I Believe I Am Detecting A Policy Trend Here

Mitt Romney's solution to public education?  Add profit motive at the expense of the taxpayer.  Actually, that's Mitt Romney's solution to everything, now that I think about it.

Mitt Romney proposed a series of steps to overhaul the public education system, reigniting the debate over school choice as his campaign intensifies its effort to introduce the presumptive Republican presidential nominee to a general-election audience.

The education plan, detailed in a speech today in Washington, would create a voucher-like system to give low- income and disabled students federal funds to attend charter schools, private institutions and public schools outside their district.

“I don’t like the direction of American education, and as president, I will do everything in my power to get education on track for the kids of this great land,” Romney told a gathering of Latino business owners at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. 

Hey, if vouchers are good enough for Grandma's health care, they're good enough for Junior's edumacation.  Best part:

“President Obama has made his choice, and I have made mine: As president, I will be a champion of real education reform in America, and I won’t let any special interest get in the way,” he said. “We have to stop putting campaign cash ahead of our kids.” 

You know, like the campaign cash from charter school lobbyists eager to take tens of billions in taxpayer dollars and wring out profits rather than graduates.

Even better part:

Romney’s plan wouldn’t increase the federal budget, said domestic policy adviser Oren Cass. 

Just like the Bush tax cuts, am I right?

The Bon Salutes You

A man teeing off at the 14th over the weekend hooked his shot, watched the ball disappear and then heard screams, according to a Murfreesboro Police Department incident report. He followed the scream to find a woman clutching her bloody mouth.

Her husband told police that they were riding their motorcycles when he saw the ball bounce across the road and near her motorcycle. There, it careened into her face. She was able to avoid wrecking her bike, but the ball knocked out “several” teeth, the report said. She was taken to Middle Tennessee Medical Center for treatment.

Scream?  I freaking bet she did.  I don't have the brain processing power to handle so much pain, and with zero time to prepare for it.  And you know what else is incredible?  She kept her bike up.  That is one tough bird, folks.  Stud muffin doesn't even come close to touching this.  It is clear she is riding a motorcycle because those GIANT BRASS BALLS making flying such a hassle.

Dear Lady: If you ever read this, I really did salute you, after horrified tears on your behalf dried up.

Getting It Right: Jim Parsons Comes Out

Jim Parsons is gay, and we know this due to an incredibly dry biography.  He has been in a ten-year relationship, which was also delivered with no emphasis whatsoever.

And that's how it should be.  It means we are moving towards a time when it's just a fact, not circus tickets.  He is not a poster child to be forced into talking about his personal life, and he is not subject to approval.  He's the same awesome guy who made the character Sheldon Cooper come to life like nobody else could.  He is no more and no less talented than he was last week, but in the eyes of some, this will diminish him.  That is a sad reminder that some folks just aren't ready to grow up.

I still love my Shelly Bean, and I imagine most of you do, too.

Oiled Up, Bent Over

Oil prices in May have plummeted $15 a barrel from $105 to under $90 this week as European woes take their toll on crude and drop prices to a new a seven-month low.

Oil prices fell below $90 a barrel for the first time in seven months Wednesday as tumult in the eurozone, excess supply and positive news out of Iran weighed on prices.

Crude oil for July delivery fell as low as $89.55 a barrel, marking a 2% decline before settling at $89.90. The selling spilled across multiple commodities, with gold dropping more than $28 to $1,548.4 an ounce.

"Crude prices are really dropping because of concerns about Europe and optimism about Iran," said Phil Flynn, a market analyst at PFGBest. "That's really what's driving the market right now."

Adding further pressure was the Department of Energy's weekly report that showed crude supplies climbed by 883,000 barrels to 382.5 million barrels.

Once again we're in a situation where decreased demand and increased supply has lowered oil prices.

But not of course gasoline prices.

But just when you thought it was safe to get back into long-road-trip mode, gas prices are climbing in some locations again. "There is no good reason to raise the price based on what is going on in the market right now," AAA spokesman Roger Boyd told The Courier-Journal of Kentucky, where the average price of regular rose 5 cents overnight.

