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RootsWire is a new collaboration of bloggers aggregating their sites into a nation-wide news reporting system.

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March 14, 2010 by Bitch PhD

Bitch PhD's picture
Original Author: 
Sybil Vane
Piss, I'm cranky.

Is there anything worse than this: last day of spring break, during which I did very little breaking, an hour of my life lost to a questionable manipulation that sucks once you have a kid and that is always incorrectly pluralized, struggling over a conference abstract about something I don't really understand while the less encumbered Vanes bustle around getting ready to spend another day in the parks?

Yes, there are lots of things worse. But none of them are what I am doing.

It is my belief that 'spring forward' day should be a day when, in protest/acknowledgment of the artificiality of the whole time-keeping endeavor, we do things in an utterly unscheduled way. We eat whenever we want, we sleep precisely when we feel tired, we do not make appointments or engagements and we do not look at timepieces. We try not to know exactly how much time we have spent not writing this abstract (about Lyell, ironically) since we sat down at the computer. Doesn't that sound fun?

It makes me want to barf actually, so bad am I about being unscheduled, but it's a good exercise now and again.

Senate and House Democrats Sum Up Session

March 14, 2010 by Blue Virginia

Original Author: 
noreply@blogger.com (Lowell)
I received emails yesterday from both the House and Senate Democratic caucuses, summarizing what they believe to be their successes during the (about-to-conclude) General Assembly session. Here are the highlights, with my comments in italics.

Senate
*"Senate negotiators are fighting for their version of the budget which protects jobs and services in K-12 education, higher education, public safety, and the healthcare safety net."

So Basically, Health Care Cost Escalation Is No One's Fault

Submitted by The Political E... on Sun, 03/14/2010 - 02:44
Original Author: 
jer45y@gmail.com (James Rowen)
That's pretty much the conclusion.

Can you imagine this crazy status quo in the hands of GOP free-market sycophants, or Tea Party libertarians?

Milwaukee Advocates Speak Out For Transit

Submitted by The Political E... on Sat, 03/13/2010 - 21:20
Original Author: 
jer45y@gmail.com (James Rowen)
As they are saying, it's now or never.

Pre-primary results

March 13, 2010 by New Mexico FBIHOP

New Mexico FBIHOP's picture
Original Author: 
Matt
Both the New Mexico Democrats and the New Mexico Republicans gathered today, Democrats at Buffalo Thunder result and Republicans at the Albuquerque Hilton, for their pre-primary conventions. At these conventions, candidates who get over 20 percent of the vote qualify for the ballot while candidates that fail to get to 20 percent have to collect signatures to get on the ballot.

Here are the results for the contested races:

Republican Governor

  • Susana Martinez - 46.65 percent
  • Allen Weh - 26.32 percent
  • Janice Arnold-Jones - 13.16 percent
  • Doug Turner - 9.23 percent
  • Pete Domenici Jr. - 4.61 percent

Republican Lt. Gov.

  • Brian Moore -- 41.24 percent
  • Kent Cravens -- 27.64 percent
  • John Sanchez -- 22.81 percent
  • J.R. Damron -- 8.29 percent

Democratic Lt. Gov.

  • Brian Colon -- 34.3 percent
  • Lawrence Rael -- 21.9 percent
  • Joe Campos -- 19.9 percent
  • Jerry Ortiz y Pino -- 18.6 percent
  • Linda Lopez -- 5 percent

Republican Land Commissioner

Carly Failorina Strikes Again: This Time With Demonblimp!

March 13, 2010 by Calitics

Calitics's picture
Original Author: 
Robert Cruickshank
At the California Republican Party convention in Santa Clara today, failed CEO Carly Fiorina launched another of her campaign's ridiculous and, in this case, even offensive web video ads. This one portrays Barbara Boxer as a blimp (because she's "full of hot air" - get it?!) terrorizing California from above.

The ad reaches new lows in both the pathetic and the bizarre. It is also deeply self-contradictory and a classic case of projection.

In the ad, Fiorina argues that Boxer is a "failure" because she's only had 3 bills passed in 18 years. What isn't stated is that for most of that time, Boxer served under either a Republican Senate (1995 to 2007) or a Republican president (2001 to 2009). Only in her first two years in the Senate, 1993 and 1994, and this last year, 2009, did she serve with a Democratic Congressional majority AND a Democratic president.

