Today's installment of campaign-related news items that won't necessarily generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:
* The newly-released New York Times/CBS News poll shows President Obama's approval rating down sharply over the last month, but he still leads each of the Republican presidential hopefuls in head-to-head match-ups. Of particular interest: Obama leads Mitt Romney by eight points among self-identified independents.
* It's a little late in the game, but Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley (R) threw his support to Rick Santorum's presidential campaign today. [Update: the governor's office has clarified that Bentley voted for Santorum in today's primary, but that does not necessarily constitute an endorsement.]
* A remarkable 91% of all GOP primary ads aired in Alabama and Mississippi in recent weeks were paid for by super PACs, not the candidates' campaigns.
* In D.C., several hundred lobbyists and lobbying political action committees have lined up to support the Romney campaign.
* Trying to justify his presence in the race, Newt Gingrich told an Alabama talk show this morning that it's beneficial for him to join Santorum in a "tag-team" against Romney. It's unclear if even Gingrich believes this.
* In advance of Illinois' March 20 primary, a Chicago Tribune/WGN-TV poll shows Romney with a slight edge over Santorum, 35% to 31%.
* Speaking of Illinois, unhinged freshman Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Ill.) is struggling badly to raise money in advance of his re-election bid.
* Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D) still doesn't want to say if he'll run outside of his native Ohio.
* And in Arizona, Democratic Senate candidate Don Bivens released a new ad yesterday, targeting Republican Rep. Jeff Flake, and hoping to take advantage of the controversy surrounding Rush Limbaugh. It's probably not the last 2012 spot we'll see highlighting the right-wing radio host.
Leave a Comment:
Just remember from now til November - it's the republicans trying to ensure that women are barefoot, pregnant & in the kitchen, and minorities - well end of the line jack.......
This is what happens when you listen to a Political strategist that is smoking "crack"....and in turn, you get a contact high. GOP, keep puffing that glass pipe...no-one's watching.
That ad is brilliant. Rinse Lather Repeat until November! Even a Democrat can't screw that up! Er, wait!
Conservative. Republican. Flake.
A question: Of the money spent on the Alabama and Mississippi contests, how much is actually spent in those states? Of the rest, where does it go? Studios in New York or California? K Street lobbying shops?
I wonder this about other states' contests, too. Where's all the money going? Are we financing the construction of an infrastructure that will be able to drown us in ill-spirited crap full-time?
Interesting situation where two of the "fly-over" states matter for a change. A resounding loss for Newt could send him packing. A win for Romney would most likely give him the push needed to get by Santorum.
As lobbyists write big checks to small government proponents the immoral right continues its crusade to force their belieefs upon us all through republicans in government.
This could be a November to remember or regret, it is your choice.
Let's see.....a Georgetown Law Student appears before a Congressional subcommittee demanding that the insurance of the religious university for which she attends pay for her birth control - even though the medication violates the most basic tenets of the institution.
This student, of course, can get this medication at numerous venues in close proximity to where she goes to school - and very inexpensively; the equivalence of about a few Starbucks coffees a month.
Nobody - absolutely nobody - is preventing this student from taking any birth control medication she desires.
But if the institution isn't forced to bow to the whims of this student.....
....THIS gets defined as representing a 'War On Women?!?'
Does the left realize how idiotic this sounds?!?
Are they THIS clueless?!?
Even Hillary Clinton got into the act....embarrassing beyond belief......
Wedge issue buddy, plus I believe she was attempting to testify before an all male congressional panel on the issue on behalf of a fellow student, finally got a chance to speak and was then publicly proclaimed "a slut" by a radio "personality" who wanted a little action to watch if she were going to be in turn, insured for birth control. Do I have the time-line correct? Is my version factually challenged?
Considering the "right" is vehemently anti-choice, anti-law of the land, overbearing with and hopelessly bound to a (self-interpreted and self-interested) narrative of sky-god fantasies from the bronze age..
That might come off as a "war on women", that and Viagra being covered as a prescription benefit on a planet with just under 7 billion inhabitants. How embarrassing is that?
May be wrong, but I'm both sides have spun the timeline to match their agenda. I heard that she was a last-minute "substitute" and denied because it violated some rule related to advance disclosure of testifiers. Then she was snatched-up by Pelosi and given the opportunity at her presser. So I guess it Nancys fault that Ms. Fluke became the Crispus Attucks of the "war on women".
