Day: February 5, 2015

How Big of an Ass Is Chris Christie?

Buck Banks

It’s clear to anyone with eyes and ears by now that he is an almost pathologically ambitious figure, who has no qualms about persecuting his enemies, pettily seeking payback when necessary, and using public office to pursue political vendettas. What you really see in the Bridgegate mess is his desire to get Democratic party officials to endorse him to burnish his bipartisan credentials for a national race. If they didn’t, they had something to fear in New Jersey. He’s a big guy, in other words, with a tendency to punch down and suck up.”

— Andrew Sullivan, writing in the Dish about New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Nearly 40 Percent of Iowa Republicans View Islam as Inherently Violent

Buck Banks

39%

Of Republicans likely to participate in Iowa’s presidential caucuses say they are inclined to view Islam as an inherently violent religion that inspires brutality by its followers. A new Bloomberg Politics/Des Moines Register Iowa Poll finds. “Twice as many Democrats — along with a majority of Republicans — say they view the world’s second largest religion as inherently peaceful.”

Republicans Bored by Attempts to Repeal Obamacare

Buck Banks

It is unfair to say Republicans have achieved nothing in their dozens of attempts since 2010 to repeal Obamacare. In Tuesday’s repeal effort by House Republicans — their first of this Congress and their 56th overall — it became clear that they had succeeded at one thing: They had bored even themselves into a slumber. For much of the debate Tuesday afternoon, no more than a dozen seats were occupied on the pro-repeal side of the House. More than once, the GOP had nobody available to speak.

— Dana Millbank writing in the Washington Post.

Your Elected Representative Is an Internet Troll

Buck Banks

As politicians become increasingly comfortable with social media, they’ve also begun dabbling in its darker impulses, employing tweets and Facebook posts as bait in a partisan war of words. Yes, trolling—the act of gleefully using the Internet to intentionally provoke or anger someone—is fast becoming a substitute for political discourse in America.

— Bloomberg News.

N.C. Lawmaker Suggests that Restaurant Workers Shouldn’t Be Forced to Wash Hands

Buck Banks

I don’t have any problem with Starbucks if they choose to opt out of this policy as long as they post a sign that says we don’t require our employees to wash their hands after leaving the restroom. The market will take care of that. It’s one example.

— Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), saying that restaurants should be allowed to opt out of regulations requiring restaurant employees to wash their hands, the Washington Post reports.