Republican Punk Is Back!

After a refreshing vacation and break from the real world, the blog has returned!

Unfortunately, things didn't stop while we were offline, so here's a quick recap:

The Holder justice department decided looking back instead of forward was a good idea after all, and is investigating a small group of CIA interregators. To quote Peter King: "It's Bulls***! Makes you wonder whos side they're on."

Scott Kazmir was traded to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for a pair of high potential, low minors prospects and a player to be named later. Kazmir was having a very bad season and is signed for over $30 million over the next two years (more if his 2012 option was picked up), so while first instinct is advantage Angels, it could turn out to be a win for both teams (if the prospects work out quickly and Kazmir rebounds) or possibly even another coup for the Rays, such as when they got Kazmir and another prospect for Victor Zambrano.

Jim Doyle announced he wasn't running for re-election as Governor of Vermont, likely costing the Republican party a critical seat in a dark blue state.

Matt Skiba has plans to record a solo album. Here's to hoping that the Alkaline Trio frontman can make something as good as his short-lived post-punk side project, Heavens.

And of course: Ted Kennedy, 1932-2009. It's the end of an era.

Rand Paul Launches Campaign for Kentucky Senate Seat...In New York?

Not only is Rand Paul, the son of Texas Rep., 1988 Libertarian Party presidential nominee, and 2008 loonster Ron Paul, launching his campaign hundreds of miles away from the place where he's running to represent, but his spokesman has this unfortunate quote:

"If he makes it to the Senate and votes in D.C., he'll vote for people in New York and in California. His vote matters that much."

...Ugh...Not a good start, especially when already the underdog to a State-level official, like Secretary of State Trey Grayson.

Source: Ben Smith

Another Reason Chris Christie Is The Kind Of Candidate Republicans Need

Christie leads Corzine among union households by 18 points, 48 to 30 percent. Talk about losing the Democratic base ...

New Jersey will not only be a good sign for how 2010 will go for Republicans, but it hopefully will help inspire the RGA, RCCC, and RSCC on how to pick candidates for their locations. It is important to note that Christie does this without giving up his fiscally conservative views.

Source: The Scorecard

Where Racial Politics and Chicago Politics Collide

There is so much wrong with this story:

With Democratic Rep. Danny Davis signaling he’s ready to step down from the House after seven terms to run for president of the Cook County Board next year, there’s a real possibility that a non-African-American candidate could win the seat.

“I think there is always that concern,” said Richard Boykin, a former Davis chief of staff who is mentioned as a possible contender. “It’s a fear that a lot of people have.”

“There’s great concern,” said Tommie Simmons, a black community activist in Chicago.

“If you get 10 African-American people running for Congress and one white person, the white person can win,” said Boykin.

“Just imagine eight African-Americans running and one white person running — that could happen,” added Simmons.

State Sen. Don Harmon, who is white, was widely mentioned as a potential successor to Davis but took his name out of the mix because he believed it was not his place to run.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate to diminish the African-American voice in this district,” said Harmon. “It was an immediate reaction for me. I’ve worked hard to build a multiracial coalition, and I’m not about to throw that away.”

Now some black Democrats say they are prepared to wage a concerted effort to make sure the district continues to be represented by an African-American.

“Everyone wants to jockey for higher position. But we have to sit down and seriously discuss whether we want to keep this seat or whether we want to lose this seat,” said Simmons.

Wow. Yeah, we've come a real long way.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0809/25799.html#ixzz0NKdYyxa5

Lou Holtz Considering A Run For Congress

Longtime Irish football coach and ESPN analyst Lou Holtz is seriously considering a Congressional campaign against Rep. Suzanne Kosmas (D-Fla.), first reported by the Orlando Sentinel and confirmed to POLITICO by a senior Republican operative.

Run, head ball coach, run!

Source: http://www.politico.com/blogs/scorecard/0809/Lou_Holtz_considers_running_for_Congress.html

Americans Still Not Willing To Make Choices

Since the stimulus package, Americans have seemed to understand that it is better to ride out a recession than to pour out what little is left in the federal purse. Unfortunately, they continue to refuse to accept, to fix the hole Presidents Bubama (as in, Bush & Obama) have torn in the budget, that they will have to take some combination of spending cuts and tax raises.

A new CBS News/New York Times poll shows 53%-31% refusing to take cuts in services (that number increases to 42% if you let them only cut "a few things"), with 56%-41% opposing tax hikes.

The good news, politically, is that people are (slightly) less willing to accept an increase in taxes than they are to letting go of some domestic/economic aid. That will help Republicans in 2010, and especially 2012, when the President is forced to make some tough choices.

Unfortunately, this crisis is not about politics. It is about an American government that is threatening to lose all sense of fiscal reality and fall into a debt trap that would ensnare every citizen, and probably the entire world. The next Republican leader will hopefully be the one who can combine conservative austerity measures with the Roosevelt-Kennedy skill at rallying the country behind a necessary cause. And he is probably going to have to raise taxes too. It is impossible to know who that is (David Petraeus, if he chose to enter politics, comes to mind), but for the sake of everyone, pray they're out there.

