"We’re going to have to have revenue increases to get entitlement reform. I stand firm to it"
— Sen. Tom Coburn (R) (November 7, 2011)
A Never Black & White View on Law and Politics
November 7, 2011
November 7, 2011
FRUGAL SOCIALISTS
Afraid of falling off the radar, Bachmann is setting a disturbing standard of evaluation:
“Sadly far too many Republicans aspire to be frugal socialists. The reason President Obama and some Republicans can get behind socialized medicine is because they share the same core political philosophy about the purpose of government…We cannot preserve liberty for ourselves and our posterity if the choice in next November is between a frugal socialist and an out-of-control socialist.”
I doubt this terminology will catch on, but the level of vitriol is appalling.
November 6, 2011
ROLL THE DICE!
Minnesotans want to gamble! In what has become a bi-partisan effort to run and hide from the Vikings stadium issue, it seems state legislators have now lost an important argument against a key funding mechanism.
Of course gambling wouldn’t be necessary if the Republican majorities in the Minnesota house and senate hadn’t shut down government last session and continue to oppose any kind of tax without a public referendum.
November 5, 2011
BLAME GAME
Paul Krugman earlier this summer made the case against centrism:
“So what’s with the buzz about a centrist uprising? As I see it, it’s coming from people who recognize the dysfunctional nature of modern American politics, but refuse, for whatever reason, to acknowledge the one-sided role of Republican extremists in making our system dysfunctional. And it’s not hard to guess at their motivation. After all, pointing out the obvious truth gets you labeled as a shrill partisan, not just from the right, but from the ranks of self-proclaimed centrists.”
Notably, there’s no mention of how Pelosi ran the House.
November 5, 2011
Herman Cain’s failure to collapse on cue is frustrating to DC pundits. Perhaps this simple chart will help make clear why Cain won’t be hurt by charges (or even proof) of sexual harassment.
November 5, 2011
Michele Bachmann once again misrepresents her educational background by proclaiming to have a doctorate and a post-doc.
Not sure if this is deliberate misrepresentation or just Bachmann being Bachmann, but a juris doctor is not a doctorate degree and an LL.M. is certainly not a post-doc.
November 5, 2011
Tomorrow’s cover today: our cover in North America. The coming presidential election badly needs a shot of centrist pragmatism.
The sad reality:
“Ronald Reagan, a divorcee who did little for the pro-life lobby and raised taxes when he had to, would never be nominated today.”
November 5, 2011
"I’m very proud to know the Koch brothers. This may be a breaking news announcement for the media: I am the Koch brothers’ brother from another mother."
— GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain, on his relationship with libertarian billionaires Charles and David Koch. (via officialssay)
November 4, 2011
Stuck in Illinois
The tort of false imprisonment does not require close confinement.
He was, it is true, “confined” to Illinois; and if Denmark was a dungeon to Hamlet (as the latter claimed), we suppose Illinois could be a prison to Kevin Albright. - Albright v. Oliver, 975 F.2d 343, 346 (7th Cir. 1992)
November 4, 2011
Jesse Ventura TSA Suit Dismissed
Former Minnesota Governor Ventura left angry, but eloquent.
“I will never stand for a national anthem again. I will turn my back and I will raise a fist.”
