Author: HL

Late Late Night FDL: The Newscasters
The Newscasters with Carol Burnett and Rock Hudson, a sketch on The Carol Burnett Show that aired on January 29, 1977.

The Newscasters with Carol Burnett and Rock Hudson, a skit on The Carol Burnett Show first aired on January 29, 1977.

What’s on your mind?

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Remember when Patton won at Stalingrad?
Remember when Barry Goldwater used to rant about “Democrat Wars” — well, now the GOP claims to have won all of them.

New York’s 19th district has a Republican challenger that pretty much epitomizes many of the young loud-mouths we’ve all had to deal with from time to time — loud and educated as if by morons — ever more frequently by chalkboard performance art.

Meet 30 year old, right-wing writer, Ann Coulter-aspirant Kristia Cavere, and yeah, she’s a fan out illogical over-heated analogies:

This, of course, will come to real news to, uh, y’know history — some well-heeled Democrat in a wheelchair for example. And, since Ms. Cavere equates “liberate” with defeating Hitler, the only other implication her knowledge of history could have is that Stalin and the Red Army were Republicans because they did a lot more on that score than anyone else.

So, using my own blackboard, I guess what I’m saying is the Comrade Cavere is a Stalinist.

(photo from here)

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Pope Threatens to Cancel U.K. Trip
It seems the pope can’t take a joke. The Vatican is threatening to cancel a visit to Britain by Benedict XVI after a leaked Foreign Office memo gave suggestions that included a “Benedict condom.” The list of fanciful suggestions for the visit includes: review Vatican attitude on condom use (launch of “Benedict condoms”); bless a civil partnership; reversal of policy on women bishops (ordain women); open an abortion ward; speech on equality; training course for all bishops on child abuse allegations; harder line on child abuse (announce sacking of dodgy bishops); Vatican sponsorship for network of AIDS clinics; get the pope and the queen to sing a duet for charity, and more. —JCL The Telegraph: Senior Papal aides suggested the Foreign Office had not taken strong enough disciplinary action against those responsible for the document, which suggested the Pope should open an abortion clinic, bless a homosexual marriage and launch his own range of condoms while he is here. No-one has lost their job over the memo, which was sent to Downing Street and at least three Whitehall departments, and the civil servant who authorised it has simply been moved to other duties. One highly-placed source in the Vatican said: “This could have very severe repercussions and is embarrassing for the British government—one has to question whether the action taken is enough. “It is disgusting. Britain’s ambassador to the Holy See has been in to see the Secretary of State and explain what happened and this will all be relayed to the Pope … .” Read more

It seems the pope can’t take a joke. The Vatican is threatening to cancel a visit to Britain by Benedict XVI after a leaked Foreign Office memo gave suggestions that included a “Benedict condom.”

The list of fanciful suggestions for the visit includes: review Vatican attitude on condom use (launch of “Benedict condoms”); bless a civil partnership; reversal of policy on women bishops (ordain women); open an abortion ward; speech on equality; training course for all bishops on child abuse allegations; harder line on child abuse (announce sacking of dodgy bishops); Vatican sponsorship for network of AIDS clinics; get the pope and the queen to sing a duet for charity, and more. —JCL

The Telegraph:

Senior Papal aides suggested the Foreign Office had not taken strong enough disciplinary action against those responsible for the document, which suggested the Pope should open an abortion clinic, bless a homosexual marriage and launch his own range of condoms while he is here.

No-one has lost their job over the memo, which was sent to Downing Street and at least three Whitehall departments, and the civil servant who authorised it has simply been moved to other duties.

One highly-placed source in the Vatican said: “This could have very severe repercussions and is embarrassing for the British government—one has to question whether the action taken is enough.

“It is disgusting. Britain’s ambassador to the Holy See has been in to see the Secretary of State and explain what happened and this will all be relayed to the Pope … .”

