The National Organization for Marriage is Clueless

Brian Brown, the President of The National Organization For Marriage sat down with USA Today to discuss his organization's mission, and its reaction to Rhode Island becoming the 10th state to legalize same-sex marriage and the changing tide of public opinion.  He believes academia and mainstream media are falsely promoting the idea that a majority of Americans support marriage equality.

Seriously?  He seems to have lost his mind with some of the ignorant comments he makes.  However, it is important to listen to all sides of the debate, despite my and anyone else's personal opinions.  I've posted a link to the article.  To read it, click on the link below.

Opponent denies a tide as R.I. latest to OK gay marriage

The Left is Unhappy with Obama

I don't generally post things from FOX News.  Their tagline 'fair and balanced' is laughable to me.  However, every once in a while, a gem of truth comes out of that 'news' organization that I think deserves to be examined.

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