What Are The Consequences Of Yesterday’s Elections? Not As Much As The Media Squawk Would Have You Believe.
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Kucinich Addresses UN Goldstone Gaza Resolution
November 3, 2009, Congressman Dennis Kucinich addresses H.RES. 867 on the House Floor. H.RES. 867 condemns the UN Goldstone Gaza Fact Finding Mission Report.
Congressman Kucinich stated:
"Today we journey from Operation Cast Lead to Operation Cast Doubt. Almost as serious as committing war crimes is covering up war crimes, pretending that war crimes were never committed and did not exist."
"Because behind every such deception is the nullification of humanity, the destruction of human dignity, the annihilation of the human spirit, the triumph of Orwellian thinking, the eternal prison of the dark heart of the totalitarian."
"Because behind every such deception is the nullification of humanity, the destruction of human dignity, the annihilation of the human spirit, the triumph of Orwellian thinking, the eternal prison of the dark heart of the totalitarian."
"The resolution before us today, which would reject all attempts of the Goldstone Report to fix responsibility of all parties to war crimes, including both Hamas and Israel, may as well be called the "Down is Up, Night is Day, Wrong is Right: resolution."
"Because if this Congress votes to condemn a report it has not read, concerning events it has totally ignored, about violations of law of which it is unaware, it will have brought shame to this great institution."
"How can we ever expect there to be peace in the Middle East if we tacitly approve of violations of international law and international human rights, if we look the other way, or if we close our eyes to the heartbreak of people on both sides by white-washing a legitimate investigation?"
"How can we protect the people of Israel from existential threats if we hold no concern for the protection of the Palestinians, for their physical security, their right to land, their right to their own homes, their right to water, their right to sustenance, their right to freedom of movement, their right to human security of jobs, education and health care?".
"We will have peace only when the plight of both Palestinians and Israelis is brought before this House and given equal consideration in recognition of that principle that all people on this planet have a right to survive and thrive, and it is our responsibility, our duty to see that no individual, no group, no people are barred from this humble human claim."
Please, join with Dennis in the fight for Human Rights. Contribute, you can make a difference.
Thank You
The Re-Elect Congressman Kucinich Committee
Ed. Note: Last night’s election results reveal little as regards the 2010 Elections, and where they do, any idiot should have been able discern the constant electoral truth: “It’s the economy stupid!” Creigh Deeds in Virginia conducted a miserable narrow campaign and though savaged because of his stuttering, ugly but effective campaigning; he depended upon big names and conservative “Progressive Consultants” unwilling to involve those who could have really taken his opponent out.
His opponent was victorious with his unwavering focus on the economy and jobs. That ought to be a Democratic Party strong hold. It was not. When we get by the healthcare issue, and the sooner the better; the party must regain this ground and focus on “a second tier recovery/reconstruction” that focuses on jobs. We have bailed out the Wall Street Casino and financial institution players; now it is time to generate jobs, generate employment.
Corzine’s defeat in New Jersey was no surprise. It has been a long time in coming. His corruption and arrogance final caught up with him. That defeat had nothing to do with ideology or Obama test measurement and everything to do with “All Politics is local”!
If you want to examine a race with political indicators involved look at New York where a Democrat, Republican Candidate endorsed by a withdrawn Republican defeated a Palin Pushed extremist was elected. Now there is a story with forecasting potential.
Just ignore the punditry of the next few days that will be a dizzying as a gyroscope as all the paid talking heads attempt to generate “profound” verbiage better known as verbal lint!
The Republican Party is day-by-day being co-opted by the extreme right in what amounts to a political purge of the majority of the party. That must not be ignored; it must be exploited.
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GOP Right-Wing Determined To Split, Marginalize Party
Capitol Hill Blue
The rabid right-wing of the Republican Party senses a chance to seize even more power and may challenge more than a dozen current GOP candidates in key ...
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Sarah Palin Is Now The GOP Establishment
Huffington Post (blog)
The far right's resurgence in a way we haven't seen in a very long time. Whether it's bailout blues, or the revving up of the right wing engine fueled by ...See all stories on this topic
Right Wing Nut House » The Antireason Conservatives
A column aboutantireason devolves into mouth breathing The irony is too thick to cut Your mythicalrightwing urge to purge in 2010 also is a howler You ...
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By Dan Eggen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 3, 2009; 8:58 AM
A liberal advocacy group is launching a new Web site Tuesday that aims to document the financial and political ties of conservative groups, many of which have emerged as major political forces this year in fomenting opposition to President Obama's policies.
