The Political Breakdown

Breakdown: Everything about the Senate Gun Control Legislation.

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 06:20:00 -0700

Here is everything that you wanted to know - and ought to know - about the Senate gun control legislation, but probably didn’t. Bipartisan gun control legislation put forward by President Barack Obama and largely supported by the Democratic party failed in the Senate this past week, sparking a firestorm of public criticism, public support, presidential fury, and general shitstorminess. But what is going on? What did the bill say, and why and how did it fail in the midst of the seemingly unending spree of gun violence rocking the nation? That’s what I aim to answer.

What did the bill say?

On February 5th the first of the bipartisan gun control bills was unveiled in Congress, by Republican Congressmen Patrick Meehan and Scott Rigell (PA, VA, respectively) and Democratic Congressmen/women Carolyn Maloney and Elijah Cummings (NY, MD, respectively). The legislation would make firearm trafficking a federal crime, and give a hefty jail time to those who bought guns for those prohibited from buying them. Soon after, a full package of gun control measures was unveiled. In total, it included:

Requiring background checks for online sales and sales at gun shows
Substitute for background check bill that increases enforcement and reporting on mentally ill people.
Renew and strengthen a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
Limit magazine sizes to ten rounds.
Make “straw purchasing” (buying a gun for someone prohibited from doing so) and trafficking a federal crime.
Reauthorize and improve mental health programs.
Impose penalties on states for releasing gun ownership data.
State reciprocity for the carrying of concealed firearms.
Allow only a judge to deem veterans mentally incompetent to own a gun.

This was the gun control legislation on the table. To me, it seemed logical and downright obvious. In fact, I was shocked some things like background checks for those attempting to buy a weapon designed to take human life did not exist in the first place.

Many of these measures were introduced jointly by Republicans and Democrats, as number five was. Out of all of these measures, of which background checks were arguably the most important, only six and seven were passed by the senate. Something as seemingly obvious as background checks was rejected, as was banning high capacity magazines and assault weapons. We are left only with improving mental health programs and the penalizing of states for releasing information on those who own guns. Nothing immediate or concrete is happening; the most vital measures all failed. On top of everything, six and seven will not be going into effect. They were attached to the bill at large, and since the bill at large did not pass, no new gun control legislation is going into effect. After Newton, after Aurora, after MIT - nothing.

Just WHY did these measures fail?

That is the million dollar question. In short, the bill did not receive enough votes. It needed more than 60 Senators’ support to avoid a filibuster; of the 55 Democrats and 45 Republican Senators, 52 Democrats supported the bill and only 4 Republicans. As is obvious, the gun control legislation received virtually no Republican support. President Obama, in a statement yesterday, accused Republican senators of falling prey to political pressure by the NRA instead of doing what was right. He went as far as accusing the NRA and Senators of willfully misleading the American public as to what the effects of the gun contra legislation would be. The NRA - National RIfle Association - put powerful pressure on the government to not increase gun control. According to the New York Times, they spent half a million dollars on Wednesday alone on advertisements criticizing the gun control legislation.

The senators who voted against the bill, of course dispute the President’s claims. Ohio Senator Rob Portman, like others, claims he followed his principles and his support of the Second Amendment - the right to bear arms. Republican Senator Jon Coryn of Texas claims he voted as his constituents would and not because of any NRA pressure. Polls do show, however, that 90% of Americans are in favor of the more stringent background checks. And the reasons given are confusing at best. Senator Flake of Arizona said it would require checks when a gun sale is posted on an office message board (false), while Senator Coburn of Oklahoma said it would raise taxes (what?). Senator Grassley of Iowa said that criminals would not submit to background checks, which apparently invalidates the idea of background checks entirely (?). As Jon Stewart so aptly pointed out, according to this logic it makes sense to not pass a law because hey, criminals are just going to break it anyway.

So what happens now?

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid used his power as majority leader to effectively “pause” the bill. The filibuster will not happen, which would take the bill off the table. Effectively, a “time out” was called, which gives those in support of the bill additional time to convert the critical number of senators necessary to approve the legislation. At any time a vote can be called again.

Now you now a bit about the gun control legislation that failed in the Senate. You know it’s main provisions, you know a bit about the excuses as to why it did not pass in the Senate. Do you think it should have, or should not? Now that you’re informed, the decisions is yours to make. I only encourage you to act on it once you make it.

