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[Retromelon]

If i could find an excerpt of one of the fear and loathing books i read while cutting class in high school where thompson and one of his acquaintances watch oliver north get questioned in a congressional hearing i would. Its stupid funny

 

[B-Dubs]

Jeb! did kind of the opposite, actually. He released all of the emails he received as governor, without taking the time to scrub out potentially damaging information, like, say, people's names, addresses, and social security numbers.

That's right! I knew it was something like that. Honestly, el yebe's thing might be worse due to the sheer incompetence of the thing. At least Clinton is smart enough to cover her shit up.

 

[benjipwns]

http://www.judicialwatch.org/press-...-to-seek-criminal-charges-of-obama-opponents/

Judicial Watch today released new Department of Justice (DOJ) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) documents that include an official “DOJ Recap” report detailing an October 2010 meeting between Lois Lerner, DOJ officials and the FBI to plan for the possible criminal prosecution of targeted nonprofit organizations for alleged illegal political activity.

The newly obtained records also reveal that the Obama DOJ wanted IRS employees who were going to testify to Congress to turn over documents to the DOJ before giving them to Congress. Records also detail how the Obama IRS gave the FBI 21 computer disks, containing 1.25 million pages of confidential IRS returns from 113,000 nonprofit social 501(c)(4) welfare groups – or nearly every 501(c)(4) in the United States – as part of its prosecution effort. According to a letter from then-House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, “This revelation likely means that the IRS – including possibly Lois Lerner – violated federal tax law by transmitting this information to the Justice Department.”

The documents were produced subsequent to court orders in two Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits: Judicial Watch v. Internal Revenue Service (No. 1:14-cv-1956) and Judicial Watch v. Department of Justice (No. 1:14-cv-1239).

The new IRS documents include a October 11, 2010 “DOJ Recap” memo sent by IRS Exempt Organizations Tax Law Specialist Siri Buller to Lerner and other top IRS officials explaining an October 8 meeting with representatives from the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and “one representative from the FBI” to discuss the possible criminal prosecution of nonprofit organizations for alleged political activity:

On October 8, 2010, Lois Lerner, Joe Urban [IRS Technical Advisor, TEGE], Judy Kindell [top aide to Lerner], Justin Lowe [Technical Advisor to the Commissioner of Tax-Exempt and Government Entities], and Siri Buller met with the section chief and other attorneys from the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, and one representative from the FBI, to discuss recent attention to the political activity of exempt organizations.

The section’s attorneys expressed concern that certain section 501(c) organizations are actually political committees “posing” as if they are not subject to FEC law, and therefore may be subject to criminal liability. The attorneys mentioned several possible theories to bring criminal charges under FEC law. In response, Lois and Judy eloquently explained the following points:

Under section 7805(b), we may only revoke or modify an organization’s exemption retroactively if it omitted or misstated a material fact or operated in a manner materially different from that originally represented.


If we do not have these misrepresentations, the organization may rely on our determination it is exempt. However, the likelihood of revocation is diminished by the fact that section 501(c)(4)-(c)(6) organizations are not required to apply for recognition of exemption.


We discussed the hypothetical situation of a section 501(c)(4) organization that declares itself exempt as a social welfare organization, but at the end of the taxable year has in fact functioned as a political organization. Judy explained that such an organization, in order to be in compliance, would simply file Form 1120-POL and paying tax at the highest corporate rate.

Lois stated that although we do not believe that organizations which are subject to a civil audit subsequently receive any type of immunity from a criminal investigation, she will refer them to individuals from CI who can better answer that question. She explained that we are legally required to separate the civil and criminal aspects of any examination and that while we do not have EO law experts in CI, our FIU agents are experienced in coordinating with CI.

The attorneys asked whether a change in the law is necessary, and whether a three-way partnership among DOJ, the FEC, and the IRS is possible to prevent prohibited activity by these organizations. Lois listed a number of obstacles to the attorneys’ theories:

[REDACTED]

She pointed to Revenue Ruling 2004-6, which was drafted in light of the electioneering communication rules before they were litigated.

Just prior this meeting, the IRS began the process of providing the FBI confidential taxpayer information on nonprofit groups. An IRS document confirms the IRS supplied the FBI with 21 disks containing 1.25 million pages of taxpayer records:

FROM: Hamilton David K

SENT: Tuesday, October 5, 2010 2:49 PM

TO: Whittaker Sherry [Director, GE Program Management], Blackwell Robert M

SUBJECT: RE: Question

There are 113,000 C4 returns from January 1, 2007 to now. Assuming they want all pages including redacted ones, that’s 1.25 million pages … If we get started on it right away, before the 10th when the monthly extracts start, we can probably get it done in a week or so….

The DOJ documents also include a July 16, 2013, email from an undisclosed Justice Department official to a lawyer for IRS employees asking that the Obama administration get information from congressional witnesses before Congress does:

One last issue. If any of your clients have documents they are providing to Congress that you can (or would like to) provide to us before their testimony, we would be pleased to receive them. We are 6103 authorized and I can connect you with TIGTA to confirm; we would like the unredacted documents.

...

Those documents contained an email exchange between Lerner and Nikole C. Flax, then-chief of staff to then-Acting IRS Commissioner Steven T. Miller discussing plans to work with the DOJ to prosecute nonprofit groups that “lied” (Lerner’s quotation marks) about political activities. The exchange included a May 8, 2013, email by Lerner:

I got a call today from Richard Pilger Director Elections Crimes Branch at DOJ … He wanted to know who at IRS the DOJ folk s [sic] could talk to about Sen. Whitehouse idea at the hearing that DOJ could piece together false statement cases about applicants who “lied” on their 1024s –saying they weren’t planning on doing political activity, and then turning around and making large visible political expenditures. DOJ is feeling like it needs to respond, but want to talk to the right folks at IRS to see whether there are impediments from our side and what, if any damage this might do to IRS programs. I told him that sounded like we might need several folks from IRS…

...

Following Judicial Watch’s lead, the House also found out about the IRS transmittal of the confidential taxpayer information to the FBI. Because of this public disclosure, the FBI was forced to return the 1.25 million pages to the IRS.

 

[ivysaur12]

Clinton corruption isn't D.C. corruption like say, the Reagan/Bush Administrations were filled with. Clinton corruption is old timey local machine politics corruption driven to a national level. Tammany Hall, Pendergrast, Cook County, Huey Long, etc.

It's comparatively small level, but relatively endless, amounts of graft, record destroying, a "culture" that leads to minor things looking bigger than they are because of the cover ups of all sorts of small level corruption, etc. vs. major level scandal like Iran-Contra. That's why the GOP blundered with the impeachment, perjury and obstruction of justice ain't no thing when the "crime" is so small.

Like the FBI files, or the pardons, or stuff surrounding Cisneros, or the Chinese fundraising, or the Clintons taking White House gifts as personal property. It adds up, and when they try to cover it up, it looks worse than it probably is, like with the e-mails. Or the Lewinsky affair. But ultimately, independently, none of it is big enough to get a rise out of anyone.

Ironically, this is why so much of it gets prosecuted in comparison. It's why Libby got tagged on unrelated charges in the investigation, while the actual Plame "leaker", Richard Holbrooke, had nothing happen to him.

Yeah, I've never viewed the Clinton Machine as nefarious, but more a collection of smaller items, such as the most recent example: the email scandal. You can sort of see Bobby Mook emulating Clintom Culture on a smaller level in the way he runs his campaigns. A very loyal, small, almost incestuous group of people who work together and who seem to shun egalitarianism.

I think that's what made Benghazi so appealing. Was this it? Was this the big scandal that's going to finally be the thing that breaks the Clinton machine?

Spoiler

No.

 

[Retromelon]

Yeah, I've never viewers the Clinton Machine as nefarious, but more a collection of smaller items, such as the most recent example: the email scandal. You can sort of see Bobby Mook emulating Clintom Culture on a smaller level in the way he runs his campaigns. A very loyal, small, almost incestuous group of people who work together and who seem to shun egalitarianism.

I think that's what made Benghazi so appealing. Was this it? Was this the big scandal that's going to finally be the thing that breaks the Clinton machine?

Spoiler

No.

You don't know that. Darrel issa has investigations and reports going into 2016. Moby clinton can yet be harpooned

 

[Akainu]

and this funny one.

That reminds me. I saw a sticker on some guy's van saying, paraphrasing here, He (Obama) put the country in the toilet vote for Hillary and she will flush it. Wonder what he thought of the Bush years?

 

[benjipwns]

Benghazi is a slightly different one in my opinion. That was more an Obama Administration level scandal that had the added benefit of Hillary being involved, Hillary was somewhat ignored comparatively in that until a lot of the rest of it fizzled out. Then it had the added bonus of trying to strike at her 2016 bid and the fact that she agreed to testify and was out of office and executive privilege.

Really, just going off my memory, Hillary was pretty well ignored by conservatives for most of her term as Secretary of State in comparison to the rest of the Obama Administration, especially relative nobodies in the Obama Administration.

There was even a period where she was being essentially praised (along with Biden) as the only thing keeping the inexperienced disaster of a leader Obama afloat. Like the Osama killing picture where Obama's in the corner and Hillary is somewhat front and center at the table. (Which had more to do with the fact that Obama came into the room later and it was probably one of the only seats not already taken by an "important" person, but never let a good narrative go to waste.)

 

[Retromelon]

Vast right wing conspiracy would be a fuckin awesome band name

 

[Coriolanus]

You don't know that. Darrel issa has investigations and reports going into 2016. Moby clinton can yet be harpooned

The only person that cares about what Issa does is Issa.

Also this prolly got that thompson bit you was looking for.

 

[benjipwns]

Darrell Issa funded the Gray Davis recall with the intent of running for the position, but then Arnold came along and he made up some bullshit about how his position in Congress was too important to Middle East peace.

 

[Retromelon]

The only person that cares about what Issa does is Issa.

Also this prolly got that thompson bit you was looking for.

God bless you corey you're a great american

It even brought tears to the eyes of Crazy Bob. “This guy is the real thing,” he said when North went off the air on Thursday. “I want to send him a check.”

I stared at him for a long moment, then I whacked him on the side of his head. “You fool!” I said. “I’m tired of your lame Nazi gibberish.” He leaped off his stool and went into a fighting stance, but I quickly jumped back and hissed at him: “Semper Fi! Semper Fi! 269 dead boys at Beirut Airport! Two hundred and sixty-nine dead U.S. Marines, Bobby!”

He stiffened, then dropped his hands.

“Yes!” I shouted. “And we know who did it, don’t we?”

“Iranians,” he muttered. “That stinking Ayatollah.”

I knew he had been in the Navy – nine or ten years in one of the super-elite SEAL units… the Marines get a lot of publicity and they look good on TV commercials, but even drill sergeants at Parris Island will admit that 99 out of 100 Marine recruits would be routinely rejected if they ever tried to qualify for the SEALS. A pencil-necked weekend warrior like Oliver North couldn’t get hired as a male nurse in a SEAL unit.

I put my arm around Crazy Bob’s shoulders and sat him back down on his stool. “And who was it, Bobby, that sold all those bombs and missiles and rockets to the Iranians?”

“Jesus Christ,” he said. “It was Oliver North, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah, Charlie,” I said. “It was him – and he was well paid for it, too. Ronald Reagan called him a great American hero, and George Shultz put his arm around him and thanked him for doing good work.”

So much for Ollie mania.

 

[benjipwns]

It's kinda crazy that North almost won in 1994, lost by three points.

Fun fact, Ollie North was in an episode of Wings. Hollywood's greatest creation.

 

[benjipwns]

sekret republican exposed:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=171363515&postcount=27

 

[benjipwns]

sekret nutjob exposed:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=171364601&postcount=66

 

[eBay Huckster]

sekret nutjob exposed:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=171364601&postcount=66

sounds like you're a SECRET SOCIALIST

 

[thepotatoman]

sekret republican exposed:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=171363515&postcount=27

No, more like semi-social-libertarian with no real strong opinions on anything confirmed, just as expected.

Also, apparently Donald Trump is the lesser of all republican evils. I guess one more reason to support him in the republican primary.

Edit: Wait, I agree with him on immigration issues? I must have read a question wrong somewhere there.

Or maybe sekret racist exposed.

 

[Macho Madness]

I'm surprised that the Republican I side most with is Mike Huckabee. What? How?

I figured out how. I support net neutrality and set it as a high priority. I also oppose NSA metadata collection.

 

[benjipwns]

No, more like semi-social-libertarian with no real strong opinions on anything confirmed, just as expected.

ahem, i set everything to MOST IMPORTANT

and i always pick other stances and they are as extreme as you'd expect

in 2012 this dropped everyone BUT Gary Johnson and Ron Paul under 40%, so they're messing with the model like always

 

[Macho Madness]

Now I'm angry because I read a question wrong but I'd have to re-do the whole thing to fix it.

