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By Marc, March 31, 2010 8:54 pm

In case you somehow missed it, Virginia Attorney General (AG) Ken Cuccinelli (R-VA) recently filed a lawsuit (Virginia v. Sebelius) that challenges the legality of the health care reform legislation signed into law by President Obama last week.

Cuccinelli is certainly no stranger to controversy. From the moment he assumed office in January, he has made a point of using the Attorney General’s office to push his right-wing social agenda. This includes arguing in a letter to the state’s public colleges and universities that “sexual orientation” could not and should not be included in any anti-discrimination policies.

So his latest push to mount a legal challenge to the recently passed health care reform legislation should come as no surprise? This is simply another attempt to use the AGs office to further his political agenda – and that of Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-VA).

As Virginia is facing a severe budget crisis that will affect so many folks throughout the state, Cuccinelli and McDonnell file a frivolous lawsuit that is politically motivated.  Not to mention that this lawsuit comes at a cost to taxpayers, right? You’re darn right!

As Blue Virginia reported on Tuesday, the Democratic Party of Virginia formally filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) formally requesting records of:

hours spent by Cuccinelli and Office of the Attorney General staff preparing Commonwealth of Virginia v. Sebelius; cost to taxpayers of staff work on the suit; a list of conference calls or written correspondence that the Office of the Attorney General had with other states’ attorneys general or national conservative groups in planning the lawsuit; any outside firms contracted to assist on the lawsuit; and, the Attorney General’s full schedule since taking office, including any scheduled television interviews in the Washington, D.C., metro area.

David Mills, Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Virginia summed up things best when he said that

the Attorney General is acting like taxpayer funds are just a piggy bank for his personal political agenda. More than 10,000 Virginians [(in a petition launched by the DPVA)] have demanded that Ken Cuccinelli come clean about his use of taxpayer-funded state resources. This week, we’ll find out if Ken Cuccinelli still believes he’s accountable to the taxpayers of Virginia. We’re looking forward to his response.

Drum roll please. In response to the FOIA request, Stephen R. McCullough, senior appellate counsel for AG Ken Cuccinelli has responded by saying that “No such record exists” listing any attorney’s, both inside or outside the AGs office, that worked on producing the legal filing and any hours that they may have billed to the state to prepare it.

McCullough did acknowledge that existence of “correspondence between Cuccinelli’s office and the offices of 13 other state attorneys general who have also filed suit against the federal government, as well as Cuccinelli’s schedule since his took office Jan. 16.”

There were a total of 40 records related to correspondence between the Virginia AGs office and the offices of 13 other state attorneys general; and 170 pages that would provide insight into Cucinelli’s schedule, since he took office in January. McCullough said that the AGs office would not be releasing them, since the office considered them “working papers of the attorney general that are entitled to remain confidential.”

In a release yesterday, Cucinelli actually made the claim that all work “was being done in-house and said costs would be minimal beyond the $350 fee to file the suit in U.S. District Court.”

Color me skeptical, so much for government transparency. Taxpayers deserve to know the cost that is being accrued to fund Cucinelli’s personal political agenda, especially when the health care lawsuit has zero chance of being won. That’s right, ZERO!

Nevada’s Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto provided a good analysis in a letter to Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons on why joining Cuccinelli’s health care lawsuit was essentially pointless and “would not come without a cost.” When looking at Supreme Court precedence, AG Masto writes:

One theory to consider is that Congress lacks authority under the Constitution’s Commerce and Spending Clauses. However, the authority give to Congress is extensive and appears strong enough to support the Act. Health care costs affect our nation’s economy, and the Act is Congress’ answer to alleviating those costs. The United States Supreme Court long ago determined that insurance is commerce and is therefore subject to federal regulation. United States v. South-Eastern Underwriters Ass’n, 322 U.S. 533 (1944). Since the 1930s and the “long-rejected Louchner-era precedents,” MeadWestvaco Corp. ex rel. Mead Corp. v. Illinois Dept. of Revenue, 553 U.S. 16, 128 S.Ct. 1948, 1510 (2008) (Thomas, J. concuring), Congress’ broad authority has been acknowledge to, among other things, uphold mandatory contributions to the Social Security Act system, Helvering v. Davis, 301 U.S. 619 (1937), and legislate many other federal programs.

So while Cuccinelli and McDonnell defund our public education system (and make several other extreme cuts) they have no problems wasting taxpayer dollars to further their radical political agendas. Hey while national Republicans plan to “sweep problems under the rug,” Virginia Republicans have become masters at creating problems.  Where’s the TEA Party when you need them!

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By Marc, March 31, 2010 4:08 pm

I’m guessing expenditures on faux lesbian bondage-themed strip clubs by the Republican National Committee will not sit well with social conservatives and potential Republican donors. What’s most surprising is the “lack of vocal opposition to Steele” amongst Republicans, notes the Washington Post.

Steele has come under fire recently for a recent expenditure used to take several donors to an adult-themed strip club, to the tune of $2K. Steele is also under fire for other “lavish” spending — $17K for private planes, $13K for limos and car service and $9K for a trip to a Beverly Hills Hotel. A former Republican opponent of Steele had a warning for Republicans:

Katon Dawson, a South Carolina Republican who lost to Steele in the contest for the RNC chairmanship, said in an interview that the committee needs to demonstrate fiscal responsibility at a time when the party is attacking Democrats on spending issues.