Personal Opinion Alert: I support the gun control legislation. Why? Because gun violence is out of control. It is no longer the “other” in my life; it is a part of my life. Someone was murdered several days ago only a handful of blocks from my apartment. I have good friends at MIT, where a policeman was murdered only a few hours ago. Thank goodness my friends are okay, and I can only imagine the state that policeman’s family is in right now. This is real, and this is now. Gun violence will only skirt around us for so long. It is only a matter of time before someone we love gets hurt, and it becomes more real than we could ever imagine. Before that happens, I believe we need to take immediate, powerful action to curb it.

Sources:

New York Times, “Drive for Gun Control Blocked in Senate”

New York Times, “New Gun Measures Considered by the Senate”

Reuters, “Senate Democratic leader Reid hits pause on Gun-Control Bill”

Christian Science Monitor, “Four Reasons the Gun Control Bill May be Kaput”

One Boston Marathon bombing suspect in custody, another remains on the loose.

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:17:37 -0700

One Boston Marathon bombing suspect in custody, another remains on the loose.:

Doing my best to keep abreast of the situation. Stay safe, Boston.

"But the fact is most of these senators could not offer any good reason why we wouldn’t want to make..."

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 09:02:00 -0700

“

But the fact is most of these senators could not offer any good reason why we wouldn’t want to make it harder for criminals and those with severe mental illnesses to buy a gun. There were no coherent arguments as to why we wouldn’t do this. It came down to politics — the worry that that vocal minority of gun owners would come after them in future elections. They worried that the gun lobby would spend a lot of money and paint them as anti-Second Amendment.

And obviously, a lot of Republicans had that fear, but Democrats had that fear, too. And so they [Republican Congressmen] caved to the pressure, and they started looking for an excuse — any excuse — to vote “no.”

…So all in all, this was a pretty shameful day for Washington.

”

- - President Barack Obama

Speaking yesterday on the failure of Congress to pass a bill that would have extended background checks for those attempting to buy a gun. Ninety percent of Democrats in Congress voted in favor of the bill. Ninety percent of Republicans voted against it.

Truer words were never spoken.

The Senate Fails American on Gun Bills

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 06:57:04 -0700

The Senate Fails American on Gun Bills:

I wanted to write about this, but sometimes others just say it better. I’ve had a lot of faith in the American government, but this - this is unconscionable.

Those senators, 41 Republicans and four Democrats, killed a bill on Wednesday to expand background checks for gun buyers. It was the last, best hope for meaningful legislation to reduce gun violence after a deranged man used semiautomatic weapons to kill 20 children and six adults at the school in Newtown, Conn., 18 weeks ago. A ban on assault weapons was voted down by 60 senators; 54 voted against a limit on bullet magazines.

The Daily Breakdown: 4/16/2013

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 08:27:00 -0700

Boston Marathon: The final toll is three killed and more than 140 hurt by bombs at the Boston Marathon. The youngest victim was eight-year-old Martin Richards. Two bomb blasts detonated twelve seconds apart at approximately 2:40PM EST time yesterday. No suspects have been detained yet.

Read: “Three Killed in Marathon blast”

Earthquake: A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Iran near the Iran-Pakistan border and was felt across the Middle Eastern region. At least 45 people have been reported killed. One government official described it as “the biggest earthquake Iran has felt for forty years”.

Read: “Large Earthquake felt across Middle East”

Strike: Many prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, a United States military prison where many suspected of being “foreign combatants” have been held prisoner for more than a decade without trial, have been hunger striking for months. Almost a dozen are being force fed. On Sunday, prisoners and guards clashed as auhtorities moved striking inmates out of communal cellblocks. Lawyers for the prisoners say the strike reflects a growing disillusionment and lack of patience with a government failing to treat inmates correctly.

Read: “Clashes at Guantanamo “

Breakdown: Boston Marathon Bombing.

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:43:00 -0700

Update 3: As of 5:59PM EST hospitals report they are treating 69 wounded from the Boston marathon bombing.

Update 2: President Obama is to address the nation in ten minutes, at 3 PM PCT / 6PM EST.

Update 1: Boston’s Mayor Tom Menino has arranged a telephone hotline for worried friends and relatives: +1-617-635-4500.

