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 Jan. 13 edition. Inclusion of a blog post does not necessarily indicate my agreement with—or endorsement of—its contents. |
Jason330 at Delaware Liberal writes—Coons and Carper Join With Republicans to Hasten Another Financial Meltdown:
Coons and Carper sure love a good financial crisis. How else can they explain teaming up with the GOP to weaken key reforms enacted by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act?
The bill they have co-sponsored is S.2155. This is the take of an actual Democrat (Maxine Waters) on it:
Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Financial Services, made the following statement in opposition to S.2155, a bill that would roll back important reforms put in place by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act:
“This bill simply repackages harmful provisions from Chairman Hensarling’s Wrong Choice Act, and it must not become law. It guts critical consumer protections put in place following the financial crisis, including mortgage rules, appraisal and escrow rules, and data collection requirements that help to illuminate discriminatory lending practices. The legislation also weakens important safeguards in place to ensure the stability of our financial system, such as stress tests and living wills, and waters down bank capital requirements.
“This legislation is yet another brazen giveaway to Wall Street and big banks that would harm consumers. Let’s be clear: last year banks posted record profits, and they are lending to businesses at well above pre-crisis levels. They are doing just fine. Instead of bending over backwards to help out Wall Street, Congress should be working to ensure that abusive megabanks, like Wells Fargo, face real consequences for patterns of egregious illegal behavior, and moving to comprehensively reform our nation’s broken credit reporting system, especially in the wake of the massive Equifax data breach.”
Bob Plain at R.I. Future.org writes—Gayle Corrigan says Town Charter indemnifies her against ethics complaint:
One of the first things Gayle Corrigan did when she took over as town manager of East Greenwich was replace the finance director with her friend and colleague Linda Dykeman. That isn’t a violation of the state Code of Ethics, she insisted in an interview on Friday, because the Town Council had final say over hiring Dykeman.
“It’s clearly the Council’s call,” Corrigan told me. “That’s my interpretation.”
The state Ethics Commission voted 5-0 to investigate the matter last week. Corrigan said she intends to “cooperate fully with the process.”
At issue is whether Corrigan violated the state law governing ethical conduct by government officials in helping Dykeman, her personal friend and business partner, become the town finance director. During the annual budgeting process this past summer, Corrigan and Dykeman, doing business as Providence Analytics, were hired by the Town Council to audit school then town funding. The audit culminated with a plan that included consolidating the town and school finance directors. It also led, in short order, to the Town Council firing the popular but public sector-friendly town manager and replacing him with Corrigan. Dykeman was hired by the school department and then named town finance director of the town, with the municipal side paying her $127,500 annually including 25 vacation days.
The Code of Ethics law says, “No person subject to this code of ethics shall use in any way his or her public office … to obtain financial gain, other than that provided by law, for him or herself or any person within his or her family, any business associate, or any business by which the person is employed or which the person represents.”
Nathan Kosted at The Montana Post writes—Shutdown Steve Daines Strikes Again?
Senator Daines recently said, “I think it’s ridiculous that the threat of a shutdown looms over our country today.” But that is not the same tune he was singing back in 2013 when he led the way towards that government shutdown.
In 2013, Senator Daines voted for the “Paul Ryan Budget” which cut $4.6 trillion in spending (compared to the $1.5 trillion in spending Daines just voted for), repealed the ACA, and turned Medicare into a voucher system all while cutting taxes for the wealthy like himself. This budget was rejected by the Senate and thus the Steve Daines shutdown ensued, costing Montanans millions of dollars in revenue to our two National Parks that were shut down.
Is taking healthcare away from Montanans in order to give tax breaks to the wealthy a more noble goal than saving healthcare for children and preventing the deportation of almost a million hardworking DACA recipients?
The truth is, Daines could care less either way. Shutdown or no shutdown, he and the Tea Party don’t want the government to function. He doesn’t want to do the job Montanans elected him to do, he wants to get his while he can. Daines wants to cut his own taxes, kick you off your healthcare, and do the bidding of corporations.
Government shutdown: Great, the government is unable to function so now we can now cut more programs and blame the Democrats.
No government shutdown: Cool, let’s kick the can down the road, rack up spending, and blame the Democrats.
See, Daines and the Republicans don’t want to govern, they want to raid the treasury for their own benefit and for the benefit of corporate interests. Shutdown or no shutdown this Friday, it sure won’t be the last time Senator Daines holds America hostage for his shutdown dreams.
