PBD - Progressive Blog Digest

Thursday, July 25, 2013

HALF A LOAF

Obama offers a nice phrase, about how the economy grows "from the middle out." Otherwise his big economic speech is a bit disappointing

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/07/24/obama-says-the-economy-grows-best-from-the-middle-research-suggests-hes-right/

Obama says the economy grows best from the middle. Research suggests he’s right.

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/07/24/that-was-a-lot-of-hype-for-very-little-policy/
That was a lot of hype for very little policy

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2013/07/why-obama-should-have-gone-big-galesburg
Why Obama Should Have Gone Big

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2013_07/the_missing_piece046005.php
The Missing Piece

Bill to limit NSA powers fails

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/07/24/19656182-nsa-powers-targeted-on-capitol-hill
NSA powers targeted on Capitol Hill

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/24/1226187/-White-House-blasts-amendment-curtailing-the-NSA-s-nbsp-power
White House blasts amendment curtailing the NSA's power

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2013/07/amash-amendment-defund-nsa-phone-program-fails-house
Amash Amendment to Defund NSA Phone Program Fails in House

http://www.emptywheel.net/2013/07/24/amash-conyers-fails-205-217

Amash-Conyers Fails 205-217

Amash-Conyers Fails 205-217

The GOP will wreck the government to stop Obamacare

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/07/conservatives-desperately-move-to-shut-down-government-over-obamacare.php

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/07/24/19659018-far-right-support-for-gop-shutdown-threat-grows

Bonus item: Well, that's all right then

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/07/24/the-best-sentences-we-read-today-99
“They insist that they are not racist, noting that they don’t welcome Jews, Catholics or any English speakers, either.”

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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

SCORCHED EARTH

The House GOP has found the one thing that unifies it: Obama hatred

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/24/us/politics/house-gop-sets-new-offensive-on-obama-goals.html
House G.O.P. Sets New Offensive on Obama Goals

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/gops-blank-spaces/2013/07/23/81ad785e-f39f-11e2-9434-60440856fadf_story.html
The GOP’s ‘nothing’ strategy

Hilarious: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/07/house-gop-recess-plan-say-were-fighting-washington.php
House GOP Recess Plan: Say We’re ‘Fighting Washington’

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/07/23/19637489-house-gop-has-a-game-plan-for-august

It's working!

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2013_07/which_way045976.php
Democrats and independents who lean toward the Democratic Party are generally pleased with their leaders’ efforts; 72 percent say Democratic leaders are taking the party the right direction. (Easier to say, perhaps, when your party holds the White House.)

It’s a far different story on the Republican side, where half as many partisans and Republican-leaning independents, 37 percent, say their leaders are taking the GOP in the right direction. Fifty-two percent instead say their own leaders are headed the wrong way, up 20 points from last August (when the White House seemed winnable) and a majority for the first time in six poll results dating to 1994. [read on]

ANOTHER debt ceiling fight

http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2013/07/23/boehner-again-threatens-to-take-the-debt-ceiling-hostage/

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/07/23/19639638-boehners-dangerous-incoherence-on-the-debt-ceiling

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/07/23/the-new-normal/

Killing Obamacare before it can work

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2013_07/killing_obamacare_before_it_ca045982.php

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/07/22/republicans-dilemma-how-aggressively-should-they-sabotage-obamacare/

What a Weiner

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/07/23/19643649-anthony-weiner-story-takes-an-unfortunate-turn

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/07/anthony-weiner-new-photos-press-conference.php

Liz Cheney may face an embarrassing repudiation in Wyoming

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/poll-liz-cheney-has-her-work-cut-out
Half of voters overall do not consider Cheney, who until recently was a resident of Virginia, to be a Wyomingite . . .[read on]

More evidence -- much more -- that the GOP has staked its vote-getting on whites and doesn't care about minority outreach any more

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/23/1225968/-Steve-King-For-every-valedictorian-DREAMer-there-s-another-100-hauling-75-pounds-of-marijuana
Steve King: For every valedictorian DREAMer, there's another 100 'hauling 75 pounds of marijuana'

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/07/23/steve-kings-twisted-immigration-math/
Steve King’s twisted immigration math

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2013_07/the_sisyphian_task_of_making_g045983.php
The Sisyphian Task of Making GOP Latino-Friendly

But wait, there's more . . .

