The Other Side Online

I was disappointed that the Yakima Herald neglected to report on the reasoning that formed the basis for Judge Vaughn Walker’s decision to overturn Proposition 8 in California. So I lifted and pasted a few segments from the decision as it was discussed by Rev. Peterr. Here you are then, in Judge Walker’s words:

A state’s interest in an enactment must of course be secular in nature. The state does not have an interest in enforcing private moral or religious beliefs without an accompanying secular purpose. See Lawrence v Texas, 539 US 558, 571 (2003); see also Everson v Board of Education of Ewing Township, 330 US 1, 15 (1947).

[Prop 8] proponents in their trial brief promised to “demonstrate that redefining marriage to encompass same-sex relationships” would effect some twenty-three specific harmful consequences. Doc #295 at 13-14. At trial, however, proponents presented only one witness, David Blankenhorn, to address the government interest in marriage. Blankenhorn’s testimony is addressed at length hereafter; suffice it to say that he provided no credible evidence to support any of the claimed adverse effects proponents promised to demonstrate.

What remains of proponents’ case is an inference, amply supported by evidence in the record, that Proposition 8 was premised on the belief that same-sex couples simply are not as good as opposite-sex couples. FF 78-80. Whether that belief is based on moral disapproval of homosexuality, animus towards gays and lesbians or simply a belief that a relationship between a man and a woman is inherently better than a relationship between two men or two women, this belief is not a proper basis on which to legislate. See Romer, 517 US at 633; Moreno, 413 US at 534; Palmore v Sidoti, 466 US 429, 433 (1984) (“[T]he Constitution cannot control [private biases] but neither can it tolerate them.”).

Two days ago Hastings voted NO on the extension of unemployment benefits. Either he lacks basic knowledge of macroeconomics or he is in lockstep with the Republican Policy Committee. The motive of the RPC is to cripple our nascent economic recovery in order to get back into the driver’s seat and return to the middle-class squashing policies of Bush.

The headline for my letter to the editor in today’s paper is “Replace Hastings with Clough”. While I am not sure that my economic views are completely in sync with those of Jay Clough, I do know that he is capable of reading a report by the Council of Economic Advisors and making something of it. That is improvement enough.

Another thing that isn’t clear in my letter is that I actually do believe in capitalism, completely. Capitalism is the most efficient known mechanism for organizing production and distributing product. But, it is not perfect. Every tax expenditure, every regulatory loophole, every special favor, every unbid contract and practically everything else a corporate lobbyist is after when meeting with a Congressman is aimed at subverting the awful power of the market system. If you want capitalism to work well, you ought to elect a representative who will guard against undue corporate influence.

Business cycles are a characteristic of unfettered capitalism. When the trough of the business cycle combines with the bursting of an investment bubble, the entire economy screeches to a halt or, as it’s been described, careens into a ditch. That is why the federal budget should act as a counter-cyclical force, protect jobs from being lost, provide incentives for hiring and buffer inevitable job losses with unemployment payments.

Andrew Brietbart, the self described journalist and enabler of the sleepy-dog press has assassinated yet another one of his targets, with the help of the White House and the organization created to protect the rights of the person involved. Our pinko commie friends at Blatherwatch are discussing this too

Shirley Sherrod, a black USDA official, who resigned after being quoted out of context from a video 25 years ago in which she related how her father was killed by a Klansman and her journey to appreciate the plight of the human race.   In Brietbart’s cut and paste, he took parts of the video in which he played “angry white farmer” and sold this idea to Faux News which in turn the rest of the “media” also bought into the crime on the cheap as FOX had done the pick and shovel work and why question a salacious story, indeed.

“Negrophobia” is what Eugene Robinson of the Wa Post was just quoted on the Rachel Maddow show tonight, catch it if you can or go to the MSNBC site and download today’s (WED July 21) show.  It hearkens back to the time before ACORN and even Willie Horton.  George Wallace, the most iconic of segregationist politicians had a comic book published during the 60′s of the evils of ‘gubmint’ intervention  and a general freak-out over the south losing the ability of keeping the boot on the neck of the black man forever.

The Southern Strategy was a new tool for the GOP during the 60′s when it appeared the democratic rule after 100 years of anti republican voting as a result of reconstruction after the “Waor of Northern Ahhgression” were on a collision course in light of the 1964 and 65′ Civil Rights bills and other Johnson policies that would put the Dixiecrat’s to either defend the administration or adopt the new republican game plan of making white America afraid of black people.

You have to give the GOP and the Conservative movement credit for something that works 45 years later while the left wanted to be the ones who would be the first to throw Ms Sherrod under the bus while forgetting who it was that shot from the grassy knoll and while Sec Vilsak has apologized, FOX is now running the story on how bad the White House has treated Sherrod and are shocked, shocked I say that someone other than Fox didn’t research the story first.

