Category: Congress

The GOP Is the True Anti-Business Party

GOP elephant
GOP elephant
Source: Republican Party (US), via Wikimedia Commons.

It doesn’t take a genius to realize that the Republican Party cares only about the Republican Party. The party, which once stood in opposition to slavery, now stands in favor only of the next election cycle.

Consider this, from Paul Krugman:

Republican politicians are at odds with corporate America on crucial issues. It’s not just vaccines. Corporate interests also want serious investment in infrastructure and find themselves on the outs with Republican leaders who don’t want to see Democrats achieve any policy successes. Basically, the G.O.P. is currently engaged in a major campaign of sabotage — its leaders want to see America do badly, because they believe this will redound to their political advantage — and if this hurts their corporate backers along the way, they don’t care.

Just to be clear, corporations aren’t being good guys. They support vaccine mandates and infrastructure investment because they believe that both would be good for their bottom lines. They’re still for the most part opposed to the rest of the Biden agenda, including — unforgivably — efforts to fight climate change, because they don’t want to pay higher taxes.

Still, the conflict between the G.O.P. and corporations is a striking new turn in American politics. And I wonder if some corporate leaders find themselves asking, in the privacy of their own minds, “My God, what have we done?”

And that’s the big question: What have they done? Corporations are quickly realizing they have little to no voice now in the party they bankrolled for generations.

When will donors to the GOP finally jump ship and side with the Dems? Like them or not, the Dems listen to everyone.


Insulter-In-Chief Can’t Do Simple Math

Donald Trump mocks disabled reporter

Donald Trump smug smile

Donald Trump, willfully ignorant.

Donald Trump flaunts his ignorance.

In Illinois, state representatives used to say that former-now-disgraced Gov. Rod Blagojevich governed by press conference. He would rarely speak with legislators as people, rarely talk policy. Instead, he would talk about legislators to the press, in the press.

He lived for interviews.

Donald Trump governs — if you could call it– that, by insult.

His latest, attacking Dems. All Dems, I guess, everywhere. But focusing on Congress this time.

First, Trump has a penchant to randomly capitalize words. And only he understands why and what he is trying to emphasize.

Here, he says:

Democrats in Congress must no longer Obstruct [sic] – vote to fix our terrible Immigration Laws [sic] now. I  am watching what is going on from Europe — it would be soooo simple to fix. Judges run the system and illegals and traffickers know how it works. They are just using children!

Let’s consider how un-presidential this word salad sounds. The New York Whiner hasn’t a clue — or willfully ignores — the facts. Many, many people trying to enter this country are asking for asylum, these “huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

Kyle Griffin of MSNBC’s @TheLastWord captures a portion of Trump’s willful ignorance:

Democrats don’t control Congress. The House voted on two immigration bills in June — neither had majority Republican support.

But, hey, why should math bother this President? Why get bogged down with facts when incendiary charges work so much better.


Get To Know Conor Lamb, The Next Dem To Upset A GOP Dark Red District

Conor Lamb, Democratic candidate for Congress in Pennsylvania's 18th.

Conor Lamb, Democratic candidate for Congress in Pennsylvania’s 18th.

Conor Lamb has as real shot at upsetting a dark red GOP district that includes Houston, PA.

Lamb speaks on, wait for it, Jesus, as only a young man of faith who knows the teachings of Jesus can:

“Jesus always started out by going and being with a certain group of people,” says Conor Lamb as we’re winding down hilly back roads to the Washington County Gun Show.

Jesus, Lamb tells me, tried to get to know people as people before he tried to win them over with arguments. He “wasn’t asking people where they stood on abortion before they came and sat down with them.”

Lamb, the Democratic candidate in a neck-and-neck special election on March 13, has to hope the people of Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional District will likewise listen to what he has to say before judging him by his party affiliation.

Described as a “square-jawed 33-year-old Marine Corps officer who resigned from his job as a federal prosecutor in Pittsburgh to run, has a chance to upend the district’s politics—as long as he can avoid being labeled a liberal without discouraging the district’s not inconsiderable Democrat base from turning out. A devout Catholic, Lamb is pro-union and pro-gun, backs bipartisan deals for fixing Obamacare and the nation’s infrastructure, wants more job training and less college debt, and says he’s pro-fracking but pro-environment, too. And he’s betting that this mix of economic populism and moderate social politics can win the predominantly blue collar district.”

