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Tear Down That Confederate Flag—"Furl it, hide it—let it rest" June 22, 2015
No words or any stirring eulogies can ever bring back the nine innocent victims massacred on 6/17/2015 by white supremacist Dylann Storm Roof at Charleston, South Carolina's historic AME (African Methodist Episcopal) Church during Bible study solely because of their skin color. Fox News and some initial GOP talk labeling these killings as "targeting Christians" wins the "delusional medal." Jeb Bush's early comments about "not knowing what was on the mind or heart of the man who committed those crimes," was a pathetic attempt to avoid calling this crime a racist one lest he offend the Southern base brought into and cultivated by the GOP since LBJ signed the 1964 and 1965 Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts. As he was methodically killing his victims, Roof told the survivors that he had to do this killing because "you (blacks) rape our women, and you're taking over our country, and you have to go." Roof was uttering standard racist canards and paranoia. These "ideas" kept Jim Crow segregation laws in place for over half a century after the abolition of slavery, led to over a century of lynching, and suppressed African American voting (See Chase, R., CNN 6/22/15). Any doubt about Roof's intentions at the time of the massacre should have been clear to reasonable people with his 2,500 word website manifesto. In it, he stated he had "no choice but to attack historic Charleston, because at one time it had the highest ratio of blacks to Whites in the country." He went on to lament that "no skinheads, no real KKK, no one doing anything but talking on the internet. Well someone has to have the 'bravery' to take it to the real world, and I guess it has to be me." Roof's website showed him spitting on and burning the American flag, but waving the Confederate one. He also posed for pictures wearing an outfit with neo-Nazi symbols. Roof's website showed him at Confederate heritage sites. His manifesto called blacks "inferior," had anti-Jewish screeds, and attacked Latinos (NY Times, 6/20/15, Robles, F.). You get the idea.
For years, the white South has been awash in reverence to the "Lost Cause" of the Civil War. Confederate societies and organizations abound all over the South (J. & D. Reed, "1001 Things Everyone Should Know About The South"). At the center of this veneration is the Confederate flag, "The Stars and Bars," with the diagonal St. Andrews Cross. The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia adopted this flag after its 1861 victory at the First Battle of Bull Run (Reed & Reed, Scott, E. CNN, 6/21/15). The Confederate flag became a hot item in the 1950's and 1960's. It was a symbol of "resistance" to the Supreme Court and U.S. Government's attempts to give African Americans equality under the Constitution (Reed & Reed). African Americans rightfully view the Confederate flag as a symbol of white supremacy recalling not a "noble cause," but the history of slavery, lynching, and discrimination. From the 1990's on, fights to pull down Confederate flags from State Capitols and to remove them from the insignia of state flags have become political and emotional flashpoints in many Southern States. Democratic and GOP Southern Governors in Ga. and S. Carolina lost elections over trying to remove the Confederate emblem from their state flags or from public areas. White Southerners often argue, as did GOP S. Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham last week, that the Confederate flag is "part of who we are (CNN, Bash & Diamond, 6/22/15)." However, after the AME massacre, many white Southerners are having second thoughts and joining the national revulsion against keeping Confederate flags waving. Prominent Southern Baptist Russell Moore, a descendant of Confederate veterans, wrote in a 6/19/2015 blog: "The Cross and the Confederate flag cannot coexist without one setting the other on fire. White Christians, let's listen to our African American brothers and sisters. Let's care not just about our own history, but also our shared history with them (Scott, E. CNN 6/21/15)."
For once, Mitt Romney has led many of his fellow quivering GOP politicians. On 6/20/2015, he tweeted, "Remove it (the Confederate flag) now to honor # Charleston victims (Martin, NY Times, 6/21/15)." Romney is not running for President in 2016. However, in 2008, he held the same position when he unsuccessfully ran in S. Carolina's GOP presidential primary (Barone Almanac 2010). After the state and national post-massacre uproar, Sen. Lindsey Graham and African American GOP Senator Tim Scott joined S. Carolina Republican Gov. Nikki Haley in calling for removing the Confederate flag from the State House grounds (Diamond & Bash, CNN, 6/22/15). "Courageous" Jeb Bush has finally decided that South Carolina's Stars and Bars must go.
Hopefully, white South Carolinians and whites in the rest of this region will, after this massacre, stop worshipping at the "Lost Cause's" altar of slavery and racism. On 6/24/1865, Catholic priest and Confederate Army Chaplain, Father Abram Joseph Ryan, often called the "poet laureate of the postwar south," wrote a poem called "The Conquered Banner (McGreevy, "Catholicism and American Freedom," "The Irish in the South, 1815-1877, Gleeson, D.)." In this poem, Father Ryan called the Confederate dead soldiers "heroes." Southerners often recited this poem in praise of their "Lost Cause." However, in this poem, Father Ryan gave some widely ignored advice that Southern whites should have heeded then, and certainly now (See Reed & Reed).
In Father Ryan's words:
"Furl that Banner, for 'tis weary;
Round its staff 'tis drooping dreary;
Furl it, fold it, it is best;
For there's not a man to wave it,
And there's not a sword to save it,
And there's not one there to lave it
In the blood which heroes gave it;
And its foes now scorn and brave it;
Furl it, hide it—let it rest."
(Reed & Reed "1001 Things Everyone Should Know About The South")
Political "Red/Blue" Contest Brewing In the Grand Canyon State—Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick to Challenge Senator John McCain June 11, 2015
Arizona, home of the Grand Canyon. The awesome Grand Canyon has layers of rocks dating back 250-500 million years. These rocks have vivid reds, blues, purples, and greens (naturepps gov/Geology/parks, artbylindahubpages, "The Colors of the Grand Canyon," 9/06/14). In Campaign 2016, Arizona will be awash in bright shades of political red and blue. On 5/26/2015, Democratic Representative Ann Kirkpatrick announced she would run against GOP Senator John McCain. Let's dissect the layers of this Grand Canyon State contest.
Third-term Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick (65) currently represents Arizona's 1st Congressional District (CD). After the 2010 redistricting, the Ariz. 1st has an area larger than Pennsylvania. The 1st covers nearly 2/3 of Arizona from the Utah border to just north of Tucson, and includes the southern Phoenix suburbs. It is the country's 10th largest congressional district. The 1st contains the cities of Flagstaff, Casa Grande, and Mariposa. Flagstaff, the 1st's largest city, is a scientific research center, with the U.S. Geological Survey's Flagstaff Science Campus. Lowell Observatory's telescope and other federal observatories benefit from Flagstaff's commitment to keeping its skies dark for astronomy research. Flagstaff's largest employer, Northern Arizona University, has Olympic hopefuls and professional sports teams using its facilities. Sedona hosts luxury resorts, art galleries, and retirement communities. One hour east of Phoenix, retirees and environmentalists have joined forces to fight proposed copper mining in the southeast corner of Tonto National Forest. Celebrated Route 66 crosses the 1st with old copper mining towns like Globe. This CD has the Petrified National Forest, containing dinosaur fossils. Over 5 million annual visitors flock to the 1st to tour its Grand Canyon National Park (CQ & Barone 14 Political Almanacs, cookpolitical.com). The 1st's Coconino County, which contains both Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon, is the second largest county by land area in the adjacent 48 states ("Find a County,"www.naco.org).
The 1st is home to the nation's largest Native American population, with at least 23.2% identifying themselves as American Indians. After the 2010 redistricting, the Navajo and Hopi reservations were united in the same CD for the first time. These historic tribal enemies decided to wield more political power together. The Navajo Nation is the largest tribe. About 82% of its members speak Navajo and maintain its lifestyle. Other tribes in the 1st include the Apache, San Carlos, and Zuni. Native Americans have income from tourism, logging, and gaming, but suffer from high unemployment, alcoholism, and crime. Hispanics constitute over 20.4% of the 1st (CQ &Barone14).
After the 2010 redistricting, in addition to gaining the Hopi reservation and some northern Tucson suburbs, GOP-leaning Prescott and its surrounding "Red" areas of Yavapai County were removed from the newly drawn 1st. The 1st CD went from a Cook Partisan Voting Index (PVI) of R+6 to a marginal R+4, more competitive for Democrats (Barone 2010, 2012, 2014 Almanacs). Still, Romney won the redrawn 1st in 2012 by 2 percentage points (Barone 14). Democrats have an overall voter registration edge, and the environment is a big issue. However, voters in the historically Democratic mining counties of Greenlee, Graham, and Gila vote GOP at the presidential level. Apache County, with its Navajo majority, goes heavily Democratic. Coconino County, Flagstaff, and Sedona increasingly lean "Blue." Poor turn out is a problem in Democratic areas, and nearly 1/3 of the voters don't register with either party. In 2008, 2010, and 2012, this seat changed party hands.
Ann Kirkpatrick was born on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation. Her father ran a general store, her mother taught public school. Non- Native American Kirkpatrick said the first words she uttered as a child were in Apache (Barone & CQ 14). Her uncle served in the state legislature, and she campaigned for him while in elementary school. After getting her 1972 University of Arizona Bachelor's degree, Kirkpatrick taught school in Tucson for two years. After obtaining her 1979 Univ. of Arizona law degree, Kirkpatrick became a prosecutor for Coconino County, specializing in drug cases. She later served as Sedona's city attorney. She was a member of the Flagstaff Water Commission and taught Business Law and Ethics at Coconino Community College (CQ & Barone 14, "Ann Kirkpatrick Member Page").
In 2004, Kirkpatrick ran for a seat in the Ariz. House in a 2/3 Native American district. She successfully defeated the Navajo incumbent by campaigning door- to- door. She was re-elected in 2006. Kirkpatrick increased state support for infrastructure development on tribal reservations (CQ & Barone 14). In 7/2007, Kirkpatrick resigned from her seat to run in the 1st CD. The 1st CD incumbent, GOPer Rick Renzi, decided not to run again after facing rumors of misconduct (In 2008, he was indicted for extortion and other charges involving a land deal.). In 2008, with help from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and the women's group EMILY's List, Kirkpatrick won her primary and defeated her GOP election opponent by 17 percentage points (Barone 2010, 2014).
In her first House term, Kirkpatrick usually supported Obama's agenda, including his stimulus bill and health care reform. As a rookie, she had many successes. She helped boost funding for disabled veterans. She worked with Sen. McCain to repeal the "Bennett Freeze," which prevented the simple expansion of the use of electricity and running water on Native American reservations. In the 2010 midterm, she faced political newcomer and Tea Party-backed dentist Paul Gosar. Gosar attacked Kirkpatrick for supporting health care. He touted an anti-immigration hard line. Kirkpatrick, unlike many other Democrats, did not distance herself from Obama. However, in this Tea Party/anti-Democratic tsunami year, Gosar beat her by 6 points (CQ & Barone 14, Roll Call, Guide to New 112th Congress).
After her 2010 defeat, Kirkpatrick practiced law from her home. In 2012, redistricting had made the 1st more favorable to "Team Blue." Cong. Gosar decided to run in the newly created "lobster Red" 4th CD. In 2012, Kirkpatrick ran again in the 1st. Even though Romney won the 1st, Kirkpatrick bested her opponent, a payday loan lobbyist by 3.7%. In 2014, a poor Democratic turnout year, Kirkpatrick won re-election against another GOPer by 5.2%. Her 2014 race was the seventh most expensive in the House, with $15,575, 994 spent. "The Arizona Republic" called this CD one "which has a habit of switching from Democrat to Republican and back, where political brand is no guarantee of victory (Barone & CQ 14, OpenSecrets.org, azcentral.com, azsos.gov/2012, azsos.gov/election/2014)."
Cong. Kirkpatrick currently sits on the House Agriculture, Transportation & Infrastructure Committees. She previously sat on the Homeland Security, Small Business, and Veterans' Affairs Committees (Barone 10 & 14, CQ 14). Putting aside partisan politics, Kirkpatrick teamed up with opponent Paul Gosar to pass copper mining legislation that helped their districts get jobs (Azcentral.com, 2/17/13). She tries to balance environmental issues, but wants to save jobs in a coal-fired plant that employs many Native Americans. She is for developing newer cleaner power sources (CQ13). In 2013, she voted with the Democrats 90.7% of the time and 86.7% of the time in 2014. She is considered a "Moderate Liberal Populist (house.ontheissues.org, opencongress.org)." Kirkpatrick supports the DREAM Act, which would provide permanent residency to undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as minors. She signed a discharge petition to bring bottled up bipartisan immigration reform to the House floor. She stated she would have voted against Ariz.'s draconian anti-immigration measure SB 1070 (azcentral.com, azstarnet.com, cronkitenewsonline.com). Kirkpatrick supports same-sex marriage. Pro-choice Catholic Kirkpatrick has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood. She voted against a bill to ban abortions that would take place 20 or more weeks after fertilization (azcentral.com, votesmart.org, projects.washingtonpost.com).
Kirkpatrick's opponent, Senator John McCain, is running for his 6th term, and will be 80 by Election Day 2016. McCain, the GOP's former 2008 presidential nominee, currently chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee (114th Cong. At Your Fingertips). IMHO, McCain has never met a war he didn't like. Whether it is Iraq, Syria, or ISIS, McCain always bellows for "additional American boots on the ground" and endless bombing missions, a roadmap for more lost U.S. lives and quagmires. McCain is no elder statesman. McCain was one of the "Foolish 47" GOP Senators who signed a letter to the Iranian Ayatollahs. These GOPers were trying to scuttle negotiations over a preliminary nuclear agreement by condescendingly and wrongly arguing that any deal with Obama was worthless (3/09/15, U.S. Senate Letter to Islamic Republic of Iran Leaders). When surprised by harsh public backlash, Senator McCain replied that he and many others who signed this letter were more concerned with "fleeing a Washington snowstorm" and "probably should have had more discussion about it, given the blowback that there is ("Politico," Everett, 3/12/15)." McCain's constituents should be disgusted by his signature and his ridiculous explanation. In 2008, McCain aptly noted that "economics wasn't his strong suit." Neither is foreign policy.
Despite his reputation as a courageous "maverick," McCain has a generally conservative record. Since his 2008 presidential election loss, he has moved further to the right (Barone &CQ14). Although McCain originally supported bipartisan immigration reform, because of a right wing 2010 primary challenge, he backed away from it and pushed for more border enforcement. Censured in 2014 by the Arizona GOP as "too liberal" on immigration and fearing 2016 primary challenges, McCain attacked Obama's 11/2014 executive order delaying deportation for minors brought to this country as youngsters ("Ariz. Republic," Nowicki, 5/02/15, CNNm Bradner & Rosche, 11/21/14).
