Jack & Jill Politics

Umm I'm wondering when will these people be arrested for disorderly conduct just as Mr. Gates was arrested (on his own porch) for the same cause?

I continue to be impressed with the way Rachel Maddow absolutely breaks it down like no other.

At the same time, I'm continually outraged that MSNBC would never allow a Black or Brown person to do the same thing.

FL-Sen: Martinez is pulling a Palin
by kos
Share this on Twitter - FL-Sen: Martinez is pulling a Palin Fri Aug 07, 2009 at 08:26:30 AM PDT
Never a dull moment this cycle.

Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Fla.) will be resigning from the Senate, according to several senior Republican sources familiar with his thinking.

He made the announcement at a morning staff meeting, where he said he will not be returning to the Senate after the August recess.

Martinez announced he wasn’t seeking re-election to the Senate last December, but he had insisted that he would be serving out the remainder of his term, which expires in 2011.

“This was a closely-held and guarded secret and came as a surprise to all of us,” said one senior Florida Republican operative.

Martinez has been rumored to be interested in the presidential opening at Florida State University, but had denied the speculation. The position just opened up in June, after university president T.K. Wetherell announced he was stepping down.

The seat will be filled by a gubernatorial appointment until next year's elections. And conveniently enough, Gov. Charlie Crist is running for Senate. Why not appoint himself and give himself a 1-year head-start of incumbency advantage?

National and Florida Republican sources say it's near-certain that Crist will not appoint himself, and instead is expected to appoint a placeholder to fill the seat through the 2010 election.

How would these sources know what Crist will do if Martinez just dropped this bombshell this morning? Still, staying put would make more sense -- serving in the Senate would pull him further away from home, making it harder to campaign and tainting him with the stench of DC. Furthermore, he already has the "incumbency advantage" by virtue of being governor, so he doesn't need an extra boost in name recognition,

On the other hand, the budget situation in Florida is dire, and it would be nice for him to punt those problems to someone else. He'll undoubtedly give serious consideration to appointing himself, even if he's not likely to do so in the end.

The biggest losers will likely be Democrats -- the most reasonable Republicans are retiring Republicans, and Martinez was getable on a number of important votes (like immigration reform). Now, Crist will likely have to appoint a raving wingnut to protect his right flank in his primary.

Race tracker wiki: FL-Sen
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/8/7/7631...

"Martinez has been rumored to be interested in the presidential opening at Florida State University,"

Bad move, he needs to look over at FL House and talk to Ray Sansom

AFTERNOON OPEN THREAD IS UP

Keep Your Goddamn Government Hands Off My Medicare!

Snippet:

I can only hope that the "Keep your goddamn government hands off my Medicare!" people are exceptions and that a vast majority of Republican seniors understand that Medicare, Medicaid and the Veteran's Administration are all government-run health care systems. Put another way: they're actively and willingly participating in socialized medicine. So the seniors who understand the facts about the Medicare system and yet are screeching at town hall meetings about government-run health care are, well, insert your favorite colorful synonym for "freakishly colossal hypocrites" right about here.

Either these people have been so kerfluffled and enraged by the wingnutty "reparations" and "killing old people" lies they're hearing on AM radio that they've forgotten about the source of their current health insurance coverage, or they're fully aware of the fact that they are, indeed, beneficiaries of socialism, but they refuse to allow anyone else to participate in a similar program. You know, because socialized medicine is bad. Except for them.

The clip of the person that said that foolish line about the government needing to keep its hands off HIS medicare....that needs to be a commercial. That needs to be replayed, looped, over and over - to show how incredibly STUPID the GOP has really become.

New Rules for Radicals
http://www.denverpost.com/harsanyi/ci_13010417

Like a fool I went and stayed too long
Now I'm wondering if your love's still strong
Oo, baby, here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!

Then that time I went and said goodbye
Now I'm back and not ashamed to cry
Oo, baby, here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!

Here I am baby
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours
(You got my future in your hands)
Here I am baby
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours
(You got my future in your hands)

I've done a lot of foolish things
That I really didn't mean, didn't I?

Seen a lot of things in this old world
When I touch them, they mean nothing, girl
Oo, baby, here I am, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours!

Oowee baby, you set my soul on fire
That's why I know you're my heart's only desire

Here I am baby
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours
(You got my future in your hands)
Here I am baby
Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm yours
(You got my future in your hands)

Bob McDonnell's doing the Republican response to PBO's address tomorrow.

why? They aren't even in the same league.

Oh? LOL.

RNC invited him to do it.

How many times did you need to post that? LOL

Oh? LOL.

RNC invited him to do it.

Oh? LOL.

RNC invited him to do it.

Oh? LOL.

RNC invited him to do it.

Oh? LOL.

RNC invited him to do it.

Oh? LOL.

RNC invited him to do it.

Oh? LOL.

RNC invited him to do it.

Oh? LOL.

RNC invited him to do it.

Oh? LOL.

RNC invited him to do it.

Oh? LOL.

RNC invited him to do it.

Oh? LOL.

RNC invited him to do it.

Oh? LOL.

RNC invited him to do it.

They're not holding these townhalls in the most effective venues to have civil discussions.


Woman Who Said She Was ‘Just A Mom’ At Town Hall Meeting Is Exposed As A Republican Operative

Rep. Steve Kagen (D-WI) faced a “heated” discussion about health care at a town hall meeting yesterday, with people in the crowd who were heckling, interrupting, and filibustering him.

One vocal attendee was a woman named Heather Blish, who identified herself as “just a mom from a few blocks away” and “not affiliated with any political party.” When interviewed by the local NBC affiliate, Blish insisted she was not a member of the Republican Party. “I left the party,” she said. Blish’s statements, however, are distortions. From NBC’s report:

Her LinkedIn page shows something different. She was the vice chair of the Republican Party of Kewaunee County until last year. She worked on the John Gard campaign, who ran unsuccessfully against Kagen last year. And it says she’s a part of the Republican Party for Kagen’s district, as well as the Republican Party of Wisconsin, and the Republican National Committee.
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/07/woman-mom-gop/

Lying liars.

They really need to look at the locations where these townhalls are being held and ask, "hmmm, perhaps there's another venue where people will be more inclined to listen and ask questions in a more respectful manner". I can think of a few in every city where they've held them so far.

Kansas' two U.S. senators are blocking 10 of President Barack Obama's nominees for senior administration posts at the Pentagon and Justice Department in protest over a proposal to house Guantanamo detainees at the Fort Leavenworth prison.

Senators Block Obama Nominees, Protest Guantanamo

The list of blocked nominees includes a fellow Republican member of Congress - Obama's pick for Army secretary, Rep. John McHugh of New York.

