Wednesday, January 08, 2014

A MATTER OF FAIRNESS

The Senate passes unemployment payments, Obama ramps up the pressure. What will the House Repubs do?

 The Senate: http://blogs.rollcall.com/wgdb/unemployment-insurance-advances-senate/

 http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/07/1267814/-Unemployment-aid-moves-forward-nbsp-in-nbsp-Senate

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/07/unemployment-benefits-senate-vote_n_4554728.html

 http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/jobless-aid-advances-despite-gop-obstruction

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/01/07/a-surprising-step-forward-for-unemployment-benefits/

 Obama: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/07/obama-to-congress-do-your-job-and-extend-unemployment-benefits.html

 http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/07/1267823/-President-Obama-pushes-for-unemployment-benefits-extension

 The House: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/01/07/house-gop-leaders-coach-rank-and-file-on-discussing-unemployment/?wprss=rss_politics&clsrd
House Republican leaders sent a memo this week to the entire GOP conference with talking points designed to help rank-and-file Republicans show compassion for the unemployed and explain the Republican position on unemployment benefits.  . . .
http://www.salon.com/2014/01/07/gop_is_losing_on_unemployment_insurance_and_running_scared/
GOP is losing on unemployment insurance — and running scared
http://www.salon.com/2014/01/07/gops_sense_of_disdain_senator_behind_unemployment_benefits_bill_sounds_off/
GOP’s “sense of disdain”

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/01/07/morning-plum-republicans-reframing-fight-over-unemployment-benefits/
With the three month extension of unemployment benefits set for a Senate vote this morning, multiple Republicans are going all in on the suggestion that they would support extending benefits if only it were paid for. Republicans want to reframe this as a battle over how to pay for extending benefits, not over whether to extend them at all  . . .

 http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2014_01/boehner_raises_the_price_of_ui048528.php
Boehner Raises the Price of UI Extension to the Skies

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/01/07/the-senate-is-debating-unemployment-benefits-here-are-seven-things-they-should-know/?wprss=rss_ezra-klein&clsrd
Congress is debating unemployment benefits. Here are seven things they should know.

Today is the 50th anniversary of the War on Poverty. How are we doing?

 http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/new-phase-the-war-poverty
A new phase in the ‘war on poverty’

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/01/07/republicans-debate-whether-to-have-a-poverty-agenda/
Republicans debate whether to have a poverty agenda

 http://crooksandliars.com/2014/01/gop-declares-war-war-poverty-mark-50th
GOP Declares War on the 'War on Poverty'

 http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/01/we-could-do-lot-more-fight-poverty-if-we-wanted
We Could Do a Lot More to Fight Poverty If We Wanted To

 Much more: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/08/1268015/-Abbreviated-pundit-roundup-The-War-on-Poverty

 We are still at war

 http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2014/01/07/if-not-now-when-al-qaeda-resurgent-in-iraq/
Al Qaeda Resurgent in Iraq

 http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/07/1267844/-McCain-blames-Obama-for-Iraq
McCain blames Obama for Iraq

 http://www.salon.com/2014/01/07/robert_gates_in_new_memoir_obama_doubted_afghanistan_surge_would_work/
Robert Gates in new memoir: Obama doubted Afghanistan surge would work 

 http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/01/gates-says-obama-gave-afghanistan-three-years-ago
Gates Says Obama Gave Up On Afghanistan Three Years Ago

 New book out on the creator of Fox World

 http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/08/an-unauthorized-book-leaks-and-roger-ailes-declares-war.html
Television wizard Roger Ailes and his combat-ready army at the Fox News Channel, the cable-news powerhouse he launched in 1996, have spent three years preparing for all-out war over New York magazine writer Gabriel Sherman’s forthcoming Ailes biography, The Loudest Voice in the Room. . . .

Bonus item: The usual suspects point to the frigid weather as proof that global warming is a myth

 http://americablog.com/2014/01/global-warming-truthers-donald-trump-fox-use-record-cold-justify-lies.html

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Tuesday, January 07, 2014

SABOTAGE

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/obamacare-state-disparity-theda-skocpol
The Price of GOP Obamacare Sabotage In One Chart

 More: http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/01/how-much-does-state-obstruction-affect-obamacare-enrollment

 This won't end well

 http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/jim-sensenbrenner-obamacare-subsidies-lawmakers-staff
'Political Stunt': Republicans Battle Over Denying Health Care Subsidies To Staff
Wow - could the do-nothing Congress do even less?

 http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-do-nothing-congress-may-yet-do-less
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) is “quietly playing down expectations for any major legislative achievements in the final year of the 113th Congress” and has only scheduled 97 work days between now and the first Tuesday in November. . . .

