This week at progressive state blogs is designed specifically to focus attention on the writing and analysis of people focused on their home turf. Here is the Oct. 7 edition. Inclusion of a blog post does not necessarily indicate my agreement with—or endorsement of—its contents. |
At Juanita Jean’s of Texas, Juanita Jean Herownself writes—More Swamp Creatures:
Folks in Texas know for a damn fact that our Lt. Governor and former talk show radio host, Dan Patrick, is so far radical right that that he smashed into the Steve Bannon wall years ago. He is an ardent Donald Trump supporter. I mean, to the point that it’s kind of heterosexually embarrassing. By the way, Dan Patrick is his stage name. His real name is Dannie Goeb.
Bad news: he reproduced himself. His son, Ryan Patrick – who uses his dad’s stage name – went to law school. He worked in the DA’s office for a number of years. In 2012, Rick Perry appointed him to an empty district judgeship in Harris County. In the 2016 election, he was beat, badly. He did not distinguish himself in either job.
Well, Trump is appointing Ryan Patrick as US Attorney of the Southern District.
If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Patrick will become the top federal prosecutor in one of the busiest districts in the country. The Southern District, which includes Houston, Galveston and Corpus Christi, represents 43 counties, 8.3 million people and 44,000 square miles of the Lone Star State.
I can no evidence that he has ever practiced law in a federal court. He says that doesn’t matter because the job is mainly administrative. Oh hell no. If you don’t know what your office is supposed to be doing, how the hell can you administer it?
But, he’s cute as the dickens an he’s Dan Patrick’s son. I guess they couldn’t find him a job as ambassador.
At Bleeding Heartland of Iowa, desmoinesdem writes—Nothing says "civil discourse" like Steve King as your campaign co-chair:
“There is no civil discourse left and it is really sad,” Governor Kim Reynolds said yesterday, adding, “We ought to be able to debate ideas because that’s how you get to consensus.” Reynolds lamented the “vitriol” that dominates the current “vicious” political climate.
Today the Reynolds/Gregg campaign announced that Representative Steve King will be a co-chair. A written statement described the governor as “humbled by the endorsement” from a “strong defender of freedom and our conservative values” who is “independent, principled, and is fighting the good fight in Washington, D.C.”
You can posture as a consensus-seeker, or you can brag about support from a walking highlight reel of mean-spirited and dehumanizing rhetoric. Not both.
Yesterday’s mini-lecture on civility stemmed from a reporter’s question about a memorable recent sound bite from Reynolds: “the liberals are unhinged and they are out for us.”
“Unhinged” liberals became an instant catch phrase on Iowa Democratic social media feeds. Within days, RAYGUN had rolled out a new t-shirt design for self-styled “TOTALLY UNHINGED” liberals promoting “accountability, a cleaner environment, equal & fair protections for all people.” [...]
Reynolds could show she’s the “governor of everybody” by condemning King’s divisive, habitual race-baiting. Instead, she calls him “principled.” Only a few weeks ago, she tried to score political points and raise campaign funds by depicting African American NFL players who kneel during the national anthem as “so disrespectful” to veterans. (The protests are about institutional racism and police brutality, not the U.S. military. An NFL player who was a Green Beret suggested kneeling rather than sitting as a way “to show respect” while making that statement.)
At Blue Virginia, John Cannon writes—Jim LeMunyon: Pretends to Be “Moderate,” Votes Hard Right:
On May 24th, Delegate Jim LeMunyon (R-HD67) wrote an article for a local news site to let his constituents know what he’d been working on during the last General Assembly session. The article struck a friendly tone, as LeMunyon discussed progress he had made addressing issues of bipartisan concern: transportation, education funding, government transparency, and the opioid crisis. LeMunyon also noted that he had had more bills signed into law since the last election than anyone else in the legislature. The article painted a picture of a reasonable, moderate legislator -the image LeMunyon has carefully promoted as he runs for reelection against Democrat Karrie Delaney in the 67th District.
The reality, however, is quite a bit different. In fact, Del. LeMunyon has stood with GOP leadership on voter ID laws, restricting abortion rights, blocking Medicaid expansion, and preventing cities from raising the minimum wage or enacting gun safety measures. Sure, Del. LeMunyon will cross the aisle on occasion, but on the most contentious issues and consequential bills, he stands firmly on the right.
