ChrisWeigant.com

GOP's Possible PUMA Problem

Chris Weigant — Wed, 16 May 2012 22:11:29 +0000

Is the Republican Party going to have a PUMA problem on their hands during their national nominating convention? I'm not, of course, referring to the possibility that mountain lions will be stalking folks inside the convention center, but rather that a group of folks under the "Party Unity, My Ass!" banner will disrupt what is supposed to be a well-scripted and well-choreographed coronation.

Here's An Idea, Harry

Chris Weigant — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:11:28 +0000

The filibuster is in the news these days, it seems. Harry Reid recently admitted on the Senate floor that he had been wrong not to follow the push by progressives in his own party to revamp the filibuster rules when he had the chance. Now, it seems, there's a lawsuit which will attempt to convince the Supreme Court to overturn the filibuster as being unconstitutional.

Ridiculously Early Look At Electoral Math

Chris Weigant — Mon, 14 May 2012 23:40:25 +0000

For now, I'm just going to go with my gut. Paying little or no attention to actual polling (where it even exists -- it's still mighty early), instead I lay out today the states I'll be watching closely, and how I think the chips will fall in November based only on my gut feelings. If this sort of thing doesn't interest you, well, there's plenty of other stuff on the internet to look at, right?

Friday Talking Points [210] -- Most Impressive, Mister President

Chris Weigant — Fri, 11 May 2012 22:03:58 +0000

We're throwing our usual format away today, because this was a momentous and historic week in American politics, and we thought it needed the entire column to address. Call it an extended rant, rather than talking points. There are two parts to this rant. The first is positive. The second is negative. Then, I (hopefully) change it all back to positive at the end.

Party Polarization Continues

Chris Weigant — Thu, 10 May 2012 23:36:21 +0000

Senator Richard Lugar's loss in his Republican primary in Indiana this week continues a trend which has been evident for at least the past two decades in American politics -- the matchup of our political divide with our ideological divide. What this means for the future is really anyone's guess, other than that "R" or "D" after a politician's name is a lot easier to "read" these days.

Obama's Gay Marriage Rollout

Chris Weigant — Wed, 09 May 2012 21:56:24 +0000

The media -- pretty much all of them -- just got "played," by the Obama campaign. And they don't even realize it yet. What we just witnessed, for roughly the past four days, was not a "breaking story" or even an "evolution" of any sort. What we just witnessed, capped this morning by President Barack Obama's statement of support for gay marriage, was nothing more than the introduction of a new (political) product. It was a "new and improved" product rollout -- nothing more, nothing less.

Romney's Secret Weapon

Chris Weigant — Tue, 08 May 2012 23:14:23 +0000

Larry McCarthy is one of the driving forces behind the Restore Our Future super PAC. This group is going to be Romney's chief attack dog in the battle for the airwaves for the next six months. Meaning McCarthy is going to have an enormous influence on how the Romney campaign slings mud. And McCarthy is a mudslinger extraordinaire -- he's a master of the art form.

Will Romney Have A "Sister Souljah" Moment?

Chris Weigant — Mon, 07 May 2012 22:00:03 +0000

The Republican primaries, for all intents and purposes, are over. Mitt won. But since this has become general knowledge, I certainly haven't noticed Mitt tacking anywhere but far to the right. Perhaps he took a "centrist" position in there somewhere, and I just missed it. Or perhaps, as I started with, he is just now realizing the corner he's painted himself into.

Friday Talking Points [209] -- Anniversary Week

Chris Weigant — Fri, 04 May 2012 23:36:27 +0000

If you've been hiding under a rock somewhere all week, you may have missed the fact that an anniversary just happened. One year ago this past Wednesday, special operations forces killed America's "Enemy Number One," Osama Bin Laden. When it happened, it was a time for some sober reflection -- and some unsober and spontaneous celebration on the streets. Whether such was a good thing or not, it is what happened.

Obama Poll Watch -- April, 2012

Chris Weigant — Wed, 02 May 2012 22:04:52 +0000

President Barack Obama had another uneventful month in the polls last month. I realize that's a pretty dull way to start a column, but we do the best with the data we are given, so to speak. Obama's average approval rate and disapproval rate both got better by the slimmest of margins -- one-tenth of a point -- which places him pretty much where he ended the past two months. His approval rating stayed above his disapproval rating, but by a margin of less than a full percentage point.

Program Note

Chris Weigant — Wed, 02 May 2012 03:05:05 +0000

There will be no column today, as I spent the time "occupying" the library, furthering my research. Tomorrow is "Obama Poll Watch" day, though, so that should make up for it. Also, preparations have begun for the general election season's "Electoral Math" column series as well, so you've got that to look forward [...]