And I couldn’t be happier for him. Or for Pennsylvania’s 18th, which, currently, begins northwest and west of Pittsburgh, south to the state line, and explodes east into Westmoreland County.

Let’s see what the district looks like after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is done redrawing it.

Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District

Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional District (Since 2013)


Is Donald Trump Talking To Portraits Of Past Presidents Yet?

Crazy Donald Trump

Crazy Donald TrumpAh, Donald.

The Donald.

The Don.

Donnie.

Donnie T.

Crazy Donald.

Are you talking to portraits of past presidents yet?

You know, Richard Nixon did that.

You say you like Andrew Jackson, that the two of you are BFFs.

But you really should get to know Tricky Dicky, the original Richard “I am not a crook” Nixon.

Are you a liar, Donnie T?

As you laze about The Big Oval, or wander the Residence at night in your bathrobe, are you taking time to smell the paintings? Are you spending time talking to Andrew Jackson, or do you just admire him from afar?

James Comey testified today. For how long will your crew insulate you? For how long will the GOP spew out parseltongue, protecting you from yourself?

Were you really that ill prepared, as Speaker Paul Ryan suggests? Are you just too new at all of this? Are we to believe that James Comey is really to blame because he did not tell you that it was inappropriate for you to meet with him alone? Was it really up to Comey to correct you, sir, when you asked AG Jeff Sessions and Jared to leave The Big Oval so you could spend quality time with Mr. Comey?

Is there anything at all for which you will take responsibility?

How long until a new David Frost interviews you, after you’re, you know, out of office?

Is there a contemporary Dan Aykroyd in your future, sir Trump? Will Alec Baldwin be the ultimate closer for you on SNL?

The sooner the better.

Some day, some day soon, this….


Congresswoman Robin Kelly Is Up For Re-Election, And You Should Vote For Her

From Congresswoman Robin Kelly:

Believe it or not, it is that time again.
I am running for re-election for Illinois’ 2nd Congressional District.
 I need your help, because without your support we cannot continue to fight to reduce gun violence, stimulate economic development and job creation, provide high quality educational options for our children and affordable health care within our communities.
 Much has been achieved, but much work remains.
 Please join me for a volunteer meet-up on Thursday, October 15, 2015, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM, at the Quarry Event Center, located at 2423 E. 75th Street, Chicago, Illinois, (corner of Essex Avenue and 75th Street). Complimentary parking available. 
 Please stop by for some refreshments, critical campaign information and take some petitions. I need to get at least 3500 signatures.
 If you are not able to attend the Kick-Off Event, please sign up here to volunteer.
 For additional information regarding the campaign and volunteer updates, please visit my website at  www.robinkellyforcongress.org.
Thank you in advance for your support.
We are happy to offer our support.
And our vote.

Watch: Rachel Maddow on Secret Service Chaos

From Rachel Maddow on the chaos inside the Secret Service and the numerous security breaches since President Obama took office.

And how many before did we hear nothing about?


The Three False Premises of the Ryan Poverty Plan (TalkPoverty.org)

Stephen Pimpare at TalkPoverty.org performs a critical analysis of Congressman Paul Ryan’s so-called “poverty plan.”

You won’t want to miss it:

So what’s so bad about Paul Ryan’s thinking about poverty?

First, there’s nothing new in it. He offers block grants, cuts to programs, new work requirements, school vouchers, regulatory repeal, more money to faith-based initiatives, and privatizing social services, presenting us with little more than fresh marketing for tired ideas that — when tried in the past — made people’s lives worse, not better. Even the proposals that might seem promising are badly designed — like his way of expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit.  With the possible exception of his proposals to reduce some mandatory minimum sentences — which advocates of all stripes have been agitating for for decades — it’s old wine in old bottles.  Why should we treat it as newsworthy or innovative?

There’s a deeper problem with Ryan’s approach beyond the details of his proposal.  The foundation itself is rotten: the project is built upon three fatal, false premises.