It’s important to point out that LeMunyon’s initial foray into politics was heavily supported by the right wing of his party. During his first campaign in 2009, he received nearly $120,000 from Middle Resolution PAC, an organization backed by conservative super donor Robert Bailie. Middle Resolution, which also provided a $50,000 low-interest loan to LeMunyon’s 2011 campaign, endorsed Corey Stewart in his 2013 bid for lieutenant governor and, after Stewart bowed out, donated $28,000 to far-right nominee E.W. Jackson. The PAC lists stopping the Medicaid expansion as one of its primary goals. [...]
At Eclectablog of Michigan, Susan Demas writes—Betsy DeVos Sure Gets Confused Easily:
Remember when U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos scrapped the Obama administration’s guidelines on campus sexual assault because they were “confusing“?
Remember how some Very Serious People, even liberals, praised this as a good-faith effort? (Some folks seem to believe that there’s an epidemic of really good guys being falsely accused of rape and this is the worst thing in the world — worse apparently than even being raped). DeVos consulted with Men’s Rights Activists on the issue, but she was still strangely given the benefit of the doubt. Here’s a little explainer on one of these lovely MRA groups, the National Coalition for Men:
“Chapters have published photos, names, and biographical details of women who have accused men—falsely, the National Coalition for Men insists—of rape. Its members routinely bring lawsuits against women-only networking groups and social events, crying discrimination.”
I’m sure women in college feel safer already.
Well, DeVos seems to be confused again — this time over a federal law protecting students with disabilities. This month, the Department of Education rescinded 72 — yes, 72 — guidance documents outlining disabled students’ rights.
Why was this necessary? Here’s the Washington Post:
“President Trump in February signed an executive order ‘to alleviate unnecessary regulatory burdens,’ spurring Education Department officials to begin a top-to-bottom review of its regulations.”
At Colorado Pols, a staffer writes—George Brauchler: Make Electric Cars More Expensive!
We’re not making that up–flagging GOP gubernatorial candidate George Brauchler really Tweeted his support for making electric cars cost more, qualifier-free–a strange campaign plank to say the least.
Why on earth would you say something like this? The CNET article Brauchler links to explains:
Right now, buyers of electrified vehicles might be eligible for up to $7,500 in federal tax credits. But that could change — and fast — if a new tax bill becomes law.
A new bill proposed by House Republicans could eliminate the federal electric tax credit without any sort of drawdown period, Bloomberg reports. While the credits won’t disappear tomorrow, they might be eliminated after the 2017 tax year if this bill becomes law.
If killing the electric vehicle tax credit sounds like a good idea to you, you most likely work for the fossil fuel industry. For just about everyone else, tax credits to encourage the purchase of zero-emission electric vehicles are a no-brainer. Here in Colorado, we’ve gone even further to help consumers take advantage of these credits at the time of sale rather than having to wait until their next tax filing–which has proven very popular with both car dealers and car buyers.
We assume that’s what Brauchler is complaining about. Shame on you, electric car buyers!
At Dakota Free Press, Cory Allen Heidelberger writes—Lincoln County Farm Sues Dakota Access over Flooding, Says Pipeliners Lied to PUC:
Hey, Kristi Noem! Instead of campaigning against the estate tax bogeyman, which hasn’t taken away anyone’s family farm in South Dakota, how about campaigning against real threats to the integrity of South Dakota farms, like oil pipelines?
Slack Family Properties LLC has filed suit against Dakota Access, alleging that the company has broken its easement contract to fix drain tile and compensate the family for any losses imposed by running the Bakken oil pipeline across their farm.
The Slacks allege that Dakota Access has lied not just to them but to the Public Utilities Commission:
Last October, the PUC was alerted to the disconnected drain tile and flooded fields through an informal complaint. Dakota Access told the PUC it had repaired the problem, but the lawsuit said no repairs had taken place.
“Defendant knew this statement and representation was false at the time it was made,” the lawsuit said [John Hult, “Dakota Access Sued over Farmland Damage in South Dakota,” that Sioux Falls paper, 2017.11.01].