In Clark County, Ohio, "many stations listed gas for $3.59 a gallon Tuesday morning. By 3 p.m., several stations had jumped to $3.79 a gallon," the Springfield News-Sun reports. A GasBuddy analyst said Ohio's average price jumped 6 cents in 24 hours. 

Gotta gouge those drivers ahead of the holiday weekend, you know.

Lies, Damn Lies, And GOP Statistics Involving Planned Parenthood

Republicans just can't tell the truth about Planned Parenthood, and the false outrage they generate is more than enough smoke to cover defunding the organization in state after state.  The latest battleground is Pennsylvania, where lawmakers there are literally hitting cut and paste on Arizona's horrific (and unconstitutional) abortion law, justified by the lie that Planned Parenthood performs an abortion "every 95 seconds."

Following in the footsteps of Republicans in Texas and Arizona, Pennsylvania State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R) proposed on Wednesday a bill that would prohibit the Planned Parenthood Federation of America from receiving any taxpayer funding in his state.

Metcalfe was due to appear at a press conference on Wednesday morning with anti-abortion activists who wrote the bill, including representatives from the Alliance Defense Fund and the Susan B. Anthony List. Both groups boast on their websites of how effective they have been in harming Planned Parenthood’s funding, with the Susan B. Anthony List claiming that it played an integral role in sapping more than $61 million from the women’s health provider in legislative battles across the nation.

In a prepared statement describing his bill, Metcalfe invented a number of allegations about the women’s health group, including a bizarre claim that they perform “an abortion every 95 seconds.” A similarly bizarre, admittedly invented claim landed Sen. John Kyl (R-AZ) in hot water last April, when he alleged that abortions are “well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does.”

Planned Parenthood says approximately 3 percent of their patients request referrals for abortion services. The vast majority of their work pertains to preventative care, like cancer and STD screenings, birth control prescriptions and reproductive health education, for lower-income patients who are underserved by the health care industry.

The federal government and many states, including Pennsylvania, have already prohibited Planned Parenthood from using taxpayer funds to carry out abortions.

Less than 3%.  Referrals.  You know, to other clinics where abortions can be performed.   But somehow, that becomes "every 95 seconds" Planned Parenthood is doing this with taxpayer funding because all Republicans have to do is yell SLUT loudly and often enough and women magically lose the ability to determine their own reproductive health choices.

Oh, and while we're at it, let's set some facts straight about the Affordable Care Act and your rights under it, which the GOP is also trying to take away from you.

StupidiNews!

• With still a week before the June 1 official opening of hurricane season, a second named storm swirls in the Pacific as Hurricane Bud forms off of Mexico's west coast.
• Iowa Democrats are blasting GOP Rep. Steve King, calling on him to renounce his comments comparing immigrants to dogs.
• Republicans continue to block re-authorization for the Violence Against Women Act as House GOP leaders refuse to take up the Senate version passed earlier this month.
• Britain's Q1 GDP numbers have been revised downward still as the UK's economy shrank 0.3% in the first three months of the year due in part to a construction slump.
• Microsoft will apparently be releasing a full version of Office for tablets in November, similar to a leaked beta seen in February.

Last Call

Steve M. explores the dark, distopian future of the Paulbot versus Ryanbot wars.

On the other hand, these two wings of the far right could be our two-party system in the near future. I say this because, while I'm heartened to learn that the pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA is actually increasing its focus on Bain Capital (despite whining from across the political spectrum about the supposed inappropriateness of attacking Bain), I see the future of the Democratic Party in the mewling of folks like Cory Booker, Ed Rendell, Harold Ford and others -- in the future, Democrats won't even utter empty platitudes about the people vs. the powerful.

In that case, why will there even need to be a Democratic Party? The only ideological fight in America will be in the GOP, between plutocratic isolationists and plutocratic neocons. Or the latter will simply win and we'll be a one-party state, as disillusioned Paulites go off to write sci-fi novels. 

