Midterms May Mean More Republican States
Midterms may lead to more one-party GOP rule in states. NYT: "Republicans now control 59 of the 99 partisan legislative chambers, and have complete political control — both legislative houses and the governor’s mansion — in 23 states, while Democrats control 13. The total number of states ruled by a single political party, 36, is the highest in six decades. Officials from both parties say there are two states that the Republicans might be able to add to the list of places where they enjoy complete control — Iowa and Arkansas ... Republicans are looking to take over senates in Colorado, Iowa, Oregon, Maine and Nevada, and houses in Kentucky, New Hampshire and West Virginia ... Democrats are pouring resources into taking back senates in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, as well as the houses in Arkansas and Iowa. Democrats are in a position to pick up some governors’ seats in, among others, Pennsylvania and Florida."
Democrats tacking right in the midterm elections. Politico: "Faced with a treacherous political environment, many Democrats are trotting out campaign ads that call for balanced budgets, tax cuts and other more traditionally GOP positions. Some of them are running in congressional districts that just two years ago broke sharply for President Barack Obama ... Democratic candidates, however, might not be the only ones to go against the grain. Some election watchers predict that at least a few Republicans will eventually showcase their defiance of their party’s unpopular leaders. Already, GOP Rep. Jackie Walorski, who’s seeking reelection to a conservative northern Indiana seat, is airing ads promoting her work on Democratic-backed legislation."
Conservative State Policies Failing
Toldeo water crisis shows uselessness of libertarianism, argues NYT's Paul Krugman: "... the City of Toledo recently warned its residents not to drink the water. Why? Contamination from toxic algae blooms in Lake Erie, largely caused by the runoff of phosphorus from farms ... I remembered an antigovernment rant a few years back from [Red State's] Erick Erickson ... [He] suggested that oppressive government regulation had reached the point where citizens might want to 'march down to their state legislator’s house, pull him outside, and beat him to a bloody pulp.' And the source of his rage? A ban on phosphates in dishwasher detergent."
North Carolina cuts to jobless aid didn't help jobless. American Prospect's Valerie Wilson: "A full six months before Congress allowed these federal UI extensions to expire (in December 2013), the state of North Carolina disqualified its unemployed workers from receiving federal UI extensions ... North Carolina’s prime-age [employment-to-population ratio] began rising rapidly in the months prior to the duration cutback, began falling steadily just two months after the duration cutback, and differed very little in behavior after the cutback from prime-age EPOPs in surrounding states. This outcome provides little reason to believe that North Carolina’s cuts fundamentally improved the labor market in the state."
Americans Want To Help Child Migrants
Reuters poll shows Americans reject quick deportation of child migrants: "51 percent of Americans believe the unaccompanied children being detained at the U.S.-Mexico border should be allowed to remain in the country for some length of time. That included 38 percent who thought the unaccompanied youngsters should be sheltered and cared for until it was deemed safe for them to return home ... 48 percent of Democrats believe the children should be cared for until it is safe for them to return home, against 30 percent of Republicans and 37 percent of people who identified themselves as independents."
GOP won't fund legal counsel for children facing immigration courts. Politico: "...DOJ already faces a lawsuit in federal court in Seattle arguing that the children can’t get a fair hearing without legal counsel. In connection with that suit, a Sept. 3 court date has been set to hear arguments on a preliminary injunction seeking to block the government from proceedings with deportation hearings unless it first provides counsel ... Attorney General Eric Holder has been more expansive in proposing the use of federal funds to assist in getting lawyers, but he has run into a wall with the House GOP ... Republicans stripped out all money for attorneys for the children in their most recent supplemental spending bill Aug. 1 to deal with the border crisis."
