Another Example of Disastrous GOP Hispanic Outreach

Former RNC Florida Hispanic Outreach director Pablo Pantoja has decided to become a Democrat. Pantoja left the Republican Party because he felt the GOP is racist. Pantoja also cites the controversial and factually dubious research by Jason Richwine.

From: Pablo Pantoja

Subject: From Republican to Democrat

Date: May 13, 2013 5:57:11 PM EDT

Friend,

Yes, I have changed my political affiliation to the Democratic Party.

It doesn’t take much to see the culture of intolerance surrounding the Republican Party today. I have wondered before about the seemingly harsh undertones about immigrants and others. Look no further; a well-known organization recently confirms the intolerance of that which seems different or strange to them.

Studies geared towards making – human beings – viewed as less because of their immigrant status to outright unacceptable claims, are at the center of the immigration debate. Without going too deep on everything surrounding immigration today, the more resounding example this past week was reported by several media outlets.

A researcher included as part of a past dissertation his theory that “the totality of the evidence suggests a genetic component to group differences in IQ.” The researcher reinforces these views by saying “No one knows whether Hispanics will ever reach IQ parity with whites, but the prediction that new Hispanic immigrants will have low-IQ children and grandchildren is difficult to argue against.”

Although the organization distanced themselves from those assertions, other immigration-related research is still padded with the same racist and eugenics-based innuendo. Some Republican leaders have blandly (if at all) denied and distanced themselves from this but it doesn’t take away from the culture within the ranks of intolerance. The pseudo-apologies appear to be a quick fix to deep-rooted issues in the Republican Party in hopes that it will soon pass and be forgotten.

The complete disregard of those who are in disadvantage is also palpable. We are not looking at an isolated incident of rhetoric or research. Others subscribe to motivating people to action by stating, “In California, a majority of all Hispanic births are illegitimate. That’s a lot of Democratic voters coming.” The discourse that moves the Republican Party is filled with this anti-immigrant movement and overall radicalization that is far removed from reality. Another quick example beyond the immigration debate happened during CPAC this year when a supporter shouted ““For giving him shelter and food for all those years?” while a moderator explained how Frederick Douglass had written a letter to his slave master saying that he forgave him for “all the things you did to me.” I think you get the idea.

When the political discourse resorts to intolerance and hate, we all lose in what makes America great and the progress made in society.

Although I was born an American citizen, I feel that my experience, and that of many from Puerto Rico, is intertwined with those who are referred to as illegal. My grandfather served in an all-Puerto Rican segregated Army unit, the 65th Infantry Regiment. He then helped, along my grandmother, shatter glass ceilings for Puerto Rican women raising my aunt to become the first Puerto Rican woman astronomer with a PhD in astrophysics (an IQ of a genius as far as I’m concerned). Puerto Ricans, as many other Americans still today have to face issues of discrimination in voting and civil rights.

Regardless of what political affiliation people choose, my respect for some remains. I don’t expect all Hispanics to do the same (although I would hope so) but I’m taking a stand against this culture of intolerance.

Amazing Dumb Quote from Reince Priebus

RNC chairman Reince Priebus made a bizarre comment denying that the GOP has waged a war on women's health care.

“If the Democrats said we had a war on caterpillars and every mainstream media outlet talked about the fact that Republicans have a war on caterpillars, then we’d have problems with caterpillars,” Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said in an interview on Bloomberg Television’s “Political Capital with Al Hunt” airing this weekend. “It’s a fiction."

Notice that Priebus doesn't actually address the issue that members of his party are denying contraception to women. With the exception of Olympia Snowe, every senate Republican voted for the Blunt-Rubio amendment. Roy Blunt and Marco Rubio claimed that an employer could denying contraception coverage. Blunt and Rubio maintained that they were doing this for religious freedon. What Blunt and Rubio were actually doing was imposing their religious views on women.

Rick Santorum is against rape victims getting abortions.

"I believe and I think the right approach is to accept this horribly created - in the sense of rape - but nevertheless a gift in a broken way, the gift of human life, and accept what God has given you. As you know, we have to, in a lot of different aspects of our life. We have horrible things happen. I can't think of anything more horrible. But, nevertheless, we have to make the best out of a bad situation.

