Advocate From Where You Stand: MILF Edition

This Peruvian anti-harassment PSA is pretty cool. As I've pointed out before, women deserve respect because they are people not just because of their relationship to men, in this case their mothers. However, I would argue that this ad makes that point potently by "humanizing" these targets of harassment in the most intimate way possible. You can read more about the campaign here.

Koch Party!

Okay. The title of this New York Times article really sums it up. "Koch Brothers’ Budget of $889 Million for 2016 Is on Par With Both Parties’ Spending"

They are spending like they are their own political party! Are you KIDDING? Are you KIDDING? How is this democracy?

As the three senators addressed the audience of rich donors — effectively an audition for the 2016 primary — they dismissed a question about whether the wealthy had too much influence in politics. At times they seemed to be addressing an audience of two: the Kochs themselves, now among the country’s most influential conservative power brokers.

Mr. Cruz gave an impassioned defense of his hosts as job creators and the victims of unfair attacks by Democrats, while Mr. Rubio suggested that only liberals supported campaign finance restrictions, so as to empower what he said were their allies in Hollywood and the news media.

Wow. God bless America.

NOI Turnover

Big news about which I have no insider knowledge. Very sad. I have a lot of love for NOI's work and many of the people associated with it. You can read about it here.

Missouri State Rep Mike Moon Gets Honorable Mention In Worst Person Contest

This human mustache display case is State Representative Mike Moon. He introduced a resolution in the Missouri House to "insist that each member of the Missouri Congressional delegation endeavor with ‘manly firmness’ and resolve to totally and completely repeal the Affordable Care Act, settling for no less than a full repeal.”

I don't even know where to go with this. Do I make a sex joke? Do get I feminist ragey? Do I talk about how heartless is it that Republicans want to deny people healthcare to serve a political agenda? Oh, look I just did all three.

In response to criticism Moon offered, It is just like going to war," Moon said. "You want a soldier to fight like a man. If a woman is in the trenches, you want them to fight like a man, too.” As my friend Natalie quipped, "I didn't mean to offend women, what I MEANT was that women are not as good as men." Dude, you're making it worse.

Moon also pointed out that the phrase "manly firmness" is taken from the Declaration of Independence describing the founding fathers' opposition to King George. Much respect to the men who risked their lives for our bold experiment in democracy, but when it comes to gender equality I hope we've evolved since then. (*Cough, cough Thomas Jefferson was a rapist.*)

US Senator from Missouri Claire McCaskill pretty much nailed it. "He's referring to a point in time when women were chattels and didn't have the right to vote. I think we can update our vocabulary...I don’t think you prove your manhood by kicking folks off their health coverage and once again letting insurance companies discriminate against women and sick people."

I'll take Senator McCaskill's common sense feminism over Rep Moon's "many firmness" any day.

FEC Increases Spending Limits

This happens in off years to adjust for inflation.

However the significant change this year is... I'll let the Wall Street Journal tell you. "In April 2014, the Supreme Court threw out the $123,200 cap on what individuals could give to federal candidates and political committees over a two-year election cycle, saying the limits infringed on First Amendment free-speech rights. Within two weeks, the three national GOP party committees formed a joint fundraising committee allowing them to host events where they could request checks three times the size of what they could accept on their own. Previously, they were not barred from creating a joint committee, but the aggregate limit would usually block individuals from giving the joint effort more than each committee’s cap.Under the new limits, the joint committee—called Republican Victory Fund—can accept as much as $100,200 from an individual person or political entity."

Good. Because I was feeling super bad for rich people's inability to completely buy elections. Read all about it here.