Darryl

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

Can’t make it to Seattle tonight? Check out plethora of other DL meetings over the next week. Tonight there are also meetings of the Tri-Cities and Vancouver, WA chapters. On Wednesday, the Bellingham chapter meets. On Thursday the Bremerton, Spokane and Tacoma chapters meet. Finally, next Monday, the Aberdeen, Yakima and Olympia chapters meet.

With 205 chapters of Living Liberally, including fifteen in Washington state, four in Oregon, and two more in Idaho, chances are excellent there’s a chapter meeting near you.

Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza!

by Darryl — Saturday, 4/6/13, 12:55 am

Young Turks: Sarah Palin’s embarrassingly hypocritical PAC expenses.

Kimmel: This week in unnecessary censorship.

Maddow: NC GOP takes war on voting to college students:

Young Turks: Weed wins.

Stephen on ‘Morning Joe’ supporting Mark Sanford.

Bill Press: Shocking statistics on poverty in America.

Young Turks: Michelle Obama, the single mom.

Sam Seder with an episode of Random Rush.

WA tries to close down private clubs that serve pot vapor.

Bearing Arms:

Sam Seder and Cliff Schecter: This week in gun control
Young Turks: Jim Carey and “Cold Dead Hands” fallout.
Thom: Let’s start treating guns like cars.
Bill Press praises CT for passing gun safety laws.
Sam Seder: The “Family Protection Ordinance”
Young Turks: The disasters and the successes in gun safety regulations
154 rounds in 4 minutes.
Obama speaks on reducing gun violence
Mark Fiore: Your Daily Gun.
Susie Sampson’s Tea Party Report: GOP leaders reveal opinions on kids with guns:

Young Turks: The craziest conspiracy theories believe in.

Pap on the G.O.P. autopsy.

Sharpton: The Republican War on Women is revived.

Sam Seder: Idiot conservatives think that Google honored Hugo Chavez on Easter.

Cracking up over global warming.

Maddow: Once again, GOP embarrasses the U.S. on the world stage.

Sharpton: Bestiality is “The Stupid Party’s” new obsession.

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

Lawrence O’Donnell: How wrong the G.O.P. has been on marriage equality over the years.

Young Turks: Morning-after pill restrictions thrown out by judge.

Stephen takes down Jeremy Irons.

Fox & Rice:

Jon on Sean on Rice.
Young Turks: FAUX News disappointed more coaches aren’t abusing players.
Sam Seder: FAUX News and the ‘wussification’ of America!

White House: West Wing Week.

Young Turks: Obama and the “best looking Attorney General”.

Lawrence O’Donnell: Hillary tops challengers for 2016.

Maddow: Defying extremist’s threats, clinic reopens with community support.

Jon: What is it with Republicans and animal fucking?!?

Sam Seder: Where are the female Libertarians?

Maddow: America’s other Tar Sands oil spill:

Young Turks: VA’s ‘criminalize blowjobs’ gubernatorial candidate.

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

Tonight: NPI’s Spring Fundraising Gala

by Darryl — Friday, 4/5/13, 12:11 am

This is a reminder that tonight the Northwest Progressive Institute’s Spring Fundraising Gala will be held at the Mercer Island Community Center (8236 SE 24th Street). A reception begins at 6:30 pm and the main program is at 7:15 pm.

This year’s speakers include Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA-1), Sound Transit CEO Joni Earl, State Rep. Gael Tarleton (D-36), and NPI founder Andrew Villeneuve. Tickets are $60 for individuals, $90 for households, and $20 for students and “those living lightly”. Kids are free. Tickets can be purchased here or at the door.

I’ve been to these in the past, and they’re quite enjoyable!

Today in the Republican Party Makeover

by Darryl — Wednesday, 4/3/13, 2:54 pm

The Republican Party 2012 Autopsy that goes by the name Growth and Opportunity Project is a couple of weeks old now. Two major foci of the report were on messaging and on building “demographic partners.” Essentially, communicating in a way that doesn’t promote the widespread perception that the G.O.P. doesn’t care about people.

Let’s look at today’s news to see how they’re doing.

