The Politics Thread

[Max]

In political news other than the Arizona shootings, the Illinois Democratic State Legislature has just passed the largest state income tax raise in its history. Democratic Governor Pat Quinn has said he will sign this bill into law, which will raise state income taxes by a whopping 67 percent!

Of course, I believe that it is fool hardy to raise taxes in the middle of a severe recession. But, don't just take my word for it: rather, look to the new Democratic Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo, who stated that "New York has no future as the tax capital of the nation."

When somebody in an opposing political party makes the right decision(s), it is very important to give him praise. Governor Cuomo has refused to raise taxes and will instead make many necessary cuts to New York's incredibly bloated budget. I wish Cuomo well, and have a feeling that he will be a great governor.

[DRW50]

Tim Pawlenty, who helped preside over a very divisive Minnesota GOP for years and is often hyped as some sort of thoughtful or intelligent alternative to hard right conservatives, panders once again by pledging to repeal DADT.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/01/pawlenty-to-bryan-fischer-id-support-reinstating-dadt.php?ref=fpblg

[MichaelGL]

I actually thought out of all the possible Republican Presidential candidates, he was the most reasonable, I must have thought wrong. Very disappointed by this.

You should watch his interview with Jon Stewart on Wednesday. Like most political figures that appear on the show, he was put on the spot and even rendered speechless a couple of times.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-january-12-2011/exclusive---tim-pawlenty-extended-interview

Edited January 14, 2011 by MichaelGL

[Scotty]

Here we go again....with pressing issues in this country like high unemployement and the ever-increasing national debt, it's nice to see the Republicans are taking care of what's really important.

I mean really, between this and trying to repeal health care, the Republicans are showing that the only thing they truly care about is reversing any and all progress Obama and the Democrats have been in the last two years.

[DRW50]

He's good at putting on a slick facade but he will desperately pander to the far right to get support. He did that when he was governor, flip-flopping all over the place on matters like global warming, and he also flip-flopped on gay rights throughout his career. When he thought it would make him a star he blatantly hitched his wagon to the odious Bachmann and her big rallies against gay marriage in 2004. Bachmann and her followers used to go in and pray over the desks of the legislators while they were out, just to try to help them see that the big priority should be banning any (based on what the legislation actually said) legal contracts between same-sex couples.

[DRW50]

At the time of the oil spill I thought Bobby Jindal came across as showboating, and it looks like he was, even more than I'd realized.

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/14/spill-report-accuses-jindal-of-showboating/?hp

Why does this not surprise me about Anderson Cooper (or today's media):

[DRW50]

Rahm off the ballot! Drama.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0111/48061.html

19 days and the Republicans are already giving us jobs. Wow.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0111/19_days_in_GOP_leadership_takes_credit_for_job_growth.html?showall

[DRW50]

World's fastest resignation? Christopher Lee, Congressman from upstate New York, resigns after it was learned that he tried to get a woman on Craiglist (he's married with kids). I guess this is tame by modern standards (I'm sure his wife wouldn't agree!). He has a pretty good body...too bad he didn't put it to better use and just do one of those "not hideously unattractive men of Congress" charity calendars.

http://gawker.com/#!5755071/married-gop-congressman-sent-sexy-pictures-to-craigslist-babe

[bellcurve]

What a complete and total dumbass!

[DRW50]

That's the third Congressman from New York in 3 years to resign because of a sex scandal.

[alphanguy74]

Damn... all this and no pics of his dick?

[DRW50]

I hate this type of thing. I know someone who isn't going to vote for Obama again because of this. But the whole let's kick the poor type of move will probably get him more votes than it loses.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_obama_heating_aid

[bellcurve]

Obama is in a lose/lose situation. He screwed himself by continuing to bail out banks(a trend Bush started) and passing out stimulus aid and funding for bullshit research projects. The fiscal conservatives won't forget this and neither will the liberals who are anti-establishment.

This move is not out of Obama's heart: it's a carefully planned and calculated move to make him seem centrist so he doesn't get bumped from office in 2012.

[Sylph]

So who do you see running in 2012 even now?

From both camps.

[bellcurve]

I've given up on Hillary throwing her hat in the ring. Obama/Biden will go unchallenged and it's a race between Pawlenty/Romney or some "fiscally conservative" Republican. I do love the idea of Haley Barbour or Mike Huckabee leading a Republican ticket. I feel, despite whatever shortcomings they seem to have as elected officials, they would make up for with selecting a great cabinet and I feel like they are somewhat more honest politicians(And by honest I mean, not straddling a fence on an issue or playing up some falsehood to the American people). But they are far too polarizing and far too Southern to score the Republican nom. But I wouldn't count either one of them out of running in the primaries and knocking off one of the big favorites or even count them out as VP candidates.