Portman is using his son as a convenient excuse to support something his constituents like and not look like a total prick at the same time..it's win, win.

Really? I'm inclined to think he really did have a life-changing moment where he realized his values on the matter were wrong. I don't condemn him for that. So congratulate him on leaning not to hate...

...but forgiveness, that's entirely different, and personal.

try a little free word association...you say Congress and the first words that come to my mind are "Sociopathic Opportunists"...

I respectfully disagree, Rochester. Maybe he's being sincere, but when you bounce that with a recent large Republican shift towards marriage equality, it's rather coincidental he finds out his son is gay. It allows him to move with the shift and not be called out for it.

You might be right, Knobson. It's certainly a reasonable hypothesis on the Senator's motivation.

God knows 1/2-term Governor Palin used her family for political gain over and over and over, all the while complaining about it. So time will tell how it is with Senator Portman.

@Rochester12: Really? I'm sure Portman had a life changing moment, but it seems to only apply to his son, no one else. If his heart had changed so dramatically, why did he continue for 2 years after his son told him he was gay to vote against LGBT rights? That just smacks of "good enough for me, but not you". Gee, that reminds me of how Ryan took SS payments for himself when his father died, but no one else should have them.

in 2.5: why did he continue for 2 years after his son told him he was gay to vote against LGBT rights?

Because acceptance comes slower for some than others.

Don't fall into the trap of thinking everything should happen overnight.

Hypothetical Republican empathy emerges as political meme

It's my understanding the socio-psychopath learns how to mimic emotion and empathy and create the illusion they are truly human.

I see no reason this understanding can't be extended to include the Republican Party.

.

.

With the Obama recovery, there aren't many unemployed...

No, this is really all about "I want yours, eff you."

Again with the inaccurate social assessment. Funny how people choose misery over empathy.

Typical. SSDD

No, this is really all about "I want yours, eff you."

For every one person who says, "I want yours", there are 100 other people just as desperate who will refuse help, or don't know help is available.

So let's hate those people, too. They probably don't look like us anyway.

The moocher meme will never die, will it?

The bad "I want yours" people are called criminals and we put them in jail if possible.

The legitimate "I want yours" people work every day to find ways to part consumers from their money and it's called business.

The moocher meme will never die, will it?

It really is a broken record. Right up there with whining nonsense about the Debt, and B-b-b-benghazi! Or whatever Limbaugh said yesterday, that's what's important today.

SSDD. Typical trolling.

"I want yours, eff you."

I will admit to half of that assessment.

it gets much worse than that. the inheritors of money and power will look down with disdain upon all others - especially ones that do not serve them and moreso upon those that cost anything at all.

the real tragedy is the solidification of this king-og-the-hill strategy that will then prevent new people and talent from making any advances in a good lifestyle. the u.s. will mutate into a syrian style regime and the repoops will find cause to shoot protesters. this plan is already under way with the traitor gov snyder of mich who cars not that democracy is a problem solving method. he is very much like bashar al-assad and should be charged, arrested and tried.

the democracy of the u.s. has already been fought and died for and the pimped out repoops are looking to steal it away and force the fight again. but thats what happens when violating the sanctities of the u.s. is not prosecuted. take wallstreet for example - not throwing the turds into prison gives them license to steal and abuse more.

if you look closely at the tie between the wealth, money printing, loans, offshore schemes and repooper govs, you will find the pattern is the same as NAKBA 1948.

Shooter @ #5.5: Would it be too rude of me to ask how much of your stuff our government has confiscated?

I find it truly puzzling that conservatives can't be empathetic to real issues until those issues occur in their personal lives...but they sure can take strong persistent stands on hypothetical issues that occur only in their minds.

What has Govt confiscated from me? The use of my property because it's been declared wetlands, along with thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars.

I presume you'll consider that "good" "I want yours, eff you"?

The inheritors of money? If this was just about he Kennedy's, the Buffett's, etc, no one would care. It's about those of us that didn't inherit, but object to handing over 45 to 50%

That is your fault shooter not the governments fault I mean really you let your greed get in the way of common sense believing you could make a killing by putting up a shack on wetlands then selling it off. Whining because you choose to buy wetland just shows what type of person you are. I want yours F you is exactly how wealthy people got wealthy, you are just ignorant about who you support in this belief that somehow you are going to be a 1% member, really the more you talk the more delusional you make yourself sound.

It really is all about, "I got mine, now I want yours, eff you."

Tony- it could be "I don't care to get my own, I just want effin yours"

Let's make a Dick Cheney kinda deal, Rusto. "Eff you."

Wow. Here we all are having fun, and suddenly, you get all uptight and sensitive. I love it when liberals think they are enlightened...

All you need is love, Rusto. It's a good day for you, eh?

America does not want your warped reality shooter , let alone want to confiscate it , in fact america rejects it , get over it already

Today is even better, Tony. I tend to have a lot of good days.

Excellent idea! However, will they go under cover when they are slated to work on one of their 2.5 days per week obstructing? Or use one of the remaining 4.5 days they would otherwise be spending contacting donors? Could be a logistical nightmare for most...

