Young Democrats of Atlanta

YDATL Blog
NOTE: The opinions expressed by our individual bloggers are their own, and not necessarily those of Young Democrats of Atlanta.

Monday, February 28, 2005

Lighters to be banned on airline flights

Yahoo! News - Lighters to be banned on airline flights: "Airline passengers will have to ditch their lighters or lose them to airport security screeners when a new ban on lighters takes effect in April." [It's worth looking at what actual security professionals say -
"ridiculous rules have a way of turning people into criminals."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 10:40:00 PM 0 comments

U.S. Workers More Dissatisfied With Jobs

Yahoo! News - U.S. Workers More Dissatisfied With Jobs: "U.S. workers, pushed to produce more and uneasy about new technology and other changes, are markedly less satisfied with their jobs than a decade ago, a new survey says"

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 10:37:00 PM 0 comments

District Court Grants Padilla Petition

Balkinization: "The District Court held that the President did not have authority to hold Padilla as an enemy combatant under the terms of the September 18th, 2001 Authorization of Military Force against Al Qaeda (AUMF). It followed Justice O'Connor's plurality opinion in Hamdi, which read the AUMF quite narrowly to cover the right to detain persons fighting against American forces and captured on the battlefield. Hamdi, the court explained, was arrested at O'Hare Airport and held as a material witness. He was not arrested carrying arms on a foreign battlefield."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 10:28:00 PM 0 comments

Crossfire transcript

CNN.com - Transcripts: "And yet rumors abound that Democrats, perhaps even former vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman, will find a compromise that allows Mr. Bush to succeed in privatizing part of Social Security. Look, any Democrat who rescue[s] Mr. Bush's assault on Social Security ought to be defeated in a primary and allowed to begin their own retirement early."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 09:43:00 PM 0 comments

Poultry Behind Bill To Limit [Oklahoma] Attorney General's Authority

KOTV - The News on 6 - Poultry Behind Bill To Limit Attorney General's Authority: "You won't find chicken tracks inside the state Capitol, but chickens - and the litter they produce - are at the heart of an attempt by some state lawmakers to restrict Attorney General Drew Edmondson's ability to file lawsuits on the state's behalf.

If successful, Edmondson - Oklahoma's top legal officer - would be the only attorney general in the nation without independent authority to file lawsuits, a policy the administrator of a national attorneys general group said would erode his authority and set a bad precedent."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 09:37:00 PM 0 comments

Bush vs. Bush

Bloomberg.com: U.S.: "During a Feb. 4 speech in Tampa, Florida, President George W. Bush pointed to a chart showing the Social Security system running out of money by 2042.

'What are you going to do about that chart?' he urged the crowd to ask their senators and representatives.

What Bush didn't tell his audience was that if the forecast is correct, the U.S. will have its worst economic performance since the Great Depression. He also didn't say that his own White House economists disagree with some of the basic assumptions of the chart, which was drawn up by the Social Security Administration."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 09:36:00 PM 0 comments

Governors Urged to Reach Deal on Medicaid

Governors Urged to Reach Deal on Medicaid (washingtonpost.com): "The Bush administration is urging the nation's governors to reach early agreement on a restructuring plan for the Medicaid health program for the poor or risk steep budget cuts in the Republican-controlled Congress, according to governors of both parties meeting this week in Washington."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 04:23:00 PM 0 comments

Veterans 1/3 of homeless men.

My Way News: "Veterans account for nearly one-third of all homeless men in America, even though the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs says they comprise only 13 percent of adult males in the general population."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 03:50:00 PM 0 comments

New retroviruses jump from monkeys to humans

New Scientist Breaking News - New retroviruses jump from monkeys to humans: "Two new retroviruses - the type of virus which causes AIDS - have jumped from primates to humans, a new study reveals.

The study of blood samples from nearly a thousand bushmeat hunters or handlers in Cameroon showed that at least six viruses had crossed from monkeys to the people who were exposed to freshly caught bushmeat. And two of these viruses have never been seen before in humans."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 03:49:00 PM 0 comments

CIA 'too cautious' in killing terrorists

United Press International: CIA 'too cautious' in killing terrorists: "Despite the broad new authorities to use lethal force it was granted after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, critics say the CIA continues to be too cautious in employing the ultimate sanction against the terrorist enemies of the United States.

One former intelligence official told United Press International that even the agency's most touted new weapon -- the Hellfire missile, which can be launched from the remotely piloted Predator aerial platform -- is hamstrung by the excessively legalistic attitude of the agency's senior management."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 03:11:00 PM 0 comments

Cruise Ships Resist Docking With ADA

Cruise Ships Resist Docking With ADA: "For more than a decade, the multibillion-dollar North American cruise industry has taken the position that the Americans With Disabilities Act does not apply to foreign-flagged ships. Today, a group of disabled cruise passengers will test that position in the U.S. Supreme Court."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 02:49:00 PM 0 comments

Insurgents Land Deadliest Blow Since Fall of Hussein's Regime

The New York Times > International > Middle East > Insurgents Land Deadliest Blow Since Fall of Hussein's Regime: "A suicide car bomber drove into a line of about 400 volunteers for the Iraqi National Guard and police force today in Hilla, south of Baghdad, killing at least 122 people and wounding at least 170, an official at the Interior Ministry said.

It was the deadliest single attack since the fall of Saddam Hussein in April 2003."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 11:24:00 AM 0 comments

Breakthrough in solar photovoltaics

The Hindu : Sci Tech : Breakthrough in solar photovoltaics: "THE HOLY Grail of researchers in the field of solar photovoltaic (SPV) electricity is to generate it at a lower cost than that of grid electricity. The goal now seems to be within reach.

A Palo Alto (California ) start-up, named Nanosolar Inc., founded in 2002, claims that it has developed a commercial scale technology that can deliver solar electricity at 5 cents per kilowatt-hour. [Take with a box of salt, but still a hopeful sign.]"

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 10:59:00 AM 0 comments

Personal Incomes See Biggest Dip in Decade

Yahoo! News - Personal Incomes See Biggest Dip in Decade: "Personal incomes which had been bolstered by a large stock dividend payment in December plunged 2.3 percent in January, the sharpest decline in more than a decade. Consumer spending was flat, the government reported Monday."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 10:57:00 AM 0 comments

The Wristband Gap, Part 2

The Wristband Gap, Part 2 - Awareness bracelets and the tragedy of the commons. By Timothy Noah: "As the varieties of these bracelets have proliferated during recent months, the charitable impulse that is their ostensible reason for existence has steadily declined.

For instance, a tsunami-relief bracelet costs $2, only half of which goes toward relieving problems caused by the recent massive tidal wave in southern Asia. But that's still better than the 10-percent cut that tsunami victims receive when you buy your bracelet on something called AwarenessDepot.com, where you can also purchase 'USA' bracelets, 'Jesus Loves You' bracelets, and 'God Bless the Dead' bracelets."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 10:22:00 AM 0 comments

GA - GOP pushes new map

GOP pushes new map | ajc.com: "Republican legislators appeared Friday to be close to their goal of killing the last of the state's three Democratic-drawn redistricting maps.

