Just over a month ago, this was official NRA policy: "Everyone gets a gun." We warned of the dangerous folly of this policy. But of course, the NRA and its "TEA" powered allies refused to listen.
Charles Vacca was a firearms instructor at Last Stop, a gun range in White Hills, Arizona. Bullets And Burgers is Last Stop's tourist promotion that brings tourists from Las Vegas and up Highway 93 to the gun range with promises of "exotic" automatic weapons, "Desert Storm atmosphere", and lunch included. Earlier this week, Charles Vacca gave a nine year old girl an Uzi military grade submachine gun to fire. This was the result of that fateful decision.
Charles Vacca was brought to Las Vegas for medical attention, but it was too late. He died. He had been shot by the Uzi he had given to the nine year old girl to use at the range.
And now, we must all endure the painful aftermath. We must all confront the haunting questions left behind at Bullets And Burgers.
Of course, the usual suspects don't want to confront anything seen as challenging their "conventional wisdom". Under its "@NRAWomen account, the NRA actually tweeted "7 Ways Children Can Have Fun at the Shooting Range". And yes, the NRA actually tweeted this out yesterday.
When interviewed by Chris Hayes on MSNBC yesterday, Last Stop operator Sam Scarmardo said he plans to seek guidance from the NRA and other gun groups going forward. Perhaps he should rethink seeking any kind of guidance from the NRA.
On average, seven American children are shot dead every day. This nine year old girl could have killed herself along with Charles Vacca. Why on earth are children shooting Uzis at ranges like Last Stop?
On MSNBC last night, Sam Scarmardo defended Last Stop's decision to allow that nine year old child to shoot that Uzi by claiming "this was a big -- something that was high on her bucket list to do and her parents took her out to do what she was gonna do." Bucket list? Really? Is the "Children's Death Wish Bucket List" supposed to be the new "killer Las Vegas tourist attraction"?
"High on her bucket list"? Really, NRA? And really, LVCVA? If this is truly our new pitch to tourists, then perhaps we should become accustomed to seeing more numbers like these.
Showing posts with label Arizona. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arizona. Show all posts
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Who Could Have Guessed?
Who could have guessed? Who could have figured? Who could have possibly foreseen this?
In Seminole County, Florida, Mark Stanley claims he was legally justified in stealing copper wiring from a church... Because the law doesn't apply to him. A similar story has emerged in Lower Pottsgrove Township, Pennsylvania, where Ishaq Ibrahim claims "common law" allowed him and his cohorts to rob a bank. And just last week, Kevin Green was convicted of robbery in nearby Philadelphia despite Green's claim that the very court he was tried in is "unconstitutional".
But wait, there's more. In Oracle, Arizona, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu (R) encouraged local 21st Century Know Nothings to conduct a Murrieta style bus blockade to prevent #BorderChildren from reaching their promised shelter. And to make matters even worse, Paul Babeu and the anti-immigrant rabble rousers summoned the notorious Arizona State Militia to further intimidate the bus full of children.
Sound familiar yet? For one, all the above mentioned figures claim they can commit these crimes because they're "sovereign citizens". And in the Arizona case, the Arizona State Militia happens to be the ideological and organizational offspring of the Minuteman Project, the same outfit that spawned the likes of Shawna Forde and JT Ready.
Oh, and let's not forget this: the Arizona State Militia also rushed to fellow "sovereign citizen" Cliven Bundy's defense back in April. After all, they don't recognize the law. And #BundyRanch gave them the perfect opportunity to launch their ideal "Range War" against the federal government.
So they're all at it again. This time, Cliven Bundy is cheering from the sidelines while his "Patriot Movement" comrades take the "Range War" to a whole new level.
And speaking of whole new level, the Salt Lake City FBI recently arrested John David Huggins after uncovering his plot to blow up the Tremonton, Utah, police department. Of course, he wanted to "start an anti-government revolution". Hmmm... Where have we heard this before? (Hint: Remember the rants of Jerad & Amanda Miller.)
Who could have guessed? Who could have figured? Who could have possibly surmised all of this? Actually, the evidence has been all around us. We just need to start noticing it.
In Seminole County, Florida, Mark Stanley claims he was legally justified in stealing copper wiring from a church... Because the law doesn't apply to him. A similar story has emerged in Lower Pottsgrove Township, Pennsylvania, where Ishaq Ibrahim claims "common law" allowed him and his cohorts to rob a bank. And just last week, Kevin Green was convicted of robbery in nearby Philadelphia despite Green's claim that the very court he was tried in is "unconstitutional".
But wait, there's more. In Oracle, Arizona, Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu (R) encouraged local 21st Century Know Nothings to conduct a Murrieta style bus blockade to prevent #BorderChildren from reaching their promised shelter. And to make matters even worse, Paul Babeu and the anti-immigrant rabble rousers summoned the notorious Arizona State Militia to further intimidate the bus full of children.
Sound familiar yet? For one, all the above mentioned figures claim they can commit these crimes because they're "sovereign citizens". And in the Arizona case, the Arizona State Militia happens to be the ideological and organizational offspring of the Minuteman Project, the same outfit that spawned the likes of Shawna Forde and JT Ready.
Oh, and let's not forget this: the Arizona State Militia also rushed to fellow "sovereign citizen" Cliven Bundy's defense back in April. After all, they don't recognize the law. And #BundyRanch gave them the perfect opportunity to launch their ideal "Range War" against the federal government.
So they're all at it again. This time, Cliven Bundy is cheering from the sidelines while his "Patriot Movement" comrades take the "Range War" to a whole new level.
And speaking of whole new level, the Salt Lake City FBI recently arrested John David Huggins after uncovering his plot to blow up the Tremonton, Utah, police department. Of course, he wanted to "start an anti-government revolution". Hmmm... Where have we heard this before? (Hint: Remember the rants of Jerad & Amanda Miller.)
Who could have guessed? Who could have figured? Who could have possibly surmised all of this? Actually, the evidence has been all around us. We just need to start noticing it.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
From "Rebranding"... To Retreading
Last week, the Republican Party ran into a major public relations fiasco. Already, its "rebranding campaign" was falling apart. And its "softer image" was quickly hardened by its undying devotion to its 21st Century Know Nothing base.
So it came as no surprise to us that "rebranding" would eventually blow up in G-O-TEA politicians' faces. What did come as a surprise, however, was the lengths some G-O-TEA politicians went in an attempt to distance themselves from both their Koch-ed up sugar daddies and their "holy roller" political base. When Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) vetoed SB 1062, it signaled a new tack her Republican Party may be taking on civil rights issues...
Or did it? Even as Jan Brewer vetoed SB 1062, she attempted to validate the (unfounded) fears of the forces behind it with a bizarre attack on President Obama. Meanwhile closer to home, several high-profile Nevada Republicans, such as Adam Laxalt, Joe Heck, and Cresent Hardy, have revealed an embarrassing wedge between the bulk of the Nevada Republican Party and Governor Brian Sandoval (R) on LGBTQ civil rights. And on Capitol Hill, sitting Rep. & reigning "King of Crazy" Steve King (R-Iowa) unleashed an incredibly bizarre & nonsensical rant on "self-professed behavior".
Despite Republican "leaders" asserting the success of their "rebranding" campaign, the truth couldn't be any further from their assertion. Why? Behind their glossy rhetoric, G-O-TEA politicians continue to toe the "TEA Party Line". And if any one of them doesn't, even for so much as a single vote, they'll have hell to pay in the next G-O-TEA primary.
Never mind that what's hot in a G-O-TEA primary is decidedly not in a general election. Just this week, another new national poll showed strengthening public support for marriage equality. Even Arizona voters are growing more comfortable with marriage equality... And they may soon send another out LGBTQ Arizonan to Congress.
Think about this: How can we ever take "Republican rebranding" seriously if the party won't stop retreading the same old "Culture War" nonsense? Why should we ever believe the Republican Party has "evolved" on civil rights if the best it can offer is an occasional retreat from an exceptionally egregious display of bigotry? And how can that party ever adapt to the 21st century if it still hasn't made peace with the 20th?
So it came as no surprise to us that "rebranding" would eventually blow up in G-O-TEA politicians' faces. What did come as a surprise, however, was the lengths some G-O-TEA politicians went in an attempt to distance themselves from both their Koch-ed up sugar daddies and their "holy roller" political base. When Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) vetoed SB 1062, it signaled a new tack her Republican Party may be taking on civil rights issues...
Or did it? Even as Jan Brewer vetoed SB 1062, she attempted to validate the (unfounded) fears of the forces behind it with a bizarre attack on President Obama. Meanwhile closer to home, several high-profile Nevada Republicans, such as Adam Laxalt, Joe Heck, and Cresent Hardy, have revealed an embarrassing wedge between the bulk of the Nevada Republican Party and Governor Brian Sandoval (R) on LGBTQ civil rights. And on Capitol Hill, sitting Rep. & reigning "King of Crazy" Steve King (R-Iowa) unleashed an incredibly bizarre & nonsensical rant on "self-professed behavior".
Despite Republican "leaders" asserting the success of their "rebranding" campaign, the truth couldn't be any further from their assertion. Why? Behind their glossy rhetoric, G-O-TEA politicians continue to toe the "TEA Party Line". And if any one of them doesn't, even for so much as a single vote, they'll have hell to pay in the next G-O-TEA primary.
Never mind that what's hot in a G-O-TEA primary is decidedly not in a general election. Just this week, another new national poll showed strengthening public support for marriage equality. Even Arizona voters are growing more comfortable with marriage equality... And they may soon send another out LGBTQ Arizonan to Congress.
Think about this: How can we ever take "Republican rebranding" seriously if the party won't stop retreading the same old "Culture War" nonsense? Why should we ever believe the Republican Party has "evolved" on civil rights if the best it can offer is an occasional retreat from an exceptionally egregious display of bigotry? And how can that party ever adapt to the 21st century if it still hasn't made peace with the 20th?
Tuesday, March 4, 2014
Sore Losers
Like a thief in the night, it suddenly appeared... And shocked many. Nearly a year after SB 192 made its shocking debut in Carson City, SB 1062 rocked Phoenix. And all of a sudden, the nation endured a crash course lesson on the budding "License to Discriminate" movement and the shadowy forces behind it.
Yet even with Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) vetoing SB 1062, the "License to Discriminate" movement marches on. But how so? Yet another homophobic bill has been introduced in the Arizona Legislature. Meanwhile, SB 192/SB 1062 like "License to Discriminate" bills are still alive & kicking in Mississippi and Missouri. And "License to Discriminate" proponents are now crying "persecution" because they can't discriminate against whomever they want whenever they want.