Sens. Sam Brownback and Pat Roberts, both R-Kan., said Thursday that they are prepared to block the appointments until they get answers from the White House about the proposal. And they said they want Leavenworth taken off the list of potential relocation spots.

The senators were reacting to reports that the administration is eyeing the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Leavenworth and a soon-to-be-shuttered state maximum security prison in Michigan as possible places to establish a heavily guarded site to hold the 229 suspected al-Qaida, Taliban and foreign fighters now jailed at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba.

---

It appears the folks from KS are just grandstanding with a thin argument of legitimacy to block PBO nominees.

Standish, MI is clear in their position: Jobs trump security issues in prison town. Standish is ready to take the Gitmo detainees. Why couldn't the Sens. from KS act like grownups, walk over to Sens. from MI, make a deal, and allow the appointments to go forward?

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws has produced a psychedelic, '60s-style poster featuring a photo of college freshman "Barry" Obama smoking. Above his super-bad Panama hat is the slogan: Yes We Cannabis.

(Black Voices) Obama Pot Poster Angers Photographer

Artist Sonia Sanchez created the poster for NORML's annual conference using a picture taken at Occidental College in 1980 by the future president's classmate Lisa Jack. In the original photo, Obama is holding a real cigarette to his lips. Sanchez tweaked the smoking material to fit her theme, but otherwise the image is unchanged.

The pro-pot group never sought Jack's permission, even though it is selling the poster as well as giving it away to conference-goers, NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre acknowledged in an interview with The Washington Post.

Jack told the Post she's "very irritated" and does not want her work, which is on display at a Los Angeles gallery, used in this way.

Good morning, JJP:

I have nothing to contribute right now except this:

Ella Fitzgerald's performance of Midnight Sun is simply sublime.

Vintage Obama:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/06/becomi...

Today's Conversation: Can A White Person Successfully Give Up Their Privilege? http://tinyurl.com/kpc4oo

The media is covering everything but the dip in unemployment! If it had risen, it would have gotten round the clock coverage.

and if it had risen, republican senators and congress reps would have had a breakneck race to see who could get in front of a camera first

Local news is covering it. And that's really what's important.
I saw it this morning while getting ready for work.

They're not covering the stock market rising either.

The MSM is covering gloom, doom, and REAL American's FEAR of too much change, too fast, too soon!

America has NO FREE PRESS.

Rethugs response to unemployment numbers: House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio, reacting to the jobless numbers, criticized Democrats for what he called their "job-killing agenda"

They want to see Obama fail.

The President's liberal agenda is what conservatives oppose. Obama is not centrist, moderate, or pragmatic. Eyes are being opened.

Bait and switch.

...and you're spewing BULLSHIT.

If President Obama walked on water, you'd say he couldn't swim.

h/t SOS Clinton

Republicans have been in charge for 24 of the last 36 years, including the previous 8. Don't try to act like everything was peachy keen until Obama took office ---it was George W. Bush who came out last September looking like a scared horse about to be shipped off to the glue factory, telling us if we didn't pass his 750B stimulus right away we'd be in Great Depression 2: Electric Bugaloo by the following week.

Its no use...rethugs conveniently twist and contort, distract and outright LIE about the previous administration - just like they do the current administration. Its no use trying to engage these nitwits as if they can logically think.

8 years of bush, 12 years of a rethug controlled congress and 30 years of Reaganism has left us broke, a government that doesn't work for its citizens,a war in Iraq that is a war crime,civil rights in tatters, the Constitution that has been shredded and a populace that is defined for its greed and ignorance.Mission Accomplish.

Listening to Kathleen Sebelius speak is like watching paint dry. It's just painful!

Glenn Beck Jokes About Putting Poison In Nancy Pelosi's Wine (VIDEO)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/06/glenn-...

Glenn Beck joked about adding poison to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's glass of wine on his show on Thursday afternoon.

As the Fox News host imagined what it would be like to go to a Pelosi fundraiser, a staffer sat across the table from him wearing a Pelosi mask.

As the staffer raised a glass of red wine to her lips, Beck demanded, "Drink it. Drink it. Drink it."

He then added, "I wanted to thank you for having me over here in wine country... By the way, I put poison in your... No. I look forward to all the policy discussions we're supposed to have. You know, on health care, energy reform, and the economy.


Glenn Beck has got to go! Keep working on the advertisers Color of Change.

i'm telling you...he's on that dope again

rikyrah -

I don't know a thing about Beck and his habits past or current. I know that he is the epitome of Elbert Hubbard's quote:

"Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped."

"Again"?? You mean before, that was just him?

I know, right? WTH was wrong with him before?

Glenn Beck was crying this morning about how the town halls have descended into violence and urged his listeners not to fall into the trap of doing something stupid.

HE'S THE ONE FOMENTING VIOLENCE!!!

He's on drugs. I'm not kidding.

you-me

justlikethis

We see him. He is fooling no one. He has got to go!

When is the Justice Department going to issue a warrant for Glenn Beck's arrest?

Threatening the life of the Speaker of the House of Representatives should earn him jail time, shouldn't it?

Don't hold your breath....

Why? If a black man was saying the very same things, he'd have been in jail.

I'm just saying it's not gonna happen.

White privilege. That.is.all.

The Coming Civil War
Ron Ewert
National Association of Rural Landowners

Dear Mr. Ewert,

People are always saying "Elections have consequences." Unfortunately, the consequences they list are usually things like Supreme Court appointments, passing legislation, etc. They never list two of the most important consequences--the ones you promote so often in your videos: civil war and revolution.

That's a shame, because it means that our fellow citizens don't understand that if they don't like the outcome of an election, they can always grab up their guns and go to war against their wrong-voting neighbors. Sure, the Obamunists might be in the majority, but, frankly, they're less likely to own guns and less inclined to kill than we are, so I'd say we have the advantage.

In your video, "The Coming Civil War," You issue an ultimatum ordering the Obamunists to cease and desist promoting or passing a number of policies and legislative initiatives. If they fail to do so, you warn them that we will go to war. The list includes:


No amnesty for illegal aliens.
No national health care.
No gun control or gun control treaties.
No food control legislation.
No cap and trade lunacy
No Clean Water Restoration Act
No environmental lunacy
No more stimulus and bailout legislation
No to any more Federal Reserve power
No Real ID and PASS Act
No closing Guantanamo Bay
I'm wondering if it's all or nothing or if it's negotiable. Do we start shooting our neighbors if they drop everything else but still close Gitmo? If not, is there any kind of ranking? Is the Clean Water Restoration Act more important than, say, gun control. Are there one or two things that are non-negotiable? Should I bomb Aunt Beulah's house if the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009 becomes law.

