Today's edition of quick hits:
* Afghanistan: "Defense officials have told NBC News that the Army staff sergeant who allegedly shot and killed 16 Afghan civilians, including nine children, admitted his actions to fellow soldiers just before he was taken into custody. 'I did it,' he is said to have told them."
* President Obama has vowed a full investigation: "He said he was 'heartbroken by the loss of innocent life,' calling it outrageous and unacceptable. 'It's not who we are as a country, and it does not represent our military,' he added."
* Obama also vowed today "to defend U.S. workers from unfair competition and bluntly warned China to play by the rules of global trade."
* The unemployment rate fell in 45 U.S. states in January, and the latest numbers on consumer spending and retail sales were also encouraging.
* What's more, the number of new U.S. job openings is exceeding expectations, while Gallup found Americans' economic confidence reaching a four-year high.
* The Nasdaq composite index closed today at its highest level in more than 11 years.
* Murdoch media scandal: "Rebekah Brooks, the former chief executive of News International, the British newspaper division of Rupert Murdoch's media empire, was arrested early Tuesday on suspicion of obstruction of justice."
* Headlines that speak volumes: "Americans hate regulations in the abstract, but love them in the particular."
* With a growing number of House Republicans under investigation, the DCCC is re-launching HouseOfScandal.com this week.
* And MoveOn.org released a powerful new ad today, which will air on national cable, targeting Republicans over the "GOP War on Women."
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Leave a Comment:
This thing of where the Republicans help the rich people. That has got to be about the stupidest idea yet that they have created. Because when you look at it that is no different when they had Kings and Queens who dictated what people should get as the wealthiest hoarded everything. And everybody else was the serfs and peasants who got scraps and scratched in the dirt to be able to eat. Also, anything the peasants finally gathered than was taken by the wealthy. It is almost ironic, the Republicans and wealthy set the biggest scam yet too and that was called the Tea Party. Like they were really being like our forefathers and foremothers who started this country. But in reality, the Republicans would be the British King and Queen forcing their will upon the people and taking everything the people have got.
Thank you DEb....you nailed it. Individuals loyal to the King were favored and given jobs as spys, tax colllectors, placed in charge of farms and livestock taken from peasants. ENTER THE TEAPARTY, or should I say posers. This group organized under the tea party banner as a disguise...Trojan Horse Much? Now you're getting the picture. Most are Pawns being led to camoflauge the real players. High Five @Deb.....
Actually, close...but not quite. Under feudalism there were gentry, nobles and royalty. They owned the land and the serfs and peasants were tied to the land. The peasants worked and the landlord was entitled to his share of the produce and labor, but had obligations to the peasants as well.
After the Black Plagues, fewer people were left to do work of several which translated into people demanding more pay per person for the same amount of goods.
The feudal lords responded by "freeing" serfs and peasants from their ties to the land and replacing their farms and hovels with something more cost effective, like sheep pastures. The evicted peasants moved to the cities to find work, many resorting to beggery or banditry.
Is it relevant? Maybe. It parallels the Reagan one two three punch that caused no end of social dysfunction in the '80s.
1. Unions are busted up.
2. Jobs are shipped overseas in search of a fatter bottom line, factories closed.
3. Social spending and public assistance are gutted.
Were beggery and banditry the result? No. But making money selling crack began looking good to a lot of people who it might not have otherwise.
The Catholic bishops are meeting in DC and are considering broadening their attacks on moral issues to include the Republicans position on immigration. There appears to be a lot of angst among the bishops because of the whole Rush Limbaugh matter as well as public opinion supporting Obama in his compromise. The bishops are considering filing suits as well as further political actions but some of the bishops are uncomfortable because of how the contraception issue has played out. Another problem is that the Catholic institutions like universities and hospitals have accepted the compromise which undercuts the bishops claim to represent the Catholic community.
Plus the contraception issue still undercuts the supply of fresh young victims, if you get what I'm saying..
First, get over the sexual abuse issue. Most Catholics realize the Bishops blew it and the Church has taken steps to correct. Heck, before I can council kids, I go through a background check and 3 days of training.
Secondly, only one org has said it is a good compromise. The Bishops have reserved judgment until they meet. So, await the results.
Nice, tell that to the victims. Hey, just get over it! No prob Bob, er I mean Tom!
No one is telling the VICTIMS to just get over it; if you have been a victim of a horrible person within or outside of the Catholic church, I am truly sorry.