Oh, yes. That's right. They're going there.
But wait, there's more. G-O-TEA King of Crazy (and still sitting Rep.) Steve King (R-Iowa) had some "words of wisdom" (/snark) on "self-professed behavior".
Perhaps he and Cresent Hardy have been enjoying some heart-to-hearts on "segregation laws"?
This is why we find it ironic that certain "TEA" flavored media pundits are urging LGBTQ Americans not to be "sore winners". Sure, new polls show growing support for LGBTQ civil rights (and more distrust of the G-O-TEA). But even as equality is winning the court of public opinion, and even as equality is increasingly winning in courts of law, we've yet to see full legal equality in practice nationwide. That's why civil rights advocates are decrying the "License to Discriminate" bills. They serve as a reminder that the beautiful struggle for equality may be turning for the better, but it's still far from over.
And if anything, anti-equality G-O-TEA politicians & pundits are the ones behaving like sore losers. They're the ones whining over the expectation that businesses with licenses to serve the public have the right to refuse basic human decency. And they're the ones crying "persecution" because society no longer smiles on their desires to persecute those who they don't like.
Yet even with Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) vetoing SB 1062, the "License to Discriminate" movement marches on. But how so? Yet another homophobic bill has been introduced in the Arizona Legislature. Meanwhile, SB 192/SB 1062 like "License to Discriminate" bills are still alive & kicking in Mississippi and Missouri. And "License to Discriminate" proponents are now crying "persecution" because they can't discriminate against whomever they want whenever they want.
Oh, yes. That's right. They're going there.
But wait, there's more. G-O-TEA King of Crazy (and still sitting Rep.) Steve King (R-Iowa) had some "words of wisdom" (/snark) on "self-professed behavior".
Perhaps he and Cresent Hardy have been enjoying some heart-to-hearts on "segregation laws"?
This is why we find it ironic that certain "TEA" flavored media pundits are urging LGBTQ Americans not to be "sore winners". Sure, new polls show growing support for LGBTQ civil rights (and more distrust of the G-O-TEA). But even as equality is winning the court of public opinion, and even as equality is increasingly winning in courts of law, we've yet to see full legal equality in practice nationwide. That's why civil rights advocates are decrying the "License to Discriminate" bills. They serve as a reminder that the beautiful struggle for equality may be turning for the better, but it's still far from over.
And if anything, anti-equality G-O-TEA politicians & pundits are the ones behaving like sore losers. They're the ones whining over the expectation that businesses with licenses to serve the public have the right to refuse basic human decency. And they're the ones crying "persecution" because society no longer smiles on their desires to persecute those who they don't like.
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Who Else Is Behind the "License to Discriminate" Bills?
What a month this has been for LGBTQ civil rights... And the Republican Party's tortured views on them. Earlier this month, Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto (D) and Governor Brian Sandoval (R) decided to drop their legal fight against marriage equality. Yet even after Sandoval did this, his party didn't go along for the ride. Rather, Attorney General candidate Adam Laxalt (R) and Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) twisted themselves into pretzels to try to spin away their opposition to civil marriage equality.
And then, outgoing Assembly Member and current NV-04 candidate Cresent Hardy (R) spoke of "segregation laws", and it all went downhill from there. Shortly after Hardy made those infamous comments, attention turned to Arizona's SB 1062, a "license to discriminate" bill masquerading as "religious freedom" legislation. It was actually based on the same model legislation that inspired the original SB 192 that Hardy cosponsored. And that model legislation has recently been popping up in even more state legislatures across the nation.
So who wrote this "license to discriminate" model legislation? Where did it all come from? Yesterday, we took a closer look at the origins of SB 192/SB 1062 and uncovered a trail that leads to the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a shadowy front group that masks all the Koch Industries/"TEA Party, Inc." money being poured into this "license to discriminate" campaign.
However, there's even more to this story. It turns out that the Ethics and Public Policy Center has been working hand-in-hand with another shadowy front group hiding another set of familiar players.
The Center for Arizona Policy has been decrying Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's (R) veto of SB 1062. After all, it prodded Arizona G-O-TEA legislators to introduce and pass the Ethics and Public Policy Center's "religious freedom" model legislation. And it's a state affiliate of CitizenLink, a nationwide religious right outfit.
But wait, who's CitizenLink? Where did that comes from? It turns out that CitizenLink is the 501(c)4 arm of Focus on the Family, a notorious anti-equality organization that's been devoted to fighting against LGBTQ civil rights for over a quarter century. And not only has Focus on the Family been fighting against LGBTQ civil rights in America, but it's recently become involved with Russia's state sanctioned homophobia & transphobia campaign. And it's never hesitated to stoop to shocking lows to promote its extreme agenda.
In the wake of all this "religious freedom"hogwash controversy, State Senator and Lt. Governor candidate Mark Hutchison (R) performed some linguistic gymnastics to try to distance himself (and running mate Brian Sandoval) from the bill he cosponsored in Carson City last year. Now, we have a better understanding of why he's done this (along with other Republican politicians who are running away from the now toxic legislation). And why's that? Simple: It's not easy conveying a "moderate" persona when one is carrying water (and legislation!) for the Kochs' "TEA" powered empire and the extreme religious right.
And then, outgoing Assembly Member and current NV-04 candidate Cresent Hardy (R) spoke of "segregation laws", and it all went downhill from there. Shortly after Hardy made those infamous comments, attention turned to Arizona's SB 1062, a "license to discriminate" bill masquerading as "religious freedom" legislation. It was actually based on the same model legislation that inspired the original SB 192 that Hardy cosponsored. And that model legislation has recently been popping up in even more state legislatures across the nation.
So who wrote this "license to discriminate" model legislation? Where did it all come from? Yesterday, we took a closer look at the origins of SB 192/SB 1062 and uncovered a trail that leads to the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a shadowy front group that masks all the Koch Industries/"TEA Party, Inc." money being poured into this "license to discriminate" campaign.
However, there's even more to this story. It turns out that the Ethics and Public Policy Center has been working hand-in-hand with another shadowy front group hiding another set of familiar players.
The Center for Arizona Policy has been decrying Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's (R) veto of SB 1062. After all, it prodded Arizona G-O-TEA legislators to introduce and pass the Ethics and Public Policy Center's "religious freedom" model legislation. And it's a state affiliate of CitizenLink, a nationwide religious right outfit.
But wait, who's CitizenLink? Where did that comes from? It turns out that CitizenLink is the 501(c)4 arm of Focus on the Family, a notorious anti-equality organization that's been devoted to fighting against LGBTQ civil rights for over a quarter century. And not only has Focus on the Family been fighting against LGBTQ civil rights in America, but it's recently become involved with Russia's state sanctioned homophobia & transphobia campaign. And it's never hesitated to stoop to shocking lows to promote its extreme agenda.
In the wake of all this "religious freedom"
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
From "Rebranding" to Crash Landing...
Here we go again. Once more, G-O-TEA politicians must pay the consequences of paying too much attention to the bullshit "words of wisdom" that drop from Rush Limbaugh's mouth. Once again, "El Rushbo" threw a temper tantrum over Jason Collins' return to the NBA courts and Michael Sam's possible entry into the NFL. And once again, G-O-TEA "playaz" are trying to turn Limbaugh's temper tantrum into actual legislation (and losing lobbying clients while doing so).
Oh, and speaking of actual legislation, Rush Limbaugh also had something to say about Arizona's SB 1062, aka Arizona's version of the "License to Discriminate" Bill. Surprise, he loves it! Surprise, he hates the "drive-by media" reporting on the real danger this bill presents. And surprise, he makes absolutely no sense when he claims Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) has been "bullied" over this bill.
We guess Rush Limbaugh would know, since he's the biggest bully of them all. And he's now stooping to new lows (even for him!) to promote the Koch-TEA Empire's greatest legislative masterpiece yet.
Unfortunately for him and other fans of "legalized" wrongful discrimination, the rest of America doesn't feel the same way. The NFL threatened to move the Super Bowl out of the state if SB 1062 had become law. And now, we know Governor Jan Brewer (R) just vetoed it. So there we have it...
Except that's not all. While Arizona faced a potentially horrendous anti-LGBTQ statute, Texas faced a potentially paradigm shifting courtroom decision while California faced one fewer ballot initiative this year. In California, proponents of a ballot initiative to overturn a new law guaranteeing civil rights for transgender students failed to gather enough valid signatures to place this initiative on the 2014 ballot. And in Texas, a federal judge just struck down Texas' marriage ban. Just as we've been saying here for some time, H8 is so outdated and marriage discrimination has no legal leg left to stand on... Not even in Texas.
Of course, the 21st Century Know Nothings are seething in rage tonight. That's why they're reveling in frivolous law suits, accidentally endorsing marriage equality on Twitter, and attacking each other for daring to "attack god". Oh, yes. That's right. They're really going there.
Meanwhile closer to home, the Nevada Republican Party continues to struggle with acceptance of the 21st century. After State Senator and Lt. Governor candidate Mark Hutchison (R-Las Vegas) boasted of his cosponsorship of SB 192 and Governor Brian Sandoval's (R) support for his bill, Sandoval himself then rebukedhis own favored running mate Senator Hutchison and promised to veto anything resembling SB 1062. And that would have meant a veto for the original version of SB 192 that Hutchison supported.
Once again, we're seeing the result of all that "Republican rebranding". And what's the result? Just take a look at California, Arizona, & Texas. Republican "leaders" are struggling to save face as their own base demands more and more extreme legislation... Along with a divorce from 21st century America. And funny enough, they're the ones claiming to "defend family values & traditional marriage". Yep, those Republicans are enjoying quite the "rebranding" lately...
Oh, and speaking of actual legislation, Rush Limbaugh also had something to say about Arizona's SB 1062, aka Arizona's version of the "License to Discriminate" Bill. Surprise, he loves it! Surprise, he hates the "drive-by media" reporting on the real danger this bill presents. And surprise, he makes absolutely no sense when he claims Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) has been "bullied" over this bill.
We guess Rush Limbaugh would know, since he's the biggest bully of them all. And he's now stooping to new lows (even for him!) to promote the Koch-TEA Empire's greatest legislative masterpiece yet.
Unfortunately for him and other fans of "legalized" wrongful discrimination, the rest of America doesn't feel the same way. The NFL threatened to move the Super Bowl out of the state if SB 1062 had become law. And now, we know Governor Jan Brewer (R) just vetoed it. So there we have it...