I'd appreciate it if you could provide a little clarification.

Heterosexually yours,

Gen. JC. Christian, patriot

p.s. I love your no trespassing signs. It's about time someone warned the state agriculture guys they'll be shot if they start nosing around the dairy barn.
http://patriotboy.blogspot.com/2009/08/coming-c...

Someone seeking to fill the vacuum of the birthers and teabaggers?

I'm 26 today :o)

Its your birthday and I know you want to ri-i-i-ide out!

sorry - that irritating song is now the first thing I think of when I hear or see the word "birthday"! LOL

*dead*

happy Birthday dear Muzikallllllllll

Happy birthday to youuuuuuuuu :-)

Happy Birthday (Cue Stevie Wonder...) Hope the LSAT? test went well for you.When do you get the results?

Sorry, Bar Exam

results come out on October 31

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Muzikal203!! Be sure to really celebrate this weekend. I'll be right behind you next month. :-)

Just remember that Virgos rule the world, but you can have your special day today. :-)

Actually, LEOS rule the world. What's Barack Obama? That's right. . . a LEO

Touche'.

You have a point, but a Virgo can push President Obama off the news for weeks. (Michael Jackson- R.I.P.) And we still run shit. ;-) Happy Birthday.

Nah, i think you are in some SERIOUS denial. LOL. Barack Obama, a Leo, is the first Black President :o) Sorry, but first Black President trumps Michael Jackson. LOL

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Happy Birthday to You!!!! I will be 23 on Tuesday! Leos!!!!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Bday. Don't party too hard this weekend. We need you back...

Happy Early Birthday Rhondacoca. Best wishes to you.

What Rikyrah said! Happy Birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU TOO....23...you are far too smart for someone so young.

Happy Birthday! :-)

Happy Birthday, Muzikal! Keep shinning your bright & peaceful light.

Hap-py Birthday to you
Hap-py Birthday to you
Hap-py Birrrrthday!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Muzikal!

Best Wishes for a Wonderful Day.

Happy Birthday!! Enjoy!

Happy Birthday!

David Sirota: I know I should be mortified by the lobbyist-organized mobs of angry Brooks Brothers mannequins who are now making headlines by shutting down congressional town hall meetings. I know I should be despondent during this, the Khaki Pants Offensive in the Great American Health Care and Tax War. And yet, I’m euphorically repeating one word over and over again with a big grin on my face. Finally.

(Truth Dig) The Me-First, Screw-Everyone-Else Crowd

Finally, there’s no pretense. Finally, the Me-First, Screw-Everyone-Else Crowd’s ugliest traits are there for all to behold.

The group’s core gripe is summarized in a letter I received that denounces a proposed surtax on the wealthy and corporations to pay for universal health care:

“Until recently, my family was in the top 3 percent of wage earners,” the affluent businessperson fumed in response to my July column on taxes. “We are in the group that pays close to 60 percent of this nation’s taxes ... Think for a second how you would feel if you built a business and contributed more than your share to this country only to be treated like a pariah.”

This sob story about the persecuted rich fuels today’s “Tea Parties”—and I’m sure you’ve heard some version of it in your community.

I’m also fairly certain that when many of you run into the Me-First, Screw-Everyone-Else Crowd, you don’t feel like confronting the faux outrage. But on the off chance you do muster the masochistic impulse to engage, here’s a guide to navigating the conversation:

What They Will Scream: We can’t raise business taxes, because American businesses already pay excessively high taxes!

What You Should Say: Here’s the smallest violin in the world playing for the businesses. The Government Accountability Office reports that most U.S. corporations pay zero federal income tax. Additionally, as even the Bush Treasury Department admitted, America’s effective corporate tax rate is the third lowest in the industrialized world.

What They Will Scream: But the rich still “pay close to 60 percent of this nation’s taxes!”

What You Should Say: Such statistics refer only to the federal income tax. When considering all of “this nation’s taxes” including payroll, state and local levies, the top 5 percent pay just 38.5 percent of the taxes

What They Will Scream: But 38.5 percent is disproportionately high! See? You’ve proved that the rich “contribute more than their share” of taxes!

What You Should Say: Actually, they are paying almost exactly “their share.” According to the data, the wealthiest 5 percent of America pays 38.5 percent of the total taxes precisely because they make just about that share—a whopping 36.5 percent!—of total national income. Asking these folks to pay slightly more in taxes—and still less than they did during the go-go 1990s—is hardly extreme..

Look at the big picture here.

Obama has pulled a Bait and Switch on the independents, conservative Democrats, Republican moderates and centrists who voted him into office.

Would not looking at the big picture requires looking at 1) the process of passing a bill and all parties involved; 2) the 300+ former congresscritters now on the Hill acting a lobbyists to change their former colleagues minds; 3) the amount of money pressed into the palms of current Congresspersons; and 4) the source that makes the claim that PBO pulled a bait and switch?

1, 2 & 3) Dems control Congress. Dems need to get their party behind the bill. Progressives and Blue Dogs are the parties involved.
Obama has already cut deals with all but the health insurance industry.

Tauzin's Pharma Lobbying Efforts "Blessed" By White House
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/04/tauzin...

RE: Bait and switch

1)TAXES. Taxes on wealthy individuals who voted for Obama were willing to pay a bit more but THIS MUCH! New Yorkers and others will see their marginal tax rate increase to as much as 60%.

Many of the President's supporters in the upper brackets of politics, who were expected to bear the burden of his “sacrifice” by meekly mailing in higher federal tax payments, are shocked at how high their top marginal rates could go.

"This is especially true in high-tax Democratic utopias such as New York City, the famous ATM of Clinton-era fundraising, where the top marginal rate for all taxes could hit 60% if the health surtax is imposed. Mayor Mike Bloomberg is competing with Mr. Obama to pull tax revenue out of the same base of taxpayers, and Sen. Chuck Schumer wants to tap them for campaign contributions. Ask these two politicians what they’re hearing from this high-value swath of the Democratic base?"

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240529702...

The rich can't pay for it all and the middle class ($250,000 and under) is in the government's sights. The promise of no taxes on the middle class will soon be broken and the American people know it.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/ar...

2)Health Care Reofrm. For years, Democratic politicians said the health-care problem was about “47 million uninsured Americans.” Whatever the merits, many people were willing to do something for those with no health insurance. Suddenly, these voters discovered that 'health insurance reform' is about them. When did that happen?

People don't like the public option because they know it is a path to single payer.

http://www.breitbart.tv/uncovered-video-obama-e...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3BS4C9el98

What do the GOP amendments to this Senate health care bill actually say?

