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Senate Girds for Historic Debate on Health Care
By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Eric Werner
Associated Press via Google News
Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta (AP)
Associated Press via Google News
Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta (AP)
WASHINGTON — Congressional budget crunchers Thursday said the Democrats' latest health care plan would hold down federal red ink for at least a 20-year stretch, an assessment that boosted the bill's advocates as the Senate moved gingerly toward a historic debate.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said that Majority Leader Harry Reid's 10-year, $848-billion bill would produce a net reduction of $130 billion in federal deficits in its first decade. Perhaps more significantly, the legislation would continue to give back over the next 10 years and beyond, the budget umpires said, because "added revenues and costs savings would probably be greater" than the cost of covering uninsured Americans.
The budget office put a big asterisk on its forecast, using words like "imprecision" and "uncertainty" to describe the long-range projection. It noted that, overall, health care spending remains on an unsustainable path.
However, the bill would not make matters any worse, and maybe even a little better.
With President Barack Obama pledging to tamp down ruinous health care costs, Democrats took the new CBO estimates to the bank, while skipping over the caveats. Preparing for a noontime rally with supporters, Reid, D-Nev., said the legislation would "save lives, save money and save Medicare."
The CBO said Reid's bill would extend coverage to 94 percent of eligible Americans, after subsidies to make premiums more affordable start flowing in 2014. That's one year later than in the House Democratic bill — and well into the next presidential term. Postponing the subsidies by one year allowed Reid to offer somewhat more generous assistance to defray the cost of insurance premiums.
On one of the major controversies of the health care debate, the CBO said Reid's bill would make a government health plan widely available — but few Americans would sign up....(Remainder.)
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Michael Moore Says Dem Health Bill Is Giveaway to Insurance Industry
By The Raw Story
In a speech broadcast on Canadian television Tuesday, Michael Moore savaged the Democrats' healthcare bill, calling it a gift to the health insurance industry, which he argues will make $70 billion more as a result of mandated health insurance.
"The health insurance companies are going to make an extra $70 billion dollars as a result of Americans being forced to buy their health insurance," Moore quipped. "What company wouldn't love this bill?"
Moore argues that the health insurance industry isn't really upset about healthcare reform. His assertions -- which mirror those of some on the left -- highlight the challenge that Democrats in Congress face on healthcare reform. On the left, critics say that the bill doesn't go far enough in ensuring universal care; on the right, critics say the proposal will lead to a government takeover of healthcare.
"So all of the wailing that they're doing about this bill -- believe me, the health insurance companies are not that upset about it," Moore said. "In fact, they helped write this bill."
"It's not universal health care," he continued. "Thirteen million people will still not have health insurance in the United States....(Remainder.)
By The Raw Story
In a speech broadcast on Canadian television Tuesday, Michael Moore savaged the Democrats' healthcare bill, calling it a gift to the health insurance industry, which he argues will make $70 billion more as a result of mandated health insurance.
"The health insurance companies are going to make an extra $70 billion dollars as a result of Americans being forced to buy their health insurance," Moore quipped. "What company wouldn't love this bill?"
Moore argues that the health insurance industry isn't really upset about healthcare reform. His assertions -- which mirror those of some on the left -- highlight the challenge that Democrats in Congress face on healthcare reform. On the left, critics say that the bill doesn't go far enough in ensuring universal care; on the right, critics say the proposal will lead to a government takeover of healthcare.
"So all of the wailing that they're doing about this bill -- believe me, the health insurance companies are not that upset about it," Moore said. "In fact, they helped write this bill."
"It's not universal health care," he continued. "Thirteen million people will still not have health insurance in the United States....(Remainder.)
Raving Coward & Anti-US Fearmonger, Beck, Says Obama is "Letting Troops Literally Bleed and Die" in Afghanistan
Rep Gomer (R-Traitorville) Says Having a Community Organizer in WH Will Help With Evacuations After Terrorist Attack
Hannity the Manatee Trots Out Caribou Barbie's Tired "Death Panel" Lie to Fearmonger About "Rationing" & Mammograms
Hannity the Manatee Promotes His Conservatwat Victory 2010 "Voting Guide"
By Media Matters
Sean Hannity has repeatedly promoted "Conservative Victory 2010" -- a map on his website that is part of his project to "get people to do what I think the Republican Party should be doing, which is, you know, going back to the very simple, basic promises of conservatism." Hannity has promised to use the map to support candidates who stand on conservative principles, thus following Fox News' pattern of aggressive promotion of conservative causes....(Remainder.)
