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Iowa Republican Caucuses

Showtime!

Voting is underway in the Republic Caucuses in Iowa. With less than 1% of the count Ron Paul lead the pack. With 3% of the count Rick Santorum took lead position. With 6% counted Rick Santorum held 1st. place with 1,229 votes just 25 votes ahead of Ron Paul, but just now the count clicked over to 11% and Ron Paul takes the lead, followed by Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, and Michele Bachmann.


Live results here.

UPDATE: Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum share dibs on first place, Ron Paul not far behind. Newt Gingrich in forth place closes the door on the Iowa circus leaving Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann alone in the dark.

1,289 replies on “Iowa Republican Caucuses”

Richard Lugar’s much-publicized residency issues.
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That he lives in Virginia rather than his nominal home state of Indiana—have caused him a lot of grief of late, but they also raise another question. Lugar claims he moved to Virginia when he was first elected because he couldn’t afford to keep two separate houses—yet he owns a farm in suburban Indianapolis that would have to be worth at least $10 million if he developed it. So why has he been pleading poverty? That’s what we’re wondering, too.

The story so far: Lugar, Indiana’s Republican senator for nearly 36 years now, is facing his toughest competition in decades, from both sides. First, he has to survive a tea party-fueled challenge from state Treasurer Richard Mourdock, and then, if he clears that hurdle, he faces a stronger-than-usual challenge from a Democrat in November, in the form of Rep. Joe Donnelly. (Donnelly apparently felt that the chance at running against a tea partier instead of the popular-across-the-aisle Lugar was enough justification to give up his House seat, although the bad hand dealt him in redistricting also no doubt motivated him.)

Well worth a read. Lugar’s in serious trouble. 🙂

More here
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/02/1079992/-IN-Sen-Looking-for-Richard-Lugar-s-Indiana-residence-?showAll=yes

Mitt Romney is a Mormon. What do Mormons believe? This is fantastic explanation. The mormon explanation begins around 7.35. I might be spoiling the story – but they believe American Indians came from a totally evil tribe of people. I think Mitt will have real problems if people focus on what Mormons believe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtIyx687ytk

It goes to show how important good journalism is. What I don’t understand is why the Democrats didn’t take some action before now.

I missed the second video. Just watched it. Thanks Katielou. You are right Mitt is going to have a lot of trouble. Lets start with his name. 🙂

One of the possible VP candidates is Gov Haley from Sth Carolina. She’s of Indian descent. Could you imagine the fun media would have with that duo?

New Bush-Era Torture Memo Released, Raises Questions About What Has Changed And What Hasn’t.
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A six-year-old memo from within the George W. Bush administration that came to light this week acknowledges that White House-approved interrogation techniques amounted to “war crimes.” The memo’s release has called attention to what has changed since President Barack Obama took office, but it also raises questions about what hasn’t.

The Bush White House tried to destroy every copy of the memo, written by then-State Department counselor Philip Zelikow. Zelikow examined tactics like waterboarding — which simulates drowning — and concluded that there was no way they were legal, domestically or internationally.

“We are unaware of any precedent in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, or any subsequent conflict for authorized, systematic interrogation practices similar to those in question here,” Zelikow wrote. The memo has been obtained by George Washington University’s National Security Archive and Wired’s Spencer Ackerman.

More here…

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/06/torture-memo-bush_n_1408612.html

Obama Seeks To Define Mitt Romney As Insensitive, Out Of Touch.
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When President Barack Obama criticized Mitt Romney by name this week for embracing a controversial Republican budget proposal, he worded his attack carefully and with bite.

“(Romney) said that he’s ‘very supportive’ of this new budget, and he even called it ‘marvelous’ — which is a word you don’t often hear when it comes to describing a budget,” Obama said during a speech on Tuesday, before adding:

“It’s a word you don’t often hear generally.”

The desired effect was clear: tie Romney directly to mostly unpopular plans for budget cuts and emphasize that the former executive is out of touch by lampooning his use of a seemingly out of date adjective.

After watching quietly while Republican candidates fought each other, Obama is now trying to define his likely opponent in November as an out-of-touch multi-millionaire who would cut social programs for the elderly and the middle class while promoting policies to help the rich.

