Below The Beltway

I believe in the free speech that liberals used to believe in, the economic freedom that conservatives used to believe in, and the personal freedom that America used to believe in.

Archive for May, 2010

The Conscience Of A Phony Libertarian: Wayne Allyn Root And The Decline Of The Libertarian Party

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, May 27th, 2010. Filed under Libertarians, Political Parties, Politicos & Pundits, Politics, Wayne Allyn Root

If the only book on libertarianism that you ever read was Wayne Allyn Root’s The Conscience of a Libertarian, then you’d be compelled to conclude that the most important liberty issues facing America are internet gambling, tax cuts for small businesses, and home schooling. That’s because Root, a former Republican who became the Libertarian Party’s [...]

Republicans Solicit Ideas From The Public, Hilarity Ensues

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, May 27th, 2010. Filed under General

A few days ago the House Republicans opened a web site called America Speaking Out designed to be yet another one of those opportunities to plow the wisdom of the vast unwashed.
Well, it didn’t work out so well:
“End Child Labor Laws,” suggests one helpful participant. “We coddle children too much. They need to spend [...]

A Liberal Has Second Thoughts About Bashing Rand Paul

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, May 27th, 2010. Filed under 2010 Elections, Elections, Political Parties, Politicos & Pundits, Politics, Rand Paul, Republicans

Lanny Davis, a former adviser to President Clinton, has reassessed his initial reaction to Rand Paul:
I have to admit, for a while I enjoyed watching MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow humiliate and embarrass Rand Paul when he tried to explain why he did not support the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the seminal legislation that forbade racial [...]

Family Research Council: Repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Will Lead To “Gay Rape”

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, May 27th, 2010. Filed under Dumbasses, In The News

It’s probably a reflection of just how decisively groups like the Family Research Council have lost the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell debate that they are trotting out ever more absurd arguments against it’s repeal:
Here’s how the Family Research Council envisions things going if Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is repealed: first, more straight soldiers, sailors, airmen [...]

John Stossel Defends Rand Paul, Again

by Doug Mataconis @ Thursday, May 27th, 2010. Filed under Individual Liberty, Politicos & Pundits, Politics, Rand Paul

In two appearances on Fox yesterday John Stossel came to Rand Paul’s defense on the Civil Rights Act/Freedom of Association issue.
First, Megyn Kelly:

Then, Bill O’Reilly:

On The Radio

by Doug Mataconis @ Wednesday, May 26th, 2010. Filed under Blogging, Outside The Beltway

I’ll be joining fellow Outside The Beltway bloggers James Joyner and Dave Schuler on OTB Radio starting at 5:30pm (EDT) this afternoon.
Details at the link about listening live, or the recording.

Chris Christie To Teacher: Don’t Like Your Paycheck ? Then Quit

by Doug Mataconis @ Wednesday, May 26th, 2010. Filed under Politics

God, I’m really starting to like this guy:
New Jersey GOP Gov. Chris Christie told a disgruntled teacher that if she doesn’t like the pay, she doesn’t “have to do it.”
Christie was speaking to a small crowd in a church gymnasium in Rutherford on Tuesday when the Bergen County Record caught the exchange between Kearny teacher [...]

Rand Paul Shuffles Campaign Staff

by Doug Mataconis @ Wednesday, May 26th, 2010. Filed under 2010 Elections, Elections, Political Parties, Politicos & Pundits, Politics, Rand Paul, Republicans

No surprise here:
FRANKFORT, Ky. — Rand Paul has hired one of his father’s former aides to manage his campaign for the U.S. Senate.
Jesse Benton, who was communications director for former Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul’s last campaign, replaces David Adams as campaign manager.
David Weigel reports that Benton denies that this is a “shake up”:
“I’m the [...]

Further Evidence That Immigration Is Causing The GOP To Lose Hispanic Voters

by Doug Mataconis @ Wednesday, May 26th, 2010. Filed under 2010 Elections, 2012 Election, Barack Obama, Elections, Immigration, Political Parties, Politicos & Pundits, Politics, Republicans

A new poll from MSNBC seems to indicate that the Republican Party’s immigration position is costing it support among Hispanic voters:
68% of Latinos approve of Obama’s job (compared with 48% of overall respondents and 38% of whites), and they view the Democratic Party favorably by a 54%-21% score (versus 41%-40% among all adults and 34%-48% [...]

Obama Travels To Chicago For Memorial Day, Conservative Media Freaks Out

by Doug Mataconis @ Wednesday, May 26th, 2010. Filed under Barack Obama, Obama Derangement Syndrome, Politicos & Pundits, Politics

We learned earlier this week that President Obama will be spending the long Memorial Day weekend at his home in Chicago:
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama plans to spend a long holiday weekend in Chicago.
The White House says Obama and his family will travel to their hometown on Thursday and stay through the weekend. It will [...]

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