Tuna

Sally

Name: Doug Murphy

Media/Outlet: CBS This Morning

Reason: Defeating ISIL, Theocratic Fascism, White Supremacy

• "Deep down, theocratic fascists know their ideas will never win or hold up to scrutiny. No bigot or terrorist has ever triumphed in a war of words. And because they cannot prevail with ballots, they then must resort to bullets and bombs. The reality is that the Jihadi Johns and Dylann Roofs of the world are all different flavors of the same poisonous brew. Though they beg us to think otherwise, in truth their ideas are in league with one another: preying on the innocent through violence and barbarism. And their only hope of success in this ultimate struggle is for people of goodwill to give in to the impulses of fear and bigotry in the face of their terror." 
• "Those who would make Islam the convenient political scapegoat do nothing more than carry water for the Caliphate. For it is our Muslim allies in the Middle East who are on the frontlines of the ground war against ISIS. They are the ones who are bearing the heaviest burden in standing up to the theocratic fascists. You cannot win a war by spitting on your allies And we cannot win this war on the battlefield or in the hearts and minds of mankind if we debase ourselves and abandon our values."
• "If we are going to defeat ISIS and stamp out the embers of fanaticism and bigotry, it will take a coordinated strategy at home and abroad. We must coordinate with our Arab partners on the ground through expanded airstrikes, controlling key checkpoints and infrastructure, and utilizing our special forces when necessary. It is imperative we also work to facilitate more political stability within Iraq to avoid a resurgence of ISIS or the government becoming a puppet of Iran. Second, we need to cut off the ISIL recruiting pipeline that has spurred both lone-wolf attacks and young people to join the enemy. That starts by coordinating with social media companies, partnering proactively with religious minorities in America, and expanding outreach to struggling youth. And third, we need to keep weapons out of the hands of terrorists. I will get assault weapons off our streets, fix the broken background check system, and empower the DOJ to place a three-week hold on all firearm and explosive purchases and transfers involving terror suspects."
• "But let's be clear here too. We can't afford a president who will play footsie with the Oath Keepers and Three Percenters as they use a militia force to defy the law. You give a mouse a cookie, it's going to want a glass of milk. It does not matter where on the map it happens. I'm going to stand up against this escalatory, lawless nonsense and protect the freedoms and rights we hold dear as Americans." 

MINI-GAME ROUND

MINI GAME ROUND AP BUDGET

Fundraising - 16 APs

Endorsements - 4 APs

News Media - 12 APs

Barnstorming - 8 APs

40/40

FUNDRAISING

16 APs - Maximum Fundraising

Target #1 - NAACP, Civil Rights groups, Voting Rights groups, Black donors

Focus - I pledge to pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act (OOC: now known today as the John Lewis Voting Rights Act) to undo the error of Shelby County v. Holder, end racist gerrymandering, and end the era of mass incarceration by eliminating sentencing disparities and decriminalizing marijuana. I will pursue economic justice by cracking down on discriminatory financial practices by requiring positive rent payments to be included in credit scores, repealing the Faircloth Amendment to expand public housing, funding new private affordable housing and condominiums, and doubling federal funding for HBCUs. Finally, unlike some in this race, you can be damn sure I won't indulge or adopt a policy of appeasement with far-right, white supremacist groups like the Three Percenters, Oath Keepers, and their followers like Dylann Roof. I'll appoint an Attorney General who will prosecute, not accommodate, white supremacists, strengthen hate crime prevention laws, enact gun control to take assault weapons off our streets, and enforce the NICS to prevent repeat Dylann Roof events.

Target #2 - Mining Companies, Rare Earth Companies

Focus - I will rapidly expand rare earth mining and use of coal for mineral extraction by cutting permitting and approval time down to less than five years for new mines, establishing a 50% tax writeoff for factory, mine, and refinery construction in the United States, reducing royalty payments for use of public land, and establish an additional $10 billion annual fund to finance such projects to reduce risk for your investors. I will also provide free and universal job training for the coal miners you need for valuable mineral extraction from coal and coal waste. Finally, I will bring down the overwhelming long-term medical liabilities and costs for mining companies by bargaining all prices on medications, in-patient and out-patient care, and offer Medicare as an option to all; thus reducing the long-term economic cost of employing a mining workforce. 

Target #3  - Unions

Focus - I will deliver the Employee Free Choice Act, a ban on companies freezing benefits and wage growth during negotiations, establish complete and full unemployment benefits and SNAP eligibility for striking workers, and guarantee universal childcare, paid and medical leave, and daycare for all. I will also make it a Class A misdemeanor with a $1,000 fine for obstructing or interfering with a picket line, allow union members to deduct membership fees from their taxes, will appoint a member of a union to run the National Labor Relations Board, and renegotiate TPP and NAFTA with the present and signoff of a labor representative from the NLRB. Finally, I will bring back working-class jobs by making half of new factory, mine, energy, and facility construction and retrofitting deductible provided it is for union employment. 

ENDORSEMENTS

4 - APs, Sen. Harry Reid

Focus - I will build upon the sterling legacy of your time as Democratic Senate Leader by passing the next phase of healthcare reform, labor rights, and guaranteeing a progressive judiciary for years to come. I will protect the ACA from repeal, open up Medicare to all Americans with dental, vision, and hearing benefits included, plus bargain fair prices for all Americans on health goods and services. I will pass the Employee Free Choice Act, ban companies from freezing benefit and wage growth, establish complete and full unemployment benefit and SNAP eligibility for striking workers, guarantee universal paid and sick leave, allow union members to deduct membership fees from their taxes, and support the right of the NCU to offer its own private health plan to its employees. And finally, I will continue to use the nuclear option you utilized in 2013 to appoint a wave of progressive justices who will stand up to far-right extremism and guarantee a liberal Supreme Court majority for years to come. 

NEWS MEDIA
12 APs - Full Court Press

Targeted Outlets and Shows

TV: MSNBC (Hardball w/ Chris Matthews, The Rachel Maddow Show, The Last Word w/Lawrence O'Donnell), CNN (Anderson Cooper 360, Erin Burnett Outfront), ABC (Good Morning America), CBS (CBS This Morning, 60 Minutes)

Radio/Digital: NPR, Howard Stern

• "It doesn't matter whether you work in the factory or mine, a cubicle or drive-thru, the 9 to 5 or the night shift. Working and middle-class mothers and fathers are the backbone of our economy and the moral fiber of America. And they deserve far more for their hard work and faith than what they've been getting. It's time we remembered and followed the New Deal model of sustainable growth and prosperity by giving parents the resources to raise their children and achieve the American dream. No abstract percentages or vague promises of help. Under my plan, the average of four will save a minimum of $6,000 in taxes per year with my child tax credit plan. To put it simply, you and your family can count on a minimum of $3,000 per child invested every year back into your family." 
• "All Americans, not just the elderly, are getting nickeled and dimed by the insurance and pharmaceutical companies. In just the last fifteen years, healthcare costs per capita have more than doubled with the average family of four being upcharged $25 grand per year on their medical bills. You deserve someone in the Oval Office who will look out and take care of everyone, especially working families. I'm the only person in this race who will bargain fair prices for all Americans, young and old, on everything from prescription drugs to hospital stays to over-the-counter medications when I'm president. And we will further reduce costs by making Medicare available to every citizen with dental, prescription, and vision covered to boot"
• "Far too many mothers and fathers are denied a real shot at the workforce due to the exploding costs of childrearing. And let's be real, you deserve more than these vague cop-out answers of 'subsidies' or 'accessibility' being peddled by some on the campaign trail. With my Administration, I will guarantee free and universal access to daycare, childcare, and Pre-K for all families, period. No matter who you are or where you live, you will have the peace of mind knowing your child is in a safe, learning environment while you go to work to provide for your family." 
• "Owning your own home should be a right, not a luxury, for American families. It's hard to do that though when the cost of a home has skyrocketed by $100,000 in the last five years. Let's reverse that. I'll reform the Mortgage Interest Deduction to focus it on first-time homebuyers and working citizens and provide $5,000 of assistance for their down payments on a home. We'll invest in private housing and condominiums as well as repeal the Faircloth amendment to expand the supply of affordable housing. And I'll take on those pesky HOAs who get in the way of your American dream." 

