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[pigeon]

Wow. The GOP is really screwing up. Perhaps it is the Tea party influence and people are not liking the Tea party.

But in mid-term election with much of the world falling apart and people (unfairly IMHO) thinking the economy is in bad shape, the GOP should be doing great. But it seems pretty even. The GOP just has nothing to offer but the same old social conservative bullshit and obstructionism. That works for a sizeable minority of the country but it is not a big seller to the masses.

This is basically what Bernstein was saying. In a midterm, with a second-term president, with a mediocre economy, with the specific Senate seats in play, the GOP should probably be a lock to take control of the Senate. Their softness both in primaries and in general polls is really a warning sign for them. If they can't win in a year where Louisiana, North Carolina and Alaska are in play, they're going to be in a really bad place in 2016. They'll be defending Ohio, Florida, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, etc., with Warren* facing off against Santorum at the top of the ballot.


* shameless pandering to my audience only

 

[pigeon]

Surveyusa poll of Kansas: Roberts only leading Taylor by 5

Toss up? Toss up

Man, either Taylor or Orman needs to get out of this race pretty soon.

 

[Rhomega Beta]

Arizona primary results are coming in

 

[Aaron Strife]

Man, either Taylor or Orman needs to get out of this race pretty soon.

Or Orman could make a play for conservative voters and either win in his own right or let Taylor squeak by.

Brownback released an internal poll to counter SUSA's (they have Paul Davis up by 8)... and shows him leading by 1. Now I don't uniformly dismiss internal polling but if that's the best you can come up with, LOL.

 

[zero shift]

Well, for years I've been saying the "Libertarian" is a label that has been adopted by a lot of Republicans who are too embarrassed to identify as Republican because of one or another embarrassing policy position that the GOP has adopted. (It varies by person but they often are gay-bashing, abortion, war-mongering, war on drugs, immigration, etc.)

Many of them generally line up with the GOP but have one or two positions that they just can't stomach.

Yep. I also feel that another big reason is that it's the "flavor of the month" so to speak. People want to rebel by not aligning with the two general political philosophies in this country (liberal and conservative), so they find a new hip thing to cling on to. In the 60s and 70s it was socialism, today it's libertarianism.

 

[neurosisxeno]

Brownback released an internal poll to counter SUSA's (they have Paul Davis up by 8)... and shows him leading by 1. Now I don't uniformly dismiss internal polling but if that's the best you can come up with, LOL.

Aren't internal polls almost always skewed 1-5% in favor of the pollster? Means even if SUSA's hit's their MoE and Brownback skews as hard as possible he is still on pace to lose.

Yep. I also feel that another big reason is that it's the "flavor of the month" so to speak. People want to rebel by not aligning with the two general political philosophies in this country (liberal and conservative), so they find a new hip thing to cling on to. In the 60s and 70s it was socialism, today it's libertarianism.

I'm really starting to believe these labels are essentially worthless. There aren't really any liberals, most people are moderates, and conservatives aren't even really conservatives anymore (mostly due to Neo Con's but still). There's also the fact that the line between political and social has been blurred really badly. No such thing as a politician who's a social moderate and fiscal conservative. Can't have a Republican who doesn't thing homosexuals are pure evil and marijuana use leads to heroine addicts getting abortions for fun. >.>

 

[ErasureAcer]

Arizona primary results are coming in

The republican who confused the YMCA kids for immigrants is running 3rd in AZ-01 at the moment. Would have loved to see an ad on that. Just as good as the guy who confused the American diplomats for Indian diplomats.

 

[thepotatoman]

Yep. I also feel that another big reason is that it's the "flavor of the month" so to speak. People want to rebel by not aligning with the two general political philosophies in this country (liberal and conservative), so they find a new hip thing to cling on to. In the 60s and 70s it was socialism, today it's libertarianism.

I think you've solved it. The charts Pew showed their views have no difference with the general population, but views of republicans are quite different than the general population. Especially if half of libertarians are actually pro affirmative action, like the article says. I really doubt that half of republicans are pro affirmative action.

