HorsesAss.Org

Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza!

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Thom: Is Gov. Rick Snyder (R-MI) lying about election rigging?

Obama speaks on immigration reform.

Hagel-ing:

SlateTV: Bloomberg on Joe Biden’s family jewels.

Ed: Latest GOP vote-rigging attempt hits a speed bump.

Stephen on Eric Erickson’s climate change denial (via Crooks and Liars).

Robert Reich: the hoax of “entitlement reform” (via Crooks and Liars).

Mark Fiore: Super Pacs and the Permanent Campaign.

Gun Lobbyists Don’t Kill Legislation, Legislators Kill Legislation:

Hillary says “goodbye”.

Sharpton: Colin Powell takes Bill O’Reilly to school over voter fraud.

White House: West Wing Week.

Sharpton: Obama makes progress on his 2nd term agenda.

Thom with more Good, Bad, and Very, Very Ugly.

Palin’ Around With Terrorists:

Bill Gates on education, health and Facebook.

Bill Maher with some new rules, Part I.

Bill Maher with some new rules, Part II.

Young Turks: Republican against voter fraud arrested for voter fraud.

Snohomish County plan to put police in schools.

Stephen learns that Gays are less stressed.

The G.O.P. Makeover Comb over:

Thom: Why does the pro-life movement align with the pro-death party?

Obama honors America’s top scientists and innovators of 2011.

Susie Sampson’s Tea Party Report: Immigration.

Thom: The Good, The Bad, and The Very, Very Ugly.

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

Rodney Tom’s bipartison coalition

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Sen. Rodney Tom (faux D-48) is all about “bipartisan coalitions.” This lede suggests he has been quite an inspiration:

GOP and Democrats unite to fight Rodney Tom’s plan to erase parents’ ability to save for state college tuition through a state program. But the House effort carries a price tag.

I think Sen. Tom has a future filled with such coalitions….

Washington state Republicans are trying to rig the presidential elections

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We’ve seen a run on vote rigging attempts in Republican controlled blue states. Republicans in Florida, Virginia, and Pennsylvania have flirted with, and have had rejected, plans to change their electoral vote allocation from a winner-take-all system to a congressional district allocation system. Republicans in Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin are expected to join the fun. (And probably be rejected.)

It makes sense for Republicans to selectively change the state laws in their favor, especially given their excellent job of gerrymandering congressional districts following the 2010 census. Yeah…the voters get fucked, but that never stopped a Republican from power-grabbing.

Changing a handfull of blue states to congressional district allocation, while maintaining the winner-take-all system in red states, would have given Mitt Romney the presidency. Even as the popular vote went to Obama.

With Sen. Rodney Tom’s Republican Senate majority, Washington state has taken it’s first step to becoming a blue state controlled by Republicans. Surprise, surprise…House Republicans are trying to join other Republican-controlled blue states in their Presidential election-rigging effort:

The proposal, House Bill 1091, would divvy up Washington’s electoral votes by results in each of the state’s 10 congressional districts, with the remaining two votes going to the statewide winner.

In 2012, that would have given Obama nine electoral votes from Washington while Romney would have taken three.

Supporters say that would be a fairer result for more conservative parts of the state that are constantly outvoted in statewide elections by the Seattle area.

In one sense, these whining Republicans are correct. Under some conditions, allocating electors by congressional district (with the two additional electors going to the state popular vote winner) is a fairer system than the winner-take-all system. Those conditions are:

  • Every state does this, rather than just selected blue states.
  • Congressional districts are not gerrymandered. That is, all states have in place a rigorous, non-partisan redistricting process.

Under those conditions, a universal congressional district allocation system is fairer because all but 100 of the 538 electoral votes are allocated by smaller, and thus more representative, voting blocks. That wold be fairer than the current system that has some bizarre artifacts:

The [current] system has the effect of making your vote count a lot more in “swing states” — states where the majority could conceivably vote for either candidate — than in other, more politically predictable states. It is a virtual certainty, for instance, that Georgia will vote for Mitt Romney, so an individual Georgian’s vote for Barack Obama doesn’t mean a lot — Georgia’s 16 electoral votes are going to be cast for Romney. Conversely, an individual voter’s choice for Romney in ultra-blue New York won’t stop that state’s 29 electoral votes from going to Obama.

This raises the questions, what do we mean by a “fairer” system? Here are some ideas:

  • A fairer system would give each person’s vote an identical weight in determining the election’s outcome.
  • Consequently, a fairer system would elect the winner of the national popular vote.

Democrats remember how unfair it felt when George Bush lost the popular vote, yet became President. And Republicans would have collectively “gone postal” if Mitt Romney had won the popular vote but lost the presidential election.

What I am getting at is that the fairest system of all is to elect the President by popular vote. The system we have now, fails 8.7% of the time (four out of 46 elections where the national popular vote was known) by putting in office the loser of the popular vote.

