The Iron Gauntlet

liberalsarecool:

Paul Krugman:

“… even as Republicans look for a way to sound more sympathetic and less extreme, their actual policies are taking another sharp right turn…. Why is this happening? … It’s important to understand the extent to which leading Republicans live in an…

Getting increasingly terrifying. 

oldenough2burmom:

Salon: Only six percent of the nation’s scientists call themselves Republicans. One cause could be the fact that the U.S. puts a mere two percent of its budget towards scientific research. That includes everything from cancer research to marine science to geology.

Oh, but we’re the best country in the world.

(via truth-has-a-liberal-bias)

justinspoliticalcorner:

A Republican official in Texas called for his state to separate from the United States and the “maggots” who reelected President Barack Obama in a newsletter he sent out this week.

Peter Morrison, who serves as treasurer of the Hardin County Republican Party, wrote in his post-election newsletter that there was a clear solution to the problem of Obama’s re-election.

“We must contest every single inch of ground and delay the baby-murdering, tax-raising socialists at every opportunity,” Morrison wrote. “But in due time, the maggots will have eaten every morsel of flesh off of the rotting corpse of the Republic, and therein lies our opportunity.”

“Texas was once its own country, and many Texans already think in nationalist terms about their state. We need to do everything possible to encourage a long-term shift in thinking on this issue. Why should Vermont and Texas live under the same government? Let each go her own way in peace, sign a free trade agreement among the states and we can avoid this gut-wrenching spectacle every four years,” he wrote.

H/T: Ryan J. Reilly at TPM

My cousin often talks about how many of his fellow Texans are of the mind to secede from the Union. He claims that the entire state is self-sufficient enough to do so and many feel that they’d be better off as their own nation. I myself am more than a bit skeptical of this notion, however I often wonder about attitudes such as this:

“Why should Vermont and Texas live under the same government? Let each go her own way in peace, sign a free trade agreement among the states and we can avoid this gut-wrenching spectacle every four years,”

While I disagree with this man’s previously stated reasons (i.e.: “baby-killing” and “socialism”), I have to wonder whether or not the man has a point as far as the nation and its states are concerned. For example, the west coast and northeast are predominantly blue states; idealistically, would it not make more sense to have a more liberal government for states that have large liberal populations? Would it not make sense to have a more conservative government for states like Alabama and Texas? Perhaps it would not suit people who live in those states with opposing viewpoints, but who is to say that they could not simply move to a state that better suited their own personal idealism and how they feel about the role of government in their lives? For the record, I’m not stating that ANY of this would work in practice, nor am I saying that I agree with the notion itself; I’m simply admitting that he presents a compelling argument that is at least worth talking about. 

(via truth-has-a-liberal-bias)

justinspoliticalcorner:

Richard Mourdock, the Tea Party favorite who ousted Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN) in Indiana’s Republican Senate primary last month, told a local Indiana newspaper that, contra Obamacare’s protections, employers ought to be able to deny health insurance to people with cancer.

During a freewheeling interview with the News and Tribune, Mourdock said health care will be the “biggest issue” this election. The Indiana Republican, who opposes the Affordable Care Act, argued that businesses should be permitted to deny coverage to employees with cancer “if they want to keep their health care costs down.” 

If Mourdock ultimately wins his election in November, don’t expect him to compromise on his opposition to businesses being required to insure cancer patients. The day after Mourdock won the Republican nomination, he announced on MSNBC that “bipartisanship ought to consist of Democrats coming to the Republican point of view.”

H/T: Scott Keyes at Think Progress Health

Ever notice democrats saying shit like this? Me neither.  

I wish every unhappiness and misfortune in Mr. Mourdock’s life.

(via truth-has-a-liberal-bias)

nothingman:

weirdsociology:

tzikeh:

nefariousnewt:

iamateenagefeminist:

The MI GOP banned Rep. Lisa Brown from speaking on the House floor after saying the word “vagina” in a debate about abortion. They think it’s okay to regulate women’s reproductive organs, but not okay to talk about them. 

We are tweeting @MIHouseGOP with the word “vagina”, but if you don’t have a twitter or want to do more, you can! This link leads to the Michigan GOP comment form, leave them some lovely vagina comments! 

SIGNAL BOOST!

VAGINA BOOST!

Signal boost.  I sat in my office and cried about this today.   We’re fucking people with rights and how much fucking longer is this going to take?

so wait really? is this what politics has come to you can pass laws about them but you can’t say the word Vagina. Every year politics gets a little sadder to follow as the slippery slope gets greased up more and more.

Oh no! Did the word “vagina” hurt the wittle wepubwican’s ears?? Oh dear!

(via baneoftoasters)