Cong. Kirkpatrick is considered one of the DSCC's (Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee's) prime recruits and a first rate opposition candidate to McCain. According to a 5/2015 Public Policy Polling (PPP) survey, just 41% of primary voters approve of McCain's performance, while 50% disapprove. Only 21% of "very conservative" Arizonans like him. Tea Partiers resent his "love affair" with Sunday talk show hosts. McCain, with his 1,000% name recognition, barely leads the not completely known Kirkpatrick by just 6 points (42%-36%, with 23% unsure), in a head-to-head PPP match. Pragmatic Kirkpatrick has room to raise her profile (Frumin, MSNBC, 5/26/15). McCain faces a primary challenge from unknown right wing conspiracy theorist State Senator Kelli Ward. He is leading Ward among GOPers by 13 points (PPP), another weak showing (MSNBC, Kos, Nir, 5/26/15, 6/01/15). Right-wing Ariz. Cong. Matt Salmon, a far stronger candidate than Ward, is considering a primary challenge against McCain. He is being recruited by the influential conservative Club for Growth and the Tea Party-linked Freedom Works. Currently, PPP finds McCain leading Salmon by 2 points (Kos, 6/01/15). McCain could be bloodied in a primary battle, forced to spend money on it, and made to tilt even further right.
Arizona remains a "Red"-leaning state. Bill Clinton, however, carried Arizona in 1996, and Hillary may decide to put it in play. In 2012, the Arizona Democratic candidate for its other Senate seat lost by three points (Barone 14). Should Hillary win in 2016, Democrats need 4 seats to recapture the Senate. Kirkpatrick has to run a smart/error-free campaign against McCain or any other GOPer. She must raise her recognition and get huge turnout. She must have lots of campaign cash to counter Koch Industries and national GOP funding. Democrats must strongly support Kirkpatrick and paint Arizona "bluer."
GOP Congressman John Mica—Time for Him to Take the Train Leaving Washington May 28, 2015
"It's infrastructure, stupid." "Infrastructure," this dull word constitutes a nation's system of public works or the resources, including buildings and equipment, required (Merriam-Webster's Dictionary AND Thesaurus, 2006). In most 21st Century countries, including European ones, China, and Japan, a modern passenger railway transportation system constitutes a high priority. The U.S.? If you're a member of the Republican Party, currently running the House and Senate, improving rail infrastructure doesn't crack any list of top "to do" legislative items. GOPers ignore the fact that a superior passenger rail system improves the gross domestic product. GOPers ignore the fact that a top-notch rail system increases employment. GOPers ignore the fact that failing to timely spend money on railroad improvements decreases the deficit they yell about cutting. GOPers ignore the fact that infrastructure spending is overwhelmingly popular and has had bipartisan backing. And, finally, GOPers ignore the fact that failing to support railroad infrastructure improvements takes lives. On 5/12/2015, Northeast Regional Train No.188 in Philadelphia derailed, killing 8 passengers and injuring hundreds. This train had been cruising at 106 mph on a curve with a speed limit of 50 mph. Positive train control systems, which can detect an out-of-control, speeding train and automatically slow it down, were not yet operational on this track. Congress had forced freight rail companies to pay billions of their own to implement these safety controls. Because Congress failed to provide the railroads access to wireless frequencies required to make this safety system work, Amtrak was forced to negotiate for airwaves owned by private companies that are often used in mobile broadband. For four years, Amtrak has struggled to buy rights to airwaves in the Northeast Corridor, where this accident occurred, that would have allowed it to turn on this positive train control system ( Shear, NY Times, 5/15/15, Bloomberg, 5/14/15).
Amtrak is the federally/publicly funded railroad service operated and managed as a for-profit corporation. Amtrak was established by Congress and GOP President Richard Nixon in 1971. In 2014, Amtrak served 30.9 million passengers, employed 20,000 people, and had $2.189 billion in revenue. Amtrak serves 46 states and three Canadian provinces. Nearly 2/3 of its passengers come from the country's 10 largest metro areas (amtrak.com, "Amtrak Fact Sheet"). The Northeast Corridor is an electrified railway line that Amtrak primarily owns and runs through Boston, NY, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and D.C. This corridor is profitable. In 2014, 11,628,000 passengers rode it (nec.amtrak.com/sites, NY Times, Shear, 5/16/15, Reuters, Lawder & Morgan, 5/13/15).
Nothing will stop the GOP's long-held obsession with slashing Amtrak funds to cut domestic spending. On 5/13/2015, less than 24 hours after the deadly Philadelphia derailment, the GOP-led House Appropriations Committee voted to reduce Amtrak funding by $252 million, a 15% drop from last year's level. When asked about cutting Amtrak funding and its relation to the crash, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) called that reporter's question "stupid." House Transportation Chair Bill Shuster (R-Penn.) wrongly stated that the accident "had nothing to do with money," that the infrastructure was "in place," and that "the tracks were fine (CNN, Jaffe, 5/15/15)." Congressman John Mica went further. On the 5/15/2015 CNN "Newsroom" program, he stated the solution was "opening the commuter rail market to private investment." Mica went on to call Amtrak "a monopoly run in a Soviet –style operation (CNN, Jaffe)." Meet Congressman Mica.
Twelfth-term GOP Congressman John Mica (72) represents Florida's 7th Congressional District (CD). The Fla.7th is centered on Orlando's well-to-do northeastern suburbs, including Maitland, Lockhart, and Winter Park. The 7th includes most of Seminole County which supplies about 55% of the population. Parts of Orange and Volusia Counties are in this CD. The 7th contains the tony suburbs of Winter Springs, Forest City, and Longwood. Parts of Orlando and Sanford sit in the 7th as well as the cities of Deltona and Altamonte Springs. The 7th takes in Lake Jesup, known for its many alligators. After the 1971 opening of Disney World in a neighboring congressional district, the 7th's population mushroomed from 55,000 in 1960 to 422,718 in 2010. The 7th's median income is $59,000, Fla.'s third-highest. The 7th has many hospitality workers with jobs in Disney World and nearby theme parks. Residents work in health care facilities and in research and technology sectors. The 7th's southern edge includes the main campus of the University of Central Fla., with more than 56,000 students (CQ & Barone 14 Political Almanacs).
The 7th CD is nearly 80% white, with a 19% Hispanic population. About 10% of this CD is African American. The 7th contains the gated neighborhood where Hispanic-American George Zimmerman fatally shot unarmed African American Trayvon Martin in 2012. Although the Fla. 7th leans conservative, the area can be politically competitive because of its changing demography. The 7th's edges are more liberal, while the in between areas, Sanford, Altamonte Springs, and Oviedo, trend GOP. Republicans have a +4 Cook Partisan Voting Index (PVI). Romney defeated Obama here in 2012 by 5 points (52%-47%) (Barone & CQ 14).
Binghamton, NY native John Mica grew up in south Florida. John's younger brother Dan was a Democratic Congressman who represented Palm Beach, Fla. from 1979-1989. Another brother David worked for former Fla. Dem. Gov. and U.S. Senator Lawton Chiles. John, however, was an early "Team Red" booster. At 17, he worked on Richard Nixon's 1960 presidential campaign against JFK (CQ & Barone 14). A 1967 Univ. of Fla. graduate, Mica made a small fortune in real estate by developing the New Smyrna, Fla. beachfront. In 1976, Mica won election to the state House, serving four years. From 1981-1985, he was Fla. GOP Senator Paula Hawkins's chief of staff in D.C. Mica then became a business lobbyist. He also worked in the cellular telephone business, becoming a millionaire. In 1992, Mica ran for Congress. In the GOP primary, Mica's opponents attacked him as an insider representing special interests. Mica replied, "Some of the finest folks I've met are lobbyists." (His daughter is also a lobbyist.) Mica won his primary by 19 points, and handily won the general election with a 22% margin. Mica has since coasted to victory. Mica calls himself, a "pretty dull guy." He stated, "I don't have a lot of hobby activities. But I love politics." He has always been confident of victory, once noting, "I work like an S.O.B. (CQ & Barone 14)."
Congressman Mica calls himself a "dull guy," but in the House he is a colorful conservative unafraid of confrontation. He has had plenty of political fights and does not shy away from brash language. He has a strong right wing voting record (See Barone & CQ 14). Mica was labeled a "Hard Core Conservative" on social and economic issues ("John Mica Vote Match," House.OnTheIssues.org). From 2008-2012, he voted with his hard right party 94% of the time. During that period, Mica had several zero and near zero ratings with labor and the liberal ADA (Americans for Democratic Action), while getting several perfect and high ratings from the conservative Chamber of Congress and the American Conservative Union (CQ 14). Anti-abortion groups, the National Rifle Association, and anti-immigration reform groups rate him highly. Environmental, pro-choice, and human rights groups give him low scores for his anti-choice, anti-gay marriage views, and civil rights/civil liberties stands. When Mica was Chair of the House Oversight subcommittee on Government Operations, he convened hearings on marijuana nearly every month in 2014. He was called "one of the most obsessive drug warriors in Congress (votesmart.org, Itkowitz, C., Wash. Post, 7/28/14)."
Early in his congressional career, Mica made negative headlines with his abrasive rhetoric. On 3/24/1995, when arguing for harsh welfare cuts, Mica compared the welfare system to ignoring signs around natural reserves that say "Don't feed the alligators." He said that if "the alligators are not fed, they fend for themselves." Mica stated that "people are not alligators, but with our current handout, non-work welfare system, we've upset the natural order; we've created a system of dependency." Democrats hissed at this crude, racial "dog whistle (See Gallman, Philadelphia Inquirer, 3/25/1995)." Mica, however, cares little about disrupting the lives of middle and lower class Americans. He voted in 9/2013 for a federal government shutdown to cripple Obamacare, and in 10/2013 against ending that shutdown (clerk.house.gov, "Roll Call 504 Vote & Roll Call 550 Vote"). Mica was the only Fla. House member to vote in favor of lifting the oil drilling moratorium off his state's coasts. After the 2010 BP oil spill hit the Gulf of Mexico, Mica blamed the Obama administration for failure to set safety standards, not private BP (Barone 14). Koch Brothers- supported Mica, opposes most federal regulation (Tea Party Scorecard, opensecrets.org 2012). In hurricane-stricken Fla., Mica repeatedly voted against aid to Eastern "Blue" State Hurricane Sandy victims, unless such aid was offset by middle class budget cuts (teapartyscorecard.com). Mica was elected before the Tea Party's 2010 formation, but has voted with it 88% of the time (Americans United for Change, "Tea Party Scorecard").
Mica currently sits on the House Oversight &Government Reform and the Transportation & Infrastructure Committees (Congress At Your Fingertips, 114th Cong., 2015). From 2011-2012, when Mica chaired Transportation & Infrastructure, he ended up causing a partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), furloughing thousands of workers and halting construction projects. He failed to persuade House GOP leaders and many rank-and-file Republicans to spend extra money on a major surface transportation bill. Democrats were angered by Mica's shutting them out of talks on this issue (Barone & CQ 14).
Mica's chief legislative interest remains transportation. He is a passionate opponent of Amtrak as well as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). In addition to calling Amtrak a "Soviet- style monopoly," he dubbed the TSA "a Soviet-style bureaucracy." Mica has long wanted to "rethink the role of the federal government in the passenger rail sector." Translation: gut Amtrak (CQ & Barone 14). He initially wanted to privatize Amtrak's profitable Northeast Corridor. In 2011, he dropped that idea. In 2013, Mica began pitching a bill to open up Amtrak-operated intercity and high- speed rail lines to private competition, again, an Amtrak killer that would do little to help millions of Eastern commuters (See CQ 14).
Democrats, unlike Mica and his fellow GOPers, correctly argue that Amtrak is way behind in repairs, safety, and maintenance. Amtrak lacks funding for these fixes (Reuters, 5/13/15). Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) stated, "It is simply a fact that insufficient funding for Amtrak delayed installation of the PTC (positive train control safety system), and to deny a connection between the accident and underfunding Amtrak is to deny reality." In Cong. Steve Israel's (D-NY) words, "Americans expect the government to adequately fund rail, road and air travel safety and that, with Tuesday night's derailment, 'We failed them (Reuters).'" In 2016, Democrats must come out in droves to keep the White House, recapture the Senate, and take back the House. A strong Democratic candidate must challenge Tea Party drinker Mica in the demographically changing 7th. Let's get Mica and a net 29 other anti-infrastructure House GOPers to take the political train leaving Washington.
GOP Senator Ron Johnson-- "Dimwit Senate Caucus" Chairman May 14, 2015
"Politics stops at the water's edge." In 1948, Michigan Republican Senator Arthur Vandenberg, then Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, emphasized this statement in his Vandenberg Resolution. That resolution helped establish NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Abandoning his former isolationist foreign policy views, Vandenberg worked to create bipartisan agreements that made the U.S. a major international player. According to Vandenberg, "politics stops at the water's edge" meant that despite political disagreements on their own turf, American politicians should present unity to foreign nations. To air disagreements internationally, would weaken America's show of strength. Republican Vandenberg gave Democratic President Harry Truman major support in foreign relations in the early Cold War days. Vandenberg's "politics stops at the water's edge" saying was followed by both political parties in Congress and in the White House ("Arthur Vandenberg: A Featured Biography" United States Senate Historical Office, wisegeek.com, Washington Post, "Monkey Cage," Lieber, R.J., 2/10/14).
Nearly 67 years later, the present Senate GOP majority has thrown Vandenberg's maxim overboard. The new operative slogan goes, "politics never stops at the water's edge." While the Obama Administration is trying to negotiate a deal to keep Iran from gaining nuclear weapons, the GOP is doing everything it can to scuttle it. Even before the 4/02/2015 preliminary framework over an agreement with Iran had been made, Republicans had tried to sabotage these talks. On 3/09/2015, 47 of the 54 GOP Senators sent an open letter to the "Leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran," a country with which we have not had diplomatic relations since 1979. In this letter, the "Foolish 47," patronizingly told the Iranians that they "may not fully understand our Constitutional system." The "Foolish 47" stated Obama would be leaving office in 1/2017, while Senators like them "will remain in office for perhaps decades." They said any nuclear agreement would be an executive one, between Obama and Iran, not requiring Congressional approval. The next president could "revoke this agreement with the stroke of a pen and future Congresses could modify the terms of the agreement at any time." What if a group of Senate Democrats had written to a hostile country warning it about negotiating with a Republican President, since any resulting deal might later be scrapped? We would be hearing no end of calls for prosecuting Democrats for "treason." The GOP gang would go "ballistic (pun intended)." But IOKIYAR, "It's OK if You're a Republican," to put partisan politics over one's country.
