Democratic Liberal Umbrella -Turn Congress - Blue

Spotlight Dave Johnson: Republicans Say ‘My Way And No Highways’

2013-05-09T14:05:00.000-04:00

Republicans Say ‘My Way And No Highways’

By Dave Johnson | May 8, 2013 Campaign for America’s Future Blog | Re-post May 9, 2013 DLU|

Republicans are refusing to do their part in governing the country. They say “do it our way or we won’t let anything get done at all.” Their agenda is all ideology, all the time (and of course helping the wealthy). As a result We the People are on our own. We get no jobs programs, and no infrastructure: no dams, roads, bridges, high-speed rail or even highways. It’s “My way and no highways.”

The Outlines of a Post-Election Tax Deal

Republicans Took House In 2010
Since taking the House in 2010, “Tea Party” Republicans have passed a flurry of bills that are not about governing, but about destroying government. They have continually held important items hostage – the budget, the debt ceiling, etc. The House keeps passing bills designed not to get through the Senate, but to make supposedly ideological points, while Senate Republicans continue to filibuster pretty much everything the Senate has before it.

(Note that many of these House bills appear at first glance to be “ideological” but are actually bills that help specific industries and companies at the expense of other companies. For example, several bills help oil and coal companies fight companies that want to introduce innovative alternatives.)

Now, in order to keep the Congress non-functional, Republicans are even refusing to let the House and Senate set up a conference committee to work out differences in budget bills. The Hill explains, in “GOP blocks Reid from creating conference committee on budget”:

Senate Republicans on Tuesday prevented Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) from setting up a budget conference. [. . .] A Republican aide said there was no reason to create a conference because President Obama won’t drop his demand for tax increases.

Brian Beutler at Talking Points Memo has his own take on why Republicans are blocking budget negotiations, in “Republicans Are Blocking Budget Negotiations Because The Debt Limit Is Too Far Away”:

… What’s left after you strip away all that obfuscation is that Republicans don’t want to go to conference unconditionally because they’re concerned their position won’t hold politically and they’ll ultimately be forced to swallow a compromise that includes tax increases — unless the whole process gets swallowed by another debt limit fight.

No Serious Legislation
Republicans have passed very few bills — only nine bills have become law so far in this session of Congress, according to GovTrack – and the ones they are offering and passing are not about solving the country’s problems. They are ideological, designed to score points. (Unless you really think tax cuts and deregulation will solve the country’s problems…) Here is Eric Cantor’s list of bills in the “House Republican Plan for America’s Job Creators.” (“Job creators” in Republican jargon means really, really rich people.) Here is a summary of the list:

Bills to cut tax cuts for rich people and giant corporations
Bills to cut regulations that protect working people and the environment,
Bills that help certain huge companies at the expense of other companies (disapproving of Net Neutrality, killing regulation on Wall Street and oil & coal),
Bills that keep government from doing its job to protect working people (gutting NLRB, etc.)
Trade agreements that help giant multinationals and Wall Street at the expense of American companies and workers

In December 2011, The Washington Post summed up the first year of the Republican-controlled House: In 2011, fewer bills, fewer laws and plenty of blame:

Congress is close to wrapping up one of its least productive sessions in recent memory, as the House and Senate have passed a scant number of bills compared with other non-election years, and President Obama has signed the fewest measures into law in at least two decades.

Through Nov. 30, the House had passed 326 bills, the fewest in at least 10 non-election years … By comparison, the House approved 970 bills in 2009 and 1,127 in 2007.

Then for 2012, USA Today wraps up this 2-year stint of the Congress: This Congress could be least productive since 1947,

Just 61 bills have become law to date in 2012 out of 3,914 bills that have been introduced by lawmakers, or less than 2% of all proposed laws, according to a USA TODAY analysis of records since 1947 kept by the U.S. House Clerk’s office.

In 2011, after Republicans took control of the U.S. House, Congress passed just 90 bills into law. The only other year in which Congress failed to pass at least 125 laws was 1995.

Keep The Congress Non-Functional
Republicans understand that they gain from keeping government dysfunctional. In 2011 Mike Lofgren, a former Republican Senate staffer, spilled the beans, writing in “Goodbye to All That: Reflections of a GOP Operative Who Left the Cult”:

A couple of years ago, a Republican committee staff director told me candidly (and proudly) what the method was to all this obstruction and disruption. Should Republicans succeed in obstructing the Senate from doing its job, it would further lower Congress’s generic favorability rating among the American people. By sabotaging the reputation of an institution of government, the party that is programmatically against government would come out the relative winner.

Repeat: the more they make government look bad and dysfunctional, the more they gain politically. Lofgren goes on to explain that “low-information” voters don’t know who to blame, so they turn to the anti-government Republican party, and the media is complicit, doing little to help voters understand what is going on.
Lofgren’s entire piece is a must-read for people who want to understand what has been happening to our government. It gives the inside story from someone who was involved in the day-to-day decision-making that led to the current dysfunctional state of government.
Public Wants Government Functioning
The American electorate wants these things worked out. Even with our misinforming media the public has figured enough of it out. They reelected President Obama, they increased the number of Democrats in the Senate and they voted for a Democratic House by a 1.4-million-vote majority. Only gerrymandering kept the House in Republican control.

