PoliticalFilterPoliticalFilter:A Community Weblog about Politics2010-09-02T12:18:48ZCopyright (c) 2010, brandonbExpressionEnginetag:politicalfilter.com,2010:09:02Ah, the political seasontag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.12172010-09-02T11:18:47Z2010-09-02T12:18:48Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.comthis ad is a hilarious reminder of how thoughtful and convincing political tv ads are.
]]>June 22nd primary election results.tag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.12162010-06-23T12:04:54Z2010-06-23T13:04:55Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.com
Nikki Haley made history in the state by becoming not only the first woman but the first Indian-American woman to run for governor in last night's run off election.
Representative Tim Scott easily won against Strom Thurmond's son in the 1st District and could be come the Republican's first black congress in over a century. The South may indeed rise again, but with a slightly different look
Utah:
Tea Party backed candidate Mike Lee was selected to head up the GOP Senate race. Utah is overwhelming Republican, so no drastic changes there.
]]>Top US General in Afghanistan to face President over unflattering remarkstag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.12152010-06-23T11:42:18Z2010-06-23T12:42:19Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.comGeneral Stanley McChrystal is set to meet with President Obama today, who will decide if McChrystal gets to keep his job as Commander of US forces in Afghanistan. The General made several unflattering comments about the administration in a Rolling Stone interview.
Considering McChrystal himself believes he comprised the mission, it doesn't look good for the General.
]]>Drill more, Baby, Drill moretag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.12142010-06-22T18:06:04Z2010-06-22T19:06:05Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.combeen struck down by a federal judge. The Administration promises to appeal.
]]>New Budget Director Neededtag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.12132010-06-22T17:36:57Z2010-06-22T18:36:58Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.comis et to reside from the Obama administration in July. The New York Times says Budget Directors never stay around for long anyway and this gives the President time to find a replacement for the next budget cycle
]]>Party like it’s 1994tag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.12122010-06-21T14:41:35Z2010-06-21T15:41:36Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.comsee's a lot of similarities between this year's mid terms elections and those of 1994, when Republicans swept into Congressional power under a Democratic President. The New York Times notes a few differences, namely the lower number of retirements and some successful legislation (such as health care) for Democrats to run on.
]]>Debate on DADT repeal amendment.tag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.12112010-05-27T23:38:04Z2010-05-28T00:38:05ZTehanuCSPAN.
]]>US Senate passes financial reformtag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.12102010-05-21T11:20:04Z2010-05-21T12:20:06Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.coma vote of 59-39, the Senate voted last night to pass legislation aiming to fix the US financial industry, which almost collapsed back in last 2008. Four Republicans, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Charles Grassley and Scott Brown joined a majority of Democrats in voting for the bill. The Senate was hung up in debate until Scott Brown (MA) got assurances from Congressman Barney Frank that several concerns about Massachusetts' financial institutions would be addressed.
No word yet on who Kagan's replacement will be.
]]>Crist going Independent in Floridatag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.12062010-04-29T17:42:08Z2010-04-29T18:42:10Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.comCharlie Crist, currently running for a Senate seat in the state, is expected to switch from running as a Republican to an Independent.
]]>Picking a new Supremetag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.12052010-04-21T15:22:19Z2010-05-10T12:27:20Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.comare meeting today to discuss possible replacements for retiring Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens. Obama promises that there is no abortion litmus test.
]]>Financial Aid reform=Health Care reform in a different suittag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.12042010-04-19T11:54:21Z2010-04-19T12:54:22Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.comSenators Mitch McConnell and John Coyrn meeting with leaders of the industry and the subsequent opposition of the current proposed bill by all 41 Republicans. When McConnell was asked what went on in the meeting by CNN, he blamed the President for politicizing the process. When the White House offered a concession, Republicans shrugged and suggested going "back to the drawing board".
]]>Baby steps in gay rightstag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.12032010-04-16T12:04:40Z2010-04-16T13:04:41Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.comSame sex partners get hospital visitation rights, as long as the hospital participates in Medicare or Medicaid, via a White House Memorandum. This isn't specifically aimed at gays, it just allows patients to designate who their visitors may be, regardless of color, gender identity (note how broad this is), race, disability etc. The memo also stipulates that patients have the right to designate who will be empowered to make medical decisions for them, regardless of sex/race/gender identity etc.
]]>The Tea Party has a contracttag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.12022010-04-15T11:50:54Z2010-04-15T12:50:55Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.comunveil its Contract with America today. The interesting parts is the contract's ten points were decided via internet voting. Obviously the contract is a play on the Republican's 1994 Contract WITH America, which swept the party into congressional power in a landslide.
]]>Recess appointments in your facetag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.12012010-03-28T13:02:39Z2010-03-28T14:02:40Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.comrecent use of recess appointments, particularly that of labor attorney Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board, but the undertone may have been missed by the general media:
Years ago, after Republicans filibustered a Carter nominee to the NLRB, the two parties made a deal: the board would have three appointees from the president's party and two from the other party. So after he took office Obama nominated two Democrats and one Republican to fill the NLRB's three vacant seats and got support from a couple of Republicans on the HELP committee for the entire slate. But when it got to the Senate floor John McCain put a hold on Becker, and his nomination — along with the others — died.
Fast forward to today and Obama finally decides to fill the board using recess appointments. But what does he do? He only appoints the two Democrats. This is not what you do if you're trying to make nice. It's what you do if you're playing hardball and you want to send a pointed message to the GOP caucus. You won't act on my nominees? Fine. I'll appoint my guys and then leave it up to you to round up 50 votes in the Senate for yours. Have fun.
Paul Krugman summarizes what's in the bill. My fingers are crossed. This is the US's best chance to get a handle on the problem of affordable health care.
]]>A little something besides health caretag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.11982010-03-17T15:44:57Z2010-03-17T16:44:58Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.comHiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act has been passed by the Senate and is headed to President Obama's desk, to be signed into law. The legislation designed to stimulate jobs by giving employers payroll tax exemptions through 2010 and extending federal highway and other public works projects. The bill passed 69-29, with 11 Republicans voting with the Democratic majority.
]]>LOL North Koreatag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.11972010-03-17T13:05:12Z2010-03-17T14:05:13Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.comA riff on I Can Haz Cheeseburger, North Korea style.
]]>Going for broke on US health care reformtag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.11962010-03-12T15:43:47Z2010-03-12T16:43:48Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.comlooking at adding the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) to health care care reform legislation. SAFRA would abolish privater lenders of student loans, people would borrow directly from the government, increases Pell Grants and aims to keep loan interest rates loan. If (and it's an big if in my opinion) the Democrats can actually pass health care reform and include this, then they'll have a helluva record to run on for 2010, assuming they can organize themselves to actually do that. But as always, the "problem" seems to be a slow moving Senate.
]]>Sorry Mr. Vice-President, didn’t see you theretag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.11952010-03-11T12:42:17Z2010-03-11T13:42:19Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.comheaded to Israel on Monday in hopes of restarting negotiations between Israel and Palestine again.
What's the common thread? Senator Jim Bunning (Kentucky), who is holding upa $10 billion bill because of his objection to it not being paid for.
]]>Liveblog: US health care smack down, um, meetingtag:politicalfilter.com,2010:content/frontpage/1.11922010-02-25T13:50:42Z2010-02-25T14:50:44Zbrandonbhttp:/www.brandonblatcher.comit will be televised live. Come on in if have a minute and comment on the fireworks!
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