The American Trial Lawyers Association

Today's top story - A veteran of the Iraq War, along with the mothers of two other soldiers, have taken their fight against the war to court. The lawsuit filed last May claims that, despite being authorized by Congress in fall 2002 to deploy armed forces against Iraq as he deemed necessary, President George W. Bush overstepped his constitutional authority by invading the country six months later without formally declaring war. Yesterday, the case was presented before a federal judge, where the defense was attempting to get the case thrown out, on the grounds that the court didn't have jurisdiction over the matter. However, the plaintiffs have found an unlikely ally in Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Scalia isn't actually on their side, but a ruling he made last year is coming back into play. Plaintiffs pointed to Scalia's strict interpretation of the Constitution in a decision last year that affirmed the right of homeowners to own guns for self-defense, and said that it's all about the original intent of the founders. When this country was founded, it was made clear that only Congress could declare war. In the case of Iraq, Congress authorized force, but never declared war. The plaintiffs said that they aren't seeking to change current policy, but that they do hope to set a precedent for the future.


In other news, if you live in the Western part of the US and you like drinking water here's a bit of advice - Get it while you still can. According to a new report by the National Academy of Sciences, if future predictions of climate change are correct, water delivery for at least 7 US states will be severely hindered. The threat comes from the Colorado River, which supplies drinking water to numerous states. As the climate continues to shift, scientists predict that parts of the river, as well as many other bodies of water that feed into it, could dry up to a point where water delivery is no longer an option. The study found that, with a 20 percent reduction in runoff, by 2050 nearly 9 of every 10 scheduled deliveries would be missed. Scientists believe that there are a few options, such as water reuse and conservation that could curtail this problem, but so far there have been no suggestions on how to prevent this problem altogether.


And finally today, if you're having a hard time finding a job in this economy, the adult entertainment industry has an idea for you - Come to one of their career fairs. In heavily populated areas like Dallas, Texas, the jobless rate has risen so high and people are getting so desperate that many strip clubs are now flooded with applications. This has led them to announce a job fair for those who are seeking any kind of employment. According to one strip joint, even corporate managers who've found themselves without work are applying for jobs ranging from strippers to bouncers, which are needless to say, well below their skill level. The Jobless to Topless Job Fair - which is the actual name of the one in Dallas - will be accepting applications for management, entertainers, waitresses, beer bar girls, door girls, bar back, bartenders, kitchen staff, DJs and hair and makeup specialists. So if you happen to be in Dallas today, make sure you check it out. And if you do, please email us and let us know how it goes.

Labels: Climate Change, Colorado River, Constitution, Dancing, Farron Cousins, Global Warming, Iraq War, Lawsuit, Legal, Strip Club, Stripper, Topless, Veteran

We'll kick things off today with some depressing news for those of you who are fans of justice. According to Rahm Emanuel, President Obama's chief of staff, has said unequivocally that there will be absolutely no prosecutions of former Bush Administration officials. This news comes on the heels of the release of the former administration's torture memos, which made most of us believe that prosecutions were just around the corner. But the statement from Obama released with those shocking memos included this sentence: "In releasing these memos, it is our intention to assure those who carried out their duties relying in good faith upon legal advice from the Department of Justice that they will not be subject to prosecution." Obama has made it clear since he took office that he had no intention of prosecuting the former administration, but some of us were still hopeful. Unfortunately, like Bill Clinton before him, Obama is ready to allow the crimes of the Republicans go unpunished, leaving America with a bruised reputation and no remedies.

And speaking of the leftover problems from the Bush Administration, the sour economy has actually had a positive effect on the military. For years the military has been forced to allow below-average recruits to join, thanks to declining numbers of worthy applicants. But due to the recent economic downturn, the Army is seeing an uptick in what it calls “quality” recruits and has halted the practice of giving recruitment waivers to convicted felons and recent drug offenders. Since the Army started handing out numerous waivers to felons and drug offenders, officials say there has been an increase in drug abuse among soldiers in Iraq and afghanistan. There have also been reports that members of US gangs are signing up for the Army and leaving identifying graffiti in the streets of Iraq. Afghanistan's abundent heroin crops are a particular spot of concern for the Army, as any soldier so inclined could easily procure doses of that and other substances. Hopefully, this surge in recruits is the beginning of a new trend. Studies have shown that when the military allows in people who required waivers, morale goes down, and incidents increase. With a new crop of able recruits, soldiers can once again be sure that the guys watching their backs are capable of keeping them safe, which will keep the rest of us safe as well.


