Justice Antonin Scalia: SCOTUS Troll?

On February 28th, the Supreme Court heard arguments in the case Shelby County vs. Holder, which concerns the Voting Rights Act of 1965.  The law has been re-authorized without an issue ever since.  The last re-authorization occurred in 2006, and it enjoyed nearly unanimous Congressional support.  Generally, Supreme Court hearings are uneventful, but this one was different.

Democrats ‘Over-dramatized’ Sequester Consequences

‘Okay, it won’t be THAT bad.’  That was the message from President Obama and the Democratic Leadership after the deadline for the Sequester had passed and the cuts went into effect.  This is after a week of posturing, with doomsday claims of National Security risks, teacher layoffs, longer lines at airports, and all sorts of other nasty and unpalatable things.  Then the Sequester came, and went, and now it’s just gonna be a little inconvenient.

Huh?

Boehner vs McConnell: Mixed GOP Message on Sequester

House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell appeared on the Sunday morning shows to offer their respective views on the automatic budget cuts, known as the Sequester.  Generally, the Republicans present a united front from specific talking points to express their views, but it appeared that Boehner and McConnell were speaking from different scripts.

The 'Supposed' Day of Reckoning is Here

Today is the day the $85 Billion in automatic spending cuts, known as the Sequester, are to take effect.  The President, during a press conference this morning, essentially stated that there was no deal on the immediate horizon to avoid the cuts. He also blamed Republicans and their refusal to close tax loopholes for corporations and the wealthy as the main reason a deal was not reached.

It's Chuck!!!

The U.S. Senate finally confirmed former Sen. Chuck Hagel for Secretary of Defense.  On a 58-41 vote, Hagel went through a particularly bruising confirmation process, leading to an unprecedented filibuster of his nomination by Senate Republicans.  Read more about Hagel's confirmation by clicking on the link below.

Hagel confirmed as U.S. Defense Secretary

Prominent Republicans Sign Brief Supporting Marriage Equality

The New York Times is reporting that a list of prominent Republicans signed on to a legal brief filed with the Supreme Court in support of same-sex marriage.  Notablees, such as former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman, and current  House GOP Reps Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida and Richard Hanna of New York, have signed on along with 75 more.  Read the New York Times piece by clicking on the link below.

Republicans Sign Brief in Support of Gay Marriage

GOP on Sequester: Not So Fast, Mr. President

The President has engaged in a campaign-style rally across the country, warning of the consequences if a deal isn't reached and blaming Republicans for the stalemate.  But now, Republicans are striking back, with a barrage of news conferences by GOP House members and several Republican Governors - Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley among them - slamming the President for his role in creating the Sequester in the first place, and not leading the charge for a deal to avoid it.

Sen. Ted Cruz: A New McCarthy?

Jane Mayer at The New Yorker wrote a piece about Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and his controversial comments about the faculty at Harvard Law School, specifically, that there were more Communists among the faculty than Republicans.  Ms. Mayer then digs deeper into Sen. Cruz's overall rhetoric, culminating in his insinuation during a Senate hearing that Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel may have accepted campaign funds and speaking fees from hostile governments and terrorists groups.  It is a fascinating piece.

Read Jane Mayer's piece in the New Yorker by clicking on the link below.

Is Sen. Ted Cruz our new McCarthy?

Sequester Damage: State By State

On Sunday night, The Obama Administration released a detailed report that describes how the mandatory spending cuts, known as the sequester, would affect each state.  The folks over at Talking Points Memo put together a great piece outlining the White House's report, with pdf files for each state.

You can view the Talking Points Memo piece by clicking on the link below.

White House Breaks Down Sequester Damage in each State 

Other than Sequestration: What Happened This Week?

A majority of the political news this week revolved around the coming across-the-board spending cuts, known as the Sequester.  However, a lot of other stuff happened this week. Here's a sampling of some of the stories I found most interesting that were mostly overlooked by the mainstreem media.