After little debate, GOP-run committees in both the House and Senate signed off Friday on a new map of the state's 13 congressional districts. Republicans said they met privately Thursday night and hashed out differences between House and Senate versions of the map."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 10:09:00 AM 0 comments

GA - Raise rates, then justify?

Raise rates, then justify? | ajc.com: "The Georgia Legislature is considering letting auto insurers raise rates without having to get prior approval of state regulators.

House Bill 427, backed by the Republican leadership, would let insurers raise rates by up to 5 percent statewide each year and 9.99 percent on individual drivers without waiting for the state insurance commissioner to rule on rate increases, as is now required."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 10:09:00 AM 0 comments

GA - Secrecy bill under metro, rural attack

Secrecy bill under metro, rural attack | ajc.com: "in Georgia's wider spaces, 'hot' doesn't begin to describe the temperature. The sharpest reaction to HB 218 has come from outside metro Atlanta. An editorial in the Rome News-Tribune declared that the measure 'sends out the same message as dressing Georgia in a miniskirt and net stockings and putting her on a street corner.'"

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 10:06:00 AM 0 comments

GA - Child support future in play

Child support future in play | ajc.com: "A sweeping attempt to overhaul how child support payments are calculated in Georgia has the potential to create one of the Legislature's most contentious debates.

Under current law, child support payments are based on the gross income of the parent who does not have custody, though judges are allowed to adjust the award for certain circumstances.

House Bill 221, sponsored by key Republican leaders, would use a formula that takes into account the income of both parents. It would also reduce payments for non-custodial parents who spend time with their children, assuming that those parents spend money during visitation. [The bill is 29 pages long, with tables]."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 10:03:00 AM 0 comments

If America is Richer, Wy Are Its Families So Much Less Secure?

Los Angeles Times: "Los Angeles Times reporter Peter G. Gosselin has spent the last year examining an American paradox: Why so many families report being financially less secure even as the nation has grown more prosperous. The answer lies in a quarter-century-long shift of economic risks from the broad shoulders of business and government to the backs of working families."

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 08:37:00 AM 0 comments

African life expectancy, 1960-2002

The African Cliff: " African life expectancy at birth, 1960-2002

[Showing just about everything you need to know about AIDS and Africa.]"

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 08:30:00 AM 0 comments

Secret Laws & Papers, Please

Grounded: Millionaire John Gilmore stays close to home while making a point about privacy: "John Gilmore's splendid isolation began July 4, 2002, when, with defiance aforethought, he strolled to the Southwest Airlines counter at Oakland Airport and presented his ticket.

The gate agent asked for his ID.
Gilmore asked her why.
It is the law, she said.
Gilmore asked to see the law.

Nobody could produce a copy. To date, nobody has. The regulation that mandates ID at airports is 'Sensitive Security Information.' The law, as it turns out, is unavailable for inspection"

posted by Anonymous at 2/28/2005 08:12:00 AM 0 comments

Sunday, February 27, 2005

Ex-House leader: Social Security should go away

Ex-House leader: Social Security should go away: "Former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Armey said Friday that Social Security should be phased out rather than saved."

posted by Anonymous at 2/27/2005 04:41:00 PM 0 comments

Lesbian's picture in tux cut from yearbook

Seattle Post-Intelligencer: AP - U.S. Headlines: "GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. -- County school officials are backing a principal's decision to bar a picture of a lesbian student dressed in a tuxedo from the high school yearbook.

Sam Ward, principal of Fleming Island High School, said he pulled the senior class picture because Kelli Davis was wearing boy's clothes"

posted by Anonymous at 2/27/2005 04:39:00 PM 0 comments

PENTAGON BUDGET BLACKMAIL

Defense Tech: PENTAGON BUDGET BLACKMAIL: "Give us more money, or our soldiers are going to go broke. That's the cynical game the Pentagon's leadership has been playing with the Army's budget in recent months. And now, it's crunch time.

Since the fall, Rumsfeld & Co. have been dipping into the Army's day-to-day funds -- like money for soldiers' paychecks -- and then daring Congress not to make up the difference with a second, 'supplemental' pile of cash."

posted by Anonymous at 2/27/2005 04:34:00 PM 0 comments

Dems have Early '06 edge

The Emerging Democratic Majority WebLog - DonkeyRising: "A newly-released poll for National Public Radio gives Democratic congressional candidates an early lead in the 2006 congressional campaign. The poll, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research 2/15-17 indicated that 42 percent of repondents would vote for the Democratic candidate and 36 percent would vote for the Republican candidate in their district, 'if the election for Congress were held today.'"

posted by Anonymous at 2/27/2005 12:36:00 PM 0 comments

Dems Accuse Bush of Drug Double-Standard

Dems Accuse Bush of Drug Double-Standard: "The Bush administration cites public safety in trying to block admission of cheaper prescription drugs from Canada, but has agreed to expand imports of Canadian beef and cattle despite cases of mad cow disease, Montana's Democratic governor complained Saturday.

'President Bush was recently here in Montana and we had just one question for him,' Gov. Brian Schweitzer said in his party's weekly radio address. 'Why allow bad beef to enter the U.S. from Canada and not allow safe medicine?'"

posted by Anonymous at 2/27/2005 12:30:00 PM 0 comments

Saturday, February 26, 2005

Remove the Payroll Cap

Talking Points Memo: by Joshua Micah Marshall: February 20, 2005 - February 26, 2005 Archives: "the [Social Security] Trust Fund is scheduled to be exhausted in 2042 under current law, this change [to remove the payroll tax cap] would keep the system solvent through 2079 (ed.note: under SSA scoring procedures they don't go past 75 years, thus the date 2079)."

posted by Anonymous at 2/26/2005 09:53:00 AM 0 comments

FCC Censorship

RollingStone.com: Bob Dylan : FCC Censorship : News: "A review of fines levied by other federal agencies suggests that the government may be taking swear words a bit too seriously. If the bill passes the Senate, Bono saying 'fucking brilliant' on the air would carry the exact same penalty as illegally testing pesticides on human subjects. And for the price of Janet Jackson's 'wardrobe malfunction' during the Super Bowl, you could cause the wrongful death of an elderly patient in a nursing home and still have enough money left to create dangerous mishaps at two nuclear reactors. (Actually, you might be able to afford four 'nuke malfunctions': The biggest fine levied by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission last year was only $60,000.)"

posted by Anonymous at 2/26/2005 09:34:00 AM 0 comments

The Bush-Putin Mutual Admiration Society

The Bush-Putin Mutual Admiration Society (washingtonpost.com): "After the introductory comments, Andrey Kolesnikov, a correspondent for the Russian business newspaper Kommersant, got up and said -- albeit not so succinctly, and not in English -- Hey, no wonder you guys see eye to eye! You're both authoritarians."

posted by Anonymous at 2/26/2005 08:24:00 AM 0 comments

Friday, February 25, 2005

Payroll site closes on security worries

Payroll site closes on security worries | CNET News.com: "Online payroll service provider PayMaxx shuttered its automated W-2 site on Wednesday after a researcher claimed that two security holes had exposed data [SSN, W-2, etc.] on more than 25,000 people."

posted by Anonymous at 2/25/2005 04:35:00 PM 0 comments

GA - More flag fun.