Except that's not all. While Arizona faced a potentially horrendous anti-LGBTQ statute, Texas faced a potentially paradigm shifting courtroom decision while California faced one fewer ballot initiative this year. In California, proponents of a ballot initiative to overturn a new law guaranteeing civil rights for transgender students failed to gather enough valid signatures to place this initiative on the 2014 ballot. And in Texas, a federal judge just struck down Texas' marriage ban. Just as we've been saying here for some time, H8 is so outdated and marriage discrimination has no legal leg left to stand on... Not even in Texas.
Of course, the 21st Century Know Nothings are seething in rage tonight. That's why they're reveling in frivolous law suits, accidentally endorsing marriage equality on Twitter, and attacking each other for daring to "attack god". Oh, yes. That's right. They're really going there.
Meanwhile closer to home, the Nevada Republican Party continues to struggle with acceptance of the 21st century. After State Senator and Lt. Governor candidate Mark Hutchison (R-Las Vegas) boasted of his cosponsorship of SB 192 and Governor Brian Sandoval's (R) support for his bill, Sandoval himself then rebuked
Once again, we're seeing the result of all that "Republican rebranding". And what's the result? Just take a look at California, Arizona, & Texas. Republican "leaders" are struggling to save face as their own base demands more and more extreme legislation... Along with a divorce from 21st century America. And funny enough, they're the ones claiming to "defend family values & traditional marriage". Yep, those Republicans are enjoying quite the "rebranding" lately...
License to Discriminate, Brought to You by Koch
What on earth is going on? The Nevada Legislature is not even in session this year. So why is it grabbing headlines this week?
We can thank SB 192 for this. Even though SB 192 itself died in Carson City last spring, its legacy has quickly been resurrected. And now, it's striking fear in the hearts of civil rights advocates across the nation.
So far this year, various reincarnations of SB 192 are bubbling up through several state legislatures. The most notorious one yet has emerged in Arizona in the form of SB 1062. Meanwhile in Georgia and Missouri, similar "license to discriminate" bills have been introduced.
Clearly, these bills are making waves across the nation... But where did these waves come from? Where did this all begin? The answer may surprise you.
We suspect few people have previously known about the Ethics and Public Policy Center. However, we're sure you've already heard of the Kochs and their burgeoning political empire. And believe it or not, the Kochs' well heeled tentacles reach into the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Oh, and it's also funded by the same "TEA Party, Inc." aligned billionaires' club who are behind such infamous TEA fueled entities as Donors Trust and ALEC.
It turns out that the Ethics and Public Policy Center has an "American Religious Freedom Program". And it turns out that "American Religious Freedom Program" gave birth to the "religious freedom"/"license to discriminate" bills that are now emerging in state legislatures across the nation. So finally, the mystery of the origin of these "license to discriminate" bills has been solved.
And surprise (/snark), these bills come from the same source as the rest of the G-O-TEA legislative agenda. Once again, "TEA Party, Inc." is hiding behind shadowy front groups to push Orwellian legislation to further it's extreme ideology. And this is why we shouldn't be surprised that other G-O-TEA front groups are rushing to back the "license to discriminate" movement.
We can thank SB 192 for this. Even though SB 192 itself died in Carson City last spring, its legacy has quickly been resurrected. And now, it's striking fear in the hearts of civil rights advocates across the nation.
So far this year, various reincarnations of SB 192 are bubbling up through several state legislatures. The most notorious one yet has emerged in Arizona in the form of SB 1062. Meanwhile in Georgia and Missouri, similar "license to discriminate" bills have been introduced.
Clearly, these bills are making waves across the nation... But where did these waves come from? Where did this all begin? The answer may surprise you.
We suspect few people have previously known about the Ethics and Public Policy Center. However, we're sure you've already heard of the Kochs and their burgeoning political empire. And believe it or not, the Kochs' well heeled tentacles reach into the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Oh, and it's also funded by the same "TEA Party, Inc." aligned billionaires' club who are behind such infamous TEA fueled entities as Donors Trust and ALEC.
It turns out that the Ethics and Public Policy Center has an "American Religious Freedom Program". And it turns out that "American Religious Freedom Program" gave birth to the "religious freedom"/"license to discriminate" bills that are now emerging in state legislatures across the nation. So finally, the mystery of the origin of these "license to discriminate" bills has been solved.
And surprise (/snark), these bills come from the same source as the rest of the G-O-TEA legislative agenda. Once again, "TEA Party, Inc." is hiding behind shadowy front groups to push Orwellian legislation to further it's extreme ideology. And this is why we shouldn't be surprised that other G-O-TEA front groups are rushing to back the "license to discriminate" movement.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Enough Already... Stop the Insani-TEA
We had it yesterday. We had it with whatever talk (that's not tongue-in-cheek) remains of "Republican rebranding". And we had it with G-O-TEA politicians feigning "moderation" while continuing to promote dangerously extreme legislation.
If Cresent Hardy still needs further examples of actual "segregation laws", he need not look farther than next door. Why? Take a look at Arizona. Arizona's SB 1062, which happens to be identical to the original version of Nevada's SB 192 that Hardy cosponsored last year,
would put into place an exceptionally broad license to discriminate if Governor Jan Brewer (R) signs SB 1062 into law. It would open doors to anti-LGBTQ discrimination, as well as further restrictions on women's health care, "legal" religious intolerance, and perhaps even the reintroduction of "legal" racial segregation... And do so all in the name of "religious freedom".
This is why the pressure is mounting for a veto of SB 1062. Oh, and that pressure isn't just coming from civil rights advocates and progressive activists. Corporate lobbyists, Arizona's 2015 Super Bowl Committee, and even both of Arizona's Republican US Senators are begging Governor Brewer to veto SB 1062.
Yet even as SB 1062 has become such an ugly hot potato in Arizona, another look-alike bill is making its way through the Georgia Legislature. And more specifically anti-LGBTQ legislation is being considered in Tennessee & South Dakota. And to top it all off, some G-O-TEA lobbyist/"media personality" is pushing his allies in Congress to push federal legislation to ban out LGBTQ football players!
OK, it's time for us to say this again. No wait, we'll let our other favorite philosopher say it herself this time.
Seriously, G-O-TEA politicians need to take her advice. What's the point of all these license to discriminate bills? Sure, they're popular with the G-O-TEA base... But everyone else is disgusted by such blatant and brazen bigotry.
Already, "Republican rebranding" has become the go-to political punchline of 2014. How much more do G-O-TEA politicians want to ruin their own party? Perhaps it's finally time for them to stop this insani-TEA once & for all.
If Cresent Hardy still needs further examples of actual "segregation laws", he need not look farther than next door. Why? Take a look at Arizona. Arizona's SB 1062, which happens to be identical to the original version of Nevada's SB 192 that Hardy cosponsored last year,
would put into place an exceptionally broad license to discriminate if Governor Jan Brewer (R) signs SB 1062 into law. It would open doors to anti-LGBTQ discrimination, as well as further restrictions on women's health care, "legal" religious intolerance, and perhaps even the reintroduction of "legal" racial segregation... And do so all in the name of "religious freedom".
This is why the pressure is mounting for a veto of SB 1062. Oh, and that pressure isn't just coming from civil rights advocates and progressive activists. Corporate lobbyists, Arizona's 2015 Super Bowl Committee, and even both of Arizona's Republican US Senators are begging Governor Brewer to veto SB 1062.
Yet even as SB 1062 has become such an ugly hot potato in Arizona, another look-alike bill is making its way through the Georgia Legislature. And more specifically anti-LGBTQ legislation is being considered in Tennessee & South Dakota. And to top it all off, some G-O-TEA lobbyist/"media personality" is pushing his allies in Congress to push federal legislation to ban out LGBTQ football players!
OK, it's time for us to say this again. No wait, we'll let our other favorite philosopher say it herself this time.
Seriously, G-O-TEA politicians need to take her advice. What's the point of all these license to discriminate bills? Sure, they're popular with the G-O-TEA base... But everyone else is disgusted by such blatant and brazen bigotry.
Already, "Republican rebranding" has become the go-to political punchline of 2014. How much more do G-O-TEA politicians want to ruin their own party? Perhaps it's finally time for them to stop this insani-TEA once & for all.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Same Ol' Story, Same Ol' FAIL
Don't blame us for being repetitive. Rather, blame various Nevada Republicans trying to climb up the political ladder. Oh, and blame their "TEA" drinking counterparts nearby for their refusal to acknowledge the existence of the 21st century.
Oh, where do we begin? Let's start with Attorney General candidate Adam Laxalt (R). He made some noise earlier this month with his vocal opposition to Governor Brian Sandoval's (R) approval of outgoing Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto's (D) decision to drop the State of Nevada's legal defense of marriage discrimination in the Sevcik v. Sandoval federal law suit. And so far, he's still going there. Even when a nationally prominent conservative columnist raised her eyebrow over Laxalt's fervent opposition to marriage equality, he responded by claiming he's "compelled to defend our constitution". Apparently, Adam Laxalt still needs those "basic plumbing lessons" on the inner workings of the US Constitution.
Oh, and he needs to step away from Cresent Hardy's "segregation laws" and Barbara Cegavske's delusions of grandeur. They don't seem to have an understanding of the Constitution or common sense. They only seem to understand the deepest dark desires of the G-O-TEA base. But then again, this may be why Adam Laxalt is following their lead.
And herein lies the heart of the Republican Party's "rebranding" FAIL and identity crisis. Various Republican "leaders" have attempted to "rebrand the party" into a more "consumer friendly image". But whenever they've tried, the 21st Century Know Nothings have fought back with more demands for ideological "purity". And so far, they've succeeded in forcing the party to double down on their "Culture War".
Case in point: Arizona. The legislature there passed the equivalent to the original SB 192 (there, it's SB 1062). And now, the bill awaits Governor Jan Brewer's (R) decision to sign or veto.
On one hand, US Senator Jeff Flake (R-Arizona) has joined a growing chorus of Republicans and conservative business groups begging Governor Brewer to veto SB 1062 along with all the state’s Democrats and civil rights advocates. But on the other hand, the 21st Century Know Nothings who comprise the G-O-TEA base want SB 1062 to become law, even as the state faces another round of boycotts should the "License to Discriminate Bill" become law. Yet even as the deadline to act on this bill quickly approaches, Arizona's Governor hasn't given any indication of what she will do to it.
So don't blame us for being repetitive. Rather, blame the G-O-TEA politicians who keep peddling their outdated platform that celebrates wrongful discrimination. And blame the "TEA" fueled Culture Warriors who still refuse to admit defeat in their effort to undo the entire 20th century. They keep living the same old story, and the Republican Party keeps failing into the same old FAIL.