A question of priorities

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/01/we-could-do-lot-more-fight-poverty-if-we-wanted
We Could Do a Lot More to Fight Poverty If We Wanted To

 More: http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/01/congress-set-decide-whether-it-cares-about-poor-people-or-corporations

 The Koch Bros massive network

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/01/06/mapping-the-koch-brothers-massive-political-network/?wprss=rss_politics&clsrd

 More: http://news.firedoglake.com/2014/01/06/koch-network-raised-400-million-in-2012/

 Uh, has he thought this through?

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/06/utah-man-gives-up-gay-marriage-hunger-strike.html
The Utah man who vowed to starve himself until his state nullified a judge’s ruling striking down a gay marriage ban is eating again. Next time, he’s giving up football.

Politicians are weird human beings

 Before: http://www.alan.com/2013/11/19/former-sen-alan-simpson-liz-cheney-destroying-friendships-family-relationships/
Former Sen. Alan Simpson Liz Cheney ‘Destroying Friendships…Family Relationships’

 After: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/feel-the-love--2
Former Sen. Alan Simpson (R-WY) on his call with Liz Cheney after she dropped out of the Senate race against Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY): "It was a very wonderful conversation. At the end she said I love you and I said I love you too."

 GOP pollster Frank Luntz bemoans how polarized the country has become. The reason? People like Frank Luntz

 http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-big-boo-hoo-for-poor-frank-luntz-as.html

 Ugh

 http://www.salon.com/2014/01/06/the_new_york_post_hits_a_new_low/
On Sunday, the New York Post achieved the seemingly impossible. It exceeded the bounds of tastelessness for a New York Post cover. . . .

 The Best of Fox World, 2013

 http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/06/1267580/-Fox-reported-you-decided-Presenting-their-best-moment-of-2013

Bonus item: Sure, why not?

 http://www.salon.com/2014/01/06/tea_party_senate_candidate_move_the_u_s_capitol_to_nebraska/
Tea Party Senate candidate: Move the U.S. Capitol to Nebraska!

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Monday, January 06, 2014

SORE LOSER

Just stop, Mitt, please just stop. The man who CAN'T BELIEVE he lost is still making excuses about how he coulda, woulda, shoulda

 http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/mitt-romney-wishes-turn-back-clock
Romney Wishes He Could 'Turn Back The Clock'

 Two words: Full Disclosure

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/koch-backed-political-network-built-to-shield-donors-raised-400-million-in-2012-elections/2014/01/05/9e7cfd9a-719b-11e3-9389-09ef9944065e_story.html?wprss=rss_politics
The political network spearheaded by conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch has expanded into a far-reaching operation of unrivaled complexity, built around a maze of groups that cloaks its donors, according to an analysis of new tax returns and other documents. . . .

 X and not-X

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/in-congress-2014-begins-with-shrunken-ambitions/2014/01/05/e5cdcd48-7243-11e3-8b3f-b1666705ca3b_story.html?hpid=z4
In Congress, 2014 begins with shrunken ambitions

 http://thehill.com/homenews/house/194449-house-republicans-must-choose-ambition-or-caution-in-2014
As House Republicans return to Washington for the new year, their leaders must decide how ambitious the party will be in the 10 months before their majority faces voters in November.  . .

 http://blogs.rollcall.com/hawkings/3-reasons-the-congress-year-might-start-unexpectedly-strong/
3 Reasons Congress’ Year Might Start Unexpectedly Strong

 Congressman says NSA spying on Congress is no big deal

 http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/of-course-spying-on-congress-is-no-big.html

 The Age of Drone Warfare

 http://fdlbooksalon.com/2014/01/05/fdl-book-salon-welcomes-lloyd-c-gardner/
Bonus item: Always good to see a Cheney failing

 http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/report-liz-cheney-dropping-senate-bid
Liz Cheney Dropping Senate Bid

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Sunday, January 05, 2014

I WISH I KNEW HOW TO QUIT YOU

History keeps repeating itself 

http://www.nationaljournal.com/magazine/the-return-of-the-welfare-queen-20131212
Republicans are launching a class war with racial undertones . . . 

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/367463/duck-dynasty-election-or-obamacare-election-kevin-d-williamson 
A Duck Dynasty Election, or an Obamacare Election?

Crazy Steve Stockman (R-TX), challenging John Cornyn for Senate, is sure to entertain

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/rep-steve-stockman-of-texas-goes-it-alone-in-republican-primary-against-sen-john-cornyn/2014/01/04/1a7f9098-748e-11e3-8b3f-b1666705ca3b_story.html?hpid=z3
Rep. Steve Stockman — a Republican primary challenger to Sen. John Cornyn of Texas — might be the closest thing in this election year to a middle finger running for the U.S. Senate by itself.  

