New York Times correspondent agrees with 'Waterloo' author for calling out Repubs on health care reform

Edmund L. Andrews, a business and economics correspondent for The New York Times, wrote the following piece in response to David Frum’s firing from the American Enterprise Institute after publishing a critique of the Republican Party subsequent to the passage of health care reform:

‘We shouldn't be surprised that David Frum got fired from the American Enterprise Institute for violating the Republican Party line on health care.   Notwithstanding the Palin/McCain campaign rhetoric, the GOP has been hostile for years to mavericks, independent thinkers and, frankly, almost any kind of thinkers. 

 Even so, I was struck by this post from Frum's wife, Danielle Crittenden:

“We have both been part of the conservative movement for, as mentioned, the better part of half of our lives.  And I can categorically state I’ve never seen such a hostile environment towards free thought and debate–the hallmarks of Reaganism, the politics with which we grew up–prevail in our movement as it does today. The thuggish demagoguery of the Limbaughs and Becks is a trait we once derided in the old socialist Left.  Well boys, take a look in the mirror.  It is us now.”    

It's hard to believe that this revelation came like a bolt out of the blue.  The Republican arguments on health care, the economic stimulus and financial regulation have become so convoluted and degraded that they only make sense from the perspective of raw political strategy and Tea Party pandering.

 What holds the Republican Party together isn't anything remotely like a coherent philosophy or set of values.  The only things holding it together are group-think based on a cold calculation of how best to block the Democrats and rile the base.  It's an intellectual circling of the wagons.  Small wonder that it becomes oppressive.

I am tempted to think that the revulsion expressed Crittenden is part of a bigger ferment among Republicans.  I'd like to think that there is a group of young Turks or moderates who agree with Frum that the GOP health-care rejectionism will turn out to be the party's Waterloo.  I'd like to think that there is a new generation GOP that is ready to take a chance on constructive engagement.  

 But my good friend Bruce Bartlett is skeptical.  Republican leaders think their strategy since the 2008 election has been a great success.  If they win back House and Senate seats this fall -- as they almost certainly will -- they'll argue that their strategy has been vindicated.   And the truth is, the Young Turks are among the most fervent of the hard-liners -- the Jeb Hensarlings, Paul Ryans.  The moderates are disappearing faster than ever, and the ones who stay are disdained.

So: tough luck, David Frum.  I'm sure you'll do just fine.  But don't be shocked that you've been bounced from AEI. The surprise is that you kept the job for so long.’

NY Times journalist questions whether everything that the Bush Administration did on counterterrorism was illegal

A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for The New York Times alleged the Bush administration's entire warrantless surveillance program may have been illegal, after a federal judge's ruling that the Bush administration illegally wiretapped an Saudi-based Islamic charity and two American lawyers. "Plaintiffs must  and have put forward enough evidence to establish a prima facie case that they were subjected to warrantless electronic surveillance," US District Court Judge Vaughn Walker declared Wednesday.

James Risen, who broke the story for the Times in 2005, told MSNBC's Keith Olbermann Wednesday night that the ruling raises serious questions about the underpinnings of Bush's entire war on terror.

"You could argue that virtually all the programs that the Bush Administration used, rendition, torture, wiretapping, you know, setting up secret prisons, all were in one form or another, an invasion of congressional power," Risen said.

"If by saying the Bush Administration had no right to avoid congressional mandates and congressional legislation, That raises real questions about whether everything that the Bush Administration did on counterterrorism was illegal," Risen added.

Former Governor Sarah Palin left Alaska with the highest state debt burden in the United States

Former less than one-term Governor Sarah Palin has long sold herself as a fiscal conservative, arguing against the Democrats' health overhaul on the grounds that the nation simply can't afford it.

But when the former losing vice presidential candidate resigned as governor of Alaska in the summer of 2009, she left the state with a 70 percent debt-to-GDP ratio, the highest state debt burden in the United States.

By comparison, crisis-stricken California has a debt ratio of less than 40 percent. All the more confounding about Alaska's debt is the fact that it is an oil-producing region with a small population to share in that wealth. 

Palin did face similar debt problems while mayor of Wasilla, and those appear to be of her own making. Wasilla's municipal debt went from around $1 million when she came in to office, to around $22 million when she left.

Karl Rove, former top Bush adviser, threatened with citizen's arrest for lying to take the US into Iraq war

Karl Rove, the former White House Deputy Chief of Staff and top Bush adviser was threatened with a citizen's arrest at a recent book signing event in California.