——

If you’re late to the news like me, here is what we know:

Two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon have left at least two dead and 23 injured. The first occurred at 2:50PM local time.
Police have found and are dismantling at least two other explosive devices.
Video and photographs from Boston show a scene of confusion, with emergency services descending on the scene and bloodied spectators being taken to a medical tent.
“There are a lot of people down,” said one runner quoted by AP news agency.
Police have arrested no suspects; the news that it was a “Saudi National” is patently false.
Google has created a Runner Finder if someone you know was running the race.

The BBC News has a full photo album of stills of the tragedy. Be advised, it is not for the faint of heart. Please keep the victims in your thoughts. May justice be served swiftly and mercilessly to the perpetrators.

Sources:

BBC News, “Boston Marathon rocked by twin explosions.”

CNN, “Boston Marathon bombs kill 2, hurt dozens.”

"“Obama phone” is the widely used — and misleading — nickname of a 28-year-old federal program known..."

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:02:03 -0700

“

“Obama phone” is the widely used — and misleading — nickname of a 28-year-old federal program known as Lifeline. It provides discounts, averaging $9.25 a month, on phone service for 13.3 million low-income subscribers.

In the three and a half years after false rumors started that the Obama administration was giving free cellphones to poor people — and six months after a racially charged video about it went viral — a once-obscure phone service subsidy is getting renewed scrutiny on Capitol Hill…

..Lifeline was begun not by President Obama but under Ronald Reagan. It expanded to include cellphone service during the presidency of another Republican, George W. Bush. In Obama’s first term, amid evidence of widespread fraud, the Federal Communications Commission moved to crack down on the program, saving what it predicts will be $400 million this year, on top of $214 million in 2012.

Never mind all that. “Obama phone” has stuck.

”

- Washington Post, “‘Obama Phones’ Subsidy program draws scrutiny on Capitol Hill”

Sometimes I wonder if the people that laud Reagan and look to him as the ideal President actually know anything about what he did.

The Daily Breakdown: 4/9/2013

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 20:33:00 -0700

Gun Control Resurrection: It has been announced that the Senate will hold a vote on Thursday on whether to debate a gun control law. The vote is not on the bill, but whether the Senate will discuss the gun control bill. Conservatives have been blocking the vote, but as their coalition splinters under the pressure to augment gun control, the 60 votes they need to filibuster may not be forthcoming. Though the legislation to be voted on on Thursday would expand the background checks and make gun trafficking a federal crime among other things, the assault weapons band and limits on ammunition magazine size have been dropped from the bill.

Read at: “US Senate to vote on gun control on Thursday”

Escalation: North Korea has warned foreigners in South Korea to exit the country, ostensibly because they are going to begin bombing it. A statement that apparently came from Pyongyang (capital of North Korea)’s Asia Pacific Peace Committee warned the situation in the Korean peninsula is spiraling towards thermonuclear war. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon is warning the crisis may escalate out of control if it continues to develop.

Read at: “UN Chief warns crisis could become uncontrollable”

The Daily Breakdown: 4/8/2013

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 08:23:00 -0700

The Daily Breakdown is a new series I’m trying out where I’ll post a few headlines of American and international news every workday morning. The idea is to keep you - and myself - knowledgeable on the important issues of (literally) the day. Let me know what you think. Oh, and if anyone is curious, we won the robotics competition.

Immigration: The Gang of Eight - the eight senators working on a comprehensive immigration reform bill, including Marco Rubio, John McCain, and Chuck Schumer - believe the bill will be finalized this week. An attempt at immigration reform was made in 2007 but collapsed when the two parties and interest groups could not come to a compromise.

Read at:” Senate negotiators finalize deal”

Sexism?: The political blogosphere is awash with opinions on US President Barack Obama’s comment that California attorney general kamala Harris is the “best looking attorney general in the country”. The White House has apologized, calling the comment “distracting” and “inappropriate”. This comment was preceded by Obama saying she was “brilliant and dedicated and she is tough, and she is exactly what you’d want in anbyody with is administering the law”.

Read at: “Obama Apology”

Censorship: Uganda is considering introducing a law that would bann skirts above the knee, citing it as “indecent” and “provocative”. Filsm and TV dramas that violated these rules would be banned from the country. There is a huge backlash from women’s rights groups at the talk of the measure.

Read at: “Uganda proposes ban”

Scheduled interruption to the Daily Breakdown while my students and I compete in a Las Vegas robotics competition. TDB returns Monday.