Steve has more than a mild point.  We forget that while the Republicans are god-awful Randian nutbars who basically want to Soylent Green all the old people and minorities, the corporate wing of the Democratic Party has been running the show for a good 20+ years now.  President Obama can sign all the legislation he wants that "reins in the excesses of Wall Street" but that legislation has to be approved by votes by guys like Ben Nelson and Joe Lieberman.

We need better Dems in Congress.  You can help.

Economy Of Motion

This month's WaPo/ABC News poll shows President Obama up 49-46 and more importantly, both men tied at 47% on the most important issue to voters:  the economy.

After months of aggressive campaigning on jobs and the economy, President Obama and Mitt Romney, his likely Republican challenger, are locked in a dead heat over who could fix the problem foremost on voters’ minds, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

The parity on economic issues foreshadows what probably will continue to be a tough and negative campaign. Overall, voters would be split 49 percent for Obama and 46 percent for Romney if the November election were held now. On handling the economy, they are tied at 47 percent.

Despite flare-ups over issues including contraception and same-sex marriage, more than half of all Americans cite the economy as the one concern that will decide their vote in the fall, relegating others — such as health care, taxes and the federal deficit — to single-digit status.

More than eight in 10 Americans still rate the national economy negatively, but there are strains of optimism as it continues to recover from the collapse of 2008. A majority of Americans — 54 percent — say they are more hopeful than anxious about the situation over the next few years, while 58 percent are bullish about their financial prospects. 

Mitt Romney keeps saying he wants to talk about the economy...but he's not winning that battle despite the economy being pretty lousy still.  It's getting better, and there are enough people who think so that the issue that Romney's supposed to be winning on is instead a wash.

Bad news for Mittens.  I guess we're in for another 23 weeks of Romney saying he wants to talk about the economy and having his SuperPACs talk about Jeremiah Wright and POTUS's birth certificate instead.

Whirlwind Tour

The President's speech at Joplin High on Monday was outstanding.  Karoli at Crooks And Liars details her thoughts on it.

President Obama spoke at the high school commencement Monday night about the power of community, the "bigness of spirit," and the value of unity.

The gist of his message centered on how a community set aside its differences to come together and rebuild after the tornado that nearly wiped out the entire city. His themes touched on the "power of shared effort," and forging a new vision when everything seems hopeless. His primary themes of hope and community are woven throughout the entire twenty minutes. I thought it was an inspiring and touching speech. If it needs a summation, it is his statement that "we are better together than on our own."

At one point in the speech, he mentioned that right after the tornado, the community came together for a meeting and each person was given a Post-it note to write down what their vision was for the community. 1500 Post-its later, there is a wall with all of them on it, and architects are following the suggestions for the rebuilding process. The President quipped, "I'm thinking of trying it with Congress! Give them some Post-it notes." 

If only it were that simple.

Readers will remember a year ago I was in Missouri visiting Bon and her husband when the Joplin tornado hit.   Neither one of us have forgotten that evening or the devastating footage afterward.  Both of us made donations to help out.  I'm glad to see the town has bounced back somewhat, but there's still a long way to go.

Remember Mitt Romney's message to Joplin last year: you're on your own.

We cannot — we cannot afford to do those things without jeopardizing the future for our kids. It is simply immoral, in my view, for us to continue to rack up larger and larger debts and pass them on to our kids, knowing full well that we’ll all be dead and gone before it’s paid off. It makes no sense at all.

Nope. No sense, he says. What say you, Missouri voters?

StupidiCrime

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Prosecutors said Monday that a man admitted to shooting and killing his wife after an argument about buying a new car.

Police responded to the shooting, located along the 300 block of Albion Way, on Sunday to find Teresa Edwards in her bed with multiple gunshot wounds to the head, 10TV’s Ashleigh Barry reported.

Prosecutors said that Teresa Edwards’ husband, Tom Edwards, later admitted to shooting his wife to death.