Mark "Hates the Constitution" Levin Says AG Eric Holder is Undermining National Security for Upholding Constitution
Mark "Steaming Bucket of Syphilitic Diarrhea" Levin Says Caribou Barbie is "Absolutly Right" About "Death Panels"...Computer Says No
Rachel Maddow & Naomi Klein Discuss Bush Admin 'Free Fraud' Zone in Iraq
By David Edwards
The Raw Story
A U.S. military contractor has been indicted by the Justice Department of defrauding the United States government of “tens of millions of dollars,” Rachel Maddow reported Tuesday on MSNBC. The Los Angeles Times said the fraud may be worth over $1 billion dollars. The Kuwait-based company, Agility (formerly known as Public Warehousing Co.), is the main food supplier to the U.S. military in Iraq and has received $8.5 billion in contracts since 2003.
"And this, once again, was created by the Bush administration," said Naomi Klein. "It created what one former CPA official -- Coalition Provision Authority official [Franklin Willis] -- described it as a 'free-fraud zone'" in 2005. The CPA was the transitional Iraqi government after the removal of Saddam Hussein.
Agility has been “temporarily suspended” but not banned from receiving new military contracts, and the firm says the allegations do not affect its present contracts, according to Reuters News.
Klein, a guest on Maddow’s program, said the prevalence of war profiteering and corruption can largely be attributed to the Bush administration’s embracement of privatizing government responsibilities. In Klein’s book, No Logo, which enjoys its tenth anniversary this Friday, critiques the corporate trends in the 1990s of increased branding and marketing while contracting out the production of goods and services to private firms.
“That’s been the most significant development in the world of branding – is the application of this corporate logic to government,” said Klein. “This war [in Iraq] is the most privatized war in modern history, and Donald Rumsfeld designed it this way – as a for-profit enterprise.”...(Remainder.)
CBO Says Senate Health Bill Costs $849 Billion, Covers 94% of Americans, Reduces Deficit $127 Billion
Crooks and Liars
A health-care overhaul proposed by Senate Democrats will cost $849 billion over 10 years, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, and slash the deficit by $127 billion over the next decade.
The price tag is just under President Barack Obama's target of $900 billion over 10 years.
The estimates, from the Congressional Budget Office, also showed that the bill would reduce the number of uninsured Americans by 31 million people, said the Journal, citing a senior Senate leadership aide.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has been anxiously awaiting the CBO's price tag for the bill before moving to debate on the Senate floor. The first procedural vote could come later this week on the bill. Obama wants to sign a health-care reform bill before the end of the year.
Like a bill that passed the House on Nov. 7, the Senate's bill aims to cover most Americans, bar insurers from denying coverage to sick people, set up insurance "exchanges" where people can shop for coverage and fine those who don't get insurance. It also sets up a government-run insurance plan, expected to enroll about 6 million people.
But Reid faces a number of hurdles in getting a bill through the Senate, including concerns about the measure's cost. Sens. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., and Ben Nelson, D-Neb., are among two of Reid's fellow Democrats who have openly worried about the cost of health-care reform.
Per what I've been told from Senate leadership offices, the Senate health care bill will:
- cut the budget deficit by $127 billion over 10 years
- cut the budget deficit by $650 billion in the second decade
- extend guaranteed coverage to more than 9% of Americans -- including a 31 million person reduction in the uninsured
Reid will probably file cloture on the motion to proceed tomorrow. The CBO's report should go up on the Senate Democrats site shortly....(Original.)
