Above, President Obama talks to probable new Speaker of the House John Boehner on election night 2010
Commentary
It's the economy, stupid!
And it was heard, loud and clear from sea to shining sea. Republicans rode the wave of voter discontent to take control of the House of Representatives last night, but didn't take the Senate. On the House side, Democrats controlled that body, 255-178. It looks as if the the Republican takeover could get the GOP a 242-193 edge (estimated at this hour). the Senate will remain in Democratic hands, with 49 seats (and two independents caucusing with them)in their hands, plus the tie breaking vote of Vice President Joe Biden. You can read about the individual races nationwide, but here are a few thoughts and notes I made overnight.
1. The GOP won the House yesterday, but now they have to deliver. The Republicans told voters that government needs to get smaller and spend less. Not one of the Republican leaders, such as probable new Speaker of the House John Boehner or his #2 Eric Cantor, is specific as to what will be cut. Their job creation plan seems to be hold unto the Bush tax cuts and hope that the private sector reinvests in America and gets the American economy moving again. And how will the House co-operate with President Obama and his administration? They cannot remain the "party of no"- they have to get something done, and they have to do it soon. The 2010 midterm was about change, as were the elections of 2006 and 2008. The Republican House cannot be obstructionist because if they are they'll lose the House as quickly as they won it in 2012.
2. Can the Republican leadership keep it's Tea Party faction on a short leash?. Despite their failures in most Senate races, the Tea Party emerged as a force to be reckoned within the GOP. Tea Party backed Republican candidates won 113 of 129 House races. Many of these new representatives ran on the "strength" of not being professional politicians. Now comes their reality check- politics IS a profession. They have a job to do, and some of the more extreme members can't be concerned with the birth certificate or "secret Muslim faith" of the President, or be involved in whacky schemes to have the President impeached. Sarah Palin and her guy on the inside of Washington, Jim De Mint, let the genie out of the bottle, and now the mainstream of the GOP have to deal with a probable divide from within, conservative vs. ultra-conservative.
3. Barack Obama is a brilliant man, a good leader, but not the world's greatest politician. The Democrats were poised to lose Congressional seats last night; that's what happens in midterms. But losses could have been minimized if the President did a better job of selling his accomplishments to the voters. Much time was devoted to healthcare reform while unemployment hovered at close to 10%. Healthcare reform should have been presented in a way as to show how getting away from employer mandated healthcare could help private enterprise, but the administration's message was weak.
And the President should have been more adamant about job creation. If there was no co-operation given by Republicans and the private sector, he needed to take that to the American people. Instead, he held an olive branch to Republicans instead of a club.
America wanted to see co-operation between the Democrats and Republicans, but it wasn't going to happen. Everything the President wanted to do was opposed by Republicans. Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, said early on his aim was to make Barack Obama a one term president. The President should have taken him at his word, because now the GOP's plan is very close to being on schedule.
4. The Reagan Democrats of the Rust Belt went to the GOP. This might be the most disturbing factor of the night for Democrats. Part of the coalition that swept Barack Obama to the White House in 2008 went to the other side in large numbers. The Great Recession of 2008 is over, so say economists. But many former industrial workers in the vast area stretching from Pennsylvania to Minnesota, the Great Lakes region, have been living in near depression realities for years. In those states unemployment has topped the unacceptable 9.6% national average for years, and the anxiety of the laid off workers who are living off of their life savings were part of the angry backlash.
MSNBC's Chris Matthews is a Philly guy who "gets it". Early this morning he talked about the need to for America to start making things again, in factories, manufacturing, and in public works. The auto industry in the Midwest was saved by a bailout, but it had been on the ropes for years. The American heartland has always been where America made things, and now we are not. President Obama and the Dems will be OK in New England, the Mid Atlantic, and the West Coast. The Mountain West and the South are owned by Republicans. Obama must get the Rust Belt on the way to recovery, and soon, or he may have trouble winning a second term.
5.) The 2012 election cycle begins now, and I think the President's challenger will come from the New Jersey . The power struggle from within the Republican Party to produce a challenger to Barack Obama begins in earnest today. The mainstream GOP has a nominal leader in John Boehner; the Tea Party is for all practical purposes led by Sarah Palin. Get ready for oil mixing with water.
