imposed sanctions on South Africa Reagan reversed course, labeling the African National Congress a terrorist organization."

Remembering The Religious Right's Attacks On Nelson Mandela | Right Wing Watch

Remembering The Religious Right's Attacks On Nelson Mandela | Right Wing Watch
"Mandela faced criticism from Republican leaders including Dick Cheney, who described Mandela’s ANC as a “terrorist organization,” and Jesse Helms, who “turned his back during Mandela’s visit to the U.S. Capitol.” Even in 1998, Eagle Forum founder Phyllis Schlafly lumped Mandela together with notorious dictators.
The late Jerry Falwell urged [PDF] his supporters to write their congressmen and senators to tell them to oppose sanctions against the apartheid regime."

Will Local Media Cover ALEC Now That Its Agenda Has Been Exposed?

www.mediamatters.org/blog/2013/12/04/will-local-media-cover-alec-now-that-its-agenda/197145
"As legislative sessions begin next year, will state media outlets begin to question legislation offered by their state representatives, especially those who are known to be members of ALEC? Will state media outlets question their ALEC state chairmen about the loyalty oath and whether they are putting the interests of ALEC interests above those of their state and constituents?"

Rick Santorum Compares Obamacare To Apartheid

www.thinkprogress.org/health/2013/12/06/3030141/rick-santorum-obamacare-mandela/
"Comparing apartheid — the systematic, institutionalized segregation of the black population of South Africa — to Obamacare — the signature legislative achievement of the United States’ first black president — is among the worst reactions by conservatives to the news of Mandela’s passing. And implying that Mandela would have opposed legislation like the Affordable Care Act is to ignore the reality of the health care system that Mandela himself fought for.
After bringing an end to apartheid rule, Mandela enshrined in the new South African constitution a fundamental right to health care for all citizens, and introduced a government-funded public health care system to help cover those who could not afford the private system already in place."

Republicans feel a need to train their men to talk to women

www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/05/1260319/-Republicans-feel-a-need-to-train-their-men-to-talk-to-women
"Republican incumbents facing challenges from Democratic women are being given lessons in messaging against women ... er, messaging against women opponents. The problem is that they're already too good at messaging against women, so now they need to learn to cover up some of the condescension and pretend their policies won't hurt, yes, women."

Friday, December 6, 2013

Koch Networks Fueled 2012 Dark Money Machine

Koch Networks Fueled 2012 Dark Money Machine
"According to Open Secrets, Koch-funded organizations represented one-quarter of the dark money spent in 2012. That's one-quarter of all dark money, not just conservative funding."

Here's ALEC's Plan To Bring Right Wing Policies To States Near You

Here's ALEC's Plan To Bring Right Wing Policies To States Near You
"The documents not only show these organizations' plans for how to serve their oligarchs at the expense of ordinary people, they also reveal a player most people don't hear much about: Searle Freedom Trust. Searle Freedom Trust is closely tied to Donor's Trust, the donor-advised slush fund for conservative causes."

How the Christian Right Plays Victim While Imposing Its Ideology on America | Alternet

How the Christian Right Plays Victim While Imposing Its Ideology on America | Alternet
"Why does every religious-right publication and event echo the claim that right-wing Christians are somehow being stripped of the very right to religious freedom the right has worked tirelessly to take from everyone else for decades?
The simple answer is they’re lying. Claiming the mantle of victimhood is so politically potent that religious-right leaders are going to do it, no matter how untrue it is, because, to be blunt, they’re not held back by any moral interest in honesty. Getting Grandma to think she's going to lose her church is a great way to get her to sign her Social Security check over to your organization."

Thursday, December 5, 2013

The lifecycle of an Obamacare lie

Army of Rightwing Groups Plan Assault on State Laws in 2014 | Common Dreams

Army of Rightwing Groups Plan Assault on State Laws in 2014 | Common Dreams
"The documents also cast light on the nexus of funding arrangements behind radical rightwing campaigns. The State Policy Network (SPN) has members in each of the 50 states and an annual warchest of $83m drawn from major corporate donors that include the energy tycoons the Koch brothers, the tobacco company Philip Morris, food giant Kraft and the multinational drugs company GlaxoSmithKline."

