New York Times | Eleven House Republicans Sign Letter Supporting Arts Endowment ... New York Times In spite of President Trump's call to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts, there are a growing number of Republicans that want to save it. |
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Eleven House Republicans Sign Letter Supporting Arts Endowment ... - New York Times
Variety | Bill Maher: Republican Motto Has Become 'What Would a D-ck Do?' Variety Real Time host Bill Maher thinks the Republican party has abandoned all principles since Trump took office in favor of being a d-ck. On Friday night's show, Maher cited the GOP's plans to reverse the ban on lead ammunition, which have been known to ... Bill Maher slams Trump Republicans for looking at America's problems and asking, 'What would ad*ck do?' Bill Maher Explains Republican Philosophy: 'What Would a Dick Do?' Bill Maher Brutally Sums Up What Republicanism Has Become Under Donald Trump |
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Bill Maher: Republican Motto Has Become 'What Would a D-ck Do?' - Variety
When it comes to national politics, Kansas is about as red as Dorothys famous slippers.
Fewer than a handful of Democrats have been elected to the House in the past generation. Voters havent supported a Democrat for president since 1964.
The last time Kansas sent a Democrat to the U.S. Senate was in 1932 nine years before Dorothy and hertransportive footwear showed up in movie theaters.
All of which made it all the more striking this week when national Republicans dumped nearly $100,000 a not-unsubstantial sum by Kansas standards into next weeks special election to fill a vacant House seat in the Wichita area.
The contest for the seat, which opened up when three-term Republican Mike Pompeo stepped down to head the CIA, was expected to be an easy victory under nominee Ron Estes, the state Treasurer.
The fact Republicans feel obliged to conduct a last-minute ad blitz has heartened Democrats and their candidate, attorney James Thompson, even if an upset still seems unlikely. President Trump carried the district by a whopping 60% to 33%.
But, as the Cook Political Report noted, special elections tend to be extremely low-turnout affairs and given Trumps slumping approval and signs of increased Democratic activism, the contest appears more competitive than just a few weeks ago.
On Thursday, the nonpartisan handicappers at the Cook Report moved the race from "Solid Republican" to "Likely Republican."
In a further sign of GOP nervousness, Vice President Mike Pence has recorded a robocall urging Republican voters to the polls, the Washington Examiner reported Friday.
A Democratic upset on Tuesday would be particularly sweet for the party and its supporters, coming in the hometown of Koch Industries, the conglomerate owned by the conservative bankrolling Koch brothers.
It would also provide an enormous boost walking up to a special election in Georgia on April 18, where Democrat Jon Ossoff has raised a stunning $8 million-plus for his campaign to snatch away a Republican-leaning district in the Atlanta suburbs.
The House seat was vacated when GOP Rep. Tom Price resigned to head the Department of Health and Human Services.
12:20 p.m.: This post has been updated with a report that Vice President Mike Pence has recorded a robocall aimed at GOP voters.
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Republicans getting antsy over special congressional vote--in ruby-red Kansas, of all places - Los Angeles Times
Bill Maher understoodwhy Republicans werehappy to see 59 cruise missiles streaking into the sky over Syria early Friday President Trump was asserting his authority as commander in chief against a dictator whod used chemical weapons on his own citizens.
But Maher said he was disgusted by the words of another group that seemed mesmerized by the missiles: TV journalists.
Even the liberals were all over this last night, he said during his opening monologue Friday night on Real Time with Bill Maher.
Everybody loves this f thing. Cable news loves it when they show footage of destroyers firing cruise missiles at night. Its Americas money shot.
Trump authorized the strike on a military airfield in retaliation for a chemical attack on civilians that killed at least 86people.
[Warplanes return to Syrian town devastated by chemical attack]
The attack ratchets up the intensity of a complicated regional conflict, according to The Washington Posts James Hohmann, and makes a conflict with Russia more likely.
News networks looped reel footage provided by the Pentagon of cruise missiles being launched from a ship and streaking into the night sky, complete with commentary.
The Department of Defense released video of the U.S. military launching cruise missiles in Syria after President Trump ordered the strike on April 6. (Department of Defense)
Reflecting on the strike, Fareed Zakaria opined on CNN: I think Donald Trump became president of the United States last night.
As The Posts Derek Hawkins reported, Brian Williams seemed so dazzled by the images that he described them as beautiful and quoted singer Leonard Cohen: I am guided by the beauty of our weapons.
