The Truth About Taxes

Courtesy of the Washington Post:

"Obama's plan gives the biggest cuts to those who make the least, while McCain would give the largest cuts to the very wealthy."

Its OK If You're A Republican

In his column over at the The Hill, Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas sheds light on the double standard that is republican politics.

IOKIYAR.

In Internet circles, that’s the acronym for “It’s OK if you’re a Republican,” the recurring phenomenon in which Republicans get a pass for the behavior that would doom Democrats.

And in the past couple of weeks, there’s been no shortage of IOKIYAR incidents.

Once upon a time, teen pregnancy was bad. “Bearing children out-of-wedlock is likely to have harmful consequences for the child, the child’s parents, and society,” wrote Christian Right leader James Dobson. But that was before one of their own was involved. With unwed 17-year-old Bristol Palin’s pregnancy suddenly in the news, what had previously been a societal ill became the most wonderful thing in the world. Bristol had “chosen life”! All other teen mothers also “chose life,” of course, but they don’t have the good fortune of being born to the Republican vice presidential nominee.

....

What about qualifications for the office of vice president? When Tim Kaine’s name was floated as a potential Democratic vice presidential pick, top GOP strategist Karl Rove mocked his experience on “Face the Nation”: “He was mayor of the 105th-largest city in America […] it’s smaller than Chula Vista, Calif., Aurora, Colo., Mesa or Gilbert, Ariz., North Las Vegas, or Henderson, Nev. It’s not a big town.”

Richmond has a population of 200,123. Wasilla, Alaska, had a population of 6,000 during Palin’s mayoral term. Not a big town. But IOKIYAR.

Finally, how many flag pins did McCain and Palin wear during their convention speeches?

None.

IOKIYAR.

Simply put, this is probably the best explication of republican political ethos I have heard yet this election cycle. I mean seriously, tell me you were nodding your head yes the entire time you were reading this as well?

A Different Ike Perspective

From the AP:

Ray Wilkinson, 67, didn’t want to leave Friday until it was too late. When authorities realized he was there, they decided not to endanger their personnel to get him out of town.

When authorities got to him Saturday morning, Wilkinson was drunk.
“He kinda drank his way through the night,” Davison said.

Wilkinson was waving when officials got to the house.

While this storm is no laughing matter, its comforting to see somebody smiling in the wake of all the devastation. Our continued prayers go out to all those experiencing Ike's wrath.

(waves pummeling seawall memorial to 1900 hurricane victims in Galveston)

Saturday Open Thread

With lots of good football including my beloved Redhawks and their dabbling with division two's Charleston Southern, I will be largely absent from the blogosphere today. So consider this an open thread. What has your attention?

"I am prepared. I am prepared. I need no on-the-job training. I wasn't a mayor for a short period of time. I wasn't a governor for a short period of time."

-- Sen. John McCain, quoted by the New York Times, during the Republican presidential primaries.

IN-03: Montagano's New TV Spot

This race is starting to heat up within the Indiana blogosphere and for good reason. Let's keep up the good work--Michael Montagano deserves it.

IN-03: Montagano Can Win This Thing

I know this was mentioned earlier, but the IN-03 is definitely in play. After looking over the polling numbers, who couldn't help but be reenergized by the hopes of replacing a seven term republican congressman with a young charismatic democrat? I sure as hell was. As such I decided to look into the race a bit more, and of all the things I found one thing stood out with alarming clarity. Montagano's fundraising puts him in a near dead heat with Souder. 

So what you say? Well for one, this is a district that Bush won in 2004 by a staggering 37%. The Cook Voting Index rates Indiana's third congressional district at republican +16. The bottom line is this is as red a district as they come. Nevertheless, Mike Montagano-- a political novice for all intensive purposes-- continues to keep pace financially with Souder, an entrenched republican who has had a stranglehold on the district for 14 years.

What does all this mean? It means that with just a little more help Montagano can pull off the unthinkable-- he can knock off an incumbent Indiana republican. Just look at Souder's fundraising numbers. He is barely scraping out a financial advantage despite a political network 14 years in the making. If this doesn't scream voter discontent I don't know what does.

Now imagine what Montagano can accomplish with a boost in fundraising or a swarm of new motivated volunteers. Thus I urge everyone to donate to the campaign, but more importantly I urge everyone who can to get up and go help influence the election on the ground. Because in the end, Souder remains the most vulnerable incumbent congressman in the state and we owe it to ourselves and to democrats across the country to do something about it. 

Bloosiers now is the time to unite. Lets prove to a national audience that a progressive netroots is alive and well in Indiana. 

Hurricane Ike Update

With projected 20 ft. storm surges, 120+ mph wind, and a span of 600+ miles across, Hurricane Ike continues to bare down on the Texas coastline and is expected to hit land sometime late tonight/early tomorrow morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those in its path.

