Year: 2011

Categories
Politics Republican Texas United States

Anderson Cooper – Keeping Them Honest – Rick Perry Edition

It been a known fact in Texas for many years –  Rick Perry does not come cheap. Even Perry himself alluded to his price tag when he said in the recent Republican debate that $5000 would not be enough to buy him. He said, “if you’re saying I can be bought for $5,000, I’m offended.”

But in a pay to play system, Rick Perry kept getting the finances he needed to get re-elected. So the real questions started being asked, and Perry’s own Republican contender for the presidency brought the main question to light. Michele Bachmann questioned Perry’s decision to require all girls in Texas to get a vaccine for HPV… a vaccine created by one of his biggest financial supporters.

Anderson Cooper of CNN’s AC360 took a deeper look into Perry’s pockets.

Categories
Black people Politics Texas United States

Rick Perry Saves One Life In Texas

He was supposed to be executed today, but because of the testimony of a prosecution psychologist during his sentencing, Duane Buck – convicted of murdering two people – will live to see another day. The testimony of the psychologist claimed that black people are more likely to commit crimes.

Luckily, former Texas AG turned senator John Cornyn asked, eleven years ago but still, that Buck’s and five other death penalty sentences be reviewed for racial bias, which gave the Supreme Court enough fodder to halt Buck’s execution early this morning.

Governor Rick Perry, the presidential candidate who loves nothing more than personally executing people with his six-shooter, has so far remained mum about the case, possibly because someone else was already executed in Texas this week, temporarily sating his all-consuming bloodlust.

In recent debates, the Teaparty has  applauded Texas presidential candidate Rick Perry for setting the record for the most executions in Texas. They also called for the government to allow people who cannot afford healthcare to die. The knowledge that Duane Buck is still alive will not go over well with Perry’s Teaparty admirers.

Categories
Barack Obama James Carville Politics White House

James Carville – It Is Time For The President To Panic

By James Carville.

People often ask me what advice I would give the White House about various things. Today I was mulling over election results from New York and Nevada while thinking about that very question. What should the White House do now? One word came to mind: Panic.

We are far past sending out talking points. Do not attempt to dumb it down. We cannot stand any more explanations. Have you talked to any Democratic senators lately? I have. It’s pretty damn clear they are not happy campers.

This is what I would say to President Barack Obama: The time has come to demand a plan of action that requires a complete change from the direction you are headed.

I don’t know how else to break this down. Simply put:

1. Fire somebody. No — fire a lot of people. This may be news to you but this is not going well. For precedent, see Russian Army 64th division at Stalingrad. There were enough deaths at Stalingrad to make the entire tea party collectively orgasm.

Mr. President, your hinge of fate must turn. Bill Clinton fired many people in 1994 and took a lot of heat for it. Reagan fired most of his campaign staff in 1980. Republicans historically fired their own speaker, Newt Gingrich. Bush fired Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. For God’s sake, why are we still looking at the same political and economic advisers that got us into this mess? It’s not working.

Furthermore, it’s not going to work with the same team, the same strategy and the same excuses. I know economic analysts are smart — some work 17-hour days. It’s time to show them the exit. Wake up — show us you are doing something.

2. Indict people. There are certain people in American finance who haven’t been held responsible for utterly ruining the economic fabric of our country. Demand from the attorney general a clear status of the state of investigation concerning these extraordinary injustices imposed upon the American people. I know Attorney General Eric Holder is a close friend of yours, but if his explanations aren’t good, fire him too. Demand answers to why no one has been indicted.

Mr. President, people are livid. Tell people that you, too, are angry and sickened by the irresponsible actions on Wall Street that caused so much suffering. Do not accept excuses. Demand action now.

3. Make a case like a Democrat. While we are going along with the Republican austerity garbage, who is making the case against it? It’s not the Democrats!

Read the rest of the article here

Categories
Politics

The Republican War On Labor Continues

It has been a constant assault on the middle class and the American worker since Scott Walker manipulated the political process in Wisconsin, and passed his bill taking away workers bargaining rights. Now, the Republican House of Representatives are joining in on the attacks.

House Republicans have introduced a bill that would give companies and corporations even more power to up and relocate their business – taking jobs to another territory, state or country – if the workers voice their concerns about unfair treatment.

