The National Memo � Are Politicians Who Cut Food Stamps and Deny Health Access Truly ‘Pro-Life’?

The National Memo � Are Politicians Who Cut Food Stamps and Deny Health Access Truly ‘Pro-Life’?:

Wendy Davis in Texas is speaking out on the true meaning, in terms of government policy, of the terms, pro-life and pro-family.  Read on....

Joe Conason - "...the other self-serving sobriquet appropriated by the right is “pro-family,” a code term for opponents of reproductive rights, marriage equality, and other progressive policies that actually empower families of all kinds. Again, these same politicians tend to disparage not only Obamacare, but extended unemployment insurance, Social Security’s old age and disability assistance, Medicaid, Medicare, student loans, tuition assistance, family leave, the earned income tax credit, and the entire panoply of successful government programs that help to keep real working families from disintegrating under economic, social, and medical stress."

So I'm strongly pro-family and pro-life.  I also believe that these two ideas are worth fighting for. So far, I'm a member of the Tea Party in good standing.  The difference for me is simply that I'm willing to pay for government programs that are truly pro-family and pro-life. I'm also willing to find and elect public servants who are committed to these causes and especially to making the policies and government organizations in charge of these policies WORK smoothly.

Conason again, "How would conservatives behave if they honestly wanted to save the family – as House Republicans will now claim when they kill the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, banning workplace bias against lesbians and gays? They might begin by reconsidering their ideological project of dismantling federal programs, long supported by Republicans and Democrats alike, that help families maintain stability, care for each other, maintain healthy children, and advance in each generation.

The real enemies of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for American families are those who seek to polarize incomes, destroy the social safety net, and impose misery on women and children in the name of religious morality." [emphasis mine]

It's time to call out the religious zealots who are driving the conservative agenda for it is truly and only a religious debate.  None of this has anything to do with conservatism. We need to gently push these folks off the political stage and back into the social hall where they can talk to themselves and take care of themselves. God Bless 'em....

More work to do.

As GOP Tries To Win Back Women's Support, Senate Republicans Introduce A National Abortion Ban | ThinkProgress

As GOP Tries To Win Back Women's Support, Senate Republicans Introduce A National Abortion Ban | ThinkProgress

To review, we need to ban abortions after 20 weeks because the fetus can feel pain. We need to cut food stamps and meals on wheels because hunger is painless.

That's dumb.

More work to do.

The National Memo � Wendy Davis Redefines ‘Pro-Life,’ Enrages Anti-Choicers

The National Memo � Wendy Davis Redefines ‘Pro-Life,’ Enrages Anti-Choicers:

Wendy Davis - “I care about the life of every child: every child that goes to bed hungry, every child that goes to bed without a proper education, every child that goes to bed without being able to be a part of the Texas dream, every woman and man who worry about their children’s future and their ability to provide for that future. I care about life and I have a record of fighting for people above all else.”

Repeat this often, share widely. Wendy Davis is the progressive future. It's time to call out the truth about being Pro-Life, all life both born and unborn.

More work to do....

Get Ready For The Filibuster Wars To Resume This Week In The Senate | ThinkProgress

Get Ready For The Filibuster Wars To Resume This Week In The Senate | ThinkProgress:

Ian Millhiser - "Ultimately, however, the question of whether any of the President’s three nominees — Pillard, Millett or federal trial Judge Robert Wilkins — get confirmed is likely to rest upon whether Democrats are willing to rally behind the nuclear option in the same way they did last July. When Democrats showed that they had the votes to nuke the filibuster in July, Republicans caved, and Democrats had to offer nothing more than a fig leaf to fill seven top jobs. It is likely that Senate Republicans will cave again if Democrats show the same united front — and if they don’t, Democrats will eliminate the filibuster on judicial nominees, which is an even better outcome!"

This is the new paradigm.  In order for elections to finally matter again, Democrats need to act like Republicans.  Lock step, arm in arm, using the majority they were given by the electorate, legislation can move, nominees can be approved and the government can function.

Is it hypocritical to use the filibuster rule change as a bludgeon to blackmail Senate Republicans?  Probably.... but changing a rule in a clubhouse like the Senate pales in comparison to blowing up the government of the most powerful nation on earth.

