Reading 7/3/2013

If George Zimmerman Is Found Not Guilty, Can The American People Handle It? « TheTradingReport.

I suspect some rioting will take place if he’s found innocent.

The growing public acceptance of same-sex marriage and the legalization of marijuana are signs of that the idea of the government minding its own business — in most things — is gaining credence with the public.

via The Libertarian States of America.

And it has a map! #mapgeek

A Gallup poll has found that Obama’s Perceived Honesty, Crisis Management Key to Approval.

So there’s that.

And it’s a poll so <shrug>.

JONATHAN ALTER: There is already very little [illegal immigration] right now, if you look at statistics.

via Chris Matthews: “Republicans Don’t Like Illegal Immigration” And Democrats “Believe In Illegal Immigration” | RealClearPolitics.

Matthews’ quote is, as media is wont to do, a broad brush that attempts to polarize. One group is one side of the issue, the other group is the other side of the issue. It’s what draws viewers and henceforth sells advertising.

Although MSNBC doesn’t seem to be doing that well…

In which I write the obligatory Year in Review

Was it my imagination, or did 2012 suck? Of course, for Democrats it sucked less than it did for Republicans because at least Obama got reelected. That was probably the big story.

Another story was (and continues to be) the shootings at Sandy Hook School in Connecticut. These kinds of things have the ability to shake one to the core. In Wisconsin, we also had the shooting at the Sikh temple and the one at the Azana Spa in Brookfield. On Christmas Eve, we were greeted with another shooting of the on-duty police officer, Jennifer Sebina, in Wauwatosa by her husband.

And of course, politics dominated here in Wisconsin and nationally with the recall elections and the presidential contest.

The conflicts in the Middle East continued to dominate the news. From the continuing conflict in Afghanistan to the uprisings in many countries in that area, people continued to die.

And then there’s the #fiscalcliff.

Many are glad to see 2012 in the rear view mirror.

Quote of the day 4-15-2010

I still argue Republicans are too diverted in their message to actually win against Feingold. We know the problem. Fix it and they stand a chance.

via Cindy Kilkenny  Nothing new under the sun.

Ah, those crazy politicians,

bloggers and news outlets.

President Obama has made some recess appointments and to read and listen to the buzz, you’d think no one has ever done this before.

Ah, yes, the old game of political hypocrisy is in full swing. Democrats who criticized Bush when he made recess appointments now say President Obama is justified in making his. And Republicans criticize Obama while forgetting all the ones Bush made.

Actually recess appointments have been used by presidents since the founding of the republic. And it’s completely legal!

But to listen to the cries of outrage from both sides you’d think that Presidents Obama or Bush (depending on your political leaning and time frame) invented it and is using it for dastardly purposes.

Pshaw!

You’d never guess by what is being said/written that all these folks held opposite opinions a couple of years earlier.

Newsmax labeled the move “Sneaky.” I’m fairly certain they never used that label with Bush’s appointments.

Likewise the New York Times.

Righty blogs are outraged now, but not so much back then.

Lefty blogs? Just the reverse. (I’ll let you find them; I’m too tired.)

Politicians? Likewise. Note this about John McCain.

And, of course, the president, who, as the ultimate politician tries to have it every which way he can, opposing the filibuster while voting for it.

Let’s get to something important, people.

From the “What was he thinking?” files

Gov. Robert F. McDonnell, reviving a controversy that had been dormant for eight years, has declared that April will be Confederate History Month in Virginia, a move that angered civil rights leaders Tuesday but that political observers said would strengthen his position with his conservative base.

via McDonnell’s Confederate History Month proclamation irks civil rights leaders.

Who in the world thought this was a good idea?

If you want to declare something, how about “Civil War History Month?”

So much for an up and coming Republican.

How many times can they shoot themselves in the foot?

Parties switch Medicare roles

For decades, Republicans scraped and clawed to cut money from Medicare. But these days, they’re talking as if they created the popular health care program for seniors.

And Democrats — seeking to trim more than $450 billion from the safety net for seniors over the next 10 years to help finance a sweeping health reform bill — are having to swallow their old rants against cutting the program.

via Parties switch Medicare roles – – POLITICO.com.

This is nothing new, of course. Political parties have been switching sides for years. Republicans used to be the “progressive” party, then an isolationist party, then the anti-deficit party (well, unless we’re cutting taxes), then….well, you get the drift. Democrats likewise have switched sides with the Republicans.

Sometimes it takes years; at other times, simply months.

At this particular phase, we have Medicare. No one wants to lose the senior vote; they vote most regularly of all the demographics.

Hence the current posturing. Remember a few years back? Republicans wanted to make some changes to Social Security. Democrats said no and so did the seniors and it was dropped never to be heard of again.

If money can be trimmed, I don’t see a problem. But in this day and age of “Gotcha!” politics, the Democrats will yield and a chance for saving money (which Republicans are in favor of, if I remember right) will pass by again.