The public reacted negatively to this end-run/anti-Obama "diplomacy ("Politico," Hohmann, 3/13/15)." American voters believed the GOP's letter to Iran inappropriate by margins of 10%, in a 3/17/2015 CNN /ORC Poll (49%-39%). In a 4/27/2015 Quinnipiac Poll, the margin was 13% (53%-40%). On 3/13/2015, Senator Ron Johnson, one of the GOP "Foolish 47", told Bloomberg News he had just one regret, addressing the letter to an Iranian Ayatollah. However, he has "none whatsoever (regrets) about the content of the letter (Kos, Hunter, 3/13/15)." Johnson also attempted to scuttle the bipartisan Corker-Menendez agreement the Senate worked out to have Congress review any final U.S.-Iranian accord. He said he had several amendments to offer. Johnson's first proposed amendment would have required any final Iranian agreement to be a treaty. Treaties require a two-thirds Senate super-majority, 67 votes, for ratification, a deal killer (Kos, 4/27/15, 4/29/15, districtsentinelcom, 4/27/15). On 4/28/2015, the Senate defeated Johnson's treaty amendment by a 39-57 vote. On 5/07/2015, the Senate overwhelmingly passed the Corker-Menendez bill after GOP Majority Leader Mitch McConnell cut off debate on additional crippling Republican amendments ("The Hill,"Carney, J., 4/29/15, NY Times, 5/07/15). Count on Johnson, however, to attack any final U.S.-Iranian deal. Meet Senator Johnson.
Freshman GOP Senator Ron Johnson (60) is Wisconsin's senior Senator (Barone Political Almanac 2014). In 1979, Minnesota native Johnson, then an accountant, moved with his wife to Wisconsin to help launch a plastics manufacturing firm, PACUR, with his brother-in-law Patrick Curler. Under Johnson's influence, PACUR expanded into medical device packaging and high tech printing applications. Johnson also managed PACUR's sales and finances. He was the company's CEO for 13 years and purchased PACUR in 1995 (CQ 12, R. Johnson for Senate, 6/10/10). Political novice Johnson gave scathing speeches at Wisconsin Tea Party rallies in 2009 and 2010 where he attacked health care reform. Tea Party activists encouraged Johnson to run against three-term Democratic incumbent Russ Feingold. Johnson stated he "did kind of spring out of the Tea Party and is glad to be associated with it." Johnson said he was motivated to challenge Feingold over the latter's support of health care overhaul. Johnson called health care reform "the single greatest threat to freedom in my lifetime (CQ & Barone 14 Almanacs, CQ Roll Call 112th Congress Guide, NY Times, 10/14/10, Zernike, K.)."
The conservative Weekly Standard magazine dubbed Johnson an "Ayn Rand-loving (extreme libertarian), pro-life Lutheran (CQ14)." He is a social conservative who opposes abortion rights and federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. Johnson is a skeptic on man-made science change. He speculates that "sunspots" are the culprits in creating natural changes in the earth's temperature (CQ 12). He is against same-sex marriage and opposed the successful repeal of the anti-gay "Don't Ask Don't Tell" military policy (Liebmann, Wis. Gazette)." Prior to his election, "family values" Johnson testified before the Wis. Legislature opposing a bill that would have extended the statue of limitations for civil liability in child sex abuse cases. This legislation was mainly aimed at the Catholic Church. Protestant Johnson was active in the Green Bay Diocese Financial Council and in financially supporting local Catholic schools. He was more worried about bankrupting the diocese and possibly closing parochial schools than in helping child victims of priest molestations (See CQ12).
After winning the GOP primary with more than $4 million of his own money, Johnson went on to challenge Feingold in a nasty campaign by Wisconsin standards. When Feingold criticized Johnson for offering few specifics on how he planned to reduce federal spending and spur economic growth, Johnson retorted, "I don't think this election is about details (CQ & Barone14, Bice, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/10/10)." Feingold attacked Johnson as more concerned about "profits than people." Feingold called Johnson a hypocrite for opposing Obama's stimulus bill and then allegedly seeking those funds for renovating an opera house. None of Feingold's attacks stuck. Initially dismissed as a long shot, Johnson rode the 2010 anti-incumbent, anti-government/Tea Party tsunami into office. Johnson pumped more than $8.2 million of his own money into his Senate campaign, 64% of the total contributions (Open Secrets, Wis. 2010 Race, CQ & Barone 14). Johnson beat Feingold by a 4.9% margin, 51.9%-47% (CQ14).
Sticking to his campaign comment that his election was "not about details," Senator Johnson initially offered few bills and amendments (CQ 14). According to the "National Journal," his voting record was the most conservative in 2011 and the fifth most conservative in 2012. The American Conservative Union (ACU) gave Johnson perfect scores in 2011 and 2012, while the anti-tax Club for Growth gave Johnson a close to perfect score (Barone & CQ 14). Progressive and labor groups gave him zero and near basement ratings during that time (CQ 14). In 2014, Sen. Johnson voted with his right wing party 91.1% of the time (opencongress.org). The right wing Koch Brothers gave Johnson a 100% score for his voting record in the first half of the 112th Congress,1/05/2011-1/03/2012 (wisconsingazette.com). From 2009-2014, Koch has showered Johnson with at least $52,300 (opensecrets.org).
We should not be shocked by Johnson's signing this beyond foolish letter to Iran's Ayatollahs. Johnson shows little use for Senatorial courtesies or working with colleagues (CQ & Barone 14). However, when partisan politics can be injected into foreign affairs, Johnson comes running. As a Senate Foreign Relations Committee member, Johnson harshly grilled outgoing Sec. of State Hillary Clinton over the 2012 Benghazi, Libya attack. He said lawmakers had been "mislead" about the incident. Hillary told him she had not contacted diplomatic staff for details of the attack while an FBI investigation was underway. Temperamental Johnson replied, "I realize that's a good excuse." Translation: another GOP Benghazi "coverup" conspirator out to smear Hillary. The Washington Post awarded Johnson its "Worst Week in Washington" citation for this aggressiveness. Johnson replied, "In Washington, demanding the truth is apparently a sin (Barone 14)."
Senator Johnson never "grew" in office. His dumb remarks just "keep on coming." He offered to "mansplain" the budget to progressive gay female Wis. Senator Tammy Baldwin who had previously served 14 years in the House (skydancingblog, 1/24/13, Barone14). He attributed Obama's 2012 re-election to an "uninformed" electorate that fell prey to "demagoguin (sic) solutions (Kos, 11/08/12)." Shades of Romney's "47% of the electorate won't vote for us," comment. Johnson stated on conservative Newsmax TV that ISIS militants intentionally infecting themselves with Ebola and coming back to the U.S. to spread it was a "real and present danger (Benen, msnbc, Maddow Blog, 10/17/14)." Rich, out-of-touch Johnson told a recent town hall meeting that it takes longer to graduate from college these days because "loans are pretty easy to get and college is a lot of fun." He continued by saying that "it's kind of free money, young people don't necessarily understand finance (Kos, "Elections," Nir, 4/22/15)." It's Johnson who has no idea that college costs have skyrocketed and minimum wages have stagnated since he was a student.
Senator Johnson, a charter foe of Obamacare, is now worried the Supreme Court could rule that federal health care exchanges can not offer subsidies for people buying insurance. He fears Democrats will then attack him in 2016 for throwing 185,000 Wisconsinites off Obamacare, because Wisconsin uses the federal exchange. In a radio interview, he made it clear he could care less about his constituents losing health insurance. He was, however, upset over the "sad sack stories about who's dying from lack of coverage" that Obama and Democrats would have "racked up with ads (Kos, McCarter, 4/17/15, 4/22/15)." Johnson thinks that people "have benefited from Obamacare on the backs of American taxpayers," false Romney "moocher" type talk (Kos, 4/22/15). Johnson has, therefore, introduced a "plan" to keep federal subsidies for those presently on the exchange until 2017. After 2017, conveniently past Johnson's 2016 race, this "plan" can be repealed. Johnson's temporary "fix" does not cover new customers on state or federal exchanges. This "fix" would eliminate individual and employer mandates and grandfather in existing substandard plans. Some "fix," just a stunt to try to save Johnson's political hide (See Kos, 4/30/15 McCarter).
Johnson's political hide requires saving. In order to recapture the Senate in 2016, Democrats need to flip 4 GOP seats to retake the upper chamber should Hillary win. Johnson is considered one of the most vulnerable GOPers, especially in a presidential year when more Democrats should turn out ("The Hill, Taylor, J.). On 5/14/2015, Russ Feingold announced he was seeking a 2016 rematch against Johnson. Feingold stated he was running to take on the negative influence of big corporations and billionaires in the U.S. Senate. Feingold was the co-author of a landmark campaign finance reform bill that the Supreme Court gutted in its 2010 Citizens United opinion (Huffington Post, Terkel, 5/14/15). According to recent polls, Feingold leads by anywhere from 9-16 points (PPP 9, Marquette 16). Johnson has only $670,000 in his war chest. In 12/2014, Johnson said he would not self-fund his own campaign, as he had in 2010 (Roll Call, Levinson, 1/02/15). Don't bet on it. Bet also on the national GOP and Koch and Friends to pony up big for Johnson. Democrats must generously fund Feingold. Feingold must immediately answer all attacks and hammer Johnson. In 2016, Wisconsin must return progressive Feingold and reject reactionary "Dimwit Senate Caucus" Chair Johnson.
"Fifty Shades of Grey, Blue, White, Yellow, and Everything Else" April 30, 2015
Where did I get my fascination with politics that led to my writing a blog for the past 10 years? Real estate. You would think that growing up in a fairly large New England city, there would be nothing but colonial styles peppering the landscape. Think again. True, there were many colonial houses. Before coming out to Southern California as a teenager, my family had lived in a brick Georgian style colonial. However, we had previously resided in what could be called a quasi-Craftsman or an Arts and Crafts house often found in Pasadena, California. Shocked? Don't be. Pasadena was originally settled by New Englanders who brought this style with them. My New England town also contained triple-decker apartments on its many hilly landscapes, housing three generations of families. This New England city had some expansive ranch homes in newly developed areas of its Westside that straddled golf courses. In California, across the street from my alma mater (Go Bruins!), stood a red brick-like Georgian colonial looking almost like my last East Coast residence.
Many people think Southern California developers created identical bland tract homes out of thin air to house the hundreds of thousands of 1950's/1960's Golden State migrants. Wrong. All over Southern California you will see a jumble of eclectic styles. Crafstman homes are not only found in Pasadena. The San Fernando Valley and LA's Westside also have them. Yes, Whittier and areas of Orange County have some standard 1960's Eichler-developed tract homes, but they do not stand alone.
Just look at the real estate smorgasbord near one San Fernando Valley, California junction. An apartment house, painted pink and brown screams "Florida, Florida," every time I pass it. I expect to see flying macaws and strutting flamingoes. Across the street, "Florida" faces a home that looks like a transplanted New England residence of some grizzled sea captain. This house is painted to look like it is made with layers of brown logs, one next to the other. A large strong door has big black latches on what looks like that house's back, but is really its front. On that house's lower floor, there is a large fenced-in porch with several lounge chairs. Again, my old New England colonial had a big side porch. I spent many a gorgeous spring and summer day sitting in and rocking our family's yellow glider. Heaven! Across from "Sea Captain's house," is an English style two-story Tudor, one of many found all over Southern California. The Tudor faces Spanish hacienda style homes and new "McMansions." "McMansions" are bigger homes often replacing torn down ones, when buyers do not want to purchase houses in an overpriced Southern California market. Two new "McMansions" going up next to each other have been painted white and grey with black New England Cape Cod window shutters. The grey house has a yellow door while the white one's door is black. Another home has a Japanese style look with a little gazebo in front of it. Travel north in the San Fernando Valley. You'll find residences designed like classical Roman ones with a long walk or atrium leading to the entrance. Many homes contain stain glass Victorian windows with painted flowers. Other houses look like the one-story colonial Homewood mansion, now part of Baltimore's Johns Hopkins University. On a main north-south street, one home has a long stair case that climbs up to a big fenced- in porch on top. New Englanders call that design a "widow's walk." That term comes from wives who did not believe their husbands had perished at sea. They paced this porch while looking toward the Atlantic and kept hoping to see their spouses' ships return. On that street's other side, a new four story apartment is taking shape. It has a green center housing the elevator and is surrounded by white side columns. Most of this building has a grey decor. Somehow, this structure manages to look respectable with or without sunshine. One house was just repainted by its owners. It was previously a white-grey residence with green shutters. Now these green shutters are enveloped by dark orange. Then there are the Queen Anne homes and businesses all over the San Fernando Valley. New England had some of those. Queen Annes remind me of my former city's small Russian Orthodox Church with its onion dome. Although Southern California homes are nowhere as old as many New England ones, they cleverly try to pretend that they are.
In real estate, it's "Location, Location, Location." Whenever I went through various areas/ locations of my childhood Eastern city, I always kept wondering, "Who lived there? What did they want?" Although we learned that the Pilgrims and Puritans settled the region, few of our classmates or teachers could trace their ancestry to them. In fact, the people with the English-WASPY sounding names in our public school classes were usually African Americans whose families had left segregated Virginia and North Carolina. My Eastern city was a heavily blue collar one with many merchants and professionals. It was composed of distinct neighborhoods. This city had just about every racial, ethnic, and religious group. Irish and Italian Americans were the biggest. Catholicism was the dominant religion with a strong parochial school system. Protestants were mainly African Americans with some wealthy white Episcopalians and Congregationalists. Some of them were the factory owners. Their families often went back to the 17th and 18th Centuries. There was a vibrant Jewish community of small businessmen and some professionals with Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform temples. The city had Greek and Russian Orthodox churches as well as Albanian and Kosovar Muslims. There were Japanese Americans who came after their release from WWII internment camps. There were Polish and Lithuanian communities. Puerto Ricans had started to settle in the area as well as Portuguese. There was a French-Canadian contingent.
Just where the components of this ethnic "salad bowl" lived keenly interested me. This was the post-WWII era of heady optimism. Anything was doable. These groups wanted a better life for their children. They wanted them to succeed at high paying jobs and purchase suburban homes, the American Dream. The successful Irish were moving out of their South and East End homes and often held the Mayor's office and other political posts. Italian Americans, living in the city's North End and Southwest Side, were hoping for upward mobility from factory and small business jobs. Jewish Americans started out in the downtown and northern parts of the city. As they prospered, they moved into better homes further north and west of their original settlement. In this pre-1964 Civil Rights law era, there was still ethnic and religious discrimination, along with the numerous racial barriers blacks faced. The idea of Catholic Senator JFK running for President was controversial. And saying that a black person could win the Presidency? You would have been considered out of your "gourd" to even suggest it. Jewish Americans and Catholics were still trying to end undergraduate university and professional school quotas. Jewish, Italian, and Polish groups were arguing for immigration reform. They were not pushing for amnesty, but for abolishing the bigoted 1924 National Origins quotas. These racist quotas kept "new immigrants" from Southern and Eastern Europe out of the U.S. There was still housing discrimination against blacks, and sometimes against Jews and other minorities. My fascination with these ethnic neighborhoods led me to get interested in Democratic politics which could help enact civil rights, immigration reform, and pull everyone up the economic and social ladder. Who knew that my lifelong interest in politics stemmed from "Fifty shades of grey, blue, white, yellow, and everything else?"