The conventional wisdom is that Sarah Palin would be a weak candidate for the Republicans to run against the President; her negatives are higher than Obama's. The party insiders dislike Mitt Romney, a man who's positions seem to change with the direction of political winds. Haley Barbour and Mike Huckabee would just reinforce the perception of the GOP as a Southern party.
I really think the Republicans will try to catch lightning in a bottle and urge Chris Christie, New Jersey's governor of less than a year, and a former federal prosecutor, to run in 2012. He's become a rock star among Republicans despite his lack of a track record, because of his tough talk and in your face style. He could run strong in the Mid Atlantic region as well.
And I don't think it's a crazy idea; Obama and Palin had little experience on the bigger stage, and found themselves on national tickets in 2008; one is President of the United States, the other is now the leader of an effective populist movement.
As I said on another board late last night, Tip O'Neill had it right; all politics is local. And I think New Jersey and it's governor are about to get a national spotlight put on them starting today.
This coming Tuesday I will vote for my incumbent congressman, Rush Holt, a Democrat representing the 12th District in New Jersey. I agree with the groups and publications who have endorsed Mr. Holt for another two year term. He has served the 12th well, and is the better choice than his Republican challenger, Scott Sipprelle.
And of special note, Congressman Holt took the time to send me a personalized letter via snail-mail after I voiced my concerns about offshore oil drilling following the Deepwater Horizon disaster this past summer. Not every public servant would be so cordial and responsive, but Rush Holt has proved to be one of the good guys.
He deserves re-election. And I feel honored to have such a man of integrity representing the interests of Central New Jersey's citizens in the nation's capital.
Opinion Yeah, yeah, yeah....."Those who don't remember the past are doomed to repeat it". And it appears that the same 59,054,087 Bush voters from 2004 are still alive, still voting.....and have the attention span of a gnat.
I've had the picture above stored on my hardrive....from London's DAILY MIRROR.....and I take a peak at it everytime I start having problems with President Obama and any of his "mis-steps". I have to take a look at the guy who set the stage for the mess the country found ourselves in, and who left it for his successor to lead us out of the abyss.
It appears that many in this nation want to take us back to The Daze of Dubya, and keep swinging it to the right. And it also looks like there are enough disenchanted independents and Democrats who will stay home and not vote in November's midterm elections, thus giving Republicans (read "Tea Baggers") the House and possibly the Senate.
And once again America would be in the hands of Republicans, guys who the man on the street would be happy having a beer with, just like Dubya.
And once again, the little guy will get stuck with the tab.It didn't work out so well the first time, did it?
Honestly, if asked if Barack Obama has been a complete success in his first two years, I'd have to say no he has not. But in saying that I'd say he was a vast improvement over his predecessor. His biggest fault, I'm sorry to say, was his wasted effort trying to establish some sort of bipartisanship with a Republican Party that tried to overtly and covertly render his presidency dead in it's infancy. He did a poor job explaining his healthcare bill to the public, and because of that the bill, which is needed to insure millions of those who have no health insurance or can't be insured because of an existing condition, is being sold as "Obamacare" and used as a weapon against Democrats in the midterms.
And sadly....but predictably....many Democrats are running from this President in droves. Probably something of not being able to pick the people you're in a fox hole with.
The so called "99'ers" are threatening to just stay home this November to punish the Democrats. That would probably insure a Republican takeover of Congress, and undoubtedly more gridlock, probably worse than ever before, at a time when we need it the least.
You can say- if you wish- the 59,054,087 people who voted for Dubya in 2004 did something that was either partisan, or else very dumb.
But there is dumb....and to paraphrase from a Grade B movie...."dumberer".
And in my eyes, the definition of "dumberer" is any reasonable person who, seeing how the far right loons and plutocrats have seized control of the once great Republican Party, does nothing to try and stop a catastrophic return to the policies that got us where we are.
My fellow progressives...real patriots get off their asses.
Several weeks ago New Jersey's Republican Governor Chris Christie erroneously tried to blame the Obama Administration for New Jersey's failure to obtain $400 million in "Race To The Top" funds for the state's schools. The Governor said it was a case Washington bureaucracy doing the wring thing. But when a video provided by the Obama administration proved that Christie's team did not follow instructions to provide financial figures requested for the necessary years to the panel, and his own people were at fault, Christie fired his education commissioner, Bret Schundler, and then told all who would listen that Schundler lied to him, an allegation Schundler denies.