I'm not going to launch into the obvious.  We know this guy could not possibly be screwed down tight.  What is horrifying is that what drove him over the edge was her refusal to get out of bed and go shop for a car.  I cannot think of anything scarier than telling my husband no, I'd rather sleep in (we have this chat a lot, actually) and my next realization is that he's pointing a gun at my head.

But no, people aren't more stressed or lashing out as they circle the drain.  Nope.  Carry on, citizens.

I Do, Dudes (When Comic Books Show Up Mitt Romney)

Marvel Comic’s made a splash  in 1992 when one of its beloved charters declared “I am gay.”

Twenty years later – in “Astonishing X-Men,” issue 50 set to hit stores on Wednesday —  Northstar will propose to  longtime boyfriend Kyle. The two are set to marry in June.

Marvel and rival DC Entertainment have focused on bringing a more realistic flavor to its characters. DC recently announced that it would relaunch one of its major characters as gay in June. Marvel  introduced Miles Morales, the first half -black ,half -Hispanic Spider-Man last year.

Marvel made the announcement this morning on “The View” on ABC, but it has been the subject of fan speculation for some time.

Axel Alonso, the editor in chief of Marvel Entertainment,  said the storyline was developed around the time New York state legalized gay marriage in June 2011.

“The Marvel Universe has always reflected the world outside your window, so we strive to make sure our characters, relationships and stories are grounded in reality,” Alonso said.

It's not just that they're doing it, it's the way they are doing it that is a shining example.  The spirit of realizing that gay characters reflect a little thing called reality. With their honest and direct approach, they make fools of those who try to pretend gays don't exist.

Which, in my book, is pretty much how it should be.  Mitt Romney could take some advice in tolerance and humane treatment from the likes of Archie and the X-Men.  Perspective.  I likes it.

Another Milepost On The Road To Oblivion

I love the smell of post-racial America in the morning.  It smells like Klan cross-burnings in small town North Carolina in 2012.

Residents in Reidsville, North Carolina have begun receiving fliers inviting them to a May 26 Ku Klux Klan cross burning intended for “white people only.”

Reidsville Police Department Captain Ken Hanks confirmed to Raw Story that people in several neighborhoods had reported receiving the invitations.

Asked if the fliers had broken any law, Hanks replied, “Not that I’m aware of,” and added that the matter was not being investigated.

“I’m a little bothered by it,” Annie P. Pinnix, who received a flier, told the Winston-Salem Journal on Monday.

Pinnex said her husband found the flier in their driveway. It reads:

“Join us, the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, for a rally and cross lighting, Saturday, May 26, Harmony, North Carolina. Free Admition [sic]-White People Only. No alcohol, drugs, fighting, glass bottles or weapons. Free on site camping-all major motels in area. Souvenirs. Vendors. Food and beverages for Sale. Cross lighting at dusk-a white unity event. Live country band. Security provided by LWK.”

A recording on the Loyal White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan “24 Hour Hot Line” confirmed the May 26 cross burning event.

Hey, bring the kids!  Gotta start the hate indoctrination when they're young, after all.  And yes, free speech, folks.  What makes America, America, is that these clodhoppers get to do this.  What makes America great is that the rest of us roundly reject this for the stupidity it is and will sit our kids and nephews and nieces down and tell them exactly why this is going on, and why it's wrong, and why we're better than this.

Well, most of us are better than this, anyway.

Also, this has entirely nothing to do with a black President.  Nope.

Me?  I hope it rains.  I hope it rains wolverines.

The Big...Democratic?...Primary Thread

Breaking news apparently:  Registered Democrats who voted against Barack Obama in 2008 in blood-red southern states are A) still registered Democrats, B) still in blood-red states, and C) still voting against the black guy.

Four in ten Democratic voters chose someone other than President Obama on Tuesday in primaries in Arkansas and Kentucky.

In Arkansas, John Wolfe — a perennial, long-shot candidate — took 41 percent of the vote in the Democratic primary, with 71 percent of precincts reporting. Obama came in just under 60 percent. The Associated Press did not call the race for Obama until close to midnight.

