Where’s the Outrage?

On 6/25/09, Bill O’Reilly had a Talking Points commentary which dealt with “celebrating the destruction of others.” Of course, O’Reilly is talking about the news coverage of South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford’s debacle.  Celebration?  I don’t think so.  I haven’t seen any evidence of celebration.  Not in the mainstream media.  I haven’t seen it on any of the major liberal blogs either.  It isn’t that Mark Sanford hasn’t given many critics adequate ammunition.  That’s not the problem.  The problem is Governor Sanford’s complete inability to come up with a coherent story and stick with it.  His story has been evolving ever since we first thought he was missing two weeks ago.  We don’t need to celebrate.  When a political rivel is stabbing himself multiple times, all you need to do is get out of the way.

Bill O’Reilly states, as fact, “the left has been especially vicious of late.”  He gives us no information or data to support this wild allegation.  This is a Bill O’Reilly trademark.

He then compares the wild left “celebration” to the restrained coverage of the John Edwards affair.  Of course, he doesn’t mention that John Edwards had already dropped out of the presidential race.  His presidential bid was in the toilet when the story broke.  John Edwards was holding no public office.  Finally, the fact that John Edwards had a extramarital affair with a woman did not fit with the frame that the conservatives were painting John Edwards as a closet homosexual. Remember Ann Coulter’s disgusting refrain?

Again, Bill O’Reilly then gives this sweeping statement — Fox news did not celebrate nor dwell on the Edwards affair.  Really?  Where is the data to support this?  How do you define “dwell” then?  A simple search of the Fox news website, using Google,  reveals 1940 references to “John Edwards and Affair.”  So what do you think… maybe a thousand of them are real and pertinent?

Bill O’Reilly, who regularly likes to attack even the New York Times or the Washington Post, on this particular occasion chooses the Post.  (The Washington Post has plenty of problems of its own. It was revealed that the Post was selling access to its Op-Ed columnists and reporters. That can’t be good for unbiased journalism.) Bill O’Reilly chose to single out Eugene Robinson, a Pulitzer prize-winning columnist.  Instead of playing Eugene’s video clip in which he and Keith Olbermann were talking about Eugene’s unique qualifications to talk about this particular situation (the facts that Mr. Robinson had lived in Argentina while he covered South America and that he grew up in South Carolina).  Eugene Robinson was clearly joking when he said that he was “grateful to the governor for doing this.”  This was a quote that was clearly taken out of context and Bill O’Reilly doesn’t seem care.  (See the video below and decide for yourself)

Bill O’Reilly then singles out several other people to prove his case that the far left was celebrating.  By the way, where is the far left?  Does the far left consist of people who believe that the government should not decide who can and cannot marry whom (outside of medical restrictions)?  Does the far left consist of people who believe the government shouldn’t torture and should not have invaded Iraq?  If this is the far left then more than 50% of this country is far left. Anyway, O’Reilly eventually winds his way around to attacking Christine Pelosi, the daughter of Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who is a filmmaker and outspoken critic of many of the conservative policies that we’ve seen over the last 8-20 years.  Somehow, Pelosi’s mention of the hypocrisy that many of these “family values” Republicans have shown to the American people is un-American in Bill O’Reilly’s book.  Somehow, criticism, without name calling (pinhead, moron, baby killer, etc.) has become un-American and vicious.

Bill O’Reilly concludes his incoherent rambling by comparing those who reported Mark Sanford’s adultery and subsequent lies to Muslims who believe in stoning criminals.  He says, “apparently some in the USA believe in stoning as well, only with words.”  Maybe I need to go back to college but that doesn’t seem to make any sense.  When you stone somebody you kill them.  Valid criticism is somehow equated to stoning or a death sentence?  I don’t understand.  Then again, after listening to several of Bill O’Reilly’s Talking Points Commentary I’m usually more confused at the end than I was at the beginning.

Tags: Media, Party Politics // Add Comment »

As warned, North Korea has fired more missiles off the coast. According to the Associated Press, North Korea fired two short ranged missiles last Thursday. It is not definitely known at this time what type of missiles were fired but it was reported that the missiles were ground – to – ship missiles.
North Korea initially ordered a no sail zone off the east coast due to military drills through July 10th however we now see that those military drills must have consisted of firing missiles.