Yahoo! News - Battle over the past rages on in an evolving South: "Seventy-two percent of Georgians want to see a referendum on bringing back the pre-2001 Cross of St. Andrew's flag across the Peach State." The source is from a SCV poll, I think (tough to tell, as the SCV poll says 79%, not 72), which can be seen here.

posted by Anonymous at 2/25/2005 04:29:00 PM 0 comments

Wal-Mart Colorado Unit Rejects Union

Yahoo! News - Wal-Mart Colorado Unit Rejects Union: "Wal-Mart -- which recently shut down a Canadian store that voted in favor of a union -- said tire and lube express associates at its Loveland supercenter voted 17-1 to reject representation by the United Food & Commercial Workers Union.

The union has been spearheading the Wal-Mart unionization drive for more than a decade, with very little success."

posted by Anonymous at 2/25/2005 03:57:00 PM 0 comments

Fla. Woman's Feeding Tube to Stay in Place

Yahoo! News - Fla. Woman's Feeding Tube to Stay in Place: "A judge on Friday extended for three weeks a court order keeping Terri Schiavo's feeding tube in place, the latest development in a long-running family feud over the fate of the brain-damaged woman."
"Friday's decision came on the 15th anniversary of Terri Schiavo's collapse, when a chemical imbalance brought on by an eating disorder caused her heart to stop beating."

posted by Anonymous at 2/25/2005 03:50:00 PM 0 comments

Should Jeb Run...Or Not:?

Mystery Pollster: Should Jeb Run...Or Not:?: "A just released Quinnipiac poll of 1,007 Florida 'voters,' conducted February 18-22, showed 25% said yes when asked, 'would you like Jeb Bush to run for President in 2008?' A survey of [Florida] 'registered voters' conducted February 16-20 by Strategic Vision showed 57% saying yes on a virtually identical question."

posted by Anonymous at 2/25/2005 01:24:00 PM 0 comments

ChoicePoint execs defend selling stock

ChoicePoint execs defend selling stock | ajc.com: "Thirteen days after the arrest of a suspect in the ChoicePoint identity theft case — and more than three months before the problem surfaced publicly — the company's top two executives began selling their stock.

Since the sales began in November, ChoicePoint CEO Derek Smith and President Douglas Curling have sold 472,000 ChoicePoint shares worth nearly $21 million, according to the executives' Securities and Exchange Commission filings."

posted by Anonymous at 2/25/2005 11:36:00 AM 0 comments

GA - Bill lifts delays on construction

Bill lifts delays on construction | ajc.com: "Senate Republican leaders are pushing a bill that would allow landfills, factories, power plants and other environmentally regulated operations to start construction even when opponents try to stop them in court.

Senate Bill 190 would nullify a 23-year-old rule that automatically freezes permit approvals granted by the state Environmental Protection Division director when an appeal is filed."

posted by Anonymous at 2/25/2005 09:31:00 AM 0 comments

GA - Decision delayed on gay school club

Decision delayed on gay school club | ajc.com: "The White County Board of Education backed away from a dispute Thursday night by delaying a vote on the status of a club for gay students and sympathetic classmates at the local high school."

posted by Anonymous at 2/25/2005 09:29:00 AM 0 comments

GA - Secrecy bill on hold; GOP tries to regroup

Secrecy bill on hold; GOP tries to regroup | ajc.com: "One hour into the debate and short on votes, Senate Republicans on Thursday abruptly shelved a controversial proposal [HB 218] to increase the amount of government secrecy that surrounds efforts to recruit industry."

posted by Anonymous at 2/25/2005 09:29:00 AM 0 comments

Labor-Market Effects of Wal-Mart Expansion by Emek Basker

SSRN-Job Creation or Destruction? Labor-Market Effects of Wal-Mart Expansion by Emek Basker: "[Net job gain from a Wal-Mart: 50 retail jobs, and -20 wholesale jobs.]"

posted by Anonymous at 2/25/2005 09:26:00 AM 0 comments

Thursday, February 24, 2005

A School Exam's Conscientious Objector

The New York Times > National > A School Exam's Conscientious Objector: "Amid sharp critiques of the Texas-inspired federal education law called No Child Left Behind and its mandatory annual testing to measure school success or failure, a handful of students like Macario have taken the risky step of boycotting their tests."

posted by Anonymous at 2/24/2005 03:50:00 PM 0 comments

Report Faults Bush Initiative on Education

The New York Times > Education > Report Faults Bush Initiative on Education: "Concluding a yearlong study on the effectiveness of President Bush's sweeping education law, No Child Left Behind, a bipartisan panel of lawmakers drawn from many states yesterday pronounced it a flawed, convoluted and unconstitutional education reform initiative that had usurped state and local control of public schools."

posted by Anonymous at 2/24/2005 03:49:00 PM 0 comments

Study Challenges Abstinence as Crucial to AIDS Strategy

The New York Times > National > Study Challenges Abstinence as Crucial to AIDS Strategy: "A new study in Uganda challenges the importance of abstinence as a centerpiece of the Bush administration's international AIDS prevention strategy. The study was conducted by Ugandan scientists in collaboration with researchers from Columbia and Johns Hopkins Universities."

posted by Anonymous at 2/24/2005 03:49:00 PM 0 comments

Kerrying On About the Wrong Guy

Think Progress » Kerrying On About the Wrong Guy: "During last year’s presidential campaign, the right-wing offered any number of reasons to fear a Kerry presidency. [Bush has done all of them]."

posted by Anonymous at 2/24/2005 03:20:00 PM 0 comments

'Rocket fuel' found in US breast milk

'Rocket fuel' found in US breast milk | The Register: "US research has found that perchlorate - a chemical used in rocket fuel and though to be linked to metabolic disruption in adults and mental retardation in children - is widely present in breast and cow's milk across the United States."

posted by Anonymous at 2/24/2005 02:24:00 PM 0 comments

Pop.: 1 Plus 5,000 Volumes

Pop.: 1 Plus 5,000 Volumes: "Nearly 30% of the nation's libraries serve communities of fewer than 2,500 people, including almost 3,000 libraries in towns where the population is measured in the hundreds."

posted by Anonymous at 2/24/2005 02:11:00 PM 0 comments

The New York Review of Books: America's Senior Moment

The New York Review of Books: America's Senior Moment: "America does have an aging population, and a responsible government would take preparatory action while the baby boomers are still in the labor force. America also has very serious long-run fiscal problems. But these issues aren't nearly as closely linked as much of the discussion would lead you to believe. The view of demography as destiny is only a half-truth, and in some ways it's as damaging as a lie."

posted by Anonymous at 2/24/2005 01:54:00 PM 0 comments

Oxendine takes on ChoicePoint

Oxendine takes on ChoicePoint | ajc.com: "Beleaguered ChoicePoint got more bad news Thursday when Georgia Insurance Commissioner John W. Oxendine told the information broker to tighten the way it handles security breaches or be barred from doing business with insurance companies in Georgia.

