Are you all as stunned as I am about how the States are falling?

[1-Old-Man]

Last edited Wed Jul 10, 2013, 10:33 AM - Edit history (1)

I think I used the right word by saying 'stunned'. Maybe 'awestruck' or better yet 'dumbfounded' would better describe it - how so many states have one after another just trampled on a women's right to a safe and sanitary abortion on demand. First it was the midwest and then the great lakes area. North Carolina sprung a set of bullshit laws out of nowhere and if it were not for one courageous woman Texas would have gone the same way last week. Abortion has never been an issue that was hot on my mind, like gay rights I am supportive but I've never been out there marching in the streets, but my god, this is an outrage. Republican Governors in one state after another are just going hog wild. And its not just that. They are running an outright assault on the working man and woman with union busting tactics reminiscent of the gilded era.

One state after another .... And I'm not talking about States that have been so far gone for so long that no one had any expectations for them anyway. This isn't Georgia or Mississippi I'm talking about, no, not a South Carolina but Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio. I'm just stunned by it. It is as if the entire fabric of our society is being torn apart in state after state and there's really no great public outcry. How long can this continue?

[Liberal_in_LA]

1. yes.

[BehindTheCurtain76]

156. No...when..

When you have an organization like the NSA being the corporations iron fist enforcer doing their bidding and it's the corporations that have taken over the state legislators with the representatives being their puppets then how can we win? Bribes, blackmail, corruption, threats etc etc....a war has been declared and, frankly, the biggest impediment to fighting back is not understand that we are under attack and I blame this squarely on Obama because HE IS OUR PRESIDENT and needs to grow a pair and stop convincing people that every thing is ok...Reagan dealt with Dems obstruction by using the bully pulpit and the media to strengthen his position...he may have been a crapbag Rethuglican but at least he stood up for himself and threatened people if he had to...I see Obama as a turn coat betrayer at this point and I have no idea what happened...did they save embarrassing, compromising info on him till he was in power to threaten him? Was he in on it the whole time...or most unlikely is he so cowardly and wimpy that he rolls over for them at the slightest command....either way the result is the same...a Bush 4th term with some minor compliments that affect little compared to the big picture we are all stuck in...Im not an Obama hater...I saw him speak twice...I want Dems to rule it all but with infiltrators like this and the Clintons at the very top it seems like the Bush syndicate has everything sewn up tight.

[Dwayne Hicks]

2. Remember

They were elected in 2010. Most of those state legislatures will not be re-elected because frankly they are full of tea party extremists.

[calimary]

40. Welcome to DU, Dwayne Hicks!

Glad you're here. Not sure about those state legislatures not being re-elected, though. I WISH that were true but I'm not so confident. They seem to be metastasizing like a cancer, and OUR side keeps getting caught flat-footed - only seeming to wake up after the damage has been done and it's set in stone.

I think our Dems have been asleep at the switch, seemingly UNABLE to think broadly or strategically on a nationwide basis. Oh, when they wake up and hunker down, they get things done. But it feels as though they just haven't been paying attention on the state level, and look what a disaster we've got on our hands now!!!

It's so discouraging!!!

Does NO ONE in the DNC pay attention to these things? Does NO ONE in the DNC look beyond the fucking Beltway to see what's happening outside? I remember when Howard Dean was chair - We The People practically had to force him down the DNC's throat in 2005. They had some milquetoasts in mind and organized these "listening events" in various cities around the country, including Los Angeles. They were pushing Tim Roemer and a few other NON-impressives. Hundreds of us packed into Patriotic Hall downtown and there were too many of us for everyone to get their two minutes to speak to the board members on the dais. There were probably a half-a-dozen votes for one of their preferred candidates out of those hundreds of people voting. The vast, vast, vast majority of us demanded Howard Dean. That happened in city after city, and the DNC finally was forced to cave. Howard Dean came in with his "50 State Strategy" and cleaned the GOP's clocks in 2006 AND in 2008. Then he stepped down and Business-As-Usual took over again, and we all know what happened in 2010.

It makes me so angry! Do NONE of them pay attention to the elections on the "10's"? Every decade, there's a new census and reapportionment, and that's when all these districts from coast-to-coast get gerrymandered if there are republi-CONS in control, in the statehouse and state legislatures. And we are seeing the results of that, while our institutional Dems dozed.

If I had a dime for every woman my age OR otherwise - who has said "I thought this was settled!" or "WHY are we STILL fighting this?" or "forcryingoutloud, this is the TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY, this is 2013 for Pete's sakes, WHY are we headed back to the Dark Ages??????" - I would be wealthy enough to outspend the koch brothers.



Glad you're here. We need you! But please DO NOT assume these assholes are all going to get the heave-ho they deserve. Look what happened when our lovely Dems snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in Wisconsin a couple of years ago. We were on a fast track to recalling snot walker and sending a VERY powerful message to the teabaggers all across America, and it failed - even after the HUGE and ongoing and successful protests for workers' rights. And of the several republi-CON state senators there, only ONE was successfully removed. Not enough to take back the chamber. Just makes me go - W.T.F.!!!!?!?!?!?!?!???? These people manage to stay put. And they're rigging the elections again and I see NOTHING that tells me we're going to be able to beat that, especially with the Supreme Court NOT on our side.

It's AWFUL!!! WORST I've seen - that I can remember.

[chknltl]

56. thank you calimary

In my humble opinion, YOU ROCK. You are one of the top ten reasons the Big DU matters to me. calimary

[calimary]

87. Awww... thanks chknltl!

I'm just so glad I can vent my spleen on this, and some people are actually patient - and forgiving!

Started referring to myself as the Insufferable Bloviating Schmuckette!

[chknltl]

127. Insufferable bloviating shm.....???

Please check your inbox

[Blanks]

92. It's interesting that you use Howard Dean and state legislatures...

In the same sentence.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/2956633

I remember this story from a couple of months ago.

[mattclearing]

114. Thanks for posting this.

I missed it the first time.