But it's a new month, and with Coobaya playing in the background, it's a new relationship for Chris Christie and President Barak Obama.
There is a quote usually attributed to the fictional Don Corleone in The Godfather; actually, it was first said 2,500 years ago by the Chinese general Sun-tzu......
"Keep our friends close, and your enemies closer".
I wonder if Christie will ever pose for a photo with Mr. Obama?
Some pundits were calling it a likely Republican tsunami for the Congressional midterm elections in November. Last week, a generic Gallup Poll had the Republicans leading Democrats by a whopping ten points, the largest gap in decades of polling for midterm elections.
But that was last week.....and as Lee Corso says on ESPN's College Game Day....."Not so fast, my friend". Before John Boehner can order his new Speaker's gavel the Republicans just might have a dogfight on their hands.....the latest Gallup Poll released today shows both parties are tied at 46%. Both of the Democrats and Republican faithful say that they will vote for their party (both at 93%), but as of now the GOP does lead for the Independent vote by 16 points (49 to 33%).
Twice as many Republicans are enthusiastic about voting (50 to 25%). And what should be a concern to Democrats is the lack of interest in voting in the midterms by young people, women, and African Americans, according to Gallup; those were demographics that swept Barack Obama to the presidency in 2008.
Also of note- Republicans seem to prefer a candidate who has not served in Congress, while Dems would rather have a candidate who has Congressional experience. Incidentally, neither Democrats nor Republican nor Independent voters are giving Congress a ring endorsement; only 38% of the Dems, 5% of Republicans, and 14% of Indies say that Congress is doing a good job.
Well...it is after Labor Day. Put away your white clothes, get your chimney swept and cover that above ground pool. It's unofficially fall, and it's time for America's three favorite sports; NFL Football, the World Series, and politics, politics, politics.
For more on the findings of the latest Gallup Poll, click here.
Part One-Prologue "I feel strongly about this particular point because of a picture I saw in a magazine. It was a photo essay about troops who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And one picture at the tail end of this photo essay was of a mother in Arlington Cemetery, and she had her head on the headstone of her son’s grave. And as the picture focused in, you could see the writing on the headstone. And it gave his awards–Purple Heart, Bronze Star–showed that he died in Iraq, gave his date of birth, date of death. He was 20 years old. And then, at the very top of the headstone, it didn’t have a Christian cross, it didn’t have the Star of David, it had crescent and a star of the Islamic faith. And his name was Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, and he was an American. He was born in New Jersey. He was 14 years old at the time of 9/11, and he waited until he can go serve his country, and he gave his life. Now, we have got to stop polarizing ourself in this way. And John McCain is as nondiscriminatory as anyone I know. But I’m troubled about the fact that, within the party, we have these kinds of expressions.~~Colin Powell on his endorsement of Barack Obama for the presidency, October 19, 2008 on Meet The Press. The text was copied from the44diaries.wordpress.com.
Part Two- Fear The story told by General Colin Powell cuts to the chase more eloquently than I could ever imagine to. US Army Corporal Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, an American Muslim from New Jersey lies in a grave in Arlington National Cemetery. The picture above shows his grieving mother at his headstone.
Everyday we put on the news, and learn the name of yet another young American killed in action in Iraq or Afghanistan. We're told they died defending freedom, and they fight so we don't have to. I'm sure Corporal Khan believed that when he entered the Army. And it's sad, and very troubling, to know that while he and others fight and die in the Middle East for this American Ideal we're told of from the day we enter kindergarten, there are some in this country who believe that some of these freedoms should not be made available to all of our citizens.
Freedom of speech, of assembly, of worship, and the separation of church and state are all guaranteed in the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. Yet there is an undercurrent in the United States of ant-Muslim sentiment; the proverbial "broad brush" is being used to paint Muslims the same color. It doesn't matter that the majority of Muslim Americans are good citizens, or that some, as in the case of Corporal Khan, died serving our country, killed by extremists who have perverted their religion. There is fear, there hatred, there is bigotry, and there is xenophobia.....and it threatens to undermine much of what we hold sacred in our country.
In Murfreesboro, Tenn., Republican candidates have denounced plans for a large Muslim center proposed near a subdivision, and hundreds of protesters have turned out for a march and a county meeting.
In late June, in Temecula, Calif., members of a local Tea Party group took dogs and picket signs to Friday prayers at a mosque that is seeking to build a new worship center on a vacant lot nearby.