We used to believe that the only way to change the system to elect the President by popular vote was to amend the Constitution. Now we know better. The National Popular Vote compact system achieves the same thing by letting states exercise their constitutional right to allocate electors as they wish:

The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the Presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in the entire United States. The bill preserves the Electoral College, while ensuring that every vote in every state will matter in every presidential election. The National Popular Vote law has been enacted by states possessing 132 electoral votes — 49% of the 270 electoral votes needed to activate it.

This works when a coalition of states is formed that controls 270 or more electoral votes. Then, by each member state’s law, the slate of presidential electors for the state is elected according to the result of the national popular vote. If the coalition does not control 270 votes, the states revert back to their old system (winner-take-all for most states).

There doesn’t seem to be a downside–unless you believe it’s okay for a candidate to lose the national popular vote and still be elected President. Since the compact makes no changes to the electoral college itself, no Constitutional amendment is necessary.

Back to the Washington state Republicans trying to rig the vote. The new bill, HB 1091, actually does two different things. It changes the way we allocate electors now. It also cancels Washington state’s participation in the interstate compact.

Of course! Why would we expect consistency from Republicans? They were never interested in making the presidential election as fair as possible. They’re only interested in advantaging Republicans.

So sad…Washington state Republicans have still have not shown any ability at true leadership. Fuck ’em. And fuck Rodney Tom for joining ’em.

Drinking Liberally — Seattle

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DLBottlePlease join us tonight for an evening of politics over a pint at the Seattle Chapter of Drinking Liberally.

We meet every Tuesday at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00pm. Some people show up earlier for Dinner.

Can’t make it to Seattle’s DL tonight? Check out one of the other DL meetings over the next week. The Tri-Cities chapter also meets tonight. And on Monday, the Aberdeen, Yakima, South Bellevue and Olympia chapters meet.

With over 200 chapters of Living Liberally, including fourteen in Washington state, four in Oregon, and two more in Idaho, chances are excellent there’s a chapter that meets near you.

Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza!

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Ed: Boehner blames Obama for GOP’s incompetence.

Guns and Stuff:

Thom with some more Good, Bad, and Very, Very Ugly.

Roy Zimmerman: Vote Republican, D.C. episode:

Hillary’s Day:

Sam Seder: What the fuck went on inside Michele Bachmann’s campaign???

Maddow: Is America a liberal country?

Re-Inauguration:

Gov. Jay Inslee makes some announcements.

Thom: The Good, The Bad, and The Very, Very Ugly.

G.O.P.’s War on Elections:

Sam Seder with another episode of Random Rush.

The “No warming in 16 years” myth.

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

Drinking Liberally — Seattle

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Welcome to the second term. Please join us for a post-inaugural celebration and assessment over a pint at the Seattle Chapter of Drinking Liberally.

We meet every Tuesday at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00pm. Some people show up earlier for Dinner.




Can’t make it to Seattle tonight? Check out one of the other DL meetings over the next week. The Tri-Cities chapter also meets tonight. On Wednesday, the Burien and Bellingham chapters meets, And on Thursday the Woodinville chapter meets.

With 200 chapters of Living Liberally, including thirteen in Washington state, four in Oregon, and two more in Idaho, chances are excellent there’s a chapter that meets near you.

Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza!

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Thom: Whole Foods…now serving food and fascism.

Gov. Jay Inslee’s Inaugural address.

Thom: The Good, The Bad, and The Very, Very Ugly.

A Farewell to Firearms:

Thom with more of The Good, The Bad, and The Very, Very Ugly.

Washington Liberals music: “We Will Screw Ya”.

Mark Fiore: The G.O.P. Debt-B-Gone plan.

Thom with even more Good, Bad, and Very, Very Ugly.

Liberal Viewer: Colin Powell calls Republicans racist?!?

Maddow: At start of 2nd term, Obama is finally beating the crap out of Republicans.

Sam Seder: Glen Beck uncloaks….

White House: West Wing Week.

Rigging Elections:

Sharpton: The GOP Birfer Brigade is back!

Ed: Filibuster reform and Republican obstructionism.

Forty Years after Roe v. Wade.

Obama: Message for MLK Day:

Maher with some New Rules (via Crooks and Liars).

Stephen: Ladies had better live up to Pat Robertson’s “eye pudding” standard (via Crooks and Liars).

Young Turks: Republicans surrender…they will raise the debt ceiling.

Sam Seder: GOP training to learn not to mention “rape”..

Retreat!!!!

Young Turks: Colin Powell rips GOP over racist remarks.

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

Drinking Liberally — Seattle

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Please join us for an evening of politics over a pint at the Seattle Chapter of Drinking Liberally.