Obama’s riff on Romney’s use of the word “marvelous” to describe Representative Paul Ryan’s budget plans carried a subtle message.

“It’s a word you kind of associate with the upper class, and I think that the intention was to tweak Romney for being wealthy and, you know, sort of brought up in the kinds of circles where they would say ‘marvelous,'” said Kenneth Sherrill, a political science expert at New York’s Hunter College.

“That’s trying to get under his skin a little bit.”

More here….
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/07/obama-seeks-to-define-romney-voters_n_1409734.html

There is a possibility that the wWisconsin recall election votes will be counted correctly.

INCOMPETENT WISCONSIN VOTE COUNTER GIVES UP VOTE COUNTING DUTIES

Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus, the elections official who lost and then found more than 14,000 votes during a high profile state supreme court race last year, gave up her official vote counting duties for the upcoming Wisconsin recall election. As a statement by County Executive Dan Vrakas makes clear, this decision was not entirely voluntary. “In a meeting this afternoon I presented two options to Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus,” Vrakas explained, “resignation, or designating the Deputy Clerk to run the upcoming recall election.” Vrakas presented this choice to Nickolaus after she botched yet another vote count during this week’s primary election.

http://www.opednews.com/populum/linkframe.php?linkid=148473

Debbie Wasserman Schultz: Republicans Are ‘Rooting For Economic Failure’.
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Debbie Wasserman Schultz slammed her Republican colleagues on Sunday during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union with Candy Crowley.

Asked about March’s jobs report, Schultz said, “We have got a ways to go, we need to keep pushing. But what’s really bothersome to me, Candy, is that it almost seems like my Republican colleagues in Congress and Mitt Romney are rooting for economic failure.”

More here…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/08/debbie-wasserman-schultz-gop-republicans_n_1411226.html

Is Mitt Romney Damaged Goods After a Brutal Primary Season?
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The likely Republican nominee is badly scarred from a long and bruising primary battle. Eleanor Clift on whether he can refurbish his image before November.
Republicans had hoped that a long primary contest would energize voters and excite them about the fall campaign. Instead, Romney seems to be the suitor his party doesn’t quite want, blamed for the party’s failure to win women and Hispanics, caricatured for his flip-flops, and facing an uphill struggle to build a winning coalition.

Romney’s negatives reached a record high last month with 50 percent of all voters, and 52 percent of registered voters, in a Washington Post/ABC News poll that reflected a dim view of him as a prospective president. A Gallup “Swing States” survey shows President Obama leading Romney 51 to 42 percent, and among women 52 to 35 percent—a huge gender gap.

More here…
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/04/07/is-mitt-romney-damaged-goods-after-a-brutal-primary-season.html

I don’t understand how anyone can argue against equal pay legislation. Scott Walker of Wisconsin has just repealed it. He also repealed the right to collective bargaining last year.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/04/07/wisconsin-s-repeal-of-equal-pay-rights-adds-to-battles-for-women.html

Gaffy a few posts above notes there’s a recall election for Wisconsin in June and Scott Walker may get thron out. But in this article it says repugs adore Scott Walker and that the vote will be close.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/scott-walker-and-the-most-polarized-electorate-in-the-country/2012/04/04/gIQAaIBnvS_blog.html

1019 Katielou Its like he just doesn’t want woment to vote for him. The Republican party doesn’t want the womens vote either. George Bush may have been the dumbest President ever. The Republicans must be the dumbest party ever.

Katielou “But in this article it says repugs adore Scott Walker and that the vote will be close.” It actually didn’t show any voting data.

Barack Obama Campaign Attacks Mitt Romney Over Swiss Bank Account.
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A conference call organized by President Barack Obama’s presidential campaign on Monday to push for higher tax rates for millionaires quickly descended into an attack on Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney for his secretive Swiss bank account, with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) declaring that no presidential aspirant has ever had such an exotic financial portfolio.

“I asked Warren Buffet in a meeting we had recently, ‘Have you ever had a Swiss bank account?’ He said, ‘No, there are plenty of good banks in the United States,'” Durbin said.

More here..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/09/barack-obama-mitt-romney-swiss-bank-account_n_1413130.html

From Jay Rosen on twitter. Juicy, sad, predictable stuff from fox.
Let’s hope that the Brits can bring Mordor low.
Because our cousins across the big pond seem powerless to do it.