 

[The Technomancer]

I think you've solved it. The charts Pew showed their views have no difference with the general population, but views of republicans are quite different than the general population. Especially if half of libertarians are actually pro affirmative action, like the article says. I really doubt that half of republicans are pro affirmative action.

How does that even work? I'd have said they're just in it for the pot legalization but that's starting to become a democratic position

 

[teiresias]

Umm, wow at this McConnell tape, is this new or something being regurgitated by salon that I just missed somewhere:

http://www.salon.com/2014/08/27/mitch_mcconnell’s_secret_father’s_day_gift_to_the_koch_brothers/

I’m really proud of this Supreme Court…It’s only five to four, and I pray for the health of the five.

He apparently doesn't care if the others fall into ill health.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Umm, wow at this McConnell tape, is this new or something being regurgitated by salon that I just missed somewhere:

http://www.salon.com/2014/08/27/mitch_mcconnell’s_secret_father’s_day_gift_to_the_koch_brothers/



He apparently doesn't care if the others fall into ill health.

Have you read any of the Supreme Court threads on GAF?

 

[teiresias]

Have you read any of the Supreme Court threads on GAF?

Senate minority leader to be held to only the standard expected of anonymous forum poster. I'll make a note of that.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Senate minority leader to be held to only the standard expected of anonymous forum poster. I'll make a note of that.

Its bound to happen when you have life time appointments. I just think he's human and makes jokes like the rest of us when he's speaking privately (though I've always disliked the wishing death on justices thing).

 

[BertramCooper]

Will he be "proud of this Supreme Court" when it overturns states' same-sex marriage bans?

 

[NYCmetsfan]

See European leftists turn into tea party navitist

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=883178

 

[thepotatoman]

Umm, wow at this McConnell tape, is this new or something being regurgitated by salon that I just missed somewhere:

http://www.salon.com/2014/08/27/mitch_mcconnell’s_secret_father’s_day_gift_to_the_koch_brothers/

“The worst day of my political life was when President George W. Bush signed McCain-Feingold into law in the early part of his first Administration.”

To me, that's the quote to take away from this. What a dick.

Of all the things that have happened over his long career, that is what bothered him the most? Seriously?

 

[Crisco]

I'm done being surprised by the transparently evil intentions of most members of the GOP. Basically all of them got into politics either to get rich or to ensure that they stay rich. Everything they do is to protect the wealth of those like them, no matter who suffers as a result.

 

[RustyNails]

Umm, wow at this McConnell tape, is this new or something being regurgitated by salon that I just missed somewhere:

http://www.salon.com/2014/08/27/mitch_mcconnell’s_secret_father’s_day_gift_to_the_koch_brothers/



He apparently doesn't care if the others fall into ill health.

This is disturbing stuff.

The Supreme Court Justices are usually off limits in politics.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

To me, that's the quote to take away from this. What a dick.

Of all the things that have happened over his long career, that is what bothered him the most? Seriously?

Yup, not 9/11, not Iraq, not #benghazi, not even him losing the senate. The worst day was when he lost the ability to fundraise without restrictions

This is disturbing stuff.

The Supreme Court Justices are usually off limits in politics.

 

[Aaron Strife]

I hope so much that McConnell goes down. What a snake.

Rasmussen has Pryor up by 1. Too bad it's Rasmussen.

 

[zero shift]

See European leftists turn into tea party navitist

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=883178

That thread is so fucking embarrassing.

"But they aren't REALLY citizens!"

"Crime crime!"

"Romanian beggars!"

"Learn the language GOD DAMN IT!!!!!"

 

[Metaphoreus]

This is disturbing stuff.

The Supreme Court Justices are usually off limits in politics.

Yeah, that's not true.

With the black-robed justices of the Supreme Court sitting not far away, President Obama took aim at a recent court decision which said that corporations could spend as much as they wanted to sway voters in federal elections.

“Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests -- including foreign companies -- to spend without limit in our elections,” Obama said tonight. “Well, I don’t think American elections should be bankrolled by America’s most powerful interests, and worse, by foreign entities. They should be decided by the American people, and that’s why I’m urging Democrats and Republicans to pass a bill that helps to right this wrong.”

“Really, we should be afraid of this court. The five guys who start determining what contraceptions are legal. Let’s not even go there.”

— House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), at her weekly news conference, on July 10

“The one thing we are going to do during this work period, sooner rather than later, is to ensure that women’s lives are not determined by virtue of five white men. This Hobby Lobby decision is outrageous, and we are going to do something about it.”

— Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), remarks to reporters, on July 8

Speaking at a fundraiser for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee on Friday in Massachusetts, Obama said Democrats need to maintain control of the Senate because a faction of the Republican Party only thinks in terms of ideology and power. He hinted that the ideological makeup of the Supreme Court may hang in the balance.

“That's why I need a Democratic Senate," Obama said. "Not to mention the fact that we're going to have Supreme Court appointments and there are going to be a whole host of issues that many people care about that are going to be determined by whether or not Democrats control the Senate.”

 

[Wilsongt]

I love it. Only in America would elected officials attempt to sue the federal government as they try to improve the education standards.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Gov. Bobby Jindal filed a lawsuit Wednesday against the Obama administration, accusing it of illegally manipulating federal grant money and regulations to force states to adopt the Common Core education standards.

The U.S. Department of Education has used a $4.3 billion grant program and federal policy waivers to encourage states to adopt uniform education standards and testing. The Republican governor says that "effectively forces states down a path toward a national curriculum" in violation of the state sovereignty clause in the Constitution and federal laws that prohibit national control of education content.

The lawsuit, obtained first by The Associated Press, was filed in the federal court based in Baton Rouge.

The legal challenge puts Jindal, who is considering a 2016 presidential bid, at the forefront of a dispute between conservatives and President Barack Obama, bolstering the governor's profile on the issue as he's trying to court conservative voters nationwide.

"The federal government has hijacked and destroyed the Common Core initiative," Jindal said in a statement. "Common Core is the latest effort by big government disciples to strip away state rights and put Washington, D.C., in control of everything."

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/mitch-mcconnell-audio-government-shutdown

If True:

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Yeah, that's not true.

Yeah they are fair game for the most part until they actually start interfering in their duties.

 

[speculawyer]

Yep. I also feel that another big reason is that it's the "flavor of the month" so to speak. People want to rebel by not aligning with the two general political philosophies in this country (liberal and conservative), so they find a new hip thing to cling on to. In the 60s and 70s it was socialism, today it's libertarianism.

Well I'm the hipster of politics then. I was into Libertarianism long before it became popular and now I think it is a failure. (It is a complete failure with respect to the environment. It fails to appreciate how interconnected our society really is. It is completely impractical as it just collapses due to greed & corruption. etc.)

 

[The Librarian]

Cool! ACA has a tax on health insurance executives: http://www.vox.com/2014/8/27/6074219/obamacare-has-a-ceo-tax-and-it-just-raised-72-million

 

[Wilsongt]

Cool! ACA has a tax on health insurance executives: http://www.vox.com/2014/8/27/6074219/obamacare-has-a-ceo-tax-and-it-just-raised-72-million

SOCIALIST! MARXIST! DESTROYING THE ECONOMY! LOOK AT ALL THOSE JOBS THOSE EXECUTIVES COULD HAVE MADE HAD THEY KEPT THEIR MONEY!

 

[The Librarian]

SOCIALIST! MARXIST! DESTROYING THE ECONOMY! LOOK AT ALL THOSE JOBS THOSE EXECUTIVES COULD HAVE MADE HAD THEY KEPT THEIR MONEY!

