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POLITICS

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Sarah Palin Will Not Run For President

via Polson Kanneth, ABC News Sarah Palin will not run for president.  She made the announcement in a letter to supporters Wednesday night. Read Palin’s letter here: October 5, 2011 Wasilla, Alaska After much prayer and serious consideration, I have decided that I will not be seeking the 2012 GOP nomination for President of the … Continue reading

Rick Perry ‘Niggerhead’ Rock: Is GOP Candidate Racially Insensitive?

via Jason Cherkis, The Huffington Post When Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) took friends, fellow legislators or campaign donors to his hunting camp, they passed the word “Niggerhead” painted on a rock. As the Washington Post reported Saturday, “Niggerhead” stood for the long-ago name of the Perry family’s hunting camp. Perry told the Post that … Continue reading

Ed Goeas, Andy Parrish Leave Michele Bachmann 2012 Campaign

via Jon Ward, The Huffington Post Long-time Republican pollster Ed Goeas is leaving Rep. Michele Bachmann’s (R-MN) presidential campaign, The Huffington Post has learned. Goeas, who has served as an adviser to Bachmann, will consult with the campaign for two more weeks before ending his involvement, he said in a phone interview. The Associated Press … Continue reading

House Raises Salary Cap For DOMA Lawyer To $1.5 Million

via Felicia Sonmez, The Washington Post Five months after House Republicans announced that they had set a $500,000 salary cap for the lawyer hired to defend the Defense of Marriage Act, a revised contract shows that the pay limit has been lifted to three times that amount. According to a new contract dated Sept. 30, … Continue reading

Chris Christie: “Now Is Not My Time”

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced Tuesday that he would not seek the Republican presidential nomination, saying that while he thought seriously about entering the presidential race, “now is not my time.” Christie said he made his final decision last night and told those closest to him this morning. He said he went to the … Continue reading

Minimum Wage Raised In Four States, Washington First To Top $9

Four states have announced that they will be raising their minimum wage rates for 2012, led by Washington state, which will become the first in the country with a minimum wage over $9 per hour. The 37-cent bump in Washington will hike the wage to $9.04, or $1.79 per hour more than the federal minimum … Continue reading

Obama’s Jobs Bill Falls To Pieces In Congress

President Barack Obama’s job-creation package effectively fell to pieces on Monday as a top Republican lawmaker said the House of Representatives will only pass portions of the $447 billion measure. As Obama continued to press lawmakers for a vote on his signature legislation, Representative Eric Cantor, the No. 2 House Republican, said that was not … Continue reading

Study: New Voting Restrictions May Affect More Than Five Million

New voting laws could make it significantly harder for more than five million eligible voters to cast ballots in 2012, according to the first comprehensive study of the laws’ impact. Widespread voting cutbacks could have a significant electoral impact in next year’s hard-fought races, the study concludes. Minorities, poor and young voters will likely be … Continue reading

Christie Team Assessing How Fast A 2012 Campaign Could Be Mounted

Chris Christie’s political advisers are working to determine whether they could move fast enough to set up effective political operations in Iowa and New Hampshire in the wake of a relentless courtship aimed at persuading Mr. Christie, the governor of New Jersey, to plunge into the race for the Republican presidential nomination, according to operatives … Continue reading

On Immigrant Tuition, Texans See It Perry’s Way

Rick Perry’s tuition troubles have a lot to do with the difference between politics in Texas and politics everywhere else. His support for in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants — and the fact that he’s sticking with it — started a political tornado. It was enough to make Herman Cain say he would vote … Continue reading

Obama Pitches Jobs Bill In Weekly Address, GOP Wants Fewer Government Regulations

The White House and congressional Republicans just can’t agree on the best prescription for the economy, with President Barack Obama demanding passage of his $447 billion jobs bill and the GOP pushing to cut government red tape. Both efforts, the focus of competing radio and Internet addresses Saturday, face little chance of success as all-or-nothing … Continue reading

House Republicans’ Labor Budget Cuts Rules That Protect Rooftop Workers From Falling, Coal Miners From Coal Dust

In addition to blocking President Obama’s health care law and slashing funding for job training, the budget plan presented by House Republicans for health and labor programs this week would scuttle several worker safety protections put forth by the Department of Labor. Among other anti-regulatory measures, the budget would block the department from moving forward … Continue reading