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Caribou Barbie & Mush Slimeball Fearmonger About Repeatedly Debunked "Jail Time as Punishment" in Health Bill
By Media Matters
On Rush Limbaugh's radio program, Sarah Palin baselessly claimed, "We don't know if those who choose not to purchase this government-mandated level of coverage will face jail time as punishment," advancing the false conservative talking point that under health care reform, the uninsured will face jail time. In fact, neither of the bills that have been approved by committees in the Senate contain "jail time as punishment"; indeed, one of them specifically prohibits "criminal prosecution."...(Remainder.)
'Fearmonger in Chief' Beck Goes Militia, Warns of Impending 'New World Order'
Crooks and Liars
Glenn Beck has apparently decided he doesn't care how big a public nutcase he is making himself into. Because, you know, the black helicopters are coming!!!!!! And he's just the guy to get the warning out.
Back when he started his Fox show in January, I wondered how long it would take Beck to become an outright Patriot conspiracy-monger -- especially because he dabbled in it early on, and it's been building ever since. I knew we had to be getting close when Beck's buddy Chuck Norris went full-bore militia earlier this week.
So the answer is: about ten and a half months. Because yesterday on his show, he just threw the chips all in and went for your classic militia black-helicopter conspiracy theory:
Beck: On the scale of insane things, I want to show what we skipped past. Ready? Look at this. Put it up here. We're in a recession now. People argue over whether we're even in a recession! We're in a deep recession. I think we're on the edge of a depression because of what we're doing.
OK, so, we have skipped a deep recession and skipped depression -- even the Great Depression -- we went right to the collapse of the dollar. Then he went right to global currency. One world government! And a New World Order! [Slaps] Like that!
That certainly is an interesting "scale of insane things," isn't it? Especially considering how insane you have to be to believe we've actually progressed beyond "recession." Insane, indeed.
Claiming She Speaks for 9/11 Families, Talking Tampon Carlson Lies by Saying They're Against KSM Trial
Fox Spokesmoron Alisyn Camerota Claims EPA Officials Questioned the Science Behind Global Warming...Not So Muc
By Media Matters
Fox News anchor Alisyn Camerota falsely claimed that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lawyers Laurie Williams and Allan Zabel "questioned the science behind global warming policy" in a YouTube video that is critical of cap-and-trade proposals, and Fox News reporter William La Jeunesse suggested that the EPA's demand that the lawyers take down and edit the video to remove some of the references to the EPA violates President Obama's vow "to take the politics out of science." In fact, in the video, Williams and Zabel affirmed the scientific case for action against global warming and called for "carbon fees" with rebates to address the problem....(Remainder.)
Rep. Gohmert: Dems Support NYC Trials Because Rebuilding After Another Terror Attack Would Create Jobs
By Chris Hayes
Media Matters
Recent comments show that Republicans are attempting to stoke fear in New York City in order to exploit it for their own political gain. If Republicans earnestly want what's best for New York and the country, they will stop fantasizing about terrorism to attack political opponents.
Politics Of Fear
After the Department of Justice announced it would move toward convicting 9/11 terrorists in a New York City courtroom, Congressional Republicans raced to condemn the decision.
Because Republicans believe that their political fortunes improve when the country is fearful, party leadership jumped at the chance to scare people. Yet as is often the case, the House Republican Caucus' overzealous, far-right members crossed the line.
As Media Matters Action Network first noted yesterday, Rep. John Shadegg declared the decision meant Mayor Bloomberg's daughter would be "kidnapped at school by a terrorist."
Not to be outdone, Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas suggested yesterday that Democrats may actually want another terrorist attack because rebuilding the city would create jobs....(Remainder.)
The Insane Clown's Latest Bullshit is that Image of Obama Writing on Blackboard Show Him Teaching About Alinsky
Fox News' Faux News
Fox News presents an alternative, right-wing reality where up is down and Tea Party protest misinformation is legion
By Brad Friedman
The Guardian
It must be stated over and over again: the Fox News Channel is not a news channel. It's a Republican party propaganda channel. As such, its first amendment right to say whatever it likes ought to be protected, but not its "right" to call itself "news". That's false advertising, and it ought to be outlawed by whoever regulates such things.
Perhaps if they changed the name to the Republican News Channel (RNC for short), there would be no complaint. Until they do, however, they need to be called out by the rest of us for exactly what they are.
