Maybe not, but if unions "go away" as you so eloquently described, it does remove their voice from the playing field. It's because of unions most states allow people to take time off from their work day to vote- something that Republicans are already working on getting rid of in several states.

Many unions make an effort to help get their members out to vote- and also to offer a counterpoint voice to the attack ads Karl Rove helped make the standard of the right. They also make efforts to ensure their member are able to register to vote- another thing that republicans are trying to make harder- it'd be hard enough to vote without getting the time off to do so, but with Republicans interested in cutting their wages further and further, plunking down $100 or more for a state issued ID isn't something they could afford when Republicans pass their bills requiring state ids for voting.

So yes, they won't suddenly "turn Republican"... but they may very well not be able to VOTE period- and that's almost the same thing.

Hmmm... some of these arguments seem to revolve around whether or not voters can get the day off to vote.

Do all states have mail-in (early voting) ballots ?? That would help.

What would it take (how does it get done ?) to declare Voting Day as a Federal holiday ??

In my opinion, let's drop Columbus Day (why do we honor a murderer ?) and swap the 'day' for Voting Day... no loss to the "work" calendar.

Just an idea....

My guess is that those in the union "variable" also identify with one of the other Democrat voting groupings, thus they would vote Democrat union member or not.

Not in western PA.

Jess, Vote By Mail (VBM) is an excellent response to Republican efforts to curtail access to the polls. Oregon has done this for over a decade, and it works well. In many other states, a lage percentage, if not a majority, of votes are cast by absentee ballot in advance of the election date. People can complete their ballots at their convenience, well in advance of "election day."

MechTrek, you have no women, college educated or under 30 year olds in western PA?

MPguy, while I wish that could solve such problems, VBM and absentee ballots have still major issues- a friend of mine asked for absentee ballots by mail for his entire family, and did not receive them before the election. He finally drove in the weekend before to get them, and yet, a few months checking to see if his ballots had been tallied, was told that none of the ballots his family sent in (from various different locations- most of his kids are off at school) never "arrived". Yet every one of his registered republican neighbors who also got absentee ballots had gone through. And this is in Massachusetts.

And some of the Voter ID bills require you to still have to present a state ID just to request Voter By Mail.

So, yeah, none of these are really going to stop Republicans if they get their union busting through.

The Republican Party no longer serves any legitimate purpose.

Did Jesus say to cut social spending and give the money to the rich?

No, Jesus stayed out of government and politics for the most part. He placed the responsibility of taking care of widows, the poor, etc. on the individual. "Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

Unfortunately, the church and people of faith have allowed the government to take over this role and very few feel any responsibility to do any more. Sad, but true.

The assertion that "government" is not allowed by God to help the poor because directly helping the poor is commanded by Jesus is a hoax. Jesus said to pay taxes-

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, "Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners" (Luke 7:34) and there is something about "tithing" if you bother to look it up.

"Jesus... placed the responsibility of taking care of widows, the poor, etc. on the individual. 'Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me'" is a non sequitur. How is helping the poor by paying taxes NOT serving God?

Every Republican who advocates cutting social spending and boosting tax handouts to the wealthy mocks God.

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." -Matthew 6:24

If those so-called Christians had ever read the Bible they'd know Republicans are blasphemers. Hell is full of Republicans.

I definitely did not mean to imply that God did not allow the government to help the poor. Instead, many people of faith have used the excuse that "government takes care of the poor" to not contribute or help those same people themselves.

I'm not sure what you mean by your Luke 7 quote. Jesus was a friend of tax collectors not because they were government workers but because they were outcasts, hated, and often corrupt individuals who needed to know what love was.

As far as tithing, that is not to the government.

Jesus said to pay taxes not because government was good and it used it to help the poor. Do you actually think ancient Rome had a lot of social programs? No, he was being trapped. He said "render to Caesar the things of Caesar" to ridicule those trying to set the trap. God didn't make the money, Caesar did...Jesus said in essence, "go ahead, give it back to him."

