Stubborn Right Wing keeps winning (dammit)

It's so frustrating, seeing people and groups cave to Republicans' and the Right Wing's tactics, time and again.  Yesterday, at The New York Times, I saw yet two more examples, back to back:

Obama Moves to the Right in a Partisan War of Words

In the political fight over income inequality, President Obama and the Democrats have moved in the direction of Republicans, and voters, by emphasizing opportunity.

Immigrant Youth Leaders Signal They May Be Open to a G.O.P. Compromise

There were signs of a willingness to consider something less than a direct path to citizenship for all the estimated 11.7 million immigrants in the country illegally.

In each of these two cases, it's not the end of the world, certainly, so I don't want to overstate it but it seems, time and again, the Left Wing, the Liberals, the Progressives and even the "center", the moderates, have to swing further to the Right in their politics and positions because, as we've seen since at least Ronald Reagan reign rule tenure, these people just won't negotiate. There's no compromise from them, no negotiation. They're stubborn--foolishly, even self-destructively stubborn--yet the rest of us keep giving in to them.

And all I'm really saying is that they--the Right Wing, the Republicans, the Tea Party and all--should do what's best for the country, for the nation, overall and not just for a) themselves and/or b) only the wealthy and corporations.

It shouldn't be too much to ask or expect but to hear them, WE'RE the ones that are unreasonable.

After all, at this point, asking for a jobs/infrastructure bill from this Congress as soon as possible so we can get America and Americans back to work is just far too much to ask.

Right?

Kris Kobach in the news today

Mr. Kobach's extreme Right Wing, ultra-conservative stances got him and Kansas, once more, in the news today, this time in The New York Times --rather prominent coverage:

Kansas Official Holds Line Against Moderation in Debate on Immigration

By JOHN ELIGON

 

Kris W. Kobach, Kansas' secretary of state, is not budging in his arguments against moderation.

 

Too bad about and for Kansas.

 

It will be nice one day, in Kansas and other parts of the US, when we get back to realizing that moderation and compromise are positive attributes to be admired and put into daily practice, won't it?

 

It can't happen soon enough.

 

Enjoy your Sunday, y'all.

Government by filibuster

Good news and then bad this week, out of Texas, on women's rights and abortion law.

First there was the good news:

Texas Legislators Called Back For Special Session On Abortion Bill

One Ms. Wendy Davis stood up to the Texas Republicans and legislature and filibustered yet one more proposed piece of legislation restricting women's rights and their legal abortion rights in that state.

Good for her.

It was, of course, the right--very right, very just thing to do.

Now, the bad, from last evening:

Texas Legislators Called Back For Special Session On Abortion Bill

It seems Governor Rick "I Can't Remember" Perry isn't about to let this go so he's spending yet more of Texas' tax money, calling the legislature back for a special session so they can get their precious abortion bill.

It's insane.  It's irresponsible.  It's not surprising but so it goes.

This, on the heels of the terrific ruling from the US Supreme Court, just hours earlier. The highs and lows of government in the US, I suppose.

What concerns me most about the incident in Texas with Ms. Davis and her filibuster is that it seems as though a sort of "filibuster fever" is beginning in America.

First, months ago, there was Kentucky Senator Rand Paul's very famous and public and, as it turned out, too, successful filibuster on drones earlier this year, in March:

Rand Paul filibusters the domestic drone

It was very big at the time and it got him widespread coverage. His supporters were naturally very pleased.

As proof, check this out.  I just found this article, again from last evening, about Rand Paul and yet another filibuster he's threatening:

Rand Paul threatens to support filibustering immigration bill

It seems to make my point. That is, it seems we are at the beginning, possibly, of more--and more frequent--very public filibusters as a way to effect change in legislatures in the nation both on the state and national levels, instead of getting good government by 2 sides compromising.

And each time a filibuster is "successful", coming, as it does from an already very polarized society, it only polarizes us all the more.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is not good.  It is patently not good.

This is no way to run a government.

Ot nation.

Or state, for that matter.

When will Congress do the people's and nation's business?