Rep. Chaffetz Makes Excuses for Refusal to Raise Minimum Wage

Rep. Chaffetz Makes Excuses for Refusal to Raise Minimum Wage
"Never mind that the minimum wage would be $22.62 per hour today if it had grown at the same rate as the earnings of the one percent. Never mind that most minimum wage earners are adults. Never mind that most Americans favor raising the minimum wage. That wasn't going to stop Rep. Jason Chaffetz from defending the Republicans' skewed priorities in the House of Representatives to host Stephanie Cutter on this Wednesday's Crossfire, or pretending that raising it would keep companies from hiring teenagers."

Georgia School 'Terrorized' After Fox News False 'Christmas' Report

Georgia School 'Terrorized' After Fox News False 'Christmas' Report
"Last month, members of school board in South Dakota said that they received death threats after Fox News falsely reported that they had voted to drop the Pledge of Allegiance at schools."

Ohio GOP Resurrects Voter Suppression Efforts | The Nation

Ohio GOP Resurrects Voter Suppression Efforts | The Nation
"But now Ohio Republicans are once again resurrecting efforts to make it harder to vote. Last month, the GOP-controlled Ohio Senate, on a party-line vote, voted to cut early voting by a week, eliminating the “Golden Week” when Ohioans can register and vote on the same day during the early voting period (Senate Bill 238). The legislation was introduced and passed in one week, with almost no time for substantive debate."

Trickle-Down Economics and Broken Promises

www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/report/2013/12/04/80381/trickle-down-economics-and-broken-promises/
"Yet empirical economic data show that these misguided policies did not deliver on their promises, as our nation’s economy after the tax increases of 1993 significantly outperformed the periods after tax cuts in the 1980s and 2000s. Investment growth, productivity growth, employment growth, middle-class income growth, national fiscal health, and overall economic growth were weaker or declined under trickle-down policies."

Republicans Vote Against Their Own Survival as the Top 14 Child Poverty States Are Red

www.politicususa.com/2013/12/04/republicans-vote-survival-top-14-child-poverty-states-red.html
"The top fourteen states with the highest percentage of children living in dire poverty are deeply-held red states and far exceed the humiliating national child poverty rate of nearly 24%."

New Guardian Docs Show ALEC Misled Press, Public

New Guardian Docs Show ALEC Misled Press, Public
"Internal documents from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) published by The Guardian provide stunning insight into the inner workings of the "corporate bill mill" -- and offer new evidence about how the group has continually misled reporters, the public, and even its own members."

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

113th Congress Set To Be Least Productive In History; GOP Proud Of Their Do Nothing Record

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/12/04/113th-congress-set-least-productive-history-gop-sees-bragging-point/
"It’s no secret that republicans in the House and Senate view the government as the enemy. We should make no mistakes about it. They are there to prevent the government from functioning, not to help it function better. They don’t want to streamline government functions, they want to do whatever they can to keep the government from functioning at all. The fact that they see the complete failure of the 113th Congress to carry out its duties as bragging points, just proves that they don’t belong in government at all."

Remember All Those Obamacare Horror Stories? Not Looking So Bad Now | Alternet

Remember All Those Obamacare Horror Stories? Not Looking So Bad Now | Alternet
"In the absence of facts, conservative media just made things up to fit their narrative."

Insurance Commissioner Compares Pre-Existing Conditions To Car Wrecks: ‘It’s Your Fault’

www.thinkprogress.org/health/2013/12/04/3020831/georgia-insurance-commissioner-pre-existing-fault/
"Georgia Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens (R) has a message for the estimated 57.2 million Americans suffering from diabetes, asthma, cancer, genetic disorders, and other pre-existing medical conditions: it’s your fault."

California Republicans Create Fake Healthcare Website To Mislead Constituents

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/12/03/california-republicans-create-fake-healthcare-website-mislead-constituents/
"Republicans have tried everything in their power to keep the ACA from taking effect. After more than 40 attempts to repeal the law, a failed Supreme Court challenge and a full blown shut down of the US government, they did not succeed. They tried to sabotage the law in every way possible, up to and including a “Destroy Obamacare” program, which was supposed to bring down the national ACA website.
What’s left for them now, except to create a fake healthcare website? They’ll try whatever they can to try to keep people from getting to the truth and then signing up for the ACA.
Misleading voters, billing taxpayers for right wing propaganda, using every kind of deceptive tactic they can think of… there’s really nothing new here. It’s habitual for the party that has no other options left. They can’t stand on the truth. Voters would never accept GOP policies if they were offered at face value. They can only hope that their low information base doesn’t catch on before the next election.
Since statistics show that more and more Republicans are signing up for the ACA every day, the odds of that happening are getting smaller and smaller."

