The American Trial Lawyers Association

With all of the GOP opposition that has arisen as a result of President Obama's budget, you'd expect them to come up with some kind of alternative. And they pretended to do just that, until Representative John Boehner presented a proposal last week that was little more than a list of conservative values. Obama had responded to criticism of his budget by challenging the GOP to draft an alternate budget instead of simply criticizing his version. At a press conference last week, Boehner held up a blue packet and boldly stated, “here it is, Mr. President.” The Republican Road to Recovery, as the 19-page document is titled, is a three-part outline of where congressional Republicans stand on Obama's budget plan. Curbing government spending, creating jobs and lowering taxes, and controlling the debt are the foundations of the Republican's argument. Much of the “Road to Recovery” is specific criticisms of the Democrat budget and policies, like energy and health care reform. However, this packet was not a budget. There is no plan for government spending, nor are there tables illustrating how money will be allocated. When reporters received copies of the document, they realized that an alternative Republican budget wasn't going to be announced, even though the press conference was supposed to be the announcement of that budget.


In other news, Rick Wagoner, the CEO of GM, has decided to resign his post, as a result of intense pressure by President Obama. Politico reported that an unnamed White House aide confirmed that the president wanted Wagoner out, saying quote, “The Obama administration asked Rick Wagoner, the chairman and CEO of General Motors, to step down and he agreed.” Meanwhile, Obama and other administration officials have said they would demand deeper restructuring from General Motors and Chrysler before they would get any more government loans. Obama's auto task force has been working to solve the woes of US automakers, which have been pushed to the brink of bankruptcy in the economic recession amid a global downturn in car sales. General Motors and Chrysler have asked for another $21.6 billion dollars in aid, on top of the $17.4 billion dollars in emergency loans approved in December as they struggle to survive. Obama is set to deliver his automotive recovery package later today.


And finally today, insurance companies are working on new and exciting ways to prevent people from obtaining health insurance. Instead of the old methods of denying people who admit to health problems, the companies have resulted to hiring data mining companies to gather information on the prescription medications that applicants are taking. For example, if they find out that you're taking medication for depression, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, gallstones, and in some cases even acne, you're denied coverage. Small businesses are frequently finding health policies too expensive and are dropping coverage, sending even more people shopping for insurance. These issues are moving to the forefront as the Obama administration and Congress gear up for discussions about how to reform the healthcare system so that Americans won't be rejected for insurance. The thing that still seems so ironic to me is that health insurance is meant to help people when they are sick, yet you can't get insurance if you are sick. The solution to this problem is not going to come from private health insurance companies, and if we want to see more people covered, the government is going to have to step in and come up with a better plan.

Labels: Auto Industry, Boehner, Budget, CEO, Chrysler, Claim Denial, Debate, Farron Cousins, GM, GOP, Health Insurance, Obama, Rick Wagoner

LAS VEGAS, NV, March 24, 2009: On Thursday, March 19, 2009, five of America's most powerful and legendary trial attorneys were inducted into The American Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame. Selected for this prestigious award were attorneys Bobby Lee Cook, Stanley Preiser, Gerry Spence, Morris Dees and Fred Levin.

These celebrated honorees were inducted into the Hall of Fame and presented with an award during The American Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Luncheon held in conjunction with the Mass Torts Made Perfect and Torts Made Perfect Seminar at the Encore Wynn Las Vegas on March 19 and 20.

With over 500 in attendance, attorneys and guests were moved by the genuine emotion and well spoken humor expressed in the acceptance speeches of these distinguished inductees. The Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame is the highest national honor and recognition of civil plaintiff and criminal defense trial lawyers in America.

Bobby Lee Cook of Summerville, Georgia, said, “I've learned more from my defeats than from my victories.”

“Try your cases. You're going to win more than you think,” said Stanley Preiser, formally from Charleston, West Virginia and now Of Counsel with the Romano Law Group in West Palm Beach, Florida.

