Rights and Democracy
Does the GOP Hate Women?
After suffering through several un-presidential GOP debates, I’m struck by the amount of anti-woman rhetoric spewing from the candidates. Although none of them dares utter the W word — unless it’s part of the phrase “our men and women in uniform” — it’s pretty easy to see what their views are on issues concerning the sex that comprises a majority of voters.
Heroes of the Republic
Stephen Colbert, every liberal’s favorite mock conservative, has taken to calling his viewers “heroes” as he exhorts them to contribute to his Super PAC.
Perry’s Feast
Rick Perry, a Lousy Amigo
Texas Governor Rick Perry had a busy summer. In July, he told reporters he felt “called” to run for president. In August, he hosted “The Response,” a prayer rally that drew thousands of people to a Houston stadium. By September, he had thrown his Stetson hat in the ring and was leading the race for the Republican presidential nomination.
Right-Wing Politicians Expose Themselves on the Radio
If you really want to understand conservatives these days, you should check out some talk radio shows.
Michigan Locals Fight for Democracy
Snyder is the right-wing, corporation-hugging governor of Michigan. The Mackinac Center, a front group bankrolled by the radical Koch Brothers, handed him an extremist anti-worker, anti-government agenda.
People-Powered Media
Our power to influence politics is limited by the media’s willingness to cover the stories about the rest of us. That’s why some of the largest protests in U.S. history failed to stop the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, and why months of pro-labor protests in Wisconsin this year attracted scant attention compared with much smaller-scale tea party rallies.
High Noon in Washington
Most Americans, riveted by reports about the manufactured crisis surrounding the debt ceiling, assumed that we “dodged the bullet” when Congress finally authorized the U.S. Treasury to pay its bills.
You Can’t Milk a Butter Cow
Less than 17,000 Republicans showed up to vote in this year’s poll, and they were charged $30 each for the privilege of casting their straw. In previous years there have been accusations that some candidates rigged the election, Chicago-style, by busing in out-of-staters and paying their poll tax.
Diplomas vs. Deportation
When a group of undocumented young people took the stage at an immigration reform rally outside the White House in late July, they had a catchy chant: “Hey, Obama, don’t deport my mama!” High school students dominated the crowd, which included protesters wearing shirts emblazoned with the words “I am the Maryland DREAM Act.”