However, your hyperbolic, off topic and sarcastic comments somehow relating contraception and "fresh victims" is an example of why intelligent discourse is getting more and more difficult in this country. The tactic is inflammatory deflection away from the topic at hand. The contraception issue is about WHO PAYS for it; not whether or not people can have it at all.
Frankly, I'm glad if you are a passionate advocate for victims of any despicable acts perpetrated by anyone, but you are not helping but exploiting them further by invoking them in order to be snappy or snarky.
Is the occupation of Afghanistan really worth the wait there Mr. President? I hate to say it but I find the occupation outrageous and unacceptable.. Who would not expect these things from such endeavors, exactly?
I think the World is beginning to spin a little too fast for Rush. His ignorance has been tolerated for too long already. He has gotten himself caught in a snag and he can't free himself. What will his legacy be. The idiot who tried fool everyone and got swallowed up by the truth.
long and short of this issue is....He's a made man...The Koch Brothers will buy him his own station and foot the bill without sponsors or advertisers...so don't get to happy....Rush "ain't" going nowhere
how do ya become a made GOP man?....Yell out liar to the POTUS during a state of the union address, call the POTUS a terrorist, block and fillabuster everything the POTUS suggests, inact voter supressions laws, look for the next war in case we run out of places to invade, if not-invade Guam, Hawaii or Puerto Rico for practice.....etc.....Basically, keep the sh@t stirred up where-ever you can.
I have an idea for the teaparty. Take Rep. Ryan's medicare voucher idea and test it out on all republicans who are on medicare. It would cut the medicare rolls and give his idea a large enough group to test its potential for savings. If his constituents believe it is a good idea he should receive no static for doing it.
It's Dominionism. It includes subjugation of all weaker groups (women, children, gays, foreigners, non-Christians). It includes elimination of education other than hearing about the bible from self-appointed authorities. It includes voucher systems to circumvent the separation of church and state. It includes elimination of the middle class. It includes mixing religion with government to bring absolute power. It includes destruction of democracy. (I didn't used to be a fear-monger or conspiracy theorist, but I know I sound like one. How else can you explain what's happening?)
Must watch: Muslim woman with a loud, clear voice of reason.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XN2fqe4oWsI&list=WL2E97AC6D54984492&index=11&feature=plpp_video
I'd like to request that Rachel report on the things going on now in Louisiana. Governor Jindal is pulling a Scott Walker. He's attempting to make massive changes to public education, including vouchers and eliminating tenure. He scheduled the education package to be discussed this week, just as teachers are preparing students for their annual Leap test. Jindal is also attacking state workers. He wants to change the rules for retirement, including increasing the age of retirement to 67, making state workers contribute 3 percent more toward retirement and other unsavory items. I think this is important since Jindal is mentioned as a possible candidate in 2016. These are radical changes and teachers will protest at the capitol tomorrow and Thursday.
In Louisiana, nobody's going to stop Jindal from doing this. The Democrats have become increasingly little more than an afterthought there. LA is in a race to the bottom with Alabama and Mississippi. Teachers aren't valued in the south.
Too bad. The state has a lot of potential to do better.
And I've been heartbroken for 10 years about the deaths and injuries of innocents and not-so-innocents in AF and IZ! The Afghanistan campaign no longer has a purpose, and while the deaths and injuries of US combatants do not detract from the honor of those who have incurred them, we have long since run out of reasons for remaining.
Santorum winning both primaries, makes me wonder if he ends up being their guy, how will Pennsylvania play in a election. Democrats need Pennsylvania. The more Democrats in the House and Senate means no more log jam. Load the Congress with Democrats. The more women the better. Get true health care reform, instead of the compromise of the ACA. Get appointments for Federal Court Judges passed. It is crucial for further insurance for Supreme Court appointments that Democrats be seated. You can kiss Roe away if we don't plan for the future. Get education on track. The economy and jobs would get better a lot faster if we were not still living under Bush economic rules, that the GOP won't budge on. Vote Democrat in your states too. If you don't have a Democrat or an Independent, Unions, education, jobs are the priority, not redefining rape and destroying voters rights and health care for women and the poor. Four more years of right wingers and women will have to set up camp in Washington, full time. The GOP that ran on jobs, did not produce. They are getting rid of public sector jobs at an all time rate, to slow job growth. They legislated against collective bargaining, cut teachers, cops, everyone. And legislated women's health care into pre Vatican ! circa. Vote for a Democrat everytime, get the GOP governors out. They have done massive damage to the poor, elderly and again women. I would not let these people feed my cat.
Trudeau says it all much more fluently than I can.