Read more

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Goldman CEO to Perform Community Service as Treasury Secretary
Fake news by Andy Borowitz A Treasury Department spokesperson said that by performing community service as treasury secretary, Lloyd Blankfein will do less harm to the economy because he will have significantly less power than he had as chairman of Goldman. Fake news by Andy Borowitz By Andy Borowitz

A Treasury Department spokesperson said that by performing community service as treasury secretary, Lloyd Blankfein will do less harm to the economy because he will have significantly less power than he had as chairman of Goldman.

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Jackson Williams: Glenn Beck, Unhinged in Texas
Fox News founder Rupert Murdoch and network honcho Roger Ailes have a decision to make about an employee. Glenn Beck’s the name; tearful televangelism’s…

Robot Submarines Working To Stop Gulf Coast Oil Leak
NEW ORLEANS — It could take hours or it could take months to stop a 42,000-gallon-a-day oil leak polluting the Gulf of Mexico at the…

Chris Cillizza: Governors Races Take Center Stage In 2010
The Republican Governors Association and Democratic Governors Association — long regarded as the forgotten little brother (or sister) of the national party committee family –…

Fox Nation falsely claims “new dirt” from Blagojevich trial “implicates Team Obama”

Fox Nation used the baseless headline “Blago Moves to Subpoena President: New Dirt Implicates Team Obama” in linking to a Mediaite story about the trial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-IL). However, as ABC’s Jake Tapper noted, Blagojevich “alleges no criminal wrongdoing by the president or his team” and is of “disputable credibility.”

Fox Nation falsely claims subpoena “implicates Team Obama”

Fox Nation: “Blago Moves to Subpoena President: New Dirt Implicates Team Obama.” Fox Nation linked to the April 22 Mediaite article under the headline “Blago Moves to Subpoena President: New Dirt Implicates Team Obama” and excerpted from the article:

In fact, subpoena “alleges no criminal wrongdoing” by Obama or his team

Tapper: Blagojevich “alleges no criminal wrongdoing by the president or his team.” In an April 23 post on ABC’s Political Punch blog, Jake Tapper stated, “Blagojevich alleges no criminal wrongdoing by the president or his team, though he does raise questions about what he says are conflicting stories.”

Tapper: “Disgraced” Blagojevich “is of, shall we say, disputable credibility and is, of course a defendant in a criminal case.” Discussing Blagojevich’s speculative allegations, Tapper wrote, “Disgraced Democratic former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich filed a legal motion Thursday asking for President Obama to testify at the former governor’s corruption trial.” Tapper further wrote, “One should of course keep in mind that Blagojevich is of, shall we say, disputable credibility and of course is a defendant in a criminal case, having been indicted last year on 16 felony counts, including racketeering and extortion conspiracy.

Bloch Attorney: I Am Pleased ‘Unnecessary’ Inquiry Is Over
The attorney for former Bush Administration official Scott Bloch, who was charged with contempt of Congress yesterday in the “Geeks on Call” case, says he is pleased the “unnecessary five year inquiry is over.”

Former Bush Official Charged With Contempt Of Congress In Geeks On Call Case
Former U.S. Special Counsel Scott Bloch, the Bush official who has been dogged by allegations of malfeasance for years, was charged today with criminal contempt of Congress in connection with his notorious use of Geeks On Call to scrub his computer while under investigation for politicizing his office, according to a court filing in federal court in Washington.

‘Stop Too Big To Fail’ Group Yanks References To Economist From Website
The group Stop Too Big To Fail has pulled all references to respected economist Simon Johnson from its website.

Obama administration may be risking nuclear war
Excerpt: The New York Times reported on friday that the Obama administration is considering arming intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) with conventional warheads to provide a “Prompt Global Strike” option, enabling targets anywhere on the globe to be hit in as little as an hour. There is, however, one “small” problem with that idea. The launch of any […]

Obama Rolls Out Midterm Strategy
In in a new video, President Obama lays out the 2010 election strategy for Democrats.

