Despite A 0.0002 Percent Rate Of Voter Fraud, Reince Priebus Claims Wisconsin Is ‘Riddled With Voter Fraud’

By Scott Keyes/Think Progress

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus made a curious claim on MSNBC today, alleging that Wisconsin is a state “that was absolutely riddled with voter fraud.”

The problem? A recent study by the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice found just seven cases of voter fraud out of three million votes cast in Wisconsin during the 2004 election, a fraud rate of 0.0002percent. All seven of these cases involved persons with felony convictions who weren’t eligible to vote after being released from prison.

Unfazed by the minuscule incidence of actual voter fraud – comedian Stephen Colbert jokedthat “our democracy is under siege from an enemy so small it could be hiding anywhere” – Priebus went on MSNBC to defend Wisconsin’s new photo ID requirement and yesterday’s anti-voting rights measure passed by the House GOP. When host Martin Bashir pushed the RNC Chair about his party’s motivations for restricting voting rights, Priebus pointed to his home state of Wisconsin and declared, “I come from a state in Wisconsin that was absolutely riddled with voter fraud, okay?”

BASHIR: Just last night Republicans in the House voted to dismantle the Election Assistance Commission, the sole purpose of which is to make sure states meet voting standards that prevent fraud. Why would Republicans do that if they’re honestly concerned about preventing fraud? [...]

PRIEBUS: Well listen, I don’t want to get into the specifics here, but let me tell you something. I come from a state in Wisconsin that was absolutely riddled with voter fraud, okay? They had the smokes-for-votes exchange in Milwaukee. This is something that has nothing to do with constitutional rights of the people who are committing the fraud, it has to do with the constitutional rights of people under our Constitution that one person gets one vote, not two or three or four or five, by not having reasonable voting standards in this country to make sure that fraud doesn’t occur.

Watch it:

Research has found that voters are 39 times more likely to be struck by lightning than commit voter fraud at the polls, and 3,500 times more likely to report a UFO encounter.

Voter fraud certainly ought to be prosecuted in the extremely rare instances when it occurs. But Republicans like Priebus are using the false specter of fraud as a cudgel to disenfranchise millions.

GOP Presidential Candidate Roemer: Romney Represents The 1 Percent And Gingrich Is Their Lobbyist

By Zaid Jilani/Think Progress

GOP presidential primary candidate and former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer has distinguished himself from the rest of the field by allying himself with the 99 Percent, visiting Occupy Wall Street and Occupy D.C., and running on a platform of attacking Big Money and special interest influence in politics.

This afternoon, during an appearance on MSNBC, Roemer took both the media and his opponents in the race to task. Roemer told MSNBC that he has yet to hear a single question from debate moderators about where the leading candidates are getting their money from. He also concluded that former Massachussetts Gov. Mitt Romney represents the 1 Percent and that Newt Gingrich is their lobbyist:

ROEMER: [Addressing MSNBC anchor] I have yet to hear a question from you political experts during the debate about where did you get your money?

(crosstalk)

ROEMER: I know, I didn’t mean to pick on you for it, I’m sorry. But I am passionate about this. Look, there is a difference between the one percent who rule the country and the ninety-nine who suffer their mistakes. I believe that Mitt Romney represents the one percent and I believe that Newt Gingrich is the lobbyist for the one percent.

Watch it:

The New Hampshire Union Leader editorial board agrees that Romney represents the 1 Percent, as publisher Joe McQuaid said his paper refused to endorse the former Massachusetts governor for this reason. Although he never registered as a lobbyist, Gingrich has had a long career as an influence peddler since leaving office, working for the ethanol industry, oil industry, health interests, and Information Technology companies, for starters.

Fox Regular Frank Luntz Advises GOP To Use Fox-y Language

From Media Matters

Frequent Fox News guest and "word doctor" Frank Luntz has reportedly advised the Republican Governors Association on how to discuss taxes and the Occupy protests, using phrases like "government taking from the rich" and urging protesters to "occupy the White House." This language is nothing new to Luntz's regular Fox hosts, who adopted the Luntz-approved language weeks ago.