Oh, where do we begin? Let's start with Attorney General candidate Adam Laxalt (R). He made some noise earlier this month with his vocal opposition to Governor Brian Sandoval's (R) approval of outgoing Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto's (D) decision to drop the State of Nevada's legal defense of marriage discrimination in the Sevcik v. Sandoval federal law suit. And so far, he's still going there. Even when a nationally prominent conservative columnist raised her eyebrow over Laxalt's fervent opposition to marriage equality, he responded by claiming he's "compelled to defend our constitution". Apparently, Adam Laxalt still needs those "basic plumbing lessons" on the inner workings of the US Constitution.
Oh, and he needs to step away from Cresent Hardy's "segregation laws" and Barbara Cegavske's delusions of grandeur. They don't seem to have an understanding of the Constitution or common sense. They only seem to understand the deepest dark desires of the G-O-TEA base. But then again, this may be why Adam Laxalt is following their lead.
And herein lies the heart of the Republican Party's "rebranding" FAIL and identity crisis. Various Republican "leaders" have attempted to "rebrand the party" into a more "consumer friendly image". But whenever they've tried, the 21st Century Know Nothings have fought back with more demands for ideological "purity". And so far, they've succeeded in forcing the party to double down on their "Culture War".
Case in point: Arizona. The legislature there passed the equivalent to the original SB 192 (there, it's SB 1062). And now, the bill awaits Governor Jan Brewer's (R) decision to sign or veto.
On one hand, US Senator Jeff Flake (R-Arizona) has joined a growing chorus of Republicans and conservative business groups begging Governor Brewer to veto SB 1062 along with all the state’s Democrats and civil rights advocates. But on the other hand, the 21st Century Know Nothings who comprise the G-O-TEA base want SB 1062 to become law, even as the state faces another round of boycotts should the "License to Discriminate Bill" become law. Yet even as the deadline to act on this bill quickly approaches, Arizona's Governor hasn't given any indication of what she will do to it.
So don't blame us for being repetitive. Rather, blame the G-O-TEA politicians who keep peddling their outdated platform that celebrates wrongful discrimination. And blame the "TEA" fueled Culture Warriors who still refuse to admit defeat in their effort to undo the entire 20th century. They keep living the same old story, and the Republican Party keeps failing into the same old FAIL.
Friday, February 21, 2014
No "Freedom", Just FAIL
Last year, an unexpected bomb was dropped on Carson City. That bomb nearly blew up the 77th session of the Nevada Legislature and put into question the state’s progress on civil rights. But in the end, it only blew up on State Senator Barbara Cegavske (R-Spring Valley) when Assembly leaders decided to shelve her bill (after an sharply amended version passed the State Senate).
The short yet lurid life of SB 192 in Carson City managed to shock a number of civil rights advocates and political observers. In recent years, the State of Nevada has made progress in recognizing LGBTQ civil rights. Why would this state suddenly undo all that progress to grant "freedom to discriminate"?
When SB 192 died in Carson City last spring, many assumed that would be the end of this debate. But all of a sudden, it's making news again. Why? Assembly Member, SB 192 cosponsor, and NV-04 candidate Cresent Hardy (R-Mesquite) evoked his religious beliefs to explain why he can't agree to "segregation laws" like ENDA (that combat wrongful discrimination). And shortly after Hardy dropped his bomb, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) followed suit with his bizarre argument against marriage equality.
And now, the story has become national. How so? The same shadowy religious right/G-O-TEA interest groups thatwrote SB 192 for Barbara Cegavske pushed SB 192 here in Nevada are now on the verge of passing a look-alike bill into law in Arizona.
Like SB 192, the Arizona "Freedom to Discriminate" bill seemed to come out of nowhere. But unlike SB 192, the Arizona bill was not watered down, and it ultimately sailed through both houses of that state's legislature. That's why civil rights advocates are now trying whatever they can think of to convince Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) to veto this bill and spare the state a costly legal fight & huge PR embarrassment.
Once again, we're seeing a campaign to legalize anti-LGBTQ discrimination masquerade as "concern for religious liberty". Once again, we're seeing the bulk of G-O-TEA politicians go along to get along with their 21st Century Know Nothing base. And once again, we're reminded of why "Republican rebranding" is already shaping up to be the most EPIC FAIL of 2014.
The short yet lurid life of SB 192 in Carson City managed to shock a number of civil rights advocates and political observers. In recent years, the State of Nevada has made progress in recognizing LGBTQ civil rights. Why would this state suddenly undo all that progress to grant "freedom to discriminate"?
When SB 192 died in Carson City last spring, many assumed that would be the end of this debate. But all of a sudden, it's making news again. Why? Assembly Member, SB 192 cosponsor, and NV-04 candidate Cresent Hardy (R-Mesquite) evoked his religious beliefs to explain why he can't agree to "segregation laws" like ENDA (that combat wrongful discrimination). And shortly after Hardy dropped his bomb, Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) followed suit with his bizarre argument against marriage equality.
And now, the story has become national. How so? The same shadowy religious right/G-O-TEA interest groups that
Like SB 192, the Arizona "Freedom to Discriminate" bill seemed to come out of nowhere. But unlike SB 192, the Arizona bill was not watered down, and it ultimately sailed through both houses of that state's legislature. That's why civil rights advocates are now trying whatever they can think of to convince Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) to veto this bill and spare the state a costly legal fight & huge PR embarrassment.
Once again, we're seeing a campaign to legalize anti-LGBTQ discrimination masquerade as "concern for religious liberty". Once again, we're seeing the bulk of G-O-TEA politicians go along to get along with their 21st Century Know Nothing base. And once again, we're reminded of why "Republican rebranding" is already shaping up to be the most EPIC FAIL of 2014.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Time for Change
3 years ago, the entire nation was shocked. The world's attention turned to a neighborhood strip mall near Tucson. And 19 people were shot that day. One of them was then Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona). 6 others died, including a federal judge, a Giffords staffer, and a 9 year old girl.
In some ways, things have changed in the past 3 years. Gabby Giffords herself has made an amazing recovery since that day. This week, she even managed to take a pleasant little sky dive.
Yet in other ways, things haven't changed all that much in the past 3 years. The 6 people who passed away are still gone. Many more lives have been lost to senseless gun violence since then. And far too many politicians are still too afraid to consider enacting sensible gun safety policies.
Of course, the actual people who have firsthand knowledge of the tragedy of gun violence are speaking out. This actually has been a breakthrough we've experienced in the past 3 years. It's even led Senator Harry Reid (D) and the Nevada Legislature to take gun violence more seriously.
Unfortunately, none of this was enough for Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NRA), Senator Dean Heller (R-NRA), Rep. Joe Heck (R-??!!), and other G-O-TEA politicians in Carson City & DC who were too worried about their standing with the NRA to even consider any type of gun safety legislation. After all, the NRA and the rest of the gun lobby consider gun safety reform to be far more offensive than making death threats on talk radio!
Nearly a year ago, Gabrielle Giffords herself urged her former colleagues in Congress to be courageous. Her message is just as relevant and timely now as it was then. How many more of these painful anniversaries must we endure? It's time for change.
In some ways, things have changed in the past 3 years. Gabby Giffords herself has made an amazing recovery since that day. This week, she even managed to take a pleasant little sky dive.
Yet in other ways, things haven't changed all that much in the past 3 years. The 6 people who passed away are still gone. Many more lives have been lost to senseless gun violence since then. And far too many politicians are still too afraid to consider enacting sensible gun safety policies.
Of course, the actual people who have firsthand knowledge of the tragedy of gun violence are speaking out. This actually has been a breakthrough we've experienced in the past 3 years. It's even led Senator Harry Reid (D) and the Nevada Legislature to take gun violence more seriously.
Unfortunately, none of this was enough for Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NRA), Senator Dean Heller (R-NRA), Rep. Joe Heck (R-??!!), and other G-O-TEA politicians in Carson City & DC who were too worried about their standing with the NRA to even consider any type of gun safety legislation. After all, the NRA and the rest of the gun lobby consider gun safety reform to be far more offensive than making death threats on talk radio!
Nearly a year ago, Gabrielle Giffords herself urged her former colleagues in Congress to be courageous. Her message is just as relevant and timely now as it was then. How many more of these painful anniversaries must we endure? It's time for change.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Supreme Rebuke
It's that time of the year again! It's June, so the US Supreme Court is handing down rulings. And today, the High Court issued a(nother) surprising rebuke of Arizona's xenophobic anti-immigrant statutes.
In 2004, Arizona voters approved Proposition 200, an initiative that soon imposed harsh restrictions on voter registration. Since the passage of Prop 200, Arizona counties have rejected over 31,000 voter registration forms due to failure to provide additional "proof of citizenship" (far beyond what federal law already calls for). But today, the US Supreme Court said no more.
So what does this mean? Basically, Arizona violated Article I, Section 4, of the US Constitution by attempting to supersede federal election law. So now, Prop 200 is no more and Arizona (and any other states trying to prevent certain citizens from exercising their legal voting rights) can no longer erect additional barriers to the ballot box.
Prop 200 is one of many examples of Republican/"tea party" efforts to use xenophobia to gain political success. But now that they're experiencing more embarrassing electoral failure in the wake of backlash to this campaign of xenophobia, at least some top Republicans are now backtracking on this... And warning the rest of their party to follow suit.
Ouch. That's harsh. But on the other hand, that's likely so true.
After all, this is why these top Republicans are now calling on their party to embrace comprehensive immigration reform. However, they still face epic resistance from the base of their own party. And as long as the 21st Century Know Nothings continue to resist reform, Republicans will continue to face electoral trouble ahead.
So not only is the US Supreme Court rebuking this toxic "TEA" of xenophobia, but so are a growing number of voters. So when will Republicans finally be ablebto quit it once and for all?
In 2004, Arizona voters approved Proposition 200, an initiative that soon imposed harsh restrictions on voter registration. Since the passage of Prop 200, Arizona counties have rejected over 31,000 voter registration forms due to failure to provide additional "proof of citizenship" (far beyond what federal law already calls for). But today, the US Supreme Court said no more.
The justices voted 7-2 to throw out Arizona’s voter-approved requirement that prospective voters document their U.S. citizenship in order to use a registration form produced under the federal “Motor Voter” voter registration law.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said that the 1993 National Voter Registration Act, which doesn’t require such documentation, trumps Arizona’s Proposition 200 passed in 2004. Arizona officials say their law is needed to stop non-Americans from voting in elections, while opponents see it as an attack on minorities, immigrants and the elderly.
But the high court agreed with the federal government in the case.