In Sheboygan, Wis., a few Christian ministers led a noisy fight against a Muslim group that sought permission to open a mosque in a former health food store bought by a Muslim doctor.
At one time, neighbors who did not want mosques in their backyards said their concerns were over traffic, parking and noise — the same reasons they might object to a church or a synagogue. But now the gloves are off.
In all of the recent conflicts, opponents have said their problem is Islam itself. They quote passages from the Koran and argue that even the most Americanized Muslim secretly wants to replace the Constitution with Islamic Shariah law.
These local skirmishes make clear that there is now widespread debate about whether the best way to uphold America’s democratic values is to allow Muslims the same religious freedom enjoyed by other Americans, or to pull away the welcome mat from a faith seen as a singular threat.
“What’s different is the heat, the volume, the level of hostility,” said Ihsan Bagby, associate professor of Islamic studies at the University of Kentucky. “It’s one thing to oppose a mosque because traffic might increase, but it’s different when you say these mosques are going to be nurturing terrorist bombers, that Islam is invading, that civilization is being undermined by Muslims.”
Feeding the resistance is a growing cottage industry of authors and bloggers — some of them former Muslims — who are invited to speak at rallies, sell their books and testify in churches. Their message is that Islam is inherently violent and incompatible with America.
Now I have a question....is this the America that our brave men and women are fighting and dying for everyday? Is it the America that Corporal Kareem Rashad Sultan Khan, winner of the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, of which he took an oath to serve and protect, and for which he ultimately died in battle? It is a country that he loved, but many of it's citizens, it can be implied by the examples above, did not love him back.
Part Three- Do the Right Thing; The President and The Ground Zero Mosque
On August 12, 1834, just after midnight, an anti-Catholic mob attacked the Ursuline Convent School in Charlestown, Massachusetts, and burned it to the ground as the nuns hurried the children out the back. Rev. Lyman Beecher had helped to incite the mob hours earlier, giving three anti-Catholic diatribes at three different churches in Boston. Beecher, whose children included educator Catharine and abolitionist and author of 'Uncle Tom's Cabin,' Harriet Beecher Stowe, later expressed regret over the arson; but as is often the case, violent speech led to violent action. Those arrested for the outrage were quickly found not guilty and became heroes in Boston. After failed attempts to get the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to pay for the damages, and amid threats of further violence, the nuns eventually moved to Canada, driven from the country by bigotry and hate.
The late former Speaker of The House Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill (1912-1994) told a story in his bio Man of the House about growing up in "Old Dublin", the Irish- Catholic suburb of North Cambridge, Massachusetts. When he was a kid the adults always talked about how the Boston Yankees, all Protestants, had burned down the Ursuline Convent, a dark deed done to the newly arrived Boston Irish-Catholics. Below, his comments from Man of the House, page 8.
I heard so much about the incident that one day, while in my teens, I decided to look it up in a book. To my shock, the burning of the convent took place in the summer of 1834! But to hear people talk about it, you'd think it happened the day before yesterday.
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The scars of hatred can run deep and last for generations, as the example from Tip O'Neill's childhood illustrate; the Irish were on the bottom of the pecking order in the early 19th century. They got the dirty jobs, like building canals across the East and the Midwest, and the new arrivals were hated primarily for their Roman Catholic religion. Here, in my home state of New Jersey, the Catholic minority were subject to persecution of the majority Protestants- in 1701 Queen Anne granted freedom of religious conscience to all in the colony, "except Papists". Later in the century, New Jersey Catholics were implicated in "The Negro Plot", in which they allegedly were accomplices in a slave rebellion; persecutions and executions followed.
As you can see, bigotry and religious intolerance have been part of America since before there was a United States. Every ethnic group or members of a "different" religion has met resistance after arrival on these shores; even the Pilgrim Separatists, who tradition tells us met friendly Indians when they founded Plymouth Plantation, met resistance from the Nauset after first landing on Cape Cod. The Englishmen found small mounds after landing, which they unearthed; they were graves. The Nauset came back to greet the New Arrivals with a rain of arrows.
The terror attacks of September 11, 2001 was an act of mass murder, performed by deluded fanatics bent on destroying an America that they were told was waging war on Islam. What they did was as much a perversion of Islam as what the Japanese warlords did to the code of bushido in their wars of aggression, up to and beyond their sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.