Luntzspeak: Don't Say Taxes, Say Government Is "Taking" From The Rich

Luntz: Don't Talk About The Government "Raising Taxes On The Rich." Addressing the Republican Governors Association annual meeting, Luntz reportedly urged GOP officials to avoid saying "taxes on the rich." Yahoo News' Chris Moody reported:

"If you talk about raising taxes on the rich," the public responds favorably, Luntz cautioned. But "if you talk about government taking the money from hardworking Americans, the public says no. Taxing, the public will say yes." [Yahoo News, 12/1/11]

Fox Regularly Uses Luntz-Approved Tax Rhetoric

Sean Hannity: Liberals "Will Empower Their Government To Take It From The Greedy Rich."While discussing Occupy Wall Street protests, Sean Hannity said the protesters wanted to empower the government to take from the rich:

HANNITY: Look at these pictures. This is the heart and soul of modern liberalism and I would argue the decline of America that people feel they have the right to other people's money and they will empower their government to take it from the greedy rich, a narrative that the president himself started. [Fox News, Hannity, 11/15/11, via Nexis]

Hannity: Occupy Protesters "Empower The Government To Take Everybody's Money And Redistribute It." Claiming that the Occupy movement lacks precise demands, Hannity argued that the protesters want government to "take everybody's money and redistribute it":

HANNITY: If there's one, I guess, common theme that runs through I guess the narrative that they are advancing down there is that, they hate corporations, they hate capitalism, and in the end, ultimately, they want statism over free markets. So, they really don't like freedom. But they empower the government to take everybody's money and redistribute it into programs they want, right? [Fox News, Hannity, 10/3/11, via Nexis]

Hannity: Occupy Protesters Are "Begging The Government To Take Other People's Money."Discussing the Occupy Wall Street protesters, Hannity said protesters are "begging the government to take other people's money":

HANNITY: If they wouldn't stay up all night making signs and staying down there for weeks, they could actually be working instead of begging the government to take other people's money. It's an interesting concept. I'll go down there and lecture them. I'll give a speech. [Fox News, Hannity, 9/30/11, via Nexis]

Stuart Varney: Occupy Protesters "Want To Take It Off Those Who Are Successful." Fox Business host Stuart Varney said Occupy protesters have the "entitlement mentality" and claimed:

VARNEY: These people could just as well be in London protesting their cuts there, they could be in Athens, protesting austerity, they could be in Rome. They are just like Europeans. They have the entitlement mentality. They want to take it off those who are successful and have it and spread it around in the hope that somehow it. [Fox News, Hannity, 11/15/11, via Nexis]

Bill O'Reilly: The "Income Equality Group" Wants "Governments Around The World To Take Money Away From The Affluent." Fox News' Bill O'Reilly said Occupy protesters want government to take money from the affluent:

O'REILLY: Now, the President's use of the word justice is interesting. What's the definition of justice? Some folks believe that it's making sure everybody has the same amount of money. That's the income equality group. They want governments around the world to take money away from the affluent and business and give it to the quote, unquote, "people." [Fox News,The O'Reilly Factor, 10/17/11, via Nexis]

O'Reilly: Occupy Groups "Want The Government To Take Money Away From The Affluent And Give It To Them." O'Reilly also said:

O'REILLY: But again, what do these people want? The common thread seems to be income equality. Groups like the Working Families Party and the Strong Economy for all Coalition are basically socialistic outfits. They want the government to take money away from the affluent and give it to them. Nice deal if you can get it. And you can get it in places like Cuba and Zimbabwe. [Fox News, The O'Reilly Factor, 10/5/11, via Nexis]

Luntzspeak: Say, "You Should Occupy The White House"

Luntz: "Tell Them, 'You Shouldn't Be Occupying Wall Street, You Should Be Occupying Washington.' " During his session with RGA, Luntz reportedly stated:

Tell them, "You shouldn't be occupying Wall Street, you should be occupying Washington. You should occupy the White House because it's the policies over the past few years that have created this problem." [Yahoo News, 12/1/11]

Fox: "Why Don't They Protest In Front Of The White House?"

