Category Archives: democrats
Rick Perry is not a Ham Sandwich
If you can indict a ham sandwich I guess you can indict Rick Perry.
The indictment by a special prosecutor criminalizes the intent of a political act. The act in question is the Texas governor’s use of his veto power as a threat against a political opponent.
That’s what governors do. They veto stuff. And it’s usually stuff their political enemies want. In this case that would be Rosemary Lehmberg’s job. She runs the Public Integrity Unit and Perry wants her to step down since she was convicted of drunk driving. As a prod he vetoed her $7.5 million budget.
The indictment is being mocked by some people who are unlikely to vote for Perry if he runs for president. Alan Dershowitz , Johnathan Chait, and the New York Times editorial page, all make that list.
Perry on Rye
One holdout, Jeffrey Toobin in The New Yorker, says prosecutors have broad discretion and Perry may just be out of luck. Mustard or mayo?
Stupid Shit Obama Doctrine
When President Obama is not saying “the Bear is loose”, as he pretends to break the bonds of his keepers, he likes to say he “doesn’t do stupid shit”. Not doing stupid shit seems to be the Obama Doctrine. (I changed “shit” to “stuff” in the cartoon to get it in the newspaper. Harry Truman wouldn’t have given a shit:
Reportedly, at a speech to a Washington garden club, he kept referring to the fact that flowers need manure. Now, in those days, even the word “manure” was a little extreme for such ladies, and afterwards one complained to Mrs. Truman. “Can’t you get the President to say ‘fertilizer?’” “Heavens, no,” Mrs. Truman replied “It took me twenty-five years to get him to say ‘manure’.”)
Anyway, with 2016 approaching, Hillary decided to put some daylight between herself and Barack I. In an interview with Jeffrey Goldberg in Atlantic, the former secretary of state said, “Great nations need organizing principles. “Don’t do stupid shit” isn’t an organizing principle.”
Obama’s response? “That’s horse shit!”
Dana Milbank accuses our fecund fecal minded ruler of going on vacation “while the world burns”. “If not in the category of “stupid “stuff” it could fall under the heading of tone deafness.”
Even Obama agrees.
UNCF and Koch Brothers
The hated Koch brothers give out a lot of money to libertarian-conservative causes. They also give a lot of money to hospitals, schools, symphonies, ballets, and the UNCF. Those on the receiving end usually don’t question their motives. They say, “thanks”, and spend the money.
UNCF
Some left leaning organization, however, are all about questioning motives. When the Brothers Koch gave $25 million to the United Negro College Fund, the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees demanded they give it back.
Instead, the UNCF said, “thanks” and accepted the gift. The AFSCME then decided a “mind isn’t such a terrible thing to waste” after all, and severed ties with UNCF.
Affordable Care Act Subsidies
We have to pass the bill so we can find out what’s in it. The bill passed, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals has read it, and found out what’s not in it. The Affordable Care Act says subsidies are available for plans purchased on state run exchanges. That was an inducement for states to set up their own exchanges. Still, 36 states chose not to build exchanges and left the job to the feds. People with plans from Federal exchanges aren’t eligible for subsidies, says the court.
Subsidies All Around
Another court – the Fourth Circuit -says the plain language in the bill wasn’t the intent of Congress. In other words Congress didn’t mean what it said. Not an unreasonable assumption.
For now the IRS will continue to allow subsidies for health care plans bought on federal exchanges.
Denver Fundraiser
Colorado Senator Mark Udall didn’t show up for his own fundraiser in Denver yesterday. The president did. He also shot pool with Governor Hickenlooper and shook hands with a horse. He was offered a hit of marijuana but turned it down. Fortunately, Maureen Dowd wasn’t in town to offer him a candy bar.
Rich Lowry calls the border crisis Obama’s “man caused disaster“.