Remarkably, lying to the PUC is only a Class 1 misdemeanor, the maximum $2,000 penalty for which Dakota Access could cover with, at this morning’s WTI price of $54.81, the sale of 37 barrels of oil, the volume that flows under the Slack’s land every six minutes.
It sounds like Dakota Access is lying about real damage done to real farmers. Too bad our lone Congresswoman can’t say something about that real threat to South Dakota agriculture.
At Calitics, Brian Leubitz writes—Drowning California in Norquist’s Bathtub:
The feud over the tax deduction for state and local taxes continues after the recent House vote on the federal budget. Gov. Brown and Rep. Pelosi are mincing no words after all 14 California Republicans supported the budget. Brown went so far as to call the Republican members “like a herd of sheep” for voting for a measure that would increase taxes on Californians by ending the state and local tax(SALT) deduction.
But don’t worry, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) has a plan for that:
“You know how you get to deduct where California continues to raise their rates? I don’t think it’s fair that somebody else subsidize poor management of California or New York policies,” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) told the California Republican Party convention last weekend.
“No longer can Sacramento say, I’m gonna raise the rates, just cause I’ll have the federal government subsidize it,“ McCarthy added as the crowd of conservative activists cheered him on. “They will have to be held accountable for when they want to raise taxes higher.“ (Capital Public Radio)
In other words, look over there, there’s a bathtub, let’s go hop into it because Grover Norquist told us to!
At Plunderbund of Ohio, D.C. DeWitt writes—Space Says Unaccountable Dark Money Has Institutionalized Corruption In American Politics:
While gerrymandering leaves the winning team drawing the field of play to their perpetual advantage, the dark money that finances political campaigns in America today leaves politicians in thrall to special interests and in an endless state of fundraising.
This is the other ailment undercutting democracy in the United States, Democratic Ohio Auditor candidate Zack Space said in a sit-down interview with Plunderbund last week. Space has courageously centered his campaign around combatting these two ills, gerrymandering and unaccountable campaign finance.
In an article Monday, we covered his take on the disastrous results of gerrymandering, its disenfranchisement of voters, and radicalization of political discourse. Today we will explore the campaign finance side.
“It’s shocking and objectionable, and it really does represent the institutionalization of corruption,” Space said of America’s current free-for-all system of funding political campaigns. “It’s just the way the rules are now. It’s the way the game is played. To be successful – unless you’re independently wealthy – you have to raise money.”
Space, a former congressman, said he wishes he could afford to not raise money.
“I wish I could communicate my message without money. It’s not possible,” he said. “And the rules of the game when it comes to money are so broad and open, it’s like the Wild West. Corporations can now give to political action committees with no revelation as to who’s giving.”
At the Montana Post, Don Pogreba writes—The Progressive Case for Plowing the Damn Roads in Helena:
Even though the state, which I’ve heard is facing some financial difficulties, can manage to plow its roads and despite agreement that cuts across partisan lines about this issue over the past few winters, the City of Helena seems unwilling or unable to develop a snow removal plan that will make the major roads of our city safe for drivers and pedestrians.
The truth is that there is a progressive case for making snow removal a real city priority.
1. Those most affected by bad roads are those with low incomes. Not every person in Helena can afford to purchase snow tires and many get by on what they can. Those who can least afford to miss work are the ones most impacted by the failure of the city to keep its roads clear. Shouldn’t government work to protect the interest of those workers who simply want to safely get to their places of work?
2. It’s dangerous for young drivers. Hundreds of kids attend Helena High and Capital High during zero period, which starts before bus service begins and well before the city begins plowing the roads. When the emergency snow route behind Helena High was not plowed for WEEKS last year, it was dangerous for students simply trying to get to school.
3. It undermines faith in government at a time when conservatives are using perceived and real failures of government agencies to attack those institutions. When a city cannot manage to plow the streets it has designated as EMERGENCY snow routes, it strengthens the conservative argument that “government just doesn’t work.”
I am disinterested in excuses why Helena cannot meet its basic obligations to its citizens and I am disinterested in hearing city officials tell the people of Helena untruths. No one who has lived in Helena the past five years believes that the emergency snow routes and major arterial routes (other than those maintained by the state) are plowed in an effective, safe, and timely manner. Please stop insulting our intelligence by repeating the lie that they are.