[CrispyQ]

119. Purple to Blue! (Thanks for posting!)

Purple to Blue

DFA’s Purple to Blue project is a national, multi-year effort to win state House and Senate chambers across the country

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/

The dems are stupid not to draw upon the energy this man creates!

[calimary]

133. That's my "Hollerin' Howard"! (HEART!!!!!)

That "50 State Strategy" of his was a clear WINNER. And Debbie and the Lunkheads at the DNC chose to steer away from it. And look what happened. Our 50-state flank was dropped and left wide open, and look what happened. The very next election cycle - 2010 - went straight to Hell. Teabagger Hell. How's that one workin' out for you, DNC??? More important: how's that one workin' out for THE REST OF US who have to live with the results of your abject and total negligence?????

[olegramps]

109. I appreciate your comments, but a major factor is control of the MSM by the GOP.

[Doctor_J]

147. Exactly, at least 75% of the problem

When We The People by some means rectify that imbalance, things will improve drastically, in a hurry.

[pkdu]

3. A.L.E.C. In action nt

[mick063]

32. This is the most accurate assessment

ALEC owns this nation at the state level.

[Jackpine Radical]

43. They sure proved their ownership of Wisconsin.

[mick063]

48. ALEC writes the legislation

Legislators rubber stamp it. Often without even knowing the contents.

Being a legislator is exceedingly easy now days. Any knot head can do it.

You can piss and moan about the politicians all you want to, but just remember there are 50 more, just like em, waiting to grab the rubber stamp.

You want to stop this?

You have to stop ALEC. It starts with education. It starts with leading each debate with ALEC as the initial topic. Not the "dime a dozen" politicians fulfilling their campaign finance obligations.

[Bluenorthwest]

51. That's a bit extreme. 27 State Houses have Republican majority, 17 Democratic, 5 are split

and Nebraska is non partisan. Far from 'owning the nation'. 24 States have Republicans holding both houses and the Governorship. 13 have Democrats holding the whole enchilada.
The entire West Coast has Zero Republican Governors and Zero Republican controlled chambers.
So why hand them ownership of the freaking nation, even rhetorically?

[mick063]

55. You are right.

Perhaps an answer to the sense of hopelessness expressed by the OP?

He declares that traditionally moderate states are adopting extreme laws. He asks why?

You produce a snapshot in time. The OP produces trending.

Who is more correct?

I don't know. I tend to believe the trending.

[Bluenorthwest]

61. How is it 'trending'? It is just States that are not liberal being not liberal.

The OP does not even produce a snapshot, much less show a trend. There are no figures to compare or contrast times, places, elections. No consideration is given to the States that are simply not taking part in this center right Tea Dog Blue Bagger crap. How is Alabama being Red a trend? The trend is moderates lose to Republicans, liberals beat them both. Stop running Blue Dog and win elections.

[mick063]

76. Perhaps perception?

How do you, personally, answer his question?

Why is Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, and North Carolina introducing such laws that seem to radically depart from their past? It appears to be trending to me. The former labor strongholds adopting anti-labor measures is not trending?

Ten years from now, will it be Washington, Oregon, California, and Massachusetts being "states that are not liberal, not being liberal" and does liberal even fit for more than a handful of states at any point in history?

My answer is ALEC.

[pscot]

146. Wisconsin and Michigan, not liberal?

[KamaAina]

129. So only 24 of the 50 states are royally screwn.

That makes me feel much better.

[maxsolomon]

130. Point of Order r.e. WA State Senate:

due to the actions of 2 Dem turncoats, a "Majority Coalition" was formed that gave 1 of those turncoats, Rodney Tom (who had in fact changed from R to D previously), leadership of the Senate and effective control to the GOP.

It brought WA to the brink of a govt shutdown on June 30 and stifled any possibility of solving our structural fiscal crisis. The GOP is getting their way in WA the same way they are in DC - by refusing to be responsible.

[Agnosticsherbet]

4. In 2010, Republicans made big gains in state houses, and we are stll reaping the

whirlwind of not voting.

[Thinkingabout]

16. Very good point, yes we can GOTV.

[kelliekat44]

33. Good point, AND remember, there are loads of embedded government appointees from the Bush

and Reagan years still working inside government agencies to thwart the good intentions of career civil servants who try to report on contractor fraud and appointee and political operative misbehavior. You would be amazed at the way career civil servants are treated by these screeds who usually make the highest salaries and yet slam the government and take all they can while employed within Federal agencies. It's usually not the average civil servant who is guilty of mismanagement, fraud, and other abuses...its usually the well-connected, well-off, and power-based appointees and employees who stand in the way of good government.

[JoePhilly]

93. +1, We let the nut jobs out vote us.

[truebluegreen]

102. Who's "we"?

WE voted, moderates stayed home.

[Doctor_J]

110. Because the Dems in 2009-2010 didn't give them reason to show up

everyone on DU voted in 2010. But the D representatives and WH accomplished almost nothing for two years (four if you count 2007-2008). R's tend to vote more regularly because 1) they have the best propaganda apparatus in history, and 2) their reps actually represent them.

Current D's in government have 16 months to get the moderates and indies fired up. The way for them to do that is to launch an aggressive counterattack against ALEC and the extremists in congress. My hopes that they will actually do it are quite dim

[truebluegreen]

112. That was actually my point:

our so-called Democratic representatives in Washington didn't give the moderates and independents a reason to show up. In my view, the same thing happened in the 90s with Clinton and the DLC.

Current Ds--imho--need to run to the left of the President on some issues in 2014.

[whathehell]

139. "Current Ds need to run to the left of the President on some issues in 2014"...Agreed, 100%. n/t

[Agnosticsherbet]

132. Why do we expect the Democratic Leadership to give us a reason to show up?

We must show up because the only way to invest in good governance is to lead by voting rather than let some Republican shill elect some nightmare's crappy ass-wipe to office. We get a government elected by a majority of those who vote. The majority that didn't vote, got the government they chose, especially the one that works night and day to take the rights away from women, the poor, gays, and anyone they don't like.