GOP Senators and The Tea Party: A Delicate Dance

David Espo at The Associated Press has a piece out talking about how Republicans in the Senate a treading carefully with their dealings with Tea Party activists, now that they have been burned by their shenanigans over 2 election cycles.  While Tea Party support was key in Republicans taking control of the House, their candidates have had a decidedly negative impact on the GOP in the Senate.

Read Mr. Espo's piece by clicking the link below.

GOP Senators are treading carefully with the Tea Party

Dems seek to Pulverize beleaguered GOP in 2014, 2016

Andy Kroll, over at Mother Jones, is reporting about plans brewing at Priorities USA Action, the pro-Obama super PAC that helped the president win re-election.  The PAC is alive and well, and has its sights set on the 2014 midterms, and beyond.  With the GOP in disarray, democratic strategists see a golden opportunity to make huge gains in 2014.

Read Mr. Kroll's piece by clicking on the link below.

Watch Out, GOP: Obama Super-PAC Is Coming for You in 2014

Just For Fun: The Wonders of Joe Biden's Mouth

OK.  This has nothing, really, to do with the current debates in Washington.  However, the folks over at The Daily Beast have put together a great little list of Vice President Joe Biden's greatest gaffes.  This was spurred by his latest, at an online Town Hall forum for Parenting Magazine earlier this week.  Say what you will about the Vice President, but he's always entertaining!

Read the post at The Daily Beast using the link below.

'Buy a Shotgun!' & More of Joe Biden's Never-Ending Gaffes

Strategists to GOP: Time to ditch 'stale' policies

Michael O'Brien at NBC wrote a piece about some members of the conservative intelligentsia calling for policy changes in the Republican Party.  He cites specific Republican strategists and think tanks, specific policies in need of re-thinking and retirement, and how some have responded to the suggestions thus far.  It's a fascinating read.

Click on the link below to read Mr. O'Brien's article.

Conservative thinkers: GOP should cut 'stale' policies loose

GOP Identity Crisis – Part 1: Demographics

This is the 1^st of a 3-part series examining the identity crisis of the GOP.  This first part deals with the demographic changes the GOP faces.  The 2^nd part will deal 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.

CNN explains the Spending Cuts

CNN Money's Jeanne Sahadi wrote a piece this morning that explains how the spending cuts required in Sequestration would work.  It's purely analytical, though she does take a swipe at lawmakers for coming up with this plan in the first place.

Check out her piece at the link below.

Spending cuts: What you need to know

In 90 Seconds, Bob Schieffer Explains Washington's Idiocy

On 'Face The Nation' on Sunday, Bob Schieffer managed to admonish lawmakers on their lack of ability to deal with the Sequester before running off on a long President's Day recess.  His view is bipartisan, and somewhat depressing - though right on the money.

What the Heck is Sequestration?

The United States Congress, in their infinite wisdom, created a scenario that was supposed to force lawmakers to tackle our nation’s debt.  The scenario: create a fiscal situation that was perceived as so unbearable, lawmakers would have no choice but to act.  Unfortunately, hyper-partisanship is the rule in Washington, so our elected officials never came to an agreement as to how to proceed.

We’re BAAAACK!!!

I have decided to resurrect Politicoaster for 2013.  Unfortunately, ‘Life’ happened to me during 2012, and I was unable to keep up with all of the shenanigans of the election (which were highly entertaining, offensive, and predictable).  However, I am now starting to feel that itch to scream about our nation’s politics, and yelling at my TV while watching cable news doesn't seem to satisfy me anymore.

With all that’s going on, from Sequestration, to Gun Violence, to Immigration Reform, to Tax Reform, to Gay Marriage, to Abortion Rights, to Religious liberties – it’s maddening and fascinating and I need to blog about it.