From the “Killing Us Softly With Our Song” file: Today, RNC Chair Reince Priebus pens a piece at Redstate (via Steve Benen):

The President, the Senate Majority Leader, the House Democratic Leader, and the Chair of the Democratic National Committee (in whose home state this hearing occurred) made funding Planned Parenthood an issue in the 2012 campaign. They should now all be held to account for that outspoken support. If the media won’t, then voters must ask the pressing questions: Do these Democrats also believe a newborn has no rights? Do they also endorse infanticide?

The inference is that if you support Planned Parenthood you support INFANTICIDE! Clearly, users of Planned Parenthood are part of the vast infanticide conspiracy!

There’s one hell of a make-over there! It’s a big tent…unless you support or use the services of Planned Parenthood.

And from the “South Will Do it Again” file: Eleven NC lawmakers come up with a novel interpretation of the U.S. Constitution so that they can do things like establish a State religion:

The Constitution “does not grant the federal government and does not grant the federal courts the power to determine what is or is not constitutional” according to a resolution sponsored by North Carolina House Majority Leader Edgar Starnes (R) and ten of his fellow Republicans — a statement that puts them at odds with over 200 years of constitutional law. In light of this novel reading of the Constitution, Starnes and his allies also claim that North Carolina is free to ignore the Constitution’s ban on government endorsement of religion

Ian Millhiser points out that this is a sorry attempt to undo the Fourteenth Amendment that is a major constitutional legacy of the Civil War.

Really…it IS a big tent, as long as you worship the right God (i.e. atheists and non-Fundamentalist Christians need not apply). Oh…and you believe North Carolina was on the right side of the Civil War.

And, from the “Catholic Schoolgirls Rule” file comes this from Tennessee:

Republicans are taking a second look at [a school voucher] bill after the possibility arose that some Islamic schools could apply for the same funding made available to other religious schools.

The bill is a top priority for Republican Governor Bill Haslam, but several anti-religion lawmakers in the state senate, led by Sen. Bill Ketron who sponsored several anti-Islam bills in the last few years, are hoping to strip away the ability for any school that caters to Muslim children and their families to receive public dollars:

You see…it REALLY IS a big tent UNLESS you worship the RIGHT God (i.e. the Old Testiment God shared by Islam, Christianity and Judaism) but under the wrong brand name.

And from the “Jamie’s Got a Gun” file comes this NPR interview with Rocky Mountain (CO) Gun Owners President Dudley Brown:

“This is a very Western state with traditional Western values,” he says. “And citizens had to have firearms for self-defense, and right now that’s still the case.”

And maybe the need for guns is for reasons bigger than just self-defense….

“I liken it to the proverbial hunting season,” Brown says. “We tell gun owners, ‘There’s a time to hunt deer. And the next election is the time to hunt Democrats.’ ”

Yes…in this time of troubled shootings of school children, politicians, prosecutors, law enforcement personnel and movie-goers, there is nothing that says, “We care about you” more then not-so-subtle calls for violence against your political opponents.

Feel. The. Love. (or else!)

Today’s news blurbs are just a microcosm of a trend that spells big troubles for the future of the G.O.P.:Republicans are increasingly isolated on major political and policy issues”.

It’s a Big Tent…a Big Empty Tent.

Drinking Liberally — Seattle

by Darryl — Tuesday, 4/2/13, 1:41 pm

It’s been nine years now, and we are still going strong. Please join us tonight for another 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 tonight? Check out another DL meeting over the next week. Tonight the Tri-Cities chapter also meets. And on Thursday, the Spokane and the Tacoma chapters meet.

With 205 chapters of Living Liberally, including fifteen in Washington state, four in Oregon, and two more in Idaho, chances are excellent there’s a chapter that meets near you.

Rodney Tom continues to be a shameful asshole

by Darryl — Monday, 4/1/13, 4:16 pm

Goldy gives a good reason for every woman in Washington state to NEVER, EVER VOTE FOR RODNEY TOM AGAIN. Ever. For anything. And why no voter should ever trust Tom again.

So, for future reference, any time you see a press release where Tom is supporting a bill you support…consider that he might be using his committee appointees to kill the bill, as he did with the Reproductive Parity Act, or he might simply fail to use the parliamentary tools available to him to get a simple “up or down” vote on the bill, as he did with the State Dream Act.

Tom thwarted the will of the people (who elected more Democrats than Republicans to the Senate) and the people of his district (you know, people like ME, who thought we were electing a Democrat) by putting the Republicans in charge of the Senate.