Yet Priebus has the audacity to claim these attacks against women reproductive rights are a fiction.

Republicans' Jobs Plan Has No Jobs Plan

The Republican National Committee unveiled its site "Hope Isn't Hiring." Attacking President Barack Obama on the economy is smart politics. However, that is all the RNC does. Nowhere on the site does the RNC make the case for the Republican Party's economic policies. It is hard to fill a pages with chants of tax cuts and less regulations. The web site does take the time to attack Obama on social issues.

The Case Against Obama: Social Issues


Despite It Being The Law Of The Land, Obama Refused To Continue To Defend The Defense Of Marriage Act In Court

Obama Repealed Don’t Ask Don’t Tell While U.S. Troops Are Still On The Battlefield

Despite Obama’s Misleading Rhetoric, ObamaCare Will Provide Federal Funding For Abortions

Obama Rescinded The Conscience Clause, Exposing Doctors And Nurses To Discrimination

Obama Has Repeatedly Nominated Liberal Extremists To The Federal Bench

Obama Opposed California’s Prop 8 And Has Expanded Government Recognition Of Same-Sex Couples

Obama Ordered Federal Tax Dollars To Support Embryonic Stem Cell Research Until A Federal Judge Intervened

Obama Supports Planned Parenthood And Its Federal Funding Of Abortions

Obama Is Against School Choice And Giving Parents Control Over Their Children’s Education

Many Americans No Longer Feel That The President Shares Their Values

If Obama spent more time discriminating gays then jobs would magically appear.

A few facts: Obama signed an executive order forbidding any federal funds from the Affordable Health care Act from funding abortions. The exception being in the case of rape and incest. Obama's execiutive order was a step back for reproductive rights.

Obama budgeted money so 1,716 District of Columbia students could attend private schools. Obama caved from his original position against D.C. student vouchers. Obama is a supporter of charter schools.

Part of the administration's educational reforms also include plans to close the poorest performing 5 percent of schools in the nation, turning some of them into charter schools.

"There's no silver bullets here," the president said. However, he said, "There are some charters that have figured out how to do a very good job. What we've got to do is look at the success of these schools and find out how do we duplicate them... What I'm interested in ... is fostering these laboriteies of excellence."

The Conscience Clause is unconscionable. This would allow doctors and nurses not to performs abortions and other medical procedures that is their faith. Even if the patient's life is in danger. This policy is also unpopular. This Tampa Bay community was outraged when a rape victim was wrongly jailed and an Orient Road Jail nurse refused to give her the morning after pill. Republicans are so scared of the Christian Right that they are attacking Obama for not supporting a policy that would mandate a rape victim would carry a child to term. How this Republican policy is suppose to create jobs is beyond me.

Michael Steele's Exit

Reid Wilson of Hotline On Call tweets on Michael Steele's end as RNC chairman.

Steele: "And now, I exit stage right." Prompty exits stage left.

I am going to miss Steele.

RNC Is Broke

Michael Steele is the one Republican I want still employed. I think Steele is doing a heck of a job.

The troubled Republican National Committee has just over $5 million in the bank for the final stretch of the 2010 mid-term election campaign, according to an unannounced filing with the FEC disclosed Friday night.

The report also indicates that the national party headed by embattled chairman Michael Steele is carrying just over $2 million in debt.

Steele previously explained that is gaffes were part of his strategy. I doubt Steele intended to make the RNC broke. Although, it Steele's money management skills will give progressives ammo the next time he complains Democrats aren't fiscally conservative.

Shame Doesn't Exist In GOP/Conservative Movement

RNC chairman Michael Steele has a talent for bad timing. Andrew Breitbart will be one of the feautred speakers at the Republican National Committee's "Election Countdown." The fundraiser will be held in Beverly Hills, California on August 12 to 14.

