Tag Archives: Mitt Romney

What we Accomplished in Wisconsin

Progressives gained two seats in the Wisconsin Senate when Wisconsin voters voted to hold right-wing state senators accountable for their attacks on working families.We changed the game and seized momentum heading into the next battles, and many legislators across the country — especially those in competitive districts — got a message that there are consequences to their overreaching.The successful recalls of Republican Sens. Dan Kapanke and Randy Hopper were in districts where PFAW was very active and PFAW enthusiastically endorsed both Senators-Elect Jessica King and Jennifer Schilling — two strong progressive women who will be strong advocates for working families in the Wisconsin Senate.

Rick Perry: Uniting the Really Far Right and the Really, Really Far Right

Texas Gov. Rick Perry formally launched his presidential campaign this month and quickly shot to the top of national polls, where he continues to dominate. Maintaining his healthy lead by appealing to Tea Party, he recently came very close to accusing Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke of treason and has raised new concerns over his previous assertions that Social Security and Medicare were unconstitutional by calling Social Security a Ponzi scheme and a “monstrous lie.” People For the American Way continued its coverage of the 2012 presidential primaries with a piece by PFAW president Michael Keegan exposing Perry’s cozy ties with the various factions which comprise the Far Right.

‘What You Talkin’ Bout, Willard?’

If you watched TV in the 1980s, you surely remember the show Diff’rent Strokes— which featured the iconic tagline “What you talkin’ bout, Willis?” It was produced by PFAW cofounder Norman Lear’s production company. When Norman heard some of the recent things coming from presidential candidate Mitt Romney — whose first name is actually Willard — it rang a bell.In a piece in Variety, Norman asks Willard Mitt Romney, “What you talkin’ bout, Willard?”

Koch Brothers Sink to a New Low to Undermine Public Education

A new video from our friends at Brave New Foundation — a part of their “Koch Brothers Exposed” series — details the disturbing rise of racial resegregation in one award-winning North Carolina school district. The story goes like this: the Koch-created and funded Americans for Prosperity supported a slate of right-wing school board candidates who ran on a platform that echoed those of 1960’s southern segregationists like George Wallace almost verbatim … they won, and now they are using their power to hurt the public school system by not only erasing the district’s commendable achievements of diversity, but hurting the quality of public education received by all the district’s students.People For the American Way and PFAW’s African American Ministers in Action (AAMIA) program are both incredibly proud to cosponsor the release of this video, and we’re hopeful that we can help shine a light on this latest right-wing attack on public education, racial equality and civil rights.

Watch the video and help spread the word >

Perry, Prayer, Politics and the Presidency

Casual viewers of “The Response,” including some political reporters who don’t pay a lot of attention to the Religious Right, may have watched Texas Governor Rick Perry’s prayer rally earlier this month and wondered what all the fuss was about. Most of the time was taken up with prayer and praise music. Few of the speakers seemed overtly political. Nobody used the occasion to endorse Perry’s pending presidential bid.But context is everything, and the context for this event was remarkable: a governor launching a presidential bid by teaming up with some of the nation’s most divisive extremists to hold a Christians-only prayer rally that suggested Americans are helpless to solve the country’s problems without divine intervention. Some media coverage is missing the boat: the issue wasn’t whether it was ok for a politician to pray, or the size of the audience, but the purposes of the event’s planners and their disturbing vision for America.

Pay-Per-View Congress?

Showing a profound disregard for representative democracy and the First Amendment, several Republican members of Congress decided not to hold open-to-the-public town hall meetings for their constituents this August recess and instead, held meetings that required an admission fee — or as Politico put it, “strictly pay-per-view.”

FEATURED VIDEO

Mitt Romney: People Person?

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney turned a few heads this month when he told an audience at the Iowa State Fair that “corporations are people.”PFAW responded immediately by producing and running a TV ad in New Hampshire, where the Romney campaign’s focus has been.

Watch >

And if you have not done so already, please add your name to our petition to Gov. Romney telling him that he’s wrong, corporations are NOT people >

News & Blogs

Anonymous Attacks Against LA Progressives

This summer, an organization called Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE) finds itself the target of dozens of baseless public records requests instigated by an anonymous right wing entity apparently seeking to intimidate and harass the organization.LAANE has long fought for policies to raise wages, protect the environment, and enhance community input on new box stores. In other words, they have gotten in the way when giant corporations have put profit maximization over the rights of workers, consumers, and communities. Perhaps that is why they now find themselves the subject of an extensive fishing expedition for public records that can be taken out of context and demagogued ad nauseam.