I’m starting to feel a little troubled by the growing tensions as well as North Korea’s vow to strengthen their nuclear arsenal. Just under two weeks ago North Korea was accusing the U.S. of attempting to start a second Korean War (as discussed in one of my recent posts ) however, it seems to be the other way around.

In my opinion, we as a country can not handle anything else right now, especially a nuclear war with North Korea. We are already in a war that has lasted well over 5 years, we are in a recession STILL, and we need to get our country’s healthcare under control, and this is just to name a few things that still needs resolving.

I hope and pray this country does not end up in another ongoing conflict, we need a break.

Tags: North Korea // Add Comment »

It is my opinion that we need to step back as progressives and reevaluate Gov. Mark Sanford. Sure, his wife is kicking him out of the house. She’s also issued one of the most stinging rebukes of a public figure that any of us have ever heard from a wife. Yes, the governor also left his state without a chief executive for four or five days but what’s the big deal? If government is not supposed to work, then isn’t Mark Sanford perfect?

Watch this perfect parody of a video:

Update: On a more serious note, there has been a call for Governor Mark Sanford to resign on from the Greenville, South Carolina editorial page:

Gov. Mark Sanford should resign immediately and allow South Carolina to begin picking up the pieces. The two-term governor has destroyed any shred of credibility with his lies unnecessarily added on top of other lies. His ability to govern this state has been compromised so severely that he cannot fulfill the duties required of this state’s governor until a successor takes the oath of office in January 2011.

In a tearful, rambling press conference last Wednesday, one in which the governor described himself as a “bottom-line type” of guy, he painted a version of his extramarital affair with an Argentine woman that we now know simply wasn’t the whole truth. And that the governor wasn’t truthful then — and in a circumstance that did not demand the steamy particulars of the affair — undermines the last thing Mark Sanford had working in his favor: his character. (more… )

Tags: Fun, Party Politics // 1 Comment »

Over four years ago Sen. John Edwards, during a debate with Darth Vader VP Dick Cheney, talked about the two Americas. When Sen. Edwards ran for president in 2008, he also talked about the two Americas. He was talking about the very rich and everybody else. When you look at this debate they were having over healthcare, the debate has been characterized as a moral issue for covering those who don’t have healthcare. We’re talking about the poor or the working poor. I think it’s a lot more than that.

I think John Edwards was partially right. I think that America is really divided into three distinct groups: the poor, the rich and those of us who are in between. I like to talk about those of us who have “adequate health insurance.” For 90% of the medical ailments that may come up during our lifetime, these folks who have “adequate” health insurance will be fine. Their health insurance will suit them just fine. If you have a ruptured appendix, an uncomplicated heart attack or a gallbladder attack, your insurance will cover you and you’ll be back on the job in no time. On the other hand, if you’re in a major car crash and have a head injury or you have a significant pelvic fracture requiring prolonged rehabilitation, your insurance may only cover part of your overwhelming expenses.

An article in the New York Times, published yesterday, is unfortunately the typical variety of sensational case report which dominates the healthcare discussion. This article, which is probably accurate, describes the personal pain and suffering that medical bankruptcy has bestowed upon several people. The article never pulls back and shows us the whole picture. What do all the medical bankruptcies in the United States do to our economy? What happens when thousands of Americans have to sell their homes because of a medical bankruptcy? According to recent study, medical bankruptcies affect about two million Americans every year. (I’m not sure how you define “affect” in this context.) Average out-of-pocket expense is over $11,000 before bankruptcy. Remember, these are Americans who have insurance.

This is what the healthcare debate is about. It’s about fighting for you and me. It’s about fighting for all Americans. We need universal healthcare. We need a public system that will cover all Americans. No more medical bankruptcies. We need a system that is not going to bleed us dry. We need a system that will improve our healthcare and help us live happier, healthier, longer lives.

“Underinsurance is the great hidden risk of the American health care system,” said Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard law professor who has analyzed medical bankruptcies. “People do not realize they are one diagnosis away from financial collapse.”