[Doctor_J]

150. We do show up. You are again only reading the part that you want to

When we go to the polls, we are allegedly electing representatives. Go look that word up in your Funk & Wagnalls. Everyone at DU votes for (D)'s because we know the stakes and we know how horrific the (R)'s are. But for the marginal/disaffected/uncommitted voter, if he shows up and walks the streets and sends money like he did in 2008, and finds that most of the change he was promised doesn't happen, he realizes that he was voting for a lie, or at least promises that can't be met - IOW, he's not being represented, and will to some percentage not be as enthusiastic next time around. The Repukes don't have this problem, because every radio station, newspaper, magazine, and TV "News" station blares their message every day. Without this huge propaganda machine, the Dems have to work harder at it, and then follow through on it.

Look at it this way. Suppose that after, say, the 4th time that the Repukes "filibustered" a bill in 2009, Harry reid had said, "OK, that's it. This is good, crucial legislation, and a minority of bought-off zealots are preventing the entire country from benefiting from it. We are going nuclear, and if and when they ever get the Senate back, we'll deal with it then". Assuming you believe that our (D) program is the correct one, then from that point in 2009 right up until the 2010 mid-terms, our (presumably) beneficial laws would have been passed and implemented, a nice chunk of "change" would have begun, and the hopeful from 2008 would have kept the spark going. We might have kept the House and continued to undo the Bush/Frist/McConnell/Boner damage.

Both parties have to keep their voters engaged. It just is much easier for the Repukes because they own Big Media lock, stock, barrel.

[Agnosticsherbet]

155. i am well aware that we go to elect Representtives not leaders.

However, in 2010, the electorate was heavily among older peole. Turnout average was about 41%.

http://elections.gmu.edu/Turnout_2010G.html

Republicans, Conservatives, Right Wing Radicals got to the polls. Democrats, Liberals, and Progressives, not so much.

Independents did get out, and the tended to vote for Republicans. (The link below is to gallup, but the others I found said the same thing.)

http://www.gallup.com/poll/141086/independent-voters-favor-gop-2010-election-tracking.aspx

We lost bit in 2010 because after 2008, the left could not be bothered. That led to the transfer of statehouse, which put Republians in charge of setting voter maps. We are reaping the whirlwind apathetic lefties created.

[Arugula Latte]

5. That's why I don't get these "The Republican Party is Dying" posts.

These evil fuckers continue their Reign of Terror and they have huge power in so many states.

[mountain grammy]

50. Really, I keep waiting for the GOP to die already but they don't

maybe that's the fascination with zombies these days.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

122. That's because we have a prize fighter that keeps holding up the GOP like a palooka.

He won't let the GOP fall.

[AnneD]

125. Let me plant this acorn....

They (DEMS) don't let them (GOP) fall because the parties are one in the same. A different face of the same coin and the public is kept in the dark on purpose by a M$M that gave up their privileged rank as the forth estate years ago.

We are all being played for suckers.

[BrotherIvan]

148. That's quite a good metaphor

[truebluegreen]

103. We had them on the mat in '08

and let them up again, partly by believing they would learn something from that drubbing, and could be reasoned with.

And also by being Republican-lite ourselves.

[snappyturtle]

6. YES! I am stunned too. TPTB are hard at work squashing their fellow Americans.

They're even going after credit unions. Leave no stone unturned...I guess. It will last until we don't have an ounze of strength left to muster. In my case, the end is near.

[CurtEastPoint]

20. WHAT? What are they doing to the credit unions?

[snappyturtle]

27. I read, maybe on DU yesterday (sorry), that the banking industry is

distressed by the growth or credit union membership and therefore wants credit unions to lose their federal tax exemption which would result in credit union fees and lower interest rates to their customers. Not a done deal but we all know what the banks want...well...

[CurtEastPoint]

28. Amazing. I just Googled and found creditunionruse.com and lo and behold in small print

at the bottom "Sponsored by the Mass. Bankers Assn."

And it's all about how CU's are STEALING TAX DOLLARS. Yeah, like the banks didn't?

Greedy MFSOBs

[snappyturtle]

74. I'm telling you they are at war with us. They want everything. nt

[CrispyQ]

121. "They want everything."

This. ^^^

They want it all. Even a little $20k savings account, that took you 12 years to save, they want it. They can spend it on dinner out for four.

Perverted values.

[abelenkpe]

39. Credit Unions?!

That bit of information deserves it's own OP. Many switched to credit unions after 2008. This would be devastating.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

128. "fellow Americans"? That's being generous. How many are part of the international super-rich who

want to sink us?

Years ago, it was said that a rising tide lifts all boats.

Now, it's like having ocean liners floating with overhead cranes next to small boats while the crane operators demand that we give them more and more of pieces off of our boats.



We've given them more and more. They've even taken the life vests from many. Now, while we have so little left, they want us to start disassembling the decks and the hulls.

[tallahasseedem]

140. I had no idea that they were doing this!

Disgusting.

[Avalux]

7. Republicans controlling (and destroying) 'blue' states. Industrial states.

You didn't really think the civil war ever really ended did you?

[AlinPA]

10. PA is controlled by republicans and is being trashed now.

[Avalux]

12. Yes I know and it breaks my heart.

Where I grew up; my family's home since 1763. I want to rip Corbett's....well, never mind.

[Freddie]

29. Corbett belongs in prison with his pal Jerry Sandusky

Shame he's too old for him

[LonePirate]

8. I'm only stunned it has taken some of these states over two years to pursue these laws.

When the Tea Party takeover happened in November 2010, I fully expected all of this and worse. I have been wondering why they have been dragging their feet. I guess some of the states had to gut their budgets first and go after the money before turning their attention to their pet causes.

[zeemike]

73. They always do it slowly

So we have time to become accustomed to it.