Senator Harry Reid's Parting Gift—Endorsing Chuck Schumer to Take the Democratic Leadership Helm April 16, 2015
Battles for House and Senate leadership posts often descend into bitter dog fights. This intra-party bickering keeps the minority "off message" in attempting to retake a congressional chamber. Skillful politicians, such as Senator Harry Reid, try to ensure a smooth succession. On 3/27/2015, 5th term Senate Minority Leader Reid (75), announced he would not run for a 6th term in 2016. In his 8 years as Senate Majority Leader (2007-2015), Reid, a master of Senate procedure and deal-making, helped push President Obama's stimulus bill, Wall Street reform legislation, and health care insurance overhaul through Congress. Reid changed the filibuster rule to make it easier to confirm presidential appointees and lower federal court judges (Barone & CQ 14 Political Almanacs, Wash. Post, DeBonis & Sullivan, 3/27/15, Dionne, E.J., Wash. Post, 3/29/15).
Hours after Reid announced his retirement, he endorsed Senator Charles Schumer of New York to succeed him as Democratic leader. Reid told the Washington Post that "Schumer should be able to succeed me." In an interview with Nevada Public Radio, Reid said that, "He (Schumer) will be elected to replace me in 22 months. I think one reason that will happen is because I want him to be my replacement." Reid called Schumer, "a fine man, extremely, smart, and that's an understatement (Wash. Post, DeBonis & Sullivan, 3/27/15)." By strongly supporting Schumer, Reid avoided a nasty fight between Schumer, the No. 3-ranking party leader, and Minority Whip Richard Durbin (D-Il.), the No.2 Senate Democrat (Wash. Post, 3/27/15). Just before Reid publicly announced his retirement, he spoke to Durbin. Reid implied that he would not run. Durbin then went to Schumer and stated, "I think you've earned this (Senate Democratic Leader {Wash. Post, 3/27/15})." With Reid and Durbin uniting behind Schumer and with Schumer quickly rounding up support for the leadership job among his fellow Senators, the Senate Democratic Caucus vote after the 2016 elections should be a "done deal." Reid's endorsement of Schumer as his successor is a political "ten strike." Meet Sen. Schumer.
Third –term Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer (64) is the Empire State's senior Senator. Schumer, a native of Brooklyn's Flatbush section, graduated #1 from James Madison High School in 1967. He received a perfect 1600 SAT (College Entrance Exam) score. Madison High is also the alma mater of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Barone & CQ 14 Political Almanacs, Wash. Post, Harden, 10/05/98, Roberts, NY Times, 3/05/07). As a Harvard University freshman, Schumer decided to enter politics. After his 1974 Harvard Law graduation, Schumer successfully won a NY State Assembly seat. After serving three terms, Schumer ran in 1980 for the Brooklyn-based House seat, left open when Democrat Elizabeth Holtzman unsuccessfully ran for the Senate against GOPer Alfonse D' Amato. Schumer easily won his congressional race and served 18 years in the House (CQ & Barone 14).
With energy, hard-work, and chutzpah, Cong. Schumer became a skilled legislator. He was a politician noted and sometimes resented for attracting publicity. Former Sen. GOP Leader Bob Dole was one of several politicians to state that "the most dangerous place to be in Washington was between Chuck Schumer and a television camera (Barone 14)." Cong. Schumer obtained a seat on the Banking Committee, aware of this post's importance to New York's financial industry. Schumer served on the House Judiciary Committee and chaired its Crime Subcommittee. Schumer sponsored and brokered deals that pushed Bill Clinton's key anti-crime bill through the House. This bill included provisions adding 100,000 state and local police jobs. This legislation banned certain classes of semi-automatic weapons and created a "three strikes" mandatory life sentence for repeat violent offenders. Cong. Schumer was a chief sponsor of the Brady law requiring background checks for handgun buyers. When the National Rifle Association called Schumer "the criminal's best friend," he replied, "I wear this like a badge of honor (CQ & Barone 14)."
In 1998, Schumer won the Democratic senatorial primary against former VP nominee Geraldine Ferraro and NY City public advocate Mark Green. Schumer then faced three-term GOP incumbent Al D'Amato. Schumer attacked D'Amato for too many lies and ethical problems. Schumer defeated Sen. D'Amato by 11 points, 55%-44%. Schumer has since coasted to two re-election victories (See CQ & Barone 14, AP, 2004).
Before joining the Senate, Schumer voted against impeaching Bill Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair both in the Judiciary Committee and on the House floor. One of Schumer's earliest Senate votes was to acquit Clinton in his impeachment trial (See NY Times, Dao, 11/20/98, CNN2/12/99). Schumer established a solid liberal Senate voting record. From 2003-2012, Schumer voted with his party 96% of the time. During that period, he had a 94% AFL-CIO labor rating and a 96% average from the progressive ADA (Americans for Democratic Action) (CQ 14). In the current 114th Congress, Schumer has voted with his party 97% of the time (opencongress.org).
In the Senate, Schumer increased his reputation as one of Capitol Hill's most skilled dealmakers while honing his media talents (Barone14). Schumer has been a leading advocate of focusing Democratic efforts on the often forgotten middle class. Both in his 2007 book and throughout his legislative career, Schumer keeps his mind on helping an imaginary middle class Long Island couple, Joe and Eileen Bailey (Schumer, "Positively American, Winning Back The Middle- Class Majority," Barone 14). Schumer makes it a point to visit all 62 NY counties yearly. He regularly spends Mondays on Upstate NY swings that get him on TV in Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse. His huge election wins Upstate have made him unbeatable (See Barone 14). On these NY "listening tours," Schumer finds out what the local "Baileys" want and fear. The summer before W's re-election, Schumer knew that hostility to gay marriage would "play well" for the GOP against Democrats because many Upstaters bombarded him with messages to oppose gay marriage ("Positively American"). Fortunately, public opinion has changed.
After Kerry's 2004 presidential loss and the Democratic failure to recapture the Senate, Minority Leader Harry Reid tapped Schumer to head the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). This "Odd Couple," soft-spoken Nevada Mormon Reid and hard talking Brooklyn Jewish American Schumer, were close friends (Leibovich, "This Town," 2013). Turning the Senate "Blue" in 2006 looked difficult. Schumer was a great fundraiser. Schumer was successful in keeping Democrats from retiring in states that W won. Schumer concentrated on recruiting top Democratic candidates to challenge GOPers. Schumer rightly told Democrats that in order to win, "the days of checking off twenty boxes (for 1,000% ideological "purity") before getting our support are over ("Positively American")." Schumer's tactics worked. Democrats took back the Senate in 2006, winning 6 seats. Majority Leader Reid then asked Schumer to stay on as head of the DSCC for 2008. Reid rewarded Schumer with a newly created leadership post, Vice Chair of the Democratic Conference. Schumer made this #3 leadership post into a position where he confidentially advised Reid and Majority Whip Dick Durbin. In 2008, Schumer helped the Democrats pick up 7 seats. Under Schumer's leadership, from 2005-2009, Democrats went from a 45 seat minority to a 59-seat majority (CQ & Barone 14). Rarely has one Senator made such a difference. Schumer worked very well with Hillary Clinton when she was a NY Senator and supported her 2008 presidential bid (Barone 14). He will support her in her 2016 White House race. Count on Schumer to play a key role in Campaign 2016 Democratic recruitment to flip back the Senate.
Schumer has nearly complete control over Senate Democrats' messaging operations and doesn't mind pulling double duty as the messenger. He has accumulated crucial party responsibilities and is willing to jump into almost any political battle, perfect training for succeeding Reid. From 2009-2015, Schumer has chaired the Rules and Administration Committee, and since 2015 has been that committee's ranking or top minority member. Rules and Administration is responsible for the Senate's day-to-day operations. In 2011, Reid selected Schumer to run the Democratic Policy and Communications Center (DPCC), which pushes out policy, communications information, and legislative research to Senators and their staffers. As DPCC chair, Schumer was the architect of the "Winning the Future Agenda" in the 112th Congress (2011-2012). He constantly attacked House GOPers. He called their fiscal plans "a road map to disaster." He pushed for more education spending, energy and highway funding, and targeted tax cuts (CQ 14). Schumer is an indispensable ally of Pres. Obama. Schumer also sits on the powerhouse Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs, Finance, and Judiciary Committees. He helped get Obamacare and the 2010 Wall Street regulation passed. On Judiciary, Schumer was part of an eight-member bipartisan working group that won Senate passage of immigration reform. This legislation, unfortunately, died in the GOP House. Schumer served as Sonia Sotomayor's "sherpa" or guide during her successful Supreme Court confirmation hearing. Schumer helped get $60 billion aid for Hurricane Sandy victims, including many New Yorkers. He led attempts to shame GOPers for holding up this bill (CQ 14). He is pro-choice (C. Schumer, NARAL). Since 2009, Schumer has supported same-sex marriage (nydailynews.com, 3/23/09).
Schumer staunchly supports Israel, a "no-brainer" for him in a state where he and his ethnic/religious group constitute nearly 9% of the population (jewishvirtuallibray.org). In the 2012 campaign, he defended Obama's policies toward stopping a nuclear Iran. When Romney said Iran would succeed in building a nuclear weapon if Obama were re-elected, Schumer rebuked him. Schumer stated in 3/2012, "If you care about Israel more than you care about politics, you would never make that statement, even if you believe it (CQ 14)." After the 4/02/2015 preliminary framework with Iran involving its halting of nuclear development, Schumer stated he would support the Corker-Menendez bill. This legislation has congressional veto-proof margins from both Democrats and Republicans. This bill would require the final executive agreement with Iran over its nuclear reductions to be reviewed by Congress. Normally, executive agreements are not subject to congressional review. If, however, both congressional chambers overwhelmingly dislike the final U.S.-Iran agreement, this deal could be scuttled (NY Times, 4/10/15, Steinhauer, forward.com, Nathan-Kazis, 4/08/15). Schumer wants to give Obama room to negotiate, but with "legislative backstop" by Congress should Iran make a final deal distasteful. Schumer and many fellow Democrats reasonably want bipartisan agreement and congressional involvement on something as vital as an Iranian nuclear accord. IMHO, if the final deal follows the preliminary blueprint, Schumer will back it. The White House initially opposed this congressional legislation. On 4/15/2015, President Obama indicated that he found a compromise version of this bill, worked on by both parties, "acceptable," and will sign it (Weisman & Baker, NY Times).
America has become a "more perfect racial, religious, and ethnic union." We currently have an African American President and, hopefully, female Hillary after the 11/2016 elections. Schumer would be the first Jewish American leader in one of the world's "clubbiest" bodies. In 1949, when New Yorker Herbert Lehman was the only Jewish American in the Senate, it was "tacitly understood that he would forever be excluded from its inner circles (Christopher, R., "Crashing the Gates,"1989)." Fortunately, those days are gone. Jewish Americans represent 9% of the Senate. They are elected from states with both large and small Jewish populations. They are not restricted from Senate leadership posts (Christopher, Pew Research Center, 1/05/15). Congratulations/Mazel Tov, Chuck!
Addendum --GOP Hoosier Governor Mike Pence March 31, 2015
Indiana's first-term GOP Governor Mike Pence is "shocked, shocked." In Pence's words, "Heavens no. I was not expecting this kind of backlash (CNN, Bradner & Diamond, 3/31/15)." The backlash Pence is referring to consists of threatened boycotts of Indiana by many corporations, individuals, and other states. Why? Pence signed the "Religious Freedom Restoration Act," passed by his Republican-majority state legislature. This bill is designed to "help protect churches, Christian businesses and individuals from those who want to punish them because of their Biblical beliefs (LA Times, Muskal, 3/31/15)." Translation: this law would allow conservative individuals and companies to deny services to gays and lesbians. For starters, bakers and photographers could refuse to do business with same-sex couples who are legally getting married (LA Times, 3/31/15). By passing this bill, conservative Christians, far from an endangered group, are labeling themselves, not gays a "persecuted minority." Pence has called himself "a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order (Barone 14 Political Almanac)."
We should not be shocked about Governor Pence's actions. In a 8/20/2013 blog post in my archives, I noted that Pence, who served in Congress from 2001-2013, has always been against same-sex marriage. https://cameinonsaturdays.wordpress.com/2013/08/20/2005-september-25/
Before running for Congress, Pence had a talk show that he described as "Limbaugh's warm-up act." Pence was one of the few Congressmen arguing that aid to 2005 Hurricane Katrina victims should be "offset," read, held hostage to federal budget cuts in Medicare and student loans. Pence's then outlier position became mainstream GOP policy in 2013 when Republicans tried to hold Hurricane Sandy aid hostage to radical spending cuts.
In 2012, Pence eked out a 3% win over his Democratic gubernatorial opponent, the closest margin in any Hoosier governor's race since 1960. Pence was hurt by fallout from failed GOP Senate candidate Richard Mourdock's absurd comments about pregnancy and rape. However, rural regions gave Pence his victory (Barone 14).
Pence (55), has been mentioned as a GOP 2016 possible presidential candidate. Pence denied that this law is discriminatory against gays and lesbians and pledged to "fix" this law to clarify that it is not anti-gay. Pence said this "fix" was needed "frankly (because) of the smear that's been leveled against this law (CNN, 3/31/15)." Give me a break! Indiana Democrats rightly called for the law's outright repeal. Gay Democrats and the GOP mayor of Indianapolis called for strong new state anti-discriminatory laws. Pence, however, stated that such a "fix" won't involve statewide anti-discrimination protections for gay Hoosiers (CNN, 3/31/15, NY Times, 3/30/15, Eckholm, 3/30/15). On 3/30/15, GOP front-runner Jeb Bush told conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt that "Pence did the right thing. I think once the facts are established, people aren't going to see this as discriminatory at all." Other GOP presidential hopefuls, including Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, and Bobby Jindal also defended the Indiana law (NY Times 3/30/15, CNN, 3/31/15).
