Rachel Maddow Makes it clear- what's going on in Wisconsin is about the future of the Democratic Party

Rachel Maddow does a series of excellent pieces about why this attack on the unions is an attack on the Democratic Party. This attack is about the only institutions that financially help the Democratic Party.

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

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

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

Poor Michael Steele....they wanna kick him to the curb....LOL

from Black Politics on the Web

Steele on thin ice at helm of Republican Party
By The Admin on November 26, 2010

A significant bloc of Republican National Committee members wants embattled chairman Michael Steele to step aside, but the rank and file have failed to settle on a clear alternative, according to Associated Press interviews with committee members.

More than four dozen interviews with members of the 168-member central committee found fear that a badly damaged Steele could emerge from the wreckage of a knockdown, drag-out fight to head the party as it challenges President Barack Obama in 2012. While most agree that Steele’s time has been rough — and costly — the members also recognize that a leadership fight could overshadow gains that Republicans made in the midterm elections.

With balloting set to take place in just two months, many just want Steele to go.

“You can’t keep spending the kind of money they’re spending every month just to operate the RNC,” said committee member Ada Fisher of North Carolina. “I would hope he would step aside.”

“The question is who should be hired for the next two years, It’s not a matter of firing anybody,” said James Bopp, a committee member from Indiana who holds great sway among social conservatives on the panel. “I just don’t think Steele has performed at the level we need for the presidential cycle.”

In interviews with 51 committee members, 39 said they preferred Steele not be on the ballot when they meet near Washington in mid-January to pick their leader.

For his part, Steele hasn’t said whether he will pursue the 85-vote majority needed for a second term. Already, members have been hearing from others interested in that quest.

.......................................

Steele started the job with a $23 million surplus; the RNC raised more than $79 million this year and has spent all of it. Some went to places that previously saw little RNC cash or interest, including five U.S. territories that each has three votes on the central committee.

Oh MC Steele.....

You can't be surprised by this, can you?



Sitting out here, just as a casual observer, it was obvious from the moment of your election that you served one purpose and one purpose only: to give the GOP COVER as they attacked the first Black President.

Which, you were only so willing to do.

There was no racist remark that you weren't willing to shin and grin and try and explain away over the past 2 years.

They'd do something obviously racist, and there you were, sitting there on national tv, with a calm expression on your face, pointing out how it wasn't racist, no matter how strong the dogwhistle has been.

Nothing was too outrageous for you; nothing was said or published that made you go ' WTF, I'm not defending this crap on national tv'.

NOTHING.

You shucked and jived your way through these two years, showing no resemblance of dignity or self-respect. It was all good, because you were getting paid. You had to grovel after you were actually honest about Rush Limbaugh...it really was cringeworthy, watching, time after time, that you tried to explain away the OBVIOUS - not the subtle, but dogwhistles so loud, they could be heard in another continent.

Well, now, they feel they've gotten their legs back, along with Citizens United, and, you've got to go, Michael. You've served your purpose.

But, why do I get the feeling that it's going to go down like this?

Obama and the Democrats Still Don't Get It - Fix the PR & Messaging, and Pick the Right Battles

The Midterm (S)elections ended pretty much as expected. Confused Americans tired of gridlock in Washington DC, voted for more gridlock. This is frustrating because I know many of those white Republican voters are poor working class and middle class people. Many have been greatly impacted by the economy. I don't understand how they believe Republicans will make their lives any better. Afterall, a Republican White House was at the helm when the economy crashed. Republicans will aim to cut projects and services that many of their own constituents depend on... food stamps, medicare, unemployment insurance, S-chip, infrastructure investments, money for Police and Teachers...you name it. The next two years will be very constraining for President Obama, due to a Republican House of Representatives that will block his remaining agenda.

I have been annoyed and dejected about politics and the direction of the Country (still going in the wrong direction) over the past several weeks and have not been motivated to write anything. Voters and the Country have been disappointing more often than not over the past several years. Things started to go downhill politically in the late 1990's when Republicans and Ken Starr turned the Clinton affair into a circus. Then the U.S. made a number of foreign policy mistakes... under Clinton, which didn't help the U.S. at all...and caused more harm. That was followed up by the 2000 elections. A year later... we had the 9/11 catastrophe. The U.S. hasn't been the same since. Every major negative event that happened after 2000 and 2001 can be traced back to the major events of those two years (the Election of Bush/Cheney, and 9/11)....every major negative event. The nation is still licking its wounds from 2000 and 2001.