The Marijuana Vote

Chris Weigant — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:22:04 +0000

Jimmy Kimmel is right... sort of. In this past weekend's schmooze-fest between media organizations and the president (and, for some inexplicable reason, Hollywood), Kimmel performed a comedy routine for the president and the assembled crowd. Towards the end (around 19:40 on the video), Kimmel made a few marijuana jokes. He started by directly asking the president "What is with the marijuana crackdown?" Of course, being a comedian, a few punchlines followed. But the most notable one -- like all good comedic roasting -- had a kernel of truth in it: "You know, pot smokers vote too. Sometimes a week after the election, but they vote."

Friday Talking Points [208] -- Contests! Newtsplosion! Veepstakes!

Chris Weigant — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:11:10 +0000

We begin by saying we certainly hope we can live up to such an exuberant headline. You will have to judge for yourself whether all those exclamation points were justified or not.

A Verbizing Interlude

Chris Weigant — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 23:52:36 +0000

We speak today, instead, on the subject of verbizing. Verbizing, for those who have never heard the term, is the process of turning innocent nouns into verbs. This verbizing interlude is brought to you today by the trademark: "Etch A Sketch."

Can Mitt Romney Lead His Own Party?

Chris Weigant — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:23:25 +0000

But the first issue Romney chose to show a glimmer of independence from Republican orthodoxy is an interesting one, because the deadline for action is right around the corner. Which means it will serve as a very important test for Romney's candidacy as a whole: can Mitt lead his own party -- especially in a direction in which they are not that interested in going?

Billiards, Anyone?

Chris Weigant — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:36:37 +0000

Which brings us back to John Quincy Adams. In 1825, newly-installed in the White House, Adams bought a billiard table for $50 (to liven the place up a bit, one assumes). He used his own money for this purchase, and one would think it wasn't really all that big a deal. One would be wrong.

Campaign Negativity Nothing New

Chris Weigant — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 23:08:20 +0000

There's an element to American political campaigns which everyone hates and almost everyone loves to denounce: the negative campaign advertisement. From now until November, many will fulminate against the "coarsening" of our political culture these ads supposedly usher in, and many will call for Mitt Romney and Barack Obama (and all the candidates further down the ballot) to renounce negative campaign advertising -- to absolutely no avail. The mudslinging will continue apace right up until Election Day, for one very simple reason: such ads work. They are effective. Which means -- especially for those living in "battleground" states -- that the only way to avoid the onslaught of political negativity will be to stop watching television altogether, until the election is safely over.

Friday Talking Points [207] -- A 4/20 Column

Chris Weigant — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 23:35:06 +0000

To put it another way: don't expect things to get better any time soon. Campaign season 2012 is off to an insanity-laced start, folks! No wonder so many across this great nation have decided that today would be a good day to celebrate tetrahydrocannabinol instead. You can see their point... through the billowing clouds of smoke.

From The Archives -- In Defense Of Hookers

Chris Weigant — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 23:36:14 +0000

So I say, in defense of hookers everywhere, let's legalize prostitution in the nation's capital. The kind that involves sex, I mean. Because the other kind is not only legal, it is actually how we create our laws. And if we as a nation are fine with that, I don't see why we should have a problem with bringing Hooker's Army back to the banks of the Potomac.

How To Solve All Our Budget Fights, Forever

Chris Weigant — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:55:36 +0000

OK, anyone still left reading? Here we go. Every year, Congress is supposed to pass a federal budget. This budget "pie" is sliced up between all the different federal agencies, for all the things the federal government does. The House of Representatives and the Senate (and the politicians within), haggle and struggle over what dollars should go where.

Google's Fine

Chris Weigant — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:59:45 +0000

Last quarter, Google made $2.9 billion in profit (not gross earnings, but actual profit). If they keep this pace up all year, they will earn $11.6 billion for the year. Good for them, and good for their stockholders.

The Choice-Versus-Referendum False Dichotomy

Chris Weigant — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 22:05:27 +0000

As we enter the general election season, the political punditry will (once again) trot out many shallow and trite phrases and concepts to be consumed as easily-digestible mental pap for their audiences. It is, after all the silly season. I don't even exclude myself -- I'll probably oversimplify a few things from now until Election Day, if the past is any prologue. But I just wanted to address the worst of these inane and facile statements right here at the beginning of the race: the false dichotomy that "this election will either be a choice or a referendum." Mostly because I'm already sick of hearing such tripe, and it is only April.