“If babies had guns they wouldn’t be aborted,” says a Stockman campaign bumper sticker. . .  [read on]

The Sunday talk show line-ups

 http://crooksandliars.com/2014/01/sunday-morning-bobblehead-thread
ABC's "This Week" - Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Political roundtable: ABC News’ Cokie Roberts, Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol, Republican strategist and CNN contributor Ana Navarro, former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, and BuzzFeed editor-in-chief Ben Smith. Actor Mark Wahlberg, writer and director Peter Berg, and former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell. Special Forces roundtable: ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz, Col. Steve Ganyard, USMC (Ret.) and Vice Admiral Robert Harward, U.S. Navy (Ret.).  

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Former Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano; Gene Sperling, director of the White House's National Economic Council; CNBC's Jim Cramer. Dr. John Noseworthy, CEO of the Mayo Clinic; Dr. Delos Cosgrove, CEO of the Cleveland Clinic. Roundtable: Republican strategist Steve Schmidt, Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD), PBS Newshour’s Judy Woodruff and NBC Political Director Chuck Todd.  

CBS' "Face the Nation" - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.; Reps. Peter King, R-N.Y., and Matt Salmon, R-Ariz. Roundtable: Peggy Noonan of The Wall Street Journal, David Sanger of The New York Times, David Ignatius of The Washington Post, and CBS News Political Director John Dickerson.  

MSNBC's "UP with Steve Kornacki" - Michael Cohen, The Century Foundation; Perry Bacon, TheGrio.com.  

MSNBC's "Melissa Harris-Perry" - Mayor Ralph Becker, (D-Salt Lake City); Adam Smith, Political Editor of the Tampa Bay Times; Dorian Warren, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Public Affairs, SIPA, Columbia University; Amy Goodman, Host & Executive Producer of Democracy Now!; Ron Christie, former Special Assistant to President George W. Bush / CEO of Christie Strategies LLC; Julian Zelizer, Professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton University / Author, “Governing America”.  

MSNBC's "Disrupt with Karen Finney" - Rula Jebreal, MSNBC Contributor; Juana Summers, Politico; Michael Tomasky, The Daily Beast; Dana Milbank, Washington Post; Kate Sheppard, Huffington Post; Amb. Marc Ginsberg, Fmr. U.S. Ambassador.  

CNN's "State of the Union" - Sperling; Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wis. Joan Biskupic of Reuters. Political panel: Stu Rothenberg of the Rothenberg Political Report, along with CNN Commentator Cornell Belcher and Mattie Duppler of Americans For Tax Reform.  

CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS" - Zanny Minton Beddoes, economics editor of The Economist, Ian Bremmer, founder and president of the Eurasia Group, Wall Street Journal columnist Bret Stephens and New America Foundation President Anne-Marie Slaughter. Bono, the leader singer of U2, and Elon Musk.

 MOYERS & COMPANY: State of Conflict: North Carolina. North Carolina, long considered the South’s most moderate state, has taken a hard right turn, but Moral Mondays protesters are fighting back. Is this where American politics is heading? Also on the show, the paint industry is ordered to clean up its mess.


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Saturday, January 04, 2014

SMILE

Discouraging trends on abortion rights
States passed 205 abortion restrictions in three years. That’s totally unprecedented.

 More: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/the-unprecedented-attack-on-reproductive-rights 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/04/us/women-losing-access-to-abortion-as-opponents-gain-ground-in-state-legislatures.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

 The GOPers are crazy

 http://www.salon.com/2014/01/03/gop%E2%80%99s_benghazi_insanity_reaches_new_depths/
The right’s Benghazi insanity reaches new depths 

 http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/jan/02/blog-posting/bloggers-say-obamacare-coding-system-could-usher-b/
Bloggers say Obamacare coding system could usher in beheadings

Rachel wrecks the Koch Bros

 http://crooksandliars.com/2014/01/rachel-maddows-epic-koch-brothers

Whee!

 http://www.nationaljournal.com/congress/why-the-senate-will-only-get-more-polarized-20140103
Why the Senate Will Only Get More Polarized

A question that needs answering

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2014/01/even-senators-have-to-wonder.html
"Has the NSA spied, or is the NSA currently spying, on members of Congress or other American elected officials?”

 The Cocaine Congressman returns to work

 http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/03/1266915/-Addict-congressman-returning-to-work-still-hasn-t-talked-about-his-vote-for-drug-testing-the-poor?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+%28Daily+Kos%29
Addict congressman returning to work—still hasn't talked about his vote for drug testing the poor

 More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/01/03/trey-radel-is-coming-back-to-congress-next-week-but-his-future-is-murky/?wprss=rss_politics&clsrd
Trey Radel is coming back to Congress next week. But his future is murky.