Darrell Issa’s Two Hats

Rep. Darrell Issa’s ties to big business run deep, and as chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform committee, Issa has functioned quite efficiently as an arm of a Wall Street lobbying shop. He has demanded that government regulators back off from applying new rules to Goldman Sachs, and he has fought tooth-and-nail to deny the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and its yet-unconfirmed director Rich Cordray, any significant means to protect the public from fraud and abuse by the financial industry.

Michael Keegan in Politico’s The Arena: Should disaster aid be conditional?

Republicans in Congress never even suggested “pay as you go” for two wars and massive tax cuts for the rich under George W. Bush, but they are now willing to withhold urgent aid from American communities in crisis in order to prove some point about their new found budget orthodoxy. Republican budget brinkmanship over the debt ceiling cost the country its top credit rating; let’s hope brinkmanship over emergency spending funds don’t cost Americans in storm-damaged states their homes and livelihoods.

Taking it Back to 1987, Mitt Romney Teams Up with Judge Bork

Mitt Romney yesterday announced the members of his campaign’s legal advisory team, which will be led by none other than Robert Bork.This is interesting because Judge Bork’s views of the law and Constitution were so extreme that his 1987 Supreme Court nomination was rejected by the Senate.

People For the American Way aired a TV spot about Bork at the time…

Anti-Gay Groups Rally To Defend Anti-Gay ‘Charity’ Group

A campaign spearheaded by LGBT rights and women’s rights groups Change.org and AllOut.org, encouraging companies to drop their ties to the Charity Give Back Group (formerly the Christian Values Network), unsurprisingly has the Religious Right up in arms. The CGBG “operates a sort of online mall, donating a portion of each purchase to religious nonprofits,” Michelle Goldberg explains. “Among them are conservative organizations like Focus on the Family, The Family Research Council, Promise Keepers, and a number of anti-abortion crisis pregnancy centers.”

ACLU DNA, Lead Paint, and the Judges who Made it Through GOP Obstruction

As we like to remind people often, the current GOP senate has been shameless in its enthusiasm for obstructing judicial nominees just for the sake of obstruction. For instance, a PFAW memo on August 2 reported that of 24 nominees then waiting for confirmation votes, 21 had been voted through the Senate Judiciary Committee with no recorded opposition. Instead of sending through at least the unopposed nominees in a voice vote and moving on with its business, the Senate decided to keep these potential jurists off the bench for as long as possible despite the pressing problem of unfilled judicial seats leading to slowed down justice. Ultimately, 4 of those nominees were confirmed by the Senate before it left for its August recess, and 20 remain waiting. (The Washington Postthis morning lamented that such “gamesmanship is not only frustrating but also destructive”)

Conservatives Urge GOP to Raise Debt Ceiling

07/25/2011 Nativegrl77

By ThinkProgress War Room on Jul 22, 2011 at 4:55 pm

Default Denialists Called Out By Conservatives

We are now 11 days away from a default on our obligations, and House Republicans appear no closer to agreeing to increase the debt ceiling than they were weeks ago. The business community and other conservatives appear to be reacting to this default denialism with increasing alarm. Here’s a rundown of some of the right-wing calls to raise the debt ceiling.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

We have been telling you for weeks and months that defaulting on our debt is not an option – it has real, immediate, and potentially catastrophic consequences. […]

The result from political inaction could be devastating.

Financial Services Forum

Failure to raise the debt ceiling and the ensuing default and inability of our country to pay its bills as they come due would have harsh implications for the dollar, the international and domestic financial system, economic growth and job creation. It is critically important that our leaders arrive at a deal to avoid both the negative consequences of a default and address our federal debt and large annual budget deficits in a responsible way.

More than 450 Corporate CEOs

Now is the time for our political leaders to put aside partisan differences and act in the nation’s best interests. It is time to pull together rather than pull apart.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R)

But they’ve got to get this done immediately or the uncertainty for the business community is going to be just devastating to our country.

Mesa Arizona Mayor Scott Smith (R), Vice President, U.S. Conference of Mayors

Anything that upsets the potential for any kind of recovery creates huge problems for the city… We’re sort of at the bottom of the food chin. When you have someone out of work, when you have someone who’s homeless, when you have someone with mental health issues, any interruption, anything that disrupts the economy, hurts our ability to help them.

Many of the social ills that we experience, you can’t just ignore. We have people who are homeless, we have people who are unemployed. They don’t just go away when governments cut their budgets…These are human beings, they still have needs, they still have problems…Our biggest concern is when there’s an across the board cut in spending without thinking about these different needs, you end up paying more.

