Thursday Open Thread [4.10.14]

Republicans are acting all indignant on behalf of women, saying “how dare the Democrats talk about about equal pay for women!!! That’s insulting to women!!”

Booman:

Whether or not people have an objective verifiable reason for feeling aggrieved, they feel like they are getting screwed and telling them that they are not getting screwed is never an effective political message. Woman don’t get paid as much as men, and you are not going to convince women that this is some kind of illusion. Yes, I know that there are some innocent reasons that contribute to the pay disparity, but it’s still a political loser to try to convince working women that they’re getting a fair shake.

To their credit, the Democrats are taking a holistic approach to the issue. They know that simple discrimination is only a small part of the problem, so they are attempting to raise the minimum wage, get more access to day care (including universal pre-K), promote STEM education for women & girls, get better family leave policies, expand the Earned Income Tax Credit, and pass the Paycheck Fairness Act. The GOP opposes every single one of these efforts.

And, while they’re opposing these efforts they are attempting to distort the Democrats’ position to make it seem like the Democrats think that the entirety of the problem with disparity in pay is due to simple gender discrimination. The Democrats have not made that argument, but it’s a blessing that the Republicans seem to think that women will be receptive to it. This is an example of being wrong even if you’re right. Simply by making the argument that women aren’t discriminated against in the workplace, you piss off most women.

MISSISSIPPI–US SENATE–REPUBLICAN PRIMARY–Harper Polling (R): Sen. Thad Cochran (R) 51, Chris McDaniel (R) 35. My prediction: McDaniel will win, and the Dems will shockingly pick up an unexpected Senate seat.

NEW JERSEY–CHRISTIE AND BRIDGEGATE–Quinnipiac: 56% of New Jersey voters think the Christie internal “investigation” into the “Bridgegate” traffic scandal was a whitewash. 36% disagree.

VIRGINIA–US SENATE–Public Policy Polling: Sen. Mark Warner (D) 49, Ed Gillespie (R) 35, with another 16% not sure.

PENNSYLVANIA–GOVERNOR–“Public Policy Polling: Any Living Democrat (D) 56, Gov. Tom Corbett (R) 34. Seriously.

CALIFORNIA–GOVERNOR–Field poll: Gov. Jerry Brown (D) 57, Tim Donnelly (R) 17 and all other candidates in the low single digits.

KANSAS–GOVERNOR–Public Policy Polling: Paul Davis (D) 45, Gov. Sam Brownback (R) 41. If 2014 is going to be such a horrible year for Dems, then how exactly are the Dems winning the governorship in Kansas? It’s like God winning an election in Hell.

NORTH CAROLINA–US SENATE–REPUBLICAN PRIMARY–Public Policy Polling: Thom Tillis 18, Greg Brannon 15, Mark Harris 11, Heather Grant 7, Ted Alexander 6, Alex Bradshaw 5, Jim Snyder 2, Edward Kryn 1. Tillis is the most well known (60% name recognition), but that is not a good thing. He is the Speaker of an unpopular GOP legislature in NC that has left him with a 20% favorability rating. And yet, he is the most likely and strongest GOP nominee, which is ironic, as you will see in a sec….

NORTH CAROLINA–US SENATE–Public Policy Polling: Sen. Kay Hagan (D) 43, Thom Tillis (R) 41. Hagan either ties or trails the rest of the GOP field. So the likeliest and most well known GOP nominee is the one she will probably have the best chance against. LOL.