Hannity: "Why Don't They Protest In Front Of The White House?" Discussing the Occupy protests, Hannity asked: "Why don't they protest in front of the White House? [Fox News, Hannity, 10/14/11, via Nexis]

O'Reilly: Occupy Protests "Would Be In Front Of The White House" If They Were Against Crony Capitalism. O'Reilly questioned the Occupy movement's motives, saying if it were "a spontaneous demonstration against crony capitalism," protesters would be outside the White House:

O'REILLY: OK. Crony capitalism, that's interesting. Then why aren't they in Lafayette Park across the street from the White House? Just today --

CAROLINE HELDMAN: I would agree.

O'REILLY: -- just today the White House issued a statement, Leslie that said they are now investigating the Solyndra crony capitalism case. And you know why? Because a congressional committee is going to issue subpoenas next week to the White House to show why they wasted half a billion of taxpayer dollars in Solyndra.

So this is far more. This isn't a spontaneous demonstration against crony capitalism. If it were, they would be in front of the White House. [Fox News, The O'Reilly Factor, 10/28/11, via Nexis]

Eric Bolling: The "Real Place To Occupy" Is The White House. Fox News host Eric Bolling pointed to protesters disrupting a speech President Obama gave in New Hampshire and claimed that it showed that Occupy protesters "finally found the real place to occupy" -- "the White House":

BOLLING: They finally woke up and realize everything you're against, corporate greed and all that, cronyism, is going on from the White House directly to all the Obama cronies, whether it's the congress people who are trading illegally or all the transfers of payment of our money to green energy program that aren't working. That's what you need to occupy. Good job.

[...]

BOLLING: They found the real place to occupy. It's the White House. [Fox News, The Five, 11/22/11, via Nexis]

Bolling: Protesters Should Be "Marching On The Capitol Or The White House." Complaining that Occupy protesters were marching on the Chamber of Commerce, Bolling claimed:

BOLLING: Occupy Wall Street now occupying D.C., the anti-capitalist demonstration spreading beyond New York, but instead of marching on the Capitol or the White House, they are descending on the Chamber of Commerce. [Fox News, Your World with Neil Cavuto, 10/6/11, via Nexis]

Luntz Regularly Teams Up With Fox To Promote And Test Conservative Messages

After Luntz Appearance, Fox Exec Bill Sammon Directed News Staff Not To Use Phrase "Public Option." At the height of the health care reform debate in 2009, Fox News Washington managing editor Bill Sammon sent a memo to Fox News journalists directing them not to use the phrase "public option," but rather "government option" and similar phrases. Sammon's directive echoed advice from Luntz on how the GOP could turn public opinion against Democrats' reform efforts. [Media Matters, 3/29/11]

Luntz Chided Fox News Focus Group For Saying They Would Vote Against GOP. Conducting a focus group on Hannity's Fox News show, Luntz discussed the debate over raising the national debt limit, asking whether voters would vote against Republicans if they voted to raise the debt ceiling. After several members of Luntz's focus group panel raised their hands to indicate that they would vote "as a protest" against Republicans who "cast a vote to raise the debt ceiling," Luntz chided them: Oh come on. Seriously?" [Fox News, Hannity, 7/13/11, via Media Matters]

Luntz Asked GOP Focus Group If Obama Is A Socialist; Group -- And Hannity -- Said Yes. In May, Luntz went on Hannity to speak with a focus group about a GOP debate. He asked focus group members if they believed that Obama was a socialist. Hannity agreed with the group that Obama met "the dictionary definition of what a socialist is." [Fox News, Hannity, 5/5/11]

Can Gingrich top Romney?

