Ever since we started following him, we knew he would be going places. We knew he had that "fire in the belly".
We also knew he had something we don't often see in ambitious politicians: a genuine drive to help one's constituents. Whether he's been sticking up for his law abiding constituents in Bunkerville, helping veterans access the health care they need in Las Vegas & Pahrump, or looking after military families in Hawthorne, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) has been going the extra mile to serve all his constituents in NV-04.
He helped Alan in Centennial Hills access the veterans benefits he earned...
And he helped Dona in Pahrump clear up her tax issues.
Typically, this is the kind of constituent service that gets rave reviews. But you know who isn't a fan of this? Karl Rove. His Crossroads PAC is dumping about $1,000,000 worth of anti-Horsford ads onto Nevada airwaves.
Karl Rove is hoping this will be enough to make NV-04 voters forget all about Cresent Hardy's fondness for "segregation laws" and shady finances. He's hoping this will be enough to make voters forget about Rep. Horsford's tireless work to keep Bryan Rivera's family together.
Because early voting has been very slow so far, Republican operatives are now boasting of a "wave". And now, they're claiming this means Cresent Hardy has "momentum".
Never mind Rep. Horsford's actual record of service to constituents. Never mind the stories of Alan, Dona, & Bryan. And never mind Rep. Horsford earning the endorsements of all the major Southern Nevada newspapers. Because only a few people have voted so far, Republicans now think they can sneak Cresent Hardy into Congress.
What a difference #1more vote can make. A few more votes can make a huge difference in the coming days. A few more votes can shift "conventional wisdom". A few more votes can turn back a "wave".
And now, a few more #1more's can upend Karl Rove's political calculus? Might you be that #1more to do it?
Showing posts with label Steven Horsford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steven Horsford. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Marriage Equality... Is Finally Coming to Nevada!
Boom goes the dynamite. Just like this, it's over.
Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote the majority opinion. Judges Marsha Berzon and Ronald Gould agreed, so the panel was unanimous in rendering this decision. The full Ninth Circuit opinion is now up. And like that, marriage equality is coming to Nevada! Oh, and it's coming to Idaho, too!
Actually, this is no suprise. Back in September, the Ninth Circuit judges were highly skeptical of the H8ers' whines and screams. H8ers are going to hate... But the Ninth Circuit panel wanted none of it.
Now keep in mind that this decision will not be appealed by the State of Nevada. And since the US Supreme Court just turned down seven cases appealing lower court pro-marriage rulings, it's probably a good idea for our world famous wedding chapels to prepare for the onslaught of wedding requests that's about to begin any day now.
Moments ago, Reps. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) & Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) tweeted their congratulations. We're still awaiting word from Cresent Hardy (R-"Segregation Laws"), Adam Laxalt (R-"Political Issues"), & Barbara Cegavske (R-License to Discriminate). And we have a feeling we'll see far more reactions from elected officials across the state as the news sets in.
We hold that the Idaho and Nevada laws at issue violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment because they deny lesbians and gays who wish to marry persons of the same sex a right they afford to individuals who wish to marry persons of the opposite sex, and do not satisfy the heightened scrutiny standard we adopted in SmithKline.
Judge Stephen Reinhardt wrote the majority opinion. Judges Marsha Berzon and Ronald Gould agreed, so the panel was unanimous in rendering this decision. The full Ninth Circuit opinion is now up. And like that, marriage equality is coming to Nevada! Oh, and it's coming to Idaho, too!
Actually, this is no suprise. Back in September, the Ninth Circuit judges were highly skeptical of the H8ers' whines and screams. H8ers are going to hate... But the Ninth Circuit panel wanted none of it.
Now keep in mind that this decision will not be appealed by the State of Nevada. And since the US Supreme Court just turned down seven cases appealing lower court pro-marriage rulings, it's probably a good idea for our world famous wedding chapels to prepare for the onslaught of wedding requests that's about to begin any day now.
Moments ago, Reps. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) & Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) tweeted their congratulations. We're still awaiting word from Cresent Hardy (R-"Segregation Laws"), Adam Laxalt (R-"Political Issues"), & Barbara Cegavske (R-License to Discriminate). And we have a feeling we'll see far more reactions from elected officials across the state as the news sets in.
A Big Deal Over So Little ($)
Yesterday, a very special guest appeared at Casa Don Juan in Downtown Las Vegas. Vice President Joe Biden stopped by to host a roundtable discussion on raising the minimum wage. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas), Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman (I), and local business owners joined Vice President Biden at Casa Don Juan.
The Vice President received some tough questions yesterday, including one on the economic impact this would have on small businesses. Here's how he responded.
And he's actually quite far from alone. According to a CareerBuilder national survey released late last month, 55% of hiring managers support raising the federal minimum wage to at least $10 an hour (while another 30% want it raised above $8 an hour). This falls in line with a July Lake Research poll showing 61% of small business owners support a $10.10 national minimum wage. And that came after a March Greenberg Quinlan Rosner poll showing 57% of small business owners support a $10.10 minimum wage.
So yes, even those in charge of hiring understand the need for a fairer and more livable minimum wage. And why not? They're on the economic front line. They realize how much we're losing by allowing so many people to fall between the cracks and into unnecessary poverty.
Yesterday, the usual "TEA" powered suspects were mocking Vice President Biden's message at Casa Don Juan. Have they tried living on minimum wage level earnings? Have they met the hard working Americans who are struggling to make ends meet on poverty level income? Have they even visited the states that have recently raised the minimum wage and are actually experiencing improved job growth?
Our guess is no. After all, it's so much easier to take political pot shots than to examine the actual policy. It's so much easier to pontificate about "economic philosophy" than to produce actual policies to solve our growing inequality crisis.
Who knew there could be such a huge fight over so little?
The Vice President received some tough questions yesterday, including one on the economic impact this would have on small businesses. Here's how he responded.
And he's actually quite far from alone. According to a CareerBuilder national survey released late last month, 55% of hiring managers support raising the federal minimum wage to at least $10 an hour (while another 30% want it raised above $8 an hour). This falls in line with a July Lake Research poll showing 61% of small business owners support a $10.10 national minimum wage. And that came after a March Greenberg Quinlan Rosner poll showing 57% of small business owners support a $10.10 minimum wage.
So yes, even those in charge of hiring understand the need for a fairer and more livable minimum wage. And why not? They're on the economic front line. They realize how much we're losing by allowing so many people to fall between the cracks and into unnecessary poverty.
Yesterday, the usual "TEA" powered suspects were mocking Vice President Biden's message at Casa Don Juan. Have they tried living on minimum wage level earnings? Have they met the hard working Americans who are struggling to make ends meet on poverty level income? Have they even visited the states that have recently raised the minimum wage and are actually experiencing improved job growth?
Our guess is no. After all, it's so much easier to take political pot shots than to examine the actual policy. It's so much easier to pontificate about "economic philosophy" than to produce actual policies to solve our growing inequality crisis.
Who knew there could be such a huge fight over so little?
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
He Is an Idiot.
Just when we thought he couldn't sound any dumber, he just went from dumb to dumber... And even dumberer.
Outgoing Assembly Member and current NV-04 candidate Cresent Hardy (R) has been going out of his way to alienate most NV-04 voters. He blamed them for everything he thinks is wrong with America. He channeled his inner Mitt Romney when he dismissed them as "lazy 47% takers".
And believe it or not, he didn't stop there. Now, we also know Cresent Hardy insulted the judgment of NV-04 constituents by claiming their votes are mainly based on race.
Well, alrighty then. It's now official. Take it away, "Official Bitchy Smiley Faces of Nevada Progressive"!
He truly is an idiot. What was he thinking? Was he even thinking?
Here's a news flash for Cresent Hardy: NV-04 is a very diverse district. There are African-American voters, Latin@ voters, Asian-American voters, Native American voters, LGBTQ voters, and many more types of voters all residing in this district. And the more Cresent Hardy pisses more of these voters off, the fewer voters he will actually have on his side come November 4.
Outgoing Assembly Member and current NV-04 candidate Cresent Hardy (R) has been going out of his way to alienate most NV-04 voters. He blamed them for everything he thinks is wrong with America. He channeled his inner Mitt Romney when he dismissed them as "lazy 47% takers".
And believe it or not, he didn't stop there. Now, we also know Cresent Hardy insulted the judgment of NV-04 constituents by claiming their votes are mainly based on race.
Well, alrighty then. It's now official. Take it away, "Official Bitchy Smiley Faces of Nevada Progressive"!
He truly is an idiot. What was he thinking? Was he even thinking?
Here's a news flash for Cresent Hardy: NV-04 is a very diverse district. There are African-American voters, Latin@ voters, Asian-American voters, Native American voters, LGBTQ voters, and many more types of voters all residing in this district. And the more Cresent Hardy pisses more of these voters off, the fewer voters he will actually have on his side come November 4.
Hardy, Meet Romney
Today, we must return to the vault. We made another trip to the Nevada Progressive archives to uncover this gem from none other than Mitt Romney. Remember when this now infamous video first dropped in September 2012?
And remember when a critical mass of Republicans (even Nevada's own Joe Heck) closed ranks around Mitt Romney and his "47% philosophy"?