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/rnc-chair-reince-priebus-gop-not-embracing
RNC Chair Reince Priebus: GOP Not Embracing 'Tolerance'

More: http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/07/23/19636693-rncs-priebus-takes-a-bold-stand-against-tolerance

And more . . .

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/vote-suppression-magnum-opus.html
Vote Suppression magnum opus

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/were-number-one-in-prison-population.html
We're number ONE! (In prison population)

Bonus item: Hard to believe, but yes they said it

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/limbaugh-white-guilt-its-preposterous-caucas

Limbaugh on White Guilt: 'It's Preposterous That Caucasians Are Blamed for Slavery'

http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/bill-oreilly-conquers-african-american-
Bill O'Reilly's Message to African Americans: Young Black Girls Should Stop Having Babies

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Tuesday, July 23, 2013

VERSUS ROE VERSUS WADE

Republicans across the country are passing laws that intentionally violate federal law (begging for a challenge in the Supreme Court, I assume)

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26315908/#52549301

Unions turn against Obamacare

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/07/unions-attack-obamacare-in-push-for-special-treat-under-the-law.php

A Congress of newbies

http://blogs.rollcall.com/hawkings/newbees-take-over-congress-now-what-will-they-make-of-it/

The Housification of the GOP Senate

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/22/1225664/-GOP-Senator-We-ll-shut-down-government-to-kill-nbsp-Obamacare
GOP senator: We'll shut down government to kill Obamacare

The "Stop Hillary" movement gets serious

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/07/22/stop-hillary-group-ramps-up-anti-clinton-efforts/

A tale of two pols: a year ago, Marco Rubio looked unbeatable for a spot on the 2016 ticket, while Ted Cruz was "who's he?" My, how things have changed

http://elections.firedoglake.com/2013/07/22/how-rubios-bad-polling-is-creating-problems-for-immigration-reform/

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2013_07/the_unity_candidate045945.php

Taking Cruz seriously: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/07/22/the-case-for-ted-cruz-why-liberals-should-hope-the-gop-taps-him-in-2016.html

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/ted-cruz-2016-threat-94409.html

Secessionist Rand Paul aide resigns

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/22/rand-paul-aide-resigns_n_3634390.html

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/07/22/19616714-rand-pauls-southern-avenger-departs-capitol-hill

A close look at the 2014 political terrain

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/2014-elections-the-incredibly-shrunken-battlefield-94519.html
With the House sliced and diced into districts that leave most incumbents insulated from any serious reelection challenge — and a host of prized Senate recruits from both parties deciding they’d rather just stay home — control of Congress could be decided next year by the fewest number of states and congressional districts in a decade or more. . . [read on]

Demonizing Trayvon Martin

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/21/1224296/-Killing-Trayvon-Martin-s-soul

In Fox World

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/scarborough-on-hannity-should-we-tell-white-college

MSNBC’s Scarborough Blasts Fox’s Hannity Over Trayvon ‘Pot’ Remark (VIDEO)

Bonus item: Sick

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/pro-gun-group-raising-money-to-buy-george

Pro-Gun Group Raising Money To Buy George Zimmerman A New Weapon

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Monday, July 22, 2013

BOMB THROWERS

"A band of anarchists"

http://nymag.com/news/features/republican-congress-2013-7/
The Republican Party has spent 30 years careering ever more deeply into ideological extremism, but one of the novel developments of the Obama years is its embrace of procedural extremism. The Republican fringe has evolved from being politically shrewd proponents of radical policy changes to a gang of saboteurs who would rather stop government from functioning at all. In this sense, their historical precedents are not so much the Gingrich revolutionaries, or even their tea-party selves of a few years ago; the movement is more like the radical left of the sixties, had it occupied a position of power in Congress. And so the terms we traditionally use to scold bad Congresses—partisanship, obstruction, gridlock—don’t come close to describing this situation. The hard right’s extremism has bent back upon itself, leaving an inscrutable void of paranoia and formless rage and twisting the Republican Party into a band of anarchists.