BARNSTORMING

IOWA, 4 APs (Des Moines/Polk County), (Cedar Rapids/Linn County)

Targets: Rural Democrats, Working Class Voters, Farming Town Voters

• "You and I both know the deck has been stacked against working-class folks in the heartland like yourselves for years now. When three-quarters of all farm aid goes to the rich, you know they aren't rooting for you in Washington. But that can end here and now. If the John Deere tractor can be assembled and manufactured here in Iowa, then I know this state can be the ones who build the engine of the American dream."
• "We need to make farming work again for families and make it easier for small town startups to compete. I will establish the Family Farms Investment program providing $10,000 grants and zero-interest loans to folks like you who were never given a chance by Big Ag. I'll also extend crop insurance by establishing catastrophic risk protection for individual yields via the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program and provide financial assist for the removal of drought-inducing non-native plant species. Less risk, more savings, and more money in your pocket to put back into your own enterprise." 
• "You shouldn't need to live in a big city to enjoy the basic services necessary for a dignified living in the 21st Century. But the scarcity of the Internet and soaring healthcare costs in the country make it almost impossible to do so in Iowa. That changes when I'm in the White House. We're going to make sure every acre of this state has broadband Internet so no one is disconnected. And I'm the only candidate in this race who is going to bargain fair healthcare costs for all Americans, young and old, with lower prices on medications, in and outpatient care, and the freedom to opt into Medicare." 

NEW HAMPSHIRE, 2 APs (Manchester, Hillsborough County)

Targets: Working and Middle-income Democrats, Young People, Communities impacted by opioid crisis

• "Few states know more about how big insurance and pharmaceutical companies have ripped off and abused good people like New Hampshire. They threw you to the wolves with no concern for the safety of you and your loved ones. So I think it's about high time we elected a president who isn't afraid to throw an elbow and rap some knuckles on Wall Street to make sure you finally get the healthcare and help needed here in New Hampshire."
• "First thing when I'm President, I'll appoint an Attorney General who will make sure we treat opioid peddlers like the Sacklers the same way we did El Chapo. Prosecute, convict, and lock them away for the crimes they did to this state. We're also going to make sure we provide $30 billion over the next ten years to expand rehabilitation services along with creating a prescription database to prevent overprescription and overdoses."
• "But we can't stop there. This time around, we're going to make sure you will actually get the care you need at an affordable price instead of getting handed nothing but pills and medical bills. I'm the only person in this race who will bargain fair prices for every citizen, young and old, on their medications, hospital and outpatient care, doctor's visits, you name it. And I will make sure no one goes without coverage by opening up Medicare to everyone. It's time you had control again over your healthcare. And that's what we're going to do when I'm president."

NEVADA, 2 APs (Las Vegas, Clark County)

Targets: Working Class Democrats, Mining Communities, Service industry workers

• “Rare do you find such salt of the earth folks like you do here in Nevada. From the service industries to the mines, you are truly the best of America. It is time someone gave you back your say and voice at the bargaining table, the share you've been denied for far too long. I will make labor empowerment the top priority of my Administration. First, I will enact the national Employee Free Choice Act. I will raise the federal minimum wage to $13 an hour and tie to the cost of living index. And for the tens of thousands of members of the Culinary Union here in Nevada, I will sign legislation to protect employees from the cumbersome workloads, steep cleaning quotas, and shore up legal protections from on the job harassment.”
• “Here in Nevada are the metals and minerals needed to produce the solar panels, E.V.s, and semiconductors of the next economy As President, I will slash the permitting time, build the refineries necessary, and get these mines up and running with the proud union members of the Nevada Mining Association. For new manufacturing and mine development, we'll let businesses write off half the cost on their taxes but only if they pledge to hire unions. 
• “Universal healthcare is a basic human right. And you and your union have a right to choose where you get that healthcare. I will defend the right of unions here in Nevada to provide their members with their own quality union health plan. Under my Administration, every citizen has the freedom to enroll in Medicare, pick a private option, or stick with their union plan. And I am the only candidate in this race who knows all Americans, young and old, deserve a president who will bargain lower prices on all their medical expenses."

Office of U.S. Senator Doug Murphy

Quarter 1/4, 2016

Statement on Flint Water Crisis

WASHINGTON D.C. — "This catastrophe is more than just a shortcoming of public infrastructure. It is a failure of our national integrity. Children in the United States should not be depending on pallets of Dasani for their drinking water. But here we are, faced with a culture of greed run amok that has betrayed our nation's greatest asset and moral fiber: earnest working families, specifically those living in Flint. And this sort of disaster could have hit any city, any town, any neighborhood. 

We as Americans used to care enough for mothers and fathers, for good working people, to afford them more than just the dignity of clean drinking water. There used to be the assurance of a steady job, pension, education, and healthcare. Because these aren't just towns on a map. The city of Flint, like my hometown of Milwaukee, is a family. And the promise made to the residents of Flint was betrayed by those in Lansing and in Washington who took them for granted. But we can restore that promise. It's what we were elected to do.

I appreciate President Obama stepping up to help. But $5 million is not nearly enough. I call on this Administration to deploy the Army Corps of Engineers immediately to Michigan. We need Congress to adopt an emergency relief package to give Flint residents the financial relief they are owed. I have already proposed we establish $100 billion for direct infrastructure grants each year for the next decade so we can modernize our infrastructure. Saving Flint should be priority one on the docket for any future disbursements of funds. And we should also establish a community development bank to help repair the damage caused to our neighbors in Michigan. All this is just step one. But it is a step that will prove as a key test of whether this nation's moral courage can stand up to the institutional rot and corruption that led to this crisis."

Campus

Stern 

Sink

The campaign launch is hosted in the Beer Hall of Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Before speaking, Senator Murphy mingles with supporters and orders a Spotted Cow. Once all the supporters have assembled, Murphy bounds onstage to Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up". He waves to the crowd and gives a thumbs up and a wink to his family in the front row and approaches the lectern...

Thank you! It's great to be here in my hometown of Milwaukee, right along the shores of Lake Michigan. My family and I thank you for joining us here for the beginning of an incredible journey, but one far greater than just the Murphy clan or the people gathered here today. It is the shared story of every citizen, moving together as one in pursuit of a more perfect Union. It began not with us but centuries ago at Valley Forge and King Street in Boston. It carried on through Gettysburg and Omaha Beach. It marched onward through the striking workers of DiGiorgio fields and the civil rights champions in Selma. On that journey, we built the American dream, a promise to all that through hard work, honesty, and dedication to one's family and country, a better life would be in store. 

And so it is because of that promise and this critical moment in American history that I stand before you today and announce my candidacy for President of the United States of America.

I am running because you and I are not satisfied. Yes, America has taken many steps in the right direction over the last eight years. But I believe we are capable of more. I believe we are destined for even greater things. And you and I both know we will not get any closer as a nation to where we need to be if our working and middle class continue to be abandoned, marginalized, and left behind.

There's a reason why so many in America feel betrayed. And the reason is this: the politicians and the media talking heads in Washington and on Wall street have poisoned our airwaves and turned us against one another to distract the public from the fact they've sold out working people. And as we've circled the drain of bitter partisanship, we've seen our jobs, our livelihoods, and our children's future drained away by unchecked corporate interests. What began in the 1970s with the exodus of manufacturing jobs from the cities spread all the way out to the countryside. All of us have been impacted. And each and every one of you deserve better.

You deserve better than either four years of either passive moderation or distracted catering to the fringes. What this nation needs is bold action, fearlessly rooted in our national character and built with unwavering determination for real and tangible progress. And you deserve a president with a plan that can be implemented, not a parrot who can squawk the loudest on social media. That is why I am in this race. Because I'd rather be fighting on you and your family's behalf than quarreling with some far-right podcaster on Twitter. I'm here to roll up my sleeves and bring back earnest, good-paying manufacturing jobs with real pensions and benefits, not to own the conservatives or dunk on any fellow Democrat. All of us are in this together. And the only way we are going to come together again and write this next great chapter is we restore the promise of the American spirit. I am in this race because I believe the next great chapter of the American story depends on us.

Therefore, join me on this journey. Let's work together, march together, and build together the country that was meant to be. God bless you all! And God bless the United States of America!" 

Invest in Families

• I will expand the Child Tax Credit to $4,000 per child with an additional $1,000 annually for newborns, infants, and toddlers (0-2 years old) for Americans earning up to $150,000 per year. I will also conver the CTC into a tax rebate guaranteed to reach every American household. With this plan, the average American family of four will see their savings increase by a minimum of $6,000 and up to $8,000. Not only will this reduce child poverty, the leading obstacle to long-term self-sufficiency and social equality, by more than 75%. It will also reduce income inequality and deliver the largest tax break to working and middle-class families in American history. 
• Our families deserve more assistance in this economy. Therefore, I will establish universal childcare, daycare, and Pre-K for all American families. Families will be stronger with lower costs and more freedom to enter the workforce. More workers on the job means a stronger U.S. economy. And more children learning in healthy environments means fewer of our kids exposed to guns, drugs, and violence on our streets. 
• I will guarantee all workers and their families two months of paid family and medical leave with a minimum benefit of $580 per month, a maximum benefit of $3,000, and a baseline benefit of 50% of the highest earning year of the last year. We will pay for this family-centered agenda by asking those with net worths above $40 million to pay just a 2% tax percent and those worth more than $750 million to pay a 3% wealth tax. I will also assist small businesses in supporting their workers on family leave, we will expand Title I Subtitle B to provide compensation for lost hours. 
• No job should ever pay too little to live. I support raising the minimum wage immediately to $13 an hour and tying its future growth rate to the cost of living index. 

Blue-Collar Business

• I will offer businesses a fair deal: if you invest in America, then America will invest in you. But if you outsource jobs or hoard your cash, don't expect our dollars to come your way. My Administration will permit businesses to write off half the cost of constructing, outfitting, or reopening a new factory, power plant, renewable energy project, or rare earth mine in the United States from their taxes.
• We need to assist small businesses seeking to create blue-collar jobs here in America. I will create Manufacturing Reinvestment Accounts to permit tax-deductible payments of up to $500,000 into startups and new manufacturing ventures in the United States with clear penalties and stipulations to prevent investors from sitting on the funds. If you build in America, we will invest in you.
• I will trim the federal corporate tax rate by 5% across the board, but crack down on companies that ship jobs overseas. We will do this by establishing a minimum 21% rate on offshore profits and a 15% minimum corporate tax overall.
• We need to put Americans back to work rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure. I will establish both an annual fund of $100 billion for direct infrastructure grants and an additional community development bank of $10 billion with a 10 to 1 loan-to-capital ratio. This will generate $2 trillion worth of infrastructure development over the next decade with tens of thousands of working-class jobs created in the process. 

Healthcare 

• I support making all Americans eligible for Medicare.  Suppose either your employer’s current coverage plan or a private plan on HealthCare.gov is not ideal for you and your family. You should be able to enroll in Medicare, a program your taxpayer dollars are already paying for, and get the care you need.
• We will expand Medicare eligibility and enhance it to provide dental, vision, and hearing coverage. This will also introduce true competition into the health exchanges by establishing a clear national standard for private insurers to compete with for lower prices and better care.
• We must build upon the success of the Affordable Care Act and make quality private insurance better as well. My administration will close the coverage gap under ObamaCare by expanding subsidy eligibility for working and middle-class families.
• My administration will expand the Medicaid expansion program under the Affordable Care Act by simplifying the enrollment process by making eligibility standards uniform and income-to-dependent based and providing federal funding for states to adopt North Carolina’s Advanced Medical Home (AMH) program to improve home care for beneficiaries.
• Considering how much the U.S. government spends on subsidies for medical research and development, it is only right for taxpayers to be able to bargain for lower costs on their prescriptions, hospital services, and more. I will establish the Consumer Health Affordability and Quality (CHAQ) Commission to both bargain fair prices for medications and health services as well as represent and protect patient and consumer rights. 
• The opioid crisis needs an effective national strategy to reduce its spread and impact. I will devote a minimum of $3 billion annually toward providing rehabilitative services and care for those suffering from opioid addiction. I will also direct the Department of Health and Human Services to partner with states in helping doctors create a prescription database to prevent overprescription and overdoses. Finally, I will work to crack down on the manufacturers of these opioid medications by using the full weight of the DOJ against criminal families like the Sackler cartel. 

Union Strong 

• I will pass the Employee Free Choice Act to re-enshrine your rights to good wages and require a representative from the National Labor Relations Board with a union background to be present and involved in all future trade talks.
• I will go back to the bargaining table on the Trans-Pacific Partnership and demand we renegotiate the terms of the deal with the NLRB representative at the table. If we do not get a new deal that protects American jobs, I will pull the plug on the TPP.  
• My Administration will also replace NAFTA and renegotiate the WTO charter to establish real enforcement mechanisms and sanctions for countries like China that manipulate their currencies and exploit labor markets to rig the economy in their favor.
• I will end forced arbitration that forces workers and employees to waive their right to sue during disputes with corporations. New standards of accountability will be established to ensure arbitrators are not biased or skewed towards CEOs when settling such disputes.
• We need to use the World Trade Organization to our advantage on behalf of our workers instead of the corporate lobby. The United States has won 85% of its complaints against China at the WTO. However, the lack of an enforcement mechanism at the WTO leaves violators largely unpunished. I will work to reform the WTO agreement by establishing clear penalties including suspension of membership for countries that abuse human rights, manipulate currency, lower workplace standards to encourage outsourcing and theft of intellectual property from neighbors. 

