Angst-filled missives on the fate of American Democracy -- half-hearted or completely botched attempts at humor and constant, unadulterated whining!
Maurice Clemmons, 37, a man with a lifetime history of violence, burglary, aggravated robbery, theft and rape. Clemmons was serving what was essentially a life sentence in Arkansas before having his sentence commuted by then-Gov. Mike Huckabee.
There is nothing natural about the economic meltdown we are still struggling with as the decade winds down. A housing bubble fueled by cheap money and excessive borrowing set ablaze by derivatives, so-called financial weapons of mass destruction, put the economy on the brink of collapse. We will be sorting through the damage for years. Meanwhile, the living, breathing symbol of this economic sordidness, prisoner No. 61727-054, a.k.a. Bernie Madoff, rots away in a Butner, N.C., jail cell, doing 150 years for orchestrating the biggest Ponzi scheme in the history of humanity.Actually, the "living, breathing symbol of this economic sordidness" is alive and well and free and living with his newsreader wife, Andrea Mitchell, in Washington D.C.
A single-payer health system would be a quite radical innovation for the United States and a campaign for it faces opposition from one of the strongest and most politically active area of the American economy, the insurance industry.
Change is Never Easy, It is Contested
I cannot think of a single change of that nature in the history of the United States that occurred during what we might call: "normal" times. If we study when important changes are made in politics and the economy, they occur during periods of social upheaval. The real gains from 1960-75 resulted from massive public disruption. The important question is whether we face such challenges now.
Nixon was seriously frightened by the November Moratorium of 1969, and by a small demonstration which met him in a place he thought safe, Ohio State University. The result was a double-edged strategy. The first half of the strategy was in such legislation as OSHA and the Disability Act, along with attempt at price controls, and the opening up of relations with China. The second half was a heavy campaign of repression on liberals and progressives. The murder of Panther leaders, surveillance of student protest and social movements, and the initiation of the "War on Drugs" and "War on Crime." Somewhat contradictory strategies to be sure.
Unintended Consequences
The goal of both of these "wars" was not to control crime or drugs but rather their side-effects: buildup of a huge law enforcement machinery that resulted from the "tough on crime" approach, the criminalization of a large proportion of poor and working class and minority populations, the creation of a constant state of fear among large sectors of the population, the building of a huge penal system, and more. This was the machinery that prepared the way for Clinton's Effective Death Penalty and Anti-Terrorism legislation and for the cluster of legislation collectively known as the U.S. A. Patriot Act. Fear of crime -- in all but the white collar form -- keeps the populace controllable and not asking challenging questions, like why in such a wealthy country they do not fair and humane access to health care.
The '60s as a whole, including the riots, the so-called 'hippies,' the
growth of racist organizations and the rhetoric of revolution, the huge and unruly demonstrations around the country and in Washington, the changes in culture as exemplified in music, fashion, and even in hair styles. All of this and more general social disruption were behind both the "progressive" legislation passed under Johnson and Nixon and also the growth of repressive state. We must be careful how much we depend on the character of individuals.
Be Careful What We Wish For
Many things are possible. I frankly do not expect single-payer health system or any other project of such radical nature to come about without social disruption on a number of fronts comparable to the 1930s or the 1960s. Politicians do not simply make change, they hold the status quo for as long as possible; politicians and the media call something a change, even when it is not.
Obama's plan, if it passes and does not adequately cover those who need health care or dismantles health care insurance for those who have it, may be so utterly horrible that it will turn large sectors of the public against government "meddling" in
medicine, and may even endanger Medicare. It might even damage the health insurance offered by a few companies and many universities, being an excuse to say "the feds are doing it, so we don't have to."
A single-payer health system would be a quite radical innovation for the United States and we must guard against unintended consequences such as the growth in the insurance industry or a broken or poorly managed system which defeats the purpose of real health care reform in the first place. We must hold politicians accountable for what they do and prepare for any -- intentional or unintentional -- consequences.
Labels: Health Care Reform
Osama bin Laden was unquestionably within reach of U.S. troops in the mountains of Tora Bora when American military leaders made the crucial and costly decision not to pursue the terrorist leader with massive force, a Senate report says.
The report asserts that the failure to kill or capture bin Laden at his most vulnerable in December 2001 has had lasting consequences beyond the fate of one man. Bin Laden's escape laid the foundation for today's reinvigorated Afghan insurgency and inflamed the internal strife now endangering Pakistan, it says...
