The American Trial Lawyers Association

Political Briefs June 26th 2009

2009-06-26T08:17:00.000-05:00

According to a new report, Goldman Sachs is set to make the largest bonus payouts in the firm's 140-year history. After a very nice first quarter, the firm is set to payout almost $1 billion dollars worth of bonuses. The only problem with these bonuses and profits is that Goldman received more than $12 billion dollars from the federal government last year in Bush's bailout package. Goldman has powerful allies in Washington — and perhaps the most powerful ally was Henry Paulson, President Bush's Treasury Secretary and a former chief executive of the firm. With all of the outrage that erupted over AIG's bonuses, Goldman is apparently under the assumption that no one will notice their greed and corruption, or that they've bought and paid for numerous high-powered politicians in Washington.

And speaking of corporate greed, a retired health insurance executive confessed this week that insurance companies deliberately confuse policyholders and attempt to dump sick patients to plump their profit margins. According to the executive, they look carefully to see if a sick policyholder may have omitted a minor illness, or a pre-existing condition when applying for coverage, and then they use that as justification to cancel the policy, even if the enrollee has never missed a premium payment. In addition to these revelations, an investigation by Democratic Senator John Rockefeller revealed this week that more than two-thirds of health insurance companies are using flawed database information on their patients, causing them to be overcharged for insurance. With all of these revelations, you'd think that Congress would want to reprimand the health insurance industry. But, as usual, they are being rewarded for their greed in the form of Max Baucus's health reform plan, which would put more than $80 million dollars in the pockets of the insurance industry, and do little to help US citizens.

And while we're talking about taxpayer's being screwed, how about this one – It turns out that South Carolina governor Mark Sanford's foray in South America was actually taxpayer funded. Sanford spent more than $21,000 dollars worth of taxpayers' money on international travel last year, at least part of which was spent on travel to Argentina, where his mistress is located. This guy needs to go ahead and resign before we find out anymore information. At this point, he's just embarrassing himself.

In other news this week, Congressman Ron Paul, the favorite candidate of people who didn't want to vote for a real candidate, said in a speech that the Obama administration's goal is complete economic collapse. He added that Democrats who voted for the president's war funding request, which gave an additional $106 billion to military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, were actually voting in favor of the wars, not just authorization of the president's agenda. All I can say is – The jig is up, guys. He found us out. All democrats secretly love these wars, and nothing would make us happier than for the entire economy to collapse. And we would have gotten away with it, too, had it not been for you meddling conservatives!

Help Support Investigative Journalism!

2009-05-08T08:30:00.002-05:00

From Raw Story:

Help us help you: Support Raw Story, and give us your ideas
By Raw Story

As you've undoubtedly noticed, we've reverted to our previous front page design. But we've got some great news: a donor has generously said he'll double any contributions up to $3,000 to help us get the current site up to speed!The project of redesigning the site was aimed at giving the site a more respectable feel to make our content go farther. Obviously, though, we should have built around the strengths of the current site. Now we want to hear from you.

Prefer to donate by check? Send to: Raw Story, PO Box 21050, Washington, DC 20009

Here's where we're in a bind, and how you can help. We began the redesign process in 2007 (!) and ultimately fell out with our original contractor, then hired another independent contractor to program the new site in mid-2008. I think he's done an amazing job — most criticisms of the new site I saw were of design in nature, in which he was not involved. The back-end structure that cost about $35,000 to build is very, very solid compared to our existing site (which, if you saw the code that ran it, you'd want to cry).

This means we're halfway there. We've exhausted, however, our programming and design budget after these two tries — $60,000 over two years. Any additional programming without your support would mean cutting investigative reporting, and frankly, to me personally, I'd rather stick with the old site and continue the hard-hitting reporting we're known for until the day the old site crashes into the ground. Trouble is, the old site will crash into the ground — I can't even really edit the template anymore without coding line by line.

So here's where you come in. I've been loath to ask anyone for contributions over the past eighteen months as we got our new system done, because I felt I'd gone to the readers enough. So I paid for it out of our pocket as best I could. This put a drain on our investigative budget and, frankly, our ability to hire reporters and produce content.

Now, though, in recognizing how many people are so passionate about Raw Story, I'm eager to give you a chance to help. Underlying the idea of the new site was an effort to make selecting stories a collaborative process. What I didn't convey well was that it wasn't intended to be a purely voting based model — the votes would be edited by editors — and the stories vetted. I still believe a synergy in content generation that gives some say to the readers ultimately will be greatly beneficial to our readership. But the way we presented it didn't work.

I promise you this: Before making any other changes, we will give you a chance to comment on them in detail. What I foresee instead of wholescale change is sort of a “fusion” of the two sites, where the new features on the new site (voting, user registration, diaries) are added on to the existing site structure to enhance the user experience.

Here's how you can help:

One: Consider making a generous contribution in whatever amount you can afford. Donations of $50 or more will be paired with an ad-free account. To make a subscription donation, please email me at publisher@rawstory.com.

To donate by mail, send checks to: Raw Story, PO Box 21050, Washington, DC 20009

Two: Leave suggestions for enhancing the current (old site) on the comment thread at the end of this post (I'll leave it up for awhile and definitely get into exchanges with those who do to get more specifics). Include criticisms of the new site you didn't get to air, and compliments on parts of the new site that you think actually worked better.

Three: Support our advertisers, and encourage those who are in a position to advertise to do so — we have a great, educated, opinion-making political audience — and we occupy a niche that most advertisers simply cannot reach. If you're a local business owner, we can run ads for you targeted to your local market, down to the zip code, for any budget. Or, if you're wanting to promote an activist campaign, we can target any region you like.