Friday Talking Points [206] -- "Mommy Wars" Versus "War On Women"

Chris Weigant — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 23:28:50 +0000

The big political distraction at the end of the week was a reopening of what used to be called the "Mommy Wars," by Democratic insider Hilary Rosen. This came about largely because the political chattering class was bored, now that their GOP nomination horserace is all-but-officially over, and they needed a new toy to blow up with metaphorical firecrackers. Of course, they leapt at the chance to do so with all the fervor of a nine-year-old with a pocketful of Black Cats and his sister's Barbie doll, heading into the woods for some pyromaniacal fun.

I See Bee Em

Chris Weigant — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 22:56:56 +0000

That title is an attempt to be lighthearted, perhaps what someone would say when spotting two famous Aunties (Andy Griffith's in Mayberry, and Dorothy's in Kansas). But it's a failed attempt, because I'm not saying "I see Bee, Em" but rather I.C.B.M. -- a subject which is the polar opposite of "lighthearted."

Call It The Reagan Rule

Chris Weigant — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:47:16 +0000

President Barack Obama is using the week before income taxes are due to make a full-court press for the vote next week in the Senate on the so-called "Buffett Rule" (which would force people making a million bucks a year to pay higher taxes than their secretaries). Today, he mentioned what could turn out to be the biggest weapon in this fight, and made a joke about what it should be called instead. Obama shouldn't be treating it as a joke, though. He should take his own advice and publicly rename the idea the "Reagan Rule" -- and then run a television ad explaining why to the country.

Happy Pivot Day!

Chris Weigant — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:12:28 +0000

Today is, of course, the day when the entire political universe pivots from the 2012 primary election season to the 2012 general election season. This was precipitated by Rick Santorum exiting the race early today, much to Mitt Romney's relief.

Occupy's Next Crossroads

Chris Weigant — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 23:38:53 +0000

The movement that Occupy Wall Street began is at another crossroads, it seems. It isn't the first such fork in the road, and it certainly won't be the last. What happens next is anyone's guess. Is the Occupy movement poised for a comeback? Or is it about to be co-opted altogether? Can both, in fact, happen simultaneously, and would that be a good thing or not?

Friday Talking Points [205] -- Obama Attacks! Everybody Run!

Chris Weigant — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 23:09:49 +0000

We'll get to that provocative title in the Talking Points section, never fear. I felt the need for a sort of a rant this week, as well as a little humor to open it up with. Truth be told, I've been in a humorous mood all week, as evidenced by my column casting the Republican primary race so far as a climb up the polling mountain range. I think it's the spring weather or something. Since we're on the subject, though, Republican candidates seem like a good place to start today.

Constitutional Definitions

Chris Weigant — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:27:52 +0000

The rhetoric surrounding the Supreme Court and the H.H.S. v. Florida case certainly ratcheted up on both sides this week. Expect this partisan fray to get even more intense in the weeks leading up to the decision on the constitutionality of Obamacare, expected in late June. But I'm not going to get into the midst of this fray today (perhaps I will do so tomorrow, though), because I thought it would be more intelligent to review some bedrock definitions of the terms involved.

Climbing Romney Ridge

Chris Weigant — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:09:05 +0000

I'm going to be honest, here. I'm just as bored with the Republican nomination race as everyone else is by now. The mainstream media pundits have done a mighty job of trying to keep the excitement alive, but it's just not working anymore. I can do math, and Mitt Romney has been the obvious winner for at least a month now -- which even the pundits are beginning to sheepishly admit.

Crabby Badgers?

Chris Weigant — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:00:57 +0000

In the last primary race, back in 2008, three political entities clustered around the Potomac River all voted on the same day, and thus was born "Crab Cake Tuesday." This year, for some inexplicable reason, Virginia has decided not to vote on the same day as Maryland and the District of Columbia, and (again, inexplicably) Wisconsin replaced Virginia. Linking these three in a cute label has become much tougher as a direct result. The only thing we could come up with was "Crabby Badger Tuesday," which... well, we admit it, it's just too downright bizarre to be considered cute.

Obama Poll Watch -- March, 2012

Chris Weigant — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 22:30:16 +0000

President Obama had a fairly flat month of March in the polls. His approval rating slipped back a half a point, and his disapproval rating stayed unchanged from last month. While his approval stayed above his disapproval for the month, the gap between the two is smaller than it's ever been. All month long he teetered back and forth in terms of being "above water" but showed signs of at least stabilizing by month's end. This brought an end to five straight months of good news in the polls for the president, the longest streak he's ever managed to post.

Friday Talking Points [204] -- The Herd Mentality

Chris Weigant — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 00:11:26 +0000

This week, the punditocracy had no Republican primary contest to distract their attention ("The upcoming primary/caucus in some state I've never traveled through because it's a flyover state could be the crucial turning point in the entire race... details at 11:00..."), and so the political pontificators and prognosticators had nothing else to talk about (one would think) except the serious business before the Supreme Court this week -- Obamacare.