[cascadiance]

154. I think they want to get a case to go before SCOTUS while they still have a right wing majority...

... in it that would be more inclined to overturn Roe v. Wade. I think many realize that just one of the right wing five leaving the court, either by choice or through a death, etc. where Obama would replace the missing the justice would perhaps destroy any opportunity they still might have to overturn Roe. v. Wade. That's why there's a ton of cases that they hope one of will float up where this could happen.

[LuckyLib]

157. I think you are right here. Getting in under the

5-4 wire.

[Corruption Inc]

11. Nope. There are no consequences for being corrupt.

In fact, it's how people advance in politics today.

[calimary]

82. Welcome to DU, Corruption Inc and also LumosMaxima!

Glad you're both here! And man do we need you!!!

You can see what's happening. I've seen speculation here and elsewhere that it's some sort of frantic "last gasp" to get what they want securely locked in place before the demographics go irreversibly against them. Which may be true, I suppose. But do we REALLY want to just sit back and let nature take its course, the way many of our Dems seem content to do?????

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. Here in Minnesota we've managed to beat back the GOP.

We've elected a Dem governor and legislature (both houses). And we crushed the GOP's attempt to pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, followed just a few weeks ago with the passage of a law approving it; same-sex marriages will start on August 1. We might be the last outpost of sanity...

[dflprincess]

35. And, besides having Mark Dayton as governor, what saved us was redistricting (strangely enough)

As a rule, the state senate is only up for election every four years but because of redistricting the senate elected in 2010 had to face election again in 2012.

So we only had the Republicans in control of both houses of the legislature for two years and the voters in Minnesota saw the error of their ways and threw them out in 2012 and put the DFL firmly in control.

The best part of this was that most my nieces and nephews saw some benefit to their personal lives after this last legislative session and they finally seem ready to believe me about paying attention, always voting and voting DFL.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

37. In 2008, we managed to beat back the GOP - nationwide.

And then there was the capitulation by people that we thought that we elected because we wanted change.

We wanted change. They didn't.

[Blanks]

96. That's not really fair.

The democratic controlled congress passed the Dodd-Frank legislation and took a step toward health care reform.

It isn't that they didn't do anything; they didn't do it fast enough for people not familiar with how slow Washington moves.

It took a couple of decades for things to get this screwed up, but we are expected to think that 2 years of democratic controlled government is going to turn it around.

People with your attitude are what is causing it to go backward again.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

107. Obama immediately appointed high-level Repubs to his Administration and continued Repub policies.

You realize that, don't you? Many people did.

In fact, many people ultimately had the same realization and attitude as Harry Truman when he said,

"Given the choice between a Republican and someone who acts like a Republican, people will vote for the real Republican all the time."

Whatever a "Centrist" is, it is someone who wants to be elected as a Democrat and then not govern in accordance with the views that he expressed as a candidate and the views of those who agreed with such views and voted for him.

Equating "health insurance reform" with "health care reform," especially the Republican-proposed mandatory purchase of health insurance, shows that you are not thinking clearly. It is not a step toward health care reform. It is a step in the opposite direction so that we will never have single-payer health care or universal health care. Even Candidate Obama knew this when he disapproved of the Republican-proposed mandatory purchase of health insurance as a solution by explaining that it was as illogical as otherwise proposing that the homelessness problem be solved by mandating that the homeless buy homes.

[Blanks]

113. Appointing republicans was something a lot of people...

Including democrats, wanted to see. There must be more reaching across the aisle. The president is everyone's president and therefore represents all Americans even republicans.

Obviously, you don't agree with trying to work with republicans to solve the nations problems, but not everyone feels that way.

As far as health care reform: it was the number one issue of the Clinton's and they couldn't get any action on it at all. As I said before: it took decades to get things this screwed up. Two years with the democrats controlling congress isn't going to be enough to undo it, but to claim that Obama accomplished nothing is not accurate.

I knew candidate Obama was making promises that he couldn't keep, and he was not the democratic candidate that I wanted to see elected, but he is there, I am a democrat and I think with the current composition of congress coupled with the attitudes of the American people; I don't think anyone else could do a better job.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

116. "If a mandate was a solution, we could... solve homlessness by mandating that everyone buy a house."

[AnotherMcIntosh]

117. So you like Repubican policies. When Obama manages to cut SS, you'll be able to cheer him on as

making an effort to reach across the aisle.

He's already said that he wants to cut Social Security. Just be patient. He'll come back to that.

[Blanks]

118. You should work on reading comprehension.

I'm sure it would be easier to shame me if you are permitted to define my positions, but I was very clear. If you don't think so; try re-reading my post.

I never said anything about 'liking republican policies'. Feel free to read my last post as many times as you need to understand. I support the president in his effort to represent all Americans. Very different than what you are claiming.

There's an old saying 'keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer'.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

120. Your words are clear enough. Your "keep your enemies closer" meme is a nonsensical one. n/t

[Blanks]

124. I don't believe it is non-sensical.

What better way to know what your opponents are thinking than to always have them nearby. If one is to maintain the opportunity to interact with them and observe them interacting with their allies, future actions can be predicted with greater accuracy. Listening to them to gives insight into their thought processes.

It seems pretty smart to me.

[Bluenorthwest]

52. There are 17 States like MN, Democratic Gov and both houses of legislature.

There is not a Republican Gov nor legislative chamber on the entire West Coast. So you are hardly the last outpost.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

54. Good! The more "outposts" the better!

[Bluenorthwest]

58. Absolutely. And there are more than much of the rhetoric here would suggest...

nt

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

66. Still, some of the stuff going on in some states,

like NC and KS, is pretty extreme and horrifying.

[Nevernose]

14. I'm disappointed by Obama, profoundly, and that is irrelevant

This push to decimate everything decent about America? It's the same shit I've been watching them pull my whole life. The only difference is that they've realized it's getting harder and harder to screw us over all at once, so they're doing it state by state, city by city.

Which is why I'm going to work my ass off in 2014 getting Democrats elected. To the state assembly, to the state senate, to be the county comptroller. If a Republican wins anywhere in this state, it won't be because I didn't do enough. I'm not just going to vote, I'm going to evangelize.

