UP-FRONT POLITICS NUGGET!!
State Republican Parties Mired in Dysfunction from the Denver Post
"Democrats are not immune to such problems, but the conflicts on the Republican side highlight the tug of war over the GOP's future as national leaders work to improve the party's brand. At the same time, the Republican dysfunction raises questions about the GOP's ability to coordinate political activities in key battleground states ahead of next year's midterm congressional elections."
As regular readers of this blog know, I've been arguing for some time that we are now in the midst of a historic, BIG CHANGE political realignment, the kind that happens only one or twice in a lifetime. In US history, one could look to the 1810s, the 1850s or the early 1930s to see a comparable moment -- when one party falls apart. Given the disproportionate influence conservative GOPers exercise right now in Congress and some state legislatures, I could understand some skepticism on this theory -- but this story from the Denver Post is the latest critical piece of evidence. We already know that the national Republican Party is fracturing into warring camps and that extremists are not ceding any ground to those trying to chart a more pragmatic, centrist course for the party. This story confirms (really for the first time) that the chaos we see at the national level is now penetrating the state-level party organizations. Make no mistake, these state-level groups are the bone and muscle of the Republican Party. They do the heavy lifting when it comes to electing members of the Houses, senators and presidents. While this internecine war may not effect 2014 congressional races too deeply, look to 2016 and beyond for the real meltdown to begin. Note: how the current battle over implementation of Obamacare plays out could accelerate the process. See the stories below.
Libya's Long, Slow Recovery from the Atlantic
"The economy continues to suffer: Oil production is way down, and tourism has nearly evaporated. But foreign aid has increased, reconstruction in Benghazi has picked up, and Libya is bidding to host the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament."
Audit of Glaxo Casts Cloud on Drug Research in China from the New York Times
"A 2011 audit suggests that GlaxoSmithKline’s problems may go beyond the sales practices at the center of a bribery and corruption scandal in China, and may extend to its research center in Shanghai."
Polar Thaw Opens Shortcut for Russian Natural Gas from the New York Times
"Less ice along the Northeast Passage means Russian energy companies have more places to drill and a clear shipping lane to reach customers in China."
Health Care Reform Drives Republicans Stark, Raving Mad (Gene Lyons) from the National Memo
"... fostering public ignorance is the whole GOP game plan at this point. Having been defeated in the House and Senate, failing to have Obamacare declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, and being rejected by voters in the 2012 presidential election, disinformation and sabotage are all they’ve got left."
Government Shutdown Looms Over ObamaCare (Alexander Bolton) from The Hill
"ObamaCare is at the center of a rapidly escalating fight that threatens to shut the government down this fall. Senate Republicans, including two members of the leadership, are coalescing around a proposal to block any government funding resolution that includes money for the implementation of the 2010 Affordable Care Act."
Are Republicans Fooling Themselves About Obamacare? (Byron York) from the Washington Examiner
"On that day the government will begin subsidizing health insurance for millions of Americans. (A family of four with income as high as $88,000 will be eligible for subsidies.) When people begin receiving that entitlement, the dynamics of the Obamacare debate will change. At that point, the Republican mantra of total repeal will become obsolete."
The Unprecedented—and Contemptible—Attempts to Sabotage Obamacare (Norm Ornstein) from the National Journal
"Doing everything possible to block the law's implementation is not treasonous—just sharply beneath any reasonable standards of elected officials."
This from a pundit who is a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank!
House Republican Budget Strategy Collapsing from Politico
"Like an army that’s outrun its supply line, the Republican budget strategy in Congress shows almost daily signs of coming apart. The central premise, as sold by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, was that Washington could wipe out deficits in 10 years and protect defense spending, all while embracing the lower appropriations caps dictated by sequestration. Four months later, it’s proving to be a bridge too far."
Rep. Steve King’s Rotten Tomatoes (Dana Milbank) from the Washington Post
"Now the immigration debate is really getting juicy. Rep. Steve King, an Iowa Republican, has always been a bit of a melon head, but he outdid himself in an interview that came to light this week in which he described “DREAMers” — people brought to this country illegally as children — as misshapen drug mules."
The Do-Nothing Congress Has Done a Lot (Molly Ball) from the Atlantic
"That’s enough to stabilize the U.S. debt-to-GDP ratio, meaning that the debt will no longer be growing faster than the U.S. economy. In short, the deficit has been tamed."
Don’t Repeal Any Laws, Repeal John Boehner (Michael Tomasky) from the Daily Beast
"The speaker says Republicans should be judged on how many laws they repeal. This is unprecedented, irresponsible, and terrifying. Michael Tomasky on the desperate need for thinking GOP leaders."
Shhhh. Republicans Are Defending Earmarks (Amy Harder) from the National Journal
"Republicans on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee are starting to quietly defend earmarks, three years after Congress banned the practice because members said it wasted taxpayer dollars during a time of trillion-dollar deficits."
The Case for Ted Cruz—Why Liberals Should Hope the GOP Taps Him in 2016 (Michael Tomasky) from the Daily Beast
If 2016 pits Clinton against Cruz, the Democrats will carry Georgia, writes Michael Tomasky.
The Rise of the Christian Left in America from the Atlantic
"The religious right has been in decline for years. Can progressives build a new "moral majority"?"
'A Skillful Horsewoman': A Brief History of Royal Childhoods from the Atlantic
"What it's like to be a modern-day heir to the British throne."
America in the 1970s: New York City from the Atlantic
"Today's subject is New York City, an area covered by many photographers, showing some of the urban decay and congestion that helped prompt environmental legislation, as well as glimpses of New Yorkers at work and play. Stay tuned for part 2 of Documerica Week tomorrow, when we travel southwest."
HOLLYWOOD NUGGET!!
14 Stars Who Lost It All from Investopedia
"When you're feeling the stresses of everyday life, take a moment to be grateful that even if it has been a difficult year financially, you probably haven't lost as much money as these celebrities."
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