Something that may have flew under your radar this week. For six years a group called Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics has been fighting in court to get the Federal Election Commission to enforce campaign laws against Crossroads GPS, a Karl Rove founded group that funnelled money to conservative candidates without disclosing where that money came from. The Supreme Court is allowing a lower court decision to stand that invalidates a loophole for undisclosed spending on campaigns. As some outlets have reported, as of Sept 18th, any group that runs an independent expenditure in excess of $250 will have to disclose all political donors above $200. The dark money that exploded after the throughly misguided Citizens United Supreme Court decision in 2010 as been a scourge on our electoral process. This year alone dark money groups have already spent $65 million dollars on the 2018 races. As I have said many times before, I don't care if the dark money is coming from the Koch Brothers, Sheldon Adelson or other right-wing donors…or if the money is being spent by George Soros, major unions or other left wing sources. The deluge of ads (most of which contain outright lies about the candidates) do nothing but muddy the already murky campaign waters. This ruling is at least a start at getting transparency in who is trying to buy the candidates and why. It may slow down the deluge of ads (although the political consultants will undoubtably find a weasely way around it) but even if it doesnt, you will at least be able to know who to villify for the BS that will fill the airwaves.
It appears the Baker Mayfield era has begun in Cleveland. He relieved an injured Tyrod Taylor last night and led the Browns to a come from behind win over the hapless Jets. Its their first win since 2016.
Angels catcher Francisco Arcia enters the baseball record books last night in a 21–3 loss to the A's. He became the first player in major league history to catch, pitch and hit a home run in the same game.
High school football this week includes DC Everest at Escanaba Michigan tonight. You can hear the game live at 5:30 on Foxsports Radio AM1390 & FM 93.9. I'll have Wausau East's homecoming game Saturday afternoon at Thom Field. Kick off is 1pm live also on Foxsports Radio.
And, if you are planning on going to the Wausau West at Stevens Point game tonight…be aware its a 5pm kickoff at Goerke Field.
After my football game on Saturday I'll be heading down to Stevens Point to take part in the annual Trivia Unplugged event at the Noel Hangar at the Point airport. Dozens of trivia players will attempt to answer questions using only their memories. No books or electronic devices allowed. Its a fun challenge and a fundraiser for the Portage County Arts Council.
A couple of new shows for your consideration:
Things to annoy you today:
Alex Smith died this year because he couldnt afford insulin in America. He made $35,000 a year as a restaurant manager and couldnt afford his $450 a month health insurance with a $7600 out of pockey deductible. The insulin he needed for diabetes was $1300 a month. When he turned 26 and was kicked off his moms insurance, he started rationing his life-saving insulin. He died a month later. But tell me again how for-profit health care insurance and delivery works in this country.
Trump does an interview with Politico and admits that he released the FISA papers without reading them. And he did it over the objections of his intelligence and law-enforcement people. So, who told him it would be a good idea? Lou Dobbs, Sean Hannity & Jeanne Piro…..
The top six Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee all voted against reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act in 2013. Just so you can understand why attempted rape isnt that important to these guys.
Bethany Christian Services, an adoption center with financial ties to Betsy Devos, has taken 81 immigrant children who were forcibly separated from their parents at the border. Most have had no contact with their families. They're charging $700 per night per child. If you do the math…her “adoption agency” is making $1.7 million per month…on 81 kids. As someone put it, this isnt foster care, its state sponsored kidnapping.
The Daily Beast reports that Trumps Department of Health and Human Services is diverting millions of dollars from HIV/Aids and cancer programs to pay for migrant kids detention. In a letter to Senator Patty Murray, HHS Secretary Alex Azar said he would reallocate $266 million in the current fiscal year. $16.7 of that will come from Head Start, $5.7 million from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program, $13.3 million from the National Cancer Institute. Other funds will be diverted from “programs dedicated to mental and maternal health, womens shelters and substance abuse.” There are now 12,800 migrant children in government custody.
Quotes Of The Day
“Did y'all hear this latest late-breaking news on the Kavanaugh hearings? Ruth Bader Ginsburg came out saying she was groped by Abraham Lincoln.”- South Carolina Republican congressman Ralph Norman (no, he really said that)
“The media is covering Republicans on the judiciary like they are negotiating with Dr. Ford in good faith. Why?”-Zerlina Maxwell
“My favorite part of the Kavanaugh controversy is how people who are absolutely convinced they know exactly what happened in Judea 2000 years ago have gaslit many Americans into believing it is literally impossible to know what happened at an event in 1983.”-Brandon Friedman
“Paul Ryan's sanctimonius public pronouncements rarely bear any resemblance to what he and his fellow Republicans are actually doing.”-Joel McNally
“I wish Judge Kavanaugh had a Twitter account because I have one question for him: If a lawyer walked into your federal courtroom and said they were putting on two witnesses for a hearing and had done no other investigation or made any attempt to find any facts, what would you say?”-Mimi Rocah
“Dear Texas, If somebody said your wife was ugly and your dad helped kill JFK, youd tie them to the bottom of your pickup. What did Ted Cruz do when Trump said all that? Begged him to speak at his rally. You really gonna vote for a nutless worm like that?”-Rick Reilly
“Whoever called baseball Americas national pastime forgot about'hating women'.”-Jen Statsky
“Hard to imagine the Republicans bungling this any worse than they have so far–old men caught like deer in the headlights by an issue and a gender they clearly understand next to nothing about.”-Amy Siskind
“When men report molestation by a priest decades later, its accepted as truth and the public demands justice. When women report assault “late” we are met with skepticism, and even death threats to our families.”-Amanda Brown Lierman
“The FBI reopened the 1961 bombing of the 16th Baptist Church in Birmingham-the coldest of cold cases-in 1997 & convicted 2 defendents by interviewing witnesses & uncovering new evidence. Don't tell me they can't complete a background regarding Judge Kavanaughs high school conduct.”-Joyce Alene
“Trump said Florence is the wettest storm “from the standpoint of water”. Well, I didnt realize water had a viewpoint, but lets roll with it: from the standpoint of water, trump is the worst president. Just ask any river, stream , lake or ocean.”-George Takei
Songs Of The Day ( while perusing You Tube yesterday I came upon these two bluegrass remakes of a couple of classic tunes…very nice.