Isaac Hayes For Congress

http://www.isaachayesforcongress.com/

It's for real...unfortunately, this is a different Isaac Hayes and not the reincarnation of the soul legend (and South Park Chef who left because of his belief in Scientology). If only...Isaac Hayes vs. Jesse Jackson Jr. does sound awesome though.

Hat Tip: Ben Smith

NPR Poll Shows Republicans Winning In General 2010 Midterms!

By 1%, meaning statistically the two parties are running even, but still big news!


"I know it is a long way off, but thinking about the elections in 2010, if the election for U.S. Congress were held today, would you be voting for the Democratic candidate or the Republican candidate in your district where you live?"

Democrat Republican Other (vol.) Unsure Refused
7/22-26/09

42 43 3 10 2

Source: http://www.pollingreport.com/2010.htm

Strange Bedfellows: Republicans Are Joined By Greens In Opposing Maine Tax Reform

If the endorsement of the Wall Street Journal editorial board and The Economist magazine weren't enough to let the Maine Republican Party know they were wrong in opposing the Democrats' tax reform, this should be the final sign needed. The GREEN PARTY...yes, the party of Ralph Nader, Jello Biafra, and Pat LaMarche...is joining the Republicans in opposing the reform by calling it a "flat tax."

A quick recap of the reform: it would simplify the current four-tiered progressive income tax code that ranges up to 8.5% for the top bracket by cutting it to 6.5% for families earning under $250,000 and 6.85% for everything above that. To make up for the lost revenue, it expands the sales tax to cover previously exempt favored industries such as amusements, repairs, tourism, etc. and raises the tax by 1% on lodging and meals. So basically, it makes the tax code simpler, flatter, and broader. In essence, more fair and a step in the direction Republicans supposedly want.

Lower and flatter income taxes are always a good thing because it creates incentive for workers to keep working. Broader taxes mean that the state will avoid the trap seen in California, New York, and some European countries, whereby all the taxes come from a small percentage of the population and once a recession hits, revenue plummets.

Republican opposition to this package is based solely on politics. They smell blood, thinking that the Democratic control from top to bottom within the government during a recession will allow them to retake the Blaine House for the first time in 16 years and the legislature for the first time in 30+ by whipping up populist rage. And it is this kind of petty, anti-ideological politics that explains why they haven't.

Read More: http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/6664630.html

Sen. Barbara Boxer 45 - Fmr. HP CEO Carly Fiorina 41

The title says it all. Maybe I'll be coming out to work for you instead of Meg Whitman next year, Carly. You're my girl!

Source: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_2010/election_2010_senate_elections/california/election_2010_california_senate

Carolyn Maloney's Senate Campaign May Be Over Before It Started

Sometimes political correctness goes too far, but there are some things you just can't say. See here:

“It’s the NRA, it’s immigration, it’s all these other things. In fact, I got a call from someone from Puerto Rico, said [Gillibrand] went to Puerto Rico and came out for English-only [education]. And he said, ‘It was like saying n—r to a Puerto Rican,’” she said, using the full racial slur. “I don’t know—I don’t know if that’s true or not. I just called. I’m just throwing that out. All of her—well, what does she stand for?”

Hat Tip: The Politico

Chris Dodd's Lobbyist Hypocrisy

Sen. Chris Dodd’s recent anti-lobbyist comments have drawn a big laugh at the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

“It is worth noting that over the years you have accepted nearly $1 million in campaign contributions from lobbyists and millions more from PACs,” NRSC Executive Director Rob Jesmer wrote to Dodd. “In fact, during the second quarter of this year alone, almost 40 percent of your total contributions came from PACs.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0709/25132.html#ixzz0LpIFeAd5

Issue Numbers Good for Republicans to Keep Hammering Debt Message

Now that Congressional Republicans have rediscovered their fiscal souls and oppose deficit spending again after 8 years of letting the Bush administration run rough-shod all over them, a variety of polls released yesterday seem to show that this is probably their best issue (along with Gitmo, which is a tad bit more controversial), and a much stronger one than we thought.

These numbers can all be found on Polling Report (most of it here: http://www.pollingreport.com/budget.htm) and don't require much commentary.

• 50% of Americans say they will base their 2010 congressional vote on the candidates feelings concerning Economic Stimulus(stimuli?). The next biggest issue is 23%.
• 54% of Americans are either not very or not at all confident that the last stimulus will ever work. 52% do not even think it will produce jobs.
• Depending on the poll, either a 52%-36% or 61%-33% margin opposes a new stimulus.
• 71% would prefer a slower recovery to an increased deficit.
• And, to those who do not believe people will vote based on deficit issues, 67% (correctly)believe that the deficit affects their everyday lives and finances.
• Finally, President Obama has fallen, for a few polls in a row now, to the point where the country is virtually split right down the middle (with a few undecided) on whether they approve of his economic policies.