News Nuggets 1282

DAYLEE PICTURE: The Atomic Bomb Dome in Hiroshima, Japan.  From the Huffington Post.

UP-FRONT POLITICS NUGGET!!
A Former Engine of the G.O.P., the Town Hall Meeting, Cools Down from the New York Times
"Though Republicans in recent years have harnessed the political power of these open mic, face-the-music sessions, people from both parties say they are noticing a decline in the number of meetings. They also say they are seeing Congressional offices go to greater lengths to conceal when and where the meetings take place. “The whole thing is very anti-democratic, and it’s classic behavior of entrenched insiders,” said Matt Kibbe, the president of FreedomWorks, a Tea Party group that in 2009 helped send legions of demonstrators to town halls."
Yes -- hide from voters.  That's how you win elections.  I find it interesting the public rhetoric eminating from Tea Party lawmakers and officials.  They seem to be directing as much fire at establishment Republicans as Democrats AND (as importantly) viewing the Republicans as "they" rather than "we."  Folks like Ted Cruz and Rand Paul are using similar language.  I could be way off base, but there's the faint smell of schism in the wind.  We can only hope.  Look for Obama and the Dems to hammer on these GOP fault lines in the upcoming battles over immigration, the debt ceiling, and Obamacare.

ANOTHER UP-FRONT POLITICS NUGGET!!
Changing Political Demographics Bode Well for Florida Democrats (Joy-Ann Reid) from the Miami Herald
"... of the more than 1.5 million new voters added to the rolls since November 2006, 61 percent “are either black (African-American or Caribbean) and/or Hispanic.” And two-thirds of those new black and brown voters, 600,000, registered as Democrats, while only 56,000, or just 6 percent, signed up for the GOP. Black voter registration actually accounted for the biggest chunk of new Democratic registrants from 2006 through 2012."
600 G verses 56 G.  WOW!  We have long mentioned on this blog that demography will begin to shift the electoral college map decisively towards the dems at some point in the next 10-15 years.  This is it, happening right now!  

U.S. Budget Deficit Down 37.6 Percent Through July: CBO from the Huffington Post
"The Congressional Budget Office has forecast that the annual deficit will be $670 billion when the budget year ends Sept. 30, far below last year's $1.09 trillion. It would mark the first year that the gap between spending and revenue has been below $1 trillion since 2008."

The Budget Deficit Is Shrinking Rapidly And Most Americans Don’t Know It (Jason Sattler) from the National Memo
"The perception that the deficit is still growing has been fed by Republicans including House Minority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), who recently said the deficit is growing and Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), who said last week that we have trillion-dollar deficits. What’s causing the deficit to drop so drastically? Probably even too quickly? Economic growth, lower spending, increased taxes, and windfalls from
government-sponsored mortgage corporations Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac brought on by the resurgent housing market."

GOP Leaders Retreat from the Abyss (Greg Sargent) from the Washington Post 
"In a must-read, National Review’s Robert Costa reports GOP leaders are now convinced, after privately lobbying colleagues, that they will be able to avoid a shutdown, after all."

McConnell: ‘Shutting Down the Government Will Not Stop Obamacare’ (Meredith Shiner) from Roll Call
"The political dangers of a government shutdown showdown are very real for Republicans, and that McConnell would imply that, to constituents at home, demonstrates how problematic this particular divide in the party is."

Will The GOP Shut Down The Government To Spite Karl Rove? (Elissa Gomez) from the National Memo
"As long as Republican leaders fight publicly, they provide those in favor of the shutdown their greatest argument: Republican leadership is weak, and it’s time to take a stronger and more combative stance against Obamacare, even if it means closing down the government. Suddenly, a shutdown is seen as the ultimate measure of GOP loyalty and leadership."

Right and Left Praise Eric Holder’s Drug-Sentencing Plan, Up to a Point from Time Magazine
"Critics say Washington lags behind state-level innovations that are saving money and reducing crime."

Rubio Tries Reverse Psychology on his Party's Emotionally Stunted Base (Markos Moulitsas) from the Daily Kos
"... if you want to get crazy Republicans to act, tell them that it's inaction that Obama really wants. Because, of course, the crazies are reflexively opposed to everything Obama supports. If the president wants to cure cancer, those morons will decide cancer is "conservative" and fight for its right to kill people."

Hillary Clinton's Next Act: The Family Foundation from Politico
"... one early challenge for Clinton is clear: using an exceptionally visible platform to focus on issues she cares about, and would be key to a presidential campaign if she runs, without getting roped into the daily morass of churning politics in Washington."

Clinton Answers Republican Messages Before 2016 Primaries from Bloomberg 
"Clinton, 65, is casting a large shadow over the political field, even though she’s given no verbal suggestion that she plans to run for president a second time. The subjects of her speeches indicate that she plans to weigh in on the biggest division between the two parties and one likely to define the 2016 campaign -- the role of the federal government at home and abroad. Republicans are being pressed by small-government Tea Party activists to reduce the reach of Washington, while Clinton is countering that stance."

