Note to the GOP: Black Turnout in 2012 wasn't just about Obama

Michael Tomasky at The Daily Beast wrote a rather critical piece about the Republican Party and minority outreach.  He focuses on the African-American vote and how the GOP is (or isn't) reaching out to them.  His critique focuses primarily on the lip-service being given by the party leadership and the actual legislation being passed by Republican lawmakers.  It is an utterly fascinating read, regardless of your political ideology.

To read Mr. Tomasky's article, click on the link below.

Black Turnout, GOP Denial Both High

The New GOP Threat on the Debt Ceiling

Johnathan Bernstein wrote an interesting piece about the GOP's strategy on the debt ceiling fight that is brewing this summer.  It seems that the Republicans, having already wrangled steep cuts to government spending via the sequester and getting President Obama to include some entitlement cuts in his budget, have decided to focus on Tax Reform.  Specifically, they want Democrats to go along with revenue neutral tax reform, which will explode the deficit, in exchange for a debt ceiling increase.

Huh?

Mr. Bernstein explains it better than I do.  To read his piece, click on the link below.

GOP's debt limit threat goes off the rails

The 2014 Midterms will probably NOT be about Obama

Tom Raum at The Huffington Post wrote a great piece about the likely factors that will shape the 2014 midterm elections.  He breaks down all the factors, both the positives and negatives for each party, and explains their likely effects on the election.  He pays particularly close attention to the effect President Obama will have, as well as the economic situation.

To read Mr. Raum's article, click on the link below.

Elections In 2014 May Not Hinge On Economic Gains Under Obama

The First 100 Days of Obama II: Not Much To Show For It

Albert Hunt at Bloomberg wrote a piece on Obama and Congress's 1st 100 days since the 2012 election.  He pointedly said that all of the sweeping agenda items proposed by both sides of the political spectrum have gone nowhere, and he critiques both the President and Congress on why nothing gets done on a host of issues.  It is a fascinating read.

To read Mr. Hunt's article, click on the link below.

How Obama and Republicans Squandered First 100 Days

What is REDMAP?

REDMAP, or the Redistricting Majority Project, is a program created by the Republican State Leadership Committee for the sole purpose of creating congressional districts that can only be won by Republicans.  It used the 2010 census data to re-draw state legislative districts and congressional districts to favor GOP candidates and to hamper Democratic candidates.  This is why, despite the lopsided vote for Obama and Democrats in 2012, the Republicans retained control of the U.S. House and still kept its majority hold in State Legislatures and Governorships.

New York AG to Obama: Stop Protecting the Banks!!

New York state Attorney General, Eric Schneiderman has been grumbling about the Obama Administration.  Specifically, he is frustrated at the lack of accountability the Administration has forced the big banks and mortgage companies to accept over the financial meltdown.  He feels that the administration's responses have lacked any true consequence, and have not put in place the proper safeguards to prevent a future calamity.

Sequester Blame Game

The New York Times Editorial Board wrote a scathing op-ed about the GOP's wiggling out of any responsibility for the Sequester spending cuts.  It highlights various strategies the Republicans have used to tie all negative results to President Obama, while congratulating itself for cutting the budget.  The Board also notes some of the hypocrisy and selective outrage stoked by the GOP leadership on specific cuts made by the sequester.

I have yet to find a credible rebuttal to the NYT Editorial Board, but when I do I'll post it.  To read the NYT editorial, click on the link below.

Budget Cuts, Minus the Inconvenience

In Other News, The Democrats Are Fighting... Again

Robert H. Nelson, over at The Weekly Standard, wrote an in-depth article about the fractures in the Democratic Party.  To me, it's an old story.  There's a common wisdom that says the GOP is in lock-step on most anything and the Democrats are a giant mass of indecision.  However, with all the attention recently on the fractures in the GOP, it is important to note that the Democrats are also clashing with each other.

To read Mr. Nelson's article, click on the link below.

The Fractured Left

The GOP's Strategy to derail Obamacare

Ezra Klein, my policy wonk hero, wrote a fantastic piece for the Washington Post about the Republican Party's strategy to derail the Affordable Care Act, aka 'Obamacare'.  He uses testimony from a recent Senate Finance Committee meeting where Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is explaining how the Affordable Care Act will be implemented, and answering questions about the various Senators' concerns.

Frankly, the tactics are pretty obvious, and Klein exploits that obviousness to nearly comedic effect.  It is a thought-provoking, and in my opinion, very entertaining article.

To read Ezra Klein's article, click on the link below.

About the Obamacare 'train wreck'

Carl Levin's Heir-Apparent?