More work to do...

UPDATED: The National Memo � Voter ID Laws Have But One Intent: To Limit The Franchise

The National Memo � Voter ID Laws Have But One Intent: To Limit The Franchise:

Cynthia Tucker: "In that dissent, the late Judge Terence Evans wrote: “Let’s not beat around the bush: The Indiana voter photo ID law is a not-too-thinly-veiled attempt to discourage election-day turnout by certain folks believed to skew Democratic.” That about sums it up."

At last a plea for honesty.  Let's simply call this what it is.  Voter suppression is an insidious, anti-democracy tool necessary for an ideologically pure minority to gain power.

Ideological purity... now there's a loser if there ever was one.  When purity is required, the assumption is that the ideology is right and true and if purity is achieved, the world will be saved or redeemed and all problems are solved.  Forcing this purity on reluctant citizens causes lots of problems and in reality pretty much ensures that the purists will always remain in a pretty small minority.

Purity means that learning from mistakes is not part of the ideological ecosystem. Losing on an issue of policy is not really a loss, but a victory along the path to purity.  In fact, as we've seen from Raphael Cruz, an absolute commitment to ideological purity means that the pure 'base' can make heroes out of losers.

So let's just stay real here.  Honestly.  Carnival barkers, TV evangelists, and Political Posers are a similar lot.  They are in it for self aggrandizement and of course, the money. Honesty is the silver bullet.  Call out the dishonesty every time it happens.  Folks will finally wake up.

Thanks Cynthia Tucker for the honesty.

More work to do.

UPDATE: Five more instances of honesty from Republican elected officials.

The National Memo � Block A Grand Bargain With Bold Progressive Solutions To Social Security And Medicare

The National Memo � Block A Grand Bargain With Bold Progressive Solutions To Social Security And Medicare:

Mr. Kirch - "It is up to progressives, inside and outside of Congress, to seize the moment. It’s a simple message: Instead of making painful cuts to Social Security and Medicare, we can boost benefits for seniors and make sure that the programs are there for the long term by having millionaires EVERYONE pay into Social Security like everyone else and stopping drug companies from ripping off Americans. and allow Medicare to lower drug prices for everyone by using its massive purchasing power."[ My emphasis.]

Progressives need to be careful about how they present these issues.  They need to remember that there are about as many partisan Progressives as there are partisan Conservatives.  Progressives and their potential allies do not do outrage very well.  The initial comments above, edited by me, show that when progressives try, it truly sounds insincere and false.

Progressives can and should be the SMART party.  Let's create strong, positive solutions to the real problems we face in our society.  THAT should be our message.  Let the progressive message contrast sharply with the idealistic and projected solutions to problems that conservatives think might happen. Progressives should be all about what's happening on the ground in real, simple and effective policy.  Let the right wing dwell in the land of defensive fear and false pretense.

More work to do...

The National Memo � The Best Affordable Care Act News You’ll Hear This Week

The National Memo � The Best Affordable Care Act News You’ll Hear This Week:

This, friends and neighbors, is the blueprint for winning Medicaid coverage for all citizens in every state. Governor Kasich of Ohio has hit the nail on the head.  The contrasting messages are now very clear and the choice can be presented to the voters.

Mr. Sattler - "The governor continually invoked Ronald Reagan and “Christian compassion” as he argued for providing health insurance for the working poor. This further enraged right-wingers, who favor using the Gipper’s image to push lower taxes and Christian fundamentalism to push conservative stands on social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage."

This one statement actually addresses the conservative mythology head on. While respecting and acknowledging the right wing/evangelical position, an equal but opposite left wing/Christian position has been presented. Brilliant!

"It’s also a great deal for the states, with the federal government paying 100 percent of the coverage at the outset with that percentage tapering down to 90 percent by the end of the decade.  The federal government currently pays about 57 percent of the cost of Medicaid. States that reject the program will have to provide the tax revenue to pay for it anyway, without the coverage that should keep the working poor out of emergency rooms and drive down insurance rates for all residents." 