It’s disgraceful.

Friday Night Multimedia Extravaganza!

by Darryl — Saturday, 3/30/13, 12:23 am

O’Donnell: Sarah Palin is back to pickpocket Teabaggers.

Young Turks: Hypocritical new abortion laws in North Dakota.

Kimmel: This week in unnecessary censorship.

Jonathan Mann: George W. Bush paintings:

Young Turks: Veteran GOP Rep. blasted for ‘wetbacks’ comments.

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

Sharpton: Republicans “reach out” to minority voters by enacting stricter voter ID laws!

Oral Arguments for Same Sex Marriage:

Maddow: The GOP’s “incoherent, low rent and … pathetic” positions on same sex marriage
Stephen slams Sen. Saxby Chambliss on his anti-gay marriage reasoning.
Jon: Supreme injustice.
Young Turks: Scalia’s five worst homophobic statements.
Ann Telnaes: Justice Kagan exposes DOMA’s intent.
Maddow: An historic week for gay rights.
Susie Sampson’s Tea Party Report: Santorum blames TV show for gay marriage.
Adam Gabbatt surveys the crowd outside the Supreme Court
Young Turks: GOP cat fight over gay marriage.
Al Sharpton with Chris Hayes: Republicans are losing the culture wars.
Stephen on the Supreme Court’s arguments
Young Turks: How will the SCOTUS go on gay marriage?
Mark Fiore: Dogboy and Mr. Dan: learn that love hurts.
Ann Telnaes: Making babies and marriage.
Stephen is shaken to the core by Bill-O the Clown’s flip-flop

Sharpton: Glenn Beck’s latest conspiracy is that Bachmann’s Ethics Probe is a plot by ‘Radical Islam’ .

Rep. Don Young (R-AK): Wetbackgate.

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

Maddow: A State of the Union promise kept–presidential commission on voting.

Young Turks: Republican OUTRAGE over spring break for Obama’s kids.

White House: West Wing Week.

Rep. Louis Gohmert (R-TX-1) “Pulls Rank”:

Young Turks: Gohmert (R-TX-1) freaks out over parking ticket .
Shapton: The rude teabagger.

Jon is unimpressed with GOP’s Post-election plan (via TalkingPointsMemo).

Washington’s groundbreaking (vaporized) pot bar.

Young Turks: Bill Maher vs. Catholic League.

Sam Seder: FAUX News mocks 102 year old woman who waited hours to vote.

Mental Floss: 45 presidential facts you probably didn’t know.

Gun Safety Reform…or Not:

Obama: We have NOT forgotten (h/t howieinseattle):
Joy Reid: Obama raises the stakes….
Ann Telnaes: NRA’s LaPierre criticizes Bloomberg’s ad campaign.
Matt Binder: NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre’s insane lack of self awareness.
Young Turks: Jim Carrey causes the nutjobs at FAUX News to go totally insane.
SlateTV: Rand Paul eyes gun control filibuster
Thom: America’s latest penis enhancer…the AR-15 assault rifle

Thom: Science makes you a more moral person.

The Common Sense Alternative to the Columbia River Crossing (h/t Carla).

Maddow: The stuff Alan Simpson says.

Sharpton: GOP bigots and racists attack Obama’s children.

Finally…an honest cable TV advertisement.

Pap: Right Wing hate turns violent.

Young Turks: Should male politicians be able to vote on abortion?

Detroit’s Lost Democracy:

Thom: Detroit’s bloodless coup.
Al Sharpton files lawsuit against GOP’s emergency manager law in Detroit.

Bill Press: Michele Bachmann is a ‘one woman carnival cruise’.

Jeff Wattenhofer: Barack Obama is mint.

Sam Seder spars with a lightbulb Libertarian.

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

Sequester brings out Republicans’ inner socialist: II

by Darryl — Friday, 3/29/13, 3:15 pm

Radical reality-denying rightist Congressman Steve “Never Heard of Anyone Getting Pregnant by Statutory Rape” King (R-IA-4) was recently on a call-in talk show and had this conversation:

CALLER: When I see the First Lady and the beautiful girls going off to the Bahamas waving goodbye to us, it’s really hard to stomach. When we’re tightening our belts, either all of us should do it or none of us should do it. This, I am pretty tolerant, I always have been, I usually shut my mouth. This is not acceptable.

