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The Democratic Strategist

Political Strategy for a Permanent Democratic Majority

Political Strategy Notes

In “Democrats double down on their strategy of running against Koch brothers,” Alexander Bolton reports that Dems will soon offer a constitutional amendment “to overturn the Supreme Court’s decisions in Citizens United v. FEC and McCutcheon v. FEC, which have empowered wealthy donors such as Charles and David Koch.” Bolton explains, “It provides a focal point to the case Democrats are making about the undue influence of billionaires like the Koch brothers have on the process,” said Geoff Garin, a Democratic pollster…Garin pointed to polling in the wake of Citizens United showing that 77 percent of voters showed support for a constitutional amendment to limit what corporations may spend to influence elections. The survey showed that 74 percent said they are more likely to support a candidate who backs it.”
Democratic candidate for Florida Governor Charlie Crist is up 10 points over Republican Governor Scott in latest Quinnipiac polling. He has an 18 point lead with women and 14 point edge with independents, reports Jim Saunders for the News Service of Florida.
Greg Sargent’s “The Democrats’ election year blueprint takes shape” at The Plum Line outs conservative media spin designed to give the GOP an easy time of it for their obstruction of the minimum wage increase: “…The New York Times headline puts it this way: “Republican-Led Filibuster Blocks Minimum Wage Bill in Senate.” Yes, that’s what happened. But McClatchy puts it this way: “Senate stalls minimum wage increase.” Nah, not really. See, what happened is that Republicans filibustered it.”
The American Prospect’s Harold Meyerson explores the possibility that American Mayors and city legislators may chart a progressive future for the nation.
At MSNBC.com Zachary Roth reports that “ACLU to file suit against Ohio’s early voting cuts.” Roth explains, “The suit, to be filed Thursday in federal court by the American Civil Liberties Union, offers a chance that the controversial cuts, enacted in the nation’s most pivotal swing state, could be blocked before the November election. And it will provide the latest test of the recently weakened Voting Rights Act’s ability to stop the wave of Republican-backed voting restrictions enacted in recent years.”
“In one scenario, majority control of the Senate could be decided as late as December, Mitt Romney’s 2012 campaign pollster Neil Newhouse said, because it may take time in some close races to sort out the winner. Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu is struggling to fend off Republican Bill Cassidy in Louisiana, where state law requires a runoff to determine the winner if no candidate gets 50% of the vote,” according to “Strategists Predict Close Races in Midterm Elections” by Rebecca Ballhaus at the Wall St. Journal.
At The Crystal Ball Alan I. Abramowitz says “growing income inequality cannot, as some have argued, explain growing partisan polarization in the American electorate. Americans today are more deeply divided along party lines than at any time in recent history, but those divisions have little to do with social class.”
Obamacare enrollment has been impressive to date, but the public still doesn’t perceive it. Joan McCarter reports on the disconnect at Daily Kos.
From the Political Bulletin’s daily round-up of political humor: “David Letterman: “Well, ladies and gentlemen, the Republicans in Congress voted no on the minimum wage. Wow – that’s not the Republicans I know. I think they’re confused. We’re supposed to apply the economic sanctions to the Russians, ladies and gentlemen.”…Conan O’Brien: “Yesterday, Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer mistakenly called 50 Cent a singing group. Meanwhile, Republicans called 50 cent a fair hourly wage.”

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