WTF?!? Mitch McConnell Once Supported Campaign Finance Reform

Rep. Ted Deutch posted this image on his Facebook page. Deutch (or one of his staffers) wrote this.

Its #TBT. In honor of the hearings on amending the Constitution that took place this week, let's throwback to 1987, when Senator Mitch McConnell introduced his own amendment to #getmoneyout of our elections.

I wonder what the Mitch McConnell of 1987 would think about the Mitch McConnel of 2014.

Lift the Social Security Payroll Tax Cap

Republicans such as Paul Ryan have advocated over either cutting Society Security or raising the retirement age. In Washington, people like to portray themselves as courageous by cutting benefits from the country's most needy. Rep. Ted Deutch has the easiest solution that both parties from Congress run from. Eliminate the $113,700-a-year cap on Social Security payroll taxes.

A bill by Deutch has a sponsor in the Senate; thanks to Sen. Mark Begich. Deutch'sbill has unsurprisingly gotten no traction in the House.

The bills also would increase cost-of-living raises by basing them on the Department of Labor’s Consumer Price Index-Elderly, or CPI-E. The “elderly” index, they say, better reflects how seniors and the disabled spend their money on medical care, prescription drugs, housing and energy. Some of those costs go up faster than the official inflation rate.

Republicans are attempting to lower the cost-of-living raises. That would mean smaller Social Security payments seniors.

Begich took to the floor of the Senate to talk about lifting the cap.

“This bill isn’t just about providing our seniors the security they need and deserve, it’s about common-sense fiscal planning,” Begich said. “By creating a more fair and balanced system, we can increase benefits to our seniors, extend the solvency of the program, and give so many Alaskans peace of mind for their future.”

Begich's and Deutch's bill makes perfect sense. Which is exactly why the Beltway will hate it.

Ted Deutch Campaign Kick-Off

Congressman Ted Deutch will have two campaign kick-off events. Deutch will talk with voters about Medicare and the Supreme Court's Citizen United ruling.

PALM BEACH COUNTY KICK-OFF DETAILS

Wednesday, March 14th, 2012 3:30 to 5:00 pm PBC Democratic Party South County Headquarters 6634 West Atlantic Drive, Delray Beach, FL

BROWARD COUNTY KICK-OFF DETAILS

Thursday, March 15th, at 2:00 pm The Coral Springs Museum of Art 2855 Coral Springs Drive, Coral Springs, FL

Will Justice Department Challenge Florida Election Law

The Florida Congressional delegation asked the Justice Department to investigate the new election law signed by Gov. Rick Scott.

Florida Democrats Seek Investigation of Radical Elections Overhaul

Deutch Authors Letter to Department of Justice

(Boca Raton, FL) Today, the Democratic congressional delegation of Florida united to express their serious concerns over H.B. 1355, the radical and far-reaching overhaul of Floridians’ voting rights currently awaiting Governor Rick Scott’s signature. In a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Representatives Ted Deutch (FL-19), Alcee L. Hastings (FL-23), Kathy Castor (FL-11), Frederica Wilson (FL-17), Wasserman Schultz (FL-20), and U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) request an evaluation of the bill to determine possible violations of the Voting Rights Act. The Department of Justice has the authority to review state law and block implementation if provisions are determined to disenfranchise voters.

“The role of government should never be to curtail the registration of newly eligible voters or hinder Americans from exercising the most fundamental democratic right afforded by our Constitution,” the delegation writes. “We are confident that any honest examination of this legislation will determine that it is in clear violation of the Voting Rights Act.”

H.B. 1355 contains unprecedented restrictions of the voting rights of Floridians. It all but eradicates voter registration drives conducted by volunteer-based, third party groups like the League of Women Voters, the Boy Scouts of America, and the NAACP. The legislation will also force dozens of legitimate voters to cast provisional ballots by eliminating a decades-old law enabling Floridians with proper identification to update their names and addresses at the polls due to a military family move, marriage, or divorce. H.B. 1355 also slashes the early voting period from 14 days to 6, posing a special challenge to working Floridians and elderly voters who cannot wait on the long lines of Election Day. Additionally, the bill places new restrictions on the validity of absentee ballots, determining them illegal if signatures do not closely enough match those on older state documents.

Read more »

Boycott May End

The St. Petersburg Times is reporting Alex Sink, Ted Deutch and Dan Gelber are attempting to have the Democratic candidates campaign for two days before the Jan. 29th primary. New Hampshire, Nevada, Iowa and South Carolina must release the candidates from the pladge.

CFO Alex Sink, Sen. Ted Deutch and Rep. Dan Gelber will hold a news conference at the Press Center to announce a formal request to Democratic Party chairs in Iowa, N.H., Nevada, and S.C. to release the candidates from the no-campaign pledge. The goal: To allow Dems to campaign in Florida for two days prior to Jan. 29.

Republican Party of Florida Chairman Jim Greer attempted to raise questions about the candidates character if they broke the pledge. Alex Sink gave the brilliant response, ""Shall I use another one of my Southernisms? That's B.S."

Greer questioned the candidates character for not campaigning in Florida. Now Greer is quiestioning the candidates moral fiber for possiblely stumping in the Sunshine State. Greer is awfully conflicted. Perhap Greer 1.0 wants Florida voters to hear Hillary, Obama, and Edwards articulate their positions on the issues. Bizarro Greer wants to shamelessly use voter disenfranchisement for chaep political gain. (See: gay marriage.)

"You can't waver from fundamental values and principles of the Republican Party," said Greer.

Jim, I couldn't have said it better myself.