At Blog for Arizona, AZ Blue Meanie writes—Trump and Tea-Publicans are leaving the U.S. vulnerable to Russian cyber attacks:
The social media companies Google, Facebook, and Twitter spent the past two days testifying before Congress on how Russian intelligence agencies used their media platforms to engage in a disinformation campaign to disrupt the 2016 election and undermine confidence in the American political system, and are continuing to actively do so.
We previously learned that Facebook sold $100,000 in ads to the Russian propaganda troll farm Internet Research Agency, paid for in Rubles no less. Some Facebook ads bought by Russian company may have violated US election law. Nevertheless, Facebook and Google declined under repeated congressional questioning Tuesday to commit to stop taking Russian rubles and other foreign currencies as payment for American political advertisements, despite federal election law prohibiting payments from foreign nationals. Facebook, Google won’t commit to stop taking foreign cash for U.S. political ads.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg had initially dismissed the notion that fake news stories proliferated on Facebook to manipulate voters. A preliminary internal investigation by Facebook reported that Facebook found over 3,000 adsthat came from inauthentic accounts linked to a Russian group called the Internet Research Agency that operated between 2015 and 2017. Some 10 million people in the U.S. viewed at least one of those ads, with around 44 percent of those views happening before the Nov. 8, 2016 election. 10 million saw Facebook political ads posted from Russia-linked fake accounts. Prior to this week’s congressional testimony, that number was dramatically revised upward. Russian fake accounts showed posts to 126 million Facebook users
At Blue in the Bluegrass of Kentucky, Yellow Dog writes—Governor Condescending Elitist Lectures the Rubes:
Last week it was scolding a teacher leader for daring to exercise his rights of free assembly to hold a rally at the Capitol.
Now he's sneering at his opponents for being too "unsophisticated" to understand his genius plan for stripping Kentucky's economy down to bedrock before he launches his presidential campaign.
Keep it up, Gov. Craven Heartless Worm. Just like your idol in the White House, every word out of your lying mouth opens more voting eyes to what you really are.
From the Herald:
Opponents of a plan to reform Kentucky’s ailing pension systems lack “the sophistication to understand what’s at stake,” Gov. Matt Bevin said Monday as he urged Lexington’s business leaders to publicly support his proposal.
“The fact of the matter is, this is not good for Kentucky,” Bevin said of the state’s pension crisis. “The people who do not have the sophistication to understand what’s at stake, but will bear the brunt of it, are the ones that are going to suffer if people like us who get it, who are willing to fight for it, don’t step up.”
At The Bayou Brief of Louisiana, Lamar White Jr. writes—“He Always Thought the Assassination of JFK and MLK Crossed Paths in New Orleans”:
On the eve of the release of thousands of previously classified documents regarding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Arieh O’Sullivan, the son of the late Efraim “Fred” O’Sullivan, a native of New Orleans who had once served as the Intelligence Chief of the New Orleans Police Department, tells the Israeli newspaper Haaretz about his father’s extraordinary life, and it is an absolutely astonishing story.
Fred O’Sullivan, whose father and grandfather had both served on the NOPD, was a neighbor and classmate of Lee Harvey Oswald, who he told the Warren Commission “impressed me as the sort of fellow that would really fit well on the drill team.” Officer O’Sullivan was only 26 years old when he was asked to testify, and eventually, he would agree with the conclusions of the commission that Oswald was the lone gun man. But according to his son Arieh, Fred continually insisted and believed that his former classmate, Oswald, had somehow become under the influence of the local mafia and was convinced that the assassinations “of Kennedy and Martin Luther King crossed paths in New Orleans.”
“He could never elaborate on it, but he said the mafia was strong here, and it was part of his job to investigate the mafia, Arieh told Haaretz. “He thought there was some kind of ties to the killings with the mafia. But he couldn’t prove anything.” But Fred O’Sullivan was not merely a Kennedy assassination conspiracy theorist: He was a man who knew Oswald personally and who, later in life, helped to thwart an attempt on the life of President Nixon and also managed to extract a confession from the murderer of Medgar Evers. [...]