And finally today, a new report shows that the government has consistently overlooked massive amounts of waterway contamination stemming from 271 million pounds of pharmaceuticals that were legally released into waterways. According to an AP investigation, government and industry officials don't know how many pharmaceutical ingredients - like lithium and nitroglycerin - are released into lakes and rivers that feed into drinking water, because they don't track those chemicals as drugs. But the AP found that 22 pharmaceutical compounds do show up in EPA and Food and Drug Administration records. Drugmakers and federal regulators both say that the manufacturing of these kinds of chemicals doesn't impact water quality. However, the investigation revealed that the release of these chemicals is similar to a “don't ask, don't tell” policy, where the government looks the other way, while the pharmaceutical industry dumps chemicals into our water. Studies have shown that exposure to lithium can cause fluid to build up in the lungs, and that the side effects of the drug become more severe when it is exposed to moisture. That sounds like just the thing we want in our water supply.

Labels: Barack Obama, Economy, Farron Cousins, George Bush, Memo, Military, Pharmaceutical, Poison, Prosecution, Rahm Emanuel, Recruit, Torture, Waiver, Water

We've all heard someone tell us that line before. And back in World War II days, it actually meant something. Unfortunately, bed bugs have made an astounding recovery, and parts of the world are now infested with these little blood-sucking creatures. The Associated Press has more:


Bedbugs live in the crevices and folds of mattresses, sofas and sheets. Then, most often before dawn, they emerge to feed on human blood.


Faced with rising numbers of complaints to city information lines and increasingly frustrated landlords, hotel chains and housing authorities, the Environmental Protection Agency hosted its first-ever bedbug summit Tuesday.


Organized by one of the agency's advisory committees, the two-day conference drew about 300 participants to a hotel in Arlington, just across the Potomac River from Washington. An Internet site notes that the hotel in question has had no reports of bedbugs.


One of the problems with controlling the reddish-brown insects, according to researchers and the pest control industry, is that there are few chemicals on the market approved for use on mattresses and other household items that are effective at controlling bedbug infestations.


Unlike roaches and ants, bedbugs are blood feeders and can't be lured by bait. It's also difficult for pesticides to reach them in every crack and crevice they hide out in.


For the rest of the story, click here.

Labels: Bed Bugs, Disease, EPA, Farron Cousins, Infestation, Insect

After months of waiting, the unthinkable has finally happened. Spanish prosecutors have announced that they will seek criminal charges against Alberto Gonzales and five other high-ranking Bush administration officials for the sanctioning of torture at Guantánamo Bay. The six defendants—who in addition to Gonzales, include former Assistant Attorney General Jay Bybee, John Yoo, William Haynes, Dick Cheney's former chief of staff David Addington, and former Undersecretary of Defense Douglas J. Feith—are accused of having given the green light to the torture and mistreatment of prisoners held in U.S. detention in “the war on terror.” A group of human-rights lawyers originally filed a criminal complaint asking the court to look at the possibility of charges against the six American lawyers. Baltasar Garzón Real, the investigating judge, accepted the complaint and referred it to Spanish prosecutors for a view as to whether they would accept the case and press it forward. “The evidence provided was more than sufficient to justify a more comprehensive investigation,” one of the lawyers associated with the prosecution stated.