President Ronald Reagan

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You May Have Missed

Although GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney has recently remarked that he doesn’t “see carbon as a pollutant,” he certainly regulated carbon dioxide like one while he was governor of Massachusetts.

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) defended the Gang of Six’s deficit-reduction proposal with the promise that only “the people sucking off the program are going to be the ones that lose.”

The real sticking point for conservatives opposed to the IOM’s recent recommendations on health care plans isn’t abortion — it’s contraception.

Pulitzer-prize winning undocumented immigrant Jose Antonio Vargas had his driver’s license revoked by the state of Washington.

A top Iowa Republican and former Bob Vander Plaats ally tells the pro-discrimination crusader that he and his organization’s “credibility is waning to the point of no impact.”

David Leonhardt is the new New York Times DC Bureau Chief.

Blue Bunny Ice Cream, whose CEO Mike Wells has close ties to Bob Vander Plaats, is feeling the heat over his support for the Iowa FAMiLY LEADER.

Ohio’s unemployment rate rises for the first time in 15 months as Republican Gov. John Kasich’s budget cuts go into effect.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) criticizes President Obama for cutting NASA’s shuttle missions. In reality, it was a former president from Texas who ended the program.

NewsCorrupt: New MoveOn Ad Calls For Congressional Investigation of News Corp

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wicked Wednesday &some News

06/22/2011 Nativegrl77

Today, President Obama will announce the number of troops that will be in the Military draw down. I already know that no matter what he says, it will not be enough for some. I am not a Military strategist but given the fact that the Bush Admin waged two wars and two 2huge tax cuts that have not been paid for yet and has been dumped on President Obama. Today’s decision is one that the last guy escaped or ran out on and it is not only unfair but people will blame President Obama for crap the last guy failed to take care of.

Abortion … my rant today

I want Max Bachcus, who got single payer for his people and Mitt Romney who got universal healthcare for his to tell Americans why they feel their States are more deserving of great healthcare than the rest of their fellow Americans.

We all debate at what point a fetus becomes a baby and at what point an egg becomes a fetus and becomes anything after conception. We have to ask at what point is conception and if you believe a baby or life begins at conception, then we have nothing to discuss because i do not believe that at conception whenever that is, creates a baby. I believe an egg becomes a fetus but when is anyone’s guess, then after the first tri-mister, or at 9weeks, which is when a heartbeat is normally heard, is when we can call the fetus a baby. Even with all this rhetoric and or information i do not believe you or anyone else has the right to tell women what to do with their bodies yet mostly Republican are legislating against women and their right to choose. The fact that Republicans feel comfortable legislating means they do believe in big Government and what could be bigger than opening the door of our private lives and telling us their doctrine of “family values” trumps our rights as Americans. This belief and or doctrine will put women of all ages at risk. The fact is and just so you know desperate women have used instruments, back alley doctors, drugs to abort and when all else fails, some choose suicide when it becomes too much. It is my wish that legal, safe and credible places remain available for women because not only do people have the right to have options no one should have to feel so stressed out about a personal choice and no woman chooses abortion because it is fun believe me.

While it is offensive to even to say it … women are intelligent enough to decide what is best for them and or families and should be treated with respect. I cannot fathom any sitting politician legislating against women wanting anyone invading in their lives for any reason let alone a very personal one like a right to choose. In addition, contrary to popular thought doctors actually do counsel and discuss options with a woman and or family though some States have decided to legislate that in ways that are not only offensive they portray women as feeble, intelligible while lacking a sufficient amount of knowledge. There was a time when personal choice and or the option to have certain healthcare procedures were tedious but taken for granted if you were relatively healthy. It took a while for me to experience the down fall of being a woman until my first important healthcare procedure and learned that as a woman I was not only a liability to my company but the healthcare or insurance company told me they had to make a decision about the procedure I needed. I will not give details but suffice it to say it was difficult for me to get the procedure I needed because as a woman I was a pre-existing condition. I had to battle for my right to have the surgery that would in fact improve my health.

