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Bill Maher Explains His $1 Million Donation to Obama Super PAC

February 28, 2012 No Comment

Click here to view this media Bill Maher visited the set of Hardball this Monday to discuss why he gave his donation to the Obama Super PAC last week. Despite the weak field on the Republican side and Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney’s series of gaffes, with the money pouring into the PACS on the other side, Maher doesn’t feel anyone who supports President Obama should be taking the upcoming election for granted. Maher said he was “trying to throw a snowball to create an avalanche here to let the liberals who do think that this is already in the bag” since not all of the country sees it that way and thinks the upcoming is going to be close. He missed a couple of other points besides the money to be concerned about in regards to the integrity of the next election, which are the massive voter disenfranchisement which is going on across the country in every state where Republicans control the state governments with the passage of these voter ID laws and those electronic voting machines and tabulators.

RedState Hails ‘Femi-Regulars’ for Rick Santorum

February 28, 2012 No Comment

RedState, home of CNN’s Erick Erickson, front-paged this masterpiece of wingnuttery on Monday about Rick Santorum which begins, Left-leaning elitist pundits are scratching their heads. After two weeks of liberals trying to convince women that Rick Santorum wants to rip the birth control out of their hands and put them in the kitchen, more and more women are supporting Rick Santorum. “How could this be?” they ask. Answer: We are smarter than you think. If by “women” this blogger means “Republican women not in Arizona ” — and if by “more and more” she means “some” — then yes, this statement is technically correct. But just what is a “Femi-regular” you ask? Let me offer a little primer on American women to the liberal elitist folks who spend too much time in New York and Washington DC and not enough time where Femi-regulars live. “Femi-regulars” is a term I coined during the 2008 election when leftists just couldn’t grasp the appeal of gun-toting Sarah Palin. Palin, I explained, like most women, was a femi-regular, not a femi-nazi (a tag coined by Rush Limbaugh to label rabid, man- hating feminists). It’s never a good sign when you have to explain your neologism. But this blogger isn’t referring to the same Sarah Palin who is one of the most reviled figures in American politics , is she? Because Palin’s “appeal” seems difficult for the entire country to grasp, not just New York liberals. Most women are femi-regulars. They are strong women who are too busy accomplishing important things to worry about the divide and conquer strategies of leftists. They are more interested in voting for principled, honest, strong, America-loving folks who will stand up to evil, advance liberty and let our free enterprise flourish—all things that they see in Rick Santorum. They don’t vote as women; they vote as Americans. Let’s take a look at how “most women” have voted in the last, say, three presidential elections. 2008 Obama 56 percent , McPalin 43 percent 2004 Kerry 51 percent , Bush 48 percent 2000 Gore 54 percent , Bush 43 percent Those Femi-regulars sure love them some Democrats! Anyway, I’m not sure I follow the logic here. Most women are Femi-regulars who vote Democratic. Most Femi-regulars support Rick Santorum. Therefore, most Democratic women support Rick Santorum. Sadly, this is what happens when your only three news sources are Faux News, Rush Limbaugh and Newsmax.

San Jose Mayor Uses Made-Up Budget Number to Assault City Pensions

February 28, 2012 No Comment

San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, a Democrat, is pushing a ballot measure that would cut city employee pensions and is basing his case on a pension liability number that was made up, he was told not to use, and overstates the real liability by nearly a quarter of a billion dollars. Reed based his claims of a crisis on a figure of a $650 million city contribution to pension costs for the next five years on a comment from Russell Crosby, director of retirement services for the city of San Jose. Crosby has since said that he made the number up off the top of his head and that he told Reed not to use the number. The number overestimates the actual costs by more than $200 million. The San Jose Police Officers’ Association, San Jose Firefighters Local 230, and the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers Local 21 have since filed an ethics complaint against Reed and others for misleading the public. Affected San Jose workers and citizens have already given up pay and benefits that will save the city more than $340 million over the next four years. They have already proposed a solution that would save the city nearly half a billion dollars more. Reed and the city council are ignoring the proposed solution and Reed has refused to back down from his support for the $650 million lie. Instead they are focused on a ballot initiative that the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees say is unconstitutional. Reed and the council can withdraw the initiative at their March 6 meeting. Those who oppose Reed’s scheme can take action .

