The Commentariat -- July 5, 2015
Internal links removed.
Linda Greenhouse: "Not that any of the Republicans have asked me for advice, but I'll give them some anyway: Fomenting backlash [against the Supreme Court] is not a winning strategy.... Stoking public anger against the Supreme Court can't succeed in a vacuum. Backlash needs to be fed and sustained by fear: fear of crime; fear of a threat to 'our Southern way of life'; fear, in the case of abortion, of a revolution in women's traditional role in the family and in society. And what, exactly, are people supposed to be afraid of now? A same-sex married couple with affordable health insurance?"
Julie Bosman of the New York Times on sex offender registries. You could get on one for peeing in public or "swapping lewd texts." In the featured case, it appears the judge & prosecutor just didn't approve of young people hooking up via Websites, & they use that view as an excuse to ruin the lives of young people who aren't so prissy. CW P.S. Though the young man featured in the story is white, sex-offender statutes seem like an excellent way for racist judges to get away with criminalizing young black men.
Ben Wofford of Politico Magazine: The U.S. "has only one federally funded slave memorial -- and it's been falling apart." At least read the part about how Saint George Washington successfully finagled Pennsylvania's gradual abolition law.
John Hooper & Helena Smith of the Guardian: "Greeks have begun voting in a referendum that presents the biggest challenge to the running of the euro since its adoption and risks sending shock waves through the world's financial markets."
God News
Barbara Hoberock of the Tulsa World: "The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday said the Ten Commandments monument at the state Capitol must be removed. The plaintiffs said its placement at the Capitol constituted the use of public property for the benefit of a system of religion, which is banned by the Oklahoma Constitution. The monument, a gift from Rep. Mike Ritze, R-Broken Arrow, and his family, was recently reinstalled after a man drove a vehicle into it." Outrage ensues. Via Steve Benen.
Presidential Race
Kevin Hardy of the Des Moines Register: "On the tail end of a three-day Iowa swing, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders says he's feeling good about his momentum here and across the country. More than 150 supporters marched with Sanders on Saturday in Waukee's Independence Day parade, the last of his eight Iowa stops this week.... Sanders drew both traditional Democrats and conservatives on Saturday. 'This will be the first time I've caucused with the Democrats,' said Michael Tallman, 25, of Des Moines... Micheal Davenport, 35, of Des Moines said he generally votes conservatively. But he marched in support of Sanders Saturday. Davenport is an anti-abortion Catholic.... But Davenport said Pope Francis' call for tolerance and more moderate rhetoric surrounding social issues has made him rethink some issues." ...
... Annie Karni & Jonathan Topaz of Politico on "Bernie & Hillary's holiday weekend." ...
... Philip Rucker & Ed O'Keefe of the Washington Post: In New Hampshire, the candidates paraded; hecklers heckled. ...
... Jennifer Kasperkevic of the Guardian: "As 2016 presidential candidates flocked to spend Independence Day in early voting states such as Iowa and New Hampshire, Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton found herself defending her record on policy and the size of crowds at her events." ...
... Annie Karni: "Hillary Clinton arrived in this liberal New England [-- Hanover, N.H. --] enclave with a message for anyone thinking about voting for Sen. Bernie Sanders of next-door Vermont: 'I take a backseat to no one when you look at my record in standing up and fighting for progressive values.'... And at the first stop of her two-day swing through the early-voting state, Clinton highlighted contrasts with her main Democratic rival without mentioning him by name." ...
... Liam Stack of the New York Times: "Hillary Rodham Clinton offered moral support to a distraught gay youth who shared his anxiety about his future in a viral photograph posted on the Humans of New York Facebook page, telling him on Friday that it would be 'amazing.'" CW: What? No comforting words from Ted Cruz?
Belatedly, Marco Thumps Trump. Martin Pengelly of the Guardian: "On Friday, Rubio released a strongly worded statement which said: 'Trump's comments are not just offensive and inaccurate, but also divisive.'... On Saturday, speaking on the Fox & Friends morning show, Trump attacked Rubio for being 'very weak on immigration'. He also said the former New York governor George Pataki, who has criticised his remarks, was 'a sad figure' and 'a terrible governor of New York' who had 'zero numbers in the polls'.... Trump said he 'respected' the Texas senator Ted Cruz, who has defended his remarks on immigration.... On Friday, Trump lost the support of another US institution when the chairman of Nascar said the auto-racing series would not host its season-end awards at his Trump National Doral resort in Miami." ...
... Steve M. is very excited about the Trump-Cruz ticket. ...