What annoyed me most about the Democrats, Post-election, was the fact that there didn't seem to be any effort whatsoever to understand what helped lead to the sharp losses. There was no recognition at all of Progressive/Democratic Party strategy. It was back to business as usual. The first major sign that the Democrats didn't get it was the fact that they chose Nancy Pelosi to continue as the Party's leader in the House of Representatives. This would have been a good opportunity to start fresh with a new leader. Pelosi, in my view, was never very effective as Speaker. Not only does the choice of Pelosi provide more motivation for Republicans over the next two years, but it sends the signal that Democrats are, to some extent, tone deaf. Democrats never seemed to have their finger on the collective pulse of the American public. Despite the need to focus on jobs and the economy.... Democrats chose Healthcare. That in of itself was not the fatal blow. It was the way that they went about selling Healthcare Reform that sunk them. Democrats never seemed to understand the importance of messaging and PR... how to grab and maintain the initiative in the information war. As a result, they lost the information war early on and were never able to regain control of the debate. Democrats also failed to grasp the fact that the U.S. is a centrist to center-right nation, and that governing may sometimes require a centrist approach. However, this is also a nation, as centrist as it may be, where people like populist ideas...some of which are Progressive ideas. In other words...large complicated bills that few people understand are often frowned upon due to costs and the image of too much government. But when you separate Progressive ideas into smaller slices, Americans often like them.... the populist side of the Country kicks in. Democrats failed to exploit the way that Americans understand and perceive policy. It's as if Democrats didn't bother gauging public sentiment at all to determine the best strategy for proceeding.

They were able to pass a bill....many observers, including myself, predicted that. But the cost was probably too high...politically and otherwise. A better strategy might have been passing the bill in pieces which would have been less confusing. They should have focused on passing (and branding) the popular aspects of reform....making it difficult for Republicans to confuse and misinform voters.

President Obama himself doesn't seem to get it. Not only doesn't he seem to understand the larger issues that I mentioned regarding Democrats... he also doesn't seem to understand how his position and approach as President will have to change. During his post-election press conference, the President once again extended an olive branch to Republicans and talked bipartisanship. This was after (Speaker elect) John Boehner and Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell, made it clear that they had no intentions on pursuing a bipartisan approach.

"This is not a time for compromise, and I can tell you that we will not compromise on our principles," Boehner said during an appearance on conservative Sean Hannity's radio show.

McConnell made similar statements, basically saying that his priority would be to make sure that Obama is defeated in 2012. The only way to do that is to sabotage the remaining two years of Obama's Presidency....which is exactly what they plan to do. It's the same approach that they used during his first two years in office.

The Republican plan is basically to continue the approach of obstruction...and run out the clock on Obama's time in office. They don't want to allow Obama to claim credit for anything positive. They are even reluctant to allow Obama to sign the New START Treaty. The START Treaty is part of a family of Treaties going back to the SALT Treaties under Ford and Carter. They have been the cornerstone of arms control & arms reduction between the U.S. and Russia for four decades. Senate approval of these treaties is usually a formality. All out delays, opposition, sabotage & interference is extremely unusual... not just over the past four decades, but throughout the history of the Republic.

Is Obama tone deaf? He doesn't seem to understand that Republicans have declared war on his Presidency. He also doesn't seem to understand that Democrats/Progressives are in the midst of an information war...and they are losing. I can understand his desire to remain cordial. That's the professional thing to do... but behind the scenes he has to have a two track strategy if he wants to avoid being a one term President.