And the worst is not behind us. . . . [read on]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/boehner-judge-us-by-how-many-laws-we-repeal.php
Boehner: ‘Judge Us By How Many Laws We Repeal’

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2013/07/21/quote_of_the_day.html
"We're going to do everything we can to make sure it never happens."

-- Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), in a CBS News interview, vowing to thwart the implementation of Obamacare.

Apparently the Republicans have COMPLETELY given up on outreach to Latinos

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/ted-cruz-path-citizenship-profoundly-unfair
Ted Cruz: A Path to Citizenship Is 'Profoundly Unfair'

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/steve-king-tells-univision-host-comparing-im
Steve King Tells Univision Host: Comparing Immigrants to Dogs Is 'Complimentary'

"Leadership" potential: http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/boehner-refuses-say-whether-he-supports-pa
Boehner Refuses to Say Whether He Supports Path to Citizenship

The GOP IS still trying to find an IRS "bombshell"

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/07/19/19562033-when-a-bombshell-is-a-dud

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2013_07/peggy_noonans_bombshell045924.php

McCain back in "maverick" mode . . . for now

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/mccain-stand-your-ground-florida-and-arizona
The Arizona Republican praised President Barack Obama for his "impressive" remarks on Friday about how his experience as an African-American man related to the Trayvon Martin case.. . .

McCain said he could understand why some would feel that Martin did not receive justice and the "stand your ground law maybe something that needs to be reviewed by the Florida legislature or any other legislature that has passed such legislation."

"And I'm confident of the Arizona legislature will because it is a very controversial legislation."

More: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2013/07/mccain-wants-to-reevaluate-stand-your-ground.html

Justice Scalia's "unique" explanation for the Holocaust

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2013/07/peak_scalia.php

http://firedoglake.com/2013/07/22/a-hobgoblin-with-a-small-mind/

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/qotd-justice-scalia.html

In case you missed the Sunday talk shows

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/21/sunday-morning-liveblog_n_3631195.html

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Sunday, July 21, 2013

OFF TO THE RACES

More wing-nut reactions to Obama's comments about race

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/20/1224979/-Saturday-nutpick-a-palooza-Obama-and-Trayvon

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-sick-reaction.html

http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/president-gives-impromptu-speech-tray

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/20/1225077/-Abbreviated-Pundit-Round-up-Some-of-the-best-and-the-worst-on-Obama-s-remarks

The sickest cartoon of the day

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2013/07/20/national-review-onlines-cartoon-of-the-day-port/194987

Why Obama chose to comment on race

http://www.politico.com/playbook/

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/why-obama-decided-to-speak-out-on-race

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2013_07/obama_breaches_the_cone_of_sil045925.php

Just in case any more proof is needed

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/pa-gop-chair-says-voter-id-law-reduced
The head of the Pennsylvania Republican Party admitted earlier this week that controversy surrounding the state's voter identification law prevented President Barack Obama from claiming a larger margin of victory there in last year's election. . . .

"Yeah, I think a little bit. We probably had a better election. Think about this, we cut Obama by five percent, which was big. A lot of people lost sight of that. He won, he beat McCain by 10 percent, he only beat Romney by five percent. I think that probably voter ID helped a bit in that."

More on "libertarian populism"

http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2013/07/libertarian-populism

Sunday seminar: What is Dodd-Frank, and why should we care?

http://useconomy.about.com/od/criticalssues/p/Dodd-Frank-Wall-Street-Reform-Act.htm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/07/20/does-dodd-frank-work-we-asked-16-experts-to-find-out/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/07/20/if-dodd-frank-doesnt-work-here-are-four-things-that-could/

The Sunday talk show line-ups

http://firedoglake.com/2013/07/21/sunday-talking-heads-july-21-2013/
ABC’S THIS WEEK: Horse Race 2016. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). Then Detroit Mayor Dave Bing (D). Roundtable: Van Jones, Dana Perino, Cokie Roberts, Matthew Dowd, Jonathan Karl, Pierre Thomas.