"(the government) shouldn't be in the business of picking (one religion over another)I think it's fair to say if somebody was going to try, on that piece of property, to build a church or a synagogue, nobody would be yelling and screaming. And the fact of the matter is that Muslims have a right to do it, too.
After weeks of silence on the matter, President Obama addressed the subject during a Ramadan dinner at the White House on August 13. Below, highlights from his address.
"That is not to say that religion is without controversy. Recently, attention has been focused on the construction of mosques in certain communities – particularly in New York. Now, we must all recognize and respect the sensitivities surrounding the development of lower Manhattan. The 9/11 attacks were a deeply traumatic event for our country. The pain and suffering experienced by those who lost loved ones is unimaginable. So I understand the emotions that this issue engenders. Ground Zero is, indeed, hallowed ground.
But let me be clear: as a citizen, and as President, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country. That includes the right to build a place of worship and a community center on private property in lower Manhattan, in accordance with local laws and ordinances. This is America, and our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakeable. The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are. The writ of our Founders must endure."
In an age of politicians being politicians, and doing and saying what is popular instead of what was right, President Obama gave us a real moment of political courage in his support of the right of those who wish to build the mosque. His poll numbers are sagging, unemployment numbers are stuck at 9.5%, and the partisan attacks on him continue to grow, as well as criticism from the Democratic Party's left wing. But the President stuck his neck out on this issue....a principle greater than politics is at work here, and it transcends the bumper sticker and sound byte talking points that are fed to the American public by those who believe most of our citizens have the attention span of a potted plant.
The question asked is not if Muslims can build a mosque two blocks from Ground Zero, but should they.
And the government's position must be they can, and offer no opinion if they should, because it's not the government's business, nor any of the elected or appointed officials business.....period. It's about the separation of church and state, and the practice of religion in this country. If any other religious group were to try to build a house of worship on that same site, and if all permits were in order, their would not and could not be any debate. One religious group cannot be singled out fro special handling.....it's un-American.
President Obama made his statement regarding the right of Muslims to build a mosque to a nation where 57% of Republicans believe he is a closet Muslim ( and 24% say he's the Anti-Christ, and another 45% of the nation's GOP believe he was not born in the United States. Supporting the rights of Muslims to build the community center/mosque was not the politically savvy thing to do....but it took principle, and it took courage.
Mr. Obama is taking political hits for his stance; some say that it may damage his popularity further, and even drag down the Democrats in this year's midterms.
But would it be better to say and do the popular thing instead of the right thing, and retain the House and the Senate, and sully the Bill of Rights in doing so?
Part 4-The Aftermath and Beyond
After the President addressed the mosque issue, the attacks from the Republican right were swift, immediate, and relentless. Below is a sampling.
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH)....
The decision to build this mosque so close to Ground Zero is deeply troubling, as is the president’s decision to endorse it. The American people certainly don’t support it.
The fact that someone has the right to do something doesn’t necessarily make it the right thing to do. That is the essence of tolerance, peace and understanding. This is not an issue of law, whether religious freedom or local zoning. This is a basic issue of respect for a tragic moment in our history.
Sarah Palin....
Mr. President, should they or should they not build a mosque steps away from where radical Islamists killed 3000 people?
Please tell us your position.
We all know that they have the right to do it, but should they? And, no, this is not above your pay grade.
If those who wish to build this Ground Zero mosque are sincerely interested in encouraging positive "cross-cultural engagement" and dialogue to show a moderate and tolerant face of Islam, then why haven't they recognized that the decision to build a mosque at this particular location is doing just the opposite?
Republican strategist Ed Rollins....
(Obama's remarks were) probably the dumbest thing that any president has said or candidate has said since Michael Dukakis said it was okay to burn the flag. And it was very similar.(CBS News)
Sen John Cornyn (R-Tex)....
It demonstrates that Washington, the White House, the administration, the president himself seems to be disconnected from the mainstream of America. And I think that's one of the reasons people are so frustrated (POLITICO)"
And there was frustration from members of the President's own Democratic Party, particularly House members facing stiff re-election campaigns. Here's what one congressman told POLITICO
Rep. Martin Frost (D-TX)....
"I would prefer the president be a little more of a politician and a little less of a college professor. While a defensible position, it will not play well in the parts of the country where Democrats need the most help."