There is a way that Obama could minimize Republican obstructionism and even put pressure on Republicans. I'm not very optimistic, because the Obama strategy team and the strategy approach of the Party as a whole has been so ineffective over the past two years. But he could position himself to be competitive in 2012, if (along with the Democratic Party) he takes the following approach:

1. Vastly improve the messaging and PR. This has been dismal lately. Work to establish a media infrastructure and communications network for Progressives that could rival the Republican media apparatus (which dominates TV news, and Talk Radio, and has a growing presence on the net). The Democrats and the Obama Administration also must understand the importance of branding. Also, re-establish the PR response effort that was in place during the 2007-08 campaign. Dismantling this after the election was a huge mistake. Put the PR war room back in place.
Without making strides in the information war... Obama's re-election could be in doubt. You can have the best ideas in the world.... but if you have no way to get your message out... no way to compete on the airwaves, no way to combat and prevent distortions... then it doesn't really matter.

2. Keep making efforts to work with Republicans, but behind the scenes, rely on a two track approach. The real approach should be to cut out Congress altogether when necessary.... earlier than usual. Instead, talk directly to the American people about proposals. Talk to Americans during prime time (yes... interrupt them) once or twice a month to provide regular status updates. Tell them what legislation you want/and that the nation needs and point out when Republicans are blocking those efforts. Focus on popular pieces of legislation at least initially. This could work to basically turn the tables on Republicans and force them to govern ...and make tough decisions. Call their bluff on debt issues... make them explain the painful cuts to programs that people depend on. Make them explain why tax cuts for the rich were more important than a poor family's unemployment benefits or food stamps... down to earth, real world programs that people depend on to keep food on the table. Programs that people are depending on more than ever now...ironically due to an economic collapse that took place under a Republican President. Some of those people that will be impacted by Republican cuts are going to be white, working class Republicans. If Republicans block everything (even popular, sensible legislation)...the hope is that American voters will notice and at the very least give Obama another four years. Not that i'm a huge Obama fan (never was)....although I am proud. The reality is... there is no alternative. The idea of a President Romney, Gingrich, Barbour or the ultimate nightmare Sarah Palin, scares the daylights out of me.

3. Obama has to bring in a more effective, more creative strategy team. It's almost a full month after the elections and I see no improvement on the media/PR front.

4. Democrats have to choose their battles more carefully...concentrating on issues that the American people are most concerned with, keeping their fingers on the collective pulse of the nation, and choosing battles that would give them a chance to be effective and to win. Once a battle is chosen... stand up and fight for the Democratic/Progressive position....but be open to compromise when practical and sensible, and when the other side is acting in good faith (which is almost never). But the hope is...by choosing populist positions, the public will be on the side of Progressives, making Republican obstructionism much more difficult. This is why it is important to explain proposals in terms of how they would make life better for average Americans.... how a proposal would create jobs...etc. Speak in terms that middle America can understand.

5. Democrats/Progressives should invest heavily in a public/voter education initiative, both through public school curriculum's and through not-for-profit groups. Such a campaign should be a sustained long term effort, lasting years.

Why Did Americans Jump on the Republican Bandwagon?

1. Republicans are much more effective when it comes to PR and branding. Republican marketing/PR is so strong that they could sell just about anything. It's all in the packaging. Republican strategists understand how to use information or misinformation to change, and control public opinion. Yes, it's manipulative....but it works for them. They were basically able to convince enough voters that the economic pain that they were feeling was somehow the fault of President Obama (not because of the jackasses who came before, who were asleep at the wheel for 8 years). Yes, the Party controlling the White House typically loses seats in Congress after Midterm elections, however, the losses this year were made worse by deliberate efforts by the GOP (and its allies) to confuse and misinform voters.

2. Well I will let Pollster founder Charles Franklin say it. Sadly he's right. He basically says what I have been pointing out for years. I don't bring this up as a way to make fun of voters. Quite the contrary. I don't believe it's necessarily their fault. It's easy to fall victim to misinformation, especially in the digital/internet age. It's that much easier to fall victim when you may not have all the tools to navigate through the nonsense and lies, and to determine what good information is vs. bad information. Public School systems and colleges don't put enough emphasis on basic civics, government, political science, history, geography, and cultural instruction. This is why voter education has to be a fundamental part of the Democratic Party's strategy.

The 2010 Midterms

I haven't felt this bad since 2004. I seriously had the blues for about a year after that election.

No other way to put it- the Democrats got shellacked, plain and simple.

For those of you who got out to vote, thank you. You can complain for the next 2 years. Those of you who sat on your behinds and had better things to do because you don't think voting is important - STFU for the next 2 years.

