Archive for March, 2014

Thursday Daily Delawhere [3.27.14]

Filed in National by Delaware Dem on March 27, 2014 • 1 Comment

Obama’s desire to cut Social Security looms large in midterms

Filed in National by jason330 on March 26, 2014 • 0 Comments

Old people vote in midterms at a higher rate than young people. But until recently old people were solid Democrats. So, how did the GOP get a lock on the old people vote? Well, he is black and old people are notorious racists. (Yes, I’m looking at you Grampa Heinrich.) And the Democratic Party has recently been seen as the party of the gays, and old folks are nervous about that. But there is a much bigger reason the old folks a going R.

With wage theft ubiquitous in the fast food business, NCC moves to support fast food workers

Filed in National by jason330 on March 26, 2014 • 9 Comments

If you work in a restaurant, you are, have been, or probably will be the victim of wage theft. That Chickie’s & Pete’s, has been forced to pay $8.52 million in back wages and damages to employees for illegally docking a portion of their tips, not paying minimum wage, or overtime, is sadly an exception. […]

Wednesday Open Thread [3.26.14] – The DL Common Core Edition

Filed in National, Open Thread by Delaware Dem on March 26, 2014 • 72 Comments

I have mostly been ignoring the debate over Common Core education standards, pretty much because the opponents and proponents are all speaking in a language that is foreign to me. I don’t have kids so I have not been confronted by these issues. So I have left education blogging to DL’s expert, Pandora, and to Delaware’s best education bloggers, Kavips and Kilroy, as well as Mike Matthews anbd John Young and others focusing on specific school districts like Christina and Red Clay. It is fair to say that I myself have ignored the debate because it did not concern me. That thinking is wrong but it is what has happened.

And because of that, DL has gotten a reputation of being pro-Common Core or pro-Markell in this education debate, because we were less outspoken on the issue than Kavips or Kilroy or Nancy Willing. I don’t that is a fair characterization. A more fair one is that we have been ignorant.

So, I have a few questions….

Carney scores “centrist” money for his debt stance

Filed in National by jason330 on March 26, 2014 • 4 Comments

He has no opponent, but flaming “bipartisanship” in the pursuit failed of wingnut economic policies has its own rewards.

Bipartisan Group Backs TV Ads for 7 House Centrists

Wednesday Daily Delawhere [3.26.14]

Filed in Delaware by Delaware Dem on March 26, 2014 • 0 Comments

It’s The Trade, Stupid !

Filed in International by admin on March 25, 2014 • 6 Comments

One of my favorite investigative reporters, David Cay Johnston observes that our foreign trade deals in the last couple of decades figure in a big way in the systemic weakness of our domestic economy. Particularly hard hit by really bad trade deals are the non-college educated in the workforce.

Tuesday Open Thread [3.25.14]

Filed in National by Delaware Dem on March 25, 2014 • 4 Comments

“At times we are able to humiliate our worst enemy. Inevitably, his weak moments come and we are able to thrust in his side the spear of defeat. But this we must not do. Every word and deed must contribute to an understanding with the enemy and release those vast reservoirs of goodwill which have been blocked by impenetrable walls of hate,” – Martin Luther King, Jr., Dexter Avenue Baptist Church; Montgomery, Alabama, Christmas Sermon, 1957.

This is the single hardest thing to do in life, whether in politics or no. I admit that I often succumb to schadenfreude, known as the joy in the suffering of one’s enemies, especially political enemies. And yet, it is the Christian thing to do. That is why being a true Christian is supposed to be difficult. And that is why it is both wonderful and ironic to see a lesson in Christian forgiveness being given to the Westboro Baptist Church, as shown in the above picture.

Another example is the Catholic bigot Bill Donahue’s failed attempts to set up one of his signature “Outrage” moments where his Catholic beliefs were being discriminated against.

Dems 2014 “Get Out the Vote Project” is bullshit and doomed to fail

Filed in National by jason330 on March 25, 2014 • 31 Comments

Without knowing anything about the project beyond this….

WASHINGTON — The Democrats’ plan to hold on to their narrow Senate majority goes by the name “Bannock Street project.” It runs through 10 states, includes a $60 million investment and requires more than 4,000 paid staff members. And the effort will need all of that — and perhaps more — to achieve its goal, which is nothing short of changing the character of the electorate in a midterm cycle.

…I can tell you that this Democratic effort is bullshit and doomed to fail. Why? Read on.

If You Believe Corporations Have Religious Beliefs…

Filed in National by pandora on March 25, 2014 • 18 Comments

… then would you be okay with your employer paying you with a debit card that didn’t work at liquor stores, casinos, etc.?

I’m asking because the Supreme Court begins hearing the Hobby Lobby and Conestoga cases today.

Yeah, that’s not racist at all.

Filed in National by Delaware Dem on March 25, 2014 • 7 Comments

Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is criticizing President Obama on Afghanistan, you know, that country and the war that Rumsfeld himself neglected so that he could satisfy the neocon wet dream of invading Iraq, saying a “trained ape” could have done a better job in diplomatic relations with the country.

I have a couple of three things to say about that.

Republicans link Ukraine aid to favorable IRS treatment for Koch Bros

Filed in National by jason330 on March 25, 2014 • 1 Comment

John Carney needs to call Jim Renacci on his super-duper bipartisan hotline and look into this, because Republicans are soooooo reasonable once you get to know them and give them every crazy-ass thing they want.

Republicans in Congress want to add language to a U.S. aid plan for Ukraine that would block a proposed IRS rule curbing political activity by tax-exempt groups, Sen. Bob Corker said Tuesday.

Corker, the top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, said the proposed Internal Revenue Service measure was one of the unresolved issues facing lawmakers working to complete a Ukraine aid package in time for the panel to consider it on Wednesday.