Republicans News

Letter Shows Jon Huntsman Jr. Isn’t A Troglodyte On Gay Rights, Probably Dooms His Shot At GOP Nomination

10:18 pm EST May 11th, 2011 | Conservative | 2 Comments

Jon Huntsman offered some lukewarm support to gay people in America in a letter. For this act of decency, he will surely have even less of a shot at the Republican nomination:

In the days after he was nominated as U.S. ambassador to China, congratulations poured in to former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., including one from Bob Page, a North Carolina businessman.

“I write to thank you for your leadership and outspoken support of civil legal recognition for same-sex couples,” wrote Page, who is raising twin sons he and his partner adopted from Vietnam.

“I have been deeply offended by attempts to scapegoat gays and lesbians in an effort to turn out voters,” Page wrote. “I appreciate more than I can say your courageous recognition that this serves no productive purpose.”

The ambassador nominee jotted a handwritten note to Page, thanking him for his kind support.

“Let’s hope that someday — all people are seen as equal under the laws of our land. With very best wishes — Jon.”

While most normal Americans can look at that and say “sounds like a nice thing to say,” the typical Republican primary vote sees that as a concession to what they describe as the gay lobby. For them, any hint that gay people might be worthy of any sort of equality in America is a reason to be angry. Always angry, perpetually angry. The very concept of equality provokes rage and outrage on the right’s base.

Jon Huntsman demonstrated a mild interest in decency in America, and for that Republicans will punish him.

Topic: 2012 Election, LGBT, Republicans

VIDEO: DNC: 2012 Is Past Vs. Future

9:39 am EST February 14th, 2011 | Politics | 39 Comments

It helps that the Republican/conservative message is basically the same madness it was back in 1964. And they could suffer the same fate in November of next year.

Topic: 2012 Election, Democrats, Republicans

Florida Dems Hit Rick Scott For “Profits Over Patients”

4:56 pm EST October 11th, 2010 | News | 4 Comments

Topic: Republicans, Rick Scott

Even Kentucky Republicans Rebuke Rand Paul

6:54 pm EST June 1st, 2010 | Politics | 10 Comments

All by himself, Rand just wants to be all by himself…

Kentucky Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, and other Senate Republicans joined in a sharply worded rebuke Friday aimed at Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul.

Senate Resolution 31, filed by Sen. Gerald Neal, D-Louisville, and co-sponsored by all but one of his Republican and Democratic colleagues, expressed the Senate’s support for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and criticized as ‘outside the mainstream of American values’ those who oppose any part of the law.

‘Suggestions have appeared recently that we retreat from the core values of the protection of equal rights of the citizens of the United States,’ says Senate Resolution 31.

Only an ‘extreme minority of persons in the United States’ would support such a move, it says.

Topic: Rand Paul, Republicans, Tea Party

Financial Reform: Is The Bipartisan Pony Dead?

12:23 am EST April 26th, 2010 | Politics | 4 Comments

This bit from Robert Kuttner is encouraging.

Although Senate Banking Committee Chair Chris Dodd and his sometime Republican ally Richard Shelby continued to make noises on the Sunday talk shows about a possible bipartisan deal, both President Obama and House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank have personally urged Dodd not to cut a deal with Republicans. I asked Frank point blank why Dodd would want such a deal, and he said–on the record–’I have no idea, but both President Obama and I have urged him not to.’

So far one of the unfortunate hallmarks of the Obama presidency has been the weakening of legislation from a more useful, progressive position, to bills including all manner of conservative/Republican nonsense with the idea that this will attract Republican votes. As the votes for the economic recovery bill and health care reform have shown, Republicans who helped to cause many of our current problems have absolutely no interest in doing a thing to fix them. In other words, a continuation of what they did when they ran congress.

I know President Obama would like to have a legacy of bringing the country together, but the path to that will not run through congress. The best way, ironically, for him to be bipartisan is to enact change via the Democratic congress and allow for the positive effects to go directly to the voters. Congress doesn’t want to play, so don’t let them, and don’t let the legislation suffer as a result.

Topic: Democrats, Economy, Financial Reform, President Obama, Republicans, U.S. Senate

Utah Republican Kevin Garn Paid Off Woman After Nude Hot Tub Encounter

12:39 pm EST March 12th, 2010 | Politics | 42 Comments

Wow

Kevin Garn

Utah’s House majority leader said late Thursday he paid a woman $150,000 to keep silent about going nude ‘hot-tubbing’ with her when she was minor a quarter century ago.

In a shocking statement on the House floor, Kevin Garn, 55, a Republican from Layton, said he paid her to keep quiet about the incident during his unsuccessful U.S. congressional bid in 2002, but did not have sexual contact with her.

Garn said the woman, who he didn’t identify on the floor, has been calling news outlets and that he wanted to be open about the incident that occurred when he was 28 years old, before any stories appeared.

A woman identifying herself as Cheryl Maher told The Salt Lake Tribune that she and Garn were in a hot tub nude when she was 15 years old.

More: Kevin Garn, Cheryl Maher

Topic: Republicans, Utah

The RNC Thinks Their Base Is Dumb

4:49 pm EST March 3rd, 2010 | Republicans | 70 Comments

We knew that already, based on their actions, but its always good to have more proof.

The Republican National Committee plans to raise money this election cycle through an aggressive campaign capitalizing on ‘fear’ of President Barack Obama and a promise to ‘save the country from trending toward socialism.’

The strategy was detailed in a confidential party fundraising presentation, obtained by POLITICO, which also outlines how ‘ego-driven’ wealthy donors can be tapped with offers of access and ‘tchochkes.’

The presentation was delivered by RNC Finance Director Rob Bickhart to top donors and fundraisers at a party retreat in Boca Grande, Florida on February 18, a source at the gathering said.

In neat PowerPoint pages, it lifts the curtain on the often-cynical terms of political marketing, displaying an air of disdain for the party’s donors that is usually confined to the barroom conversations of political operatives.

The presentation explains the Republican fundraising in simple terms.

‘What can you sell when you do not have the White House, the House, or the Senate…?’ it asks.

The answer: ‘Save the country from trending toward Socialism!’

Actual slides:

Shorter RNC: Hey base, boogedy boogedy boogedy socialism boogedy! Now give us money, dopes!

Topic: Conservative, Fundraising, GOP Base, Republicans

VIDEO: Jim Bunning Vs. America

6:56 pm EST March 2nd, 2010 | Politics | 8 Comments

It’s not a game.

Topic: Jim Bunning, Republicans

Daily Show’s John Oliver Explains Hawaii’s Health Care Mandate To Republicans

10:57 am EST February 12th, 2010 | Republicans | 10 Comments

Once again, the Republicans create their own noose with their own words. This is the best they have to offer.

Topic: Daily Show, Health Care, Humor, John Oliver, Republicans

Old Jimmy One Note

7:12 pm EST December 8th, 2009 | News | 16 Comments

As John points out and as any of us who have paid attention for five minutes knows, the GOP answer to everything — everything — is tax cuts. Tax cuts that don’t work. Tax cuts that help dig us into holes.

Topic: Economy, Jim Demint, Republicans, Tax, Tax Cut, Taxes