 

We’ll start where we left off – the same rules apply.  No subject is off the table.  I’ll talk about the GOP’s image issues, Newtown, Hillary in 2016, the unprecedented filibuster of Chuck Hagel’s nomination to be Defense Secretary, Drones, RedMap, voting rights, proposed reductions in our nuclear arsenal, Iran, Israel  North Korea’s nuclear progress, the ‘Reign’ of Vladimir Putin, the proposed US & EU Trade Zone, and a whole bunch of other stuff!  And that’s just what I hope to get to over the next few weeks!

As before, I’ll try to post at least one original piece each week, plus links and other gems of political news.  And, as before, we’ll see if it works.  Ask questions.  Make comments.  Tell me if I skew too far left or right or if you think I am insane.  I’m gonna try and stick with this.

Thanks for following me!

Super Committee a Super Disappointment

The Congressional "Super Committee" charged with eliminating $1.4 Trillion in red ink from the Federal Budget announced today that it has failed.  Now, a series of automatic across the board cuts will take place in 2013 if something isn't done to fix our fiscal crisis.  David Gergen wrote an op-ed about the committee and it's failure and what it means for the American People.  He rightly takes Congress and the committee to task for their failure, and points out how dire the consequences are if we do not fix our government.  It is an incredibly articulate and scathing piece.

Have they gone nuts in Washington?

New calls for Hillary to save the Democratic Party

More and more folks are calling on Hillary Clinton to run in the 2012 election.  The most recent pronouncement comes from Patrick Caddell and Douglas Schoen at The Wall Street Journal.  They wrote an op-ed piece today essentially asking President Obama to step aside and allow Secretary Clinton to run as the Democratic nominee.  The reasons presented in the piece are nothing new, but Mr. Caddell and Mr. Schoen are both influential opinion makers in progressive circles, therefore their ideas will be taken seriously.  Add to the fervor the recent polling that showed Clinton performing significantly better than Obama in hypothetical match ups against all the declared Republican candidates.  

Personally, I don't know if it's a good or bad idea.  I am a big fan of both Mr. Caddell and Mr. Schoen, but I am uncertain in regards to the wisdom of such a move, regardless of the political upside.  

Read their Op-Ed Piece for yourself, and see what you think.

Op-Ed: The Hillary Moment

It's Newt!!!

Newt Gingrich has become the new flavor of the month in the Republican presidential field.  New national polling places the former Speaker of the House either tied for first with Herman Cain or Mitt Romney, or well ahead of both.

I suppose it was only a matter of time before Newt made his surge in the polls.  We've seen Bachmann, Perry, and Cain all spike in the polls before being beaten back by increased scrutiny by the media.  The interesting thing about Gingrich is that his whole political career has been on display for decades, making it less likely that some new surprises will pop up.  However, there are a couple of things about Gingrich that I think will make him an unpalatable choice for Republican primary voters.  

Cain Campaign to receive Secret Service Protection

The United States Secret Service confirmed today that the Cain Campaign will receive protective services from the agency.  Mr. Cain is the first Republican candidate to receive protection from the Secret Service this election cycle.  The Secret Service began offering protection for Presidential candidates after Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1968.  Since then, it has become standard for front-runner candidates to receive some protection from the agency.  

Read more in CNN's wire report.

Sexual Harassment becomes Sexual Assault for Cain

Sharon Bialek is the 1st woman to publicly address the sexual harassment claims made against GOP Presidential candidate Herman Cain.  Her accusations, however, go beyond the standards of sexual harassment and, in fact, may be considered sexual assault.

At a press conference, Ms. Bialek alleged that Cain groped her - specifically putting his hand on her thigh and sliding it up her skirt, as well as pushing her head towards his crotch - following a dinner they both attended in 1997.  Ms. Bialek is not one of the women that POLITICO mentioned when the story first broke.  She also has lawyered up, hiring "Girl Power" attorney Gloria Allred.  

Obama: One Year to go

John Avlon, a CNN contributor, wrote an op-ed that compared President Obama's poll standings 1 year from the election with his predecessors, to get a sense of his chances for re-election.  The piece is very interesting.  Avlon looks back at polls going back as far as Nixon.  The comparisons are fascinating, and the speculation is always fun.  I highly recommend reading it.