Gawker says it has a mole in Fox News. His first dispatch: http://gaw.kr/HHfJv2

Rick Santorum Drops Out: GOP Presidential Candidate Suspends 2012 Campaign (VIDEO).
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In a surprise decision Tuesday, former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) announced that he is suspending his presidential campaign, all but putting an end to the Republican primary.

“We made a decision to get into this race at our kitchen table, against all the odds, and we made a decision over the weekend that while this presidential race is over for me, and we will suspend our campaign effective today, we are not done fighting,” Santorum said during an address in Gettysburg, Pa.

During his 14-minute speech, Santorum notably did not endorse Mitt Romney.

Doh!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/10/rick-santorum-drops-out-2012-race_n_1415372.html

Santorum’s Overachievement
Steve Benen: “Stepping back and considering the larger context, it may be tempting to dismiss Santorum’s presidential campaign as something of a joke. It was underfunded and disorganized, led by an unfocused candidate pushing a cultural/social message that seemed badly out of step with voters’ priorities. Even when Santorum enjoyed the national lead for a brief time, there was always a lingering sense that his frontrunner status could not and would not last.”

“But in a strange sort of way, I consider the Santorum campaign one of the most impressive things I’ve seen in presidential politics in quite a while… Despite having very little money, no staff, no organization, few endorsements, an unimpressive legislative record, and a weak message, Rick Santorum managed to beat Mitt Romney 10 times during the Republican nominating race (Iowa, Colorado, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kansas, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana). The total reaches 11 if you include Missouri’s pseudo primary in February.”

“That’s pretty amazing when you think about it.”

http://politicalwire.com

‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 3: HBO Renews Drama.
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“Game of Thrones” Season 3 is a-go. You know what that means: More winter, war and probably another ominous “W” term on the way! HBO has renewed the hit fantasy drama for a third season following its blockbuster ratings (by HBO standards) for the Season 2 premiere.

Close to 4 million people watched the Season 2 premiere, making it one of HBO’s highest rated broadcasts in months. The ratings remained strong for Episode 2, delivering 3.8 million viewers, according to EW. With TV viewership typically decreasing after a premiere, “Game of Thrones'” ability to retain nearly all of the Season 2 debut audience is quite the feat.

Yes!

More here
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/10/game-of-thrones-season-3-renewed_n_1400121.html

Tennessee Evolution Bill Becomes Law After Governor Bill Haslam Declines To Act.
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A Tennessee bill meant to protect teachers who allow students to question and criticize “controversial” subjects such as evolution and climate change became law on Tuesday after Gov. Bill Haslam (R) declined to act.

The state legislature had sent the bill to Haslam earlier this month. He had until Tuesday to veto it, sign it or allow it to pass without his signature.

Critics of the legislation have dubbed it the “Monkey Bill” and charge that it is anti-science, backdoor approval of the teaching of religion in schools that reminds of the state’s history with the Scopes Trial.

Now I wonder whether this can be turned into an election issue.

Scopes monkey trial revisited.

More here…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/10/tennessee-evolution-bill-haslam_n_1416015.html

Major Leagues: Team Obama Outmaneuvers Romney On Women.
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It took tens of millions of dollars, years of preparation and three months of primary contests, but Mitt Romney is finally the GOP’s presumptive nominee. Now comes the hard part.

Romney’s first day of the general election turned into a stark reminder that Obama will be a far tougher opponent than the poorly funded, disorganized candidates he battled in the primary. Romney was outmaneuvered and forced off message throughout the day — beginning with a morning press call in which the campaign was caught flat-footed over a simple question about Romney’s position on the Lilly Ledbetter Act — overshadowing the economic message he was trying to push, with the gleeful help of an armada of professional Democratic operatives.

More here..

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/04/major-leagues-team-obama-outmaneuvers-romney-on-women.php?ref=fpa

The fin review isn’t going to shut up and stop asking questions about News Ltd and the pay TV hacking.
http://t.co/JeWZreqs
With the Leveson inquiry starting up again on 23 April and Rupert himself being called as a witness…..I think May is going to be a *rotten* month for Mordor. 👿

1040
Yes Paddy, may his chickens return home the size of emus and kick his fowel foul house down. :mrgreen:

A bit shocked at Bob Brown’s resignation. He’s a massive loss to the Greens and as a voice in Australian politics. The Greens will struggle to cut through without him, imo.

