Tag Archives: Indiana

Drip, Drip, Drip

Add Indiana to the list of GOP-controlled states that will expand Medicaid, so long as they don’t have to call it an Obamacare expansion.  Gov. Mike Pence (who may run for prez in 2016) has negotiated an expansion with the feds under his Healthy Indiana Program.  It’s a win-win — the feds get another state to insure people who fall in the ridiculous gap between those who qualify for Medicaid and those who qualify for Obamacare subsidies, and Pence can say it’s different from the Obamacare expansion.  But bottom line, more people get covered.

The arc of the health insurance universe bends slowly, but it’s bending toward coverage.

Oh, Boo Hoo, Richard Mourdock

Richard Mourdock, the Indiana GOP Senate candidate who claims that if you get pregnant from a rape, “God intended it,” said last night that yesterday was “one of the toughest days” of his life.

You want “tough,” moron?  Try being forced by your government to spend 270 days pregnant with your rapist’s baby.  Now I think that would be tough.

We have mental institutions filled with people who believe God talks directly to them, and they know what He thinks and wants.  Mourdock should choose one and check himself in.

NRSC Stands By Richard (“God Intended It”) Mourdock

The NRSC has no problem with Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock’s comments that there should not be an abortion exception for rape because God intended it to happen.

NRSC head Texas Senator John Cornyn has issued an unequivocal statement of continuing support.

The GOP has made it clear what they think of women.  On November 6, it’s up to women to show what they think of the GOP.

Another GOP Religious Nut Running for the Senate

Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock says that there shouldn’t be an abortion exception for rape because “It is something that God intended to happen.”

I’d like to bring our troops home from Afghanistan and focus on fighting the American Taliban.  They’re a much bigger threat to this country.

 

If You Want to Ruin Your Weekend

Check out Politico‘s top story this morning, “Sarah Palin:  Senate kingmaker.”  From David Catanese’s article:

“Riding a four-endorsement winning streak in Republican Senate primaries this year, the former Alaska governor swept into a blueberry patch outside Kansas City this weekend looking to apply her Midas touch to the latest fortunate recipient. This time it’s Sarah Steelman, a former state treasurer running in a fractured Missouri Tuesday primary to decide who gets to take on vulnerable Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in November.

 “With Steelman, Palin is making perhaps her boldest bet yet. Steelman — who, like Palin, likes to hunt, staunchly opposes abortion rights and touts herself as a maverick — has been running third against businessman John Brunner, who’s poured millions of his personal fortune into the race, and six-term Rep. Todd Akin.

“At least that was the case before Palin’s arrival and the ensuing glut of media exposure for Steelman.

“A win would only enhance Palin’s reputation as the most powerful down-ballot force in Republican politics.

“’She’s a rock star right now in Republican Senate primaries. She’s hit a pretty strong streak,‘ said Scott Bensing, a former executive director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. ‘She gives the impression that she has deeply held beliefs she’s willing to take on water for and doesn’t really care what her critics think. She comes off resolute and principled.’

“Palin’s victory roster this cycle includes Indiana’s Richard Mourdock, Nebraska’s Deb Fischer, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch and Texas’ Ted Cruz, who shattered expectations Tuesday with a 14-point win in a runoff against Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst.

“No other conservative icon or entity matches her record.”  Emphasis added.

Sarah Palin, bringing the craziest of the crazies to our Senate, earning IOU’s for herself to be collected, oh, I don’t know, maybe in 2016 0r 2020.  Thanks a lot, John McCain, you foolish old goat.

 

Mitt’s Tough Slog to 270

It won’t be easy for Mitt to get 270 electoral votes.

First, he has to win back three of the traditionally GOP states that Obama won — Indiana, North Carolina, and Virginia.  Virginia is especially challenging, and right now Obama has a sizable lead there.  Mitt is going to have a hard time with women in the DC suburbs who are fed up with Governor Ultrasound (Bob McDonnell).

Second, Mitt has to win the two big toss-up states of Ohio and Florida that Obama won last time.

Third, he has to add one smaller toss-up state that Obama won, like Iowa or New Hampshire.

So Mitt really has to run the table on these Obama states.  I see him getting some, but not all, not enough.

When Is a Supreme Court Loss Actually a Win?

Law professor Peter J. Spiro has a very interesting “briar patch” take on tough state immigration laws and the Supreme Court:*

“Such laws [Arizona’s S.B. 1070 and similar laws in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Indiana] are misguided at best, mean-spirited and racially tainted at worst.  The conventional wisdom among immigration advocates is that immigrant interests will be best served if the Supreme Court makes an example of Arizona’s law by striking it down.

“But in the long run, immigrant interests will be better helped if the Supreme Court upholds S. B. 1070.  Laws like Arizona’s are such bad policy that, left to their own devices, they will die a natural death — and their supporters will suffer the political consequences.

“Undocumented immigrants may themselves be politically powerless, but they have powerful allies.  In Alabama and Georgia, dismayed farmers have watched crops rot in the fields for want of immigrant labor. Arizona is estimated to have lost more than $140 million from convention cancellations made in protest.

“Even more important is the prospect of lost foreign investment.  Caught in the net of Alabama’s law in November was a German Mercedes-Benz executive, who left his passport at home while out for a drive and as a result found himself in a county jail.  Mercedes has a plant in Tuscaloosa that employs thousands of Alabamans and adds many hundreds of millions  of dollars to the state economy.  That embarrassment will make the next foreign company think twice as it scouts out a location for a manufacturing facility in the United States.”

*  “Let’s Arizona’s Law Stand,” NYT