Indiana is not the only state with this so-called "religious freedom" law. Twenty states have similar laws and 16 more are considering passage of related legislation (Muskal, LA Times, 3/31/15). With courts and legislatures ending bans on same sex-marriage and the issue presently before the Supreme Court, Jennifer Pizer, director of the Law and Policy Project at the gay rights Lambda Legal group, views the Indiana law and similar ones as conservative "Plan B." "Plan B," according to Pizer, is the social conservative attempt to "selectively build a moat around ourselves," if same-sex couples get rights (See NY Times, Eckholm, 3/30/15). Indiana must repeal this law. In 2016, Democrats and like-minded people must come out in droves to defeat GOP state legislatures and governors. They must take back the House and Senate. The reactionary social agenda of Governor Pence and Company can not drive 21st Century America.
Mitt's "Binders Full of Women" Meets Senator Joni Ernst's "Breadbags on My Feet" —January 21, 2015
In 2012, the GOP tried to brand "outsider" Mitt Romney as a successful businessman who could turn the economy around. Instead, outsourcer Mitt Romney's campaign drowned itself in a series of unbelievable gaffes, "Corporations are people," "I'm unemployed," and "47% who won't vote for us and are takers." In a debate with President Obama, Romney spoke of how he asked women's groups after he was elected Gov. of Mass. to bring him "binders full of women" he could appoint. The "binders" phrase burnt up the Twitter universe, but not in Romney's favor.
Fast-forward to 1/20/2015. President Obama gave an inspiring State of the Union address. He laid out a middle class agenda and showed how America had economically recovered from the W years. The GOP called upon "up and comer," newly- elected Iowa Senator Joni Ernst. Ernst, a fan of ideologue Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz, managed to defeat Democratic Congressman Bruce Braley by 8.5% in the 11/2014 midterm. She took retiring progressive Democrat Tom Harkin's seat. Braley threw away his chances by not acting "Iowa nice," especially when he belittled farmers. Even though most Iowans disagreed with Ernst's extremist views, they voted for her. Ernst marketed herself as a "mother, farmer, and soldier." Hog castrator Ernst looked like "one of us real Iowans," not an elitist.
In her State of the Union Response, Ernst spouted the usual nonsensical GOP talking points about repealing Obamacare, attacking government spending, and pushing for the "Keystone jobs bill." She also went after Obama's "executive overreach," words that raise "impeachment" fever in the GOP base. She spoke about defending "the right to life," read, not allowing women to get abortions (NYTimes, 1/20/15). IMHO, Ernst sounded like a robotic high school student speaking very slowly and condescendingly to an audience of third graders. She had a gigantic plastered smile on her face, even when she was discussing serious matters. Obama won Twitter with his ad lib remark to GOPers that he was not running for election again, "I know because I won both of 'em." Ernst's most memorable comment? She stated that "on rainy school days, my mom would slip plastic bread bags over them (her shoes) to keep them dry (NY Times, 1/20/15)." Twitter exploded under the hashtag "breadbagsonmyfeet." Senator Ernst and your "bread bags," meet Mitt Romney and his "Binders Full of Women." Toward the end of her 2014 campaign, Ernst stayed away from most media outlets. Now we understand why.
Congressman Tom Price—"Republican Guerilla Warrior" January 19, 2015
From the mid- 1950's, the GOP mantra proclaimed that "activist" federal judges, especially Supreme Court ones, were ruling against the "will of the people." These "awful" jurists had to be replaced by Republican-appointed judges who practiced "judicial restraint." These individuals would "strictly construe" the law, not "make" it. They would defer to Congress, the people's representatives. This bitter wailing from Southern Dixiecrats, turned Republicans, and most GOPers started when the liberal Warren Supreme Court went against their views on segregation, church-state issues, civil liberties, and criminal procedure. Even the more conservative Burger Court was condemned for "discovering" a constitutional right to abortion in Roe v. Wade. This anti-judiciary GOP view, however, has now been discarded like unfashionable clothing. In a 360 degree "flip-flop," it is far right conservative GOPers and their special interest fronts, not progressives, who are going to the lower federal courts and the U.S. Supreme Court. They are arguing that federal judges must overturn Congress' health care law, congressional and executive environmental rulings, and President Obama's recent immigration order. Even with both the House and Senate under GOP control, the reactionary Republican agenda faces Democratic Senate filibusters and President Obama's veto pen (See NY Times, Shear, M.,1/03/15). Federal GOP judges remain the GOP's last "great" hope.
Many GOPers, including House Speaker John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and Texas Sen. John Cornyn, can't hide their glee over the prospect of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the current term to cut off Obamacare subsidies to 36 states. Such a move in the King v. Burwell case could imperil health care reform for millions of low-income Americans (CNN, Mears, 11/07/14, NY Times, 11/07/14). The conservative plaintiffs in the King case want an "activist" High Court to throw out these federal subsidies based on a "contorted reading" of four words in a single phrase in the 900-page health care reform law (NY Times, 11/07/14). Section 1401 of the health care law says that these subsidies are available on an exchange "established by the State." The plaintiffs claim there can be no subsidies for anyone living in the 36 states where the federal government established a health exchange after state officials refused. Only 14 states and D.C. have their own state exchanges (CNN, Mears). Most federal judges who have considered this claim have rejected it as running counter to the explicit purpose and structure of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Everyone involved in drafting the law understood as a Senate staffer stated that, "We certainly wanted every individual in every state, regardless of their federal or state exchange status to receive the same subsidies (NY Times, 11/07/14)." The ACA's Section 1321 provides that when a state defaults in providing exchanges, the Secretary of Health and Human Services "shall establish and operate such Exchange within the State." Section 1321 implies, without explicitly saying so, that the federal exchange stands in for the missing state one and assumes its functions (Greenhouse, L., NY Times, 11/12/14). The plaintiffs' argument that "only the state" and not the I.R.S. is authorized to give health care subsidies to more than 5 million people enrolled through federally run exchanges also goes against the 1984 Supreme Court administrative law decision Chevron U.S.A. v. Natural Resources Defense Counsel. Chevron is one of the most invoked decisions of all time. In Chevron, the High Court held that when a federal statute is "ambiguous," as some argue here, the administrative agency's interpretation receives deference. In the King case, the I.R.S.' interpretation that tax credits are available without regard to whether the exchange is state or federal, must, therefore, prevail (Greenhouse). The GOP hopes that the Roberts' Supreme Court rules that only Congress can "fix" the law to allow subsidies to be purchased by federal as well as state exchanges. Based on the comments by GOP congressional and Senate leaders, the Republican-controlled Senate and House will make no such corrections in order to let Obamacare economically collapse. Congressman Tom Price is another member of the GOP clique ecstatic about the Supreme Court possibly cutting off federal Obamacare subsidies. At a 1/12/2015 conservative policy summit hosted by the Heritage Foundation, he called the King subsidy case a "great opportunity" for the GOP to "unravel Obamacare pretty damn quickly. That's a good thing (Kos, McCarter, 1/13/15)." Who's Cong. Price?
Sixth-term GOP Congressman Tom Price (60) represents Georgia's 6th Congressional District (CD). The reconfigured Peach State 6th lies in Atlanta's northern suburbs. The 6th stretches from the Atlanta city limits to the Appalachian foothills. The 6th CD consists of chunks of DeKalb, Cobb, and Fulton Counties. This district contains the cities of Roswell, Alpharetta, and part of Sandy Springs. In the 1950's, 100,000 people lived here. Today, over 1 million reside in this well developed area of office parks, malls, and established suburbs. Major corporate offices are part of the 6th.. Home Depot is based in Sandy Springs. ADP has two offices in Alpharetta. Kimberly-Clark has a corporate office in Roswell, and GE Energy Management has its headquarters in the 6th's southern end (CQ & Barone 14 Almanacs). Hispanics and Asian communities have experienced large growth. The 6th, however, remains predominantly white and is safe-"Red" GOP. It has a Cook Partisan Voting Index (PVI) of R+14 and went for Romney in 2012 by 24 points (CQ & Barone 14). Sandy Springs has been an "innovator" in outsourcing basic government to private services. It rents its city hall and has no fleet of vehicles for road repair (Barone, NY Times).
Price grew up in Michigan and graduated from the University of Michigan and its medical school. His father and grandfather were both doctors, his wife an anesthesiologist. After doing his orthopedic surgery residency at Atlanta's Emory Medical School, Price moved to Roswell. Frustrated with government, he became involved in civic affairs. Price worked closely with the Ga. Medical Association and campaigned in the 1990's against Pres. Bill Clinton's health care plan. He became active in GOP politics as a fundraiser and organizer. In 1996, Price won election to the Ga. State Senate. He served there from 1997-2005, becoming its majority leader in 2003. In 2004, Price ran and won the GOP primary for the open 6th CD seat, when GOP Cong. Johnny Isakson successfully ran for the Senate. In this lopsided GOP district, Price ran unopposed in the general election. He has been handily re-elected (CQ & Barone 14, ourcampaigns.com, Early Guide 114th Cong.).
The Washington Post dubbed Congressman Price, "a Republican guerilla warrior." Price has been compared to former GOP Speaker Newt Gingrich and represents much of Gingrich's suburban Atlanta district. Like Gingrich, Price has made a name for himself with his repeated challenges to Democrats. He is a confrontational GOP ideologue. In 2012, he even waged an unsuccessful race for GOP Conference Chair against Speaker Boehner's ally, Wash. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (CQ & Barone 14). Price is committed to directing the course of the conservative movement and is a favorite TV talk show guest. Price was among the Tea Party Caucus' original members and in 2011 tied for most-conservative House member in the National Journal's 2011 vote rankings (Barone & CQ14). In the 111th Congress (2009-2010), Price chaired the Republican Study Committee (RSC). The 170- member RSC constitutes the most conservative bloc and dominant force within the House GOP caucus (CQ14, National Journal). In the current 114th Congress, Price has voted with his hard right party 95.3% of the time, exceeding Speaker Boehner's 93.8% rating (opencongress.org). Price had 93% and 94% scores in the 113th and 112th Congresses (Wash. Post, U.S. Cong. Votes Database). During his congressional career, anti-regulation/anti-environmental Koch Industries has given Price at least $26,000 (OpenSecrets.org). Price has pushed to allow offshore exploration of U.S. coastal waters. Koch Industries stated that Cong. Price was a participant at one of their private strategy meetings (Barone 14, NY Times, Zernike, 10/19/10).
Despite Cong. Price's conflicts with Boehner, his career has not suffered. He is no back bench "bomb-thrower." GOP leadership "keeps him close." He has been appointed to the powerhouse Budget, Education & the Workforce, and Ways & Means Committees. Ways & Means deals with health care and taxes. Price was part of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) which recruits, finances, and helps House GOPers get elected. In the present 114th Congress, Price chairs the House Budget Committee. GOP economic "wizard" and Price's supporter, Paul Ryan, previously held that position (Barone & CQ 14, nlihc.org, Press Releases budget house.gov).
During the 2011 negotiations over raising the debt ceiling, Price told CNN that a default "represented no large risk because debt holders would be paid." This assertion was labeled "False" by PolitiFact (Barone 14). Price called extending unemployment benefits "a moral hazard." Price is against tax increases, co-sponsored a bill to eliminate the IRS, and wants to replace income taxes with a regressive national sales tax. Contrary to recent economic growth and job statistics, Price believes that you "Can't have the current tax code and expect that the economy is going to boom (CQ & Barone 14)." Price unsuccessfully tried to eliminate all money for the National Labor Relations Board (CQ 14).
Price is socially conservative and unbending on "matters of principle (CQ14)." Price opposes abortion. He has a 100% National Right to Life Center rating, but a zero one from Planned Parenthood and NARAL Pro-Choice America (votesmart.org, the hill.com). Dr. Price was the only member of the Education Committee to vote against expanding the definition of the word "disabled." He argued that "if everyone is disabled, then nobody is actually disabled (CQ14)." Price has invested much of his state and federal legislative career in attacking Democratic health care reform. In the 112th Congress, Price offered a top-to-bottom overhaul of the Affordable Care Act (ACA/Obamacare). His conservative "alternative" would allow people to opt out of government health plans and shop for private insurance with the help of tax credits. His other proposals included limiting medical malpractice suits and legislation to exclude pathologists from Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments. All these "alternatives" are standard GOP drivel. They would gut health care reform and not help purchasers facing giant insurance companies. After Obama's 2012 re-election, Speaker Boehner suggested abandoning efforts to repeal Obamacare. Price opposed that tactic. The GOP has followed Price. House Republicans have repeatedly voted to repeal Obamacare, although they know Obama will veto all these attempts. Price could care less. Price treated patients for 25 years, who "bristled at the notion that the federal government ought to be involved in health care (CQ & Barone 14)."
In 2012, Chief Justice Roberts cast the 5th vote to uphold Obamacare. In 2015, Chief Justice Roberts, will, hopefully, provide the 5th Supreme Court vote in ruling that health care subsidies apply to both federal as well as state-run exchanges. Roberts, who prides himself on polishing the Supreme Court's historical image, should not behave like a rubber stamp for GOPers Price, Boehner, McConnell and Company. Price, of course, can keep getting re-elected easily in the "sunburnt-Red" Ga. 6th. In order to make Price's reactionary views irrelevant, Democrats must come out in droves in 2016. They must then take back the House, recapture the Senate, and keep the Oval Office.
GOP Senate Environment Chairman James Inhofe—King of the Global Warming Hoax Gang December 14, 2014
Repeat, repeat, repeat. Every election counts and turnout trumps all. When Democrats don't vote, we lose. After the 11/04/2014 midterm, GOP House Speaker John Boehner padded his 17-seat margin with probably 13 more seats. Boehner will have the largest margin any GOP Speaker had since 1929 (NY Times, Hulse & Peters, 11/30/2014). GOPers also took back the Senate. They won 9 seats, 3 more than the 6 they needed. In his last two years, President Obama will face two congressional houses hostile to any progressive legislation. In a recent CNN/ORC poll, 50% said GOP control of the House and Senate "will be bad for the country," v. 44% who stated it "will be good." Just 16% saw the 2014 election results as a mandate for GOP policies. This same poll found that 52% believed there would be more gridlock with a GOP Congress, only 9% stating there would be less ("The Hill," Sullivan, 12/01/14). Poll respondents, where were you on 11/04/2014, Election Day? Election Day was the only poll that mattered, and 2/3 of the public were no- shows.
President Obama will, therefore, need to use his veto pen to stop radical GOP ideas. As he did with immigration, he will have to issue many executive orders and regulations that don't require congressional approval, especially in the environmental area. He has already pushed for more EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) regulations to stem global warming. Using the 1970 Clean Air Act signed by Republican Pres. Richard Nixon, Obama recently issued a series of landmark regulations on air pollution designed to limit soot, smog, mercury, and planet-warming carbon dioxide. If these EPA regulations survive litigation, Obama could leave office with the most far-reaching environmental legacy of any White House occupant, despite no single major environmental law passing Congress during his two terms (NY Times, Davenport C., 11/26/14).
