Friday, May 31, 2013

Cigarette Maker Funded Dark-Money Conservative Groups

www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/05/tobacco-dark-money-norquist-koch-brothers
"Reynolds doled out $175,000 to Americans for Tax Reform, conservative activist Grover Norquist's anti-tax group. The company also gave $50,000 to Americans for Prosperity, $45,000 to the US Chamber of Commerce, and $100,000 to the Partnership for Ohio's Future, an Ohio Chamber-backed group that supported restricting the worker bargaining rights."

GOP Hispanic Outreach Failing? 'Focus on Whites Instead'

Tea Party Speaker Presents Proof Grover Norquist Is a Secret Muslim: 'He Has a Beard'

Tea Party Speaker Presents Proof Grover Norquist Is a Secret Muslim: 'He Has a Beard'
"A speaker at a tea party event in Texas recently suggested that that anti-tax lobbyist Grover Norquist was a secret Muslim because "he has a beard"."

Conservative Activist Urges Republicans To Forget Hispanics, Work Harder At Courting Whites

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/31/conservative-activist-urges-republicans-to-forget-hispanics-work-harder-at-courting-whites/
"The truth of the matter is that the GOP has moved ever further to the right since Reagan was in office. It doesn’t matter which side of the political spectrum you’re on; the further toward the fringe you go, the less appeal you will have to the general population."

Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/31/conservative-activist-urges-republicans-to-forget-hispanics-work-harder-at-courting-whites/#ixzz2UtcHPkF9

Now Empirical Proof That Republicans Lie - A Lot

Radio Wingnuts Call for Armed 'Peaceful' Overthrow' Of U.S.

Radio Wingnuts Call for Armed 'Peaceful' Overthrow' Of U.S.
"The "Santilli" that he's talking to there is my old pal Pete Santilli, who made violent threats against Hillary Clinton just a couple of weeks ago and doubled down on them last week."

Disheartening Spate Of Threats Mar Political Discourse

Issa Brings Back 'Summer Of Subpoena'

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Republican Lies Thwart Attempts to Reach Democratic Ideal of Educated Citizenry

Republican Lies Thwart Attempts to Reach Democratic Ideal of Educated Citizenry
"Having an enlightened and educated citizenry is a great ideal to strive for in theory, but it can be very hard to achieve in practice.
This is especially true when those that we are supposed to trust, like our elected officials in Washington, choose to lie to the American people over and over again, rather than face the facts.
And when it comes lying lawmakers, Republicans are the worst."

Rick Perry Vetoes “Buy American” Bill Approved 145-0 by Texas House

www.forwardprogressives.com/rick-perry-vetoes-buy-american-bill/
"Passing the Senate by a vote of 23-7 and the House 145-0, the Texas legislature overwhelmingly passed a bill meant to give preference to American-made goods for purchase by the State of Texas when they are of equal cost and quality to foreign-made products.
In other words, if an American-made product and foreign-made product are of equal quality and cost, when the state is purchasing a good or service, the state would always give preference to the American-made product or service.
96% of Texas legislators supported the “Buy American” bill…

Economic policy is largely being driven by obstructionism, not economic advisers | Economic Policy Institute

Economic policy is largely being driven by obstructionism, not economic advisers | Economic Policy Institute
"the GOP has routinely and frequently obstructed economic recovery since 2009—much of which should inform any debate this summer regarding much needed reform of the Senate’s filibuster rules, as well as the inevitable political fight over the debt ceiling. Conservatives, particularly the Tea Party caucus, are to blame for exploiting every piece of leverage available (including thenation’s credit worthiness) to extract premature spending cuts, filibustering just about anything that would boost aggregate demand, watering down the Recovery Act, hamstringing monetary policy and demanding counterproductive legislative ‘pay fors’—stipulated to never, ever include revenue increases. The frequently espoused pox-on-both houses punditry is not just off-base, but is also somewhat complicit in this sad state of affairs."

Letters Containing Ricin Poison Sent To Bloomberg And Gun Control Group Director

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/29/letters-containing-ricin-sent-to-bloomberg-gun-control-group-director/
"This is the act of a coward. It appears as though a gun nut decided he didn’t like what these men were saying so he took it upon himself to try to kill them. I guess that’s the only thing that sort of person can understand; violence and threats. Not a great way to get sympathy for your position, is it? Hopefully this yellow-bellied blowhard will be arrested soon."

Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/29/letters-containing-ricin-sent-to-bloomberg-gun-control-group-director/#ixzz2UnZwnRjL

Nutjob Calls For Armed Insurrection On July 4th

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/30/july-4th-gun-march-cancelled-wingnut-calls-for-armed-rebellion-instead/
"Kokesh also gave the federal government a one-year deadline to comply with his demands before possibly taking violent action"

Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/30/july-4th-gun-march-cancelled-wingnut-calls-for-armed-rebellion-instead/#ixzz2UnNukAlX

Tea Party's Idea of Joke: "Shoot" Senator Who Supports Immigration | Alternet

Tea Party's Idea of Joke: "Shoot" Senator Who Supports Immigration | Alternet
"Right-wing extremists see no need to dial back violent rhetoric"

After Bachmann, Who's America's Next Top Wacky Right-Winger?

www.motherjones.com/mojo/2013/05/next-michele-bachmann-wacky
"Facing a mounting investigation into her presidential campaign's alleged campaign finance improprieties, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) announced Wednesday morning that she won't seek reelection in 2014. Here's a quick guide to the people jockeying for Bachmann's place as the far right's biggest star in Congress."

Schlafly Advises Republicans: Ignore Hispanics and 'Reach Out to... White Voters'

Schlafly Advises Republicans: Ignore Hispanics and 'Reach Out to... White Voters'
"Conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly says Republicans are making a mistake by trying to court Hispanics with comprehensive immigration reform legislation."

North Carolina GOP Seeks Even More Regressive State Tax Burden Than Current Law

North Carolina GOP Seeks Even More Regressive State Tax Burden Than Current Law: North Carolina lawmakers are seeking to shift much of the state’s tax burden off its wealthiest citizens and most profitable businesses and onto its low- and middle-income residents. After initially proposing to eliminate the state’s income tax outright, Republicans are instead introducing a flat income tax rate across all earning levels. The proposal unveiled Thursday [...]/p

Don't Blame the IRS For Doing Their Job

Don't Blame the IRS For Doing Their Job
"That's really the bottom line here. Billionaires used these organizations to hide their massive contributions to election-buying. The only difference between a PAC and a c4 organization as they were used is that the c4 didn't have to disclose donors, which served them quite well and sent many of us on a lot of treasure hunts to try and find out who was behind those ugly ads in many states. The IRS was right to question them and right to carve them out for higher scrutiny."

Who LIES More- Republicans or Democrats?

Tea Party Conference Call Features Threat To Assassinate U.S. Senator Because She Supports Immigration Reform

Tea Party Conference Call Features Threat To Assassinate U.S. Senator Because She Supports Immigration Reform: In a Tea Party-sponsored conference call held on Wednesday night, a participant called for the assassination of Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) over her support for immigration reform. Prominent conservative policymakers Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL)’s communications director Stephen Miller and Heritage Foundation research fellow Robert Rector also joined the call, hosted by the conservative Eagle Forum [...]/p

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Ohio School District Considers Teaching Beck's Cuckoo Conspiracies

Ohio School District Considers Teaching Beck's Cuckoo Conspiracies
"After electing Tea Party representatives to school boards and city councils across the nation, the move is on to push these whacko theories into the mainstream, and in the case of at least one Ohio school district, they're succeeding."

War on Democracy in Wisconsin: Bill Would Enact Voter ID, End Disclosure, Limit Early Voting, Expand Lobbyist Influence

War on Democracy in Wisconsin: Bill Would Enact Voter ID, End Disclosure, Limit Early Voting, Expand Lobbyist Influence
"A Wisconsin legislator has managed to bundle nearly all of the excesses associated with dirty elections into a single bill that good government advocates are describing as a "sweeping assault on democracy:" the legislation would try reinstating restrictive voter ID requirements, make it easier for donors to secretly influence elections, expand lobbyist influence, restrict early voting, and make it harder to register, among other measures."

