Thirty-fourth time’s a charm?

Republicans have been trying to repeal the Affordable Care Act since it was passed. The last time was in July 2012. That was the 33rd attempt.

Today, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann introduced legislation to try it again for the 34th time.

More idiocracy after the fold.

Oh, the humanity (unless it’s not in my district) Yesterday, Representative Peter King from New York took to the House floor to lambast Speaker John Boehner and others who are holding up disaster relief to victims of Hurricane Sandy. “I can’t imagine that type of indifference, that type of disregard, that cavalier attitude being shown to any other part of […]

Eff this effing stuff, indeed

Larue Ford is an Arizona woman who was trying to move back to the Midwest, Indiana specifically, to be near family. However, she was unable to get a job as a driver because of an upaid ticket in Berrien County, Michigan. She paid the $444 ticket but, because of a bureaucratic foul up, she still couldn’t get it erased from her record. While in the Berrien County Clerks office, she finally learned they had screwed up and forgot to collect a $50 “reinstatement fee”. Ford, who has a masters degree in social work was told to appear before the judge when she returned to pay the $50 fee and, on the way out of the Clerk’s office, muttered “fuck this fucking shit”, a pretty understandable grouse considering all they had put her through.

They arrested her and she spent the Christmas holiday in jail for “contempt of court” despite the fact that she had never actually been in court.

More of this story embarrassment to Michigan after the jump.

Hypocrisy is rarely so clearly on display

Last week at his press conference (where, by the way, he didn’t take a single question), National Gun Fetishists Association (NRA) Executive Vice Chair Wayne LaPierre castigated the federal government for its inaction on forming a national registry for the mentally ill.

It’s an appalling demostration of hypocrisy given that what he didn’t mention is that his group has been actively fighting AGAINST a similar registry of gun registrations in this country.

Fearlessly leading from the rear… After the Republican-led Michigan legislature passed S.B. 59 – the so-called guns-in-schools-and-daycares bill — the Huffington Post asked anti-teachers union group StudentsFirst if they supported this legislation that would allow the carrying of concealed weapons in schools. It’s a fair question, right? If they truly DO put students first, a dubious claim at best given […]

OK, that’s Time magazine’s thing. But we totally agree. I’m no Pete Souza and I didn’t have 48 hours with the President, but I do have a few photos and a story to share. Over the last four years I have had the privilege of photographing Barack Obama many times and, as I tell my story, I will include a […]

John Boehner: between a tea bag and a hard place

John Boehner has been negotiating all week with President Obama and his staff to resolve the “fiscal speedbump” issue. President Obama took a step toward Speaker Boehner in the negotiations by allowing the Bush tax cuts to remain in place for incomes over $400,000/year (up from $250,000), making some cuts to entitlements to be named later and agreeing to a different way to calculate Social Security cost of living increases that would lower how much our seniors get in their monthly allocation by a smidgen — the so-called “chained CPI”.

In return, Boehner offered to extend the debt ceiling for two years and allow the Bush tax cuts to expire for income over $400,000.

This was, however, a bridge to far for his tea party leadership team, according to Ezra Klein at the Washington Post. So, he offered what he’s calling “Plan B” and the response from the White House was a resounding “screw you”.

Check it all out after the jump.

Will this session NEVER end???

The Michigan legislature concluded its inflamed duck session yesterday by passing another flurry of highly partisan legislation before they lose some of their votes.

The highlowlights of what they did yesterday after the jump.

Aye, aye, aye…

Americans for Prosperity, which lost a couple of tents during the anti-Right to Work for Less rally in Michigan, is seeking “justice” for those tents, gosh darn it.

Details after the jump.

THIS is what democracy looks like

This post will be updated continuously throughout the day. My Eclectacorrespondents Anne (my wife) and Abby (my friend) will be sending in reports, photos and videos throughout the day. I will join them this afternoon when I get out of work. Anne has a camera set-up that sends her high-res digital images straight to her iPhone so we should have some great photos throughout the day.

All the rally goodness after the jump.

Ah, geez…

I got an hysterical inanity from the Tea Party of West Michigan this morning, a group whose website tagline is still the comically and grammatically incorrect “Influence policy, effect elections, protect the Constitution.” In it, the author warns about the potential for violence from union members.

Details after the jump.