But with that good news today, its important to not forget about the war that's currently taking place. And no, I'm not talking about the Middle East, I'm talking about the war occurring in the United States within the ranks of the Republican Party. The infighting among conservatives has been notched up another degree, with Rush Limbaugh attempting to blast Jonah Goldberg out of the water for daring to suggest that President Obama deserves congratulations for the successful rescue of an American captain from Somali pirates. Goldberg wrote on his blog at the National Review on Sunday evening, "Good For President Obama. He approved the rescue. It was the right thing to do, with no small amount of risk. And God bless the SEALs." Goldberg said that within a few short hours, his inbox was full of hate mail from his fellow conservatives, angry that he would ever offer the president a congratulatory line. Goldberg said that the thought of having to be critical of the president no matter what he does is exhaustingly unappealing. Limbaugh began his Monday show by saying -- every word dripping with extreme sarcasm -- "I want to single out today, Jonah Goldberg at National Review Online for being the first that I saw to have the proper reaction to the rescue of Captain Phillips from the merchant marine organizers, and that was to congratulate President Obama for a job well done.” Limbaugh's assault might be considered ill-natured, given that Goldberg had defended him just last month -- when Limbaugh came under fire for saying he wanted to see Obama fail -- and had condemned the attacks on Limbaugh as "a tired rehash." The betting window is still open for wagers on how long it will take before Goldberg is forced to issue an active apology.

And finally today, if you're one of the millions of college kids addicted to Facebook, your grades are probably slipping. Facebook users have lower overall grades than non-users, according to a survey of college students who also ironically said the social networking site does not interfere with studying. Facebook user GPAs were in the 3.0 to 3.5 range on average, compared to 3.5 to 4.0 for non-users. Facebook users also studied anywhere from one to five hours per week, compared to non-users who studied 11 to 15 or more hours per week. The study did show that students who work more hours at jobs spend less time on Facebook, while students involved in more extracurricular activities were also more likely to use Facebook. And in a related story, make sure you keep checking Facebook as we will soon have our very own GoLeft TV page.

Labels: alberto gonzalez, Civil War, College, Facebook, Farron Cousins, GOP, Indictment, Infighting, IQ, Jonah Goldberg, rush limbaugh, Spain, War Crimes

In their frenzied drive to crack down on illegal immigrants, the US government over the last 8 years has actually been deporting legal US citizens. A monthlong investigation by the Associated Press revealed at least 55 cases where legal citizens were rounded up by immigration officials and held in custody anywhere from one day to five years. According to immigration lawyers, the number of people who have been victims of this dragnet reaches into the hundreds. It is illegal to deport U.S. citizens or detain them for immigration violations. Yet citizens still end up in detention because the system is overwhelmed. The number of detentions overall is expected to rise by about 17 percent this year to more than 400,000, putting a severe strain on the enforcement network and legal system. The result is the detention of citizens with the fewest resources: the mentally ill, minorities, the poor, children and those with outstanding criminal warrants, ranging from unpaid traffic tickets to failure to show up for probation hearings. Most at risk are Hispanics, who made up the majority of the cases.


In other news, the Center for Disease Control has been withholding evidence of the dangerously high levels of lead found in tap water in Washington, D.C. 8 Years ago, the city decided to remove chlorine from their water, and replace it with a similar chemical. However, they didn't realize that the chlorine actually helped prevent lead from breaking off inside of lead pipes, and the new chemical allowed high levels of lead to pour out. Numerous studies confirm that very low levels of lead in blood are linked to short attention spans and reading problems in children. In adults, low levels are linked to high blood pressure and an increased risk of death from heart disease and stroke. If not detected early, children with high levels of lead in their bodies can suffer from brain and nervous system damage, stunted growth, and hearing problems. The CDC discovered in 2007 that many young children living in D.C. homes with lead pipes were poisoned by drinking water and suffered ill effects. Yet the health agency did not publicize the new findings or alert public health authorities in D.C. or other federal agencies that regulate lead.


And finally today, it looks like president Obama was correct when he claimed last year that bitter Americans would cling to their guns in times of desperation. Firearms sales have surged in the six months since Obama's election as millions of Americans have gone on a buying spree that has stripped gun shops in some parts of the country almost bare of assault weapons and led to a national ammunition shortage. The FBI says that since November more than seven million people applied for criminal background checks in order to buy weapons. Gun-shop owners and the National Rifle Association say the surge is driven by worries that Obama is planning to ban many types of firearms and that the deepening economic crisis will fuel a crime wave. Control groups pressing for greater control on firearms accuse the NRA of funding a massive scare campaign to portray Obama as a gun owner's worst nightmare and to argue that tighter restrictions on weapons ownership are a threat to broader liberties and a step toward tyranny. Here's what we know right now - People are scared, they are depressed, and they are angry. When you combine those national sentiments with an increase in the number of firearm purchases, the results will not be pretty, as we've basically been seeing over the last few months.