The report states categorically that bin Laden was hiding in Tora Bora when the U.S. had the means to mount a rapid assault with several thousand troops at least. It says that a review of existing literature, unclassified government records and interviews with central participants "removes any lingering doubts and makes it clear that Osama bin Laden was within our grasp at Tora Bora."
On or about Dec. 16, 2001, bin Laden and bodyguards "walked unmolested out of Tora Bora and disappeared into Pakistan's unregulated tribal area," where he is still believed to be based, the report says.
Instead of a massive attack, fewer than 100 U.S. commandos, working with Afghan militias, tried to capitalize on air strikes and track down their prey.
"The vast array of American military power, from sniper teams to the most mobile divisions of the Marine Corps and the Army, was kept on the sidelines," the report said.
Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN) suggested on CNN's State of the Union this morning that the Senate's health care debate -- set to begin tomorrow -- ought to be delayed until next year so the Senate can focus on the war in Afghanistan and the U.S. economy.
[Jim] Harbaugh tweets Condoleeza Rice is team captain for Stanford this week [in its game against Notre Dame].
...for previous discussion from "senior government official" on what Obama told the Chinese about Iran, go here. Will wait to see if this weekend's talk shows or opinion sections offer any "hey, wait a minute" reconsideration of their unanimous judgment last week about the way the Obama team was manhandled and stonewalled by the Chinese. I'll wait, but I won't hold my breath.
Seriously, when does an official part of the chattering class -- one of the weekend talkers, someone from the leading newspapers -- look back on these past two weeks in journalism's effort to represent reality and ask how the dominant narrative could have been so wrong, and wrong in a way that was easily noticeable at the time? Just curious. The guiding motto for the inquiry should be the deathless subhead on Tish Durkin's article: "Even through a veil of censorship and propaganda, the Chinese people managed a clearer view of Obama's visit than the US media did."
Jeff Sharlet, author of “The Family: Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power,” reported on NPR’s “Fresh Air” that it was a Family member in the Ugandan parliament who introduced a bill that would increase the punishment for homosexuality from life imprisonment, which is the maximum sentence today, to death:
SHARLET: [The] new legislation adds to this something called aggravated homosexuality...to say that any kind of promotion of these ideas of homosexuality, including by foreigners, can result in prison terms. Talking about same sex-marriage positively can lead you to imprisonment for life. And it’s really kind of a perfect case study and the export of a lot of American largely evangelical ideas about homosexuality exported to Uganda, which then takes them to their logical end.
For those who do not like to eat, shop, or watch football. We realize that this is a very difficult season for you. May we suggest that you start a blog about how much you hate to eat, shop or watch football?
What else you gonna do?
Again, Captain Dr. and Gadfly about the Internet, Atta J. Turk and I wish to send along this very important message:
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
To: American Eaters
From: Department of Homeland Security
Re: Dangerous run on Flexible pants and Waistband Failures
Threat Level: ORANGE (not a pinkish orange, but full on orange like the color that occurs on orange peels, no gray or anything. Orange orange).
Dear Americans,
The Department of Homeland Security continues to care about you even after the Thanksgiving holiday feasting. After numerous reports of spectacular waistband failures across the country have been reported to the Department, we pass on the following safety tips to you:
As you prepare to repant after Thanksgiving feasting please note the following:
1. Do not assume that simply "sucking in the gut" will be sufficient to place pants upon your person.
2. Do not deep "double belt" as this just increases the number of projectiles that may be flung from your mid-section at unsuspecting family and friends.
3. Do not wear the oversize white pants, we are past Labor Day.
4. Do not develop a sudden urge to do sit ups.
5. Do not deep fry your frozen pants as you did the turkey, with or without fireworks - this will not help you repant.
6. Do not ask for assistance in reapplying your pants. It is just gross.
7. Never simply dip your lower half of your body into ink in an effort to appear to be wearing pants. Please.
On behalf of the Department, we wish everyone a very happy and safe after-Thanksgiving shopping holiday season!
Sincerely,
The Homeland Security Threat Determination Department
Division 16, Section V
Non-Disclosed Location 9
Cheney Bunker
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Labels: Department of Homeland Security
The Roman Catholic Church and the police in Ireland systematically colluded in covering up decades of child sex abuse by priests in Dublin, according to a scathing report released Thursday.Just a few bad apples, right father? No. It's a pattern and practice.