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

CA Assembly GOP Puts Up Fake California Health Exchange Site

CA Assembly GOP Puts Up Fake California Health Exchange Site
"What we have here are elected officials intentionally trying to make California's health exchange fail, and using taxpayer dollars to misinform taxpayers, using the standard fear and loathing tactics as their linchpin."

DonorsTrust—the Right's Dark-Money ATM—Pumps Out Record $96 Million

www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/12/donors-trust-franklin-center-alec-mercatus-center-dark-money
"Wealthy conservatives use DonorsTrust as a surefire way to invest their money, fingerprint-free, with the assurance it will end up in the right hands."

The Fake Obamacare Site That Is Trying To Trick Californians

www.thinkprogress.org/health/2013/12/03/3012281/california-republicans-trick-voters-fake-obamacare-site/
"Despite the GOP’s effort to dissuade Californians from purchasing coverage, however, nearly 80,000 people signed up for health insurance in the state’s new exchange as of late November, with approximately 2,7000 people enrolling daily.
A disclaimer on the site — which is situated next to a link to the Assembly Republican Caucus — notes that “The California State Assembly does not warrant or make any representations as to the quality, content, accuracy, or completeness of the information, text, graphics, links and other items contained on this server or any other server.” Indeed."

Oh Hell, 16, 12, 8 — Put Those Worthless Kids to Work!

Oh Hell, 16, 12, 8 — Put Those Worthless Kids to Work!
"Republicans are determined to undo every labor reform we’ve had in this country since sweatshops burned to the ground. And trust me, they don’t mean having their own kids work. They mean your kids."

PERRspectives: GOP: Founding Fathers Created Defect-Free Constitution, Ended Scourge of Slavery

PERRspectives: GOP: Founding Fathers Created Defect-Free Constitution, Ended Scourge of Slavery
"The Republican National Committee's proclamation honoringRosa Park's "role in ending racism" is continuing to receive the scorn and derision it richly deserves. As it turns out, the GOP's attempt to literally whitewash American history is hardly its first."

Monday, December 2, 2013

ALEC’s Extreme Legislative Agenda for 2014

ALEC’s Extreme Legislative Agenda for 2014
"On ALEC's agenda for 2014 are the following priorities and bills (which will become official ALEC "models" once passed by the task forces -- with corporate lobbyists voting as equals alongside state legislators -- and approved by the board of directors)"

Republicans’ self-hatred swells: The GOP vs. its own base

Republicans’ self-hatred swells: The GOP vs. its own base
"Rick Santorum is unhappy that older people, who tend to vote Republican, are getting insurance via the ACA"

Where the Minimum Wage Would Be If It Kept Pace With the Earnings of the 1% | Alternet

Where the Minimum Wage Would Be If It Kept Pace With the Earnings of the 1% | Alternet
"Worker productivity has  more than doubled since 1968, and if the minimum wage had kept pace with productivity gains it would have been  $21.72 last year."

Conservative Claims About Minimum Wage Put To The Test After Town Increases It To $15

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/11/27/seatac-minimum-wage-raised-15/
"The residents of SeaTac, WA — a little hamlet of 27,667 people — are under attack by the Koch Brothers and affiliated right-wing groups, after the results of their last election. The reason why? The town dared to raise its minimum wage to $15 per hour."

The RNC Claims Rosa Parks Ended Racism, Demonstrating What’s Wrong with the GOP

www.politicususa.com/2013/12/01/rnc-claimes-rosa-parks-ended-racism-demonstrating-wrong-gop.html
"Racism isn’t dead. The Republican Party, abusers of the Southern Strategy, do their part to keep it alive with their rhetoric and their policies."