It may be too late for Sherrod’s reinstatement as she probably doesn’t want the job in a environment where the administration takes orders from the likes of Breitbart, who has operatives dressing up as pimps and misrepresenting themselves to wiretap senator’s offices. And while the NAACP was also quick to throw Sherrod under, they are also under attack from the likes of fellow Breitbart’s supporters, the so-called Tea Party who haven’t gotten over 1965.

November could be ugly unless the President sets the tone and denounces these bastards. Remember the “Beer Summit” and the Cambridge cop? Remember how it fizzled out a few days later? We need the old Obama back when he had the ability to think on his feet.

Last week the Flood Insurance Reform Priorities Act passed (329-90, 13 Not Voting) in the House of Representatives. The legislation reauthorizes the National Flood Insurance Program through September 2015. The bill heads to the Senate next.

Rep. Doc Hastings voted NO

Is NO the best answer for our district? When was the last time that it flooded around here anyway?

When ICE arranged to audit Gebber Farms in Brewster earlier this summer, many employees were fired beforehand by the company. Upon reflection, it seems apparent that the Obama administration’s enforcement of immigration laws was kinder and more compassionate than the previous administration’s approach of sending in armed and armored units. The financial investigators made the employers responsible. According to the report, those who were fired are not working somewhere else; no one will hire them. I particularly like the fact that no one was shackled or deported and no one was separated from their family for even a night. Does anyone see a flaw in the new system, except for the fact that it makes passage of the AgJobs Bill critical?

Tomorrow night is the last showing of Casino Jack and the United States of Money. It slipped in eclipsed by two blockbusters and slips away on a concert night. Never mind that it won an award at Sundance in 2009. Of course, if it’s more convenient, you can wait for the DVD to be released on Sept. 14. You can see the trailer here:  http://www.jigsawprods.com/ It is a true story of a wild, strange life. Parts of the film were shot on location around the world, from Scotland to Angola, from Pacific Island garment factories to Tampa Bay casinos. Scenes contain potent images that just stick in the mind. Doc Hastings is not anywhere in the movie, however the narrator does mention the immigration reform bill that was killed in the House Rules Committee.

According to Megavote, a service of congress.org, with my added notes:

Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act – Vote Passed (237-192, 4 Not Voting)

The House passed the final version of the financial regulation reform legislation. It now awaits Senate approval.

Rep. Doc Hastings voted NO – and he should be called on to account for giving in to big banks.

Restoration of Emergency Unemployment Compensation Act – Vote Passed (270-153, 10 Not Voting)

The House approved this bill to further extend eligibility for extended federal unemployment insurance for laid-off workers through November 30. The bill, which would also make these changes retroactive to June 2, now heads to the Senate, where its future is not clear.

Rep. Doc Hastings voted NO – so that those without jobs will be sure to suffer further financial catastrophes.

June 28, 2010

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) today made the following statement on the floor of the House concerning and expected vote on a $33 billion supplemental war spending bill.

“In a little more than a year, the United States flew $12 billion in cash  to Iraq, much of it in $100 bills, shrink wrapped and loaded on pallets. Vanity Fair reported in 2004 that ‘at least $9 billion’ of the cash had ‘gone missing.’ $9 billion.

“Today we learned that suitcases of $3billion in cash have openly moved through the Kabul airport. One U.S. official quoted by the Wall Street Journal said, ‘A lot of this looks like tax dollars being stolen.’ $3 billion. Consider this as the American people sweat out an extension of unemployment benefits.

“Last week the BBC reported that “the U.S. military has been giving away tens of millions of dollars to Afghan security firms who are funneling the money to warlords.” Add to that a corrupt Afghan government underwritten by the lives of our troops.

“And now reports indicate that Congress is preparing to attach $10 million in state education funding to a $33 billion spending bill to keep the war going.”

“Back home millions of Americans are out of work, losing their homes, losing their savings, their pensions, and their retirement security. We are losing our country to lies about the necessity of war.”

“Bring our troop home. End the war. Secure the economy.”

http://www.youtube.com/djkucinich (cut and paste to your browser)

http://www.jigsawprods.com/

Watch the trailer for Casino Jack and the United States of Money at this link. The movie is at local theaters now. It is an action thriller true story of a life far stranger than I realized. The film was shot on locations around the world, from Scotland to Angola, from Pacific Island garment factories to Tampa Bay casinos. Every chapter seems to pile up another wild, peculiar scheme on top of all the other schemes. Some contain potent images that just stick in the mind. Try to find the time to take in this movie.

Doc Hastings is not anywhere in the movie, however the narrator does mention the immigration reform bill that was killed in the House Rules Committee.

President Obama owns the War in Afghanistan. If you had any doubt, it should have been dispelled by the words of the RNC Chairman. When Michael Steele called Afghanistan Obama’s war, he committed a serious gaffe. GOP spinmeisters and their drones have recently called the President effete and feminine, not the best description of a President prosecuting a major war.