Now, health care is scary because it has become a tool that is abused by insurers and Republicans want to completely privatize it under the platform of “family values” and or in reality, it is family enforcement. It is just my opinion but I do not believe all women want to procreate though they might engage in the act that results in becoming pregnant with or without contraceptives. I have to wonder will all Doctors be subject to constant scrutiny for what types of healthcare they will be providing women and isn’t that what big government is all about. It makes no sense to think healthcare is anyone’s business let alone what is going on between a woman and her doctor, it baffles my mind to think a member of Congress let alone Governors of various States; a stranger thinks they should control my uterus because of their own personal beliefs, religion, values. I have to believe that the Democratic Party will not cross that line and legislate against women like Republicans have on all levels . I don’t know about you but it gives me the feeling that Republicans want women to be seen and not heard. I guess with the cutting slashing and burning of safe, clean and truly great facilities that help girls, young women and older women on a daily basis for all kinds of things not just abortion. I hope that Women will decide to fight back and not hide in the shadows and or put themselves at risk even with these stupid laws if enacted.

The fact is, places like Planned Parenthood also talk to young men about their responsibilities provide contraceptive info etc. because with great information comes intelligent choices though Republicans are trying to keep a strong hold on information, procedures and personal choice and that can only be detrimental to the progress in the realm of women’s health.

Do you believe in less government? It is my opinion that the Hyde amendment is enough for everyone to accept and has been for years. The question for anyone who objects is why you feel it is your right to dictate to a woman as it relates to woman’s health or contraceptive choices. It is this kind of attitude by folks with that “family values platform” that most if not all Republicans subscribe and proceeded to defund Planned Parenthood. It makes no sense to take social services away from those who are in need then say if you become pregnant, you might have to go full-term.

In my opinion, life without places like Planned Parenthood would mean more young women suffering unwanted pregnancies, diseases, and or worse.

Other News …

Fed lets bond-buying stimulus program expire amid weaker economic forecast

Obama’s task: maintaining support for Afghan war

msnbc.com

Syria’s Assad running low on credibility: U.N. chief

Bachmann’s 2012 Kickoff Set for Monday in Iowa

Department of binary choices, Newt Gingrich edition

Transocean blames BP’s oil well design for Gulf of Mexico disaster

CSPAN

Congressional Budget Office Releases Long Term Budget Outlook

Obama to Outline Afghanistan Troop Reduction

Bernanke Holds Second Press Briefing as Fed Chief

FDIC’s Bair Makes Final Appearance on Capitol Hill

House resolution to remove U.S. troops from Libya

House resolution authorizing “limited” U.S. role in Libya

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a message from Robert Gibbs, Democrats.org …Last night’s spectacle

06/14/2011 Nativegrl77

Im writing to you from Manchester, New Hampshire, where last night I witnessed a spectacle that every single Obama supporter needs to hear about.

The major GOP presidential candidates debated for the first time and made one thing very clear: They have no agenda but to take down President Obama.

They even nodded along when one called the Obama administration a “destructive force,” and they said nothing when another said the President has “embraced our enemies.”

Last night was a wake-up call to anyone who thinks they can sit tight while the Republicans battle each other for the nomination: The campaign to defeat Barack Obama and roll back his entire record is well underway. And that’s the one thing on which all of their potential candidates agree.

It was seven against one. Since the President won’t be speaking for himself at one of these debates until next year, our best response is to show the Republicans that when they attack Barack Obama, it only makes us fight back harder.

www.democrats.org <<< Check out the Website

Fundamentally, last night’s debate was about which of their candidates would turn back the clock the farthest.

They came out for re-fighting the battles they lost on Wall Street reform and the health care law. They backed reinstating “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

They even talked about abolishing the Environmental Protection Agency — and phasing out Social Security and Medicare.

They actually spent time debating whether they think Sarah Palin would have made a better vice president than Joe Biden (spoiler alert: They still think so!).

But the words “education” and “middle class” were never uttered even once.

If you were watching at home, you might have thought it was a re-run from four or eight years ago.

Most of these people are full-time candidates with nothing to lose and nothing to do but keep pushing to take us back to the failed policies of the past. Help fight back with a donation today:

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Charlie Bass… a message from Charles Chamberlain, Democracy for America

06/02/2011 Nativegrl77

“When Congressman Charlie Bass voted to end Medicare; that was an attack on New Hampshire families like mine.”

Jane Brickett is a Social Worker in New Hampshire’s North Country. She has a disability and if she didn’t have Medicare the doctor bills could bankrupt her.

She’s one of the lucky ones. If Republicans succeed in destroying Medicare, Jane’s children might be able to find a way to save her house and keep food on the table. Thousands of others seniors and children depending on Medicare and Medicaid won’t be so lucky.

It’s time to make sure New Hampshire voters know what Charlie Bass has done. We’ve created another hard hitting ad with our friends at the Progressive Change Campaign Committee showcasing a personal story a real person. Please contribute now to keep the ad on the air.

Watch the ad and keep it on the air