What To Call It?

Chris Weigant — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:52:05 +0000

Of course, I am being deliberately obtuse here. Early on, before the law even passed (I am not interested enough in that factoid to check whether it is true, I should mention), Republican opponents labeled it "Obamacare." Or, sometimes, "ObamaCare." Before we get to that, though, we have to run through a quick history, which is mostly accurate (but not obsessively so), of the use of "-care" to name these things.

The Individual Mandate's Conservative Origins

Chris Weigant — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 23:37:20 +0000

While we're all waiting for the verdict from the Supreme Court, I thought it would be worthwhile to dig into the actual origins of the concept of the individual mandate. Now, the idea itself may have been around for much longer than the documentation I could find online, but the real political push behind the idea seems to have started in 1989, from the ultra-conservative Heritage Foundation.

From The Archives -- Dump The Individual Mandate

Chris Weigant — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:13:09 +0000

The individual mandate is the least-liked part of healthcare reform. It really has no natural constituency other than insurance companies. There was no call from the public to include this in the final law (as there was with the "public option," in comparison). The Left wasn't in favor of it, and it causes apoplexy over on the Right. President Obama did not campaign on the individual mandate (although Hillary Clinton did, I should point out), so he obviously didn't think it was all that important (or all that good an idea, take your choice) before he got elected. Since the mandate appeared, very few people have bothered defending it in public. Its appearance in the debate was obviously a direct result of demands from the health insurance industry, who will be the obvious beneficiary of the plan.

Proportionality Makes GOP Race Less Competitive

Chris Weigant — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:08:45 +0000

To put it in plain English rather than mathematical figures, the Republican Party's plan of creating a more competitive race by awarding proportional delegates is simply not working, at least between the two frontrunners. If none of the Republican state contests were proportional, Rick Santorum would be a lot closer to Mitt Romney right now. Proportionality has made for a less competitive race between the two.

Friday Talking Points [203] -- The Operation Was A Success...

Chris Weigant — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 23:36:51 +0000

Two years ago, Joe Biden was famously quoted for saying to Barack Obama upon the occasion of health care reform legislation finally passing: "This is a big [expletive deleted] deal." In the past week or so, the White House has rolled out a big media push to support Obama's signature legislation. Next week, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on the subject of whether the law, as written, passes constitutional muster or not.

Sketchy Romney

Chris Weigant — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 22:47:29 +0000

Mitt Romney's campaign has entered a sketchy phase. Or, more precisely, an etchy-sketchy phase.

America's Oldest National Political Holiday

Chris Weigant — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 23:48:45 +0000

Two hundred and forty-five years ago this week, celebrations of a political nature were held throughout the American colonies. The occasion, in 1767, was the first anniversary of the repeal of the hated Stamp Act. While not unique as a reason for celebration or as a piece of enduring American politics, it was likely this was the first time Americans celebrated such a thing together -- as Americans, in other words, celebrating a purely American victory.

Quick Pick For Illinois

Chris Weigant — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 23:11:16 +0000

Well, OK, that was kind of snarky. Just barely over the halfway point, it's to be expected that predicting the outcomes of the Republican nominating contests has gotten less fun and more of a chore than anything else, so we'll keep things mercifully short today.

Getting Rare Earth Ready

Chris Weigant — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 23:16:27 +0000

An entirely different kind of rare earth is in the news these days: the kind that actually comes out of the ground. A whole group of elements (which aren't actually all that rare) are classified as "rare earth" minerals. Their importance in the modern world is growing by leaps and bounds, because they are a key component of most high-tech devices (such as cell phones, computers, and electric car batteries). Even more critically, they are a key component of high-tech military hardware such as night-vision goggles, guided missiles, and Aegis warships.

Friday Talking Points [202] -- Seamus, That's The Dog, Was Outside

Chris Weigant — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 00:46:17 +0000

Sometimes I'm just astonished at the inability of political campaigns to do a simple web search. Case in point: the story about Mitt Romney's dog Seamus.

Don't Call It A Black-And-Tan

Chris Weigant — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 23:28:21 +0000

I realize I'm a wee bit early for a Saint Patrick's Day column, but tomorrow is our regularly-scheduled Friday Talking Points, and Saturday I will be hoisting a pint of Sir Arthur Guinness' fine product, so we'll just have to make do with today.

The No Budget, No Pay Act

Chris Weigant — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 23:26:49 +0000

That's it in a nutshell. The title is so good, it barely needs explaining. If Congress doesn't pass a completed budget on time -- both the budget blueprint and the 12 appropriations bills necessary -- then when the new federal fiscal year dawns on the first of October, they stop getting paid. Their paychecks halt until the budget is complete, and they are not allowed to (later on, under the cover of night) award themselves retroactive pay for this period.