"The Senate heath care bill contains 160 Republican amendments. Lisa Murkowsi of Alaska told the New York Times that, while it was "pretty impressive" that 20 of her amendments were accepted...."

This is obviously not just a Democrats bill. Have you reviewed and assessed the 160 Repubs amendments in the health care bill? Are you equally unhappy with the GOP portion of the bill?

"The rich can't pay for it all and the middle class ($250,000 and under) is in the government's sights."

Posted on JJP middle-class for tax purposes is $350K.

"People don't like the public option because they know it is a path to single payer."

That statement is in conflict with Republican strategist's Frank Lutz's assessment and warning to GOP posted on JJP yesterday.

The last paragraph is the most valid.
You ae only getting inot a distracting pisssing match discussing corporations as the rich. Most welathy people are small business owners. They pay personal income taxes.

Unemployment claims DOWN. Rate remains at 9.4% THANK GOD! This gives the President some breathing room and an opportunity to push the reset button.

that is freaking AWESOME. I didn't expect a slowdown until the first to the middle of 2010. That is a good thing.

I heard that on Morning Joe! Good news.

I hear you! The rate actually fell from 9.5% to 9.4%. Conservatives were praying for a rise in the unemployment rate.

It fell! Even better news!!! Let's see how the media covers it. They were prepared to fun news all day unemployment hit 10%!

This health care issue is about to come off the tracks and turn into a freak show. Pundits, pontificators, commentators, comedians, mugs, thugs, and jugs all have something to say and sell.

It's time for PBO and the Dems to ram it, cram it, and jam it into law. And then move the hell on.

"It's time for PBO and the Dems to ram it, cram it, and jam it into law. And then move the hell on."

well said.

The reason they look like losers is because they are acting like losers. At this point, failure is not an option for the surival of the presidency as well as the Democratic majority. I'm with you, ram it through and let the chips however they will.

[T]he latest example of extreme right-wing demagoguery in Tampa on Thursday, this time inspired by right-wing Fox News's Glenn Beck: "In a stunning display of anger, Florida Republicans and fans of Fox editorialist Glenn Beck turned a Tampa healthcare forum into a “near riot”

(Alter Net) Right-Wing Turncoat Gives the Inside Scoop on Why Conservatives Are Rampaging Town Halls

The Republican Old Guard are in the fix an atheist would be in if Jesus showed up and raised his mother from the dead: Their world view has just been shattered. Obama's election has driven them over the edge. Consider Former Congressman Dick Armey. Several far right foundations and the multitrillion dollar health-insurance industry have teamed up with him to organize the far right foot soldiers of the Republican Party to intimidate people speaking on behalf of health-care reform. They are using my old shock troops -- given many of these folks were first energized by the Evangelical pro-life movement that my late father and I started in the 1970s. What we did to clinics they are now doing to congressmen and others speaking out for health care reform.

Having failed at the ballot box, having watched their Fox News-organized "tea parties" fizzle the intimidation tactics which the Republicans have embraced are being used in a well-financed, top-down orchestrated fake grass roots campaign by corporate interests to try and protect the profits of the insurance business. Armey's FreedomWorks is organizing against health care reform. Armey's lobbying firm represents pharmaceutical companies including Bristol-Myers Squibb. Armey's lobbying firm also represents the trade group for the life insurance industry. FreedomWorks is supporting the status quo at all costs. (They are also fans of fossil fuels. Armey's lobbying firm represents Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister of the UAE, on energy related issues.)

In a stunning display of anger, Florida Republicans and fans of Fox editorialist Glenn Beck turned a Tampa healthcare forum into a “near riot”

************************************************************************************
What is upsetting is how the Right is exalting in Beck and Limbaugh's incendiary antics which may further incite disturbed white men--from taking action. All these white people who supposedly voted Obama into office have remained complacently silent--thus singaling complicity. Its upsetting to see this kind of blatant hatred for a president and if something should happen this country may very well be set back to the 19th century.

Then will they still find some tortured logic to blame Black people?

Providing that the majority (60%) of whites did not vote for Obama...they are in the majority.It is sad but can I say that it is expected.

Why are you shocked by your party's antics?

I'm not Republican. Its upsetting witnessing this kind of malignancy for a president which is unparalleled--even Clinton at his worse with his sexual indiscretions and lies didn't recieve so much outright loathing--then Obama--30 death threats a day--400% more than any other president.

Its been shoved down Black people's throats that the majority of White people voted for Obama and he couldn't have won the election without their agency, yet not one of them have protested these kinds of oviously racially motivated acts--and all I hear is that many have buyer's remorse.

"Then will they still find some tortured logic to blame Black people?"

Of course. Over centuries they have used the same type of tortured logic as the birthers and teabaggers to justify creating manufactured consent for public policy that re-enslaves and re-impoverish Black people.

The prev admin removed all pretext of "logic" for their actions, they just dared you to respond. Political analysts were mortified, one said something similar to "all the wheels have fell off the wagon".

The media claims to be analyzing this admin, if they want to do a service for the public, they need to analyze that abomination of the past eight years. Because, you can not understand or assess what PBO is facing or need to do unless you truly know what he inherited.

Of course I agree but I keep hearing the arch criticism that going back and discussing the past is tantmount to Obama covering up for his own failures and inadequacies to reign in the colossal mess that he has to deal with by conveniently blaming Bush. Regan did it to highlight Carter's inadquacies and Clintin did it to BushI, but somehow when Obama does it--he's coping out and rendered weak.

Obama's dilemna is yet another example of you are damned if you do--damned if you don't that a lot of Black people often face.

The point that I am making, no one can solve a problem or offer suggestions how to solve a problem, unless the problem is understood and correctly defined.

"discussing the past is tantmount to Obama covering up for his own failures and inadequacies to reign in the colossal mess that he has to deal with by conveniently blaming Bush. Regan did it to highlight Carter's inadquacies and Clintin did it to BushI, but somehow when Obama does it--he's coping out and rendered weak."

Huh?

I was agreeing with you.

I was inadequately attempting to explain the Right's criticism of Obama of always harking back to Bush's legacy as the reason behind his own policy decisions. They see it as a weakness--and I have heard discussions to the effect that the past is the past and he should let it go, etc. since he is the president now--he should own this mess. I was illustrating that past presidents have done the same thing of highlighting the deficiencies of past presidencies, in order to pass their own legislation in which they have never been faced with such fierce obstruction, compared to Obama.

To me it is unprecendented.

Perfect description.

Then will they still find some tortured logic to blame Black people?

Yes. They have and they will.

I'd just like to point out that the uniformed black man who appears at the beginning of the video is a police officer.

He also looked like he was the only cop there.

