Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) claims he was a victim of “McCarthyism” after critics dubbed him “Moscow Mitch” for blocking a bill to protect U.S. elections from Russian meddling.
McConnell wrote on Twitter on Monday:
Leader McConnell
Verified account @senatemajldr
Modern-day McCarthyism is poison for American democracy. It is shameful to imply that policy disagreements make the other side unpatriotic. The people who push such unhinged smears are doing Putin’s destabilizing work for him.
On Tuesday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) offered up a correction:
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Verified account @AOC
McCarthyism is the practice of baselessly accusing political opponents of being communists as unjust grounds for targeting & harassment.
You are blocking action to protect US elections despite official DoJ pleas. That doesn’t make you a communist. It just makes you a bad leader.
...
Leaving aside Moscow Mitch’s idiotic “McCarthyism” whine, it’s a wonder that he didn’t choke on: “It is shameful to imply that policy disagreements make the other side unpatriotic. The people who push such unhinged smears are doing Putin’s destabilizing work for him.”
That has been the entire Repug platform and Moscow Mitch’s forte for years.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
"Overturn Citizens United v. FEC and stop secret corporate money from corrupting our democracy. Pass Rep. Pramila Jayapal's 'We the People' amendment."
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
"Overturn Citizens United v. FEC and stop secret corporate money from corrupting our democracy. Pass Rep. Pramila Jayapal's 'We the People' amendment."
"Citizens United" my ass; pretty clever naming something that will only be destroyed by its own namesake. I read a book about this and if I remember it right, the citizens united never expected to win their case and based it all on a 19th century ruling in favor of the railroads in their endless need for property rights and rights of way. In the railroad case, the railroad was declared a "citizen" and won because they supposedly were not given "equal treatment" under the law as Constitutionally mandated. Even then, they stole a concept intended to benefit blacks and turned it into their own cause. It's basically a shit deal that needs to be done away with. I should say the modern day case referenced the equal protection concept; not sure if it even existed at the time of the railroad case.
"Citizens United" my ass; pretty clever naming something that will only be destroyed by its own namesake. I read a book about this and if I remember it right, the citizens united never expected to win their case and based it all on a 19th century ruling in favor of the railroads in their endless need for property rights and rights of way. In the railroad case, the railroad was declared a "citizen" and won because they supposedly were not given "equal treatment" under the law as Constitutionally mandated. Even then, they stole a concept intended to benefit blacks and turned it into their own cause. It's basically a shit deal that needs to be done away with. I should say the modern day case referenced the equal protection concept; not sure if it even existed at the time of the railroad case.
I would like to see a constitutional amendment that didn't just address campaign finance but that also negated the corporate personhood rulings that I think you're referring to.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
I agree that corporate funds should be eliminated from our popular elections; it's a blatant conflict of interest if nothing else. Plus it sucks. The 14th amendment was ratified in 1868 and If I remember right, this railroad case was after that; not sure. Don't even remember the name of it. I am not convinced that prohibition of corporate money should rise to the level of being considered a Constitutional Amendment; hell, they could just make it illegal. After all, political charlatans disregard the law just as often as they do the Constitution; it makes no difference to them. Besides that, the SO has ruled against the Constitution in the past as far as I'm concerned. No reason to think they won't do it again.
I agree that corporate funds should be eliminated from our popular elections; it's a blatant conflict of interest if nothing else. Plus it sucks. The 14th amendment was ratified in 1868 and If I remember right, this railroad case was after that; not sure. Don't even remember the name of it. I am not convinced that prohibition of corporate money should rise to the level of being considered a Constitutional Amendment; hell, they could just make it illegal. After all, political charlatans disregard the law just as often as they do the Constitution; it makes no difference to them. Besides that, the SO has ruled against the Constitution in the past as far as I'm concerned. No reason to think they won't do it again.
Since Citizens United was based on constitutional interpretation, most people think that it will take a constitutional amendment to overturn it. That's certainly true as long as SCOTUS remains con.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
The former president's personal tale of political intrigue and social conflict during his first campaign for public office. Iluminates the origins of his commitment to human rights and bears further witness to the accomplishments of an extraordinary man.
The tactics may have changed, but GA politics are as sleazy and undemocratic as ever.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
I can't imagine anything more shameful as a pol than to be told unanimously by a bipartisan panel that I have again been destructive to democracy and the people of NC by choosing to place my party first. If a pol can't absolutely support fair elections, they have no legitimate purpose at all.
Then, on top of that, I can't imagine anything more shameful as a fiscal con than to be told unanimously by a bipartisan panel that I have wasted so very much taxpayer money trying to subvert democracy and utterly failing.
Shame on you two, shame.
Partial redemption comes in the form of finally working to make sure that we smoothly create fair districts, just do it.
Sincerely,
(Vrede too)
This could flip the Leg, especially in a year where reviled 45SHOLE tops the ticket.
Republican Dan Bishop defeated Democrat Dan McCready in Tuesday’s special election for a North Carolina U.S. House seat, holding onto the seat for the GOP after 2018’s vote was thrown out for fraud and giving President Trump a victory, although a worryingly narrow one....
Sad. The voters of NC9 just endorsed lying POSPOTUS, closeted VP Q-tip, bigotry, and massive Repug election fraud. That’s how much Trumpettes hate America.
Anyhow, when a Repug wins solidly Repug NC 9 by only 2.2%, a Dem is certain to win NC next year. No Repug has done so poorly in NC 9 for decades. If a Dem wins NC, s/he is certain to win the US.
Buh-bye, Repugs and Trumpettes.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
A GOP group is using Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-S.C.) own pledge to keep fighting for election security against him.
