Category: Politics

Military, Politics

One Question for Vice President Biden

SUBMITTED BY LAWRENCE RAFFERTY, GUEST BLOGGER

Earlier today, Vice President Joe Biden appeared on Meet the Press and gave David Gregory an interesting answer to Gregory’s questions concerning our exit strategy in Afghanistan.  The Vice President not only confirmed that the Obama Administration still plans on beginning a drawdown of troops from Afghanistan starting in July of 2011, he also stated that we will complete the departure from Afghanistan in 2014.  “We’re starting it in July of 2011. And we’re gonna be totally out of there, come hell or high water, by 2014.”  http://crooksandliars.com/nicole-belle/meet-press-biden-says-2014-were-out-a  Leave it Vice President Biden to answer the question with such flowery language. 

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Politics

To Serve Banks

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

Recently, Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL), the next chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, told the Birmingham News, “my view is that Washington and the regulators are there to serve the banks.” As part of that service, Republican members of the bipartisan Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, that was established to examine the causes of the current financial and economic crisis, are rewriting the history of the crisis.

They want to blame Fannie and Freddie.

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Congress, Environment, Politics, Uncategorized

WHAT DOES THE US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAVE AGAINST 9/11 FIRST RESPONDERS?

 

SUBMITTED BY LAWRENCE RAFFERTY, GUEST BLOGGER

Earlier in the week, the legislation that would have provided medical help for 9/11 first responders was killed by Republicans.  I was shocked to see that any political party would be against getting medical help for true American heroes.  You can imagine my surprise when I found out who was helping the Republicans defeat this humanitarian bill.  The United States Chamber of Commerce was quietly working behind the scenes to make sure this bill was defeated.  The immediate question that came to my mind was why?  Why wouldn’t the Chamber want the heroes of 9/11 to get the medical help that they need to fight the many health problems that they have incurred due to their work on 9/11 at Ground Zero? Continue reading “WHAT DOES THE US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HAVE AGAINST 9/11 FIRST RESPONDERS?” →

Congress, Military, Politics, Uncategorized

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy Repealed

Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger

NOTE: A correction has been made to this post.

This afternoon, the United States Senate voted to end Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell—a policy that banned gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military for seventeen years. According to CBS News: “Eight Republicans joined nearly every Democrat to vote for repeal. The Republicans voting for repeal were Sens. Scott Brown (Mass.), Susan Collins (Maine), Olympia Snowe (Maine), Mark Kirk (Ill.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), John Ensign (Nev.), Richard Burr (N.C.) and George Voinovich (Ohio).”

The final vote was 65-31.

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Constitutional Law, Courts, Justice, Politics

IS IT ETHICAL ERROR FOR JUSTICE SCALIA TO MEET THE TEA PARTY CAUCUS?

SUBMITTED BY LAWRENCE RAFFERTY, GUEST BLOGGER

I recently read that U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann is coordinating a crash course on the Constitution for the new members that will be joining the House in January.  I was a little surprised that one of the guest speakers for that course will be Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.  While it is not unusual for Supreme Court Justices to interact with members of Congress, it disturbs me that Justice Scalia will be meeting with the Tea Party Caucus behind closed doors.  These very same members of the Tea Party Caucus have very definite ideas and opinions on current national issues that may reach the Supreme Court in the near future.  This recent article in Bloomberg suggests that Justice Scalia’s presentation will “…focus on separation of powers, said Kathy Arberg, the Supreme Court’s spokeswoman.” http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-15/scalia-will-deliver-speech-before-bachmann-s-tea-party-caucus.html Continue reading “IS IT ETHICAL ERROR FOR JUSTICE SCALIA TO MEET THE TEA PARTY CAUCUS?” →

International, Justice, Military, Politics, Uncategorized

Bradley Manning: The Forgotten Person in the Wikileaks Affair

Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger

Across the Pond: This week, Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, was released on bail from a London prison. Assange will remain under “mansion arrest” at the 600-acre estate of Vaughan Smith, a London restaurateur and former war correspondent. He plans to fight extradition to Sweden where he would face sex crimes allegations.