It essentially boils down to re-engaging the voters who propelled him to the White House in 2008. Obama also warns that only by keeping the House and Senate under Democratic control will he be able to pursue his agenda.

Bennett Lacks Support for Renomination
A new Deseret News/KSL-TV poll of Republican delegates in Utah finds Sen. Bob Bennett’s (R-UT) 18-year career in the U.S. Senate may well end at the state GOP convention in two weeks.

Key finding: 41% of the delegates said they absolutely will not vote for Bennett.

“GOP convention rules say the ultimate second-place finisher must have at least 40 percent of the delegate vote to avoid final elimination. And the survey shows Bennett may not reach that percentage in the three rounds of voting.”

Countdown for Crist
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) has until this Friday, April 30 to decide whether he’ll drop out of the Republican U.S. Senate primary and run instead as an unaffiliated candidate.

The Fix: “Most Republican sources in Florida and Washington seem to believe that a Crist switch is a foregone conclusion — there is even speculation about when this week he might choose to announce it — but, as almost always in these sorts of delicate political situations, there are very few people who know the real deal and they are not talking much.”

Meanwhile, CQ Politics notes the biggest hurdle for Crist as an independent will be fundraising since he is not able to self-finance his campaign.

Taibbi: The Lunatics Who Made a Religion Out of Greed and Wrecked the Economy
The SEC’s lawsuit against Goldman Sachs is a chance to prevent greed without limits.

The SEC's lawsuit against Goldman Sachs is a chance to prevent greed without limits.

Spitzer’s Test on Political Courage And List of Those Who Don’t Have It (When It Comes to Israel)
In Sunday’s Times Elliot Spitzer offers a succinct guide to whether or not your representative is any good. Toughness is not the issue. It’s easy to be tough if the selection of one’s target is driven by politics. The real…



Politics – Climate change – Environment – Israel – Activism

What’s Holding Obama The Professor Back?
Dahlia, many thanks for your generous words–and for your excellent question, which has to have occurred to our president from time to time, especially in recent months. Should he say more–should he say anything at all–about his understanding of…


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Kristol Supports Arizona Immigration Law: ?I Don?t Think It Violates Anyone?s Civil Rights?
Arizona governor Jan Brewer (R) signed a draconian immigration bill into law on Friday, which aims to “identify, prosecute and deport” undocumented immigrants. The law gives local police officers the power to detain anyone suspected of being in the U.S. illegally — a measure that many have concluded will “exacerbate racial profiling” and violate Americans’ […]

Arizona governor Jan Brewer (R) signed a draconian immigration bill into law on Friday, which aims to “identify, prosecute and deport” undocumented immigrants. The law gives local police officers the power to detain anyone suspected of being in the U.S. illegally — a measure that many have concluded will “exacerbate racial profiling” and violate Americans’ civil rights.

However, this morning on Fox News Sunday, Bill Kristol celebrated the new law, saying none of those problems would occur:

KRISTOL: I doubt that it violates the Constitution, if it does, it’s a matter of federal preemption against state law. I don’t think it violates anyone’s civil rights. … I have actually read this bill it is not draconian. It is not going to lead to major civil rights violations. Will a few people get stopped perhaps because some policeman has reasonable suspicion that a person is illegal? Will he be stopped perhaps on the street and asked to provide his driver’s license? Yes. That is the huge horrible civil rights violation that’s going to occur 5 times or 8 times or 13 times in Arizona.

Juan Williams called out Kristol’s naiveté: “Bill Kristol said 8 to 13 times…someone’s going to stop some guy on the street. No. Let me tell you something, anybody now with a Hispanic accent, anybody with brown skin is going to get harassed.” Watch it:

In fact, while many conservatives like Kristol have offered support for the law, a number have also denounced it. “There’s no such thing” as “American-looking,” Mike Huckabee said. Charles Krauthammer noted that it “could lead to a lot of civil rights abuses” and Fox News’ Judge Andrew Napolitano said that by signing the bill, Brewer is bankrupting the state because of “all the lawsuits that will happen — for all the people that are wrongfully stopped.”