Labels: 2nd Amendment, Ammunition, Barack Obama, CDC, Deportation, Dragnet, Farron Cousins, Guns, Illegal Immigrant, Lead, Water

A new television ad against same-sex marriage is being slammed as deceptive and full of "half-truths" by gay rights groups. According to one report, $1.5 million will be spent to air the ads in four Northeastern states, which are considering gay marriage bills. The National Organization for Marriage's ad depicts individuals, from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, standing against a backdrop of stormy clouds. With lines like --- “The clouds are dark and the winds are strong” and “They want to bring the issue into my life,” and “My freedom will be taken away” --- the ad is filled with ominous hints that gay marriage advocates seek to impose their values on others. After suffering a serious setback in November with California voters' passage of Proposition 8, gay rights advocates have enjoyed a slew of victories in the last week. The victories include an Iowa Supreme Court verdict in favor of gay marriage, the Vermont legislature's legalization of gay marriage and a vote by the District of Columbia city council to recognize other states' same-sex marriages. If you haven't seen the ad, here it is…As you can see, they provide no specific examples of how their rights will be taken away, nor do they explain how this is a bad thing. Its just a bunch of close-minded people who want to take away the rights of people different from them.


In other news, according to a new investigation published this week, US military officers pressured Army medical personnel not to diagnose soldiers with post traumatic stress disorder in an apparent effort to save money and reduce benefits. Interviews conducted by Mark Benjamin and Michael de Yoanna for Salon revealed that at least two Army medical personnel say they've been pressured by higher-ups to avoid giving wounded soldiers post traumatic stress diagnoses. The said that the VA has also jumped on board and has even stepped in after some diagnoses to claim that soldiers don't have PTSD, even though they clearly did. So why is the Army writing off PTSD diagnoses? A former Army psychologist who now chairs a Texas university psychology department explained that each diagnosis is an acknowledgment that psychiatric casualties are a huge price tag of this war, and its easiest to dismiss these casualties because you can't see the wounds. If they change the diagnosis they can dismiss soldiers at a substantially decreased rate.


And finally this week, in a stunning defense of President George W. Bush's warrantless wiretapping program, President Barack Obama has broadened the government's legal argument for immunizing his Administration and government agencies from lawsuits surrounding the National Security Agency's eavesdropping efforts. In fact, a close read of a government filing last Friday reveals that the Obama Administration has gone beyond any previous legal claims put forth by former President Bush. For the first time, the Obama Administration's brief contends that government agencies cannot be sued for wiretapping American citizens even if there was intentional violation of US law. Both the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union say the "sovereign immunity" claim in the context of the case goes farther than any previous Bush Administration claims of wiretap immunity. This story comes as a devastating blow to everyone who was expecting the criminal reign of the last 8 years to be over. This kind of makes you wonder if Karl Rove is still hiding behind the scenes pulling the strings.

Labels: Ad, Barack Obama, Diagnos, Doctor, Farron Cousins, Gay Marriage, George W Bush, Lies, National Organization for Marriage, Northeast, Post Traumatic Stress, PTSD, Telecom Immunity, VA, Veteran

The Center for Constitutional Rights, along with Earth Rights International, has filed suit against the oil giant Royal Dutch Shell for their complicity with the murder of a human rights activist in Nigeria almost 14 years ago. Shell began oil production in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria in 1958. After more than 30 years of environmental devastation and exploitation by Shell, a nonviolent movement of the Ogoni people developed in the early 1990s, in opposition to Shell's presence in the region. At the request of Shell, and with Shell's assistance and financing, Nigerian soldiers used deadly force and massive, brutal raids against the Ogoni people throughout the early 1990s to repress the growing movement against the oil company. Shell accounts for more than 40% of Nigeria's total petroleum production, and oil revenues account for 90% of Nigerian export earnings and 80% of the government's total revenue, meaning that Shell is responsible for almost half of the government's total income. The case will be heard in New York.


