Nuts is the New Normal

++Michigan just passed Right To Work Laws in the heart where the UAW was founded. Governor Snyder thought he would just get this done with once and for all. Thousands are protesting. And Snyder was warned that this will spark a state-wide fight that will last years. Observers felt that this was a Koch Brothers inspired act because of their cosmic failure at the national level. The rush was because next year the Republicans would not have the votes.

++While David Brooks says that the GOP has de-toxed after the November election, last week they blocked passage of the UN Treaty on Disabled People. The UN treaty was modeled after the George H.W. Bush American Disabilities Act. A slam dunk. Former vice presidential and presidential candidate Bob Dole attended as Republican Senators walked passed him to vote against the Treaty. The treaty failed by only a few votes. Harry Reid pledged to bring the treaty up at the next Senate.

++President Obama raised the issue of taking away the debt ceiling from the political debate. Mitch McConnell misrepresenting what the debt ceiling put forward a bill that would give the President authority ,believing the Democrats would oppose. When Harry Reid said he would ask for a straight up and down vote in a couple hours McConnell did the unthinkable,filibuster his own bill so it would not come up for a vote. I have seen this before when a bill has amendments attached to it but never a clean bill.

++I wish President Obama would invoke the 14th amendment when the debt ceiling comes up next year. Last year's fracas cost the economy billions and was the only time in our history that the debt ceiling was ever polarized. 

++I also hope Harry Reid produces on filibuster reform because the filibuster was supposed to be used only on issues of overwhelming national interest and not on every issue. 

++Tan Man Boehner is back from his discussions with President Obama on the Fiscal Cliff and briefed the House that there has been no progress. Poll after Poll shows that the public will blame the House Republicans if their taxes will go up. 

++Republicans are marching forward with more Voter ID laws in Alaska and Wisconsin. Republican operatives from the last campaign have admitted that voter suppression, long lines and ID laws benefit them. So much for democracy.

++Dick Morris surfaced after his humiliation of predicting a Romney landslide. He claims Romney lost because whites didn't vote in sufficient numbers.

++The Catholic Bishops are at it again--urging Catholics during this holiday season to protect their heritage from President Obama assault on the freedom of religion. Oh,by the way, I received my Christmas card from the President. Such a Grinch.

++Gays are marrying in Washington State. Dan Savage got married again to his partner, having married in Canada. The presiding judge was Mary Yuu--not joking.

++Meant to write about the Supreme Court accepting two same sex marriage cases--Prop.8 and DOMA. The latter case involved Edie Windsor who was married to her partner of over 40 years and found out on the death of her partner that she owed over $300,000 in federal estate taxes because she was not thought of as the legitimate spouse. George Will opined on Face the Nation that this case was a no-brainer and even Mary Matalin agreed that for those living in the real world same sex marriage was a done deal. The reason I have not written about this is dread and fore boding. Ted Olson's brilliant case on Prop.8 is a slam dunk in the world of rational law. But nothing can be assumed with a Court that made the Citizens United ruling. We still has the attitudes of Tony Scalia, who again defended his homophobia during a book tour at Princeton.