Believe it or not, The Great 47% "Gaffe" of 2012 is back. And you won't... Actually, you should have no problem believing this Nevada Republican is reviving this incredibly offensive and misleading meme.
Oh, yes. That's right. Cresent Hardy went there. And he did so at the same fundraiser at Falcon Ridge Golf Club where he blamed everyone who voted for President Obama for anything and everything that's gone wrong. Oh, and that was the same Mesquite fundraiser where he refused to take any responsibility for driving his own company into bankruptcy (before someone else had to buy him out).
So now, Cresent Hardy wants to branch out. "Segregation laws" just aren't enough. Not even Highland Hills is stinky enough for Cresent Hardy. No, he must now enter Mitt Romney territory of total douchebaggery.
Who could have ever guessed Danny Tarkanian would one day earn the title of "Best NV-04 Candidate Nevada Republicans Have Ever Recruited"?
Herein lies Romney's problem, which is the same problem he's had all along. Basically, Mitt Romney continues to reveal himself as an out-of-touch plutocrat who just doesn't care about the middle class and working poor. And no matter how many glossy mailers he sends to me and to other Democratic households, he can't convince us to vote against our best interest. In fact, he keeps making sure of that whenever he opens his mouth and goes "off the cuff"!
And remember when a critical mass of Republicans (even Nevada's own Joe Heck) closed ranks around Mitt Romney and his "47% philosophy"?
As we've discussed before, Paul Ryan's budget is nothing less than a full assault on America's middle class and the working poor aspiring to become middle class. And not only has Mitt Romney fully embraced Paul Ryan's "vision" of a middle class busting budget, but he also wants to undo decades worth of BIPARTISAN economic policy meant to boost the ranks of the middle class. And in pursuing this false dichotomy of "the makers versus the takers", he's actually attacking upwards of 60% (!!!) of Americans along with these bipartisan decades old policies meant to build and sustain America's middle class.
This is the real poison of what Mitt Romney said at that Boca Raton fundraiser. Mitt Romney revealed that he's more than willing to undo the foundation of America's middle class just so he and his fellow 1% plutocrats can pay even less in taxes. Heh, I guess Harry Reid has been right all along.
And this is why the teabaggers are reverting to screaming about what President Obama supposedly did or did not do in Las Vegas last week. Despite all their howls suggesting otherwise, perhaps even they are starting to realize this is a losing issue for Mitt Romney. Perhaps they are finally realizing that Mitt Romney is losing this election. One just can't attack 60% of Americans and expect no blowback.
Believe it or not, The Great 47% "Gaffe" of 2012 is back. And you won't... Actually, you should have no problem believing this Nevada Republican is reviving this incredibly offensive and misleading meme.
Oh, yes. That's right. Cresent Hardy went there. And he did so at the same fundraiser at Falcon Ridge Golf Club where he blamed everyone who voted for President Obama for anything and everything that's gone wrong. Oh, and that was the same Mesquite fundraiser where he refused to take any responsibility for driving his own company into bankruptcy (before someone else had to buy him out).
So now, Cresent Hardy wants to branch out. "Segregation laws" just aren't enough. Not even Highland Hills is stinky enough for Cresent Hardy. No, he must now enter Mitt Romney territory of total douchebaggery.
Who could have ever guessed Danny Tarkanian would one day earn the title of "Best NV-04 Candidate Nevada Republicans Have Ever Recruited"?
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Qualified?
Who could have guessed? Who could have guessed he would go there?
Oh, yes. That's right. We did.
Back in February, outgoing State Assembly Member and current NV-04 candidate Cresent Hardy (R) decided to expound on his philosophy of "segreation laws". According to Hardy, ENDA, civil marriage equality, and other policies aimed at ending wrongful discrimination are somehow "segregation laws". And "by continuing to create these laws that are what I call segregation laws, it puts one class of a person over another".
Yep, we also have trouble following his logic (or lack thereof) there. However, we had a feeling that wouldn't be the last time Cresent Hardy would try to explain his philosophy of "segregation laws". Oh, no. He went there again last Thursday at Falcon Ridge Golf Club in Mesquite.
Oh, really. So now, "women, minorities, and young voters" are the reason why everything has gone wrong? And they're the reason why the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) is destroying the country?
Here's a news flash for Cresent Hardy: Obamacare is actually helping the country. As of September 18, 7.3 million Americans have enrolled in health insurance plans through the Obamacare exchanges. The rate of uninsured Americans has dropped precipitously since Obamacare implementation began. And another 8 million Americans have obtained health insurance coverage through the Medicaid/CHIP expansion that Obamacare made possible.
Last Thursday, Hardy tried to blame President Obama and the Members of Congress who voted for the Affordable Care Act for Nevada's exchange problems. Here's another news flash for Cresent Hardy: He was one of the state legislators who voted to approve Governor Brian Sandoval's (R) plan. And now that we've all had to learn the hard way that outsourcing doesn't always work out the way we wanted, Governor Sandoval has agreed to move Nevada onto the very federal Obamacare exchange that Hardy's fellow G-O-TEA Culture Warriors were screaming about last fall.
Ironically, Cresent Hardy chided others over financial woes last Thursday at his Falcon Ridge Golf Club fundraiser... While refusing to take responsibility for his own financial woes. Even though Hardy was the one in charge when Legacy Construction & Development filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, he spoke as if bankruptcy court was somehow a blessing for everyone. Perhaps Hardy hit the jackpot when his partner bought him out, but we doubt others affected by Hardy's mismanagement of Legacy were as happy about that.
Yet while Cresent Hardy spoke about Legacy's little bankruptcy issue, he didn't speak about the other issue that's launched his former company back into the news: Highland Hills. People have become ill as they've discovered their homes lie on top of an unsealed landfill. And many of these Highland Hills houses are actually sinking as their foundations are coming apart.
Last May, Cresent Hardy provided a rare candid moment when he admitted, "The reason that I feel qualified to do this is I don't." (See the video above.) That truly says it all. And perhaps he should have cut himself off right there. After all, his "segregation laws" philosophy, his continued refusal to take any responsibility for the Highland Hills fiasco, his continued refusal to take any responsibility for the Legacy bankruptcy, and his blatant dishonesty over Obamacare really prove his point.
Oh, yes. That's right. We did.
Back in February, outgoing State Assembly Member and current NV-04 candidate Cresent Hardy (R) decided to expound on his philosophy of "segreation laws". According to Hardy, ENDA, civil marriage equality, and other policies aimed at ending wrongful discrimination are somehow "segregation laws". And "by continuing to create these laws that are what I call segregation laws, it puts one class of a person over another".
Yep, we also have trouble following his logic (or lack thereof) there. However, we had a feeling that wouldn't be the last time Cresent Hardy would try to explain his philosophy of "segregation laws". Oh, no. He went there again last Thursday at Falcon Ridge Golf Club in Mesquite.
Women, minorities and young voters are the reason the country is in trouble, according to Nevada Assemblyman Cresent Hardy, who is running for 4th District Congressional seat.
Hardy said they were the ones who elected President Barack Obama, which led to the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act, among other things.
Oh, really. So now, "women, minorities, and young voters" are the reason why everything has gone wrong? And they're the reason why the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) is destroying the country?
Here's a news flash for Cresent Hardy: Obamacare is actually helping the country. As of September 18, 7.3 million Americans have enrolled in health insurance plans through the Obamacare exchanges. The rate of uninsured Americans has dropped precipitously since Obamacare implementation began. And another 8 million Americans have obtained health insurance coverage through the Medicaid/CHIP expansion that Obamacare made possible.
Last Thursday, Hardy tried to blame President Obama and the Members of Congress who voted for the Affordable Care Act for Nevada's exchange problems. Here's another news flash for Cresent Hardy: He was one of the state legislators who voted to approve Governor Brian Sandoval's (R) plan. And now that we've all had to learn the hard way that outsourcing doesn't always work out the way we wanted, Governor Sandoval has agreed to move Nevada onto the very federal Obamacare exchange that Hardy's fellow G-O-TEA Culture Warriors were screaming about last fall.
Ironically, Cresent Hardy chided others over financial woes last Thursday at his Falcon Ridge Golf Club fundraiser... While refusing to take responsibility for his own financial woes. Even though Hardy was the one in charge when Legacy Construction & Development filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, he spoke as if bankruptcy court was somehow a blessing for everyone. Perhaps Hardy hit the jackpot when his partner bought him out, but we doubt others affected by Hardy's mismanagement of Legacy were as happy about that.
Yet while Cresent Hardy spoke about Legacy's little bankruptcy issue, he didn't speak about the other issue that's launched his former company back into the news: Highland Hills. People have become ill as they've discovered their homes lie on top of an unsealed landfill. And many of these Highland Hills houses are actually sinking as their foundations are coming apart.
Last May, Cresent Hardy provided a rare candid moment when he admitted, "The reason that I feel qualified to do this is I don't." (See the video above.) That truly says it all. And perhaps he should have cut himself off right there. After all, his "segregation laws" philosophy, his continued refusal to take any responsibility for the Highland Hills fiasco, his continued refusal to take any responsibility for the Legacy bankruptcy, and his blatant dishonesty over Obamacare really prove his point.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
"Rebranding" BS
Earlier this month, we noted the lower House of Congress' failure to ensure equal access to military family benefits. Yes, you read that right. The G-O-TEA led House could not even agree to that.
Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) has been working on this issue for some time. And finally, she succeeded this month at securing a committee vote for her legislation as an amendment to a related veterans' bill. It then lost by one vote.
Obviously, Rep. Titus was upset. However, she's not alone on this.
And she isn't stopping on this one issue. Yesterday, Rep. Titus joined Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) in signing a discharge petition for ENDA. And as of today, Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colorado) now has 75 signatures for his ENDA discharge petition.
The catch? All 75 of those signatures are from Democrats. And House Republican "leaders" just canceled all remaining work days until after the election. How sweet. So right after Congress returns from summer recess, the House will essentially enjoy a fall recess. We wonder where else one can find so many paid vacation days.
Unfortunately for millions of LGBTQ American workers, it's far from easy to even feel safe at work. Rep. Polis has amended the House version of ENDA to close any & all loopholes opened by the US Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision. Even though President Obama did sign an executive order forbidding federal contractors from engaging in employment discrimination, that still leaves millions of LGBTQ Americans throughout the nation who simply have the misfortune of living in a state without a state level ENDA and working for a company without any federal contracts.
Last November, the US Senate passed ENDA on a broad, bipartisan 64-32 vote of approval. Yet since then, the House has refused to take it up. Just like House Republican "leaders'" blithe dismissal of military equality legislation, they've been awfully swift in shooting down any & all attempts at bringing ENDA to the House floor.
Last November, the Republican Party's internal culture war burst onto national media headlines when Liz Cheney nearly disowned her sister in preparation for a US Senate campaign in Wyoming. Yet while Liz Cheney later abandoned her diastrous attempt at electoral politics to return to the cozy confines of the Northern Virginia DC suburbs, her sister Mary Cheney continues to plead with her party to make peace with the 21st century. Unfortunately for her and other Republican campaign consultants hoping to "revamp the party's image", the 21st Century Know Nothings continue pulling the G-O-TEA in more of a 19th century direction.
They're still struggling to accept marriage equality. They're still attacking transgender Americans with reckless abandon. They won't allow a floor vote on ENDA. And they can't even allow equal access to military spousal benefits. And we're supposed to believe "Republican rebranding" is real?
Sure, it's real... Bull$h!+.
Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) has been working on this issue for some time. And finally, she succeeded this month at securing a committee vote for her legislation as an amendment to a related veterans' bill. It then lost by one vote.
Obviously, Rep. Titus was upset. However, she's not alone on this.
And she isn't stopping on this one issue. Yesterday, Rep. Titus joined Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) in signing a discharge petition for ENDA. And as of today, Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colorado) now has 75 signatures for his ENDA discharge petition.
The catch? All 75 of those signatures are from Democrats. And House Republican "leaders" just canceled all remaining work days until after the election. How sweet. So right after Congress returns from summer recess, the House will essentially enjoy a fall recess. We wonder where else one can find so many paid vacation days.
Unfortunately for millions of LGBTQ American workers, it's far from easy to even feel safe at work. Rep. Polis has amended the House version of ENDA to close any & all loopholes opened by the US Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision. Even though President Obama did sign an executive order forbidding federal contractors from engaging in employment discrimination, that still leaves millions of LGBTQ Americans throughout the nation who simply have the misfortune of living in a state without a state level ENDA and working for a company without any federal contracts.
Last November, the US Senate passed ENDA on a broad, bipartisan 64-32 vote of approval. Yet since then, the House has refused to take it up. Just like House Republican "leaders'" blithe dismissal of military equality legislation, they've been awfully swift in shooting down any & all attempts at bringing ENDA to the House floor.
Last November, the Republican Party's internal culture war burst onto national media headlines when Liz Cheney nearly disowned her sister in preparation for a US Senate campaign in Wyoming. Yet while Liz Cheney later abandoned her diastrous attempt at electoral politics to return to the cozy confines of the Northern Virginia DC suburbs, her sister Mary Cheney continues to plead with her party to make peace with the 21st century. Unfortunately for her and other Republican campaign consultants hoping to "revamp the party's image", the 21st Century Know Nothings continue pulling the G-O-TEA in more of a 19th century direction.
They're still struggling to accept marriage equality. They're still attacking transgender Americans with reckless abandon. They won't allow a floor vote on ENDA. And they can't even allow equal access to military spousal benefits. And we're supposed to believe "Republican rebranding" is real?
Sure, it's real... Bull$h!+.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Where to Start on Isis
This is something we touched upon last month. And this is something we must talk about today. Iraq is pretty much on a razor's edge right now. And now that Isis is killing journalists along with soldiers as it expands into Syria, alarm bells are ringing.
Even here in Nevada, Members of Congress are demanding some sort of strategy to take down Isis. But what should we do?
The usual "TEA" fueled suspects actually seem to be advocating exactly what Isis wants: a 21st century "crusade". And for a number of Republican politicians, neoconservative belligere nce is suddenly en vogue again. We guess all it takes is a foreign crisis for "libertarian populism" to be thrown out the window.
President Obama has already ordered air strikes against Isis in Iraq. Now, the President is considering rallying allies to expand the air campaign into Syria. This is now on top of the agenda at the NATO summit in Estonia (alongside the ongoing conflict in Ukraine).
Already, we're hearing plenty of opinions on what to do in Syria & Iraq. And that's all fine & dandy. We just need to see this debate move into Congress.
That's where it needs to be. That's where military action must be authorized before it proceeds. And no matter how much they want to avoid going on record with a floor vote, that's what must happen.
There are no easy answers here. There are plenty of good reasons to doubt the utility of yet another large scale US military intervention in the Middle East... But can we afford to do nothing? Some sort of action may be needed to curb Isis, but that action probably shouldn't involve useless bluster.
So what should we do? What we know for sure is that it needs to start with Congress stepping up to the plate.
Even here in Nevada, Members of Congress are demanding some sort of strategy to take down Isis. But what should we do?
The usual "TEA" fueled suspects actually seem to be advocating exactly what Isis wants: a 21st century "crusade". And for a number of Republican politicians, neoconservative belligere nce is suddenly en vogue again. We guess all it takes is a foreign crisis for "libertarian populism" to be thrown out the window.
President Obama has already ordered air strikes against Isis in Iraq. Now, the President is considering rallying allies to expand the air campaign into Syria. This is now on top of the agenda at the NATO summit in Estonia (alongside the ongoing conflict in Ukraine).
Already, we're hearing plenty of opinions on what to do in Syria & Iraq. And that's all fine & dandy. We just need to see this debate move into Congress.
That's where it needs to be. That's where military action must be authorized before it proceeds. And no matter how much they want to avoid going on record with a floor vote, that's what must happen.
There are no easy answers here. There are plenty of good reasons to doubt the utility of yet another large scale US military intervention in the Middle East... But can we afford to do nothing? Some sort of action may be needed to curb Isis, but that action probably shouldn't involve useless bluster.
So what should we do? What we know for sure is that it needs to start with Congress stepping up to the plate.
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Turn the Page
Yesterday, a body of a slain young adult was laid to rest. A family mourned this painful loss. And a reeling community began to pick up the pieces and hoped for eventual healing.
Michael Brown's funeral wasn't just for his family. It wasn't even just for Ferguson. It was for the nation.
Yesterday, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) said this after the funeral: “This tragic event of Michael Brown — while as horrible as it is, and he should have never lost his life as an unarmed boy who had just graduated high school — it is providing the opportunity for us now to have a national discussion on what policies, laws and practice we need to change so we can improve going forward.” He's not alone in demanding change after this horrific tragedy.
This week, we've gained more insight into how and why St. Louis County, Missouri, has sparked this nationwide conversation on the state of American police. And none other than St. Louis County Police Officer Dan Page has helped explain everything.
Ah, where do we start? How about "warning the ladies" about "domestic violence stuff"? "Just shoot each other and get it done"? Did Las Vegas Metro Police actually take his advice earlier this month? Christy Mack's neighbors have been wondering why it took so damned long for Metro to respond to their 911 call. While they took their time, War Machine escaped to Simi Valley, California, while leaving Mack and Corey Thomas near death at her Las Vegas home.
Hold on, there's more. Dan Page also went into a tirade against "homosexual sodomites". According to Page, ICE should keep Marichuy Gamino in solitary confinement in a men's prison for daring to report her rape. According to him, Monica Jones deserved to be arrested for "walking while trans*". And perhaps he also doesn't mind Mia Henderson being taken from this earth way before her time.
He didn't even stop there. No, Dan Page also claimed President Obama wasn't born in America. He actually called himself "a killer". He repeated even more bizarre conspiracy theories.
Oh, and he gave this speech to the Oath Keepers earlier this year. Remember the Oath Keepers?
They're the Patriot Movement friendly militia who occupied Bunkerville and Mesquite during the height of Cliven Bundy's "Range War". They only left when sh-t became too real and they suddenly were under attack by fellow pro-Bundy militia groups.
Dan Page was one of the St. Louis County officers patrolling Ferguson during the height of the protests. He was the one who roughed up CNN reporter Don Lemon in front of a global audience. And even now, St. Louis County Police still won't fire him!
W. T. F?! And they're still wondering why so many in the St. Louis region have a hard time trusting the police? Perhaps they need to start looking in the mirror more often.