What’s the buzz? Lawmakers returned to Olympia yesterday, and Senate Republicans are in charge with their “majority coalition.” Jay Inslee gets sworn in tomorrow. And guns.



We meet every Tuesday at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00pm. Some people show up earlier for Dinner.

Can’t make it to Seattle tonight? Check out one of the other DL meetings over the next week. Tonight the Tri-Cities chapter also meets. The Longview chapter meet this Wednesday. On Thursday, the Spokane chapter meets. And on Monday, the Yakima, Aberdeen and Olympia chapters meet.

With 201 chapters of Living Liberally, including thirteen in Washington state, four in Oregon, and two more in Idaho, chances are excellent there’s a chapter that meets near you.

Ted Talks

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Ted Nugent wants you to know (my emphasis):

“A person who lives by logic and studies history and tries to implement the lessons learned by history cannot begin to rationally explain the conduct of this president or his attorney general or this administration,” Nugent told conservative radio host Aaron Klein. “It is psychotic, it is crazy, it’s illogical — I believe it’s clearly and dangerously anti-American, anti-humanity.”

This reminded me of my former life as a volunteer political consultant. Once I had to offer Mr. Nugent some advice after he announced his intentions to run for Governor of Michigan…to a British reporter for a British magazine. That was the first of many political faux paux for the novice gubernatorial wannabe.

For instance, at one point, the reporter was asking a question about a past incident, and Mr. Nugent interrupted:

Nugent: “Neither did I poke my erect penis through a map of West Virginia – did you read that?”

Reporter: “No.”

And, at another point in the interview that was taking place in Mr. Nugent’s basement:

He fires at a Styrofoam bear using his weapon of choice, a traditional bow and arrow. “Straight through the heart… dead bear,” says Ted, as his heavily pitted target submits to yet another onslaught. “Both lungs… dead bear.” The arrows, which he makes himself, keep flying. “Dead bear… dead bear… dead bear.”

Psychotic? Crazy? Hmmm….

In his recent musings, Mr. Nugent…

criticized the leadership of Obama’s gun violence task force, saying that putting “crazy uncle” Biden and Attorney General Eric Holder in charge was akin to “hiring [serial killer] Jeffrey Dahmer to tell us to how to take care of our children.”

I guess he is suggesting that the Vice President and Attorney General are killing, and possibly eating, children. This seems rather illogical, considering that the administration hasn’t undertaken any actions on this issue or even announced future actions base on the recommendations of the gun violence task force.

Mr. Nugent’s deep concern about “dangerously anti-American, anti-humanity” tendencies may have some basis in reality, as revealed in that British interview through his own ideas for achieving a Utopian world:

“I say if somebody robs you, shoot ’em. I’d like all thieves killed. And all rapists. And carjackers. No more graffiti. No more ‘snatch-pursing.’”
[…]

“How do you get peace, love and understanding? First of all you have to find all the bad people. Then you kill them.”

Psychotoc? Crazy? Illogical? Dangerously anti-American? Anti-humanity?

All of the above.

Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza!

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Thom: Shouldn’t we all be getting a check for the wealth of our nation?

Gov. Elect Jay Inslee with some important transition metrics:

Sam Seder: The fall of FreedomWorks and the conservative con.

Ann Telnaes: AIG adds insult to bailout.

Thom: Will Republicans do far more harm than al Qaeda?

Lawyers, Guns, and Money:

Thom with The Good, The Bad, and The Very, Very Ugly.

Sharpton: New Republican War on Women as Rep. Paul Ryal (R-WI) introduces fetal personhood bill..

Maddow: On the popularity of Republicans versus cockroaches, lice:

Liberal Viewer: FAUX News hides U.S. spying on citizens?.

Gingery Goes All Aiken On Us:

Thom and Pap: KBR committed crimes all over the planet.

White House: West Wing Week.

Jon: First FAUX News “Boner Alert” of 2013.

Young Turks: FAUX News nutjob suggests algebra is part of the liberal agenda.

Thom with some more Good, Bad, and Very, Very Ugly.

Buzz 60: Congress less popular than colonoscopies, lice, root canals, cockroaches less than congress..

Nominations:

Ed: Republicans lose leverage in debt ceiling debate .

Sam Seder: corporate personhood on trial in California.

Thom: The Good, The Bad, and The Very, Very Ugly.

A date with Mitt Romney:

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

Drinking Liberally — Seattle

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DLBottlePlease join us this evening for some politics under the influence at our first meeting of 2013—it’s the Seattle Chapter of Drinking Liberally.

We meet every Tuesday at the Montlake Ale House, 2307 24th Avenue E. Starting time is 8:00pm. Some people show up earlier for Dinner.



Can’t make it to Seattle tonight? Check out one of the other DL meetings over the next week. Tonight the Tri-Cities and Vancouver, WA chapters meet. On Wednesday, the Bellingham chapter meets. On Thursday Drinking Liberally Bremerton meets.