[bluestate10]

19. You have the right idea. Focus on local, county and state races. That is the path to success.

Strong candidates are built from the ground up, not nationally.

[L0oniX]

36. We are left to fend for ourselves in this illusion of Democracy.

[friendlyFRIEND]

15. its simple

Remove Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, LA, Phoenix, Chicago, NYC, Philadelphia, Boston, Dallas, Miami and DC from the map and the country is 70% republican.

There is a HUGE divide between urban and suburban America.

[Egalitarian Thug]

17. Not at all. The republicans understand that if you support your voters, they will keep

voting for you, no matter how badly you do the job. Maybe one of these days the Democrats will figure that out.

[Blanks]

97. What is it you think the republicans are doing to 'support the voters'? eom

[Egalitarian Thug]

111. They cater to them. They work toward banning abortions, they make multiple, useless, doomed to fail

attempts to repeal the ACA. They support their voter's right to kill & maim each other with unregistered guns. They convince them that they will cut their taxes. They pander to their childish fantasies and myths. When a republican fails to do what they're told, they punish them. The list goes on...

[Eddie Haskell]

18. Go on strike ... Stop cooking!

[1-Old-Man]

22. I would but my wife would starve and she's not the problem.

[Eddie Haskell]

67. A little civil disobedience then.

How about a "just because" strike.

[awoke_in_2003]

126. Johnny Mathis isn't the problem either

Oops, the song title was Chances Are, not Just Because.

[Cirque du So-What]

21. How long can it continue?

Try January 2015, when these teabag fucks are replaced by Democrats. Funny how all these states followed the same pattern, isn't it? First, they started off attacking the unions of the state workers, followed by everyone else's unions, but only recently have they all turned toward restricting women's reproductive rights. It's as though whoever devised this coordinated attack realized that if all these freshly repugnicized states began their agendas by assaulting women's reproductive issues, there would be such a backlash that the rest of the agenda may run into too much resistance. By beginning the attack on the periphery - against workers who represent a small percentage of the population in any of those states - it didn't set off alarm bells right away (with the notable exception of Wisconsin, where a recall effort against Scott Walker began in earnest).

Perhaps the conservatives really don't care if they retain power in state legislatures after 2014; they've managed to accomplish just about everything their corporate puppetmasters wanted anyway.

[1-Old-Man]

24. In agreement I am only consoled in knowing that what has been done can be undone.

[rurallib]

26. in the mean time they will steal us blind, starve the poor, starve the schools and the cities

and of course send reproductive issues back to the middle ages.
As long as they have 50%+1 votes they will act without care for anyone but their owners

[Thinkingabout]

23. This a great article, it is going to take the sanity of the Democrats to get this nation back on

track. The radical RW has totally lost its mind. I am disturbed by the number I know voting for republicans for one reason and that is of abortion and they end up voting for the party who hurts them more. The grass roots campaign of 2012 should be only a mere effort compared to what needs to be done in 2014.

[enough]

25. Yes, and please add my state (PA) to your list. Actually, if we had been watching,

we would not be so stunned. In PA, it's been a well-thought-out, deliberate process going back at least 20 years, starting with school boards, local government, etc. etc. While we were not watching, the fundamentalist republicans were patiently taking over local government so that there are no viable D candidates with any kind of track record in government.

They knew what they were doing, they did it, they persevered, and we thought they were silly.

[Just Saying]

30. I'm sad.

Very, very sad.

We have to figure out a plan of action not just to get out the vote in midterms, but to stop this attack on our rights at the state level. And I'm afraid we can't even trust the USSC should it get to that point.

[marions ghost]

31. NC is trying to fight back....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014531372

[L0oniX]

34. Suffering in Florida under Sick Scott...

Fucking sociopath! He just signed a bill to close over 1000 internet cafe's ...killing jobs and making it illegal for me to be here on DU.

[lastlib]

42. Did you mean "Sick Rott"?

governor of the once-great state of Florida??

[L0oniX]

77. Hasn't been good since Bob Graham left for the senate.

[longship]

49. Damn! He looks like the "Bat Boy" from Weekly World News.

[SunSeeker]

83. Thank you! No mention of Scott should be without that World News picture!

[Art_from_Ark]

88. What?

How can they outlaw Internet cafes?

[ErikJ]

38. But its murdering "babies"

Although the Bible says its not huiman until it draws its first breath. They say that's taken out of context. HA!

[Iliyah]

41. Hopefully with all the crazy stuff

GOPer run states are experiencing just maybe people will this time get out and VOTE. Vote not against your own interest tho.

Corporate media is not covering this therefore the internet and other social media should be getting the word out. Besides MSNBC I don't see any other cable media covering this nor the news print and even the news internet sites.

I read a lot of the "progressive" sites and they cover it. Glad more attention finally happening "here" as well.

[Politicub]

44. Yes. It's unbelievable

Imagine what will happen if the GOP ever gains all three branches of government again.

Handmaid's Tale, here we come.

[mckara]

45. The Last Hurrah of Rural America

[truebluegreen]

105. Your lips to Dog's ears!

I think you are right, and I think their radicalism will hasten their demise. I hope it doesn't get any uglier though, because it is already obscenely ugly.

[Lizzie Poppet]

46. A little stunned. A lot pissed.

Those fuckers want a culture war, so be it. Not going back...not ever.

[Lobo27]

47. My dad has been saying for awhile now...

That the reason the GOP, and other conservative groups are going to the extreme is because they will eventually loose the country. So they plan to go out with a bang. The plan is to make life so miserable for everyone, that eventually people will just accept it.