Leader of Armed March On Washington Calls For ‘Revolutionary Army’ To Topple Government

Leader of Armed March On Washington Calls For ‘Revolutionary Army’ To Topple Government: Thousands of people signed up to attend an armed march on Washington over the course of the last month. But now, the leader of the march is setting his sights much higher than a single demonstration — he wants his armed followers to help overthrow the American government. About a month ago, a gun activist [...]/p

The Republican Party Ignores Reality According To Former Reagan Adviser

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/29/nates-reality-based-community-article/
"Ultimately, Bruce Bartlett has come to understand the fundamental flaw in conservative thinking. It is insular, only able to exist properly when divorced from reality. While one can be conservative, one cannot be ruled by conservatism. This demand for a reality bubble has resulted in Republican anti-science legislation geared to replace reality with their own brand of fantasy. No conservative thought can survive except in isolation, and if in isolation then it is unable to react to the realities of the moment. The modern Republican Party, and conservative movement can be summed up as a collective of putting their fingers in their ears and pretending not to hear what people are telling them."

Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/29/nates-reality-based-community-article/#ixzz2UiAG8V00

Bye Bye Bachmann: Reliving Ten of the Tea Party Darling's Craziest Gaffes | Alternet

Bye Bye Bachmann: Reliving Ten of the Tea Party Darling's Craziest Gaffes | Alternet
"Minnesota far-right Republican Rep. Michelle Bachmann has declared she will not run for a fifth term in 2014, and is making the dubious claim that her decision has nothing to do with that ongoing ethics probe into her campaign fund-raising in the 2012 race, or her falling poll numbers. No, she is a newfound convert to term limits.
Right. This is about as believable as some of the gaffes, misstatements, anti-science positions, conspiracy theories, not to mention wobbly grasp of both American history and world geography, she displayed on her ill-fated quest for the 2012 Republican nomination. She even managed to make Texas Governor Rick Perry look both sane and slightly enlightened."

Michele Bachmann's 5 Wildest Predictions, including Slavery, Sharia and More | Right Wing Watch

Michele Bachmann's 5 Wildest Predictions, including Slavery, Sharia and More | Right Wing Watch
"But while Bachmann may be retiring from Congress, her many predictions live on. Here are five of the wildest among them:"

Social Security, And Four Other Things The GOP’s Latest Senate Candidate Thinks Are Unconstitutional

Social Security, And Four Other Things The GOP’s Latest Senate Candidate Thinks Are Unconstitutional: Alaska Republican U.S. Senate Candidate Joe Miller is a throwback to the extravagant youth of the Tea Party. He embodies the era when conservative Republicans, drunk with the opportunity to bludgeon Democrats with a weak economy, turned off their filters and began proudly touting their most radical plans to change the country. Indeed, at the [...]/p

Democrats Are Three Times More Likely To Tell Truth Than GOP, Study Reveals

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/29/republicans-lie-three-times-more-than-democrats/
"At this moment, Republicans have noses that even Pinocchio would be ashamed of, but they’re not only liars, they’re hypocrites too.
In their effort to smear and obstruct President Obama at every turn, Republicans have told lie after lie to advance their agenda. And a new study proves it, Salon reports.
A new study conducted by the Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University shows that Republicans lie three times more to the American people than Democrats do."


Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/29/republicans-lie-three-times-more-than-democrats/#ixzz2UhBXHf7b

Both Sides Don’t Do It: Study Finds Republicans Lie Three Times More Than Democrats

www.politicususa.com/sides-it-study-finds-republicans-lie-times-democrats.html
"A new study from the nonpartisan Center For Media Affairs has concluded that since the beginning of President Obama’s second term, Republicans have lied three times more often than Democrats.
The Center For Media Affairs (CFMA) at George Mason University found that PolitiFact rated Republican claims as false three times more often than Democratic claims. Not only do Republicans lie more often, but Democrats are more truthful. By a 2 to 1 margin"

The 8 Most Outlandish Moments Of Michele Bachmann’s Time In Congress

The 8 Most Outlandish Moments Of Michele Bachmann’s Time In Congress: Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) announced late Tuesday night, in a recorded video spot, that she will not be seeking reelection in 2014. Bachmann, a Tea Party standard-bearer, has been under Congressional investigation for misuse of funds during her failed 2012 presidential bid, but insisted in her video, “This decision was not impacted in any way [...]/p

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

GOP's Lurch Right Leaves Party Moderates Behind

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

So Much For Fiscal Hawks – Republicans Now Costing You Tens Of Millions To Save A Few Million

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/25/so-much-for-fiscal-hawks-republicans-now-costing-you-tens-of-millions-to-save-a-few-million/
"Now, instead of the $7 million in renovations and upgrades, the cost to replace the collapsed bridge will run $15 million and take up to a year. The collapse will cost an estimated $47 million in reduced productivity and trade. With the current average tax revenue from this total for trade and productivity in dealing with trade to Canada to be around 22%, the result is that this bridge collapse will cost the federal government $10 million in revenue for the period of repair, which when added to the $15 million pricetag means that we are looking at a total impact of $25 million. All in order to save $7 million."

Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/25/so-much-for-fiscal-hawks-republicans-now-costing-you-tens-of-millions-to-save-a-few-million/#ixzz2UbyFL4Dg

Source of Anti-Government Extremism

Source of Anti-Government Extremism
"something extreme has surfaced in modern American politics: an ideological hatred of government. From the Tea Party to libertarianism, there is a “principled” rejection – at least rhetorically – of almost everything that government does (outside of national security), and those views are no longer simply “fringe.” By and large, they have been embraced by the national Republican Party."

Monday, May 27, 2013

PERRspectives: Red States Rejecting Obamacare Medicaid Expansion Need It Most

PERRspectives: Red States Rejecting Obamacare Medicaid Expansion Need It Most
"the defining irony of the never-ending debate over Obamacare is this: health care is worst in those states where Republicans poll best. The map of the states with the worst health care systems largely mirrors GOP strongholds in the Electoral College. Red state residents are generally the unhealthiest and more likely than their blue state cousins to be uninsured."

Texas Will Deny Health Coverage To 1.5 Million Low-Income Residents

Texas Will Deny Health Coverage To 1.5 Million Low-Income Residents: 1.5 million low-income Texans may go without health care coverage after lawmakers in the state voted against expanding Medicaid using $100 billion in federal funds offered under President Obama’s health care law. The decision comes almost a year after the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government cannot require states to enroll more Medicaid beneficiaries. [...]/p

Ohio School District May Add Glenn Beck Conspiracy Theories To Curriculum

Ohio School District May Add Glenn Beck Conspiracy Theories To Curriculum: The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio is challenging an Ohio school district for considering a “controversial issues policy” that would require teachers to encourage discussions about creationism and conservative conspiracy theories about U.N. Agenda 21. Springboro Community City School District’s new curriculum — part of an effort to help students think critically and learn [...]/p

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Bob Dole On GOP: 'Closed For Repairs'

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Bob Dole Trashes The Republican Party on Fox News

www.politicususa.com/bob-dole-trashes-republican-party-fox-news.html
"The far right has chased all of the mainstream conservatives out of their party, and the rest of us are paying for their folly by suffering through a completely dysfunctional congress that is incapable of passing meaningful legislation."

Friday, May 24, 2013

10 Crazy Things the Right Did This Week | Alternet

10 Crazy Things the Right Did This Week | Alternet
"It's been another week of the insane, inane, and outright offensive."

VA GOP Treasurer: 'I'm Not A Big Fan Of Contraception'

VA GOP Treasurer: 'I'm Not A Big Fan Of Contraception'
"You have to see this. Bob Fitzsimmonds is the treasurer of the Republican Party of Virginia who served as Ken Cuccinelli's legislative aide in the Senate, and is a close adviser to the man who very well may be Virginia's next governor"

Congressman Quotes Jesus in Bid to Gut Food Stamps | Common Dreams

Congressman Quotes Jesus in Bid to Gut Food Stamps | Common Dreams
"While Fincher cites chapter and verse to prove that it is immoral for out of work folks to mooch off government largesse, he fails to mention that his own fingers have been observed in the public till. But not for the sake of a measly loaf of bread or carton of milk, mind you. No, the good congressman is one of Tennessee's largest-ever recipients of farm subsidy payments-- otherwise known as "Big Ag's Food Stamp program."

How much exactly has the Tennessee legislator received from hard working American taxpayers? Together with his father and brother, who farm over 2500 acres for cotton in five counties, roughly 8.9 million dollars in cotton subsidies over the last 10 years, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Rep. Fincher, who is the second largest recipient of farm subsidies in the United States Congress-- and that is saying a lot-- wants to increase federal crop insurance by a whopping 9 billion dollars over the next 10 years. The congressman has not said how much more he would personally reap if these additional federal subsidies are enacted."

After the Cuts Hit Them, 68% of Republicans Disapprove of Sequester

www.politicususa.com/68-republicans-damaged-sequester-disapprove.html
"It’s all “reckless spending” and “don’t tread on me!” until Republicans feel the hits of spending cuts. Suddenly, they strongly disapprove of the spending cuts championed by their party. This is also odd, because we’ve been told for years that they are the makers and this is “their” money. If that’s true, how did government cuts impact them by a larger percentage than Democrats?
They protest spending, but now they’re upset that they got their way."