If the Alpharetta-based company cannot satisfy Oxendine's demands in 90 days, it would no longer be able to do business inside the state of Georgia with insurance companies that have clients here."

posted by Anonymous at 2/24/2005 01:16:00 PM 0 comments

Dems not sold on Bush plan, despite courting

Yahoo! News - Dems not sold on Bush plan, despite courting: "Despite weeks of campaign-style barnstorming and rides in the presidential jet and limousine, Bush doesn't have a single Democrat by his side [on Social Security]. Many of them have set a bottom line: They won't support a plan that would increase the already hefty $427 billion federal budget deficit or cut future retirees' benefits"

posted by Anonymous at 2/24/2005 01:06:00 PM 0 comments

Security firm accused of cheating on SFO test

Security firm accused of cheating on SFO test / Checkpoints were alerted to federal decoys, lawsuit says: "The private firm in charge of security at San Francisco International Airport cheated to pass tests aimed at ensuring it could stop terrorists from smuggling weapons onto flights, a former employee contends."

posted by Anonymous at 2/24/2005 11:21:00 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, February 23, 2005

When Sexuality Undercuts A Family's Ties

When Sexuality Undercuts A Family's Ties (washingtonpost.com): "Maya Keyes -- liberal, lesbian and a little lost -- finds herself out on her own. She says her parents -- conservative commentator and perennial candidate Alan Keyes and his wife, Jocelyn -- threw her out of their house, refused to pay her college tuition and stopped speaking to her."

posted by Anonymous at 2/23/2005 02:59:00 PM 0 comments

ChoicePoint Sued Over Identity Theft

Yahoo! News - ChoicePoint Sued Over Identity Theft: "A California woman has sued ChoicePoint Inc. for fraud and negligence after criminals gained access to a database of personal records compiled by the company."

posted by Anonymous at 2/23/2005 02:55:00 PM 0 comments

ISO: Working-Class Democrats

ISO: Working-Class Democrats (washingtonpost.com): "Democrats need to promote alternatives to the kind of shareholder-driven capitalism into which our system has descended, to the detriment of millions of underpaid, insecure workers. They need to side with Main Street over Wall Street."

posted by Anonymous at 2/23/2005 01:38:00 PM 0 comments

Pope calls gay marriage 'ideology of evil'

Wired News: "Homosexual marriages are part of 'a new ideology of evil' that is insidiously threatening society, Pope John Paul says in a new book published Tuesday.
In 'Memory and Identity,' the Pope also calls abortion a 'legal extermination' comparable to attempts to wipe out Jews and other groups in the 20th century."

posted by Anonymous at 2/23/2005 09:35:00 AM 0 comments

Survey: Economists doubt Social Security overhaul

Survey: Economists doubt Social Security overhaul - Feb. 22, 2005: "Fewer than one in four top U.S. economists think the Bush administration will succeed in pushing through an overhaul of the Social Security retirement system this year, a survey released Tuesday showed."

posted by Anonymous at 2/23/2005 09:32:00 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, February 22, 2005

Democrats' Grass Roots Shift the Power

Democrats' Grass Roots Shift the Power (washingtonpost.com): "the rising of this grass-roots force also signals a shift in the balance of power within the party, one that raises questions about its ultimate impact on a Democratic Party searching for direction and identity after losses in 2002 and 2004.

At a minimum, say party strategists, the shift will mean a more confrontational Democratic Party in battles with President Bush and the Republicans"

posted by Anonymous at 2/22/2005 02:28:00 PM 0 comments

Behind Those Medical Malpractice Rates

The New York Times > Business > Behind Those Medical Malpractice Rates: "Lawsuits against doctors are just one of several factors that have driven up the cost of malpractice insurance, specialists say. Lately, the more important factors appear to be the declining investment earnings of insurance companies and the changing nature of competition in the industry.

The recent spike in premiums - which is now showing signs of steadying - says more about the insurance business than it does about the judicial system."

posted by Anonymous at 2/22/2005 02:01:00 PM 0 comments

States' Private Pensions Make a Weak Showing

States' Private Pensions Make a Weak Showing: "when Nebraska's state and county workers were given do-it-yourself accounts, they made so many investment errors that they ended up making less than colleagues with fixed-benefit pensions — and less than what analysts have said is needed for old age. Their poor performance led the Nebraska Legislature two years ago to junk the accounts for new employees.

While Americans are just beginning to grapple with the president's proposal for private accounts, employees and retirement officials in Michigan, Montana, Washington, West Virginia and other states have discovered that the accounts can fall far short of their promise."

posted by Anonymous at 2/22/2005 12:37:00 PM 0 comments

Why triple-talented Dean spells trouble for Republicans

The Seattle Times: Opinion: Why triple-talented Dean spells trouble for Republicans: "The GOP needs to sit back down, recork the champagne and get back to work. Whether they know it or not, Republicans need to understand that Dean spells trouble for the Republican Party. Big trouble."

posted by Anonymous at 2/22/2005 11:42:00 AM 0 comments

Election Law: "Democrats Eye Remap Payback"

Election Law: "Democrats Eye Remap Payback": "House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) has spoken with several Democratic governors in recent weeks about the possibility of revisiting their states’ Congressional lines in response to the ongoing Republican-led redistricting in Georgia, according to informed party sources. Faced with the prospect of Republicans redrawing Congressional lines in a third state since the initial 2001 round of redistricting ended, a faction of national Democrats is urging an aggressive strategy aimed at striking back at Republican House Members in states like New Mexico and Illinois."

posted by Anonymous at 2/22/2005 10:19:00 AM 0 comments

Schwarzenegger vs. Gerrymander

The New York Times > Opinion > Op-Ed Contributor: Schwarzenegger vs. Gerrymander: "We can't change where people choose to live, but we can begin using some type of proportional representation system. For example, California could use a system like that in Peoria, Ill., for municipal elections. Instead of electing 40 state senators from 40 districts, voters in 10 districts could elect four senators each. Any candidate who won at least a quarter of the vote would earn a seat. These districts would be far more likely to be bipartisan, even electing some urban Republicans and rural Democrats."

posted by Anonymous at 2/22/2005 10:18:00 AM 0 comments

Monday, February 21, 2005

Sex Offender Treatment Works

Rocky Mountain News: Local: "The r[2003 Colorado Corrections Department] report found three of every four sex offenders who received no therapy reoffended, compared with one in every six for those who completed the first phase of treatment. The rate improved to one in 10 for those who finished the second phase in a minimum-security facility for sex offenders. The study examined the records of 3,338 sex offenders."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 04:12:00 PM 0 comments

Injustice, in Secret

Injustice, in Secret (washingtonpost.com): "ATTORNEYS FOR the Justice Department appeared before a federal judge in Washington this month and asked him to dismiss a lawsuit over the detention of a U.S. citizen, basing their request not merely on secret evidence but also on secret legal arguments. The government contends that the legal theory by which it would defend its behavior should be immune from debate in court. This position is alien to the history and premise of Anglo-American jurisprudence, which assumes that opposing lawyers will challenge one another's arguments."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 03:51:00 PM 0 comments

Mid-year budget gets Senate's OK

Mid-year budget gets Senate's OK | ajc.com: "The GOP-dominated Senate approved a mid-year spending plan Thursday that strips more than $20 million in favored projects added by House Republican leaders, setting up negotiations between the two chambers. The two sides met for the first time Thursday, will get together again today and then take off the weekend so some of the lawmakers can attend the Daytona 500 in Florida.