GOP reaction? Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), vowed to put forth legislation blocking or delaying Obama's regulations. McConnell won re-election by yelling about Obama's "war on coal." And then, there is incoming Environment and Public Works Chairman James Inhofe (R-OK). Inhofe will head this committee starting in 1/2015. He will replace environmentalist Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) Unlike Boxer, a strong proponent of regulation to combat climate change, Inhofe is the king of global warming deniers. When climate change is involved, he "doesn't give a damn (Schor & Burns, "Politico," 11/10/14)." Meet Senator Inhofe.
GOP Senator James Inhofe (80), re-elected to a 5th term, is Oklahoma's senior Senator. Inhofe (IN-hauff) grew up in Tulsa where his parents were in the insurance industry. At 15, Inhofe worked as a door-to-door insurance salesman. After Army service, Inhofe went into the insurance business and later real estate development. Inhofe became active in GOP politics because he was frustrated with an "over-regulated society." He served in the Oklahoma state legislature for 10 years. In the Oklahoma legislature, Inhofe worked to promote a federal balanced budget constitutional amendment (CQ 14 & Barone 14 Political Almanacs). In 1974, he ran for Gov. and lost to Dem. David Boren. In 1976, Inhofe lost a race for Congress. Inhofe was mayor of Tulsa from 1978-1984. Defeated in 1984, Inhofe won the retiring Democratic Congressman's seat in the Tulsa 1st Cong. District in 1986. In 1994, then conservative Dem. Senator David Boren retired with two years left in his term. Inhofe ran and defeated the Dem. nominee in that anti-Clinton year. In 1996, Inhofe easily won re-election to his own full term, clobbering David Boren's cousin by 17 points. Inhofe has never had any tough Sen. re-election contests. In his 2014 race, he won by 39 points (Barone & CQ 14, Early Guide to 114th Cong., CQ Roll Call).
In the House, Inhofe had a conservative record. In 1987, he voted against Pres. Reagan's budget because it had tax increases but no hikes in defense spending (james +inhofe&hl=en, news.google.com). His Senate record is no surprise. Inhofe is one of the most partisan senators, if not the most partisan. He's a die-hard conservative who is adamantly opposed to most environmental federal regulation, and is willing to indulge in conspiracy theories about his opponents' motives (CQ 14). From 2003-2012, he voted with his hard right party over 96% of the time (CQ14). In the current 113th Congress, Inhofe has a 91% score (Wash. Post, U.S. Congress Votes Database). Inhofe voted to pass the harmful balanced budget amendment and cast a "Nay" for raising the debt ceiling limit. Fortunately, the budget amendment failed and the debt ceiling was raised. Failure to have raised the debt ceiling would have led to a U.S. and international economic tailspin (Barone 14). When Inhofe makes up his mind, he often refuses to listen to opposing viewpoints. In 6/2009, he refused to even meet with Obama Supreme Court nominee, later Justice Sonia Sotomayor, because he had decided to oppose her (Barone 14). Inhofe is a charter member of the "GHP,"G rand H ypocrite P arty. He consistently votes against disaster relief, including for Eastern State Hurricane Sandy victims. However, in tornado-stricken Oklahoma, he is always arguing for federal aid. He called Oklahoma tornado relief and Sandy aid "totally different." He claimed that "Everybody was getting in and exploiting the tragedy (Sandy) that took place. That won't happen in Oklahoma (newyork.newsday.com, washingtonpost.com/blogs)."
Inhofe presently serves as the ranking or senior minority member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. In this post, Inhofe used conspiracy theories to tar opponents (See CQ14). When former GOP Senator Chuck Hagel was nominated for Secretary of Defense, Inhofe, with no proof, called Hagel "cozy" with Iran. Inhofe did not discourage harsher criticisms from other GOPers. Inhofe stated that the White House was engaged in a "cover up" over the 2012 Benghazi, Libya terrorist attack. In 5/2013, Inhofe not-so- subtly hinted "that people may be starting to use the 'I' word (impeachment) before too long (politifact.com, 10/30/14, Carroll & Contorno)." Inhofe told a talk show host that the "Benghazi cover up was the most egregious one in American history." Inhofe stated that Benghazi would "endure and impeachment could come after the 2014 elections, when Republicans hope to retake control of the Senate ("The Hill," Herb, 5/10/13)."Seven investigations, including some done by GOP congressional committees, have found this nonsensical charge baseless. Even before Obama issued his perfectly legal executive order halting deportations for illegal immigrants, Inhofe stated this action would "be breaking the law." Inhofe added that Obama "does break the law, and he does it all the time (Cox, "The Hill," 11/20/14)." IMHO, Inhofe would not hesitate to convict Obama on any impeachment charges the GOP House might conjure up. In 1999, Sen. Inhofe voted to convict Bill Clinton of the two House impeachment charges brought over the Monica Lewinsky affair (CQ Almanac 1999). Inhofe has accused Obama of a "misguided search for a peace dividend that I don't believe exists." Inhofe opposed the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq and is wary of a rapid withdrawal from Afghanistan (CQ 14).
When Congress discusses environmental issues, Inhofe is at his "conspiracy theory/off the wall" best. Inhofe did a previous stint as Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (2003-2007). He will surely replay his "golden wacko environmental oldies," when he retakes that post. Inhofe does not believe that human activities cause climate change, despite the consensus of scientific opinion that Earth's climate is being affected by humans. He has repeatedly and bluntly called global warming a "hoax (Goldenberg, S. 5/05/09, "The Guardian," Oreskes, N., "Science," 12/03/04, Mooney, C., "The Republican War on Science," 2006)." Inhofe often states that human-influenced climate change is a "hoax and impossible because God's still up there and it is outrageous and arrogant for people to believe human beings are able to change what He is doing in the climate (rightwing watch.org, 3/8/12)." Inhofe once called global warming the "second-largest hoax ever played on the American people, after separation of church and state (Newton-Small, J., 1/21/05, Bloomberg News)." Inhofe, obviously, does not understand the Constitution's First Amendment concerning religious freedom. Inhofe once compared the EPA to the "Gestapo," and EPA Clinton head Carol Browner to "Tokyo Rose (Mooney, C., "American Prospect," 4/13/14, Tulsa World, 11/18/97)." In 2003, Inhofe wrote a paper saying "rising temperatures may have a beneficial effect." He compared a UN Panel on Climate Change to a "Soviet-style trial ("Politico", Schor &Burns, 11/10/04)." In 2005, Chairman Inhofe went after opponents of a W-backed bill to gut the Clean Air Act. He asked two groups testifying against it to hand over their financial statements, membership lists, and tax returns (Cox News, 2/18/05). And Sen. Inhofe belongs to a party that brays ceaselessly about IRS harassment.
When environmental reform is at stake, nothing is too crazy for Inhofe. In 2009, Inhofe found a new scapegoat in his environmental wars, "Funny Girl." In 12/2009, reporter David Corn interviewed Inhofe at a UN climate gathering in Copenhagen, where the participants hoped to hammer out an accord to reduce harmful emissions. Corn asked Inhofe if all these thousands of intelligent scientists, experts, and leaders "had been fooled about climate change being serious."
Inhofe : "Yes."
Corn: "Were these people victims of a 'well-orchestrated hoax?'"
Corn: "Who engineered such a scam?"
Inhofe : "Hollywood liberals and extreme environmentalists to advance their radical agenda."
Corn: "Who in Hollywood was doing this?"
Inhofe: "The whole liberal crowd."
Corn: "But who?"
Inhofe: "Barbra Streisand."
Corn: "A singer and actor perpetuating the grandest con of the past 100 years?"
Inhofe, with a straight face: "That's right, and others (Corn, D. "Mother Jones," 12/02/14)."
In his 2012 book Inhofe wrote about his obsession, "The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future. Inhofe then lumped Streisand with DiCaprio, Travolta, Al Gore, MoveOn.org, and "the Hollywood elites." He labeled them global warming "charlatans and hoaxers (Corn)." Such talk is normally heard in NY's Times Square or Los Angeles' Pershing Square, not from a Senate committee chairman. Koch Industries, however, remains pleased with Inhofe's beliefs and attempts to block all pollution and emission standards. From 1989 to 2014, Koch gave Inhofe $101,150. Other big oil companies are Inhofe supporters. Environmental activist Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. called Inhofe "big oil's top call girl (Barone 14, opensecrets.org)."
The liberal opposition group American Bridge and others are planning to monitor every Inhofe utterance on climate change. They will use his chairmanship to attack other GOPers in Campaign 2016. In Campaign 2014, few GOPers spoke like Inhofe. They just said "they weren't scientists," and claimed to keep an "open mind." Pro-environmental voters were not alarmed and did not heavily vote. Inhofe can keep on getting re-elected in "Bloody Red" Oklahoma. However, Democratic no-shows in Campaign 2014 have put him and his reactionary oil and gas allies in charge. In 2016, Democrats must come out in droves to keep the White House, take back the Senate, and recapture the House. The GOP must be told that it has no mandate to gut the environment.
Post- 2014 Mid-Term Election President Obama—He's Relevant November 24, 2014
April 18, 1995. At a press conference, President Bill Clinton was asked whether he worried about "making sure your voice will be heard" over the coverage given to GOP House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Five months earlier, Gingrich had taken the House from the Democrats, which pundits saw as a rebuke to Clinton's policies. Clinton replied, "The president is relevant here. The Constitution gives me relevance. The power of our ideas gives me relevance." Much of the media sneered at Clinton's comments, calling them the "lowest point of his presidency." On the following day, 4/19/95, domestic anti-government terrorists bombed the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Clinton's strong response demolished the relevancy issue and put him on track to an easy 1996 re-election (Fournier, National Journal, 11/15/14).
Fast-forward 18 years. Second-term President Barack Obama had just suffered an 11/04/2014 midterm drubbing. The GOP took over the Senate, gaining 8 seats (and probably 9 after the Louisiana December run off where Mary Landrieu faces stiff odds). In the GOP-controlled House, Tea Party "Team Red," padded their 17 point 2010 margin with about a dozen seats. Republicans won 31 governorships to the Democrats' present 17 (CNN Politics, 11/15/14). Turnout was abysmal. Just 36.3% cast ballots, the second worst midterm in modern times. Only the WWII 1942 midterm had a lower participation rate, 33.9%. Two-thirds of the country did not vote. Democratic turn out throughout the country was awful (NY Times, 11/11/14). In his post-midterm news conference Obama did not whine about being "relevant." He came out swinging, acting as a "can do" President. He felt liberated from many of the defeated Democrats who tried to run away from him. These Democrats failed to trumpet Obama's employment, health care, and other numerous accomplishments. After the election, "weakened" Obama negotiated a climate deal with China to cut greenhouse gas pollution. Obama stated he would soon announce a U.S. contribution of $3 billion to an international fund to help poor countries address climate change. He pushed for more Environmental Protection Agency regulations to stem global warming. He is rightly bypassing the GOP Congress, daring them to attack environmental reform, popular with the public (NY Times, Davenport, 11/12/14, Blow, 11/16/14). Ignoring GOP howls favoring cable companies, Obama came out in support of net neutrality for the first time, a position which his base and most voters back. Obama made it clear he was listening to "all of the people," including the disillusioned 2/3 non-voters. He noted he was twice re-elected by all the people and he has a mandate to carry out his policies. These include raising the federal minimum wage, backed by 70% of Americans. "Red" Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota voters passed state minimum wage increases while electing GOP Senators in 2014 (Huffington Post, Jamieson, 11/05/14). Draconian anti-abortion "personhood" measures, opposed by Obama, went down to defeat. Had pro-"personhood" GOP Colorado Cong. Cory Gardner not conveniently "flipped" on that issue, he would not have beaten Democratic Senator Mark Udall. Obama understands that nothing he does will ever be accepted by an obstructionist GOP. He will finish his last two years continuing to help the majority of the American people, not the top 1% ers (See Daily Kos,Willes, 11/16/14).
And, then, there's immigration. In an 11/20/2014 address to the nation, President Obama offered reprieves from deportation to at least 5 million illegal immigrants. In this executive order, not requiring a congressional vote, Obama invited parents of either U.S. citizens or of long-term permanent residents to apply for a work permit and a three-year protection from deportation. In order to qualify, applicants will have to prove they have been in this country for at least five years, pass background checks, and pay back taxes. Obama will remove the upper age limit of 30 years from his previous executive order, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or "Dreamers," for people who arrived as children. However, those offered a reprieve from deportation will not be offered a path to citizenship or be eligible for health care programs. Obama repeated that this executive order, despite what his critics say, is not "amnesty," but an attempt to address a broken system. He called immigration reform the "morally right thing to do." He quoted Scripture, Exodus 22:20 and 23:9, about not wronging or oppressing strangers for "we were once strangers." Immigration officers will be instructed to emphasize deportation of felons and gang members, not families. Obama told the potentially millions affected by this order that they can "come out of the shadows." Families will not live in fear of being torn apart (CNN Politics, Acosta & Collison, LA Times, Mascaro, Bennett, & Parsons, 11/20/14, Shear, NY Times, 11/20/14). Obama correctly emphasized that the actions he's taking are "not only lawful, they're the kinds of actions taken by every single Republican and Democratic president for the past half century." These included Reagan stopping deportations of Nicaraguans, H.W. Bush halting the deportation of Chinese and Kuwaitis, and W's limiting the deportation of Salvadorans (LA Times, Chemerinsky & Keller, 11/20/14). Obama added, "To those members of Congress who question my authority to make our immigration system work better, or question the wisdom of me acting where Congress has failed, I have one answer: Pass a bill (Shear, NY Times)." Obama noted that a bipartisan group of Senators had previously passed an immigration reform bill that the House has refused to vote upon. The Senate bill establishes a path for citizenship for roughly 11 million people here illegally. In 11/2014 exit polls, nearly 6 out of 10 voters in a largely white, GOP-leaning electorate, supported this legislation (LA Times, Barabak, 11/23/14). On 11/21/2014, Obama told a Las Vegas high school that it has now been 512 days, a year and a half, during which the House has refused to take a "yes" or "no" vote on this bill (NY Times, Shear & Parker, 11/21/14). Executive orders are not permanent, and do not bind future presidents (Mascaro, LA Times). However, should millions take advantage of this order, future presidents might be reluctant to repeal this policy and antagonize Hispanics and other immigrant groups.
