Perry Compares Medicaid to Titanic, Trump to Be Honored, and More

Perry Rejects Obamacare:

After opposing the Medicaid expansion in his state, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, said expanding the program would be like adding a thousand people to the Titanic. Perry’s rationale is that the program has already “failed.” Perhaps a more apropos comparison to the Titanic would be Texas’ current health care system, considering that about one in four people in the state are uninsured and a recent health care study ranked Texas last. (Read more)

Mitt’s Massive Intake: When it came to presidential campaign fundraising in June, Mitt Romney crushed President Obama, besting him by a whopping $35 million. For the month, Romney and the Republican National Committee raked in a record $106 million, while Obama and the Democratic National Committee raised $71 million. Although that’s bad news for Obama, there’s worse news for his campaign: Four years ago during the same period, it took in $74 million, while his opponent, Sen. John McCain, raised $48 million. (Read more)

Portrait of Romney’s Donors Emerge: If Mitt Romney wants to portray himself as being in touch with the average American, an article in the Los Angeles Times that featured interviews with some of his donors on their way to a lavish fundraiser in the Hamptons will not do the presumed GOP presidential nominee any favors. In particular, this quote from a female donor — who asked not to be named — is bound to raise some eyebrows for its highly insulting and offensive nature. “We’ve got the message. But my college kid, the baby sitters, the nails ladies — everybody who’s got the right to vote — they don’t understand what’s going on. I just think if you’re lower income — one, you’re not as educated, two, they don’t understand how it works, they don’t understand how the systems work, they don’t understand the impact.” (Read more)

Trump to Win ‘Statesman of Year’ Award: Donald Trump, the real estate mogul, reality TV host and wannabe presidential candidate, will be honored by the Sarasota Republican Party next month with the “Statesman of the Year” award — right before the GOP’s nominating convention, as it so happens. It’s unclear what exactly the birther-in-chief has done to merit the honor since the Sarasota Republican Party doesn’t list the qualifications for the award. Perhaps it’s his abandoned attempt to run for president? Or the failed GOP presidential debate he tried to host in South Carolina? Maybe it’s his campaign to undermine Obama by calling the president’s birth certificate one of the “greatest scams” of all time in politics? Think Progress has its theory of why The Donald was chosen: “If the definition of ‘statesman’ to the Romney campaign and the Republican Party in Sarasota really is ‘a homophobic, conspiracy-theory peddling, bankrupt-four-times-over misogynist,’ then perhaps Trump really is the perfect choice.” (Read more)

Video of the Day: Social Security. It’s just like slavery. Well, most people probably don’t think so. But GOP Congressman Allen West, famous for once claiming he “heard” that 80 House Democrats were actually communists, thinks that’s exactly what Social Security disability is like: “a form of modern, 21st century slavery.”

— Posted by Tracy Bloom