To that end, recent statements by the White House are right on the money: Fox should be treated not like a news organisation but like a television network that exists to promote a specific political agenda.
This public recognition of the perfectly obvious is long overdue from Democrats, many of whom continue, foolishly, to treat Fox as merely a news outlet with a conservative bent. These Democrats fall into the false equivalence brier patch when they say Fox is merely a conservative counterpart to rival network MSNBC. Sure, several of the GE-owned news outlet's primetime shows cover real news from a progressive perspective, but progressivism does not equal liberalism, whatever that is, nor even Democratic-ism.
For the intellectually honest who bother to pay attention to MSNBC's primetime coverage (distinct from its all-rightwing morning coverage hosted for several hours by former Republican congressman Joe Scarborough) the news outlet's progressive viewpoint is obvious. So is their well-documented penchant for reporting on the scoundrels in, and failings of, the Democratic party. Such failings are not hidden from viewers....(Remainder.)
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Michele Bachmann is an Embarrassment to the White Race!
By James Hipps
Gay Agenda
Michele Bachmann is an embarrassment to white people the world over. If this was 250 years ago, she’d be the one lying to the Native Americans to promote her own greed. Very early this morning I was listening to the Tom Joyner morning radio program, and they were addressing the issue of health care reform. Of course throughout the conversation, reference was made to one Michele Bachmann, who is one of those who opposes health care reform. I’ve never said I am a man of color, but I am truly embarrassed at times to be white…and because of the like of Bachmann (not to mention Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, O’Reilly, et. al). These are people who have benefited their entire life from ‘white privilege’ yet are too stupid to know white privilege even exist. Because of Michele Bachmann, I sometimes lose all sense of pride I have for being American. She is that evil, that vile, and that disgusting, that I HATE that I can be tied to her through the color of my skin.
Most certainly, Bachmann has pleased those right wing antagonist who absolutely hate the thought of abortion, yet refuse to provide health care to the millions of children doing without. She stands against “government run” health care, the exact same health care that she receives.
Michele Bachmann it is time for you to go. I don’t care where you go, just please go. I’m sure your ego won’t allow you to shut up, and yes, your first amendment right gives you the freedom to ramble on as much as you like, but you need to realize, you don’t represent me. You don’t represent a majority of Americans. You need to realize how absurdly stupid you sound whenever you open your mouth and shut the hell up! YOU ARE AN EMBARRASSMENT TO ALL WHITE AMERICANS! PLEASE SHUT UP!
If you want to live your life through the rose colored glasses you see your privileged world through, then do so in a corner. You are not welcome in “MY America”. ( OOOH, I just love using those right wing lines against them)....(Remainder.)
American Family Ass. Says Gap Stores Support Witchcraft! Agggh!!!
By Joe
Joe.My.God.
One day after I wondered if Gap's new holiday ad wasn't a giant "fuck you" to the American Family Association's boycott claim that the company was "anti-Christmas," the AFA has sent out an "action alert" describing the commercial as supporting witchcraft.
Gap has responded to AFA's call for a Christmas boycott of their Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic stores with a commercial that takes a cavalier approach towards Christmas.
The video entitled Ready for Holiday Cheer features a group of people dancing and chanting:
Two, Four, Six, Eight, now's the time to liberateDid you notice it? Gap compares Christmas to the pagan holiday called "Solstice." Solstice is celebrated by Wiccans who practice witchcraft!
Go Christmas, Go Hanukkah, Go Kwanza, Go Solstice.
Go classic tree, go plastic tree, go plant a tree, go add a tree,
You 86 the rules, you do what feels just right.
Happy do whatever you wanukkah, and to all a cheery night.
Go Christmas, Go Hanukkah, go whatever holiday you wanukkah.
Gap also encourages you to "86" or "dismiss" traditions and "do what feels just right."
Take our Poll! Since Gap has now included the word "Christmas" in a television ad, should AFA call for an end to the boycott of their stores?