 

[benjipwns]

They save your results, but it sucks that you can't hit "change an answer" and it auto-load the answers for that line in the database so you can change one or two.

 

[Trouble]

sekret nutjob exposed:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=171364601&postcount=66

Impressive. I'm surprised their website didn't suicide attempting to process your answers.

 

[benjipwns]

I should write in my own stance for most of them:
"The state is illegitimate."

 

[Coriolanus]

I should write in my own stance for most of them:
"The state is illegitimate."

Quizzes are illegitimate.

 

[Diablos]

So the whole thing about Hillary saying she never got a subpoena but actually did kind of looks bad.
She's so terrible at defending herself. I fear she never learned any lessons from 2008.

 

[PhoenixDark]

So the whole thing about Hillary saying she never got a subpoena but actually did kind of looks bad.
She's so bad at defending herself. I fear she never learned any lessons from 2008.

I don't think it's about learning or not learning lessons tbh. She's simply not a good politician nor a likable person. The only reason she is politically relevant is because she's Bill Clinton's wife, and thus has had full access to the democrat infrastructure for decades. Without that connection she'd be a corporate lawyer somewhere.

I really think Romney should have run this year. If anyone could outright beat her it's him IMO (although it would be close and far from a certainty). Her wealth and shady corporate dealings would invalidate any attacks on his own wealth/shadiness, and by now he has learned to be less guarded in public - something she has never learned, perhaps due to a perpetual victim mentality. Romney could run on an "I told you so" campaign and gain lots of traction IMO.

 

[HylianTom]

So the whole thing about Hillary saying she never got a subpoena but actually did kind of looks bad.
She's so terrible at defending herself. I fear she never learned any lessons from 2008.

Obama's a tough act to follow as far as campaign performance goes. She's definitely a tier below. Thankfully, I don't see any of the Republicans who are a clear tier above her in terms of campaign skill. For as many of them as there are, you'd think that they'd be able to produce one uber-skilled campaigner. The most skilled person on the campaign trail will end-up being Bill, which'll make a nice bit of difference. The man's downright scary when he's in rhythm.

Still, her modest campaigning ability is part of why I think this'll be a somewhat closer affair than 2012.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

From the NYtimes on republican budget plans


I seriously am flabergasted that this stuff gets them elected. Its like a laundry list of evil things, how is this party electible? Its scary that cultural predudice have been so well co-opted that this stuff can be brushed under the table

In the House, one bill prohibits any federal money from being spent on the Affordable Care Act. Funds for the enforcement of new labor rules would be drastically reduced. The main federal family planning program, Title X, would be eliminated. The administration’s efforts to impose strict rules on for-profit universities would be reversed, as would new rules requiring retirement investment advisers to prove they have no financial conflicts of interest.

Another bill, now on the House floor, to finance the Interior Department and the Environmental Protection Agency would stop regulation of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking; prohibit implementation of carbon emission standards for electric power plants; block new clean-water rules; and stop the government’s marine and coastal planning efforts to respond to climate change.

Other bills would block the Food and Drug Administration from reviewing e-cigarette marketing and keep the Federal Communications Commission from carrying out “net neutrality” regulation of the Internet. A “conscience” rider would let employers in the District of Columbia refuse health insurance coverage for any service on moral grounds, and hire and fire based on women’s use of health services.

 

[Coriolanus]

From the NYtimes on republican budget plans


I seriously am flabergasted that this stuff gets them elected. Its like a laundry list of evil things, how is this party electible? Its scary that cultural predudice have been so well co-opted that this stuff can be brushed under the table

Messaging and intense focus group testing.

Frank Luntz da gawd

 

[Poodlestrike]

From the NYtimes on republican budget plans


I seriously am flabergasted that this stuff gets them elected. Its like a laundry list of evil things, how is this party electible? Its scary that cultural predudice have been so well co-opted that this stuff can be brushed under the table

A “conscience” rider would let employers in the District of Columbia refuse health insurance coverage for any service on moral grounds

"I am morally opposed to the treatment of illness by so-called 'modern medicine,' when as we all know sickness is really caused by an imbalance of humors. Go get some leeches."

 

[demon]

"I am morally opposed to the treatment of illness by so-called 'modern medicine,' when as we all know sickness is really caused by an imbalance of humors. Go get some leeches."

Pro-life party.

 

[Poodlestrike]

Pro-life party.