Napolitano also said the law is “so unconstitutional that I predict a federal judge will prevent Arizona from enforcing it.” Indeed, law professors have expressed agreement:

[W]e turned to Karl Manheim of Loyola Law School in Los Angeles and Erwin Chemerinsky of UC Irvine Law to pregame it for us. Their response: the law is DOA.

The Arizona law appears to be “facially unconstitutional,” Manheim said. “States have no power to pass immigration laws because it’s an attribute of foreign affairs. Just as states can’t have their own foreign policies or enter into treaties, they can’t have their own immigration laws either.”

Despite conservative opposition to the Arizona law, other Republicans aren’t taking much of a stand either way. When asked if he supported it on Fox News Sunday this morning, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) dodged, simply saying, “I haven’t studied it.” And on CNN today, Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) said, “If that’s what the people [of Arizona] want to do, certainly they have that right.” Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin didn’t say whether she supports the law, but praised Brewer for signing it. “So more power to Jan Brewer for deciding that she was taking on an issue” she said, adding that “it is a states’ rights issue.”

Obama and Democrats appeal to new voters in midterms
President Obama will declare his stake in the November midterm elections for the first time on Monday as his Democratic Party announces an ambitious strategy to appeal to independent voters in its quest to maintain control of Congress.

President pays visit to Rev. Graham
MONTREAT, N.C. — President Obama arrived at the Rev. Billy Graham’s mountaintop log cabin Sunday afternoon, making a brief visit to the 91-year-old evangelist who has been a spiritual adviser to presidents for seven decades.

President Obama eulogizes 29 W.Va. miners
BECKLEY, W.VA. — President Obama eulogized the 29 miners who died in an explosion here this month, joining a community in mourning to say goodbye, to urge families to remember those who were lost, and to carry on.

Sunday Talking Heads: April 25, 2010
Financial Reform, Debt Commission

by Tony Cyphert at flickr (click it for cute)

Duck weather here, how about there?  But April showers bring May flowers – or so Mama said.  Do hope they at least bring us a bouquet of Bankster hearings.

Speaking of which, today’s main topics are financial reform and the Debt Commission.

Washington Journal: 7:45am – Gail Russell Chaddock, Christian Science Monitor, Senior Congressional Correspondent & Scott Wilson, Washington Post, White House Correspondent.  8:30am – Ben Baldanza, Spirit Airlines, President & CEO.  9:15am – Laura Hayman, University of Massachusetts – Boston, Associate Dean for Research.

ABC’s This Week: Bank Reform. White House Economic Adviser Austan Goolsbee defends the President’s plan. Then Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN). Roundtable: George Will, Paul Krugman, Cynthia Tucker, and former Fox VP of Business News Alexis Glick.

Amanpour.

CBS’ Face The Nation: Lawrence Summers, Director, National Economic Council, Thomas Friedman, Michael Lewis.

Chris Matthews: Katty Kay BBC; Andrew Sullivan The Atlantic; David Ignatius The Washington Post; Kelly O’Donnell NBC News.  Topics: Does Obama Want A Fight On Wall Street Reform Or To Move On To Immigration?  Is the Extreme Anti-Washington Rhetoric Seditious?

CNN’s State of the Union: Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D-MI). Topics include the economy in Michigan as well as the speculaton of Gov. Granholm being a possible Supreme Court nominee.  Then Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ).

Fareed Zakaria – GPS: Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner.  Roundtable: Eliot Spitzer, Slate columnist and former NY governor and attorney general; Andrew Ross Sorkin, the chief mergers and acquisitions reporter for the New York Times and author of Too Big to Fail; Martin Wolf, Financial Times’ chief economics commentator; and Amity Shlaes, Bloomberg columnist and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Fox News Sunday: The Debt Commission with Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles.  Then Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY).  Fox News AllStars: Brit Hume, Mara Liasson, Bill Kristol, Juan Williams.