GOP Credits Rosa Parks For ‘Ending Racism’

www.thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/12/01/3007041/gop-credits-rosa-parks-ending-racism/
"Racism, of course, hasn’t ended and may have actually increased since the election of President Obama in 2008."

Ted Cruz Begins Sad Backtrack on the Importance of ACA Website as Site’s Issues Fade

www.forwardprogressives.com/ted-cruz-begins-sad-backtrack-on-the-importance-of-aca-website-as-sites-issues-fade/
"You had to know that this was coming.  After weeks and weeks of right-wing propaganda pointing to the failures of the Affordable Care Act website as the proof that “Obamacare” is a failure, now that it’s pretty much fixed and working, we’re going to start seeing Republicans minimize the importance of the functionality of the website.  Which is exactly what Ted Cruz’s sentiments were with his tweet where he said that a “Faulty website is but 1 symptom of Obamacare. In other words, “Damn, now that the website is working I won’t be able to use it to attack “Obamacare” so I need to downplay the importance of it.”
It’s just sad."

The Tea Party Will Likely Try To Manipulate Voting Machines in 2014 and 2016

www.politicususa.com/2013/12/01/tea-party-manipulate-voting-machines-2014-2016.html
"Can the theft of the 2014 and 2016 elections actually happen? Progressive Website ‘firedoglake’ certainly thinks so given this 2012 expose’ of the 2004 Bush/Kerry presidential race. According to the site, victory was snatched from Kerry in an action masterminded by Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell."

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Santorum Complains That 'Sicker, Older' People are Getting Insurance

Santorum Complains That 'Sicker, Older' People are Getting Insurance
"I don't know who Rick Santorum is trying to appeal to with this fearmongering on CNN's State of the Union this Saturday, but it seems to me he's taking aim straight at the GOP's base with his complaints about people over sixty now being able to get health insurance due to the Affordable Care Act."

10 Outrages and Crazy Statements by Right-Wingers This Week: Pope Provokes Free-Market Freakout | Alternet

10 Outrages and Crazy Statements by Right-Wingers This Week: Pope Provokes Free-Market Freakout | Alternet
"Before the Thanksgiving floats, there was the usual parade of right-wing nuts this week, many of whom became apoplectic after Pope Francis’ much-publicized Joy of the Gospel document, which critiqued unfettered capitalism and insinuated that thoroughly discredited trickle-down economics is naïve and just plain wrong."

How GOP Oligarchs and the Christian Right Are Hiding Behind the 1st Amendment to Ram Through Their Political Agenda | Alternet

How GOP Oligarchs and the Christian Right Are Hiding Behind the 1st Amendment to Ram Through Their Political Agenda | Alternet
"The Tea Party is turning the Constitution’s most fundamental protections into a refuge for scoundrels and billionaires."

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

This Was One of The Least Productive Years Ever for Congress

This Was One of The Least Productive Years Ever for Congress
"Congress is on track to have one of the least productive years in modern history, having passed only 52 bills since January, just 44 which are considered “substantive”—far below the average of 70 in the years 1990-2012."

Long December break could create 2nd shutdown

The Tea Party gave birth to this: Christian American Patriots Militia calling for Obama’s assassination

www.freakoutnation.com/2013/11/25/the-tea-party-gave-birth-to-this-christian-american-patriots-militia-calling-for-obamas-assassination/
"The Secret Service is aware of the threats. The page has been reported numerous times."

Jim Garrow and Erik Rush Obama Should Be Stood Against Wall and Shot

www.politicususa.com/2013/11/27/jim-garrow-erik-rush-obama-stood-wall-shot.html
"Republicans have become obsessed not with simply impeaching or imprisoning President Obama, but with killing him."

New IRS rules could temper big campaign cash

Did Karl Rove’s super PAC commit perjury?

Did Karl Rove’s super PAC commit perjury?
"The return, signed under penalty of perjury, specified that the grants would be used for social welfare purposes, “and not for political expenditures, consistent with the organization’s tax-exempt mission.” But that’s not what happened."