Education Matters

•  My Administration will enact universal Pre-K, childcare, and daycare for all families. The next generation of Americans must grow up in a stable learning environment where their hopes are validated and dreams become possible. These policies will help make sure that becomes a reality.
• Our student loan crisis is a national tragedy. College should be affordable to all, but not a necessity to earn a dignified and stable living. To do this, I will the U.S. Equips Program to provide free and universal job training for every citizen, connecting unemployed or underemployed citizens with apprenticeships, training, and new opportunities. I will also provide universal community college to every citizen. On top of that, we must make college about the educational experience again. My Administration will double federal funding for PELL Grants and I will personally eliminate $25,000 from every existing federal student loan for undergraduate degrees. But we need to hold colleges to account for their out-of-control tuition. I will sign into legislation ordering an audit and restructuring of all public education institutions to continue their eligibility for PELL Grant use at the said institution. If you continue to nickel and dime our students just so the Deputy Athletic Director gets a six-figure bonus, we'll take our money elsewhere and protect students from your predatory tactics. 
• Our current unemployment insurance model is out of date. It makes no sense that working Americans are not allowed to work part-time while taking out unemployment insurance during their search for a full-time opportunity. If the goal is to ensure financial stability and economic reengagement, we need to put the people's interests first. I will establish reemployment insurance, permitting Americans to work part-time up to 20 hours per week while taking out unemployment insurance for up to six months. I will expand that window for up to two years for those enrolled in job training, apprenticeships, community college, or earning an associate's degree or certificate for employment. Let's invest in people who remain engaged in the workforce while finding the best long-term route for their family in the economy.

Boost Homeownership

• I will repeal the Faircloth Amendment with a provision tying any future federal funding for public housing to states and localities reforming their zoning laws to make it easier to construct affordable residential and mixed-purpose properties.
• I will end the discriminatory ‘One Strike’ policy that evicted tens of thousands of innocent tenants without due process from public housing.
• I will amend the Mortgage Interest Deduction to prioritize working and middle-class families and first-time homebuyers over the wealthiest 1%. To do that, I will limit it to one property per household, cap it at $500,000 for individuals earning more than $500,000 per year, and direct the savings towards establishing a "First-Time Buyer Grant" program providing up to $5,000 of federal assistance for down-payments for first-time homebuyers. Not only will this break up the monopoly of property held by the wealthiest Americans, but it will dramatically expand access to homeownership for millions of Americans. 
• My administration will also authorize federal funding of $4 billion for distribution to participating states and cities at a 1:2 ratio for the construction and maintenance of accessory dwelling units to reduce homelessness, clean up streets, and make sure everyone able and willing has a roof over their heads.
• I will reform Homeowners Associations (HOAs) by ensuring all prospective homebuyers and current homeowners are provided with a full list of regulations, bylaws, and fees. I will also establish an Office for Homeowners Counsel to ensure property owners cannot be exploited by deceptive HOA terms, left without legal protections and counsel, and to guarantee HOA board members follow the very rules they draft and enforce on others. Furthermore, I will tie all future federal funding to states and communities for public housing with them requiring de-annexation and dissolution clauses in all HOA contracts in their jurisdiction.

Energy: Lower Costs, a Cleaner World

• My Administration will establish a renewable Manhattan Project with $15 billion per year of new investments and loans granted to clean energy projects with an emphasis on matching public and private grants to maximize development.
• To build a renewable, low-emission economy, we need to make such a marketplace inviting to everyday Americans. Let's start with developing an electric Model T for the 21st Century. To do so, I will establish a $5 billion grant program for auto manufacturers who commit to developing and mass-producing a commercially accessible family vehicle that is fully electric by 2022 and at an affordable market price. If they reach their goal, they keep the grant. If they fail, they return the money to the taxpayers. The point is making sure every American will be able to purchase a new or used fully electric vehicle that fits their family by the year 2025. 
• Rather than rely on China for the rare earth and natural resources necessary for developing solar panels, electric car batteries, semiconductors, and more, let's harvest those materials right here in America. I will reduce permitting and construction time for new rare earth mines by 50% and provide $2.5 billion per year for coal mine retrofitting and job training. Not only will this give us the natural resources to build more renewable products, but it will restore mining towns to a thriving status with good-paying jobs in burgeoning fields of the future.
• We need to maximize America's energy potential. And that mission cannot take a backseat for corporate interests. Oil companies that are sitting on Department of Interior drilling permits and refusing to do anything with such privileges will automatically forfeit them when I'm president. Said permits will be reissued to other more energy-efficient and renewable sources of energy including wind, solar, hydropower, nuclear, and fracking which will lead to the creation of blue-collar jobs, lower prices, and reduced carbon emissions. 
• I will establish new Department of Interior guidelines expanding Native American protections from hazardous projects on or near their land. I will place an indefinite hold on the Keystone Pipeline's construction until and unless all impacted Native American Tribes agree to terms for said project that satisfy their concerns regarding water, environmental, and land rights. 
• Reducing energy costs is sometimes as simple as helping communities, neighborhoods, and cities retrofit their facilities with modern technology. For instance, the simple step of replacing a flat tar roof and painting it white can reduce electricity bills by up to 20%. I will establish a National Facilities Savings Consumption Fund of $5 billion per year to provide states and localities with matching funds for repairing and modernizing homes, buildings, and vital infrastructure to save on energy costs. Not only will this program pay for itself in the long-run as Americans will save tens of billions per year on energy costs, it will reduce carbon emissions and create thousands of good-paying blue-collar jobs for everyday Americans. 
• I will establish an American Wildlife Restoration Program of $5 billion annually to assist states and localities with environmental cleanup operations. My first priority will be the citizens of Florida, especially the Treasure Coast, impacted by toxic algal blooms from Lake Okeechobee caused by Big Sugar using the lake as their dumping ground of pesticides and other harmful chemicals. We will cleanup and restore Lake O and protect all Americans wherever they live from toxic environmental damage. 

Rural America 

• My Administration will establish the Conservation and Drought Management Agency within the Department of Agriculture to provide zero-interest loans and financial assistance to farmers to remove non-native plant species that exacerbate droughts and reduce profitable crop yields. 
• Family farms are the backbone of American agriculture. And a vibrant economy depends on competition. I will establish the Family Farms Investment program to provide $10,000 grants and zero-interest loans to small and family-owned farms for growth and future development. 
• I will expand crop insurance to provide catastrophic risk protection for individual yields through the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program. No small-town farmer should be denied economic security when disaster strikes. I will also lower crop insurance premiums for startups, family-owned, and lower-income farms to keep our product locally grown and owned.
• Too many families, especially in rural America, are forced to pay exponentially higher medical bills to get basic care. Geography must not be an obstacle to health. I will double federal funding for rural health clinics. My Administration will lift restrictions on Telehealth services and expand rural broadband access from coast to coast to reduce commuting time, inpatient hospital bills, and pollution. I will also crack down on monopolistic certificate-of-need laws that prevent competition, hamper demand for U.S.-made products, and inhibit the construction and development of more readily available health services. 

End Gun Violence 

• I support reinstating the federal assault weapons ban, limiting the number of rounds a magazine can legally carry to no more than 10, and closing the gun show loophole.
• Far too often, law enforcement and family cannot prevent mentally unstable individuals from accessing firearms and turning them on innocent civilians. That needs to change. We will pass a national Red Flag law to ensure no one in a vulnerable place is capable of making a tragic mistake. On top of that, I will prohibit any citizen found guilty of assault, rape, battery, or domestic violence from possessing a firearm. 
• It is imperative that proper supervision of gun transfers. I will require all firearm transfers between private parties to undergo a background check by a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer. This will not only will protect our communities from gun violence, but it will keep lawful gun owners safe. 
• We need to do more than simply make background checks universal for all purchases. The National Instant Criminal Back Check System (NICS) needs modernizing and public servants and law enforcement must be held responsible for failing to keep the system up to date. I will establish penalties, criminal and civil, for law enforcement officials who fail in their responsibility to update and monitor the NICS. And I will make sure victims of gun violence will have the resources and right to sue any public official who fails to honor their commitment to public safety. 