There were more outside, at some point. But the point I'm making is...what was that advice from all those white people about not talking back to policemen, and following their directions, again?

Of course, when a white person does it--they have legitmate jusitifcation--when Blacks do it we are just unruly.

I see - your point that is. Yeah there was some shit talking going on - inside AND outside. He did a good job handling it from I saw, especially when that one woman (in blue I think, with glasses) was getting in his face.

I also meant "inside."

The recent attacks by Republican leaders and their ideological fellow-travelers on the effort to reform the health-care system have been so misleading, so disingenuous, that they could only spring from a cynical effort to gain partisan political advantage. By poisoning the political well, they've given up any pretense of being the loyal opposition. They've become political terrorists, willing to say or do anything to prevent the country from reaching a consensus on one of its most serious domestic problems.

Republicans Propagating Falsehoods in Attacks on Health-Care Reform

There are lots of valid criticisms that can be made against the health reform plans moving through Congress -- I've made a few myself. But there is no credible way to look at what has been proposed by the president or any congressional committee and conclude that these will result in a government takeover of the health-care system. That is a flat-out lie whose only purpose is to scare the public and stop political conversation.

Under any plan likely to emerge from Congress, the vast majority of Americans who are not old or poor will continue to buy health insurance from private companies, continue to get their health care from doctors in private practice and continue to be treated at privately owned hospitals.

The centerpiece of all the plans is a new health insurance exchange set up by the government where individuals, small businesses and eventually larger businesses will be able to purchase insurance from private insurers at lower rates than are now generally available under rules that require insurers to offer coverage to anyone regardless of health condition. Low-income workers buying insurance through the exchange -- along with their employers -- would be eligible for government subsidies. While the government will take a more active role in regulating the insurance market and increase its spending for health care, that hardly amounts to the kind of government-run system that critics conjure up when they trot out that oh-so-clever line about the Department of Motor Vehicles being in charge of your colonoscopy.

'Political terrorists?" LOL

The 'public option' is a slow path to single payer government run health care. The President, Barney Frank and Jan Schkawosky are on the public record saying just that. The intended goal is single payer.

Exchanges will exist, but they will be filled with "qualified plans'.

What is a 'qualified plan?' A Government approved plan.

CLEARLY stated in the bill HR 3200 are regulations that state that IF your employer changes IN ANY WAY or drops your private coverage (even IF you like it) you will be automatically enrolled in the 'public option' where you will have a 'choice' of options SELECTED AND MANDATED by the federal government.

Further, Congress is looking to tax both employers AND employees for 'gold-plated' plans. TAXED out of the reach of most Americans.

The public option IS just what Obama, Frank and Schkawosky say it is. A way to eliminate private insurance OVER TIME and supplant it with a single payer system, and all that it implies.

I think we Democrats have a decision to make.Will we stand up to these hooligans or in the spirit of bipartisanship roll over and play dead?

More war rooms! America's Brown Shirts are well funded, capable of attracting media attention and rabid. We must respond as quickly as possible.
Bipartisanship is a myth.

"America's Brown Shirts are well funded, capable of attracting media attention and rabid"

The absolute imbalance in dissemination of information over airwaves suggests the Internet is the last front where an alternate point of view can be heard. And, complaints that PBO is on TV too much is just another effort to keep the talking heads slant and hold them up as oracles.

Man FUCK Bi-Partisanship.........GO ALL OUT AND PASS EVERYTHING WE WAN!

The horse trading on the Hill is all we got, for the next election everybody wants to be able to claim they brought the bacon home. And, I do understand its deeper than that, but there must be bargaining, My problem is the lobbyists in the middle of the process.

Sorry, my browser/disqus much be caching slowly. After refreshing page, I didn't see your early post before posting.

Normally, I would complain about Dems not moving fast enough to counter the Repubs. Watching the birthers, teabaggers, and the other fringe groups made me realize that you don't want to get in the middle of that self-destruction. As for more reasoned minds across the aisle, I believe they too realize that the health care industry in its current form must be shutdown.

Where is the President's passion on health care? As I mentioned earlier, I think it's striking how similar the President's transformation on health care is to Lincoln's transformation on emancipation. Certainly, he was always committed to health care reform, but I don't think anyone would have bet a year ago it would be the centerpiece of his administration. If you would have asked me a year ago if he would put his entire presidency on the line over health care in his first year or even his first term, I would have said hell no! He's much too pragmatic for that. And if you believe his presidency is not on the line, you're ignoring reality. I'll say it now, if health care reform doesn't pass, I don't expect him to run for a 2nd term. It's believed he made a promise to Teddy Kennedy to get health care reform passed before his death. That makes his gamble easier to understand, but it also makes it all the more difficult to understand the absence of passion from the President. Watching his response to the release of the journalists from Korea, I realized that's what is truly missing in his selling of health care. I don't expect him to do the Clinton "I feel your pain" act, but he can't continue to be compoletely emotionless. Juxtapose his reaction to the safe return of those journalists to Bill Clinton's. Bill Clinton's facial expression spoke volumes; whereas, the President offered only offered dry, lifeless, emotionless words that didn't match the euphoria of the nation. No doubt it left most Americans, at least most Democrats, missing Bill Clinton. It made the President look small in comparison. HIs behavior on the campaign trail aside, Bill Clinton understands how to connect with Americans on an emotional level. Hillary Clinton learned this lesson in the last stage of the primaries. There is NO doubt that if the Hillary Clinton that was on display from the Ohio primary on had been there from the start, she would have won. Hillary and Bill, with all of their lessons learned from their failed effort almost two decades ago, would be selling the hell out of this. You would see Bill's arms wrapped around the victims of the health care industry, hard working folks who lost their job and health care through no fault of their own. We would be hearing from folks who didn't support health care reform until they got sick and quickly learned the true worth or worthlessness of their policies. The Clintons understand you can NOT sell health care reform solely as a cost cutting measure, especially when your incompetent budget director, former head of the CBO, didn't have a clue how the CBO would score the costs. While Americans disapprove of how the President is handling health care, they overwhelmingly support public health care for the uninsured. The Clintons would know how to exploit that. They would make it a moral cause. "Am I my brother's keeper?!" would be the Clintons' rallying cry. What's the President's?

If I wanted Bill Clinton, I would have voted for Hillary.

If the Clintons were so damn thorough, then why didn't they get health care reform to pass when they were in office?

I didn't say they were thorough in '92. I said now. They have
learned a lot since '92. And as I pointed out earlier this week,
Clinton has the goodwill of the country behind him right now. It
would be smart politics for the President to capitalize on that. No
need to get salty. You don't support the President any more than the
rest of us, but we have to deal in the current reality, not convince
ourselves things are better than they are.