All five attorneys spoke about the pride they have experienced during their professional career by choosing to become a trial attorney.

Morris Dees with the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Alabama, expressed his thanks, “for the people I have represented. They make my life meaningful.”

Introduced by prominent attorney Geoffrey Fieger, Gerry Spence of Jackson, Wyoming, told the audience, “You are born unique. Don't die a copy. Your personhood is your wealth and you can never be broke.”

The American Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame was established by The American Trial Lawyer magazine and The American Trial Lawyers Association to honor exceptional civil plaintiff and criminal defense trial lawyers throughout American history. These extraordinary trial lawyers have exceeded the expectations of the public and their peers by clearly establishing themselves, through their practice, as true champions and crusaders for American justice.

Those honored by The American Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame have left an indelible mark on the American legal tradition through a lifetime of service to the American public, the Constitution, and the American trial bar.

Other historical attorneys and previous members of the Hall of Fame include John Adams, Thurgood Marshall, Melvin Belli, Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. and Clarence Darrow.

The EPA has halted the permits on hundreds of mountaintop mining efforts, so that they can review the environmental impacts of this disastrous practice. Between 150 and 200 applications for new or expanded mountaintop removal operations are pending before the federal government. The permits are issued by the Army Corps of Engineers, an agency that has been criticized by environmental groups and has been sued for failing to thoroughly evaluate the environmental impact of mountaintop removal. Under the Clean Water Act, companies cannot discharge rock, dirt and other debris into streams unless they can show that it will not cause permanent damage to waterways or the fish and other wildlife that live in them. The EPA has the authority to override or veto any permit that is issued by the Corp., although as expected, it has rarely done so in the last 8 years. For those unfamiliar with this practice, mountaintop mining is when a company basically uses dynamite to blow the tops off of mountains to extract the coal from within. All of the debris caused by the blast runs off into nearby rivers or lakes, poisoning almost any living creature that calls those areas its home. Hopefully this action by the EPA will be the first of many that seek to reduce the amount of damage that we are inflicting on our environment.


In other news, a new study conducted in the UK shows that the human brain actually stops functioning rationally when presented with evidence from so-called “experts.” For example, when a bank manager or investment adviser recommends a financial decision, the brain tends to abdicate responsibility and defer to their authority with little independent thought, the study has suggested. Such expert advice suppresses activity in a neural circuit that is critical to sound decision-making and value judgments. People are likely to be especially susceptible to uncritical trust of experts in times of economic uncertainty, such as during the current recession. While the study mainly tested how people's brains react on financial matters, this study shows us some pretty significant data about how people handle responsibility. For example, if an expert tells them that global warming isn't real, the person no longer has to feel burdened by that threat, even though the expert they're listening to isn't really an expert. Its the classic American tradition of shifting responsibility to someone else.


And finally today, the GOP has a message for Dick Cheney - SHUT UP! That's right. The GOP is growing increasingly frustrated with the former Vice President who has come out of hiding recently during a spate of TV interviews, and the rest of the Republican Party isn't happy about this. Congressional Republicans are telling Dick Cheney to go back to his undisclosed location and leave them alone to rebuild the Republican Party without his input. Republican lawmakers say he's hurting GOP efforts to reinvent itself after back-to-back electoral embarrassments. Republican Congressman John Duncan from Tennessee said quote, “He became so unpopular while he was in the White House that it would probably be better for us politically if he wouldn't be so public...But he has the right to speak out since he's a private citizen.” The problem actually isn't with Cheney, but with the GOP as a whole. Cheney is a perfect example of what the GOP stands for, and because of that, we need to make every effort to post his face on every TV news show, on every blog, and bring him up in as many conversations as possible. Cheney did exactly what the GOP wanted, and now its come back to bite them on the ass.