My new rep! https://twitter.com/RepAdamSchiff/status/504684240282615808

 

[Metaphoreus]

Cool! ACA has a tax on health insurance executives: http://www.vox.com/2014/8/27/6074219/obamacare-has-a-ceo-tax-and-it-just-raised-72-million

SOCIALIST! MARXIST! DESTROYING THE ECONOMY! LOOK AT ALL THOSE JOBS THOSE EXECUTIVES COULD HAVE MADE HAD THEY KEPT THEIR MONEY!

It's not actually a tax paid by executives--it's not a new tax at all, but the good ol' corporate income tax. It just limits how much can be deducted by health insurers for executive compensation. The executives take home just as much as always (except to the extent the corporation pays them less because of the additional taxes, which the article indicates hasn't happened).

EDIT:

Using the example from the bottom of the article, the total amount of compensation paid to Hemsley was always taxed as income to Hemsley (reduced by whatever deductions he was entitled to take, natch), but before the ACA, the $26.6 million that was a "performance bonus" could be deducted from income by the corporation, meaning the corporation didn't have to pay income taxes on that amount. Now, Hemsley's tax circumstances are identical, but the corporation can't deduct that $26.6 million, meaning the corporation must pay taxes on the income that, prior to the ACA, would have been offset by a deduction.

 

[Aaron Strife]

haha, a new Suffolk poll of Iowa has Braley up by 1. Not 1 percent, 1 vote.

Also from the Midwest, Marquette has a Wisconsin poll showing Walker LOSING to Burke, 49-47. PD curse strikes again.

 

[The Librarian]

haha, a new Suffolk poll of Iowa has Braley up by 1. Not 1 percent, 1 vote.

Also from the Midwest, Marquette has a Wisconsin poll showing Walker LOSING to Burke, 49-47. PD curse strikes again.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

Election season is like pretty much offically here. I don't think there's really any more primaries. Now come the campaign gaffs

My new rep! https://twitter.com/RepAdamSchiff/status/504684240282615808

I like Schiff. I saw his name a lot on the hill. Hope he's still around when Dems take the house back. He's got a bunch of great ideas.

I guess you're in Cali now? Got out of the NC?

 

[Aaron Strife]

My new rep! https://twitter.com/RepAdamSchiff/status/504684240282615808

Lol that one guy. "Great idea but keep the Feds out of it! Stop looking to government for answers!"

Yes because we can totally trust the police to self-regulate and hold themselves accountable.

 

[Clevinger]

So the Tea Party nut won the Arizona gubernatorial primary...

-_-

And apparently Romney is endorsing some nutters for Congress. Like, why? Why is he involved with politics anymore?

 

[B-Dubs]

So the Tea Party nut won the Arizona gubernatorial primary...

-_-

Salt?

 

[Clevinger]

Salt?

More than the Dead Sea.

edit: Ah, that makes sense.

 

[B-Dubs]

More than the Dead Sea.

I mean that's why he's still involved.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

How on earth can you stop welfare fraud lies?

Nothing breaks through, its just a way for people to hound on people they don't like. Its so frustrating.

 

[thepotatoman]

Lol that one guy. "Great idea but keep the Feds out of it! Stop looking to government for answers!"

Yes because we can totally trust the police to self-regulate and hold themselves accountable.

Melissa Harris-Perry pointed out how extremely similar a lot of these arguments are to the ones in the Civil Rights era. Just look at this:

http://www.nbclearn.com/finishingthedream/cuecard/1310

Police Chief GEORGE “BULL” CONNOR: If there is anyone in this nation who understands what is going on here, it is me. I know that we have sufficient manpower, enough trained officers to keep the peace in Birmingham, without any outside help from the federal government. If the president is really sincere about wanting peace in Birmingham why doesn't he use his great influence and ask Martin Luther King and his bunch of agitators to leave our city.

This bunch has done what they wanted to do, stir up trouble among whites and negro citizens, collected money, and have attempted to give this city a black eye to the rest of the nation. No sir, we don't need federal troops here. What we need is for the president to show sincerity in wanting peace in Birmingham and get the outside agitators to leave us alone, and let us work out our problems locally. We will use the same tactics that we have used before.