GOP reaction? Before and after Obama announced his executive order, Republicans were jumping off the thermonuclear political scale. Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell compared such an executive order to "waving a red flag in front of a bull (LA Times, Mascaro & Memoli, 11/19/14)." (Dog whistle #1 to the GOP's anti-immigrant base— Mexican immigrants' love of bull fights.) GOP Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn spoke of not only a "political firestorm" but "acts of civil disobedience and even violence" to such an executive immigration order (Page, USA Today, 11/20/14). GOP House Speaker John Boehner stated Obama was acting like "a king or an emperor (Shear, NY Times, 11/20/14)." Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), accused Obama of being like a monarch and of having a "temper tantrum." Loud anti-immigrant Iowa Cong. Steve King is up in arms. Retiring Minn. Rep. Michele Bachmann, the Tea Party Caucus founder who intends to stay politically active, stated on 11/19/2014 that Obama's executive order was an attempt to "increase the number of illiterate Democrat voters (Calmes, NY Times, 11/20/14)." (Dog whistle #2—Hispanics are illiterates). Some apoplectic GOPers are thinking of shutting down the government. Others want to block the Senate confirmation of Obama's nominee to head the Justice Department, top African American Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Loretta Lynch. Another group wants to defund agencies, including Homeland Security that will deal with this program. FYI, Republican firebrands, the major portion of this program is dependent on application fees, not congressional appropriations (Mascaro, Bennett, & Parsons, LA Times). Many GOPers, don't seem to know or care about this reality. Other Republicans want to add Obama's executive immigration order to the ridiculous lawsuit Speaker Boehner filed on 11/21/2014 against the President over health care reform (CNN Politics, Walsh & Bash, Chemerinsky & Keller).
Finally, there is more than just a bit of talk about the "I"- word, "impeachment." The Federalist Society, the influential conservative legal group Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia helped develop, found that Obama had wide prosecutorial discretion to defer deportation via an executive order (Huffington Post, Stein, 11/1914). Many GOP Congressmen don't seem to know or care. Cong. Steve King (R-Ia.) has not ruled out impeachment. He is not alone. Cong. Matt Salmon circulated a letter with 50 other signers to withhold funds over this executive order, setting up a possible government shut down. Salmon also agreed with Fox conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer that Obama's planned immigration action would constitute an "impeachable offense (Huffington Post, Bobic, 11/14/14)."
Kudos, Mr. President for standing up to these obstructionist political bullies! They bellyache non-stop about Obama's actions on health care reform, immigration, the budget, and everything else "poisoning the well (See Daily Kos, Clawson, 11/20/14, American Bridge)." What well of bipartisan co-operation? A well that never existed. On 1/18/2009 two days before Obama's first inauguration, GOP stalwarts including Cong. Paul Ryan, Kevin McCarthy, (now House Majority Leader), and Sen. Tom Coburn, among others, met and agreed to solidly oppose everything Obama did. They wanted to make him fail so the GOP could recapture Congress, and, hopefully, the White House. One person they heard egging them on was the fellow who initiated the politics of personal destruction and unyielding opposition to achieve power, former GOP Speaker Newt Gingrich (Draper, "Do Not Ask What What Good We Do"). All the socializing and dinners with Obama mean nothing to this clique. Obama never "poisoned the political well." The GOP alone laced it with huge concentrations of legislative cyanide. In my next blog post, I will discuss Congressman Matt "Impeachment" Salmon. Stay tuned.
Congressman Matt Salmon—The Leader of the GOP's "Impeach Obama" Cavalry Charge November 24, 2014
The GOP makes a horrible governing party, saying "No," to everyone and everything but the top 1%ers. However, it remains one superb marketing outfit. In the GOP's book, marketing trumps all. Republicans examined previous failed campaigns they ran. They decided to change their tactics, while concealing their true views. If GOP candidates go down babbling about abortion and rape (Todd Akin/Richard Murdock), make sure never to discuss these issues in subsequent campaigns. Get women to be candidates who project, "mom, soldier, and farmer" images even if they vote like reactionary Rep. Michele Bachmann. Exhibit A—Iowa Senator-elect Joni Ernst. Exhibit B-- recruit happy face/ non-threatening looking Colorado Cong. Cory Gardner to challenge Dem. freshman Senator Mark Udall. Behind his affable mask, Gardner holds a voting record that is one of the most reactionary in Congress. Have Gardner, a staunch advocate of the radical anti-abortion personhood amendment in Congress and in Colorado, say he has "evolved" and changed his personhood view (LOL!). Gardner becomes one big proponent of handing out birth control pills that a personhood amendment might hurt. When serious-looking Udall repeatedly attacks Gardner for not really changing his personhood stance, get the Denver Post and other outlets to call Udall a "Mark-one-note" who only panders to women and has no agenda. Vulgarly label Udall, with media help, "Mark Uterus." Fewer Colorado women become alarmed. They do not show up at the polls, and Gardner wins. Above all, keep any talk of impeaching Obama out of the public before the 2014 midterms. When former GOP Speaker Newt Gingrich spoke of impeaching Bill Clinton over Monica Lewinsky and Special Prosecutor Ken Starr issued his prurient report prior to the Nov.1998 midterm elections, the GOP lost House seats. After you win the Senate and pad about a dozen seats to your House margin in Campaign 2014, talk of government shut downs can begin. Speaker Boehner, in debt to the Tea Party loonies, then sues Obama over health care. Impeachment threats surface. Many of the zany wing nuts break out of their political attics where the GOP "establishment" had locked them during the 2014 midterms. The wackadoodles, once again, are running the "Red Team" congressional asylum.
As noted in my previous blog post, Republican Congressman Matt Salmon is ready to lead the GOP's "Impeach Obama" cavalry charge. Rep. Salmon, recall, circulated a letter to 50 other signers to withhold funds over an Obama executive immigration order, setting up a possible government shut down. Even before Obama issued his executive order, Salmon agreed with Fox News conservative commentator Charles Krauthammer that Obama's planned immigration action would constitute an "impeachable offense (Hufington Post, Bobic, 11/14/14)." After Obama's 11/20/2014 executive order immigration speech to the nation, Salmon was out of the gate wailing endlessly. Salmon attacked Obama for "disregarding the Constitution and the will of the American people." Salmon called the American public "sick and tired of a President who continues to unilaterally change our laws through executive orders and govern as if he were a monarch." Salmon went on to declare that "in the coming days, I will continue to work with my colleagues in the House to find any and every avenue provided to stop President Obama from continuing to ignore the will of the American people." He added, "I, like the President, made an oath to uphold the Constitution. I have every intention to continue to keep that promise (11/20/14 Salmon Press Release)." Translation: Salmon is upholding the Constitution, not President Obama, and in such a situation, the "I"- word, "impeachment" must be on the table. Who is Congressman Matt Salmon?
Congressman Matt Salmon (56) currently represents Arizona's 5th Congressional District (CD). In 2014, he was re-elected to his fifth term in the House (Early Guide, to 114th Congress, CQ Roll Call). The redistricted Arizona 5th is made up of Phoenix's East Valley suburbs including Mesa, Chandler, and Gilbert. Chandler is nicknamed, "Silicon Desert." Intel is the largest employer in the region and maintains its second-biggest facility in Chandler. Mesa was founded by Mormons in 1878 and is the site of an LDS temple. Mesa has grown from 17,000 people in 1950 to 447,000 in 2011. Close to 70% of Mesa's voters live in the 5th CD, many of them in retirement communities. The Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport is located in Mesa and houses Frontier and Spirit Airlines. Boeing builds Apache helicopters in Mesa. Gilbert's population doubled to 208,543 between 2000 and 2010 and surpassed Tempe's. Gilbert has cancer treatment and research centers, making biomedicine and life science industries major employers. There are some affluent areas in the 5th but the cultural tone is middle class. The Mormon and senior citizens' presence makes this area blood "Red." The 5th 's Cook Partisan Voting Index (PVI) stands at R+17. The 5th is the Grand Canyon's State second most GOP district. In 2012, the 5th gave Romney 64% of its vote (Barone Political 14 and CQ 14 Almanacs).
Salt Lake City, Utah native Matt Salmon settled near Mesa, Ariz., where he graduated high school as student body president. From 1977-1979, he was a Mormon missionary in Taiwan, where he became fluent in Mandarin Chinese. He received a 1981 Bachelor's from Arizona State and a 1986 Masters from Brigham Young University in public administration. In 1990, he won election to the Arizona Senate and became assistant majority leader. He ran for and was first elected to Congress in 1994, as part of the Newt Gingrich wave of "revolutionaries" that captured the House from the Democrats for the first time in 40 years. Salmon signed Gingrich's "Contract with America." One of its provisions was congressional term limits. While many of the 1994 GOP Gingrich class did not follow the term limits pledge, Salmon did. He served three terms in the Arizona 1st CD (1995-2001). He had a strong conservative record. In the 106th Congress (1999-2001), he voted with his right wing party 90% of the time (Wash. Post, U.S. Cong. Votes Database, Barone 14 & CQ 14). In 1999, Salmon advocated carving Reagan's face into Mount Rushmore (BBC News, 3/1/99). Salmon is not afraid to vote for impeachment. In 12/1998, he was one of the GOP Congressmen who voted to impeach Clinton (msnbc, Benen, 9/18/14).
After leaving Congress in 2001, Salmon worked as a lobbyist in telecommunications and as president of COMPTEL, a high tech association. In 2002, he lost the gubernatorial race to Democrat Janet Napolitano, later Homeland Security Secretary. Salmon chaired the Ariz. GOP for several years (Barone & CQ 14). In 2011, Salmon decided to seek his old congressional seat, now the 5th. His view of term limits had "evolved." He believed term limits were a "flawed concept" unless "applied across the board (weeklystandard.com)." Many people encouraged him to run and Salmon's wife "tipped the balance." Salmon wanted to make a "difference in curbing the national debt." He vehemently opposed Obamacare. In the GOP primary, he was endorsed by the anti-tax Club for Growth, Az. Gov. Jan Brewer, former Fla. Gov. Jeb Bush, and anti-immigrant zealot Sheriff Joe Arpaio. After winning the 8/2012 primary, the general election in this "lobster Red" district became a footnote. Salmon won this contest by over 34 points (Barone & CQ 14). In 2012, right wing Koch Industries gave Salmon $5,000. From 2013-2014, Koch bankrolled Salmon with $3,500 (conservativetrasparency.org). In 11/2014, Salmon clobbered his Democratic opponent by 38 points (CQ Roll Call Early New Congress Guide).
Congressman Salmon's "second act" in the House was similar to his first one. In the current 113th Congress, Salmon voted with his party 92% of the time. Salmon voted against the farm bill act, supported by the majority of his fellow GOPers. Unlike most of his Republican colleagues, he was a "Nay" on the budget and spending agreements. They didn't go far enough in cuts to stem the deficit (U.S. Cong. Votes Database). Salmon opposed raising the debt limit and any new spending without matching cuts (salmon.house.gov/media-center, 1/23/13). In a 1/2013 "Face the Nation" appearance, Cong. Salmon praised the 1995 Gingrich-led government shut down. He told host Bob Schieffer that it would be a "good idea," or "about time to" not raise the debt ceiling, unless radical budget cuts were made (See Kos, Mother Mags, 1/08/14)." Get it? Salmon wanted the U.S. government to default, putting the nation and world into a disastrous economic tail spin over his ridiculous economic ideology. Salmon is anti-choice. He opposes the federal funding of abortions and family assistance that includes abortions. He voted to ban abortion after 20 weeks (Cong. Votes Database, Salmon "On the Issues," "Project Vote Smart"). He opposes gay marriage and voted to bar gay couples from adopting children. In 4/2013, Cong. Salmon stated he would continue to oppose same-sex marriage, even though his son is openly gay (Salmon "On the Issues," Huffington Post, Wong, 4/09/13, Washington Post, Weiner, R.). Salmon is a Tea Party supporter. He delivered a weekly address to this group, attacking Obama for "misleading" the American people (tppp.com, Burke, 1/12/14). Salmon wants to radically balance the budget within five years, a plan authored by the conservative Republican Study group of which he is a member. He wants a revamp, read, "gutting" of Social Security and Medicare that includes changes in eligibility ages (CQ14).
At the start of the 113th Congress (2013-2014), Salmon initially did not vote to give Republican John Boehner a second term as House Speaker. He later changed his vote to support Boehner. Salmon stated he initially abstained to "send a message" to House leaders that the Tea Party was gaining influence. Why be surprised? Boehner "got off" easily. During his first congressional stint, Cong. Salmon was among the hard-core conservatives who led an unsuccessful 1997 coup against Gingrich (Huffington Post, 2/27/14, Mulero). Salmon maintained a sustained public criticism of Gingrich, who resigned in early 1999 (CQ 14).
GOP "leadership" in both the House and Senate currently claim that they are not going or moving to impeach Obama, (Huffington Post, Harvard, S., 11/21/14). However, never "misunderestimate" the ability of Congressman Salmon, a veteran legislator, to rile up the Tea Party set non-stop over impeachment. GOP "leaders" know that without the Tea Party base trooping out en masse to vote, they would have not recaptured the Senate and added House seats. They are "big time" indebted to Tea Partiers. Salmon has impeachment sympathizers in the House, including Steve King, newly elected N. Carolina Cong. Mark Walker, and Alabama's Mo Brooks. Brooks floated the idea of "impeachment proceedings and even prison time" for Obama (Harvard, Huffington Post). Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) has a similar claque of Senate hard-liners at the ready. The fanatic GOP Tea Party base will "primary out" any Republican Congressman who even "hints" of making a deal on immigration or is deemed "soft" on Obama. Ask former Majority Leader Eric Cantor, who suffered a 2014 primary defeat in his gerrymandered Va. district. Cantor fatally spoke of his "willingness" to consider immigration legislation. GOP talk about Obama "going beyond the law/ acting like a king," despite his completely legal executive order, gins up Tea Party impeachment fervor and general "do nothing" obstructionism. In 2016, Democrats must come out in droves to keep the Presidency and take back the House and Senate. President Obama delivers on his promises, climate, immigration, and health care. The Democratic base must deliver its support too by voting in EVERY national election, whether presidential or midterm.
What Happens When the Democratic Base Doesn't Vote?— Welcome GOP Gridlock Champ Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, More "Red" Governors, and Extra-Zany GOP Congressmen November 7, 2014
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results," is a quote often attributed to Albert Einstein. You don't have to be a Nobel Laureate to understand the definition of political insanity as practiced by Democratic voters in midterm elections. In 1994, Democrats stayed home whining about Bill Clinton's failure to pass health care reform and to immediately right the economy. The result? Angry GOP voters took back the U.S. House and Senate. House Speaker Gingrich and Senate Majority Leader Dole then shut down the government for failing to repeal Medicare. It took the Democrats 12 years to recapture both congressional chambers and the majority of governorships. In 2008, Democratic voters came out in droves to elect Obama and keep the House and Senate "Blue." In the 2010 midterm, just two years later, the party base, women, young voters, blacks, and Hispanics stayed home. They were upset with all the legislative "sausage making" and GOP bickering involved in passing health care, Wall Street reform, and the economic stimulus package. They blamed Obama for not getting us out at once from a humungous GOP-caused recession. The result? The GOP and its Tea Party extremists took back the House in an electoral tsunami. They made gains in the Senate but failed to recapture that body because of several outright wackadoodle anti-feminists and a candidate into the occult ("I am not a witch," Christine O' Donnell). With the Democratic base coming out in force in 2012, Obama won re-election and the Democrats gained Senate seats, once more because of GOP anti-women cracks about rape and abortion (Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock).