CBS’ FACE THE NATION: Speaker of the House John Boehner. Roundtable: David Ignatius, Susan Page, Michael Scherer, Gerald Seib.

CNN’S STATE OF THE UNION: Black, brown and white in America. Congressional Hispanic Caucus member Xavier Becerra (D-CA) and Congressional Black Caucus member Cedric Richmond (D-LA). Roundtable: Charles Blow, Newt Gingrich, Sherrilyn Ifill, Crystal Wright. Finally, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).

MOYERS & COMPANY: Fighting for Farmworkers. Baldemar Velásquez discusses the struggle to ensure fairness for American farmworkers, and Tom Diaz describes how self-defense and concealed-carry laws makes us more vulnerable to gun violence.

NBC’S MEET THE PRESS: Race Roundtable: Marc Morial, President of the National Urban League and former Mayor of New Orleans; Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-OH), Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus; Tavis Smiley, Host of the “Tavis Smiley Show” on PBS; Charles Ogletree, Professor at Harvard Law School; and Michael Steele, MSNBC Political Analyst and former Chairman of the Republican National Committee. Then, Detroit. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R). Roundtable: Marc Morial, Jennifer Granholm, Chuck Todd, David Brooks.

Bonus item: Weird. Funny

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/bachman-and-pleasure-object.html

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Saturday, July 20, 2013

"COULD HAVE BEEN ME"

Obama gives another of his great national healing addresses, on the Martin/Zimmerman case. His comments are thoughtful, fair-minded, and praised by BOTH the Martin and Zimmerman families. But you know what happens whenever this man talks about race . . .

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/07/19/president-obamas-remarkably-personal-speech-on-trayvon-martin-and-race-in-america/

President Obama’s remarkably personal speech on Trayvon Martin and race in America

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2013/07/barack_obama_speaks_out_about_trayvon_martin_the_president_s_remarks_on.html
President Obama’s remarks on race are what his election always promised: His best attempt to knit Americans together. [read on]

http://prospect.org/article/discussing-trayvon-martin-obama-embraces-his-blackness
Obama Embraces his Blackness

Full text: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/president-obamas-remarks-on-trayvon-martin-full-transcript/2013/07/19/5e33ebea-f09a-11e2-a1f9-ea873b7e0424_story.html

Video: http://core.talkingpointsmemo.com/tv/videos/obama-trayvon-martin-could-have-been-me--1

In Fox World

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/fox-news-host-calls-obama-race-baiter-in
Fox News Host Calls Obama ‘Race-Baiter In Chief’ After Trayvon Martin Statement

Lots more: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/19/1225006/-Roundup-Obama-remarks-on-Trayvon-Martin

http://prospect.org/article/obamas-moment-introspection
We'd challenge conservatives to pick out a single sentence in Obama's statement that they could say was unfair to white people, or encouraged anything other than greater mutual understanding. But all too predictably, some conservatives showed once again that empathy is something they are either utterly incapable of or simply find politically inconvenient. There is no anti-Obama rage like the rage he provokes on the right when he brings up race. It doesn't matter what he says. No matter how humane, how encompassing, how careful—should Obama ever so gently suggest that race is something with which we as a country still struggle, a tsunami of bile is inevitably directed his way. . . . [read on]

By the way, I've been annoyed by this too, and Kevin Drum clears it up

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2013/07/stand-your-ground-did-indeed-play-role-zimmerman-trial
Over the past week, I've heard endlessly from various talking heads that Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law had nothing to do with George Zimmerman's acquittal for killing Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman, they said, was actually acquitted on ordinary grounds of self defense. I've gotten really tired of hearing this obvious misconception, and today Mark Follman and Lauren Williams finally demolish it for good.. . .