The comments above can be divided into two types. There are those who criticize Obama for not making the most politically expedient thing; namely question why the Muslim group wishes to build on that particular site, and for God's sake, don't defend their rights as Americans to do so!
And the second group chastises the President for not joining them in the chorus denouncing the construction of the mosque; a private citizen should voice their opinion if they desire, but any government official at any level who does so may very well be infringing on the groups First Amendment rights.
That's not how we should be doing things in this country.
On the day of the September 11 attacks by early afternoon you could smell the faint odor of smoke here in my town, nearly 30 miles south and west of New York. We lost several of our residents in the inferno; the attackers didn't care about the age, sex, race, marital status, or religion of those they murdered....there were Christians and Jews, Buddhists and Hindus, non-believers and agnostics......and Muslims in the Twin Towers.
The smoke and the ashes brought all to a common end, and they entered eternity as one.
Most of the opponents of the mosque say that two blocks is too close to Ground Zero. My question is how far away would be far enough. Three blocks? Five? Ten? Or how about miles.....five miles, or 10, or 20?
Maybe the mosque should be moved to Route 3 in New Jersey, or possibly off of I-80 in central Pennsylvania? Does Lewisburg sound good?
The bottomline is the opponents of the mosque have no real solution that makes any sense other than "we don't want it", an emotion based on pain and possibly by fear. And maybe it's time to get beyond that, and think about other possibilities; like building an Islamic community and cultural center may be a viable bridge to understanding, and reconciliation, and possibly our better angels will prevail, and the broken and hardened hearts may heal.
Through it all, the United States is still a nation worthy of our love and our allegiance, and worth fighting to defend. A young corporal who lies in Arlington National Cemetery with the star and crescent on his grave believed that.
Saying that accepting New Jersey's $670 million share of the emergency $26 billion from the Feds for aiding Medicaid and preventing the layoff of several thousand teachers in the Garden State was "ill advised", Governor Chris Christie decided to take the money just the same.
Mike Drewniak, spokesman for the first term Republican governor, said the following....
"(Christie) believes that using this type of non-recurring funding for operating expenses is ill advised because it will disappear after one year."
Christie will apply for the money so that the state can distribute the money and not the federal government. But according to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, the funds would reach New Jersey even without Christie's application. The law is written so the Department of Education could “bypass the state government and make awards directly to other entities within the state” if a governor doesn't wish to submit an application.
The bill, which narrowly passed the Senate last week, was was approved in a vote along party lines, 247-161. Democrats say the bill will help to save the jobs of 300,000 teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public employees who would otherwise be laid off due to state and local fiscal woes.
The $26 billion would be paid for by closing a tax loophole used by multinational corporation, and reducing certain foodstamp benefits.
This afternoon, President Obama signed the bill into law.
Republicans railed at the bill.
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH)- "Where do the bailouts end? Are we going to bail out states next year and the year after that, too? At some point we've got to say, 'Enough is enough.'"
OK, Le Grande Orange....let's say $26 billion doesn't go to the states to help 300,000 public employees keep their jobs. Remember the the Good Old Days of Ronald Reagan, and the "Trickle Down Effect"? Well, it can work both ways.
For example, here in New Jersey 10,000 teachers, cops, firefighters, librarians, sanitation workers, and others would all lose their jobs; with this bill maybe 3,900 could be retained. We would add all 10,000 to the rolls of the 9.5 million unemployed nationally, many of whom would be picking up unemployment checks from the state. Some would have college loans that have federal guarantees that would be in danger of default. Mortgages need to be paid; those laid off could default, leading to more foreclosures. And those who aren't paying a mortgage are renting, and paying off car loans, or supporting aged parents. Those 10,000 might have families; what if they had to go on foodstamps, at taxpayer expense? And those 10,000 won't be spending as much money at the local restaurants, grocery stores, or clothing shops.
And those 10,000 won't be paying local, state, and federal taxes so there would be less money going into those coffers.
Remember....it's all about trickle down.
And while these 10,000 are being laid off, class sizes will get bigger, school bus service will be contracted and less available, full day kindergarten will be half day, sports in middle and elementary schools- and even in some high schools- will be cut back or eliminated, security at schools will be privatized (at taxpayer expense), programs will be eliminated....and say "goodbye" to art and music; if you're shocked at the cultural illiteracy of many young people, it could get worse without access to creative activity.