Now, the GOP has to govern. They actually have to do something, outside of saying no. I went through a really vengeful mood for the past 48 hours, and couldn't post until I calmed down. That said, I gotta say this:

For all you teabaggers running around talking about 'socialized medicine' and ' Obamacare', when the GOP brings up giving you a voucher for your Medicare services, STFU.



For all you in Kentucky, when the next mining disaster happens and a group of folks winds up dead, when Senator Paul tells you that it's ok for a few peasants to die in order to maximize the profits of the Mining companites, STFU.

For all you 'recently unemployed' folks who don't seem to be able to find a job, and are receiving unemployment, when that runs out on the 'good American' that you are, and you realize that the GOP says, ' too bad' and won't extend unemployment benefits, STFU.

For all of you in Michigan who had your asses saved because the Government wouldn't let the American auto industry die in this country - whatever the GOP does to you, too bad.

For all you parents who have a child with a pre-existing condition, and thought your worries were over because healthcare had passed and still voted for the GOP, STFU.

When you don't have a pot to piss in, and you voted for mofos who basically want you to live as 3rd World Serfs, whatever happens to you - STFU.

Not angry at the Black or Brown voters across this country. The Latino vote deserves a salute for saving Harry Reid's behind and figuring out that Angle WAS WHO SHE SAID SHE WAS. Never would have been close for Sestak at all in PA or Strickland without the Black vote. Alexi G only had the chance he had because of Cook County- he lost everywhere else in the state.

No, so, don't want to hear anything slamming Black or Brown voters. You can bring this down to the fickle White voter, who gave George W. Bush 8 years to destroy the country, but have a temper tantrum that Barack Obama can't clean it up in 2 years? So, you're going to turn the House of Representatives back over to the SOB's who have gone against everything that has remotely helped this country get back on its feet over the past 2 years.


You honestly think they're going to GOVERN?
G-T-F-O-H

They're not interested in governing. They are only interested in serving their corporate overlords, and their extremist positions.

WHEN they attempt to impeach this President for the crime of BEING PRESIDENT WHILE BLACK, don't open your mouths:
1. YOU put them there.
2. THIS is who they've always been.

Americans' misplaced trust in the GOP

Rasmussen polling reports that the public trusts the Republican Party to better handle eight of the ten issues considered most important by Americans. In Americans’ defense, perhaps this is one of the many polls suffering from sample bias because cell phone only households, which favor Democrats, are undersampled by the major polling outfits.

To paraphrase Jay Leno, “What are Americans thinking?”

Read the rest at The Loop.

The Ignorance of Christine O'Donnell & The Tea Party on Full Display

This is why America is in serious trouble. In the following video O'Donnell demonstrates her profound ignorance about American history, the Constitution, and a number of other things. She apparently has no clue about what is in the Constitution, and completely humiliated herself during a debate with Democrat Chris Coons.

This rise of ignorance is a reflection of a wider intellectual rot in America, particularly among voters.

This is what stupid & fickle Americans (yes I said it) will be voting for collectively in November. The most frustrating part for me is knowing that Democrats/Progressives are losing to this idiocy, despite facts being on their side. Much of the problem has to do with the fact that there is a huge media imbalance and Democrats/Progressives do such a terrible job when it comes to PR, messaging and their overall communications strategy. There is really no Progressive media infrastructure that can compete with the right. Furthermore, Democratic strategists are clueless to the fact that they are in an information war with the right, and therefore, they have not put much of a priority on PR and messaging (one of their core problems over the last decade to decade & a half...which is a main reason why they lose). The fact that these Republican Tea Party candidates are taken seriously speaks volumes.



Related

Most Americans Can't name a single Supreme Court Justice

71% of Americans Fail Civics Test. See here and here.

Americans Have Little Understanding of Religion

Birthers Won't Go Away - Now They Want DNA

There seems to be no end to the crazy.

A Glimpse of a Republican Tea Party America

Wondering what a Republican Tea Party America will look like? Look no further than Obion County Tennessee. A utopia of low taxes and Tea Party Republicanism.... life is just great down there. To Hell with collectivism... it's every man for himself. They have taken life back to the old traditions of self reliance and they want the same for the rest of the Country.