NBC’s Meet The Press: Financial Reform with the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Banking Committee, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) & Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL).  Roundtable: David Brooks, Erin Burnett, Michele Norris, Evan Thomas.

Newsmakers: The top Republican on the House Appropriations Cmte. Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA), talks about the role of the bipartisan Debt Commission and his views that it is essentially “a political tool and not a real tool.”

Q & A: Presidential historians Richard Norton Smith and Douglas Brinkley. They talk about their work and their profession.

Religion & Ethics: Catholic Abuse Scandal.  Muslim Home Schooling.  Haiti: A Personal Journey.  “My Jesus Year” A rabbi’s son searches for “true spirituality” among Christians.

60 Minutes: The Narrative – A former member of a Muslim extremist group tells Lesley Stahl the reason for the increase in home-grown jihadists like the U.S. Army major accused of shooting 13 at Ft. Hood is an ideology called “the narrative,” which states America is at war with Islam.  Boosting Brain Power – More people are illegally boosting their brain power by using prescription “smart drugs” like Ritalin and Aderall, meant for those with attention deficit disorders.  Competing Against Time – Byron Pitts reports from the construction site of the future Bay Bridge from San Francisco to Oakland, CA, where there’s a race to complete the new, earthquake-resistant span alongside the old structure.

To The Contrary: Topics:  1- Title IX muscles up; 2- More Democratic female candidates than Republicans; 3- Ending elder abuse.  Panelists: Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD); Conservative Commentator Tara Setmayer; Global Summit of Women President Irene Natividad; and Independent Women’s Forum’s Nicole Kurokawa.  TTC online extra: Immigration Reform On Deck? Will it hurt Democrats to take up immigration reform before the mid-term elections?

Univision’s Al Punto: Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL); State Rep. Steve Montenegro (R-AZ); President Bill Clinton; Actor and Activist Edward James Olmos.

Virtually Speaking: Eve Gittelson and watertiger.  “Eve is a high profile Daily Kos diarist writing about health care. watertiger blogs at dependablerenegade.com [and FDL].”

C-SPAN’s Book TV.

FDL Book Salon: America’s Cold War: The Politics of Insecurity. “The United States dealt effectively with the threats of Soviet predominance in Europe and of nuclear war in the early years of the conflict. But in engineering this policy, American leaders successfully paved the way for domestic actors and institutions with a vested interest in the struggle’s continuation.” Chat with Campbell Craig and Fred Logevall about their new book, 5pm ET.

FDL Movie Night Monday: Prodigal Sons.  “Filmmaker Kimberly Reed dives headfirst into an unflinching portrait of her family that is absolutely engrossing and marks her coming-out, in more ways than one. Returning home to a small town in Montana for her high school reunion, Reed hopes for reconciliation with her long-estranged adopted brother. But along the way PRODIGAL SONS uncovers stunning revelations, including a blood relationship with Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth, intense sibling rivalries and unforeseeable twists of plot and gender.”  Chat with  Kimberly Reed and host Lisa Derrick, 8pm ET.

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Late Late Night FDL: The Screwball
Woody Woodpecker in The Screwball. This Universal Pictures Walt Lantz Productions cartoon was released on February 15, 1943.

Woody Woodpecker in The Screwball.  This Universal Pictures Walt Lantz Productions cartoon was released on February 15, 1943.

Produced by Walter Lantz.  Directed by Alex Lovy.  Animated by Verne Harding.  Written by Ben Hardaway and Milt Schaffer.  Vocal Talent by Ben Hardaway (Woody Woodpecker), and Mel Blanc (Woody’s Laugh).  Music by Darrell Calker.

What’s on your mind?