Standard and Poor’s is warning that it may downgrade the United States’ credit rating -- again. After downgrading our national credit, the firm said they are not seeing “any good evidence that there is more cooperation between the two parties than there was in 2011, nor that the American policymaking system as a whole is any more effective, stable, and predictable than it was in 2011 based on the latest debate.” 

Click here to tell our lawmakers it is time to fix, not fight.

http://www.nolabels.org/blog/maybe-time-we-can-see-solution

Well, knock me over with a feather--Kansas does something for the poor

I read it in the Kansas City Star today and could hardly believe it:

New Kansas law helps poor people caught in traffic-fine trap

What the what?

The Kansas, famously (infamously?) Republican-led Statehouse over there in Topeka did just that--did something to help the less financially-fortunate of the state:

TOPEKA — Lawmakers and the governor have corrected a legislative oversight that was making life difficult for poor people who have traffic tickets they can’t afford to pay all at once.

What really got me is that 2nd part--the part that said even Governor Brownback got in on this, too.

Some details:

House Bill 2009 restores a system to allow motorists with suspended licenses to get a restricted license to drive to work, school or other important destinations, while paying off traffic fines over time.

Gov. Sam Brownback signed the bill Thursday.

Here's yet one more wonderful, surprising, rare thing about the whole thing:

The bill was originally the handiwork of two Wichita-area legislators, Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, a Democrat, and former Sen. Phil Journey, a Republican.

Can you imagine that?  

Two government representatives, from different political parties, no less, WORKING TOGETHER, and for the betterment of the people.  

Wow.  

With all the partisanship across the states, singularly, but across the larger nation, as a whole, it's a wonderful, welcome turn.  

Talk about a double-take.

And it's not even Christmas.

There may be hope for those people and that state yet.

Just don't count on it.

Note to Republicans, from a stellar one of your own

Note to Republicans:  Surely you remember this famous, famous quote from one of the most revered Presidents, statesman and, yes, Republicans this nation ever knew?

"A house divided against itself cannot stand."

Surely your remember that, right?

 Do you not see--does no one in your political party see--that we we all, all of us, as Americans, have to work together for the benefit of the nation? Do you not see and know that we have to be Americans first and members of some political party, second?

Do you not see and know that?

This is especially true of our representatives in Congress. We must, must work together, as one people, Americans first and all, to compromise on the problems facing us and it certainly applies now, this year, and it absolutely must come about time and again this year for our budget debates.

Compromise isn't capitulation, ladies and gentlemen of the Republican Party. I say again (and again and again), we have to work together to solve our problems.

We just went through a fairly rough set of negotiations, just to get past the "fiscal cliff" Congress themselves created and that only they could fix. In the months ahead, there are at least 3 or four more of these negotiations we have to go through. Read: endure. It seems ever since the former Soviet Union collapsed, we have taken on, internally, people in our own country as our enemies, since our former enemy--the Communist Soviets--collapsed.

Our political party opposites are not our enemies.

They are our countrymen and women.

Fighting one another, from within, only strengthens those on the outside of the country, while it weakens us and our nation.

Don't you see that?

Link:  "House Divided" Speech by Abraham Lincoln

You, me, America and the Congressional "fiscal cliff"

Yes, our own US Congress created this "fiscal cliff" and now they're bringing us closer and closer to it. They created it and they're the only ones who can bring us away from it.

How's that for irony?

And hypocrisy?

Want to know what "uncertainty" is responsible for a lack of growth in our economy? Look no further, this is it. This from the Wall Street Journal yesterday:

Firms Hit Brakes Before Fiscal Cliff

Here is why dozens of chief executives have inserted themselves into the debate over reducing the federal budget deficit: Some say uncertainty over the looming "fiscal cliff" of tax increases and spending cuts already is hurting their business.

Here is why dozens of chief executives have inserted themselves into the debate over reducing the federal budget deficit: Some say uncertainty over the looming "fiscal cliff" of tax increases and spending cuts already is hurting their business.

The "fiscal cliff" is shorthand for the double whammy set to take place at the end of the year. That is when spending cuts enacted to end a 2011 standoff over the U.S. debt ceiling are to take effect. At the same time, tax cuts first passed under George W. Bush will expire.

