Koch Brothers
Time puts Michelle Rhee on a list, ignores her critics and scandals
The ongoing uncritical liberal establishment's deification of former Washington DC schools chancellor Michelle Rhee has finally, belatedly met some pushback -- notably from Diane Ravitch -- but there is no hint of that in the piece commemorating her entry into the 2011 Time 100, one of their many, endless lists of "the most influential people in the world."
Huckabee trashes Glenn Beck for calling him a progressive
Ross Douthat’s racial paranoia
Roger Ailes brings big-city paranoia to small-town newspaper
Here's some free career advice for all you struggling reporters out there: If Roger Ailes buys the small-town community newspaper you work for, seek employment elsewhere. Because, as Gawker's John Cook and Hamilton Nolan report today, he might have News Corp. security officers tail you and conduct surveillance on your lunches.
Rick Santorum disowns campaign slogan when told a gay liberal poet came up with it
Long-ago Sen. Rick Santorum is running for president, despite his "Google problem," and fresh out of the gate he has already invited more mockery. His campaign website features the slogan, "Fighting to Make America America Again" (by which I think he means that America is not America when there's a Muslim in charge).
Christie: Take the bat out on female legislator
The secret militarism of Obama’s defense spending cuts
One of the major headlines to emerge from President Obama's debt reduction plan is his proposed $40-billion-a-year cut to defense. For progressives in particular, this is one of the good initiatives in a mixed bag. But most of the Washington press corps has missed the underlying story: The administration's spending cuts would actually make defense an even larger part of the overall discretionary budget.
What would public broadcasting do with $178 billion?
Apparently Americans want to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting because they think 5% of the federal budget goes to NPR and PBS. That was the median guess in a CNN poll released Friday. If that were true, Talking Points Memo noted, that would mean the CPB would receive $178 billion a year from the government. (And that's not even counting what they get from Archer Daniels Midland and viewers like you.)
The most uncounted cost of Endless War
Harry Reid and Lindsey Graham yesterday both suggested that Congress take unspecified though formal action against the Koran-burning by Florida preacher Terry Jones, which triggered days of violence this week by angry Muslims in Afghanistan. Graham in particular -- using the "but" that is the hallmark of all enemies of the First Amendment -- said: "Free speech is a great idea, but we re in a war."
Forget the Tea Party: The left is waking up
You know those experiences that serve as a living example of something you re studying or reading about? You learn a word s meaning, and then you hear it everywhere; the natural angling of your bike as you turn around the corner makes sense of a physics lesson, or your grief over a loss is reflected in an assigned novel.
Grim reality of Libya war starts to set in
Paranoid Michelle Rhee blames her "enemies" for cheating report
Former Washington, D.C., schools chancellor Michelle Rhee, champion of "education reform," is a right-wing folk hero because while working for the public she combined corporatist policy with open contempt for the public. An ostensible Democrat, she now advises Republican governors on how best to battle the nefarious teachers' unions, which, in her reckoning, are almost solely responsible for poor student performance. Her solutions to the "education crisis" mostly involve the privatization of public schools. Her qualifications, besides having all the currently fashionable opinions, are her successes as head of Washington's schools. Test scores increased during her tenure! In some places, they increased dramatically!
Sarah Palin goes to Israel, snubs influential GOP group
Sarah Palin's trip to Israel -- which has been covered a bit more extensively by the press than her trip to India -- has been a fairly predictable exercise. She said hawkish things and told high-ranking members of the Likud party that they should "stop apologizing" and she'll dine with Benjamin Netanyahu and she has repeatedly announced that she's on Team Jewish People when it comes to the various disagreements in the region.
The Wall Street Journal’s silly Orwellian economy fix
The single stupidest right-wing reaction to the Libya campaign
Obama’s new view of his own war powers
Yesterday, Hillary Clinton told the House of Representatives that "the White House would forge ahead with military action in Libya even if Congress passed a resolution constraining the mission." As TPM put it: "the administration would ignore any and all attempts by Congress to shackle President Obama's power as commander in chief to make military and wartime decisions," as such attempts would constitute "an unconstitutional encroachment on executive power."
Impeach Clarence Thomas
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has been very busy accepting gifts from organizations that file briefs before the court, attending political fundraisers, ruling on suits in which he or his wife have a conflict of interest, and hiding income. No wonder he hasn't had time to ask a question from the bench in five years.