Here’s how we get there. Medicare and Medicaid will be rolled into this universal healthcare. The federal government will be allowed to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies and medical product companies, both of which will drive down costs. Primary care physicians will be paid to take care of a population of patients. They will be given added incentives if their population of patients who are in fact healthier at ,the end of every year (better sugar control in their diabetic patients, better blood pressure control in the hypertensive patients and better weight control in their overweight patients — these are just a few examples). Patients who adhere to their doctors regiments and lose weight, stay on a strict diet and monitor their sugars will necessarily be given tax rebates. All of this will be driven by proven medical data. The medical studies will be paid for by the $700 billion that we will save by excluding insurance. Patients can still choose their own doctors and go to their own hospitals.

Finally, there are some who have bemoaned the fact that insurance companies have been made the villains. Insurance companies, for the most part, deserve their reputations. Even with complete universal healthcare coverage, insurance companies will still have a viable product to sell to the wealthy. They will sell supplemental insurance. Universal healthcare will be driven by the best medical data that is available. For those Americans who want treatment outside of these constraints, supplemental insurance may be able cover some of these costs.

For me, the bottom line is doing the right thing for America. The right thing is universal healthcare.

Update: An interesting article on healthcare reform was sent to me by a good friend. I’ve been arguing that healthcare reform, universal health care, makes sense for a number of reasons. I’ve tried to stay away from finger-pointing and name-calling. It is clear that over the years the insurance and pharmaceutical industries have made huge profits. These these profits are not huge compared to Halliburton or Exxon-Mobil, but they are large compared to historical standards. Robyn Blumner, writing for the Columbus Dispatch, argues that the government is the only thing that can keep these large insurance companies honest. She is probably correct. We need more than simple regulation since, as we saw seen during the Bush administration, even the best written regulations can be ignored by an industry-friendly government.

Update II: DemFromCT has a great update on the Daily Kos of a new poll that was released from Quinnipiac. It is clear that most Americans want a public option. In spite of what Joe Scarborough said the other day that all ABC/Washington Post polls were skewed, in every single poll that I have seen recently supports a favorable public option. Are they all skewed? Interestingly, in the Quinnipiac poll, 72% of Americans didn’t want to pay any more than $500 per year for this public option. To me, this clears up the debate significantly. This means universal healthcare. This is the only option in which Americans don’t put out any more out-of-pocket expense. Any public-private option will cost billions if not trillions of dollars. So where’s the problem?

Update III: I meant to write about Sen. Kay Hagan over the weekend. Talking Points Memo had an article which suggested that Sen. Hagan was holding up universal healthcare and the public option in the Senate.

Here’s Senator Hagan’s contact information:
WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE
521 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-6342
Fax: 202-228-2563

RALEIGH OFFICE
310 New Bern Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27601
Phone: 919-856-4630
Fax: 919-856-4053

We need to call, write and fax.

Tags: Economy, Healthcare, Obama administration // Add Comment »

I have written about Don Siegelman and his plight on several occasions - here and here. It may be the worst miscarriage of justice that I’ve seen of a prominent official — ever. This update comes from the Daily Kos:

ISSUE I. THE GOVERNMENT’S FAILURE TO PRODUCE EXCULPATORY AND IMPEACHING INFORMATION IN ITS POSSESSION AS TO KEY WITNESSES AND CORRECT FALSE OR MISLEADING TESTIMONY DURING TRIAL VIOLATED SIEGELMAN’S RIGHTS UNDER THE DUE PROCESS CLAUSE OF THE FIFTH AMENDMENT AND THE GOVERNMENT FAILED  TO COMPLY WITH ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE JENCKS ACT.

The detailed allegations here are worse than the heading sounds.  Siegelman accuses the government of shaping the testimony of a key witness.

Issue II:  BECAUSE OF PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT IN THIS CASE, INCLUDING IMPROPER CONTACTS WITH JURORS, IMPROPER EX PARTE COMMUNICATION WITH THE COURT, AND IMPROPER CONDUCT IN PREPARING GOVERNMENT WITNESSES TO TESTIFY AT TRIAL AND FAILURE TO PROVIDE BRADY MATERIAL, SIEGELMAN WAS DEPRIVED OF HIS FIFTH AMENDMENT RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL AND HIS SIXTH AMENDMENT RIGHT TO AN IMPARTIAL JURY.

Jury tampering as well as witness tampering.  The House Judiciary Committee and a group of 75 former state attorneys general have both already complained about this to the U.S. Justice Department.