Heart of Darkness: Criminal Investigation of WI Recall $

Heart of Darkness: Criminal Investigation of WI Recall $
"The controversy immediately kicked off a struggle for control of the Wisconsin Senate. Between 2011 and 2012 Wisconsin voters across the state knocked on doors, circulated recall petitions, and put an unprecedented number of state officials up for recall. Thirteen state senators eventually faced recall elections. Close to one million people signed recall petitions for the Governor and Lt. Governor, and even before an election was certified, outside money began to saturate the state. $137.5 million is estimated to have been spent on the recalls in total, the vast majority from out-of-state players.
The source of much of that spending remains unknown. Millions were spent by "dark money" nonprofits -- most of them organized under 501(c)(4) of the tax code -- that allow deep pocketed donors to hide their identity."

Billionaires' Bad Day: New Rules Would Rein in Nonprofits

Billionaires' Bad Day: New Rules Would Rein in Nonprofits
"The fact that these groups were ever considered "social welfare" groups in the first place is laughable. I'm waiting for them to start screeching on Fox about how they're taking away their "free speech" and how terrible the IRS "thugs" are for finally trying to curb some of this activity."

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Republicans continue efforts to suppress the vote in places where it will do them the most good

www.dailykos.com/story/2013/11/26/1258522/-Republicans-continue-efforts-to-suppress-the-vote-in-places-where-it-will-do-them-the-most-good
"Shaming the GOP for its determination to shave a few points off Democratic election turnout obviously hasn't had an impact. Unblushable, the party is still at it. Instead of doing all they can to encourage every eligible person to vote, Republicans have been relentlessly imposing new restrictions to make it harder"

Some Florida Election Supervisors Stunned By New Voter Restrictions

www.thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/11/26/2995801/florida-election-supervisors-stunned-voter-restrictions/
"Florida Gov. Rick Scott’s (R) chief election official issued new rules Monday night that could hamper absentee voting, just months before Floridians in the state’s 13th Congressional district take part in a special election to replace the late Rep. C.W. Bill Young (R). The seat was held by Republicans for decades, but is now considered a tossup."

Right-Wing Militia Leader Says Constitution Gives Him The Right To Assassinate President Obama (IMAGE)

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/11/24/right-wing-assassinate-obama/
"These threats justify why the Department of Homeland Security and a West Point think-tank classified right-wing extremists as a dangerous threat to the country. Ever since Obama took office, the right has gone completely crazy with hate. They have zero ideas and are incapable of winning elections by making a reasonable case to voters. They can’t even bring themselves to compromise on anything. So they threaten the nation with guns and violent revolution in order to scare Americans and get their way."

Michigan GOP Recruits Civil Rights Act Critic Rand Paul To Launch African American Outreach Project

www.thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/11/22/2986251/michigan-gop-rand-paul/
"While Paul has since denied ever making the comments, he has repeatedly criticized the Civil Rights Act of 1964′s bans on whites-only lunch counters and discrimination by private employers."

4 Ways the Koch Brothers' Wealth Is Beyond Comprehension | Alternet

4 Ways the Koch Brothers' Wealth Is Beyond Comprehension | Alternet
"Charles and David Koch are both members of the .00001%. That's a group of twenty individuals who have a total net worth of over a half-trillion dollars , about $26 billion each."

Darrell Issa's Traveling Obamacare Hearings Exclude ACA Supporters

Darrell Issa's Traveling Obamacare Hearings Exclude ACA Supporters
"In his traveling road show of “hearings” on the Affordable Care Act rollout, Darrell Issa has hand-picked the people testifying, and has excluded those who want to speak in favor of the ACA."

Stink tank: Heritage vs. the GOP

The Kentucky miracle

Kentucky loves Obamacare

Wealthy Libertarians Are Driving Poverty, Unemployment, and Anti-Government Discontent

www.politicususa.com/2013/11/24/wealthy-libertarians-driving-poverty-unemployment-anti-government-discontent.html
"There is a reason the Koch brothers and their cohort ALEC are funneling millions to anti-government teabaggers and religious right anti-choice activists, and it is part of their plan to stir up opposition to equal rights, religious freedom, and particularly the federal government and social programs. Inciting discontent and division among the population, coupled with their job-killing austerity economics, stagnating wages, and domestic spending cuts is the recipe for the growth of fascism and at some point the people will look to a champion who will promise a path to economic prosperity if they are given authority to transform America according to the Koch brothers’ libertarian vision of no federal government, no regulations, no taxation, a return to Christian moral values, and free market capitalism that is code for corporate owned-and-operated government."