This would address the pragmatic real life effects on the nation's economy and the budget dilemmas of lots of states faced with this very choice.

Huzza Mr. Kasich.

More work to do....

Stupid as defined by American Progress

Each of the 7,386 votes against Obamacare is not only a fruitless attempt to undo a law that Congress passed and the Supreme Court upheld. It also represents a conscious effort to allow women face higher premiums than men, to let insurance companies discriminate based on pre-existing conditions, and to deny coverage to Americans. A number of Republican members that have continually voted for repeal represent counties across the country whose citizens would benefit the most from the provisions in the health care law.

http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/08/27/2533681/house-republicans-obamacare-repeal-votes/

Tax Freedom Folly

This statement is true folly:

"Taxation in this land of the free is an oppressive burden not only on individuals but also on businesses...
That, of course, means slashing the size of government." 

( DNRonline : Tax Freedom Finally Here) - 4/18/2013

It is an empty plea of selfishness spoken by a radical anti-tax zealot with a bully pulpit. There should be no talk of smaller government or of slashing services until EXACTLY what parts of it are identified as overblown and need cutting.

It is brazen to argue simply, “Slash Government.” There is no single entity called "The Government." It is a collective made up entirely of the services and functions that WE the citizens of the United States of America choose to provide for ourselves.

Stop this insane ranting about the size of government and continue the debate on how our money should rightly be spent.

DNRonline : Photo ID Will Safeguard Voting...A Solution in Search of a Problem

DNRonline : Photo ID Will Safeguard Voting

I'm all for efficiency and making the election process work for everyone.  What destroys my confidence in the election process is the current fascination with voter fraud.  It's a problem that is so small that, though several cases of actual fraud that might involve false identification might be found, it certainly isn't a problem that demands the time and effort of our legislators.  They've got more important things to do.

It's not "free."  Spending taxpayer money solving a problem that doesn't exist and could be better spent on real, important problems is not fiscally responsible. We will all help pay for this. 

Those who would need the new photo ID represent a portion of the population that often doesn't have the means or the money to prove their identity with the required legal documents.  Again, it's not free.  For those lease able to afford it, its both hard and expensive to obtain these documents if they are not already in their possession.  The salient point here is that those citizens who are likely to need the increased level of documentation are folks that vote for Democrats.  It is the Republican legislators who are pushing this so hard.

The Carter/Baker recommendations have nothing to do with the current wave of voter repression activities going on nationwide.  Although the original working paper addressed the efficiency and effectiveness of the election process, most of those recommendations have already been put in place.  The Voter ID has been left off because of the expense and the discriminatory effect.

In addition, it comes on the heels of the recent attempt to change the way electoral college votes are apportioned, again pushed strongly by the Republican members of the state legislature. This attempt was thwarted when it soon became clear that a minority of voters would be able to win presidential elections. This partisan ploy is only one of the latest versions of a long sordid history of voter suppression tactics and election rigging foisted on the citizenry of Virginia throughout its history. 

It also comes on the heels of the current effort in the courts to negate the Voting Rights Act.  Apparently, Virginia has suffered its effects long enough and has fixed its historical problem of discrimination, at least to the satisfaction of Republican supporters of this effort.

If building confidence in the election process is one of the clear goals of this new legislation, it fails miserably. The continued efforts of the Republican Party to engineer elections in their favor is certainly not a confidence builder. I can’t help but point out that all of this rigging, pandering, and election tampering done at the legislative level shows a serious lack of concern about the underlying unpopular policies that make up the Republican platform.  The positions they’ve embraced don’t win.  In order to win elections, Republicans have historically resorted to a thumb on the scales, a trend that continues unabated.  If you can’t beat ‘em, cheat ‘em. 

If fairness is truly a concern, show us legislation that enables seniors, the poor, minorities, and students, who are also citizens of this Commonweath, to carry out their constitutional right to vote. Show some concern for the cost of unnecessary legislation.  Show us some real problem solving. Win the debate with the efficacy of your argument.  Be persuasive enough to convince Virginians that you truly care about fair, efficient and legal elections.  Quit chasing windmills.