A year from election, how does Obama measure up?

Rick Perry: The 'Bobblehead'

Rick Perry hasn't been the best debater in the GOP field of presidential candidates, but he has been an effective speech maker throughout his political career.  However, at a speech given in New Hampshire over the weekend, Perry appeared to try a new approach - humor.  In my opinion, this approach failed miserably, but the end result is so bizarre compared to his earlier speeches.  This wasn't just off-the-cuff for a few moments - this was a full half-hour of wonky.  I'd expect this type of behavior from Michele Bachmann's camp, not the Perry camp.

If this is part of his comeback strategy, I don't think there will be much of a comeback.  Watch the video for yourself.

Rick Perry's attempt at humor

Harassment claims harass Cain

POLITICO is reporting that GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain was accused of harassment by 2 former female employees of the National Restaurant Association.  Mr, Cain ran the organization during the 1990's.  Cain and his campaign have flatly denied the accusations, pointing out an internal investigation that did not find substantial evidence of harassment.  The campaign went further, decrying the media for attacking Cain on a personal level.  

I doubt this revelation amounts to an "October Surprise" in politics, but it makes for good reading.  I think Herman Cain is going to have to get used to being scrutinized more closely.  This is what happens when you become the leader in the polls.  Mitt Romney has been attacked for EVERYTHING, from flip-flopping to voter fraud.  We've scrutinized Michele Bachmann and found out her husband runs a clinic that uses therapy to turn gay people straight, among other things.  Rick Perry got attacked for his 'N*****head' ranch and when the rock was actually painted over.  Now we're getting Herman Cain's decades old sexual harassment complaint.

God Bless Politics, and all it's craziness.

Cain denies harassment allegations

Tea Party Troubles

David Frum is a conservative contributor to CNN and a former George W. Bush adviser.  He has written an op-ed piece about the Tea Party's negative affects on the GOP.  While I generally disagree with Frum's characterizations of "Liberals" and Progressives, I do feel his commentary on the Tea Party is pretty accurate.  He explains 4 separate scenarios and how the Tea Party affects them.  This is honestly one of the best op-eds I've seen - on any subject - for a while.

I also highly recommend taking a look at Frum Forum, David Frum's political blog.  It is Conservative by nature, but it has logic and reason behind it - as well as lots of C.B.O. statistics, charts, and graphs to prove points made!  I love statistics!

Happy Halloween!!!

How tea party could drive GOP to disaster

The Death of the Perry Campaign

James Carville over at CNN wrote a scathing op-ed piece about why Rick Perry's Presidential campaign is essentially over.  I know Carville is a talking head for the 'Loony-Lefties' but I think his critique of Perry is spot-on.  He doesn't back up the arguments against Perry's ability to govern (a vague swipe at Texas's economic disparities doesn't cur it, Mr. Carville) but the main gist of the argument is that Perry is a lightweight when it comes to Presidential politics.  I think it's a funny, though very partisan, piece.  Despite the partisanship, it is also pretty fair.

Why Rick Perry's presidential bid is toast

Herman Cain: Brought to you by Koch Industries

Herman Cain's meteoric rise to Republican frontrunner has been written about to death.  He performed well in the 1st Republican Debate, fell to the wayside for a while as our attention was diverted to Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry, but he's had a strong resurgence since last month, and continues to dominate the headlines.  His 'outsider' status, 'straight talk' style, private sector experience, and his "9-9-9" tax plan have given the media and the public a lot to look at.  However, some media outlets have begun to look at how Herman Cain's actual campaign is working.  What has been discovered is kind of scary.

