Tester’s All Over Montana. Rehberg? Nowhere to Be Found

United States Senate Seal (Photo credit: DonkeyHotey)

From Politico:

Sen. Jon Tester and Rep. Denny Rehberg are locked in possibly the closest Senate race in the country, but their final weekend of campaigning suggests it’s anything but.

Tester is on an 800-mile sprint across this majestic state, energizing his base and trying to persuade Mitt Romney backers to split their ticket and give the Democratic incumbent another six years in the Senate.

Rehberg, meanwhile, is nowhere to be seen on the campaign trail. He’s employing the classic, play-it-safe strategy of a frontrunner running down the clock — even though polls indicate the race is a true tossup.

But the thing that made my skin crawl:

Rehberg declined a request for an interview.

Typical.

Rehberg’s Anti-LGBT Record (dgsmith.org)
Crystal ball: Senate race projections (politico.com)
‘Outside money’ in Tester-Rehberg U.S. Senate race approaches $30 million (missoulian.com)
Road to Senate majority runs through Montana (cbsnews.com)
Tester, Rehberg strategies diverge (politico.com)

Gay Rapper Criticizes Romney in New Pre-Election Music Video

Nov1 by D Gregory Smith

Having made national news earlier this year as one of the country’s first rappers to come out of the closet, Indiana based DeMarquis Oden (stage name: Ripparachie) is once again making waves for the LGBT community following the release of his latest music video. However, this time around, his target is Mitt Romney.

The artist’s latest music video heavily criticizes the Presidential candidate for his lack of regard for human life, particularly within the arena of same-sex issues. It’s the first time a Hip Hop artist has attempted such a campaign, and the results have been astonishing.

Since its release on the 27^th of October the video has amassed over seventy five thousand views, with praise and support flooding in from across the planet.

“Put simply, Romney will ruin the lives of gay people if elected. Our community is very upset that he does not support us and our constitutional right to pursue happiness via same-sex marriage. The world needs to hear our concerns before it is too late – and I am committed to standing up on behalf of every American,” he says.

In fact, as Ripparachie explains, his entire career bucks the trend of traditional rap themes, instead placing focus on positive issues that aim to improve lives and make people happier.

“These days most rappers only rap about sex, drugs and wealth. I prefer to focus on people and on life, with an ultimate goal of putting an end to bullying and discrimination. I was afraid to be my true self for many years – and I don’t want other people to live with the same fear,” he adds.

The lyrics from Ripparachie’s music video say it all, with lines including “I heard you jumped a gay back in the day” and “You hate on the homos want to turn us around, Obama for president not (be)cause he brown”.

The song also takes a dig at Nicki Minaj due to a line she included on a recent mixtape by Lil Wayne.

“I want to prove that the entire LGBT community can speak its mind whenever and however it wants to. Lots of people have a vision to change both the mindsets in the country and the laws. However, with most lacking a platform to shout from, I am standing up for them on their behalf,” Oden concludes.

More information about Ripparachie can be found on his official website: http://www.ripparachie.com/

Nicki Minaj is Endorsing Mitt Romney? [AUDIO] (kysdc.com)
Nicki Minaj Slyly Exploits Mitt Romney on Lil Wayne’s ‘Mercy’ (spin.com)

Political Science Says “A Romney Presidency Would Be Doomed”

Oct25 by D Gregory Smith

Jack Balkin, writing for The Atlantic, applies theories of political science regarding a Romney presidency. Excerpt:

U.S. Presidential flag, 1960-present (not usually called a “standard” in official U.S. government terminology). It is defined in Executive Order 10860. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The predicament of a Romney presidency is that he may make George W. Bush look good by comparison. During most of Bush’s eight years in office, the Republican Party was united and willing to follow his lead. Romney will not be so lucky. The party he heads has become so rigid, radical, and unrealistic that, despite his best efforts, he may end up as the last of the Reagan-era Republican leaders — a disjunctive president like John Quincy Adams, James Buchanan, Herbert Hoover, or Jimmy Carter.

Republican partisans have often compared Barack Obama to Jimmy Carter, but Obama’s situation is quite different from Carter’s. Like Bill Clinton, Barack Obama is a Democrat swimming against the current of Reagan-era Republican politics. Carter, by contrast, took office as the defender of an exhausted New Deal Democratic regime; he offered himself as a problem-solving pragmatist who would get the country moving again. He tried to fix the New Deal coalition but found it beyond repair.

The next Jimmy Carter will be a Republican president — a Republican who, due to circumstances beyond his control, unwittingly presides over the dissolution of the Reagan coalition. If Obama is reelected, we might decide in hindsight that George W. Bush best fits that description. But if Obama loses, the president who finally unravels Reaganism could turn out to be Mitt Romney.

