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25 Apr 2011 14:13

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Politics: Legal firm pulls out of defending DOMA for House GOP

  • For a big law firm with an international reputation like King and Spalding, this could have gotten very ugly for them. This kind of thing could have stuck to them for decades. People no longer want to be associated with this kind of discrimination.
  • Richard Socarides, gay rights advocate • Speaking about legal firm King and Spalding withdrawing from their plan to defend the Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA) in service of the House GOP. The decision has caused a split within the firm, as Paul Clement, one of the partners involved with the case, has resigned in protest and will continue to work for DOMA’s defense, saying that even unpopular causes deserve legal representation. Socarides disagrees, claiming the law is discriminatory and thus is un-American, and that there’s no merit in defending such a cause. We agree in the moral sense, perhaps, but ultimately Clement is correct — legal representation is a keystone of our system of justice, and even though King and Spalding has every right not to take this case, at some point some lawyer does have to step up, personal beliefs aside. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Apr 2011 11:37

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Politics: John Ensign’s resignation a blessing in disguise for Republicans

  • negative Departing Nevada Sen. John Ensign has the stink of scandal on him, after he had an affair with his staffer’s wife, and then tried to bribe the staffer with another job in an effort to cover the mess up.
  • positive This is a good thing for the Republican Party, however, because it means they can appoint someone new to Ensign’s job — making it easier for that person to stay put in 2012. source
  • » A suggestion: Not Sharron Angle. Anybody but her, Nevada. Not Sharron Angle.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Apr 2011 21:14

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Politics: Paul Ryan not running for president, and other town hall fun

  • We don’t have the presidential candidates right now. The field hasn’t materialized yet, so we’re out there doing it ourselves.
  • Rep. Paul Ryan • Speaking yesterday at a town hall meeting in Clinton, Wis., where he noted that he had no plans to run for president. (We’ve said our peace, bro. You’re making a mistake.) Earlier in the week, Ryan was at the tail end of a chorus of boos, at a town hall in Milton, Wis., for his stance on tax cuts for the wealthy. But as Dave Weigel notes, other members of Congress who voted for Ryan’s budget plan didn’t face anything even resembling the rage-filled summer of 2009, where Barney Frank compared a woman to a “dining room table.” Guess those angry people have to start trying harder. (thanks handlebarr) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Apr 2011 10:12

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Politics: Whoa! Obama calls Paul Ryan’s GOP budget plan “radical”

Because, COME ON! Why should all the Republicans have the fun using phrases like “radical”? Obama wants in, too! Next, he needs to call something a “birther” somehow. William Ayers! source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Apr 2011 16:53

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Politics: Iowa GOP voters wouldn’t mind seeing that birth certificate

  • When the fringe becomes the norm: The past couple years, the birther issue has been a touchy one in Republican politics; it’s a dangerous internal wedge issue for them. Say he was born in Kenya (or merely imply your doubts), and you look like a kook of the highest order. Say he was born in Hawaii, and you’ve alienated a non-negligible amount of your traditionally ravenous base. If the GOP Presidential field had managed to stay in the middling, “I take his word for it” zone, averting the problem — no Republican would have disdained their party’s strongest looking candidate because he didn’t think Obama was foreign. But with Donald Trump diving into the deep end of the birther pool, this constituency becomes volatile and impossible to predict. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

07 Apr 2011 14:19

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U.S.: Wisconsin Democrats to file for recall against Randy Hopper

  • Another Wisconsin GOP senator to face recall: In the wake of JoAnne Kloppenburg’s possible State Supreme Court win (pending a mandated recount, as she leads by the narrowest of margins), an unthinkable upset absent Gov. Scott Walker and his union-busting ways, it seems clear that Wisconsin Republicans have a tough road ahead. GOP State Senator Randy Hopper is the latest victim of this, as he’ll be forced to face a recall election; Democratic activists have more than enough signatures to file against him. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Mar 2011 14:45

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Politics: Sen. Scott Brown splits with GOP on Planned Parenthood

  • unsurprising The GOP’s big win in the midterm elections was, most would agree, secured by economic strife. Despite this, they’ve has spent a lot of effort pushing hard on left/right wedge issues, abortion being one.
  • surprising! GOP Senator Scott Brown, who’s garnered a reputation lately as an independent mind, said the party’s plan to cut funding to Planned Parenthood “goes too far.” Scott Brown, walking the walk! source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

10 Mar 2011 15:50

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U.S.: Chaotic protests, dischord in Madison, Wisconsin reaching fever pitch

  • Chaos at the capitol: As a means to reduce the amount of protests and (legitimately worrisome) rage in Madison, the state GOP’s sudden vote last night hasn’t been too helpful. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 Mar 2011 15:26

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U.S.: The wholly expected response to last night’s drama

  • legal complaint filed against Wisconsin GOP: This was an expected and obvious counter-move by Wisconsin’s Democratic Party, on the heels of the union stripping fracas that boiled over last night. Greg Sargent’s The Plum Line blog has a link to the full complaint, and as we don’t have any legal background we can’t speak to its strength. That said, as protests continue to rage and recent polls forecast a grim political price for the state’s Republicans, any protracted, public fight over this figures to benefit pro-union advocates. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

10 Mar 2011 10:08

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Politics: Rep. Peter King has good reason to be afraid of radicals

Peter King says that he’s being trailed by around-the-clock police because of an unnamed threat from overseas. Glad he’s announcing that ahead of his Islam hearings. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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