The Conservative Transparency Web site (http://www.conservativetransparency.org), which will be run by the Media Matters Action Network, uses Internal Revenue Service filings to track the major financial backers and beneficiaries of conservative activist groups.
"Conservative Transparency allows users to track the money flowing into the coffers of conservative groups from the nation's largest corporations and ideologically extreme organizations," said Chris Harris, the group's communications director. "Knowing the source of conservative funding will assist the entire progressive movement in responding to attacks from 'astroturf' organizations."
The effort illustrates the growing importance of rapid media response in the age of the Internet and Twitter, as liberals and conservatives alike battle to gain the upper hand in driving news coverage and influencing the direction of political debates in Washington. It also shows how advocacy groups are increasingly supplanting nonpartisan organizations in the race to compile and distribute information.
The Web site pulls together data from nonprofit tax disclosure forms into one searchable database, allowing users to quickly access information about how various conservative groups raise and disburse money. Harris notes that most watchdog sites focus on campaign finance or lobbying data compiled by the Federal Elections Commission and Congress, rather than information about outside groups.
For example, the Web site's listing for FreedomWorks Inc., which has helped organize anti-tax and anti-health reform protests, shows the group brought in more than $4 million in 2007, much of it from wealthy conservative donors such as the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation.
The Web site is unequivocally liberal, taking aim only at conservative organizations. Among the groups not included on the site, for example, is the Media Matters Action Network and an affiliated organization, Media Matters for America.
"Media Matters is supported by a myriad of progressive and grass roots donors," Harris said when asked about the absence. "Information can be found on our publicly available" Form 990 returns to the Internal Revenue Service.
EYE ON THE RIGHT: Dear friend of The Washington Times ,
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Our nation is at a crossroads and so is the conservative movement. The era of big government may be back but the era of the Internet movement is here,too allowing us to impact change rapidly. With the setbacks of the last two elections, conservatives are re-invigorated and using the Internet to take on this new big government establishment.
This is why The Washington Times is proud to introduce TheConservatives.com a new online conservative community that seeks to bring forth the myriad of thoughts, ideas, and news of the day.
I invite you to join us at TheConservatives.com today. Register for A FREE account, or if you're a Facebook user, simply login and get started. We need you to be a part of the discussion, which is why your participation is so important.
You see, the principles that have defined the American conservative movement are now being challenged by conservatives and by outside forces. There is a dynamic dialog taking place among conservatives in blogs, online communities, and social networks. This great debateabout what should define the modern conservative movement is, literally, reinventing what it means to be conservative today.
What makes TheConservatives.com different? It's the first political opinion and news website enabled with the social publishing features of a blog and the social networking features. In other words, you can connect with conversations that are already taking place on social networks around the web.
Engaged citizens are already driving the great debate about the direction of our nation. Are you? Join us! Click here to get started.
Sincerely,
Brian Faughnan
Editor, TheConservatives.com
Right-wing talkers go down in defeat in NY congressional race
http://mediamatters.org/items/200911040055
Right-wing media figures enthusiastically endorsed and boosted the failed Conservative Party candidacy of Doug Hoffman in the race to fill a vacant seat in New York's 23rd Congressional District, with several of them hosting Hoffman on their radio or television shows. Media figures who boosted Hoffman include Glenn Beck, Lou Dobbs, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Rush Limbaugh, Mike Huckabee, Michelle Malkin, and Andrew Breitbart's BigGovernment.com.
