Tonight's guests include:
Andy Potter, Vice President of the Michigan Corrections Organization and chair of the SEIU Republican Advisory Committee
Frank Rich, writer-at-large for New York Magazine
Executive producer Bill Wolff shares a preview of tonight's show:
You're in Easy Mode. If you prefer, you can use XHTML Mode instead. |
Video: What’s up tonight
Video: GOP brings anti-science perspectives to war on women
Video: Plan presented to wrest control of ATF director from gun lobby
Video: Sister Helen Prejean on her influential activism against the death penalty
Video: Call him what you like, but don't mess with American Samoa
Video: Michael Hastings, fearless
Video: Tonight’s show
Leave a Comment:
Is that a pink shirt, just wondering?
Yep.
Real men can wear pink.
I'll have to take your word for it.
Finally - she's BACK! 3 weeknights without Rachel is 3 too many! :) LOVE Frank Rich, too.
Is that an oxymoron?
There's "Republicans" and there's *Republicans*
I was a "Republican" to a certain extent in my earlier years, but, now more moderate because the "Republicans" allowed the *Republicans* to essentially take over and ruin the party for sane people.
And, I grew up.
There are plenty of Republican union members, they just don't come out. They should. They really should.
Agreed. I have friends who are Republicans, my folks were Republicans, I don't really mean it as an insult, just saying, there is a reason Unions donate to Democratic folks/issues.
The Rs are for business, so I say we need to see that cutting taxes has not brought jobs or economic prosperity. So advocating higher wages and benefits is for workers.
I was a union member and am thankful for the collective bargaining (as my huge employer was thankful, too) and benefit for it. I knew a Republican coworker that after retirement, came up to pickets (I was one) and asked us to "don't let the company take away my medical/benefits".
It was that moment, I thought "why do people in my economic level vote against making progress to stronger wages/benefits"? Both sides of agreed to the parameters of the agreement.
Now we are supposed to allow people to voluntarily donate to unions where the agree to work? Ridiculous.
Also, the method is really undemocratic. We are losing ground to access the middle class or beyond.
If the corps can come to the legislative body, so should unions.
It used to be that when a man wore a shirt that color it was called "red" -- but that was 'way back when.
Ah, progress -- it can be so fine . . .
Progress was happening a long time ago. In many of John Wayne's color westerns, he usually wore a "Pink" shirt. "The Searchers", "Big Jake", "Chisum"...
'Progress' goes back much further...
It used to be the custom to dress young children is light versions of gender specific colors.
Girls wore a light blue (blue represented purity).
Red represented courage, so boy wore light red -- aka pink.
Not too many people can pull off wearing orange. My colors are light pink and fuschia pink. Courtesy of .....steel magnolias, was his name Steve?
I watch the show and heard her comment on the V.A. and the time it takes to get action. I have been filing claims for Agent Orange exposure since 2005 with nothing solved yet. The V.A. is the biggest joke in America, well with the exception of the Republican Party. File a claim and every so often you'll get a letter stating that they are working on it. I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and the V.A. admitted that it was caused by Agent Orange. What kind of support did I get? I got a ZERO percent compensation award. They agreed that A/O caused it but didn't give me anything for it. I finaly told the V.A. to stick the V.A. where the sun doesn't shine. I feel better now for doing it...
Speaking of gun legislation that we're not seeing the President do (although I'm trying to remember he can only do 300 things at once), why can we not have a list of people who are accidentally shot to death in this country or killed by spouses or partners on a daily basis and post it (names & ages) on the news every day like they did with the war dead. People have no idea how many people die every year in this country in gun accidents and from domestic violence.
I will tell you this. If Congress ever raises the eligibility for Medicare I will find out who voted for that and be sure not to ever vote for that Congress member!
I have less then 10 years to qualify for it and I will be a monkeys uncle before I don't scream loud and long for the age to remain EXACTLY where it is!
