Sunday, January 22, 2012

Headlines - Sunday January 22

 
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Oklahoma Republicans Introduce Bill That Prohibits The Consumption Of Human Fetuses, Would Ban Stem Cell Research
 
".... if Democrats vote in favor of the bill, Republicans will have succeeded in banning embryonic stem cell research and treatments. On the other hand, if Democrats vote against it, Republicans will accuse Democrats of wanting to eat fetuses.  
 
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Newly uncovered stock contributions made during Romney's Bain days suggest there is another dimension to Romney's support for the church -- one that could involve millions more than has been previously disclosed.

As part of just one Bain transaction in 2008, involving its investment in Burger King Holdings, filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission reveal that an unnamed Bain partner donated 65,326 shares of Burger King stock to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, holdings then worth nearly $1.9 million. And there were numerous others, giving the church a stake in other Bain properties, such as Domino's Pizza, the electronics manufacturer DDi, the phosphates company Innophos Holdings, and Marquee Holdings, the parent to AMC Theaters.

Good thing they're tax free!
 
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In a recent full-page paid advertisement in the Washington Post, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and dozens of leaders of Catholic organizations voiced their opposition to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule which they describe as forcing private health providers to provide "preventive services." The HHS plan mandates, without charging a co-pay, co-insurance or a deductible, the provision of FDA-approved contraception methods. The advertisement claims these drugs may cause abortions which, by their definition, includes any single-celled  fertilized egg that doesn't implant.

The ad claims that following the HHS rule would violate their religious liberty and freedom of conscience.

Continue reading 'Framing Discrimination As Religious Freedom'

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Andy Borowitz: "Callista" would be an awesome name for an antidepressant prescribed for people married to Newt Gingrich.

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Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, who was recently presented with over 1 million signatures to recall him from office, which is almost as many votes as he received in the 2012 election, announced this week that he plans to reject money set aside under the Affordable Care Act to aide states in implementing healthcare exchanges.

The real devastating economic impact will come when the Affordable Care Act is ruled constitutional and buffoons like Scott Walker are left scrambling at the last minute to abide by the law. Because rejecting a federal grant to create an exchange, money for which has already been set aside, means Scott Walker will leave the cost of implementing the exchange up to Wisconsin taxpayers.

In the end, the result will be similar to when Walker rejected money set aside for high-speed rail. The state lost jobs and prior commitments ended up costing the state more money than it would have had he not rejected the funds. And the reality is that he didn't achieve some great ideological victory by his actions, because the money afforded to Wisconsin will simply be granted to another state instead.

But, what does he care? He'll probably be recalled from office before he is forced to explain that to his constituents.

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Very Serious Chuck Todd is criticizing Stephen Colbert for mocking the political system again.

"He is making a mockery of the system," Todd said. "…Is it fair to the process? Yes, the process is a mess, but he's doing it in a way that feels like he's trying to influence it with his own agenda and that may be anti-Republican."

So the guy who never talks about policy and only treats politics like a horse-race, while routinely euphemistically discussing it like a sports match-up, is criticizing a satirist for mocking the system.

This is the second time Todd has done this, by the way. Previously, when Colbert testified to Congress in character, Todd did the same snooty song and dance about Colbert.

First of all, Colbert is absolutely mocking the system. That's what he does and it's brilliant. But Todd thinks that's a bad thing. Probably because Colbert is reporting on the flaws in our system in a significantly more profound way — from the studios of Comedy Central where he only gets 30 minutes of airtime compared with Todd's 24/7 appearances.

Second, Colbert's agenda isn't necessarily anti-Republican as much as it is anti-lies, anti-bullshit and pro-reality. And, as he's said before, reality has a well-known liberal bias. But mainly, Colbert is a satirist taking aim at politics, yes, but more than anything else the type of cable news punditry that Chuck Todd is a part of.

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Hitler reacts to SOPA

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Now Romney's bragging that he's the only candidate who spent his entire life in the 'real world.' Yes, that's because for twenty some years now Romney has been trying, and failing, to win elected office. From The State:

"If we think we need a Washington insider to run Washington there are a lot of people to choose from, but I'm the only guy whose spent his life in the real world — I'm going to fight to put America back to work," he said

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Tweets from Borowitz last night:

Gingrich leading Romney by 16%, which is more than Romney pays in taxes.
BREAKING: Stung By Defeat, Romney Considers Adultery

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Don't think there aren't school officials in your state who are quietly - or not so quietly - applauding this abomination and plotting to how implement something similar.

Now that it's popular.

In a page right out of Newt Gingrich's alternate-history science-fiction wingnut-polygamy utopian epic Candyland Space Land, the school district in Tucson has completely banned Mexican-American studies, seized all the textbooks and even wall posters from the classrooms, and punished the students who protested by sentencing them to janitorial duty. The self-hating Latina lady who oversees the now-illegal ethnic studies program even comically told the kids, "Mexico is where Mexican studies is taught, not America!" Why oh why does the Newt have to be in stinky old South Carolina during such a historical moment in stomping the Mexican, for freedom?

The insanely racist Arizona law, HB 2281, specifically targets ethnic studies in the public schools. Tucson's Mexican-American Studies program was specifically shut down to meet the law's requirements, although administrator Lupita Garcia - who sure sounds like a Mexican to us - seemed utterly delighted to shut down the district's program and shout racist idiocy at the students.

The students bravely marched five miles from Cholla High School (better change that name!) to the Mexican-American Studies headquarters ... and as punishment for this crime against white society, they were all put on janitorial slave duty. Sounds like Tucson needs to be occupied! (Weather is very nice this time of year. It's a good season for a Mexican-sounding revolution.)


Somebody give each and every one of those kids a full Mario Savio Free Speech scholarship to Berkeley right now.

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Forecast The Facts Exposes America's Climate-Denier TV Weathermen

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Bill Maher New Rules - Romney is Like A Rapper

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How to drive in the snow Utah-style.

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