LGBTQ news and entertainment
Roundup of the weeks worst moments in conservative media this week.
Fox News says the USA was too busy watching the Olympics to see Ukraine agression coming, and Sean Hannity makes fun of Obama wearing a cycling helmet while Putin rides horse-back shirtless.
After three years of threats and government closings, the House Republicans came to their senses and allowed a ‘clean’ vote on raising the debt limit until March 2015.
The vote – 221-201 – relied primarily on Democrats to carry the legislation, the first debt ceiling increase since 2009 that was not attached to other measures. Only 28 Republicans voted yes. But it effectively ended a three-year, Tea Party-fueled era when a series of budget showdowns raised the threat of debt defaults and government shutdowns, rattled economic confidence and brought serious scrutiny from an international community questioning Washington’s ability to govern.
The vote, brought by Speaker of the House John Boehner, angered Tea Party conservatives.
Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder of the Tea Party Patriots, said that Boehner should be replaced for his “lack of leadership.”
Promoting an online petition to dismiss Boehner, Martin said, “A clean debt ceiling is a complete capitulation on the speaker’s part and demonstrates that he has lost the ability to lead the House of Representatives, let alone his own party. It is time for him to go.”
Republican National Party chairman Reince Preibus thinks the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal of almost 20 years ago is somehow “on the table” in terms of attacking Hillary Clinton, should she decide to run for president in 2016.
I’m not sure how that becomes a solid talking point unless what you’re addressing is the fact that Hillary didn’t quit when the going got tough, AND she showed a strong commitment to her marriage vows by working it out.
However, those don’t sound like anything negative to me.
Call me crazy, but I think those are strong positives to talk on.
End of the day though, I think using a personal issue between a married couple from almost 20 years ago for political gain today is political suicide.
But, we’ve seen worse from the GOP.
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| Graphic via Politics with Jarred and Dave – Click to enlarge |
The latest talking point to emerge from the GOP congressional camp is that President Obama, through use of executive orders, is crowning himself “King Obama” and break the law by using this executive branch tool.
Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas) called the president a “Socialistic dictator” and the “Kommandant-In-Chef.”
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minnesota) wants to “sue” the president for breaking the law.
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) says that the president is trying to “write laws.”
But are executive orders “breaking the law?” Is this a “new” thing we’ve never seen before? And is President Obama issuing them more than other presidents in the past?
From Steve Benen at MSNBC:
The American Presidency Project keeps a running tally of executive orders by president, starting with George Washington. Literally every president (except Harrison, who died a month after his inauguration) has made use of this tool, some more than others.
Franklin Roosevelt was clearly the most ambitious president when it came to executive orders. And who’s the least? That would be Barack Obama, who issued 168 executive orders in his first five years.
All told, Obama has averaged fewer executive orders, per year, than any president in the last 117 years. His totals may yet grow – it’s tough to predict how many orders he’ll issue in his final three years – but at least for now, Republican criticisms about Obama’s excesses aren’t just wrong, they’re demonstrably ridiculous.
Wait a minute! So you mean to tell me that Presidents Reagan and both Bush presidents used the dreaded executive order MORE than President Obama?
Yeah. They don’t mention that part, do they?
(source)
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| Via Teabonics |
In a study in contrasts, at last night’s State of the Union address, First Lady Michelle Obama hosted and sat next to Sgt. 1st Class Cory Remsburg, an Army Ranger who was wounded in a roadside bombing in Afghanistan.
Praising the 30-year-old Army Ranger, President Obama introduced the Ranger saying “like the Army he loves, like the America he serves, SFC Cory Remsburg never gives up, and he does not quit.” The introduction was the emotional highlight of the address.
Over on the GOP side of guests for the evening, Willie Robertson, of “Duck Dynasty” fame, attended at the invitation of Rep. Vance McAllister, R-La.
Things that make you go “hmm….”
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| Staten Island Congressman Michael Grimm |
Last night, after President Obama’s State of the Union address, NY1 reporter Michael Scotto interviewed Staten Island Republican Congressman Michael Grimm to get his response to the address.
Scotto followed up with questions regarding an ongoing federal investigation into Grimm’s campaign contributions. The congressman quickly said he wasn’t going to speak “off-topic” and departed.