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 09:36:54 -0700

The Daily Breakdown: Tuesday, 4/2/2013

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 08:23:00 -0700

Gun Control: Though the federal assault weapons ban may be dead, Connecticut is taking matters into their own hands. Lawmakers will vote on a comprehensive set of gun restrictions that would - among other things - ban high-capacity magazines, require background checks on all gun sales, and further expand the states’ assault weapons ban to include one hundred new types of firearm. The proposal, which will be voted on tomorrow, is expected to pass with bipartisan support.

See more: “Connecticut agrees to sweeping gun laws”

Brain Mapping: President Obama announced a one hundred million dollar investment in brain mapping research, in order to furhter understanding of how the brai works and come closer to cures for conditions such as Alzheimers and epilepsy. The project is called Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies, which is shortened to - you guessed it - BRAIN.

See more: “President Obama announced new brain initiative”

Escalation: North Korea is continuing the escalation by announcing today that it will restart a nuclear reactor it shut down more than five years ago. By doing so they are reneging on an agreement reached in October 2007 with the United States and other nations. North Korea is already believed to have four to ten nuclear weapons.

See more: “North Korea plans to restart shuttered nuclear reactor”

The Daily Breakdown: 4/1/2013

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 08:15:00 -0700

US Immigration Reform: Senator Marco Rubio (Republican, Florida), the Cuban darling of the tea party hoped to bring Latinos to the side of the Republican party, has issued a statement saying that a legislative proposal for immigration reform is not yet complete. He is part of a bipartisan Senate group of eight (known as the “Gang of Eight”) working on a bill that would overhaul immigration reform, offering a path to citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants. Rubio is toeing an extremely fine line as he attempts to please his hyperconservative base and also work towards reform.

See more: “Rubio Among Senators Working on Immigration”

Drug Patent: In a landmark decision, India’s Supreme Court will not allow drug company Novartis AG to patent a new version of their cancer drug Glivec. This has a tremendous impact: the generic version of the drug will still be available for the many poor cancer patients who would be unable to afford the Novartis version. India’s generic drug industry provides a great deal of the cheap medicine used in the developing world.

See More: “Drug Patent”

North vs. South: Tensions continue to rise between North and South Korea. South Korea has promised a “strong response” to North Korean aggression. On Saturday, North Korea stated it was entering a “state of war” with its southern neighbor.

See more: “South Korea Pledges Strong Response”

The Daily Breakdown: 3/29/2013

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 08:39:00 -0700

I’m trying something new - a daily breakdown of a few relevant facts going on in the world today. Predominantly but not entirely based around the US. Read and enjoy.

Private Funding: In a move driven in part by Republican oppposition to increase government spending, President Obama is appealing to private sources to find infrastructure projects. The administration will propose tax breaks and other incentives for foreign funds that invest in US infrastructure.

See: “Obama Promotes Infrastructure Plan”

Growing US Economy: The US economy is growing! In the fourth quarter of 2012 the economy grew at .4%, according to the Department of Commerce. Only 0.1% growth was expected. Still, this was a slowdown from last quarter due to a decrease in government spending brought about by sequester.

See: “US Growth is faster than expected”

North Korea Rocket: North Korea is still being crazy. Leader Kin Jong Un apparently approved a plan to put rockets targeting mainland U.S. on standby. However, many remain skeptical of North Korea’s abilities to actually launch an international strike.

See: “North Korea Prepares Strike”

I don’t post this to lambast anyone - keep in mind that...

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 06:58:00 -0700

I don’t post this to lambast anyone - keep in mind that though we disagree, Post #1 is from a good friend of mine. I post this because the second comment is extremely prescient; it’s so true though, isn’t it? “Redefinition” seems to often be a hidden way of saying “exclusion”.

The Error in the Growth and Opportunity Project Report

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 20:14:00 -0700

The RNC Growth and Opportunity Project report (released several days ago by the RNC) is a blistering, hundred page long self-critique of why the GOP lost the 2012 election and how it needs to change. It included a widespread plan to transform itself into a modern party; according to the Washington Post, the plan called for Republicans to change their views on immigration reform and spend millions of dollars putting “boots on the ground” to reach out to minority voters.

Thrilling, isn’t it? In an article I titled “Why the Republican Party Lost”, I posited that the election would force the GOP into a contemplative internal assessment, which would conclude with them becoming a tolerable party. Does it look like this is coming to pass? Maybe, but I have my doubts.