Today's Primary Picks

Chris Weigant — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 21:27:32 +0000

Today, the mainstream media informs me, could be an absolute game-changer in the Republican primary race. Of course, that is what they have told me every other primary night so far this year, so you'll have to forgive me if I sound a little jaded at this point by such talk.

TelePrompTer Redux

Chris Weigant — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 22:17:53 +0000

Sigh. You know, just the other day I was thinking: "Gosh, I sure do miss Michele Bachmann and Herman Cain." No, seriously. I mean, Bachmann and Cain could be counted upon to say something outrageously crazy, just about every time they were interviewed. Rick Santorum is a pale imitation of such wild and wooly candidate quips. Even when he tries to sound crazy, he mostly just comes off as stern and finger-wagging. Not quite the same thing.

Friday Talking Points [201] -- "Hands Off My Uterus!"

Chris Weigant — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 23:43:14 +0000

OK, quite obviously, I had to put that subtitle in quote marks, since I do not actually possess a uterus. The quote marks indicate I'm just suggesting it as a slogan for others (those of the female persuasion, of course) to utilize. Just to clear that up, in case you were wondering. But we'll get to all of that in a moment, because first we must attend to our primary chores.

Who Will "Americans Elect" Elect?

Chris Weigant — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 01:26:47 +0000

As it looks like more and more of a certainty that Mitt Romney will be the Republican nominee for president this year, the world of political punditry has begun flailing around for some sort of storyline which keeps the excitement alive, because they just love a good horserace (even when anyone with eyes can see the race has already been won). Sooner or later, they're going to discover what could be the biggest curveball of the election season, though: a group calling itself Americans Elect.

Republican Factionalism's Future

Chris Weigant — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:47:03 +0000

Rather than micro-examine Super Tuesday's results or predict what will happen in any of the upcoming primary contests this month (you're probably already maxed out on such analysis by now, right?), instead I'd like to take a longer view, and contemplate where the Republican Party will be headed after the 2012 election. There are three major scenarios as to how this could play out, if you'll join with me in what is admittedly some way-way-too-early speculation.

My Super Tuesday Picks

Chris Weigant — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 23:13:32 +0000

It's finally Super Tuesday! This year is less "super," and a month later, than Super Tuesday 2008, when 24 states voted at once. But it remains the biggest day in the primary calendar, and we've got a lot to cover.

Obama Poll Watch -- February, 2012

Chris Weigant — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 22:44:24 +0000

President Barack Obama's job approval numbers are back "above water" (where his approval rate is higher than his disapproval number), continuing an impressive rise in the polls which began in November of last year. This is the longest run of improved public job approval Obama has managed since he got elected. Obama posted a gain of almost two full percentage points in his approval rate in February, the third-best month he's ever had in this respect (and one of the two months he posted bigger gains in was the bounce he got from Osama Bin Laden's death). He wound up the month with his approval rating a full percent better than his disapproval rating, the best numbers he's seen since last June. But this trend could be flattening out, as he ended the month of February by slipping back a bit. So in the midst of plenty of good news on the polling front for Obama, there is reason for caution as well. Call it the dark lining to a very silver cloud, if you will.

Friday Talking Points [200] -- A Look Back

Chris Weigant — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 00:35:57 +0000

Because of this momentous occasion, we are going to present a special column today which takes a look backwards at this column's history. Because of this, the normal weekly Friday Talking Points and the awards we normally hand out will all get pre-empted. So if you're looking for an update on what is going on in the political world, you'll have to wait until next week, sorry about that. And if this sort of retrospective doesn't appeal to you, well, there's a whole internet out there waiting, I'm sure there's something better for you to read, somewhere else.

Grammatical Interlude

Chris Weigant — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:52:35 +0000

Which brings us to our point: the phrase "winner take all" is just wrong. Many news and polling organizations have begun using this phrase to differentiate states which award all their delegates in one bloc to the winner of the state vote from states which apportion their delegates proportionally. But the phrase is seriously lacking an "s" in there, somewhere.

Sexist Leap Day Fun

Chris Weigant — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:11:29 +0000

But there's another Leap Day tradition in America, from a suburban Chicago city. Aurora, Illinois used to be famous for its Leap Day fun, when the unmarried women took over the town and arrested all the unmarried men for the "crime" of being a bachelor. Yes, you read that right.

Calling Michigan And Arizona

Chris Weigant — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 23:15:16 +0000

It's that time once again, kiddies, when we gather 'round the virtual fireplace and throw a few darts at the wall to predict the outcome of today's Republican primary races. Feel free to join us here tonight as we sit back and watch the results come in!

