Narrowing the intensity gap

post from Daily Kos on 26 March 2010 12:32:03 PM. © Daily Kos

This past year I've been obsessed with the issue of voter intensity. While Democrats continue to hold their ground on voter preference (generic congressional numbers), their biggest danger moving into the fall was a lack of excitement and energy on our side. Coupled with the extremely (and violently) high intensity on the other side, it mattered little if voters preferred Democrats, if the voters at the polls were overwhelmingly Republican.

Every week, we track voter intensity in our weekly state of the nation poll. Look at the numbers from the last three weeks:

QUESTION: In the 2010 Congressional elections will you definitely vote, vote, not likely vote, or definitely will not vote?

3/8-10 3/15-18 3/22-25 Dem GOP Dem GOP Dem GOP

Def vote 20 25 23 27 27 29 Vote 20 26 22 29 28 33 Not Likely 28 19 27 18 22 15 Def not vote 4 2 4 3 3 2 Not sure 28 28 24 23 20 21

This is astonishing. Three weeks ago, 40 percent of Democrats were likely or definitely going to vote, compared to 51 percent of Republicans -- an 11 point "intensity gap". Two weeks ago, as the battle for health care reform heated up, and GOP obstructionism came in full view, the numbers were 45 percent for Democrats, 56 percent for Republicans -- both sides equally riled up.

This week, the numbers are 55 percent for Democrats, 62 percent for Republicans. While both sides saw big spikes in their numbers, Democrats were particularly energized, with that intensity gap narrowing from 11 points to a far more manageable seven.

We said it all along -- give us a reason to get excited and fight, and Democrats will get excited and itch for a fight. Heck, you can see it in our traffic numbers!

But we still can't declare victory. We still face an intensity gap, and one that will make it far more difficult to hold our ground so long as it persists. So Democrats, go full-throated populist against Wall Street, against banks, against obstructionist Republicans. End DADT, pass comprehensive immigration reform (or at least vote on it, let the GOP nuke it if they must), and show Democrats that you kind of like this "victory" thing and want to taste more of it.

If you do all that, we can eliminate the intensity gap. And if the intensity gap is gone, Republicans will be hard pressed to make anything more than just marginal gains.

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ty-gap

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IRS Commissioner Debunks GOP Fear-Mongering: We
Won’t Audit People To Check Health Insurance Status

post from Think Progress on 26 March 2010 12:30:00 PM. © Think Progress

Now that health care reform is law, conservatives have come up with a new line of attack to scare the American public: The IRS will be tracking you down if you don’t purchase health insurance. Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) fueled the scare in a March 18 press release, announcing the findings of a study by Republican Hill staff:

A new analysis by the Joint Economic Committee and the House Ways & Means Committee minority staff estimates up to 16,500 new IRS personnel will be needed to collect, examine and audit new tax information mandated on families and small businesses in the ?reconciliation? bill being taken up by the U.S. House of Representatives this weekend.
?When most people think of health care reform they think of more doctors exams, not more IRS exams,? says U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady, the top House Republican on the Joint Economic Committee. ?Isn?t the federal government already intruding enough into our lives? We need thousands of new doctors and nurses in America, not thousands more IRS agents.?

This news quickly spread to conservative media outlets, which hyperbolized the claim with statements like: the “IRS will now oversee health control and determine whether you are compliant,” and the IRS will now be responsible “for finding and punishing those who don’t” have “acceptable” health insurance. An article on the Daily Caller published an article headlined “IRS looking to hire thousands of tax agents to enforce health care laws” accompanied by a picture of armed soldiers.

Yesterday during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing, IRS Commissioner Daniel Shulman made clear that all these claims are nothing but misinformation. He said that, essentially, Brady’s analysis was premature because the IRS is still figuring out the resources it will need “to implement the tax provisions” in the health care legislation. He also completely refuted the notion that IRS agents would be going after people to see if they have acceptable health care:

REP. RON KIND (D-WI): And IRS agents are not going to go out and auditing taxpayers to verify if they have obtained acceptable health insurance, will they?
SHULMAN: No. … [I]t?s probably worth me being very clear because I think there have been some misconceptions out there. The way we envision this working is that HHS, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the exchanges will be working with the insurance companies to determine what is acceptable coverage.
All that will happen with the IRS is similar to a current 1099 where a bank sends IRS a statement that says “here?s the interest” someone owes, and they send it to the taxpayer. We expect to get a simple form — that we won?t look behind — that says this person has acceptable health coverage. There are not going to be any discussions about health coverage with an IRS employee.

