Good luck with that, Gubnah.
From the Raleigh News & Observer:
Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue on Wednesday urged the incoming Republican legislature to create an independent bipartisan redistricting commission, pass session time limits, and make the workings of the legislature more transparent.But the Republican lawmakers had their own message for the governor: Thanks for the advice, now start making some deeper budget cuts in preparation for next year’s projected $3.7 billion shortfall.
The political theater was played out in the first public meeting between the governor and members of the Republican-majority legislature, which will take office next month.
Having lost her Democratic legislative majority in November, Perdue has moved aggressively in recent days to outline a sweeping government restructuring and other economies. Appearing before the House GOP caucus, Perdue said she thought the legislature should be part of the change.
In perhaps her most provocative move, Perdue urged the new Republican majority to adopt an independent redistricting commission. Perdue had not called for an independent commission while the Democrats were drawing the legislative and congressional district lines – one of the coveted tools in politics. It was a popular idea among many Republican lawmakers while they were out of power.
Now the roles are reversed.
Read the rest of this article, by Rob Christensen, here.
Can we stop pretending that Republicans and Democrats are anything other than mortal enemies?
This article appears in Dec 14-20, 2010.
>> Can we stop pretending that Republicans and Democrats are anything other than mortal enemies?
No, because Republicans and Democrats – at least among elected officials – are EXACTLY THE SAME.
– How’s repeal of Bush’s fascist PATRIOT Act coming? Oh yeah, Obama just signed an extension.
– How’s that closing of Gitmo coming?
– How’s the end of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars coming?
– How’s a sane and more neutral Middle East policy coming?
– How’s control of the deficit coming?
– How’s Keynesian spending working on bringing down the unemployment rate?
– How’s the promise to “get tough” on Wall Street coming, as Primary Dealers hand out tens of billions in bonuses and post record profits while quantitative easing sends commodity (i.e. food and energy) prices through the roof?
EXPLAIN TO ME AGAIN RHIBO how there’s a single substantive difference between Obama and Bush.
Addition to the above:
– How’s Obama’s pledge to end torture going, with Bradley Manning in solitary confinement without even a pillow or sheet on his bed?
From Glenn Greenwald at Salon.com:
“Interviews with several people directly familiar with the conditions of Manning’s detention, ultimately including a Quantico brig official (Lt. Brian Villiard) who confirmed much of what they conveyed, establishes that the accused leaker is subjected to detention conditions likely to create long-term psychological injuries.
Since his arrest in May, Manning has been a model detainee, without any episodes of violence or disciplinary problems. He nonetheless was declared from the start to be a “Maximum Custody Detainee,” the highest and most repressive level of military detention, which then became the basis for the series of inhumane measures imposed on him.
From the beginning of his detention, Manning has been held in intensive solitary confinement. For 23 out of 24 hours every day — for seven straight months and counting — he sits completely alone in his cell. Even inside his cell, his activities are heavily restricted; he’s barred even from exercising and is under constant surveillance to enforce those restrictions. For reasons that appear completely punitive, he’s being denied many of the most basic attributes of civilized imprisonment, including even a pillow or sheets for his bed (he is not and never has been on suicide watch). For the one hour per day when he is freed from this isolation, he is barred from accessing any news or current events programs.”