links for 2010-09-16

Translation: Knowing how much Democrats hate Palin, it’d be silly to hand them a club in a state as blue as Delaware by appearing there frequently. If anything, it’d probably do more to alienate pro-Castle fencesitters, who likely blame her for Castle’s defeat, than to fire up Christine supporters who are already fired up. Krauthammer knows that, of course, but he’s making a point here about true belief in “true conservative.” If demographics don’t matter and it’s just a matter of preaching the right-wing gospel to convert the liberal heathens, let’s send our best preachers down there and let it rip. What could go wrong?
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They won't go for obvious reasons. But, they will be called out on it.

The following Democrats have come out in support of extending all of the George W. Bush-era tax cuts. A full extension of the tax cuts would include those individuals making more than $200,000 and families making more than $250,000. This list will be updated as more members make their position known.

House:
Mike Ross (Ark.)
Ann Kirkpatrick (Ariz.)
Harry Mitchell (Ariz.)
Jim Costa (Calif.)
John Salazar (Colo.)
Jim Himes (Conn.)
Allen Boyd (Fla.)
Ron Klein (Fla.)
John Barrow (Ga.)
Sanford Bishop Jr. (Ga.)
Jim Marshall (Ga.)
Walt Minnick (Idaho)
Melissa Bean (Ill.)
Joe Donnelly (Ind.)
Brad Ellsworth (Ind.)
Frank Kratovil (Md.)
Gary Peters (Mich.)
Travis Childers (Miss.)
Mike McIntyre (N.C.)
Earl Pomeroy (N.D.)
Harry Teague (N.M.)
Mike McMahon (N.Y.)
Zack Space (Ohio)
Dan Boren (Okla.)
Jason Altmire (Pa.)
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (S.D.)
Jim Cooper (Tenn.)
Lincoln Davis (Tenn.)
Jim Matheson (Utah)
Rick Boucher (Va.)
Glenn Nye (Va.)

Senate:
Liberman, Bayh, Ben Nelson and Webb

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Thursday renewed her pledge to pass an extension of the Bush tax cuts for the middle class, but now she’s leaving the door open to extending the tax cuts for upper-income Americans.

The California Democrat, speaking in the same room House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) appeared in earlier in the day, said that the “only thing I can tell you is the tax cuts for the middle class will be extended this Congress,” leaving open the possibility that cuts for people making more than $250,000 could be extended at some point, too.
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Raising taxes in time of this recession is idiotic.

Gay rights advocates went on high alert Thursday afternoon after Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), a key proponent of repealing the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, said that he believes Senate Republicans can kill the defense authorization bill containing the repeal if they choose to filibuster it – a step Sen. John McCain has already threatened to take.

“The question is whether the Senate leadership can negotiate an agreement with the Republicans that will allow the bill to come up and get them to feel that they can introduce amendments that they want to introduce as well,” Lieberman said in an interview with Kerry Eleveld of the Advocate, a web site and magazine for the gay community. “But until that happens, I don’t think the votes are there to break the filibuster, which would be a shame.”
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Good for John McCain – if he stays the course.

But that was soooooo nine months ago. On Thursday, Shultz will co-host a "garden party" fundraiser in Woodside for Fiorina…who, after initially balking, supports Prop. 23 (She calls it "a Band-Aid fix and an imperfect solution.") Not to mention she opposed/drubbed George's pal Campbell in the U.S. Senate primary.

Oh, but Carly's Prop. 23 support was sooooo two weeks ago. Now, apparently George has no problem co-hosting a $5,000-$10,000-a-head sitdown at the home of mogul/philanthropist Tad Taube for someone who opposes one of his pet initiatives — AND who opposed his chosen candidate in the primary.

Yes, that's called being a good Republican Team Player, as there is no "i" in Shultz. But by our count, George has his left foot on red, his right hand on blue and his ear on yellow. Twister!
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Politics makes strange bedfellows