McCain gets Steam Rolled on The View

If this doesn't bode well for Obama come debate time I don't know what does. I mean let's be honest, the pounding he gets from Whoopie and Barbara will pale in comparison to Obama's debate prowess. Two words-- loving it.

IN-03: Montagano Cuts Gap in Half

Cooper and Secrest
504 Likely Voters -- MoE +/- 4.4%
Sept. 9-10

Mike Montagano (D):  37 (28)

Mark Souder (R-inc):  50 (55)

At first glance this may still look like a 13 point lead, and it is, but taking into account Montagano's deficit in the last poll Souder's lead is looking very vulnerable indeed. 

This is by all accounts a winnable race and Blue Indiana helps show everyone why:

• Only 30% of the electorate consider themselves "strong Souder voters."
  
• Mike Montagano has increased his name ID from 16% to 59%, and of voters who recognize both candidates, Montagano leads Souder by a 47% to 41% margin.
  
• Of voters who have seen Montagano's television advertisements, he leads 47% to 37%.
  
• Montagano leads Souder among Independent voters by an 8-point margin.
  
• Souder's job performance is still sub-fifty, and 44% have a negative opinion of him as the district's representation in Congress.
  

So if you haven't done so yet check out the Montagano For Congress website.  And if you really want to help be sure to throw some money Montagano's way-- the Act Blue widget on the right side of this site will help to facilitate those donations, making the process quick and painless.

"Don't Think of a Maverick"

If you haven't read George Lakoff's book, Don't Think of an Elephant, be sure to do so immediately. The book's not very long and is a really quick read, but as simple as it is brilliant it will leave a lasting impact on all those willing to take it to heart. Simply put, Lakoff analyzes the framework in which progressive activists and democrats at large frame the political debate in this country. Moreover he attests that republicans are much better at this than we are and provides guidance in correcting a long history of democratic concession.

Nevertheless, despite critical acclaim amongst progressive circles, it seems his argument has yet to reach the ears of those in charge of the Obama campaign, at least in practice.

Four years ago, I wrote a book called "Don't Think of an Elephant!." The title made a basic point: Negating a frame activates that frame. If you activate the other side's frame, you just help the other side, as Nixon found out when he said, "I am not a crook," which made people think of him as a crook.

The Obama campaign just put out an ad called "No Maverick". The basic idea was right. The Maverick Frame is central to the McCain campaign and, as the ad points out, it's a lie. But negating the Maverick Frame just activates that frame and helps McCain. You have to substitute a different frame that characterizes McCain as he really is.

Its sounds simple because it is. Let's just hope the Obama people are paying attention. 

Palin's Faux Foreign Policy Expertise

Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin has finally come out of hiding. Obliged to do her first post-convention interview, Palin proved her incapacity for office in the first part of a two part sit down with ABC News' Charlie Gibson. In his usual placid demeanor, Gibson questioned Palin on the ongoing situation in Ossetia and wait for it, wait for it:

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin called Thursday for NATO to admit the former Soviet republic of Georgia, acknowledging that such a move could lead the United States into a military confrontation with Russia.
...

Palin also said she had some “insight” into Russia because “they are our next-door neighbors, and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska.” But she acknowledged that she had never met a foreign head of state.

She has 'insight' into Russia because she can see it? Are you serious people? Crimey, just when you think McCain and company couldn't get any more absurd, along comes Sarah Palin-- her foreign policy credentials tucked neatly behind her binoculars. All I know is the Obama campaign better jump all over this. I know I can't be the only one envisioning a great TV spot right now.

Update (9:03): On the Bush Doctrine:

Gibson: Do you agree with the Bush Doctrine?

Palin: In what respect, Charlie?

Gibson: What do you interpret it to be?

Palin: His worldview?

Gibson: No, the Bush Doctrine. Annunciated September 2002, before the Iraq War.

Palin: I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism. Terrorists who are hellbent on destroying our nation. There have been blunders along the way, though, there have been mistakes made. And with new leadership -- and that's the beauty of American elections of course and of democracy -- is with new leadership comes opportunity to do things better.

Gibson: The Bush Doctrine, as I understand it, is that we have the right of anticipatory self-defense.

I am speechless.

New DKos Presidential Tracking Poll

You have to admire the way Kos has transformed his startup blog into the largest liberal bastion on the web, and then instead of basking in his own influence has set out to use the popularity of his site for practical progressive causes (think fundraising and googlebombs). Much to this effect, Kos has recently implemented independent DKos (contracted through Research 2000) polling of key House and Senate races, and more interestingly a new tracking poll that will shed light on the everyday movements of both presidential campaigns.  The first of these tracking polls--released with coveted crosstabs-- shows just how tight this race has become in recent weeks:

Obama-47%, McCain-45%, Barr-2%, Nader-2%

The only real glaring thing to point out above happens to also be the most comforting--the single day samples. More specifically they show McCain's convention bounce slowly disappearing  and things gradually settling  back to normal. Also take a look at the numbers from the midwest. A seven point Obama lead could point to prophetic things to come in Indiana.