Labels: Brain, Coal, Dick Cheney, Environment, EPA, Farron Cousins, GOP, Mountaintop Mining, Rational Thinking, Republican Party, Study, UK

It seems like every time you turn around, Halliburton and its former subsidiary KBR are getting in trouble for either scamming the government, or performing their duties so inadequately that they're actually killing US soldiers. In spite of this, they continue to be awarded with millions upon millions of dollars in contracts for work with the military. Ring of Fire's Mike Papantonio talks with author Pratap Chatterjee, who says that there is definitely a need to get rid of contractors like Halliburton, but doing so might not be as easy as you'd think.

Labels: air america radio, Contractor, Death, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Electrocution, George W Bush, Halliburton, Iraq War, KBR, Mike Papantonio, Pratap Chatterjee, ring of fire

A British diplomat has come forward and made it clear that the British government has a paper trail that proves that both the US and the British government were fully aware that Saddam Hussein posed no threat to the world. Carne Ross, who was a first secretary at the United Nations in New York for the Foreign Office until 2004, told MPs: "A lot of facts about the run-up to this war have yet to come to light which should come to light and which the public deserves to know." He told the inquiry that the intelligence made it "very clear" that Saddam Hussein did not pose a significant threat to the UK, as was being claimed at the time by ministers, and that tougher enforcement of sanctions could have brought his regime down. Ross believes that his revelations could call the very legality of the invasion into question. When prodded about why he didn't come out sooner, or try harder to prevent the invasion, Ross said that he was aware that speaking out too often or too openly - even in internal debates - about his concerns about the government's policy direction would damage his career by winning him a reputation as a "naive troublemaker".


In environmental news today, a poll released recently by Gallup says that, while a majority of Americans still believe the seriousness of global warming is “either correctly portrayed in the news or underestimated,” an all-time high of 41 percent of those polled say it is exaggerated. One of the main reasons for this drop in concern can be attributed to the success of climate change deniers in disseminating their message. While they are no more credible now than they were a few years ago, the difference today is that they have more friendly media outlets that are willing to broadcast their message. Since Gallup began tracking domestic sentiment on global warming in 1997, American views that climate change was being underestimated were at their highest in 2001 and 2006 (the year An Inconvenient Truth came out). The poll also saw declines from last year in the number of people who believe the effects of global warming are occurring now, and in the number that believe global warming will pose a “serious threat” in their lifetimes. By age group, the biggest jump (13 percent) from last March in those who now believe global warming claims are exaggerated was in the 65-and-older demographic. While other age groups also saw an increase, the 18-29 segment had no change at all in the number of those who believe claims are exaggerated.


And finally, it just wouldn't be a news day if there weren't something to say about AIG. Admittedly, I'm getting pretty sick of these stories, and would prefer to no longer write about them. But people seem to enjoy it, so I'll play along one last time. But rest assured, after today, I'm done covering anything to do with AIG, unless aliens come down, beam up their building, and probe each and every executive. Now THAT would be a news story. Despite the protestations of a few congressmen, the House voted overwhelmingly to pass bonus tax legislation Thursday afternoon. Roll Call reports the vote was 328-93 to impose a 90 percent tax on employee bonuses at companies that received federal bailout funds, which includes AIG. CNN notes that the measure, which now heads to the Senate for consideration, would tax individuals on any bonuses received in 2009 from companies getting $5 billion or more in money from the Troubled Asset Relief Program. Those with incomes more than $250,000 would see their bonuses taxed at the 90 percent rate.