George Will, a conservative columnist for the Washington Post and Newsweek, is a person I listen to.  His views and ideology, though they clash with my own, are generally a good barometer of what's going on in conservative politics.  When he says there's an up-and-coming Republican lawmaker out there, I listen.  He recently wrote a profile on a Republican Congressman from Michigan that caught my attention.  Will suggests that this young man could be the next Republican Senator from Michigan, a state that hasn't elected a Republican to the Senate in over 40 years.

To read Mr. Will's article, click on the link below.

Is Justin Amash the new face of Republicanism?

A Scathing rebuke of the Senate's lack of action on Gun Control

Yesterday, the U.S. Senate was unable to pass any parts of its Gun Control legislation.  All of the portions of it, though they had majority support, failed to reach the 60 vote threshold to avoid a filibuster from Republican Senators and a few Red-State Democrats.  Gun Control advocates were particularly upset.  This has lead to a swath of angry and biting commentary directed at Gun Rights advocates.

Challenges for the future Democratic Majority

I posted an article by Johnathan Chait at New York Magazine that talked about an emerging Democratic majority in the electorate.  This was based on the demographic changes the country was experiencing, as well as a consistently more progressive bent on social issues according to the polls.  It seems, however, that the emerging Democratic majority may be more fractious than unified.

Two Views on Gun Control Legislation

The Editorial Board of the New York Times wrote a scathing critique of the Senate and its failure to pass gun legislation.  On the other side of the issue, the editors at Investment Business Daily wrote a piece admonishing President Obama and Democrats for exploiting the grief of the Newtown, CT families for political gain and cheering the fact that it failed.  Both pieces are quite partisan, but they both ask intriguing questions and both should be read, regardless of one's personal views.

To read the New York Times editorial, click here.

To read the Investment Business Daily editorial, click here.

NRCC to Sanford: Peace Out!

The National Republican Campaign Committee has pulled its funding from former Gov. Mark Sanford congressional campaign. This after Sanford ex-wife filed a report that he violated part of their divorce settlement by trespassing on her property. Sanford reportedly went to his ex-wife's home to see his sons, who are under his ex-wife's sole custody. The pulling of the NRCC money could doom his campaign.

The Huffington Post has a great article outlining the situation. Read it by clicking on the link below.

Mark Sanford Dropped By NRCC After Trespassing Complaint Surfaces - The Huffington Post

Gun Bill Background Check Amendment Fails

The Senate today failed to pass an amendment to expand background checks on gun purchases, giving a stunning blow to gun control advocates. The amendment failed despite having a 90% approval rating from the general public. President Obama admonished the Senate at a press conference shortly after the vote. He vowed that this was only round 1 in turn fight for reform.

The Huffington Post has an article article explaining what went wrong. Read it by clicking on the link below.

Gun Bill Background Check Amendment Fails, Other Key Provisions To Follow - The Huffington Post

Boston & Recovery

The thoughts and prayers of Politicoaster are with all those affected by the bombings in Boston.

David Callaway at USA Today wrote a wonderful op-ed about the resiliance of Bostonians, the meaning of Patriots Day, and how the city will recover - and come out swinging!

To read Mr. Callaway's article, click on the link below.

Patriots Day Massacre

Michelle Bachmann vs. Jim Graves: Redux

Generally speaking, I don't write too much about my local politics on the blog.  This story, however, made national news and one of the people involved was a 2012 candidate for President.  Anyway, read on.

Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann spent more money than any other House candidate in the 2012 elections.  She outspent her opponent 12-1.  In the end, she won her seat, but only by 1% of the vote.  Now, a series of ethics complaints surrounding her failed Presidential bid is further tarnishing her image, and her approval rating has dropped below 50% in her district.  All this has convinced her 2012 opponent, business man and hotelier Jim Graves, to run again.

Sabrina Siddiqui at the Huffington Post wrote a great article about the situation.  You can read it by clicking on the link below.

Jim Graves: Constituents are 'Embarassed' by Bachmann

The Endangered 'Swing Seat' becomes the GOP's Advantage

Charlie Cook at The National Journal wrote a fascinating piece about how U.S. House districts are becoming more and more partisan, with more seats locked in either the Democrat or Republican columns and fewer districts that are competitive.  He also shows how this trend appears to be favoring the GOP.  I will be writing a longer op-ed about this phenomenon later, and address some things Cook doesn't address here.

Nonetheless, it is a great article.  To read it, click on the link below.

The Republican Advantage

The GOPs War on Sex

The Republican Party appears to be waging a war on sex. In the Republican-controlled states and the House of Representatives, a slew of new legislation targeting abortion, contraception, sodomy, age-of-consent laws, and more have been proposed and/or passed into law. If this is the GOP's idea of re-branding, the party may be in for a rude awakening in 2014 & 2016.

The Huffington Post has put together a great slideshow showing the various laws being proposed by the GOP. Click on the link below to see it.