Issue III. FAILURE TO DISCLOSE EX PARTE COMMUNICATIONS AND THE EXISTENCE OF A SECRET INVESTIGATIVE REPORT ON THE AUTHENTICITY OF JUROR EMAILS, A CRITICAL MATERIAL FACT IN A MOTION THEN PENDING BEFORE THE COURT, VIOLATED SIEGELMAN’S SIXTH AMENDMENT RIGHT TO COUNSEL AND HIS FIFTH AMENDMENT RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS.

[Read more →]

Tags: Civil Liberty, Legal // 1 Comment »

If you think of yourself as an organization that is trying to do the will of the people, you probably need to rethink your strategy if Wal-Mart signs on to your bill. Wal-Mart has signed a letter to Congress (along with the Center for American Progress and SEIU) asking for an employer mandate in healthcare reform. As I see it, this goes towards preserving private insurance. This is likely to garner support for more Republicans, therefore making the “hybrid option” more likely to have bipartisan support. This is not more likely to control costs. It may not even improve healthcare. The Center for American Progress needs to rethink their position.

I think that Wal-Mart sees the writing on the wall. Something will be done about healthcare this year. From a progressive standpoint, we have to be extremely diligent to make sure whatever gets done is to our liking.

We need universal healthcare. Anything short is spitting in the wind.

Tags: Healthcare, Obama administration // 1 Comment »

Michael Jackson rehearsing in the Staples Center several days before his death

Katherine Jackson, Michael Jackson’s mother, has been given temporary custody of his three kids.

There’s been a lot of speculation over the last several days about Michael Jackson’s will. The will has been found. It should be filed later on this week. TMZ is reporting that Michael Jackson’s estate will be split between his mother, his three children and several charities. Most notably, his father Joe Jackson appears to have been left out of the will.

Ticket refunds are in the works for some of those who bought tickets to Michael’s comeback tour.

Exactly what caused Michael Jackson’s death is not clear at this moment. He was clearly “too thin,” which may suggest some sort of eating disorder like anorexia or bulimia. Drug abuse can also cause a person to be too thin. There is wide speculation that Demerol and other narcotics were found at Jackson’s house.

There appears to be planning for a public memorial at the Neverland Ranch. Is this going to be like Woodstock? Tens of thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands, attending this memorial service? There is also a private service that is being planned.

Michael might be worth at least $200 million, in spite of his huge debts.

I’m not going to talk about Michael’s children and the birth certificates because it is strange, very strange.  I will leave you (and this topic) with Michael and his brothers singing “Rockin’ Robin.”

Tags: Domestic Issues, Entertainment // 2 Comments »

The Associated Press reported this morning that Federal Authorities are pressing a probe of 10 associates connected to Benard Madoff. As of now, there are no details regarding who the 10 people will be.  It is impossible to believe Madoff swindled people for 10 plus years and know one else knew of his disgraceful scheme. I understand that the man made a name for himself on Wall Street but come on people, this man was living like a King.

Only Madoff himself and one accountant have been charged in the case so far.  I believe there’s no way possible for Madoff’s wife Ruth to not have had any knowledge of what was going on. For goodness sakes, her office was right beside her husband’s and her name has reportedly been found on related transactions that are being investigated by the SEC. In addition, Madoff’s secretary said that Ruth was devoted to her husband and participated in the company’s daily operation.

On another note, I’m sure Madoff has done what he could to keep his wife as well as some of his “dirty” money safe. If you think about it, it’s obvious this husband and wife duo kept loyal to each other in order for this scheme to continue. Now I am not accusing Ruth Madoff of collaborating with her husband in one of the greatest Ponzi Schemes in recent years because as we all know everyone is innocent until proven guilty; however I wouldn’t be surprised if information surfaced regarding Ruth Madoff’s involvement.

Tags: Domestic Issues, Legal // Add Comment »

Sen. Al Franken.

That has a very good ring to it, doesn’t it? Former Sen. Norm Coleman has called Al Franken and conceded.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune has more –

Eight months after Election Day, Minnesota once again has two United States senators.

Republican Norm Coleman ended his bruising court fight over the Senate seat he held for one term this afternoon, conceding to Democrat Al Franken after the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in Franken’s favor.

The justices ruled today that Franken won the U.S. Senate election and said he is entitled to an election certificate that would lead to him being seated in the Senate.