The mid-year spending plan is the initial budget test since Republicans formally took over the House last month, giving the party control of the Capitol for the first time since Reconstruction. For the first time, the three-man negotiating teams for each chamber will be made up only of Republicans."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 02:54:00 PM 0 comments

What are lost years worth?

What are lost years worth? | ajc.com: "Georgia lawmakers will soon struggle with a complex question destined to come up with increasing frequency: How much is a wrongfully convicted person's time in prison worth?"
"Three former Georgia prison inmates exonerated by DNA evidence of rape convictions are trying to put a price tag on that time. Clarence Harrison, cleared in 2004 after spending more than 17 years in prison, is seeking $1.7 million from the state. Samuel Scott, who spent nearly 16 years in prison, is asking for $1.2 million. Douglas Echols, who served 15 years, is seeking $1.6 million."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 02:54:00 PM 0 comments

Divorce bill amended

Divorce bill amended | ajc.com: "A bill that would extend the waiting period for an uncontested divorce unanimously passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, but with a significant change intended to help protect victims of domestic violence."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 02:53:00 PM 0 comments

N.C. lawyer: 'Hold on' to openness in economic deals

N.C. lawyer: 'Hold on' to openness in economic deals | ajc.com: "While Georgia is trying to lock its talks with big companies behind closed doors, some in North Carolina — concerned about public incentives lavished on companies like Dell and Boeing without input from taxpayers — are trying to knock those doors back open.

Tar Heel lawmakers, news media and government watchdogs think limits on state open records laws have put North Carolina taxpayers at the mercy of Fortune 500 lawyers and stonewalling officials."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 02:52:00 PM 0 comments

Virtual school will leap barriers

Virtual school will leap barriers | ajc.com: "Legislation pursued this year by Gov. Sonny Perdue is designed to give all Georgia high school students a chance to take at least two Advanced Placement courses through a new virtual network.

The Georgia Virtual School bill has been passed by both chambers of the Legislature, and, with Senate approval of minor changes, will go to Perdue for his signature. The original proposal was amended to let private or home schooled students take the free online courses, but public school students will get preference."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 02:51:00 PM 0 comments

Abortion providers less vexed

Abortion providers less vexed | ajc.com: "Doctors who provide abortions still oppose a bill before the General Assembly, but they welcome changes approved last week — including one allowing physicians to keep performing first-trimester abortions in their offices."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 02:51:00 PM 0 comments

Teachers oppose Perdue faith plan

Teachers oppose Perdue faith plan | ajc.com: "Supporters of Gov. Sonny Perdue's plan to let religious organizations compete for state dollars might have God on their side. But opponents can claim a powerful presence as well — the state's teachers.

The proposal has widespread support among church leaders, but has run afoul of Georgia's two largest teacher unions — the Professional Association of Georgia Educators and the Georgia Association of Educators — whose members fear it could pave the way for private school vouchers."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 02:50:00 PM 0 comments

Black Republican: Some whites don't want 'darker' party

Black Republican: Some whites don't want 'darker' party | ajc.com: "Black Republicans talk about the GOP
Some say whites don't want a 'darker party'"

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 02:50:00 PM 0 comments

UGA approved pay raise in secret

UGA approved pay raise in secret | ajc.com: "The University of Georgia Real Estate Foundation's president received a 40 percent pay increase at a time when UGA was laying off staff and limiting employee raises to 2 percent."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 02:44:00 PM 0 comments

Closing list expected to include Ga.

Closing list expected to include Ga. | ajc.com: "The chilling warning is about to go out to communities that are home to Georgia's 13 military installations: Prepare for your base to be closed."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 02:44:00 PM 0 comments

More Africans Enter U.S. Than in Days of Slavery

The New York Times > New York Region > More Africans Enter U.S. Than in Days of Slavery: "For the first time, more blacks are coming to the United States from Africa than during the slave trade."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 01:44:00 PM 0 comments

[British] Navy's new message: your country needs you, especially if you are gay

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Navy's new message: your country needs you, especially if you are gay: "Five years after the ban on homosexuality in the armed forces was lifted, the [British] Royal Navy is entering into a partnership with Stonewall and actively seeking gay recruits by advertising in the pink press."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 01:15:00 PM 0 comments

In Secretly Taped Conversations, Glimpses of the Future President

The New York Times > Washington > In Secretly Taped Conversations, Glimpses of the Future President: "As George W. Bush was first moving onto the national political stage, he often turned for advice to an old friend who secretly taped some of their private conversations, creating a rare record of the future president as a politician and a personality.

In the last several weeks, that friend, Doug Wead, an author and former aide to Mr. Bush's father, disclosed the tapes' existence to a reporter and played about a dozen of them."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 12:11:00 PM 0 comments

Americans Want an Opposition Party

Political Wire: Americans Want an Opposition Party: "'Americans want Democrats to stand up to Bush,' the Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire reports. 'Fully 60%, including one-fourth of Republicans, say Democrats in Congress should make sure Bush and his party 'don't go too far.' Just 34% want Democrats to 'work in a bipartisan way' to help pass the president's priorities.'"

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 12:02:00 PM 0 comments

'Brooklyn's Abu Ghraib'

New York Daily News - Home - Daily News Exclusive: 'Brooklyn's Abu Ghraib': "Defense attorneys call it Brooklyn's Abu Ghraib. On the ninth floor of the federal Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park, terrorism suspects swept off the streets after the Sept. 11 attacks were repeatedly stripped naked and frequently were physically abused, the Justice Department's inspector general has found"

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 11:34:00 AM 0 comments

Ecstasy trials for combat stress

SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Society | Ecstasy trials for combat stress: "American soldiers traumatised by fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan are to be offered the drug ecstasy to help free them of flashbacks and recurring nightmares.

The US food and drug administration has given the go-ahead for the soldiers to be included in an experiment to see if MDMA, the active ingredient in ecstasy, can treat post-traumatic stress disorder."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 10:45:00 AM 0 comments

Eminent Domain and Economic 'Development'

The Telegraph Online: "seven families are going before the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, arguing that the city[New London, Conn.] has no right to take their private property solely for economic development."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 10:38:00 AM 0 comments

A New Target for Advisers to Swift Vets (AARP)

The New York Times > Washington > A New Target for Advisers to Swift Vets: "Taking its cues from the success of last year's Swift boat veterans' campaign in the presidential race, a conservative lobbying organization has hired some of the same consultants to orchestrate attacks on one of President Bush's toughest opponents in the battle to overhaul Social Security."

posted by Anonymous at 2/21/2005 09:18:00 AM 0 comments

Sunday, February 20, 2005

Perdue disputes Trooper lawsuit

Perdue disputes Trooper lawsuit | ajc.com: "The former head of the state patrol testified in legal documents that Gov. Sonny Perdue personally directed him to move the chief of the governor's security detail away from the mansion and promote him to a job for which he was not qualified."

posted by Anonymous at 2/20/2005 09:21:00 PM 0 comments

Confidential AIDS Patient List E-Mailed

Yahoo! News - Confidential AIDS Patient List E-Mailed: "A confidential list of 4,500 southeast Florida residents with AIDS and 2,000 others who are HIV positive was inadvertently e-mailed to more than 800 county health workers, officials said"

posted by Anonymous at 2/20/2005 09:14:00 PM 0 comments

Friday, February 18, 2005

Bush election proposal meets resistance

Herald.com | 02/18/2005 | Bush election proposal meets resistance: "A day after his office announced a plan to put more election supervisory powers under state control [power grab], Gov. Jeb Bush ran into a spate of criticism [brick wall]."

posted by Anonymous at 2/18/2005 04:38:00 PM 0 comments

Community Service?

