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08 Mar 2011 14:30

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Politics: Political pressure in Wisconsin may force shift from GOP Senators

  • 3 Wisconsin GOP Senators who think Gov. Walker should compromise source
  • » The stonewall may begin to crack: One of the most interesting potential endgames to this continuing Wisconsin kerfuffle is that Gov. Scott Walker could lose critical support from within his own party. Not that this should be viewed as a shift in the Wisconsin GOP’s principles — it seems clear that the collective bargaining rights would have been stripped weeks ago if not for the departure of fourteen Democratic senators — but it seems as if the uncomfortable reality of his non-negotiation is beginning to catch up to Walker. To date, GOP senators Dale Schultz, Rob Cowles, and Luther Olson have indicated compromise may be necessary and appropriate.
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Mar 2011 11:19

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Politics: Newt Gingrich: Sorry for the confusing presidential announcement

  • Did anyone else find the rollout of Newt Gingrich’s presidential plans to be a tad confusing? If so, Newt agrees with you. “It (the roll-out) led to unfortunate confusion,” Gingrich said yesterday. “I wish we had been a little more structured last week. But I don’t take it as a very serious problem.” Newt’s defense of his work during the 1995 shutdown was timed kinda weirdly and gave opponents a good talking point. Of course, it didn’t help that Fox News added their own wrinkle to the mess. But on the other hand, Newt did in fact prove us wrong, so we guess that’s worthy of some credit. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Mar 2011 11:04

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Politics: Michele Bachmann says she’ll decide on presidential run soonish

  • I think there’s a natural timeframe, and I think probably by about early summer a decision should be made.
  • Rep. Michele Bachmann • On the possibility that she’ll run for president. The key Tea Party figure has made overtures for months. Also worth noting: Bachmann has made a stink recently about $105 billion of extra funding for Obamacare which she says snuck into the bill. However, MinnPost’s Derek Wallbank points out that none of this stuff was hidden, and that her team had three months to look at the final bill. Her claim? They didn’t really focus on the Senate bill in the House – until the last second, that is. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

08 Mar 2011 10:22

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Politics: Rick Scott pissing off everyone – in both parties – in the legislature

  • The governor doesn’t understand there is a State Constitution and that we have three branches of government. They are talking about the attitude that he is still the CEO of his former health care corporation, and that is not going to work in this state, in Tallahassee, in my district. The people believe in three branches of government.
  • Republican Florida State Senator Mike Fasano • Criticizing Tea Party-backed Gov. Rick Scott for pretty much acting LIKE A BOSS instead of a guy who has to answer to the legislative branch. He’s been making some pretty bold decisions – like, for example, selling state-owned jets because he had one of his own – without getting Congressional approval. “It’s necessary at this time, I think — because our governor’s new — to let him know this is not a monarchy,” said Democratic State Senator Arthenia L. Joyner. “He’s not a king. This is a democracy.” Joyner brought a lawsuit against Scott because he killed a plan for high-speed rail. Scott, who recently unveiled his budget plan hundreds of miles away from Tallahassee, shouldn’t get too cocky – the GOP has a supermajority in both houses and can override his veto easily. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Mar 2011 14:41

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Politics: Senator John Ensign to call it a career

  • John Ensign, signing off: The Nevada Senator is expected to announce he won’t seek reelection in 2012, opting instead to retire from public life. Ensign, 52, would face a winnable but nonetheless taxing battle to retain his seat in light of the ethics investigation against him, stemming from his extramarital affair with the wife of one of his top political aides. Ensign is one of Congress’ members of “The Family,” the secretive, moralistic Evangelical organization that operates out of the “C Street” house in Washington, which made his marital infidelity seem especially hypocritical and irritating to his detractors. (thanks pantslessprogressive) source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Mar 2011 23:11

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Politics: Tina Brown, on relaunching Newsweek with The Daily Beast

  • Ironically, it was living in The Daily Beast’s fast and furious news cycle for the past two years that revealed to me what a newsmagazine can bring to the table when it’s no longer chasing yesterday’s story. It’s about filling the gaps left when a story has seemingly passed, or resetting the agenda, or coming up with an insight or synthesis that connects the crackling, confusing digital dots.
  • Tina Brown • Explaining in her redesign-launching letter what Newsweek’s relaunch means. She’s absolutely right, really – her time with The Daily Beast makes her pretty much the perfect person to play the role of editor of a newsmagazine in 2011. She can take the lessons from the Beast and build a shared vision between two entities which are designed to handle different parts of the media pie. We wish her the best. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Mar 2011 20:01

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Politics: White House official backs Muslims before Rep. Peter King’s hearings

  • You’ve sent a message that those who perpetrate such horrific attacks do not represent you or your faith, and that they will not succeed in pitting believers of different faiths against one another.
  • Deputy National Security Adviser Denis McDonough • Speaking to a DC-area mosque this weekend to do damage control before Rep. Peter King, the chairman of the House’s Homeland Security panel, holds hearings on Islam radicalization. King defended his efforts earlier today: “The overwhelming majority of Muslims are outstanding Americans,” he said, “but at this stage in our history there’s an effort … to radicalize elements within the Muslim community.” Is ol’ Petey boy right? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

06 Mar 2011 11:48

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Politics: Rep. Peter King’s radical Islam hearing not exactly winning him fans

  • First off, this is a spectacular photo of Rep. Peter King. He’s straight-up draped in America in this pic, and it’s something that we must admire. Anyway, King (the chair of the Homeland Security committee) is planning these Congressional hearings about radical Islam this week, and they have some people up in arms. For example, here’s Rep. Keith Ellison, a Muslim himself who showed up on CNN’s “State of the Union” with King: “It’s absolutely the right thing to do for the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee to investigate radicalization. But to say we’re going to investigate a — a religious minority, and a particular one, I think is the wrong course of action to take.” King claims that radical Islam poses a graver threat than other types of radicalism. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

06 Mar 2011 00:47

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Politics: Mitt Romney rips Obamacare (which was based on his own plan)

  • You may have noticed that the president and his people spend more time talking about me and Massachusetts health care than Entertainment Tonight spends talking about Charlie Sheen.
  • Mitt Romney • Trying to get a whip-dash burn in on Obama while being hip and of the moment. Romney was in New Hampshire today making the kind of inroads a presidential candidate might make. Which, of course, means that he has to eventually talk to the elephant in the room – he health care plan he enacted, on which the federal plan was modeled. Romney’s take? He was dealing with problems “unique to Massachusetts” with his plan, and Obamacare is “Misguided and egregious.” Because hey. As long as I look good and I can take credit for something, it doesn’t matter what you do. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Mar 2011 10:00

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Politics: Obama meets Jeb Bush: Not as successful as it could’ve been

  • As surreal moments go, Obama chillin’ with Jeb Bush in Miami on the education tip could have been a pretty cool one. We think he probably wins some points with the moderates for being willing to give a Bush – and not the unpopular one – the time of day. Unfortunately, it was a moment with flaws – the meeting itself was a tad awkward. And a speech he gave afterwards (in which he mentioned the meeting) actually drew boos for the bipartisanship attempt. It was a calculated political move, yeah, but you have to give the man credit for trying. He’s had relatively little luck pushing through the right side of the aisle, and he made an effort yesterday. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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