[sigmasix]

53. teabagger america

Extreme right wing agencies and "think" tanks have been crafting legislation designed to destroy America for the last 40 years. Teabaggers went after those states because of their progressive history. The Anti-American right beleives that if they are able to destroy states long considered safe bastions of American idealism- they can surely destroy the southern and other hard core red states. America has experienced enemies from within before and we were able to decimate the states that attempted to destroy the union over slavery rights. I dont see anyway to rid ourselves of our internal enemies without another civil war. As long as right wing reactionaries are targeting America for destruction, we should be targeting teabaggers for being enemies of America and liberty.
Why do teabaggers hate America?

[mountain grammy]

57. We've turned the corner in Colorado with a Democratic majority in the legislature.

The housing market is stronger and the state economy is improving.

[Bluenorthwest]

63. I know more than one set of very cool people relocating to Colorado which is a beautiful

State with a great future! I love it there myself.

[mountain grammy]

72. When I moved here in 1984 Republicans ruled..

I love my adopted home. My daughter was born here. But if it ever turns red again, I'll move back east.

[Dustlawyer]

59. This is only to keep us chasing our tails, one SOCIAL issue after another.

They prefer the issues not be about Wall Street reform (whatever happened to that?). They don't want the talk to turn to the environment, energy, trade, offshore accounts, banks gone wild or "Rogue", military industrial complex and the Pentagon, ... and last but not least, the fact that most Washington politicians, and state politicians, the Courts, are bribed with scads of campaign money by the same people that own the media. We wonder why this country that we love is slipping away without a fight. We are failing on all fronts, infrastructure, education, transportation, environment you name it! Now we focus on abortion?
We need COMPLETE CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM (CCFR)! Publicly funded elections!
Let's get with it, spread the word!

[zeemike]

80. And I think you are right.

The PTB don't give a shit about abortion, but they do know that it can work to distract us by pitting liberals against the Fundies. and keep us busy fighting for it while the things they care about are quietly done.
The same is true for gay rights....they could care less about that...but they will drag it out as long as they can by encouraging the fundies to fight it...and it will work for them.
And the one thing they have not used much yet is getting the atheist riled up....but I predict that will happen next summer just before the elections

That coupled with black box voting....which is ignored by the Dems, will spell victory for them...and we of course will blame ourselves, and never catch on to being gamed,.

[Dustlawyer]

86. Yeah, why did them Dems not complain of voting fraud very long after Rove's IT guy died

suddenly in his own plane right before he was to testify how they hacked the election which them ties him to Rove/Bush/Cheney.
You may be right about the Atheists!

[Dustlawyer]

158. And why DO the Democrats ignore it? It has been proven to happen and that it is very easy for

it to be done. The expert hired to testify in the black box case involving a company in Tn., that had ties to Karl Rove said it would cost 2 million to do. He asked the question, "if they are willing to spend over a billion dollars to get their guy in office, don't you think they wouldn't spend a couple of million to help assure victory?
On the Atheist thing, you may be right but don't give them any ideas! Lol

[zeemike]

160. Actually they gave me the idea.

I just get a feeling about it when it comes up.
But good question....why?
And I am afraid any answer I could give would be a conspiracy theroy....and that sends you to the dungeon.
But we are headed into the next election with more black box voting, and no one seems to care.

[AverageJoe90]

145. Reality doesn't quite agree with you 100 percent.

The TPTB absolutely HATE it when we focus on social issues.....TBH, they'd rather have us crowing about what a bad leader Obama is, or the next big bullshit climate doomsday prophecy or how this country's already doomed to collapse and how we should prepare for the rise of China, etc.And yet it seems that every time we turn our attention to our rights, that's when they come out full force.

TBH, they could really care less about a few meaningless Wall Street or intelligence reforms or token environmental issues(KXL for example) as long as they keep getting to screw us over and keep pushing us back to the 1850s when women had few encoded rights, when kids could be worked near to death, and when many Afro-Americans were still slaves down South.....don't you get it? If we don't focus on everything, we risk paying so dearly for our failure.....

[Jake2413]

60. Can you say Republicans running the state.

[SheilaT]

62. I prefer to use the word horrified.

What I don't get is where are the doctors who are going to have to lie to women? Why are they not telling these "lawmakers" that they absolutely won't go along with these idiotic new rules.

It's also obvious that these people simply have no idea what women's health is all about, nor do they have a clue how sadly common abortion is. I can guarantee you that every single one of these people restricting abortion have mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters (not all of them obviously) who have had abortions.

I'm not only well past childbearing (64) but I'm currently single, and live alone. I do think perhaps women across the country need to refuse to have sex with their men until they collectively come to their senses. Unfortunately, I recognize that the women who most ought to do that, the ones married or living with right wing conservative jerks, are the least likely to stand up for themselves. How sad.

[MoreGOPoop]

64. K & R

We need to overthrow the Kochtators. How the hell can we
accomplish this legislatively?

[Triana]

65. ALEC model bills

It continues because still too many people let it.

[Half-Century Man]

68. Is not falling, it is stumbling.

What was done in secrecy will be undone with fanfare.

[Honeycombe8]

69. It's very disheartening. Where are our leaders who look out for us? Where are they? nt

[marions ghost]

78. They don't work for us anymore

they work for the pirate sector.

[awoke_in_2003]

70. I feel the stalemate in DC...

is just a ruse to keep us so frustrated that we don't pay attention to what is happening at state level

[JoePhilly]

95. Its to get people to HATE the government and give up.

The only way the GOP wins is to depress turnout.

Restricting voting rights is only part of that effort. By making government "not work", people give up and stay home.

Meanwhile, the RW nut jobs will vote, and if the GOP gets a majority, they do everything they can to destroy any prior gains that have been made.

[awoke_in_2003]

100. Yep. nt

[Billy Pilgrim]

71. Your point is strong but lost in the word a(s).

[1-Old-Man]

106. I like to blame boo-boos like that on old arthritic fingers - its been fixed

I'm sorry about that. I have, and always have had, a very hard time seeing grammatical or spelling errors and I'm afraid both my fingers and keyboard are getting old and sometimes miss a stroke or two. The 'a' has been corrected to read 'as'.