Apology Derangement Syndrome

Chris Weigant — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:44:48 +0000

While everyone knew that the Republican primary candidates would all be displaying plenty of "Obama Derangement Syndrome" during the campaign, this week the rhetoric took a bizarre tangent which might be called "Apology Derangement Syndrome." The concept is not only laughable, it is easy to prove what rampant and stinking hypocrisy those espousing it are truly guilty of displaying.

Friday Talking Points [199] -- My "War On Women" Rant

Chris Weigant — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 00:51:13 +0000

"When the going gets weird," Hunter S. Thompson famously said, "the weird turn pro."

Winning The Culture Wars

Chris Weigant — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:38:57 +0000

A tectonic shift is in process in American politics, and while individual incidents occasionally draw attention, the larger continental drift is usually not in focus. Because Democrats have started winning the so-called "culture wars."

Republicans' Democrat Envy

Chris Weigant — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:50:49 +0000

You might not know it from the extended bouts of hair-pulling-and-garment-rending anguish emanating from the Republican Party establishment these days (see: any recent GOP commentary by a party elder or deep thinker which uses the phrase "brokered convention"), but the Republican Party is getting exactly what they asked for. Not just asked for, in fact, but specifically planned on.

Mitt Romney Finally Takes My Advice

Chris Weigant — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 01:02:08 +0000

But the focus from the media has so far been on the wrong car -- at least as far as I am concerned.

George Washington's Biggest Critic

Chris Weigant — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 22:03:16 +0000

While this may -- as a direct result of a very successful mythmaking campaign -- be almost universally true today, it was not when the flesh-and-blood man (not the myth) held office as the new nation's first "Chief Magistrate" (as it was referred to back then). Yes, even Washington had his media critics.

Friday Talking Points [198] -- Milbank's Unfunny Puns

Chris Weigant — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 00:21:04 +0000

President Barack Obama certainly had an impressive week, getting from Congress exactly what he demanded in the State Of The Union message -- a payroll tax holiday extension for the rest of the year... with "no drama."

Thursday Convention Speculation

Chris Weigant — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:38:58 +0000

But it sure would be interesting to watch that convention on television, wouldn't it?

Weak Tea?

Chris Weigant — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:33:10 +0000

Is the Tea Party faction of the Republican Party becoming irrelevant?

Toxic Gas At Romney Hotel

Chris Weigant — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:42:45 +0000

Which is why I'm scratching my head today at the absence of headlines like the one at the top of this article in the national media. While the actual facts of the case are pretty mundane, the juxtaposition of a major presidential candidate would have allowed for even more sensationalistic headlines than mine (it's easy to come up with a "screaming banner" for the story, one would think).

Primary Season Amnesia

Chris Weigant — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:37:56 +0000

The primary season opens with so many Republican candidates for the party's nomination for president that it seemingly takes forever just to ask each of them a single question in the televised debates. Three different Republican candidates win the first three states' races, in a wide-open contest with no incumbent on the ballot. The first results thin the large field of hopefuls, as minor candidates run out of funding and throw in the towel. As more states vote, the two top candidates get to a point in early February where they are neck-and-neck in the number of individual states won -- with the third candidate lagging, because his support is based mostly in the South. Ron Paul is also running, but not winning any states. Dark mutterings are heard about the presumed-frontrunner not being able to "close the deal," and about his overall weak support among conservatives in the party. The media is in a frenzy, all but drooling over the prospect of an open convention, where no Republican candidate has the magic number of delegates to secure the nomination.

Friday Talking Points [197] -- White House Fumbles

Chris Weigant — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:02:40 +0000

In other news, the Obama White House had rather a bad week... but again, we'll get to that in a moment.

Contraceptive Debate, Part 2

Chris Weigant — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:59:28 +0000

Mainstream American churches have, in the past, used Biblical passages to advocate the rightness of slavery. Mainstream American churches have also refused to allow blacks to join their congregations with the same status as white worshippers. Mainstream American churches have used the Bible to justify wife-beating, and corporal punishment for children. That is all fine and good (well, it's not, really; but it's legally all fine and good) -- the Constitution does not permit government to have any sort of sway over a church's beliefs in any way (except possibly if the church were mounting armed resistance to the government and calling it religion).

Contraceptive Debate Reporting Omits Important Voices

Chris Weigant — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:29:05 +0000

You know what I have yet to see either on television or in print? A poll of the workers affected. Maybe that's too tough a thing to ask for -- polls are time-consuming, after all, and the debate hasn't been raging all that long. But I have also yet to see in the media even a single woman interviewed who actually works for a religious hospital or university. Not a single "woman on the street" interview, not a single union representative who speaks for these women, not a single spokesperson for the women themselves. Not one. No nurses, no janitors, no administrators, no security guards... nothing.

