VIDEO: Shady Rick: What's He Hiding?
As Shady Rick Scott approaches his second debate today, let's take a look at his latest fiasco. A recent lawsuit claims Scott failed to disclose more than $200 million in assets on his tax returns. TWO HUNDRED MILLION. It's not just a legal issue. It's an ethical issue, one regarding transparency and conflicts of interests. Rick Scott has already proven that he's not above making decisions as governor that would be of personal financial benefit. Just look at this headline: Gov. Scott had stake in pipeline firm whose $3 billion venture he and his appointees backed.
One Rauner Hour Equals Two Years Of Minimum Wage Work (VIDEO)
Good news: billionaire Bruce Rauner finally released last year's tax returns. Bad news: they only serve to further emphasize just how out-of-touch he truly is. Rauner made an astounding $30,000 per HOUR last year. To put that in context, it would take a full-time minimum wage worker in Illinois almost two years to earn what Bruce Rauner earns in 60 minutes.
VIDEO: Speaker Tillis, The Divider
Yesterday, it came to light that Speaker Tillis believes that state and federal governments, driven by Democrats, have effectively paid "de facto reparations" by redistributing "trillions of dollars over the years." This is just the latest in a string of offensive comments and comes on the heels of offering this lovely advice to minimum wage workers in last week's debate: "Get educated, as I did."
The Company You Keep… Allen West Endorses Joni Ernst
You can tell a lot about a person by the people they associate themselves with. For Joni Ernst, her cavalry just got even more extreme. Ernst has already credited the Koch brothers with starting her trajectory, said she was "flattered' to be compared to Sarah Palin, trumpeted Glenn Beck's conspiracy theory, and now she's earned the adoration of Allen West, who just cut this spot endorsing her. In case you're not familiar with Allen West, here are a couple of lovely quotes that highlight his worldview, though this is just the tip of the iceberg:
- "When I see anyone with an Obama bumper sticker, I recognize them as a threat to the gene pool."
- "So I’m here as the modern-day Harriet Tubman to kind of lead people on the Underground Railroad away from that plantation [of the Democratic Party]"
- On Social Security benefits: "So once again we are creating the sense of economic dependence which, to me is a form of modern, 21st-century slavery."
Joni Ernst and the Kochs want to dismantle the Clean Water Act
Joni Ernst is preparing for a big debate, but before she takes the stage, let's take a look at who she would really represent in the Senate. According to audio released from the Kochs' secretive donor summit, Iowa Senate candidate Joni Ernst gushed that the Koch brothers' donor network is to thank for her political "trajectory." Ernst went on to attribute the Kochs' backing to her support for "rolling back... rules and regulations." It's an apt observation from Koch Crony Joni, who has gone so far as to oppose the Clean Water Act, a critical environmental protection that Koch Industries and its subsidiaries have run afoul of no less than 18 times in the Hawkeye State alone. Earlier this year, while campaigning for the Republican party nomination for Iowa's open Senate seat, Ernst said that she considers the Clean Water Act to be "damaging" to business and that she supports replacing it with "voluntary measures." The extreme remark even rankled members of her own party, with Republican operatives citing her opposition to the longstanding, successful environmental protection as proof positive that she had tacked too hard to the far right. Despite the push back it received from some establishment Republicans, Ernst's rant against the Clean Water Act is a perfect example of the type of anti-regulation rhetoric that, as she herself speculated, likely piqued the Kochs' attention.
ICYMI — Thom Tillis's Advice To Minimum Wage Workers: Get Educated
In last night's North Carolina senate debate, Thom Tillis continued his condescending campaign, talking down not only to Senator Hagan, but to minimum wage workers in North Carolina. Already, Tillis has said that we should consider getting rid of the minimum wage altogether, called it "a dangerous idea," and argued that workers in the Western North Carolina don't deserve the same pay as workers in Massachusetts. Last night, he went one step further when he offered this advice to minimum wage workers: "Get educated as I did."
Rand Paul on student-teacher ratios: “I think we should go a million to one! Ten million to one!"
The "Rand Paul as 2016 frontrunner" storyline continues to get more and more fun for Democrats. Whether he's getting caught blatantly flip-flopping on a variety of topics (aid to Israel, birth control, civil rights, etc.), or claiming he'll repeal every executive order ever (never a good sign when a presidential candidate has to clarify that they don't support repealing the Emancipation Proclamation), every day brings new excitement to Stand With Rand fever. And now he's really outdone himself. Yesterday, Rand Paul took the stage at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit to discuss education, and he offered an interesting take on class sizes. Here's a direct quote from Paul on student-to-teacher ratios: "I think we should go a million to one! Ten million to one!" Maybe it's not terribly surprising -- after all, this is coming from a guy who wanted to abolish the Department of Education before the Tea Party made abolishing the Department of Education cool. But surprising or not, Rand Paul can add 10,000,000-1 student-to-teacher ratios to the long list of positions he'll have trouble selling to the American public. Godspeed, Senator. We hope you're looking forward to 2016 as much as we are.
VIDEO: So Many Questions Remain For Rick Scott As He Readies For Debate
It's debate time. Perhaps that means that for the first time in his life, Rick Scott will answer a question. In case you haven't noticed, Rick Scott is really good at not answering questions. It pretty much doesn't matter what you ask him -- he's going to spit out his robotic talking points over and over. Whether you want to know why he won't expand Medicaid, who he went to King Ranch with, or why he won't disclose tens of millions in assets, Rick Scott will tell you "it's an exciting time to be in Florida!" Excited as he may be, tomorrow, he'll have to answer questions. Here are just a handful of the many that Floridians are still awaiting answers on:
NEW VIDEO: Fact Check: Scott Brown On Women's Health
Scott Brown just released a new ad expressing his outrage with Senator Shaheen for highlighting his terrible record on women's health. Unfortunately for Scott Brown, facts are facts. For example:
- Scott Brown is from Massachusetts.
- Scott Brown sits on the Board of Directors at a company that outsources American jobs.
- Scott Brown lavished praise on the Koch brothers for helping him in his 2010 campaign and asked them for more money.
Scott Walker's Sad Attempt at Spin
In 2011, when the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel asked Walker to confirm that he "oppose[s] abortion even in cases of rape and incest," Walker replied with a resounding "that's correct." Then Walker was asked: "As governor you will push hard for laws to curb abortion, how hard will you work on that issue?" Walker's response: "Well I'm pro-life... I'm pro-life across the board." Followed by a litany of examples of anti-women's health legislation he has supported throughout his career.