Politico’s Arena asked, “Should the GOP break their anti-tax pledge?” And I responded:
Elected officials should make pledges to the American people, NOT special interests in Washington.
Not only are Republicans right to abandon Grover Norquist’s anti-tax pledge, but they never should have voluntarily shackled themselves to it in the first place.
Want to read the rest? It’s here.
Salon asked a series of writers and public figures what they would ask what one thing they want President Obama to do in his second term. My response?
Mr. President, perhaps the most important legacy you could achieve on the heels of your re-election is the preservation of the electoral process itself.
Estimates suggest that, between political party spending and Super PAC largess around the presidential and congressional races, this past election cost as much as $6 billion. That is just astonishing. And astonishingly wasteful.
Please read the full essay here.
Does Grover Norquist think that letting a tax cut lapse is the same thing as increasing taxes? Depends on which Grover you ask…
This week, Grover Norquist has been all over the place attacking the idea that President Obama would use his mandate to stand firm on the highly-popular idea of letting the Bush-era tax cuts expire for those earning over $250,000 a year. When asked what his agenda for the fiscal showdown was, Norquist told The Washington Post, “You want to stop any tax increases, so continue any tax cuts that lapse.”
In other words, allowing a tax cut to lapse equals a tax increase, eh? Not so fast says … Grover Norquist.
In a July 2011 meeting with The Washington Post editorial board, Norquist said, “Not continuing a tax cut is not technically a tax increase.”
Please read my latest essay for the American Prospect here.
In my latest blog post for MORE Magazine, I look at the record number of women elected to Congress in the 2012 election — but also give a warning:
Admittedly, it’s not as if the women in Congress will be running the place. In that body’s entire history, just 27 women have chaired committees, which is where the real power lies. In our most current Congress, the 112th, only one woman, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), chaired a committee (Foreign Affairs). That’s right, just one.
Read the entire essay here — the good, bad and still-to-be-done about women in politics.
From my latest piece for the Fox News website:
It is stunning to hear Republicans, who mere months ago boasted about how likely the president was to be defeated, now minimize the significance of the president’s victory and suggest he does not have a mandate….
Republicans can do all the finger pointing they want — at Mitt Romney, his campaign, Hurricane Sandy, whatever — but the fact is that with a weak economy and sagging approval ratings, President Obama was highly vulnerable for defeat if Republicans could propose popular alternatives. But this election proved those Republican alternatives wildly unpopular.
Read the rest here — and share it around!
Here are clips of two segments I did late on election night on Fox News:
Video courtesy of Fox News Channel.
I really enjoyed this conversation with the queer women’s website Autostraddle – and am very flattered by the result. Here’s an excerpt:
Kohn’s consistent optimism was inspiring and, quite frankly, surprising, but as we asked her more about it we started to understand how she can maintain such a positive outlook working in contemporary American politics. “My deeply-help ideals come not out of a place of anger,” she told us, “they come out of a place of love. I love my country, I love the people, I want the best for them.”
I hope you’ll read the rest.
Hope you enjoy this, I sure did!
Video courtesy of Fox Business Network.
I wanted to write a grand and glowing essay this morning but I’m just too wiped out from being on-air at Fox News until 5am. So instead, I’ve compiled some of my tweets from last night — marking this important victory for progress and justice in America.
So damn proud to be an American tonight!
— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) November 7, 2012
Congratulations President Obama — and to hope and opportunity triumphing over greed and divisiveness!
— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) November 7, 2012
Maine, Maryland and Washington pass marriage equality by popular vote. A good night for fairness and justice nationwide!
— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) November 7, 2012
Mark my word:Elizabeth Warren will go on to become one of the greatest senators in American history.
— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) November 7, 2012
Stunning that Republicans who played up how Obama was easy to beat are now downplaying the significance of him winning.
— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) November 7, 2012
This morning, half of Americans are really happy.Other half are planning to move to Colorado or Washington State.
— Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) November 7, 2012
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