Saturday, November 23, 2013
Conservatives who backed Wisconsin Gov. Walker appear target of secret probe
Dozens of conservative groups that support Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker reportedly have been subpoenaed by a special prosecutor demanding donor lists and other documents pertaining to their backing of Walker's union overhaul and recall fight.
The so-called "John Doe" investigation bars those subpoenaed from talking publicly.
But Eric O'Keefe, director of the Wisconsin Club for Growth, told The Wall Street Journal recently that investigators have raided at least three homes and that he "wants the public to know what is going on," despite the personal risk.
He also suggested the probe is having a chilling effect on conservative groups as Walker approaches a 2014 re-election effort.
He said the subpoenas, including the one he received in early October, "froze my communications and frightened many allies and vendors of the pro-taxpayer political movement in Wisconsin. ... The process is the punishment."
Watchdog.org reported in late October that authorities were confiscating equipment and files from targets of the probe, and demanding phone and email records. Watchdog.org also reported this week that three of the unidentified targets have hired top First Amendment and campaign finance experts as part of their defense team.
Immigration Reform All But Dead for 2013 and 2014
Shocked by their poor showing in the 2012 presidential election, Republicans looked for ways to change their brand. The first idea: Embrace immigration reform. A slew of Republican lawmakers and influential conservative intellectuals came out in favor of granting citizenship to illegal immigrants. Even Sean Hannity said that he had “evolved” on the issue. The once unthinkable—Republicans supporting amnesty en masse—became a political reality.
Efforts to reform the system began in the U.S. Senate. Republican Sens. Jeff Flake, John McCain, Marco Rubio, and Lindsey Graham worked with four Democratic Senators to draft immigration legislation. Ultimately, the 844 page bill could be summarized thusly:
The Gang of Eight bill would essentially revamp every corner of U.S. immigration law, establishing a 13-year pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants, with several security benchmarks that have to be met before they can obtain a green card. The measure would not only increases security along the border, but requires a mandatory workplace verification system for employers, trying to ensure no jobs are given to immigrants who are not authorized to work in the United States.
It also includes a new visa program for lesser-skilled workers – the product of negotiations between the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and labor unions. And it shifts the country’s immigration policies away from a family-based system to one that is focused on more on work skills.
It passed the Senate in June 68-32, with 14 Republicans going every Democrat in supporting the bill. The compromise was such an accomplishment that the New Yorker even wrote a long piece describing how it came about. Then all eyes turned to the Republican-controlled House.
Most, if not all, Democrats have supported immigration reform that includes pathway to citizenship provisions. House Republicans also showed a relatively strong amount of support for reform. Last month, CalWatchdog wrote about some California Republicans moving to the left on immigration reform, despite the small likelihood of any legislative action actually occurring:
Although Issa, Valadao and Denham all would like to see some form of immigration reform happen soon, it’s unlikely to occur this year. House leadership has indicated that their focus will be on passing fiscal reforms over immigration, and the recent government shutdown left many Republicans unenthusiastic about compromising with their Democratic colleagues.
Leaning Out: How Michelle Obama became a feminist nightmare.
Last Tuesday, when Michelle Obama took a fashionably shod toe and dipped it into her husband’s efforts to address the nation’s higher-ed gap, the move was greeted by some feminists with a relieved, “It’s about damn time!”
Here, finally, was an issue worthy of the Ivy-educated, blue-chip law firm-trained first lady, a departure from the safely, soothingly domestic causes she had previously embraced. Gardening? Tending wounded soldiers? Reading to children? “She essentially became the English lady of the manor, Tory Party, circa 1830s,” feminist Linda Hirshman says.
Speaking last week at Bell Multicultural High School, a couple of miles north of the White House, the first lady touted the importance of a college degree, citing her own journey from a one-bedroom apartment on Chicago’s South Side to Princeton as evidence of how far hard work and good schooling can take you. “I’m here today because I want you to know that my story can be your story,” she told the predominantly low-income, heavily minority student body.
The personal plea was part of a glitzy rollout for a new administration initiative. Working with Education Secretary Arne Duncan, the first lady will become an “ambassador” for the new “North Star” program meant to make the United States the global leader in the percentage of young people it propels through college (we currently rank 12th, according to the White House), with special outreach to communities on the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum.
Via: Politico Magazine
Continue Reading....