Monday, November 25, 2013

New Tax Return Shows Karl Rove's Group Spent Even More On Politics Than It Said

New Tax Return Shows Karl Rove's Group Spent Even More On Politics Than It Said
"Social welfare nonprofits, also known as dark money groups because they don't have to report their donors, are allowed to spend money on politics as long as their primary purpose is social welfare. The groups often count so-called issue ads that stop short of advocating for or against a candidate and grants toward that social welfare mission. Since the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision allowed corporations and unions to spend directly on election ads, these nonprofits have turned into the vehicle of choice for anonymous spending, dumping more than $254 million into the 2012 elections.
Of the 150 or so social welfare nonprofits that reported spending to the Federal Election Commission during the 2012 election cycle, Crossroads was king, the biggest anonymous spender by far. Americans for Tax Reform came in fourth, with $15.8 million."

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Say What? Civil Rights Act Critic Rand Paul Tapped to Launch African American Outreach Project in Michigan | Alternet

Say What? Civil Rights Act Critic Rand Paul Tapped to Launch African American Outreach Project in Michigan | Alternet
"The Michigan Republican Party will  launch its new African American Engagement Office in Detroit next month, aiming to improve on the mere  two percent of the vote their presidential nominee received in the city last year. To headline this event, the party has enlisted Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) — though Paul has been an  outspoken critic of the 1964 Civil Rights Act."

Friday, November 22, 2013

How the Republican Tempest Over the Affordable Care Act Diverts Attention from Three Large Truths | Common Dreams

How the Republican Tempest Over the Affordable Care Act Diverts Attention from Three Large Truths | Common Dreams
"Having failed to defeat the Affordable Care Act in Congress, to beat it back in the last election, to repeal it despite more than eighty votes in the House, to stop it in the federal courts, to get enough votes in the Supreme Court to overrule it, and to gut it with outright extortion (closing the government and threatening to default on the nation’s debts unless it was repealed), Republicans are now down to their last ploy."

Surprise! GOP Following Scripted Plan To Attack Obamacare

Surprise! GOP Following Scripted Plan To Attack Obamacare
"I know you are shocked -- SHOCKED -- to discover that all the Obamacare noise over the last month is the product of a very carefully orchestrated public relations campaign."

Conservatives Trying to Resurface Compassionate Conservative Bunk | Alternet

Conservatives Trying to Resurface Compassionate Conservative Bunk | Alternet
"Paul Ryan, whose policy ideas are disastrous for the poor, is cynically trotting out the old "compassionate-conservative" canard."

Thursday, November 21, 2013

McConnell: 'Senate Republicans Have Been Very, Very Fair To Obama'

McConnell: 'Senate Republicans Have Been Very, Very Fair To Obama'
"McConnell essentially argued that Republican obstruction was all the Democrats fault, that they were responsible for the filibusters because they kept trying to do things-- as opposed to the do nothing GOP -- like allow the president to appoint people to vacant court seats. McConnell's lies and the conviction with which he expressed them was indeed a disturbing thing to behold."

The Senate GOP's Unprecedented Obstruction In Five Charts | Right Wing Watch

The Senate GOP's Unprecedented Obstruction In Five Charts | Right Wing Watch
"And the blanket filibuster of D.C. Circuit nominees is just the latest in the GOP’s onslaught of unprecedented obstruction under President Obama. Here are four charts showing just how far Republican obstruction has gone in the Obama administration."

How the GOP Is Literally Killing Its Voters | Alternet

How the GOP Is Literally Killing Its Voters | Alternet
"In the past, there were many Republicans who saw the value of having a social safety net. Today’s Tea Party Republicans, however, believe in assaulting the poor and the middle class at every turn—and the older whites who vote for them are not exempt. Between butchering the food stamp program, opposing healthcare reform, trying to turn Social Security over to the whims of Wall Street, and going out of their way to eliminate what’s left of the New Deal, modern-day Republicans are no friends of older Americans—including their older white male rural base."

