-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
The latest incoherence from the Right has to do with incandescence, as in incandescent light bulbs. The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007, a bill mandating higher efficiency standards, passed by massive majorities in Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush, has put the kibosh on inefficient incandescent light bulbs. Obviously, an example of socialism/communism/fascism run amok.
Submitted by: Mike Spindell, guest blogger
The abortion issue is not solely about a women’s right to choose, it is about the hatred and fear of women’s sexuality. There is a subtext to this movement, shown plainly by the actions of many Anti-Abortion supporters, that goes way beyond the issue of whether abortion is murder. This is not asserting my opinion as to the validity of either side in the Anti-Abortion debate. It is not to stir up a debate for or against abortion. I’ve commented here enough for people to know where I stand on the issue. What has bothered me for a long time on this issue has been whether it is just about being for or against a women’s right to choose? If it is only about the right of choice, then I could at least accept that those who would deny it have sufficient beliefs to justify their actions, without there being another unspoken agenda. Indeed, the original initiator of the anti-abortion issue was the Roman Catholic Church.
Continue reading “Does the Anti-Abortion Movement Hate Women’s Sexuality?”
When I saw this story on Reddit, I had a hopeful moment. It said Iran’s Supreme Court had actually annulled the death sentence of Yousef Nadarkhani, who was arrested in 2009 and given the death sentence late last year for apostasy. However, it turns out the evangelical pastor has simply been sent back to the trial court to be given a chance to “repent” and renounce Christianity.
Continue reading “Iranian Christian Told By Supreme Court To Renounce Faith Or Face Punishment”
The presidential campaign of Michele Bachmann has raised the question of what is relevant for scrutiny for the media. At issue is the business run by Bachmann and her husband, Marcus: Bachmann and Associates. It is a Christian counseling service and Bachmann has previously referenced the business as her credential as a “small business job creator.” However, reports have emerged of how the clinic offers to “cure” homosexuals and reporters have questioned the veracity of past statements about the clinic. Bachmann, however, insists she wants to talk about job creation and the stories are not relevant to what matters in the campaign.
Continue reading “Bachmann Under Fire For Clinic’s “Cure” of Homosexuality”
Republican Jeff Stone is a member of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors and wants to be a citizen of South California, the 51st state. Stone is part of a movement in thirteen conservative counties to cleave off the conservative part of California into its own state. Of course, that could have a wee problem under the United States Constitution without congressional consent.
Continue reading “California Legislators Ask To Form 51st State”
Today, we filed the complaint below in the challenge to Utah’s criminal polygamy law. I am still in Salt Lake City for the filing. With me today is our local counsel Adam Alba, an outstanding young attorney and one of my former students. As noted earlier, the lawsuit is on behalf of my clients, the Brown family. The Browns are featured in the TLC program Sister Wives as an openly polygamous family.
Continue reading “Brown Family Challenges Utah’s Polygamy Law”
As reported by The New York Times and National Public Radio, I will be traveling to Salt Lake City today to file (on Wednesday) a challenge to the Utah statute criminalizing bigamy and cohabitation. The lawsuit will be filed on behalf of my clients, the Brown family. The Browns are featured in the TLC program Sister Wives as an openly polygamous family.
Continue reading “Brown Family To File Challenge To The Criminalization of Polygamy In Utah”
For years, the Bush Administration was denounced for the false statements and intelligence that led to the Iraq invasion. Even after it was shown that there were no weapons of mass destruction, many Americans continued to believe that Iraq was being invaded as a response to the 9-11 attacks. Now, in the latest morphing of the Bush and Obama Administration, our new Defense Secretary Leon Panetta wasted no time in re-casting Iraq in the same flawed image. In a public appearance, Panetta told troops that they were in Iraq because of the attack on 9-11.
Continue reading “Panetta: Iraq Really Was A Response To 9-11”
Julie Bass is facing a misdemeanor charge in Oak Park, Michigan. Her crime? Planting vegetables in her own front yard. It is the latest example of the criminalization of American society.
It appears that Vladimir Putin is not just an action hero but an actual gift of God. First deputy administration chief Vladislav Surkov set a new standard for sycophants and lickspittles everywhere by announcing that Putin was sent here by God to lead the Russian people. Wow, I thought he was just sent by Marvel.
Continue reading “Putinodox Faith: Russian Official Proclaims That Putin Was Sent By God”
Many have objected that the Casey Anthony trial and verdict has displaced attention to every thing from three wars to a growing economic crisis. Now, however, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has suggested that the impact of the Anthony verdict may extend to national security trials and serve as an excuse to deny terrorism defendants a federal trial. McConnell stated that the verdict shows that we cannot trust our court system in trying terrorism suspects. The clear import is that we should use the widely ridiculed military tribunal system because we cannot risk defendants actually prevailing in court.
Submitted By Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Britain’s largest weekly tabloid, News of the World, closes today, but not from lack of advertisers or readers. Instead, the Rupert Murdoch led tabloid succumbed to its own excesses amid shocking allegations of interceptions of cellphone voice mails of the families of a murdered 13-year-old girl, servicemen and women slain in Afghanistan, and victims of the 2005 London terrorist bombings. Glenn Mulcaire, a private investigator who worked for News of the World, is accused of the electronic hacking.
We have often marveled at the extraordinary discoveries and pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope. However, a panel of the House Appropriations Committee Science has moved to cut the successor to Hubble — the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). It is part of a $1.6 billion cut into NASA — an agency already slashed deeply in prior budgets.
Continue reading “Tomahawks Over Telescopes: Congress Moves To Scrap Hubble Successor To Save Money”
Wondering where the money is coming from for our three wars, including the over $1 billion for the latest war in Libya? Well, as we spend billions on the wars (including one for an oil-rich nation which has refused to re-pay any of the costs), the White House is slashing domestic programs. A good comparison is that the cost to date of the Libyan war is basically what Congress is about to cut from the budget of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Continue reading “Tomahawks Over Turtles: Congress and Obama Administration Move To Slash NOAA Budget”
Many people thought it was a bit odd when Governor Rick Perry indicated that he might run for President of the United States after previously suggesting that Texas may want to secede from the United States. Perry seems not only want to be the John C. Calhoun of presidential aspirants, but he has also decided to add the violation of international law and treaties as a resume booster. Over the objections of President Obama and a host of leading international figures, Perry has refused to stop the execution of of Humberto Leal Garcia — a Mexican national denied his rights under the Vienna Convention.