I hope he’s not ill – I would have thought he’d continue especially with this hung parliament.

I don’t think BB is sick KL.
I think he’s doing the smart thing and giving Christine Milne time to find her feet.
This was my favourite piece on Bob Brown via twitter today
The most ———-* man in Australia
Greg Bearup
October 17, 2011
http://is.gd/j6lnFr

sad sad sad day for we Greens. I have met Bob on a number of occasions – he even launched my campaign in 2010 and was genuinely supportive, even though I had a snowflake’s chance of unseating Sophie. He is truly a principled and impressive man – and surprisingly funny.
So few politicians witb real integrity ever get into parliament – much less staying there for 2 decades.
and yeah – it will be hard for us to maintain the momentum without him in the short term… but we have Julia and Tony helping us admirably at the moment 🙂

don’t think he is sick KL- think he is being as fair as he can be to Christine Milne.
…. hope so anyway.

Jen, Bob Brown is one of the greats. I don’t think it is a sad day for the Greens. It is just a time of change.

One of the perceived weaknesses of the Greens was the messiah worship of Dr Bob. I’m confident that the Greens have a depth of talent to make the transition to a post-Bob era.

Just remember that he’s set an example. What comes won’t be the same, but with a bit of luck it’ll be just as effective, hopefully, more.

Yes – the timing makes sense. Apparently he would have to make a decision by July as to whether he would be up for another 6 years. And its much better for him to go out on a high.

That’s a lovely piece linked by paddy @ 1044.

my sadness is not that The Greens will now fall apart – I do not think that will happen at all. It is just that inspiring leaders are rare and Bob Brown is one of the few we have seen in Australian politics. 🙁

Daily Kos Elections Weekend Digest: On to the general election!
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After about 283 different incarnations of the “Anti-Mitt”, and more twists and turns in the polls than an amusement park thrill ride, Mitt Romney finally landed this week in the position most of us assumed he would occupy last Fall: presumptive presidential nominee for the Republican Party.

It might be a tad of a stretch, however, to call him the “winner” of the primary. Last Fall, he was more or less at parity with Barack Obama, if not leading him, both nationally and in key battleground states. Today, only a small handful of polls (Fox News and Rasmussen) have him ahead of Obama, while over 90 percent of the polls released in the past three months have Obama staked to a lead. In the battleground states, as Markos noted earlier this week, Mitt Romney is ailing pretty badly as we enter into phase two of the presidential election season. Let’s say this for the final time: the big winner of the GOP primary may well have been Barack Obama.

Notice: Fox News and Rasmussen. Rasmussen are at it again. For those that have missed it Rasmussen is run by a Republican connected CEO and Fox News speaks for itself.

More here…
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/04/14/1083252/-Daily-Kos-Elections-Weekend-Digest-On-to-the-general-election-

I don’t think the Greens will fall apart. However, I don’t believe they will have the same level of appeal for a certain segment of voters. I think Bob had an unrivalled ability to speak sense and ooze integrity. He was capable of getting to the heart of an issue and explain it in a way that people understood. He was an admirable person, even if you didn’t agree with his politics. I don’t know of anyone around (in Australian politics) that has that.

The Greens will continue to be a force because they stand for something. I disagree with Bob that they can continue to grow – I think the Green vote will max out soon, if it hasn’t already. A party of the left (or the right, for that matter) can only attract a certain percentage of the vote. Elections will be won or lost in the centre of Australian politics. Labor and Liberal play for the centre.

1059 Katielou. Interesting article. The point they make about the Arizona Mormons supporting Romney. Are they going to tell me they would otherwise vote Democrat? Nah!
Yet the Latino vote has grown by 30% in 10 years. They will also get out and support a Latino candidate.

Shades of simon Overland getting shat on by the Failu government with the aide of Mordor and his myrmidons.

Scotland Yard today faces claims of a secret campaign from inside the highest ranks of the force to oust the former Commissioner Ian Blair – a civil war that pitted senior colleagues against one another and undermined its leadership during one of the most tumultuous periods in its history.