Scotto reported back to the studio, in a live shot, that Grimm “does not want to talk about some of the allegations concerning his campaign finances.” After Scotto’s live shot was completed, Grimm approached him and threatened to “throw [him] off this f—— balcony” and “break you in half. Like a boy.” Transcript of the exchange:
GRIMM: “Let me be clear to you, you ever do that to me again I’ll throw you off this fucking balcony.”
SCOTTO: Why? I just wanted to ask you…
GRIMM: If you ever do that to me again…
SCOTTO: Why? Why? It’s a valid question.
GRIMM: No, no, you’re not man enough, you’re not man enough. I’ll break you in half. Like a boy.
As the heated moment began to dominate the twitterverse into the evening, Grimm released a non-apology saying the reporter had taken a disrespectful “cheap shot” that prompted him to become “annoyed:”
“I was extremely annoyed because I was doing NY1 a favor by rushing to do their interview first in lieu of several other requests,” Grimm said in the statement.
“The reporter knew that I was in a hurry and was only there to comment on the State of the Union, but insisted on taking a disrespectful and cheap shot at the end of the interview, because I did not have time to speak off-topic. I verbally took the reporter to task and told him off, because I expect a certain level of professionalism and respect, especially when I go out of my way to do that reporter a favor. I doubt that I am the first Member of Congress to tell off a reporter, and I am sure I won’t be the last.”
Today, Grimm has issued an apology to Scotto. Grimm also said that he and Scotto would be going out to lunch soon.
“I was wrong,” Grimm said in the statement. “I shouldn’t have allowed my emotions to get the better of me and lose my cool. I have apologized to Michael Scotto, which he graciously accepted, and will be scheduling a lunch soon.”
Scotto later tweeted that he accepted Grimm’s apology.
This is probably a good example of “how NOT to draw more attention to a ongoing federal investigation.“
(source)
Freshman GOP Congressman Trey Radel of Florida has announced he will resign effective today from the US House of Representatives.
The resignation would seem directly tied to his arrest for cocaine possession last October and subsequent time spent in drug rehab. He returned to his duties as congressman earlier this month on January 7th.
From his resignation letter sent to Speaker of the House John Boehner:
Unfortunately, some of my struggles had serious consequences. While I have dealt with those issues on a personal level, it is my belief that professionally I cannot fully and effectively serve as a United States Representatives to the place I love and call home, Southwest Florida.
I hereby submit this letter of resignation as the Representative of the 19th District of Florida, effective 6:30 pm, Eastern Standard Time, January 27, 2014. Please find the attached letter I have submitted to Governor Rick Scott.
The 37 year old Radel plead guilty to the drug charges and was sentenced to one year’s probation.
Reports say many in the Republican party were anxious for Redel to resign, and a super PAC had raised over $1 million to challenge him in this fall’s primaries.
(source)
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| Graphic via Liberal America |
Earlier today I reported on the Indiana Speaker of the House’s “highly unusual” tactic of moving the current anti-marriage equality bill to a new committee because it looked like it might not pass in it’s initial committee.
In light of that move, Andrew Markle, a gay Republican running for the Indiana state House, has announced on Facebook that he is ending his campaign and quitting the Republican Party due to the “committee surfing” of the anti-gay bill:
It deeply saddens me to see the state that I have called home for the past 8 years plunge into a debate over a minority group’s civil rights.
It is with a heavy heart but with a clear conscience that I announce the end of my run for Indiana State House of Representatives, District 99, as a Republican. With today’s announcement by House Speaker Brian Bosma, that he is using extraordinary and unprecedented rules to change House Joint Resolution 3’s committee assignment, I have no choice but to resign my candidacy as a Republican.
As an openly gay male and a conservative, I find it deplorable that the state would choose to take such extraordinary measures to disenfranchise me and my fellow LGBT brothers and sisters. In an era where my party declared that it was the party of “small government” and “less intrusion”, it has been confirmed that it is not the party of small government or less intrusion.
I am not leaving the Republican Party; the Republican Party has left me.
(via Bilerico)
Freshman US House Rep. Trey Radel (R-FL) has been charged with cocaine possession:
Radel, 37, was charged with misdemeanor possession of cocaine in D.C. Superior Court on Tuesday. He is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday.
Radel faces a maximum of 180 days in jail, as well as a possible fine up to $1,000.
The Florida Republican is a former journalist, TV anchor and radio talk-show host. He never held elective office before winning his House seat last November.