Labels: AIG, Bailout, Bonuses, Britain, Climate Change, Environment, Farron Cousins, Global Warming, Intelligence, Iraq War, Ron Paul, Saddam Hussein

In the midst of all the hullabaloo over AIG's decision to award $165 million dollars worth of bonuses to executives, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has decided to take action. Cuomo has issued a subpoena to AIG seeking a list with the names of executives receiving bonuses, which he had requested in the past. Cuomo said that he was disturbed by the company's decision to award these bonuses, in light of the fact that the company is failing, and over 79% of it is now owned by the government. Congressman Barney Frank is also speaking out against the bonuses, saying that if they can't be stopped, the government should consider firing some of these executives. Unfortunately, had the Obama administration acted, they could have easily prevented these bonuses from even going out, according to congressman Brad Sherman. Sherman told Talking Points Memo that the Treasury had a mechanism in place to stop this excess, but the administration missed their opportunity. Sherman actually predicted events like this, which is why he said he voted against the bailout - He knew that the Treasury would not enforce the rules that it had been given the authority to do. On top of this, experts are now warning us that it will be almost impossible for AIG to repay all of their bailout money to the government. The only logical step from here is criminal indictments and prosecutions. But, given the track record of the government for prosecuting those who screw over America, that's unlikely to ever happen.


In other news, a federal judge has ruled that it is ok for the Navy to spray recruits with a chemical that is known to cause death, and has been banned from international warfare. The decision is in response to a case brought by naval officers, who argued that the practice of subjecting trainees to a direct shot of pepper spray was dangerous and deprived them of their constitutional rights to due process and equal protection. They said the Navy could rely on less intense training methods, such as smearing a small amount of the spray on the skin beneath the eyes, or forcing trainees to walk through a room that had previously been sprayed. But Judge Richard Leon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said he wasn't in a position to overrule the Navy's decision to continue the practice. Inhalation of high doses of some of the chemicals found in pepper spray can produce adverse cardiac, respiratory, and neurological effects, including arrhythmias and sudden death. Our soldiers have enough to worry about these days - we don't need to be shooting them in the face with pepper spray to toughen them up.


And speaking of the US court system, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas finally got something right. During a speech at Virginia college yesterday, Thomas told listeners that Americans today are too self-indulgent and don't make the sacrifices that their parents and grandparents did, and the nation's leaders don't ask people to act for the higher good. He added that our country and our principles are more important than our individual wants. He quoted President Kennedy's famous, "Ask not what your country can do for you" speech, but said Americans today are more likely to say, "Ask not what you can do for yourselves or your country but what your country can do for you." Ironically, Thomas is considered one of the more conservative judges on the bench today, but these ideals that he's talking about our almost uniquely liberal. Conservative philosophy teaches that each man or woman is responsible for themselves, and the goal is to ultimately be completely autonomous. On the other hand, liberals believe in the common good, stressing the importance of the group, rather than the individual. Maybe Justice Thomas is rethinking his outdated political positions, or perhaps he just forgot what his party actually stands for.

Labels: AIG, Andrew Cuomo, Barney Frank, Bonus, Brad Sherman, Clarence Thomas, Death, Farron Cousins, Lawsuit, Navy, Pepper Spray, Supreme Court

In case you've been wondering where all of that bank bailout money has gone, AIG finally decided to disclose their activities. Rather than investing in new hires, or providing affordable loans to new borrowers, the company instead shipped billions of taxpayer dollars to foreign banks. The documents AIG released account for some of the more than $180 billion in aid that AIG has received, and they detailed for the first time which financial firms are benefitting from the federal handout.
In all, AIG disclosed payments of $105.3 billion between September and December 2008, and some of the biggest recipients were European banks. Political pressure is now building on AIG, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday called on AIG executives to “renounce” their bonuses and refuse retention pay, and said that House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank would “examine options that are legally available to recover taxpayer funds of companies that abuse the privilege of taxpayer assistance.” Edward Liddy, the government-installed CEO of AIG, has been called to testify before Frank's committee on Wednesday.