Right-wing hosts endorsed, boosted Hoffman
Hannity to Hoffman: "I hope I'm on the air this time tomorrow night and I'll be able to declare you the winner." On November 2, Hannity hosted Hoffman, former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN) and Jeri Thompson, who said, "[W]e haven't won yet. So everybody's got to get out to the polls. We've got to vote tomorrow, vote, vote, vote, vote. Vote in Virginia, vote in New Jersey, and vote in New York-23." Moments later, Hannity said to Hoffman: "I think this is a referendum on a lot of what's been going on in the country, which is moving radically to the left. And I think this election is going to be watched. I hope I'm on the air this time tomorrow night and I'll be able to declare you the winner." [Fox News' Hannity, 11/2/09]
Beck to Hoffman: "You seem like the kind of person that we need in Washington."Hosting Hoffman on the radio on November 2, Beck said: "I like you. You seem like a normal guy. You seem like a nice guy. You seem like the kind of person that we need in Washington, which is just a regular person." [Premiere Radio Networks' The Glenn Beck Program, 11/2/09]
"Mr. Independent" Dobbs declared NY-23's Hoffman "change I can believe in." On November 2, Dobbs said to Hoffman, "You know what's the great -- what the great thing is about the Dem -- the Conservative candidate running for Congress, Doug Hoffman? He's neither a professional politician; he's a guy who's just disgusted with the system, turns out he's an accountant." Moments later, Dobbs added: "It's hard to believe, but it looks like he just might win. Now this is change I can believe in. If we can get some accountants, and teachers, and carpenters, and some plumbers, and some electricians, some truck drivers, some people who know how to work for a living in this country, I think I'm going to be one of the happiest guys in the entire nation." [United Stations Radio Network's The Lou Dobbs Show, 11/2/09]
Limbaugh: We can say Scozzafava is "guilty of widespread bestiality; she has screwed every RINO in the country." Discussing former Republican candidates Dede Scozzafava's endorsement of Hoffman's opponent, Bill Owens, Limbaugh said: "Scozzafava has screwed every RINO [Republican in Name Only] in the coun -- we can say that she's guilty of widespread bestiality. She has screwed every RINO in the country. Everyone can see just see how phony and dangerous they are. You know, 2010 might be a nightmare for PETA. Two animals may become extinct; RINOs and Blue Dog Democrats. Pelosi's gonna kill off the Blue Dogs, and the conservatives are gonna finally get rid of RINOs. The American people have had enough." [Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show, 11/2/09]
9/12 movement, Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, Fox News, among others, credited for Scozzafava withdrawal from NY-23 race. In a November 1 article, "GOP Nominee for N.Y. seat quits race," The Washington Times reported that Fox News contributor and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) said Hoffman's "rise is a result of Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Fox News, the Club for Growth, Gov. [Sarah] Palin and [Minnesota Gov. Tim] Pawlenty and former House Majority Leader Dick Armey and virtually the entire national conservative movement joining with Mike Long, whose Conservative Party, a very established organization, which won its first big race 39 years ago."
Fox host Huckabee's PAC endorsed Hoffman. An email sent out by Huckabee's political action committee, Huck PAC, to people who signed Huckabee's petition at balancecutsave.com,asked recipients to participate in a phone bank for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell and congressional candidates David Harmer and Hoffman. The email said that "[w]e need to help get each of these fine men elected" and asked recipients to "take a moment now to make phone calls to voters." As Media Matters for America has documented, Huckabee previously urged Fox News viewers to visit balancecutsave.com.
Malkin fundraised for Hoffman, posted Hoffman piece on her blog. Malkin repeatedly boosted Hoffman's candidacy on her blog and attacked Republicans who endorsed Scozzafava. In addition, on October 22, Malkin posted a piece on her website written by Hoffman urging people to support him. At the top of the post, a "Note from Michelle" read: "This is a special guest post from NY-23 conservative congressional candidate Doug Hoffman. Please spread the word about the Nov. 3 special election and show your support. All hands on deck!" The note included a link to a page on Hoffman's website soliciting donations. [MichelleMalkin.com,10/17/09]
Breitbart's BigGovernment.com: "New York 23: When a nation calls." Breitbart's website BigGovernment.com posted a piece written by stlouisteaparty.com editor Bill Hennessy titled "New York 23: When a Nation Calls." The post discussed people who had traveled across the country to volunteer for Hoffman and gave people tips on how to help Hoffman themselves. [BigGovernment.com, 10/30/09]
Right-wing hosts interviewed Hoffman to boost candidacy
Hannity hosted Hoffman on Fox on election eve. The night before polls opened, Hannity hosted Hoffman as well as Fred and Jeri Thompson. [11/2/09]
Beck, Hannity radio shows repeatedly hosted Hoffman. Hannity also had Hoffman on his radio show on October 26 and November 2, and Hoffman appeared on Beck's radio show on October 21 and November 2.
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Grover Norquist and Anti-Tax Movement Big Loser of the Night
By Nathan Newman - November 4, 2009, 8:51AM
A lot of folks are declaring Obama -- who wasn't on the ballot -- the loser of the night based on two state elections, but the defeat of three anti-tax initiatives that were on the ballot in Washington State and Maine should emphasize that Grover Norquist and the anti-tax movement were big losers of the night -- and this just continues a multi-year roll of defeats.