What's funny is that from their perspective it all makes sense. After all, nobody would intentionally abuse such a system; such overreaches are the domains of governments, not private citizens! Deregulation is perfectly acceptable in all areas, because of course this will only be used with the best of intentions.

The same rules that apply to governments (efficiency vs. risk, and the inevitable failings thereof) apply to everybody else. Shame they can't see it.

 

[NeoXChaos]

Not Feeling the Bern: Despite the crowds, Sanders remains a huge underdog to Clinton.

http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/articles/democrats-2016-not-feeling-the-bern/

 

[NeoXChaos]

Here is a useful endorsement page of candidates by members of Congress.
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/239559-2016-lawmaker-endorsements-for-president

DEMOCRATS

Hillary Clinton (115)
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (Wis.)
Sen. Michael Bennet (Colo.)
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.)
Sen. Cory Booker (N.J.)
Sen. Barbara Boxer (Calif.)
Sen. Maria Cantwell (Wash.)
Sen. Ben Cardin (Md.)
Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.)
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.)
Sen. Al Franken (Minn.)
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.)
Sen. Martin Heinrich (N.M.)
Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.)
Sen. Mazie Hirono (Hawaii)
Sen. Tim Kaine (Va.)
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.)
Sen. Patrick Leahy (Vt.)
Sen. Joe Manchin (W.Va.)
Sen. Claire McCaskill (Mo.)
Sen. Barbara Mikulski (Md.)
Sen. Chris Murphy (Conn.)
Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.)
Sen. Bill Nelson (Fla.)
Sen. Gary Peters (Mich.)
Sen. Brian Schatz (Hawaii)
Sen. Charles Schumer (N.Y.)
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.)
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (Mich.)
Sen. Mark Warner (Va.)
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.)

Rep. Karen Bass (Calif.)
Rep. Joyce Beatty (Ohio)
Rep. Ami Bera (Calif.)
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (Texas)
Rep. Julia Brownley (Calif.)
Rep. Kathy Castor (Fla.)
Rep. Joaquín Castro (Texas)
Rep. Judy Chu (Calif.)
Rep. David Cicilline (R.I.)
Rep. Lacy Clay (Mo.)
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (Mo.)
Rep. Gerry Connolly (Va.)
Rep. Jim Cooper (Tenn.)
Rep. Joseph Crowley (N.Y.)
Rep. Henry Cuellar (Texas)
Rep. Danny Davis (Ill.)
Rep. John Delaney (Md.)
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.)
Rep. Ted Deutch (Fla.)
Rep. Debbie Dingell (Mich.)
Rep. Tammy Duckworth (Ill.)
Rep. Elizabeth Esty (Conn.)
Rep. Bill Foster (Ill.)
Rep. Lois Frankel (Fla.)
Rep. Gene Green (Texas)
Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (Ill.)
Rep. Janice Hahn (Calif.)
Rep. Alcee Hastings (Fla.)
Rep. Brian Higgins (N.Y.)
Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (Texas)
Rep. Mike Honda (Calif.)
Rep. Steny Hoyer (Md.)
Rep. Steve Israel (N.Y.)
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas)
Rep. Hank Johnson (Ga.)
Rep. Robin Kelly (Ill.)
Rep. Joe Kennedy III (Mass.)
Rep. Dan Kildee (Mich.)
Rep. Derek Kilmer (Wash.)
Rep. Jim Langevin (R.I.)
Rep. Rick Larsen (Wash.)
Rep. John B. Larson (Conn.)
Rep. Sandy Levin (Mich.)
Rep. John Lewis (Ga.)
Rep. Ted Lieu (Calif.)
Rep. Nita Lowey (N.Y.)
Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (N.M.)
Rep. Stephen Lynch (Mass.)
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (N.Y.)
Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (N.Y.)
Rep. Doris Matsui (Calif.)
Rep. Jim McDermott (Wash.)
Rep. Gregory Meeks (N.Y.)
Rep. Grace Meng (N.Y.)
Rep. Patrick Murphy (Fla.)
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (N.Y.)
Rep. Grace Napolitano (Calif.)
Rep. Richard Neal (Mass.)
Rep. Ed Perlmutter (Colo.)
Rep. Chellie Pingree (Maine)
Rep. Jared Polis (Colo.)
Rep. Charles Rangel (N.Y.)
Rep. Kathleen Rice (N.Y.)
Rep. Cedric Richmond (La.)
Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (Calif.)
Rep. Tim Ryan (Ohio)
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (Ill.)
Rep. Adam Schiff (Calif.)
Rep. Kurt Schrader (Ore.)
Rep. David Scott (Ga.)
Rep. José Serrano (N.Y.)
Rep. Terri Sewell (Ala.)
Rep. Brad Sherman (Calif.)
Rep. Louise Slaughter (N.Y.)
Rep. Adam Smith (Wash.)
Rep. Mark Takai (Hawaii)
Rep. Mark Takano (Calif.)
Rep. Mike Thompson (Calif.)
Rep. Dina Titus (Nev.)
Rep. Niki Tsongas (Mass.)
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (Md.)
Rep. Marc Veasey (Texas)
Rep. Filemon Vela (Texas)
Rep. Nydia Velázquez (N.Y.)
Rep. Frederica Wilson (Fla.)