Reporter: We will use the hoses and dogs?

Police Chief CONNOR: We will use the dogs if they start throwing knives again and throwing rocks. We will use the hose if it becomes necessary to stop the mob.

I have seen every single one of his talking points used repeatedly over the last week. Connor was a segregationist and KKK member. He was clearly in the wrong in this situation, but if you had him hide his KKK and segregation feelings and do that exact speech today, half of this country would still be completely on his side.

 

[Metaphoreus]

Melissa Harris-Perry pointed out how extremely similar a lot of these arguments are to the ones in the Civil Rights era. Just look at this:

http://www.nbclearn.com/finishingthedream/cuecard/1310

I have seen every single one of his talking points used repeatedly over the last week. Connor was a segregationist and KKK member. He was clearly in the wrong in this situation, but if you had him hide his KKK and segregation feelings and do that exact speech today, half of this country would still be completely on his side.

But that's because the question of who should govern with respect to an issue is unrelated to the question of whether the policies implemented by whomever governs are objectionable. So, yeah, take away his KKK affiliation and reputation as a segregationist, and you lose the ability to argue against his policy prescriptions via ad hominem. Now, you're left--well, should be left--with making a case on the merits as to why his position is wrong.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

But that's because the question of who should govern with respect to an issue is unrelated to the question of whether the policies implemented by whomever governs are objectionable. So, yeah, take away his KKK affiliation and reputation as a segregationist, and you lose the ability to argue against his policy prescriptions via ad hominem. Now, you're left--well, should be left--with making a case on the merits as to why his position is wrong.

Bull. shit. It always works out this way. The fact that they've constructed these excuses for their disenfranchisement doesn't change the fact that advocacy for federalism on many issues is pure racism. In theory its not but its practice in America over hundreds of years often is ESPECIALLY and almost always on issues of policing.

There is a reason why African American are pro-big government. Because time and time again 'small government' is code and an excuse for white supremacy on the local level and only when a mass of people over disparate areas can concentrate their power can change be effected for a minority group.

No, in theory federalism isn't racist. But time and time again its abused for racist ends.

 

[benjipwns]

I was into Libertarianism long before it became popular

Holy shit you're old.

It is a complete failure with respect to the environment.

Holding the Aral Sea in the commons sure worked out well.

And to quote someone I know but disagree with: "COASE COASE COASE COASE COASE COASE COASE COASE"

It fails to appreciate how interconnected our society really is. It is completely impractical as it just collapses due to greed & corruption.

:jnc

No, in theory federalism isn't racist. But time and time again its abused for racist ends.

And this differs from more centralized governments how?

Because time and time again 'small government' is code and an excuse for white supremacy on the local level and only when a mass of people over disparate areas can concentrate their power can change be effected for a minority group.

Blacks were, and are, pluralities, majorities and occasionally super majorities in vast areas of the Jim Crow South. (After all, what's the point of laws if there's nobody to enforce it against.) When you went to the national level their percentage as a share of the population dropped significantly.

Actually, when you think about it, the justification of "majority, minority" is that they're entitled to be able to elect people of their own ethnic group. shyamalan.jpg

 

[The Librarian]

I like Schiff. I saw his name a lot on the hill. Hope he's still around when Dems take the house back. He's got a bunch of great ideas.

I guess you're in Cali now? Got out of the NC?

Yup! In Burbank.

 

[thepotatoman]

But that's because the question of who should govern with respect to an issue is unrelated to the question of whether the policies implemented by whomever governs are objectionable. So, yeah, take away his KKK affiliation and reputation as a segregationist, and you lose the ability to argue against his policy prescriptions via ad hominem. Now, you're left--well, should be left--with making a case on the merits as to why his position is wrong.

In that video, his position wasn't to debate the issue, it was to control the framing of the issue. The reason Connor is in the history books is not because he was a KKK member, but because Conner brutally squashed any form of protest on extremely flaky grounds and didn't want any oversight of him doing so.