Chris Savage at Eclectablog of Michigan writes—The unmentioned outcome of the #TrumpTaxScam: Forcing states to cut taxes just to keep their citizens from paying MORE:
When Republicans in Congress passed the Trump Tax Scam, one of the things they did was to raise taxes on citizens at the state level. In Michigan, that increase in taxes amounts to $1.5 BILLION, something even Republicans have been forced to admit.
Democrats, who have been trying to enact an increase in the personal tax exemption for years, today were forced to join gleeful Republicans in passing legislation that would increase the personal exemption to $5,000 by 2021. [...]
Republicans are painting it as more Republican tax cuts. “It has been no secret that my main priority is to fight for tax relief for Michigan families,” Republican Sen. Jack Brandenburg told the Detroit Free Press. “Congress passed big and bold tax relief and it’s time we do the same for families in Michigan.”
What Congress did was to pass a bill that forced states to cut taxes if they wanted their citizens to not have to pay MORE in taxes overall. In other words, yeah, Michigan Republicans passed a bill that in any other year would be a tax cut but, thanks the Trump Tax Scam, all it does is make sure our taxes don’t go UP. There is no “cut”. [...]
It’s a pretty classic Republican maneuver to do “big and bold” things at one level that folks at lower levels like the state or local municipalities or school districts have to pay for. But for them to portray this as a tax cut for Michigan taxpayers is hypocrisy to the extreme.
If Michigan Republicans weren’t shameless, I’d say they should be ashamed.
Regina Willis at Better Georgia writes—Leaders in Georgia: Stop being afraid of teen sexual health:
The conservative leadership in this state is clearly not invested in proactive policies to address reproductive and sexual health for anyone, let alone for teenagers. So concerned parents, educators and students in Gwinnett County are taking matters into their own hands.
Young people are sexually active, that is just reality and it has been the reality for generations. Arming young people with medically accurate information about sex and sexuality gives them the tools they need to make healthier choices to protect their sexual and reproductive health.
However, as per usual, leaders in this state would rather stick their heads in the sand than deal with reality. So, in Gwinnett County, folks are starting to push back, creating a coalition called Gwinnett Citizens for Comprehensive Sex Education.
The CDC just released data that, nationally, teenagers are waiting longer to have sex. But, despite the fact that Georgia has higher than average rates of teen pregnancy and teen STIs, Georgia has not wanted to collect this information for more than a decade. [...]
In Gwinnett County, the rates of chlamydia and gonorrhea among teenagers ages 13 to 19 has increased by over 100 percent since 1998. Yes, that’s right, the rate of two of the most common STIs has doubled among young people in Gwinnett County over the past nearly two decades. This is according to data available from the Georgia Department of Public Health.
At the same time, Gwinnett County has relied on an abstinence-based sex ed course called Choosing The Best, taught by a local crisis pregnancy center. Crisis pregnancy centers are fake “clinics” established by anti-choice groups solely for the purpose of bullying pregnant people into not having an abortion.
Mitch Rabalais at The Bayou Brief writes—The True Story of Stormy Daniels Versus David Vitter:
Long before she made international headlines over an alleged extramarital affair and financial settlement with President Donald J. Trump, Stormy Daniels, the adult film actress, gave another Republican politician headaches – a little closer to home.
In 2009, the Baton Rouge native, well-known in her industry, was considering running to represent Louisiana in the United State Senate. The incumbent senator, David Vitter, was in the midst of a political comeback after he had publicly admitted to being a client of the infamous “D.C. Madam” two years earlier.
Despite the very public scandal, Vitter was still a formidable candidate, holding off most major challengers. The one major Republican who dared to run against Vitter, former Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Chet Traylor, was quickly embroiled in allegations over his own private life, and his campaign floundered.
From the depleted Democratic field, Congressman Charlie Melancon of Napoleonville emerged, but was at a major disadvantage.
Around February, speculation began circulating about the candidacy of Daniels, amid a “Draft Stormy” movement launched by a few overzealous political science students looking for an adult entertainer to run against Vitter. Their strategy was that Daniels’ mere presence in the race would draw more attention to the Senator’s extramarital activities. [...]
While it provided interesting humor for comedy writers and scorn from editorialists, Daniels’ candidacy didn’t gain much traction and she announced in April of 2010, that she would not run, citing business concerns while continuing to attack what she saw as Vitter’s hypocrisy and sexism in politics.