When I heard about this on NPR on Tuesday I couldn't believe it. But when they mentioned that this occurred in Tennessee... bells went off in my head. I remembered that there was something about Tennessee...and I had posted about Republican craziness in that State recently...but I couldn't pinpoint it. I was at work, so it was stuck in the back of my head most of the day. So when I got home, I did a quick search...and there it was. It should be no surprise that this kind of craziness is going on there. This is also where American Muslims are currently being ostracized and antagonized. What is it about Tennessee?

Related

I have mentioned before that the whole anti-tax nonsense is largely a myth driven by right wing media. Actual data doesn't jive with their rhetoric. See my post "Tea Parties & Make Believe".

Glenn Beck - The Biggest Con Artist in America

Hear an NPR discussion about the Glenn Beck phenomenon & what it says about the Country. For me, Beck is just a huge con artist who happens to be good at what he does. His popularity is a reflection of our increasingly partisan politics, the intellectual deterioration taking root in the U.S. and "the facts be damned" attitude of the public, an extremely uninformed/misinformed populace, and a deteriorating media that lacks balance and takes part in the misinformation. Beck is also benefiting from anxiety stirred up by the economy... (but that is not the main issue in my opinion). The main reasons for Beck's success are public misinformation from right wing media...and the fact that there is a President in the White House who isn't white.

The rise of Beck isn't surprising in a Country where the citizens don't know basic civics, don't know much about the world, and don't know much about religion. Easy prey for con artists and manipulators.

Vote Republican By Roy Zimmerman

Great skit... hat tip to: Freakoutnation



Sadly... I think many Americans are asleep.... under the spell of the Tea Party, Glenn Beck & much of the other Republican media nonsense.

Much of that is the fault of Progressives/Democrats because they have failed to build a PR/media infrastructure that they can use to present their arguments and to fight back.

Reagan Budget Director Basically Says Republican Pledge is a Joke - Trashes Idea of Permanent Tax Cuts for the Rich

Former Reagan Budget Director David Stockman tells the truth about the Republican Pledge to America in interview with NPR this past week. Although he also criticized Democrats (naturally). I think his suggestion that TARP was a complete waste/failure isn't quite correct.... especially since we now know that the final bill is far less than the hundreds of billions that had been anticipated.

But I love how he exposes the phony act that Republicans have been putting on regarding taxes and their economic proposals.

Related

Jon Stewart's segment on the Republican's non-plan for the Country is classic! Same Republican BS.

Republican 'Pledge to America' Authored By Lobbyist for AIG, Big Oil

The Republicans unveiled their Snake oil today... their "Pledge to America". Based on what is in "the Pledge" the Republican answer to our economic situation is to extend tax cuts for the rich (the top 3% of American taxpayers) and that will take care of everything. Absent were specifics about controlling deficit/lowering national debt, what to do about jobs going overseas, specifics on exactly how to create jobs, etc. But the Pledge does promise to repeal healthcare reform. And on the subject of Social Security, Boehner couldn't answer reporters questions, but from what he had to say, privatizing Social Security is still on the table for them (of course it is... that's what they intend to do, but he was afraid to say it). the pledge was critical of special interests.... ironic since the man behind the "Pledge to America" is a professional corporate lobbyist for such great companies as AIG and Exxon, among others. Basically the Republican program was authored by a corporate shill by the name of Brian Wild.

From The Huffington Post:

The Republican Party's 21-page blueprint, "Pledge to America," was put together with oversight by a House staffer who, up till April 2010, served as a lobbyist for some of the nation's most powerful oil, pharmaceutical, and insurance companies.

In a draft version of The Pledge that was being passed around to reporters before the official release, the document properties list "Wild, Brian" as the "Author." A GOP source said that Wild -- who is on House Minority Leader John Boehner's payroll -- did help author the governing platform that the party is unveiling on Thursday. Another aide said that as the executive director of the Republican leadership group American Speaking Out, Wild's tasks were more on the administrative side of the operations.