Everyone now knows that MLK isn't an agitator that simply wanted to rile things up and make money, and yet that's the framing Connor used on him to dismiss him. Everyone now knows that the protesters on a whole were doing the right thing in Birmingham and did not deserve the harsh treatment they got, but Connor portrayed them as violent and dangerous. Everyone now knows that Birmingham needed federal oversight, but Connor insisted he did not.

We are seeing these exact same arguments come up again. That civil rights leaders are "race baiters". That protestors are throwing molotov cocktails and looting stores. That states should have the right to govern themselves. These aren't arguments against what the protesters and activists are calling for. They are excuses for police brutality. Those excuses did not stand in history, and they should not stand today.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

And this differs from more centralized governments how?

In US history? Greatly. Centralized governments have been a force for racial equality and local government for segregation. The whole 14th amendment thing and the power it gives to congress and all.

But feel free to give your anecdotes or hypotheticals. Like I said the voting patterns behavior of minority groups says a lot. People aren't stupid

Blacks were, and are, pluralities, majorities and occasionally super majorities in vast areas of the Jim Crow South. (After all, what's the point of laws if there's nobody to enforce it against.) When you went to the national level their percentage as a share of the population dropped significantly.

Actually, when you think about it, the justification of "majority, minority" is that they're entitled to be able to elect people of their own ethnic group. shyamalan.jpg

And you miss the point and get things wrong. What states are majority black. You'll notice federalism and its practitioners in the US tend to place the state at the supreme, who control more local authorities. So the fact that Jackson has a black mayor and city council doesn't change the fact the state house is controlled by whites who have power and limit more local power.

 

[Black Mamba]

Yup! In Burbank.

Oh, you're in burbank now? Figures, since you're trying to be a writer in Hollywood and everything is filmed there.

Have you tried Portos Bakery, yet? It's worth it, IMO. Fucking potato balls are like crack.

And you miss the point and get things wrong. What states are majority black. You'll notice federalism and its practitioners in the US tend to place the state at the supreme, who control more local authorities. So the fact that Jackson has a black mayor and city council doesn't change the fact the state house is controlled by whites who have power and limit more local power.

federalism = state's rights in most uses of the term colloquially. And state's rights basically means "right to be a bigot" in most situations, of course.

 

[benjipwns]

In US history? Greatly.

can't tell if srs

People aren't stupid

Which is why they shouldn't be allowed to purchase unapproved health insurance or pay cash or anything else that might differ from the elites and insurance corporations wishes. By force of law.

And you miss the point and get things wrong. What states are majority black.

South Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Floirda, and Georgia were all 40-60% black during the Jim Crow era. The Black Belt had plenty of cities and other forms of local government that existed in 60+% black populations and to an extent this continues. The Great Migration ended the state level distribution, but the federal government couldn't wait for census data to catch up with elite political pressure, which is why the Voting Rights Act applies the way it did rather than equally blocking racial discrimination.

doesn't change the fact the state house is controlled by whites who have power and limit more local power.

Unlike Congress.

 

[The Librarian]

Oh, you're in burbank now? Figures, since you're trying to be a writer in Hollywood and everything is filmed there.

Have you tried Portos Bakery, yet? It's worth it, IMO. Fucking potato balls are like crack.



federalism = state's rights in most uses of the term colloquially. And state's rights basically means "right to be a bigot" in most situations, of course.

I have been referred to there.

 

[zero shift]

How on earth can you stop welfare fraud lies?

Nothing breaks through, its just a way for people to hound on people they don't like. Its so frustrating.

I don't understand why we don't just tie welfare recipients to a network that tracks how many jobs they apply for a month and whether or not they were offered a said job or if they were currently going to school. That way there would be no need for welfare time limits.

 

[benjipwns]

I don't understand why we don't just tie welfare recipients to a network that tracks how many jobs they apply for a month and whether or not they were offered a said job or if they were currently going to school.

It'll never work, a Democratic President would never sign something like that.