The cover-ups spanned the tenures of four Dublin archbishops and continued through to the mid-1990s and beyond, even after the church was beginning to admit to its failings and had professed that it was confronting abuse by its priests.But rather than helping the victims, the church was concerned only with “the maintenance of secrecy, the avoidance of scandal, the protection of the reputation of the church, and the preservation of its assets,” said the 700-page report, prepared by a group appointed by the Irish government and called the Commission of Investigation Into the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin.
Atta J. Turk and I would like (for once and perhaps the only time) echo this warning from the Department of Homeland Security:
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
To: American Cooks
From: Department of Homeland Security
Re: Proper Turkey Cooking Procedures
Dear Americans,
The Department of Homeland Security cares about you. After numerous house fires have already been reported to the Department, we pass on the following safety tips to you:
As you prepare to deep fry your turkeys please note the following:
1. Do not deep fry your frozen turkey stuffed with frozen chicken stuffed with frozen duck stuffed with fireworks.
2. Do not deep fry your frozen turkey stuffed with frozen chicken stuffed with frozen duck stuffed with fireworks in the middle of the carpeted living room.
3. Do not deep fry your frozen turkey stuffed with frozen chicken stuffed with frozen duck stuffed with fireworks in the middle of the carpeted living room balanced on the snack plate on the coffee table surrounded by candles.
4. Do not deep fry your frozen turkey stuffed with frozen chicken stuffed with frozen duck stuffed with fireworks in the middle of the carpeted living room balanced on the snack plate on the coffee table surrounded by candles and playing children.
5. Do not deep fry your frozen tofu turkey stuffed with frozen tofu chicken stuffed with frozen tofu duck stuffed with tofu fireworks in the middle of the carpeted living room balanced on the tofu snack plate on the coffee table surrounded by tofu candles.
6. Do not deep fry your frozen turkey stuffed with frozen chicken stuffed with frozen duck stuffed with fireworks and guns in the middle of the carpeted living room balanced on the snack plate on the coffee table surrounded by candles and adult males watching football. In fact, it is a good idea to have little food around males watching football unless you have hired -- in advance -- a cleaning team.
7. Never deep fry candy bars stuffed with loaded guns. Please.
On behalf of the Department, we wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving holiday!
Sincerely,
The Homeland Security Threat Determination Department
Division 16, Section V
Non-Disclosed Location 9
Cheney Bunker
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Labels: Department of Homeland Security, Media
On this Thanksgiving holiday -- for those who celebrate, the rest of us just enjoy the opportunity to overeat without the guilt -- we imagine a world where politics would be based on the quality of the ideas not on how angry or how loud someone can yell.
Isn't that a world worth imagining?
Labels: Wishful thinking
"How David [Broder] can make this kind of comment after UI bill [Unemployment Insurance extension] is beyond me. It took more than four weeks to pass a bill in the senate that it took the House an hour to pass on the suspension calendar," said Manley [Reid's spokesflack].
Broder acknowledged the unemployment point. "It's a good argument as it implies to the unemployment extension. There have been many occasions where I have been very critical of the Republican stance."
Manley said that Broder's column was discussed by "puzzled" Democrats in the Senate cloakroom. "No one could understand it," said Manley. "We had the self-described gold standard of analysis - the CBO - highlighting that the bill reduces the deficit. And David utterly failed to acknowledge that was the case."
Broder often refers to the Congressional Budget Office with the highest praise, but relied mostly in his column on "experts" who proclaim themselves "bipartisan" but whose goals are to dismantle Social Security, Medicare and other vestiges of the New Deal.
Broder's argument was dismissed by his colleague at the Post, Ezra Klein. Broder, however, said he didn't have to look far to find people who agreed with him - which is, in fact, one of the biggest problems the blogosphere has with his type of writing and thinking. "It was hardly a unique viewpoint," Broder said accurately.
That [porn star Sasha] Grey is not a fan of Mrs. Sanford, of course, is not shocking. What's shocking is that I even know her opinion on the woman, on the situation, on politicians and their wives, and that she thinks we should all openly have something extra on the side.
Comedian Mary Walsh's beloved character button-holed the former Alaska governor at a recent book-signing in Columbus, Ohio, only to be strong-armed away from Palin by a cabal of security guards...As to the last statement, they're afraid she'll open her pie-hole.
After being kicked out of the book-signing, Walsh and her crew then waited outside at a loading dock close to where Palin's bus was parked. When Palin emerged from the Borders bookstore, Walsh said, Delahunty - dressed in a more toned-down version of her trademark warrior princess costume - called out to her.