Serving too masters is appropriate for the discussion. Watch what you put your faith in!

Yes, there are a lot of Republicans in hell...and Democrats and Independents and Liberals and Conservatives and...these labels do nothing for you in God's eyes.

These labels do nothing for you in God's eyes because actions speak for themselves. Those who mock God by presuming godlike power to themselves when they judge others are asking for punishment. God said so over and over.

"God didn't make the money, Caesar did...Jesus said in essence, "go ahead, give it back to him." No kidding. Remember that when some Republican blockhead says "it's my money".

"Whose picture is on the coin? And whose name is written on the coin?" The men answered, "It is Caesar's picture and Caesar's name." Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's.

All money belongs to the government, not to anyone in particular.

Never confuse a Republican with a Christian.

Many Republicans have used the excuse that "charity takes care of the poor" not to contribute or pay taxes to those same people themselves. They expect the poor to line up along the sidewalk with their palms stretched out like in India or like it used to be in ancient Rome in Jesus's time.

It's all they know. They demand to be honored for their charity, called noblesse oblige, and sneer with contempt on the force of law. Why should a rich guy pay ten thousand dollars in tax when he can make a ten thousand dollar gift to charity and earn the grace of God for his benevolence?

Never confuse a Republican with a Christian.

Finally, something we can agree on. I'll not comment on the rest of your post only to say that I concur, "actions speak louder than words."

Once heard a rather corny but catchy paraphrase of this: Your talk talks and your walk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks.

That was the message that went out continuously before the election, and one that was unheeded. It took electing a bunch of far right extremists for the lazy, the apathetic, the disillusioned to see what happens when you decide to stay home instead of vote. There were ample warnings to people about not voting for repubs just because you wanted to make some sort of "protest vote" to teach dems a lesson. Now we see plainly what happens when you vote out of spite rather than making an adult decision.

A question arises- why are Democrats so passive and Republicans so active? Dr. Maddow has pointed out that most people who can vote are Democrats but most people who actually vote are Republicans. I propose this is because Democrats are satisfied with the government but Republicans are agitated by it. In this case Republicans are enraged that labor unions empower working class serfs who presume to rise above their place in life and question the judgment of the noble class.

If anyone has a better explanation I'd like to hear it.

Right-wing media feeds this agitation with provocative lies and manipulation.

If anyone has a better explanation I'd like to hear it.

Still waiting.

I was just wondering that myself. I would like to compare 2008 to 2010 as it pertains to the gay vote. 2010 was more important than 2008. I wonder which way the gay vote swung in 2010.

Also, why these 23 variables? Why not men who own cats or women who own dogs? I'm always skeptical of graphs that seem sketchy.

makes you wonder, huh ? especially when the class who control the economy are fairly small when you count heads....

Remember, according to Rachel: "The people, united... make a better target".

:^) >>> :-/

Lenny - that was GREAT! Made me Laugh Out Loud... : ) Really good visual.

Maybe it should be 3 dozen cookies and 35 cookies.

But I LOL too.

Perfect example! They got 98% of us fighting over crumbs.

I suppose that would help, but we aren't a democracy anyway. We are a republic. We 'elect' people to represent us, but those people have NO legal obligation to pay attention to what we want once they are in office. They can choose to only support the ones who can guarantee them riches and power down the road.

True democracy would be -- one person; one vote... and eliminate the "middlemen" entirely...

But guess what, the Constitution does NOT allow for the above. Because of time and distance problems, back then, it made sense to 'trust' a local guy to represent your interests. Remember, communication between the states back then was slow.. like horseback or carriage was about it.

We desperately need to upgrade (America 2.0) and readjust to the fact that communication is nearly instant, now, so why stick with a system, that by design, no longer really applies ?????

Why not shut down government altogether and contract all the services out. Then use opinion polls to make laws.

The <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/23/maywood-ca-plans-to-disba_n_622098.html">City of Maywood</a> has no government at all.