The Politics Thread

[LeClerc]

I thought this piece was hilarious

http://www.tnr.com/a...ves-likes-humor

These are a Few of Mitt's Favorite Things, based on this not-so-subtle Michigan pandering from the RomneyBot:

My favorite:

Gingrich to Afghanistan: Figure Out How to Live Your Own Miserable life

http://blogs.wsj.com...miserable-life/

Learn from Newt how not to be miserable!?

Edited February 27, 2012 by LeClerc

[Max]

Though officials in both parties refuse to admit these problems, there is still speculation that Democrats could engage in "mischief" voting in tomorrow's MI GOP primary (thanks in part to wingnuts like DailyKos founder Markos Moulitsas encouraging liberals to vote for Santorum):

http://news.yahoo.co...-204130474.html

In 2000, many Republicans believed that MI Democrats voted in the GOP primary (as Gore had already defeated Bradley for the Democratic nomination by that time) for McCain in order to embarass Gov. John Engler, who was despised by the unions. Because Engler and the rest of the state GOP establishment endorsed Bush, it was a humilating defeating for him. I will predict a Santorum victory in MI tomorrow (and then, of course, the liberal media will say the sky is falling on the Romney campaign, much like they said about Bush's campaign twelve years ago); because of how close the polls are, I do believe that "mischief" voting on the part of the Democrats could very well be the factor that pushes the former PA senator over the top.

P.S. I didn't mean to imply that "mischief" voting is something that Democrats only do, as Republicans do it as well.

Edited February 28, 2012 by Max

[juppiter]

There was a really great piece by Maureen Dowd today about how the GOP has fallen out of touch : http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/26/opinion/sunday/dowd-ghastly-outdated-party.html?_r=1&ref=maureendowd

The problem with her logic is that they have a shrinking base, but they know how to mobilize it. I believe that if voting were compulsory, the Democrats would win the presidency every time. But so many liberals and moderates just don't care to show up.

[DRW50]

A number of high profile Republicans, including Romney surrogates (I think) have said this.

I doubt Romney will lose. Too much money and he's still seen as the inevitable nominee, which will always get a lot of votes.

[soapfan770]

Word on the street is that some GOP legislators in the SC state gov would actually support impeachment of Governor Nikki Haley as she digs herself deeper and her numbers sink lower. The newest fiasco occurred a couple of days when she vetoed a bill that would support SC economy; now its going to support the economy of the state of Georgia instead.

I doubt Haley will ever get re-elected to a second term--her latest approval ratings have sunk below 30% and she's caused so much damage within a period of a single year. Doors are beginning to close on her and the party is about to abandon this once Tea Part favorite.

[DRW50]

If the entire legislature hates you then there's a problem. SC Republicans barely even manage to unite themselves, much less Democrats.

Today is Super Tuesday. Momentum seems to be with Santorum in Michigan, but Romney has a lot of early votes already cast, and he has money and media - those often carry the day. He is now claiming he may not win (after saying he would only a few days ago), and is blaming Santorum for asking Democrats to vote for him.

http://www.politico....0212/73378.html

I have to laugh at Romney's comment that he won't say anything to win. That's his whole career! He has taken every position on every issue, and is now more than happy to enable the most extreme views, all to get in. Who is he kidding?

Speaking of hypocrisy - apparently he said he voted for Tsongans in 1992 to try to help President Bush get reelected. So NOW he objects to such a practice?

Edited February 28, 2012 by CarlD2

[DRW50]

Big surprise, very big. Olympia Snowe, first elected to the Senate in 1994, is not going to run for a fourth term. Here is her statement on why.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entries/snowe-statement-on-decision-not-to-run-for?ref=fpblg

The Maine GOP has become dominated by extremists like Paul LePage, but I think she probably would have won a fourth term. I can believe that she was just sick of the partisanship that has poisoned Congress.

This makes for a very competitive race. Both major parties in Maine are broken and struggle to provide strong nominees. LePage only won because of a split between Democrats and independents, and many voters regret letting him in as governor. Yet I don't think there are any strong Democrats in contention here - Mike Michaud, one Congressman, is pro-life (not a good fit statewide), and the other Congresswoman I haven't heard a lot about.

Republicans also seem to have few likely choices for nominees.

[Scotty]

Romney wins both Michigan and Arizona...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/28/map-michigan-primary-2012-results_n_1307981.html#az-election

[Scotty]

Up next this weekend and next week...

March 3: Washington state

March 6: Alaska, Georgia, Idaho, Massachusetts, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, and Wyoming

March 10: Guam, Kansas, Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands

[DRW50]

Not much of a surprise. Now expect all kinds of media talk about what a comeback it is to win his home state, and how the race must end now.

[DRW50]

Mitt fumbles and bumbles again, and as always, money and media mean it won't matter.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/burns-haberman/2012/02/mitt-i-misunderstood-blunt-bill-question-116002.html

[DRW50]

Did the Michigan GOP rewrite their rules to benefit Romney?

http://www.freep.com/article/20120301/NEWS15/120301038/Mitt-Romney-gets-Michigan-s-large-delegates

[DRW50]

It's birther time...again.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/03/sheriff_joe_arpaio_claims_obama_birth_certificate_a_fraud.php?ref=fpa

[DaytimeFan]

Joe Arpaio really needs to go away. The man has violated civil rights, I don't care that they're criminals, he dehumanizes people. He's what's wrong with the American Justice System.

That he has the gall to get involved in this birth certificate nonsense, which is what it is, nonsense, is ridiculous to a degree I can't even describe.

Edited March 2, 2012 by DaytimeFan

[alphanguy74]

I wonder why nobody seems to be able to see that health insurance is a for profit middle man that is not neccessary to the equation of healthcare. Not when it can be done for less money by someone who doens't make a profit. And why should it be non profit? Because from my moral compass, I can't stomach the idea of making a profit off of someone else's pain and misery. A certain amount HAS to happen, because the doctors and nurses and hospital employees can't work for free... they have families to support. But the insurance agent don't need to make money off of you. To tell you the truth, the best thing that would even happen NOBODY has suggested, and that is to go direct from patient to doctor and hospital. Leave out insurance and government ENTIRELY, have hospitals offer memberships where you pay a monthly premium, and if you ever need care at that hospital (or any of it's affiliated hospitals), it's taken care of for free. Just like MAST ambulance service does with their yearly "memberships" here. Groups of Doctors could get together and act as their own insruance company... pay a monthly premium, and you can see any doctor in that network. Except the money goes DIRECTLY to the doctors and not to insurance companies, and that is naturally cheaper because you don't have to pay all these secretarties to handle all the insurance company billing. The hospital coverage could be required, and be on a sliding scale... so even the poor would pay a small amount, like 5$ a month, the top amount would be capped, so nobody would be paying 3,000$ a month or whatever. I also would like to see a mandate making all hospital be non profit. About 1/4 of them are already that way... everyone who works in them makes a salary, the institution itself doesn't need to make a profit off of people's sickness and misery.