The American Trial Lawyers Association

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

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

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


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


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

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

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


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


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

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

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


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


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

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

This certainly is a bad day to be a Republican. After Tuesday night's address by the president to Congress, and overwhelming number of Americans said they felt better about the economic situation, and the President's approval rating rose by 17%. However, chosen GOP spokesman and Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal didn't fare so well. Conservatives across the country are unhappy with Jindal's performance, saying that he was incredibly weak, amateurish, and that he didn't look like someone who could lead this country. Even the folks at Fox News, who are always friendly towards Republicans, had harsh words for his speech delivery, saying that Jindal never even stood a chance. Many believe that Jindal is currently being groomed to be the next GOP presidential candidate, but if Tuesday night was any indicator, this effort will be very short lived. However, and this is just a point of trivia for today, aside from being a governor, Jindal has also been an exorcist in his past. While in college, Jindal claims that he was able to exorcise a demon from his roommate who had been acting strange. He honestly believes that he expelled a demon and that he was able to cure his roommate's cancer as a result. Perhaps if this politics thing doesn't work out, he could get a job as a professional healer.


And more bad news for the Republicans today, the Senate is preparing plans to investigate allegations of torture under former President Bush, according to comments published Wednesday by Senate Judiciary Chairman Pat Leahy and Senator Sheldon Whitehouse. Whitehouse, a Senator from Rhode Island, is “spearheading” the efforts, and as a member of both the Judiciary and Intelligence Committees, is privy to information about interrogations he can't yet share. Whitehouse noted that a torture commission might need the power to immunize witnesses on a case-by-case basis. The prospect of future prosecutions are beside the point, he said, and the most important thing was putting a spotlight on abuses committed by the Bush administration. Obama's CIA director, Leon Panetta, announced to a Senate hearing earlier this month that the Obama administration would not prosecute CIA officers who participated in harsh interrogations that critics say constituted torture. However, Whitehouse and Leahy are confident that Obama will allow a panel to hear about the abuses.


And finally today, if you're really upset about some of the budgets and spending packages in Congress, perhaps you should take that up with the GOP. In spite of the fact that they are now the minorities in both Houses, they've requested a 10% increase in the Congressional budget so that they can still retain the staff levels that they had when they were the majority. Congressional Republicans have been pouncing on any instance of wasteful spending they can find, but the congressional-operations line item will likely remain safe from their ire. The one-tenth hike brings the budget for Congress itself to $4.4 billion. A GOP leadership aide said it's unfair to blame Republicans for the increase, saying quote "I just don't know how they can get away with blaming us for that 10 percent figure. Republicans aren't getting a dime more in committee money for staff than we got last year.” Ok, so you aren't getting any MORE money, but you also aren't getting any LESS money. And keep in mind that the Republicans lost 20% of their seats in this last election. I'm no mathematician, but shouldn't that amount to a 20% decrease in funding for their party?

Labels: Bobby Jindal, Budget, Congress, Demon, Economy, Exorcism, Exorcist, Farron Cousins, GOP, Pat Leahy, Sheldon Whitehouse, Staff, The Daily Left, Torture