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Palin E-Mail Hacker Could Get 50 Years Behind Bars
Remember that guy who allegedly broke into Sarah Palin’s Yahoo e-mail account back in 2008? Well, it turns out he’s in federal court in Knoxville, Tenn., facing 50 years in the slammer if convicted of the criminal charges. Palin spent 45 minutes in the witness box Friday, declaring that the hacking had caused a major disruption in her personal and political life. —JCL The Guardian: Sarah Palin today addressed the jury at the criminal trial of the man accused of hacking into her email account during the 2008 presidential election campaign. Palin spent 45 minutes in the witness box in a federal court in Knoxville, Tennessee where David Kernell, 22, faces up to 50 years in prison if found guilty of four charges. Palin told the court that the “disturbance” to her email had disrupted her personal and political life. “If the intent was to disrupt it, it was successful. It caused a huge disruption in the campaign,” she said. Read more

Remember that guy who allegedly broke into Sarah Palin’s Yahoo e-mail account back in 2008? Well, it turns out he’s in federal court in Knoxville, Tenn., facing 50 years in the slammer if convicted of the criminal charges.

Palin spent 45 minutes in the witness box Friday, declaring that the hacking had caused a major disruption in her personal and political life. —JCL

The Guardian:

Sarah Palin today addressed the jury at the criminal trial of the man accused of hacking into her email account during the 2008 presidential election campaign.

Palin spent 45 minutes in the witness box in a federal court in Knoxville, Tennessee where David Kernell, 22, faces up to 50 years in prison if found guilty of four charges.

Palin told the court that the “disturbance” to her email had disrupted her personal and political life. “If the intent was to disrupt it, it was successful. It caused a huge disruption in the campaign,” she said.

Read more

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Death by Firing Squad
In a throwback to Utah’s Wild West past, convicted murderer Ronnie Lee Gardner has requested, as per state law, to be executed by firing squad. The request sets the stage for what almost certainly will be a contested debate on capital punishment. Gardner would be only the third person to be killed by the method in the U.S. since 1976. —JCL The BBC: A convicted murderer in the US state of Utah has chosen to be executed by firing squad. When given a choice between lethal injection or being shot, Ronnie Lee Gardner told the judge: “I would like the firing squad, please.” Of the 35 US states that have the death penalty, Utah is the only one to give firing squads as an option. Critics say the method is a relic from the state’s Wild West past and should be abolished. Read more

In a throwback to Utah’s Wild West past, convicted murderer Ronnie Lee Gardner has requested, as per state law, to be executed by firing squad. The request sets the stage for what almost certainly will be a contested debate on capital punishment. Gardner would be only the third person to be killed by the method in the U.S. since 1976. —JCL

The BBC:

A convicted murderer in the US state of Utah has chosen to be executed by firing squad.

When given a choice between lethal injection or being shot, Ronnie Lee Gardner told the judge: “I would like the firing squad, please.”

Of the 35 US states that have the death penalty, Utah is the only one to give firing squads as an option.

Critics say the method is a relic from the state’s Wild West past and should be abolished.

Read more

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• April 16, 2010 Gays Get Hospital Visitation Rights
• March 25, 2010 President Obama Calls for ‘End to Repression’ in Cuba

Roger Hickey: This Week: Obama’s Deficit Commission – or Pete Peterson’s?
On Wednesday Wall Street multi-billionaire Peter G. Peterson, who has pledged to spend a billion dollars to panic Americans about deficits in order to get…

Arianna Huffington: Sunday Roundup
In case you missed it, this week saw the launch of HuffPost Hill, our afternoon email newsletter covering the Washington political scene — from what’s happening on the Hill and who’s in and who’s out at the White House to the latest DC news and buzz. It’s a new media spin on the old afternoon newspaper — both a breezy and useful daily recap and a timely look at what’s ahead — made to be read on your handheld. You can sign up here. And if you, like the rest of the world, are getting lost in the complexity and opacity of the financial reform debate, let our new video editor Ben Craw be your guide through the myriad metaphors the media have used to explain things — starting with the Goldman Sachs fraud case. And here’s a link to his earlier video mashups.