So what does this mean? Basically, Arizona violated Article I, Section 4, of the US Constitution by attempting to supersede federal election law. So now, Prop 200 is no more and Arizona (and any other states trying to prevent certain citizens from exercising their legal voting rights) can no longer erect additional barriers to the ballot box.
Prop 200 is one of many examples of Republican/"tea party" efforts to use xenophobia to gain political success. But now that they're experiencing more embarrassing electoral failure in the wake of backlash to this campaign of xenophobia, at least some top Republicans are now backtracking on this... And warning the rest of their party to follow suit.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., on Sunday told conservatives who are trying to block the measure that they will doom the party and all but guarantee a Democrat will remain in the White House after 2016’s election. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., went a step further and predicted “there’ll never be a road to the White House for the Republican Party” if immigration overhaul fails to pass. [...]
“After eight years of President Obama’s economic policies, and, quite frankly, foreign policy, people are going to be looking around,” Graham said. “But if we don’t pass immigration reform, if we don’t get it off the table in a reasonable, practical way, it doesn’t matter who you run in 2016. We’re in a demographic death spiral as a party and the only way we can get back in good graces with the Hispanic community, in my view, is pass comprehensive immigration reform. If you don’t do that, it really doesn’t matter who we run.”
In 2012, Obama won re-election with the backing of 71 percent of Hispanic voters and 73 percent of Asian voters. A thwarted immigration overhaul could again send those voting blocs to Democrats’ side. That has led some Republican lawmakers to support immigration reform, but the party’s conservative base still opposes any legislation that would create a pathway to citizenship for immigrants living here illegally.
Democrats are well aware of the numbers. “I would tell my Republican colleagues, both in the House and the Senate, that the road to the White House comes through a road with a pathway to legalization,” Menendez said. “Without it, there’ll never be a road to the White House for the Republican Party.”
Ouch. That's harsh. But on the other hand, that's likely so true.
After all, this is why these top Republicans are now calling on their party to embrace comprehensive immigration reform. However, they still face epic resistance from the base of their own party. And as long as the 21st Century Know Nothings continue to resist reform, Republicans will continue to face electoral trouble ahead.
So not only is the US Supreme Court rebuking this toxic "TEA" of xenophobia, but so are a growing number of voters. So when will Republicans finally be ablebto quit it once and for all?
Sunday, March 24, 2013
High Time... to Act on Medical Marijuana?
On Friday, something amazing happened. Nevada legislators actually toured a medical marijuana dispensary. And they toured one in Arizona! Why?
As we discussed on Friday, Segerblom introduced SB 374 to address this legal contradiction. Under the Nevada Constitution, patients are allowed to use medical marijuana... But there's currently no way to legally obtain it other than growing it oneself. And not everyone can operate a marijuana farm. And even those who grow their own marijuana face challenges because there's an arbitrary one ounce limit and no legal way to access seeds.
And now, there's another reason why legislators will need to take on SB 374 and this overall issue. Also on Friday, the ACLU filed suit against the state.
I had a feeling this was coming. It was likely inevitable. Again, the problem lies in the contradiction in Nevada law. While patients have the right to medical marijuana treatment under the Nevada Constitution, the Clark County DA's office and other prosecutors are using the lack of clarity on how to access that treatment to actually prosecute patients seeking treatment and retailers providing that treatment.
Last year, two Clark County judges issued contradictory rulings while Metro & the DA's office ordered raids into medical marijuana providers. Again, this is supposed to be legal medicine under the Nevada Constitution! Yet instead, patients & providers live in fear of police raids, arrests, prosecutions, and costly law suits. Something must change.
And that's why #NVLeg can no longer ignore this issue. In the past, it was dismissed as a simple laughing matter. Even last week, some legislators were joking about "joint committee", "natural resources committee", and "high court". Yet while those legislators were joking and snickering, real people were likely being harassed by police and the DA's office over what's supposed to be legal medicine.
So something must change. Perhaps this convergence of issues & stories will finally force the Nevada Legislature to act. That, after all, seems to be par for the course in Carson City.
Arizona is still early in the process of opening dispensaries. Sen. Tick Segerblom [D-Las Vegas] of Nevada said there are concerns in Nevada that opening dispensaries there could open room for abuse, especially by minors.
“I figure that if Arizona can do it — the most conservative state in the country — there’s no reason that Nevada can’t do it,” Segerblom said.
Four Nevada senators and an assembly member visited Arizona Organix on Friday, then traveled to the state Capitol to meet with Arizona legislators.
Bill Myer, an owner and director at Arizona Organix, called the visit “fantastic.” He showed visitors cultivation facilities and varied security measures.
“They were taking notes fast and furiously,” Myer said.
As we discussed on Friday, Segerblom introduced SB 374 to address this legal contradiction. Under the Nevada Constitution, patients are allowed to use medical marijuana... But there's currently no way to legally obtain it other than growing it oneself. And not everyone can operate a marijuana farm. And even those who grow their own marijuana face challenges because there's an arbitrary one ounce limit and no legal way to access seeds.
And now, there's another reason why legislators will need to take on SB 374 and this overall issue. Also on Friday, the ACLU filed suit against the state.
In a brief filed Friday with the Nevada Supreme Court, the ACLU says the law makes criminals of people “who make reasonable efforts” to obtain medical marijuana. While medical marijuana is legal in Nevada, it cannot legally be purchased. [...]
The ACLU brief supports the decision of Clark County District Court Judge Donald Mosley, who ruled the Nevada law invalid in the case of two men indicted in connection with the operation of a nonprofit co-op to dispense the drug.
“There is no practical way to obtain medical marijuana in the state of Nevada,” said Katrina M. Ross, staff attorney for the ACLU in Las Vegas. She noted that in 1998 voters approved a constitutional amendment to allow a person, upon the advice of a physician, to obtain medical marijuana for use in a variety of illnesses, such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV and multiple sclerosis.
The brief says the two men indicted by a Clark County grand jury “were prosecuted for behavior that is constitutionally protected.”
After Mosley dismissed the indictment, the Clark County District Attorney’s Office appealed to the Nevada Supreme Court, which has not yet set a hearing date.
I had a feeling this was coming. It was likely inevitable. Again, the problem lies in the contradiction in Nevada law. While patients have the right to medical marijuana treatment under the Nevada Constitution, the Clark County DA's office and other prosecutors are using the lack of clarity on how to access that treatment to actually prosecute patients seeking treatment and retailers providing that treatment.
Last year, two Clark County judges issued contradictory rulings while Metro & the DA's office ordered raids into medical marijuana providers. Again, this is supposed to be legal medicine under the Nevada Constitution! Yet instead, patients & providers live in fear of police raids, arrests, prosecutions, and costly law suits. Something must change.
And that's why #NVLeg can no longer ignore this issue. In the past, it was dismissed as a simple laughing matter. Even last week, some legislators were joking about "joint committee", "natural resources committee", and "high court". Yet while those legislators were joking and snickering, real people were likely being harassed by police and the DA's office over what's supposed to be legal medicine.
So something must change. Perhaps this convergence of issues & stories will finally force the Nevada Legislature to act. That, after all, seems to be par for the course in Carson City.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Pay Attention, Senators.
Earlier today, the Senate Judiciary Committee invited a very special guest to testify. And her testimony was quite moving, even with it lasting less than two minutes.
Gabrielle Giffords knows firsthand the pain of gun violence and the horror of a mass shooting. She was nearly assassinated just over two years ago, when she represented Southern Arizona in Congress and was conducting a "Congress at Your Corner" event just north of Tucson. While Giffords survived the shooting, eight other people passed away. Her husband, retired NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, explained to the committee the impact of the Tucson Massacre, the shock following the Newtown massacre, and why they & other gun owners support common sense gun safety reform.
Of course, the latter particularly frightens the NRA. After all, they claim to be the monolithic voice of America's gun owners. And they really don't like being called out on their nonsenical, idiotic "ideas".
Strangely enough, as the hearing continued and Mark Kelly was being questioned, news broke of another Arizona shooting. This time, it was at an office complex in Phoenix. So far, three people have been wounded.
Truth can so often be so much stranger than fiction.
Before today's hearing, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-It's Complicated) insisted he will bring gun safety legislation to the Senate floor. Yet so far, he still hasn't said whether he would vote for the Assault Weapons Ban favored by his good friends, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) & President Obama. We don't even know for sure how he will vote on universal background checks & efforts to curb illegal gun trafficking.
Meanwhile, Nevada's other Senator, Dean Heller (R-46%), has hardly said a peep on gun safety since Newtown. Even with a mountain of evidence illustrating the need for gun safety reform along with overwhelming public support for it, Heller has kept his silence. Wait, isn't "Senator No Labels Postpartisan" supposed to ditch his "tea party" past in favor of a "moderate" new agenda? Well, now is a good time for both Heller and Reid to demonstrate that.
Hopefully, at least some of their staff are paying close attention to today's hearing. This should be a learning experience for the entire US Senate.
"Thank you for inviting me here today. This is an important conversation for our children, for our communities, for Democrats and Republicans. Speaking is difficult, but I need to say something important. Violence is a big problem. Too many children are dying. Too many children. We must do something. It will be hard but the time is now. You must act. Be bold. Be courageous. Americans are counting on you. Thank you."
Gabrielle Giffords knows firsthand the pain of gun violence and the horror of a mass shooting. She was nearly assassinated just over two years ago, when she represented Southern Arizona in Congress and was conducting a "Congress at Your Corner" event just north of Tucson. While Giffords survived the shooting, eight other people passed away. Her husband, retired NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, explained to the committee the impact of the Tucson Massacre, the shock following the Newtown massacre, and why they & other gun owners support common sense gun safety reform.
Of course, the latter particularly frightens the NRA. After all, they claim to be the monolithic voice of America's gun owners. And they really don't like being called out on their nonsenical, idiotic "ideas".
"My problem with background checks is you are never going to get criminals to go through universal background checks. And all the law-abiding people, you'll create an enormous federal bureaucracy, unfunded, hitting all the little people in the country, will have to go through it, pay the fees, pay the taxes," LaPierre said. "We don't even prosecute anybody right now that goes through the system we have. So, we're going to make all those law-abiding people go through the system and then we aren't going to prosecute any of the bad guys if they do catch one. None of it makes any sense in the real world. We have 80,000 police families in the NRA. We care about safety. We support what works."
After a brief interlude by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), the committee chairman, Durbin went after LaPierre.
"Mr. LaPierre, that's the point," Durbin fired back. "The criminals won't go to purchase the guns because there'll be a background check. We'll stop them from original purchase. You missed that point completely. It's basic."
