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21 Jul 2011 13:57

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Politics: Obama and Boehner near deal? Not if you ask their press folks about it

  • claim The New York Times has an article up saying that Obama and Boehner are nearing a deal on the whole debt ceiling mess that’s gripped DC for the past few weeks. Oh God, let’s hope so guys.
  • denial However, Boehner’s folks denied this. “While we are keeping the lines of communication open,” said spokesperson Kevin Smith, “there is no ‘deal’ and no progress to report.” O RLY?
  • denial Likewise, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney (who recently called Mitch McConnell “Mitch Mitchell,” then dropped a Guided by Voices reference) flatly denied the claim. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 Jul 2011 00:31

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Politics: Democrat survives recall attempt in Wisconsin

  • Wisconsin Republicans’ quixotic attempt to recall Democratic state senators has gotten off to a bad start: State Sen. David Hansen was easily re-elected in today’s recall election, defeating his opponent by a 2:1 margin. Hansen is the first of nine WI State Senators facing recall attempts (three Democrats, six Republicans).The recalls were first initiated by Democrats hoping to punish Republicans for supporting Scott Walker’s anti-union bill last Spring. Republicans, out of a combination of boredom and petulance, responded by launching their own recall petitions against Democrats who opposed the bill. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Jul 2011 13:39

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Politics: Study: Correlation between secondhand smoke, early hearing loss

  • Further research is needed to demonstrate a causal link, but in the meantime to protect your child’s hearing, and health, it would be advisable to avoid smoking around them.
  • Dr. Ralph Holme, of Action on Hearing Loss • Speaking about recent studies which indicate a strong correlation between the secondhand smoke exposure of teenagers, and hearing loss. The doctor makes a very worthwhile point when he emphasizes further research is needed — the distinction between correlation and causation is something we feel is too often overlooked in media coverage of health-related studies. That said, his conclusion is still the prudent one; put the cigarette out when you’re hanging out with kids and teens. Seeing as this is hardly the only risk associated with smoking on the whole, this probably isn’t a case where a slew of new studies need to come out to warrant some lifestyle adjustments. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Jul 2011 01:50

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Politics: The Best Two Sentences of the Night

  • Responsibility without conviction is weak, but it is sane. Conviction without responsibility, in the current incarnation of the Republican Party, is raving mad.
  • George Packer • On how each party is handling the (possible) debt ceiling increase. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Jul 2011 23:38

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Politics: Cantankerous Corker Criticizes Colleagues

  • Basically, most Senators in this body are nothing but two-bit pawns…to lay out the groundwork, if you will, for 2012 election.
  • GOP Senator Bob Corker • Saying what everyone knows but rarely acknowledges: If a presidential election wasn’t lurking around the corner, this whole debt ceiling debate would be playing out much differently. This is really harsh language for a senator, especially when used in reference to his colleagues. Last week, Corker accepted blame, on behalf of the Republican party, for bringing our country to the brink of another economic collapse. source
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Jul 2011 23:02

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Politics: A quick-ish update on the Wisconsin situation

  • plan Democrats in Wisconsin are pushing hard to recall Governor Scott Walker for the draconian anti-union bill he pushed through the legislature this past Spring.
  • problem The recall election could fall on the same day as the GOP presidential primary, ensuring a large Republican turnout and possibly carrying Walker to safety. source
  • The Details: Stick with us here. In order to recall Walker, Democrats need to gather around 540,000 signatures (that number being 25% of the total votes cast for Governor last year); once this process starts, they’ll have sixty days to hit that target. If and when they do, state election officials will likely schedule the recall on the same day as the next major statewide election. The question is: When should Democratic operatives start gathering signatures?
  • on the one hand…This fall, recall elections against several state senators (of both parties) will have wrapped up. Some Democrats want to ride that momentum directly into the signature-gathering process, ensuring that they’re able to collect enough. The thing is, if they do it within that timeframe, the recall will most likely fall on the same day as the GOP presidential primary.
    .
  • on the other hand…Democrats could also wait longer to gather signatures, timing it so that the recall falls the same day Obama faces re-election. This would result in a much higher voter turnout for Democrats. However, Walker’s anti-union antics may have faded from the public consciousness by then, jeopardizing the Democrats’ ability to get enough signatures.
  • » The kicker: State Republicans, who would prefer the first scenario, are said to be considering launching a fake “Recall Walker” signature-gathering campaign in the fall, in order to force an early recall. Seriously, guys—who ever said politics was boring?
Posted by Seth Millstein • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Jul 2011 18:21

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Politics: Herman Cain continues to rail against Islam, endorses mosque ban

  • then GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain has made a habit out of intolerance towards Muslims (though not exclusively), having previously stated he wouldn’t appoint any Muslims to his cabinet. He’s since said he’d demand loyalty pledges from Muslim appointments.
  • nowCain has doubled down, stating his opposition to a mosque being built in Tennessee. His explanation seems scattered — last week he said the mosque infringed on religious freedom, and this Sunday said he’s suspicious of those who “might be terrorists.” source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

18 Jul 2011 15:29

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Politics: James O’Keefe is back with more video, this time on Medicaid

  • The return of O’Keefe’s gotcha journalism: Conservative activist James O’Keefe, widely know for his undercover videos made at the expense of ACORN and NPR, unveiled his latest video today claiming to expose Medicaid fraud. Any discussion of O’Keefe’s work needs, we think, to be couched in an acknowledgement that he has virtually no credibility on these things; his ACORN videos were duplicitously edited (then-California Attorney General Jerry Brown found no evidence of criminal behavior on ACORN’s part) as was his tape of NPR fundraising exec Ron Schiller. Basically, he deserves even less than the benefit of the doubt (don’t forget this disgusting hoax attempt as well), and as such we urge everybody to wait a few days for the full context of his video to emerge. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Jul 2011 14:33

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Politics: British Metro Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates, on his resignation

  • I have acted with complete integrity and my conscience is clear. I look forward to the future Judge-led inquiry where my role will be examined in a proper and calmer environment and where my actions will be judged on the evidence rather than on innuendo and speculation as they are at present.
  • Now-resigned Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates • In selected text from his resignation letter. Yates had become embroiled, as a staggering number of people have been, in the phone hacking scandals currently rocking the Murdoch news empire and British civil society. Yates was responsible for declining further investigation into a 2005 phone hacking case, back in 2009. Yates has called that choice a “pretty crap one,” but in his resignation, far less contrition is to be found. His final wish, though, will almost certainly be granted — we reckon the legal end of this scandal will be no less engrossing than the rest of it. source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Jul 2011 11:02

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Politics: Debt ceiling poll: Everyone looks bad, but Obama looks least bad

  • 71% disapprove of the way Republicans have handled the debt ceiling crisis — just 21 percent approve
  • 48% disapprove of the way Obama has handled the situation; by contrast, 43 percent approve source
  • » Obama’s the best in a bad bunch: According to a CBS News poll, while nobody’s doing particularly hot in the current debt crisis negotiations, Obama can at least say that he’s doing better than everyone else. Democrats in Congress have a meager 31 percent approval rating. But let’s face it — this has always been a fight between Republicans and Obama, with congressional Democrats off to the side. So the result is nothing but notable. Let’s raise the question: If the government defaults, is this 1995 all over again for the GOP?
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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