Tag: Republicans

Hard to Take McCain Seriously on Benghazi — He Swallowed Bush’s Lies on Iraq With No Regrets

Trish

Where was all of this squawking after the invasion of Iraq?

Did he care about the THOUSANDS of dead Americans?

Did he care there was no WMD?

Did he care about the 60 Americans that died at embassies during Bush’s tenure?

— A commenter using the name “WiddleBabyWepublican,” on a post showing Sen. John McCain accusing David Gregory, host of NBC’s Meet the Press, of not caring that four Americans died in Benghazi, Libya on Sept. 11, 2012. Gregory had asked McCain what he and Republicans thought they would find “covered up” if they continue to ignore the answers they receive to questions on what happened during the attack.

The Rubio Water Bottle Moment

Trish

No wonder this move by Sen. Marco Rubio (GOP/Tea – Fla.) blew up Twitter, and according to Buzzfeed’s Andrew Kaczynski has inspired 15 parody accounts, and counting. Seriously, what the heck was that all about?

From the Twitter:

  • @Mediaite – Historic Thirst: Marco Rubio Becomes His Own State Of The Union Drinking Game
  • @BeachPeanuts – #Rubio’s SOTU Rebuttal Tough To Swallow
  • @JimmyFavors – Fun fact: Lying makes you thirsty.
  • @politico – Marco Rubio’s drinking problem
  • @ryanaclarke – Stay thirsty, my friends.
  • @ProgressFlorida – Tonight’s biggest loser? Zephyrhills bottled water, dissed by their own senator for a Maine brand.
  • @rudepundit – ha I thought he was going to pull Ted Nugent up on stage
  • @LOLGOP – I’m been more impressed if Marco Rubio kept talking as Jeb Bush sipped water.

And finally, the tweet that really mattered:

@NickKristof – Marco Rubio could make a more credible response to Obama if he hadn’t voted today against Violence Against Women Act.

Tea Bagger U.S. Rep. Says Immigrants Want the Free Stuff

Trish

But the small amount of information I received is that [Obama] criticized what Sen. Rubio and some of his colleagues did, because he said they had all these enforcement provisions, and the president doesn’t want that. He basically wants to move in to legalization and citizenship immediately. That’s not something that I would support. It’s also not something that I think we can afford. Because once you’re a legal American citizen, you’re going to have access to the new health care subsidies, you’re going to have access to the welfare state.

— U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis (GOP/Tea), one of Florida’s new Congress members, explaining to constituents at a town hall meeting how he differs with the president on immigration. DeSantis seems to assume that people want to become Americans for the easy money.

Who Can Build a Second GOP?

Buck Banks

It’s probably futile to try to change current Republicans. It’s smarter to build a new wing of the Republican Party, one that can compete in the Northeast, the mid-Atlantic states, in the upper Midwest and along the West Coast. It’s smarter to build a new division that is different the way the Westin is different than the Sheraton … Would a coastal and Midwestern G.O.P. sit easily with the Southern and Western one? No, but majority parties are usually coalitions of the incompatible. This is really the only chance Republicans have. The question is: Who’s going to build a second G.O.P.?

— David Brooks, writing in the New York Times.

Same GOP Chair and Members Reach Same GOP Conclusions

Trish

We’ve heard it before. “Compassionate conservatism” springs to mind. But the GOP’s search for reasons behind the trouncing it took in the 2012 elections will continue to prove fruitless as long as the party keeps coming up with the reassuring but false answer that they just need to improve their talking points.

Steve Benen, on the Maddow Blog:

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus declared, “It’s not the platform of the party that’s the issue. In many cases, it’s how we communicate about it. It is a couple dumb things that people have said.”

Benen: GOP officials took a long look in the mirror and decided… they’re awesome just the way they are!

An RNC member from West Virginia added, “We don’t need a new pair of shoes; we just need to shine our shoes.”

I see. So a few months after a national election in which President Obama won re-election fairly easily, Senate Democrats unexpectedly expanded their majority, and House Democrats received well over 1 million more votes than House Republicans, GOP officials took a long look in the mirror and decided … they’re awesome just the way they are.
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Chris Hughes, One of the Four Facebook Founders, Speaks Out on Mark Zuckerberg – Chris Christie Pairing

Trish
Chris Hughes

For those of you scratching your head about Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s recently announced fundraiser for Republican New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, you are not alone. Yes, Christie openly appreciated the Obama administration’s help after super storm Sandy, and the great job done by the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) in supplying assistance that the local community could not provide for itself. And he did blast Republicans in the U.S. House who voted against aid to Sandy victims.

But Christie also gave his full voice to helping elect Mitt Romney for president, in addition to numerous other odious Republican stances. At base, he’s a Republican, pure and simple, and he supports the party’s platform.

All of it.

Which is why Chris Hughes, editor and publisher of the New Republic, and a Facebook founder, does not agree with his former partner, Zuckerberg, on Christie. Hughes is gay, and he and his then boyfriend and now husband were guests at the very first Obama state dinner. Republicans, in case you missed it, aren’t much into being gay, at least not publicly. Here’s Hughes on ABC’s “This Week.”

I, for one, have a lot of questions about Chris Christie, particularly because less than a year ago he vetoed a marriage equality bill in the New Jersey state legislature. Which for me personally, I got married to my husband last June, [it] was just really personally frustrating. I mean, there are tens of thousands of couples in New Jersey that can’t share their love and be recognized under the law because of that decision. I’m not a single issue voter, and I think most people aren’t either, but for me personally, it would raise serious concerns about supporting someone like him.

It does for us all, Chris.

Rick Scott Bribing Florida Teachers

Trish

We’re surprised he didn’t throw in a promise of dark chocolate, red wine and foot massages.

— Orlando Sentinel editorial writers, noting the amazing about-face by Florida Gov. Rick Scott (GOP/Tea), who announced this week a $2,500 across the board bonus for teachers. The editorial, titled, “Teacher Pay Proposal Smacks of Political Bribe,” reminds readers that Scott slashed teacher pay and school funding when he came to office, and is only increasing it now because that move and others have lead to his record low popularity. Scott will seek re-election in 2014, with what stands now at a 36% positive approval rating.

Pro-Life, Pro-Guns?

Trish

I think we should stick to our guns.

Rick Santorum, former senator and failed Republican presidential candidate, sharing his opinion on how gun advocates should respond to efforts to control gun violence. Santorum was known in the Senate for his almost obsessive objection to abortion and contraception because of his belief in the sanctity of life, at least up to the moment of birth.

With California GOP Bankrupt and Bleeding Voters, Incoming Chairman Signals No Significant Changes or Course Corrections

Jon Ponder

Brulte
Driven by what were perceived to be extreme anti-Latino policies in the 1990s, the California Republican Party began to lose new voter registrations in the 2000s. Financial backing fell off soon afterwards, and by 2008, the party found itself facing perpetual insolvency.

In November, voters put a Democratic super-majority in charge of legislature. Now, with its share of registered voters at around 30 percent and dropping, the California GOP appears to be circling the drain.

Even so, someone has to lead it, and now a former longtime Sacramento pol, Jim Brulte, has announced he is running for chairman of the state party. Since no one in his or her right mind would want the job, that makes him the state party’s new de facto leader.

Brulte is not talking to the press, but CalBuzz has the scoop — and what they have learned appears to be good news for everyone who wants California to continue to recover and prosper. To wit, Brulte ain’t gonna change a thing. His chairmanship of the state GOP promises more of the same old unpopular teabaggery and retrograde religiosity that has been slowly poisoning the party for nearly 20 years:

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