Hillary Clinton Appeals For Voting Rights In First Policy Speech (VIDEO) from Talking Points Memo
"Hillary Clinton said Monday that anyone who denies that racial discrimination continues to plague American elections "must not be paying attention," calling for a renewed effort to protect voting rights in what was the first in a series of planned policy speeches by the former secretary of state and likely 2016 contender."
What an AWESOME issue to start with!!  This puts the GOP on notice that they could actually pay a real price for their voter suppression tactics -- AND it will make it easy for Obama's strong support in the black community to transfer over to Hillary.  In addition, I think it is an issue that Hillary can authentically embrace -- given her history.

How the Left Wing Learned to Love Hillary Clinton (Matt Taylor) from the Atlantic
"In 2008, progressives knocked her out of the race. This time, they're lining up behind her -- a product of disillusionment with Obama and a perceived inevitability."
In addition to all of this, I think there is mis-remembering that has gone on for many on the left.  They look upon Bill and Hillary somehow as people with a record of "liberal" or "progressive" achievement.  Far from it.  Both Bill as President and Hillary as Senator were solidly centrist in their governing.  For those who are disappointed in Obama as a progressive, I think they have set themselves up for even bigger disappointments if they think the Clintons will chart any territory to Barack's left if Hillary should be elected in 2016.

Republicans, Don’t Shut Down the Government (Ramesh Ponnuru) from Bloomberg
"Newt Gingrich is telling Republicans not to fear a government shutdown because the last one went so well for them. This is pure revisionist history, and they would be fools to believe him."
Ah, Newt!  He is what he has always been, just more so: an ambulance-chasing, GOP media weather cock.  It seems that he is gaming that the more extrem elements within the GOP are ascendent right now -- and he (of course) wants to keep his own "political prospects" alive (for what they're worth).  I find it telling that Ponnuru (a right-wing establishment pundit) even has to say this stuff.  It makes me wonder if the establishment types might be losing the battle over Tea Party "hearts and minds" when it comes to shutting down the gov't.

GOP’s Rodeo of Racism Blows Up (Joan Walsh) from Salon
"Anti-Obama ugliness resurges as birther-in-chief Donald Trump joins top Republicans in Iowa. Coincidence?"

Transgender Rights Make Fox News Hosts Really, Really Mad! from Salon 
"The hosts of “Fox and Friends” are so mad that transgender students in California are now legally entitled to use the bathroom that corresponds to their gender identity. And they are also so confused about what being transgender even means!"
And these people are, what, hosts of a news program!?  Are there no for-real "reporters" around who might give them a clue?  Oh, it's FOX News -- guess not.  And these days is there any topic that doesn't leave these folks spouting flames in unadulterated rage?!

TECHNOLOGY NUGET!!
How Does Elon Musk's Hyperloop Work? from Gizmag
"There has been much speculation over how the Hyperloop works, as Musk has revealed very few details. So what has Musk actually said and what might this translate to in the real world?"

HAPPINESS NUGGET!!
The Secret To Loving Your Beautiful, Imperfect Life from the Huffington Post
"Bliss is an inward authentic form of happiness that isn't contingent on any outward circumstance," the author and spiritual teacher told The Huffington Post in an interview."

DEPRESSION-ERA BOOK NUGGET!!
For Writers, Only Realism Was Equal to ’30s Crisis (Adam Kirsch) from Bloomberg
"More than a work of reportage, “The American Jitters” is, as its title suggests, a document of a mood -- the combination of terror and excitement that occurs when a nation hits bottom and revolutionary change seems inevitable."

POLITICS BOOK NUGGET!!
'Collision 2012' Opens Wider Window Into Race Between Obama and Romney (Charlie Cook) from National Journal
"Dan Balz's book offers fresh insights into how the vulnerable incumbent beat a promising challenger."
http://www.nationaljournal.com//columns/off-to-the-races/collision-2012-opens-wider-window-into-race-between-obama-and-romney-20130812

TECHNOLOGY NUGGET!!
Billionaire Paypal founder unveils plans for the 'Hyperloop' that will 'shoot' passengers from LA to San Francisco in THIRTY MINUTES from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"Paypal billionaire Elon Musk has revealed plans for a radical new ‘hyperloop’ transport system that could ‘shoot’ passengers 380 miles from Los Angeles to San Francisco in 30 minutes."

LIVING ART NUGGET!!
Now you see them, now you don't: Artist plays hide and seek with naked models as she blends them into urban street scenes from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"Trina Merry uses body paint to disguise women against graffiti and murals .  Her work is a one-off as street art in San Francisco changes or is destroyed."