Politics
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I tend not to get into the business of questioning the guest choices made by the Sunday shows. But if there were ever a time the networks would want to book labor officials to appear, you'd think it would be now. The Wisconsin standoff is the most important domestic political story in the country right now, and as many commentators at those same networks have pointed out, both sides view this battle as ground zero in a national war that may determine the fate of organized labor in America. But labor officials are beginning to fear that none of them will be invited on this weekend to give voice to the labor point of view. This, even as tough-talking anti-union governor Chris Christie is set to do a major appearance on CBS on Sunday.
The Plum Line - No labor officials on Sunday shows this weekend?
Here's how a caliphate could play out. You have Somalia and Iran already in green. Now, let's add Tunisia. Former Tunisian government was considered one of the most secular and corrupt governments in the Arab world. The poor and the angry demanded changes. Most dangerous scenario is that radical Muslims seize power and put Sharia law into place.
Weigel : Glenn Beck and Mitt Romney on the Caliphate
After pressure from women’s groups, Democratic politicians and Jon Stewart , the authors of the controversial abortion bill in the House will drop language that appeared to exempt some rape victims from seeking federal help to pay for an abortion. Politico reports this morning that Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the lead sponsor of the bill and chair of the House pro-life caucus, will remove the phrase “forcible rape” from the bill and replace it with the same wording used in the Hyde Amendment. That Amendment bans federal abortion coverage already, and proponents of the House law say their goal was to make Hyde — which has to be renewed every year — a permanent fixture of federal law. “The word forcible will be replaced with the original language from the Hyde Amendment,” Jeff Sagnip, a spokesperson for Smith, told Politico . Smith’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TPM.
Report: Republicans Give Up On Redefining Rape | TPMDC
The GOP’s Anti-Health Reform Crusade Now Brought To You By Industry Lobbyists
In an effort to deny more than 30 million uninsured Americans health care coverage, 26 states have filed legal action against the Affordable Care Act which passed last year. But Republican demagoguery costs money and “the [lawsuit's] cost the states have split so far amounts to $46,000.” But Florida Republican Attorney General Pam Bondi has “paid less than $6,000″ for its lawsuit. Why? Because an anti-health care lobbying group is picking up the 26-state tab : Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi told a state House committee this month that most of the rest is being covered by the National Federation of Independent Business, a group that opposes the law because of what it considers unconstitutional costs and regulations on firms and people.
Fans of super-successful web series The Guild know Felicia Day best as Cyd/Codex, the shy MMO-addicted violinist who has trouble navigating relationships IRL. She’s also portrayed monster-slayer-in-training Vi on the late, lamented Buffy the Vampire Slayer and teamed up with that series’ creator Joss Whedon to play Penny on Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog , helping the internet musical become a hit. But she’s about to embark onto a new fantasy journey with Dragon Age: Redemption, a new web series rooted in the mythology of BioWare’s action RPG games. We spoke to the Huntsville, Alabama native about getting to work inside a fictional world she loves and get some hints as to what to expect in Season 5 of the Guild. How did Dragon Age: Redemption come about?
Interview: Felicia Day On Her New ‘Dragon Age’ Web Series - Techland - TIME.com
Now imagine it doesn't end there: these attacks are happening every week somewhere in your country. They blow up funerals and family dinners and children. The number of robot-planes in the sky is increasing every week.
Johann Hari: Obama's robot wars endanger us all - Johann Hari, Commentators - The Independent
It’s Official: More Private Sector Jobs Created In 2010 Than During Entire Bush Years | NEWS JUNKIE POST
The September jobs report was just released and demonstrates that America is on a far slower path to recovery than anyone originally predicted. Despite this, the shedding of government jobs cloaks a glimmer of hope: more private sector jobs have been created this year than during the entire Bush administration. Read that again: 2010 has had more private job creation than during the entire 8 year tenure of George W.
Demonstrations continued today in at the state Capitol in Madison, Wisconsin, against Republican Gov. Scott Walker’s budget proposal — which in addition to requiring greater contributions from public employees to their benefits packages, would also strip public employees of most collective bargaining rights. And today, pro-Walker protesters turned out, as well — but were seriously outnumbered by the continued throngs of pro-union demonstrators.
Anti-Walker Protests Continue, Outnumbering Pro-Walker Showing | TPMDC
One of the reasons Colorado GOP Senate nominee Ken Buck declined to prosecute the rape of a 21-year-old college student in 2005 was that he believed she had previously had an abortion of a child fathered by the suspect. According to Buck, that abortion gave the victim motive to lie about the suspect "to get back at" him. Of course, Buck's theory made no sense -- given that an abortion would have been the victim's choice, it would be the suspect who would have a revenge motive, not the victim.
Daily Kos: CO-Sen: Buck didn't prosecute rape case because he believed victim had abortion
Poll: Most oppose Wisconsin-style bills - Jennifer Epstein - POLITICO.com
Most Americans say they oppose limiting or ending collective bargaining for public sector unions, according to a poll released Tuesday. Sixty-one percent of Americans surveyed for a USA Today/Gallup Poll said they would oppose a law in their own state similar to the one that has sparked massive protests in Wisconsin, while 33 percent said they would support such legislation. Six percent said they had no opinion. Continue Reading The poll also found that 71 percent of Americans said they would oppose a hike on sales, income or other taxes to tackle budget shortfalls, while 27 percent said they would oppose such increases.
Christine Pelosi: We Are All Wisconsin Workers
By carpool and caravan, populists are crowing the capitol to stand up for working people. Millions of Americans are standing together today saying "we are all Wisconsin workers." All eyes are on Madison, watching to see whether America's public service workers will continue to have a voice on the job and whether -- by extension -- any of us will. The outpouring in Wisconsin erupted after years of downward pressure on wages and benefits that public employees have been feeling for years. Benefits negotiated when private sector jobs were flush are resented now that recession takes its toll.Politics News
huffingtonpost — WASHINGTON -- The mother and fiancée of two men fatally shot by New York City police officers are expressing solidarity with the family of Trayvon Martin. Kadiatou Diallo and Nicole Paultre Bell appeared Saturday at a Washington forum hosted by the Rev. Al Sharpton. ... news.firedoglake — President Obama told a Spanish-language television network, in an interview that will be aired this Sunday, that he would try to pass comprehensive immigration reform “in the first year of my second term.” When running for President in 2008, then-Senator Obama said basically the same thing, promising to tackle... videocafe.crooksandliars — Click here to view this media Rachel Maddow highlighted part of an event that took place earlier this week where she sat down with Bill Maher at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, CA to promote her new book Drift.Public funding for abortion and needle-exchange programs in the District of Columbia would be banned under the Republican-led House’s bill funding the government through Sept. 30. The provisions, known as “riders,” represent a return to federal control of social policy in the nation’s capital. Congress has authority over both federal and local funds in the city, and the two parties often have battled over how Washington can use its money on hot-button social issues, including abortion, needle-exchange programs and medical marijuana.
GOP cuts abortion, needle exchange funds for D.C. - Jonathan Allen - POLITICO.com
A 21-year-old woman is in a relationship with a man who repeatedly tells her he wants to get her pregnant. Even though he is physically abusive, she too, wants to have a baby with him. But a few months into her pregnancy, he changes his mind. He threatens to punch her in the stomach to induce an abortion, or to throw her down the stairs if she doesn’t have one.