The spending cuts were designed to be so unpopular that they would prompt Congress to adopt a more sophisticated deficit-cutting plan. So far, that hasn't worked and officials of both parties don't expect serious talks until after the Nov. 6 election, which will go a long way to determining the course of negotiations.

The urgency of the situation was underscored Thursday when chief executives of more than 80 big U.S. corporations released a statement urging Congress to reduce the federal deficit with tax-revenue increases as well as spending cuts...

...There is no doubt most companies would suffer if the U.S. goes over the cliff. Economists say the tax increases and spending cuts would slow economic growth, and could push the U.S. back into recession.

Email your representative in the House. Email your senators. Let them know this is completely, totally and utterly unacceptable and that they need to get back to work. They need to get back to Washington and they need to compromise on this most-important of issues right now.

To close, a side note to our Representatives and Senators--get back to work, you slugs.

Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203400604578074920349130776.html

So, Congress is back from their 5 week recess

Okay, no complaints here about Congress getting 5 weeks more vacation time. This is going to be a conversation on what needs to happen, what lies ahead of them and what they need to do.

The Congress needs to come up with a budget compromise before the end of their year or we'll hit what has been too-frequently been called a "fiscal cliff" and it will be nothing but ugly.

News yesterday:

Moody's set to downgrade US without budget deal

Moody's says US government debt rating would be cut if no federal budget deal is reached

NEW YORK (AP) -- The U.S. government's debt rating could be heading for the "fiscal cliff" along with the federal budget.

Moody's Investors Service on Tuesday said it would likely cut its "Aaa" rating on U.S. government debt, probably by one notch, if budget negotiations fail.

If Congress and the White House don't reach a budget deal, about $1.2 trillion in spending cuts and tax increases will automatically kick in starting Jan. 2, a scenario that's been dubbed the "fiscal cliff," because it is likely to send the economy back into recession and drive up unemployment.

Of course, it's an election year, as we all know, and the Republicans don't want to have this president be anything close to successful so they seem to be flirting with the idea of not compromising with the other political party:

House Speaker John Boehner, an Ohio Republican, said he's not confident that Congress can reach a deal and avoid a downgrade. No serious negotiations are expected until after the November elections.

Did you get that? "No serious negotiations are expected until after the November elections."

That is some kind of disgusting.

It's irresponsible. It's unacceptable.

It doesn't matter what your political party or leanings, this has to do, purely, with doing their work, doing the "right thing" and getting and keeping this country going forward on its work.

It's mid-September and Congress isn't even going to sit down to seriously TALK about our national, federal budget until after our November elections?

That is pushing insanity.

Email your Conressional representative now, in both houses, the Senate and the House, and let them know this is utterly unacceptable to you and that we need a budget and solutions sooner, rather than after the election: http://www.contactingthecongress.org/

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Senator Roy Blunt!

I'm stunned.

I saw this, last evening:

Republican senator says time for compromise

(Reuters) - A top Republican lawmaker said Monday it was time for Washington to learn how to compromise again so the country can solve its deepening problems.

"I'm bothered by our politics generally that suggest that if you don't get exactly what you want, that's somehow a failure," said Senator Roy Blunt, a member of his chamber's Republican leadership and the former second-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives.

Blunt, who is Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's liaison to the Senate, spoke at the Reuters Washington Summit, where political leaders are discussing the pressing issues currently confronting U.S. politicians.

Wow.

That is refreshing.

A Republican--our own Senator, no less--calling for true compromise in Washington.

You apparently can teach these old ones new tricks.

More seriously, thank you, Senator. Please keep this up, if you would and legislate for all of us and not the corporations, instead.

Link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/25/us-washington-summit-blunt-idUSBRE85O18I20120625

The Republicans are threatening--yet again--to take the nation to the brink of bankruptcy, all to "prove a point." (Click on picture for better viewing).

It didn't work for them--or the nation, certainly--last time.

It likely won't this time, either.

Here's hoping for some sanity, reason and logic from that group this time.