In other news - In case you've been wondering why the ratio of lobbyists to elected officials in Washington, D.C. is several hundred to one, here's a newsflash - Hiring lobbyists pays off. According to a new report, corporations that hire lobbyists to get them major tax breaks can see as much as a 22,000% return on their investment. The report details efforts by hundreds of companies in 2003 and 2004 to push through a one-time tax "holiday" that lowered for a year the tax rate they paid on profits earned abroad. All told, U.S. companies saved about $100 billion in taxes, with pharmaceutical behemoths Pfizer and Merck & Co., technology giants IBM and Hewlett Packard, and health products maker Johnson & Johnson among the top beneficiaries. 93 firms spent as much as $282.7 million lobbying on the issue during that period, and ultimately saved a total of $62.5 billion through the tax change. A separate group of business professors reported last year that companies that lobbied had better market valuations and investment returns than those that did not. Lobbyists say they're not surprised by the findings, which prove what they tell their clients all the time: You can't afford not to have a seasoned Washington player on your team. I guess this is proof of who really controls our legislative practice.


And finally today, just when you thought that the network couldn't sink any lower than their failed program Joe Millionaire, Fox has come up with an exciting new reality series. In the new series, they will find a company that needs or wants to layoff employees, and turn it into a reality show competition. Each episode will feature a company with about 15 or 20 employees that needs to cut costs because of the economy. Instead of the boss deciding who is fired, the company will open its books to show everyone's salaries and let the employees make the call. Fox says the laid-off worker will get a small severance, but isn't saying whether the network or producers are paying the participants in anything beyond the chance for prime-time fame. The new show, titled “Someone's Gotta Go,” comes at a time when millions of people are losing their jobs across the country, and the issue really isn't a laughing or even entertaining matter.

Labels: Abuses, Farron Cousins, Fox, Human Rights, Joe Millionaire, Lawsuit, Lobbyist, Nigeria, Reality Show, Shell, Someone's Gotta Go, Tax Break

By Mike Papantonio


Republican Senator Ted Stevens never should have been prosecuted in 2008. My bet is that most experienced prosecutors who reviewed the facts of that case would have reached the same conclusion. Stevens was a political target, plain and simple. Worse yet, the Federal Judge listening to the facts of that case was just as culpable of abusing democracy as the prosecutorial henchmen who targeted Stevens. Judge Emmett Sullivan did not go far enough when he held several rabidly overzealous Justice Department lawyers in contempt for their prosecutorial misconduct against Stevens. Sullivan should have ordered an acquittal of Stevens and sought indictments against those prosecutors for obstruction of justice. Last week, Eric Holder, the new Obama-appointed Attorney General, took his first step toward cleaning house in the Justice Department. He directed the Justice Department to dismiss their case against Stevens and acknowledged that prosecutors had abused their power by withholding evidence in that case.


Traditional media has done a pitiful job covering the many political prosecution stories that occurred during the John Ashcroft and Alberto Gonzales years. You might remember Ashcroft was appointed to the position of Attorney General by the GOP after Ashcroft had actually lost an election against a dead candidate in a Missouri senatorial race. That gives you a glimpse into the caliber of his qualifications.


But two areas where the qualifications of Ashcroft and Gonzales flourished was their ability to attract like-minded political operatives to the Justice Department and then turn them loose on political targets.


Between 2001 and 2006, the Bush Justice Department targeted 375 political candidates and elected public officials. If those politicos were Democrats, they were 7 times as likely to be targeted by the Attorney General's pack of prosecutor wolves.


Political prosecutorial misconduct typically undermines democracy and that alone makes for a sad story. But the tragedy that always develops in the lives of people who become political targets is usually wretched.


For example, a man by the name of Paul Minor was regarded as one of the most effective Democratic fund raisers in Mississippi. Today, he sits in a federal prison even after a jury initially determined that there was not enough evidence to conclude that he had ever committed a crime. The first jury was hung, but with a Herculean effort by politically motivated prosecutors, the government got a conviction on their second try. The limitless power and resources devoted to political prosecutions can be daunting. My prediction is that the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals will reverse this conviction, but in the meantime, Paul will have sat in prison for several years. Also, it is doubtful that his wife of 41 years will spend her last days with Paul. She is now in her final stages of terminal brain cancer. To shed light on just how capricious politically motivated prosecutors can be, Paul made a request to spend a few days with his wife before her imminent death. The Washington prosecutors involved in the case denied him even that right. No matter though, Paul's life is ruined the same way Ted Stevens' life was ruined when politics mixes with unchecked prosecutorial power. Seedy politics won and democracy lost.

