Happy Mother's Day, Mom-in-Chief! (Mike Brand/Creative Commons)
What a week! President Obama's endorsement of marriage equality was the best news all year, without question. I believe his change of heart was sincere and announcing it in an election year was an act of pure political courage. BRAVO, Mr. President!
- As for Mitt Romney, however, a profile in cowardice:
Penny Nance, president and CEO of Concerned Women for America, told TheDC that she believe that once the campaign realizes the connection they will not go through with the fundraiser.
"I would be shocked if, after they are aware of the fact that this guy is the chairman of Teva Pharmaceuticals, that they go forward with this fundraiser,” Nance said.. Nance further said that she would strongly urge the campaign to cancel the event “because it is dirty money,” adding that she will be “sorely disappointed” and “question if Gov. Romney has a clear understanding of what it means to be pro-life” if they go through with it.
Romney's campaign response? Silence.
So, Mitt Romney's perfectly happy to trample all over women's rights when he wants the votes of the anti-choice crowd. But the CEOs who profit from contraception? Perfectly okay to take their money. Silently.
- It looks like the Beltway media is finally starting to understand what a sham "bipartisanship" is, courtesy of an honest quote from GOP Senate candidate Richard Mourdock:
Mr. Mourdock, for his part, described bipartisanship as follows: “I have a mind-set that says bipartisanship ought to consist of Democrats coming to the Republican point of view.”
...
There is plenty wrong with the Democratic Party, but monolithic adherence to liberal orthodoxy is not one of them. On the contrary the old Will Rogers joke “I belong to no organized party. I am a Democrat,” still resonates. Just for example, thirty-four House Democrats voted against the Democratic president’s signature health care legislation. The far left is not dominating the political debate in the slightest; it hardly has a voice at all. What passes as American liberalism today is awfully similar to the Republican platform of the Eisenhower area (something Rachel Maddow has noted.)
Well, finally somebody in the traditional media has caught up to what we have been saying for years. Bipartisanship isn't the two parties negotiating in good faith. Bipartisanship is when Democrats cave in to whatever Republicans want. Has been for a long time.
- Romney and Santorum deserve each other.
- Would the Volker Rule have prevented JP Morgan from blowing $2 billion on derivatives?
- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid comes to his senses:
“If there were ever a time when Tom Udall and Jeff Merkley were prophetic, it’s tonight,” Reid said on the floor. “These two young, fine senators said it was time to change the rules of the Senate, and we didn’t. They were right. The rest of us were wrong — or most of us, anyway. What a shame.”
Who could have ever predicted? We did! The time to understand that the Senate is a broken institution was many years ago. Reforming the filibuster should have been priority #1 in early 2009. And in early 2011. And in early 2013. No matter who wins a majority, that majority should rule. The federal government cannot continue to be essentially dysfunctional because of an extra-constitutional and archaic Senate rule. If the voters don't like the majority, they can sort it out at the ballot box.
- A Florida mother was sentenced to 20 years in prison for firing warning shots at her abusive husband. A protective order was in place against him. Just contrast that with how George Zimmerman was treated after killing someone. I guess in Florida, standing your ground doesn't apply to women who are victims of domestic violence. She's black and a woman, which explains everything.
- Betty White endorses Obama. Game over. Because Betty White is awesome.
Happy Mother's Day!