... Me-Too Mitt. Cassie Spodak of CNN: "Mitt Romney said Saturday that Donald Trump's comments on Mexico and undocumented immigrants have hurt the Republican Party, [link fixed] making the 2012 presidential nominee the latest Republican to slam the billionaire over his controversial remarks. Romney made his remarks during a Fourth of July parade in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, which was also attended by presidential candidates New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. Asked if Trump's comments on Mexicans have hurt the Republican Party, Romney replied, 'Yes; I think he made a severe error in saying what he did about Mexican-Americans,' Romney said...." CW: Mitt's father George was a Mexican-American.
AP: "In a sudden reversal amid a stinging backlash, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and GOP legislative leaders said they agreed Saturday to completely remove a part of the proposed state budget that would severely roll back open records laws.... The restrictions, which Republicans on the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee slipped into the proposed budget late Thursday, would shield nearly everything created by state and local government officials from Wisconsin's open records law, including drafts of legislation and staff communications. The proposal drew heavy criticism from liberals and conservatives alike, and was the subject of a withering front-page editorial in Saturday's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel." ...
... Here's the Journal Sentinel editorial. ...
... Mary Spicuzza of the Journal Sentinel: "Walker, speaking with reporters Saturday before participating in the Wauwatosa Independence Day Parade, acknowledged that he had 'a lot of concerns about' the proposals. His comments were echoed by Republican legislative leaders early Saturday, including those who backed the changes just two days earlier. Though he holds one of the most powerful veto pens in the nation ... Walker early Saturday had stopped short of pledging to veto the open records overhaul. But by the end of the day, it became clear he wouldn't have to face that decision, because he and other lawmakers agreed to drop the proposal." CW: In other words, Scottie will get away with as much as he can. ...
... CW: Contributor Nadd2 points us to this video of Scottie's weasling out of muliple questions about his part in the scheme. I thought Scottie was no good at deflecting questions. Turns out he's a master of misdirection, dissemblng & deception. Bottom line: his dirty paws are all over the last-minute insert:
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Reader Comments (5)
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has a video on its front page (jsonline.com) which shows Walker slithering away from direct questions about who was responsible for inserting the secrecy provisions into the budget. It's difficult to say which disgusts me more--the video, or the teasers for the 10 pm news shouting "the governor is taking action to protect open records laws." How the **** does he get away with this?
@Nadd2-
Because Scotty Walkster is a shameless narcissistic sociopath who hides behind God and religion. Most people in Wisconsin are not yet ready to take on God and religion--unfortunately. This includes the media.
Also, the Journal Sentinel is mainly, IMHO, a conservative newspaper these days--much different from when I lived in Milwaukee. In those days (the 50s and early 60s), they were two separate papers. The Milwaukee Journal--by far the most important paper--was quite liberal, at least for those times. The Sentinel was a sad little rag, with a low subscription level and very little respect.
Also, Wisconsin seems to have "forgotten" its progressive tradition. Perhaps the LaFollette era is too far behind. And I rarely hear Gaylord Nelson's name mentioned. When Ron Johnson defeated Russ Feingold, I thought all was lost. If Feingold can reclaim his seat, perhaps I will be able to allow some hope. I think Obama really nailed it when he said that Minnesota ("the state across the river") had it going on, and Wisconsin was (my paraphrase) crying in its beer!
Kate--I grew up in Madison during those years. My father used to relate a story that, asked why Wisconsin had such clean politics, a prominent WI resident (can't remember who) held up two newspapers--the Wisconsin State Journal and the Capital Times, and said "this is why."
Like the MJS, these two papers have consolidated and sadly lost most of their teeth since those days. The Cap Times still has its progressive stance, but it doesn't have the resources (staff, funds, or circulation) to hold politicians' feet to the fire.
As I mentioned a few days ago, the media really get pissed off when politicians go after their bread and butter-ie, access to information. That's where Walker and co blew it this time. A couple of years ago, media got ticked off when the governor's office blatantly contacted a news organization up north to influence its coverage on some issue or another. Anything else, our media is pretty sycophantic to the Republicans in power.
Like Bush and Cheney when they were wrecking the country and destroying several others overseas, Walker simply expects that he can lie straightfaced and get away with it. He expects that, after trying to sneak in a provision that would enable him to bury his dirty secrets some toady in the press will tout him, once the trick has been revealed and he has to pull back, as the guy who saved Wisconsin from such heinous acts by some as yet unnamed villain.
Bush got away with this shit for years.
Republicans have come to expect this kind of treatment and generally receive it. I didn't watch MTP this morning but I have no doubt that Chuck Todd will have a time of it, as he does every week, of removing his tongue from some GOP ass.
Just from reading Coates article "a letter to my son" in the Atlantic. Couldn't read it all in one sitting; too powerful to absorb at once. Cannot recommend it too highly.