Msnbc is already there...

What if we could get a lying gun nut who disrespects Newtown and Aurora shooting victims and families daily to show a little respect...

What if we could get Lebowsky to have a civil, intelligent and thoughtful debate on the merits of each other's arguments instead of just hurling childish insults?

What if Lebowsky Dude could stop insulting Alva Goldbook? I think that Alva's gun conspiracy fueled youtube videos and such tend to be over the top, but he is unfailingly polite, even for that cause, and I think his comments on other causes are worth discussing.

pld1762: Once you post youtube videos that suggest conspiracies about both Newtown and Aurora, you are literally spitting in the faces of the surviving families and friends. To suggest a conspiracy is to suggest law enforcement incompetance, and all these folks have to assist them in finding the truth, is law enforcement. Alva posted a video that suggested Holmes did not act alone in Aurora. That incident was investigated by professionals, who even had to search a booby=trapped apartment. Yes, you make a valid point about me "insulting" Alva, but I refuse to seperate the personalities because his guns trump gun violence victims in his twisted world. I'm a gun owner myself, but the safety of others trumps my ownership anyday. His posts are much more to me than "over the top", they show a callous disregard for people that society should be supporting IMHO. I'll stop getting on Alva's case the day they take my keyboard from my cold dead hands...

pld1762: I will give you a real world example of what happens to families when conspiracy theories are pushed. Remember when Sean Hannity and crew were reporting that Obama could have sent in troops to Benghazi to save those brave men who died. The direct result of that was the father of one of the victims then went on conservative media to thrash the POTUS, Hilary Clinton, and Joe Biden. The truth was that troops were hours away, and we are not at war in Libya. But this poor man who just lost his son was vulnerable to the propaganda, and he ends up doing the bidding of the liars. I don't intend to allow Alva the luxury of spouting inflammatory selfish drivel out of one side of his mouth, then be a people-respecting progressive out of the other...

Thank you for your comments, Lebowsky Dude.

Regarding Hannity: a member of the Right Wing Media Bubble utters a lie (shock!) and somebody who listens to the Right Wing Media Bubble believes it (shock!) and is outraged and goes to speak to the Right Wing Media Bubble, where, I am sure, his outrage circulated ad infinitum. Yes, he was a poor man who did the bidding of the liars - but it only had an effect on those who get all of their "news" from the Right Wing Media Bubble. In other words, it had no effect.

I do feel for the father, who was deliberately lied to, and who made the mistake of believing the lie. And I think the personalities in the Right Wing Media Bubble are sickening excuses for humans.

I personally rebutted one of Alva's videos, which questioned whether anything except a pistol was used in Newtown. As we saw with Rachel's show on Thursday, a single pistol shot was used for suicide; the other 151 bullets were fired from the semi-automatic weapon and its five 30-round clips.

I still think we can (easily) rebut conspiracy theories without name-calling.

alva goldbook i agree,,what a great post

They are not in competition, they are colleagues. Rachel has given Chris Hayes the exposure he deserves. I am happy we can see both of them five nights a week. Your choice to make such a ridiculous assertation instead of complimenting Hayes. I suggest you tune in to Fox at 9 EST, watch Hannity if you think Rachel is "average"...

Yeah, sure - they're not in competition. But still, you get to see and compare, that's just how it goes. And the difference is stunning. One can only hope that it makes Maddow up her game.

(Also you should read up what "average" means. Hannity doesn't even come close to the average category.)

then you will also understand that "fitting in" is becoming a much more emphasized aspect of living than before - since we have given exploringness over to prescription and subscription. that employment prevails over independence since we have lost farms to conag and monsto.... we are mutating into the beehive commonly known as borg - the outliers being the normal free willed people that dont believe in borrowing on the charge for everything scam.

the only thing that will change that is the seed of the nw region of the u.s. declarations must be drawn up, stated and implemented if we are to survive as humans, not drones. of the wallstreet corporat monolithic pecking order.

There is no reason to assume that Portman's conversion is really sincere - or that his previous anti-gay stance was sincere.

So?

Either:

• He is sincere -- in which case, reinforcement is in order, because:
  * It's the right thing to do
  * It encourages him and others to do more of it
• He is insincere -- in which case, we still should reinforce it, because:
  * It encourages him to fake doing the right thing, which is still good
  * It encourages others just as it would if he were sincere. After all, they can't be any more sure than we are.

Bottom line: It really doesn't matter. Give him some props -- it moves the window in the correct direction.

Give him some props -- it moves the window in the correct direction.

Yes. Yes it does.

Here in NY, we have a handful of Republican Legislators who's career's have suffered from their extremist base after deciding to do the right thing. Perhaps it was too early for them politically, but just in time for them spiritually.

Side note: "compassion" is Latin: cum + passio. The equivalent word from Greek roots would be "sympathy": syn + pathos.

Sen. Kirk of Illinois had his stroke and during his recuperation he found out that Medicaid and Medicare significantly limit post stroke care. He said he would work to fix that problem. I think he can be persuaded on protecting and strengthening the Big Three because of his experience. He also has to consider he barely won his seat in 2010 because Illinois is getting bluer every election because of the suburbs around Chicago.