Still sucks that she was subjected to that name calling.
The all male panel was there to express from their religious organizations' perspective why they should not be MANDATED to pay the bill for a practice that violates the basic tenets of their beliefs. Unfortunately there were no female religious leaders there, but that did not automatically make any female qualified to participate in that particular conversation. Rush is a dumba** yes. But all this just a distraction fanning the fire on the "War on Women" BS. The topic did not even broach the idea of "Banning Contraception" as the hysterics have made it out to be. It came down to who PAYS for it..as most things do. Rush was wrong to say what it did but I'm not planning a defection to liberal ideas due to one old white idiot.
I agree with "johnlorican". I don't care what women do with their bodies..really.. just don't ask me to pay for it. I don't care what anyone does in their bedroom or with their uterus. Let's face it Rush is a dumba**. He has been for years! It's too bad he couldn't express the true concern in a more intelligent way. I have paid my own copay for my birth control for years. When I did not have health care, in order to not get pregnant, I paid for my own in full. Contraception isn't going away. This "War on Women" thing is synthesized crap.
Georgetown University – religious freedom
1. If they accept any Federal money, promote a diverse student body and faculty and accept a secular world view - they really no longer have the same degree of religious freedom protection that would be granted to a church.
2. I would be more concerned about the violation of "the most basic tenets of the institution" if I had not read their Consensual Sexual Relationship Policy. This policy gives faculty, staff, and students guidance on how to engage in sexual relationships outside of marriage while maintaining the integrity of grades and shielding the University from the financial liability of Federal Sexual Harassment lawsuits.
3. I would be more concerned about the violation of "the most basic tenets of the institution" if I had not read their Initiative on LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender,Questioning). The Working Group on Education's purpose is " to evaluate the use of educational programs to promote inclusion of, and respect for, the LGBTQ community and develop ideas that complement and reinforce Georgetown's academic mission and desire to sustain many forms of diversity."
Last time I checked - the Catholic Church believes that sex outside of marriage and homosexuality are both sins - certainly "Man on Dog" Santorum believes that to be true. So they are quite willing to violate their basic beliefs to accommodate sinful sex and they are willing to expend University funds to support LGBTQ behavior - which they also believe to be a sinful - but they are not willing to financially support the sin of using contraception.
I think this is the point where someone needs to nail a multi-point thesis to the Georgetown University’s front door.
The federal funding issue in point 1 likely led to the point 2 and 3, meaning those policies had to exist to continue funding and some of the federal funds were spent on those requirements. And anyway, policies that prevent sexual harassment and efforts to support diversity regardless of sexual preference are federal laws and should be applauded because they keep people safe. Most secular folks and even many Christian folks don't understand the concept of love the sinner and hate the sin.
Call me cynical but this is about money, as usual.
I still maintain this "War on Women" is synthesized, hysterical crap because:
Democrats were offered two spots on each of the two panels, but failed to nominate any speakers by the 13th.
On the day of the hearing, Democrats demanded the committee also add Sandra Fluke, a woman enrolled at Georgetown, to the panel (clergy) that had just sat, and that she be allowed to speak "now", but committee chairman Issa said Democrats could not add their witness because she was not a member of the clergy.
Automatic, Artificial, Political Freak OUT ensues. Falsely generated because Democrats failed to fill 4 panel slots. Rush stupidly jumped into the trap and put gasoline on the fire. His comments actually perpetuated this crap.
My point is - a university like Bob Jones University has the moral high ground to claim that a payment for contraceptives violates "the most basic tenets of the institution" - Georgetown cannot seriously make that claim. If you are a Christian Institution your policies should not accept any sinful behavior but make it more difficult. If you are actually a secular institution, you are not under those limitations - but you cannot be both. So the whole Georgetown incident is silly since they behave as a secular university and have no religious standards to violate. To see how a Christian University attempts to reduce sinful behavior through policy - read their Student Handbook.
From the Bob Jones 2011-student handbook:
"On and off campus, physical contact between men and women students is not allowed."
From the Bob Jones employment link:
"Disclaimer: The jobs posted here are open to individuals who have previous ties to Bob Jones University whether they be educational, familial, churches with a history of BJU interests, etc.—only those who have such relationships or other ties that the University would consider to be in alignment with our charter,,creed, mission statement, and general policies."
Sadly, I would have lasted about a week at Bob Jones.