Why Fox loves Liz Cheney

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/19/1225040/-Sean-Hannity-endorses-Liz-Cheney-explains-why-he-s-not-voting-for-her

Fight over declassifying the secret CIA interrogation report

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/20/us/politics/senate-and-cia-spar-over-secret-report-on-interrogation-program.html

Hope in the Middle East?

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/07/19/19565030-kerry-announces-breakthrough-on-mideast-peace-process

Senate Republicans say to their leadership, You're not gonna turn us into the House

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/07/senate-republicans-splinter-as-moderates-rise-up.php

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/07/19/the-morning-plum-among-senate-republicans-a-new-compromise-caucus-emerges/

Theocracy watch

http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/david/bryan-fischer-americans-have-patriotic-duty-
"It is your patriotic duty to worship God in order that we have a prosperous and flourishing economy," Fisher added.

Disappeared Elizabeth Warren CNBC video resurfaces (thanks to DR)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPLqKWUCXGI

Bonus item: Perfect

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/07/19/this-tom-toles-cartoon-on-obamacare-is-perfect/

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL: http://pbd.blogspot.com

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Friday, July 19, 2013

THE BRAT PACK

The GOP has staked a big part of their 2016 messaging around their young, dynamic pool of rising stars: Ryan, Rubio, Paul, and Cruz. The fact that their actual positions range from center-right to far right EVEN WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY seems to carry no weight. They're young! They're energetic! Clinton and Biden are old fogies!

I hope they continue to think this is enough to build their campaign strategy. And now, the newest member . . .

Ryan: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/07/18/paul-ryan-going-to-iowa/

Cruz: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/ted-cruz-2016-threat-94409.html

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2013_07/why_not_ted_cruz045894.php

Rubio? http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/2013/07/the_end_of_marco_rubio.php

Liz Cheney: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/liz-cheney-says-opponent-mike-enzi-is-confused
Liz Cheney Says Opponent Mike Enzi Is ‘Confused’

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/18/1224658/-Liz-Cheney-explains-why-she-s-running-for-Senate
Liz Cheney explains why she's running for Senate ...

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/07/liz-cheney-more-liberal-than-enzi.php
Why Liz Cheney Would Drag Wyoming—And The Senate—To The Left

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/18/1224678/-Liz-Cheney-s-neoconservative-Keep-America-Safe-group-s-existence-scrubbed-from-web
Liz Cheney's neoconservative Keep America Safe group tries to wipe its existence from the web

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/senate-races/312097-liz-cheney-pushes-back-on-carpet-bagging-charge
Liz Cheney rejects carpetbagging charge in Wyoming race

http://prospect.org/article/liz-and-dick
Liz and Dick

Paul: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2013/07/liz_cheney_running_for_wyoming_senate_seat_neoconservatives_hope_dick_cheney.html
Cheney vs. Paul

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/07/18/19540376-cheney-paul-and-a-proxy-fight-for-the-gop
Cheney, Paul, and a proxy fight for the GOP

Interesting: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/16/1224186/-Gillibrand-gets-two-unlikely-allies-in-fight-against-military-sexual-assault
Gillibrand gets two unlikely allies in fight against military sexual assault

The filibuster deal has exposed big rifts in the GOP. Will the deal hold?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/07/17/1224555/-McConnell-lies-to-his-caucus-Corker-calls-bullshit
A meeting of Senate Republicans on Wednesday grew tense as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., told his members he could have gotten a better deal on nominations than the one negotiated by rank-and-file Republicans [...]

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., got so frustrated with McConnell’s presentation of events, that he called “bullshit” loud enough for the room to hear, nearly a half-dozen sources said.

More: http://blogs.rollcall.com/wgdb/testy-meeting-among-senate-gop-on-nuclear-option-deal/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2013/07/18/is-mitch-mcconnell-losing-control-of-his-caucus/
Is Mitch McConnell losing control of his caucus?

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/07/18/19540878-mitch-mcconnells-control-starts-to-slip
Mitch McConnell's control starts to slip