Day: July 10, 2013
Americans Want Referendums, Shorter Campaigns
68%
Of Americans favor national referenda on key issues if enough voters sign a petition to request a popular vote on the issue, a new Gallup survey finds. In addition, 61% favor a shortened presidential campaign lasting five weeks in the fall of an election year and 58% want a nationwide primary election to select each party’s candidates for president.
Most See Snowden as Whistle-Blower, Not Traitor
55% to 34%
Margin by which a new Quinnipiac poll finds American voters say that Edward Snowden is a whistle-blower, rather than a traitor. In a massive shift in attitudes, by 45% to 40% voters say the government’s anti-terrorism efforts go too far in restricting civil liberties, a reversal from January 2010 when voters said 63% to 25% that such activities didn’t adequately protect the country.
Poor Does Not Equate with Lazy
As Americans, we need to beat back this notion that when somebody’s poor, somehow they are lazy.
— Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R), quoted by the Columbus Dispatch, urging state lawmakers to extend tax-funded health coverage to tens of thousands poor, uninsured Ohioans.
Texas GOP Legislators Forcibily Remove Witness for Critizing Their Right-Wing Assault on Women’s Reproductive Rights
The testimony shown in this video is what speaking truth to power looks like — and the result of the truth-telling shown here is what happens when Republicans don’t like the truth they are hearing. The witness, Sarah Slamen, was called to testify before the Republican-controlled Texas Senate Committee on Health and Human Services about the Republicans’ controversial new anti-abortion bill. Here is what she said:
