August 11, 2026

When you can’t win on the economy, go after gay marriage.

Typically, I write off most of what Joe Biden says to gaffs. Even in jest, though, the truth is often found. Like when he said he supported gay marriage while the President’s views were still “evolving,” whatever that means.

Actually–wait. I’ll tell you what “evolving” means: it means that the President, as of this morning, supports gay marriage. Three days after the Vice President’s gaff, and a day after a very flustered White House Press Secretary fought to keep the news media at bay, a quickly arranged interview with ABC reveiled that the President’s views on marriage are no longer “evolving.” He supports gay marriage.

Never mind that it flies in the face of laws and state constitutional amendments in over thirty states, including, also as of this morning, North Carolina. I write that policy change off to more than just the Veep’s gaff–it’s the result of a previously calculated development of a wedge issue. If the president can’t win on the economy–and he can’t–he’s going to go after something else.

To Dave Montero: When did “one” become “some” Republicans?

But what happens when journalist have to stir the pot a little themselves to keep the controversy going? Today’s story by Dave Montero may be just that–something to keep a story going another cycle or two. In “2nd District turmoil has some GOP looking at Democrat,” Montero manages to turn one Republican into “some” Republicans. [cont…]

Obamacare before the Supreme Court: “The Emperor Has No Clothes!”

In a case of “the Emperor has no clothes,” the justices played the part of the skeptic to the Obama Administration’s protestations of Obamacare’s constitutionality. With the oral arguments on constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act over, let’s take a look back at the reactions to the arguments: [cont…]

The Constitutionality of the Individual Mandate: The Very One-Sided Fordham Debate. [video]

There are few things in politics or the law quite so enjoyable as watching one use words to bludgeon and destroy a weak or faulty idea.

Recently (as in, on Monday of this week) the University of Utah’s SJ Quinney College of Law hosted the Fordham Debate. The topic for the two Ivy League educated scholars who would take up opposing sides?

Be it resolved that the individual mandate provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is constitutional under the commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Yeah. Pretty much the lodestone for the entire political right’s anger at the elected left and why Obama, for all his panache, brilliance, and Vulcan-like demeanor, has lost the blessing of nearly a majority of Americans. [cont…]

Pew Polls Mormons About Being Mormon.

With the contest for the GOP Presidential nomination leaving the more tolerant American northeast (New Hampshire) and heading back into evangelical territory, Mitt Romney’s Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint (“LDS” for short) faith (aka “Mormonism” or the “Mormons” in the popular press) is back in the news. The Pew Research Center, in anticipation, has released a new poll on Mormons.

…or rather, of Mormons. As in: how do Mormons see themselves?

I know. Interesting, right? Who doesn’t love a good case of ompholaskepsis? I mean, besides the Kardashian sisters and the Jersey Shore crew? (Yes, I did just manage to get a ten-dollar word in the same line as a reference to the Kardashians and Snooki. There’s got to be some kind of blogger bingo reward for that). [cont…]

Every time Gingrich calls himself a conservative, an angel loses its wings.

Ok, maybe not an angel. But I am sure that Ronald Reagan is rolling over in his grave. This one’s for you, Marco. Today’s witness to the lack of conservatism in Newt Gingrich is George Will who, frankly, says things better than I do, including when he calls Newt the “anti-conservative”: When discussing his amazingness, […]

Nationwide Poll: Most know that Mormons are Christians, but especially Republicans.

Most people consider Mormons–members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints–to be Christians, says a new nationwide poll by the Salt Lake Tribune. That’s interesting, and it’s also probably good news to Mitt Romney, whose biggest liability is not the health care reforms he signed as Governor of Massachusetts but his religion.

What’s more interesting, at least to me, is who questions Mormons’ Christianity. It’s not those “crazy” conservatives; rather, it’s the Democrats and Independents.