Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-12-18

GOP's real plan to end immigration. Drive down wages to Mexican levels so no immigrants want to come here. #iowadebate # Perry says Hamas and Hezbollah are in Mexico on our border. Are Mexican immigrants crypto-Muslims, too? #iowadebate # @mattyglesias So does Romney re HCR # If radical theocracy is bad in Iran, why does Santorum want to bring it to the US? # Isn't Romney's y's head too big for his shoulders? And Bachman looks like a Kewpie doll. # Watching my first GOP debate this cycle. What a bunch! # Reading evolutionary psychology on m/w differences for book chapter. Not sure the field has made progress since we called it so-so biology. # @Josh_Shapiro Good news. Every day GOP has to work, the more damage they do! # Continue reading

The Imaginarium of Pat Toomey and Kevin Ferris

Today in the Inquirer, Kevin Ferris channels PA Senator Pat Toomey, who has been providing a Republican spin on the failure of the Super Committee. In the imagniarium of Pat Toomey and Kevin Ferris, the Senator courageously broke with fellow Republicans to propose a balanced, bi-partisan deal that would combine $450 million in tax increases along with $750 million in budget cuts to meet the Super Committee’s ten year goal. In rejecting this proposal, President Obama and the Democrats showed that they don’t truly want a balanced bipartisan solution to the deficit problem. This is what the proposal looks like when you take off the funny glasses. Toomey’s proposal would have raised revenue slightly—no more than $45 billion a year. But most of that increase would have come from the middle class not the rich. Toomey proposed to reduce the marginal tax rates for everyone by 20%. However, the absolute… Continue reading

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-12-04

Had to temporariliy remove post on conservative ideas of sex from blog. It's available on FB: http://t.co/bFeNEWCk # I'm at L'Angolo Ristorante (1415 W Porter St, Philadelphia) http://t.co/RwRwYeNR # New post: Is a long term affair really worse than sexual harassment: the conservative view of sexuality and Herman Cain http://t.co/nBNmsh5L # Continue reading

Is a Long-Term Affair Really Worse Than Sexual Harassment?: the Conservative Understanding of Sexuality and Herman Cain

The bizarre moments in our political and cultural lives are sometimes the best windows into currents of thought underlying our explicit beliefs, currents that are so deep that we often don’t even recognize them as our own. Which is worse: sexual harassment or a long term affair? Consider, for example, the reactions of conservatives to Herman Cain’s alleged sexual misconduct. Two weeks ago, when Herman Cain was charged with sexually harassing multiple women, conservative ran to his defense. They claimed that sexual harassment is an overblown phenomenon and attacked the credibility of the women who accused him. And yet last week, when a woman came forth to say that she had a long term affair with Cain, most conservatives criticized him and said that his candidacy was or should be over. One would think that sexual harassment—that is using material inducements and physical pressure to induce a woman to have… Continue reading

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-11-20

I'm at The Fresh Grocer (4001 Walnut St., at 40th St., Philadelphia) http://t.co/SrgB4Mju # I just unlocked the "Zoetrope" badge on @foursquare! #FilmBuff http://t.co/a14WfUbO # I just unlocked the Level 2 "Bento" badge on @foursquare! In it to win it! http://t.co/58rclKUN # @Twiloguy73 Are we talking about #occupyphilly or your (and most) neighborhoods in philly? # City gins up the press to diss #occupyphilly and then will wonder why folks were scared of imminent eviction and decided to move 2night. # @Jim_Gardner I've done 50+ political events in Philly w/o a permit. So has everyone else. #occupyphilly # @Michael_Nutter (2) If there are conditions on moving to TPP, why doesn't OP know what they are already? #occupyphilly # @Michael_Nutter (1) Next time think twice before you scare people about an imminent eviction. That motivated the move tonight. #occupyphilly # If the city has conditions on move to TPP why haven't… Continue reading

Why Occupy Philadelphia Needs to Continue

In the last few months, the Occupy Movement has had a dramatic impact on politics in America. At a time when even Democratic politicians and progressive newspapers have shied away from raising critical issues of inequality in income, wealth, and power, the Occupy Wall Street has moved them to the forefront of our public debates. Last week I joined a group from Occupy Philadelphia in a meeting at Senator Casey office in Washington. The Senator’s staff talked about the importance of the movement to their efforts on behalf of working people. Monday evening in Mt. Airy, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz also praised the movement and pointed out that it has given new national prominence to the needs of cities. Now, after the city and its newspapers have been so supportive of Occupy Philadelphia, it is sad to see both Mayor Nutter and the Daily News turn against it. The arguments they… Continue reading

An Open Letter to Mayor Nutter on Occupy Philadelphia

Dear Mayor Nutter, In the last few months, the Occupy Movement, of which Occupy Philadelphia has been an important part, has had a dramatic impact on politics in America. At a time when most Democratic politicians have shied away from raising critical issues of inequality in income, wealth, and power, the movement has moved them to the forefront of our public debates. Democratic legislators in Harrisburg and Washington have recognized that this movement has already made a difference. It promises much more for the future. Thus, while we have been proud of your response to Occupy Philadelphia to this point, we were terribly disappointed to read your recent statement about Occupy Philadelphia. It is disrespectful to the movement and the people who have created it. It raises complaints about Dilworth Plaza with regard to public safety and cleanliness that are exaggerated about that site yet true of too many neighborhoods… Continue reading

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-11-13

I'm at Pennsylvania Convention Center (1101 Arch St., 12th And Race St., Philadelphia) w/ 4 others http://t.co/7ZzUCZDw # I'm at Tai Lake (134 N. 10th St., at Cherry St., Philadelphia) http://t.co/frcofl08 # I'm at Dock Street Brewing Co (2 Logan Square, Philadelphia) http://t.co/Qiomgimx # I'm at La Colombe Torrefaction (1414 S Penn Sq., 15th St., Philadelphia) w/ 2 others http://t.co/PgsYyQc4 # I'm at Jones (700 Chestnut St, at S 7th St, Philadelphia) http://t.co/keLoXpbe # I'm at National Museum of American Jewish History (101 S. Independence Mall East, 5th and Market St., Philadelphia) http://t.co/UIZyn8FZ # I'm at The Shops at Liberty Place (1625 Chestnut St, at 16th St, Philadelphia) w/ 2 others http://t.co/73ArhfSH # I just unlocked the "Superstar" badge on @foursquare! http://t.co/k4sXKcNb # I'm at Bryn Mawr Film Institute (824 W Lancaster Avenue, at Bryn Mawr Ave, Bryn Mawr) http://t.co/52Di0xln # I'm at The Farm And Fisherman BYOB (1120 Pine… Continue reading

Occupy Philly Goes to Washington (and Why It Is So Important to Keep Going).

Last Thursday I led a group of people to Washington, DC to attend a National Nurses United rally in support of a financial transactions tax (FTT) and to meet with two of Senator Bob Casey’s legislative aides. Some of the people with us are heavily involved in Occupy Philadelphia. Others were HCAN, MoveOn or Neighborhood Networks supporters. They all are either sympathetic to or take part in Occupy Philly events. There were 1500-2000 spirited people at the rally. It was nice to meet some folks at the Occupy DC camp. And our meeting with Senator Casey’s staff members impressively showed me why the Occupy Movement is so incredibly importance to this country right now. Meeting with Senator Casey’s Staff Senator Casey is sympathetic to our goals. His staff said that he would look at the FTT and that it fits with his support of taxing the wealthy. His aide, Jennifer… Continue reading