July 2012

Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY) has taken his parties leadership to task. In an interview with the Post-Standard editorial board, he had this to say:

I have to say that I’m frustrated by how much we — I mean the Republican Party — are willing to give deferential treatment to our extremes in this moment in history.

[SNIP]

We render ourselves incapable of governing when all we do is take severe sides. If all people do is go down there and join a team, and the team is invested in winning and you have something that looks very similar to the shirts and the skins, there’s not a lot of value there.

[SNIP]

I would say that the friends I have in the Democratic Party I find ... much more congenial — a little less anger.

And these extremes are pushing moderates out of the Republican Party. Rep Steven LaTourette (R-OH) announced yesterday that he would be retiring from Congress after this term. The news was a shock to GOP leadership, especially Speaker John Boehner, which LaTourette had a close relationship with. LaTourette is also the most moderate Republican of the Ohio delegation.

One of the things that can be to blame for moderates being upset over GOP leadership is the lack of leading a country in dire times. Instead of taking up important issues, GOP leadership has decided to take up political issues:

And the decision by Majority Leader Eric Cantor to schedule several votes on abortion, reaffirming that the nation’s motto is, in fact, “In God We Trust” and other social issues has angered moderates for more than a year.

Mitt Romney still loves mandates and even universal health care. Here's what he said on his Israel trip:

“Do you realize what health care spending is as a percentage of the G.D.P. in Israel? Eight percent,” he said. “You spend eight percent of G.D.P. on health care. You’re a pretty healthy nation. We spend 18 percent of our G.D.P. on health care, 10 percentage points more. That gap, that 10 percent cost, compare that with the size of our military — our military which is 4 percent, 4 percent. Our gap with Israel is 10 points of G.D.P. We have to find ways — not just to provide health care to more people, but to find ways to fund and manage our health care costs.”

But as Think Progress notes, Israel's healthcare is nothing like that here in the U.S.:

Israel spends less on health care because of a universal health system that requires everyone to have insurance. Every Israeli citizen has the obligation to purchase health care services through one of the country’s four HMOs since government officials approved the National Health Insurance Law in 1995. People pay for 40 percent of their HMO’s costs through income-related contributions collected through the tax system, and the state pays the remaining 60 percent. And by many standards, Israelis are getting better health care than U.S. citizens. The infant mortality rate is much lower, and its mortality rate due to heart disease is half the U.S. rate.

Time once again to expose the extreme hypocrisy of the wingnuts. Here's video from yesterday's White House presser:

(via Real Clear Politics)

Reporter: What city does this Administration consider to be the capital of Israel? Jerusalem or Tel Aviv?

Jay Carney, White House press secretary: Um... I haven't had that question in a while. Our position has not changed. Can we, uh...

Reporter: What is the capital [of Israel]?

Jay Carney: You know our position.

Reporter: I don't.

And then you get the total disrespect of the crazies from the right wing media:

Lester Kinsolving, World Net Daily: No, no. She doesn't know, that's why she asked.

Carney: She does know.

Reporter: I don't.

Kinsolving: She does not know. She just said that she does not know. I don't know.

Carney: We have long, lets not call on...

Kinsolving: Tel Aviv or Jerusalem?

Carney: You know the answer to that.

Kinsolving: I don't know the answer. We don't know the answer. Could you just give us an answer? What do you recognize? What does the administration recognize?

Carney: Our position has not changed.

Kinsolving: What position?

But let's forget the asshole from World Net Daily that thinks he can just go into the White House and yell at the press secretary. We have become used to that from Republicans, which embrace it from John Boehner on down. Instead let's focus on the question and the response from the wingnuts. For example, king wingnut Glenn Reynolds:

A couple stories out today that highlight the elevated ego of one Mitt Romney. First out of London, we have Mitt already pissing off one of our biggest allies:

The US presidential candidate Mitt Romney has questioned the readiness of London 2012, saying there have been "disconcerting signs" in the buildup to the Games – but said the focus would soon switch to celebrating the athletes.

Before meetings with David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband on Thursday, he told US television: "It is hard to know just how well it will turn out."

Romney told NBC News: "There are a few things that were disconcerting. The stories about the private security firm not having enough people, the supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials – that obviously is not something which is encouraging."

David Cameron has already hit back:

The prime minister has hit back at comments from the US presidential candidate Mitt Romney querying Britain's readiness for the Olympics, urging the country to "put its best foot forward" and ensure they are remembered as "the friendly Games".

On a visit to the Olympic Park with the London 2012 organising committee chairman, Lord Coe, before Friday's opening ceremony, Cameron said the Games were an opportunity to promote Britain despite the gloomy economic backdrop.

"This is a time of some economic difficulty for the nation, everyone knows that. But look at what we're capable of achieving even at a difficult economic time. Look at this extraordinary Olympic Park, built from nothing in seven years," he said.

But the Romney ego is nothing new. In 2002, look at the commemorative Olympic pin he had commissioned: