In a little discussed release, National Public Radio has identified some alarming edits in the video footage released by James O’Keefe III — purportedly capturing NPR officials slamming conservatives and seemingly agreeing with radical Islamic funders. The analysis linked here shows a series of edits that produce a highly distorted picture, including the removal of statements defending conservatives and expressly warning that NPR’s coverage could never be influenced by financial support.
Continue reading “NPR Fires Back: Analysis of O’Keefe Video Shows Highly Distorting Edits”
Category: Politics
The Obama Administration has finally responded to the international outcry over the abuse of Bradley Manning. After State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley acknowledged the abuse, the Administration fired him with the apparent approval of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Now, everyone is in agreement: there is no problem in how Bradley Manning is being abused. That is particularly the case with former White House aide Mike Hammer who will replace Crowley. There’s a nice way to start a job — the replacement for the guy who dared to admit concerns over a human rights case.
There is a controversy in Dayton over the decision of the police department to lower its testing standards under pressure from the Obama Administration to allow for more minority officers.
I have often used these pages to complain about the billions of dollars and countless lives that we continue to lose in Afghanistan and Iraq – while our states and schools shutdown vital programs for lack of funds. This is particularly annoying with a president of Afghanistan who has repeatedly stated that he wished he had gone with the Taliban and views the United States as an equal threat to his country. Now, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has actually begged the United States to halt all further operations on its soil. One would have thought that U.S. officials would have expressed relief and ordered a rapid pullout. Instead, we are saying that the desire of the Afghan people to have us stop operations is of no import — we will continue to protect them whether they want protection or not.
Continue reading “Afghan President Begs U.S. To Halt All Operations in His Country — Obama Administration Refuses To End Operations”
Even those people used to the unhinged diatribes of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were left in stunned silence when he denounced the use of force against demonstrators in Libya as “grotesque” — adding “it is unimaginable that there is someone who kills and bombards his own people.” Now, in addition to Iran’s shooting and killing protesters, the International Campaign for Human Rights says that the Iranian government is trucking in children between 14 and 16 to beat protesters in violation of international law.
Continue reading “Iran Reportedly Recruits Children To Beat Protesters in Tehran”
Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger
In just the latest example of corporations taking over the reins of government, the Missouri State Senate has decided that the voters of Missouri are stupid. Last fall, the voters approved a referendum that placed restrictions on the countless puppy mills in the state to ensure humane and healthy conditions were enforced by state regulators. Of course, the tea party lobbied against the passage of the referendum and since the Republicans gained a majority in the State Senate, a new bill was passed in the Missouri Senate to over ride the will of the people in the fall referendum and remove the safeguards that were approved directly by the voters! Continue reading “Puppies vs Corporations”
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
The Republican-controlled House Energy and Commerce Committee is paying off a debt. The debt is financial and campaign support from some of the nation’s worst polluters. The payoff is the “Energy Tax Prevention Act“, which, with an audacity that only Republicans seem to pull off, simply and blatantly redefines what constitutes an “air pollutant.”
Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger
I have already written three posts about Governor Scott Walker, his budget repair bill, and the protesters in Wisconsin. People have been interested in
the Wisconsin story and have left nearly 1,800 comments at my three posts. I’ve even received requests to write up another post so that we could continue the discussion on the subject. I think there are others like me who believe the Wisconsin/Walker story is not over yet.
Continue reading “On Scott Walker, Wisconsin, and the Budget Repair Bill: Is the Story Over Yet?”
Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger
Warning: You are about to enter the Twilight Zone.
Imagine, if you will, that you live in a state where a governor wields extraordinary power over its residents. Imagine, if you will, that your governor has the legal
authority to appoint an “Emergency Manager” to oversee the local government in the town where you reside. Imagine that the monetary compensation for the Emergency Manager of your community has no cap. Imagine that your Emergency Manager declares that there’s a financial emergency in your town and then takes over control of it. Imagine that the Emergency Manager can break contracts, seize and sell assets, eliminate services—and can also fire duly elected public officials who serve your community. Imagine, if you will, that the Emergency Manager empowered by your governor to run your town has the right to dissolve your school district and to disincorporate your town. AND imagine that you and your fellow residents have no say about what is going on! Just imagine how you might feel if you lived in a state where that kind of thing was going on. Well, the people who live in Michigan may not have to imagine much longer.
Continue reading “Hey! Who Stole My Democracy?…or What’s Going on in the State of Michigan?”
Canadians are debating where to draw the line between rough sports and criminal conduct after Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty (left) was hospitalized due to a bodycheck by Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara (right).
Continue reading “Hockey Injury in Canadians-Bruins Game Raises Calls For Criminal or Disciplinary Action Against Bruin Zdeno Chara”
As cities and states shutdown basic programs and sell off parks and lands due to a lack of money, Israel will ask the U.S. for $20 billion in additional military aid. This is being supported by various members of Congress and the Administration, who continue to spend wildly abroad while demanding cuts in education, the environment, and other programs at home.
Continue reading “Israel To Seek $20 Billion More in U.S. Aid”
In an announcement that has many civil libertarians charging hypocrisy, the Obama Administration has gone public with a commitment to hold Moammar Gaddafi accountable for war crimes. This is the same Administration that has been denounced internationally for blocking any prosecution of Bush officials, including Bush himself, for alleged torture and war crimes. This includes the recently disclosed communications with the Spanish government revealing that the Obama Administration pressured Spain to shutdown its own war crimes inquiry.
Continue reading “Obama Administration Pledges To Hold Gaddafi Accountable For War Crimes”
Barack Obama has indicated that the United States is considering military intervention in Libya. While this may be an effort to convince Gaddafi (Qadaffi) to leave, the very thought of another military campaign by the United States is alarming. We are continuing to gush billions in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan despite rising anti-American sentiments. In the meantime, our cities and states are near bankruptcy for lack of funds.
In yet another slap at civil liberties and civil libertarians, President Barack Obama signed an executive order Monday that will resume military tribunal proceedings at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Continue reading “Obama Orders Resumption of Military Tribunals”
Rep. Charles Rangel just recently was reprimanded by the House of Representatives. He has now moved on to the judicial branch where Judge Edward McLaughlin reprimanded him for his conduct in the bail hearing of one of the alleged members of the 137th Street gang, a high school student named Afrika Owes.
Continue reading “Rangel Reprimanded Over Conduct at Bail Hearing”