Four: If you have design/CSS skills and want to help redesign the site on a part-time volunteer basis, email me at publisher@rawstory.com. Email me also if you're able to give us a discounted hourly rate, and what that discount might be. I think Raw Story will make a great portfolio piece once we're done.

Five: If you want to volunteer to design an iPhone app for Raw, or a mobile site, we'd be positively thrilled. Email me at publisher@rawstory.com.

What have we done since our last fundraiser? Well, of course, there's the new system, which we'll polish up to your liking. But we're also made, I think, major investigative strides and delivered dozens of awesome stories. Here are a few:

A governor leaves jail: After a series of Raw Story Investigates pieces on former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman, and subsequent media followup, Siegelman was released from prison on bail on March 29, 2009. Since his release, judges have struck down two of his convictions and he awaits sentencing on other charges. Raw Story was nominated for the Online News Award for Investigative journalism (the top online news award), small site, ranking among the top five pieces in the country for 2008. We proudly attended with major MSM outlets (where the New York Times' Editor Bill Keller spoke after winning an award for their Spitzer expose).

Raw challenges White House on wiretaps: On month ago, on April 9, Raw Story's Eric Brewer posed a question to White House press secretary Robert Gibbs about the White House's defense of secrecy in a warrantless wiretapping case. “Before he was elected, the President said that the Bush administration had abused the state secrets privilege,” Brewer asked. “Has he changed his mind?” “No,” Gibbs replied. “I mean, obviously, we're dealing with some suits, and the President will — and the Justice Department will make determinations based on protecting our national security.”
Raw exposes state secrets abuses: We've consistently tracked the Obama administration's use of the state secrets privilege, be it with Stephen Webster's piece on Obama using state secrets to keep the CIA's secret rendition program quiet; and my piece, Following Bush lead, Obama moves to block challenge to wiretapping program,” about a little-noticed Justice Department filing that employed new tactics to try to have suits seeking disclosure about the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program. This battle continues.

Acquired secret Abramoff email: Raw's Larisa Alexandrovna acquired a secret email sent by fallen powerlobbyist Jack Abramoff in which he said that he had an agreement with an aide in Rove's office — just a month after Bush took office. We have an “agreement with her as to what we are going to ask her and when,” Abramoff wrote.

Delivered constant, high-end video coverage: We've added depth to our discussions of popular issues by bringing our Video Editor, Dave Edwards, into a bigger role in helping us identify the news. While also providing videos that demonstrate the ridiculousness of the media, Dave's been instrumental in our coverage of torture. Among my recent favorites: “Constitutional scholar says ‘God Help US‘ if US only gets 9/11 torture commission,” “Pentagon may have been ordered to cover up investigations” and “Senator: Bush officials in torture probe ought to be pursued.”

Exposed the plight of the forgotten: Running where the media has failed to walk, I highlighted a Human Rights First report which reveals that as many as several dozen detainees captured by the US may have been tortured to death — with eight of them proven. We also explored the possibility that insect torture may have been used on the children of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

Thanks again for bearing with us through the redesign process and for giving such helpful feedback. And thanks for continuing to support us these many years — we're now in our fifth year, if you can believe that, and still growing strong. Consider showing your support with whatever generous contribution you can afford.

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Political Briefs April 22nd, 2009

2009-04-22T14:08:00.002-05:00

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.

Political Briefs April 21st, 2009

2009-04-21T08:03:00.000-05:00

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.

Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite...Seriously

2009-04-15T09:51:00.001-05:00

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.

Political Briefs April 15th, 2009

2009-04-15T07:57:00.001-05:00

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.

Political Briefs April 13th, 2009

2009-04-13T09:03:00.000-05:00

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.

Political Briefs April 10th, 2009

2009-04-10T09:35:00.002-05:00

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.

Political Briefs April 9th 2009

2009-04-09T10:27:00.000-05:00

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.

Justice Department Turns the Table on Political Prosecutions

2009-04-08T14:31:00.001-05:00

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.

Political Briefs April 8th 2009

2009-04-08T13:46:00.000-05:00

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.

Political Briefs April 6th, 2009

2009-04-06T07:54:00.001-05:00

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.

First Salmonella Suit Filed

2009-04-02T09:00:00.002-05:00

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.

Political Briefs March 30th 2009

2009-03-30T11:28:00.001-05:00

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.

The American Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame Inducts Legendary Trial Attorneys

2009-03-26T09:47:00.000-05:00

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.

Political Briefs March 26th 2009

2009-03-26T07:13:00.001-05:00

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.

Inheriting Halliburton's Army

2009-03-24T08:06:00.002-05:00

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.

News Briefs March 20th 2009

2009-03-20T08:15:00.000-05:00

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.

Political Briefs March 18th

2009-03-18T09:53:00.001-05:00

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.

Political Briefs March 16th

2009-03-16T07:46:00.001-05:00

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.

Political Briefs March 13th 2009

2009-03-13T13:52:00.000-05:00

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.

Political Briefs March 11th, 2009

2009-03-11T08:27:00.000-05:00

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.

Political Briefs March 9th, 2009

2009-03-09T07:46:00.000-05:00

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.

Political Briefs - March 4th

2009-03-04T08:40:00.000-06:00

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.

Supreme Court Rejects Agent Orange Appeal

2009-03-02T10:08:00.003-06:00

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.