“What the country is seeing is what looks like spontaneous combustion of far right-wing Tea Party politics, but behind that there are some very instrumental players who have great family fortunes, corporate fortunes — and who are coordinating to a certain extent.”

New Yorker writer Jane Mayer talks about conservative businessman Art Pope’s growing power, his connections to the Koch Brothers — and how his money may influence the 2012 presidential election. (via nprfreshair)

(via nprfreshair)

“

You are beating up on President Obama just constantly, and it just is incredible to me that you don’t pay attention to the idea that the country was facing (a) potential depression, and you had a president that stepped in, offered leadership that pulled us off the brink, Sean. …You are having a tantrum. In fact, you’re mad at other Republicans — you say, why is the Wall Street Journal, why is the Weekly Standard, why are other Republicans saying to the Tea Party people, ‘You have gone over the line?’ You’re encouraging this kind of behavior, Sean!

…You hate the stimulus spending. You say ‘that contributed to the high rate of (joblessness) under the spineless Obama!’ I’ve heard your rap. But what I’m saying to you, Sean, is do you realize 40 percent of (stimulus) spending was on tax breaks for people? Tax breaks? …In other words, President Obama tried to spend some money, cut taxes for everybody in the country — as I said, 40 percent of the stimulus spending — and all you can do is say ‘Well, it didn’t exactly work as predicted!’ as opposed to saying ‘He tried something instead of just simply obstructing,’ which is what the Republicans have been doing all along.

”

Fox “News” contributor JUAN WILLIAMS, arguing with conservative nozzle of a douche Sean Hannity over the outcome of the debt negotiations — and President Obama’s overall job performance, on Hannity.

(via Mediaite)

(via inothernews)

“Jim Jordan’s boneheadedness has kind of informed everybody’s thinking,” said one of the sources, both of whom spoke only on condition of anonymity. “The easiest option for everybody has presented itself.”

(…)

“He doesn’t know it, but he solved a problem for Republican line-drawers by (figuratively) standing up and saying, ‘I’m a jerk and I deserved to be punished,’ ” said one of the sources.

Jordan’s rural 11-county district, which has a 60 percent Republican voter index, “is easy to cannibalize because it stretches so far,” said the other source.”

Payback may be coming for congressman’s ‘disloyalty’ - The Columbus Dispatch

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan’s open defiance of Speaker John Boehner’s efforts to solve the debt-ceiling crisis could cost the Urbana Republican his safe seat in next year’s election.

Two Republican sources deeply involved in configuring new Ohio congressional districts confirmed to The Dispatch today that Jordan’s disloyalty to Boehner has put him in jeopardy of being zeroed out of a district.

Jordan, a tea party favorite who chairs the 170-plus member Republican Study Committee, has stymied Boehner’s efforts to raise the debt ceiling.

“I introduced a bill to lower the debt ceiling not raise it. And, I just think, raising the debt ceiling is not the way to go.” - Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.)

“I just heard the greatest thing. You have just entered into the record, Andrea, the single stupidest thing said or proposed by anyone in the debt ceiling debate. Rep. Paul Broun, has a bill, to lower the debt ceiling, and he now achieves the prize for stupidest idea of the year. Just breathtaking.” - Lawrence O’Donnell via MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports

“It’s bizarro”

“That is not fair to the American people, to hold out and say we won’t agree to raising the debt limit until we pass a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution. It’s unfair, it’s bizarro. And maybe some people who have only been in this body for six or seven months or so really believe that. Others know better. Others know better.” - Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) Watch via ThinkProgress