Silver Lining For GOP: Nuclear Option Could Make Repealing ObamaCare Easier
Conservatives are outraged over Harry Reid pulling the trigger on the so-called nuclear option in the Senate, making it impossible for Republicans to stop President Obama from nominating anyone he wants to positions in the government.
But some on the right are finding comfort in the theory that Reid’s legislative maneuver could actually make it easier for Republicans to eventually repeal Obamacare — if all the pieces come together in 2017.
On Thursday, Senate Democrats — led by Reid, the Senate majority leader — took the drastic step of changing the body’s rules to prevent Republicans from being able to filibuster most of the president’s nominees.
Continue Reading.....
But some on the right are finding comfort in the theory that Reid’s legislative maneuver could actually make it easier for Republicans to eventually repeal Obamacare — if all the pieces come together in 2017.
On Thursday, Senate Democrats — led by Reid, the Senate majority leader — took the drastic step of changing the body’s rules to prevent Republicans from being able to filibuster most of the president’s nominees.
By employing the nuclear option, Democrats changed the rules so that nomination voted on by the Senate — such as cabinet positions or appeals court judges — only need a majority of votes to pass, instead of the traditional 60 votes.
While Democrats claim the new rule only applies to nominations — and not Supreme Court picks or legislation — conservative commentator George Will is among those who pointed out that there’s no reason to think the majority rule won’t be expanded to other issues in the Senate.
And that’s something that could help Republicans repeal Obamacare if they win the presidency in 2016, win the Senate and keep control of the House.
“There’s no limiting principle in the principle they’re invoking,” Will said on Special Report on Fox News on Thursday night. “That is majorities should rule all the time.”
He continued: “What this means is if in the spring of 2017 there’s a Republican president, which there could be, the Republicans still hold the House, and they have 51 senators, they can repeal Obamacare with 51 votes. And I’m not sure the people who did this today have thought this.”
Via: The Daily CallerContinue Reading.....
Senate Dems move the goalposts to distract from Obamacare
In a largely partisan vote, the United States Senate approved changes to its rules concerning future approvals of judicial and executive nominations from the White House. Until today, the Senate rules required approval of such candidates for high office of at least two thirds of the legislative body. The change would now allow nominations to proceed with just a simple majority vote, even while the rules change would still allow the minority in the Senate to use filibusters to block Supreme Court nominees.
Suprisingly, three Democrats: Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas cast their ballots against the change.
Following the vote, the Democrats quickly confirmed Patricia Millett to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. The vote was 55-43, with two senators voting present.
Several hearings were either cancelled or went into recess before the vote on the rules change. Over the last month, three nominees to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals have been blocked by Republicans, despite President Barack Obama’s appeal. On November 19, the Republicans blocked a vote on the nomination of Robert L. Wilkins to the bench. In his case, Wilkins, who served as a Washington D.C. District Court judge, was confirmed by the Senate on a voice vote in 2010.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said of the vote that it was “not a proud day in the history of the Senate.” The Republican stalwart, flanked by Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), said that “In order to distract attention from Obamacare, the Senate has just broken the rules to change the rules. We’ve had this threat for some time now...” He added that Senate Democrats had not kept to their promises to refrain from such rule changes during this legislative term.
Senate Dems move the goalposts to distract from Obamacare
In a largely partisan vote, the United States Senate approved changes to its rules concerning future approvals of judicial and executive nominations from the White House. Until today, the Senate rules required approval of such candidates for high office of at least two thirds of the legislative body. The change would now allow nominations to proceed with just a simple majority vote, even while the rules change would still allow the minority in the Senate to use filibusters to block Supreme Court nominees.
Suprisingly, three Democrats: Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas cast their ballots against the change.
Following the vote, the Democrats quickly confirmed Patricia Millett to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. The vote was 55-43, with two senators voting present.
Several hearings were either cancelled or went into recess before the vote on the rules change. Over the last month, three nominees to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals have been blocked by Republicans, despite President Barack Obama’s appeal. On November 19, the Republicans blocked a vote on the nomination of Robert L. Wilkins to the bench. In his case, Wilkins, who served as a Washington D.C. District Court judge, was confirmed by the Senate on a voice vote in 2010.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said of the vote that it was “not a proud day in the history of the Senate.” The Republican stalwart, flanked by Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN), said that “In order to distract attention from Obamacare, the Senate has just broken the rules to change the rules. We’ve had this threat for some time now...” He added that Senate Democrats had not kept to their promises to refrain from such rule changes during this legislative term.
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