The extraordinary allegations are contained in a suppressed police-intelligence report which outlines allegations that a senior Met manager set out to cripple his own Commissioner. It will lead to renewed scrutiny of the entangled relationship between the Metropolitan Police and Rupert Murdoch’s News International.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/dirty-tricks-and-leaks-at-the-heart-of-scotland-yard-7646599.html

Both Sides Turn Attention Toward Latino Electorate.
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Make way, ladies. After a week in which both sides aggressively courted women voters, this week is shaping up to be all about wooing the Latino electorate.

With the immigration-heavy presidential primary behind it, the Republican Party is ready to mend fences, and persuade Latino voters in the swing states that Obama’s presidency has been full of empty promises.

Democrats, meanwhile, are moving forward with their plan to cast likely Republican nominee Mitt Romney and the rest of the GOP as dangerously far-right on immigration, hoping to make Romney backers like former Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce (R) and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach (R) into household names.

More here….
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/04/wooing-the-latino-vote-its-not-just-for-democrats-anymore.php?ref=fpnewsfeed

Republicans Block Buffett Rule As Dems Vow To Fight On.
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Senate Republicans defeated a motion to take up Buffett Rule legislation the day before taxes are due.

Democrats fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance the bill late Monday. The final party-line vote was 51 in favor, 45 against, with Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Mark Pryor (D-AR) breaking ranks with their leadership. The sharp contrast promises to be a defining issue in the presidential election this November.

The principle behind the rule — that people making over $1 million a year should pay at least 30 percent in taxes — was championed by President Obama in his State of the Union this year and subsequently written into legislation by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). The rule includes nuances and exceptions aimed at minimizing adverse incentives. It’s expected to raise tax receipts by $47 billion over 10 years, although Democrats say that figure would be at least $160 billion if the Bush tax cuts are extended.

On a larger level, Democrats say the Buffett Rule — named after Warren Buffet, who says it’s wrong that he pays a lower tax rate than his secretary — embodies their push for tax fairness. The idea was conceived last year amid a brick wall of GOP opposition against the inclusion of new revenues in any deficit-reduction deal. As a result, Dems are trying to back Republicans into a corner and defend their anti-tax rigidity to its extreme; President Obama has made multiple campaign speeches touting the rule.

More here..
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/04/republicans-block-buffett-rule-as-dems-vow-to-fight-on.php

The Democrats have locked in the female vote, the Latino vote, the black vote and now the middle class vote. They just need to keep selling the messages right up to November.

Julia Gillard is THE HEADLINE on the BBC site.
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Australian PM sets out Afghan exit plan.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard says Australia will withdraw its troops from Afghanistan earlier than planned.

Ms Gillard made the announcement in a speech in Canberra, and ahead of a key Nato conference on Afghanistan in Chicago next month.

She said troops would begin pulling out this year and most would be home by the end of 2013 – an election year in Australia.

Most international troops are due to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014.

Nato is in the process of handing over security control to local forces – some strategically important areas of the south and east have already been transferred to Afghan forces.

There are currently about 130,000 Nato troops serving in Afghanistan from 50 contributing nations, the International Security and Assistance Force says.

No point in linking to the front page. It won’t be the headline for long.

More here..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17737592

Baillieu bows to pressure on church sex-abuse probe.
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The Catholic Church and “religious organisations” are to be subjected to a year-long parliamentary inquiry into the handling of criminal abuse of children.

Premier Ted Baillieu today said the inquiry will have powers to compel witnesses to give evidence and to elicit documentary and electronic information and will be conducted by the bipartisan Family and Community Development Committee of Parliament. It is to report to Parliament by April 30 next year.

The Government has come under pressure to hold an independent inquiry virtually since it took office, but the pressure intensified enormously over the past week with revelations in The Age about dozens of suicides linked to sexual abuse by priests.
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Mr Baillieu said it was clear there had been a substantial number of established complaints of sexual abuse of children by those who “have taken advantage of positions of authority”.

Those calling for a royal commission will disappointed. Attorney General Robert Clark said a parliamentary inquiry “would be less intrusive” and “legalistic”.