Defeat ISIS

• I will escalate airstrikes and expand coordination between the CIA + Department of Defense with the Iraqi military and other Arab allies. Our airpower is a dominant advantage that must be fully engaged in the fight.

• My Administration will ramp up the use of special forces to assist Iraqi and other Arab ground forces in squashing ISIS. We will also utilize our most elite soldiers to hold key checkpoints and areas of strategic interest essential for defeating ISIS. This will free up for our partners to handle the ground fighting and keep American soldiers out of harm’s way.

• The war against ISIS is more than just a military campaign. It is a struggle between good and evil in our own neighborhoods and communities. We must protect American citizens here from terrorist plots and lone-wolf attacks. I will empower the Attorney General with the authority to place a three-week hold on all firearm and explosive purchases and transfers to and from individuals under an active federal terrorism investigation or on the FBI's Terror Watchlist. I will also make it a requirement that all federal departments and agencies provide the FBI with all information concerning active terrorist suspects in the United States as the Bureau requests it.
• We will approach Syria in pursuit of a diplomatic solution to resolve its internal civil strife, offering military assistance and intelligence to the Syrian Armed Forces in their fight against ISIS in exchange for the Assad government reaching a fair and equitable agreement with the opposition. If Assad is willing to bring a satisfactory end to the conflict in his own country, we can work with him to defeat and eliminate ISIS.
• At the end of the day, we must prevail in more than just battle. We must be victorious in winning over our youth to the right side of history. I will coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security and the social media companies to crack down on ISIL propaganda, de-radicalize those beginning to fall into the trap of extremism through counter-messaging, and partner alongside Muslim-American communities throughout our country to stem and reverse the tide of theocratic fundamentalism. 

The Next Leap Forward in Civil Rights

• Voting rights are under assault throughout this country. What started with Shelby County v. Holder has spread like a wildfire. In states like Ohio, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, discriminatory voting laws are curbing the right of each citizen to make their voice heard in our democracy. I will expand the Voting Rights Act to cover not just violations of the 14th or 15th Amendment but any violations of federal law that prohibit discrimination in voting based on race, color, or ethnicity. I will also reinstate the federal pre-clearance requirement for new election procedures, bring an end to racially motivated gerrymandering, require adequate equipment, staff, and legal services for all polling stations, and require federal pre-clearance for any state voter I.D. programs.
• It is time for the United States to confront housing discrimination and generational poverty, the lingering legacy of systemic racism in America. On top of repealing the Faircloth Amendment to expand access to public housing, we need to boost private home and property ownership by Black Americans. I will do this by providing every first-time homebuyer a $5,000 down payment grant, expanding the mortgage interest deduction to include condominium ownership, and establishing a $5 billion annual private housing development program to build more multi-family housing units and condominiums. 
• Too many minorities are denied their due credit and potential because of arcane and discriminatory rules in the financial sector. To solve this, I will require positive rent payments to be included in credit scores, including retroactively, and direct the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to focus on redlining and unfair lending practices for minorities.
• Criminal justice reform is long overdue as our prison system has become an industrial complex rather than a means of correction. I will sign into law legislation eliminating the sentencing disparity between powder and crack cocaine while commuting down any existing sentences for crack cocaine possession to achieve equal sentencing standards.
• In my first month in office, I will begin the process of rescheduling marijuana, issue a blanket pardon for all marijuana possession charges to restore the full civil and economic rights of those convicted, and push Congress to formally decriminalize marijuana.
• I will establish a new 32.5 billion fund under the Department of Education to assist historically black universities and colleges in offering affordable tuition to young people. I will also expand the Earned Income Tax Credit for public educators in low-income areas to incentivize aiding struggling school districts. Better teachers, better pay, and a better future for all our children. 

Care for Our Veterans

• My administration will support our veterans by expanding VA partnerships with private medical schools to expand and improve training for personnel and access to high-quality care.
• I will work with Congress to meet the needs of a growing female veterans community through a $5 billion fund to modernize care for women in uniform. Far too many of our heroes are denied the care and help they need due to gender discrimination.
• My administration will provide an additional $10 billion for mental healthcare for our veterans to guarantee no soldier returns home from war without someone to listen to their cries and walk with them to brighter days.

Equal Justice for All 

• Transgender rights are human rights. And those who would use society's most vulnerable as a convenient political punching bag. I will appoint an Attorney General who will take on discriminatory laws like North Carolina's HB2 and advance the march for equality.
• Obergefell v. Hodges was a historic victory for equality. And I will codify Obergefell into our law books. But our work is not yet done. As President, I will sign an expansion of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to protect all Americans from housing, employment, education, health care, and financial credit discrimination, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
• I am pro-choice and support codifying Roe v. Wade. I will also veto any legislation that will strip away federal funding for Planned Parenthood and reproductive health. Furthermore, we must make sure fewer women are forced into making this choice to begin with. I will expand federal funding for responsible sex education. I will also work to make contraceptives and birth control available over the counter to reduce unwanted pregnancies. 
• I support permanently extending the Violence Against Women Act and establishing a Victims' Rights Amendment in the United States Constitution. We need to guarantee victims of abuse and violence are protected in our legal system and have the safety and freedom to pursue justice. 
•  I pledge to nominate federal judges who will both honor and protect the rights of all Americans under the 14th Amendment and stand up to corporate interests controlling our politics. 

Protect the Dream, Secure the Border

• I support the DREAM Act, codifying President Obama's DACA orders, and seeing through the birthright citizenship of undocumented children born here in the United States. I also support granting legal status and work permits for undocumented couples with children who have lived here in the United States for more than five, provided they have committed no other crimes and pay any back taxes. 
• I will continue to support sanctuary cities while seeking to establish a cooperative relationship with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to ensure proper enforcement of laws on individuals charged or convicted of violent crimes. We must protect innocent families, both citizens and undocumented, from dangerous criminals. Each is deserving of protection.
• We need a secure border and to guard our ports of entry.  But we must do so the right way. I will work with Congress to double the number of immigration courts in the United States, expediting the backlogged process of sorting through cases and applications.
• The Department of Homeland Security has made clear the need to renovate and revamp our security at ports of entry; the primary avenue of drug smuggling and human trafficking. Our staff and infrastructure are underequipped and underprepared; leading to more mistakes and 1-2 hour minimum waiting times to cross the border. I will provide an additional $8 billion to our Department of Homeland Security right off the bat to renovate and redevelop our border crossings to make sure our ports of entry are seal-proof from dangerous criminals.
• Our technology at border crossings is archaic compared to the schemes of drug cartels and terrorist organizations. Most still use CCTV systems that are now outdated and ineffective. We need state-of-the-art technology at our border to prevent illegal entries. My administration will provide $5 billion in my first budget to rewire and reboot our technological abilities at ports of entry with under-vehicle inspection systems, automatic license plate reader systems, and on-the-move automatic vehicle occupant identifiers that have been developed by the private sector. 