KING: Carla, you’re on point and on the mark all the way through. […] You’re right on the president. He needs to show some austerity himself. Instead he wanted to tell America how bad it was going to be. […] We’ve got the president doing these things. He sent the daughters to spring break in Mexico a year ago. That was at our expense, too. And now to the Bahamas at one of the most expensive places there. That is the wrong image to be coming out of the White House.

A couple of corrections for the underformed nutburger of a Congressman. First, Obama did not “send his daughters to spring break in Mexico.” One daughter (Malia) was allowed to…

…join a school trip to Oaxaca [, Mexico], where students volunteered at an orphanage, visited archaeological sites and sipped vanilla milkshakes on the honey-colored town plaza.

The school has done such trips for years.

Second, the Obamas pay for their own vacations and school field trips. The government pays for security, as it should. And notice that King isn’t complaining about that—for good reason. Imagine the PR disaster he would endure should any member of the First Family get hurt.

King believes Obama “needs to show some austerity himself” because he was telling “America how bad it was going to be.” Obama has pointed out how the sequestration cuts will hurt Americans, but so have a bunch of Republicans Congresscritters—you know, the the ones whining about losing tax payer-funded economic subsidies to their districts.

How odd that King’s calls for Obama to show austerity.

Obama makes a fair amount of money. He is wealthier than most Americans. Oh…and he is the leader of the free fucking world. He certainly has the money (and credit line) to allow his child to go on a school trip to Mexico, or to send his family on the occasional vacation, like the trip to the Bahamas.

So what’s gotten up Rep. King’s ass that makes him think that the President shouldn’t use his own money how he wants to use it? Isn’t that the American way?

You know who would agree with King that Obama should renounce the trappings of wealth and live the life of a commoner?

Karl Marx.

Once again, I call upon the major newspapers of this country to investigate these members of Congress to find out if they are pro-America or FUCKING SOCIALISTS!

The sequester brings out Republicans’ inner socialist

by Darryl — Wednesday, 3/27/13, 12:46 pm

The sequestration cuts to the FAA are forcing the agency to close 150 control towers at low-volume airports (including 5 in Washington state). As a consequence, some Republicans are discovering their inner socialist.

Exhibit 1: Rep. Dennis Ross (R-FL-15).

What really bothers Rep. Ross is that Flordia’s Lakeland Linder Regional Airport will lose its control tower. The airport is a relatively low-volume airport, except for one week each summer, during the annual Sun ‘n Fun aviation convention, in which it becomes one of the busiest airports in the world. To put the traffic volume in context, Lakeland Linder has an average of 208 aircraft operations/day making it is slightly less busy than the Tacoma Narrows Airport ( 216/day) and the Renton Municipal Airport (221/day, where the 737 is manufactured).

Ross whines (my emphasis):

The state’s largest convention, SUN ‘n FUN, which is held in April at Lakeland Linder Airport, not only provides incredible economic value to Lakeland, but it serves our children by investing $1.4 million dollars annually in education. It is unacceptable to close this important control tower. Sun N Fun will now have to pay the FAA $284,000 in order to keep this control tower functioning during the convention. This is more money that they must raise that will not go to help our children who are struggling in school.

Really? He wants to keep the control tower so that my tax dollars and your tax dollars will subsidizing the local school systems in Florida’s 15th Congressional District?

FUCKING SOCIALIST!!!!

Exhibit 2: Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX-27). He is…

deeply troubled by the proposed actions of the FAA regarding smaller airports, like the one in Victoria, Texas, as they have long played a vital role in local economies across the country.

At 125 aircraft operations/day Victoria Regional Airport, it isn’t even as busy as Olympia Regional Airport (131/day).

No doubt the airport does play an important role in the economy, but why should my tax dollars be subsidizing the economy of the Texas 27th Congressional District?!?

You’d have to be a FUCKING SOCIALIST to want that kind of Big Government solution to a regional problem!

Exhibit 3: Michele Bachman (R-MN-6):

One-el Michele frets over airport tower closures:

I am deeply disappointed with the FAA’s decision to close the air traffic control towers at the Anoka County-Blaine Airport and St. Cloud Regional Airport. Throughout this decision-making process, I have been in touch with FAA and DOT officials urging them to focus first on eliminating waste and trimming non-essential items in the FAA’s budget before they even consider shutting down essential safety operations.