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GLAD Moves for Summary Judgment in Gill v. OPM, Wants Section 3 of DOMA Declared Unconstitutional
By Joe Sudbay
AMERICAblog
Just got off a teleconference with GLAD's Mary Bonauto and Gary Buseck about the latest filing in Gill v. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the lawsuit challenging Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Background on the case is here. With all the excellent legal minds on this call and the level of discussion, it really brought me back to law school.
Today, GLAD filed its response to the Department of Justice’s motion to dismiss our lawsuit -- and moved for summary judgment. That means GLAD wants the judge to issue a ruling in its favor, as a matter of law, without proceeding to a trial. GLAD wants the judge to rule in its favor by finding Section 3 of DOMA unconstitutional as applied to the plaintiffs in the Gill case.
On September 18, 2009, the Obama administration's DOJ filed its brief, asking that the case be dismissed. If the case proceeded, DOJ wanted the lowest level of judicial scrutiny:
Today, GLAD filed its response to the Department of Justice’s motion to dismiss our lawsuit -- and moved for summary judgment. That means GLAD wants the judge to issue a ruling in its favor, as a matter of law, without proceeding to a trial. GLAD wants the judge to rule in its favor by finding Section 3 of DOMA unconstitutional as applied to the plaintiffs in the Gill case.
On September 18, 2009, the Obama administration's DOJ filed its brief, asking that the case be dismissed. If the case proceeded, DOJ wanted the lowest level of judicial scrutiny:
the DOJ thinks DOMA should be subject to the "rational basis review,' which is the lowest level of judicial scrutiny. All the government must do is prove a "rational basis" for the legislation meaning "a legislative policy must be upheld so long as there is any reason- ably conceivable set of facts that could provide a rational basis for it, including ones that Congress itself did not advance or consider. DOMA satisfies this standard."
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Justice Scalia is Talking Sodomy Again
By Michael A. Jones
Change.org
He may arguably be the U.S. Supreme Court's most conservative justice, but for a man who likes to sell folks on traditional family values, Justice Antonin Scalia sure does like to talk about sodomy. His latest riff on the subject comes courtesy of an Ohio State University conference on the Constitution, where Scalia said that since the nation's founders didn't write sodomy or homosexuality into the U.S. Constitution, there's no good reason to think that people deserve the right to love whoever they choose.
Boy, if only the nation's founders had written that U.S. Supreme Court justices could be term-limited! Especially ones who go duck hunting with torture-loving ex-Vice Presidents.
Justice Scalia prodded folks who believe that the Constitution is a living document. "Did any provision of the Constitution guarantee a right to abortion? No one thought so for almost two centuries after the founding. Did any provision in the Constitution guarantee a right to homosexual sodomy? Same answer," Scalia said, according to the Associated Press. It's a line he's used before, so three cheers for soundbytes that last more than a year.
Scalia's insistence that the Constitution can never be used to protect the rights of gay people smacks up against a great piece written by David Boies, one of the attorneys arguing the federal Prop 8 lawsuit along with former Solicitor General Ted Olson, which is challenging statewide bans on same-sex marriage. Boies argues that the U.S. Constitution does in fact recognize the right to enter into a loving relationship with someone of the same gender....(Remainder.)
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The Word: Skeletons In The Closet
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| The Word - Skeletons in the Closet | ||||
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Colbert Talks With S.F. Congresswoman, Jackie Speier
Is This GAP's "Fuck You" To The American Family Association?
By Joe
Joe.My.God.
After being targeted with a boycott by the American Family Association as an anti-Christian retailer, GAP began airing a commercial that does use the word "Christmas." But it also mentions Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and the pagan-y Winter Solstice. It even says you should celebrate however "you wannukah." MEOW.
The ad's been running for a least a week and popped up on YouTube a couple of days ago. Did GAP's ad agency already have this in the pipeline or is it a sly "fuck you" to the AFA? We hope it's the latter. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times argues that negative notice from the AFA actually helps the bottom line.
The ad's been running for a least a week and popped up on YouTube a couple of days ago. Did GAP's ad agency already have this in the pipeline or is it a sly "fuck you" to the AFA? We hope it's the latter. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times argues that negative notice from the AFA actually helps the bottom line.