Brownback: ‘Go Work Somewhere Else’ If You Want Contraception

February 28, 2012 No Comment

Click here to view this media Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R) has a simple solution for women who work for religious institutions that refuse to cover birth control: Find a new job. During a call-in show on C-SPAN Monday morning, a woman named Doris from Osawatomie, Kansas told Brownback that she was worried that he wanted to turn back the clock on women’s rights. “No, goodness,” Brownback replied. “That’s not true.” “I am concerned that — along with lots of other red states — Gov. Brownback feels that we should be the reddest state in the country,” Doris explained. “Women’s rights are being trampled. He was talking about what President Obama is requiring insurance companies to do, to cover birth control. You know you are taking away the individual woman’s right to decide if they need birth control.” “Ninety-eight percent of women have used birth control in their lives,” she added. “Now, we can pay for vasectomies, we can pay for Viagra, but we cannot pay for birth control for women? I think it’s a shame.” Brownback immediately disagreed. “What the president basically said is if you are church that does not believe in this — and the Catholic Church has problems with, the official Catholic Church, amongst other institutions, have problems with paying for contraceptives,” the Kansas governor explained. “You have a number of religious groups who saying, ‘We don’t want to pay for so-called abortifacients, these have morning after pill-type effects. And this is against our religious beliefs.’ And the president was saying, ‘You got to pay for it.’ And they were saying, ‘This is against our view life is sacred.’” “That’s not denying women’s rights,” he insisted. “If a woman then wants birth control, go work somewhere else.” A coalition of rights groups including Planned Parenthood, MainStream Coalition and the American Civil Liberties Union recently criticized Brownback for an “assault on women’s health.” “In 2011, 5 bills limiting access to abortion services and affordable contraception were passed by the Kansas Legislature and signed by Governor Brownback and the legislature spent over 25 public hours on these bills,” MainStream Coalition board member Gail James said in a media advisory. “This divisive social agenda does not reflect the values or priorities of the majority of Kansans.” For his part, Brownback on Monday denied wanting to limit the rights of women. “Having three very good, strong daughters that are doing quite well, I — and I want them to have every opportunity and every possibility in this country and they’re going to have it,” he said. (H/T: Don’t Cut Me Off )

Can Santorum Make Us Smile For A Change?

February 28, 2012 No Comment

I knew there was too much time after the South Carolina primary before Michigan held their primary for Santorum’s lead to last. I didn’t think he’d talk in tongues for over a week, but if Mitt needed to he would have had his SuperPAC smear the heck out of him much more than the above video. However, is there a sliver of hope that Santorum will take Michigan after all? Nate SIlver’s latest tries to give us a little comfort food: Michigan Forecast Update: Romney’s Lead Looks More Tenuous Since we ran the Michigan numbers early Monday morning, three new polls are out that make the state look more like a true toss-up and less like one that favors Mr. Romney.Two of the surveys, from Mitchell Research and American Research Group , in fact give Rick Santorum a nominal lead in Michigan, by 2 and 1 percentage points respectively. The third, from Rasmussen Reports , gives Mr. Romney a 2-point advantage.We also added a hard-to-track down survey from Baydoun Consulting, which gave Mr. Romney an 8-point advantage. However, it is less recent than the others, having been conducted on Thursday night rather than over the weekend.Among the five polls that were conducted over the weekend — including those that had been included with the previous update — three give Mr. Romney a small lead while two show an edge for Mr. Santorum.Mr. Romney still has the advantage in the FiveThirtyEight forecast, but it is more tenuous than the one we released overnight. The model gives him a 64 percent chance of winning the state, down from 77 percent in the previous forecast. Rick Santorum does still have a slight chance in Michigan from Nate’s POV. I fall into the category that the religious right found a topic it can scream about with the contraception issue even though most women of any faith are repelled by this discussion. Initially it’s a win for President Obama. But remember, they are patient and willing to wait decades to turn public opinion to their side of the issue. I doubt Santorum will win Michigan, but it’s still possible to keep this clown show going .

Blue America Welcomes Ken Aden (D-AR)