HoustonChronicle.com - Judge balks at museum head's idea of community service: "More than a year after he was convicted of violating a federal endangered species law, Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lawrence Small is still negotiating with the Justice Department over what kind of 'community service' he must perform as part of his sentence.

The Smithsonian's chief executive wants to use the 100-hour punishment to lobby Congress to change the 'outmoded' law he violated"

posted by Anonymous at 2/18/2005 03:31:00 PM 0 comments

Global Warming

Times Online - World: "The strongest evidence yet that global warming has been triggered by human activity has emerged from a major study of rising temperatures in the world’s oceans."

posted by Anonymous at 2/18/2005 12:40:00 PM 0 comments

More Gannon fun

AMERICAblog: Because a great nation deserves the truth: "A news producer for a major network just told me that [Jeff] Gannon [the alias using male escort 'journalist'] told the producer the US was going to attack Iraq four hours before President Bush announced it to the nation."

posted by Anonymous at 2/18/2005 11:57:00 AM 0 comments

State nails smokers who didn't pay taxes

State nails smokers who didn't pay taxes: "In a bold push to catch tax scofflaws, the [Michigan] state Treasury Department has subpoenaed the online retailers in other states to get the names, addresses and purchase records of Michiganders who bought cigarettes from them. In virtually all cases, such sales do not include the cigarette tax that must be paid to the state, regardless of who the seller is or how much is purchased."

posted by Anonymous at 2/18/2005 11:35:00 AM 0 comments

British plant missing 30 kilograms of plutonium

The Globe and Mail: British plant missing 30 kilograms of plutonium: "A British nuclear-reprocessing plant cannot account for nearly 30 kilograms of plutonium, but authorities believe it is an accounting issue rather than a loss of potential bomb-making material, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority said Thursday."

posted by Anonymous at 2/18/2005 11:30:00 AM 0 comments

State nails smokers who didn't pay taxes

posted by Anonymous at 2/18/2005 11:29:00 AM 0 comments

Bush to Sign Tort Reform Bill

Yahoo! News - Bush to Sign Bill Curbing Lawsuits: "President Bush is wasting no time signing a bill that he says will curtail multimillion-dollar class action lawsuits against companies."
" Consumer groups and trial lawyers fought against the bill, but lost their struggle when Republicans gained seats in last fall's elections and Democrats defected on the issue."

posted by Anonymous at 2/18/2005 11:21:00 AM 0 comments

Hurt Troops Often Denied Pay, Benefits

Yahoo! News - Hurt Troops Often Denied Pay, Benefits: "Hundreds of Army Reserve and National Guard troops returning home after being wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan have gone months without pay or medical benefits they were entitled to receive, military officials and government auditors said Thursday."

posted by Anonymous at 2/18/2005 11:20:00 AM 0 comments

Major Election Reform Bill Unveiled

Senators Clinton and Boxer, Representative Tubbs Jones and Others to Unveil Major Election Reform Bill: "U.S. Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) [2/17] unveiled comprehensive voting reform legislation to make sure that every American is able to vote and every vote is counted [including an Election Day holiday]. Senators Clinton and Boxer announced the legislation today in a press conference joined by Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH), who will sponsor the legislation in the House of Representatives, and voting rights advocates."

posted by Anonymous at 2/18/2005 10:31:00 AM 0 comments

'Fallujah: truth at last'

'Fallujah: truth at last' - Socialist Worker: "Doctor Salam Ismael took aid to Fallujah last month. This is his story of how the US murdered a city"

posted by Anonymous at 2/18/2005 09:46:00 AM 0 comments

'Potato vaccine' for hepatitis B

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Potato vaccine' for hepatitis B: "An edible vaccine against the deadly liver disease hepatitis B may have been developed by scientists in the US.

Chunks of genetically modified potato may be enough to give immunity without the need for an injection, they hope."

posted by Anonymous at 2/18/2005 09:40:00 AM 0 comments

Thursday, February 17, 2005

"Palestinian hanging"

Boston.com / News / Nation / SAN DIEGO (AP) An Iraqi whose corpse was photographed with...: "An Iraqi whose corpse was photographed with grinning U.S. soldiers at Abu Ghraib died under CIA interrogation while in a position condemned by human rights groups as torture suspended by his wrists, with his hands cuffed behind his back, according to reports reviewed by The Associated Press."

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 06:34:00 PM 0 comments

Hill Dems get into Demzilla

Hill Dems get into Demzilla: "Outgoing Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Terry McAuliffe has given the House and Senate political committees access to “Demzilla,” the massive computer voter database that has brought the DNC closer to information parity with the Republicans."

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 03:16:00 PM 0 comments

THE BRAD BLOG: "CNN's 'North Korean' Nuke Plant Shows Up Again at U.S. GOV FUNDED 'News' Site!"

THE BRAD BLOG: "CNN's 'North Korean' Nuke Plant Shows Up Again at U.S. GOV FUNDED 'News' Site!": "Yesterday we reported that CNN's website was using photos of the same alleged nuclear facility in two different stories about two different nuclear programs in two different countries.

One CNN story, from last Wednesday, was on Iran's purported nuclear program; the other, from last Saturday, was on North Korea's purported nuclear program.

The satellite photos accompanying each respective story turned out to be the same facility despite captions below each photo claiming each represented an alleged facility in the respective countries discussed in each article."

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 03:15:00 PM 0 comments

The White House Stages Its 'Daily Show'

The New York Times > Arts > Frank Rich: The White House Stages Its 'Daily Show': "The prayers of those hoping that real television news might take its cues from Jon Stewart were finally answered on Feb. 9, 2005. A real newsman borrowed a technique from fake news to deliver real news about fake news in prime time."

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 02:22:00 PM 0 comments

Former mayor will face trial on Sept. 26

Former mayor will face trial on Sept. 26 | ajc.com: "Former mayor will face trial on Sept. 26
Campbell: Looking forward to 'day of vindication'"

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 02:21:00 PM 0 comments

5 Units of Military Reserve Miss Recruiting Goals

The New York Times > Washington > 5 Units of Military Reserve Miss Recruiting Goals: "In a sign of continued stress on the armed forces from operations in Iraq, five of the six military reserve components have failed to meet their recruiting goals for the first four months of the current fiscal year, the military's top officer said on Wednesday."