Idiot Guv | Common Dreams

Idiot Guv | Common Dreams
"Nowadays Maine has an Appalled by LePage website, with an Appall-O-Meter usually set at 90%. We have bumper stickers that say, "One of 61% of Mainers Embarrassed by our Governor." We have Democrats seeking, semi-facetiously, $14 donations to help send this idiot packing. And we have the dismal knowledge that, for the first time in some time, Maine's politics are (often) just as depressing as everyone else's."

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Rubio Misleads On Debt Ceiling In Floor Speech Blocking Budget Process

Rubio Misleads On Debt Ceiling In Floor Speech Blocking Budget Process: In a floor speech Wednesday, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) falsely claimed that the debt ceiling is critical to saving future generations from inheriting a crippling national debt. Rubio, who is widely expected to seek his party’s presidential nomination in 2016, insisted that the Senate forbid its budget conferees from including an increase to the debt [...]/p

Go After Tea Party Tax Cheats

South Carolina governor appointed white supremacist to steering committee

www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/05/22/south-carolina-governor-appointed-white-supremacist-to-steering-committee/
"The group openly opposes the immi­gra­tion of “non-European and non-Western peo­ples into the United States” and condemns “all efforts to mix the races of mankind.” The Council of Conservative Citizens also believes the United States should not tolerate “sexual licentiousness, homosexuality and other perversions, mixture of the races, pornography in all forms, and subversion of the authority of parents"."

House Republicans Destroy the GOP by Voting to Raise Student Loan Interest Rates

www.politicususa.com/republicans-court-young-voters-passing-bill-raises-student-loan-interest-rates.html
"By a vote of 221-198, House Republicans continued to destroy their party by passing a bill that would raise student loan rates."

Republicans Claiming Tax Exempt Status May Have Conspired to Hide Illegal Donations

www.politicususa.com/republicans-claiming-tax-exempt-status-conspired-hide-illegal-donations.html
"As it turns out, the groups claiming they promoted social welfare may have conspired to conceal illegal campaign donations as well as protect their donors if they illegally deducted contributions to a tax exempt “social welfare charity” they would be disallowed from claiming if they gave to Political Action Committees or directly to any particular campaign."

Latest Wingnut Alex Jones Conspiracy Theory: Weather Weapons

Latest Wingnut Alex Jones Conspiracy Theory: Weather Weapons
"Alex Jones is nuts. It's nuts that he gets any traction on his crazy show, and nuttier still that he gets support from any member of the Republican party. But he does, and he feeds all the paranoia and insanity on the far right on a daily basis."

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Will Weather 'Weapon Theory' End GOP Indulgence Of Conspiracy Fringe?

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

9-month-old Florida firm donates $140,000 to Scott and state GOP, gets $52 million state deal

www.dailykos.com/story/2013/05/22/1210988/-9-month-old-Florida-firm-donates-140-000-to-Scott-and-state-GOP-gets-52-million-state-deal
"There's even more sketchiness to all this, including an apparent government-to-private-sector revolving door racket by one of the participants. If nobody ends up in jail because of this, than it's Florida's own fault. You elect crooks to write your laws, they're going to write crooked laws."

Oklahoma Deserves Better Than Inhofe and Coburn

The GOP: They’re Sneaky, Greedy and They Represent a Handful of People

www.politicususa.com/gop-sneaky-greedy-represent-handful-people.html
"So, while the top tier money-changers are on a financial high, the Bush recession has cost the middle-class Gen Xers almost half of their wealth between 2007-2010. Their current age range is 36-47."

Why Does Right Wing Radio Host Want To Shoot Hillary Clinton?

Republicans Use Budget Cuts as Retribution for Re-electing Barack Obama

www.politicususa.com/republicans-budget-cuts-retribution-re-electing-barack-obama.html
"There is really no end to what Republicans are going to take away from the American people, and they cannot claim it is because the nation is drowning in debt. Taking away women’s rights, voting rights, environmental protections, minimum wage, overtime pay, or religious freedoms have nothing whatsoever to do with debt and deficit and everything to do with callous disregard for the people they are elected to serve. One might hope that Republicans would be aghast that the richest nation on Earth has nearly a quarter of its children living in poverty and going hungry, or that the nation’s infrastructure ranks below every developed and several undeveloped countries, but they are unfazed and seek out more to take from the people. What is stunning, really, is their apparent anger that they are prevented from taking even more despite the harsh Draconian cuts they have imposed on the poorest Americans."