In other financial news, a new report has been released showing that those who have had the loudest voices in denouncing the bailout and stimulus packages - mostly republicans - are also the ones that have been hit the hardest by the recession. According to the Center for Responsible Lending, who recently issued the new report, nine of the top ten districts with the most foreclosures are Republican and most likely to receive the bulk of any homeowner bailout, and thus, at least according to one On Air editor of a major cable network, fit the definition of "losers". I'm sure we all recall the protests from rank and file members of the GOP, where they would hold signs saying things like “your mortgage is not my problem,” but now it looks like it might be. Only one of these top ten districts leans democratic, which is a location in Michigan. The ones held onto by Republicans include districts in Oklahoma, Florida, Arizona, Delaware, and Georgia. According to Republican Rick Santelli, all of these republicans are irresponsible losers. Those are his words, not mine. You see, not long ago, Santelli appeared on cable news and said that any homeowner bailout would just go to irresponsible people who were losers. Of course, this was probably before he realized that those same losers are the ones who make up his base.


And finally today, according to a new study, a predicted slowdown in Atlantic Ocean currents will cause sea levels along the US northeast coast to rise twice as fast as the global average, exposing New York and other big cities to violent and frequent storm surges. For example, Manhattan's Wall Street, which is barely a three feet above sea level, will find itself underwater more often as the 21st century unfolds. The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded in early 2007 that expanding ocean water driven by climate change will drive up sea levels, on average, anywhere from seven to 23 inches by 2100, depending on how successful we are at slashing greenhouse gas emissions. This rising water mark will erase several island nations from the map, and is likely to cause devastation in Asian and African deltas home to tens of millions of people. The weakened currents account for nearly half of a predicted sea rise -- from thermal expansion alone. Rapid sea level increases would put cities such as New York, Boston, Baltimore and Washington D.C. at significantly greater risk of coastal hazards such as hurricanes and intense winter storm surges. Of course, given the fact that a large portion of American citizens still don't believe that global warming is real, it would probably take flooding of this nature just to convince them.

Labels: AIG, Bailout, Bank, Climate Change, Farron Cousins, Foreclosure, Fraud, Global Warming, Manhattan, Protest, Republican, Rick Santelli, Wall Street

Earlier this week, it was reported that the diaper-wearing, prostitute-loving GOP senator David Vitter had a bit of a temper tantrum at a DC airport. Vitter was late for a flight from Washington to New Orleans, and when he arrived at the gate, he was told that he wasn't allowed to go through the security door leading to the plane. After setting off the security alarm, the Louisiana senator proceeded to dress down an airline employee who told him entering the restricted area was forbidden. He invoked his standing as a senator, delivering a "do-you-know-who-I-am" tirade. After the airline worker announced that he was going to get security, Vitter said that they would probably be impressed by his senatorial pin. However, when the worker acted and actually went to security, Vitter quietly slipped away. The TSA has since announced that they will be investigating the matter, and Vitter could be facing fines or other punishments for his infantile tirade. Of course, given his perverted history, any punishment inflicted could actually make him do something like this again.


In other news, Fox News' Sean Hannity has some interesting things to say about torture. Hannity invited Meghan McCain on his show to talk about a court filing by 9/11 defendants detained at Guantanamo Bay. The group of detainees had admitted in the past that they were "terrorists to the bone." Hannity asked McCain why we would want to extend any rights to these people, and before she could even answer his question, he went into a soliloquy about his views on torture, which are apparently rooted in his Christianity. Hannity said of Osama bin Laden, quote, “I don't have any problem taking his head sticking it underwater and scaring the living daylights out of him and making him think we're drowning him… and I'm a Christian.” I'm not quite sure I follow Sean's logic on this one. If he's relying on his faith to justify torturing - which the Bible described torture in numerous different areas - but this argument doesn't hold any water today. In order to base his argument on this, he would have to assume that the world hasn't changed over the last two thousand years, and contrary to what Republicans actually think, it has.


And finally this week, the man who dubbed Vice President Joe Biden a socialist last September for arguing that paying taxes is "patriotic" appears to have some government redistribution ideas of his own. Newt Gingrich, often cited as a Republican prospect for president in 2012, says the state should consider paying teenager girls not to get pregnant. He also says that states should consider paying teenage girls who become pregnant to take prenatal vitamins to forestall paying additional health expenses for neonatal care down the road. Along with his remarks about pregnant teenagers, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives also said that state legislators should consider paying poor children to read and individuals not to smoke. His other ideas include giving tax breaks to grocery stores that open in the inner city; giving bonuses to food stamp recipients who buy fruits and vegetables; and making students walk to school if they live close enough. Admittedly, some of these ideas really aren't that bad, but paying teenagers not to get pregnant? Come on, Newt. How about we actually take that money and put it into sex ed classes, that teach the use of contraceptives. That way it doesn't look so much like we're bribing students to wear condoms.

Labels: Airport, Christianity, David Bitter, DC Madam, Farron Cousins, Fetish, Jesus, Newt Gingrich, Pervert, Pregnant, Prostitute, Sean Hannity, Sex, Smoking, Teenager, Teens, Tirade, Torture

According to a new report by Raw Story, a newly leaked military document shows that the Pentagon knowingly exposed US troops to toxic chemicals that cause cancer, while publicly downplaying the risks that their exposure might cause. The document details the risks posed to US troops in Iraq by burning garbage at a US airbase, and identifies various carcinogens that result from the burning. Because of the difficulties in testing samples, investigators could not prove that chemicals exceeded military exposure guidelines. But a military document released last December found that chemicals routinely exceeded safe levels by two to six times. In Iraq, most of the garbage that was to be burned was transported and disposed of by none other than KBR. Last December, the Pentagon issued a "Just the Facts" sheet about the burn pits to troops. While acknowledging that lab tests from 2004-2006 had found occasional carcinogens, it asserted that the potential short- and long-term risks were estimated to be low due to the infrequent detections of these chemicals. An investigation by the Army Times in 2008 found that dozens of soldiers who were constantly around these burn pits were developing serious, chronic respiratory diseases.


In other news, Chuck Norris, the washed up actor and inventor of Chun Kuk Do, is calling all of his conservative brethren to rebel against the United States. During an interview with Glenn Beck, Norris claimed that thousands of right wing groups from across the country have united, and they are ready for a second American revolution. Norris said quote, “Thousands of cell groups will be united around the country in solidarity over the concerns for our nation. We view ourselves on the eve of battle.” Maybe its just me, but that sounds an awful lot like the Taliban's method of doing business. In addition to this insurrection, Norris also says that the wants - and these are his words, not mine - but he says he wants to be the PRESIDENT of Texas. I'm not sure if he just has no understanding of how state governments work, or if he's planning on having Texas become New America after his Republican revolution. But I guess its true what they say - There is no chin underneath Chuck Norris's beard; just the face of a douchebag.


And finally today, in what is arguably the worst story I've ever had to report on here, a new study released in Great Britain shows that one in seven men think that it is actually ok to hit women, under certain circumstances. One of those circumstances is if the woman wears sexy or revealing clothing in public. Another might be, and this is according to the survey, if a wife or girlfriend is constantly moaning or nagging at the man. The findings of this survey also revealed that about a quarter of people believe that wearing sexy or revealing clothing should lead to a woman being held partly responsible for being raped or sexually assaulted. Not surprisingly, the majority of people who hold these views are either very old, or are members of the lowest class rankings in England. This story isn't just sad because hitting women is wrong - we all know that - but its mostly sad because the whole world has always looked to Britain as a source of intelligence and high class. Now they find themselves on the same rung of the social ladder as a guest on Jerry Springer.

Labels: Britain, Burn Pit, Cancer, Chuck Norris Facts, Farron Cousins, GoLeft.tv, GoLeftTV, Iraq, Jerry Springer, KBR, Pentagon, Republican, Revolution, Spousal Abuse, Texas, The Daily Left, Trailer Park

John Yoo, author of the notorious torture memos that allowed the Bush Administration to torture detainees, has found a new ally with the current Obama administration. Obama's Justice Department defended Yoo in a San Francisco federal court last week, arguing that a prisoner formerly held as an enemy combatant had no right to sue Yoo for writing legal memos that allegedly led to his detention and torture. Attorney Mary Mason repeated a claim made last year by the Bush administration, saying that the courts should not have the authority to question a president's actions during time of war. In addition to authoring many of the torture memos, Yoo also advised the Bush administration that the Geneva Conventions on humane treatment of captives did not apply to terrorist suspects classified as enemy combatants. The specific case in question here is the one of Jose Padilla, who was arrested in 2002 and held as an unlawful enemy combatant for three and a half years. After his time served, he was charged with taking part in an unrelated conspiracy to provide money and supplies to Islamic extremist groups. He was convicted and sentenced to 17 years in federal prison.


In related news, the US Supreme Court has refused to hear a case about whether US presidents have the authority to indefinitely detain a terrorist suspect in the United States without charges. The case has now been sent back for a new hearing before the federal appeals court in Richmond, Virginia, which ruled last July that former president Bush did have the power and authority to indefinitely detain prisoners. The appeals court in Richmond scheduled a session April 27 to hear arguments in the case. By refusing to hear the case, the Court has effectively delayed resolution on an issue that could greatly effect the 245 alleged enemy combatants currently being held at Guantanamo Bay. The Supreme Court has taken up the question of "enemy combatants" three times, and three times delivered setbacks to the government. In 2004, it gave them the right to legal counsel; in 2006, it outlawed military commissions set up by the president to try them. which were re-established by Congress three months later, and in 2006, it gave them access to US civilian courts.


In other news today, economists are now predicting that our current recession will be the longest and deepest this country has seen since World War 2. The last 2 major recessions, which occurred from 1973 to 75, and from 1981 - 82, both only last 16 months, meaning that if this recession hasn't been fixed by April, it will take the record as the longest since the war. Unemployment hasn't reached 1982 levels and the gross domestic product hasn't fallen quite as far. But the hurt from this recession is spread more widely and uncertainty about the country's economic health is worse today than it was in 1982. However, economists say that the outlook for today's recession is much bleaker than back then, as more people believe that we could be heading towards another Great Depression. For even more comparison, a new set of statistics has been released showing that: In 207,000 manufacturing jobs vanished in January, making it the largest one-month drop since October 1982. Major automakers' sales extended their deep slump in February, putting the industry on track for its worst sales month in more than 27 years. Struggling homebuilders have just completed the worst year for new home sales since 1982. There are 12.5 million people out of work today, topping the number of jobless in 1982. In addition, personal wealth is dwindling in the U.S., and the effects of the financial meltdown have been felt around the world.

Labels: Barack Obama, Detention, Economy, Farron Cousins, George W Bush, John Yoo, Justice Department, Lawsuit, Memo, Recession, Rendition, Supreme Court, Torture

The battle for the soul of the GOP is heating up, and so far it looks like Rush Limbaugh is coming out ahead. Responding to criticism by recently-elected RNC chairman Michael Steele, Limbaugh tore into his party's leader, contending that Steele is actually "not the head of the Republican Party," cautioning that the chairman is off to a "shaky start." This came after Steele had responded to Limbaugh's speech at the CPAC convention this past weekend, where Steele said that Limbaugh is just an entertainer, and that, quote, “Yes, it is incendiary. Yes, it is ugly.” Well, Steele showed America how weak he really is by apologizing to Rush, and is now claiming that he has a tremendous amount of respect for the pill-popping radio host. The fact that Steele - the alleged leader of the Republican Party right now - had to apologize to a radio host, who has a lower approval rating than George W. Bush, shows us who is really in charge of the RNC, and it isn't Steele. Limbaugh has cast himself as the face, the voice, and the ruler of the Republican Party, and he should be treated as such. This means that everything he says and everything he does should be put under a spotlight and scrutinized for all its worth. Let's allow everyone in America to see how insane and inhuman their leader really is. After all, its only common sense that we would want Limbaugh to fail.


In other news, a memo from the Bush Administration has recently been uncovered, that sheds new light on how the administration tiptoed around laws and treaties to justify presidential power to transfer prisoners captured in the war on terror to countries where they would be tortured. The memo, written by Jay Bybee, then assistant attorney general in the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, said the president has an unfettered right to transfer prisoners captured in the war on terror to governments around the world without regard for whether they would be tortured there. This is just one of nine legal memos made public this week that further detail the administration's expansive definition of presidential authority in a time of war. Most of the memos gave legal opinions to the White House, but the rendition memo was specifically written for the Pentagon. The memo went further, saying that prisoners held outside the United States were not protected by U.S. laws against torture nor against a separate international treaty banning torture. It also said that a 1998 law making it U.S. policy not to hand over prisoners to country where they may be tortured was invalid because it unconstitutionally interferes with presidential powers. Honestly, if this isn't enough evidence to start some prosecutions, then nothing will ever be enough.


And finally today, there's no longer any need to worry about the money that the bailed out Wall Street banks are blowing on parties and weekend retreats because, according to them, they aren't using bailout money for those things. Unfortunately, they still aren't able to account for what they did with all that money. According to banks like Wells Fargo and BB&T, they just lumped those bailout billions into their bank account, so both their profits and the bailout became one large cash pool. When news broke that Wells Fargo, recipient of $25 billion in bailout money, was planning a lavish Las Vegas retreat for its top employees, lawmakers grew understandably angry. The bank canceled the trip, but took out expensive full-page newspaper advertisements defending such trips. They're claiming that they had enough money to cover the retreat, and the bailout didn't effect their decision to have a nice quiet getaway. This begs the obvious question - If the company had enough money to pay for such lavish luxuries, why should the taxpayers bail them out? The answer, quite obviously, is that we shouldn't have.

Labels: Bailout, Bank, Bank of America, Farron Cousins, Fight, George W Bush, GOP, Jay Bybee, Leadership, Memo, Michael Steele, Party, rush limbaugh, The Daily Left, Torture, Wells Fargo

From Star Tribune:

Associated Press


Last update: March 2, 2009 - 9:21 AM



WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court has turned down American and Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange who wanted to pursue lawsuits against companies that made the toxic chemical defoliant used in the Vietnam War.


The justices offer no comment on their action Monday, rejecting appeals in three separate cases, in favor of Dow Chemical, Monsanto and other companies that made Agent Orange and other herbicides used by the military in Vietnam.


Agent Orange has been linked to cancer, diabetes and birth defects among Vietnamese soldiers and civilians and American veterans.


The American plaintiffs blame their cancer on exposure to Agent Orange during the military service in Vietnam. The Vietnamese said the U.S.' sustained program to prevent the enemy from using vegetation for cover and sustenance caused miscarriages, birth defects, breast cancer, ovarian tumors, lung cancer, Hodgkin's disease and prostate tumors.


All three cases had been dismissed by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York.


The appeals court said that lawsuit brought by the Vietnamese plaintiffs could not go forward because Agent Orange was used to protect U.S. troops against ambush and not as a weapon of war against human populations.


The other two suits were filed by U.S. veterans who got sick too late to claim a piece of the $180 million settlement with makers of the chemical in 1984. In 2006, the Supreme Court deadlocked 4-4 on whether those lawsuits could proceed.


The appeals court ultimately said no to both. In one case, the court said companies are shielded from lawsuits brought by U.S. military veterans or their relatives because the law protects government contractors in certain circumstances who provide defective products.


In the third suit, the appeals court ruled that the companies could transfer claims from state to federal courts.

Labels: Agent Orange, Dow Chemical, Lawsuit, Supreme Court, Veteran, Vietnam, War