George Soros at Cato It’s all about Hayek
The Cato Institute opened its doors to George Soros on Thursday, and he came in peace. The 35th wealthiest man in the world arrived at the libertarian think tank, evaded a question about Donald Trump from a video-camera-wielding reporter, and relaxed in a back room as a crowd gathered for his speech.
What would Abbie Hoffman do to stop the Koch brothers
Thinking about Abbie today, I wager he d acknowledge social media as the great force for democratization. He d have an iPhone (after all, Jerry Rubin was an early Apple investor), he d have a page on Facebook and would interact with critics, imitators and allies through Twitter. His YouTube channel would feature young protestors everywhere from Cairo to Madison, WI.
Dozens of Florida Republicans at ALEC legislative conference courtesy of taxpayers, lobbyists
Dozens of Florida legislators are in New Orleans this week for three days of pro-business pep talks, policy seminars and great food. The annual meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, features topics such as public pensions, Medicaid reform and tax policy, with such conservative stalwarts as economist Arthur Laffer and former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey.
Bachmann Fundraising Magic On Her Money, Donor Trail
Michele Bachman's past committee donors includes a range of industries and interests, from health care company Aetna to oil giant ConocoPhillips, Koch Industries, Big Pharma's Pfizer and the Republican Jewish Coalition. KochPAC donated to Bachmann sporadically from 2006 to 2010, and is affiliated with the company run by the billionaire Koch brothers, David and Charles, whose myriad foundations and advocacy organizations promote libertarian and Tea Party causes.
Is ALEC Leading GOP’s Charge to Suppress the Youth Vote
Poll Unfavorable View Of Tea Party Hits Record High
GOPers Make Friends With Rand Paul, But What Are They In For
Republicans have no choice but to get behind Paul if he wins, and doubtless most prominent Republicans will praise him when he does. But that means they'll have to take uncomfortable questions on Paul's "unorthodox views," as Salon reports them, "including a desire to abolish both the Federal Reserve and the Department of Education."
Tea Party Members Cultural Dispositions ‘Authoritarianism, Fear Of Change, Libertarianism And Nativism’
What are the four primary characteristics most associated with those Americans sympathetic to the Tea Party? "Authoritarianism, ontological insecurity (fear of change), libertarianism and nativism." So says one of the many findings in a study presented to the American Sociological Association on Monday.
Howard Dean’s Koch Brothers ‘Freudian Slip’
Koch Tea Party wrong about Boston Tea Party
??What is it about the Tea Party's ignorance of American history? Michele Bachmann thinks the shot heard round the world happened in New Hampshire. Sarah Palin thinks Paul Revere warned the British. And the Koch-funded Tea Party (Americans for Prosperity) thinks the Boston Tea Party was about taxation without representation.
Tea Party Express’ Game Plan for 2012 as Unfavorable Rating Rises
Gov. Walker’s tactics move state backward
When I see what is happening in Wisconsin and all over the United States I am reminded of the story the "Christmas Carol." The poor lived in filth and squalor while the rich had lavish parties with all the best available to them. They certainly did not worry about the orphans or old people. After all, there were work houses for them. I, for one, do not want to go back to those days.
What happened in #Wisconsin, and what happens next
Last night, Wisconsin State Senate Republicans stripped most public employees unions of most collective bargaining rights. After insisting for weeks that busting the unions was essential to balancing the state's budget, they broke Governor Scott Walker's "budget-repair bill" into two parts. One part contained the anti-union provisions, the other the items that Republicans now deemed fiscal.
Support Wisconsin Workers
ALEC Watch: What I did on my Summer Vacation
I really thought it would take more than five minutes in New Orleans before I realized the conservative movement had landed. But it didn t. As I was waiting for my bags, I heard a mid-thirties woman talking on the phone. 'Yah, I m down in New Orleans for the American Legislative Exchange Council meeting. We write legislation, and they pass our ideas. It s the free market.'
Indiana prosecutor told Wisconsin governor to stage ‘false flag’ operation
Police Detain UpTake Journalist For Helping Her Assistant
Earlier today, BadgerGurl88? shot this video of videographer Sam Mayfield being detained by Wisconsin State Police at the Capitol in Madison. Sam is in town working on a documentary film about upstart Republican Governor Scott Walker s crusade to take away workers collective bargaining rights. She has shot video of the historic labor demonstrations periodically this spring for The UpTake.