[hamsterjill]

75. Abortion has ALWAYS been an issue that was hot on MY mind.

I've been screaming about it for at least the last 15 years. And I'm not alone. Other people have understood the relevance, too.

To me, the choice to have an abortion is as personal as it can get. There should be no limitations on it whatsoever. Does that shock some people here on DU that someone like me might believe that way? Probably. Well, tough shit. Because if ANY limitations are placed on it, the very CHOICE goes out the window. No one should ever have to have a discussion about abortion other than a woman who is speaking with her health care provider and anyone else she might choose to discuss that issue with. It should be THAT private. That personal. It has NO place on some government agenda. It's a healthcare issue - not a religious issue. It is not a political issue.

Yes, I am as stunned as you that there are idiot morons out there who vote for these fanactical zealots whose only goal in life is to take something away from someone else. What those idiot moron voters don't understand is that making abortion illegal or difficult or whatever it is that they are trying to do at this moment - will not be the end of it. They won't stop until the women of America have lost that which they have gained over the last 75 years!

[DeschutesRiver]

98. This is how I feel too. Well said. Nt

[AtheistCrusader]

81. COME TO WASHINGTON STATE.

We explicitly protect a woman's right to choose the best care for her body in state law. Period, done end of story. If Roe vs. Wade vanished tonight, abortion is still safe and legal in this state tomorrow.

And it's a wonderful place to live.

[DallasNE]

84. Can You Say "Citizens United"

This is the direct consequence of unregulated, unlimited money flooding into elections and most of that is coming from the most extreme billionaires like Joe Ricketts, Sheldon Adelson and the Koch brothers. And it was all predictable so my word to describe it is "expected".

[moondust]

85. Barbarians.

Apparently trying to regroup around core issues, hoping to motivate the fundies. Will be interesting to see how women respond at the ballot box to having their rights trampled.

[G_j]

89. you are so right

And the obstruction and dysfunction in DC is in a sense, a distraction from the wanton, and literally sadistic destruction happening in a very real way across the country.

Look toward NC and Moral Monday for a glimpse of hope and inspiration. We need it.

[Volaris]

90. It can't, and it won't.

Also, I would state that this is happening because the other, standard Public Debate points of the GOP have been absolutely destroyed by recent events:

1) De-regulation of the Private Sector, Randian Objectivity "philosophy", Corporate Personhood, and low (to the point of being non-existent) taxes are GREAT for the economy of those who WORK for a living....DESTROYED to the point even Mitt Romney's supporters knew it.

2) The Democratic Party couldn't do National Security properly if it were given a drawing of what to do in CRAYON...DESTROYED by the fact that it was a REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION that allowed, either by ineptitude, COMPLETE lack of concern, or intentional ignorance the worst terrorist attack in American History, the waging of at least one TOTALLY unnecessary War of Aggression, and the FAILURE to capture or kill Osama Bin Laden when they KNEW WHERE HE WAS. This, combined with the fact that a DEMOCRAT (and an African-American at that, MAN that must still sting like hell in their world hahahahahahahahah) hasn't had a major terrorist attack since he got elected, KILLED BIN LADEN, and (mostly) ended those unnecessary and likely illegal Wars of Aggression.

3) The GOP KNEW that the writing was on the wall for their fight against LGBT Rights the MOMENT the left figured out the argument "hey you can die for your country, but you cant' be Gay while you do it". THIS was the thing that put the issue of LGBT Rights into the Public Consciousness in a way that it had NEVER been before (previous, it had been kind of a weird, left-leaning, dirty liberal hippy kind of a thing to be thinking about), and once people got to talking about it among friends, family, loved ones, random and not-so-random gay people that were adjacently involved in thier lives, it was OVER. People figured out that NO ONE CARED what someone else did with their respective "parts".

This fight against a Woman's Right to choose is a last-ditch effort to prove to the loons that vote for them that the Party is still in any way relevant, and can carry out the Legislative wishes of the idiots who sent them to office; everything else has been utterly stripped from their power to control. Fear not. This attack will be seen for what it is by the Women and Enlightened Men of America, and I can almost PROMISE you the GOP will pay a VERY HEAVY price for what they are doing. It might not happen in the next round of elections (it may not happen until after the next Census, so damn Gerrymandered are the Districts the GOP control) but it WILL happen.

Fear Not. Keep the idea in your mind that Post-Nixion-ian "conservatives" aren't actually interested in anything APPROACHING Traditional American Conservative-ism, and tell this to people who are interested in "what's wrong with America politically". Eventually the tide will turn. Demographically, the future belongs to LIBERALS, and GOP can't do fuck-all about it. And, they KNOW IT.

[Laelth]

104. +1 n/t

-Laelth

[Jamaal510]

91. GOP rule #583: Gov't infringement of personal freedoms is acceptable when done on the State level.

[cali]

94. Nope. Not even a little bit

Not since 2011. Even before that this was in full throttle.

[maindawg]

99. I wrote about this last week

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023187933

no response. I agree with you , its crazy. How does Kasic think he can get re-elected? he barely got elected in the first place. He pissed off alot of folks since then. Like wise with the other governors. They will all pay for the legislature intransigence. And they will pay for their own arrogance.
What are they going to do? What kind of plan could they have ? They are all working to thwart the very will of the people in their state. Catering to a very small minority of rural misinformed bigoted teabillies. The most unpopular gang of people in the world. They are unashamedly selling our property and rights to a few billionaires, disenfranchising our children and destroyng our small businesses by creating onerous rules that only serve their corporate masters.

These people are very clever. They are working in concert and they have a plan. Here in ohio, there is a quasi govt agency that our auditor was blocked from even conducting a normal audit. Why? Is that agency the secret way they all connect to their masters the Kochs et all ?

we should be suing to audit that agency.

[AAO]

101. Caution: Republicans at work!

[tavalon]

108. disgusted and sad.

[Demo_Chris]

115. Not surprised really. Three major factors:

1. At the state level local dollars and voters dominate, and no one brings out the state dollars and votes like Jesus. People often underestimate just how much money and power churches command. We are talking billions of dollars here, but you have to vote their way or you get nothing.