February 28, 2012 No Comment

One of the greatest difficulties for progressives these days is imagining how we can possibly win elections when the 1% has uncapped a fire hose full of money into our politics. It’s a daunting prospect, to be sure. Their gusher of cash is so overwhelming that it’s hard to see how average people can possibly compete. But that’s why Blue America is so enthusiastic about progressive candidates around the country who are coming up with creative strategies and tactics to meet the challenge. Turns out that big money ads may be able to tear someone down but it still can’t buy you love the way a one on one conversation can. One of the most inventive progressive grassroots strategists in the country is Ken Aden of Arkansas’ 3rd district. Ken is one of those rare politicians with both the common touch and a long term vision who has sat down and thought through how to wage his campaign on the ground, one on one. With a combination of high-tech micro-targeting savvy and a sophisticated field operation using dedicated volunteers to walk the district and meet every possible voter, this strategy shows how progressives can overcome the odds. As you can see from the video above, Ken is a man with grassroots organizing experience, empathy and intelligence. And he knows his constituents as neighbors and friends. Ken says: Because a legitimate campaign effort has never been mounted by a Democrat running for Congress, voters have never had the opportunity to be introduced to a Democratic candidate who believes what they believe. Incumbent Steve Womack is a Tea Party Republican who believes Social Security and Medicare must be cut and changed. However, the residents of the district don’t feel the same way. In Benton County alone, more than $600 million in Social Security payments, Medicare funding, and Medicare prescription drug coverage was utilized by residents. Districtwide, that figure tops $1 billion dollars in combine Medicare and Social Security Payments. The people who depend upon these programs don’t want to see them cut, but they’ve never had a Democratic congressional campaign knock on their door and make them aware that there is an option other than a Republican. Check out the reaction he gets on that subject: “If you even think of cutting Medicare, if you even think of cutting Social Security, you’re a criminal.” Words progressive Democrats should live by. Ken’s making some waves, that’s for sure. You may have read in the national news that his campaign manager came home a few weeks ago to find that someone had murdered his family cat and scrawled the word “liberal” on it . Aden is a former combat soldier and doesn’t scare easily and neither does his campaign. In fact, it propelled them to double their efforts to get out and talk to the people and let them know who it is that’s on their side when it comes to protecting their livelihoods, their economic security and their futures. (Hint: it isn’t cowards who would kill a defenseless animal.) Blue America endorsed Ken with great enthusiasm and we are spreading the good word about his grassroots strategic vision to progressive challengers across the country. We believe that this kind of creativity and energy can pay off. But he needs all the help we can give him to keep the campaign funded. He won’t be able to match a corrupt Republican incumbent, not even close. But he has a good chance to win if he can put this plan into practice and defeat him with sharp grassroots tactics and hard work. Please donate here if you can. And please welcome Ken to Crooks and Liars. .

Wikileaks Stratfor Emails: Israel May Have Already Destroyed Iran’s Nuke Program, So Why The War Drums?

February 28, 2012 No Comment

As news organizations are sifting through the five million emails released by Wikileaks today, they’re posting their findings. (See the interview above with Julian Assange about the spying on Bhopal activists.) Oddly enough, the major news organizations (the same ones pounding the drums for an attack on Iran) are quiet about this interesting tidbit from Stratfor , the intelligence company: Growing concerns over Iran’s nuclear facilities may prove to be all for naught. Officials from the global intelligence company Stratfor allegedly discussed that Israel may have already destroyed the Iranian nuclear facility, according to one of the emails released by Wikileaks Monday. In one of the over five million emails leaked, the conversation centered on Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak praising the news of deadly munitions blasts at a base of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards. “I think this is a diversion. The Israelis already destroyed all the Iranian nuclear infrastructure on the ground weeks ago,” one intelligence official wrote in an email dated November 14, 2011 . “The current ‘let’s bomb Iran’ campaign was ordered by the EU leaders to divert the public attention from their at home financial problems. It plays also well for the US since Pakistan, Russia and N. Korea are mentioned in the report. ” One other Stratfor official allegedly indicated a similar finding. “Israeli commandos in collaboration with Kurd forces destroyed few underground facilities mainly used for the Iranian defense and nuclear research projects,” he wrote on November 13, 2011. “Even if the Israelis have the capabilities and are ready to attack by air, sea and land, there is no need to attack the nuclear program at this point after the commandos destroyed a significant part of it.” Of course, any journalist worth his or her salt would want to ask the question of who benefits — and why — if there’s an unnecessary U.S. attack on Iran, but our librul media wouldn’t want to get people all confused so you’re probably not going to hear anything about that.

Washington Post and Baltimore Sun repeat O’Malley budget cuts deception

February 26, 2012 No Comment

Since ascending to the head of the Democratic Governor’s Association last year, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has been fashioning a national profile for himself as a responsible fiscal steward of Maryland’s finances.

NPR’s Ombudsman Skips ‘Kill Whitey’ Jokes, But Worries About Old Clips of Jewish Jokes From 1970

February 25, 2012 No Comment

On February 12 many NPR stations aired the show “Smiley & West” in which comedian-actor Garrett Morris caused peals of laughter from Tavis Smiley and Cornel West by joking about the small space between “hate Whitey” and “kill Whitey.” West also lectured about how police brutality on the “vanilla side of town” in New York would get condemnations from the White House. NPR ombudsman Edward Schumacher-Matos predictably told me on Twitter that this wasn’t in his critical purview, since it’s not produced by NPR, but by Public Radio International. But on February 23 , Schumacher-Matos devoted a post to charges of anti-black racism on “Fresh Air,” which is also not produced by NPR, but by Philadelpha affiliate WHYY. It was far less racially transgressive than Smiley & West. He claimed: “NPR distributes Fresh Air so it is NPR programming. PRI distributes Smiley's show so it is PRI programming.” On the February 8 “Fresh Air,” critic David Bianculli was recommending a DVD called “How to Be a Jewish Son,” which aired on “The David Susskind Show.”