Strangely enough, as the hearing continued and Mark Kelly was being questioned, news broke of another Arizona shooting. This time, it was at an office complex in Phoenix. So far, three people have been wounded.
Truth can so often be so much stranger than fiction.
Before today's hearing, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-It's Complicated) insisted he will bring gun safety legislation to the Senate floor. Yet so far, he still hasn't said whether he would vote for the Assault Weapons Ban favored by his good friends, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) & President Obama. We don't even know for sure how he will vote on universal background checks & efforts to curb illegal gun trafficking.
Meanwhile, Nevada's other Senator, Dean Heller (R-46%), has hardly said a peep on gun safety since Newtown. Even with a mountain of evidence illustrating the need for gun safety reform along with overwhelming public support for it, Heller has kept his silence. Wait, isn't "Senator No Labels Postpartisan" supposed to ditch his "tea party" past in favor of a "moderate" new agenda? Well, now is a good time for both Heller and Reid to demonstrate that.
Hopefully, at least some of their staff are paying close attention to today's hearing. This should be a learning experience for the entire US Senate.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Why Is Nevada G-O-TEA Doubling Down on Anti-Immigrant Hysteria?
On the heels of yesterday's US Supreme Court ruling striking down most of Arizona's SB 1070, there's been plenty of speculation on what it means for us here in Nevada.
First off, can it come here? A Northern Nevada Assembly Republican is trying.
And that's likely why an Arizona style "Papers Please" law won't be coming here any time soon. Remember when Chad Christensen tried desperately to save his political career? It looks like Ira Hansen now wants to bring Chad Christensen's legacy back from the political dead and threaten to wipe out our economy.
Wait, why did I just say that last part? Let me explain.
Nevada's economy is still largely dependent on tourism and the free movement of people. And even if/when we ever decide to diversify our economy, we still need a free movement of people to make that possible. If Nevada were to pass an Arizona SB 1070 clone, we'd be draining the life blood out of our own economy.
Don't believe me? Look at what's happened to all the states that have so far adopted Arizona like statutes. The numbers don't lie, and those numbers aren't painting a pretty picture.
Yet despite the growing evidence proving that anti-immigrant SB 1070 style bills hurt the economy, why is Ira Hansen still pursuing one for Nevada? Oh, it's just the same reason why Mitt Romney still supports SB 1070. It's the same reason why retiring Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) is suggesting impeaching President Obama. And it's the same reason why Dean Heller and Joe Heck are still sticking up for Joe Arpaio and Jan Brewer.
Simply put, hysterical xenophobia turns on the G-O-TEA base. And because their "minority outreach" just isn't working, they may have no choice left but to double down on the crazy and hope a repackaging of their xenophobia can somehow appeal to older white voters with economic anxiety. That's really all they have left.
First off, can it come here? A Northern Nevada Assembly Republican is trying.
In response to the opinion handed down by the court, Assemblyman Ira Hansen, R-Sparks, asked legislative bill drafters Monday to rewrite his measure that failed last session.
Hansen said this time, the proposed law will have the advantage of having the constitutional boundaries established by the Supreme Court. But Hansen is under no illusions he’ll be more successful. [...]
Hansen’s bill isn’t the only time Nevada’s powerful industries opposed an effort to institute an Arizona-type immigration law here.
During the heat of the 2010 U.S. Senate Republican primary, former Assemblyman Chad Christensen, R-Las Vegas, filed an initiative petition to put an Arizona law in front of Nevada voters. The state’s gaming lobby quickly stepped up to oppose the effort, including the Nevada Resort Association and Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.
The industry argued such a law could lead to a tourism boycott of Nevada.
But the industry’s workforce is also heavily Hispanic, individuals who could be subjected to the racial profiling that opponents of Arizona’s law say it engenders.
And that's likely why an Arizona style "Papers Please" law won't be coming here any time soon. Remember when Chad Christensen tried desperately to save his political career? It looks like Ira Hansen now wants to bring Chad Christensen's legacy back from the political dead and threaten to wipe out our economy.
Wait, why did I just say that last part? Let me explain.
Nevada's economy is still largely dependent on tourism and the free movement of people. And even if/when we ever decide to diversify our economy, we still need a free movement of people to make that possible. If Nevada were to pass an Arizona SB 1070 clone, we'd be draining the life blood out of our own economy.
Don't believe me? Look at what's happened to all the states that have so far adopted Arizona like statutes. The numbers don't lie, and those numbers aren't painting a pretty picture.
Yet despite the growing evidence proving that anti-immigrant SB 1070 style bills hurt the economy, why is Ira Hansen still pursuing one for Nevada? Oh, it's just the same reason why Mitt Romney still supports SB 1070. It's the same reason why retiring Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) is suggesting impeaching President Obama. And it's the same reason why Dean Heller and Joe Heck are still sticking up for Joe Arpaio and Jan Brewer.
Simply put, hysterical xenophobia turns on the G-O-TEA base. And because their "minority outreach" just isn't working, they may have no choice left but to double down on the crazy and hope a repackaging of their xenophobia can somehow appeal to older white voters with economic anxiety. That's really all they have left.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Adios, "Papers Please"?
While it won't entirely be going away, Arizona's SB 1070 definitely won't be the same after today.
So apparently, Mitt Romney's immigration guru, Kris Kobach, isn't as good on abiding by the US Constitution as he is in using xenophobia to further his political career. I wonder what Mittens thinks about this.
And I wonder what Dean Heller thinks about this. After all, he was also on that Kris Kobach/Joe Arpaio anti-immigrant crazy train... Until it was no longer politically convenient for him.
And now, we're finding out that crazy train is unconstitutional. And we're supposed to be surprised? The State of Arizona clearly encroached upon federal jurisdiction, and it clearly violated many Americans' civil rights. We'll just have to wait and see if this is a wake-up call for Republicans. Will they ever see that their zeal for harrassing people that don't look like them is really alienating all the rest of us? Or is that just too much of a "clown question"?
In a 5-3 ruling handed down by Justice Anthony Kennedy, the high court held that most of the provisions being challenged encroached on turf that is constitutionally reserved for the federal government. The court overturned parts of the law that criminalize one’s presence in Arizona without documentation, criminalize working or looking for work without legal status, and permit police to arrest people without a warrant if there’s suspicion that they’ve committed a deportable crime.
But the provision of the law permitting police to check a person’s immigration papers during lawful encounters was deemed valid and not a preemption of federal law.
Joining Justice Kennedy in the majority were John Roberts, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor. Justice Elena Kagan, who worked on the issue as Obama’s solicitor general, did not participate in the case.
Arizona argued that the law cooperatively assists the U.S. with immigration enforcement, but the court mostly agreed with the Obama administration that key parts of the law encroach on the federal government’s exclusive right to make policy on the matter.
So apparently, Mitt Romney's immigration guru, Kris Kobach, isn't as good on abiding by the US Constitution as he is in using xenophobia to further his political career. I wonder what Mittens thinks about this.
And I wonder what Dean Heller thinks about this. After all, he was also on that Kris Kobach/Joe Arpaio anti-immigrant crazy train... Until it was no longer politically convenient for him.
And now, we're finding out that crazy train is unconstitutional. And we're supposed to be surprised? The State of Arizona clearly encroached upon federal jurisdiction, and it clearly violated many Americans' civil rights. We'll just have to wait and see if this is a wake-up call for Republicans. Will they ever see that their zeal for harrassing people that don't look like them is really alienating all the rest of us? Or is that just too much of a "clown question"?
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Wherein Nevada Is Positioned to Remain a Blue State in 2012, Part V
I think this video really explains it all.
However, I won't end it there. Believe it or not, there's actually more. Mitt Romney has attacked gay parents who adopted children, promised another $264,000 tax cut to the wealthiest 0.1%, stood up for Canadian oil company lobbyists over the people in "Middle America" who don't want to worry about the giant, dangerous tar sands oil pipeline in their backyard, and attacked the SUCCESSFUL auto industry rescue plan that saved American jobs. And hey, we're just talking about "Mr. 1%" Mittens here.
There's also "Frothy" Ricky Santorum. Oh, lordy...
Believe it or not, Mittens had to pour millions of campaign dollars into Michigan just to eke out a 3% win over that guy.
So as we discussed last night, it's likely the G-O-TEA primary brawl will continue regardless of how Mittens' surrogates spin last night's results on the cable "news" channels. And as the primary fight goes on, Mittens faces more challenges... Including in the general election should he survive primary season, since he's lurched so far to the radical right that his issue positions are virtually identical to Santorum's.
And this brings us back here to Nevada. We've already seen Joe Heck run away from his BFF on housing. I don't think you need me to remind you why this happened... But hey, what the Heck!
Oh yes, and there's the economy that Mittens & Ricky keep blaming on President Obama. Yep, there's that economy that's now adding jobs here in Nevada, making consumers feel increasingly confident, and one that grew 3% in the fourth quarter of last year (better than most economists' expectations). At this point, I'm sure President Obama welcomes their "blame".
This is probably why Romney, Santorum, and their G-O-TEA buddies in Congress have shifted back to "CUL'CHUR WARZZZ!!!" crazy. What's really funny with this is that talk of probing women's private parts, denying civil rights to LGBTQ Americans, dehumanizing Latin@ Americans simply because of their family heritage, and attacking Muslims for just being Muslim is really turning off voters. No, really. No, really.
Yesterday, local Republicans were trying to distract from their many woes plaguing them this month (like their EPIC FAIL of a caucus) by trumpeting a Public Opinion Strategies poll that even Jon Ralston (who likes their Nevada pollster) admitted undersampled Latin@ voters. Yet in Ralston's Sun column this morning, he noted how even this POS poll may spell trouble for the Nevada GOP.
Strangely enough, that POS poll had Obama and Shelley Berkley underperforming in Clark County while overperforming in Washoe County. Sorry, but I call BS on POS. I honestly do think they had sampling problems this time, so maybe the entire poll has to be thrown out. But even when that's done and we look at recent election results in Washoe County, Ralston is correct that Washoe seems to be trending Democratic. And yes, I also think he's right about independents there being turned off by the radical right G-O-TEA crazy. So when the likes of Romney and Santorum continue to double down on "CUL-CHUR WARZZZ!!!" crazy and economic royalist crap that would make Ebenezer Scrooge blush, Republicans may very well face serious problems in the Reno area this fall. And if that happens, then it's quite likely Nevada will take quite the deep blue hue come this November.