Rudolf Flesch once wrote a book titled Why Johnny Can't Read- And what You Can Do About It. This bill may not give us any answers. But one thing is crystal clear; laying off 300,000 educators surely isn't going to help educate a nation that is falling behind the rest of the world in math and science skills, where the dropout rate in the inner cities continues to rise, and the functional illiteracy of our youth inches upward.
And Republicans say.....just let it happen.....it costs too much.
But the cost isn't the problem....that would be the price we all would pay by not acting.
House Minority leader John Boehner's Democratic opponent for the Ohio 8th District, West Point grad and former Army officer Justin Coussoule, may not have paid for it. But he is reaping the benefits of the billboard pictured above of Boehner in his backswing, leaving the impression to some that Boehner played golf 119 times last year.
The billboard, placed on I-75 in Cincinnati, was paid for by Blue America, a progressive PAC. Howie Klein, the PAC's founder, wanted the billboard targeted to voters in Boehner's home district. The PAC is trying to unseat high profile Republicans in selected districts, and Boehner may be the biggest fish of them all....and he may be the toughest one to unseat.
Boehner's camp issued the following statement....
“Congressman Boehner held seven golf events last year, not 119. He did hold 119 events in the District and across the country to benefit conservative candidates, including receptions, meet-and-greets, rallies, speaking engagements, breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, but only seven were golf outings. Any assertion to the contrary is false.”
One thing the billboard has done is make people ask just how many times did Boehner really play golf last year?
Also.....how does he keep that natural looking suntan year round?
One thing's for sure....the billboard has gotten some attention from local, state, and national media.
Vic Rawl was supposed to coast to a primary victory for the Democratic nomination in South Carolina for the right to oppose incumbent Republican Jim DeMint in November's general election. It would be an uphill fight for Rawl; DeMint is a darling of the Tea Party movement.
But once the dust settled and the votes were counted after Tuesday's primary, Rawl found himself defeated by a political first-timer; Alvin Greene, a 32 year old unemployed Army veteran won with more than 60% of the vote.
Vic Rawl, 64, served four terms in the South Carolina House and was a former prosecutor and a circuit court judge. Alvin Greene spent 13 years in the Air Force and the Army before leaving the service last August. He has no government or political experience.
And Greene didn't have any fund raisers for his campaign, and ran no ads. But there's more; Greene was arrested in November on felony obscenity charges. Court records, as detailed in The Huffington Post, indicate that Greene was arrested after showing obscene internet photos to a university student and then wanting to see the student in her dorm room.
South Carolina Congressman James Clyburn, appearing on Bill Press' radio show found it quite unusual that an unemployed man was able to post the $10,400 filing fee to run for the Senate, had no website, no TWITTER account, had no fund raisers, and no commercial ads was able to win the primary. Clyburn said the following on Press' show.
There were some real shenanigans going on in the South Carolina primary, I don't know if he was a Republican plant; he was someone's plant."
Mr Clyburn is calling for a probe by the US attorney into the primary, and also into to other races in South Carolina.
This evening, Alvin Greene appeared on COUNTDOWN with Keith Olbermann.
Now are you ready for even stranger and even more bizarre? Check out these two interviews Greene gave to South Carolina public television after his primary win.
By the way- did we mention that in South Carolina they have open primaries? That is, you can vote for a candidate in a primary of a party other than the one you are registered in, or an independent voter can vote in any primary without having to declare party affiliation?
Just a thought.
In my opinion....the way primaries appear to be run in South Carolina have all the transparency of the 1919 World Series.
Republican House Minority Whip Eric Cantor has accused Democratic leadership of "fanning the flames" in the wake of at least ten acts of vandalism or menacing threats geared at Democratic lawmakers after the passage of the Healthcare Reform Bill this weekend.
Cantor also stated that his office in Richmond was fired on when a a bullet struck a window last week.
But there is a problem with this story...the police have said that the window was struck with a downward spiral, meaning it was shot into the air, and it minimizes the chances that Cantor's office was the intended target.
I guess its time for a new "Magic Bullet" for the 21st Century.
(DISCLAIMER!!!!.....In no way am I advocating indiscriminately shooting bullets, arrows, slingshots, etc into the air in the vicinity of Congressmen or any elected official, or any other creature living or dead. Amen)
I had MSNBC on this afternoon, listening to David Shuster with the results of the latest Harris Poll....and to say this least, the results were really mindblowing.