It's also important to keep in mind that this problem isn't limited to Missouri. We've seen shades of this here in Nevada as well. After all, Metro Police have often used excessive force on valley civilians (especially those living in inner city communities) while giving the Bundy Gang kid glove treatment and giving War Machine just enough time to escape the crime scene.
In so many ways, the Dan Page saga in St. Louis County illustrates why so many minority communities have trouble trusting the police. If police forces there, here in Southern Nevada, and elsewhere want to turn the page, they need to clean house. If they want to regain our trust, they must prove themselves trustworthy. We can't truly turn the page on this sorrowful chapter in American history until we see no more Michael Browns being shot, Monica Jones' being arrested, and Christy Macks left for dead.
Michael Brown's funeral wasn't just for his family. It wasn't even just for Ferguson. It was for the nation.
Yesterday, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) said this after the funeral: “This tragic event of Michael Brown — while as horrible as it is, and he should have never lost his life as an unarmed boy who had just graduated high school — it is providing the opportunity for us now to have a national discussion on what policies, laws and practice we need to change so we can improve going forward.” He's not alone in demanding change after this horrific tragedy.
This week, we've gained more insight into how and why St. Louis County, Missouri, has sparked this nationwide conversation on the state of American police. And none other than St. Louis County Police Officer Dan Page has helped explain everything.
Ah, where do we start? How about "warning the ladies" about "domestic violence stuff"? "Just shoot each other and get it done"? Did Las Vegas Metro Police actually take his advice earlier this month? Christy Mack's neighbors have been wondering why it took so damned long for Metro to respond to their 911 call. While they took their time, War Machine escaped to Simi Valley, California, while leaving Mack and Corey Thomas near death at her Las Vegas home.
Hold on, there's more. Dan Page also went into a tirade against "homosexual sodomites". According to Page, ICE should keep Marichuy Gamino in solitary confinement in a men's prison for daring to report her rape. According to him, Monica Jones deserved to be arrested for "walking while trans*". And perhaps he also doesn't mind Mia Henderson being taken from this earth way before her time.
He didn't even stop there. No, Dan Page also claimed President Obama wasn't born in America. He actually called himself "a killer". He repeated even more bizarre conspiracy theories.
Oh, and he gave this speech to the Oath Keepers earlier this year. Remember the Oath Keepers?
They're the Patriot Movement friendly militia who occupied Bunkerville and Mesquite during the height of Cliven Bundy's "Range War". They only left when sh-t became too real and they suddenly were under attack by fellow pro-Bundy militia groups.
Dan Page was one of the St. Louis County officers patrolling Ferguson during the height of the protests. He was the one who roughed up CNN reporter Don Lemon in front of a global audience. And even now, St. Louis County Police still won't fire him!
W. T. F?! And they're still wondering why so many in the St. Louis region have a hard time trusting the police? Perhaps they need to start looking in the mirror more often.
It's also important to keep in mind that this problem isn't limited to Missouri. We've seen shades of this here in Nevada as well. After all, Metro Police have often used excessive force on valley civilians (especially those living in inner city communities) while giving the Bundy Gang kid glove treatment and giving War Machine just enough time to escape the crime scene.
In so many ways, the Dan Page saga in St. Louis County illustrates why so many minority communities have trouble trusting the police. If police forces there, here in Southern Nevada, and elsewhere want to turn the page, they need to clean house. If they want to regain our trust, they must prove themselves trustworthy. We can't truly turn the page on this sorrowful chapter in American history until we see no more Michael Browns being shot, Monica Jones' being arrested, and Christy Macks left for dead.
Monday, August 25, 2014
Who's Policing the Police?
A funeral is happening today. It's certain to attract a large crowd. In fact, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) is in Ferguson, Missouri, today.
Michael Brown's funeral is today. The Brown family has asked for calm in the St. Louis region today. And it remains to be seen how long the calm will last, especially since Ferguson Police still refuse to answer questions on Officer Darren Wilson's slaying of Michael Brown. There was never even an incident report filed.
And not only that, but Ferguson Police still refuse to admit they have a serious problem on their hands. Sure, they're finally dialing back the violence now. However, they're still refusing to take any accountability for their actions against local civilians.
Before Darren Wilson joined the Ferguson Police Department, he worked at the Jennings Police Department. He was let go in 2011... Along with the entire rest of the police force. Jennings Police had developed such a horrifying record of police brutality that the city council decided to dissolve the whole police department and start anew.
Apparently, this didn't faze Ferguson Police at all. Sure, it's never good to simply assume the worse and presume guilt before proving innocence. However, it's always a good idea to perform background checks on prospective enployees and investigate Wilson's role in the Jennings debacle.
Why didn't Ferguson Police seriously investigate Darren Wilson's record in Jennings? Why has Ferguson Police instead taken to Fox "News" to villify the victim? And why are the usual G-O-TEA suspects once again trying to stifle serious discussion on the serious issues surrounding Ferguson?
Once again, the actions of a mostly white police force against a minority-majority community has become a media circus full of heat yet lacking light. Once again, we're hearing outrageous accusations to go along with nonsensical conspiracy theories. What we have yet to hear are answers from Ferguson Police. So many in the media are rushing to put Michael Brown on trial, even as Michael Brown's funeral is underway. Yet who's policing the police?
Michael Brown's funeral is today. The Brown family has asked for calm in the St. Louis region today. And it remains to be seen how long the calm will last, especially since Ferguson Police still refuse to answer questions on Officer Darren Wilson's slaying of Michael Brown. There was never even an incident report filed.
And not only that, but Ferguson Police still refuse to admit they have a serious problem on their hands. Sure, they're finally dialing back the violence now. However, they're still refusing to take any accountability for their actions against local civilians.
Before Darren Wilson joined the Ferguson Police Department, he worked at the Jennings Police Department. He was let go in 2011... Along with the entire rest of the police force. Jennings Police had developed such a horrifying record of police brutality that the city council decided to dissolve the whole police department and start anew.
Apparently, this didn't faze Ferguson Police at all. Sure, it's never good to simply assume the worse and presume guilt before proving innocence. However, it's always a good idea to perform background checks on prospective enployees and investigate Wilson's role in the Jennings debacle.
Why didn't Ferguson Police seriously investigate Darren Wilson's record in Jennings? Why has Ferguson Police instead taken to Fox "News" to villify the victim? And why are the usual G-O-TEA suspects once again trying to stifle serious discussion on the serious issues surrounding Ferguson?
Once again, the actions of a mostly white police force against a minority-majority community has become a media circus full of heat yet lacking light. Once again, we're hearing outrageous accusations to go along with nonsensical conspiracy theories. What we have yet to hear are answers from Ferguson Police. So many in the media are rushing to put Michael Brown on trial, even as Michael Brown's funeral is underway. Yet who's policing the police?
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
The Grift That Keeps On Taking
It's time for us to embark on another archeological dig. Today, let's jump back to July 2010. Back then, Sharron Angle was running her outrageously delusional campaign for US Senate. And back then, she was relying on help from some rather shady friends.
One of her shady friends from that remarkable 2010 campaign was Sal Russo. And he had his crew of shady friends help him prop up Angle and their other endorsed candidates for that cycle. In July 2010, we warned everyone about them.
Back when Howard Kaloogian ran for a San Diego, California, based Congressional seat in 2006, he defended his vigorous support for extending the Iraq War by showing all the progress he witnessed firsthand there. The problem with his "firsthand" account was that it was a complete lie. You see, Howard Kaloogian's photos of a "peaceful Iraq" were actually photos of an Istanbul, Turkey, suburb.
And that's not all. Later in that 2006 campaign, Howard Kaloogian was caught falsifying his list of endorsements. Several Republicans came forward to announce they never actually endorsed Kaloogian. So there was also that.
However, not even that was enough to keep Sal Russo. Nope, they teamed up to start a slew of PACs, including the now notorious Tea Party Express.
Tea Party Express has come under scrutiny in recent months over just how much of the money it collects from donors ends up in the pockets of Sal Russo and his top lieutenants. But now, there's evidence showing that the "TEA" tinged gravy train doesn't stop at Tea Party Express.
When Howard Kaloogian wasn't trying to buy a seat in Congress with a phony "Iraq" photo, he was joined at the hip with Sal Russo at Move America Forward. Move America Forward was originally designed to promote continuing American involvement in the Iraq War. But in 2008, it shifted gears and became yet another anti-Obama PAC...
Except that it didn't want to be known as just another anti-Obama PAC. It wanted to be known for "supporting the troops". So Move America Forward started its own "charity" to "support" active duty military serving abroad. But now, we have a better sense of who Move America Forward's "charity" is actually supporting.
Surprise, surprise! Sal Russo, Howard Kaloogian, and the rest of the Move America Forward grifter crew were only using their charity to further enrich themselves. Oh, and of course, it didn't hurt that they successfully conned a whole lot of "TEA" flavored media pundits into endorsing the grift. (We're being charitable here, as this story would be even more disgusting if we were to discover all these pundits were also in on the grift.)
There's so much irony to be found throughout this story. However, we must end on this note. Senator Harry Reid (D) had been working tirelessly to pass a VA bill to help veterans access the health care they need. He's also worked with Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) to open a badly needed VA clinic in Pahrump. And Sal Russo dispatched his Tea Party Express tour buses to attack Senator Reid for "failing the troops"?