The public wants the country to move forward. Republicans are not interested, and are holding everything back.

Until the voting public is able to express its will it will be “my way and no highways.”

Spotlight Conspiracy Theory 'Revenge': New NRA president: Obama's gun agenda motivated by ‘revenge’

2013-05-05T03:43:00.003-04:00

New NRA president: Obama's gun agenda motivated by ‘revenge’

Oh, give me a break Jim...'Revenge'? I see it as revenge on your part because you're living in an earlier period and you want revenge for the so called 'Northern Aggression' as you call it! So, let’s arm everyone who hates the result of the Civil War, the results of eradication of ‘Jim Crow Laws’ and the results of the two elections of a black man; for the 'Southern Aggression against the Government' and other Americans...The New Civil Uprising! There's another word for it: Secession! We call it: 'The War against the Secessionist Traitors to the United States of America!' Let's get back to reality @JimPorter, the war today is 'Political War of Words' and will remain Political until we come together as one to move this America, our America forward! I guess some things will never change for some! Whatever? However, stop using the NRA as a vehicle to motivate hate groups, stop the racist rants against President Obama and others like him; before you crash and burn! Get over it! You’re too old for this sh*t! Read the words of others below and review the videos! Jim Porter's racism is showing - Gbismarc!

PS...You want the young man and women to go to war and die...Well, get them to join the Armed Services for the United States of America ...There may be wars that your Southern shooters can fire their weapons at the real enemies of the USA!

>By Clare Kim, | The Last Word | 7:32 PM on 05/02/2013 |

Meet the NRA’s new president, Jim Porter

Members of the NRA are heading to Houston for the group’s annual convention this week, where they will meet the gun lobby’s newly announced president, Alabama attorney Jim Porter.
President David Keene will conclude his two-year term at the group’s annual meeting and Porter will take over the reins beginning Monday.

(Image Credit: NRA News/YouTube)

While stating that Executive Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre will continue to be the face of the organization in media appearances, the NRA has announced that Porter is the perfect candidate for the job. He served as first vice president of the board for two years and second vice president for another two years.
In an interview with the Washington Times, David Keene laid out the road map ahead for Porter. “As we are likely to win most of the legislative battles in Congress, we will have to move to courts to undo the restrictions placed on gun owners’ rights in New York, Connecticut, Maryland and Colorado.”

Keene also described how Porter’s legal expertise and his service as a legal counsel for the NRA in federal court would lead the gun group’s efforts. “He’s a superb attorney” said Keene. “Our focus now will shift to the courts to make sure these states’ laws are scaled back… Jim is perfect to lead that effort because of his ability and experience running a legal team.”

Porter, who has served the board for 20 years, will become the first son of a former NRA president to become the figurehead of the nation’s top gun lobby. His father, Irvine Porter, was NRA president from 1959-1960.

Comedian Conan O’Brien took a jab at the organization at the White House Correspondents dinner last Saturday.

“Here’s a fun fact about tonight’s food– everything you ate was personally shot by Wayne LaPierre,” O’Brien joked. “Don’t worry, it was during a home invasion. The fish came in through the window.”
“Incidentally, you may not know this, but Wayne LaPierre is merely the executive vice president of the NRA,” O’Brien continued. “Which begs the question, how freaking crazy do you have to be to be the actual president of the NRA? He’s not even at the top.”

Porter is set to take over the NRA as gun control lobbyists continue to push for stricter gun legislation in Washington. Sen. Toomey, who crafted a proposal with Sen. Joe Manchin, told editors from Digital First Media the reason their bipartisan background check bill failed was “because we’re so politicized… There were some on my side who did not want to be seen helping the president do something he wanted to get done, just because the president wanted to do it.”

Sen. Manchin said on Fox News Sunday that he plans on reintroducing his bill to expands background checks, and he predicts that the second time around, it will get enough votes to move out of the Senate.
While gun rights activists applauded the Senate’s rejection last month of the gun legislation that would have expanded background checks for all commercial gun sales, President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have vowed to continue pushing for tougher gun laws.

Obama pledged Thursday during a trip to Mexico to continue fighting, saying that more attempts are necessary for reform. “Things happen somewhat slowly in Washington, but this is just the first round,” the president said.

>By James | page co-owner | The Everlasting GOP Stoppers | May 3, 2013 |

New NRA President Jim Porter Stroking New Civil War

Jim Porter, who will take office today as the new President of the National Rifle Association, has already laid the foundation for a civil uprising by whipping up his masses in this video from an address he made in upstate New York last year. Aside from calling Barack Obama a “Fake President,” he also had some choice words for Attorney General Eric Holder – calling him “Un-American.” Speaking to the crowd about how the NRA got it’s start, Porter was unabashed with his bigotry;

”It was started by some Yankee generals who didn’t like the way my Southern boys had the ability to shoot in what we call the ‘War of Northern Aggression.’ Now, y’all might call it the Civil War, but we call it the ‘War of Northern Aggression’ down south.