Labels: air america radio, alberto gonzalez, Don Siegelman, eric holder, Justice Department, michael mukasey, Mike Papantonio, paul minor, Political Prosecution, ring of fire, Ted Stevens

Today's top story - A military team sent to evaluate electrical problems at U.S. facilities in Iraq determined there was a high risk that flawed wiring could cause further "catastrophic results" — specifically, the electrocutions of U.S. soldiers. The team said the use of a required device, commonly found in American houses to prevent electrical shocks, was "patchy at best" near showers and toilets in the facilities. There also was widespread use of uncertified electrical devices and "incomplete application" of electrical codes in buildings throughout the country. At least three U.S. service members have been electrocuted in Iraq while taking showers in the six years since the U.S.-led invasion of the country. About a third of the inspections so far have turned up major electrical problems. About half of those problems have since been fixed, but the military says that at least 65,000 facilities still are still waiting to be inspected. The problems described in the report went beyond shoddy wiring. The team said "ammunition, dirty laundry and other combustibles touching or in close proximity to potential electrical fire sources" created a high risk for troops in their living quarters.


In other news - A federal judge yesterday threw out the conviction of former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, paving the way for other political prisoners across the country to appeal on the same grounds. The judge has now turned the tables on the prosecutors in the case, and has announced that they will all be investigated. The rare move to turn the investigation on the prosecutors themselves puts six federal lawyers, accused of mishandling evidence and witnesses, in the awkward position of becoming potential defendants in a criminal trial. The Justice Department would usually examine accusations like this internally, but U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan said that he has no faith in such an investigation after seeing so much "shocking and disturbing" behavior by the government. And he's right to say this. Over the last 8 years we've seen the Justice Department go after the political enemies of the GOP, hire applicants based solely on their political affiliations, and draft memos making illegal activities legal. Attorney General Eric Holder is on the right track now, let's just hope that continues.


And finally today, the FDA was recently given the authority to regulate tobacco products in the US, a move that is supposed to reduce the health risks of smoking and the cost that imposes on society. However, a new study reveals that nonsmokers are actually costing the economy just as much money, by living longer lives. Supporters of the FDA bill cited figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that smokers cost the country $96 billion a year in direct health care costs, and an additional $97 billion a year in lost productivity. However, smokers die some 10 years earlier than nonsmokers, according to the CDC, and those premature deaths provide a savings to Medicare, Social Security, private pensions and other programs. Vanderbilt University economist Kip Viscusi studied the net costs of smoking-related spending and savings and found that for every pack of cigarettes smoked, the country reaps a net cost savings of 32 cents. So the next time you see someone smoking a cigarette, instead of giving them advice on why they should quit, you should instead thank them for saving the country so much money. With today's economy, we need every penny that we can get.

Labels: Conviction, Death, Electrocution, Farron Cousins, Health Benefits, Iraq, Political Prosecution, Smoker, Smoking, Social Security, Ted Stevens, Wiring

Corporate lobbyists have been working overtime recently to stop a proposed tax increase on corporations' overseas profits, which is currently being considered by the White House. The Obama Administration isn't actually considering imposing a tax hike, but instead they want to repeal a series of tax cuts that actually reward companies for shipping American jobs overseas. Repealing these cuts would bring in an estimated $100 billion dollars over the next 10 years. Groups including the Business Roundtable, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers and the National Foreign Trade Council have helped form a lobbying coalition called Protect America's Competitive Edge that is devoted specifically to the issue. A letter sent to Congress last month opposing the plan was signed by 200 trade associations and companies, including General Electric, Intel, IBM, McDonald's, Merck, and Microsoft. The repeal of these tax breaks would also cause American corporations to lose their offshore tax havens which they have used to avoid paying taxes on their income. America is in desperate need of money right now, and if these companies want to continue doing business in the United States, they need to repay the system that they used to become wealthy.