The terms of reference for inquiry states that the Committee “should be mindful of not encroaching upon the responsibilities of investigative agencies or courts.

I new it was coming. Our neighbours have been working with our local member Ann Barker ALP for a while. The Fosters will be big witnesses. Especially when Katie makes an entrance in her wheel chair.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/baillieu-bows-to-pressure-on-church-sexabuse-probe-20120417-1x4sn.html#ixzz1sHTRix4C

Already the Fosters have been featured on Channel Nine News. Along with a picture of their late daughter Emma. They got what they were pushing for a parliamentary enquiry

I have just started using an unsued twitter account to link to my art site of 900 pages. It belongs to my partner Margie. Today I linked to my Romeo and Juliet pages and few love poems. I have 3 followers the 3rd one may be of interst to you all. Her name is Julia Gillard. The official Twitter account and yes I have checked it out to make sure its legit. Its Margie @Blackcat99

1075 It is Julia’s site. Apparently I have joined the PM’s site without paying much attention. They reciprocated. If you want to add a LOT of influence to your Twitter account then friend the Prime Ministers site. Eventually Google will add extra PR (Page Ranking ability) to your Twitter account. It may take around 4 months to pass it on.
What this means is that every site you then link to in Twitter.
YOU add extra ranking ability to.
In other words you are turbo charging sites you like in Google.
Jen you should link to the PM’s site too.

Blue Dogs Near Extinction
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Blue Dog Democrats representing the conservative wing of the Democratic Party are close to extinction, reports Politico, as the 2012 election season promises to further thin their ranks.

“Of the 24 remaining Blue Dogs, five are not seeking reelection. More than a half-dozen others are facing treacherous contests in which their reelection hopes are in jeopardy. It’s a rough time to occupy the right wing of the Democratic Party… Redistricting is at the root of the Blue Dog problem. The once-in-a-decade line-drawing has forced some of them to compete for seats that have become even less friendly to Democrats — and those seats weren’t very friendly to begin with. Utah Rep. Jim Matheson, Georgia Rep. John Barrow and North Carolina Rep. Mike McIntyre are among those who have been thrust into deeply Republican territory after being targeted in GOP-led redistricting efforts in their home states.”

“For Pennsylvania Rep. Tim Holden, another Blue Dog, redistricting has created another kind of problem. When Republicans redrew his central Pennsylvania seat, they created a district far more liberal than Holden’s old one — one at odds with the conservative record he has compiled during his two decades in the House… For a few Blue Dogs, the problems presented by redistricting are compounded by the challenges of running in conservative Southern states during a presidential election year. Kentucky Rep. Ben Chandler, McIntyre and Barrow must run in states where President Barack Obama’s unpopularity threatens to trickle down the ballot and damage their reelection bids.”

Wonderful news.
http://politicalwire.com

1085
Jen sometimes it’s about having nothing to do and all day to do it in.

Also following a few smarties on Twitter who come up with Gems. :mrgreen:

The hacking enquiry is, I hope, about to become very interesting as next week the old Galah SeweRoo, and the young galah Jimmy, are being called to give evidence to the Leveson enquiry. This time apparently they won’t be sitting side by side but will be appearing separately on different nights.
Mr Jay will no doubt be at his very best in squeezing information from them both.
If you don’t want to sit it out live you can watch video replay at your leisure in the next couple of days after they have been questioned on the Leveson enquiry website.

Pass the popcorn as Kirri used to say.

LONDON – Britain’s media ethics inquiry said Thursday it will hear testimony from News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch and his son James next week, as officers arrested three people in the investigation of corrupt ties between the British police and the press.

The Murdochs have been at the hub of the long-running phone hacking scandal, which has badly tarnished the reputation of the British press.

The Leveson Inquiry said Thursday that Rupert Murdoch will appear on Wednesday and possibly Thursday. His son, James — who resigned as executive chairman of News Corp.’s U.K. newspaper subsidiary in February — will appear on Tuesday, the inquiry said on its website.

http://www.startribune.com/business/148094505.html

Leveson enquiry website is here.

http://www.levesoninquiry.org.uk/

Sarkozy Looks Headed for Defeat
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French President Nicolas Sarkozy “is in deep trouble and is looking, for now, as if he could be the first one-term French president since 1981,” the New York Times reports.