Very interesting. The theories of “Reconstructionist”, “Disjunctive” and “Affilliated” presidencies is a fascinating one- filled with historical precedent. And he’s planning to use the same theories to evaluate the possible Obama second term- I’m looking forward to it.

Read the article here.

Why the GOP Should Fear a Romney Presidency (theatlantic.com)
Political Science Says: A Romney Presidency Would Be Doomed (theatlantic.com)
Romney’s Carter delusion (salon.com)
Mitt has best Gallup numbers since 1968 (wnd.com)

Log Cabin Republicans “Sell Out”- Endorse Romney

Oct23 by D Gregory Smith

Today, the Log Cabin Republicans endorsed Mitt Romney for president. National Stonewall Democrats Executive Director Jerame Davis had the following reaction:

“The Log Cabin Republicans have proven once and for all that they are not an organization aligned with the LGBT movement. They are a Republican front group bumbling their way into fooling LGBT voters that it’s OK to support a party that would legislate us back into the closet.

“Their endorsement of Mitt Romney isn’t just shameful – it’s insulting. Mitt Romney stands for nothing positive for LGBT people. He supports a federal marriage amendment (which was a reason for Log Cabin to refuse to endorse George W. Bush in 2004). He supports McCarthy-like investigations into our community for evidence of ‘harassment of Christians’. He opposes the repeal of DOMA. He opposes ENDA. He’s even said things as basic as the right to visit your sick or dying loved one in the hospital is a ‘privilege’ and not a right.

“On top of all of that, Mitt Romney is a liar. He has told so many untruths and changed his positions so many times throughout this campaign, how can Log Cabin – or anyone – trust a word he would say? A person with no moral compass goes whichever way the political winds blow. With Mitt Romney in charge of the ship of state, we would be a rudderless nation with nothing but luck to keep us from crashing into the rocky shore – and Log Cabin Republicans believes this is the best their party and our country can muster.

“It’s a disgrace. A once venerated and decent organization has become a shell of itself blithely pandering to the least common denominator. This is politics at its worst – when a community sells out its own people for the gain of a few individuals. There is little doubt that Clarke Coooper’s position on the RNC finance committee played a major role in this decision. Of course, so did their blinding fear of GOProud nipping at their heels.

“So there you have it – the Log Cabin Republicans, who screamed loudly and forcefully for months that liberal groups and LGBT movement posturing weren’t going to affect their endorsements have instead allowed the interests of money sucking GOP insiders and the fear of a conservative performance troupe to decide their endorsement for them.

“It’s reprehensible. Have they no decency?”

My take is this: For today’s Log Cabin Republicans, human rights take a back seat to economic ~~rights~~ might. They are willing to endorse candidates and policies that cause people like themselves greater suffering and indignity in favor of currying political clout with a party that loathes them.

It’s a real-world example of Stockholm Syndrome- where the captive becomes sympathetic to their captor, never realizing they have no freedom until they leave.

Serious Bad Taste From Log Cabin Republicans in Florida (therainbowpost.com)
‘Mitt Gets Worse’ group petitions Log Cabin Republicans not to endorse Romney-Ryan ticket (miamiherald.typepad.com)
FYI, The Log Cabin Republicans Have Yet To Endorse Romney (towleroad.com)

SaltLake Tribune Endorses Obama

Oct19 by D Gregory Smith

…and in one of the most comprehensively reasoned endorsements I’ve seen in a long time. Money quote:

“In considering which candidate to endorse, The Salt Lake Tribune editorial board had hoped that Romney would exhibit the same talents for organization, pragmatic problem solving and inspired leadership that he displayed here more than a decade ago. Instead, we have watched him morph into a friend of the far right, then tack toward the center with breathtaking aplomb. Through a pair of presidential debates, Romney’s domestic agenda remains bereft of detail and worthy of mistrust.

Therefore, our endorsement must go to the incumbent, a competent leader who, against tough odds, has guided the country through catastrophe and set a course that, while rocky, is pointing toward a brighter day. The president has earned a second term. Romney, in whatever guise, does not deserve a first.”

Read it all here.

It’s good.

Salt Lake Tribune throws support behind Obama (politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com)
In a Devastating Turn for Romney, Swing State and Home State Papers Endorse Obama (politicususa.com)
Obama racks up newspaper endorsements (thehill.com)

Voting On Deficit? It’s Lower Now than 3 Years Ago- By $1.089 Trillion

Oct16 by D Gregory Smith

From Maddow Blog:

Late Friday afternoon, the Treasury Department published the official report on the U.S. budget deficit for the most recent fiscal year: $1.089 trillion. While that’s obviously still a very large budget shortfall, the deficit is $200 billion smaller than it was last year, and is nearly $300 billion smaller than when President Obama took office.