In Campaign 2014, despite a herculean effort by Democrats to increase turnout in states with hot Senatorial races, the Democratic base fell off the political radar. The result? The GOP won at least 7 seats, more than the 6 needed to capture control. Obstructionist gridlock king Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will become Senate Majority Leader. GOPers increased the number of seats they have in the House, giving them the largest "Red" majority since at least 1946 (Hook, Wall Street Journal, 11/06/14). Republicans surprisingly continued to hold a majority of the governorships, even increasing their margin. They won more than 68 state legislative chambers, the largest number since 1920 (Hook, J. Wall Street Journal 11/06/14). In state legislatures, not as gridlocked as Congress, many laws get passed. In those houses, Republicans continue to enact radical budget cuts, voting rights restrictions, and draconian abortion laws. These chambers, with GOP governors, block Medicaid expansion under Obamacare for many people. Let's look at the abysmal results of Campaign 2014 and what Democrats can do.
Again, again, again, I will repeat this till the proverbial "cows come home." The majority of Democratic voters have to understand that EVERY election counts, midterms as well as presidential. National Public Radio's 11/05/2014 "All Things Considered" program discussed the grim turn out statistics. In the 2012 presidential election, 130 million Americans voted. In the 2010 Tea Party-dominated midterm election, 91 million voted, about 42% of all eligible voters. Preliminary numbers suggest that only 83 million Americans voted in Campaign 2014. This total amounts to just 36.6 % of the electorate. Get it? Two-thirds of American voters stayed home. NPR added that if the final tally doesn't raise the turnout to 38.1%, the 2014 midterm would become the record disaster in terms of voter participation. The 38.1% figure is currently the lowest modern midterm turnout and it occurred in 1942, during WWII.
True, Democrats were dealt a bad political Senatorial hand in Campaign 2014. GOPers went into the 2014 midterms favored to make significant gains. The president's party is on the defensive in most midterm contests. "Team Blue" knew it had to defend 21 Senate seats. Six of them were in conservative states Romney carried in 2012. The GOP also went on offense, expanding its playing field in three swing states which Obama carried in 2012. In those states, Iowa, Colorado, and New Hampshire, Obama's ratings had plummeted since his 2012 victories. Democrats faced very challenging races there. In Iowa, Colorado, and New Hampshire, Joni Ernst, Cory Gardner, and Scott Brown put on happy/ non-threatening faces "pretending" to be moderates. They received tons of positive media and key endorsements. Witness the Denver Post's ridiculous endorsement of Cory Gardner. Dem. Bruce Braley ultimately threw away the Iowa race by demeaning farmers before a gathering of trial lawyers. Iowa voters then went for Michele Bachmann clone Joni Ernst.
However, Democratic no shows were the main element in defeating Mark Udall, Bruce Braley, and Kay Hagan in Colorado, Iowa, and North Carolina respectively. Without these losses, McConnell still would not be Majority Leader. (The race in Alaska between Dem. Mark Begich and GOPer Dan Sullivan has yet to be called, and Dem. Mary Landrieu faces a December run off in Louisiana). The base voters in the modern Democratic coalition consists of what columnist Ronald Brownstein calls the "coalition of the ascendant," the young, single women, African Americans, and Latinos. Despite strong Get Out the Vote Democratic efforts, the 2014 "coalition of the ascendant," morphed into the "coalition of the descending or the disappearing." After the 11/04/2014 vote, the Democratic base posted numbers very similar to 2010, the year of the Democratic "shellacking." Democrats, in 2010, lost a combined 69 House and Senate seats. Virginia 2014 "Blue" turn out was so poor that Dem. Mark Warner, considered a re-election shoo-in, nearly lost his seat (LA Times, Reston, 11/06/14).
The 18-29 year olds—This group was only 13% of the 2014 electorate, comparable to its 12% 2010 total. In 2012, when Obama won re-election, the 18-29 year olds were nearly 20% of the electorate. The 18-29 voters showed up at even lower rates in key 2014 Senate contests (North Carolina, 12%, Georgia, 10%, Arkansas, 12%, and Louisiana, 12%). Democrats can not win Senate, House, or gubernatorial races with such numbers and they didn't (NBC News, Ververs, 11/05/14).
Single women— This group was just over 20% of the electorate in 2014 and went Democratic by 32 points. In 2012, this group was close to 25% and went for Obama over Romney by 36 points. Democrats can not win the Senate, House, and governorships with such decreasing numbers and they didn't (Ververs, NBC).
African Americans—In 2014, they made up 12% of the national electorate, similar to their 11% showing in 2010. In 2012, when Obama won, blacks were 13%. In southern states like Ga. and N. Carolina, Democrats need high black turnout to offset many racially polarized whites. In N. Carolina, where Kay Hagan lost a 1.7% race to GOPer Thom Tillis, black voters made up 21% of the electorate. In 2012, the figure was 23% (NBC). Democrats can not win with such decreasing numbers and they didn't ("Politico," Ververs NBC).
Latinos—Latinos only made up 8% of the 2014 electorate v. 10% in 2012. They chose Obama over Romney by 44%. This time, they picked Democrats by only 28%, almost halving the margin. These results probably hurt Coloradan Mark Udall who lost by 2.9 points ("Politico"). Democrats can not win with such decreasing numbers and they didn't (Ververs, NBC).
While the young don't vote during midterm elections, the senior citizens GOP- leaning crowd does. In Campaign 2014, 37% of the voters were over age 60, but only 12% under 30. This 25 point difference is larger than the 16-20 point age gap seen in the last three midterms (NBC News). Democrats can not win with such a huge old-young gap and they didn't.
Yes, the Democrats won a majority of women voters in the Senate battlegrounds of Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, and N. Carolina. However, it was not enough, because male voters overwhelmingly supported the GOP. According to a Pew Poll, women in general favored Democrats by just 4%, while men went GOP by 16%, similar to 2010. Democrats held on to union households and gays similar to 2010. Democrats won Asians, city dwellers, and Jewish voters. However, again, too few "Blues" showed up. Too many Democrats stay home because of apathy or because their candidate did not vote a pure 100% for their particular issues. The GOP base of white males, evangelical Protestants, Southerners, older residents, and rural dwellers held their noses over Ga. corporate outsourcer David Perdue but voted for him in droves. They were not happy with out -of -touch Kansas GOP Senator Pat Roberts but dutifully flocked to the polls for him. They realize, unlike Democrats, that politics is a pragmatic business. The Democratic or Republican winner backs their party's agenda 90+% of the time. Democrats, unlike GOPers, erroneously think that they have to "fall in love" with a candidate. Too many Democrats blame Obama for not righting the economy at once. They forgot or didn't know that conditions are greatly improving, (a 5.9% pre-election unemployment rate, now 5.8%). Voters did not understand that the failure to pass more jobs legislation was caused by GOP obstructionism led by incoming Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Democrats and their candidates stand for health care reform, women's rights, minimum wage increases, and environmental protection. Republicans, no matter how nicely presented, believe in laissez-faire dog-eat dog economics for the top 1%ers. Again, too many people fail to remember these basic facts.
Democrats, so far, have won one contested race. We will not have Mass. carpetbagger Scott Brown back in the Senate representing New Hampshire. New Hampshire residents defeated Wall Street's champion and re-elected Dem. Jeanne Shaheen. And GOPers failed to defeat Oregon's Jeff Merkley with wacky Monica Wehby. Minn.'s Al Franken easily won and so did Michigan's Gary Peters against Koch-backed Terri Lynn Land. The GOP coached their candidates not to talk about rape or abortion. They made them look wholesome and non-threatening. When they flipped flopped on abortion, like Cory Gardner, too many voters and too many members of the media gave them a free pass. In 2016, Democrats must get stronger candidates and call out GOP hypocrites better. In 2016, Republicans will have to defend many seats they won in 2010. Hillary, hopefully, will then be running for President.
Sure, the Democrats had a tough field to defend in the Senate in 2014. However, most analysts believed the GOP would lose a majority of governorships. They were defending 22 seats and many of them were in areas that Obama carried twice. It didn't work out that way. Poor "Blue" turnout destroyed Democratic hopes of defeating Wisconsin's Scott Walker. Fla. Democrat Charlie Crist surprisingly lost to right wing Rick Scott by 1.1% of the vote. Latino voters only made up 13% of the electorate, compared to 17% of the state when Obama took Fla. in 2012 (NBC Ververs, "Politico"). In racially polarized Ga., unpopular Governor Nathan Deal defeated Jason Carter, former Pres. Carter's grandson, with a poor showing of young Democratic voters. Poor turn out in Michigan allowed GOP Rick Snyder to win. And in Kansas where GOP Gov. Sam Brownback's extreme budget cuts made him a risky bet to win a second term, GOPers still came out strongly to re-elect him by nearly 4 points ("Politico"). In Maine, Independent Eliot "Ralph Nader" Cutler took 8.4% of the vote allowing buffoonish Tea Partier Paul LePage to defeat Dem. Mike Michaud by nearly 5 points ("Politico"). Democrats lost the governorship in Illinois where millionaire outsourcer Bruce Rauner beat Pat Quinn. Inept Martha Coakley, who gave us Scott Brown, lost another Mass. election, this time for the governorship to GOPer Charlie Baker ("Politico"). Another GOP pickup was in "Blue" Maryland, where Dem. Anthony Brown lost to GOPer Larry Hogan (CNN, 11/05/14). Brown was a poor candidate, but turnout did not help the "Blue Team." On the plus side, Calif.'s Jerry Brown coasted to victory. Colorado's Dem. Gov. John Hickenlooper, unlike Sen. Mark Udall, won his race and so did Conn. Dem. Gov. Dan Malloy ("Politico," CNN). The brightest spot was Pennsylvania where Democrat Tom Wolf defeated Tom Corbett by nearly 20 points ("Politico"). The GOP now has gone from 29 to 31 governorships (Wall Street Journal, Hook, 11/06/14). Again, it's the "T" word, "Turnout," stupid.
Few people expected the Democrats to retake the House because after 2010, the GOP governors and state legislatures creatively gerrymandered congressional districts to make them safe for the GOP majority. Democrats, in 2014, were, however, hoping to cut into the GOP margin of 17 seats. Again, it didn't work that way. Poor Democratic turnouts destroyed not only Senate and governors' races, but were disastrous in the House. Although several races have not been decided, the GOP has added at least about 9 seats and will probably end up with mid-double digit gains (Wash. Post, "The Fix," A. Blake, 11/05/14). Poor Illinois turnout caused the loss of 2 Democratic seats, Brad Schneider and Bill Eynart. A Republican took Bruce Braley's Iowa congressional seat. In New Hampshire, Carol Shea Porter lost a rematch to Frank Guinta. In low turnout Fla., Dem. Joe Garcia lost his race. He had replaced the corrupt GOPer David Rivera. However, in one bright spot, Dem. Gwen Graham, the daughter of former Senator Bob Graham, defeated zany undertaker Steve Southerland in the Tallahassee area. Southerland forgot the GOP "playbook" about not making fun of women. He spoke about women "liking lingerie showers (Kos, Clawson, 11/05/14)." One of the Democrats' brightest stars, Andrew Romanoff was clobbered by Mike Coffman in the Aurora, Col. 6th District. Romanoff made the mistake of not running in 2012 against Coffman, who barely won then against an unknown Democrat. Romanoff chose, instead, to challenge Coffman, a former anti-immigration fellow who dabbled in anti-Obama "birther" talk in poor turnout 2014. Coffman "flipped" on immigration and started learning Spanish to calm his new Hispanic constituents (Denver Post, 11/04/14). In the Md. 6th, which includes Democratic Washington suburbs, John Delaney had a close race because of poor turnout. And Staten Island voters re-elected indicted Cong. Mike Grimm in the NY 11th . Grimm had threatened to throw a reporter off the Capitol Hill balcony. And many of the newly elected Republican Congressmen will give Tex. wacko Rep. Louie Gohmert a run for the "House Loony King" crown. These include Wisconsin's Glenn Grothmann who brags about stopping the "gay agenda in our nation's classrooms." Ga. Cong. Jody Hice is anti-gay and believes women should only enter politics "with the authority of her husband." Unfortunately, Mark Walker, won his race in the N. Carolina 6th . In this fairly swing district, he said he'd vote to "impeach Obama." He also proposed to "laser or blitz" Mexico over immigrants crossing our borders (Kos, Hunter, 11/05/14). You get the idea.
Democrats must understand that the public agrees with them on almost everything including raising the minimum wage, making the super rich pay more taxes, and letting many illegal immigrants stay in the U.S. The public supports legalizing same sex marriage, keeping health care reform, and stemming global warming. The lame duck Senate must push through as many as possible of the hundreds of judicial and other Obama appointees waiting approval. Obama must soon issue deportation relief to millions of undocumented immigrants by executive order, and let the GOP howl. Too many Hispanics and some progressives may not have voted because Obama did not act on this before the midterms (See CNN, Jones, 11/07/14). Obama must not try to compromise with any GOP draconian budget proposals or attempts to gut health care. He must act strongly in the face of the GOP congressional majorities. Too many Democrats felt he was less than a strong leader in the run up to the midterms.
Democrats must work night and day to explain to their base that EVERY election counts. Democrats must constantly speak to school groups, their own volunteers, and other associations about why voting in every election is key. This issue must be repeatedly talked about way before any campaigns start. Contacting lists of voters just before election time will not do the job. Democrats must also hone their economic and social messages into clear sound bites. GOP voter intensity must not trump voter propensity in any national election. We only look like a center-right nation because the majority of our base does not show up. S. Carolina GOP Senator Lindsey Graham knows this. In his words, "When a diverse electorate shows up, Republicans struggle to win (NY Times, Martin, 11/05/14)." Or again, as Bill Clinton said it, "When Democrats vote, we win." Just vote in every election.
On a personal note, today is the tenth anniversary of my starting this blog. I began this blog after W edged out Kerry in the 2004 election with the hope of encouraging Democrats to take back the Presidency and Congress. Since then, I have written over 520 blog posts about national political issues. I have analyzed various races, candidates, and legislators. I hope to continue discussing these matters. I will keep emphasizing that all elections count and that turn out is everything.