A new TV commercial released online Wednesday by Republicans for the Rule of Law uses footage of Graham from July 2018 saying he is “1,000% convinced that the Russians meddled in our election.”
“I’m hoping that the president will call the Congress together to secure our election the best we can,” Graham, an ardent defender of President Donald Trump, says in the clip that Fox News will air in his home state over the weekend. “I don’t know how any of us can go to our constituents if we do nothing. The one thing I cannot live with is not trying.”
The message, “Senator Graham. Are You Still Trying?” then flashes up in text on the screen. Viewers are urged to call Graham’s office “and tell him to secure our elections.”
“Election security isn’t a Republican issue or a Democratic issue,” said Chris Truax, a spokesperson for the group. “It’s a national security issue that deserves the attention of every politician and every voter in America. Foreign adversaries have shown that they can hurt us by interfering in our elections, and we can’t let that happen.”
The group released similar ads targeting Sens. Graham, Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) in August. The commercials urged the senators to demand Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) allow votes on two stalled election security bills.
GOP, you've messed around long enough, gotten your illegitimate seats, passed illegitimate bills, defecated on the Constitution, fairness, democracy and the people of NC for years, wasted tons of money, then gotten busted and humiliated by the bipartisan NC SC panel. It's over, your only start to redemption is complete transparency, nonpartisan districting, and no delays. Get to it.
(Vrede too)
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
Surprise surprise, the democracy-despising NC Repugs are still fucking with us:
This afternoon, we filed an objection to nearly 20 of the new NC House districts drawn by the General Assembly as part of the court-ordered redraw in Common Cause v. Lewis. We’re asking the court to redraw the districts in question.
As you’ll remember, with our victory in the case the court ordered the legislature to redraw legislative districts for the 2020 election without using partisan data and in full public view.
Our brief raises objections to both the process by which these districts were drawn and the districts themselves, finding they do not meet the court’s standard that new voting maps be drawn in full public view, without consideration of partisan data and be free from partisan gerrymandering.
Attorneys for the legislature also improperly shared partisan data with members of the NC House Redistricting Committee, which clearly violated the court’s order that no partisan data be considered in the drawing of new districts.
Additionally, House incumbents were permitted to engage in redrawing their own districts, often with obvious partisan intent. In some cases, incumbents were caught on microphones admitting that they were just trying to recreate their old districts.
The flawed map-drawing process fell far short of the court’s clearly stated standards.
We believe the court should redraw these maps so all residents are able to vote in House districts for the 2020 election that are completely free from illegal partisan gerrymandering.
Legislative defendants have until October 4 to file their response. As always, thank you so much for your ongoing support and we’ll keep you posted on what happens next.
Thanks,
Bob Phillips, Executive Director
and the team at Common Cause NC
Really? Why do you detest democracy, and why are you so dumb as to think you'll get away with it after the bipartisan NC SC panel already slapped you around?
Sincerely,
(Vrede too)
cc: Common Cause NC, Gov. Cooper
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
Surprise surprise, the democracy-despising NC Repugs are still fucking with us:
This afternoon, we filed an objection to nearly 20 of the new NC House districts drawn by the General Assembly as part of the court-ordered redraw in Common Cause v. Lewis. We’re asking the court to redraw the districts in question.
As you’ll remember, with our victory in the case the court ordered the legislature to redraw legislative districts for the 2020 election without using partisan data and in full public view.
Our brief raises objections to both the process by which these districts were drawn and the districts themselves, finding they do not meet the court’s standard that new voting maps be drawn in full public view, without consideration of partisan data and be free from partisan gerrymandering.
Attorneys for the legislature also improperly shared partisan data with members of the NC House Redistricting Committee, which clearly violated the court’s order that no partisan data be considered in the drawing of new districts.
Additionally, House incumbents were permitted to engage in redrawing their own districts, often with obvious partisan intent. In some cases, incumbents were caught on microphones admitting that they were just trying to recreate their old districts.
The flawed map-drawing process fell far short of the court’s clearly stated standards.
We believe the court should redraw these maps so all residents are able to vote in House districts for the 2020 election that are completely free from illegal partisan gerrymandering.
Legislative defendants have until October 4 to file their response. As always, thank you so much for your ongoing support and we’ll keep you posted on what happens next.
Thanks,
Bob Phillips, Executive Director
and the team at Common Cause NC
Really? Why do you detest democracy, and why are you so dumb as to think you'll get away with it after the bipartisan NC SC panel already slapped you around?
Sincerely,
(Vrede too)
cc: Common Cause NC, Gov. Cooper
Good works for you. I might suggest that you could have also threatened them that neoplacebo may just get involved in this and may move back to NC just for that purpose. Might make them reconsider. But, residency requirements would prohibit my contribution since the Oct 4 deadline puts a damper on any force I may be able to exert. Grrrrrrr.
Good works for you. I might suggest that you could have also threatened them that neoplacebo may just get involved in this and may move back to NC just for that purpose. Might make them reconsider. But, residency requirements would prohibit my contribution since the Oct 4 deadline puts a damper on any force I may be able to exert. Grrrrrrr.
McGrady is retiring, and I doubt that hearsay neoplacebo will be as effective, anyhow. I'd offer my address for voter fraud, but even without gerrymandering the Hooterville districts will be Repug.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
The Federal Election Commission, our nation’s election watchdog, has been effectively shut down since September 1, 2019, because it does not have enough commissioners to do its job.
Trump has made it clear that he has every intention of once again seeking the aid of foreign governments to help him in the 2020 elections. As Trump becomes increasingly brazen with his disregard for the law, it is clear that he is willing to do whatever it takes to get re-elected.
I urge you to pass the SHIELD Act immediately to prevent foreign governments from interfering in our democracy.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