"Hey, remember us, we're the Canadians! We came all the way here from Canada!" Delahunty yelled. "When we asked you that question, we didn't hear your answer."
Palin strolled over, looking down on Walsh and her crew to tell them that "Canada needs to dismantle its public health-care system and allow private enterprise to get involved and turn a profit." ...
"It was great fun, but also very strange," Walsh recalled.
"We're in a bookstore, at a public event, in a place one would think was a bastion of free speech. And no one was allowed to ask questions. What are they afraid of?"
If you live in the universe of lies, the last thing that you are governed by is the truth. The last thing you are governed by is reality. The only thing that matters to you is the advancement of your political agenda. And you tell yourself in the universe of lies that your agenda is so important the world will not survive without it and therefore you can lie, cheat, steal, destroy whoever you have to to get your agenda done because your opponents are evil, and in fighting evil, anything goes. There are no rules when you're in a fight with the devil.
But the way I feel is this: I feel liberated, and I'm just going to tell you as plainly as I can why. I no longer am going to have to carry the water for people who I don't think deserve having their water carried.
Pigmissile Perino states: "We did not have a terrorist attack on our country during President Bush's term"
an american conservative is someone who believes that
a) the vatican ought to decide our domestic policy;
b) israel ought to decide our foreign policy;
c) communist china ought to decide our economic policy; and
d) osama bin ladin ought to decide who gets tried in our courts.
A group of conservative Republican leaders is proposing a solution to the internecine warfare over what the party should stand for: a 10-point checklist gauging proper adherence to core principles like opposing government financing for abortion and, more generally, President Obama’s “socialist agenda.”
Oh, they're makin' a list
won't edit it twice,
gonna find out
who's crazy and white
Righty Clause is comin'
to town...
"He's followed her career and likes her strong stand on faith," said son Franklin Graham, who was present for the 2 1/2-hour get-together. "Daddy feels God was using her to wake America up."
The former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate told Billy Graham about how she came to faith in God as a girl in Bible camp.
She quizzed him on the presidents he's known and wanted his take on what the Bible says about Israel, Iran and Iraq, Franklin Graham reported.
Cheney says that when the President bows to a foreign leader, "our friends and allies don't expect it and our adversaries perceive it as a sign of weakness."
"I think it's fundamentally harmful and it shows in my mind that this is a guy, a president, who would bow, for example, who doesn't fully understand or have the same perception of the U.S. role in the world that I think most Americans have," he says.
Glazer also reported that the NFL has been in touch with the Department of Defense about sharing information related to head injuries and brain trauma for soldiers and football players. It stems from Goodell's trip to the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters in July 2008.
- On August 28, 2010, I ask you, your family and neighbors to join me at the feet of Abraham Lincoln on the National Mall for the unveiling of The Plan and the birthday of a new national movement to restore our great country.
Hot Air’s Allahpundit notes that the date of Beck’s DC event “happens to be the anniversary of the ‘I Have a Dream’ speech” by Martin Luther King, Jr.
The media is basically letting all opponents of health care say whatever the hell they want about health care reform with little pushback.
I don't know why I continue to be surprised when this happens, but I do...
Tony Blair, the former prime minister, misled MPs and the public throughout 2002 when he claimed that Britain’s objective was “disarmament, not regime change” and that there had been no planning for military action. In fact, British military planning for a full invasion and regime change began in February 2002.
Vampires and werewolves have vanquished a dark knight. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" took in $72.7 million in its first day to break the single day domestic box office record previously held by "The Dark Knight," which had a $67.2 million opening day last year.
The Friday haul for the "Twilight" sequel includes a record $26.3 million from midnight screenings alone.
Tea Party Express co-chair Mark Williams, one of the most visible spokespersons for the tea party movement, has repeatedly called his political opponents "faggot" on his blog.
[Palin] is the country’s first WWE politician — a cartoon combatant who inspires stadiums full of frustrated middle American followers who will cheer for her against whichever villain they trot out, be it Newsweek, Barack Obama, Katie Couric, Steve Schmidt, the Mad Russian, Randy Orton or whoever. Her followers will not know that she is the perfect patsy for our system, designed as it is to channel popular anger in any direction but a useful one, and to keep the public tied up endlessly in pointless media melees over meaningless horseshit (melees of the sort that develop organically around Palin everywhere she goes). Like George W. Bush, even Palin herself doesn’t know this, another reason she’s such a perfect political tool.The only upside to all of this is that John McCain will wince every time he sees her on TV. He'll never take responsibility for unleashing this moron on the country, of course, but he'll be in his own private hell. Small consolation, but it's something.
