Election Day Updates
Races say as much about future as Election Day [CNN]: "Welcome to Election Day 2013, where two gubernatorial contests and the race for mayor of the nation's biggest city will be settled and a GOP primary battle for a U.S. House seat in Alabama is getting outsized attention. But what makes most of these 2013 elections interesting is what they may tell us about 2014 midterms and the 2016 race for the White House. ...Whichever party comes out on top in the crucial purple state will get instant bragging rights as the political spotlight shifts to the 2014 midterm elections."
Local, Not U.S., Issues at Play in Tuesday Voting [Time]: "Big judgments about the direction of the country will have to wait on this Election Day as voters around the country express opinions on a couple of governors’ races, several mayoral races and a host of local issues. Among the contests around the country Tuesday are governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey, and such questions as how best to turn the page in San Diego’s scandal-ridden mayor’s office and whether to spend more than $217 million to revive Houston’s shuttered Astrodome.
Touting Ken Cuccinelli, Ron Paul urges ‘nullification’ [Politico]: "Headlining the final rally of Ken Cuccinelli’s underdog campaign for Virginia governor, Ron Paul suggested the 'nullification' of Obamacare on Monday night. 'Jefferson obviously was a clear leader on the principle of nullification,' the former Texas congressman said of the third president. ... 'Nullification' is a loaded word, still brimming with connotations here in what was once the capital of the Confederacy. But it might not even have been the most provocative comment the 78-year-old made in a somewhat disjointed half-hour speech in the Richmond Convention Center."
Campaigning On Obamacare
Obama to Campaign to Ensure Health Law’s Success [New York Times]: "On the fifth anniversary of his election, President Obama told a rally of grass-roots supporters on Monday evening that 'I’ve got one more campaign in me' — to make sure his signature health care law works. The president, who has faced four years of Republican attacks against the law in Congress, state capitals and the Supreme Court, sought to reassure about 200 leaders of his Organizing for Action network at its health care summit meeting. His comments followed a month of controversy since the law’s health insurance exchanges opened, including the program’s malfunctioning website and complaints about canceled policies."
Up to 17 million Americans eligible for Obamacare tax credits: report [Reuters]: "As many as 17 million low- to moderate-income Americans should be eligible for tax credits to buy private health insurance under President Barack Obama's healthcare law in 2014, according to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The subsidies are a provision of the law that aims to make U.S. health coverage more affordable."
Media Matters says Sean Hannity is helping Citizen's United launch a campaign of Obamacare lies: Sean Hannity hosted Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and Citizens United as they used Fox News as a platform to launch a campaign targeted at ending the so-called congressional exemption to the Affordable Care Act. There's one problem: the congressional exemption does not exist. ...Contrary to the trio's claims, the reality is that the ACA requires Congress and its staff to obtain health insurance on the exchanges and also prohibits them from receiving subsidies under the ACA.
Did Obamacare Ruin or Save Your Life? Either Way, Pols Want You to #Testify [Time]: "The White House wants you to know about “Lucy from Texas,” who will save $2,300 on healthcare premiums. The Tea Party wants you to know about “Furious in Texas,” who will see premiums jump by nearly $500. ...There is no shortage of places to testify. The White House website has posted an open call for stories through its #GetCovered campaign, featuring quotes from relieved beneficiaries like Larry from California, Mark from Idaho, and Margaret from Washington. The Senate Republicans’ website requests uploads of #YourStory, ideally as a YouTube video. Meanwhile, the Republican National Committee wants photos of pink slips, letters from insurers, and screenshots of healthcare exchange glitches uploaded to its #Obamacosts website.
Senate Moves Close to Passing ENDA
Senate will move forward with ENDA [MSNBC]: "The Senate voted Monday to move forward with the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, expanding protections for LGBT workers. ENDA had enough bipartisan support to advance in a cloture vote, 61 to 30, a good sign for those who hope to see it pass the Senate later this week. Seven Republicans also supported the measure.
U.S. gay-rights bill clears Senate Republican hurdle; Boehner opposes measure [Reuters]: "Once the Senate gives its anticipated approval of the gay-rights bill, the measure will face an uphill climb in the Republican-led House of Representatives where Speaker John Boehner staked out his position in a one-sentence statement. 'The speaker believes this legislation will increase frivolous litigation and cost American jobs, especially small business jobs,' said Boehner's press secretary, Michael Steel. The statement made it clear that the chances to turn the bill into law before next year's elections were slim and that the legislation may not even come up for a House vote. Proponents, however, refused to give up hope."
Here's How To Get In Touch With The Republicans Who Think It's OK To Fire Employees For Being LGBT [Huffington Post]: "Fifty-four Senate Democrats and seven Republicans voted in support of the measure, which would make it illegal to discriminate against someone in the workplace on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Supporters applauded the move, saying the protections were a necessary addition to federal law, which currently allows employers to fire LGBT employees over their sexuality. None of the bill's opponents -- all Republican -- gave an explanation for their opposition during debate. You can ask them for one now by contacting them on Facebook or Twitter using the handy tool below."
Tempest In A Tea Party
NYT's Bruce Bartlett sees signs of the decline of the tea party: "Today, the problem isn’t the New Left, but the radical right, which has dominated American politics at least since the rise of the Tea Party movement in 2009 following the election of Barack Obama. It’s too soon to say for sure, but recent events suggest that some of those previously supporting the Tea Party have had their Harvard library moment. There are signs of a pushback among the wealthy, conservative elites and the business community that may see the political pendulum begin to swing back toward the middle."
Republicans abandoning the tea party?: MSNBC's Lawrence O’Donnell talks to congressional candidate Jason Thigpen about his decision to switch from the Republican party to the Democratic party, and looks as Charlie Crist's comeback in Florida -- as a Democrat.
