As extreme right wing Republican U.S. Congresswoman Michele Bachmann of Minnesota announced today that she was quitting the Congress, former mainstream Republican U.S. Senators Robert Dole and Olympia Snowe both told interviewers that the Republican Party has veered dangerously off course. While Bachmann could end up with a broadcasting platform on Fox “News” or elsewhere, Republicans would do well to ignore her and listen to Dole and Snowe instead.
While it’s easy to get caught up in the mainstream media’s focus on the latest small shiny object, Democrats should take a deep breath and ask themselves, “What do we stand for?” In our Messaging Manifesto for Democrats published over two years ago, we provided a possible answer in just two words. Here’s how Democrats can get back to basics and promote fundamental Democratic Party values in the current political and media climate:
Republicans seem to be enjoying this week of small shiny “scandals.” They’d better celebrate while they can, because there are three realities that, if unaddressed, could effectively kill the Republican Party’s national success:
The video above is the latest example demonstrating that U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts is the Democrats’ communications rock star, and the conscience — or what should be the conscience — of the Democratic Party. Here, Warren does everything right when introducing her new bill to give students the same rate on their loans as banks get from the Federal Reserve:
President Barack Obama has received glowing reviews once again for his performance at the 2013 White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C. last Saturday night. Audience members, pundits and comedians alike marveled at Obama’s comic timing and his combination of self-deprecating humor and effective jabs at political opponents, and that praise was well-deserved. However, what may have hindered an A performance from being an A+ was that it seemed at times that the President’s self-deprecating humor went too far against himself. You can follow along with the video above and see what you think:
When Osama bin Laden declared war on the United States twice in the 1990s, Americans didn’t react until the 9/11 attacks years later. That didn’t work out so well. Yet Republicans quietly, then more noisily, declared war on the Democrats years ago, and have successfully fought their war against the Democrats, and America, every day since then, with near-impunity. It’s time for Democrats to go to war against the Republicans.
One of the many Republican lies is that President Obama has raised your taxes. Other than for a miniscule sliver of top-salaried Americans, the opposite is true — President Obama has lowered a number of taxes, and today, Tax Day, most Americans enjoy some of the lowest federal income taxes of their lifetimes.
Pig at the barrel, Via Flora, West Palm Beach, FL
Here in a little corner of Southeast Florida, it’s Republican Land. You’ve got your gun-clinging rednecks, your Bible thumpers, and your One Percenters. The last group is something to behold. Their car of choice this year is the $200,000 Bentley convertible. Their home of choice is the Spanish style mansion behind the gates guarded by security personnel in starched uniforms. And their expression of choice is “I hate Obama.”
Credit U.S. Supreme Court Justice (and Obama appointee) Elena Kagan with outing the Republican discrimination behind their 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). At today’s hearing before the Supreme Court, Kagan read from the Republican-drafted House Report that accompanied the original DOMA legislation:
Congress decided to reflect an ‘honor of collective moral judgment’ and to express ‘moral disapproval of homosexuality.’
Here’s the entire quote from pages 15-16 of the 1996 House Report:
Aside from its position as a somewhat centrist state both geographically and politically, Missouri is of course most famous for its no-nonsense “Show me” motto. That motto was embodied in one of Missouri’s favorite sons, President Harry S. Truman. As Truman might have said, “Show me” should be the first response to any ridiculous Republican talking point.
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