Now, I haven’t read the Growth and Opportunity Project document in full, yet, though I’m working on it. But from the synopses I’ve read and the excellent NPR coverage of it I’ve listened to, the document focuses largely on the negative perception of the Republican party by American citizens. How so many citizens share its values but are hesitant to vote for the party because it is perceived as against most everything. Jed Bush, in his speech at CPAC several days ago, echoed similar sentiments. He said:

“All too often we’re associated with being ‘anti’ everything,” he said. “Way too many people believe Republicans are anti-immigrant, anti-woman, anti-science, anti-gay, anti-worker, and the list goes on and on and on. Many voters are simply unwilling to choose our candidates even though they share our core beliefs, because those voters feel unloved, unwanted and unwelcome in our party.”

At first glance, this reads as plausible and okay. But as soon as I thought about it, I realized the fatal flaw. There was a massive break between the rhetoric and the reality. After all, Jeb Bush was talking about how the Republican party was unfortunately perceived as anti-gay, while speaking at a convention where the gay Republican organization GoProud was banned because they were perceived as not being conservative enough. The irony is beyond laughable, it is simply overwhelming. The Republican party is not “associated” with being anti-everything, it very nearly is.

I thought this critique would be a step in the right direction, but it looks like it may be another Republican attempt at self-delusion. The Republican party does not have a perception problem, as Jeb Bush and the well-intentioned but I believe, ultimately ill-fated Growth and Opportunity Project report seem to espouse. They have a policy problem, and a big one. Boots on the ground won’t matter when at the end of the day the policies of the Republican party are still anti-immigrant, anti-women, anti-gay, “anti-everything”, as Jed Bush so aptly said. Until the Republican party accepts that it must change their stance and policies on issues such as immigration, women’s rights, and gay rights, and not just their rhetoric, they’ll remain doomed to fail.

Sources:

“Struggling Republican Party announces plan to rebuild itself.” The Washington Post.

“Jeb Bush CPAC Speech centers on inclusion and acceptance.” The Huffington Post

“RNC Report Calls for Outreach.” NPR.org.

"At a time when controversy over the Obama administration’s drone program seems to be cresting, the..."

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 09:09:00 -0700

“

At a time when controversy over the Obama administration’s drone program seems to be cresting, the CIA is close to taking a major step toward getting out of the targeted killing business. Three senior U.S. officials tell The Daily Beast that the White House is poised to sign off on a plan to shift the CIA’s lethal targeting program to the Defense Department.

The move could potentially toughen the criteria for drone strikes, strengthen the program’s accountability, and increase transparency. Currently, the government maintains parallel drone programs, one housed in the CIA and the other run by the Department of Defense. The proposed plan would unify the command and control structure of targeted killings and create a uniform set of rules and procedures. The CIA would maintain a role, but the military would have operational control over targeting. Lethal missions would take place under Title 10 of the U.S. Code, which governs military operations, rather than Title 50, which sets out the legal authorities for intelligence activities and covert operations.

..Brennan, who has presided over the administration’s drone program from almost day one of Obama’s presidency, has grown uncomfortable with the ad-hoc and sometimes shifting rules that have governed it..The recent nomination of Brennan to head the CIA became a kind of proxy battle over targeted killings and the administration’s reluctance to be more forthcoming about the covert program.

It looks like the White House may now be preparing to launch a campaign to counter the growing perception - with elites if not the majority of the public - that Obama is running a secretive and legally dubious killing machine. For weeks, though the White House has not confirmed it, administration officials have been whispering about the possibility that Obama would make a major speech about counterterrorism policy, including efforts to institutionalize - but also reform - the kinds of lethal operations that have been a hallmark of his war on terrorism. With an eye on posterity, Obama may feel the time has come to demonstrate publicly that his policies, for all of the criticism, have stayed within the law and American values.

”

- Daniel Klaidman, “No More Drones for CIA”

Those who are deeply critical of drone strikes may find some modicum of relief in the big changes that look to be coming to the program.

inothernews: Front page, New York Daily News, Wednesday 20...

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 08:22:04 -0700

inothernews:

Front page, New York Daily News, Wednesday 20 March 2013.

(via Newseum)

Rarely reblog, but I had to. Shame on the US. Shame on us.

againstpower: saynethingb: what the fuck does this have to do...