Gingrich: Same-Sex Marriage Is A ‘Temporary Aberration’

Fort Dodge, Iowa – Same-sex marriage is a temporary aberration that will dissipate, Newt Gingrich said here today. “I believe that marriage is between a man and woman,” Gingrich said. “It has been for all of recorded history and I think this is a temporary aberration that will dissipate. I think that it is just … Continue reading

Florida Sets Presidential Primary For Jan. 31, 2012

Florida will hold its presidential primary on Jan. 31, a decision that is expected to prompt other states to move up their primary and caucus dates. A special committee made the decision Friday, thwarting efforts by national GOP leaders to push back the nominating process. Officials in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina have … Continue reading

Bank Of America Blames New $5 Debit Fee On Durbin Measure

Bank of America announced Thursday it will charge its debit card users a $5 monthly fee beginning in early 2012, provoking fury from a senior Democrat. The bank, the largest in the nation by assets, blamed its decision on the so-called Durbin Amendment, a provision of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law put into place by … Continue reading

House Approves Stopgap Spending Bill

The House on Thursday gave quick approval to a stopgap spending bill that will finance the government for the first four days of October, until lawmakers can return and vote on a more ambitious seven-week spending bill. The stopgap bill, passed Monday by the Senate, goes now to President Obama, who is expected to sign … Continue reading

How A Lobbyist Helps A Bill Become A Law

[Editress’ Note: published for my friend, the remarkable Mr. Michael Cassidy] Is it wise for the City of Rockford to contract with Mike Cassidy and McGuireWoods, the firm for which he works, to lobby on behalf of Rockford in Springfield? The cost is $10,000 a month, and aldermen voted 13 to 1 Monday to pay … Continue reading

Justice Department Asks Supreme Court To Review Health-Care Law

The Obama administration Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to settle the constitutional question over the 2010 health-care law this term, meaning that the decision will probably come next summer in the thick of the presidential campaign. The Justice Department asked the justices to review the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th … Continue reading

After Speech, Chris Christie Revels In Pleas to Run

Simi Valley, California — When Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey took the lectern at the Reagan library here on Tuesday night, he initially stuck to his script, a mostly dry speech that took a few swipes at President Obama. But when Mr. Christie moved to answer questions from the audience, he let loose, moving … Continue reading

Rick Scott Backs Drug Tests For Welfare Beneficiaries, Public Workers And Himself

Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) is standing by his state’s new policy of drug testing welfare recipients even after the American Civil Liberties Union challenged the scheme in a lawsuit and just 2.5 percent of beneficiaries flunked the first round of tests in July, triggering additional calls for the policy’s repeal. The governor highlighted the … Continue reading

Chris Christie 2012 Campaign For President Not Happening: Report

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will not run for the GOP presidential nomination in the next election cycle, Fox News reported on Tuesday. The big name Republican has vehemently denied he could vie for the White House in 2012 in recent months amid buzz that he could jump into the race. The Star Ledger reports … Continue reading

Republican Senator Says No More Military Cuts

If Congress can’t come up with a deficit reduction deal this year, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham said Sunday that he’ll try to prevent further required cuts in the military budget. The comment showed that contingency plans already are in place to avoid some of the more than $1 trillion in mandated spending cuts under a … Continue reading

Duckworth Training For Chicago Marathon

Congressional candidate Tammy Duckworth says shes training for her third Chicago Marathon. Duckworth was an Army helicopter pilot in the Iraq War when she lost her legs in combat. She competes with a hand-crank bicycle. The marathon is Oct. 9. She’s completed two previous marathons.Shes inviting reporters to join her workout, which starts at 6:30 … Continue reading

Cain’s Moment In The Sunshine State

The Republican activists at the Orange County Convention Center had applauded politely, and even enthusiastically, for the presidential hopefuls Friday afternoon. But when Herman Cain finished, they roared. The former chief executive of Godfather’s Pizza has hit his rhetorical stride in the Republican presidential contest, whipping up crowds of true-believers everywhere he goes. And he … Continue reading

Rick Perry Eviscerated By Fox News Sunday Panel: He ‘Really Did Throw Up All Over Himself In The Debate’

After a weak debate performance and a loss in the Florida straw poll, Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) is having his fitness as the GOP presidential frontrunner seriously questioned. These doubts were on display during the roundtable on “Fox News Sunday.” “Perry really did throw up all over himself in the debate, at a time … Continue reading

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