Until early this year, Wild was a fairly active lobbyist on behalf of the firm the Nickles Group, the lobbying shop set up by the former Republican Senator from Oklahoma, Don Nickles. During his five years at the firm, Wild, among others, was paid $740,000 in lobbying contracts from AIG, the former insurance company at the heart of the financial collapse; $800,000 from energy giant Andarko Petroleum; more than $1.1 million from Comcast, more than $1.3 million from Exxon Mobil; and $625,000 from the pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc.

More here

For those who may have missed an earlier post regarding what the Republican Tea Party stands for.... Here is Their Basic Platform.

From Think Progress - No real mention of controlling the earmark pork spending in Congress:

As the Huffington Post’s Sam Stein reports, the GOP’s new “Pledge to America” was directed by a staffer named Brian Wild, who until early this year, was a lobbyist at a prominent DC firm that lobbied on behalf of corporate giants like Exxon. Moreover, the insurance industry is the leading contributor to Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the Republican who led the effort. Consistent with its desire to placate lobbyists, the 21-page “Pledge” omits any mention of a key Republican mantra: a ban on earmarks.

Lobbyists have long supported the practice of “earmarking,” a maneuver that allows lobbyists to cajole members of Congress to add pet projects to appropriations bills. While it’s no surprise that the lobbyist-authored document drops any discussion of “earmarking,” it is nevertheless an interesting pivot for Republicans.

On March 11, 2010, House Republicans adopted a one-year moratorium on all earmarks, urging Republicans in the Senate and Democrats in Congress “to follow their lead.” House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) touted the decision as “an important step toward showing the American people we’re serious about reform.” While Democrats announced a ban on earmarks for private companies the day before, Boehner wanted to “put [all earmarks] on the line to win” the November elections. Republicans touted their measure as a message that they were going to “cleanse themselves” of corruption and bring about “a culture of change”:

See full commentary from Think Progress.

Two great commentaries on The Republican "Pledge to America"

One from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Another from the Examiner.

Jim DeMint Admits Gridlock is Republican Goal In U.S. Senate

Another Republican basically spills the beans on Republican tactics. I guess they are getting comfortable talking about because there has been no public backlash. Not only has there been no backlash....but the strategy has been working pretty well for them so far.

They are going to keep this up all the way through November 2010 and even until 2012. The mainstream media and the Obama Administration have done a horrendous job of highlighting this for voters.

I have mentioned the situation here plenty of times. I even posted graphs and stats showing that it really is different this time (comparing the current political obstruction and use of the filibuster to previous periods in American political history).

Tea Party Republican Pastor Gets Starkest Warning Yet About Planned Quran Burning

Obama: Quran Burning Could Incite ‘Individuals Who’d Be Willing To Blow Themselves Up In American Cities’

On ABC's Good Morning America, President Obama described the planned Quran burning by Tea Party Republican pastor Terry Jones as "destructive" and "contrary to the values of Americans".

as commander of chief of the Armed Forces of the United States I just want him to understand that this stunt that he is talking about pulling could greatly endanger our young men and women in uniform who are in Iraq, who are in Afghanistan.

This is a recruitment bonanza for Al Qaeda. You know, you could have serious violence in places like Pakistan or Afghanistan. This could increase the recruitment of individuals who’d be willing to blow themselves up in American cities, or European cities.

watch clip



Notice the silence from Republican political leaders. I am annoyed whenever a TV news idiot claims that there has been wide condemnation of Terry Jones in the U.S. (when hearing this nonsense, I am thinking "No there hasn't... the Republican leadership hasn't said or done much of anything").

And you want to know why? Because the Republican leaders in Congress, in the RNC, and among those who wish to run for President, are afraid of challenging the Tea Party or those recognized and well liked by the Tea Party. They can't afford to come out against it. It's the same reason why Michael Steele is afraid of Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. Limbaugh, his Lieutenants Beck & Hannity, and the nuts in the Tea Party wing of the GOP are in control the Republican Party and its agenda, and the Republican establishment knows it. But there is a thing called courage... and clearly it is lacking among Conservatives. (And they compare themselves to Reagan?... they are nothing like Reagan). This isn't your grandfather's Republican Party.

Tea Party Republican Pastor Planning 'Burn A Quran Day' to Commemorate 9/11

Burn the Quran?