Wait. WE have to pay for safety in Minnesota’s 6th Congressional District? Can’t the regional or local government do that even better?

Yeah…the Anoka County-Blaine Airport is goddamn busy with an average of 536 operations/day, but It isn’t the Anoka FEDERAL airport. What part of “COUNTY” doesn’t Michele understand?

And St. Cloud Regional Airport?!? Give me a fucking break. At 87 operations/day it hardly warrants a paved runway (and federally subsidized, no doubt), let alone a labor-intensive control tower. St. Cloud is nothing compared to Yakima’s McAllister Field (126/day) and Spokane’s Felts Field Airport (156/day).

I have to ask…where in the Constitution does it put the federal government in charge of county safety? Clearly you can only justify this by abusing The Commerce Clause.

You know, I think the major newspapers of the country need to investigate these members of Congress to find out if they are pro-America or FUCKING SOCIALISTS!

BTW: those five Washington state airports whose control towers will be shut down? Renton Municipal, Olympia Regional, Tacoma Narrows, Felts Field, and McAllister Field.

Drinking Liberally — Seattle

by Darryl — Tuesday, 3/26/13, 2:58 pm

Please 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.

Cold Dead Hand with Jim Carrey from Jim Carrey

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 meet. On Thursday the Woodinville chapter meets. And on Monday, the Aberdeen, Yakima, South Bellevue and Olympia chapters meet.

With 205 chapters of Living Liberally, including fifteen 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!

by Darryl — Saturday, 3/23/13, 12:41 am

Letterman: Biden one-ups Clinton on gay marriage.

Young Turks: Can Colbert’s sister defeat Mark “Hiking the Appalachian Trail” Sanford?

White House: West Wing Week.

The Makeover:

Young Turks: GOP insultingly wonders why minorities don’t like them.
Sharpton: The ‘narrow minded, stuffy old White Men’ of the GOP respond to Reince Preibus.
Bill Press on the G.O.P. “makeover”.
Lawrence O’Donnell: State Republicans ignore national ‘minority push’, double down on voter suppression.
Sharpton: GOP’s talk of change is all hot air

Maddow: Obama receives Israel’s highest civilian distinction.

Pap: FAUX News is coming to your child’s public school classroom.

Obama to designate San Juan Islands National Monument:

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

Liberal Viewer: Deportation over a barking dog?

Michael Shure: Hillary dominates for 2016.

This IS your Grandfather’s CPAC:

Susie Sampson’s Teaparty Report: CPAC.
Thom: CPAC race panel “goes wild”.
Michael Brooks: Why are Republicans going extinct?
Young Turks: Slavery defender at CPAC gets pat on back.
Sam Seder: Tea Party panel turns racist at CPAC.
Red State Update: CPAC, New Pope, Rob Portman, and Michael Moore.
Ann Telnaes: Sen. Ted Cruz delivers keynote CPAC address.
Young Turks: Republicans lose War on Gay Marriage at CPAC.

Young Turks: A G.O.P. catfight!

Ann Telnaes: A new coat of paint for Gitmo.

Maddow: Misstated positions betray lack of seriousness on policy.

Shuster: Paul Ryan’s budget slashes social programs and cuts taxes for millionaires.

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

Mark Fiore: Deficit Hawk Man!

The Tenth Anniversary:

Sam Seder with Becky Bond: Reliving Iraq 10 years ago.
Young Turks: FAUX News uber-fail on Iraq Invasion.
Maddow: Bush administration officials unrepentant over Iraq War.
Lawrence O’Donnell: Crimes against humanity.
Sam Seder: Re-living George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq
Young Turks: Dying Veteran’s last letter to Bush and Cheney.
Sharpton: After 10 years, Republicans still denying the criminality of a falsified invasion
Rummy tweets asking for respect & gratitude for him & fellow Iraq war criminals
Thom: Time for our media to offer us—and the people of Iraq—an apology.
Sam Seder: Media fails on who was right and who was wrong in Iraq Invasion.
Young Turks: Was it worth it?

Tina Fey channels a certain half-term Governor.

Young Turks: Trump versus Malkin for battle of the clowns.

Andy Cobb: CNN Do-Over:

Ann Telnaes: Republicans rethink gay marriage.