And in Kentucky, 42 percent of Democrats chose "uncommitted" rather than cast a vote for the incumbent president. Obama took 58 percent, with 99 percent of precincts reporting.

With turnout low, Obama did get more total votes than presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney, who won his primary with almost 67 percent of the vote. Obama had more than 118,600 votes to about 117,100 for Romney.

Obama's nomination for a second term by the Democratic Party has never been in danger. But the large number of defections is bad optics for Obama, highlighting widespread discontent with his administration among Democrats who come from conservative states.

Now, here's the problem:  Some 80,000 plus voters here in Kentucky yesterday voted for "uncommitted" rather than the President.  You can make all the excuses about policy, about the economy, about whatever you want, but the county map shows that the President lost 66 of 120 counties, and he lost every single one of the rural counties in the east (south and east of Wolfe County) and all but McCracken County in the rural west, and outside of Boone, Kenton and Campbell he lost all the northern ones outside the Cincy suburbs.

Folks, I've lived here.  There's a reason why a state of majority registered Democratic voters gave John McCain the win here by 15 points in 2008.  Hillary Clinton won here by thirty-five points four years ago.  The headline really should read "Barack Obama becomes first African-American to win a statewide race in Kentucky".  Period.  It's the truth. It hasn't happened before.  The 57% he got last night was a vast improvement compared to the 30% he got in 2008, people.  It was historic.

Here's a hint as to why:  it wasn't the "Obama administration policies" in 2008 any more than it was here in 2012.  Mitt Romney got about the same number of votes that the President did in his primary, and Dems outnumber Republicans here about 60-40%.  Romney will probably win here by 20 points, easy.  I know it's bad here for Dems in the Bluegrass State, but this is pretty awful.  Under no illusions that Obama had a chance, but damn, people.  Pay attention, will you?  It's freakin' Kentucky.

Oh, and in KY-4 it will indeed be Bill Adkins taking on Thomas Massie.

StupidiNews!

• Egyptian presidential elections began today across the country, the first elections for President there in modern history.
• A federal judge has determined that the makers of POM Wonderful pomegranate juice drinks were guilty of deceptive claims about the health properties of the fruit.
• The US Census Bureau says that its 2010 count was off by only 0.01%, a far better job than the 0.5% they were off by in 2000.
• Fingers are flying at Facebook's nearly 20% drop in two trading days this week as analysts and regulators are taking a closer look at the record-setting IPO.
• A small Georgia telco company is the first to file a complaint against a large regional provider under the FCC's new net neutrality laws.

Last Call

So the Iowa Republican Party officially joins the ranks of the birthers, and that's actually not the craziest thing in the state party platform.

We insist that a candidate prove that he or she meets all requirements for that office prior to being placed in nomination, including proof of United States citizenship.

Sure we do.  Just the black Presidents, of course.  Like I said, that's not the crazy stuff.  This is.

 We call for a full investigation of the organization formerly known as ACORN and its allied organizations, call for full prosecution of those involved in any illegalities discovered, and call for elimination of government funding of such organizations.

ACORN's been gone for over a year.   No worries, this will be a plank in every GOP state platform from now until the end of time.

We demand that the term “sustainable development” be defined, vetted, and controlled by county and state agricultural agencies whose private property it impacts rather than the UN, other international or Agenda 21 agencies, or any federal organization.

Yes, the Iowa GOP believes the UN is coming for your guns and virgin daughters.   And as insane as that is, here's the real red flag:

We support constitutional state sovereignty including nullification of federal oversteps.

We disagree with Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton as “settled law.” Under the Tenth amendment, these Supreme Court decisions have no authority over the states.

This is a state challenging the authority of the Supreme Court itself and saying that Iowa has the right to ignore any SCOTUS decision that the state GOP disagrees with.  This is a major party putting that in their platform at the state level.  This is not fringe, folks.  This is real.

It's also pretty damn disturbing.  Think about that for a while.  Republicans?  These guys are insane.