 

[Diablos]

From the NYtimes on republican budget plans


I seriously am flabergasted that this stuff gets them elected. Its like a laundry list of evil things, how is this party electible? Its scary that cultural predudice have been so well co-opted that this stuff can be brushed under the table

This won't pass... right? :|

 

[gutter_trash]

which is better for election hilarity to subscribe to? MSNBC or CNN?

LOL, I haven't been keeping up on the GOP polls, but wow, Trump still going strong really means something about the GOP base. keeping Trumping, keep the comedy alive

 

[Retromelon]

This won't pass... right? :|

Not until the great jindal landslide of 2016, no

 

[Aaron Strife]

Florida congressional map struck down, GOP has to redraw it (with specific parameters set by the court). Democrats will probably net two seats from it.

 

[ivysaur12]

Florida congressional map struck down, GOP has to redraw it (with specific parameters set by the court). Democrats will probably net two seats from it.

AS LONG AS FREDERICA WILSON DOESN'T LOSE HER SEAT

Here is a useful endorsement page of candidates by members of Congress.
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/239559-2016-lawmaker-endorsements-for-president

DEMOCRATS

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.)

Shut it down. Only one that matters.

 

[Trouble]

AS LONG AS FREDERICA WILSON DOESN'T LOSE HER HAT

Fixed'ed

 

[ivysaur12]

Fixed'ed

SHE WILL NEVER LOSE HER HAT SHE'S A NATIONAL TREASURE

 

[ivysaur12]

So going over the court order, the follow districts have to be redrawn:

FL-5 (D, Corrine Brown, D+16)
FL-13 (R, David Jolly, R+1)
FL-14 (D, Kelly Castor, D+11)
FL-21 (D, Ted Deutch, D+12)
FL-22 (D, Lois Frankel, D+4)
FL-25 (R, Mario Diaz-Balart, R+6)
FL-26 (R, Carlos Curbelo, R+4)
FL-27 (R, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R+2)

Obviously, not just *these* districts will be redrawn, because it will then affect the other districts that surround them, especially the 5th, which touches 6 (!) other districts -- 4, 3, 6, 7, 10, and 11.

Specifically, the court said that districts must be drawn to avoid splitting the Homestead, meaning it's quite likely Curbelo or Ros-Lehtinen into a more liberal district.

Off the top of my head -- they're going to have to put some of the 14th into the 13th, which will make the 13th more liberal. At least one of the downstate Republicans will get hurt, with possibly two of them depending on how they draw the districts.

Also, when looking over the districts that the 5th touches:

FL-3 (R, Ted Yoho, R+12)
FL-4 (R, Ander Crenshaw, R+17)
FL-6 (R, Ron DeSantis, R+8)
FL-7 (R, John L. Mica, R+4)
FL-10 (R, Daniel Webster, R+7)

You sort of have to pick your poison here if you're the legislature. The 7th is already trending away from Republicans demographically, so that might be a lost cause to salvage. A Jacksonville district would be very competitive for anyone.

Dunno. This is easily a two-three seat loss for the GOP. Which might not be a huge deal in general, but it certainly puts more seats in play than they'd like when it comes time to start looking at a House majority.

 

[NeoXChaos]

Trumpmentum: Trump leads GOP presidential field in new national poll. Bush is still the likely nominee imo. Walker if Bush implodes or he destroys them.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/247383-trump-leads-gop-presidential-field-in-new-national-poll

 

[T'Zariah]

Trumpmentum: Trump leads GOP presidential field in new national poll. Bush is still the likely nominee imo. Walker if Bush implodes or he destroys them.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/247383-trump-leads-gop-presidential-field-in-new-national-poll

Excellent.