Americans, working together

''What exactly was this? I can't control what people thought this was. I can only tell intentions. This was not to ridicule people of faith. Or people of activism or to look down our noses at the heartland, or passionate argument or to suggest that times are not difficult and that we have nothing to fear. They are and we do. But we live now in hard times, not end times. And we can have animus and not be enemies.'' —Jon Stewart, in his closing remarks at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear

An email going around about changing Congress

Have you received this email on changing our Congress? The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple. The people demanded it. That was in 1971...before computers, before e-mail, before cell phones, etc. We can now communicate with one another far quicker. Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land...all because of public pressure. Congressional Reform Act of 2011 1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office. 2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose. 3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just like the rest of us. 4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%. 5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people. 6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people. 7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this current contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress should be an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work. I have to say, it seems like a great idea to me and, I'd bet, to most Americans.

This Congress working with this President?

Did you hear about this today?

John Boehner and Mitch McConnell cancelled the planned meeting President Obama had requested this week with these guys "because they were too busy and would hold it later this month".   Check it out:

WASHINGTON – The White House has postponed a meeting with Democratic and Republican congressional leaders to Nov. 30 after top Republicans said they had a scheduling conflict.


It seems the Republicans may have originally agreed to this day and time and only later changed their minds but I don't know.  I can't verify that.  Hopefully this doesn't presage how they intend to treat this President.


It seems to indicate that these guys have little or no respect for this President and indicates no willingness to work with him for the benefit of the country.  They were too busy to meet with one of the most powerful men in the world.  Right.

Additionally, it's apparent the Republicans have every intention of killing a new arms control treaty with Russia--which we, the US, and the world needs and the Soviets want:  "the chief Senate Republican negotiator moved to block a vote on the pact, one of the White House’s top foreign policy goals, in the lame-duck session of Congress. "


It looks as though we can expect nothing constructive from these gentlemen separately or together, or from this next Congress or from our government, as I suspected, expected and predicted--probably for the next 2 years.

Sad.  Pitiful.  Ugly, really.


Links:  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/17/world/europe/17start.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a2
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101117/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_congress

The next 2 years, politically, in America

Oh yeah, what we're living in (let me tell ya)

It's a wonder man can eat at all

When things are big that should be small

Who can tell what magic spells we'll be doing for us

And I'm giving all my love to this world

Only to be told

I can't see

I can't breathe

No more will we be

And nothing's going to change the way we live

Cos' we can always take but never give

And now that things are changing for the worse,

See, its a crazy world we're living in

And I just can't see that half of us immersed in sin

Is all we have to give these -

Futures made of virtual insanity now

Always seem to, be govern'd by this love we have

For useless, twisting, our new technology

Oh, now there is no sound - for we all live underground

And I'm thinking what a mess we're in

Hard to know where to begin

If I could slip the sickly ties that earthly man has made

And now every mother, can choose the colour

Of her child

That's not nature's way

Well that's what they said yesterday

There's nothing left to do but pray

I think it's time I found a new religion

Waoh - it's so insane

To synthesize another strain

There's something in these

Futures that we have to be told.

Futures made of virtual insanity - now

Always seem to, be govern'd by this love we have

For useless, twisting, our new technology

Oh, now there is no sound - for we all live underground

Now there is no sound

If we all live underground

And now it's virtual insanity

Forget your virtual reality

Oh, there's nothing so bad.

I know yeah

Of this virtual insanity, we're livin in.

Has got to change, yeah

Things, will never be the same.

And I can't go on

While we're livin' in oh, oh virtual insanity

Oh, this world, has got to change

Cos I just, I just can't keep going on, it was virtual.

Virtual insanity that we're livin' in, that we're livin' in

That virtual insanity is what it is

Futures made of virtual insanity - now

Always seem to, be govern'd by this love we have

For useless, twisting, our new technology

Oh, now there is no sound - for we all live underground

Living - Virtual Insanity

Living - Virtual Insanity

Living - Virtual Insanity

Living - Virtual Insanity

Virtual Insanity is what we're living in

Quote of the day--on The United States of America

"...the present election offers us a choice: not a choice among those who call themselves Republicans, Democrats, or Tea Partiers, but a choice between sustaining the paralyzing divisiveness that we have seen over the past two years and committing ourselves to co-operation, collaboration, and--yes--political compromise across ideological lines. Without such a commitment, I fear for the survival of these dis-United States. "  --James Herrenan


Link to original post:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-heffernan/how-a-government-takeover_b_763017.html