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/01/02/super-pac-raises-1-million-for-radel-opponent/?wprss=rss_politics&clsrd
Super PAC raises $1 million for Radel opponent 

The theocrats are upset that they don't have even more influence over the Republican party

 http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-religious-right-wont-be-ignored

 More: http://crooksandliars.com/2014/01/bryan-fischer-evolutionists-should-be
Bryan Fischer: 'Evolutionists' Should be Disqualified From Holding Political Office

 The "Best of Fox 2013" contest is down to two

 http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/03/1266863/--Best-of-Fox-2013-Grand-Finale?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+%28Daily+Kos%29

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Friday, January 03, 2014

WHAT DID HE KNOW AND WHEN DID HE KNOW IT?

Was George Bush fully aware of the US torture program?

 http://tinyurl.com/mgqex5y

 http://www.emptywheel.net/2014/01/02/john-rizzo-declares-entire-torture-program-illegal/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=john-rizzo-declares-entire-torture-program-illegal
Bonus item: I'm already sick of hearing about Duck Dynasty

 http://prospect.org/article/what-duck-dynastys-phil-robertson-can-teach-us-about-empathy#.Usa6NvZF7nA
Yes, I have something to add to the Duck Dynasty controversy . . .

http://www.salon.com/2014/01/03/gops_duck_dynasty_problem_why_phil_robertson_was_a_hugely_important_political_story/
Phil Robertson explains more about our country's political culture than almost anything else that happened in 2013 

 http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/02/congressman-compares-himself-to-duck-dynasty.html
Congressman Compares Himself To Duck Dynasty
Inevitable: http://crooksandliars.com/2014/01/duck-dynasty-launches-its-own-line-guns
"Duck Dynasty" launches its own line of guns

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Thursday, January 02, 2014

AN OBAMACARE PRIMER

It's the law now. What can we expect in 2014?
The GOPers are in a funk

 http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2013/12/31/the_dismal_year_in_politics_121096.html
The problems of Obamacare are likely (and perversely) to delay any serious ideological repositioning of the Republican Party. The argument will be: "Why take any risk of dividing the GOP with, say, an immigration reform push, or a health reform alternative, when Democrats are in the process of self-destructing?"  

Republicans have a serious prospect of retaining control of the House and regaining control of the Senate in November -- assuming that tea party challenges don't knock off some of their stronger Senate candidates. The generic congressional ballot is increasingly favorable to Republicans. It is the probability of losing elections that forces parties to creatively alter their appeal. The failures of Obamacare, in short, reinforce Republican ideological timidity, at least at the congressional level.  

The central problem for the GOP is a split political personality. For congressional Republicans, ideological timidity is a reasonable, short-term electoral strategy. For Republicans concerned about retaking the presidency in 2016, it is wholly insufficient. There is an urgent need to reposition the party with minorities, women and the young. Pointing and laughing at the failures of Obamacare will not be a sufficient governing vision. . .

Bonus item: The Chris Christie toll booth story reveals the basic essence of scandal politics. You can turn even a minor faux pas into a big problem if you don't tell the truth about it

http://tinyurl.com/kzq5nj5
 
 
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Wednesday, January 01, 2014

FIVE MILLION

That's how many people who need insurance are being blocked from it by Republicans

 http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/5-million-uninsured-because-they-live-in-gop-states

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/12/31/the-wingnut-hole-measured-5-million-without-insurance-thanks-to-gop-medicaid-refusal/

 http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/12/31/thanks-to-republicans-5-million-americans-can-t-get-health-insurance.html

 More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/12/31/stunning-new-report-undermines-central-gop-obamacare-claim/

 Something tells me Pope Francis isn't worried about this at all

 http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ken-langone-pope-francis
Billionaire Home Depot Founder Says Pope Francis Is Alienating The Rich

 More: http://www.openbible.info/topics/rich_people
56 Bible Verses about Rich People

 The Empire strikes back

 http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblog/on-christmas-republicans-quietly-declare-war-on-themselves-20131230
[T]he Republican Party last week quietly declared war on itself, in the process essentially confessing to a generation of failed governance and dumbed-down politics.    

The news came in the Wall Street Journal, where the Chamber of Commerce disclosed that it will be teaming up with Republican establishment leaders to spend $50 million in an effort to stem the tide of “fools” who have overwhelmed Republican ballots in recent seasons. . . . [read on] 

Senate Repubs plan to retaliate over filibuster changes in 2014
I guess he's just expressin' his religious beliefs

Bonus item: Obama's year, in photos

 http://tinyurl.com/kafz2jx

 http://tinyurl.com/lv64xmx

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL: http://pbd.blogspot.com

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