In other news, former speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has a message for his fellow conservatives - either rebrand yourselves, or you'll most likely see a fracturing of the party and as a result, we could see a third party rise up before the next election. During an interview on Fox News this weekend, Gingrich said quote, “Republicans need to understand that there's a country which did not like the big spending of the Bush administration, and they didn't like the interventionist policies of that administration.” Gingrich helped draft the Contract with America back in 1994 when his party regained control of both houses of Congress, and has been a powerful and influential figure in Republican politics for more almost 2 decades. He believes that if the party doesn't change, it could be all over for the modern Republican Party. Gingrich, who is now the chairman of the think tank American Solutions, said that Republicans must stop insisting on earmarks and big spending, and must begin paying attention to the "vast majority of Republicans." I think the problem with Newt's philosophy is that he doesn't quite understand that conservatism simply doesn't work. Over the last 8 years, George Bush executed the GOP's plans exactly how they wanted, and look where that has gotten us. The failures of the last 8 years aren't the failures of Bush, they are the failures of the Republican Party.


And finally today, in light of the Justice Department stepping in and attempting to get the conviction against Senator Ted Stevens thrown out, former Alabama governor Don Siegelman is asking attorney general Eric Holder to do the same for him. The Justice Department wants Stevens' conviction thrown out because prosecutors withheld evidence during the trial. If that's reason enough to throw out a conviction, then Siegelman shouldn't have anything to worry about. Siegelman's case was riddled with misconduct, from the first trial against him which ended with the judge throwing the charges out saying that they had no basis for a prosecution; to the new Republican judge going along with basically the same case. Then there's the involvement of Karl Rove, the testimony from Dana Jill Simpson, and the fact that what Siegelman was accused of doing wasn't even really a crime. With any luck, Siegelman will get the same treatment as Stevens, and the Justice Department will step in to finally end this long nightmare for him.

Labels: Barack Obama, Contract With America, Don Siegelman, Farron Cousins, GOP, Karl Rove, Newt Gingrich, Offshore, Outsourcing, Tax Break, Tax Haven

After months of reports of shady practices and managers knowingly shipping tainted supplies of peanut butter across the country, the very first lawsuit has been filed against manufacturers. Here's the update from News Inferno:


The AP reported that Stephen Beumler, 48, is suing CW Sprouts because it failed to prevent the spread of the dangerous, sometimes deadly pathogen, in its products. Beumler said he fell ill early last month after eating sprouts distributed by CW Sprouts, said the AP; soon after, his doctor confirmed he was infected with Salmonella Saintpaul, said Forbes. Salmonella Saintpaul is the strain responsible for the outbreak linked to SunSprouts products and is also the same strain that was to blame in last year's massive Mexican pepper recall that was first linked to tomatoes.


The sprout outbreak involved SunSprout alfalfa, onion, and gourmet sprouts. SunSprout issued a voluntary recall of the products; however, the recall was lifted when no cause for the contamination was revealed during an investigation, said KGAN, in an earlier report. After the recalled sprouts were sent to food distributors, those distributors then sold the sprouts to restaurants and retail stores, MarketWatch said last month.


According to Forbes, the lawsuit cites over 121 cases confirmed in the five states in February and March and alleges that CW Sprouts did not appropriately “monitor safety and sanitary conditions” in addition to failing to prevent the spread of the infection in its products. Victims might be eligible to receive reimbursement for costs related to medical care and lost pay, said WOWT in a prior report, noting that any business in the food chain, from farm to table, could be potentially liable in the multi-state outbreak. From farm to table includes just that: Any party involved in the process, for instance, grocery stores and restaurants, in addition to growers, processors, and distributors.


Salmonella causes 40,000 confirmed cases each year, but, says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is probably responsible for close to 40 times that—a stunning 1,600,000—noting that 2,500 subtypes of Salmonella exist, said MSNBC in an earlier report. Salmonella can cause serious, sometimes fatal salmonellosis infections in young children and weak or elderly people. Healthy people may experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, if infected. Without treatment, severe cases of Salmonella can result in death.

Labels: Farron Cousins, Lawsuit, News Update, Peanut Butter, Salmonella, Supreme Court