Right wing abandons facts to bash Obama

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Today in Hypocrisy: Anti-Drug GOP Congressman Busted on Coke Charge - Truthdig

Today in Hypocrisy: Anti-Drug GOP Congressman Busted on Coke Charge - Truthdig
"Rep. Trey Radel, R-Fla., who backed proposed rules to let states require drug tests of welfare recipients, was sentenced Wednesday morning to a year’s probation after being caught with a small amount of cocaine last month in Washington, D.C."

Facebook: Assassination Threats Stay, Pregnant Bellies Go

Facebook: Assassination Threats Stay, Pregnant Bellies Go
"This isn't the first assassination threat posted on social media and it won't be the last. Mr. Wilhelmsen is a militia man, a self-proclaimed good Christian who is standing up for his country while he calls for the assassination of our President just days ahead of the 50-year observance of the anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination."

Colbert Skewers Bachmann for Calling Herself a Genius

Colbert Skewers Bachmann for Calling Herself a Genius
"Bachmann actually had the nerve to call herself a "genius" for supposedly predicting the problems with the health care law, and Colbert decided to play a montage of her "greatest hits" to... ahem... "prove" her point."

Paul Ryan's Poverty Plan: Cutting Government Assistance, and Jesus

Paul Ryan's Poverty Plan: Cutting Government Assistance, and Jesus
"I think he's busy re-reading Atlas Shrugged and brushing up on his Ayn Rand."

Abbott Responds to Former Staffer's 'Illegal Immigrant' Game by Linking Wendy Davis to 'Satan'

Abbott Responds to Former Staffer's 'Illegal Immigrant' Game by Linking Wendy Davis to 'Satan'
"Greg Abbott, the Republican candidate for Texas governor, has responded to the news that a former staffer had organized a “Catch an Illegal Immigrant" game at the University of Texas at Austin by linking his Democratic opponent, state Sen. Wendy Davis, to Satanism."

Fact Check: Social Security Does Not Increase the Deficit | Alternet

Fact Check: Social Security Does Not Increase the Deficit | Alternet
"There are basically two categories of people who want to see Social Security cut: 1) financiers who wish to move us toward privatized retirement accounts so that they can charge us fees; and 2) rich people who do not like to pay taxes. Their main champions are conservatives at the Heritage Foundation, libertarians at the Cato Institute and Wall Street financier Pete Peterson."

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

New anti-Obamacare ads are Classic Koch

State Policy Network: The Straw That Stirs the Conservative Movement

State Policy Network: The Straw That Stirs the Conservative Movement
"As might be expected the Koch Brothers have their imprint writ large over the SPN: The September event was attended by "representatives from Koch Industries, the Charles Koch Institute, and Charles Koch Foundation, and other the Koch-funded groups such as David Koch's Americans for Prosperity, Generation Opportunity, and the Association for American Innovation, which is now called 'Freedom Partners' and is funded to an unknown extent by the fortunes of the billionaire Koch brothers, housed in the same building as other Koch front groups, staffed by Koch operatives, and stacked with a board full of Koch insiders"."

WI Club for Growth, Target of Walker Recall Probe, at Center of Dark Money Web

WI Club for Growth, Target of Walker Recall Probe, at Center of Dark Money Web
"Governor Scott Walker's campaign and dozens of Republican-aligned political groups have been subpoenaed in a wide-ranging probe into potential campaign finance violations during Wisconsin's contentious 2011 and 2012 recall elections, and a group at the center of the storm appears to be Wisconsin Club for Growth, one of the top spenders during the recalls and whose leaders have close ties to Governor Walker and national donors, including the Koch brothers."

WSJ: Scott Walker's Campaign is Target of Extensive Investigation

WSJ: Scott Walker's Campaign is Target of Extensive Investigation
"Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker's campaign office and about 30 conservative groups have been subpoenaed by a special prosecutor, and the homes of at least three people connected to the campaign have been raided, according to The Wall Street Journal. Among the groups subpoenaed were the Wisconsin Club for Growth; Karl Rove’s American Crossroads; the Republican Governors Association; and the state’s largest business lobbying group, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. The subpoenas came out of a secret John Doe investigation of Walker’s campaign and allies."

GOP Group Declares 'Catch An Immigrant' Day on UT Campus

GOP Group Declares 'Catch An Immigrant' Day on UT Campus
"Nice Hispanic outreach, Abbott."