[You know how Putin feels about failure: Bill Maher blasts Trumps health-care flop]
Maher wasnt the only one appalled by the journalists laudatory words.
Post media columnist Margaret Sullivan wrote that after the strikes, praise flowed like wedding champagne especially on cable news.
And in a Facebook Post, Dan Rather took fellow journalists to task:
The number of members of the press who have lauded the actions last night as presidential is concerning, he wrote. War must never be considered a public relations operation. It is not a way for an Administration to gain a narrative. It is a step into a dangerous unknown and its full impact is impossible to predict, especially in the immediate wake of the first strike.
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Bill Mahers interview with a Trump defender started out nice. Then Russia came up.
Morning Joe host says Kellyanne Conway was banned because everything she said was disproven
Colbert apologizes to ISIS, recently unseated by Trump as the enemy of the American People
Never fjorget: Colbert mocks Trumps Sweden flub, honors all the people who did not suffer
Stephen Colbert channels Keyser Sze to blast Trumps Russia ties
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'Even the liberals were all over this': Bill Maher disgusted by the cable news response to Syria - Washington Post
When the official election campaign kicks off Tuesday it will have been 5,810 days since the BC Liberals first took power in 2001.
Gordon Campbell's victory 16 years ago launchedthe current dynasty, one of the longest lasting political regimes in Canada, which makes the premise of the 2017 election campaign simple: Do you want change or are you fine with how things have been going?
"Inevitably we have a government that has been in power since 2001, it is almost cliche to say it's time for change," said University of Victoria political scientist Norman Ruff.
"Even a government thatis doing well, it's good to have a circulation of change. It's part of the general atmosphere that is surrounding the election and clearly the NDP will focus on 'things can be better.' "
B.C Premier Christy Clark speaks to a crowd at an anti-bullying event in Burnaby, B.C., on Wednesday, February 22, 2017. (The Canadian Press / Ben Nelms)
At the helm for the B.C. Liberals is one of the province's most familiar faces:party leader and B.C. Premier Christy Clark is looking for a second mandate.
The Liberals have had some high profile problems. The premier has been dogged by questions about 'cash-for-access' fundraisersin which donors who paid hundreds of dollars for tickets received face time with Clark.
There was also criticism that Clark received a $50,000 stipend as party leader, a practice she recently ended.The premier has also faced questions about why she falsely accusedNDP Leader JohnHorganof hacking theB.C Liberalwebsite.
And her government also came under fire for a practice of triple-deleting emails.
Finally, the government hasacknowledged that it will fall short on one of its key election promises from the 2013 provincial campaign to havethree Liquefied Natural Gas plants up and running by 2020.
Still, Clark is in a much different position than she was four years ago. The province boasts thecountry's strongest economy and is leading in job growth.
"I think the most important thing a government can do to help people is help create jobs," said Clark. "I really believe, a job changes lives."
John Horgan surrounded by members of the B.C. NDP caucus on the last day of the 2017 legislative session. (Mike McArthur/CBC News)
Horganis the third NDP leader that has tried to stop the Liberal run. LikeCaroleJames and Adrian Dix before him,Horganhas been a fixture in the party for a long time.
The three-term MLA was first elected in 2005 in the riding ofMalahat-JuandeFuca.Horganis working to define himself, while attacks come at him from both third-party groups and the B.C. Liberals.
The NDP leader has faced criticismfrom the B.C. Liberals that he'san angry person with a bad temper. Others have called himindecisive on issues likethe Site C Dam construction.
Through all this,Horganis trying to define himself.
"When people call me angry, I say I am passionate," saidHorgan. "Who wouldn't be angry with the highest child poverty rate in the country?Who wouldn't be angry at a government who takes bus passes away from people with disabilities?"
B.C. Green Party leader Andrew Weaver is looking to add to his caucus that currently only includes him. (Rafferty Baker/CBC)
Trying to break into the conversation is the BC GreensLeader Andrew Weaver, who is presenting a platform that hisparty believes offers far more than climate change policies.
"Look at the trends. Two parties are trending down, one party is trending up. We are leading according to polls on Vancouver Island," said Weaver.
"When you see the depth and rigour of our platform I think you are going to see heads turn."
Weaver may be counting on regional polling,but the 2013 election is proof of how badly the pollsters did. At this point four years ago, Clark was trailing by 20 points.
This time it is a much closerrace in the public's eyes and as the B.C. Liberals proved last time: once the campaign starts anything can happen.
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NDP try to snap losing streak in bid to end BC Liberal political dynasty - CBC.ca