It seems that the Brett Favre-Green Bay Packers saga is such a worldwide phenomenon that it's being used by detainees in American military camps.
According to a military official, detainees at a Wisconsin National Guard camp in Iraq are using Brett Favre as a manner of getting at the guard troops there.
"They know Favre by name," said First Lieutenant Tim Boehnen, who is from New Richmond, Wis.
"One of the big words they know now is shenanigan. They'll constantly talk about 'Favre shenanigans,' 'He's so good for the Vikings,' and 'The Packers have got to really feel bad about that one.'"
President Barack Obama will join Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware in a special public service announcement debuting during each of the three NFL games played on Thanksgiving. The 90-second PSA is a joint effort of the NFL's PLAY 60 campaign, a leaguewide effort to fight childhood obesity by getting kids active for 60 minutes a day,
Sarah Palin is right -- far be it from me to say one cray thing she's right about however. She's a Republican after all.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Exclusive - Lou Dobbs Extended Interview Pt. 3 | ||||
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Less disconcerting second Greenwald-esque update below that one.
THANK YOU, BERNIE KERIK!| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| The Word - Grand Old Pity Party | ||||
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Just now on the Senate floor, Republicans objected to a motion by Chris Dodd (D-CT) to immediately take up a bill to move up the effective date on the CARD Act, which was passed several months ago. In the intervening time, credit card companies have been jacking up their rates in what Dodd described as “a last-ditch attempt” to pad their profits until all of the provisions of the CARD Act, which prevents arbitrary interest rate, fee and finance charge increases on existing balances, take effect. The bill Dodd sought would have frozen all rates, charges and fees until all of the CARD Act’s provisions became law. It would also have reduced rates for every cardholder who saw arbitrary rate increases in 2009.
So basically, the banksters have been gouging their customers one last time, Sen. Dodd wanted to stop them from doing that, and Republicans objected.
NEW YORK -- Karl Rove's memoir has a title, "Courage and Consequence," and a release date - March 9, 2010.
If Palin wasn't so breathlessly dumb and lazy, she could become smart.
Faced with this criticism, Goldman announced yesterday that it is putting $500m aside to help 10,000 small US businesses. The donation (equal to 3% of its bonus pot) will be managed by a council led by Blankfein, Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter, and legendary investor Warren Buffett.Trust me: Goldman has -- or will -- find a way to extract wealth from those 10,000 small businesses. It's what they do.
Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) pledged on Tuesday morning to defeat healthcare reform legislation if his abortion amendment is taken out, saying 10 to 20 anti-abortion-rights Democrats would vote against a bill with weaker language.
“They’re not going to take it out,” Stupak said on “Fox and Friends,”
Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) told Politics Daily Tuesday that he plans to introduce an amendment to the Senate health care reform bill similar to the amendment by Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) that was attached to the House health care reform bill.
LOS ANGELES — Two Southern California cities have voted to ban the declawing of cats, joining San Francisco and Santa Monica which recently outlawed the practice.
The Beverly Hills City Council voted 5-0 Tuesday night to approve a declawing ban, except in cases of medical necessity.
The Los Angeles City Council also gave final approval to a similar ordinance Tuesday.
No, Murdoch's slurred, barely coherent answer blamed politicians, including Paterson, who, it's important to note, is "blind, and can't read braille, and doesn't know what's going on." And therefore is responsible for the lack of civil discourse in our political conversation.
If any vegans came over for dinner, I could whip them up a salad, then explain my philosophy on being a carnivore: If God had not intended for us to eat animals, how come He made them out of meat?
But don't eat the meat of any of the following birds: eagles, vultures, falcons, kites, ravens, ostriches, owls, sea gulls, hawks, pelicans, ospreys, cormorants, storks, herons, and hoopoes. [a] You must not eat bats.
...don't eat camels, rabbits, and rock badgers.
9You can eat any fish that has fins and scales. But there are other creatures that live in the water, 10and if they do not have fins and scales, you must not eat them. Treat them as unclean.
6-10 Someone else may say to you, " Let's worship other gods." That person may be your best friend, your brother or sister, your son or daughter, or your own dear wife or husband. But you must not listen to people who say such things. Instead, you must stone them to death. You must be the first to throw the stones, then others from the community will finish the job. Don't show any pity.