Ah, Sal Russo & his network of "TEA" tinted con artists. They're the grift that keeps on taking.
One of her shady friends from that remarkable 2010 campaign was Sal Russo. And he had his crew of shady friends help him prop up Angle and their other endorsed candidates for that cycle. In July 2010, we warned everyone about them.
Russo runs a PR firm in Sacramento, and utilizes his right hand men (and women) in Tea Party Express. There's "grassroots coordinator" Joe Wierzbicki, the same guy who works at Russo's high priced Sacramento PR firm, the same guy who tried to help George Bush drum up support for the Iraq War, tried to swiftboat Barack Obama the same way John Kerry was swiftboated, and is now organizing his luxury coach buses to go across the country and spread lies about Democrats like Harry Reid.
And then there's Howard Kaloogian. He aligned with the radical right and corporate powers that be in the California Legislature. And in 2003, he teamed up with Russo's PR firm, Enron pollster Frank Luntz, talk radio "shock jock" Melanie Morgan, and Newt Gingrich to engineer the recall campaign that ousted California's duly elected Governor and replaced him with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
And in 2006, Kaloogian himself ran for Congress in a special election in San Diego County. Russo joined him yet again, hoping that he'd slip in. But oops, one of Howard's lies about his "time in Iraq" caught up with him. [...]
[...T]hey lied about Bush's war in Iraq, they lied about what they actually saw there, they lied their way into the California Recall that saddled that state with "Arnold", and now they're lying about what their little "tea party" is really up to.
Oh, and now they're trying to dupe us into believe Harry Reid is some sort of "Satan Incarnate" and Sharrontology is our only way to salvation. But when we look behind the curtain, we have to notice the corporate fat cats funding the "Tea Party, Inc." gravy train supporting Sharrontology.
Back when Howard Kaloogian ran for a San Diego, California, based Congressional seat in 2006, he defended his vigorous support for extending the Iraq War by showing all the progress he witnessed firsthand there. The problem with his "firsthand" account was that it was a complete lie. You see, Howard Kaloogian's photos of a "peaceful Iraq" were actually photos of an Istanbul, Turkey, suburb.
And that's not all. Later in that 2006 campaign, Howard Kaloogian was caught falsifying his list of endorsements. Several Republicans came forward to announce they never actually endorsed Kaloogian. So there was also that.
However, not even that was enough to keep Sal Russo. Nope, they teamed up to start a slew of PACs, including the now notorious Tea Party Express.
Tea Party Express has come under scrutiny in recent months over just how much of the money it collects from donors ends up in the pockets of Sal Russo and his top lieutenants. But now, there's evidence showing that the "TEA" tinged gravy train doesn't stop at Tea Party Express.
When Howard Kaloogian wasn't trying to buy a seat in Congress with a phony "Iraq" photo, he was joined at the hip with Sal Russo at Move America Forward. Move America Forward was originally designed to promote continuing American involvement in the Iraq War. But in 2008, it shifted gears and became yet another anti-Obama PAC...
Except that it didn't want to be known as just another anti-Obama PAC. It wanted to be known for "supporting the troops". So Move America Forward started its own "charity" to "support" active duty military serving abroad. But now, we have a better sense of who Move America Forward's "charity" is actually supporting.
Surprise, surprise! Sal Russo, Howard Kaloogian, and the rest of the Move America Forward grifter crew were only using their charity to further enrich themselves. Oh, and of course, it didn't hurt that they successfully conned a whole lot of "TEA" flavored media pundits into endorsing the grift. (We're being charitable here, as this story would be even more disgusting if we were to discover all these pundits were also in on the grift.)
There's so much irony to be found throughout this story. However, we must end on this note. Senator Harry Reid (D) had been working tirelessly to pass a VA bill to help veterans access the health care they need. He's also worked with Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) to open a badly needed VA clinic in Pahrump. And Sal Russo dispatched his Tea Party Express tour buses to attack Senator Reid for "failing the troops"?
Ah, Sal Russo & his network of "TEA" tinted con artists. They're the grift that keeps on taking.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Political Stunt
They did it. They really did it. And as expected, they did it nearly entirely along party lines.
The final vote was 225-201. 5 Republicans ended up joining 196 Democrats in voting against HR 676. Both Reps. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) & Mark Amodei (R-Carson City) voted in favor.
So what did they vote for last night? Essentially, they celebrated the "Prelude to Impeachment".
Congress is about to leave for August recess. And the lower House of Congress had a lengthy "to do list" to tackle before leaving. The House accomplished nothing on that list. Instead, House Republican "leaders" embarked on their last ditch effort to placate their party's true leaders.
Suffice to say, they're still not amused. And suffice to say, none of the House Democrats were amused by this maelstrom of nonsense. Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) certainly was not.
We can understand why Rep. Titus is upset. That full "to do list" remains completely unfulfilled. Comprehensive immigration reform? Nope, and they couldn't even agree on a supplemental border bill. Unemployment insurance (UI) extension? Nope, there's still no end date for the unnecessary #RenewUI tragedy. All inclusive ENDA? Nope, instead they want to launch this law suit because President Obama dared to make up for their inaction with a limited executive order targeting some anti-LGBTQ workplace discrimination! Oh, and they want to launch this law suit because the President may take some further executive action on immigration reform.
And of course, the list goes on. Among other things, they have screamed at President Obama for doing what they refused to do to combat both climate change and economic ruin. They have also fumed at President Obama for trying to fill some of the void they left when they refused to even consider raising the minimum wage and America's standard of living. Congress had the chance to do something on all this and more, but instead House Republican "leaders" decided to throw an Impeachapalooza pre-party.
And here we are. Here we are, gazing at perhaps the most epic of EPIC FAILs we've ever seen emerge from Congress. No wonder why Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) is not impressed.
Neither are most Americans outside the Beltway. Hell, even the Republicans' own "TEA" fueled base are not satisfied by this barely veiled political stunt. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Grand Marnier) may be patting himself on the back over this blatantly political stunt... And he's the only one amused by this.
The final vote was 225-201. 5 Republicans ended up joining 196 Democrats in voting against HR 676. Both Reps. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) & Mark Amodei (R-Carson City) voted in favor.
So what did they vote for last night? Essentially, they celebrated the "Prelude to Impeachment".
Congress is about to leave for August recess. And the lower House of Congress had a lengthy "to do list" to tackle before leaving. The House accomplished nothing on that list. Instead, House Republican "leaders" embarked on their last ditch effort to placate their party's true leaders.
Suffice to say, they're still not amused. And suffice to say, none of the House Democrats were amused by this maelstrom of nonsense. Rep. Dina Titus (D-Paradise) certainly was not.
We can understand why Rep. Titus is upset. That full "to do list" remains completely unfulfilled. Comprehensive immigration reform? Nope, and they couldn't even agree on a supplemental border bill. Unemployment insurance (UI) extension? Nope, there's still no end date for the unnecessary #RenewUI tragedy. All inclusive ENDA? Nope, instead they want to launch this law suit because President Obama dared to make up for their inaction with a limited executive order targeting some anti-LGBTQ workplace discrimination! Oh, and they want to launch this law suit because the President may take some further executive action on immigration reform.
And of course, the list goes on. Among other things, they have screamed at President Obama for doing what they refused to do to combat both climate change and economic ruin. They have also fumed at President Obama for trying to fill some of the void they left when they refused to even consider raising the minimum wage and America's standard of living. Congress had the chance to do something on all this and more, but instead House Republican "leaders" decided to throw an Impeachapalooza pre-party.
And here we are. Here we are, gazing at perhaps the most epic of EPIC FAILs we've ever seen emerge from Congress. No wonder why Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) is not impressed.
Neither are most Americans outside the Beltway. Hell, even the Republicans' own "TEA" fueled base are not satisfied by this barely veiled political stunt. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Grand Marnier) may be patting himself on the back over this blatantly political stunt... And he's the only one amused by this.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Missed Opportunity
It's now official. They're wetting their pants. They may even be sh**ting their pants as well.
And why's that? For one, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Bad@$$) just called House Speaker John Boehner's (R-Cointreau) border games bluff. He thought he could just pander some more to his "TEA" powered base, but he forgot about that little thing called the US Senate (and its Majority Leader, Harry Reid).
Over a year ago, the US Senate passed S 744. Senator Dean Heller (R) and 13 other Senate Republicans voted for this bill. And it's been stuck in the House ever since.
Why? House Republican "leaders" always talk #4jobs, but they never come up with any real legislation. This and HR 15 (the House companion bill) gave them the opportunity to match their words with real action. Yet when presented with this opportunity to solve priblems and boost economic growth, they instead reached for more excuses for inaction.
Why? We keep wondering. And so does Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California).
The House had the opportunity to follow in the Senate's footsteps. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) and the other lead Democrats behind HR 15 even reached out to a number of Republicans for support. Yet still, there was no floor vote. Still, there was no action on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR).
Then, the national media began to pick up the #BorderChildren story, Congressional Republican "leaders" merely saw this as an opportunity... To pander to the 21st Century Know Nothings in the worst possible way. They decided to forego any real solutions to the #BorderChildren problem and instead scream about "rape paths" and birth control.