Almost everything that is the Herman Cain campaign has been funded by one source - a Political Action Committee called 'Americans For Prosperity.'  Americans For Prosperity is the brain child of Charles and David Koch, the owners of Koch Industries, which is the largest privately held company in the United States.  Together, the Koch brothers are worth approximately $50 Billion.  David Koch was the Vice Presidential Nominee for the Libertarian Party in 1980.  Together, they have used Americans For Prosperity to funnel money towards ultra conservative Republican causes and have pledged to steer over $200 Million to the 2012 election.

Poll says Hillary would win BIG

A new TIME survey showed that if Hillary Clinton were the Democratic nominee for President in 2012, she would fare far better than Barack Obama against the Republican candidates.  Clinton beats Mitt Romney by 17 points, 55% to 38%.  Obama barely tops Romney, 46% to 43%, in the same poll.  Against Rick Perry, Clinton gets 58% to Perry's 32%.  Obama wins with 50% to Perry's 38%.  And against new Republican frontrunner Herman Cain, Clinton gets 56% to Cain's 34%.  Obama gets 49% to Cain's 37%.  

Secretary Clinton is currently the most popular national figure in politics, with an approval rating of 66% in recent polls.  Though she has said again and again that she will not run in 2012 and is highly unlikely to run in 2016 (she'd be 69 on election day 2016, being one of the oldest Presidential nominees in recent history), the national polling clearly shows a desire for Clinton to return to elected politics.  Last month, I mentioned a Bloomberg Poll showing that a lot of Independents and Democrats wished that Hillary Clinton had won the nomination in 2008, saying they thought she could do a better job than Obama has. 

Bachmann Bets the Farm on Iowa

Congresswoman and GOP Presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann must win Iowa.  If she doesn't, her political career may be over.  Her brand as a stalwart conservative and Tea Party darling should resonate with Iowa caucus voters, but political missteps, questionable claims, and downright bizarre accusations have put her at risk.  Also, the meteoric rise of Herman Cain and Rick Perry threaten to split the evangelical vote in Iowa, a situation that could pave the way for a surprise Romney win, despite his near universal hatred among conservatives.

The past week’s sudden resignation of Bachmann’s team in New Hampshire clearly demonstrates her campaign’s vulnerability – she has the adoration of social conservatives, but not the rest of the GOP.  Social conservatives seem to love her irreverent attacks on all things Government – from taxes and social policy to healthcare.  However, her more extreme and wacky pontifications on Abortion, the HPV Vaccine, and other issues have not proven to be very palatable to a large swath of the Republican electorate.  If she cannot prove herself as a viable candidate with a strong showing in Iowa, her presidential run will be over.

Perry & Romney - NOT Friends

Mitt Romney and Rick Perry don't like each other.  This fact was on clear display during the last GOP Presidential Debate.  Despite Herman Cain's rising numbers, Romney feels Perry is his only real competition for the Republican Nomination, and Perry has his eye firmly fixed on taking Romney down.

I enjoy a good political battle, but it appears as though the Perry/Romney fight has gotten personal.  The moment Mitt Romney reached out and touched Perry's shoulder, as if to say "Calm Down" was a moment that deftly explained the dynamics in play between the two.  Romney has tired to maintain his "inevitability" as the Republican nominee by remaining above the fray.  He has been excellent as far as not engaging his competition on the more extreme positions they have staked out.  

The Politics of Faith

Four of the GOP Presidential candidates have cited 'God's Will' as one of the reasons they're running for President.  Faith and Religion have played a major role in Republican Primaries for decades - and each year it appears to take a larger and more meaningful role.  I question weather or not it's right to use one's Faith as a campaign strategy - or as a means to attack another candidate.  The Separation of Church and State applies to our laws - not our politics.

LZ Granderson wrote a column for CNN that addresses this very phenomenon.  The blending of Faith and Politics doesn't appear to be restricted to Republicans only - however, the jarring differences in how the two parties use Religion and how far they press agendas with it... well, it's like comparing apples to cephalopods!

Read LZ's column.  It's really good!

Who does God want in the White House?