Uh...an eruption of bimbos?

"It's believed he made a promise to Teddy Kennedy to get health care reform passed before his death. That makes his gamble easier to understand, but it also makes it all the more difficult to understand the absence of passion from the President."

It is true that Obama promised Kennedy. When Ted called Obama to give him the endorsement, that was what he asked of Obama, will you support healthcare reform. Obama said yes. At the time Kennedy was not ill.

I do understand what you describe as 'lack of passion'....it does not strike me as indifference nor an inability to connect with people, rather it is a 'poker face'. Obama is a strategist and he makes brilliant tactic and strategic moves.

He did not send a healthinsurancereform bill to Congress, deliberately. Had he done so they could say it was his plan. Obama understood it was Congresses role to write the legislation, not his. His job is to negotiate and veto what he will not support.

But the ultimate objective is that Obama IS giving Congress and the GOP plenty of rope to hang themselves. And they are doing precisely that. Obama knows when to 'hold em'....he is doing very well.

Not sure why you feel the Clinitons were soooo connected to the people vs. Obama...cause on the campaign trail there were fewer than 5K people at HRC rallies, even with WJC in tow. Whereas, Obama had crowds at his rallies, of 10K, 15K, 20K in NYC, AUstin, Portland respectively.

Sometimes when we cannot see the end of the tunnel before us, we can lapse into nostalgia for the good 'ol days...as it appears you may be doing here. Neither Clinton, BillnorHill, was ready for the political climate of today and their way of doing politics is no longer the way forward.

Relax, sit back and know that Obama's biggest handicapp is that Kennedy is not in the Senate to ram this through, Ted would have ripped Baccus a new a-hole by now...and the BlueDogs as well.

And know this...Reaganomics was not passed with legislation...but reconciliation and that is likely how healthinsurancereform will pass..as part of the budget..which only needs 51 votes vs. 60....i.e. it can't be filibustered.

Obama told the GOP this at his very first Congressional address, that was NOT dubbed a 'state of the union"...did you watch that speech? Obama told the GOP precisely what he planned to do. You can see Boehner, Cantor grimace as they realize what he has just said.

This process right now is just Obama providing an opportunity for them to get on board....but make no mistake...it will be rammed, crammed through, with the GOP screeeching and howling the entire time.

Obama has the OMB, he does not need CBO (which is notoriously erroneous) who will come up with the figures that will be the budget for healthinsurance reform and it will be passed as reconciliation.

Keep your eyes on the prize.

So now we're using GOP talking points about crowd size? If crowd size
translates to votes, then get used to saying President Palin. You can
not discount the success Hillary had in the 2nd half of the primary
season. She lost by a razor thin margin. You can try as you might to
minimize the Clintons, but they have more credibility and support than
the President right now. Is it fair the public is so impatient? NO!
But it is what it is. I love the President as much as any of you, but
that is no justification for trying to convince myself he's not off
his game, which he is. The Obama, political genius, would have NEVER
fallen ass backwards into the Gates mess. He's off his game, period.
I'm not saying he won't get it back. It happens to the best of them,
from Ali to MJ. He just has to figure out how to pull out a win.

"So now we're using GOP talking points about crowd size?"

No. I was stating facts.

I brought up crowd size as a factual statement regarding 'connecting' to voters that Obama demonstrated and WJC nor HRC could NOTdo so.

Those crowds were there during the primaries like I said and they were a testament to HRC's lack of connection to the public. Funny, that you should buy into the GOP having ownership or 'talkingpoints' on crowd size, simply because they are astroturfing.

Obama has a grass root organization that turned out voters, way before this latest GOP spectacle.

"If crowd size
translates to votes, then get used to saying President Palin."

Really? When did Palin ever have a crowd of10K, or fill up a sports arena. Palin like HRC could barely muster 5K folks and often times it was far fewer in the 500-1K. If Palin is what is driving your 'sensitivity' about crowd size...then the GOP has successfully propagandized you.

"You can
not discount the success Hillary had in the 2nd half of the primary
season. She lost by a razor thin margin"

False. Do you have any facts to support your 'razor thin'
assertion?

Were you busy counting votes that HRC told you mattered, vs. delegates, which did matter?. HRC was not in the race for nominee after Obama won 11 consecutive primaries in Feb. She had lost BIG. And she never once during the entire primary led with delegates. NEVER. Those superdelegates did not count, even though they tried to make her look competitive with them..it was a hoax. She could not win enough delegates from the public to keep those superdelegates. More importantly, she simply couldn't win the delegates at the polls amongst Democrats. It seems you gave HRC and Bill far more political clout than they have and did not earn.

Perhaps, you were simply a PUMA who came to their senses in the general? What makes you so enamored of 2 politicos who were the most powerful politic machine having been on the national scene for over 16 years but they lacked the savvy to beat a new comer with less than 2 years on the national scene who had to build his organization from the ground up? Despite WJC, as the leader of the party having appointed over 2/3rds of the superdelegates, thus they were beholden to him? Hmmmmm, seems to me you have more reason to doubt their policitcal acumen than BHO's simply based on years of experience, power and influence.

Obviously, the Clintons lack the level of power and political influence you are attempting to imbue them with. They loss and lost big! HRC, could not win despite her biggest supporter being the most popular 2-term Democratic President since FDR.

"love the President as much as any of you, but
that is no justification for trying to convince myself he's not off
his game, which he is."

Well, everyone can certainly be off their game, and WJC certainly was which was a big reason HRC loss.

"The Obama, political genius, would have NEVER
fallen ass backwards into the Gates mess. He's off his game, period."

I don't think he fell into that, I think he said precisely what he intended and that is supported by his not backing down on day 2 and only recalibrating when it sprialled into a day3 issue.

Obama is going to be fine, and the Clintons along with SOS, HRC going to continue executing President Obama's orders.

My point is crowd size means nothing! Hillary Clinton connected with the
public during the 2nd half of the primary season. Not supporting her
doesn't mean you have to diminish her accomplishment. She lost by only 102
PLEDGED delegates, the closest ever. To this day, no one truly knows who
won the the most actual votes. It's so thin it could go either way. And as
I said, and I'll say it again, if she had ran the campaign she did in the
2nd half of the primary season she ran in the first half, she would be
president now. You can not dispute that her and Bill Clinton's approval
ratings RIGHT NOW are higher than the President's. Hillary Clinton is no
longer seen as the divisive figure she once was. She and Bill have the
credibility to sell health care in a way that the President can not right
now. I don't think it will happen, but God forbid the economy doesn't turn
around by 2012 and if she decides to callenge the President for the
nomination, she'll win. White woman of all ages, including those that voted
for Obama, ADORE her now. HIspanics will switch back to the Clintons in a
hot minute. He's completely lost white men, and he can NOT win without
white woman or Latinos. I live in Virginia. I don't need any polls to tell
me that support for the President has dropped exponentially in the state.
Me NOT wanting that that to happen doesn't change the reality that it can
and will if the President does not get back on his game.