It’s funny how Republicans are so concerned with out of control spending in Washington. If this proves anything, it is that Republicans are still being Republicans. After all, wasn’t it the Democrats who handed the Republicans a $900 billion budget surplus only to have it squandered, through out of control deficit spending, and turned it into an $11 trillion deficit? They also voted against a health care reform bill that will reduce the deficit by over $1 trillion over the next 20-years.

Regardless of the extravagant spending by Steele, including a trip to a bondage-themed strip club, Republicans appear to have his back.

“Republicans are sticking together to get back the majority and are willing to sweep family problems under the rug,” said Ron Bonjean, a former top House GOP staffer.

This is the same attitude that Republicans had when they got us into our current fiscal mess, which President Obama and Congressional Democrats have been fixing ever since regaining control. The Republicans haven’t seemed to learn their lesson. Haven’t Republicans swept enough “problems under the rug” and on the backs of future generations of Americans? Americans have a choice come November: vote for Republicans who will continue to “sweep problems under the rug” and hope that they go away or vote for Democrats who will deal directly with the problems our nation faces, while continuing to fight for middle-class families and small businesses.

My vote goes to the Democrats!

UPDATE: According to CNN, Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, issued the following statement on the RNCs strip club expenditure:

I’ve hinted at this before, but now I am saying it – don’t give money to the RNC.

Penny Nance, the head of Conservative Women for America, also issued the following statement:

If the RNC wants to represent conservatives and the Republican Party, then they have to act like conservatives – in a moral, fiscal and ethical manner. When RNC officials seem to think it wise to spend a grandmother’s monthly donation on wooing the younger generation by taking them to a bondage-themed sex club instead of helping to elect a conservative, a real problem exists.

I’d say all of this doesn’t bold well for Republicans and presents serious challenges in their efforts to win back control of Congress in November. All I can say is “Go Steele!”

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By Chris, March 24, 2010 4:16 pm

If you’re a Democrat hoping to knock off Rep. Rob Wittman in the 1st Congressional District this November, news of Catherine Crabill jumping into the race definitely got your attention. An active member of her local ‘Tea Party’ outfit, I know for a fact that Crabill was seriously considering running as a third party candidate instead of a Republican. That would’ve made things a lot easier for the eventual Democratic nominee, whether it’s Krystal Ball or Scott Robinson.

Well, based on her recent statements, it now appears that she will in fact challenge Wittman for the GOP nomination, even thought she’s aware of Virginia’s sore loser law. That’s bad news for Democrats then, since Rob Wittman should have no problem beating crazy ol’ Catherine Crabill among Republicans….right? I’m not so sure.

Keep in mind, the 99th House District Republicans nominated her to run against Albert Pollard last year, even after it became well-known that Crabill blames the government, not Timothy McVeigh, for the Oklahoma City bombing. And what did they get in return for this supposedly disastrous decision? By FAR the closest reelection race Pollard has ever faced! (even though Deeds’ god-awful performance had a little something to do with it)

OK. So, Republicans have to choose between Wittman and Crabill. Well, who is the typical Republican? A new Harris poll revealed what many other similar polls have indicated over the past year. And that is this: Catherine Crabill is the rule, not the exception. I see Marc went over this in a previous post, but here it is again:

• 24% of Republicans say that Obama “may be the Antichrist.”
• 38% of Republicans say that Obama is “doing many of the things that Hitler did.”
• 45% of Republicans believe that Obama was “not born in the United States and so is not eligible to be president.”
• 57% of Republicans believe that Obama is a Muslim.
• 67% of Republicans believe that Obama is a socialist.

And keep in mind that this is a poll of Republicans nationwide. The 1st CD in Virginia is much more conservative than the country as a whole.

Think Crabill can’t beat Wittman? Think again.

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By Marc, March 23, 2010 5:38 pm

According to a new Harris poll, Republicans have lost their minds (if that is news to anyone):

On the heels of health care, a new Harris poll reveals Republican attitudes about Obama: Two-thirds think he’s a socialist, 57 percent a Muslim—and 24 percent say “he may be the Antichrist.”

To anyone who thinks the end of the health-care vote means a return to civility, wake up.

Obama Derangement Syndrome—pathological hatred of the president posing as patriotism—has infected the Republican Party. Here’s new data to prove it:

• 67 percent of Republicans (and 40 percent of Americans overall) believe that Obama is a socialist.
• 57 percent of Republicans (32 percent overall) believe that Obama is a Muslim
• 45 percent of Republicans (25 percent overall) agree with the Birthers in their belief that Obama was “not born in the United States and so is not eligible to be president”
• 38 percent of Republicans (20 percent overall) say that Obama is “doing many of the things that Hitler did”

All I can say is wow. The Republicans have truly become a “fringe” party.

The poll, which surveyed 2,230 people right at the height of the health-care reform debate, also clearly shows that education is a barrier to extremism. Respondents without a college education are vastly more likely to believe such claims, while Americans with college degrees or better are less easily duped. It’s a reminder of what the 19th-century educator Horace Mann once too-loftily said: “Ignorance breeds monsters to fill up the vacancies of the soul that are unoccupied by the verities of knowledge.“

All of this is further evidence why moderate-minded Republicans have been fleeing their party. Republicans are truly out of their freakin’ minds!