Tornado 'Truthers' : Obama Made the OK Tornadoes!

Alex Jones Explains How Government "Weather Weapon" Could Have Been Behind Oklahoma Tornado

www.mediamatters.org/blog/2013/05/21/alex-jones-explains-how-government-weather-weap/194167
"Following a long tangent, Jones returned to the caller's subject. While he explained that "natural tornadoes" do exist and that he's not sure if a government "weather weapon" was involved in the Oklahoma disaster, Jones warned nonetheless that the government "can create and steer groups of tornadoes."
According to Jones, this possibility hinges on whether people spotted helicopters and small aircraft "in and around the clouds, spraying and doing things." He added, "if you saw that, you better bet your bottom dollar they did this, but who knows if they did. You know, that's the thing, we don't know"."

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

New Study: More Poor People Now Live In the Suburbs

New Study: More Poor People Now Live In the Suburbs
"Bucking longstanding patterns in the United States, more poor people now live in the nation's suburbs than in urban areas, according to a new analysis."

Yoo Hoo, Secret Service? Pete Santilli Doubles Down

Yoo Hoo, Secret Service? Pete Santilli Doubles Down
"During a May 20 discussion with his guest, David Lory Vanderbeek, who argued that Clinton "should be executed" for "treason," Santilli reiterated his attack."

Cuccinelli Endorses Running Mate, But Won’t Defend Anything He’s Ever Said

Cuccinelli Endorses Running Mate, But Won’t Defend Anything He’s Ever Said: Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II (R), the Republican nominee for governor, endorsed his newly-nominated running mate, Bishop E.W. Jackson Sr., but refused to say whether he agreed with Jackson’s myriad controversial comments. Cuccinelli told a crowd in Abingdon, VA on Monday that he wants Jackson, as Lt. Governor, breaking ties in the currently split [...]/p

Time for the Media to Call Out this Generation's Joe McCarthy!

How America Became a Third World Country | Alternet

How America Became a Third World Country | Alternet
"Robust public investment had been a key to U.S. prosperity in the previous century. It was then considered a basic part of the social contract as well as of Economics 101. As just about everyone knew in those days, citizens paid taxes to fund worthy initiatives that the private sector wouldn’t adequately or efficiently supply. Roadways and scientific research were examples. In the post-World War II years, the country invested great sums of money in its interstate highways and what were widely considered the  best education systems in the world, while research in well-funded government labs led to inventions like the Internet. The resulting world-class infrastructure, educated workforce, and technological revolution fed a robust private sector."

Congressman Who Gets Millions In Farm Subsidies Denounces Food Stamps As Stealing ‘Other People’s Money’

Congressman Who Gets Millions In Farm Subsidies Denounces Food Stamps As Stealing ‘Other People’s Money’: Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-TN) agitated against food aid for poor Americans included in the Farm Bill during last week’s House Agricultural Committee debate, accusing the government of stealing “other people’s money.” Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has already been decimated in both the House and Senate versions of the Farm Bill, cutting [...]/p

The Latest Lie: IRS Targeted Conservatives | Common Dreams

The Latest Lie: IRS Targeted Conservatives | Common Dreams
"Only 1/3 of the groups checked were conservative groups.
Once again: Only 1/3 of the groups checked were conservative groups.
Conservative groups were not “singled out,” were not “targeted” and in the end none were denied special tax status — even though many obviously should have been."

GOP Aides Mock House Republicans’ ‘Crazy’ Benghazi Witch-Hunt

GOP Aides Mock House Republicans’ ‘Crazy’ Benghazi Witch-Hunt: GOP aides are criticizing the House Republicans’ partisan witch-hunt over the Obama administration’s handling of the attacks on a U.S. diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya last year, arguing that the Party should focus more on substantive issues, such as lessons learned and how to recalibrate diplomatic security. Roll Call reports that Republican aides are saying [...]/p

Monday, May 20, 2013

Welcome to This Generation's Joseph McCarthy ...