Illinois is solid blue. The only Ning hat old change it is that it is grumbly he most democratic, and most dis functional state in the nation. I would suggest, if you want democrats to rule, just look to Illinois. Business done through the back door, bribery, catering to state employee unions, workers comp system designed by the unions. No solution at all to state pension issues- examples of politicians appointing a union rep to a job- working said job for several weeks before going on Union leave, then getting years of pension benefits because of those two weeks of work... Democratic plans in action right here in Illinois.

Mike- can you actually say you support the Blago, Quinn, Madigan, Jones, et al theory of government?

I think you meant to say that "Chicago is solid blue." Illinois as a whole? Nope; downstate is rural and is definitely not blue. Likewise for Lake County, north of Chicago, between Cook County and Wisconsin.

I was born in Chicago, grew up in Cook and Lake counties, and spent 12 years living in Champaign county.

"The most democratic and most disfunctional state in the nation"?

Uh, no.

Every state has political corruption and questionable conduct by politicians; it is only a question of degree. But that comes with the territory anywhere there are significant amounts of money floating around. Small states don't have the budget that large states have to deal with in various areas so there is less opportunity. Just because I am a Dem does not mean I support all Dems, just like I would hope that Republicans don't vote for someone just because they are party people. Both parties make deals that are not above board.

I do like Quinn and if you were familiar with his history you would know that he is not a part of the regular Dem organization. He has acted independent of the party. The Dems and Republicans in the legislature do not like him. If both parties are angry at him, then he must be doing a good job. In particular, the legislature were refusing to deal with the pension problem. But it appears there is some bipartisan movement on the issue because labor is not happy with the proposals that are on the table and likely to pass unless they come to terms.

I would hardly call Illinois dysfunctional. It has financial problems that it is dealing with through cuts in services and increase in taxes. These problems are not going to be solved overnight. It will take a decade for the state to fix the finances. Unlike Republicans, Dems do not agree with a meat axe approach to government when a scalpel will do just as well. Downstate may be Republican, but the Chicago metro area is getting bluer, particularly the suburbs in Cook County. Even the surrounding counties are getting bluer with each passing election. These areas are not going Dem yet, but with demographic changes in Lake, Will and McHenry, these counties have a rising minority population. DuPage is solid Republican but there are even Dem areas in that county. The country and state are running out of angry white people which is why Illinois is getting bluer.

Pld, you don't mention the time frame you lived here. Maybe California is currently more disunctional, but I really don't know about that. Just this week, the SEC has found the state guilty of misrepresenting the state pension bond funds that they sold. If it would have been a private entity, it would have came with substantial fines- and I would hope jail sentences. They normally don't fine public entities in this way- just be the taxpayers paying it. Not for sure you can find a ecent case where a state has been found guilty of something like defrauding the purchasers of its bonds? As for Blue/Red- yes- downstate is more red than north of I-80- but as measured by representation in Springfield- still solidly blue.

Two years ago-we instituted a 60% increase in personal and corporate income taxes. We are further in debt today than when that took effect. Show me another state where that has happened. It's possible you can- I haven't followed every state that closely.

As for Quinn- he is a huge step up over the last two. I can't imagine having to send him to prison. But- I would call him an honest man in a sea of dishonesty- I would aslo suggest he isn't strong enough to make any changes. He is about the only blue politician not owned by Speaker Madigan.

I really hope liberals jump all over the big gulp ban and support it completely before the next election.

It's not the Big Gulp, it's the arrogance.

@Jamie

Get out your binoculars and look way, way off in the distance where some well fed and dressed people live in the most fashionable cocoons possible. Around them are bunches of workers who sleep in bunk beds and eat bowls of gruel so they can jump when cocooners need their itches scratched.

Perhaps I am commenting in error about many online sites reporting that Michele Obama has booked Beyonce and Adele for a "star studded" 50th birthday party celebration at the White House. Correct me if the reports are fabricated.

How does one reconcile talking daily about the plight of middle and lower class Americans with throwing a lavish party?

To me this shows a disconnect and a glaring lack of empathy. Given that so many continue to recover from the "great recession", wouldn't a level of restraint be in order?

Let's hope that if this is accurate, at the very least, the White House lets everyone know that, as this is not a state function, the Obamas will be footing the bill.

How does one reconcile talking daily about the plight of middle and lower class Americans with throwing a lavish party?

You're right. Restraint should be in order for the Obama's. They should be in sackcloth and ashes for 8 years, no golfing, no dresses, and for certain, no parties. The Republicans harp on this as much as possible too.

BTW, how much discussion about the plight of middle and lower class Americans went on at CPAC? From the transcripts, it was an "Us, Our, We" convention where they partied in celebration of themselves, the ones who are helping keep American in recession as long as possible.

And if you would shadow a leader in an industrial position, maybe we coul;d all learn...

You won't see Rachel doing that show until a Republican is elected. She is an Obama shrill...