You Knew This Was Coming Eventually

post from Talking Points Memo on 23 April 2012 03:01:18 PM. © Talking Points Memo

One of the fascinating dynamics of the general election will be President Obama and Mitt Romney occasionally both running against the House GOP. Today may be the first good example of that. [...]

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as_coming_eventually.php

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Yet More on the Vote Fraud Fraud

post from Talking Points Memo on 23 April 2012 03:01:18 PM. © Talking Points Memo

New report in Virginia suggests voter fraud may be a bigger issue than realized -- except its the kind that voter ID laws won't do anything to prevent. [...]

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_vote_fraud_fraud.php

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Patent Hot Potato

post from Talking Points Memo on 23 April 2012 03:01:18 PM. © Talking Points Memo

Carl Franzen explains why Facebook is paying Microsoft $550 million for its recently purchased AOL patents. [...]

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Actually Not a Metaphor

post from Talking Points Memo on 23 April 2012 03:01:18 PM. © Talking Points Memo

As part of its ongoing financial difficulties, the Minnesota GOP is now being evicted from its headquarters for failure to pay rent. [...]

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Redistricting 2012: "This is no way to govern"

post from Cottonmouth on 23 April 2012 03:01:14 PM. © Cottonmouth

Last night, I had an opportunity to speak with a person from the Mississippi Gulf Coast who asked how things were going at the Capitol and where things stand on redistricting. After I explained that Republicans claim to have "drawn" the maps but weren't ready to show their work, he responded, "This is no way to govern." It think he has a fair point.

As Republicans continue to hide the maps, more and more questions emerge.

1. Who drew the maps? There has been some talk of certain individual legislators being brought in to see their districts. Based on the reports I've received, this exercise involves an indivudal member being shown a proposed map of the district they currently represent. While this seems to be happening with more and more regularity, particularly in the House, there is very little information regarding who did the actual drawing. We all know that Rep. Bill Denny (R - Jackson) and Sen. Merle Flowers (R - Southaven) didn't sit down at a computer and put the maps together themselves, so that leaves the question: who drew the maps?

2. Who paid the cartographer? Last year, Republicans arranged for a Louisiana consultant to help them draw their redistricting maps. Did they bring in another consultant to help with the process this time? If so, who paid for this service? Were these folks paid with public or private funds?

3. Whatever happened to the end of the gentleman's agreement? Last year, then Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant got a lot of press for calling for an end to the "gentleman's agreement," the term applied to that process whereby one chamber accepts the work of another chamber without scrutiny. It would appear that the gentleman's agreement is back in effect as most members of the legislature have not seen their own chamber's plans much less the maps being proposed in the other chamber.

4. Transparency anyone? Transparency was the Republican rallying cry for years, as they fought to gain a stranglehold on state government. Now that they have it, will they practice what they preached?
If Redistricting 2012 is the measuring stick, we already know the answer is no.

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EMCL - Why Bill Denny's attempted murder
legislation keeps failing

post from Cottonmouth on 23 April 2012 03:01:14 PM. © Cottonmouth

Rep. Bill Denny (R - Jackson) has tried and failed for years to pass legislation "providing for the offense of attempted murder." Here's my take on what's been going wrong, and a simple way to fix it: Why Rep. Bill Denny's attempted murder legislation keeps failing.

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attempted-murder.html

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Romney spokesman made sexist and homophobic
remarks about Mrs. Obama, Hillary Clinton

post from US Politics | AMERICAblog News on 23 April 2012 03:00:47 PM. © US Politics | AMERICAblog News

Would you expect anything less from the Republican nominee?

Interesting that we haven't heard boo from Mitt or Ann Romney. You'll recall two weeks ago they were more than happy to talk non-stop about how they felt Democratic consultant Hilary Rosen had shown disrespect to women. But when the Romney campaign's own spokesman - and mind you, Hilary Rosen doesn't even work for the Obama campaign, this guy does work for Romney - is found to have tried to cover up a series of sexist and homophobic comments about First Lady Michelle Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, and the wife of Romney's remaining serious (well, somewhat serious) opponent in the GOP primary, you don't hear boo from Mr. or Mrs. Romney.

Wonder why that is? Maybe Mitt and Ann Romney don't care about women at all. We'll find out if they keep this spokesman on staff.

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Zombie Reagan Rises To Shake His Fist At Liberal
Income Redistributors

post from Crooks and Liars on 23 April 2012 03:00:45 PM. © Crooks and Liars

Someone dragged Saint Ronnie from the grave and brought him back to star in this animated film clip, which is a preview of the feature-length film entitled "I Want Your Money." It's available for the low, low price of $19.95 unless you want the gift pack, which includes stickers and other assorted goodies. There are even Obama bobbleheads...for a price.

"I Want Your Money" is directed and produced by Ray Griggs, an aspiring Los Angeles-area filmmaker. To his credit, he's quite talented and creative when it comes to concept and art. Facts? Not so much, but then, facts aren't important when you're trying to make a point.

Griggs released this movie in 2010 and received some mild attention from the New York Times back then. Otherwise, it seemed to gain a following from the right wingers, but never broke into the mainstream. But never say die to a winger. Another election season, another opportunity.

The actual film features interviews with ~~economic giants~~ a whole bunch of Fox News contributors masquerading as economic experts.

Here's why it won't work to re-release it again. In 2010, everyone was all upset about the Affordable Care Act and stirred into a lather on the right, and the left was a little bit blasé, causing lower turnout on their side of things. But it's 2012 now, and we've gotten a close look at what the right wing means when they say they're going to "focus like a laserbeam" on the economy.

It means they're going to vote to ban abortion about 1,000 times between state and federal legislatures. It means ALEC will write their laws for them. It means that taxes will never, ever be on the table even if it means shutting the government down or defaulting on our national debt. It means a deal is never a deal, because they lie to do a deal and then try to weasel out of it later.

Other than the True Believers, no one today believes anything these yahoos say about the economy or taxes and no one really believes they have the first clue how to fix things, but what people do know is that something is seriously out of whack and Congress is too busy obsessing on birth control and abortion to actually, you know, be serious about doing something about it.

According to the Koch/DeVos-funded Moving Picture Institute, Ray Griggs is an MPI fellow, and they're right on the 2012 bandwagon to promote and push this film out once again, beginning on April 15th, of course. According to the New York Times, his financing for the film was obtained this way:

Mr. Griggs narrates, with an assist from interviewees who include Steve Forbes, John Stossel and Michael Reagan. The film was self-financed for about $500,000, while a number of investors ? who are not well known or backed by political candidates or apparatus, Mr. Griggs said ? created a somewhat larger fund for prints and advertising.

Oh, Michael Cieply of the New York Times, how gullible you truly are. While it's true that these investors are not well known or backed by political candidates, it is equally true that they choose the shadows and BACK political candidates and apparatus. It wouldn't have taken all that much effort for you to discover that.

Meanwhile, Zombie Reagan will be coming to a right-wing household near you very soon. Be ready.

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http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/zombie-reagan-rises-shake-his-fist-liberal-

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Michigan Was Turning Point for Romney Campaign

The real turning point in Mitt Romney's effort to secure the Republican nomination appears to have been his victory in Michigan, according to analysis by Pew Research Center's Project for Excellence in Journalism.[...]

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Sanford Police Chief Officially Resigns Over
Trayvon Martin Investigation

Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee has now officially resigned over criticism of his mishandling the Trayvon Martin case. Lee temporarily stepped down last month after receiving a 3-2 vote of no confidence from the Sanford City Commission. During the investigation, Lee claimed the police had no grounds to arrest George Zimmerman because his self-defense claim ?was supported by physical evidence and testimony;? however, this appears to have contradicted the Sandford police’s recommendation. CBS News reports that another acting chief may also resign today.

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http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/04/23/469454/sanford-police-chief-officiall
y-resigns-over-trayvon-martin-investigation/

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