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Half of Michigan African Americans will soon be under the rule of an Emergency Manager

By Eclectablog/Angry Black Chronicles/Eclectablog

With the breaking news today that Michigan Governor Rick Snyder will be installing an Emergency Manager in Detroit, this brings up an interesting point to ponder:

Based on 2010 census figures, when Detroit gets an Emergency Manager, 49% of Michigan African Americans will have lost their representative government and will be under the rule of an Emergency Manager.

City	Population	% African American	# of African Americans
Benton Harbor	10,038	89.2%	8,954
Detroit	713,777	82.7%	590,294
Flint	102,434	56.6%	57,978
Pontiac	59,515	52.1%	31,007
Total			688,233

[Source: U.S. Census Bureau]

Michigan had 9,883,640 residents in 2010, 14.2% of whom were African Americans for a total of 1,403,477.

I’ll leave you to do the math as a take-home exercise.

Republican strategist ‘frightened to death’ by Occupy movement

By Eric W. Dolan/Raw Story

Conservative governors were advised on how to deal with the “Occupy Wall Street” movement during the Republican Governor Association meeting this week in Florida, according Yahoo News’ Chris Moody.

The protest against political and economic inequalities started in New York City on September 17, and later spread across the country and even to other parts of the globe.

Although the movement has faced recent setbacks due to their encampments being dismantled by police, and negative media reports of drugs and violence, many have noted that the protesters forced to nation to focus its attention on unchecked corporate power.

Republican strategist Frank Luntz gave numerous tips on how to rhetorically deal with the protests, and counter their message.

“I’m so scared of this anti-Wall Street effort. I’m frightened to death,” Luntz said. “They’re having an impact on what the American people think of capitalism.”

Using the phrase “taking from the rich” rather than “taxing the rich” was one piece of advice from Luntz. Another was to talk about “careers” rather than “jobs.”

He also suggested that Republicans should stay away from the word “capitalism.”

“I’m trying to get that word removed and we’re replacing it with either ‘economic freedom’ or ‘free market,’ ” Luntz said. “The public . . . still prefers capitalism to socialism, but they think capitalism is immoral. And if we’re seen as defenders of quote, Wall Street, end quote, we’ve got a problem.”

Luntz said the Republicans governors should sympathize with the “Occupy Wall Street” movement, by claiming they “get it.” But they should respond to the frustration of the protesters with Republican solutions.

Many Republicans have already criticized the movement for directing its ire against Wall Street rather than Washington, and Luntz thinks they should continue to do so.

He advised the Republican governors to tell the protesters: “You shouldn’t be occupying Wall Street, you should be occupying Washington. You should occupy the White House because it’s the policies over the past few years that have created this problem.”

Former Republican Senator: The GOP Presidential Field Is ‘Embarrassing’

By Alex Seitz-Wald/Think Progress

Republican John Danforth, who served as a senator from Missouri for nearly 20 years and later as George W. Bush’s ambassador the United Nations, is not happy with the slate of Republican presidential candidates. “I’ve been watching some of these Republican debates andthey’re just terrible. Terrible,” he told KTRS in St. Louis yesterday. “It’s embarrassing for me as a Republican to watch this stuff,” he added, calling out audiences for applauding the candidates’ morbid boastings. Via Fired Up Missouri:

DANFORTH: What have been the big applause lines in these debates? Well, a statement that the governor of Texas is responsible for killing 234 people on death row. Or that we favor torture. Or that we’re creating a fence on the Mexican border that electrocutes peoplewhen they try to cross it. Or when people show up at the emergency room at hospitals and they’re not insured don’t treat them. And that, I mean these are the big applause lines, people just hoop and holler when they hear all that. [...]

It doesn’t have anything to do with the republican party that I was a part of. This is just totally different. And all of these people who are saying this, y’know, and claiming that, y’know, they’re for all this stuff, they also sort of ostentatiously say, “Oh, we’re very religious people. We really, we’re just very pious, Christian people.” They were for torture, and electrocution of the people on along the border and all of that. That doesn’t have anything to do with, is contrary to the Christianity that I understand.