You can challenge everything I'm saying, but that does not change the
reality that the administration has terribly mishandled selling health care
reform. His approval ratings and ratings on health care reform bare that
out. And it's not cherry picking polls, they are all saying the same damn
thing: the public supports the idea of health care reform, but he's done a
piss poor job of selling it.

As for Sarah Palin, she HAS and will continue to draw tens of thousands
(100,000+ in TX and Virginia GUARANTEED) of people to her rallies. The 2010
mid-terms will be framed as a show-down between Palin and the President.
Expect her crowds to be as large and in certain places larger than the
President's. Just because her followers are crazy ass racists doesn't mean
they don't follow her. That's a reality we have to contend with.

It does not help the President or his (our agenda) to act like parents who
don't want to recognize when their kid has a drug problem. Ignoring the
reality that his agenda is in trouble doesn't help anyone. He's in a damn
hole; the question now is how does he dig himself out? Will congressional
Democrats come back in September in a lower a rope and lift him out? How
does he make that happen?

It's OK if you want to believe crowd size means nothing. However, it factually demonstrates that BHO connected with the public in ways that Hill did not. No matter how you want to trump up 2nd half of the primaries. She loss and her and Bill did NOT connect with the public enough to win. For her to have lost with all the superdelegates Bill has in his pocket tells the REAL story. She simply could not get the voting public to buy her story. Not even with BILL telling all his lies and pulling in every darn political favor that was owed to them.

I do not believe the President in trouble. Hill could decide to challenge Obama and if she does, we will see what happens. The Clintons ratings being higher right now means nothing, anymoreso than crowd size as you are dismissive of. She will have it even worse next time. White males do not like her anymore than they do Obama. In fact, they like her less.

The administration has not terribly mishandled selling health reform. It was always going to be a very difficult sell as the public is up against the powerful healthcare lobbyists. If it was easy it would have been accomplished 20 years ago. Nothing that is happening today is any different than when LBJ tried to push through Medicare. LBJ had to get the NMA to write the bill because the AMA refused to. It was a very hard sell then and now. Just because there is turbulence doesn't mean the plane is falling out the sky!

Obama is doing an excellent job of handling health reform with Congress. The best move he made was NOT to send them a bill. That way the committees can pass the bills that gain the most votes. If it does not get out of those committes then there can be no chance of reform. Perhaps, this is as simple as your not understanding how the legislative process works. Recall, your girl Hill messed that up until it was a FUBAR situation and has taken 10 years to get it back on the table.

And if you think Hill would have had an easier time than Obama you are sadly mistaken. Hill was the largest healthcare recipient of lobbyists dollars in the US Senate! She was very beholden and would not have had any easier of a sell. The Democratic party is handicapped because Ted Kennedy is sidelined and that would have been no different for Hill than it is for Obama, except we already know that Hill would cave. Because that is precisely what she did once she failed, she capitulated to the healthcare lobbyists. Just rolled over like a really kittycatpussy.

Obama is not in a hole. What you are doing is simply being fearful. Obama has a multifaceted agenda. He is tackling multiple problems because he has to. You seem to have bought into the GOP rhetoric. Any time anyone does multiply things then they are going to take hits from every side and interest group who disagrees with ANY facet, thus the drop in approval ratings.

I think you have to have a little more faith and not be overwhelmed by all the doom and gloom the media is putting out.

What we are witnessing is CHANGE and it always comes with a struggle and doubting Thomases&Thomasinas. Folks always want to go to the status quo cause that is 'known' vs. the 'unknown' of change. BillandHill are history. They will not ever be back in the WH. If Hill should win the nomination the GoP will win.

So it is time, to focus our efforts on doing everything to get Obama's agenda through...to look forward not backwards.

My bad! I hate typing on this IPhone sometimes. Anyway, to wrap this
up, I don't think the President has done an effective job of selling
health care reform, I mean insurance reform. It's ironic that one of
the tell tale signs of Hillary's campaign being in trouble was the
constant changing of slogans. You clearly disagree with my assessment
of how the President has handled this; where things currently stand;
and what it will take for him to win. We are both entitled to our
opinions, but the only empirical evidence available, the polls, appear
to support my opinion. I'm not engaging in doom in gloom. I'm not
saying passage of reform is out of reach. I'm only saying that in
order to get it passed, the President has to employ more capable sales
people, and at this moment in time Bill Clinton would be a capable
salesman. I trust the President to do what's right. We shall see.

We can respectfully disagree, but there is no reason for you to
attempt to impugn my legislative knowledge. I have a Poli Sci degree
from Howard; I fully understand the legislative as well as poltical
processes. We simply have different perspectives on this. I do not
believe he has handled this well. I believe he has shown too much

I don't want drama in the White House. I want cool heads to prevail. One willing to hear all point but the decisions will remain his to make based on reality.

I want him to use all the arsenal at his disposal, and unfortunately
most of the folks in his administration are duds when it comes to
salesmanship.

Well put.

You make an exellent point -- and one that I agree with. Obama is much too dispassionate about geting health care passed. I get that, by nature, he is a cerebal and cool personality. But his cool distance prevents him from emotionally "connecting" during his public appearances and speeches.

However, as you so eloquently argue, to get health care passed the public must be emotionally engaged.

Perhaps Bill Clinton could come to the rescue once again. Why not unleash that good old snake oil charm and empathic appeal of Bill's to go out there and "save" health care before its too late?

President Obama is not an emoticon President. On most issues he is cool(way to cool for my taste) and ceberal. He clearly has not found a spokesman whom can deliever the emotional(selling) points needed to be more successful domestically. It is probably a matter of trust not to go off the rails like Casey Jones Biden.

The best spokespeople are real people.

actually, i've been listening to jonathan alter, who has made better points than anyone official

1. that the President wants for people not to have to worry about if losing their job would mean losing their health insurance

2. that the elimination of discrimination because of PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS.

WHY did I have to learn this from ALTER

WHY ISN'T EVERY DEMOCRAT POUNDING THESE THINGS OVER AND OVER.

WHY isn't someone taking the known health records of the SENATORS AND SAYING...

if joe average had these conditions
- could they get coverage
- could they afford coverage

why don't we know what every member of congress pays for THEIR healthcare and how that compares to the average american

Did you read his recent column? BRILLIANT! It's the blueprint for
winning the health care debate!

Obama said all those things at his Townhall in IN as well as at the AARP.