Despite the potential harm that he is bringing to American troops overseas, Tea party Republican pastor Terry Jones intends to push ahead with plans to burn the Quran at his Florida church on September 11th. Even requests from General David Petraeus himself have been ignored.

Republican Policies Would Be Worse For The Economy

A newsweek article from last week didn't tell me anything that I didn't already know. But it is a good read, and it dealt with Republican claims point by point.

Estimates Say Fewer Jobs, Larger Deficits if Republicans Were in Charge
Newsweek
Andrew Romano 
August 27, 2010

Nothing is more important to Republican politicians these days than jobs and the deficit—at least according to Republican politicians. As House Minority Leader John Boehner put it in a "major economic address" on Tuesday, President Obama is "doing everything possible to prevent jobs from being created" while refusing to do anything at all "about bringing down the deficits that threaten our economy." Elect Republicans in November, Boehner assured his audience, and we will put an end to this insanity.

There's only one problem with Boehner's message: so far, the things that Republicans have said they want to do won't actually boost employment or reduce deficits. In fact, much the opposite. By combing through a variety of studies and projections from nonpartisan economic sources, we here at Gaggle headquarters have found that if Republicans were in charge from January 2009 onward—and if they were now given carte blanche to enact the proposals they want to—the projected 2010–2020 deficits would be larger than they are under Obama, and fewer people would probably be employed.

The math is pretty straightforward. Let's start with the deficit. According to the Congressional Budget Office, Obama's stimulus plan is projected to increase budget deficits over the next decade by $814 billion. That's a big number. But Republicans opposed the legislation refused to provide an alternative, and now insist that it's been a total failure. So let's be generous and subtract it from their side of the equation. The Obama deficit: $814 billion. The GOP deficit: $0.

Next up is health-care reform. Obama passed it; Republicans want to repeal it "lock, stock, and barrel." The reason, as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell explained in July, is that "we all know that it's going to increase the deficit." Unfortunately for the GOP, though, nonpartisan experts tend to disagree. Just this Tuesday, for example, the CBO released a letter saying that Obama's health-care-reform legislation would "reduce the projected budget deficit by $30 billion over the next 10 years,” while repealing the law would generate "an increase in deficits ... of $455 billion ... over that [same] period." Factor those figures into the equation and the Obama deficit falls to $784 billion. The GOP deficit, meanwhile, rises to $455 billion. Getting warmer.

Read the rest here...

What the Republican Tea Party Stands For

Americans have a clear choice to make in November. There should be no confusion about what they will be choosing. Many will be voting on alternatives to incumbents, some will be voting based on local issues... but it is clear that collectively, they will be turning back the clock.

What the Republican Tea Party Stands for/their Platform:

1. Pro-Big Business (big business over working people).

2. Against meaningful government regulation and oversight of private industry.

3. Anti-Tax (yet they love war and want their trash picked up on time every week and they want the police to respond quickly when they call).

4. Anti-Federal Government

5. Prefer States rights over Federal authority (code for allowing States to do as they wish regarding voting rights, discrimination/basic civil rights, worker rights, etc).

6. Anti-Women's Rights

7. Anti-Labor Rights

8. In Favor of merging religion with government (They would love a Christian Theocracy)

9. In favor of a large military and large defense industry, although they claim they want small government. (not only are they crazy/unaware of facts... but they are also confused.)

10. Pro-war

11. In Favor of Tax cuts for the rich.

12. Xenophobic

13. Identify with Southern Politics - sympathetic to the old Confederacy and would like to see some form of it restored.

14. View non-whites as a threat to "the real America". This is one of their core beliefs and fears. It is at the heart of their existence and it is why they view anyone who is different with suspicion.

15. Supporters of big oil.

16. Against unemployment benefits for those who are struggling to survive. They believe that Americans who are struggling are annoying whiners.

17. Against healthcare for children and hope to rollback S-chip...or kill the program altogether.

18. Support insurance companies (over people).

19. Against Healthcare reform...and would like to reverse/repeal reform legislation.

20. Would like to eliminate or privatize Social Security. If they can't eliminate it, they would at least like to see some of the money gambled on Wall Street like Casino chips.