Progressive Dane On The RTA

Submitted by The Political E... on Sat, 03/13/2010 - 17:41
Original Author: 
jer45y@gmail.com (James Rowen)
Good perspective on the Dane County RTA issue.

And a Milwaukee perspective on transit issues in Milwaukee County.

Rich Anthony Joins the "Coffee Party"

March 13, 2010 by Blue Virginia

Original Author: 
noreply@blogger.com (Lowell)

Earlier today in Vienna, Rich Anthony joined one of 400 coffee parties being held across the country. For a report on the Vienna Coffee Party, see Frank Anderson's report. Also, Rich Anthony tweets, "At the Coffee Party meeting in Vienna. Great turn out for a rainy Saturday morning. A lot of positive energy in the room." Once again, congratulations to Annabel Park and Eric Byler for starting and organizing the Coffee Party. Great work!

Krystal Ball Sweeps Fredericksburg, Stafford Caucuses: Is This Race Over?

March 13, 2010 by Blue Virginia

Original Author: 
noreply@blogger.com (Lowell)
Krystal Ball tweets:



Now that's impressive: Every. Single. Delegate. So, with that -- Krystal picking up 1/3 of the committed delegates she needs to win, with Robinson picking up zero - is the race for the 1st CD Democratic nomination between Krystal Ball and Scott Robinson already over? After today's rout of Robinson, it certainly could be. Here's Marc Broklawski's take.
While there are plenty of contests left before the 1st Congressional District Convention in May, the math for Scott just got a whole lot harder to secure the nomination – if not impossible. The fact is that Krystal’s base of support is strong throughout the district, especially in the southern part of it. I’m also confident that Krystal understands that she cannot take anything for granted and will continue working hard throughout the entire district.

Dan Riehl takes Repub tradition of dumping sick wives to the "death panel" level

March 13, 2010 by Steve Hanson



Remember the quivering pile of slime who went completely mental in his false-attacks and claims regarding our own Gryphen? Riehl is perhaps a perfect example of the insanity that accompanies denying one's true nature, as his closet lust-affair/obsession with Gryph's "muscled" body was obvious to everyone but Dan.  

Anyway, Riehl is at it again...this time, he wants to lead his own "death panel" on the elderly and Harry Reid's 69-year-old wife will be the first to get the thumbs-down:

Isn't It Time To Euthanize Reid's Wife?

McCoshen leads the Lobbyist Crusade to put one of their own in the Senate

March 13, 2010 by Uppity Wisconsin

Uppity Wisconsin's picture
Original Author: 
xoff
"Is there any group of people held in lower regard than lobbyists? Car salesmen? Journalists? Here's one possibility: Lobbyists who are thinking about becoming politicians."-- Dan Bice column in the Journal Sentinel,Dec. 6, 2007.
Bice was writing about Bill McCoshen, left, but it could have been about Tommy Thompson, who's thinking about coming back through the revolving door to run for office again.

Bill McCoshen's all over the news these days, talking like the unofficial spokesman for the might-be, could-be but maybe-not Tommy Thompson campaign for US Senate.

McCoshen also took time this week to trash the state's (and Democrat Jim Doyle's) record on job creation, in an appearance in Beloit where he relied on data from the conservative (read Republican) Wisconsin Policy Research Institute. "Forward may be the state motto, but it's going backward," McCoshen said. Cute.

Meg Whitman's Plan To Make A Bigger Budget Deficit

March 13, 2010 by Calitics

Calitics's picture
Original Author: 
Robert Cruickshank
Just as Meg Whitman's "solution" to the unemployment crisis in California is to eliminate tens of thousands of jobs, her plans for the state budget crisis appear to center on making that deficit bigger.

At yesterday's California Republican Party convention in Santa Clara, eMeg finally talked to the press. But what was more relevant than the fact that she talked to them was what she said. As KQED's John Myers tweeted:

#CAgov candidate Whitman says in an interview that her "targeted" tax cuts would cost the #cabudget approx. $4 billion

Myers added that it sounded like an annual number, which shows just how reckless Whitman plans to be with state finances.

Waukesha Recycling Costs Go Up, Service Declines

Submitted by The Political E... on Sat, 03/13/2010 - 11:15
Original Author: 
jer45y@gmail.com (James Rowen)
Analysis from Waukesha Environmental Action league shows public kept out of the decision-making process.

Who loses? Taxpayers and the environment.