Wisconsin recalls: Victory, not necessarily vindication, for Republicans
Scott Walker finds making bumper stickers is easier than creating jobs
Scott Walker, the chief executive of Wisconsin, is riding a wave of triumph. The state Supreme Court just upheld his famous crusade to strip collective bargaining rights from public workers. The state legislature just voted, along party lines, to approve his 2012 budget reordering the state s finances to his conservative tastes
Ohio police, firefighters cite safety concerns, vow fight over collective bargaining limits
On Eve Of Recall, Walker Booed At Wisconsin State Fair
Last week, Wisconsin kicked off its 10-day state fair. It s traditional for the governor to herald the fair s opening day. But when Walker took the stage Thursday, he was met with a hail of boos and protests signs. "This is the one place where all across the state where people can actually come together," he tried to shout over the crowd. "At least most people can." As he walked off stage, the crowd chanted "Recall Walker."
Rep. Murphy Says Thomas’ Actions Call Into Question Whether He ‘Can Continue To Serve As A Justice’
In an exclusive interview with ThinkProgress, Rep. Chris Murphy (D-CT) - the lead sponsor of a bill which would strip Supreme Court justices of their immunity from a code of ethical conduct that applies to other federal judges - suggests that an investigation may be necessary to determine whether Justice Clarence Thomas many ethics scandals rise to the level where Thomas is no longer fit to serve on the nation's highest Court:
Eric Cantor Promises Oil Speculators That Republicans Will Block Financial Regulations
Wis. Dems File Ethics Complaint Over Walker’s Comments On ‘Koch’ Call
Wisconsin Democrats are continuing their fire on Gov. Scott Walker's infamous phone call with blogger Ian Murphy, who was posing as Republican financier David Koch, in which Walker spoke of his passion for busting the public employee unions. And in their latest move, the Dems have announced that they are filing an ethics complaint with the state's Government Accountability Board -- accusing Walker of serious violations of the law.
Vision: Across the Country, People Are Rising Up to Fight for Change
Murdoch’s Giuliani Connection
Monday, ahead of Rupert Murdoch s inquiry by the British Parliament, former NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani appeared on CNN to defend his beleaguered friend against accusations of knowledge of his employees hacking and bribing offenses. The men s relationship goes back at least 15 years, when Giuliani gave Murdoch one of New York City s five public-access channels to launch Fox News Channel. As the article below shows, the sordid, often concealed Murdoch-Giuliani partnership is exemplary of the kind of societal destruction that becomes possible when public officials merge their interests and power with private wealth, and confirms the urgent need to write and enact laws that prevent such an occurrence.
Gov. Walker Targets Wisconsin’s Craft Breweries
What Our Declaration Really Said
How to Take Our Country Back From the Money Men Who Fund the Tea Party
The Deindustrialization Of America
The Republican strategy is to split the vast middle and working class - pitting unionized workers against non-unionized, public-sector workers against non-public, older workers within sight of Medicare and Social Security against younger workers who don t believe these programs will be there for them, and the poor against the working middle class.
Stealing the Vote Walker to Close 10 DMV Facilities
Welcome to the Republican coup, America. Back in May, Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) passed one of the most restrictive voter ID laws in the country that would require a state-issued photo ID to vote. This law would disenfranchise the poor, the elderly and students and make it nearly impossible for those blocks of people to vote.
Stealing the Vote Walker to Close 10 DMV Facilities
Welcome to the Republican coup, America. Back in May, Gov. Scott Walker (R-WI) passed one of the most restrictive voter ID laws in the country that would require a state-issued photo ID to vote. This law would disenfranchise the poor, the elderly and students and make it nearly impossible for those blocks of people to vote.
Supreme Court Reinforces the Corporate State
We might not be there yet, but we are standing on the porch getting ready to ring the doorbell on America's new home: The Corporate State. a 5-4 decision, the justices of the United States Supreme Court voted to block individuals from joining together in class-action lawsuits against corporations, which would force people to arbitrate disputes with large companies on a case-by-case basis
Rand Paul’s views on education and reform
Forget Tea Party rhetoric – pork barrel politics is back
Dear Tea Party voter: You've been had. When the good people of South Dakota voted last month to send Republican Kristi Noem to Congress, they probably believed that she would give no quarter to the lobbyists and special interest groups who enjoyed, as she put it, "throwing money at the feet of a member of Congress."