I am not surprised that Breitbart could get torn apart for his bogus reporting of the Shirley Sherrod story and still be welcomed by the RNC. Breitbart is a hero to conservatives who have contempt for anything that doesn't fit their personal narrative. This cynicism allows Bill O'Reilly and Newt Gingrich to preach about sexual morality. G. Gordon Liddy and Oliver North can go on Fox News and be taken seriously. Conservative television viewers refuse to ask why Liddy and North aren't in prison. Mark Foley even managed to snag his own talk radio show. It is literally impossible to be shamed out of the conservative movement.

Quote of the Day

"Keep in mind again, federal candidates, this was a war of Obama's choosing. This is not something the United States had actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in."...

"It was the president who was trying to be cute by half by flipping a script demonizing Iraq, while saying the battle really should be in Afghanistan. Well, if he's such a student of history, has he not understood that you know that's the one thing you don't do, is engage in a land war in Afghanistan? All right, because everyone who has tried, over a thousand years of history, has failed. And there are reasons for that. There are other ways to engage in Afghanistan."

RNC Chairman Michael Steele

President Barack Barack Obama used his awesome time-traveling powers and won the 2000 presidential election. Obama then asked the 2002 Congress to declare war. President Obama had the 22 amendment repealed and won a third term. Curse the evil time-traveling socialist ways of Obama.

Quote of the Day

"For the last 40-plus years we had a 'Southern Strategy' that alienated many minority voters by focusing on the white male vote in the South. Well, guess what happened in 1992, folks, 'Bubba' went back home to the Democratic Party and voted for Bill Clinton."

Michael Steele, RNC Chairman.

The Chairman of the Republican National Committee admits that the GOP used racism to garner votes.

MSNBC host Rachel Maddow and Nixonland author Rick Perlstein discussed the possible reason for Steele's statement.

MADDOW: Did architects of the southern strategy express regret or remorse for it at all in the way that Michael Steele seemed to this week?

PERLSTEIN: Well, the fascinating thing about it is, it seems to happen at regular intervals. I mean, one of the architects of it in the Nixon years was a guy named Harry Dent. And after he retried, he became a preacher and he apologized for it right before he died.

Lee Atwater became Republican Party chair. He apologized for it kind of when he was on his death bed. You can almost say when these guys get ready to meet their maker, they tend to man up and own up to the strategy. Even Ken Mehlman was kind of out the door and, you know, kind of writing his resume for history when he said it was happening.

So you know, it says interesting things about, you know, what we can expect from Michael Steele, whether he`s, you know, heading out the door or whether he is trying to extend his tenure by, you know, basically setting up a deal where if you kick me out, maybe it`s just because I was a truth-teller on this civil rights issue.

As David Frum can attest, truth-telling is not encouraged in the Republican Party.

Michael Steele's Dance of Death

RNC Chairman Michael Steele tells Neil Cavuto health care reform will create death panels. This is a Republican myth backed with zero factual evidence.

CAVUTO: Now obviously in this environment a lot of vitriol comes forth. Michael, I just wanted to get your reaction to some of your co-party members, former Alaska governor Palin, who calls these panels that are essentially going to be dispensing care or deciding it, death panels. That sort of thing — is that proper? Is that right?

STEELE: Well, I think it’s, I think it’s proper because its within the context of what people are seeing in some of the legislation that’s floating around out there. When you’re talking about panels that are going to be imposed, that will be making life and death decisions, that will be making decisions about whether or not you get health care or don’t receive health care. I think that’s perfectly appropriate.

Shorter Michael Steele: Republicans Are Scared of Blacks

RNC Chairman Michael Steele has an interesting way of telling people the Republican Party is a big tent. Steele tells Roland Martin Republicans are terrified of black people.

MARTIN: One of the criticisms I've always had is Republicans -- white Republicans -- have been scared of black folks.

STEELE: You're absolutely right. I mean I've been in the room and they've been scared of me. I'm like, "I'm on your side" and so I can imagine going out there and talking to someone like you, you know, [you're like,] "I'll listen." And they're like "Well." Let me tell you.

Steele is having a moment of candor. I'm sure Steele has had uncomfortable moments with white Republicans. As the RNC Chairman, it is a horrible message for Steele to give minority voters.