The bill – according to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) – was introduced to protect Boeing’s decision to relocate to South Carolina, after their employees went on strike. After NLRB filed a complaint against Boeing, House Republicans introduced their bill.

The NLRB charges that Boeing moved production away from its Washington State facility in retaliation for the workers exercising their right to strike, and that’s against the law.

The Republican bill would take away the NLRB’s authority to remedy unlawful conduct like Boeing is alleged to have engaged in. H.R. 2587 would apply to cases currently being considered, including the legal action against Boeing. It would allow corporations to freely retaliate against workers by transferring, subcontracting or off-shoring jobs. For example, says  [AFL-CIO President Richard] Trumka:

“If a group of workers walk out of a plant because of unsafe working conditions, the company could decide to move the work and the jobs rather than fix the problem, and the NLRB would be powerless to protect the workers and their jobs.

If a group of women or African Americans joined together to protest race or sex discrimination by their employer, the company could simply transfer the work somewhere else, and the NLRB would be powerless to protect the workers.

Bertucci says, “I’m not willing to sacrifice a right that goes back generations so that Boeing has an advantage.”

I’d like to see my daughter have the same opportunity as I did….If this bill passes, every American’s right to be in a union will be threatened.

It’s the same old story – protecting big business at the expense of middle class America. Except this time the decisions to choose Corporations over regular working Americans, are not coming from a Republican governor in some state, these decisions are coming from the United States Congress.

Categories
Politics Sarah Palin sex

Todd Palin Comes Out Swinging. Sarah Stays Quiet

Todd Palin, the wife… oops, I mean, the husband of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, came out swinging today, defending his wife against the accusations portrayed in a new book called, “The Rogue: Searching for the real Sarah Palin.” In a statement released by Sarah Palin’s PAC, Todd called the book’s author Joe McGinniss a liar, and accused Mr. McGinniss of having a “creepy obsession” with his wife.” From the statement;

“This is a man who has been relentlessly stalking my family to the point of moving in right next door to us to harass us and spy on us. He traffics in innuendo and falsehoods. A few years ago he interviewed members of Sarah’s administration for a magazine article, and afterwards they said that he was the most disingenuous and intellectual dishonest writer they’d ever dealt with. He’s spent the last year interviewing marginal figures with an axe to grind in order to churn out a hit piece to satisfy his own creepy obsession with my wife. I’d ask that people consider these facts when evaluating his latest lies.”

“I’d ask the fathers and husbands of America to consider our privacy when one summer day I found this guy on the deck of the rental property, just 18 feet away next door to us, staring like a creep at my wife while she mowed the lawn in her shorts, unbeknownst to her that he was prying. As well as our teenage daughters while they tried to enjoy our traditional Alaskan summer days outdoors. Joe’s son told the media he advised his dad not to move from the East Coast to become our next door neighbor, but said his dad ‘was just waiting for Todd to be out of the picture.’ Sarah has never spoken to this intruder into our lives, our friends and family don’t speak to him, so we have no idea where he would come up with content for his book. He was on our doorstep one day trying to make conversation with our son until Track cut the conversation short after discerning Joe’s odd behavior, and I spoke to him one time when I saw him 18 feet away, just to find out who he was. He took that conversation and reported it to the media as me ‘threatening’ him.”

The claims made in McGinniss’ book accused Sarah Palin of having a one night stand with a former NBA star, Glen Rice. The book also states that Mrs Palin had a six month affair with one of Todd’s business partner Brad Hanson, and that she used cocaine.

Glen Rice is said to have confirmed the one night stand with Mrs. Palin, but Brad Hanson denied the affair. He released a statement saying;

This is the same old story that went around in 2008. It is a complete and outright lie. Todd and Sarah Palin have been good friends for many years, and in fact we still own property together. We sold a former joint business venture for business reasons, nothing more. These attacks are shameful and those making them seem to be out only to destroy good people and make money doing so.

Sarah Palin likes to talk about abstinence, you know, no sex before marriage. Maybe Bristal knew about this all along, the little family secret. This would then explain why Bristal didn’t listen to her mother’s “no sex” teachings in the first place.