Shulman added that the role of the IRS is going to be “the tax portions of this, not the health portions of this,” including helping educate individuals and businesses learn about the tax incentives they qualify for. Watch it:

video details and more

Transcript:

KIND: Dr. Boustany raised the issue of the health reform bill and I think there is a lot of misinformation, a lot of misperception, about the role that IRS will play in the implementation of the recently passed health care bill.
So let me ask you a series of questions and as much as you can just answer them yes or no to clarify some questions that I have about the exact role that the IRS will play.
The health care bill that was just signed by the President will not fundamentally alter the relationship between the IRS with the American taxpayer, will it?
SHULMAN: No.
KIND: You said that right now you are moving forward doing calculations of costs and staffing needs that the IRS has but you haven?t made any of those final determinations yet, have you?
SHULMAN: That is correct.
KIND: And IRS agents are not going to go out and auditing taxpayers to verify if they have obtained acceptable health insurance, will they?
SHULMAN: No.
KIND: In fact, it?s going to be the insurance companies that will merely be certifying whether or not an individual has obtained health care coverage, and they’ll be certifying that to the IRS?
SHULMAN: Yes, it?s probably worth me being very clear because I think there have been some misconceptions out there. The way we envision this working is that HHS, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the exchanges will be working with the insurance companies to determine what is acceptable coverage.
All that will happen with the IRS is similar to a current 1099 where a bank sends IRS a statement that says “here?s the interest” someone owes, and they send it to the taxpayer. We expect to get a simple form — that we won?t look behind — that says this person has acceptable health coverage. There are not going to be any discussions about health coverage with an IRS employee.
KIND: In fact, I would envision that the major role the IRS will play is trying to get information into the individuals? hands and businesses about the various tax incentives that the health reform bill has, and how they can best access those incentives and utilize them, is that right?
SHULMAN: Yes, I mean, the role of the IRS is going to be again, the tax portions of this, not the health portions of this, and what we’re going to try to do is make sure that people are educated, there’s information, we process payments quickly. We also will make sure there is no fraud and abuse in the system as we always do.
KIND: So the IRS is still going to pick up the phone and answer questions in regards to the tax incentives in the health care bill?
SHULMAN: Yes.
KIND: I assume that the IRS will try to build some type of online education service too for people to access as far as what they’re eligible for?
SHULMAN: Absolutely.
KIND: And that you will probably be performing some additional outreach services with businesses and taxpayers about the health care bill?
SHULMAN: Absolutely.
KIND: And as you indicated earlier to Mr. Etheridge, you are already moving forward on a 35 percent tax credit that small businesses are going to be getting this year already with enactment of the health care bill?
SHULMAN: That’s our first move.
KIND: And no taxpayer is going to be subject to any IRS liens or levies, or jail time, for failing to disclose insurance requirements to the IRS?
SHULMAN: That is what the legislation calls for, yes.
KIND: And as soon as your internal review is done, I assume you’re going to report back to Congress what type of resources you?ll need for staffing or for additional funds in order to implement the health care bill?
SHULMAN: Yes, I do want to be clear as I was with Mr. Boustany, we will need resources to implement the tax provisions in this legislation and we will look forward to working with Committee to make sure we have the proper resources to serve the American people.

Read The Full Article:
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/03/26/irs-health/

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We Need a New Language of Politics

post from Firedoglake on 26 March 2010 12:29:11 PM. © Firedoglake

A while back Jake McIntyre wrote an interesting post (for which he was widely pilloried) noting that the same people who supported this bill were those who supported the Iraq war. Not a coincidence. The health care bill is a neoliberal victory, just as[...]

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Vatican Attacking Truthtellers Not a Good Plan

post from Ratbang Diary on 26 March 2010 12:27:00 PM. © Ratbang Diary

The New York Times had two articles today on the pedophile scandal in the Roman Catholic Church.

Rachel Donadio reported in her article (?Pope May Be at Crossroads on Abuse, Forced to Reconcile Policy and Words?) that yesterday an unsigned editorial in the Vatican newspaper (?L?Osservatore Romano?) ?criticized The Times for an article published Thursday on the abuse issue. The Italian editorial said that Benedict had always handled such cases with ?transparency, purpose and severity,? and accused the news media of acting ?with the clear and ignoble intent of trying to strike Benedict and his closest collaborators at any cost.??

In view of the fact that Archbishop/Cardinal/Pope Ratzinger has NEVER handled abuse cases with transparency, and in view of the fact that the news media is simply telling the truth (which truth, is now available via documents that lawyers have released), it?s beyond stupid for the Vatican to claim people are trying to discredit Pope Benedict XVI. And by beyond stupid, I mean: Desperate and idiotic.

I am currently reading a book by James Lee Burke, an author I love in the mystery genre. The book is ?The Tin Roof Blowdown?. Burke?s protagonist, Dave Robicheaux, lives is New Iberia, LA. This book is not only about murder and mayhem in Robicheaux?s parish, but it?s about Katrina and the woeful response by our government, then ruled by so-called president, George W. Bush. In the book, there is a black priest named Jude LeBlanc, who is dying of cancer. Father LeBlanc lives with a prostitute junkie. Still, the priest gives communion and absolution to sinners who ask for it--once a priest, always a priest.