Most political reporters thought they wouldn’t hear her name again.
Boy, were they wrong.
desmoinesdem at Bleeding Heartland of Iowa writes—"Everybody in, nobody left out": Cathy Glasson spotlights universal health care:
Declaring that health care is a “fundamental human right,” and “Iowa should lead the way,” Cathy Glasson is taking her message to Iowa television viewers, beginning January 18. Single-payer health care reform has been a central theme of Glasson’s stump speeches since she began exploring a gubernatorial campaign. Her stance on that issue was a key factor in attracting endorsements from some progressive organizations and many activists who caucused for Bernie Sanders in 2016. It even helped Glasson win over television and movie actor Piper Perabo (hat tip to Christian Ucles). As Gavin Aronsen observed in this Iowa Informer profile, “lefty media outlets” with a national audience “have taken notice of Glasson’s grassroots campaign” too, in part because of her vocal support for Medicare for All.
I enclose below the video and transcript of “Heart,” which will air in the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids markets, according to a campaign news release. The spot is a good way for Glasson to distinguish herself from the rest of the field. Among her six rivals for the nomination, only Jon Neiderbach is also on record supporting single-payer health care. Neiderbach is unlikely to have the funds for substantial television advertising before the primary, though. I am seeking further details on how Glasson envisions creating a state-level universal health care system to replace private insurance and will update this post as needed.
Glasson is the third Democratic gubernatorial candidate to run tv ads this year, after Fred Hubbell and Nate Boulton. Two factors are driving the unusually early start for paid advertising. The upcoming Iowa precinct caucuses will be the first step in a convention process that may select the Democratic nominee, if no candidate receives at least 35 percent of the vote in the June 5 primary. In a departure from usual practice during non-presidential years, many Democratic caucuses will divide into preference groups based on the governor’s race on February 5. Field organizers and volunteers for the various contenders are working hard to turn their people out, because supporters of viable candidates will be able to elect county convention delegates. [...]
Juanita Jean Herownself at Juanita Jean’s of Texas writes—Just In Case You’re Counting:
Republicans have four – 4! Count them – convicted criminals running for congress this year.
Don Blankenship, the former head of the coal mining company Massey Energy who is running in the Republican primary to challenge Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.); former Rep. Michael Grimm, who is challenging incumbent Rep. Dan Donovan (R-N.Y.) to reclaim the Staten Island congressional seat he once held; and Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.), who is running for re-election.
And as long as we’re counting, 29 Republicans are leaving congress. Why? Here’s my theory. They know they built Trump and now they have to buy him. They know how mad people truly are.
That’s my theory and I’m sticking to it.
Vern Nelson at The Orange Juice Blog of California writes—Senator Feinstein Gives Trump Expanded Powers to Spy on us: De León’s Statement:
…And what, again, is this reactionary 85-year old doing STILL representing this progressive state in the Senate, and threatening to keep doing it for six more years?
I mean, too much time never goes by without her giving us yet another reason to vote for her opponent Kevin De León this fall.
We should have expected this back when she scandalized a San Francisco crowd by urging “patience” with President Trump and contending that he COULD turn out to be a “great President.”
Well, now look what Dianne has gone and done: Along with 17 other turncoat, security-state “Democrats,” she voted to give expanded warrantless FISA powers to President Trump, to spy on us and our fellow Americans with no evidence of wrongdoing (conveniently forgetting that these same Democrats regularly and rightly call the President a deranged authoritarian with no regard for liberty and no toleration for dissent.)
Well, the Orange Juice Blog reached out to Dianne’s 2018 opponent, Senate President Pro Tem Kevin De León, and he provided us the following statement on the desmadre:
[...] “Her decision is disappointing, but it isn’t surprising. In 2009 she penned an op-ed in defense of unbridled government wiretapping, calling FISA’s warrantless spying provisions a ‘strong intelligence tool’.
“Given that our current President believes the Department of Justice and the FBI are his own personal law enforcement division, and regularly talks about locking up his political opponents – Congress’s actions threaten to plunge this country into an Orwellian nightmare.
“No President should have the power to conduct warrantless searches to invade Americans’ privacy; it’s unreasonable, and it’s unconstitutional.”
Ed Heinzelman at Blogging Blue of Wisconsin writes—How Much Suffering Will It Take Before We Have Realistic Gun Control?