In both states, voters rejected so-called TABOR ("Taxpayer Bill of Rights") initiatives that would have created rigid tax raising formulas that would have crippled those states' capacity to provide services like education, health care, emergency services, and public safety. Voters in Maine also rejected a proposal to slash the excise tax on new and hybrid cars, which would have undermined local revenue around the state.
Across the country, over thirty state legislatures raised taxes to deal with deficits this year and a number have specifically targeted tax increases on the wealthy - a bugaboo of the rightwing. And at the ballot, the anti-tax right has just lost and lost.
Back in the early 90s, the rightwing managed to pass a TABOR system in Colorado at the ballot box, which led to terrible results, including large declines in K-12 funding, higher education tuition rates, and hindering the state's ability to address the lack of medical insurance coverage for many children and adults (seea PSN Dispatch on "TABOR's Disastrous Record in Colorado"). Voters partially repudiated TABOR at the ballot in 2005; when the rightwing tried to enactTABOR-like initiatives in states across the country in 2006, progressiveshighlighted fraud in signature collecting in multiple states and issue was thrown off the ballot in Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma and Missouri. On Election Day, voters in Maine, Nebraska and Oregon finished the job in voting down the remaining TABOR initiatives. And in 2008, anti-government tax measures were defeated overwhelmingly in Massachusetts, North Dakota andOregon.
Here's the dirty little secret. The anti-tax movement is a paper tiger. They force progressives to waste a lot of money and time fighting their initiatives, but when voters are informed of the details, they walk away, preferring needed public services to the rigid anti-tax nostrums of Norquist and his allies.
While Corzine may have lost the election last night, the New Jersey state legislature which has voted for multiple tax increases in recent years was hardly touched by voter action last night. In fact, after the New Jersey legislature voted to raise taxes on the wealthy back in 2004, they expanded their legislative majority in 2005 to its present hefty margins. There's almost zero evidence of elected officials being punished for tax increases alone in recent elections.
Facts on Taxes, Jobs and Economic Growth: The public just recognizes that rightwing attacks tax increases as undermining economic growth are just rhetoric unsupported by facts.
Earlier this year, Economist Joseph Stiglitz wrote state leaders in New York in support of proposed tax increases on wealthier New Yorkers, highlighting the short-term economic gains from shifting that money towards state spending for low- and moderate-income families. But he also emphasized that such spending was crucial to long-term economic growth as well:
"Raising taxes and maintaining public expenditures (including investments) also helps America in meeting its long run needs. America today faces two major problems -- inadequate investments, especially in infrastructure, and growing inequalty...Investments in infrastructure also increase the productivity of private investment -- another important spillover."
in 2004 economist Robert Lynch with the Economic Policy Institute publishedRethinking Growth Strategies: How State and Local Taxes and Services Affect Economic Development, one of the most extensive analyses of the relation of state tax policies to economic growth. The bottom-line conclusion of his study was that tax policies themselves have little effect on overall economic growth; what mattered was that states raise enough revenue to invest in the "public services such as education and infrastructure [that] spur economic growth and influence business location decisions."
Because higher-tax states invest more in their communities, they generally generate higher-wage jobs compared to lower-tax states. For example, states that enacted large tax increases between 2002 and 2004 - increasing state revenues by at least 5% - subsequently experienced stronger average growth in personal income than states that did not increase taxes at all. This builds on other analyses that states which collect the highest percentage of personal income in taxes actually sustain higher income growth.
The Wealthy Don't Leave High-Income Tax States: And despite rightwingers inevitably predicting economic doom, tax increases on the wealthy do not lead to wealthier residents leaving the state:
- From 2004 to 2006, following California's implementation of a new national top rate of 10.3% on income over $1,000,000, there was a 38% increase in the number of millionaires in the State.
- The number of half-millionaires in New Jersey grew by 70% since the state increased their highest rate from 6.37% to 8.97% in 2002, from 26,000 in 2002 to 44,000 in 2006.
- New York experienced a comparable increase in high-income tax returns
after temporarily raising income tax rates earlier in the decade, from
250,000 in 2003 to over 325,000 in 2005, representing a 30% growth.
Lessons from the Anti-Tax Movement's Failures: Hopefully, our national progressive leaders can take a lesson from states, where anti-tax forces have shown both their political threats and economic arguments are hollow. If there are worries about long-term deficits and paying for programs like health care reform, the answer are new taxes assessed largely on the wealthy, who did so well financially in the last few decades. The public supports such taxes and they make both political and economic sense.
If only those national leaders will stop taking Grover Norquist and the anti-tax movement seriously.
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