What is going on with Rick Snyder is not as cut and dry as it seems and will almost certainly be far worse for the Republican Ruling Class (the upper .1%) as compared to the rank and file Republicans, Democrats, and Independent that make up 99.9%. As a public figure, the Governor has taken a Constitutional Oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution, and this includes the equal protection and due process clause. This means for the 99.9% as well as for the .1%. The upper .1% should be considered as the "Republican Ruling Class, not the Republicans".
As such, Governors and other politicians like Rick Scott can be viewed as performing an unconstitutional treasonous activity of overthrowing the U.S. Constitution, the Federal Government (Union as defined by the Civil War), and the vast majority of We the People.
As such, Mr. Scott can be removed from his position for treason, as can any public figure that fails to abide by their Constitutional Oath and instead discriminates for the .1% over the 99.9%. Such legislation that the Republican Ruling Class can be overcome by the Democrats indicating that anyone who supports the upper .1% over teh remaindre of We the People will be tried for treason. Rachel, I agree with you position. The answer is that this "politicized power anschluss" does not support the stated Constitution basis of We the People. These people (starting with Rick Scott) WILL be Constitutionally challenged, and will likely be removed from their public figure position, and will almsot certainly face treason charges. Once these corrupt people are removed from the position, the money will be returned to We the People, or these people will face treason charges.
Glenn Foster
I do not get it!! Why is Rachel so darn popular? It takes forever to download her site. Show offs!!
Truthfully, she could make watching paint dry interesting. She is a sick puppy. She cares.
So I guess we are just lucky, that she picks really good subjects to cover then??
Well Da.
She's for reals, and her enthusiasm is contagious.
I agree that the VA wait time is horrendous, but I don't know that the public in general is aware that the VA is funded from the discretionary part of the Federal budget. In other words, funding for the VA is NOT part of the MANDATORY funding of the Federal budget. The items included in mandatory funding are the Defense Dept and Entitlements. I do not have the current percentages of mandatory vs. discretionary percentages, but it typically is something like 75% mandatory and only 25% discretionary. I don't share this as an excuse, but to hopefully bring the real issue to the lack of the VA's funding not being included as part of the mandatory Federal budget. No, I am not employed by the VA - now or ever. However, I do belong to several veterans service organizations' auxillaries. These organizations, especially the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and the Disabled American Veterans Auxillary (DAVA), have fought for years and years to have this classification changed. Funding has increased under President Obama, but sadly it has not increased to levels which can fully and adequately cover the medical and disability needs of our deserving veterans. I was raised as a Air Force brat and was married to a highly decorated Marine serving multiple Vietnam tours who also VOLUNTEERED for over a decade as a DAV service officer and filed and fought for thousands of VA disabilty claims. If America truly wants this unacceptable wait time to change, it needs to fight for MANDATORY funding for the VA!
I am wondering if the VA policies need to change, I am sure the VBA is overwhelmed. I dont know, maybe the Gov. should put the policies in place just like SSI. This might speed up the process and give the Veterans the treatment that they deserve. Just my opinion.
The VA needs to change its system to something like the IRS.
If a vet puts in a claim (some are so obvious) it should be assumed to be legitimate. It should be processed and acted upon as if it were a legitimate claim. Done!
Then the VA could selectively audit a small amount of claims. This is how the IRS does it and it works very effectively.
Imagine if the IRS tried to double/triple check EVERY tax return! I'd still be waiting for my 1st or 2nd return (circa 1967)!!!
Here are 2 point's about the VA, 1. For some reason People associate DEFENSE SPENDING with money going for the VA. 2nd. I went for a claim years ago, Just as 60's veteran has stated, The whole process of making a claim is flat out ridiculous. The amount of paperwork and trying to remember exact dates etc is uncalled for. I'll simplify it for you. Veteran's should be able to walk into their County VA Rep office, verify service time with our DD-214, And go to ANY Doctor to have whatever done. Any results can be verified between Private Dr. and VA. This would also take alot of pressure off of the VA, they won't be as overwhelmed. I met a Marine last week who was in Iraq, wounded in Fallujah, IED. Same story as 60's vet, Myself, and the other Vet, WE said the heck with it. How many other's have done the same???