Perhaps the AFA did Gap a favor. If you look at the history of the organization's boycotts -- often involving punitive actions against companies that support gay rights -- you'll see that they have no commercial impact. Actually, these boycotts seem to be good for business: In the decade of the AFA's boycott against Disney, which ended in 2006, the world's largest entertainment conglomerate's revenue roughly doubled to $34 billion. Likewise for Ford, which just posted a billion-dollar profit in the third quarter of 2009.
I'm not suggesting causality, but condemnation by the AFA does seem to be a kind of lucky charm for big business. Personally, I am inclined to patronize Gap as a statement of cultural tolerance, even though at my age I look like an overcooked ballpark frank in its clothes. The big loser here is the AFA. The annual War-on-Christmas drumbeat is absolutely not about defending the sacredness of Christmas. It is instead -- transparently -- marketing, a ratings gambit for Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity, and for the AFA, the centerpiece of its annual fundraising. This year, thanks to Gap, the AFA fumbled its boycott ball and in the process managed to look both intolerant and out of touch. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
House Committee Passes Partner Benefits Bill
By Kerry Eleveld
Advocate.com
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Wednesday voted 23-12 to pass the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act, which would extend benefits to same-sex partners of federal government workers.
The bill is now likely to move to a full House floor vote, which many anticipate could take place before the end of the year.
“Last I talked to the majority leader who sets the floor schedule, he was hopeful that it could get fairly prompt attention by the full House,” said out congresswoman Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, who is the lead sponsor of the bill in the House.
Debate over the bill split along party lines with Democrats emphasizing the concepts of fairness and equality and Republicans objecting to the legislation on the basis that it would begin to redefine marriage or would create special rights for LGBT people.
GOP representative Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska opened his statement by saying that he deplored any form of discrimination.
“Ironically, this bill seems to put one group of persons over another,” Fortenberry said. “The legislation defines domestic partners in an open-ended and ambiguous manner and creates a privileged class of persons of the same sex.”...(Remainder.)
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The bill is now likely to move to a full House floor vote, which many anticipate could take place before the end of the year.
“Last I talked to the majority leader who sets the floor schedule, he was hopeful that it could get fairly prompt attention by the full House,” said out congresswoman Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, who is the lead sponsor of the bill in the House.
Debate over the bill split along party lines with Democrats emphasizing the concepts of fairness and equality and Republicans objecting to the legislation on the basis that it would begin to redefine marriage or would create special rights for LGBT people.
GOP representative Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska opened his statement by saying that he deplored any form of discrimination.
“Ironically, this bill seems to put one group of persons over another,” Fortenberry said. “The legislation defines domestic partners in an open-ended and ambiguous manner and creates a privileged class of persons of the same sex.”...(Remainder.)
Did Texas Ban ALL Marriages?
By Joe
Joe.My.God.
Anti-gay legislators in Texas have an egg on their faces today as others realize that the 2005 ban on same-sex marriages actually bans ALL marriages, depending on who is reading the law's fine print. According to Texas Attorney General candidate Barbara Radnofsky, it does.
Barbara Ann Radnofsky, a Houston lawyer and Democratic candidate for attorney general, says that a 22-word clause in a 2005 constitutional amendment designed to ban gay marriages erroneously endangers the legal status of all marriages in the state. The amendment, approved by the Texas Legislature and overwhelmingly ratified by Texas voters, declares that "marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman." But the trouble-making phrase, as Radnofsky sees it, is Subsection B, which declares: "This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage."
Architects of the amendment included the clause to ban same-sex civil unions and domestic partnerships. But Radnofsky, who was a member of the powerhouse Vinson & Elkins law firm in Houston for 27 years until retiring in 2006, says the wording of Subsection B effectively "eliminates marriage in Texas," including common-law marriages. She calls it a "massive mistake" and blames the current attorney general, Republican Greg Abbott, for allowing the language to become part of the Texas Constitution. Radnofsky called on Abbott to acknowledge the wording as an error and consider an apology. She also said that another constitutional amendment may be necessary to reverse the problem.