Yep, "King of Crazy" Steve King (R-Iowa?) is still calling the shots in the lower House of Congress. And not only is he blocking any kind of CIR, and not only does he want to deport both refugee children and American DREAMers, but he also wants that little thing caled impeachment.
Instead of fostering the best that America has to offer and putting our best foot forward, we're missing opportunities. Instead of ensuring humane treatment of refugee children and pursuing new economic opportunities, we're wasting time debating nonsense. Yet instead of acknowledging the missed opportunities and recommitting to pursuing them, House Republican leaders and their loyal lackies (cough- Joe Heck -cough) on the back bench are chasing after dreams of impeachment while denying their very actions to the media. They missed the opportunity to be productive, so now they must face the consequences of their duplicitous sloth.
And why's that? For one, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Bad@$$) just called House Speaker John Boehner's (R-Cointreau) border games bluff. He thought he could just pander some more to his "TEA" powered base, but he forgot about that little thing called the US Senate (and its Majority Leader, Harry Reid).
Over a year ago, the US Senate passed S 744. Senator Dean Heller (R) and 13 other Senate Republicans voted for this bill. And it's been stuck in the House ever since.
Why? House Republican "leaders" always talk #4jobs, but they never come up with any real legislation. This and HR 15 (the House companion bill) gave them the opportunity to match their words with real action. Yet when presented with this opportunity to solve priblems and boost economic growth, they instead reached for more excuses for inaction.
Why? We keep wondering. And so does Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California).
The House had the opportunity to follow in the Senate's footsteps. Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) and the other lead Democrats behind HR 15 even reached out to a number of Republicans for support. Yet still, there was no floor vote. Still, there was no action on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR).
Then, the national media began to pick up the #BorderChildren story, Congressional Republican "leaders" merely saw this as an opportunity... To pander to the 21st Century Know Nothings in the worst possible way. They decided to forego any real solutions to the #BorderChildren problem and instead scream about "rape paths" and birth control.
Yep, "King of Crazy" Steve King (R-Iowa?) is still calling the shots in the lower House of Congress. And not only is he blocking any kind of CIR, and not only does he want to deport both refugee children and American DREAMers, but he also wants that little thing caled impeachment.
Instead of fostering the best that America has to offer and putting our best foot forward, we're missing opportunities. Instead of ensuring humane treatment of refugee children and pursuing new economic opportunities, we're wasting time debating nonsense. Yet instead of acknowledging the missed opportunities and recommitting to pursuing them, House Republican leaders and their loyal lackies (cough- Joe Heck -cough) on the back bench are chasing after dreams of impeachment while denying their very actions to the media. They missed the opportunity to be productive, so now they must face the consequences of their duplicitous sloth.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Deja Vu, Bundy
And like this, he's back. After a string of embarrassing incidents, such as losing control of his own organization and watching one of his top lieutenants go on trial for murder, Jim Gilchrist wants a comeback.
And not only does he want a comeback, but he also wants thousands of "volunteers" to return to the US-Mexico Border with him. He's launching "Operation Normandy" with hopes of gathering at least 3,500 people to join him at the border. Oh yes, and he claims he wants everyone on good behavior.
Good luck with that. We haven't forgotten the "good behavior" of Shawna Forde and JT Ready. Has Gilchrist?
We doubt Cliven Bundy has. He rode to fame on the backs of the "Patriot Movement". And even after the cable "news" cameras and national newspaper reporters left Bunkerville, Cliven Bundy and his gang of "outlaw cowboys" have continued their "Range War" against the rule of law.
We can understand why G-O-TEA politicians want to forget the armed madness that the Bundy Gang wreaked upon the Virgin Valley earlier this year. It's embarrassing. It's revolting. And it certainly doesn't make for "good optics" during an election year.
However, it's not a good idea for us to forget. It's not a good idea for us to forget the great Bundy folly. It's not a good idea for us to forget Jerad & Amanda Miller. It's not a good idea for us to forget Brent Douglas Cole. It's not a good idea for us to forget Shawna Forde & JT Ready. And it's not a good idea for us to forget the dangerous ideology of hate that encourages all this dangerous, violent behavior.
Oh, and it would be nice if more of those "TEA" fueled media pundits who stoked the flames of #BundyRanch remember the folly of what they did a mere 3 months ago... Because they're doing it again.
And not only does he want a comeback, but he also wants thousands of "volunteers" to return to the US-Mexico Border with him. He's launching "Operation Normandy" with hopes of gathering at least 3,500 people to join him at the border. Oh yes, and he claims he wants everyone on good behavior.
Good luck with that. We haven't forgotten the "good behavior" of Shawna Forde and JT Ready. Has Gilchrist?
We doubt Cliven Bundy has. He rode to fame on the backs of the "Patriot Movement". And even after the cable "news" cameras and national newspaper reporters left Bunkerville, Cliven Bundy and his gang of "outlaw cowboys" have continued their "Range War" against the rule of law.
We can understand why G-O-TEA politicians want to forget the armed madness that the Bundy Gang wreaked upon the Virgin Valley earlier this year. It's embarrassing. It's revolting. And it certainly doesn't make for "good optics" during an election year.
However, it's not a good idea for us to forget. It's not a good idea for us to forget the great Bundy folly. It's not a good idea for us to forget Jerad & Amanda Miller. It's not a good idea for us to forget Brent Douglas Cole. It's not a good idea for us to forget Shawna Forde & JT Ready. And it's not a good idea for us to forget the dangerous ideology of hate that encourages all this dangerous, violent behavior.
Oh, and it would be nice if more of those "TEA" fueled media pundits who stoked the flames of #BundyRanch remember the folly of what they did a mere 3 months ago... Because they're doing it again.
Ironic
Yesterday, we witnessed the tale of the conflicting appellate court rulings. While a 3 judge panel of the DC Circuit Federal Court of Appeals voted 2-1 to strike down Obamacare health insurance tax credits for working class families in 36 states, a 3 judge panel of the nearby Fourth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals voted unanimously to uphold the Obamacare/Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits. Of course, the usual G-O-TEA suspects cheered on the DC Circuit ruling. And of course, that means the usual G-O-TEA suspects want to raise taxes on the middle class & working poor.
Wait, what?! Oh, yes. That's right. 87% of Obamacare enrollees in the 36 states under the federal health insurance exchange would lose their tax credits if the plaintiffs succeed in Halbig v. Burwell. So essentially, they'd have to pay higher taxes. And health insurance premiums for all consumers in these 36 states would rise by an average of 76%. Oh, and some 6.5 million Americans would lose insurance coverage. So basically, G-O-TEA politicians are cheering on a health insurance "death spiral" that would result in higher taxes and less health care for many millions of Americans. (Just don't tell them they lost in King v. Burwell, and their chances of killing Obamacare in court don't look good going forward.)
Where's Grover Norquist? Where are the "TEA" fueled purists? We thought they were against raising taxes. And we thought they didn't want consumers hit with higher costs.
Perhaps they were too busy demanding the arrests (and firings) of working mothers? Debra Harrell was just fired by McDonald's after she was arrested for letting her daughter play in a park. No really, she was arrested for letting her 9 year old daughter play outside. And she was essentially arrested for being too poor to afford day care.
But wait, whatever happened to "LIBERTY!!!" Whatever happened to "FREEDOM!!!"? Whatever happened to "DON'T TREAD ON ME!!!"? Apparently for the usual G-O-TEA suspects, it's perfectly OK for "BIG GUV'MINT!!!" to arrest working parents for letting their kids play outside because they're too poor to afford summer camp.
Isn't it ironic? For all the G-O-TEA talk of "low taxes" and "limited government", they want the working poor to pay higher taxes and face police state style oversight simply because they work at or near minimum wage level pay? Why is this? Might it be due to their desire for "low taxes" and "limited government" only for those who can afford it?
Might we possibly be witnessing a tale of a party spouting an ideology rooted in paradox? Or do these "TEA" powered politicians just detest the middle class and working poor so much that they just don't care about their nonsensical "philosophy of governance"?
Wait, what?! Oh, yes. That's right. 87% of Obamacare enrollees in the 36 states under the federal health insurance exchange would lose their tax credits if the plaintiffs succeed in Halbig v. Burwell. So essentially, they'd have to pay higher taxes. And health insurance premiums for all consumers in these 36 states would rise by an average of 76%. Oh, and some 6.5 million Americans would lose insurance coverage. So basically, G-O-TEA politicians are cheering on a health insurance "death spiral" that would result in higher taxes and less health care for many millions of Americans. (Just don't tell them they lost in King v. Burwell, and their chances of killing Obamacare in court don't look good going forward.)
Where's Grover Norquist? Where are the "TEA" fueled purists? We thought they were against raising taxes. And we thought they didn't want consumers hit with higher costs.
Perhaps they were too busy demanding the arrests (and firings) of working mothers? Debra Harrell was just fired by McDonald's after she was arrested for letting her daughter play in a park. No really, she was arrested for letting her 9 year old daughter play outside. And she was essentially arrested for being too poor to afford day care.
But wait, whatever happened to "LIBERTY!!!" Whatever happened to "FREEDOM!!!"? Whatever happened to "DON'T TREAD ON ME!!!"? Apparently for the usual G-O-TEA suspects, it's perfectly OK for "BIG GUV'MINT!!!" to arrest working parents for letting their kids play outside because they're too poor to afford summer camp.