Read the full analysis here at CommonDreams.org


Rand Paul’s Cliven Bundy Says People Think He’s Racist Because Martin Luther King Jr. Didn’t Finish His Job

Cliven Bundy

Cliven Bundy

Well, now I know who Cliven Bundy is, and I wish I didn’t.

And, for the life of me, I don’t understand why he’s getting so much attention.

Bundy has been allowing his cattle to graze on federally-owned lands. The feds don’t want that to happen any more. Bundy used an “ancestral rights” argument, likening his treatment to the way Native Americans were treated by the United States.

This man is a real tool.

Here is part of a CNN interview where he blames Martin Luther King Jr. that he, Bundy, can’t say anything he wants, like the N-word, calling black men “boy,” etc.

Watch as he moves from offensive to more offensive.

And, until he came out with his racist comments, Senator Rand Paul and other members of the GOP adopted him as their new love child.

Watch the interview and cringe:

H/T: http://www.politicususa.com


Get Rid of Corporate Rule! Direct TV Parody Compilation

Get rid of corporate rule!

The full campaign spoofing the Direct TV commercials, produced by Acronym TV for Move To Amend. All six spots, each about 30 seconds, are included here in this single video. 

Written by Lee Camp and Dennis Trainor, Jr, and Directed by Trainor, these spots aim to hijack a popular meme to shine a seriously unserious light on the issues of corporate personhood and money as free speech. 

Move to Amend is a coalition of hundreds of organizations and tens of thousands of individuals committed to social and economic justice, ending corporate rule, and building a vibrant democracy that is genuinely accountable to the people, not corporate interests.

We are calling for an amendment to the US Constitution to unequivocally state that inalienable rights belong to human beings only, and that money is not a form of protected free speech under the First Amendment and can be regulated in political campaigns.

Over 300,00 people have signed the Move To Amend statement that states:
We, the People of the United States of America, reject the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling and other related cases, and move to amend our Constitution to firmly establish that money is not speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional rights. 

Links to each video as a stand-alone piece are below. We encourage you to share these far and wide.

Move To Amend, Direct TV Parody Campaign:
Don’t Be A Naked Hulk http://bit.ly/1eMqmeQ
Don’t Do Interpretive Street Corner Dance http://bit.ly/IKi65g
Don’t Miss The Supermodel Love Letter http://bit.ly/19fbNwm
Don’t Get Ducked Taped To A Chair In The Yardhttp://bit.ly/1g3IG7b
Don’t Do Cats http://bit.ly/1bdJL8P
Don’t Be A Loser With No One At Your Birthdayhttp://bit.ly/18YCOI2

Move To Amend’s Direct TV Parody Compilation
Written by Lee Camp and Dennis Trainor, Jr
Directed by Dennis Trainor, Jr.
Editing, graphics, keying and color correction by AJ Russo
Associate Producer Christopher Webb
Costumes Lara de Bruijn

Corporate personhood, Supreme court, Super Bowl Ad, Super Bowl parody ad, Super Bowl spoof commercial, Douche waffle, Douche Waffles, Money free speech, corporations are not people, corporate personhood, Lee camp, Dennis Trainor Jr, Acronym TV, parody, satire, comedy, spoof, Direct TV, Move To Amend, Amend the constitution, Legalize Democracy, End Corporate Rule.


Quash the Teabaggers! Reclaim America!

The following is from Congresswoman Robin Kelly:

This morning at 12:01am, Congressional Republicans shut down the government.

Millions of Americans are going to suffer — seniors, veterans, students, businesses, and workers — while those responsible for the shutdown get paid.

Democrats in Congress need to hear that the public is on their side in this fight and we need them to stand strong.

Click here to call Rep. Robin Kelly and tell her to stand strong against Tea Party demands.

This shutdown will end in one of two ways:

  1. Democrats will cave and cut vital programs like Social Security or
  2. Republicans will cave to immense public pressure. 

Flooding Democrats’ offices with phone calls will make sure it’s not option 1. We’re also running online ads targeting Republican Speaker John Boehner to make sure he feels extra pressure back home. 

Can you call Rep. Kelly and tell her that the American people need Democrats to stand strong? Click here.

Thanks for being a bold progressive. 

From Turning Left:

Thank you, thank you all, for being bold progressives!

Stay true, and reclaim America from the Tea Baggers!