Name That Tuesday!

Chris Weigant — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:55:48 +0000

Today is the first multi-state event in the 2012 Republican primary schedule, and I am shocked -- shocked! -- that the punditocracy has miserably failed to come up with a cutesy-poo name for today's voting.

Romney's "Very Poor" Choice Of Words

Chris Weigant — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:31:02 +0000

Mitt Romney's gaffe last week (reproduced in full, above) is going to wind up the "gaffe that keeps on giving" for Barack Obama and the Democrats in this election cycle. Because the more Romney's comment is examined and dissected, the worse it looks for him. This could, in fact, be the defining moment for Mitt Romney as a national political presence. That phrase is often bandied about in politics, but I use it here in the full literal sense of "defining moment" -- a point in time which absolutely cements an image in the public mind of who you are and what you stand for as a politician. The image, quite obviously, is not a good one for Romney.

Friday Talking Points [196] -- Poor Mitt?

Chris Weigant — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:10:47 +0000

Mitt Romney, frontrunner for the Republican nomination, announced he wasn't too worried about poor people. Maybe it would be fun to see Romney debate Joe Biden, just because nobody would know what to expect from either of them. Heh.

GOP PUMAs?

Chris Weigant — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:17:13 +0000

The thought which keeps flitting through my mind is whether the Republicans are going to face their own "PUMA" problem this fall. For those who don't remember the term from 2008, PUMA stood for "Party Unity, My Ass!" and was the rallying cry of the non-existent hordes of pro-Hillary Democrats who were reportedly going to cause major disruption at the Democratic National Convention, and then throw the election to John McCain in the fall.

Obama Poll Watch -- January, 2012

Chris Weigant — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:34:18 +0000

President Barack Obama continued a three-month upward swing in the polls in January, with his average job approval rating for the month ticking up 1.2 points, and his disapproval rate falling by exactly the same amount.

Mittmentum!

Chris Weigant — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:57:46 +0000

All in all, it's looking like whether Newt Gingrich wants to admit it yet or not, by Super Tuesday this race will likely be pretty much over. Of course, this year, predictions of such a nature have certainly had a way of turning out wrong, but it's safe to say that Mitt Romney is feeling pretty good about things right about now.

Predicting Florida: Newt's Petard

Chris Weigant — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:03:46 +0000

As we wend our way through the Republican primary season, at times predicting the outcome of a single state's race is very hard to do. At other times, it is actually pretty easy. Florida looks to be one of the latter.

Friday Talking Points [195] -- SOTU Review

Chris Weigant — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:27:08 +0000

Well, that was an eventful week in politics, wasn't it?

Conservative Establishment Piles On Newt

Chris Weigant — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:54:55 +0000

Newt Gingrich may win the Florida Republican primary.

The Alternative Millionaires' Minimum Tax

Chris Weigant — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:01:24 +0000

President Obama last night unveiled a new twist on an old idea in his State Of The Union address to Congress -- limit the loopholes and tax giveaways that very wealthy people use to reduce their taxes far below the rate honest workers pay. Obama called for a minimum tax rate of 30 percent on income over one million dollars. To some, this sounds like a radical idea, but it really isn't. It is merely a refinement of a part of the tax code that has been with us for decades: the Alternative Minimum Tax.

The State Of The Union

Chris Weigant — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:43:07 +0000

I haven't written one of these snap-judgment reactions to a speech in a while, so forgive me if this is a bit choppy and disorganized. As always, I am writing this before looking at other opinions of President Obama's just-completed State Of The Union speech. I feel this keeps my opinion unsullied by any sort of "groupthink" effect. Sometimes I read other speech reviews the next day and find I agree with them, sometimes not, but this way at least you know I'm not just regurgitating others' thoughts.

Pure Newtonium

Chris Weigant — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:32:13 +0000

What a difference a week makes, at least in the Republican primary contest.

Friday Talking Points [194] -- Out Of Touch

Chris Weigant — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 00:31:19 +0000

OK, to be completely honest, we just felt like beating up on some Republicans today.

Economic Optimism?

Chris Weigant — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:19:48 +0000

It's still early days to even know if the economy is truly about to enter a strong recovery or not. A few data points on a graph do not always a trend line make, to put it another way. But from what I have personally seen in previous recessions, there always seems to be a real "tipping point" where American businesses collectively decide that things are going to be better soon -- and then they start hiring people and fulfilling their own prophecy. This could indeed be such a turning point.