A co-founder of the activist group Code Pink, which has repeatedly interrupted both Republican and Democratic political figures' speeches with questions about the Iraq war in the past, brandished handcuffs at the former Bush adviser during a speech Monday night in Beverly Hills.

"Look what you did, you outed a CIA officer,'' Code Pink co-founder Jodie Evans asserted, referring to former CIA officer Valerie Plame. "You lied to take us to war. You ruined a country.''

A second protester then called Rove a "war criminal." "The only comfort I take is that you're going to rot in hell,'' she said.

"With all due respect, this goes to show the totalitarianism of the left," Rove countered. "They don't believe in dialogue. They don't believe in courtesy. They don't believe in First Amendment rights for anybody but themselves.'' "If you want to keep interrupting me, you can get the heck out of here,'' Rove said.

Top Republican National Committee donor convicted of securities fraud

A top Republican National Committee donor was convicted last week of securities fraud, according to Federal Election Commission records.

Former Brocade CEO Gregory Reyes, who was convicted in federal court last Friday on nine counts of security fraud, donated $75,000 to the RNC between 2003 and 2006, according to FEC filings. 

Reyes's conviction marks one of the most high-profile victories for the government in prosecuting financial malfeasance. Reyes was convicted due to the practice of backdating, a process of listing options on a contract at a different date than they were actually offered.

The GOP donor's conviction also comes as a debate over financial reform legislation is set to take center stage in Washington when lawmakers return from recess. 

Members of the RNC's communications staff could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon regarding Reyes's donations because they were all at ‘Voyeur’, the risqué bondage club in West Hollywood.

Bush-appointed Federal Election Commissioner lied under oath in 2004 Voter Suppression case

Caroline Hunter, a Bush-appointed Federal Election Commissioner who remains in office, provided misleading statements under oath in an effort to conceal Republican National Committee involvement in vote suppression activities, known as voter caging, during the 2004 presidential election, a Raw Story investigation has found.

Legal experts say Hunter's submission of misleading statements under oath is a serious ethical and professional breach which could warrant a bar review and potential disbarment. At the time, Hunter was serving as deputy counsel to the Republican National Committee.

This took place during a trial regarding the Ohio voter caging issue in 2004. Her affidavit, which can be read here (pdf), was given under oath. There is a five-year limit on perjury.

See a report on the Raw Story investigation here: http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0330/fec-commissioner-conceal-vote-suppression/

Republican Mississippi Governor, whose state is ranked last in health care, says media gave health care reform a 'long sloppy wet kiss'

Republican Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour must not be watching Fox News because he thinks coverage of health care reform has been largely favorable.

Barbour says the media has gushed over Democrats' ideas to improve health care in the US.

"Since this thing passed last weekend, we've been seeing the longest wet kiss in political history, given the Obama administration by the liberal media elite and every day that goes by, it gets sloppier," Barbour told ABC's Jake Tapper Sunday.

Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell just laughed at the notion. "I don't know what channels Haley watches but that's a lousy wet kiss, boy, because it's getting pounded in the media," Rendell countered.

Barbour was billed as a leading voice on health care by ABC News but his state is ranked dead last in health.

Watch the Gov. Barber and Gov. Rendell interviews on ABC here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xh_XDjIwszY

'Joe the Plumber' calls Senator McCain a failure, won't campaign for him

In an interview with FoxNews.com on Sunday Samuel "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher, once a well-known face of John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign, said that he won't be campaigning for the Arizona senator in his close race for reelection.

Wurzelbacher said he was used as a "political tool" during McCain's presidential run and faulted the fourth-term senator for what he described as a weak stance on immigration and border security.

"It's supposed to be a closed border. Why don't you uphold the law instead of trying to change it?" he said. "McCain's been a senator for a long time and he's failed in his duties."

Wurzelbacher, who appeared at a tea party rally of 400 conservative activists in Phoenix on Sunday, said he won't be backing anyone in the Arizona senate race. "I don't want to cloud the issue and create a lot of drama," he said.

McCain, who is seeking a fifth term, is locked in a close race with former congressman and Tea Bagger radio talk show host J.D. Hayworth, a favorite among many wing-nut voters.

Wurzelbacher rose to fame in 2008 after he confronted then-candidate Barack Obama over taxes. He soon became a familiar face at Republican rallies, stumping for McCain and his running mate, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.

Ironically, Mr. Wurzelbacher is not a licensed plumber as is required in his home State. But, as usual, Republicans wouldn’t let reality get in the way of a good story as they continued to refer to him as ‘Joe the Plumber’ during the 2008 presidential campaign. This a direct insult to all the legitimate plumbers who worked hard to earn that designation.