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February 29, 2012 10:04 pm | By Jen Herrick
Michigan Primary raises citizenship question
“Are you a citizen?” was the question posed by the Michigan Primary even before voters were asked to decide between President Obama or Santorum and Romney. The question of citizenship is not new: Under the Michigan Election Law, voters have…
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February 28, 2012 10:45 pm | By Paul Gordon
A United Front Against Partisan Obstruction of Judicial Nominations
This morning, a number of Senators gave impassioned floor speeches condemning the unprecedented Republican obstruction of judicial nominees. They talked about the vacancy crisis that is keeping Americans from having their day in court. They spoke of qualified nominees with…
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February 28, 2012 9:41 pm | By Miranda Blue
Senate to Vote This Week on Extremist Health Care Amendment
The Senate will reportedly vote this week on the Blunt amendment, an addition to the transportation bill from Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt that would, if it became law, throw the American health care system into chaos. Blunt’s amendment, part of…
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February 28, 2012 9:35 pm | By Paul Gordon
Sen. Coons to Senate GOP: Rethink Your Strategy of Obstruction
Sen. Chris Coons was among those who went to the Senate floor earlier today to urge an end to Republican obstruction of judicial nominees. He spoke of his experience as a Delaware attorney, and of Delaware's long struggle to achieve…
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February 28, 2012 9:26 pm | By Miranda Blue
Virginia Senate passes less terrible, but still terrible, mandatory ultrasound bill
Last week, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell buckled under nationwide pressure and forced his allies in the state’s legislature to revise a bill they had passed mandating forced, medically unnecessary transvaginal ultrasounds for women seeking abortions. That the bill was tweaked…
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February 28, 2012 8:54 pm | By Jen Herrick
Virginia poised to tighten voter ID requirements
Yesterday the Virginia Senate took up SB 1, a bill that would tighten voter ID requirements in the state by, among other provisions, removing the option for voters without ID to swear to their identity and replacing it with a…
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February 28, 2012 8:37 pm | By Paul Gordon
Ben Cardin Urges a Vote on a Maryland Judicial Nominee
Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland went to the Senate floor today to urge his Republican colleagues to end their partisan efforts to keep our nation's courts from functioning at full effectiveness. He discussed a district court vacancy in his state…
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February 28, 2012 8:27 pm | By Paul Gordon
The Judicial Vacancy Crisis in Illinois
Among the senators taking to the floor earlier today to condemn the GOP obstructionism harming the our nation's judicial system was Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois. Sen. Durbin discussed the crisis facing Americans in the Northern District of Illinois, a…
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February 28, 2012 7:20 pm | By Paul Gordon
Senate Democrats Condemn Republican Obstruction of Judicial Nominees
This morning, a number of Senate Democrats took to the floor to condemn the unprecedented obstruction of qualified, consensus judicial nominees that Senate Republicans have been engaged in since the start of the Obama Administration. Here are just a few…
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February 28, 2012 7:14 pm | By Miranda Blue
Why is the GOP Filibustering Hispanic Judicial Nominees?
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid minced no words yesterday discussing the Senate GOP’s seeming indifference to Latino voters: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said on Monday that GOP prejudice against Latinos is coloring everything from the immigration stance its…
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February 28, 2012 5:21 pm | By Paul Gordon
Federal Courts – A PAC-Free Zone
According to the FEC, a mere 23 wealthy donors have contributed a breathtaking $53 million to the super PACs supporting Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul. Sheldon Adelson has said he is willing to give as much…
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February 27, 2012 11:16 pm | By Miranda Blue
Senate Set to Turn Attention to Judicial Nominations Backlog
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced today that one of the key focuses of the Senate’s next five weeks of work will be “clearing the backlog of judicial nominees that threatens the effectiveness of our justice system.” Reid’s announcement is…
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February 27, 2012 6:42 pm | By Miranda Blue
Santorum Says He Doesn’t Want to Impose His Values on the Rest of Us
On Meet the Press yesterday, David Gregory questioned GOP presidential frontrunner Rick Santorum about the social issues – opposition to reproductive choice and gay rights – on which he has built his career. Stunningly, Santorum denied that he has focused…
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February 24, 2012 8:12 pm | By Drew Courtney
Marriage Equality Advances in Maryland
Last night the Maryland State Senate approved legislation ending the prohibition against marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples. Governor Martin O’Malley has promised to sign the bill into law. That’s an important step forward for all Maryland families. It’s…
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February 24, 2012 7:30 pm | By Justin
Unlimited Donations Toward an Extreme Agenda
Talk about Citizens United usually revolves around the anti-democratic fact that corporations and wealthy donors are now free to give unlimited amounts to oppose or support candidates of their choice. While it’s obvious that those wealthy individuals seeking to buy…
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February 24, 2012 4:15 pm | By Justin
ALEC Gives Cash to Congressmen?
The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) strategy of corporations enact favorable legislation at the state level across the country by wining and dining state legislators at fancy conferences and then presenting them with model bills to shepherd into law is…
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February 24, 2012 3:33 pm | By Justin
On-Air Laughs, But Citizens United Not So Funny
Citizens United got a bit of airtime on Comedy Central this week, but that doesn’t mean that Supreme Court’s pro-plutocracy decision is a laughing matter. On Tuesday, former Senator Russ Feingold joined Jon Stewart on the Daily Show to discuss…
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February 24, 2012 3:07 pm | By
Off the Deep End
A message to People For the American Way supporters from PFAW president Michael Keegan: Fighting contraception. Stopping domestic violence protections. Extending tax cuts for the wealthy, while hiking taxes on the middle class. Welcoming white supremacists to a conference, but banning gay conservatives.…
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February 23, 2012 6:31 pm | By Paul Gordon
Hundreds of Lilly Ledbetters
As Lawrence O'Donnell has noted, the Supreme Court is and always will be a critically important issue in any presidential campaign. That said, we shouldn't ignore the nation's lower federal courts. During its 2010-2011 term, the Court heard arguments in…
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February 23, 2012 3:55 pm | By Miranda Blue
Republicans Debate Who is Least in Favor of Emergency Care for Rape Victims
In case we needed any more evidence that the former mainstream of the GOP has gone completely off the deep end, Republican presidential candidates spent several minutes at last night’s CNN debate discussing which of them is least in favor…