Monday, November 18, 2013

The Terrifying Future Envisioned By Libertarians | Alternet

The Terrifying Future Envisioned By Libertarians | Alternet
"The future will belong to those who prepare public policy for that eventuality, and who work to put politicians in power who are ready to enact that policy when the time comes, and when the demographics of the nation have altered enough to make it possible.
Whatever happens, the libertarian fairy dreams of men like Tyler Cowen must not be allowed to become realities."

Tea Party Group Wants Disclosure Exemption On Grounds That The Movement Is Small, Powerless, And Harassed

Tea Party Group Wants Disclosure Exemption On Grounds That The Movement Is Small, Powerless, And Harassed: The Federal Election Commission is scheduled to vote Thursday on a request by the Tea Party Leadership Fund to be exempted from campaign disclosure laws, based on alleged "sustain harassment and severe hostility" to Tea Party activists by the federal government and the general public.

Wisconsin Republicans Roll Anti-Democratic Measures Through Assembly

Wisconsin Republicans Roll Anti-Democratic Measures Through Assembly
"Wisconsin Republicans rolled a raft of anti-democrat measures through the legislature late Thursday night, ranging from additional restrictions on voting to new limits on the right to recall elected officials, following a recall effort against Governor Scott Walker last year."

ALEC Mulls Assault On Constitution’s 17th Amendment — The Direct Election Of Senators

ALEC Mulls Assault On Constitution’s 17th Amendment — The Direct Election Of Senators: Say goodbye to voting for Senators by popular vote?

Friday, November 15, 2013

Wisconsin legislature fractures over GOP push

Corruption On Steroids - Koch Brothers Spend Record Cash

FEC Poised To Give Tea Party Group Disclosure Exemption

FEC Poised To Give Tea Party Group Disclosure Exemption
"Anyone who thinks the Kochs and their compatriots wouldn't use this as their primary avenue for buying elections hasn't been paying close attention to much of anything."

Justice Clarence Thomas' Newest Ethics Breach

Justice Clarence Thomas' Newest Ethics Breach
"Justice Thomas has once again graced the Federalist Society with his presence for their annual fundraiser, without shame or apology, along with fellow justices Alito and Scalia. In their minds, this is perfectly fine for them to do because they have cheerfully waived the ethics rules other judges must abide by."

Michele Bachmann Lies, Obamacare Edition

Michele Bachmann Lies, Obamacare Edition
"Just in case there was any doubt, this is really just another day, another Bachmann lie."

Chris Christie Is an Extreme Right-Winger -- Don't Fall for His "Moderate" Act | Alternet

Chris Christie Is an Extreme Right-Winger -- Don't Fall for His "Moderate" Act | Alternet
"Behind the facade, Christie is a Bush/Cheney-esque neoconservative promoting the old politics of division and ignorance."

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Poll: Americans Overwhelmingly Support Increase in Minimum Wage | Common Dreams

Poll: Americans Overwhelmingly Support Increase in Minimum Wage | Common Dreams
"Critics have blasted a call for a $9 minimum wage as not nearly enough, and MIT's Living Wage Calculator shows that rate would still leave many without a living wage."

Real journalism uncovers the conservative lies

Stop Being 'Reasonable' With These Global Warming Enablers

Stop Being 'Reasonable' With These Global Warming Enablers
"First of all, let's get the terms straight. They're not climate change "deniers". They're climate change enablers.And I don't care if they're sincerely misinformed Christianists, Teabaggers, plutocrats or just stupid. Stop treating them as if they might have a point. They don't."

GOP Food Stamp Cuts Would Kick 170,000 Vets Out of the Program

www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/11/veterans-food-stamp-cuts-republicans-snap
"In addition to reducing housing aid, and denying health care to vets, the GOP is also trying to remove thousands of vets from the food stamp program, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP."

GOP Did Contribute To Obamacare, Study Finds – Turns Out They Wrote A Large Portion

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/11/10/obamacare-study-republican-contribution/
"For the final bill, over 10% came from House Republicans, and almost 30% came from Senate Republicans. That brings the total GOP contribution to Obamacare to 38.5%, meaning that over a third of Obamacare was written by the Republican party."