Valerie Taliman: United States Re-examines Opposition to UN Declaration
NEW YORK – Political tides are turning as international support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples continues to grow, putting…

Civil Rights Advocates Vow To Challenge Arizona Immigration Law
PHOENIX — Arodi Berrelleza isn’t one of the targets of Arizona’s new anti-illegal immigration law – he’s a U.S. citizen. But the 18-year-old high school…

Numerous Fox Newsers embrace and defend racial profiling aspect of AZ immigration law

In recent days, numerous Fox News personalities have voiced support for Arizona’s new controversial immigration law that requires law enforcement to demand immigration papers of those they suspect to be in the country illegally, which many argue will lead to racial profiling. In doing so, these Fox News figures have embraced and defended the law, including the potential for racial profiling, by arguing, among other things, that “people may have to endure some inconvenience.”

Law and “racial profiling … will go hand in hand”

Arizona Republic: Law “will require anyone whom police suspect of being in the country illegally to produce” immigration documents. An April 24 Arizona Republic article reported:

Arizona’s immigration law, now considered the toughest in the nation, makes it a state crime to be in the country illegally and requires local police to enforce federal immigration laws. It will require anyone whom police suspect of being in the country illegally to produce “an alien registration document,” such as a green card or other proof of citizenship, such as a passport or Arizona driver’s license.

It also makes it illegal to impede the flow of traffic by picking up day laborers for work. A day laborer who gets picked up for work, and traffic is impeded in the process, would also be committing a criminal act.

NY Times: “Opponents have called it an open invitation for harassment and discrimination against Hispanics.” As the New York Times noted on April 24: “Opponents have called it an open invitation for harassment and discrimination against Hispanics regardless of their citizenship status.” The Times added: “It requires police officers, ‘when practicable,’ to detain people they reasonably suspect are in the country without authorization and to verify their status with federal officials, unless doing so would hinder an investigation or emergency medical treatment.”

Arizona Daily Star: “Racial profiling, SB 1070 will go hand in hand.” The Arizona Daily Star wrote in an April 16 editorial that the bill “would turn legal residents into police targets, as well as those who are here illegally. It would foment racial profiling of Hispanics. … Civil libertarians and immigrant-rights groups say the Arizona bill will spur racial profiling. We agree, and we doubt that many of its provisions are constitutional.

Fox Newsers embrace and defend law’s potential for racial profiling

Crowder: Nothing wrong with law’s racial profiling. During the April 23 edition of Fox News’ Hannity, Fox News contributor Steven Crowder said that there’s racial profiling in the law and “I don’t think there’s really anything wrong as far as racial profiling, stopping people who are coming in illegally. I mean, you’re not looking for a blond haired, blue eyed Swede most of the time.”

Gutfeld: Racial profiling a no-brainer. On the April 21 edition of Fox News’ Hannity, Red Eye host Greg Gutfeld said of the law: “A lot of the critics are saying this is racial profiling. Duh! They’re coming from another country. That’s what you do. You have to look at them and see who they are before you know they’re legal or illegal. I don’t think that’s a fair criticism.”

Gallagher dismisses racial profiling concerns. On the April 23 edition of his Salem Radio program, radio host and Fox News contributor Mike Gallagher told Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace, “Sign it, baby, sign it” and that the Arizona legislature is his “new hero.” After Wallace noted concerns about civil liberties, Gallagher said that “it’s racial profiling, to be sure, cops know if there’s a van full of dark-skinned men with lawnmowers packed into the back of a pick-up truck…that’s what they’re talking about.”

Malkin: “Arizona: Doing the job the feds won’t do.” Michelle Malkin praised the law in an April 23 post on her blog, writing: “GOP Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has signed the nation’s toughest immigration enforcement bill. They’re doing the job the feds won’t do – taking the law and our borders seriously to protect the health, safety, and welfare of our citizens first. Cue the ACLU lawyers, the open-borders lobby, and the race-card players. And watch the Left show you what intolerance is really all about.” Malkin, who wrote the book In Defense of Internment: The Case for Racial Profiling in World War II and the War on Terror, also wrote that some are “whining about Arizona becoming a ‘police state.’”