“He appears to be running neck and neck with his main challenger, the Socialist candidate François Hollande, in the first round of voting on Sunday, when 10 candidates are competing. But all the opinion polls show Mr. Sarkozy losing to Mr. Hollande in a face-off two weeks later.”

http://politicalwire.com/

Christie Would Help Romney the Most
A new Public Policy Polling survey finds President Obama leading Mitt Romney nationally, 49% to 46%.

The running mate who helps Romney most — putting him in a 47% to 47% tie with Obama — is Chris Christie. Jeb Bush pulls Romney to within a point at 48% to 47% and Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum both get him to within two points at 48% to 46%.

Key takeaway: The main positive effect of these potential running mates is to help Romney shore up the Republican vote.
http://politicalwire.com/

Another three arrested for bribery and it is good that Bloomberg is reporting it. The US officials should be taking a keen interest in the bribery charges areas as that will assist them with FCPA charges against SeweRoo and Jimmy.
They should be able to establish that they are not fit and proper persons to own media in the US which should then snowball on to OZ.

News Corp. (NWSA) (NWSA)’s U.K. bribery scandal led to three more arrests today, including a royal editor at its Sun tabloid and an ex-member of the armed forces, as prosecutors consider the first criminal charges in the case.

The arrests were made during early morning raids on two homes in Kent and Lancashire, both in England, according to a statement from the Metropolitan Police Service in London. The three people, whom the police didn’t identify, are still in custody and their homes are being searched.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-04-19/u-dot-k-dot-police-arrest-three-in-news-corp-dot-bribery-probe

Obama Fundraising Yields 10-To-1 Cash Advantage Over Romney.
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President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign is sitting on a major cash-on-hand advantage over his likely opponent, Mitt Romney. The president raised $35 million in the month of March alone, while spending $15.6 million during that same time period.

The rate of donations to expenditures left the president’s team with $104,096,193.91 cash on hand — a huge total, especially when compared to the Romney campaign’s $10.1 million.

More here..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/20/obama-fundraising-romney-cash-advantage_n_1441692.html

Wayne Rooney Launches Phone Hacking Claim.
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Manchester United and England footballer Wayne Rooney is among 46 people who have issued new claims against Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers over phone hacking.

The other claimants include Rooney’s Man U colleague Ryan Giggs, Stoke City’s Peter Crouch, QPR’s Kieron Dyer and Tottenham’s Jermaine Jenas.

Ukip leader Nigel Farage, Tory peer Lord David John Blencathra, Cherlie Blair, the wife of former prime minister Tony Blair and Sir John Major’s former daughter-in-law Emma Noble are also listed.

As are singer James Blunt, David Beckham’s father Ted and TV presenter Jamie Theakston.

More here…
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/04/20/wayne-rooney-launches-phone-hacking-claim_n_1440601.html?ref=uk

No place like home: PM’s aged care plan
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THE number of home-care packages will almost double but better-off people will face tougher means testing and higher charges, in a sweeping reform of aged care that will boost federal funding by $577 million over five years.

The government will bring assets – but not the family home if still occupied by a spouse or dependant – into the means test for those entering nursing homes from mid-2014. A new means-tested fee – of up to $10,000 for a self-funded retiree – will be put on home-care packages.

The $3.7 billion Living Longer, Living Better plan, widely welcomed by aged-care groups, will include $1.2 billion for higher salaries and better conditions for workers, who are low-paid and have a high turnover. Increased means testing will bring in $561 million.
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Unveiling the 10-year plan, Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the core features were making sure people could stay longer at home, and protecting them from emergency fire sales.

Its already noticable how different the government is this year from last year. Better presentation of the governments agenda. We should see a slow climb in the polls for the government,

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/no-place-like-home-pms-aged-care-plan-20120420-1xcpo.html#ixzz1sdBQKBa2

Half way through Game of Thrones again. So far incest, dwarf receiving head dwarf in 3 somes heaps tits a bumbs the C word twice. A gay giving head. A mother giving breast milk to a boy about 10. Is there no taboo they won’t cross? I have never seen so many taboos broken and its only half way through. Then there is the rest of the series to come!

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