Danforth is an ordained Episcopal priest.

Since leaving public office, Danforth has often publicly criticized the Republican party, of which he remains an active and influential member, for drifting father and farther to the right. A year ago, he said that if Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN) — the “most respected person in the Senate and the leading authority on foreign policy” — “is seriously challenged by anybody in the Republican Party, we have gone so far overboard that we are beyond redemption.” As it goes, Dick Lugar is already facing a “tough primary challenge” from state Treasurer Richard Mourdock (R), and several other Republicans are also thinking of entering the race.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich Is ‘Very Pleased’ That The Auto Rescue He Originally Opposed Saved The Auto Industry

By Tanya Somanader/Think Progress

In 2008, the Obama administration fought the tide of Republican disapproval and decided to rescue General Motors and Chrysler. Millions in paid back loans and thousands of additional jobs later, GM and Chrysler areon track to sell 14 million cars, the “fastest pace in more than two years.”

The American auto recovery is simultaneously spurring an about-face among GOP naysayers. Once calling on America to “let Detroit go bankrupt,” GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney recently claimed that the rescue was his idea first. Now, another Republican is following suit: Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R).

When first asked about financial aid for the auto industry in 2008, Kasich dismissed the idea, saying, “If they’re not going to be viable, we shouldn’t throw good money after bad.” Asked for his feelings now that the rescue is showing success, Kasich said he is “very pleased” that the Americans have the jobs he originally opposed saving:

Rick Snyder, Kasich’s fellow Republican governor in Michigan, has said that government invention helped save Chrysler and General Motors – and he warned GOP presidential candidates against criticizing the bailout.

Kasich would not go that far.

“What’s done is done,” he said. “We have a strengthening auto industry in Ohio. And I am very pleased about it. I am pleased for the families of workers who have jobs.”

The auto funds have been vital to saving and creating jobs in Ohio. One Chrysler plant in Toledo, Ohio was able to add 1,100 new jobs this fall. More than merely pleased, Kasich attempted to take credit for the added jobs — a fact that did not escape Ohio workers.

When asked about Romney’s similar position on the auto rescue, Kasich offered, “I think there isn’t a single person that I know that didn’t want to have a strong auto industry in America…Its just a matter of how you get there.” When asked whether he agreed with Romney’s way of “getting there” via bankruptcy, he simply said, “I just don’t have any interest in even commenting on that.”

Norquist Tells GOP That Raising Taxes On The Middle Class Doesn’t Count As A Tax Increase

By Travis Waldron/Think Progress

Anti-tax zealot Grover Norquist, the president of Americans For Tax Reform and author of the radical anti-tax pledge that has played a significant role in hamstringing budget and deficit-reduction negotiations, has said that it is unacceptable for those who have signed his pledge to vote in favor of any tax increase. But now that President Obama and congressional Democrats are backing a tax cut aimed at stimulating economic growth, Norquist has changed his tune.

Norquist met with Republican members today to let them know that opposing the extension of the payroll tax cut — which would provide many families an extra $1,000a year — would not amount to supporting a tax increase, National Journal’s Billy Housereported today:

That stands in contrast, however, to Norquist’s position on tax cuts for the wealthy. Norquist has repeatedly warned GOP members about voting in favor of repealing the Bush tax cuts for the rich or tax hikes on millionaires, even verbally sparring with a member of a group of millionaires advocating for higher taxes on themselves last month in Washington, D.C. And yet, when it comes to tax cuts for the middle class meant to drive economic recovery, Norquist clearly takes a different stance.

Republicans who have defended those tax breaks for the wealthy aren’t so sure about holding the Norquist position, though. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) warned his rank and file this morning about opposing the extension, telling them that “taxes are a Republican issue and you aren’t a Republican if you want to raise taxes on struggling families to fund bigger government.” Multiple Republican senators, meanwhile, have come out in favor of the extension, and Sen. Sue Collins (R-ME) even proposed raising taxes on some wealthy Americans to pay for it.