American Leadership Abroad

• My Administration will stand with our Ukrainian ally and NATO partners against acts of Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. Putin has made his intentions clear with the illegal annexation of Crimea, the cyberattack on Estonia in 2007, and the invasion of Georgia's sovereign territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. We will work to fortify the defenses of the region against any further aggression and work to expand U.S. exports of energy and more to reduce European dependence upon Russia, as long as the Kremlin continues to engage in brazenly illegal proxy and direct military conflicts.
• We must do more to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons. The Iran deal was a good first step. But we must go further with other nations to reduce the threat of nuclear conflict. I will work to tighten the parameters of the Obama Administration's New START Treaty to cut deployed missiles, bombers, and warheads 50% by 2022 and 75% by 2030. 
• The failures of neoconservatives have led to two wars lasting multiple decades. We need to restore the discipline and approach of Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and John F. Kennedy to our foreign policy. To stand with emerging democracies without getting our military bogged down in endless wars. My Administration will establish the 21st Century Arsenal of Democracy to manufacture military goods and infrastructure for our Asia Treaty Alliance partners. Through the combined might of our working class and the strength of our alliances, we will erect a great bulwark of freedom against any potential foreign aggression. The United States and its allies do not seek out war, but we will not allow a hostile power to bring it to our doorstep.
• I will pass the efficiency savings plan presented by former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to save $150B over ten years. We will direct half the savings for deficit reduction and the other half towards transitioning our military out of the counterinsurgency mode of the 2000s and back towards securing the world for democracy in the 21st Century.
• My Administration will remain committed to the peace process and a two-state solution in the Holy Land. We will continue to support the Iron Dome and sanction Hamas while opposing any additional settlements by Israel on the West Bank. I will also work to improve relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors in the region. I will also push the Palestinian leadership to partner with its partners in the Middle East on de-radicalizing elements of its population in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to reduce the power and sway of Hamas among their youth.
• Our capacity to do good in the world is not limited to the might of the military. Rather, it is endless because of the generosity of the American spirit. My Administration will double funding for programs like PEPFAR and the Peace Corps to spread goodwill and true lasting relief to developing nations

Hold the Powerful Accountable

• Public servants should not be profiting off their positions of power. I will prohibit congressional insider trading by requiring all sitting members of the House and Senate to either turn their assets over to a blind trust or report all financial transactions to the clerk.
• We cannot permit the wealthiest 1% on Wall Street to play roulette with the savings and dreams of working people. I support passing the Warren-McCain 21st Century Glass-Steagall restoration bill. My Administration will also repeal the Commodity Futures Modernization Act provisions that stripped away proper oversight of credit swaps and over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives that led to the mortgage crisis in 2008. I will also double the Department of Justice's budget for white-collar crimes and appoint a Secretary of the Treasury with a proven track record of holding Wall Street to account. 
• I will direct the Attorney General to take whatever steps he deems necessary, including but not limited to the appointment of a Special Counsel, to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the illegal torturing of detainees by the CIA. The Senate Intel Report lays out a clear and damning pattern of misconduct that demands justice.
• I will break the revolving door of lobbyists on Capitol Hill off its hinges by requiring lawmakers to wait twelve years before becoming paid lobbyists.
• I will appoint judges who will take on corrupt money in politics, pass legislation undoing the damage of Citizens United, and require all 501(c)(4)s publicly disclose donors contributing more than $10,000 annually.

Carolina

Cater

Secret

Plants

Placeholder

Name: Douglas “Doug” Glenn Murphy

Seat: Wisconsin, Class I

Party: Democratic

Major Caucus: New Democrat

Age: 54, b: 6/2/1962, (0 Points)

Sexuality: Straight, Married, 2 Kids (-5 Points)

• Wife: Heather Gates Murphy (b: 4/5/1965, m: 2001)
• Child #1: Gwendolyn, (b: 2002)
• Child #2: Zachary (b: 2005)

Race/Ancestry: White, Irish-Italian, (0 Points)

Socioeconomic History: Working Class (10 Points)

Religion: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America  (0 Points)

Educational History

University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Bachelor of Fine Arts, Theatre and Drama, 1980-1984 (5 Points)

• Bachelor of the Arts, American History, 1980-1984 (5 Points)

Harvard University

• Master of Liberal Arts, History, 1997-2001 (20 Points)

Professional Career

Captain, United States Marines Corps, 1984-1991 (10 Points)

Blue-Collar Job (10 Points)

• Cook, Old Sully's, 1988-1991

Artist, 1996-2010 (20 Points = 10 x 2 renown)

• Actor, Boston Theatre Company, 1988-1991

• Actor, WGBH-TV, PBS, 1990-1991

• Actor, Home Improvement, “Earl Milligan the Mailman”, 1992-1997

• Narrator for American Experience, 1997-2010

• Narrator, The War, Ken Burns' documentary, 2007

• WGBH-TV, Part-time Narrator of Frontline, 1997-2010

Major Cultural Award

Emmy, Narration, The War, 2007 (15 Points)

Political Career

• United States Senator from Wisconsin, 2013-present

Key Votes

113th Congress 2013-2015

Both: Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization AYE

Both: Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 AYE

114th Congress 2015-2017

Both: Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 AYE

POINTS USED: 90/100

EARLY LIFE

Douglas Glenn Murphy was born on June 2, 1962, to Patrick and Annabella Murphy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Patrick worked as an engineer for Rockwell Automation, Inc. Annabella was a stay at home mom who filled in as an organist at the local Catholic parish. A family of six, the Murphys lived on the south side of Milwaukee. 

Murphy graduated from South Milwaukee High School in 1980, where he played football as a quarterback. His first passion however was acting and he was a standout member of the drama department. He enrolled in the University of Wisconsin-Madison that fall with the NROTC Scholarship Program where he double majored in Theatre and Drama and American History. After finishing training, Murphy was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines based in Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms in 1984. Four years later, Captain Murphy completed his active duty service.

ACTOR, PBS

Upon completing his four years of active-duty service, Murphy returned to the States where he found work at the Boston Theatre Company as an actor. For a year and a half, he filled mostly supporting roles while also working part-time as a cook at Old Sully's bar in Charlestown. In the summer of 1990, Murphy caught the attention of a talent scout for PBS’ major station WGBH-TV with his performance in Much Ado About Nothing. He was brought onboard part-time at WGBH-TV to assist with various children’s programming. 

Murphy’s big break as an actor came in 1992 when he was brought on to appear as a mailman in the ABC sitcom Home Improvement. His performance as Earl Milligan, the endearingly exasperated delivery man who cannot figure out Timothy Taylor’s newly designed mailbox, was well received and he was promptly hired to play a regular role on the show. Murphy moved out to Burbank, California, where he also filled in other smaller roles in ABC programming. He continued as “Earl Milligan” until 1997 when he was approached by PBS to return to WGBH as a voice-over narrator for both American Experience and Frontline. Murphy accepted the offer and returned to Boston.

Back in the northeast, Murphy became the regular narrator for American Experience and a fill-in for Will Lyman on American Experience. While in Boston, Murphy enrolled at Harvard University where he earned his Master's in History. In 2004, Murphy relocated back to Wisconsin while still working for PBS. In 2007, he narrated Ken Burns' World War II documentary The War. For his role, Murphy won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Narrator. 

POLITICAL CAREER

In the winter of 2010, Murphy departed from PBS after thirteen years with the network to explore a new career in politics. Murphy made his first public foray onto the political scene in the spring of 2011 when he joined demonstrators in Madison, Wisconsin, protesting Governor Scott Walker’s Act 10. For more than a week, he participated in the protests and worked with the Wisconsin Democratic Party to try and organize opposition. While Act 10 ultimately passed, Murphy’s standing in the state skyrocketed. When incumbent U.S. Senator Herb Kohl announced he would not run for reelection in May of 2011, Murphy quickly assembled and launched a run. In a close primary, Murphy managed to win the Democratic nomination. He went on to defeat Tommy Thompson in the general election to succeed Kohl. 

