Progress is not the practice of those in the business of sweeping success. Progress overawes—but its work is slow and grim. Progress waits on people to die, and more enlightened people to take their place. Progress works even as the unenlightened abound, but find their ranks thinned and their positions exposed.


Specifically, democratic progress is not revolution and can never be the gospel of people who measures success by complete victories achieved in singular life-times. Instead it is reserved for those who are unrelenting in struggle, patient beyond their mortal coil, and willing to wage wars across generations.

Ta-Nehisi Coates, explaining how 50 Cent’s ambiguous support of marriage equality still denotes a major advance for gay rights. (via theatlantic)

(via theatlantic)

Source: The Atlantic

motherjones: thirdwaythinktank: New chart from Tax Policy Center. shortformblog: Obama vs. Romney on tax rates: As you can see, rates are largely the same—except for the nation’s richest and poorest. The poor would pay almost twice as much in taxes under Romney’s plan; meanwhile, the very richest in the country would be forced to cough up about 10% more of their income under Obama. The net effect? In short, Romney’s plan would reduce federal revenues to about 17% of GDP—down .9% from where they are now. Obama’s budget would raise revenues 19.2%, with most of that money coming from those making over $250,000 a year (Graphic and data courtesy of The Washington Post / Tax Policy Center). Just so we’re clear: If you’re in the lower 60 percent, your taxes will be lower under Obama than under Romney. If you’re in the lower 90 percent, your taxes will be lower or roughly the same under Obama. If you’re in the top 10 percent, Romney got yer back.
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motherjones:

thirdwaythinktank:

New chart from Tax Policy Center.

shortformblog:

Obama vs. Romney on tax rates: As you can see, rates are largely the same—except for the nation’s richest and poorest. The poor would pay almost twice as much in taxes under Romney’s plan; meanwhile, the very richest in the country would be forced to cough up about 10% more of their income under Obama. The net effect? In short, Romney’s plan would reduce federal revenues to about 17% of GDP—down .9% from where they are now. Obama’s budget would raise revenues 19.2%, with most of that money coming from those making over $250,000 a year (Graphic and data courtesy of The Washington Post / Tax Policy Center).

Just so we’re clear:

If you’re in the lower 60 percent, your taxes will be lower under Obama than under Romney.

If you’re in the lower 90 percent, your taxes will be lower or roughly the same under Obama.

If you’re in the top 10 percent, Romney got yer back.

Source: Washington Post

Mitt’s “General” Problem

 
This week, Mitt Romney went to great lengths to court conservatives during the CPAC 2012 convention.  While he won the straw poll with 38 percent of the vote, as POLITICO points out, that means that over 60 percent of the attendees were less than convinced of the former Governor’s conservative bonafides.  This realization not only insures that this primary race continues stay heated, but also that the Romney campaign must move farther to the right in order to engage a GOP base that is slightly lukewarm at best to the idea of him being their Presidential candidate.
For any other politician this would not be an issue.  All candidates during the primary phase move away from the center in order to court their ideological constituencies only to move back once the general election gets underway.  However, the “energized” base of the Republican Party has staked their claim much further out from the center/right comfort zone of the “establishment” wing of the party.  It is this base that has given rise to Bachmann, Cain, Gingrich, and now, Santorum in the “Anybody But Romney” microprimary.  It is also this base that gave the boot to Jon Huntsman who, probably more than anyone, was the most formidable challenge to President Obama.  This is the territory in which the Romney campaign must enter - one that is, arguably, outside the sensibilities of most mainstream voters.
The “Anybody But Romney” candidates have successfully created reasonable doubt in the minds of these primary voters by characterizing Mr. Romney as a slick politician who possess little to no ideological core.  More specifically, in addressing his many policy switches, the campaigns have painted him as a “flip-flopper” guided by political expediency more than by conservative values.   Do you remember what happened to the last guy who had the that label successfully attached to him?  I am sure that the Obama team does.  
Unfortunately, Mr. Romney has not shown the strength nor desire necessary to stand up and speak truth the radical insurgency within his own party.  Because of this, he appears willing to meet them on their terms, venturing out into their outer realms of the ideological spectrum only to then turn heel and very quickly run back to the center.  In doing so, he will more than likely find the Obama operatives there with flip flops in hand.
Chickens coming home to roost…? 
————
(Mitt Romney speaking above at CPAC 2012, AP Photo)

Quote Of The Day

“A person who works full time should not be poor.”
- NY State Assembly Person Sheldon Silver commenting on WNYC about his bill to raise the minimum wage in New York

Lil Wayne, Justin Bieber and now… Shaun White?

From the Rolling Stone covers, his dominance in the halfpipe, and his various sponsorships from companies outside of the snowboarding world, much has been said about Shaun White’s “Rockstar” status.  Upon witnessing his perfect score in this year’s Winter XGames, Amanda Wormann reveals on Burton Snowboards “Burton Girls” website what will now (probably more than anything)  cement this persona.

Joe Pa’s True Measure

In an age of digital anonymity and heightened self righteousness, Rick Reilly balances the scale.  I remember watching Adam Taliaferro lay motionless down near the Ohio State goal line that day and I remember witnessing Paterno rushing to his side.  The human condition is full of contradictions and moral failings. However, the measure of a man or woman should be based upon the totality of their life and not what we pick and choose - often based upon our own presumptions, assumptions and prejudices - to deify or defame.