THE GOP'S WAR ON SEX

The Obama Budget 2014

President Obama released his fiscal year 2014 budget outline today.  In all, the 3.77 trillion dollar budget would increase spending on infrastructure and early childhood education, make significant cuts to social security, medicare, medicaid, discretionary and defense spending, re-tool the tax code to limit deductions for high earners and increase capital gains rates with the so-called "Buffett Rule", and ultimately reduce the federal deficit by $1.8 Trillion over the next 10 years.

CNN has a great breakdown of the big-ticket items in the budget.  You can look at it by clicking on the link below.

What's in Obama's budget

The Passing of Lady Thatcher

Former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher passed away today. The folks over at The Huffington Post wrote up a very detailed and respectable piece about Lady Thatcher, her life, and her role in shaping history.

To read the HuffPo piece, click on the link below.

Margaret Thatcher Dead: Former UK Prime Minister Dies Of Stroke

GOP Identity Crisis - Part 2: Policy

This is the 2nd of a 3-part series examining the identity crisis of the GOP.  The first part dealt with the demographic changes the GOP faces.  The 2^nd part deals with the implications of the party’s current platform and its various factions.  The 3^rd part will be about what I think the GOP will do, what it should do, and what that means for the future of conservative politics.

Are The Democrats Winning The Culture Wars?

Ronald Brownstein at the National Journal wrote a fantastic column about how Democrats now appear to be on the offense on a range of social issues.  This is a clear reversal to a few years ago when it appeared only Republicans stood to gain by pushing social issues in the political sphere.  Now, the dynamic has switched, finding Democrats bullish about their prospects and the issues themselves becoming a "wedge" in the Republican consensus.

To read Mr. Brownstein's piece, click on the link below.

Why The Culture Wars Now Favor Democrats  

Hillary is not a sure thing for 2016

Speculating on 2016 already is a ridiculous exercise, but as long as Hillary Clinton is around, there will always be speculation on the Democratic side.  Will she, or won't she run?  She is the presumptive favorite for the Democratic nomination.  Even the GOP is worried a Clinton nomination could radically change the electoral map.  But amid all of this speculation, no one seems to be pointing out the obvious: We've heard all this before.

The GOP is not as 'Dead' as first reported

On Tuesday, I posted a link to an article by Johnathan Chait at New York Magazine that talked about a natural Democratic majority forming in this country - one that had actually been around for a while and was reforming now.  I found it to be a well-reasoned piece, and still do.

Palmetto Intrigue

Mark Sanford has secured his spot as the Republican nominee for the South Carolina 1st Congressional district seat - a seat he held once before.  He has managed to overcome a sex scandal from 2009 and seemingly get some measure of forgiveness from GOP voters in the Palmetto State.  However, his political Resurrection is far from assured.  His biggest challenge yet will come from his opponent in this Special Election, an opponent who happens to be related to famed news comedian Stephen Colbert.

Is there now a natural Democratic majority in America?

Johnathan Chait at New York Magazine wrote an interesting piece, complete with a chart, wondering weather or not the U.S. electorate is evolving naturally to a Democratic majority.  Surmising that as America becomes less white, it also becomes more progressive, and that even younger white voters are less conservative than they used to be.  Mr. Chait puts serious facts and figures behind this relatively old argument, and it is compelling.

To read Mr. Chait's piece, click on the link below.

Will Obama's Majority Survive?

Prediction 2014: Continuing Gridlock

Juan Williams at The Hill wrote a fascinating op-ed about his predictions for continued gridlock in Washington after the 2014 midterms.  He believes the Democrats will hold the Senate, but he looks deeper at the new polling about the Democrats and the GOP, and how fear and politicking have essentially strangled the democracy right out of elections.  It is well-reasoned and somewhat depressing to read, but I still recommend it.

To read Mr. Williams' op-ed, click on the link below.

No Sign of a break to Washington's Dismal Deadlock

Are the Dems in just as much disarray as the GOP?

We all know that most media has been covering the fractious inner squabbles of the Republican Party after the 2012 elections.  However, no one is paying too much attention to internal issues at the Democratic Party.  There appears to be a lot of tension between the liberal and centrist wings of the Democrats, particularly over hot button issues like gun control and climate change.

Jack Kelly of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette talked with Stanley Kurtz, a respected conservative commentator, about what's going on inside the Democratic Party, and how it may be in just as much - if not more - disarray than the GOP.  To read Mr. Kelly's piece, click on the link below.

Democrats are increasingly divided

Washington to Pyongyang: Seriously, CALM DOWN!

Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are high as North Korea continues its saber-rattling rhetoric.  South Korean forces are on high alert, warning of swift and total retaliation for any North Korean aggression.  The United States has shown its support by participating in training exercises with the South Koreans, some of which included the use of American B-2 Stealth Bombers.  Now, Washington is telling North Korea that it's serious by sending South Korea a few F-22 Raptor stealth fighter planes.