Spotlight Marginalia

Lawrence O’Donnell asks yes or no questions of Republican congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, she then  recites, with the dead eyed inflection of rhote memorization,  tea party rhetoric over him for entire minutes as he tries to draw her back to the questions he asked. Eventually he gives up trying to get an answer to each question. She actually filibusters a live interview. It is a fantastic look into human despair (on O’donnell’s part).

the-madame-hatter:

piddlebucket:

stfusexists:

The Wisconsin legislature is finalizing a bill to close ten Department of Motor Vehicle centers located in Democratic districts within the state. The money saved will be used to extend operating hours at DMV centers in Republican districts. These cuts come on the heels of new voter ID laws that require voters to present a state-issued photo identification card at the poll booths.

Wisconsonites, this is serious business. Please make sure that you and your friends still find a way to register to vote. 

God what a fucking slimeball.

Get fucked, Walker.

I feel like I need to vocalize what really bothers me about this. It is the internet. It is what we do here.

This is some evil trickery for the sake of voter manipulation, but that has been going on in the form of redistricting for a long time by various politicians and doesn’t as directly harm constituents. Here is what really bugs me about Scott Walker, and what scares me if his thought process takes hold:

This is partisanship affecting actual government service. Districts that voted blue are being punished in a very structural way for their beliefs. On one side it is the voting thing,on the other it is a “if you don’t vote for me, fuck you and die. No goverment services”.  This line of thought runs to other scenarios like cutting mass transit funding so that come november poor people have a harder time getting to the polls (and also work every fucking day). This isn’t just messing with voting, it’s messing with everyday life. Wisconsin is spread out as all hell. How far do you think some people will have to drive just to get their picture retaken? 

Taken to extremes, what is next? We only pick up garbage in opposing districts once a month rather than weekly? Maybe we save some state funding by not repairing their roads and bridges. Maybe we cut education in a way that only affects them. They were dumb enough to vote against us anyway, now their kids will be, too.

This is not what democracy is supposed to look like and every single person working in the governor’s office in Wisconsin right now knows it, and I hope those in the legislature that are voting these things to pass know it, too. They are either a) working under a very short view in which they just want to win win win or b) working with a long view that is so insidious that it turns my stomach to imagine as reality. 

I cannot fathom the idea that they don’t feel unbearable shame.

climateadaptation:

Must read. Bloomberg blows the lid off of a DC front group that’s funded by anti-environmental corporations with major stakes in reversing regulations. The group drafts bills for Republican legislators, who then bring the issue to the floor and public to attack climate change, EPA, enviro-regs, and more.  

Source: Bloomberg

Getting to another spell of “so burnt out on being mad that I need to walk away from the news for a while”.

Illinois Junior congressman Joe Walsh hissy fitting all over Hardball.