Bachmann Bluster Overdrive:

Alex Wagner: Michele Bachmann’s big fat food stamp lie.
Sharpton: In 2013, Bachmann still vows to tear down Obamacare.
Michele Bachman is in trouble.
Maddow: House Tea Party caucus appears to be dead.
Recovery Act:Latest in Michele Bachmann’s infrastructure hypocrisy

Netanyahu sets US conservatives straight on ‘anti-Israel’ Obama.

Young Turks: Newt and Santorum for president?

Thom: The effect of the sequester on small businesses.

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

Drinking Liberally — Seattle

by Darryl — Tuesday, 3/19/13, 3:14 pm

Please join us tonight, on this 10th anniversary of the Iraq War, 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 tonight? Check out another DL meeting over the next week. Tonight the Tri-Cities chapter also meets. The Longview and South Seattle chapters meet on Wednesday. And for Thursday, the Spokane chapter and Drinking Liberally Tacoma meet.

With 205 chapters of Living Liberally, including fifteen in Washington state, four in Oregon, and two more in Idaho, chances are excellent there’s a chapter that meets near you.

RNC Postmortem

by Darryl — Monday, 3/18/13, 10:01 pm

The RNC has released their Campaign 2012 Postmortem. It’s full of fun, and sometimes delusional, stuff.

Here is what they said about polling:

The RNC should convene a quarterly summit by April 15, 2013, of leading GOP pollsters to discuss the current political environment and debate assumptions, sampling, screening, and weighting of samples in an attempt to generate more accurate and consistent data across multiple committees and campaigns.

Not a bad idea. If they do it honestly, they’ll likely come to the conclusion that any “likely voter” adjustment that changes results very far from a simple registered voter model should probably be rejected. I think they are getting at that with this point:

“Likely Voter” screening data collected by various firms in 2012 should be re-examined to see which voters eventually voted and which did not, allowing a validation of the most predictive screening questions and likely voter scales. Special attention needs to be given to this question to ensure that we are not screening out casual interest voters who nevertheless show up on Election Day. Screeners that are too robust, particularly during presidential cycles, have the potential to skew results to the favor of our candidates because they exclude too many young and minority voters.

I find much amusement in this confession.

You may recall that during the heat of the election season, there was a rather sudden and surprisingly unified right wing movement to label most mainstream pollsters as biased. Every time a poll came out showing Obama in the lead in a swing state, the representatives of the right wing spin machine went into tirades bordering on apoplexy attempting to discredit the poll by pointing out the poll’s many “flaws”.

When the report mentions “not screening out casual interest voters who nevertheless show up….”, it is an implicit admission that their obsession with better “likely voter” screens was largely unjustified.

From the hand of the propagandists (like Karl Rove and Dick Morris), it was transformed into a full right wing talking point, to be parroted with religious zealotry and absolute certainty by the brainwashed wingding masses. We saw some of the fruits of this process being spewed in the HA comment threads. Indeed, it became daily, if not hourly, masturbation for “Serial Conservative.” Collectively, from Karl Rove and Dick Morris, right down to “Serial Conservative”, they were deep into denial-of-reality territory.

In the end, the mainstream polls were, on average, pretty darned good.

At the time, I thought most of the propagandists didn’t really believe their own bullshit. Rather it was a big propaganda campaign to help with turnout, and instill doubt in Obama supporters. (And it DID do that. One of the remarkable things that happened to me after the election was learning about numerous friends, acquaintances, and colleagues who, unbeknownst to me, were following the analyses on HA. I was told many times after the election that those analyses provided great comfort.) Following the election, there were various clues that the propagandists, in fact, came to believe their own bullshit. They became victims of their own groupthink.

Oh…and on “groupthink” the report said this:

Groupthink is a Loser
1. Our friends and allies must realize that the Party is at its best as the Party of ideas, and healthy debate of those ideas is fundamentally good for the Republican Party.

They haven’t quite gotten this one right. There was no shortage of “ideas” from the right wing during the 2012 election cycle. No…that wasn’t specifically the problem. What they lacked was an ability to operate from the perspective of reality. Here’s what the report should have said: “We need to inform our ideas based on objective, realistic assessments of the world.”

Their response to the polling went beyond wishful thinking and simple confirmation bias…it was a deeply fatal case of reality denial.