Nothing there Alter said that Obama has not REPEATEDLY said.

Obama also said those things during his press conference on Healthinsurance reform, where Gates was the final question.

Obama was masterful...he knew the press was not asking the questions for him to make the points....so what he did was take the question...and back up 2 steps to include the important points, answer the question and them finish with 2 more points that needed to be addressed.

Obama is doing the right thing.

The media fails to report on it.

As for all the emotional stuff...recall the last time they showed Obama fired up was at a townhall on healthinsurance reform where he is swinging his arm, pumping the air repeatedly and
saying 'we can't wait' 'we need reform now'

The media fails to report on it.

This needs to be said again and again. People keep ignoring that the media has played a big part in the misrepresentation of Obama's healthcare reform plan. They're not reporting the facts, but rather looking to create some type of melodrama by reporting ridiculous soundbytes that will grab headlines. (As a matter of fact, the accusation that Obama isn't passionate enough comes straight from the MSM talking heads!)

So, can you imagine if Obama got all "passionate"? The MSM would spin it into something negative, portraying him as "angry" or that he's acting desperate because the Rethugs have got him on the ropes. And the same ones complaining about him not being passionate enough would be saying he should've been calm. Dude just can't win.

"So, can you imagine if Obama got all "passionate"?"

Chile, please he would be the second coming of CharlesManson,JimJones and MalcolmX combined!!

And if there was any video, they would loop it endlessly like they did HowardDean!!

Make him a KingFish caricature in less than 30seconds.

"The MSM would spin it into something negative, portraying him as "angry" or that he's acting desperate because the Rethugs have got him on the ropes. "

They did that a few weeks ago. The headline read something like Obama losing his cool or something to that effect. You are dead on with your assessment.

A 13-year-old girl arrested for shoplifting was held in the Dallas County Jail for nearly two weeks before it was determined that she is underage, a police sergeant said Thursday.

13-year-old girl kept in Dallas jail for 2 weeks

An internal affairs investigation has been launched to review the matter, police Sgt. Warren Mitchell told The Associated Press on Thursday night.

The girl, who had run away from home, was arrested July 10 at a Target department store for shoplifting. She held no identification and gave a false name and age, Mitchell said.

The sergeant said the arresting officer attempted to contact the police youth division to confirm the information but found no record of her. The arresting officer assumed she was 17 and took her to jail, Mitchell said, but did not say how he made that assumption.

where the hell was an adult filing a report ABOUT THIS MISSING CHILD

"Meanwhile, an inmate, an acquaintance of the girl's family who had recognized her, phoned her father, who came to police with a birth certificate and other records verifying her real identity and age."

Seems Dallas is trying to create a cover-up.

This is really sad.

I don't know what is worse. The fact that the police locked up a 13 year old. Or that she was gone for 3 weeks and was not missed by her guardians.

No, I know what is worse -- that she was not missed for 3 weeks by her family. Sad. Very Sad.

It is no wonder that the young girl was shoplifting. Since she clearly lacks adult supervision, who knows what other trouble she has gotten into?

Something is amiss in the story, DPD says girl reported ages 14 and 17, still juvenile.

"Assistant Chief Ron Waldrop, who heads the department's investigations bureau, told the paper that the girl initially identified herself as being 14, which he said should have raised concerns."

---

"It doesn't make any sense to have a 13-year-old in there," said her father, Joe Lewis. "They could have killed her. Something bad could have happened. She doesn't look 17. She looks 13, and I wonder why they didn't see that."

On July 10, Joe Lewis [father] reported that eight days earlier, Jasmine had jumped out a window from their Marfa Avenue address and taken off.

That same day, Jasmine and Patrice Washington, 20, were arrested by Garcia, who was working an off-duty security job at the Target store at 2417 Haskell Ave.

---

DPD says the child lied about her age but there are mechanisms in place that should have prevented this from happening, instead sending her to the Henry Wade Juvenile Detention Center.

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That's how much time is left before the giveaway is over.

It shouldnt.Usually the download times are about 2 to 5 minutes.

Republicans Propagating Falsehoods in Attacks on Health-Care Reform
As a columnist who regularly dishes out sharp criticism, I try not to question the motives of people with whom I don't agree. Today, I'm going to step over that line.
Read More
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/ar...

"Republicans Propagating Falsehoods in Attacks on Health-Care Reform". The disturbing thing is that this caught the President and the Democrats off guard. Did they honestly believe they wouldn't fight and fight dirty? Did they really buy the political talking head consensus that the Republicans were done after the election?! David Axelrod's memo written to then Senator Obama measuring his chances in a presidential election, confirmed my fears about the President which I've tried my best to ignore or explain away. He doesn't know how to fight. Certainly, he knows how to sustain blows and remain standing or run out the clock, but he doesn't know how to fight or should I say brawl. Axelrod told him point blank, "you flinch." And that's what we're watching. He's now flinching from an unexpected assault, both from the Republicans and the media.

Not only does Obama not know how to fight, he never prepares to respond to any attacks. He has people in his administration who are borrowed soldiers from other people and aren't loyal to him, but that was his choice.

I agree w/ you totally. It has been a problem since the primaries and the Clinton's racist behavior.

To me the Republicans look desperate. Why engage in that kind of behavior.

Micheline - you provided the right adjective. You can practically smell the stink of fear on them

Passionately opposed, not desperate.

No need to be desperate 2010 is fast approaching. Time to 'get into action.'

Ordinary Americans are organizing against outrageous spending and runaway deficits, bailouts, government expansion into the private sector, higher taxes and the 'public option' of health care reform.

It's really that simple.

Ordinary citizens are organizing in the same way promoted by PR guru David Axelrod, the same way President Obama teamed up with ACORN.

Ordinary citizens my ass. That's thug mentality. They're nothing but a bunch of sore losing mofos. Republicans will never be in power again.

never ever ever ever ever etc etc. etc.

One can be passionate without shutting down a townhall meeting. Protesting is a good thing but when one shuts down a townhall meeting then that person was never a democrat with a small d. Free speech means the free exchange of ideas in a civil manner. Protest can be done in a civil manner, look at the Civil Rights Movement. You never read stories of Civil Rights Activists shutting down meetings or anything like that. In fact opponents would use the same techniques that we are seeing today. When one resorts to hanging effigies, heckling, chasing down congresspersons, and harassing people then you lose the moral ground.

Why are they winning the debate? They have nothing to lose. But the President has everything to lose. That's a reality that he and all of us have to wake-up to and respond in kind.

Good Morning.Its Roots Friday.Enjoy
Judy Mowatt - Black Woman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHUQg5rvBEg

THANK YOU

Good one.

Love it!