Categories
Barack Obama Politics

This Fox Host Is A Man Of Honor… Seriously

Bob Beckel, one of the hosts of Fox News’  The Five, is possibly the most honorable person working at the network. In a recent show, Mr. Beckel made a decision not to join in with his co-hosts to slander the Obama administration.

The group decided to talk about a company that received funds from the stimulus, then went out of business a few years later. Without proof, the Fox News group decided that somehow, the Obama administration did something grossly wrong and proceeded to speculate to their audience about it. Mr. Beckel, showing his displeasure in the conversation, said;

“I’d like to be not interrupted here because this is the last time I’m going to say it on this subject. This story on Solyndra is a clear effort to smear Barack Obama by suggesting he gave government guarantees in exchange for campaign contributions. It is a classic Republican scam. It is based on no evidence except for these little emails you’ve got and, as far as I’m concerned, we won’t talk about the $50 billion in no-contract bids that Halliburton during the Iraq War from Bush and Cheney but we will talk about this. It’s the last time I’ll talk about it. I refuse to talk about it anymore. You guys go talk about it but, for the next days we do, I’m out of the conversation. It’s slanderous and libelous and you should be…ah, never mind.”

More power to you Mr. Beckel!

Categories
Politics

Should Bachmann Be Commander-In-Chief? Her Advisor Doesn’t Know

Michele Bachmann’s former campaign manager and present senior advisor Ed Rollins, appeared on Hardball with Chris Mathews today, and could not seem to answer one simple question – would you like to see Michele Bachmann as Commander In Chief?

After beating around the bush and failing to answer, Mathews conceded by saying “you are so slippery, I know you’re not going to answer my question… I know I’m not getting an answer from you…..”

Categories
Politics Republican Sarah Palin

Book Claims Sarah Palin Used Cocaine And Cheated On Her Husband

In an explosive new book by Joe McGinniss, some shocking claims are made about the 2008 Republican vice president candidate, Sarah Palin. The book , called The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin, seems to have found her and includes claims that Mrs. Palin used cocaine, cheated on her husband with his business partner and had an affair with an NBA star.

Joe McGinniss’s book The Rogue: Searching for the Real Sarah Palin, which is due to be published on September 20, also alleges that the former governor of Alaska is far from the traditional family woman she claims to be.

Mrs Palin, 47, had a one-night stand with Miami Heat basketball star Glen Rice less than a year before she eloped with her husband, the book claims.

She is said to have met the 6ft 8ins player in 1987 when he was playing in a college basketball tournament in Alaska and she worked as a sports reporter for KTUU television.

It is also claimed that she had a six-month affair with Brad Hanson, who ran a snowmobile dealership with her husband Todd – a betrayal which led to Todd dissolving their business.

How will the Fox News and Conservatives spin machine explain this one? Don’t be surprised if they praise Sarah Palin’s cheating ways as more evidence that she is “just a regular person.” They will claim that everybody does it, and may even build a shrine in her honor. It’s the Republican way, sweep this under the rug if the possibilities exist that she can advance their political agenda.

Categories
CNN Health Care Politics

Ron Paul Knew The Man Who Died With No Health Care

The question Wolf Blitzer of CNN asked Republican presidential candidate, Ron Paul seemed hypothetical. But as fate would have it,  Paul knew how real the question was. In 2008 when he ran for president, one of his campaign chairman died at the age of 49, owing $400,000.00 in healthcare cost because he had no insurance when he died.

The question Mr. Blitzer asked Mr. Paul was what should happen to a young man who couldn’t afford health insurance, but finds himself in a hospital needing intensive care. Ron Paul began his answer, “…that’s what freedom is all about: taking your own risks. This whole idea that you have to take care of everybody…” at which point, members of the Teaparty audience began applauding. After Blitzer asked again if “society should just let him die,” members of the audience answered, “yeah!” and “let him die!”

His name was Kent Snyder, and the report was filed by Gawker;

Back in 2008, Kent Snyder — Paul’s former campaign chairman — died of complications from pneumonia. Like the man in Blitzer’s example, the 49-year-old Snyder (pictured) was relatively young and seemingly healthy* when the illness struck. He was also uninsured. When he died on June 26, 2008, two weeks after Paul withdrew his first bid for the presidency, his hospital costs amounted to $400,000. The bill was handed to Snyder’s surviving mother, who was incapable of paying. Friends launched a website to solicit donations.