2. The GOP is very good at stacking midterm elections with social conservative initiatives that bring out the vote. The point is not to pass a law or change social policy, it's to get their voters to the polls.

3. Our party has done little at the state or national level to inspire any enthusiasm or support. At best we see them standing firm against the most radical social conservatism, but beyond that there is little there.

[awoke_in_2003]

123. IMO, they have kept up a dog and pony show...

in DC to keep us distracted from what they doing at state level.

[valerief]

131. No, not since the coup. nt

[ReRe]

134. "All Politics...

.... are local," said Tip O'Neill (D-MA), Speaker of the House from 1977-1987. Seems like the Republicans have taken Tip's words more to heart than Democrats. Democrats must find a way to win gubernatorial elections. Are those governorships not being financed sufficiently by the Democratic Party? If not, then get them more money. Are spirited committed Democratic candidates not coming forward, locally (at state level), and if not, why not? Find them! Is the local Democrats suffering from apathy? Have local Democrats just given up? Are local Democrats not stepping forward because they do not want to be associated with the corruption that swallows our government now? Could this actually be the beginning of the fall of the American Empire, from the state level?

No, I am not stunned about how the states are falling. But I have nothing but questions as to why I feel that way.

[jtuck004]

135. Not at all. They know what they want and are willing to do what it takes to get there.

The Democrats spend too much time apologizing.

[Hulk]

136. It's what happens when you turn a state over to the republikkkon party

These aren't the most openly debated and fairly voted on laws. These are mostly done in the middle of the night, in dark and at the last minute maneuvers pulled off by repuKKKe legislatures with repuKKKe governors. Pretty simple explanation, eh?

[HiPointDem]

137. ALEC. They are taking over at state level & not just on abortion.

[hue]

138. When Repukes couldn't control the federal gov they went for the states 1 by 1.

I'm not stunned-->it is per ALEC plan. I reside in WI & we have fallen deep into their controlling hands...

[wpelb]

141. As far as abortion is concerned . . .

The Gosnell case has enabled critics of abortion ("anti-choicers," if you will) to argue that abortion is really not about protecting women's health, but instead about killing babies. So long as that narrative exists in the public discourse, it will be much easier for legislators and even judges who are "on the fence" to accept restrictions on abortion, even in cases of rape or incest (usually the "life," though not the "health," of the mother remains a permissible exception).

[aquart]

142. What did you think the Dem hissy fit in 2010 meant?

What do you think it means when Dems don't vote in local and state elections because they aren't glamorous enough?

THIS!

[dem in texas]

143. Dems past voter apathy and now we are paying the price

The Democrats didn't pay attention to state and local elections in years past and allowed the republicans to take over local and state governments. Then the repubs gerrymandered the districts to their advantage. The righties who are proposing the anti-abortion bills are in safe districts where they cannot be voted out.

I am a life long Dem living in Texas. For the last 25 30 years, my voted has not counted in a national election. It does not count in state wide elections. I am in a pure Democratic district, Eddie Bernice is my US rep and Royce West is my state senator, doesn't get anymore Dem than those two. There is nowhere I can cast a vote that will help the Dems except to keep my elected officials in office. Now, if Wendy Davis runs for governor, maybe my vote will help!

What needs to happen is for US Dems to take a look at the republican districts in each state and look for cracks in their solid base. This is happening in one county in New York, the NYT wrote about it, the young liberals are moving in and displacing the old conservatives, same for Michelle Bachman's district.

If I could find an area in Texas that I can help crack the Republican nut, I will be glad to do anything I can. All us Democrats need work hard to breakup the republican strongholds.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

149. To guarantee losses, some need to make their passion for reviving the AWB known.

In 2008, I was sure that the Republican Party would never be revived. I never anticipated the efforts that some would make to keep it alive.

[pangaia]

144. The repubs have been working on all this since at least 1980..

little by little drip, drip, drip-- school boards. town boards in little villages, county gov, one by one...beneath the radar..
They have grown like a cancer and we didn't stop it soon enough.
I know- I had cancer and found it EARLY last year.... and am doing fine. because of some heavy duty chemo and surgery.. Everyone is not so lucky....

That's what repubs need -- some serious poisons chemicals like a political version of R-CHOP, and some careful, well-directed surgery...

[craigmatic]

151. It's gotta be some coordinated scheme from some right wing big money donors.

[iemitsu]

152. Its ALEC, and their think tank sponsored bills.

It is both shocking and stunning how well orchestrated and relentless the assault on both working people in general and women in specific has become.
I'm old too and I remember when the world and our country were not so ugly.
I wish I could confidently predict that citizens will soon reject regressive legislation, but we may be too confused to make good decisions.

[ceonupe]

153. It because while the national Obama voting org

It because while the national Obama voting organizations were efficient and strong they destroyed old time Democratic Party circles in many states.

I'm not saying it was a bad thing because I know in my area the democratic power structure was 100% Hillary. When she lost the primary those people were push out for Obama people many from out of state with little understanding of state politics.

After 2008 the machine that got Obama elected was not as engage in 2010 and totally mute on state issues in a lot of cases and now that the old school was nolonger around it hurt.

We saw this in NC. The coalition that voted in 2008 and 2012 nationally just was not there for the democrats on state races and ESP in 2010.

The republicans while messing up a lot in national elections have been quite good on the state and local levels. The have worked for about 10 years or so with their allies gettingany laws passed and redistrictong to reduce the influence of the large urban mega centers that strongly voted democrat and the state democrats said nothing until after they lost. The said nothing during the elections and honestly in our state had weak candidates.

It sucks because NC was becoming very progressive. There is hope on 2 fronts however....... The govoner is not quite as extreme as his overall party and the republicans may have over reached.

[GiaGiovanni]

159. It was a national strategy: ALEC

When you have a well planned strategy, states will fall like dominoes. The Dems need to fight harder at the state level.