Not-Romney Race Killing Not-Romney's Chances

Chris Weigant — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:42:19 +0000

If either Gingrich or Santorum (or even Perry) had managed to cement their status as the alpha "not-Romney" in the race at this point, they might have had a chance in that fabled "two-man race" (or, more properly, "two-man-plus-Ron-Paul race"). Adding Gingrich and Santorum's support in South Carolina easily shows that Romney could have been defeated here, if the field had narrowed. Florida would even be in play, likely.

Governor O'Malley Is Right

Chris Weigant — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:50:55 +0000

O'Malley makes a good point. President Obama's re-election team should heed it.

King's "Drum Major Instinct" Speech

Chris Weigant — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:07:35 +0000

[Program Note: I am taking the day off today. But I did want to post this link to a transcript of Martin Luther King Junior's "Drum Major Instinct" speech. This is the speech that was misquoted on his new memorial in Washington D.C., and you really have to read the speech itself to [...]

Friday Talking Points [193] -- Run It Up The Flagpole

Chris Weigant — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 23:50:57 +0000

Not a whole lot has been happening in Washington, due to Congress being out on one of their countless month-long vacations. Not a whole lot of Democrats have been in the news, either, since the Republican primary season is sucking all the oxygen out of the political arena right now.

Mitt's Tax Returns

Chris Weigant — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:19:18 +0000

What is hiding in Mitt Romney's tax returns?

Happy Birthday, Common Sense

Chris Weigant — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:09:15 +0000

Two hundred and thirty-six years ago this week, a pamphlet was published in Philadelphia. There is some disagreement among historians over the exact date (variously given as January 9th or 10th), and the pamphlet's title page itself only lists the year, 1776. Whatever the actual date, though, Thomas Paine's Common Sense hit the American consciousness like a bombshell -- one which would reverberate for years to come.

Old-School Editorializing

Chris Weigant — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:55:58 +0000

What struck me about New Hampshire's contest, being in the midst of historical research into such things, was the old-school nature of the Union Leader, a very conservative New Hampshire newspaper. It struck a lot of the media as interesting as well, but I didn't see anyone else commenting on such historical context.

Calling New Hampshire's Primary

Chris Weigant — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:11:32 +0000

Tomorrow, New Hampshire voters will go to their first-in-the-nation (don't-mention-Iowa-to-us-that's-a-caucus-dammit!) primary, and cast their votes in the Republican nominating contest. Which means it's time to haul out the old crystal ball and attempt to predict what's going to happen. If you hate these types of speculative wonktastic articles, then I strongly advise you to just close this article right now, and start a game of Angry Birds or something.

Friday Talking Points [192] -- Obama Picking His Fights

Chris Weigant — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:56:04 +0000

I have to say, while the Republicans have been having their three-ring primary circus, President Obama has been looking better and better. Both in comparison to the Republican field (of nightmares, so to speak), and also because Obama's been making progress on his own.

Recess!

Chris Weigant — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:54:27 +0000

When we were all kids, "recess" was one of the happiest words in the English language, because it meant escaping the schoolroom for a while, and (on nice days) getting outside and running around and playing with our friends. The bell would ring, and we would all cry "Recess!" and run outside.

Obama Poll Watch -- December, 2011

Chris Weigant — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 23:07:32 +0000

President Obama had a pretty good month last month in the job approval polls, bettering his standing in both approval and disapproval by roughly three-fourths of percentage point. This may not sound like that big a deal, but it was the second straight month of solid gains for the president in both categories.

Romney Inevitable?

Chris Weigant — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 04:48:09 +0000

I thought I'd wait to write today until the Iowa results were in, because I haven't done one of these "snap judgment" sorts of things for a while. As I begin, roughly 85 percent of the votes have been reported.

Predicting Iowa

Chris Weigant — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 23:20:17 +0000

I realize everyone is probably already sick of hearing predictions about the Iowa Republican caucuses, and if this does indeed describe you then you should probably go watch a football game or something -- because that's exactly what we're going to do today: throw prognosticatory Hawkeye darts at the wall, and take our chances as we may.

The Amazing, Ginormous List Of Official Banished Words Of The Year

Chris Weigant — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 00:25:07 +0000

It's that time of year again -- when we turn our eyes to Lake Superior State University (in beautiful Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan), and their official list of this year's banished words.

Question Of The Day

Chris Weigant — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:41:08 +0000

[Program Note: Only a few days left in our Holiday Fundraising Drive! If you're sending your donation in by "snail mail," drop me an email and let me know the amount, and I will add it to our total. We're very close to reaching the goal we set, so get those last-minute donations [...]

Merry Politically-Correct-mas?

Chris Weigant — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:29:22 +0000

[Program Note: We're going to have a week of frivolity here at CW.com this week. Partly, this is so I can work on other projects, and partly it's because nobody's in the mood for politics this time of year anyway (Iowans aside...). To start us off, here's a blast from the past, a [...]