21. Believe Tax cuts can solve all economic problems.

22. Fiercely anti-Obama and have a general animus towards minorities.

23. Anti-Mexican

24. They flirt with racism and they openly associate with racists and extremists. They do little to condemn racist behavior or purge racist members from their ranks. They will only do so when they are caught/exposed by the media.

25. Against Comprehensive Immigration Reform

26. Have blocked bills in the Senate that would provide assistance for small business.

27. Against progress for the nation - against embracing and pursuing advances in science, energy, medicine, education, etc.

28. Supports a future of obstruction, political gridlock & national stagnation.

29. Generally not in favor of civil rights, basic Constitutional protections, etc.

30. Generally against the Department of Education and many would like to eliminate that department altogether, as well as the Department of Labor and other useful government departments, agencies & resources.

31. Against financial industry regulation.

32. They are not in favor of investing in the nations future and creating jobs at home.

33. Anti-collectivism is core belief.

34. Claim to be fiscally responsible and concerned about debt, yet when President Obama attempted to create a bi-partisan national debt commission with teeth... with the full support & power of Congress, to finally put together a serious plan to reign in the debt... the Republicans blocked the effort. The President had to work around the obstructionism with an executive order.

35. Have a strong dislike for the Judicial branch of government, and would like to seek ways to undermine the Courts.... (some of the ways they like to do this include - withholding or constraining the funding that the Federal courts need in order to function -essentially bullying & controlling one of the 3 branches of government, blocking judicial nominees, pushing legislation that challenges the decisions of judges and longstanding legal precedent, threatening/intimidating judges, and launching anti-court campaigns through their Republican media apparatus to create a negative perception of Federal judges and the role of the Court system in an attempt to influence -for political purposes- an American public that they know is open for that kind of PR/media manipulation).

36. Deep down inside... many Republican/Tea Party Conservatives do not believe that Blacks, Hispanics or other non-whites are real Americans.

37. They are opposed to the very existence of the UN and they would push to limit or eliminate the U.S. portion of its funding. They are also opposed to many forms of international cooperation and would likely curtail many of the positive things that the U.S. does around the world.

38. They would like to eliminate the few social safety net programs that Americans have (if they could get away with it) - social programs that many poor white Americans benefit from, such as food stamps.

* This is the Republican Tea Party plan for America. This is essentially their platform. And this is what Americans will be voting for in November.... to turn back the clock... to turn the U.S. into Japan (or something worse). I think we might be lucky if we end up like a stagnant Japan. While progress is being blocked, the U.S. will continue to fall behind.... deflation fears will rise, jobs will continue to be hard to come by, economic growth will be flat, and this will actually require the Country to go deeper into debt much faster...no matter how much spending the Republicans try to cut.

When a platform like this can become a winning strategy for a political party, it is a sign of a nation in trouble. Whenever you can win the national argument with this kind of plan for the Country, it is an indication of just how distorted politics have become...how perverted the media has become, and just how misguided American voters are. Americans are clearly responding positively to the Republican position. It is also an indication that Conservative media efforts to misinform and confuse the public have been extremely successful, which will embolden them to not only keep doing what they have been doing, but to ratchet it up to new levels of insanity. As long as Progressives have no answer for this kind of a strategy (and they don't....and don't plan to counter it... which is one of the core problems for Progressives) then this will be the trend for the next two decades.

Bigots at Tea Party Rally

More isolated incidents.... taken from a rally last year in California. America is in denial about what the Tea Party and the GOP stand for.

Black Muslims and the Ground Zero Mosque

As is their way, Republicans not only do not care about minority opinions (note their positions on healthcare reform and the 14th amendment), they believe that dumping on minorities will help them with conservative white voters. Sadly, they might be right.

Read the rest at The Loop.

Republican-driven lawsuits against health care reform will particularly hurt blacks

Here’s just a sampling of the sorry state of black health in America from Kaiser’s Key Facts: Race, Ethnicity & Medical Care. People living in poverty are more likely to report being in only Fair or Poor health. Regardless of education, African Americans lead the nation in infant mortality. African American men and women have highest death rate due to heart disease. African Americans even lead in death rates by breast cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer. Twenty-three percent of working African Americans are uninsured.

Read the rest at The Loop.