However, I won't end it there. Believe it or not, there's actually more. Mitt Romney has attacked gay parents who adopted children, promised another $264,000 tax cut to the wealthiest 0.1%, stood up for Canadian oil company lobbyists over the people in "Middle America" who don't want to worry about the giant, dangerous tar sands oil pipeline in their backyard, and attacked the SUCCESSFUL auto industry rescue plan that saved American jobs. And hey, we're just talking about "Mr. 1%" Mittens here.
There's also "Frothy" Ricky Santorum. Oh, lordy...
Believe it or not, Mittens had to pour millions of campaign dollars into Michigan just to eke out a 3% win over that guy.
So when you consider his built-in advantages, the money he poured into the state, the attacks he leveled against Santorum, and the dreadful debate performance Santorum turned in last week, Romney’s three-point margin seems a lot less impressive. This was not like Florida, where Romney utterly decimated his chief foe (Newt Gingrich) and posted a lopsided victory. This was a must-win state that Romney threw everything he had at… and managed to win by just three points – apparently with a big boost from early voters, many of whom cast their ballots before Santorum surged into contention.
This suggests that Romney may not get much of a bounce out Michigan – and that he could find himself in big trouble again one week from now on Super Tuesday. The biggest state to vote that day is Ohio, a big Midwest state culturally and demographically similar to Michigan. The latest poll in the Buckeye State, released early on Tuesday, gives Santorum an 11-point lead over Romney, 37 to 26 percent. Maybe those numbers will tighten in the wake of Michigan, but Romney is going to have to fight for it.
So as we discussed last night, it's likely the G-O-TEA primary brawl will continue regardless of how Mittens' surrogates spin last night's results on the cable "news" channels. And as the primary fight goes on, Mittens faces more challenges... Including in the general election should he survive primary season, since he's lurched so far to the radical right that his issue positions are virtually identical to Santorum's.
And this brings us back here to Nevada. We've already seen Joe Heck run away from his BFF on housing. I don't think you need me to remind you why this happened... But hey, what the Heck!
Oh yes, and there's the economy that Mittens & Ricky keep blaming on President Obama. Yep, there's that economy that's now adding jobs here in Nevada, making consumers feel increasingly confident, and one that grew 3% in the fourth quarter of last year (better than most economists' expectations). At this point, I'm sure President Obama welcomes their "blame".
This is probably why Romney, Santorum, and their G-O-TEA buddies in Congress have shifted back to "CUL'CHUR WARZZZ!!!" crazy. What's really funny with this is that talk of probing women's private parts, denying civil rights to LGBTQ Americans, dehumanizing Latin@ Americans simply because of their family heritage, and attacking Muslims for just being Muslim is really turning off voters. No, really. No, really.
Yesterday, local Republicans were trying to distract from their many woes plaguing them this month (like their EPIC FAIL of a caucus) by trumpeting a Public Opinion Strategies poll that even Jon Ralston (who likes their Nevada pollster) admitted undersampled Latin@ voters. Yet in Ralston's Sun column this morning, he noted how even this POS poll may spell trouble for the Nevada GOP.
The numbers in the North are fascinating. Berkley and Heller are in a dead heat in Washoe County, and the president’s numbers (56-40) are amazingly strong there. So, is the poll just wrong or is something happening here? Any poll can miss the mark, but folks should not miss what is happening in Washoe, as evidenced by Obama’s ’08 victory there and Reid’s ’10 win. Yes, no analogy is perfect, especially one that might involve Sharron Angle. But Washoe is turning bluer and bluer — Jill Derby and Heller were competitive there twice in congressional races — and even independents there seem more liberal than anywhere else in the state. That could be an ominous harbinger for the GOP.
Strangely enough, that POS poll had Obama and Shelley Berkley underperforming in Clark County while overperforming in Washoe County. Sorry, but I call BS on POS. I honestly do think they had sampling problems this time, so maybe the entire poll has to be thrown out. But even when that's done and we look at recent election results in Washoe County, Ralston is correct that Washoe seems to be trending Democratic. And yes, I also think he's right about independents there being turned off by the radical right G-O-TEA crazy. So when the likes of Romney and Santorum continue to double down on "CUL-CHUR WARZZZ!!!" crazy and economic royalist crap that would make Ebenezer Scrooge blush, Republicans may very well face serious problems in the Reno area this fall. And if that happens, then it's quite likely Nevada will take quite the deep blue hue come this November.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Michigan & Arizona Results Liveblog
5:30 PM-
We're starting to get results from Michigan now, and Rick Santorum has a very early lead. However, note that Oakland County (upper middle class & wealthy northwestern Detroit suburbs) and a few rural counties are just starting to report.
So far, we've seen plenty of spin on how much a win or loss means for Mitt Romney's campaign going forward. However, some seem to forget that Michigan's Republican primary was considered a "gimme" for Romney just a month ago.
This really goes to show how volatile the G-O-TEA primary season has become. And it goes to show how hard it's been for Romney to "seal the deal", despite all the media proclamations of Romney being "the presumptive nominee". Perhaps the media pundits really do assume too much?
5:45 PM-
As more results trickle in, we're starting to get a better sense of what's happening in the state. Now this is still early, so everything can change in the next hour. But at least for now, Mitt Romney is leading in Oakland County while Rick Santorum is building a healthy lead in the Grand Rapids area and the Upper Peninsula. Romney is expected to do well in the upscale Detroit suburbs, and Santorum is expected to do well in the Upper Peninsula, but Grand Rapids was expected to be a key swing region. Is this an important tea leaf for tonight?
6:00 PM-
OK, so we get how important Michigan is... So will our next door neighbor finally get some media love tonight? Probably not, since Arizona is about to join us and New Hampshire in "The Foregone Conclusion Club". Still, there may be some analysis on just how high Romney can run up the score. But if Romney somehow gets under 40% in Arizona tonight, there may be even more questions as to if the G-O-TEA base will ever really "be into him".
OK, Romney was just declared the winner in Arizona... But again, we'll have to see how high he runs up the score... And if it's enough to make up for a possible loss in Michigan.
6:15 PM-
So far, NBC News' exit poll suggests Mitt Romney is about to eek out a 3% win in Michigan tonight... So game over? Not quite. Look at the map. Will Romney's strength in the Detroit area be enough to overcome his weakness virtually everywhere else? We'll have to wait and see.
6:30 PM-
Here's TPM with the rundown on what looks to be a possible 2-for-2 night for Romney. Of course his campaign will spin it as good news... But is it?
Mittens keeps trying and trying and trying to win over those darned teabaggers with even more radical right rhetoric. Yet with each new flip-flop and "arrogant 1% moment" and "inauthentic moment of blue collar pander", Romney keeps digging himself into a deeper electoral hole. Should he emerge as the Republican nominee, the G-O-TEA may still be in deep doo-doo come November.
6:50 PM-
Dave Weigel posted this and this on Twitter.
I suspect we'll soon see the Romney campaign declare "VICTORY!" at some point within the next 40 minutes. However, this won't end G-O-TEA primary season. Oh no, I suspect we'll be back here next week to liveblog "SUPER DUPER TUESDAY!!!" It's really about this.
And now, Santorum has a chance to win outright in Ohio and Tennessee and Oklahoma. As long as Mittens continues to play footsie with teabaggers, and as long as teabaggers continue to play hard to get while flirting with Santorum, this primary fight will go on... And President Obama keeps looking better and better and better. ;-)
We're starting to get results from Michigan now, and Rick Santorum has a very early lead. However, note that Oakland County (upper middle class & wealthy northwestern Detroit suburbs) and a few rural counties are just starting to report.
So far, we've seen plenty of spin on how much a win or loss means for Mitt Romney's campaign going forward. However, some seem to forget that Michigan's Republican primary was considered a "gimme" for Romney just a month ago.
A native son of Michigan, where his father served as governor, Romney’s facing high expectations about his ability to beat former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, who’s directly challenged him with message focusing on the middle class and a manufacturing revival.
Romney had been expected to easily win here until Santorum upset the former Massachusetts governor in a trio of nominating contests earlier this month. If momentum carries Santorum to victory on Tuesday in Michigan, it would put Romney’s campaign – long considered the favorite among Republicans seeking the nomination – on precarious political footing.
“I think it’s going to be an embarrassment if he does lose. I don’t think it looks good when you win in your home state, but I’m hopeful that he’ll pull it out,” said Julie Wells, a teacher from Birmingham who intends to vote for Romney, at a rally Monday evening in this Detroit suburb.
This really goes to show how volatile the G-O-TEA primary season has become. And it goes to show how hard it's been for Romney to "seal the deal", despite all the media proclamations of Romney being "the presumptive nominee". Perhaps the media pundits really do assume too much?
5:45 PM-
As more results trickle in, we're starting to get a better sense of what's happening in the state. Now this is still early, so everything can change in the next hour. But at least for now, Mitt Romney is leading in Oakland County while Rick Santorum is building a healthy lead in the Grand Rapids area and the Upper Peninsula. Romney is expected to do well in the upscale Detroit suburbs, and Santorum is expected to do well in the Upper Peninsula, but Grand Rapids was expected to be a key swing region. Is this an important tea leaf for tonight?
6:00 PM-
OK, so we get how important Michigan is... So will our next door neighbor finally get some media love tonight? Probably not, since Arizona is about to join us and New Hampshire in "The Foregone Conclusion Club". Still, there may be some analysis on just how high Romney can run up the score. But if Romney somehow gets under 40% in Arizona tonight, there may be even more questions as to if the G-O-TEA base will ever really "be into him".
OK, Romney was just declared the winner in Arizona... But again, we'll have to see how high he runs up the score... And if it's enough to make up for a possible loss in Michigan.
6:15 PM-
So far, NBC News' exit poll suggests Mitt Romney is about to eek out a 3% win in Michigan tonight... So game over? Not quite. Look at the map. Will Romney's strength in the Detroit area be enough to overcome his weakness virtually everywhere else? We'll have to wait and see.
6:30 PM-
Here's TPM with the rundown on what looks to be a possible 2-for-2 night for Romney. Of course his campaign will spin it as good news... But is it?
His win in Arizona was not without its potential costs in the general election. Romney further tacked right on immigration, calling Arizona’s tough law a “model” for the nation in an Arizona debate and accepting an endorsement from the governor who signed it, Jan Brewer. Democrats are hoping that Romney’s continued embrace of a crackdown on undocumented immigrants will help motivate Hispanic voters to turn out in droves for President Obama, potentially putting Arizona in play as a swing state.
It’s for that reason that those delegates might seem little consolation. The main focus of the fight is in Michigan: it’s where both candidates will deliver their speeches tonight. The reason: in many pundits’ eyes this isn’t even a battle he should be having in the first place. This is Romney’s home state; he was born here, his father was governor here, and Romney beat John McCain handily here only four years ago.