PERSONAL LIFE

While attending Harvard in 1998, Murphy met Heather Gates, a Higher Education reporter for the Boston Globe. The two married in 2001 and live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with their two children Gwendolyn and Zachary. Although he was raised a Catholic, Murphy joined the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America after attending a series of lectures hosted by the Lutheran Peace Fellowship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Murphy maintains a small apartment by Union Station in Washington D.C. Just like his campaign bus in 2012, he keeps his Senate office stocked with a fridge full of New Glarus beer. In his spare time, Murphy enjoys hunting in Wisconsin during deer season and playing pickup basketball. The Murphy family owns season tickets for Wisconsin Badgers football. He keeps an autographed Bart Starr Packers helmet and a signed poster of himself with Fred Rogers on display in his office. 

AYE

NAY

SPONSORED

COSPONSORED

PLACEHOLDEr

Name: Howard Baxter McCandless
Seat: New Hampshire, Class III
Party: Democrat
Avatar: Enda Kenny
Major Caucus: New Democrats

GENDER:
Male: 0 Points

AGE: 54 years old: 0 Points

SEXUALITY:Straight, married with > 3 children:  0 Points

RACE/ANCESTRY: White/Caucasian: 0 Points

RELIGION: Roman Catholic: 0 Points 

EDUCATION HISTORY

- Harvard University, B.A. Political Science: 10 Points

- Georgetown University, J.D. 15 Points

SOCIOECONOMIC HISTORY:
- Middle Class: 0 Points

SOCIOECONOMIC HISTORY:
- Federal Political Staffer: 10 points

- Lawyer: 10 points
- State Legislature, Upper House: 4 Points, (2 terms)

Biography coming shortly

Senate reaches historic border-immigration deal.

Experts offer praise, hardliners enraged, and the center (Strangle)holds

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans and Democrats agreed last night on an unexpected and historic bipartisan immigration and border security bill. Despite the long history of congressional infighting and inaction on how best to fix the United States' border and immigration process, the American Immigration Fairness and Security (AIFAS) Act was drafted and proposed in the United States Senate after barely a week of negotiations, a monumental achievement in such a short amount of time. It appears poised for passage in both the U.S. Senate and United States House of Representatives.

Almost equally as unlikely as Congress finding common ground was the unique journey both parties took to get this agreement. Highlighted as a top legislative priority by the Ross Administration, feathers were ruffled on both sides of the aisle almost immediately by the original Safer Communities bill proposed by the Republican majority in the Senate back in February. Almost immediately, the disagreements began. Democrats objected to Republicans proposing their bill first before inviting them to talks. Republicans meanwhile criticized Senate Minority Leader Starnes for declining an invitation to hammer out a deal in Q1. 

However, after being pilloried for well over a month by Republicans for his refusal to negotiate, Senate Minority Leader Starnes quickly disproved the naysayers who claimed he was incapable of being a bridge builder. In response to the leak of correspondence from the Vice President's office, Senator Starnes agreed to begin talks with Senate Majority Leader Ackerman. In less time than anyone anticipated, the two produced what some experts are saying is "the most impressive piece of bipartisan legislation in recent memory."

Each party managed to secure major policy wins previously thought impossible Conversely, both sides of the negotiating made noteworthy concessions that may pose problems for their respective bases. "Republicans and Democrats went on a hunt and both came back with plenty of red meat to feed the village. And I'm not talking little vermin or small pickings. I'm talking steer, bison, and grizzly bear-level red meat. The only problem is some villagers will notice a couple of the hunters never returned and were lost in the hunt," said Brit Hume of Fox News. "Democrats managed to secure a real pathway to citizenship and then some. They really took out a carving knife here to structure it in a way they could find feasible. Massive swaths of this bill can be traced directly to their FAIR bill. But Senate Democratic leadership also agreed to E-Verify, the death penalty for law enforcement, an expansion of policing, and authorization for increased deportations of criminals and suspect individuals. Meanwhile, Republicans got the largest single largest investment in border security in recent memory. As mentioned before they won on E-Verify and law enforcement. But they also agreed to what many in their base will say is amnesty of the worst kind: a pathway to citizenship. It was incredible and took a lot of courage from both sides to get this done."

Indeed most policy analysts are thrilled at the final product of the negotiations. "Let me be clear, no bill is perfect. But the American Immigration Fairness and Security Act is maybe the most thorough, balanced, and fair piece of major legislation I can recall in recent memory that did not require the impetus and push of a national crisis to get it drafted and passed," said Larry J. Sabato. "We are going to some semblance of sanity restored to our immigration system with dangerous criminals shipped out and earnest and good immigrant families kept together with hope for the future. This is unquestionably a major win for America."

However, not all are happy. Major agricultural corporations are furious at the E-Verify provision. The ACLU publicly criticized the bill and threatened to withhold campaign money from Democrats who vote for its passage. Meanwhile, on the right, the Heritage Foundation and American Legislative Exchange Council released a statement condemning the AIFAS provisions offering a pathway to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants. "It goes without saying that this bill has some loud detractors," said Brian Stelter, now with NewsNation. "We are looking at very high approvals from independents and center-right to center-left voters. Some uneasiness among reliable Republican and Democratic voters. And among the firebrand, hardcore, bleed blue and bleed red Americans, there is sense of outrage. They do not seem to care that this bill might be a great leap forward. They feel a bit betrayed."

Senate Minority Leader Starnes walks away from these negotiations as a winner, having dispelled a great deal of public distrust of his capacity to work with the other side. It is difficult now to argue that the Democratic Leader is an ideologue or incapable of making concessions to achieve a bipartisan goal. Snap polls after the announcement of the deal revealed an uptick of support for the Senate Minority Leader and the Senate Democratic caucus. "This was a moment the Democrats needed and they delivered. Their promotion of the FAIR Act and effective press campaigns against the Ross Administration's actions on DACA were highly effective. But this was the first big and undeniable proof that Senate Democrats and their leader are not only good at their jobs but can deliver. It also may give them an upper hand on the White House in future negotiations as the public overwhelmingly approves more of Democratic and Republican Senate Leadership's handling of the border than 1600 Pennsylvnia Avenue's. 

The only fly in the giant tub of ointment here for Senate Democrats is some amount of public bewilderment as to why it took so long to begin negotiations. "I am thrilled they got a deal done. And the fact it took less than a week of negotiations is a great sign. I just don't get why Senator Starnes dug in his heels on negotiating anything until after the letter was leaked," said Joe Scarborough of MSNBC. "Ackerman was there requesting talks since February. No one blames the Senate Democrats, especially now, for not wanting to talk with the loonybin that is the White House. But refusing any negotiations with Senate Republicans until just a week ago was an unforced error by the Senate Minority Leader, albeit one largely drowned out by this monumental achievement." 

Meanwhile, the Republican Majority in the Senate can also claim their first major legislative achievement. Thanks to a well-organized press campaign and adept distancing from the White House's shenanigans, Senate Majority Leader Ackerman has earned praise from both sides of the mediasphere for his willingness to stand up to some of the more ardently extreme elements of his party, keep his caucus united, and deliver a major deal. 

