The WWII Vet Protest

Ken AshfordTea PartyLeave a Comment

Just below a picture of Sarah Palin from this weekend's march, Fox News writes: Veterans marched on Sunday in Washington in protest of the partial government shutdown that has kept them and other Americans from visiting war memorials across the country, with support from several star conservatives. “This is the people's memorial,” Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told a crowd of several … Read More

Hot Mic Conversation Shows This Is About Optics And “Winning”, Not About Americans

Ken AshfordCongress, Obama Opposition, Republicans, Tea PartyLeave a Comment

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) were caught on a hot mic Wednesday night while discussing their party's messaging on the government shutdown.    Paul ran into McConnell, who was wired for an interview, in front of a camera after wrapping his own interview with CNN, according to Western Kentucky news station WPSD.  "I just did … Read More

Cruz Taken To Woodshed

Ken AshfordCongress, Obama Opposition, Tea PartyLeave a Comment

TPM: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) took heat from his Republican colleagues Wednesday in a closed-door meeting to discuss the government shutdown, Politico reported. At the meeting that was hosted by the Senate’s conservative Steering Committee, one GOP senator after another pressed Cruz to offer a proposal to end the shutdown, according to Politico. The junior senator from Texas reportedly had no solution … Read More

Government Shuts Down; Obamacare Begins

Ken AshfordCongress, Republicans, Tea PartyLeave a Comment

(1)  I have to start with one crazy lady Bachmann said to crazy website outlet, World Net Daily: Pulling no punches, Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., told WND exactly why she thinks President Obama and Democrats are unwilling to negotiate with the GOP over Obamacare’s well-documented problems. “I think the reason is because President Obama can’t wait to get Americans addicted to … Read More

NC Is Focus of NY Time Editorial Again

Ken AshfordLocal Interest, Tea PartyLeave a Comment

And it ain't good (again): A Sharp Turn to the Right in North Carolina By ALBERT R. HUNT | BLOOMBERG VIEW WASHINGTON — North Carolina is channeling Alabama and South Carolina when it comes to the best economic, social and political model for a Southern state. For more than half a century, North Carolina has been progressive on education and public … Read More

Town Hall Follies

Ken AshfordRepublicans, Tea PartyLeave a Comment

The nice thing about when Congress is out of session, is that Congresscritters go back to their constitutents and have town halls, and then we get good stuff like this.  This is Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), fielding questions at the event in Afton, Oklahoma.  And a woman asks him about Obama's qualifications. That's right.  There are still people who STILL believe … Read More

It’s Okay, Bigots. The GOP Isn’t Really Embracing “Tolerance”

Ken AshfordRepublicans, Sex/Morality/Family Values, Tea PartyLeave a Comment

Following their 2012 election debacle, the Republican National Committee and the College Republicans issued reports which urged the party to go through an image makeover without adjusting its political stances. Essentially, they argued, the party should only appear to be changing and becoming more open-minded, empathetic and welcoming. Speaking with David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network posted today, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus confirmed that the party will … Read More

Michelle, We Hardly Knew Ye

Ken AshfordTea PartyLeave a Comment

NYT: Representative Michele Bachmann, the Minnesota Republican who made an ill-fated run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, announced Wednesday that she would not seek a fifth term in Congress next year. She made the announcement just six months after being re-elected in what was her most challenging Congressional campaign since she was first elected to the House in … Read More

Retaliation Against Judges

Ken AshfordGay Marriage, Tea PartyLeave a Comment

Republican politicians have no scruples. In 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court unanimously held that the Iowa Constitution does not permit marriage discrimination against gay couples. Four of the seven justices who reached that decision remain on the court today, and a pair of Iowa lawmakers have a plan to punish them four years after they extended the blessings of liberty to gay … Read More

Bachmann’s Ethic Troubles Get Worse

Ken AshfordCampaign Finance Reform, Congress, Tea PartyLeave a Comment

Last week, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) participated in a press conference about Medicaid reimbursement, but reporters had some questions about the right-wing congresswoman's ethics troubles. Instead of responding, Bachmann literally ran away, while some aides "physically blocked reporters" to keep them at bay, and other aides were seen "pushing reporters out of the way as Bachmann left the room." It … Read More

The GOP Split Is Starting To Get Real

Ken AshfordGay Marriage, Republicans, Tea PartyLeave a Comment

Over the past few months, the GOP has talked a lot about re-branding, and softening its views on gay marriage and immigration, in order to appeal to normal people. The base is not happy: Tony Perkins says religious conservatives should stop donating to the Republican Party until it clarifies its position on social issues.  The president of the Family Research … Read More

Shorter Rand Paul

Ken AshfordConstitution, Race, Tea PartyLeave a Comment

Shorter Rand Paul: I was NEVER against the Civil Rights Act. I just think the whole desegregating lunch counters went a bit far. His attempt to snow the people at Howard University was a disaster.  TPM covers it: Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), a proponent of civil liberties, told a professor on Wednesday that he never opposed the Civil Rights Act … Read More