And Ron Paul has an answer.

According to other answers Paul provided on this issue, he thinks that churches and other charitable organization should pick up the tab for those who cannot afford life saving health care. Although what happened to the Snyder family is unfortunate, maybe Mr. Paul should direct them to some of these churches.

After all, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Mr. Kent Snyder was the driving force behind Paul to run for President in 2008. The least Paul could do, would be to provide the names of the churches and charitable organizations that would handle the $400,000.00 hospital bill.

And while he’s at it, there’s another 45,000 Americans who die each year because they cannot afford health care. Why not provide them and their families with this information? Maybe Paul could publish the names of these churches on his website. That will help!

Categories
Anthony Weiner Democrat New York Politics Republican

Democrats Gift Wrapped New York District To Republicans

The seat had not gone to a Republican since the 1920’s, but on Tuesday, the heavily Democratic congressional seat left vacant by Anthony Weiner went back to Republican control, with the win of Bob Turner. Republicans also won a special election in northern Nevada, where Republican Mark Amodei led Democrat Kate Marshall, 56 percent to 39 percent almost from the start.

The New York seat was originally held by Anthony Weiner, but after his Twitter mishap where he lied about sending naked pictures of himself to various women, both Democrats and Republicans demanded his resignation. The Nevada election was to replace Republican John Ensign, after his affair with a married campaign worker and a later revelation of bribery.

Both Republicans in the races tied their winning over their Democratic challengers to President Obama and his handling of the economy, and with that, Republican conservative radio and television shows went rampant with this new talking point.

Reports indicated that the Nevada election was basically ignored by Democrats, as they believed they had no chance of winning the heavily Republican constituents in that district. But in New York, Democrats went into a frantic, final, last-minute push to save the seat dumping $500,000 into the race in the final days, after it became clear that the seat could go to a Republican.

Although the New York district could eventually be zoned out through re-districting, Democrats should have tried harder to avoid this victory to the Republicans. Giving them even more ammunition to spew their lies is simply not worth it. The talking points about this Republican win in New York and associating it to President Obama and the economy, will be around for a long, long time.

Categories
democrats Medicare Politics

Rick Perry Loses Support Since His Recent Social Security Gaffe

A new Poll conducted by PPP shows President Obama extending his lead over Republican Rick Perry. According to the results, the lead is now in the double figures, and is the direct result of Rick Perry’s recent claims that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme. PPP reports;

Only 20% of voters agree with Perry that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme to 70% who dissent from that statement.  Democrats (4/87) and independents (20/69) are pretty universal in their disagreement with Perry and even Republicans (39/49) don’t stand with him on this one. When it comes to the possibility of actually ending Social Security voters are even more unanimous – 82% oppose taking that step to only 10% who would be supportive of it.  If Perry ends up as the Republican nominee and Democrats can effectively convince the electorate that he does want to end Social Security it could be an extremely damaging issue for him.

Since bringing up the Ponzi scheme claim at the MSNBC Republican debate earlier this month, Rick Perry has already begun his campaign to distance himself from that remark. But could it already be too late? Is the damage already done? If these poll numbers hold up over the next few months, expect the Republican elites to start moving away from Perry, and back to Romney.

My prediction for the general election? It will be President Obama and Vice President Biden, going against Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty.

Categories
democrats Elizabeth Warren Politics Republican Senate

Elizabeth Warren Will Run For Senate Against Scott Brown

And Progressives and Democrats rejoice everywhere!!!

Consumer advocate and former White House official Elizabeth Warren will announce on Wednesday that she is running for the United States Senate seat currently held by Scott Brown (R-Mass.), a close source tells The Huffington Post.

The announcement will not come as a surprise; Warren has spent the last few weeks traveling across Massachusetts and speaking at several high-profile political events as part of a statewide listening tour. Still, her formal entrance into the race is likely to be cheered by progressives and national Democrats alike, as Warren is both beloved by the base and represents one of the party’s best chances to unseat Brown.

Good Stuff. Mrs. Warren is a fighter for Democratic values. She will be the perfect person to take back the seat that Ted Kennedy held for over 30 years. After Ted Kennedy passed, the seat went to Republican Scott Brown.

This race just got very, very interesting.

Read the rest of this story here

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