Newsie’s WiR: GOP Outrage & Keep Sen.Cat Killer as Majority Leader!

Democratic Officeholder(s) of the Week!
Deepest Sympathies to MN St. Sen. Becky Lourey Minnesota State Senator’s Son Killed in Iraq, by mott street

Blue Ribbon goes to… Rep. John Tanner’s legislation to put a stop to mid-decade redistricting. It won’t pass, but it’d make for good PR for the Democrats. Fighting for a principle. 🙂

Runner-Ups:

• Senator Reid stays on the offensive. Some nice lines from Sen. Reid. Read the whole post. He’s done his part in trying to articulate the Dem vision and Dem policies. Others have to do their part. See also: MSNBC: Reid takes control of Frist’s Senate: A maddening week for the majority leader
• House Dems have positive things to say about Dean
• Bob Rubin. House Democrats get a kick in the ass and some backbone from Bob Rubin Sorely needed for this continual battle. Yes, and IA that the Democrats should be saying it loud and proud that they stopped Bush and the GOP from destroying Social Security.
• (WakeupCall) Sen. Mark Dayton (D-MN) is inviting Bush to join him pumping gas and washing windshields as he “talks with local residents” about the use of alternative fuels (Minneapolis Star Tribune). (Newsie: Glad to see that Dayton’s retirement allows gives Dayton more room to kick ass.)
• Jim McDermott, my Congressman, by mcjoan
• Op-Ed in MN Star Tribune: Courageous leaders ignoring threats of the antitaxers Me? I hate taxes.  I look at a 1099 form and feel like I’m going to get hives.  Some of the taxes that the Republicans want to repeal would benefit me (as of now).  But you know what? I believe in a safety net. In addition, there are a hell of a lot of problems that need fixing, and if those things aren’t fixed, I’m only going to be paying even higher taxes in the end anyway or paying for it indirectly because of Republicans and their credit card abusing ways.  Taxes should be as low as possible, and the Democrats should run on fiscal responsibility.  You raise `em when you have to, and you lower `em when you can.
• Oklahoma First Lady Kim Henry (hubby is Brad Henry, a Democrat). Hey, when you can still get the young ones to make a pass at you, you deserve a mention in this section. (WakeupCall) “That’s right, baby, will you get crazy with me when she wins?” — ex-“American Idol” finalist Matt Rogers, as he “appeared to make a pass” at OK First Lady Kim Henry (New York Post).

Items (copied, pasted or reworded) from various sources or compiled by me; some commentary is mine.
Overshadowed Outrage(s) of the Week

• West Virginia minister fired for writing pro-gay newspaper column
• Falafel O’Reilly: 2 whites, 1 Hispanic, and 9 blacks on a jury are not “regular folks.”
• Right-wingers are against anti-bullying legislation
• Newsweek should apologize, but Larry DiRita, the Pentagon, and the Bush admin. Don’t have to.

All other outrages:

• Right-wingers still moving to try and consolidate power?
• GOP Ohio Coingate The OH Dems seem to have their act together on pushing this into the forefront more.  Any word on how it’s being reported in other OH media outlets besides the Toledo Blade and Cleveland Plain Dealer? AmericaBlog had multiple updates on the story.
• Summary of Ohio Coingate
• OH GOP Coingate hits Governor’s Office
• NH Phone Jamming Scandal: Tobin Worked for Frist at the Time
• D.C. non-profit doles out thousands for GOP retreats (from MyDD)
• Republican mainstream likes to use those Hitler references
• Bush flip flops and lies about Social Security
• Judge says DeLay’s TRMPAC violated the law. For more, check out the Daily DeLay’s statement on the judge’s ruling.  In addition, some TX newspaper coverage here.
• White House tries to redefine filibuster deal
• Santorum says NYT in favor of Nazis… vid link
• judge owen recieves “poor” rating from houston bar , by djesno
• (Gov.com) A lawyer for Republican Gov. Ehrlich said an analysis of state computers assigned to a fired gubernatorial aide provides no evidence that Ehrlich or his top aides were involved in a political plot to damage Baltimore’s Democratic mayor, Martin O’Malley. O’Malley called the investigation “silly” and “a sham.”
• NYT swings and misses on Santorum article
• Reagan Republican Calls for Bush’s Impeachment
• Baptist Church Sign Says to Flush the Koran
• Spokane Mayor West…More allegations about him and young boys
• Video of Mayor West blaming cancer for his out of alleged control libido re: young boys
• How does Dobson stay tax exempt? By freepress4all
• Thune and his battle to save Ellsworth Air Force Base In other news, South Dakotans want Daschle back. I’d love Daschle to come back, so long as Reid gets to stay minority leader. Oh, and kudos to South Dakotans who are sending out facts and research to attack Thune.
• Rep. Chris Chocola (R-IN) gets accused of flip-flopping on Social Security. LOL.
• Rep. Duncan Hunter (CA) says that women in combat is not a sign of civilized society (video)
• (WakeupCall) “Congress has refused to halt spending on a decade-old investigation of Henry Cisneros” (AP).
• (WakeupCall) “So you had all these fresh young faces — pretty blonde girls, and guys who haven’t shaved — nodding their approval” — a WH reporter on the intern seat fillers at yesterday’s Bush and Hamid Karzai event (Washington Times). (Newsie: Many reporters don’t think they’ll get much new info, so they skip these things.)
• Business Groups Tire of GOP Focus on Social Issues
• Lincoln Chafee flip-flops on Bolton
• Bush lawyer flip flops or lies about stance on gay job protections
• Right Wingnut doctor, Hager, to leave FDA panel. He may have raped his former wife, and yet, he claims to be a God-fearing man.  
• Santorum has taken money from stem cell researchers
• Info on the right-wing “Leadership Institute”
• Santorum’s Weather Bill is Criticized Those campaign contributions…
• Some right wingers attack Arlen Specter’s cancer
• Randall Terry roundup
• Ralph Reed deleted from Microsoft’s payroll Good.
• DeLay whines about L&O
• On Bolton, The Nuclear Option and The Perception Of Power – Part V: Purge The Moderates
• Family Research Council Condemns Women to Cervical Cancer, by crazymoloch
• Former NC Democratic Party chairman Lawrence Davis switches to the GOP

More blogs that frequently have posts that deal with this topic:

• DNC’s Case File. Scandal Man: A Guide to the Ethics Violations, Abuses of Power, and Corruption of DeLay
• Tom DeLay’s House of Scandal
• Jack Abramoff and Friends
• Drop the Hammer on DeLay
• Republican Noise Machine from MyDD
• DCCC blog: The Stakeholder
• First Draft
• For video on the worst of the phony Republicans, visit Crooks & Liars.
• The Daily DeLay is updated regularly & has action items.
• TAPPED from The American Prospect.
• The Fly Trap at The Gadflyer