If it's Inevitable, will the Tea Party accept it?

Gloria Borger at CNN wrote a wonderful op-ed asking the question: If Mitt Romney ends up being the Republican Nominee, will the Tea Party rally behind him?  It's too early to say definitively who the Republican Nominee will be.  Remember, about this time before the last Presidential election, it was certain that it would be Rudy Giuliani versus Hillary Clinton.   However, Romney has consistently been towards the top of the polls, among likely Republican primary voters.  He performs well in debates.  He is also well liked by Independents.  The question is: Will Conservatives embrace him?

Will Tea Party purists back imperfect Romney?

It REALLY is about the economy, Stupid!

Tonight's GOP Debate in New Hampshire will focus on the Economy.  Despite economic issues being the #1 concern amongst voters, the current field of Republican Presidential candidates haven't said much about the economy.  The candidates have spent most of their time slamming President Obama's policies while slamming each other on social issues.  From Perry's immunization program in Texas, to Romney's heath care plans, to Bachmann's plan to put Don't Ask Don't Tell back in place, to Rick Santorum's insistence that the Defense of Marriage Act is essential for National Security - these issues are not exactly economic in nature.

Unemployed or Poor? Herman Cain says it's your own fault.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, GOP Presidential hopeful, Herman Cain, expressed confusion and bewilderment about the 'Occupy Wall Street' protests.  He didn't understand why they were protesting Wall Street, indicating that their frustration was understandable but misguided. 

"Don't blame Wall Street," Cain said.  "Don't blame the big banks.   If you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself."

Watch the interview below and come to your own conclusions about Mr. Cain.

Palin: Not Running but Not Stupid

Sarah Palin has made it official: She is NOT running for President in 2012.  She also doesn't want to be considered for Vice President... again.  She feels she would be more effective in an advocacy role - assisting Republicans with fundraising and getting out the vote.  Which makes sense, since that is where the money is.

The best part about watching Sarah Palin isn't the inevitable gaffes she will make while speaking, rather the masterful way she manipulates her devotees and the INSANE amount of money she makes while doing it.  Say what you will about her intellect, but Sarah Palin is NOT stupid.  

Absolutely, FOR REAL - He's NOT Running!

New Jersey Governor Chis Christie has stated over and over again that he would not run for the Republican Presidential nomination.  That didn't stop most media outlets and talking heads to salivate over the possibility of a Christie candidacy.  Also, the Republicans have been looking for alternatives to the Romney/Perry choice currently presenting itself.  Major Republican donors had been sitting on the sidelines, waiting for Christie to change his mind and enter the race.  After yesterday's press conference (which occurred at the same time as Apple's iPhone 4S announcement - Christie and Apple CEO Tim Cook shared a split screen on several news networks) people finally have accepted the fact that Gov. Christie isn't going to run.

Why the Republicans can't pick a candidate for 2012

This past week there were dozens of stories across all news outlets about possible new candidates entering race to be the Republican Presidential Nominee in 2012.  Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee were mentioned in many of those stories.  While it isn’t unusual to read about people’s speculations on who will or will not run, it is telling right now, considering that filing deadlines for Iowa and New Hampshire are quickly approaching.

To me, this means that the various factions within the GOP aren’t happy with the current crop of candidates.  I believe that the disarray in the Republican Party could hurt their chances of taking back The White House in 2012.

Divided America - It's Our Fault

CNN has been asking its contributors to answer the question: "Why is our government so broken?"  Yesterday, I posted an op-ed by LZ Granderson who places a great deal of the blame on us - the voters.  Today, David Gergen presents a similar, though slightly more circumspect, argument that the American People do deserve some of the blame for the current dysfunction, and have the power to fix it.

The Dysfunction in Washington can be blamed on the Voters

LZ Granderson has written an Op-Ed piece that tries to answer the question: "Why is our government so broken?"  His answer: It's broken because of "stupid voters."  His scathing attack on an uninterested, uneducated, lazy, easily manipulated electorate I found both humorous and necessary in order to convey his point.  Now, I don't assign as much blame to the voters as Mr. Granderson, but I do agree his argument has a lot of merit.