With 227 chapters of Living Liberally, including fourteen in Washington state, four in Oregon, and three more in Idaho, chances are excellent there’s a chapter that meets near you.

Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza!

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Young Turks: Time for the GOP to shut down the government.

The Joe Biden reality show.

2012 in Hindsight:

Lawrence O’Donnell: Why the fiscal cliff deal is so awesome!

Thom: The battle for 2014 begins in the Senate.

The Republican War on Women:

Ed: Hypocrite-narcissist O’Reilly fails to quit after his taxes go up.

Young Turks: Why did Republicans block Sandy relief?

Sam Seder: Farewell Joe Lieberman. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass….

Orange and Weepy:

SlateTV: States pass laws prohibiting employers from asking for your social media passwords.

Sam Seder: “Conservative” ideology works until THEY are suffering.

Young Turks: Fake fiscal cliff drama.

Guns Don’t Kill Guns…People Kill Guns:

Sharpton: Birfer Republicans try to convince Justice Roberts to refuse to administer the oath of office to Obama.

White House: West Wing Week.

Young Turks: Wiretapping hypocrisy?

Thom: The Good, The Bad, and The Very, Very Ugly:

The Republican War on Kwanza™:

Bill Press flunks the G.O.P. on Hurricane Sandy relief and the fiscal cliff.

Pap: G.O.P. hate knows no bounds!

Last week’s Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza can be found here.

Eyman’s paradox

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As many readers know, this blog is named after Tim “Biggest Lie of My Life” Eyman, Washington state’s own professional initiative huckster and admitted liar. Today, that Horsesass submitted signatures for new initiative.

Initiative 517 is supposed to

[establish] protections for citizens exercising their First Amendment rights by participating in the initiative and referendum process

How does the initiative propose to protect First Amendment rights?

By preventing “non-participants” in the initiative and referendum process from exercising their first amendment rights.

Sure…there are a bunch of good things that would be prohibited by the initiative. It would change the RCW to make “pushing, shoving, touching, spitting, [and] throwing objects [at]” a signature gatherer or signer a disorderly conduct. Of course, these things are already assault, a rather more serious crime, so that’s pretty stupid.

Also in the laundry list of disorderly conduct includes: “yelling, screaming, being verbally abusive, blocking or intimidating, or other tumultuous conduct or maintaining an intimidating presence within twenty-five feet of any person gathering signatures or any person trying to sign any initiative or referendum petition.” Blocking, sure. And being “verbally abusive” is already in the RCW as disorderly conduct. But “other tumultuous conduct”? Or maintaining an intimidating presence within twenty-five feet. What the fuck?

In other words, if you come within 25 feet of a signature gatherer or signer, the law enacted by this initiative would pretty much prevent you from expressing anything negative about the initiative. No more arguing the merits. No more trying to persuade people to not signing a petition. Paid signature gathers could try to persuade people to sign the petition, and you can’t offer counterarguments, or protests, even if the petition is being misrepresented by the signature gatherer.

Because, you know, participating in a public debate about a public petition to our lawmakers, in public is a less important First Amendment right than a signature gatherer’s First Amendment right to ask, beg, plead, trick and coerce people into signing their petition(s).

In other words, “We will ENFORCE The People’s First Amendment rights by suppressing The People’s First Amendment rights! It’s Eyman’s paradox.

The initiative has two other marginally related sections (bringing up questions of multi-topic unconstitutionality, a recurring problem for Eyman initiatives). One section would give signature gathers six more months to collect signatures. This, obviously, reflects the fact that many of Eyman’s initiatives fail to qualify for the ballot because of an insufficient number of signatures.

The other marginally-related section tries to circumvent a court ruling that local governments can ignore petitions that can’t legitimately be put to a public vote under the RCW. Eyman simply cannot stand the fact that courts have told him to fuck off. So now he wants to change the law to force invalid initiatives onto the ballot.

Great use of public resources, huh?

Big fucking deal

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Boehner is SEEING ORANGE!

It was only a few days before the nation would go over the fiscal cliff, no bipartisan agreement was in sight, and Reid had just publicly accused Boehner of running a “dictatorship” in the House and caring more about holding onto his gavel than striking a deal.

“Go f[uck] yourself,” Boehner sniped as he pointed his finger at Reid, according to multiple sources present.

Reid, a bit startled, replied: “What are you talking about?”

Boehner repeated: “Go f[uck] yourself.”

You know…I’ll bet Joe Biden suggested Boehner do this—as a strategy to keep his speakership.

And I sure hope it works.

Footnote: Now I am concerned about speaker Boehner. The last time we heard that a powerful Republican told a powerful Democratic Senator to “go fuck yourself,” well…the poor bastard lost his heart!

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