Ideology And Wasted Taxpayer Dollars Stand In The Way Of Same-Sex Marriage In All 50 States

Remember when the Supreme Court ruled the Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional? That happened only 4 months ago, so it’s no surprise that state-level bans on same-sex marriage are still standing, waiting to be challenged in the courts. But let’s make one thing very clear, every Republican-led state that chooses to defend their same-sex marriage ban in court will do so with taxpayer dollars. If a federal ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional there’s pretty much zero chance state-level bans are not. So that means every time so-called “fiscal conservative” Republicans defend the indefensible they are wasting taxpayer dollars.

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Government Shutdown: The Ridiculous Republican Spectacle Is Over, For Now, We Hope

Of course, until the House votes on it, you really can’t say anything is over. But it appears the ridiculous Republican spectacle, which shut down the government and brought the United States within hours of default, will finally end tonight. The Senate is voting right now, the House is supposed to vote later this evening. And what did Republicans get for shutting down the government? Nothing. Well, other than a ding to their poll numbers.

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Medicare Single-Payer vs. Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)

The overwrought and repugnant response to the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) by Looney Tunes Tea Party “activists” and by many so-called mainstream Republicans, is patently absurd in a country that already has a nearly 50-year-old single-payer, government-run, health care insurance program called Medicare. And I purposely include “insurance” in the description of Medicare, because that’s exactly what it is. It is NOT socialized medicine. You still see your private doctor with Medicare. You can still go to a private hospital with Medicare.

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Republican Cowards Can’t Even Own Their Shutdown

If you are going to shut down the government, the very least you can do is be honest about it by owning it. Republicans tell us they are doing this because they must take a stand to end the destructive Obamacare. But then Republicans tell us they really aren’t doing anything. They aren’t responsible for the shutdown, its President Obama who is responsible. Wait, what?

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Government Shutdown: Lies, Damned Lies, And Republicans

I know this will come as a deep and emotional shock to all who read this, but it must be said — Speaker John Boehner, congressional Republicans, Fox News hosts, and conservative talk radio jackals, are all lying through their teeth about the government shutdown, or in the case of Fox News, the government “slimdown.”

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Liberal Fantasy Or Not, Washington Could Use A Dose Of Aaron Sorkin’s West Wing Idealism

The West Wing is one of the finest shows to ever appear on television, and I’m only sorry I didn’t watch it during its original run, which began 14 years ago. It’s funny, people refer to The West Wing as a 90s show, but only 10 of the 154 episodes aired in that decade. But it was obvious the show, particularly in the early seasons, was heavily influenced by Clinton-era topics like Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, free-trade agreements, and even gun control. When Aaron Sorkin’s White House drama appeared on Netflix in the summer of 2012, I binge-watched the entire seven seasons in under three months. Yes, the show is that good.

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Government Shutdown: Republicans Make For A Disingenuous Negotiating ‘Partner’

The Senate passed a comprehensive budget plan back in the spring that would have ended the sequester cuts. It’s no surprise the Senate budget was dead on arrival in the House. Republicans refused to negotiate until a last minute offer by Speaker John Boehner to appoint a conference committee the night before the government would shut down. It was literally minutes before midnight. This was something they could have done for the past six months, but instead Republicans now blame Democrats and President Obama for failing to negotiate over the budget.

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