Back Here at Home: Bradley Manning, the 22-year-old U. S. Army intelligence specialist who has been accused of leaking classified documents to Wikileaks, has been held in solitary confinement at the marine brig in Quantico, Virginia, for five months. Before being transferred to Quantico, Manning was held in a military jail in Kuwait for two months. Manning will face a court martial on charges that he provided Wikileaks with classified information in violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

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Bizarre, Courts, Criminal law, International, Justice, Military, Politics, Society, Uncategorized

Pssst, Hey Buddy, You Wanna Buy a F-5B?

Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

The Feds have arrested 35-year-old Californian, Marc Knapp, for trying to sell an F-5B fighter jet to Iran. Knapp was nabbed in a government sting operation that crisscrossed the country from Pennsylvania to California and even ranged to Budapest, Hungary. For his part, Knapp was unconcerned that the nation that once promised “Death to America,” and  is reputedly looking for a nuclear weapons capability might acquire an  US-made fighter jet.

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Bizarre, International, Military, Politics, Religion, Society

With Friends Like This: Karzai Again Proclaims that He Wishes He Was With The Taliban Instead of the United States

We have another encouraging statement from our ally, Afghan President Hamid Karzai who told Gen. David H. Petraeus, U.S. Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry and other top Western officials in Kabul that one of his greatest enemies is the United States and that he wished he had gone with the Taliban when he had a chance. Previously, if you recall, Karzai stated that he wanted to actually join the Taliban in fighting the United States, so this is just a reminder.
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Academia, Bizarre, International, Politics, Society, Things That Tick Me Off

Things That Tick Me Off: Versailles II

Recently I added Versailles (and more specifically its director, Jean-Jacques Aillagon) to our ignoble list of “Things That Tick Me Off.” Now, Aillagon has succeeded in securing a second appearance on this list with the news that he had decided to convert part of Versailles into a hotel. That’s right. To raise money for his plans for the historical site, Aillagon is moving into the hotel business. This is after his widely condemned effort to become an art museum with the obnoxious placement of works by Takashi Murakami throughout the palace.
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Bizarre, Criminal law, Politics, Society

Former Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick Indicted . . . Again

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has been again criminally charged. This time, he is not only facing a massive federal indictment for corruption but his co-defendants will include his father and three associates over millions of dollars that went to contractors. After his prior conviction, Kilpatrick has not exactly proven an ideal parolee.

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Bizarre, Courts, Politics, Society

New Jersey Justice Goes On Strike Over Appointment of Temporary Justice

New Jersey is dealing with a novel strike. New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto had gone on strike in protest to what he believes is the unlawful appointment of a temporary replacement for Justice John Wallace, who was not re-appointed by Gov. Chris Christie. Rivera-Soto believes that there is no authority for such an appointment and has refused to participate in cases with the interloper.
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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, International, Politics, Religion

Californian Engineer Charged With Blasphemy After Allegedly Turning Off Loud Speaker At Mosque

In our ongoing coverage of blasphemy prosecutions, the case of Gregory Luke, 64, in Indonesia is a standout. The retired Californian engineer is charged with blasphemy for allegedly turning off a speaker system during Ramadan playing prayers throughout the night. He denies that he did so, but the allegation was enough for a crowd to tear apart his home on Lombok island and Luke to be arrested.
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Bizarre, Congress, Constitutional Law, Politics, Society, Supreme Court

Mandatory Health Care Provision Struck Down As Unconstitutional

U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson in Richmond, Virginia had struck down the centerpiece of the national health care plan: the mandatory requirement that all citizens get health care coverage. The lengthy 42-page opinion details how the law falls outside of interstate commerce jurisdiction — the concern that I previously voiced in a column.

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