Isn't it ironic? For all the G-O-TEA talk of "low taxes" and "limited government", they want the working poor to pay higher taxes and face police state style oversight simply because they work at or near minimum wage level pay? Why is this? Might it be due to their desire for "low taxes" and "limited government" only for those who can afford it?
Might we possibly be witnessing a tale of a party spouting an ideology rooted in paradox? Or do these "TEA" powered politicians just detest the middle class and working poor so much that they just don't care about their nonsensical "philosophy of governance"?
Monday, July 21, 2014
Home on Derange
This should be considered common sense. This should be a "no-brainer". Yet for some reason, we keep revisiting this.
On Friday, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) penned an op-ed for The Washington Post explaining exactly why it wasn't a good idea for the G-O-TEA echo chamber to celebrate Cliven Bundy's illegal "Range War". And yesterday, the Las Vegas Sun published an editorial on the issue. Basically, both detailed what we've been keeping track of since April. Need we go over that history again?
Perhaps we should revisit current events. Remember Murrieta? Remember Oracle? It's happening again.
Ironically, they're complaining about the lack of "enforcing the law". Yet when confronted with current anti-trafficking law, they scream in horror.
But then again, they didn't seem to care about the law when Cliven Bundy broke it. Rather, "TEA" flavored politicians and pundits celebrated the culture of lawlessness at #BundyRanch with reckless abandon. They only began to abandon the Bundy Gang when they became politically inconvenient.
However, they haven't actually abandoned the dangerous "Patriot Movement" behind #BundyRanch. Instead, they've moved over to its current cause celebre. Now, they're waging a war against refugee children.
On Saturday, a group of anti-immigrant protesters assembled just above the 215 Freeway in Henderson. Some were carrying signs relaying (misleading) messages that could have easily come directly from John Tanton himself, while a couple were wearing Oath Keepers paraphernalia. And this event was part of a "national day of action" organized by ALIPAC, the anti-immigrant political outfit run by notorious xenophobe William Gheen.
(Photos courtesy of a long time reader)
Cliven Bundy's "Range War" is rooted in the same extreme anti-government ideology as the latest anti-immigrant campaign. And both have reached out to anti-government militia groups to further the "war". Yet both have attracted an alarming amount of support among supposedly "mainstream" G-O-TEA politicians and media personalities.
This should be considered common sense. This should be a "no-brainer". Yet for some reason, we're back on the range (war). And once again, we're having to remind some irresponsible political "players" that they're playing with ("sovereign citizen" fueled) fire.
On Friday, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) penned an op-ed for The Washington Post explaining exactly why it wasn't a good idea for the G-O-TEA echo chamber to celebrate Cliven Bundy's illegal "Range War". And yesterday, the Las Vegas Sun published an editorial on the issue. Basically, both detailed what we've been keeping track of since April. Need we go over that history again?
Perhaps we should revisit current events. Remember Murrieta? Remember Oracle? It's happening again.
Ironically, they're complaining about the lack of "enforcing the law". Yet when confronted with current anti-trafficking law, they scream in horror.
But then again, they didn't seem to care about the law when Cliven Bundy broke it. Rather, "TEA" flavored politicians and pundits celebrated the culture of lawlessness at #BundyRanch with reckless abandon. They only began to abandon the Bundy Gang when they became politically inconvenient.
However, they haven't actually abandoned the dangerous "Patriot Movement" behind #BundyRanch. Instead, they've moved over to its current cause celebre. Now, they're waging a war against refugee children.
On Saturday, a group of anti-immigrant protesters assembled just above the 215 Freeway in Henderson. Some were carrying signs relaying (misleading) messages that could have easily come directly from John Tanton himself, while a couple were wearing Oath Keepers paraphernalia. And this event was part of a "national day of action" organized by ALIPAC, the anti-immigrant political outfit run by notorious xenophobe William Gheen.
(Photos courtesy of a long time reader)
Cliven Bundy's "Range War" is rooted in the same extreme anti-government ideology as the latest anti-immigrant campaign. And both have reached out to anti-government militia groups to further the "war". Yet both have attracted an alarming amount of support among supposedly "mainstream" G-O-TEA politicians and media personalities.
This should be considered common sense. This should be a "no-brainer". Yet for some reason, we're back on the range (war). And once again, we're having to remind some irresponsible political "players" that they're playing with ("sovereign citizen" fueled) fire.
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Imagine
Imagine living your life as you think you know it. You're sure you know who you are. And you're quite sure where you want to go with your future and what you want to do with your life.
Now imagine watching all of that suddenly fade away. Suddenly, you're no longer feeling so secure. Suddenly, you're unsure of your own future. Suddenly, you can relate to the story of Jose Antonio Vargas and the millions of other DREAMers living in this nation.
Just this morning, Jose Antonio Vargas was arrested and detained by US Border Patrol agents in McAllen, Texas. Ironically, Vargas was there to report on the Central American refugee crisis. It didn't take long for Vargas himself to become part of the story.
But then again, Jose Antonio Vargas himself is a refugee. His family brought him into the US so he could escape the poverty he was enduring in the Philippines and build a better life. He didn't even know he was undocumented until he was 16.
And he's not alone. Many more refugees have come here seeking asylum and hoping for a fresh start. And while a Kenyan woman recently succeeded in attaining legal status, millions more LGBTQ immigrants are living in limbo and waiting for the opportunity to emerge from the shadows.
And they're not alone. Bryan Rivera's mother just wanted her son to succeed. When she sued her abusive ex for child support, he turned her in to ICE. Bryan had to seek the aid of Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) to free his mother from Henderson Detention Center.
Imagine having the solution to this problem right at your desk. And imagine that solution also holding the potential to boost the economy. Now imagine that solution being smothered to death in the lower House of Congress because the 21st Century Know Nothings don't want any solutions.
If Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) and his House Republican colleagues truly care about finding a comprehensive solution to this complex problem, they know exactly where to find it. Oh, and where might that be? Try HR 15.
They don't need to imagine something else. They can simply take up what's been waiting for them since October. And they can actually be productive for a change. Now imagine that.
Now imagine watching all of that suddenly fade away. Suddenly, you're no longer feeling so secure. Suddenly, you're unsure of your own future. Suddenly, you can relate to the story of Jose Antonio Vargas and the millions of other DREAMers living in this nation.
Just this morning, Jose Antonio Vargas was arrested and detained by US Border Patrol agents in McAllen, Texas. Ironically, Vargas was there to report on the Central American refugee crisis. It didn't take long for Vargas himself to become part of the story.
But then again, Jose Antonio Vargas himself is a refugee. His family brought him into the US so he could escape the poverty he was enduring in the Philippines and build a better life. He didn't even know he was undocumented until he was 16.
And he's not alone. Many more refugees have come here seeking asylum and hoping for a fresh start. And while a Kenyan woman recently succeeded in attaining legal status, millions more LGBTQ immigrants are living in limbo and waiting for the opportunity to emerge from the shadows.
And they're not alone. Bryan Rivera's mother just wanted her son to succeed. When she sued her abusive ex for child support, he turned her in to ICE. Bryan had to seek the aid of Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) to free his mother from Henderson Detention Center.
Imagine having the solution to this problem right at your desk. And imagine that solution also holding the potential to boost the economy. Now imagine that solution being smothered to death in the lower House of Congress because the 21st Century Know Nothings don't want any solutions.
If Rep. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) and his House Republican colleagues truly care about finding a comprehensive solution to this complex problem, they know exactly where to find it. Oh, and where might that be? Try HR 15.
They don't need to imagine something else. They can simply take up what's been waiting for them since October. And they can actually be productive for a change. Now imagine that.
How About Those "Family Values"
It's something they always talk about. It's something they want us to believe they care about. So why does it all too often seem like they don't really give a flying f--k about it?
Of course, we're talking about the G-O-TEA's relationship with "family values". Even as "TEA" flavored politicians have boasted about their "pro-family record", they've stood by and allowed millions of American families to be ripped apart. And on top of that, they want to rip apart many millions more American families.
And now, they're targeting children. Oh, yes. That's right. The alleged "pro-life party" is now speaking of refugee children as if they're a horde of terrorists and/or walking diseases.
In recent days, we've been investigating the source of all this vitriol that's now being directed at Central American migrant children. John Tanton and the late Barbara Coe essentially planted the seeds of this hate with their rabidly xenophobic campaign against immigrants. Jim Gilchrist then took fueled this hate and powered it up to a whole new level when he launched the Minutemen Project. He also furthered the ambitions of Shawna Forde, JT Ready, and a number of neo-Nazi radicals.
Jim Gilchrist is now seeking to take advantage of the current refugee crisis by relaunching Minutemen militia patrols along the US-Mexico Border. And now, he has the official seal of approval from Cliven Bundy and the "Patriot Movement".
They're going after families. They're going after children. And they're pointing guns at people because "measles" and "prayer rugs".
Earlier this year, some Republican Members of Congress (cough- Joe Heck- cough) tried hard to have it both ways on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). Now, they're not even trying to sound "pro-reform". They're not just turning hard against CIR. They're now pandering to those who want to point guns at refugee children and impeach President Obama for actually enforcing the law on handling these refugee children.