Quote of the Day

"And if you want an example of bad public policy, just look at the situation with our veterans, when you have a manual out there telling our veterans stuff like, 'are you really of value to your community,' you know, encouraging them to commit suicide. I mean, this is crazy coming from the government, and this is exactly what concerns people and puts them in fear of what the government control of health care will look like."

RNC Chairman Michael Steele



Steele is refering to the VHA meterial “Your Life, Your Choices. ”The VHA Handbook in is online. Chris Matthews of Fox News ran a graph designed to lead viewers into believing the “Your Life, Your Choices” Handbook was the only material Veterans Administration patients were refered to.



The VHA Handbook clearly states "other published resources" can be given to patients.

a. Content. Designated practitioners need to ensure that the patient understands the meaning of advance care planning and advance directives, including the information listed in subparagraphs 8b to 8f. For patients who already have an advance directive, practitioners also need to cover points in paragraph 8g and 8h. Possible clinical scenarios and treatment options need to be discussed with attention and sensitivity to the patient’s individual circumstances, needs, and culture. Patients may be directed to the exercises in “Your Life, Your Choices” (available on My HealtheVet at the web site http://www.myhealth.va.gov), or other published resources.

Michael Steele Clueless About His Health Coverage

Michael Steele provides me with endless hours of entertainment. Steele has been trying to kill President Barack Obama's health care reform plan through misinformation. We learn Steele doesn't know what kind of health coverage he has.

CNN: What type of health insurance do you have? Do you get that through the RNC?

STEELE: Yup, through my employer.

CNN: What company is it?

STEELE: Uhh. BlueCross BlueShield, I believe. Or maybe not.

Steele "believes" he has BlueCross BlueShield. What is next? Faith-based health care.

Quote of the Day

"I got the fried chicken and potato salad."

RNC Chairman Michael Steele, on how he plans to bring diverse ethnic and LGBT groups to the Republican Party.

Quote of the Day

"The strength of the party is in this: … the fact that you’re willing to put the damn thing on… The problem we’ve had as a party is: too many of our friends, neighbors, colleagues are taking the hat off, because we’ve decided we don’t like the way they wear it… The GOP is not about how you wear the hat, but the fact that you want to wear the hat."

RNC Chairman Michael Steele, on how the Republican Party isn't a Big Tent. The GOP is a hat.

Steele told College Republicans if someone is uncomfortable in the hat they should get out of the Republican Party. Many voters didn't want to wear Steele's hat in the 2006 and 2008 elections. How that work out for the RNC?

Quote of the Day

"This change, my friends, is being delivered in a teabag, and that's a wonderful thing."

Michael Steele, addressing RNC state party chairs.

Ad Hominem

ad ho·mi·nem

Function: adjective
Etymology: New Latin, literally, to the person
Date: 1598
1 : appealing to feelings or prejudices rather than intellect
2 : marked by or being an attack on an opponent's character rather than by an answer to the contentions made

This should make Jim Johnson pull his hair out. The RNC was going to demand the Democratic Party rename themselves the "Democrat Socialist Party." "Democrat" is a longtime insult Republicans use. The RNC decided on something more mild.

The approved resolution was a watered-down version of a previous measure that referred to Democrats as the “Democrat Socialist Party.”

“I am pleased that the committee adopted a resolution that focuses on the Democrats’ policies and their destructive effects on America’s economic engine, rather than attempting to rename our opponents,” RNC chairman Michael Steele, who fought against the “Socialist Party” measure, said in a statement.

Republicans can't even agree on what to label Democrats. How about calling the Democratic Party the Democratic Party and presenting better policy ideas. House Republicans criticized President Obama's spending proposals. When it came time to offer their alternative budget they had no spending numbers. It was nothing more than 18 pages of Republican talking points.

"It took me several minutes to read it," joked White House Press Sec. Robert Gibbs. "I will note that there are one more picture of a windmill than there is a chart of numbers."

The current Republican Party has no policy ideas. The RNC has nothing but Ad Hominem attacks.

Update: the real Democratic Socialists of America is angered at the RNC for using a version their name. Did the RNC check the copyright?