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Caribou Barbie & Mush Slimeball Fearmonger About Repeatedly Debunked "Jail Time as Punishment" in Health Bill
Frank Schaeffer Tells Rachel Maddow that Fox's "Doing Away with Obama" Message is "Trawling for Assassins"
GOP Rep. Defends Obama On Afghanistan, Blasts Bush Administration
By Matt Finkelstein
Media Matters
To hear most Republicans tell it, President Obama is "dithering" on what should be an easy decision to order a surge of U.S. combat troops in Afghanistan. However, one of the most conservative members of Congress yesterday voiced support for the president's concerted effort to get the strategy right.
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) denies climate change, supports torture, and believes that President Obama has a "Marxist background." So he's not the likeliest candidate to rush to Obama's defense. But, speaking on the House floor last night, Rohrabacher said that the president is right not make any "brash" decisions:
ROHRABACHER: President Obama will soon make a decision that will chart the course for America's involvement in Afghanistan for years to come. I personally am not upset that it has taken President Obama this long to determine his response to General McChrystal's request for an additional 35,000 U.S. combat troops to be sent to Afghanistan. This is a monumental decision [...]
This is not the time for business as usual nor is it time for brash decision making. A decision to send U.S. troops to Afghanistan will cause money -- lots of it -- and it will cost lives.
Rohrabacher spoke for nearly an hour, bucking his party's stance on the war. According to the congressman, the GOP's favored strategy won't work and will cost too much. "The introduction of more U.S. combat units into Afghanistan will be counterproductive and perhaps disastrous," he said....(Remainder.)
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Clusterfox's Resident Spokes Bimbo, Carlson, Idiotically Claims Health Bill Will Add to the 'Debt'
By Media Matters
On the November 18th Fox & Friends, co-host Gretchen Carlson advanced the baseless claim that health care reform "is going to add a lot of money to the debt."...(Remainder.)
Right-Wing Media Asshats Fearmonger that NONBINDING Health Guidlines is Gov't Rationing
By Media Matters
Responding to a task force recommending that fewer women younger than 50 receive regular mammograms, media conservatives have relentlessly fearmongered that the recommendations represent a precursor to government rationing under health care reform, with Rush Limbaugh claiming, "You might even say that we've got death panels going on here." But their fearmongering is undermined by the fact that the recommendations are not legally binding on health care providers or insurers; moreover, the fact that the task force has previously issued recommendations against certain preventive screenings during the Bush administration belies the claim that this is in any way related to health care reform....(Remainder.)
ABC & NBC Report on Conservatwat Criticism of KSM Trial & Totally Ignore Conservatwat Endorsements
By Media Matters
Following Attorney General Eric Holder's decision to hold criminal trials for five Guantánamo detainees, nightly news broadcasts on NBC and ABC have reported on conservative criticism of the move but ignored the endorsement of numerous conservative scholars and officials, including Americans for Tax Reform president Grover Norquist, American Conservative Union chairman David Keene, and former Reps. Barry Goldwater Jr. (R-CA) and Bob Barr (R-GA). Indeed, a Media Matters for America review of nightly news broadcasts from November 13 through 17 found that neither network reported on the prominent conservatives that support criminal trials for terror suspects....(Remainder.)
the Retarded Baby Jesus Claims Tax Credit "Corrections" Amounts to "Tax Hikes"
By Media Matters
Discussing a report by the Treasury inspector general finding that millions of Americans may have received more money from the Making Work Pay tax credit than they were entitled to and that they will have to repay the excess on their 2009 taxes, Sean Hannity falsely claimed that the Obama administration "has found a way to disguise tax hikes as tax credits." In fact, those taxpayers would not be subjected to any "tax hikes"; they would need to repay only the amount they were overpaid....(Remainder.)