‘Today’ Show Panel Ponders: ‘Does Religion Belong in Our Political Discourse?’

February 23, 2012 No Comment

Citing Rick Santorum questioning President Obama's “theology” and recent comments form evangelist Franklin Graham, on Thursday's NBC Today, co-host Savannah Guthrie wondered: “Does religion belong in our political discourse?” Show panelists – attorney Star Jones, advertising executive Donny Deutsch, and NBC medical editor Nancy Snyderman – gave a resounding no: > JONES: Not if people are going to actually be talking about the relationship that they have with God or Christ or Buddha or whomever. I think it's inappropriate for people to bring in their own personal religion in politics. > DEUTSCH: I think religion is the problem in the world. We all fight about religion and to me, everybody has their own faith and God bless. That is part of who somebody is….I think it's terrible what they do and they use it divisively – but it's part of who somebody is, so it's hard to dissect it out. > SNYDERMAN: Yeah, but it's this pushing people's buttons….It's the, “Obama's still a Muslim, you can't trust a Mormon”….It wasn't that long ago that Jack Kennedy was a Catholic. And so, if we don't do it to advance conversations, we do it to throw up roadblocks. Guthrie followed up: “Do you think talking about religion in the context of politics hurts religion? Does it bother any of you?” Jones chimed in: “Only when you have somebody who is hypocritical standing up there and trying to put themselves on the cross. You know, don't use Christ in order to advance something when you know good and well you're not being a Christian.” Considering that Today has promoted the religion debate in its political coverage on Monday , Tuesday , and Wednesday , it's curious the broadcast would suddenly fret over candidates discussing faith. Here is a transcript of the February 23 panel discussion: 9:10AM ET SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Actually we have a hot topic to talk about, religion and politics. You know the old saying, never discuss religion or politics, well, in this campaign season we're hearing a lot of both. I mean you had Rick Santorum the other day, comments that some people interpreted as him questioning the President's theology. NANCY SNYDERMAN: Because he used the word “theology.” GUTHRIE: Right. Which he has an explanation for that. But even we heard of Billy Graham's son, Franklin Graham, questioning Mitt Romney's faith, questioning the President's faith. So the basic question I put out to you, does religion belong in our political discourse? Let's start with you, Star. STAR JONES: Not if people are going to actually be talking about the relationship that they have with God or Christ or Buddha or whomever. I think it's inappropriate for people to bring in their own personal religion in politics. Because politics is culture. It's not about Christianity or Judaism. GUTHRIE: Do you think that character has no place in politics? JONES: Character absolutely has a place, because it shows judgment or lack thereof. GUTHRIE: But if religion drives your character or your decisions is it not relevant? JONES: But religion is different than relationship. Religion is about your affiliation with a certain doctrine. Relationship is about your affiliation with God. DONNY DEUTSCH: But Star – now we can go back to fighting. JONES: Yes. DEUTSCH: But the interesting thing is, look, I think religion is the problem in the world. We all fight about religion and to me, everybody has their own faith and God bless. That is part of who somebody is. So it's very hard to tell an electorate, “Well, you can keep religion out of it, but talk about relationships.” SNYDERMAN: Yeah, but Donny- DEUTSCH: By the way, as long as – no, no, no, I think it's terrible what they do and they use it divisively – but it's part of who somebody is, so it's hard to dissect it out. SNYDERMAN: Yeah, but it's this pushing people's buttons. JONES: That's what it is. DEUTSCH: Duh. SNYDERMAN: It's the, “Obama's still a Muslim,… DEUTSCH: Of course it is, it's disgusting. SNYDERMAN: …you can't trust a Mormon.” DEUTSCH: But it's hard to keep- SNYDERMAN: It wasn't that long ago that Jack Kennedy was a Catholic. And so, if we don't do it to advance conversations,… DEUTSCH: Of course we don't. SNYDERMAN: …we do it to throw up roadblocks. DEUTSCH: It's wrong but it's impossible to keep it out of the discussion. GUTHRIE: Do you – you may argue that politics – that religion doesn't belong in politics. Do you think talking about religion in the context of politics hurts religion? Does it bother any of you to see how-? JONES: Only when you have somebody who is hypocritical standing up there and trying to put themselves on the cross. You know, don't use Christ in order to advance something when you know good and well you're not being a Christian. There's a big difference.

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