Starting off tonight is news out of Missouri that the state's Supreme Court has been petitioned to disbar Justice Clarence Thomas for a variety of issues, most notably his failure to disclose his wife's income for 20 years. This, according to the suit filed by a group called Protect Our Elections (POE), is in direct violation of the laws governing the practice of law in that state, where Thomas hangs his legal license. This will not affect his position as a Justice, but may cause the DOJ to look closer into his activities...or lack of same in this case.
Three major stories from Wisconsin. First, the Koch brother's rally over the weekend in support of Scott Walker and his plan drew a whopping 600 people to the largest gathering. At that gathering, the brave 600 listened to right-wing marionette Joe the Plumber (who knew he was still around) calling the unions and their members socialists and communists. What is remarkable about this is that while several thousand people still camp out at the Capitol, 600 people supported Walker.
Second is the recall petitions being circulated against 8 of the Democrats. What is remarkable about this effort is that it is coming from a group out of Utah, which is not Wisconsin, wholly funded by the Koch brothers. The recall petitions being circulated, and signed in droves against the 8 Republican senators and the Governor are home-grown and unfunded by a corporation.
Lastly, Governor Walker is caving. Internal emails out today show that he is changing his mind and is looking to take the collective bargaining issue out of the bill. Michael Steele was just on Rachel Maddow a few minutes ago and called the Wisconsin 14 "wimps", despite the fact that what they did ultimately defeated the Republican Corporatist agenda.
In other state news, Florida's new Republican governor is trying to slash $1.75 Billion dollars from his state's K-12 education budget in an effort not to balance the budget but to give $1.6 Billion dollars in tax cuts to corporations. In Michigan, that state's new Republican governor is proposing tax increases on the senior citizens and poor people again, not to balance the budget of cover any shortfall but instead to give $1.6 Billion in tax cuts to corporations. And let's not forget that the budget shortfall in Wisconsin was a direct result of Walker giving away the budget surplus in tax cuts to corporations. Hey, there are dues to be paid to those who get you elected.
Gingrich, Santorum, Pawlenty, and Daniels were in Iowa over the weekend preaching, yes preaching, social issues agendas in an effort to get the early lead in polling there. In all the sound bites I heard today, not one mentioned the economy or jobs or the war or anything else of importance. Nope. These old white men all talked about abortion and gay marriage and planned parenthood, and the Democrat Socialists.
On that same theme, it's nice to see that the right will still take the bait. Team Obama threw them a bone last week, and they took like a starving dog. When he directed the DOJ to stop defending DOMA, Boehner and the Republicans in the house took up the fight. The bone is this: he knew that they could not walk away from a social issue, which distracts them even more from what they were allegedly elected to do... create jobs. Never mind that it was never their intention to do that as evidenced by the complete lack of any jobs bills or anything that would resemble an economic agenda. No, they've been trying to legislated reproductive rights instead. Not sure what the fiscal impact is of that slate, but gotta love them not trying to fix what they broke.
Todays' Question: Why is the re-distribution of wealth so vilified? My answer tomorrow.
Does anyone who cared about Charlie Sheen still care? Never did, myself. Still don't.
That's tonight's early edition. Stay safe, Hamsters.
Hamster Prez
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