 

[gutter_trash]

Trumpmentum: Trump leads GOP presidential field in new national poll. Bush is still the likely nominee imo. Walker if Bush implodes or he destroys them.

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/247383-trump-leads-gop-presidential-field-in-new-national-poll

keep it up! keep it crazy! keep it zany!

 

[benjipwns]

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/martin-omalley-offers-attack-on-wall-street-119885.html

Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley on Thursday unveiled a sharp attack on Wall Street, looking to gain ground on a surging Sen. Bernie Sanders and to increase pressure on Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.

O’Malley’s campaign said the former governor would send “an open letter to the Too Big To Fail Wall Street mega-banks telling them how — as President — he will pursue every avenue to put in place real structural and accountability reforms that will rein in their reckless behavior.” O’Malley also released what the campaign billed as “a comprehensive policy plan” that would “bring real enforcement to Wall Street and implement critical reforms to limit taxpayer exposure to Too Big To Fail banks.”

https://twitter.com/Phil_Mattingly/status/619132669973151745

The first footnote in @MartinOMalley's Wall Street white paper actually sources to a satirical news story/site

http://dailycurrant.com/2014/09/26/eric-holder-takes-77-million-job-with-jpmorgan-chase/

 

[ivysaur12]

So going over the court order, the follow districts have to be redrawn:

FL-5 (D, Corrine Brown, D+16)
FL-13 (R, David Jolly, R+1)
FL-14 (D, Kelly Castor, D+11)
FL-21 (D, Ted Deutch, D+12)
FL-22 (D, Lois Frankel, D+4)
FL-25 (R, Mario Diaz-Balart, R+6)
FL-26 (R, Carlos Curbelo, R+4)
FL-27 (R, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R+2)

Obviously, not just *these* districts will be redrawn, because it will then affect the other districts that surround them, especially the 5th, which touches 6 (!) other districts -- 4, 3, 6, 7, 10, and 11.

Specifically, the court said that districts must be drawn to avoid splitting the Homestead, meaning it's quite likely Curbelo or Ros-Lehtinen into a more liberal district.

Off the top of my head -- they're going to have to put some of the 14th into the 13th, which will make the 13th more liberal. At least one of the downstate Republicans will get hurt, with possibly two of them depending on how they draw the districts.

Also, when looking over the districts that the 5th touches:

FL-3 (R, Ted Yoho, R+12)
FL-4 (R, Ander Crenshaw, R+17)
FL-6 (R, Ron DeSantis, R+8)
FL-7 (R, John L. Mica, R+4)
FL-10 (R, Daniel Webster, R+7)

You sort of have to pick your poison here if you're the legislature. The 7th is already trending away from Republicans demographically, so that might be a lost cause to salvage. A Jacksonville district would be very competitive for anyone.

Dunno. This is easily a two-three seat loss for the GOP. Which might not be a huge deal in general, but it certainly puts more seats in play than they'd like when it comes time to start looking at a House majority.

Following up on this:

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-b...ngressional-districts-gain-them-seats/2236786

The Florida Supreme Court's bombshell ruling over Florida's congressional districts today should lead to Democrats gaining at least one congressional seat - most like the Pinellas County seat (CD 13) currently held by Republican David Jolly. At least that's the thinking of state Democratic party leaders.

Democrats also expect a strong shot at picking off a currently Republican district in the Orlando area, either John Mica's (CD 7) or Dan Webster's (CD 10). But rather than expecting a new, safe Democratic seat, they see as more likely another swing district, which includes part of Lake County. A seat for Val Demings, perhaps?

The main bad news for Democrats is that they think their brightest new star, Gwen Graham of Tallahassee, will be in serious trouble with the newly drawn lines and unable to seek re-election. She will surely be taking a close look at the U.S. Senate race.

In Miami-Dade, Republican Carlos Curbelo's district is likely to pick up more Democratic voters in Homestead, but probably won't see dramatic changes that would make it more likely for a Democratic pick off.

In Broward and Palm Beach Democrats Ted Deutsch, Alcee Hastings, and Lois Frankel will be on uncertain ground for awhile. Deutsch, of Boca Raton, and Frankel, of Palm Beach, could even wind up in the same district.

 

[T'Zariah]

I know Hillary is the presumptive nominee and all that, but why isn't she being aggressive about what she believes and stands for? It's like we know she's campaigning from the sidelines and her opponents talking to her.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Curbelo's district is already pretty swingy though so even if it just adds a few Democrats they shouldn't have any problem picking it up.

I think Democrats are also supposed to expect to pick up a seat from the Virginia map changes - between those two states remapping and all the fluke GOP seats won in 2014 I bet they could easily pick up 20 seats if Hillary's winning by a decent margin. Say five points or so.

God it would be great if she could even squeeze out a bare majority in the House - it would probably be enough to pass immigration reform.

 

[ivysaur12]

Corrine Brown is ANGRY.

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/the-b...redistricting-ruling-seriously-flawed/2236752

“The decision by the Florida Supreme Court is seriously flawed and entirely fails to take into consideration the rights of minority voters. It also fails to recognize federal law, in that it did not incorporate the spirit of the 1964 Voting Rights Act, which protects minority voting rights and clearly supersedes the contradictory standards set by the state’s Fair Districts requirements.

“Prior to the 1992 election, Florida had not had a federal African American representative since Josiah Thomas Walls, in 1871, a time span of 129 years. Nationally, prior to the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965, between the years of 1832-1965 (133 years), there were only 28 elected African Americans. From 1965-Present (49 years), there were/are 103 elected African Americans (four times as many, in nearly one-third the time span).

“Overturning the current District 5 map ignores the essential redistricting principle of maintaining communities of interest or minority access districts. Certainly, minority communities do not live in compact, cookie-cutter like neighborhoods, and excessive adherence to district “compactness,” while ignoring the maintenance of minority access districts, fragments minority communities across the state. The current District 5 map is essentially the same as the previous District 3 map, which was drawn by the courts and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, in adherence to the principles of the Voting Rights Act. In particular, there is one critical section of the Voting Rights Act which strictly prohibits the fracturing of communities of minority voters into a variety of districts. This element of the Act is essential in the maintenance of minority representation not just in the state of Florida, but across the entire nation.

“Moreover, the reason why African Americans live in the areas in which they do in the first place is a direct result of historical redlining, clearly exemplified by living patterns both here in the state of Florida and easily visible in other states. In fact, after Emancipation and the Civil War, the Black population of northeastern Florida moved along the St. Johns River, which extends from Jacksonville to just north of Orlando. Because the land was prone to flooding, it was only natural that the poorest Floridians, including freed slaves, would settle there. Segregated housing patterns, demanded by restrictive covenants and enforced by Florida courts, kept the African-American population together well into the mid-20th Century, which is the central reason why these communities are segregated into those residential patterns across the state.

“For most of my adult life, there were no minority members of Congress elected from Florida, and few African-Americans elected to the Florida House and Senate. That changed in 1992 when I was elected to Congress together with Rep. Carrie Meek from Miami and Rep. Alcee Hastings from Ft. Lauderdale.

“Yet to obtain this seat I had to file a lawsuit. I fought for four African American seats in the courts, and in the end, we reached a compromise and got three, again – based on the tenets of The Voting Rights Act. As a result of this lawsuit, in 1993, after nearly 130 years, the state of Florida had three African American federal representatives. And for the first time in many years, minority community members in the state were represented by people who truly understood them; who grew up in the same neighborhoods and attended the same churches and schools as they did. I firmly believe that I, as an African American legislator, can understand and empathize with the issues my constituents confront on a profound level since I share the same racial and cultural background as they do, and have had to battle many of the same challenges and prejudices that they have.

“District 5 in Florida, and minority access districts across the nation cannot, will not be eliminated, particularly after the hard fought gains we have made during the last 50 years. As a people, African Americans have fought too hard to get to where we are now, and we certainly are not taking any steps backwards.”

I think she'd have a point, if this wasn't actually addressed in the plaintiff's complaint with the likely outcome of two majority African-American districts, one that will probably be hers. One of the main parts of finding the 5th unconstitutional was that it was packing African-American voters together while diluting those in other districts, when it's quite possible to create two African-American majority districts.

Though I guess I'd be mad too if there were some uncertainty about the district I've had for years going from D+12 to like D+7.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Fuck Corinne Brown. She was pushing for the GOP gerrymander from the beginning because it gave her a safe seat. I hope Gwen Graham primaries her ass