First Lady Celebrates Women in the Military
First Lady Michelle Obama invites women serving in the military to tea at the White House and recognizes their accomplishments as well as the inspiration they provide to women of all ages. November 18, 2009. (Public Domain)
Countdown Goes To Free Clinic: 'Hard To Believe I Was In America'
By Susie Madrak
Crooks and Liars
Crooks and Liars
Rich Stockwell, senior producer at MSNBC's "Countdown", writes about his experiences at the free clinic funded by viewer contributions:
New Orleans, La. — - It happened as I watched a 50-something woman walk out, after spending several hours being attended to by volunteer doctors. "She's decided against treatment. A reasonable decision under the circumstances," the doctor tells us as she heads for the next patient. The president of the board of the National Association of Free Health Clinics tells me why: "It's stage four breast cancer, her body is filled with tumors." I don't know when that woman last saw a doctor. But I do know that if she had health insurance, the odds she would have seen a doctor long ago are much higher, and her chances for an earlier diagnosis and treatment would have been far greater.
After watching for hours as the patients moved through the clinic, it was hard to believe that I was in America.
Eighty-three percent of the patients they see are employed, they are not accepting other government help on a large scale, not "welfare queens" as some would like to have us believe. They are tax-paying, good, upstanding citizens who are trying to make it and give their kids a better life just like you and me.
Ninety percent of the patients who came through Saturday's clinic had two or more diagnoses.
Eighty-two percent had a life-threatening condition such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or hypertension. They are victims of a system built with corporate profits at its center, which long ago forgot the moral imperative that should drive us to show compassion to our fellow men and women.
Health reform is not about Democrats or Republicans or who can score political points for the next election, it's about people. It's about fairness and justice in a system that knows none. I'd defy even the most hardened capitalist-loving-conservative to do what I did on Saturday and continue to pretend that the system in place right now is working.
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Sen Gregg Says Deficit Worst Problem Behind Terrorist -- Not Gonna Raise Taxes to Fix it Though
By Heather
Crooks and Liars
Crooks and Liars
Right on cue again, we have Born Again Deficit Virgin Judd Gregg with dire warnings about our debt but no acknowledgement of his own party contributing to the mess as our own Jon Perr rightfully pointed out. This is from C-SPAN's Newsmakers Nov. 15, 2009. Despite Gregg's warnings for the United States if we don't get our debt under control, the last thing he thinks we should be doing is to repeal any of those Bush tax cuts for the rich to fix it.
I would like to know just how repealing those tax cuts would "reduce the productivity of the nation". The only thing I've seen reduce our productivity has been our crappy trade laws which have resulted a race to the bottom with industry running to the country with the lowest wages for labor and the least constraints on those who pollute or have the least protections for their workers in place, which has driven jobs out of the United States with our unwillingness to put some protectionist measures in place to secure our workforce. Maybe someone else can explain this man's twisted logic to me, but I sure as hell don't get it.
I hope the Obama administration is enjoying their kick in the teeth from someone that they once considered for a Cabinet position. I think Gregg and his ilk will be happy to see this country continue to spiral into economic ruin as long as they think it will win them elections and they can shift any of the blame for what's happened away from themselves....(Remainder.)
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On Poo Blobs Radio Show, Newsbusters' Moore Hysterically Claims Net Neutrality is Attempt to "Control the Internet"
Rep. Shadegg (R-Asshatopia) Says Bloomberg's Daughters Will Be "Kiddnapped" by Terrorists
By Matt Finkelstein
Media Matters
Despite the fear-mongering of many conservatives, the Obama administration's decision to prosecute five alleged 9/11 conspirators in New York City has the backing of Mayor Michael Bloomberg. "It is fitting that 9/11 suspects face justice near the World Trade Center site where so many New Yorkers were murdered," Bloomberg said last week, noting that the city has "hosted terrorism trials before."
However, a far-right congressman from the other side of the country doesn't appreciate Bloomberg's confidence in New Yorkers. Speaking on the House floor last night, Rep. John Shadegg (R-AZ) went after Bloomberg personally, suggesting that the mayor's daughter could be "kidnapped at school by a terrorist" because of the trial:
SHADEGG: I saw the Mayor of New York said today, "We're tough. We can do it." Well, Mayor, how are you going to feel when it's your daughter that's kidnapped at school by a terrorist? How are you going to feel when it's some clerk -- some innocent clerk of the court -- whose daughter or son is kidnapped? Or the jailer's little brother or little sister? This is political correctness run amok.
Watch it:
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