Stupid Voters Enable Broken Government

Palin is still out there - and rising in the polls

A new McClatchy Poll out shows that Sarah Palin is down by only 4 points in a match up against President Obama in 2012.  The gap has closed significantly since June, when she was down 26 points.  She also managed to snag a majority of Independent voters in the poll.  Despite the fact that Republicans and Independents - at a 3-1 margin - do not want her to run, Palin hasn't ruled out jumping into the race though no official decision has been made.  However, she will probably be forced to make a decision soon - several states have a November deadline for candidates to get their names on primary ballots.

Republican Strategy for 2012 - Change the Rules

The 2012 Election is going to be close, regardless who ends up being the Republican nominee and regardless how bad the economy is. Americans are upset about the economy, but they are also not impressed with the field of Republican candidates. I believe the GOP has known this for a while, and has been quietly organizing to help ensure a Republican victory next year.

Poll Romanticizes Clinton Administration

Bloomberg released a poll today that says Hillary Clinton is the most popular national political figure in America. Two-thirds of Americans hold a favorable view of Secretary Clinton, that's the highest approval rating of any national figure. Add to that, 1/3 of Americans think the country would be better off had Hillary won in 2008. The poll suggests that there's quite a bit of buyer's remorse on the part of liberals and independents.

Weinergate = Republican Seat

Disgraced former Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner resigned over a personal scandal involving lewd photos he sent of himself to several young women over Twitter. A special election was held in the New York 9th Congressional district to replace him and despite the huge Democratic majority of voters in the district, Republican Bob Turner won with 54% of the vote. Political analysts believe that Turner's surprise win could foreshadow a referendum on Democrats and President Obama in 2012.

Pass the Jobs, Please

President Obama's "American Jobs Act" is essentially Stimulus 2.0. He's asking for roughly $450 Billion to be used for infrastructure projects (plus the Infrastructure 'Bank'), tax cuts, extensions of unemployment benefits, and local government aid. The emphasis hasn't changed much - like the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act before it (Stimulus 1.0), over half of the proposal is dedicated to tax cuts.

Romney vs. Perry: Debate Recap

The only thing to take from last nights Republican debate is this: Watching Mitt Romney and Rick Perry insult each other was A LOT of fun!!! Mitt challenged Rick's record in Texas, his comments about the Social Security "Ponzi Scheme" and a host of other things. Rick attacked Mitt on 'RomneyCare", the quality of his business experience, and the lack of substance during his time as Massachusetts Governor. A funny moment: When Rick was touting that he had created 1 million jobs in Texas as Governor, Mitt reminded him that he had advantages like a state with no income tax and large oil and natural gas reserves. Mitt said crediting Rick with all of that would be similar to saying Al Gore 'invented' the internet.

Want Civil Politics? Reform the Primaries

Marcus Siegel, a partner in Locke Lord Strategies,and former executive director of the Democratic National Committee from 1974 to 1977, wrote a fantastic Op-Ed for the Washington Post about improving the political discourse in this country by changing our 2-Party Primary system. It is a fascinating read, and does not come across as partisan at all!

How closed primaries further polarize our politics

Does Density = Jobs?

The New York Times posted an adapted essay by Ryan Avent, an economics correspondent for The Economist and author of the Kindle Single “The Gated City.” He offers a suggestion on how to create more & better jobs - make cities denser. Before you say "What does this have to do with politics," think about all of the political hay that's been made from "Urban Sprawl." Think about all of the politicians who have fought for or against certain types of developments. Look at where you live and what types of jobs are available, then look at your area's government representative - weather a Mayor, State Legislator, or Congressperson. Urban Development, Sprawl, Jobs - they're all Political. Read this article!

One Path to Better Jobs: More Density in Cities