“Affirmed,” wrote the Supreme Court, unanimously rejecting Coleman’s claims that inconsistent practices by local elections officials and wrong decisions by a lower court had denied him victory. (more… )

Update: The big question was would Governor Tim Pawlenty, who is a presidential hopeful, sign the certificate to certify Franken as Senator. It looks like he will sign the certificate and make Al Franken the 2nd senator from Minnesota.

Tags: Party Politics, Senate // Add Comment »

Now, this is really a blast from the past… from 1973.  I remember about 90% of the words.  Michael is in the middle of his growth spurt and The Jackson 5 are just coming down from their first couple of hits.  This is the middle of their semi-hits.  Very little crossover to mainstream during this time.

Enjoy the Video:

Tags: Music // 1 Comment »

Today, U.S. District Judge Denny Chin sentenced the heartless thief to a maximum of 150 years in prison for one of the largest Ponzi Schemes committed by a single person.

For years, Benard Madoff has been basically robbing his clients blind and leading them to believe that their life investments were being well taken care of. NOT! This man obviously has no soul and felt no remorse for swindling people out of their money. What I would like to know is, was this man given some type of psychological evaluation, because I don’t believe anyone in their right mind would steal from people the way this man did and not think twice about it.

The 71 year old has been running this Ponzi scheme since the early 90’s and fabricated gains of approximately $65 billion. Madoff ran his scheme so smoothly that he was able to convince celebrities such as Steven Spielberg, Kevin Bacon, and Sandy Koufax to entrust him with their money and produced double digit returns for them.

60 Minutes did a great story on the Whistle Blower, Harry Markopolos, and Bernie Madoff several month ago. (Notice how easy it was to figure out that Madoff was a fraud, yet the SEC couldn’t figure this out for years.) Watch the video:

Watch CBS Videos Online

For years Madoff seemed to have it all from a $7 million Manhattan apartment, $11 million estate in Palm Beach, Fla., and a $4 million home in Montauk just to name a FEW things until he decided to reveal his scheme to his two sons last December, telling them it was all a big lie.
I want to know why this man felt like he had the right to take other people’s money and spend it on a lavish lifestyle for him and his wife who supposedly knew nothing of her husband’s heinous crime.

Then, I wonder how his sons must have felt after learning of their father’s scheme. That has to be hard; discovering one of your parents is involved in such a ruthless, cold hearted, criminal act. I must say one thing about Madoff, when asked if he had anything to say, he had the decency to stand and face his victims and apologize. Wow, that really helps them out of their financial woes caused by him.

And one other thing, Madoff had the nerve to request leniency however that request was denied.

Tags: Corporate Wrongs, Domestic Issues, Economy // 2 Comments »

On Meet the Press, former Gov. Mitt Romney was asked about health care. The former Massachusetts governor, who is credited with getting health care in Massachusetts, is somehow seen as an expert on health care reform. Gov. Romney, when asked about health care reform, stated, “We have a model that worked.  One state in America, my state, was able to put in place a plan that got everybody health insurance, and it did not require a public government insurance company. That’s the last thing America needs.  You know exactly what it is.  President Obama, when he was campaigning, said he wanted a single payer system.  That’s would it would lead to.  He would subsidize this over time, it would become larger and larger, drive the private options out of the healthcare industry. It would be just disastrous for health care in this country.  And therefore the right way to proceed is to reform health care.  That we can do, as we did it in Massachusetts, as Wyden-Bennett is proposing doing it at the national level.  We can do it for the nation, we can get everybody insured, we can get the cost of health care down, but we don’t have to have government insurance and government running health care to get that done.”

I thought David Gregory was supposed to be the moderator of a policy debate. Instead, he acted as a pitch man for the Republican infomercial. Gregory had plenty of opportunities to ask a decent follow-up question but instead he asked none. Here’s a few follow-up questions I would have asked:

• Gov., you stated that in Massachusetts you have a model that “worked.” Exactly what you mean by “worked”? Massachusetts has a system that is spending 33% more on health care than the national average. Why is that?
• Why would driving private options out of the healthcare industry be disastrous for America?
• By expanding Medicare and Medicaid to cover the poorest people in Massachusetts haven’t you selected the healthiest people to be covered by private health insurance?
• Aren’t some of the very high profile hospitals in Massachusetts getting paid more to do the same procedures are smaller hospitals?  Why is this?  How does this help decrease costs?
• Finally, you said “we can get the cost of health care down” but in your state healthcare has done nothing but increase since the instituting of this reform program. Healthcare costs have increased since 2006 by 42%. How do you plan on controlling costs if you can’t even do it in the small state of Massachusetts?