Welcome to This Generation's Joseph McCarthy ...
"It's time for the media to start telling the truth about the history, corruption, and raw, naked political ambition of this generation's Joseph McCarthy, Congressman Darrell Issa."

The Lie Matters: What Did Sen Coburn Know about the Edited Benghazi Email and How Did He Know It

www.politicususa.com/day-benghazi-email-sen-coburn-referenced-glaring-omission-talk.html
"Republicans have been nattering on since September 12 about Benghazi. Now that we have the first piece of evidence that there has been malfeasance and an attempt to mislead the public, albeit by Republicans, suddenly they aren’t interested in wasting time on investigations anymore. File that with the years-stalled WMD investigations."

Chris Christie's Conservative Agenda

What PBS’s Treatment of Two Movies About The Kochs Says About Which Money Counts In Public Television

What PBS’s Treatment of Two Movies About The Kochs Says About Which Money Counts In Public Television: In this week’s New Yorker, Jane Mayer, who has covered the industrialists Charles and David Koch extensively, chronicles the fate of two documentaries produced for PBS, Alex Gibney’s Park Avenue, which explored the lives of both wealthy residents of a single building on one end of the street and poorer New Yorkers at the other, [...]/p

GOPer Who Got Millions in Farm Subsidies Thinks the Poor Should Starve Rather Than Get Food Stamps | Alternet

GOPer Who Got Millions in Farm Subsidies Thinks the Poor Should Starve Rather Than Get Food Stamps | Alternet
"The reason this is even more egregious than the usual Republican class warfare is that Fincher himself is a poster boy for government dependency. It's not just that he's benefited here and there from some government help. That sort of low-level hypocrisy is almost to be expected from these types. But Fincher has received millions -  $3.2 million as of June 2010 - in federal crop subsidies. The people who refer to themselves as  Tea Partiers threatened to derail his candidacy over this, but then they realized that they have no principles, and supported him anyway. He's now a member of the "Tea Party Caucus," which, amazingly, is something that actually exists. Fincher's brother and father also snatched another $6.7 million in subsidies as Stephen geared up to run for Congress on a platform of eliminating "wasteful government spending." The "wasteful spending" that he had in mind, of course, was that which serves policy aims with which he disagrees, such as keeping poor people alive."

Tea Party Group Screams IRS Persecution, But Judge Ruled They Illegally Aided the GOP in 2012

www.politicususa.com/judge-rules-tea-party-group-illegally-aided-gop-expect-irs-scrutinize.html
"It should surprise no one that Breitbart is defending a group that has run into legal trouble before. However, in reality land, it’s not persecution when you have been ruled by a judge to have violated the law, pretending to operate as a nonprofit when you are really operating as a PAC. It’s not persecution; it’s whining that special rules aren’t made for you and your group, and that you must conduct yourselves by the same standards as everyone else."

A Word from Our Sponsor: Public Television’s Attempts to Placate David Koch | Common Dreams

A Word from Our Sponsor: Public Television’s Attempts to Placate David Koch | Common Dreams
"Among the wealthiest residents of 740 Park is David Koch, the billionaire industrialist, who, with his brother Charles, owns Koch Industries, a huge energy-and-chemical conglomerate. The Koch brothers are known for their strongly conservative politics and for their efforts to finance a network of advocacy groups whose goal is to move the country to the right."

How Did The Koch Brothers Get Away With Polluting Detroit?

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/19/petkoch-waste-product-creates-black-mountain-on-detroits-riverbank/
"In six months time, Detroit, Michigan has gained an ugly, dirty black mountain that is a city block long and three stories high — much to the city’s surprise."

Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/19/petkoch-waste-product-creates-black-mountain-on-detroits-riverbank/#ixzz2TqGKsdEu

Welcome to the Darrell Issa Hall of Shame

www.dailykos.com/story/2013/05/19/1209858/-Welcome-to-the-Darrell-Issa-Hall-of-Shame
"After all, given his own past troublesincluding "the gun conviction, the three allegations of car theft, the arson allegation, the allegation that he dismissed an employee while brandishing a gun, and the mysteries about his finances," Darrell Issa is well acquainted with wrong-doing."