To add a little historical context to this, over the last four decades, only two presidents have reduced the deficit this much, this quickly: Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

Steve Benen explains:

As the job market improves and unemployment falls, one of the central attacks from Romney/Ryan against President Obama has to do with the deficit. The attack overlooks Paul Ryan’s role in creating the massive deficit, the inconvenient fact that Romney hasn’t presented a deficit-reduction plan, and the problem that the Romney/Ryan agenda would appear to make the deficit significantly worse, but that’s their story and they’re sticking to it.

It’s worth noting, then, that as of today, the U.S. federal budget deficit has shrunk — a lot.

I put together this new chart reflecting the deficit over the course of the last four years. It starts with the figures released in 2009, when the deficit reached a record high of $1.4 trillion. Why is the column in red? Because, thanks to fiscal years, Obama inherited a deficit of nearly $1.3 trillion from Bush/Cheney the moment he took the oath of office.

This year, however, according to the official data published by the Treasury Department, the deficit was $1.089 trillion.

More here

U.S. budget deficit shrinks by over $200 billion, reaches 4-year low (maddowblog.msnbc.com)
Federal deficit cut, but tops $1 trillion for 4th year (bottomline.nbcnews.com)
The wrong issue for the wrong candidate (maddowblog.msnbc.com)

Where DO Non-taxpayers Live?

Sep18 by D Gregory Smith

Mostly in red states. The Atlantic:

Click for story

Change 2.0

Sep7 by D Gregory Smith

Official photographic portrait of US President Barack Obama (born 4 August 1961; assumed office 20 January 2009) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I watched the President’s speech last night- and tweeted, along with thousands of others. Mostly about my philosophical agreement- and about the facts that seem so distorted by the other side.

I’m buying in to the man and his vision. Because it most agrees with my vision of social justice, economic fairness and the need to lay a firm foundation for continued growth in education, science and technology. Yeah, I’m still buying in to the hope, but I think that’s what the American Dream, the American Vision calls for. Plus, it goes along with every bit of my Christian faith perspective.

From today’s NYT:

Mr. Obama explicitly shifted from his 2008 appeal of hope and change to talk of tough choices and tough paths. “You didn’t elect me to tell you what you wanted to hear,” he said. “You elected me to tell you the truth. And the truth is, it will take more than a few years for us to solve challenges that have built up over decades.”

Mr. Obama went into this convention with an actual record at governing — not just the Republican posture of saying “No” to everything. He has far better ideas about how to create jobs, make Americans’ tax burdens more equitable and improve ordinary Americans’ economic prospects than the tired, failed trickle-down fantasies served up by Mitt Romney and the Republican Party.

He ended the war in Iraq, tried to rescue the Afghan war that Mr. Bush bungled, stepped up the offensive on terrorists far beyond Mr. Bush’s vision and rallied the world to ratchet up pressure on Iran.

He blunted the extreme message of the Tea Party by offering an alternative vision of government’s obligation to help the neediest, provide everyone with the basic structures of society and the economy and end unconscionable discrimination against gay and lesbian Americans. He has protected women’s constitutional rights and liberties, despite his own misgivings about abortion. He ordered the killing of Osama bin Laden — an act that was mentioned repeatedly on the last night of the convention.

Not that the killing of bin Laden would have been sanctioned by Jesus, but the protection of the people by the elected government is nothing to pooh-pooh.

The Republicans Missed A Chance For Inclusivity- On Purpose

Sep2 by D Gregory Smith

Frank Bruni in today’s New York Times articulates beautifully the guilt and shame purveyed by the Republican party:

America (Photo credit: acb)

WHAT the Republicans painstakingly constructed here was meant to look like the biggest of tents. And still they couldn’t spare so much as a sleeping bag’s worth of space for the likes of me.

Women were welcomed. During the prime evening television hours, the convention stage was festooned with them, and when they weren’t at the microphone, they were front and center in men’s remarks. Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney both gushed about their moms in tributes as tactical as they were teary.

Latinos were plentiful and flexed their Spanish — “En América, todo es posible,” said Susana Martinez, the New Mexico governor — despite an “English First” plank in the party’s regressive platform.

And while one preconvention poll suggested that roughly zero percent of African-Americans support Romney, Republicans found several prominent black leaders to testify for him. Condoleezza Rice, the former secretary of state, delivered what will surely be remembered as the convention’s most stirring and substantive remarks, purged of catcalls and devoid of slickly rendered fibs.

But you certainly didn’t see anyone openly gay on the stage in Tampa. More to the point, you didn’t hear mention of gays and lesbians. Scratch that: Mike Huckabee, who has completed a ratings-minded transformation from genial pol to dyspeptic pundit, made a derisive reference to President Obama’s support for same-sex marriage. We were thus allowed a fleeting moment inside the tent, only to be flogged and sent back out into the cold.

Read the whole article here.