Universal health care can control costs using several mechanisms.

• Eliminate insurance costs. This saves $700 billion.
• Negotiate drug prices. Give pharmaceutical companies longer patent times so they have the ability to recuperate their R&D costs.
• Fund research to find the best medical options for the most common diseases which include congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and others.
• Pay primary care physicians and hospitals differently. Hospitals and primary care physicians should each take care of a population of patients. This eliminates the incentive to see patients over and over and over again. Instead, we should increase incentives to see patients once and get it right the first time.
• Truly look at medical products (wheelchairs, scooters, CT scanners and lab machines). The government working with physicians and other medical personnel should come up with guidelines for all of these devices. Who truly needs a scooter? Does every hospital need a CT scanner?
• Fix the immigration problem. By closing our borders, and only letting in people that we want in this country, we can decrease the strain on the emergency rooms across the country.
• Business saves. Businesses don’t have to spend any money trying to figure out healthcare plans. Instead, they can use that money to increase salaries and to increase investment into their business.
• End of life. We have to begin to discuss end-of-life issues.

Tags: Healthcare, Obama administration, Sunday Morning Shows // 8 Comments »

Conservatives have been attacking affirmative action and the 1964 Civil Rights Law since the Reagan administration.  The Supreme Court has reversed the lower court (Second Circuit Court of Appeals with Sotomayor).  More later…

From AP:

The Supreme Court has ruled that white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., were unfairly denied promotions because of their race, reversing a decision that high court nominee Sonia Sotomayor endorsed as an appeals court judge.

New Haven was wrong to scrap a promotion exam because no African-Americans and only two Hispanic firefighters were likely to be made lieutenants or captains based on the results, the court said Monday in a 5-4 decision. The city said that it had acted to avoid a lawsuit from minorities.

The ruling could alter employment practices nationwide, potentially limiting the circumstances in which employers can be held liable for decisions when there is no evidence of intentional discrimination against minorities.

“Fear of litigation alone cannot justify an employer’s reliance on race to the detriment of individuals who passed the examinations and qualified for promotions,” Justice Anthony Kennedy said in his opinion for the court. He was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas. (more…)

Update: One thing is clear. The Supreme Court did nothing to clarify the situation, but instead muddied the waters. The Supreme Court seems to be saying that if you did not intentionally discriminate, then no discrimination exists. This must be just my overly simplistic way of reading this decision. This is obviously a false hypothesis. It’s clearly possible to discriminate against blacks, women and other minorities without doing it “intentionally.” Proving intent would be nearly impossible in most discrimination cases.

This case also points out some of the problems I have with some conservatives who say that judges need to “interpret the law.” The Civil Rights Act of 1964 clearly states that you cannot discriminate based on race but then it goes on to say when an employer can discriminate based on a “protected trait.” So how do you balance these things? The mantra, “interpret the law,” rings hollow.

The Supreme Court focused on a test that was given to these firefighters. Now we know from years of testing students that some tests can reveal racial bias. We know from an elegant study by Stanford researcher that minorities will perform worse a particular test if they are told that this is a test of intelligence. If minority students are told that this is a problem-solving test these students do perfectly well. Their scores are as good as their White counterparts. Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s arguments seem to be solid when she states, “In so holding, the Court pretends that “[t]he City rejected the test results solely because the higher scoring candidates were white.” Ante, at 20. That pretension, essential to the Court’s disposition, ignores substantial evidence of multiple flaws in the tests New Haven used. The Court similarly fails to acknowledge the better tests used in other cities, which have yielded less racially skewed outcomes.”

Finally, the Supreme Court has breathed just a flicker of hope into the anti-Sotomayor crowd. Over the next 24-48 hours, some conservatives will try to move quickly to capitalize on this momentum. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, they’ll say, is somehow unfit for the Supreme Court because she has a ruling that’s been overturned. This, of course, is a ridiculous statement. Nonetheless, I suspect conservatives will try to push this and get as much mileage out of this is possible. As Glenn puts it — In light of today’s ruling, it’s a bit difficult — actually, impossible — for a rational person to argue that Sotomayor’s Ricci decision places her outside the judicial mainstream when: (a) she was affirming the decision of the federal district court judge; (b) she was joined in her decision by the two other Second Circuit judges who, along with her, comprised a unanimous panel; (c) a majority of Second Circuit judges refused to reverse that panel’s ruling; and now: (d) four out of the nine Supreme Court Justices — including the ones she is to replace — agree with her.