Pundits agree that if there was any loser of this deal, it was Vice President Cory McKnight and the White House. While the Second in Command may try and claim credit for his leak forcing Senate Democrats to negotiate with their colleagues on the border, it is clear that the relationship between the two parties on Capitol Hill is far more productive and on better footing now than with the White House. To make matters worse, in the same week Senate Republicans were mending fences with their Democratic counterparts on the border and immigration, the President was on her Uncensored podcast casually dangling the threat of mass deportation. "The leak looked bad, even if it dinged Senator Starnes and perhaps compelled to finally talk. What's worse though is the White House does look frozen out of the legislative process due to a lack of trust. They sounded callous and childish at times. And that trust was in many ways breached by the leak and Senate Democrats ran a highly effective press campaign defending their leader. Furthermore, while Leah Ross comes out of this looking better than her running mate, it still is not a great look that she was, for all intents and purposes, sidelined by her own party as they worked out a deal on the border." 

Whether the sudden upswell of goodwill can survive beyond this bill is to be seen. What does appear certain is that for the first time in more than a generation, Republicans and Democrats may finally deliver on the elusive bipartisan border and immigration reform package.

SNAPSHOT POLLING
Who do you trust more to manage the border and immigration?
Republicans: 62% (+1%)
Democrats: 38% (+3%)

Do you approve or disapprove of how each of the following has handled the border and immigration this year?
Party - Approve - Disapprove
Senate Republicans - 62% (+3) - 30% (-3%)
Senate Democrats - 49% (+7) - 45% (-5)
John Starnes - 40% (+8) - 50% (-8)
Owen Ackerman - 53% (+5) - 34% (-1)
President Leah Ross - 34% (-4%) - 57% (+4)

 LeakGate/LetterGate Latest Controversy in Washington

WASHINGTON — Another round of fingerpointing and chaos erupted on Capitol Hill last night as anonymous sources in the Vice President's office leaked a letter from Senate Minority Leader John Starnes to Vice President Cory McKnight concerning border and immigration negotiations. While the anonymous source in the Vice President's office has not provided a copy of McKnight's original correspondence, the leaked copy of the Senate Minority Leader's response appears to state the SmL's insistence on a public apology from the Vice President for incendiary remarks by McKnight before negotiations could take place.

COPY OF SENATE MINORITY LEADER STARNES' RESPONSE

Quote

 

Mr. Vice President,

 

A private letter does not undo the damage created by the frequent and public attacks, accusations and insults that have been levied from the Administration you are a part of and the Republican Senate Caucus. This is not a situation that can be remedied by a simple private mea culpa. 

 

If there truly is a willingness to engage, with good faith, in "a collaborative effort to identify a bipartisan solution to this intricate problem" then it will take a measure of respect and humility in the public space to match the repeated and prolific statements, attacks and candidly lies that have been put into the public sphere.

 

Based upon the continued public actions of this Administration and the Senate Republican Caucus, there needs to be an actual, public show of good faith because even as recently as (OOC: today) the Senate Majority Leader was spurning having any conversations around this topic and continuing to attack, which of course does nothing more than undermine any attempts by this Administration to reach a bipartisan compromise.

 

Social media and the news networks exploded over the leaked letter. Democrats expressed outrage over the disclosure by the Vice President's office and rallied to the defense of their Senate Leader. Senator Naomi Wolfe summarized the feelings of many in the Democratic Party in her appearance on MSNBC. "I think Republicans need to understand that when they attack Senator Starnes or say there'll be no deal unless he's replaced as Minority Leader, which is in so many words what Senator Ackerman said, they remove any incentive for us to work with them," said Wolfe. "This leak is just another example of the Republicans trying to force this issue through backhanded press wars rather than coming up with any concrete policy concessions." 

Vice President McKnight countered on social media, saying "My office will stay committed to ensuring negotiations. As long as we put petty egos in front of issues and making this nation better, America will lose every single time."

Most pundits agree that neither side looks good in the eyes of voters, although the Vice President is catching the most flak from the public. Critics of McKnight pilloried his staffers for disclosing private correspondence between another member of the government for political purposes. "In all seriousness, this is just another symptom of the broader problem that is afflicting the White House," said George Will. "They'll dangle a carrot and expect the other side to be satisfied with it. And when they're rebuffed or get some pushback, suddenly the Administration sends out the press secretary or some poor staffer to take a brass knuckle swing below the belt."

The Vice President is also facing scrutiny for the tone and preachiness of his comments on X/Twitter after the story broke. "I frankly think Cory McKnight might be the smuggest son of a b-tch in Washington," said Chris Matthews of MSNBC. "The amount of lecturing and preening is nauseating. Talking about bipartisanship when you do that? Give me a break. If he didn't owe John Starnes an apology before, he sure the hell does now."

Unlike the Vice President, Senate Leader Starnes enjoyed immediate public support of his colleagues in the Senate. "It's already been made clear that Democrats were wiling to engage on inflation talks," said Senate Minority Whip Kamaka. "The only party involved denying reality is the White House and Congressional Republicans who chose scoring cheap political points over hammering out an agreement."

Thanks to a coordinated press campaign by Democrats, the Vice President's team and White House walked out of this debacle with far more bruises than their intended target. That being said, the contents of the leaked letter has reinforced to some extent the public perception of the Senate Minority Leader being a difficult individual to work with. "It looks really shallow of the Senate Minority Leader to have refused any negotiations on the border until he got a public apology for attacks," said Jake Sherman of Puncbowl. "Yes, feelings can get hurt, but this isn't the Sopranos. John Starnes isn't Johnny Sack and Cory McKnight is not Ralph Cifaretto insulting the underboss' wife. This is Washington D.C. and there is a border crisis going on. Voters do not believe their politicians should be refusing to negotiate with their colleagues over public insults, even if the comments may have been rude and out of order."

However, some Democrats disagree, arguing Vice President McKnight has repeatedly crossed a line with the Democratic Senate Leader. "Starnes wants to be respected as everyone else does. McKnight has been talking out his ass since he gained his position," said Senator Aaron Sharpe on All In with Chris Hayes. "Starnes is a man just like McKnight he wants him to apologize. Starnes has never disrespected McKnight and this is a low blow."

Others in the media called out the Vice President for allegedly using his staff as a shield to play dirty political tricks. "At some point, he really should stop hiding behind the skirts and suit coats of a poor, random staffer in the Eisenhower Building and just say it with his chest," said Jessica Tarlov of The Five on Fox News. "Even if John Starnes is some variation of sensitive or stubborn, it really is pathetic and cowardice for McKnight to take potshots like this from the security of his own staff."

At the end of the day, it seems highly unlikely that this latest episode of dysfunction in Washington will help break the impasse over the border, immigration, funding for Ukraine, etc. "We're effectively looking at The Emperor's New Groove happening in Washington," said Brit Hume. "Each of these two guys hates the other with a burning passion and with some amount of justification. Yet each needs the other to finally get something, anything done, in this crucial time."

Do you approve or disapprove of the Vice President's office leaking the correspondence from Senate Minority Leader John Starnes demanding a public apology before border talks?
Approve: 26%
Disapprove: 67%
No Opinion/Unsure: 7%

Do you approve or disapprove of Senate Minority Leader Starnes demanding a public apology before agreeing to negotiations on the border?
Approve: 40%
Disapprove: 54%
No Opinion/Unsure: 6%

Lids

Barrel 

Ellen DeGeneres 

Signing out 

Mr. President, I hereby appoint the following to a Select Committee on the Governance of Artificial Intelligence and Technology

CHAIR- Senator Sarah Milliken of Nebraska.

RANKING MEMBER - Senator Edward O'Connor of Massachusetts

Senator Macmillan

Senator Ackerman

Senator Hunt

Senator Stokes

Senator deSonido