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Lyin’ Paul Ryan Tells A Fact Free Tale About Obama and The IRS Scandal

http://www.politicususa.com/paul-ryan-tells-biggest-lies-obama-irs-scandal.html
"Paul Ryan was lying. His lie was one of omission. Rep. Ryan made those claims based on only the year 2010. The problem is that the IRS also targeted liberals 2011 and 2012. In 2012, the IRS revoked the tax exempt status that they had given a liberal group in 2011.
The report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration found that the IRS was targeting groups on both the left and the right who were interested in expanding or limiting government. The IRS wasn’t targeting for partisan reasons. They were trying to figure out if these political groups violated the tax exempt status limitations on partisan political activity."



Republican accidentally debunks GOP narrative at IRS hearing

www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/05/18/republican-accidentally-debunks-gop-narrative-at-irs-hearing/
The facts are that the IRS was not only “targeting” conservatives. In fact, conservatives were only 1/3 of the groups “targeted”. Read the definition of a 501C 3 or 4 and ask yourself where any of these astroturf Tea Party groups fall into it. It's called doing your job. Oh, and the only group denied this status was a LIBERAL one. The Tea Party and the extremists “Patriot” groups are full-on, 100%, dipped in cement political organizations. Period! They laughingly use the term “issues” to somehow represent proof of their non-profit status. "Of the 298 groups subjected to additional review, 72 were “tea party” groups, 11 were “9/12″ groups and 13 were “patriots” groups"."

GOP In Georgia’s Love For The Constitution Doesn’t Include Your Voting Rights

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/19/republicans-would-rather-change-the-constitution-than-change-their-ideology/
"Why does the GOP really want to repeal the 17th Amendment? Think about this. Their party is in trouble. Their jobs are at stake. It is getting harder and harder for them to convince the American public that their platform is fine the way it is, and they refuse to change at all. They know they are going to need to win support from minorities if they wish to keep any power they have."

Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/19/republicans-would-rather-change-the-constitution-than-change-their-ideology/#ixzz2TknRruaW

Outrageous Attacks on Supporters of Church-State Separation: Death Threats, Murdered Pets, and Vandalized Property | Alternet

Outrageous Attacks on Supporters of Church-State Separation: Death Threats, Murdered Pets, and Vandalized Property | Alternet
"The religious right despises the First Amendment, since it's constantly foiled their efforts to inject Christian doctrine into government."

House GOP: No Free Lunch for 200,000 Poor Kids | Common Dreams

House GOP: No Free Lunch for 200,000 Poor Kids | Common Dreams
"On Wednesday, the House Ag Committee voted to cut $21 billion out of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The cuts would yank food stamps away from 2 million people, and get this: 200,000 poor and hungry kids would no longer able to get free school lunches."

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Republicans Practice The Politics Of Distraction

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Waitaminute. Isn't the IRS Supposed to Watch Out for Tax Cheats?

Waitaminute. Isn't the IRS Supposed to Watch Out for Tax Cheats?
"Rather than the so-called scandal cooked up by Tea Party groups, the real criticism of the IRS may be that it has let so many of these groups get away with what are apparently egregious violations."

A Right-Wing Mole at ABC News

www.fair.org/extra-online-articles/a-right-wing-mole-at-abc-news/
"one of the most famous alums of a conservative media training program is now a major star at a network news outlet:ABC’s senior political correspondent Jonathan Karl.
Karl came to mainstream journalism via the Collegiate Network, an organization primarily devoted to promoting and supporting right-leaning newspapers on college campuses (Extra!, 9-10/91)—such as the Rutgers paper launched by the infamous James O’Keefe (Political Correction1/27/10)."

What Scandal? Republicans Doctored Benghazi Emails

www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/18/what-scandal-republicans-doctored-benghazi-emails/
"No one should be surprised by these tactics by the current crop of Tea Party Republicans. They lied to the American people about the benefits of healthcare reform with outrageous claims like death panels and government control of healthcare that the mainstream corporate media was happy to promote. They lied about a carbon tax they once proposed that would have started the mitigation of our climate problems.
There are real scandals out there. It is a scandal that sequester is harming many poor and middle class Americans while provisions are made for the affluent. It is a scandal that Republicans are spending all their legislative time on symbolic items (repealing Obamacare, manufactured scandals) while ignoring policies that can get Americans back to work. It is a scandal that neither party will modify the American tax code that removes the bias for wealth growth of mostly the top 1% (taxing capital gains at a lower rate than the working people’s income).
Republicans doctored Benghazi emails and used the mainstream media to create a false scandal."


Read more: http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/05/18/what-scandal-republicans-doctored-benghazi-emails/#ixzz2TeBzmaw9