Put another way, 11 out of the 21 federal judges to rule on Ricci ruled as Sotomayor did. It’s perfectly reasonable to argue that she ruled erroneously, but it’s definitively unreasonable to claim that her Ricci ruling places her on some sort of judicial fringe.

Update II: Balkination has more technical questions about this Ricci decision and how will it affect the Voting Rights Act.

Tags: Civil Rights, Supreme court // 9 Comments »

I’ve heard of the Baby Boomers as well as Generation X but now it seems that we have a new generation: The Gayby Boom. Yes, we now have a generation called the Gayby Boom generation which consist of children who are raised by same sex couples.

Like the controversial issue of gay marriage, now we’re starting to see arguments against same sex couples raising children. Many think children that are raised by same sex couples will be the product of their environment, possibly becoming homosexual themselves.

Now in my opinion that’s just totally absurd. I do not think it’s possible for someone to become gay or lesbian from being around or raised by gays or lesbians. I personally believe homosexuality is not a choice. On the contrary I do feel there are some people, especially young people; that experiment just because it is more out in the open today more than ever.

According to CNN.com in a recent article in which children of same sex couples were interviewed, it was revealed that many of these children identify as heterosexual, are comfortable with their families, and support their same sex parents.

Now at least one female that was interviewed admitted that she was ashamed of being ashamed during her younger years but as an adult feels her upbringing was actually a “fabulous gift”.

These days, children are faced with all kind of temptations and choices to make coming up in this world. I feel if a child has two loving individuals to guide them, love them, support them, and provide for them then that’s what counts.

Tags: Domestic Issues // 15 Comments »

It appears that Gov. Mark Sanford’s mission to Argentina was contraindicated. Then again, his extracurricular activity was also contraindicated. Maureen Dowd from the New York Times has some interesting comments on the governor’s split personality.

California approaches a July second deadline without a budget. The state comptroller is going to be forced to hand out IOUs. I thought Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected in order to fix California’s budgetary woes. The last governor who was running record deficits, shortly after being reelected, was ousted on a special election. So what has “the Terminator” done to fix the budgetary problems?  I thought that he said that he knew how to fix this.

I spoke yesterday at a rally for universal healthcare. I keep reading the stuff coming out of Washington and it seems like universal confusion. Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel stated, “I think we’re in good shape.” Maybe he’s looking at a different healthcare plan. What I see formulating in Washington looks like that amorphous hybrid like that thing in the movie, The Blob.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was on Meet the Press. He was talking about healthcare and healthcare reform. He stated that the Republican Party believes in giving Americans a choice in healthcare.I guess he meant a choice among insurance companies since he does not support a public option.

We’ve been assured that Iraqis are ready to handle their own security.

House minority leader John Boehner is not happy with the American Clean Energy and Security Act. This is a good thing. This means is might not be simply a corporate giveaway.

62% of Americans believe that Judge Sonia Sotomayor should be confirmed to the Supreme Court.

TMZ reports that Billy Mays, longtime pitchman for OxyClean, was found dead this morning. The night before he had a “hard landing” at Tampa’s airport. There is some question of whether he was wearing a seat belt or not, since he hit his head.

Tags: Healthcare, House of Representatives, Obama administration, Party Politics, State and Local Politics, Supreme court // Add Comment »

Artist: Michael Jackson.
Tune: Do You Remember the Time?

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Michael Jackson update — the cops are looking for a second physician.  Jackson’s primary physician Dr. Conrad Murray has lawyered up.  Randy Jackson appears to be making the funeral plans.  (Randy is the youngest brother.)  Michael Jackson will be on the cover of Time magazine.  The Jackson family may be looking to get a second autopsy. (TMZ has been two to four hours ahead of the MSM on this story.)

Last night the Washington Post reported that president Barack Obama was looking into writing an Executive Order continuing indefinite detention, without trial, on several detainees.  My stomach is beginning to turn.  Glenn, Joan and others have extensively commented on this craziness.  I understand about the responsibility to keep us safe.  I also understand about the rule of law.  Getting Congress to change the laws in spite the fact that these guys have been in our custody for several years just doesn’t smack of American justice.