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 02:20:00 PM 0 comments

Ralph Reed running for Ga. lt. governor

Ralph Reed running for Ga. lt. governor | ajc.com: "Ralph Reed, the former Christian Coalition leader and whiz-kid Republican stategist, announced Thursday he will step into the political arena himself and run for Georgia lieutenant governor in 2006."

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 01:46:00 PM 0 comments

Lawmakers considering identity-theft law | ajc.com

Lawmakers considering identity-theft law | ajc.com: "Two Georgia senators said Thursday that they plan to introduce legislation aimed at making it harder for criminals to commit identity theft.
Separate bills being drafted by Sens. Bill Hamrick (R-Carrollton) and David Shafer (R-Duluth) were prompted by reports this week that ChoicePoint, an Alpharetta-based company that collects personal data on nearly every American, is notifying up to 35,000 California residents that it mistakenly gave out their information to bogus businesses."
"Potential victims in California are being notified because state law requires it in such cases.
Hamrick said that he is working on a bill that would require companies to notify Georgians of identity theft."

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 01:36:00 PM 0 comments

Young Republican operative accused of theft

reviewjournal.com -- News: GOP operative accused of theft: "The young Nevada man designated to chair the upcoming 2005 Young Republican National Convention in Las Vegas has been accused of embezzling registration fees from around the country to pay off bar tabs, personal loans and credit card debts.

Nevada's national committeeman for Young Republicans filed a criminal complaint Monday with the Reno Police Department alleging Nathan Taylor received more than $25,000 in registration fees and donations through his corporation, YRNC 2005, and spent almost all of it in the past year for personal use."

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 01:05:00 PM 0 comments

GOP's 10 most at-risk

GOP's 10 most at-risk: "House Republican leaders last night notified their 10 most vulnerable lawmakers that they will be the lucky beneficiaries of this year’s first ROMP (Retain Our Majority Program) fundraiser."
"The 10 members are Reps. Bob Beauprez (Colo.), Mike Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Jim Gerlach (Pa.), Marilyn Musgrave (Colo.), Anne Northup (Ky.), Jon Porter (Nev.), Dave Reichert (Wash.), Rick Renzi (Ariz.), Rob Simmons (Conn.) and Mike Sodrel (Ind.). Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), who narrowly won his 2004 race, is not on the list."

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 01:04:00 PM 0 comments

AP Uncovers Ridge Meetings with Pollsters During Presidential Campaign

AP Uncovers Ridge Meetings with Pollsters During Presidential Campaign: "Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge met privately with Republican pollsters twice in a 10-day span last spring as he embarked on more than a dozen trips to presidential battleground states, according to records obtained by The Associated Press.

Ridge's get-togethers with Republican strategists Frank Luntz and Bill McInturff during a period the secretary was saying his agency was playing no role in Bush's re-election campaign were revealed in daily appointment calendars obtained by the AP under the Freedom of Information Act."

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 01:04:00 PM 0 comments

Social Insecurity

Social Insecurity [A calculator showing how your benefits drop under the Bush plan.]

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 12:38:00 PM 0 comments

Rationales for the Iraq War

Department of Political Science at UIUC: "Uncovering the Rationales for the War on Iraq:
The Words of the Bush Administration, Congress, and the Media
from September 12, 2001 to October 11, 2002"

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 12:37:00 PM 0 comments

Lawyer guilty of $20 million scam

Lawyer guilty of $20 million scam | ajc.com: "A disbarred Stone Mountain lawyer was convicted Tuesday in a $20 million mortgage fraud operation called the largest of its kind in metro Atlanta.

A federal jury found Chalana McFarland guilty of 169 criminal counts for fraudulently obtaining loans on homes from Griffin to Elberton. Afterward, U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Thrash took the unusual step of revoking McFarland's bond and jailing her immediately."

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 11:17:00 AM 0 comments

Keep talking...

Talking Points Memo: by Joshua Micah Marshall: February 13, 2005 - February 19, 2005 Archives: "Back in December the numbers were 45% to 39% in favor of private accounts; in January, it was close to tied, 46% to 44% in favor of private accounts. In this new poll, private accounts have dropped to 40% support while 50% favor the 'basically as is' option.

Those numbers yield only one credible interpretation: the more the president talks about privatization the less popular it gets."

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 11:13:00 AM 0 comments

Specter diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease

CNN.com - Specter diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease - Feb 16, 2005: "Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter [R-PA] has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease but intends to continue working during treatment, his office announced Wednesday."

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 09:39:00 AM 0 comments

Justice Dept. Fights Ruling on Obscenity

The New York Times > Washington > Justice Dept. Fights Ruling on Obscenity: "In a case representing a major test of the Bush administration's campaign against pornography, the Justice Department said Wednesday that it would appeal a recent decision by a federal judge that declared federal obscenity laws unconstitutional."

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 09:39:00 AM 0 comments

Fire the Consultants

"Fire the Consultants" by Amy Sullivan: "“If a company like General Motors had the same image problem that the Democratic Party does, they would fire the guys responsible,” Gerstein told me. But not Democrats. “We don't just hire those guys,” Gerstein said, “we give them bonuses.”"

posted by Anonymous at 2/17/2005 09:31:00 AM 0 comments

Wednesday, February 16, 2005

MyDD :: Every Demographic is a Swing Demographic

MyDD :: Every Demographic is a Swing Demographic: "In order to present a crude snapshot of the current political landscape, here are how around fifty demographic groups stack up against each other in terms of partisan self-identification (source). The degree to which these groups shifted from the 2000 cycle is also indicated."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 05:38:00 PM 0 comments

Judge warns Rumsfeld in anthrax case

Judge warns Rumsfeld in anthrax case - (United Press International): "A judge in Washington has warned Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld he could face contempt for ignoring a ruling on Pentagon anthrax vaccinations."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 05:35:00 PM 0 comments

Birth control as a wedge issue.

The New Republic Online: etc.: "Democrats need to get in the habit of asking anti-abortion politicians and activists straight up whether a.) they favor reducing unwanted pregnancies as a way to reduce the number of abortions in the United States, and b.) (assuming the answer is yes) what's wrong with honest, responsible, hard-working adults using birth control as a way to accomplish that."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 04:27:00 PM 0 comments

Virginia DOT Study Shows Cameras Increase Injury Accidents

Virginia DOT Study Shows Cameras Increase Injury Accidents: "A brand new, exhaustive study of all seven Virginia red light camera programs shows an overall increase in injury accidents has occurred where the devices are installed. The study was performed by The Virginia Transportation Research Council at the request of the state transportation secretary."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 04:25:00 PM 0 comments

GPS monitoring as a probation condition

Boston.com / News / Local / Mass. / Healey proposes GPS to protect abuse victims, gang witnesses: "Under the proposal, [Massachussetts] courts would be allowed to force abusers who violate their restraining orders to wear a monitoring device as a condition of their probation. The system would alert the victim and police if the offender enters certain restricted areas, such as a home, workplace or child's school."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 03:21:00 PM 0 comments

Montana debates special tax on Wal-Mart

Montana debates special tax on Wal-Mart, others - Feb. 16, 2005: "Montana's state legislature is targeting the big-box megastores that have taken the place of the old Western general store, weighing a special tax to offset welfare costs for low-paid employees of the retailers."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 03:12:00 PM 0 comments

‘Liberal’ Media Silent About Guckert Saga

‘Liberal’ Media Silent About Guckert Saga: "Imagine the media explosion if a male escort had been discovered operating as a correspondent in the Clinton White House. Imagine that he was paid by an outfit owned by Arkansas Democrats and had been trained in journalism by James Carville. Imagine that this gentleman had been cultivated and called upon by Mike McCurry or Joe Lockhart—or by President Clinton himself. Imagine that this 'journalist' had smeared a Republican Presidential candidate and had previously claimed access to classified documents in a national-security scandal.

