Robert Wright (via azspot)
“[F]ailed to extend moral imagination across all possible borders”? Pardon my French, but is this guy fucking joking with this kind of understatement? Even if you’ve somehow miraculously rationalized away all his past behavior as some kind of fluke, he “was” still a virulent racist, homophobe, anti-Semite, and misogynistic creep. Please, google anything he’s ever written. He claims to want government out of our lives—has been quoted as saying government is WORKING as long as it provides “guns and gold” to the people—but supports the Defense of Marriage Act, opposed the Civil Rights Act, opposed Net Neutrality, opposes the separation of church and state despite being a “constitutionalist” and a believer in the vision of the founding fathers, DIDN’T VOTE AGAINST THE INDEFINITE DETENTION BILL, and believes it’s fine for the government to dictate the contents and comportment of people with uteruses, among countless other terrifying and offensive deeds. I’m so goddamn sick of people wanting to give him a high five for being theoretically anti-war and pro-marijuana. “Lack of moral imagination”? This guy is the POSTER BOY for a lack of moral imagination, not some unique visionary.
But as we get to the playoffs, the protestations and pandering may turn into a discussion of God and man and the electorate that is far more intense, and potentially ugly. It could also be illuminating. Even in the dingiest bar, in an urban ruin or a hotel in New Hampshire, there is always, at least theoretically, the possibility that one might, suddenly and unexpectedly, hear a joyful noise, or at least a few, stray, rational words from one of the candidates. And yet that prospect seems remote: it would mean a different campaign, with a far different tone than we have seen and heard so far.
- In today’s Daily Comment, Amy Davidson writes about the Iowa caucuses and how religion will continue to shape the race:
I’m not sure if it’s amusing or incredibly sad that this headline hasn’t made an appearance in a single one of my American news sources.
“
The NAACP says voting rights are being whittled down at every stage of the electoral process. First of all, the registration of new voters is being impeded in several states by moves to block voter registration drives that have historically proved to be an important way of bringing black and Hispanic people to the poll.
Four states – Florida, Iowa, Kentucky and Virginia – continue to withhold the vote from anyone convicted of a criminal offence. In Florida, offenders who have completed their sentences have to wait at least five years before they can even apply to restore their right to register to vote.
Across the US, more than 5 million Americans are denied the right to vote on grounds that they were convicted of a felony, 4 million of whom have fully completed their sentence and almost half of whom are black or Hispanic.
Other measures have reduced the ease of early voting, a convenience that is disproportionately heavily used by African-Americans. Even more importantly, 34 states have introduced a requirement that voters carry photo ID cards on the day of the election itself.
Studies have showed that the proportion of voters who do not have access to valid photo ID cards is much higher among older African-Americans because they were not given birth certificates in the days of segregation. Students and young voters also often lack identification and are thus in danger of being stripped of their right to vote.
In Texas, a law has been passed that prevents students from voting on the basis of their college ID cards, while allowing anyone to cast their ballot if they can show a permit to carry a concealed handgun.”
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Reblogged from
The Guardian
A video made at the August 2010 Glenn Beck rally in Washington D.C.
This set of interviews by New Left Media is a very revealing portrayal of many of the Tea Party Republicans.
The interviews were conducted respectfully.
Racism, lies, insults, and wilful ignorance are on full display here.
It’s 13 minutes long. If you don’t have time to watch it now, come back when you do.
These people can vote. In fact, these people come out to vote a helluva lot more than progressives do. Just FYI.
(Source: youtube.com)
Preach it. (via joshuanguyen)
“Then came the moment when just about every viewer must have concluded that he ended any chance that he could be a viable candidate: when he couldn’t remember the third of the three federal departments he had proposed to eliminate. My younger colleagues at the Washington Examiner twittered that this was the worst moment in a presidential debate for a candidate they had ever seen. Well, I have been watching presidential debates since the first Kennedy-Nixon debate in 1960, and it was the worst moment in a debate I have ever seen too.” - Michael Barone, Washington Examiner
(Emphasis mine)
It’s over.
Summary:
- Rick Perry had a meltdown. His train of thought derailed multiple times and he was slurring his words slightly.
- Mitt Romney’s hair was jauntily tousled and he probably gets a boost from this.
- Herman Cain proved he’s…
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Reblogged from
Cognitive Dissonance
via @BenjySarlin
Quick to the draw, a campaign slogan nobody wants to be associated with.
Please see here for context. Warning for descriptions of sexual harrassment.
(Source: brooklynmutt)
-Rolling Stone, The GOP War on Voting (via wisconsinforward)
Seriously guys, it still boggles my mind that Rolling Stone keeps turning out such a combo of quality/accessible political journalism. This one is well worth a read.