This article from this morning’s New York Times outlines the injuries suffered by lobbyist Matt Mika during the mass shooting at the Republican baseball team practice last June and his long and painful rehabilitation since that day…and how he hasn’t gotten his life back to normal yet….months and months later.
Mr. Mika was the individual with the most critical injuries and the first responders essentially considered him to be dead. But the skills of the paramedics and the trauma surgery doctor saved his life. But his life was totally disrupted. He doesn’t really have it back yet. Beyond the physical injuries and trauma he continues to encounter emotional trauma to this day.
I imagine it is very similar for Representative Steve Scalise, who in the last photo that I saw of him is still on crutches.
So after all of the prayers have gone out…what happens next?
Apparently nothing…despite the evidence of continuing tragedies and traumas surrounding mass shootings is right there in their GOP family…the Republicans can’t throw off the yoke of their NRA masters to do something? Hell we don’t even had a bump stock ban yet. What shithole country do we live in?
Jeanne Devon at The Mudflats of Alaska writes—Return of the Truth Squad!
The investigation I’m referring to was known as “Troopergate” – Palin’s dismissal of her Commissioner of Public Safety, Walt Monegan, because he wouldn’t commit a revenge firing of her State Trooper brother-in-law. An investigation which asked whether Palin had abused her power as governor ensued.
Palin promised to cooperate with investigators. [...]
The McCain campaign freaked out. Who knew what she was going to say? Nobody wants a RogueMaverick™ just saying things when questioned! So, they assembled a team of suits and called them “The Truth Squad,” and you can take that in the most Orwellian sense of the title. Well, the Truth Squad galloped on up to Alaska to save Palin from herself, and save the rest of us from the truth. The Truth Squad even had its own spokesman [Ed O’Callaghan] of whom everyone in Alaska said, “Who the hell is this guy? We’ve never seen him before but there he is talking about Alaskan stuff.” (That’s a thing in Alaska. If we’ve never seen you before, and you’re saying something, our suspicions are raised.) [...]
Fast forward to today.
As we know neither McCain nor Palin made it to the White House. But, guess who did? Kinda. That’s right, Ed O’Callaghan! There he was right there on the TV talking from the White House press room up on the podium.
And in true Truth Squad fashion, he said a lot of stuff that didn’t have a whole lot to do with Truth. His purpose today was to cite a newly released report from the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department about immigration. The report comes while we’re all in the middle of the latest immigration battle, and says… wait for it… three out of four individuals convicted of international terrorism or terrorism-related offenses were “immigrants.”
If that sounds weirdly inaccurate, and unlikely, and maybe a little like fear-mongering, that’s because it is. [...]
WillyKay at Show Me Progress of Missouri writes—Ann Wagner, you can’t honor MLK with the same lips that praise Donald Trump:
Gotta hand it to Rep. Ann Wagner (R-2). She’s making a serious effort at cultivating the two-faced look (and, no, I’m not talking about her Afghan-hound hairstyle). Today is Martin Luther King Day. On this day many Americans honor one of the leaders who helped crush the American apartheid that prevailed for almost a hundred years after the end of slavery – and who gave his life for it. King, one of the most profound of American thinkers and orators, would now be 89 years old had the remaining years of his life not been stolen from him at the age of 39 by racist America.
Wagner is making it clear that she wants in on the MLK party – which is to say, she doesn’t want to be tarred with the brush of GOP racism. Her official Website refers us to Facebook and Twitter posts encouraging us to read some of MLK’s “writings” available on the King Center Website, a seemingly reverent nod in the right direction. Enough to let us know that she’ll put in an appearance at the party without staying long enough to overmuch alarm the basest part of the GOP base.
But if Wagner wants in on this party, she’s failed to pay the price of admission. On those same Twitter and Facebook accounts there’s not a word about the most recent obscene, racist ramblings of the president she has enthusiastically supported. In fact, she has described the experience of working with him as “amazing,” and has emphasized her close relationship and identification with him [...]
Nevertheless, Wagner has tried to keep her feet out of Trump’s overtly racist mud – and, in so doing, has put herself into a bad spot. As she herself proclaimed after Trump’s infamous Charlottesville equivocation, “leaders must call out Neo-Nazis, white supremacists and fascists by name.”
So, Annie, we’re waiting for you to call out this particular white supremacist – and arguably, fascist – by name.” And we know you know his name. Unless, that is you and he have more “commonalities” than you want us to know about. Which is is?