An open secret

March 13, 2010 by Uppity Wisconsin

Uppity Wisconsin's picture
Original Author: 
xoff
527 contributions: Wisconsin donors gave secretive 527 groups more than $1.5 million in 2009, a record for a non-election year. The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign also finds that Dem 527s pulled in about two-thirds of the overall money given to the organizations, continuing a trend that began in 2006.-- WisPolitics report.
Even the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign (WDC) didn't call 527s "secretive," though. Maybe that's because 527s are required to report all of their contributions, which is where the WDC report came from.

McDonnell/Cooch, Good Cop/Bad Cop?

March 13, 2010 by Blue Virginia

Original Author: 
noreply@blogger.com (Lowell)
Do Bob McDonnell and Ken Cuccinelli differ in any substantive way on the issues? Or, are they actually two peas in a pod, playing a "good cop/bad cop" game, in which McDonnell pretends to be the "reasonable" one while Cooch plays himself as "the right-wing crazy?" That's certainly what Lee Hockstader of the Washington Post think, and I'm inclined to agree.
What McDonnell needed during the election last fall, and continues to need, is to establish that he is not a rigid right-winger whose ideological fervor trumps pragmatism. And that’s where Cuccinelli comes in so handy. In contrast to Cuccinelli, practically anyone looks like a moderate.

So when Cuccinelli staked out the hard-right turf by telling public colleges that they have no business banning discrimination against gays, it was like manna from heaven for McDonnell...

VivirLatino Will Be at the March for America, Will You?

March 13, 2010 by Vivirlatino

Vivirlatino's picture
Original Author: 
Maegan la Mamita Mala


Regardless of what people think of the effectiveness of the March for America, happening next Sunday, March 21st in Washington D.C., it will be a big event.

VivirLatino is happy to report that we will be on the scene covering the rally. You can read updates here on the site and get up to the minute coverage via our twitter account.

Journalism Should Take On Fox News (Sic)

Submitted by The Political E... on Sat, 03/13/2010 - 05:29
Original Author: 
jer45y@gmail.com (James Rowen)
Great essay.

Support for Health Care Reform Rebounds

March 13, 2010 by Left in Alabama

I have a couple of interesting polling memos to share.  The first is from a Democracy Corps analysis of a number of recent polls on the health care reform bill.

Health care reform pollsIn the wake of the Massachusetts special election, public surveys showed support for health care reform declining to record lows.  Yet, in recent weeks, support for reform has started to recover in nearly every public survey and now stands almost even – 46 percent in support compared to 47 percent opposed according to Pollster.com’s current average of public surveys.

I found this next paragraph even more interesting.  Why do people oppose HCR?  Well over a third oppose it because it doesn't go far enough!

Latest from We Prop up Republican Idealogues

March 12, 2010 by Uppity Wisconsin

Uppity Wisconsin's picture
Original Author: 
xoff

Quick early observations on the latest WPRI poll, which -- surprise! -- finds good news for Republicans. Tommy Thompson, who's not running, is winning the Senate race, and Scott Walker, who is running, is ahead for governor, they say.

Since the University of Wisconsin has severed ties with this project, maybe Ken Golstein could team up with the Rasmussen folks and save us having to read this drivel quite so often.

A couple of points to ponder:

-- We've eliminated the question of whether the Journal Sentinel will continue to report this as if it means something. The paper, whose managing editor leans the same was WPRI does, has swallowed it hook, line, and sinker. (WisPolitics at least acknowledged the questions that have been raised about the group's polling.)

-- According to WPRI, it only took a few weeks of mediocre TV spots for Neumann to get ahead of Walker everywhere but Walker's home media market of Milwaukee. No wonder Walker went on the air yesterday -- everywhere but Milwaukee.

Catherine Crabill on Muslim Prayer to House of Delegates: "Just say NO to this blasphemy!"

March 12, 2010 by Blue Virginia

Original Author: 
noreply@blogger.com (Lowell)
I may just make this a regular feature of Blue Virginia: "It's not just crazy, it's 1st CD (Republican? Tea Party?) candidate (well, maybe) Catherine Crabill Crazy!!!" Here's the latest from her Facebook page, in reaction to this article in today's Washington Post ("Boycott urged for Muslim imam's prayer in Virginia House"). Take it away - far, far away! - Catherine "Bullet Box" Crabill!
Again, this is a Christian Nation that extends grace to people of other faith's that are not reciprocated to Christians. Just say NO to this blasphemy! Islam is the enemy of liberty, period.
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