Author Archives: Jon

Thoughts on the Second GOP Debate

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Jon

The second GOP primary debate took place last night and there weren’t a whole lot of surprises. Texas Governor Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney are still the front runners, with Perry taking the most shots from his … Continue reading →

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Michele Bachmann Will Not Be President

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Jon

Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann won Saturday’s Iowa straw poll, narrowly beating out Texas Rep. Ron Paul. Rep. Bachmann appeared on a number of Sunday morning talk shows in a victory lap of sorts. It might not be her last, but … Continue reading →

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Do We Deserve Any Better?

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Jon

Thomas Jefferson is credited with the saying “The government you elect is the government you deserve.” Author and satirist H.L. Mencken one-upped him: “People deserve the government they get, and they deserve to get it good and hard.” Well, we … Continue reading →

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These People Have Lost It

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Jon

Yesterday, I watched in disbelief as John McCain, longtime Republic stalwart in the Senate attempted to talk sense into Sean Hannity. It proved impossible. As Sen. McCain attempted to explain the rather unpleasant consequences of not raising the debt ceiling, … Continue reading →

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Cut, Cap, Balance, and Fail

Posted on July 20, 2011 by Jon

At this point, I think many of the House Republicans have stopped even trying to interact with reality. Last night, the House passed the Cut, Cap and Balance measure put forward by the Tea Party types. It can’t pass the … Continue reading →

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House GOP Says No to… Light Bulbs?

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Jon

Apparently, the GOP-dominated House has something against those nasty, energy-saving light bulbs. Or at least federal regulations that make them standard. The House has voted this morning to de-fund the Department of Energy regulations, enacted in 2007 and signed by … Continue reading →

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Debt Ceiling Talks Squeak Forward

Posted on July 15, 2011 by Jon

It finally looks as though some cracks are forming in the Tea Party’s resistance to agree to raise the debt ceiling. With Mitch McConnell, the senior Republican in the Senate proposing a new plan that would de-couple the debt ceiling … Continue reading →

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David Brooks Calls Out Republicans

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Jon

David Brooks writes for that East Coast bastion of liberal thought, the New York Times. On Tuesday, he opined on the current unwillingness of the Republicans to accept the massive compromises offered by the Democrats in order to agree on … Continue reading →

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DREAM Act Finally Gets Senate Hearing

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Jon

After 10 years and at least 5 different attempts, the Senate held its first hearing on the DREAM Act today. The proposed law would provide a path to citizenship for immigrants who came to this country as children, brought by … Continue reading →

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Eric Cantor Weasles Out of Budget Talks

Posted on June 24, 2011 by Jon

Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor walked out of budget talks with Vice President Biden yesterday, probably ending the VP’s attempt at reconciling the debt limit increase debate, at least temporarily. The deadline for raising the debt limit (and forestalling … Continue reading →

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