In the past I have tried to refrain from "broadbrushing" the Republican Party and its membership- I have Republican friends and family; my late and beloved grandfather-and his brothers- all loyal GOP voters. But after listening to these results, and seeing them with my own eyes, I'm starting to wonder- just how many sane people are left in the GOP?
So here's some of the results, taken from Jon Avlon's blog in The Daily Beast. It deals with Republicans' thoughts about President Barack Obama.
* 67 percent of Republicans (and 40 percent of Americans overall) believe that Obama is a socialist.
* 57 percent of Republicans (32 percent overall) believe that Obama is a Muslim * 45 percent of Republicans (25 percent overall) agree with the Birthers in their belief that Obama was "not born in the United States and so is not eligible to be president" * 38 percent of Republicans (20 percent overall) say that Obama is "doing many of the things that Hitler did" * Scariest of all, 24 percent of Republicans (14 percent overall) say that Obama "may be the Antichrist."
I'm trying to figure out how a President, under who's watch the nation's financial institutions were bailed out and who's officers are raking in millions of dollars in bonuses, could be called a socialist. And today's signing of the healthcare reform act will be a windfall for the nation's insurance companies, with no public option as a fallback for the nation's uninsured.
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who is a socialist (and proud of it), was just on with Ed Schultz. The Senator more or less told the viewers that in no way, shape or form is Barack Obama a socialist. Sanders gave the example of Denmark, which is indeed socialist. In that country the citizens pay NOTHING for healthcare, and the tuition for the nation's university.....zero. As Senator Sanders explained, most American really have no idea what a socialist is.
And he's right.
Barack Obama is no more a socialist as I am the Fifth Beatle.
Nor is he a Muslim...nor is he foreign born. Then there are the 38% of the respondents to the poll who say Obama " is doing many of the things that Hitler did".
I guess that should send shockwaves to the throngs of Jewish and gay supporters Mr. Obama has....not to mention advisers, particularly Rahm Israel Emanuel, his chief of staff. Incidentally- Emmanuel's father was born in Jerusalem, and was a member of the Irgun. You'd think he's know the Resurrection of Der Fuhrer when he saw it.
And no, Obama did not burn down the House of Representatives (as Hitler did the Reichstag) and blame it on enemies of the state. He is not accompanied around the nation with Brown Shirts. No political opponents have disappeared in the darkness of night. Labor unions are still legal, and the last I've heard there have been no organized book burnings. We have yet to annex Canada (just the English speaking provinces) or invade a defenseless neighbor (the Bahamas, maybe?).
The Obama critics seem to know even less about fascism than they do socialism.
As for the President being "the Anti-Christ".....I don't know. If he were really the son of the Prince of Darkness (and I don't mean Ozzie), do you really think he would have put up with all of that crap from John Boehner for this long? He would have dispatched him to that Great Celestial Tanning Booth months ago.
Granted, I've played some of the above for laughs....but the results of this poll- and the belief of some extremists on the right that the President is a threat, and as stated in Avlon's blog, a "domestic enemy"...there is some very scary stuff starting to happen in America. And its not from Obama...its from those who toss around these lies and half truths, and those who sadly believe them.
I agree with Republican blogger David Frum, who's lamenting that the GOP's elected officials are no longer calling the shots in their own party....its the voices of the Limbaugh's and the Beck's, and the mega beast called Fox News. There is no room for moderation in the GOP of the 21st century; to even considerate working with Democrats would lead to a raking over the coals by Limbaugh, Beck, and the rest. The tone of discourse has taken on an ugly racial edge recently- and I believe much of the Obama hatred comes from the color of his skin, not from his ideas or policies. Not all, of course, but we're starting to see the poison bubble to the top.
Before the Republican Party can even consider "taking back America", they have to take back there own party from the extremists who have taken over, who's only agenda is to keep the hate alive, and offering no constructive ideas other than creative ways to keep saying "no".
New York Times Op-Ed columnist Paul Krugman talks about the passage of healthcare reform, and how the politics of fear was trumped by an appeal to that of "our better angels"
Conservative columnist and former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum blogs about President Obama and the Democrat's win on healthcare reform and how it has become the "Waterloo" of the Republicans and the Conservative movement. It is reproduced on the Progressive Eruptions blog, with my thanks.