Then imagine the constant screaming on radio, on television, on Capitol Hill, in the Washington press corps—and listen to the placid mumbling of the 'liberal' media now."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 03:08:00 PM 0 comments

Award caps not solution to tort reform problem

Macon Telegraph | 01/09/2005 | Award caps not solution to tort reform problem: "GeorgiaWatch, a consumer interest group that opposes caps, also points to a statement made by the nation's largest malpractice insurer in a Texas rate hike case: 'Non-economic damages are a small percentage of total losses paid. Capping non-economic damages will show loss savings of 1 percent.' Texas, like California and 30 other states, has passed a cap ($250,000 in Texas) but has not seen significant reductions or even a holding pattern on malpractice premiums."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 01:09:00 PM 0 comments

Fraud Ring Taps Into Credit Data

Fraud Ring Taps Into Credit Data: "A fraud ring infiltrated one of the nation's largest collectors of consumer information and obtained credit reports, Social Security numbers and other information about tens of thousands of people in a massive case of identity theft."
"A ChoicePoint spokesman said the number of victims nationwide could total 100,000, but the company could not be sure of the extent of the fraud and had no plans to contact people outside California [because they are not required to by law.]"

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 01:02:00 PM 0 comments

Casey over Santorum 46-41

Quinnipiac University | Polling Results: "Incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum trails State Treasurer Robert Casey, Jr., a possible Democratic challenger, 46 - 41 percent, in an early look at the 2006 [PA] Senate race, according to a Quinnipiac poll released today. Another 11 percent are undecided."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 01:01:00 PM 0 comments

Reid, Pelosi plan shake-up

Reid, Pelosi plan shake-up: "Sen. Harry Reid (Nev.) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), the Democratic leaders of the Senate and House, plan to shake up the Democratic political consulting community and break the grip that a small number of consultants have had on strategy and contracts, party sources say."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 01:01:00 PM 0 comments

Losing the battles and winning the war?

Economist.com | Social attitudes: "Many Americans think that they and their politicians have become more conservative; yet, when it comes to some fundamental questions, they have actually shifted to the left.

In terms of self-analysis (see panel 1), the direction is fairly clear. A plurality of Americans (41%) think they have not changed much; but, out of those who have changed, 30% have moved to the right, and only 19% to the left. The main swing rightwards has been among males, the old and, perhaps inevitably, Republicans."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 12:39:00 PM 0 comments

Tort reform bill passes General Assembly, heads to Perdue - 2005-02-14 - Atlanta Business Chronicle

Tort reform bill passes General Assembly, heads to Perdue - 2005-02-14 - Atlanta Business Chronicle: "Senate Bill 3, an omnibus civil and medical malpractice legal reform bill, passed with a comfortable 23 vote margin today."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 12:38:00 PM 0 comments

Black Scouts' figures disputed | ajc.com

Black Scouts' figures disputed | ajc.com: "The Federal Bureau of Investigation is reportedly investigating charges in Alabama that the local branch of the Boy Scouts of America exaggerated its number of black members to increase donations."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 12:38:00 PM 0 comments

Kyoto in effect

World News Article | Reuters.co.uk: "Rejected by the United States, the world's plan to combat global warming goes into force on Wednesday amid scant fanfare and U.N. warnings that it is only a tiny first step."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 12:37:00 PM 0 comments

New Scientist Climate change: Menace or myth?

New Scientist Climate change: Menace or myth? - Features: "This is perhaps the most crucial scientific question of the 21st century. The winning side in the climate debate will shape economic, political and technological developments for years, even centuries, to come. With so much at stake, it is crucial that the right side wins. But which side is right? What is the evidence that human activity is warming the world, and how reliable is it?"

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 12:37:00 PM 0 comments

Matthew Yglesias: Traitors Everywhere

Matthew Yglesias: Traitors Everywhere: "I don't think it's at all unreasonable to say that Hindrocket owes Carter a serious apology. Flinging this sort of totally unsubstantiated allegation is disgusting and utterly destructive of any effort to have serious debate about anything. Is Jimmy Carter really in league with the jihadist forces responsible for the murder of thousands of Americas? Is this what Power Line's fans and those who link to them believe? That a jihadist agent managed to get himself elected president? That an ex-president turned traitor?"

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 12:37:00 PM 0 comments

In the National Interest

Stephen M. Walt: In the National Interest: "America’s position of primacy also fosters fear and resistance when its power is misused. Because the United States is so strong and its impact on others so pervasive, it inevitably attracts suspicion from other states and finds it difficult to elicit their full and enthusiastic cooperation. Moreover, because the United States is wrestling with so many issues in so many places, it is prone to being manipulated or hoodwinked by states who wish to use American power to advance their own interests. Given these constraints, how can the United States maximize the benefits that primacy brings and minimize the resistance that its power sometimes provokes?"

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 12:36:00 PM 0 comments

Yeah, You Heard Me Right

MyDD :: Yeah, You Heard Me Right: "Yeah, You Heard Me Right [a compilation of ridiculous things conservatives have said, as rephrased]."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 12:36:00 PM 0 comments

Window tint ban could be revived

Window tint ban could be revived | ajc.com: "Georgia is moving to reinstate its ban on heavily tinted car windows and broaden it to include out-of-state vehicles.

The Georgia House is scheduled to vote today on a bill that, if passed and signed into law, would force motorists to remove the very dark tint or run the risk of being ticketed for a misdemeanor."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 12:33:00 PM 0 comments

State GOP Lawmakers Unveil New Redistricting Plan

WSBTV.com - Politics - State GOP Lawmakers Unveil New Redistricting Plan: "Statehouse Republicans began a move to reshape Georgia's congressional map on Tuesday, floating a pair of plans that retool districts the GOP has criticized for years.

Senate and House leaders unveiled drastically different plans, which would have to work their way through both chambers in the final half of the Legislature's 40-day session."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 12:29:00 PM 0 comments

New rules to stem pollution on factory farms draw fire

Yahoo! News - New rules to stem pollution on factory farms draw fire: "New rules to stem pollution on factory farms draw fire
Environmentalists say Bush's cooperative approach is toothless, while the EPA sees it as efficient and effective."

posted by Anonymous at 2/16/2005 11:53:00 AM 0 comments

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