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:09:00 -0700

againstpower:

saynethingb:

what the fuck does this have to do with the Obama administration. I swear this world is getting fucking more ignorant by the day.

That is a kid killed by one of Obama’s drones. You know, the drone strikes he personally approves each time it happens? Let me repeat that, Obama personally approves each drone strike.

Except for the ones he doesn’t, of course.

Some CIA strikes can be approved directly the CIA director. (Source: ProPublica)
The White House - a very large catch term for boards/committees within the executive branch - approves the air strike kill list.
If a target is particularly sensitive, the President may approve it himself. (Source: ProPublica)

Aheram, I enjoy your blog even though I strongly disagree with much of what you write. But get your facts straight. And secondly, this type of one-shot, gross picture to invoke a knee-jerk reaction is pitiful. It’s exactly analogous to - and just as foul as - the people lobbying for the end to abortion rights for women, carrying signs with mutilated fetus pictures. You can do better.

"The US state of South Dakota has enacted a law allowing school districts to arm teachers and other..."

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 08:47:00 -0700

“

The US state of South Dakota has enacted a law allowing school districts to arm teachers and other school staff.The law’s backers say it will prevent mass school shootings like a December massacre in Connecticut that killed 26.

Amid a push by the White House to strengthen gun laws, the bill reflects a growing divide in the US over whether more or fewer guns keep people safe. The measure does not force school districts to arm teachers and will not require teachers to carry guns. But it allows each school district to choose if staff could be armed. It takes effect in July.

Under the Republican-sponsored bill, school staff given permission to carry firearms on campus will be known as “school sentinels”. The state has given a law enforcement commission the task of establishing a training programme for the sentinels.

”

- BBC News, “South Dakota to allow armed teachers in schools”

“Sentinels”? What is this, a video game? A sci-fi book? Giving everyone guns is not the answer.

Then Again, Maybe Not.

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:09:00 -0700

The day after the election, I wrote a well-received opinion article called “Why the Republican Party Lost”. In it, I espoused that reflection over the abysmal loss would lead the Republican party to make some desperately needed changes in order to put forward viable candidates for governance once again.

The Republican Party lost the election last night because they were appealing to a country that no longer existed…the country has changed. Latinos are now the biggest minority in the country. The Asian-American birthrate just exceeded that of the Latinos. Gay rights is going to continue to progress - get over it. And what could possibly make you think we’re going to regress to a point where a woman can be told what to do with her own body?

I am thrilled that President Obama won last night’s election, for reasons far more important than because his stances line up with my personal sociopolitical beliefs more closely than those of his opponent. I am happy because the Republicans will be forced to accept the fact that they lost touch with the keystone of the democratic system: compromise…In order to receive power, one had to moderate their views and compromise with opposition to make their base powerful enough to win an election. Somewhere in the din of Karl Rove, Donald Trump, and Bill Maher, the Republicans forgot this. They thought if you shouted loud enough, you can win. Thank God this isn’t how our country works.

Unfortunately, after reading Michael Moynihan’s article on CPAC over at The Daily Beast, I may have spoken too soon. In “Heresy Hunters Rule CPAC”, he writes:

Every year the doyens of the Conservative Political Action Conference issue a series of indirect proclamations on who qualifies as an echt conservative. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie? Not one of us; too chummy with the president during Hurricane Sandy and too squishy on gun control. The gay conservative group GOProud? We’re open to sinners—Newt Gingrich is a scheduled speaker, after all—but not ones who have contempt for the institution of marriage. Donald Trump? A sinner too, on wife No. 3 and pro-abortion rights to boot, he believes that President Obama might have been born in Kenya. Nevertheless, Trump is an “American patriot” popular with conservatives, said one conference organizer.

It’s hardly surprising that CPAC is interested in ideological purity, considering the right-wing confab is organized by the American Conservative Union, a group that provides “legislative rankings” to those in Congress who insist on differentiating between those “who protect liberty as conservatives and those who are truly liberal.” As its website explains, “ACU defines conservatism” (emphasis in original). And that definition seems rather narrow these days.

Granted, CPAC hardly speaks for all conservatives. Moynihan makes it clear that it is not just Democrats disturbed by CPAC’s rhetoric, but many Republicans as well. Still, it shows that my post-election optimism for the GOP may have been somewhat…optimistic.

-TPB