He continued with his ignorant rant;

”when they’re ready to fight tyranny, (NRA members will be) ready to do it. Also, when they’re ready to fight tyranny, they have the wherewithal and the weapons to do it… The NRA, I can assure you, is dug in..”

Porter is expected to take office today in Houston. Sarah Palin and Rick Santorum are among those expected to speak.

This is the enemy, people. This is the face of racism, bigotry, and fear. Take a close look, then get pissed, then get involved by contacting your elected representatives.

>By Paige Lavender | The Huffington Post |Posted: 05/04/2013 2:55 pm EDT | Updated: 05/04/2013 3:23 pm EDT | James Porter, NRA President, Claims Obama's Gun Push Is Motivated By 'Revenge'

James Porter, who was recently elected as the new president of the National Rifle Association, claimed Obama's push for gun control is motivated by "revenge."

"Last fall, just before the elections... President Obama demanded that his followers extract revenge. I can't remember a president ever publicly using that word against fellow Americans," Porter said during his remarks at the NRA's annual meeting on Saturday. "Revenge is what's motivating the president's unrelenting attacks on gun owners today."

Porter has had other choice words for Obama in the past, once calling the president "fake."

“I get so sick and tired of all these people with this fake president that we got who wants to say, ‘Well, you know he hadn’t done anything bad for gun owners,'" Porter said in 2012. "I say, let me tell you something bad that he’s done. His entire administration is anti-gun, anti-freedom, anti-Second Amendment."

Porter will officially take over duties as president of the NRA on Monday. Outgoing NRA President David Keene called Porter a "perfect match" for the group's top leadership role. Porter's father, Irvine Porter, headed the organization from 1959 to 1961

Watch a video of Jim Porter

Sat May 04 2013
Addressing the annual National Rifle Association convention in Houston, incoming NRA president James Porter blasted President Obama's push to strengthen gun laws in America. CBS News

Spotlight Rant: Obama can NOT force the GOP to be reasonable. He's the President, not the Asshole Whisperer

2013-05-04T01:30:00.000-04:00

Obama can NOT force the GOP to be reasonable. He's the President, not the Asshole Whisperer [Agreed!]

>by MinistryOfTruthFollow | Thu May 02, 2013 at 12:05 PM PDT |Daily Kos|

President Obama can not force the GOP to stop destroying their own party and along with it America's economy. He can't force them to stop clinging to bad ideas that are proven to fail.

Good luck reasoning with this guy

Obama is not Ceaser Milan. He can't make the GOP stop shitting on the floor and rolling in it. He can't make the GOP stop biting people they have always hated. The GOP is a bad dog that refuses to be taught new tricks. Pretending that the President has the power to make the GOP stop embracing the massively unpopular ideas that cost them the last Presidential election is a half-assed attempt to hold Obama accountable for Republicans bad behavior instead of holding Republicans accountable for their own bad behavior. Any journalist who insists otherwise is full of it.

He's the President of the United States. He is not the Asshole Whisperer.
A nihilistic post-policy GOP that defines themselves by opposing whatever Obama wants on any given day, even if Obama supports GOP ideas, simply can not be reasoned with. Period. They define who they are by how much that hate Obama. Good luck working with that.

Saying Obama should "Show more leadership" is like saying he should be more pro-active and think outside the box, its' meaningless bullshit designed to shift the blame from the hardline psychosis of the GOP onto the President, who somehow has the power to make Republicans stop acting insane but just won't use it. And I will remind you that nearly every hack journalist that is saying Obama should "Show more leadership" are the same people who praised Bush's leadership while he was creating the problems that Congressional Republicans refuse to allow Obama to address in any way at all.

This diary started as a tweet and deserved more, but the title explains itself. Barack Obama is the President of the United States, he is not the Asshole Whisperer. He can not force Republicans to abandon a set of policies that has destroyed their own brand, nor can he force them to abandon a set of policies that even the Pope is against at this point. Obama can not force the GOP to grow up and moderate from the platform Romney/Ryan lost so badly on, but maybe, just maybe, if those journalists calling on Obama to "show leadership" would explain to their audiences how and why the GOP are filibustering everything they can just to defeat Obama despite the pain it causes average Americans, maybe that would help. But who the hell am I kidding, that would require lazy journalists to place blame on Congressional Republicans, and that just isn't going to happen anytime soon.

So we have a broken Government that can do nothing because that is how Mitch McConnell and John Boehner like it. Blaming Obama on Republicans being Republicans is just stupid. Maybe instead of holding Obama accountable for Congressional Republicans bad behavior we could try doing what Ceaser Milan does, and by that I mean that every time Congressional Republicans shit the floor journalists should rub John Boehner's nose in it instead of looking at Obama like it is his fault that Republican Cujo predictably mauled the economy again.

end rant