I mention this only to say that I believe that if a priest such as Jude LeBlanc exists, he is more morally correct and in tune with God and the precepts of Jesus Christ than Pope Benedict XVI.

Read The Full Article:
http://ratbangdiary.blogspot.com/2010/03/vatican-attacking-truthtellers-not-good.
html

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Stop Inciting Violence within the Tea Party

post from Koulflo Memo on 26 March 2010 12:09:07 PM. © Koulflo Memo

It has been quite a week for American politics. We got ourselves health care reform, a nuclear deal with Russia, student loan reform, and 200,000 people on the mall in DC demanding comprehensive immigration reform.At the same time, the right wing media, Republican Party, including several members of congress, have been egging on their followers– [...]

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http://koulflo.wordpress.com/2010/03/26/inciting-violence-within-the-tea-party/

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A Historically Memorable Speakership

post from MyDD on 26 March 2010 12:04:40 PM. © MyDD

Today is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's birthday, and in light of the occasion -- as well as the monumental achievement over the past few days that was the passage of healthcare reform legislation (with student lending reform, to boot) -- I thought it[...]

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Vatican attacks media 'conspiracy' in latest
child rape cover up

post from AMERICAblog News on 26 March 2010 12:01:35 PM. © AMERICAblog News

Attacking the messenger, again. If a conspiracy exists, it's definitely not in the media. What do they expect in the Vatican when they can't even de-frock priests or fire the leadership who accepted and tolerated this behavior? The consistent story around the world is what jumps out time after time. The priests are shuffled around only to commit the same crimes. How does the church leadership live with themselves knowing this? They've always been more concerned about protecting their own instead of the innocent.

A strongly worded Vatican newspaper editorial said there was "no cover-up" over the case, which was reported in Thursday's edition of the New York Times.

L'Osservatore Romano labelled the allegations "clearly an ignoble attempt to strike at Pope Benedict and his closest aides at any cost".

Meanwhile, one of the Pope's top aides, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, told reporters there was "a conspiracy" against the Church, without specifying who was responsible.

Happy Easter to you too.

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Police Now Calling Window Incident At Eric
Cantors Office Random Gunfire -- Verse-Case Scenario

post from BuzzFlash.org - Progressive News and Commentary with an Attitude | Fight Ignorance: Read BuzzFlash on 26 March 2010 12:00:45 PM. © BuzzFlash.org - Progressive News and Commentary with an Attitude | Fight Ignorance: Read BuzzFlash

This is the perfect time to
Set this tiny brute straight:
His party?s become the gang
That couldn?t shoot straight.

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http://blog.buzzflash.com/peyser/1377

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EURUSD Rebounds Above 1.3400

G10 Advancers and Decliners vs USDEUR0.82CHF0.78GBP0.62JPY0.44EURUSD has enjoyed a strong rebound rally from its overnight lows of 1.3267 with a combination of Trichet comments, suspected fixing flows and position squaring into the weekend helping push the pair to a high of 1.3418. ECB President Trichet commented that the Greece solution was ?workable? and furthermore that it was unlikely to be activated. Addressing some concerns expressed earlier in the…Read More …

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Breaking Reagan's 11th Commandment Got David Frum
Fired

Ronald Reagan famously gave the 11th Commandment of GOP politics: Thou shalt not speak ill of your fellow Republican.

Apparently, some 30 years after he left office and six years after he passed away, David Frum didn't think it members of the GOP needed to still worship at the altar of St. Ronnie.

He was wrong:

David Frum, who wrote a widely-circulated blog post Sunday suggesting passage of the health care bill amounted to "Waterloo" for the Republican Party, has apparently been forced out of his fellowship at the conservative American Enterprise Institute.
Frum posted a resignation letter on his blog following a conversation with AEI President Arthur Brooks announcing that his position is "terminated."[..]
On Tuesday, the conservative Wall Street Journal editorial page hammered Frum for his "argument that if only Republicans had negotiated with Democrats, they could have somehow made the bill less awful than it is."
"Mr. Frum now makes his living as the media's go-to basher of fellow Republicans, which is a stock Beltway role. But he's peddling bad revisionist history that would have been even worse politics," wrote the newspaper.

While I shed no tears for someone who has been smack dab in the middle of some of the most devastating policies ever wreaked on the whole world, it does strike me as more of the same recklessness and frenzied emotion that we see with the tea baggers, but coming from the institutional conservatives of DC. The fact that they cannot bear criticism or self-examination and would rather bash and remove the person who counsels reflection and restraint makes me a little frightened of who is in charge. Could it be that AEI is actually taking orders from the tea baggers?