Daily archives: December 26th, 2011

Washington Post: Growing Wealth Widens Distance Between Lawmakers and Constituents

December 26, 2011
AmericaBusinessCongressEconomyElectionsEthicsHomelessnessHousingimmigrationJobsLegal
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From the Washington Post:

The growth of income inequality has tracked very closely with measures of political polarization, which has been gauged using the average difference between the liberal/conservative scores for Republican and Democratic members of the House.

“The proximity of these trends is uncanny,” according to a 2003 paper by researchers Nolan McCarty, Keith T. Poole and Howard Rosenthal. “Remarkably, the trends of economic inequality and elite political polarization have moved almost in tandem for the past half-century.”

Excellent commentary on this from Eric Byler at Coffee Party USA.

Man Allegedly Tries To Kill Wife Over Excessive Facebook Use

December 26, 2011
Crime and PunishmentStrange
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From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

A southwestern Pennsylvania man has been jailed on attempted homicide and other charges accusing him of trying to shoot his wife because he believes she spends too much time on the Facebook social networking site.

More here.

Ron Paul’s Views Finding Support Among White Nationalists

December 26, 2011
Civil RightsConservativesConstitutionEthicsEvangelicalsRaceReligionRepublicansStrangeViolence
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Ron Paul with white Supremacists Don and Derek Black

Ron Paul with white Supremacists Don and Derek Black

Ron Paul says he “wouldn’t be happy” with support from the white supremacists, survivalists and anti-Zionists who have rallied to his support, but he will not disavow their support, saying, “They’re endorsing what I do or say — it has nothing to do with endorsing what they say.”

So Ron Paul will accept support from Neo-Nazis. He simply won’t endorse anthing they say, except, of course, that, for whatever reason, they support Ron Paul.

From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

The American Free Press, which markets books such as “The Invention of the Jewish People” and “March of the Titans: A History of the White Race,” is urging its subscribers to help it send hundreds of copies of Ron Paul’s collected speeches to voters in New Hampshire. The book, it promises, will “Help Dr. Ron Paul Win the GOP Nomination in 2012!”

Don Black, the director of the white nationalist website Stormfront, said in an interview that dozens of his members were volunteering for Mr. Paul’s campaign, and a site forum titled “Why is Ron Paul such a favorite here?” has no fewer than 24 pages of comments.

“I understand he wins many fans because his monetary policy would hurt Jews,” read one. Far right groups like the Militia of Montana say they are rooting for him as a stalwart against government tyranny.

Newt Gingrich Fails To Qualify For Virginia, His Home State’s Ballot

December 26, 2011
ElectionsEthicsRepublicans
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Newt Gingrich pointing

Are you perhaps to blame for Newt "The Buck Stops There" Gingrich's latest electoral problems?

Remember, if Newt Gingrich has a problem, someone else is to blame.

Remember that. The man who has already christened himself the GOP nominee for President of the United States commits no errors. He is infallible.

Case in point: Newt blames the State of Virginia for his failure to qualify for his home state’s primary ballot.

From the BBC:

Newt Gingrich, one of the leading US Republican presidential candidates, has said Virginia’s electoral system is flawed, after failing to qualify for the primary ballot in his home state.

Virginia party officials say he did not submit the required 10,000 signatures to appear on the 6 March ballot.

Mr Gingrich’s team vowed to pursue an “aggressive write-in campaign” – although Virginia does not permit this.

Gingrich critics say the setback shows serious lack of organisation.

Four other presidential Republican candidates – including Texas Governor Rick Perry – failed to qualify for the Virginia ballot.

Can you imagine this man as president? Newt “The Buck Stops There” Gingrich, man of a thousand excuses.

Newt, dude, you only had to get 10,000 good signatures.  Your campaign only submitted 11,050. Even local candidates here who only need two or three hundred signatures submit at least double the required number.

Was it really that difficult to find 10,000 good signatures in the entire state of Virginia? Or didn’t you really try?