Now, though, he’s in a lose-lose situation. Should he lose his birth state to Santorum, then even his close allies admit this could upend his campaign. Romney made something of a preemptive strike on this in an interview with Fox News. He told his hosts that it would be more significant if he “was turned down by Massachusetts” - the state he had lived in for forty years. He also slammed any talk of a brokered convention or of himself slipping out of the fight, framing the race as a drawn-out battle of attrition that was all about the delegates.
It’s the issue of the delegates that make up the next part of the lose-lose scenario for Romney. Because of Michigan’s allocation of delegates by district, he could actually come out of tonight a close second and yet actually have more on hand than Santorum. However, even if he were to win by a slim margin, it’s possible the media will join in the framing that this is still a loss: that the mere fact he’s having such a close contest in his birth state is an intrinsic sign of his weakness as a candidate.
Mittens keeps trying and trying and trying to win over those darned teabaggers with even more radical right rhetoric. Yet with each new flip-flop and "arrogant 1% moment" and "inauthentic moment of blue collar pander", Romney keeps digging himself into a deeper electoral hole. Should he emerge as the Republican nominee, the G-O-TEA may still be in deep doo-doo come November.
6:50 PM-
Dave Weigel posted this and this on Twitter.
daveweigel @daveweigel Close
This primary will END the RACE. Just like NH did. And SC did. And FL did. And... #MIprimary
6:36 PM - 28 Feb 12 via TweetDeck · Details
daveweigel @daveweigel
BREAKING: In a couple of days Romney will lose a bunch of primaries to Santorum anyway. #MIprimary
6:36 PM - 28 Feb 12 via TweetDeck · Details
I suspect we'll soon see the Romney campaign declare "VICTORY!" at some point within the next 40 minutes. However, this won't end G-O-TEA primary season. Oh no, I suspect we'll be back here next week to liveblog "SUPER DUPER TUESDAY!!!" It's really about this.
There are 59 delegates up for grabs in Michigan and Arizona Tuesday, but the delegate count is being overshadowed by the nail-biter race in Michigan where Romney could lose the state he grew up in. The outcome in Michigan has taken on an outsized, symbolic importance that will dictate the mood heading into Super Tuesday next week.
In a way, no matter the outcome in Michigan, the damage to Mitt Romney’s campaign is already done. No one knows who will win Michigan tonight, but the fact that it will be incredibly close has weakened Romney’s campaign by underscoring his enduring problems connecting with working class and evangelical voters. This was supposed to be an easy state for Romney, who took it by ten points in 2008’s primary and has outspent Santorum there this time by 2 to 1. Even headlines like Romney barely wins home state will not be doing him any favors. In the same way, as both Republicans and Democrats have commented, Rick Santorum may lose Michigan, but in a sense he’s already won by coming this close.
And now, Santorum has a chance to win outright in Ohio and Tennessee and Oklahoma. As long as Mittens continues to play footsie with teabaggers, and as long as teabaggers continue to play hard to get while flirting with Santorum, this primary fight will go on... And President Obama keeps looking better and better and better. ;-)
We're Taking a Break from "Tax Week"...
Tonight and tomorrow morning to take a look at what happens next door... And in Michigan... As well as what's been happening nationally. It seems like the wheels are falling off "The G-O-TEA Express", especially since it's veered so far to the radical right lately.
Huh?
HUH??!!
Early this month, I thought things looked bad for Republicans after the Nevada Caucus. But as the circus does its final act in Arizona and Michigan before moving to "Super Tuesday Land", the G-O-TEAcircus clowns contenders have really lost it... And by "it", I mean the November election. ;-)
The first poll closures happen at 6:00 PM tonight, so I'll be back then to live blog the Arizona & Michigan results, the media spin, and the facts that debunk the spin.
Huh?
HUH??!!
Early this month, I thought things looked bad for Republicans after the Nevada Caucus. But as the circus does its final act in Arizona and Michigan before moving to "Super Tuesday Land", the G-O-TEA
The first poll closures happen at 6:00 PM tonight, so I'll be back then to live blog the Arizona & Michigan results, the media spin, and the facts that debunk the spin.
Thursday, February 23, 2012
El Partido Loco
This morning, The Sun published a story on immigrants who have been duped by "notarios" promising work permits and legal residency for clients... But who later fail to deliver
Last September, ICE arrested Cesar Silva and planned to deport him... Until a number of folks in the local community threw protests, pushed local elected officials to denounce the deportation, and ultimately shamed ICE into dropping plans to deport Silva after jailing him for a week. Now, ICE is granting him a one year stay while it reviews his case and gives Silva's current legal team time to make a case for granting him legal status.
And Cesar Silva isn't the only immigrant who was misled into believing a "notario" can make all one's ICE problems go away for a "small fee". Crap like this happens all the time.
Yet G-O-TEA hopefuls like Mitt Romney just don't care.
Mitt Romney has actually said he wants to veto the DREAM Act. And Mitt Romney has actually claimed "self-deportation" as "the solution to illegal immigration". And Mitt Romney has an extreme anti-immigrant activist with ties to known racist hate groups writing his immigration policy. And despite Romney's own run-ins with immigration law...
He doesn't seem to want to give anyone else a break. Even though people like Cesar Silva are trying to fix their situation and pursue legal residency, today's G-O-TEA is so mired in nativist, xenophobic fantasy that it lost touch with reality long ago. No wonder why we saw this in Arizona last night.
And it's not just Mitt Romney with his head in the sand. Dean Heller continues to join him there. He may strut into a Hispanics in Politics meeting and talk about a "mutually agreeable" solution, but his view of a "solution" is way to the right of REPUBLICANS like George Bush and John McCain. Heller's embrace of "tea party" nativist extremism is just as craven as Romney's, and his "solutions" that he proposed in the not-so-distant past are just as unworkable. This is why I can't believe the crocodile tears Heller's campaign team are shedding over Heller being compared to that other G-O-TEA Senate candidate who infamously embraced xenophobia.
As we saw this morning, there are real people who are looking for real ways to earn real legal status in this country. And yes, there are real obstacles getting in the way that we need to deal with. But with the likes of Romney, Heller, and Angle wanting to punish people like Cesar Silva for trying to do the right thing, they just show us that today's G-O-TEA doesn't even want to discuss real, rational, comprehensive immigration reform.
[I]n 1996, [Cesar Silva] saw an ad from an immigration legal services agency saying it secured work permits and legal residency for immigrants.
At the agency, the person helping Silva called over another client. The client showed Silva a work permit and explained how the agency helped him get it in just a few months. Silva, thinking he was on his way to legal status, was delighted.
The agency, however, never helped Silva. After taking roughly $8,000 from him, it only had made it harder for him to eventually obtain a legal status. [...]
Wherever there are significant immigrant populations, there are people trying to take advantage of them with various scams, authorities say. In some cases, people who have no license to practice law misrepresent their credentials, then file paperwork stating their clients are representing themselves. Other times they may take a client’s money and do not file anything, all the better for not attracting scrutiny from the authorities. In other cases, such as Silva’s, scam artists use their knowledge of the convoluted immigration system to give the appearance they are working on their client’s behalf.
Without Silva’s knowledge, the agency filed paperwork for him under an asylum provision that was in place for Nicaraguans. Once the paperwork was filed, immigration services issued a temporary work permit to Silva. Wheels were in motion, he thought, and he willingly paid more fees.
However, his application was bound to be denied as the company filed it with Silva’s Mexican birth certificate, Flores said.
The agency essentially announced Silva’s presence in the country to immigration enforcement and then on the paperwork indicated he was representing himself. Inevitably, Silva received a deportation notice.
“I brought the notice into them,” he said. “They just told me, ‘Oh, it’s fine. That’s all part of the process. We are working on your behalf.’”
Last September, ICE arrested Cesar Silva and planned to deport him... Until a number of folks in the local community threw protests, pushed local elected officials to denounce the deportation, and ultimately shamed ICE into dropping plans to deport Silva after jailing him for a week. Now, ICE is granting him a one year stay while it reviews his case and gives Silva's current legal team time to make a case for granting him legal status.
And Cesar Silva isn't the only immigrant who was misled into believing a "notario" can make all one's ICE problems go away for a "small fee". Crap like this happens all the time.
Yet G-O-TEA hopefuls like Mitt Romney just don't care.
Mitt Romney has actually said he wants to veto the DREAM Act. And Mitt Romney has actually claimed "self-deportation" as "the solution to illegal immigration". And Mitt Romney has an extreme anti-immigrant activist with ties to known racist hate groups writing his immigration policy. And despite Romney's own run-ins with immigration law...
He doesn't seem to want to give anyone else a break. Even though people like Cesar Silva are trying to fix their situation and pursue legal residency, today's G-O-TEA is so mired in nativist, xenophobic fantasy that it lost touch with reality long ago. No wonder why we saw this in Arizona last night.
And it's not just Mitt Romney with his head in the sand. Dean Heller continues to join him there. He may strut into a Hispanics in Politics meeting and talk about a "mutually agreeable" solution, but his view of a "solution" is way to the right of REPUBLICANS like George Bush and John McCain. Heller's embrace of "tea party" nativist extremism is just as craven as Romney's, and his "solutions" that he proposed in the not-so-distant past are just as unworkable. This is why I can't believe the crocodile tears Heller's campaign team are shedding over Heller being compared to that other G-O-TEA Senate candidate who infamously embraced xenophobia.
In turn, [Shelley] Berkley and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee have their own Spanish radio ad, tying Heller on immigration issues to the ultimate Nevada bugbear: Sharron Angle, the very right-wing GOP Senate nominee in 2010, who lost to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid despite the national Republican wave.
“The party of Sharron Angle, but this time, in Spanish! Can you believe it?” the announcer says mockingly. “The Republicans have ads that attack Democratic Congresswoman Shelley Berkley and President Obama, who support the Dream Act and immigration reform.
“Who is their candidate now? Dean Heller: the Republican who wants to copy the anti-immigrant Arizona law here in Nevada, who voted to cut funds to Head Start and student scholarships, who is against immigration reform and would deport grandparents and separate children from their mothers.”
She also adds: “In the Republican Dean Heller we have another Sharron Angle.”
As we saw this morning, there are real people who are looking for real ways to earn real legal status in this country. And yes, there are real obstacles getting in the way that we need to deal with. But with the likes of Romney, Heller, and Angle wanting to punish people like Cesar Silva for trying to do the right thing, they just show us that today's G-O-TEA doesn't even want to discuss real, rational, comprehensive immigration reform.
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