“[The resolution] demonstrates the extremist views that now dominate the RNC. This is a continuation of the silly and surreal socialist baiting that Republicans engaged in during the 2008 Campaign (when they equated progressive tax reform with socialism!) and which the voters soundly rejected,” Frank Llewellyn said.

The White House literally laughed at the RNC's attempt to rebrand the Democratic Party.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was asked about the rebranding effort today in his press briefing.

“Given the challenges that they face, that’s exactly the way I would be using my time too,” he said chuckling.

It would be sad if it wasn't so funny.

How 50 State Strategy Worked

The grassroot campaign Howard Dean started and Barack Obama continued achieved victory in Florida. Democrats now have a 650,000 registered voter advantage over Republicans.

"That's partly why I'm here, "RNC Chairman Michael Steele. "To let the base know it's time to get busy, it's time to get to work."

Of course, the stupid Steele quote was bound to come. This was his message at a (only) 100 support coffee get together.

''Please send some folks to the convention that look like Florida,'' Steele said. ``Could you help a brother out? No more national conventions with [only] 36 people of color in the room.''

A Republican pleading for delegates selected for Republican National Convention through affirmative action. Steele is the gift that keeps on giving.

Michael Steele Follies

Michael Steele shares his musical taste with GQ.

I like Sinatra. I like old-school. You know, Bing Crosby, Sinatra, Dean Martin. Love Dean Martin. He was one of these guys who just didn’t give an F. He just didn’t. Life was a party, and you either want to party or you don’t. But yeah, I like those. I’m a big Pack Rat. I love the Pack Rats from the 1950s—Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, those guys.

Steele is bad. He said the F letter. "Pack Rats" sounds lot a section the Cheeseheads sit in at Lambeau Field.

Steele was interviewed by columnist Cal Thomas. Steele ripped into fellow Republicans calling for his resignation.

Said Steele: "The mice who are scurrying about the Hill are upset because they no longer have access to the cheese, so they don't know what's going on."

When did Michael Steele start talking like the cartoon cat Mr. Jinx? Republican meeses. Michael Steele hates them to pieces.

99 Problems But Michael Steele Ain't One

I love Michael Steele. The new RNC chair is an endless supply of comedy material. Steele pledges to make the Republican Party more hip hop. Didn't they try that and fail with Karl "MC" Rove?

"We want to convey that the modern-day GOP looks like the conservative party that stands on principles," Steele told the Washington Times. "But we want to apply them to urban-suburban hip-hop settings."

"It will be avant garde, technically," he said of the new public relations team he's signing on. "It will come to the table with things that will surprise everyone - off the hook." He also added: "I don't do 'cutting-edge.' That's what Democrats are doing. We're going beyond cutting-edge."

I can not see College Republicans in a hip hop club. The exchanges about affirmative action would be painful. Rappers, such as Jay-Z, are huge Barack Obama supporters.



Jay-Z at a post-inauguration concert. I can't imagine Jay-Z or Kanye West performing for John McCain. Neither can the GOP establishment.

"I got 99 problems but a Bush ain't one."

Michael Steele: Living Proof Government Creates Jobs

"Not in the history of mankind has the government ever created a job."

Michael Steele

Apparently, Mr. Steele believes the private sector created his former position as Lieutenant Governor of Maryland. Steele would not hold the RNC chair, if fellow anti-government conservatives weren't trying to win public office. Steele benefitted more than most from government job creation.

I find it amusing people who ran for government believe government does not create jobs. John McCain spent his adult life on public health care. The Maverick's policies would make it less affordable for companies to supply health care. Workers would be pushed to find their own health packages.

Public health care is good enough for McCain, but not the American people. Steele has no problem receiving a check from a government job. By his strange logic, the government shouldn't should attempt to create jobs. This goes beyond ideology. Steele's and McCain's "it is only good enough for me" attitudes reeks of hypocrisy.



Paul Krugman provides a graph showing the disparity between George W. Bush' and Bill Clinton's disparity in job cration. The Clinton years added 22.7 million jobs. Bush has the worst job growth rate of any modern president. Private sector job growth was a mere 0.14 percent.