Hume: “Some people are going to have to endure inconvenience as opposed to everybody.” On the April 19 edition of The O’Reilly Factor, Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume appeared to dismiss concerns about racial profiling, stating that “if it’s an effective law enforcement technique done in good faith, people may have to endure some inconvenience. What we’re saying here is that some people are going to have endure inconvenience as opposed to everybody having to endure it.”

Some Fox Newsers disagree: Bill is “draconian” and “goes way too far”

While numerous Fox News personalities have embraced and defended the racial profiling aspect of the Arizona law, some Fox News personalities have criticized it. For instance, Mike Huckabee said on Fox & Friends that the courts will find the law “problematic” because “there is no such thing” as “American looking” person. Fox News contributor Fred Barnes said that the bill is “draconian” and “goes way too far.” Fox News contributor Charles Krauthammer said he was concerned about “illegals” but the bill “could lead to a lot of civil rights abuses.” And Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace said on Mike Gallagher’s program: “I’m not sure I like the idea that law enforcement can go up to anybody and say show me your identity card.”

Shady Anti-Financial Reform Group Using Ad Agency That Worked For Swift Boat Vets
The group Stop Too Big To Fail, which is employing a liberal-sounding message to fight the Wall Street reform legislation, is working with an advertising agency whose past clients include the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and myriad GOP campaigns.

Report: Feds Eyeing Crist Role In Probe Of Florida GOP Spending
Earlier this week we learned that federal authorities are investigating Florida Senate candidate Marco Rubio. Now, the St. Petersburg Times reports that investigators are interested in the role of Rubio’s opponent, Gov. Charlie Crist, in the seemingly ever-expanding scandal over lavish spending at the state GOP.

Bloch Attorney: I Am Pleased ‘Unnecessary’ Inquiry Is Over
The attorney for former Bush Administration official Scott Bloch, who was charged with contempt of Congress yesterday in the “Geeks on Call” case, says he is pleased the “unnecessary five year inquiry is over.”

Gov. Jan Brewer’s New AZ Fashion Police

The Second Great Depression Myth Rises Again
President Obama must think he has a real turkey on his hand with the financial regulation bills before Congress. How else to explain the revival of the “second Great Depression” myth in his speech at Cooper Union today? The second…



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Spitzer’s Test on Political Courage And List of Those Who Don’t Have It (When It Comes to Israel)
In Sunday’s Times Elliot Spitzer offers a succinct guide to whether or not your representative is any good. Toughness is not the issue. It’s easy to be tough if the selection of one’s target is driven by politics. The real…



Politics – Climate change – Environment – Israel – Activism

Rep. Steve King frustrated that GOP leadership is not fully embracing ObamaCare repeal.
On Thursday, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) appeared on the Scott Hennen Show to express his frustration with his Party’s division over whether to support a full repeal of ObamaCare and register its disapproval with all parts of the law: KING: And this should have happened almost instantly and spontaneously. And instead it’s going slow because there […]

On Thursday, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) appeared on the Scott Hennen Show to express his frustration with his Party’s division over whether to support a full repeal of ObamaCare and register its disapproval with all parts of the law:

KING: And this should have happened almost instantly and spontaneously. And instead it’s going slow because there are Republicans who are arguing they don’t want to have to be opposed to every component of ObamaCare. They want to nuance this a little bit. And whenever you get nuance, you get divided by the enemy. And they scatter you across the battlefield and take you apart. We’ve got to stand on this thing as a central square. And our leadership has been pretty good. Mike Pence has signed on to the bill and he’s been very clear in where he stands. I don’t have John Boehner signed on yet. I don’t have Eric Cantor signed on. A number of the other people in leadership have not.

Watch it:

For all their uncertainty behind closed doors, Republicans are still insisting that they will be running on some form of repeal. Earlier this month, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) said repealing this bill “has to be our No. 1 priority.”

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