It's something they always want to talk about... But what are they actually doing? What do they want to do to millions of American families? And what are they aiming to do to the children coming here seeking a better life? And we're supposed to believe they're "the family values party"?
Of course, we're talking about the G-O-TEA's relationship with "family values". Even as "TEA" flavored politicians have boasted about their "pro-family record", they've stood by and allowed millions of American families to be ripped apart. And on top of that, they want to rip apart many millions more American families.
And now, they're targeting children. Oh, yes. That's right. The alleged "pro-life party" is now speaking of refugee children as if they're a horde of terrorists and/or walking diseases.
In recent days, we've been investigating the source of all this vitriol that's now being directed at Central American migrant children. John Tanton and the late Barbara Coe essentially planted the seeds of this hate with their rabidly xenophobic campaign against immigrants. Jim Gilchrist then took fueled this hate and powered it up to a whole new level when he launched the Minutemen Project. He also furthered the ambitions of Shawna Forde, JT Ready, and a number of neo-Nazi radicals.
Jim Gilchrist is now seeking to take advantage of the current refugee crisis by relaunching Minutemen militia patrols along the US-Mexico Border. And now, he has the official seal of approval from Cliven Bundy and the "Patriot Movement".
They're going after families. They're going after children. And they're pointing guns at people because "measles" and "prayer rugs".
Earlier this year, some Republican Members of Congress (cough- Joe Heck- cough) tried hard to have it both ways on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). Now, they're not even trying to sound "pro-reform". They're not just turning hard against CIR. They're now pandering to those who want to point guns at refugee children and impeach President Obama for actually enforcing the law on handling these refugee children.
It's something they always want to talk about... But what are they actually doing? What do they want to do to millions of American families? And what are they aiming to do to the children coming here seeking a better life? And we're supposed to believe they're "the family values party"?
Monday, July 14, 2014
Borderline Grandstanding
And just like that, she's back. What? You thought she'd pass up another opportunity to grab some more cringe worthy headlines?
Ann Coulter has never been one to shy away from flame wars. Rather, she revels in starting them. So today, she decided to cap off her xenophobic campaign against soccer with a Twitter tirade against newly minted MSNBC daytime host Jose Diaz Balart.
But wait, what exactly did Jose Diaz Balart do? Oh, he just did a live interview on his debut show with Maria, a teenage girl from Honduras who recently came to the US to escape the living hell that her former home had become.
This morning, Jose Diaz Balart dared to expose the real life human tragedy that's fueling the Central American refugee crisis. That's why the usual G-O-TEA suspects are fuming. It's so much easier to stagean ammosexual orgy a "Border visit" photo-op.
Once upon a time, Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) made a big splash in helping pass S 744. But when the 21st Century Know Nothings demanded an end to any kind of comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), Senator Rubio turned around to kill his own bill.
But now, all of a sudden, Senator Marco Rubio wants his own CIR bill brought back to life... After he helped kill it in such a brutal manner. We can only wonder what inspired Senator Rubio's latestflip-flop change of heart.
Is it the tremendous backlog of cases in immigration courts? Is it the discovery that his G-O-TEA colleagues on Capitol Hill passed up $900 billion in federal budget dedicit reduction to wage a fight over a mere $4 billion to address this immediate issue? Is it the sight of all these refugees coming here to escape the suffering they've endured in Central America? Or is it just the realization that most of his fellow Congressional Republicans once again failed to solve the crisis they created?
As we've discussed before, these refugees are real people. They are coming here to escape the real life horror story that Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador have become. Pointless "borderline grandstanding" will do nothing to solve this problem.
It's always easier to attack a theoretical construct than it is to denigrate real people escaping real suffering. Right now, many Congressional Republicans think they can stir up some "borderline grandstanding" and use it to their advantage this fall and in 2016. They may want to think twice before they proceed any further down this road.
Ann Coulter has never been one to shy away from flame wars. Rather, she revels in starting them. So today, she decided to cap off her xenophobic campaign against soccer with a Twitter tirade against newly minted MSNBC daytime host Jose Diaz Balart.
But wait, what exactly did Jose Diaz Balart do? Oh, he just did a live interview on his debut show with Maria, a teenage girl from Honduras who recently came to the US to escape the living hell that her former home had become.
This morning, Jose Diaz Balart dared to expose the real life human tragedy that's fueling the Central American refugee crisis. That's why the usual G-O-TEA suspects are fuming. It's so much easier to stage
Once upon a time, Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida) made a big splash in helping pass S 744. But when the 21st Century Know Nothings demanded an end to any kind of comprehensive immigration reform (CIR), Senator Rubio turned around to kill his own bill.
But now, all of a sudden, Senator Marco Rubio wants his own CIR bill brought back to life... After he helped kill it in such a brutal manner. We can only wonder what inspired Senator Rubio's latest
Is it the tremendous backlog of cases in immigration courts? Is it the discovery that his G-O-TEA colleagues on Capitol Hill passed up $900 billion in federal budget dedicit reduction to wage a fight over a mere $4 billion to address this immediate issue? Is it the sight of all these refugees coming here to escape the suffering they've endured in Central America? Or is it just the realization that most of his fellow Congressional Republicans once again failed to solve the crisis they created?
As we've discussed before, these refugees are real people. They are coming here to escape the real life horror story that Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador have become. Pointless "borderline grandstanding" will do nothing to solve this problem.
It's always easier to attack a theoretical construct than it is to denigrate real people escaping real suffering. Right now, many Congressional Republicans think they can stir up some "borderline grandstanding" and use it to their advantage this fall and in 2016. They may want to think twice before they proceed any further down this road.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
They Are Real People.
These are children. These are families. Keep that in mind.
They are real people. Don't forget that. We know it's easy to forget this when the usual "TEA" fueled blowhards, pundits, & spinners take to the airwaves to scream about conspiratorial nonsense.
These are children. These are families. These are people. They're not Rick Perry's personal political punching bags.
G-O-TEA politicians & pundits are busy attacking President Obama (and threatening to impeach him) because he "refuses to act". Never mind that the President has already sent a $3.7 billion emergency appropriations bill to Congress to address the current Central American migrant crisis. Never mind that the President is taking some heat from human rights advocates for proposing to deport so many of these refugees. And never mind that the solution so many Congressional Republicans claim they want has been on their desks for the past year, just waiting for their action: S 744/HR 15.
The US Senate passed comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) just over a year ago. The bill they passed, S 744, has been awaiting House action. Last fall, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) and a bipartisan coalition of his House colleagues introduced HR 15 as a companion bill to S 744. For 9 months, HR 15 has been sitting in some dark House Committee room and waiting for further action. Why won't those allegedly "pro-reform Republicans" (cough- Joe Heck- cough) demand a floor vote for HR 15 now? Why can't they even take the $3.7 billion package that the President is offering them?
S 744 included an additional $30 billion for border security. And that's on top of all the billions in additional border security the federal government has spent in the past 5 years. Oh, and let's not forget the 2,000,000+ immigrants who have been apprehended & deported since President Obama took office.
Let's get real here. This isn't a "border security problem". This isn't an "Obama problem". And while this is a political problem, it's not actually what certain pundits & personalities claim it is.
These are children. These are families. They are real people. They are refugees.
They're not "illegals". They're not "aliens". They're not "garbage" that somehow needs to be "disposed of". They are real people. And it's a damned shame we are having this protracted debate on whether to humanely treat actual human beings.
They are real people. Don't forget that. We know it's easy to forget this when the usual "TEA" fueled blowhards, pundits, & spinners take to the airwaves to scream about conspiratorial nonsense.
These are children. These are families. These are people. They're not Rick Perry's personal political punching bags.
G-O-TEA politicians & pundits are busy attacking President Obama (and threatening to impeach him) because he "refuses to act". Never mind that the President has already sent a $3.7 billion emergency appropriations bill to Congress to address the current Central American migrant crisis. Never mind that the President is taking some heat from human rights advocates for proposing to deport so many of these refugees. And never mind that the solution so many Congressional Republicans claim they want has been on their desks for the past year, just waiting for their action: S 744/HR 15.
The US Senate passed comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) just over a year ago. The bill they passed, S 744, has been awaiting House action. Last fall, Rep. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) and a bipartisan coalition of his House colleagues introduced HR 15 as a companion bill to S 744. For 9 months, HR 15 has been sitting in some dark House Committee room and waiting for further action. Why won't those allegedly "pro-reform Republicans" (cough- Joe Heck- cough) demand a floor vote for HR 15 now? Why can't they even take the $3.7 billion package that the President is offering them?
S 744 included an additional $30 billion for border security. And that's on top of all the billions in additional border security the federal government has spent in the past 5 years. Oh, and let's not forget the 2,000,000+ immigrants who have been apprehended & deported since President Obama took office.
Let's get real here. This isn't a "border security problem". This isn't an "Obama problem". And while this is a political problem, it's not actually what certain pundits & personalities claim it is.
These are children. These are families. They are real people. They are refugees.
They're not "illegals". They're not "aliens". They're not "garbage" that somehow needs to be "disposed of". They are real people. And it's a damned shame we are having this protracted debate on whether to humanely treat actual human beings.
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