Enbattled Governor Mark Sanford has stated clearly that he will not resign… some sort of biblical analogy involving King David which really did not fit the situation.  Furthermore, I think that he has completely lost his ability to quote the Bible to anybody.  He needs to just sit down and read it for while.  He may comprehend some of its teachings and lessons.  (Psst… Governor. Start with the 10 Commandments.)  Sanford should be the second governor to be impeached this year for dereliction of duty.  Now I have not read the South Carolina Constitution but I’m sure it has something in it about being a complete moron.

The violence in Iraq appears to be escalating.  Motorcycle bombs killed 20 in separate attacks.  More than 250 people died in attacks this week.  It is sad that we’ve done such a poor job at creating an environment for peace.  We created a great environment from which Bectel, Halliburton and Blackwater can extract millions of dollars.

In a bizarre story, the wife of Representative John Conyers, the chairman of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, pled guilty to one count of corruption in Detroit yesterday.  Monica Conyers accepted two cash bribes of at least $3000 each.  Really? Seriously?  I mean, it if they don’t hand you a suitcase that has enough money in it for you to live in a Caribbean island the rest of your life, what’s the point?

The swine flu slowly but surely continues to march on.  It should not be forgotten nor taken lightly.  Currently in the United States there are 27,717 cases with 127 deaths.  I’ve not heard anything new on the vaccine.  It seems to me that it is very likely that the swine flu will spike again as winter approaches.  We must be diligent.  Frequent handwashing.  Stay home when sick.  This could be a huge problem.

Tags: Civil Rights, Domestic Issues, Entertainment, Healthcare, House of Representatives, Iraq, Torture // Add Comment »

I originally posted this back in October 2006.  I thought it would be nice to re-post it.  I understand that this original video is hard to find.  I guess you just need to know where to look.

The following is the old post.  Remember Bob Ney?  He was kind of like Mark Sanford.  He was a disgraced politician except he kept his pants on, as far as I know. 

No not Bob Ney.

Remember when Michael Jackson was an entertainer and not a child molester? Remember when you simply couldn’t wait until his next video would come out? In his day, he was as good as they got. Smooth Criminal, like many of the videos and music that Michael Jackson did back then, broke new ground. The visuals were awesome. The video was part of a larger movie. Anyway, that was a long time ago. Bush I was in the White House. Iraq hadn’t been invaded once. We were friends with Osama Bin Laden and were still fighting the Soviet Union. Wow, that really was a long time ago.

Enjoy.

 

 Smooth Criminal : Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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From AP

With so much going on these days, especially with the passing of a musical icon, I must plead guilty to forgetting about everything else that is still going on in the world.

When I read the latest news online today and saw Jena 6 back in the headlines I instantly remembered the major controversy the case provoked. Back in December 2006, a young white man was attacked by classmates. As all of us may remember the fight lead to an enormous amount of racial tension between whites and blacks in the small Louisiana town and gained national attention. In addition to all of the attention, the school fight also prompted a march on September 21, 2007.

 

 The Jena 6 [3:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Editor’s Note: At the time, I talked about the Jena 6 case extensively. The original post is here with several follow up posts - here and here.

Thinking back to over two years ago, I felt the charges of attempted murder that were initially charged were a little extreme. I’m not condoning the fight but I seriously doubt the six young men were really trying to kill Justin Barker. School fights happen I’m sure everyday but are those students charged with attempted murder?

From AP:

Five members of the Jena Six pleaded no contest Friday to misdemeanor simple battery and won’t serve jail time, ending a case that thrust a small Louisiana town into the national spotlight and sparked a massive civil rights demonstration.

State District Judge Tom Yeager then sentenced the five, standing quietly surrounded by their lawyers, to seven days unsupervised probation and fined $500. It was a far less severe end to their cases than seemed possible when the six students — all of whom are black — were initially charged with attempted murder in the 2006 attack on Justin Barker, a white classmate. They became known as the “Jena Six,” after the central Louisiana town where the beating happened.

Tags: Civil Rights, Race // 2 Comments »

More goodness.

 

 The Errington Thompson Show 5-30-09 [52:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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