Today's edition of quick hits:
* In Syria, a tenuous, uncertain cease-fire begins, and for now, conditions are far calmer than they were.
* The next step with Tehran: "The six world powers gathering here for nuclear talks beginning Friday are themselves sharply divided over how best to curb Iran's ambitions while defusing the possibility of a disastrous new military confrontation in the volatile Middle East."
* Zimmerman appears in court: "Neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman made his first court appearance Thursday on a second-degree murder charge in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, as a court document provided new details on the prosecution's case."
* For many homeowners in need of relief, the Hardest Hit Fund has been a bitter disappointment.
* Is the Euromess back? Yes. Did it ever really go away? Not really.
* The right may find this inconvenient, but the federal budget deficit appears to be shrinking.
* The UC Davis pepper-spray controversy was the result of "critically flawed" decisions.
* A case worth watching: "Planned Parenthood branches in Texas have filed a federal lawsuit in an effort to block their exclusion from the state's Women's Health Program."
* Why did the White House punt on an ENDA-like executive order? Inquiring minds want to know.
* And it didn't take long at all for Fox News to track down and fire its "mole," who turned out to be a man by the name of Joe Muto. Fox News is reportedly seeking civil and criminal penalties.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Leave a Comment:
brietbart paid o'keefe after acorn videos were made and was in on the planning before any were shot....
http://wonkette.com/469466/wonkette-exclusive-james-okeefe-depositions-breitbart-paid-pimp-ho-mad-cheddar-for-acorn-videos
When will we get the autopsy results ?? The hypocrite GOP don't want their heros legacy tarnished !! Looking in the mirror is hardest thing for them !!
Here's some interesting quotes from???
Who said/wrote this? Wonder boy Ezra Klein! And, I think he's right!
....yes Ezra has long said the Democratic Party continues to move further and further to the right. It's been obvious since the tax extension debate that Bush has won the tax argument.
What is your point here? I don't understand?
Keep trying Robdon! Maybe SOMEDAY you'll REALLY find something!!!
Why didn't you quote the whole paragraph? Ezra Klein was chastizing the Democratic Party, NOT AGREEING that Bush was right!!! Don't you "new" Republicans EVER get things straight??
"The reality is that, on tax policy, Democrats are now closer to Bush than to Clinton. But neither side much likes to admit that. For Democrats, it means confessing to how far right they've moved on taxes. And for Republicans, it means admitting how far right Democrats have moved on taxes."
Wonder boy Ezra Klein ?? Hero worship, kool. I can understand that. But I must add that a more appropriate identity role be that of mild-mannered good doer The Saint. Wise and thoughtful. Ezra’s statement could also be colored by dry humor. It is quite funny, our politics lately. One day I am a Democrat, the next a communist ?? What about the poor communist, how do you think they feel ??
You know Rob Don ... Mitt Romney (the elder) has been virtually silent about the foundation Mormon faith.
Pres. Obama's faith has made it into the news, and I think the time has come to examine that aspect of every candidate.
Remember Rob. You started it.
Concerning the N. Korean "un-ha" rocket launch that mercifully fell apart into the sea: Call it the un-un-ha, HA HA! launch.
Klein was not "chastising" the Democratic Party, he was saying Democrats see the value of the Bush tax rates but they will never admit it because it takes away an issue for them and Republicans want admit it because then it means they can't harp on the Democrats about raising taxes. Klein wasn't chastising, he was pointing out a REALITY.
I don't think I've ever made a comment attacking someone's faith, although many here often do. Is that what you are trying to do, attack Romney's faith?
No real "point" just adding information to the conversation. Seems you keep up with Mr. Klein more than I do. Has he stated whether he thinks this move to the right, at least on taxes, is a good/smart thing?
@RobDon,
I seem to have struck a nerve.
Everyone knows there's a problem with the tax code. The thing is, I think if we try to fix it now in mid-stream to a same tax rate for everyone it will do nothing on the present state of our economy. However if the 1% would like to reimburse the country the difference, make up for the years of having it so good first, then maybe some fairer tax codes could go into play down the line somewhere. Our nation needs revenue now. Introducing more tax cuts for the rich like Romney suggests has absolutely no positive effect on our economy and one would suggest that he would make it even harder on the Middle Class who are struggling.
Nope, just more of your rambling without the ability to answer a specific question.
Angel, I don't necessarily disagree with your post, but I do think you can lower rates, strip out 99% of the loopholes, exceptions, etc...and increase revenue as a result. I think a graded flat tax is the best solution. Something like:
0% for first 20,000 or so
15% for everything above 20,000 to 35,000
20% for everything above 35,000 to 75,000
25% for everything above 75,000 to 150,000
35% for everything over 150,000
Notice if your effective federal income tax rate on 35,000 would be 6.4% but on 150,000 it would be 20%. Each level of income would have it's own tax rate. (My numbers and ranges were arbitrarily chosen, there are probably better ranges and rates than my example.)
Here is his entire post minus the intro of Bush saying that he wish's the tax cuts were no longer called his. Ezra's point is that now the Democratic Party has became complicit in the tax cuts. This is because Ezra has, as I said before, consistently pointed out that the Democrats move further and further to the right. The only way you would not see this as chastising would be if you don't continuously read Ezra's blog postings. But again wtf does this have to do w/ anything Rob? What is the point of even posting this? If your point was that you would like to talk about tax reform then you could've said that from the beginning. The way that you've introduced this conversation was by manipulating Ezra's words to make it sound like everyone agrees w/ the Bush tax cuts and you do too. And if that's the case then OK so what? So now you want to cut taxes further? Sighhhhhs.
Talk is cheap. Either raise taxes and pay off the debt or the debt will destroy the country. Democrats can admit that Bush was right if they want but the debt won't go away by admitting anything, only by raising taxes or wiping out the military.
This was an "open thread" and I added information.
I did not manipulate Mr. Klein's word. I even asked you if Klein agreed with the "move" toward supporting Bush's tax rates (on the whole). Since you seemed to read him, I thought you'd know.
So, does Mr. Klein agree the Democrats are smart to support the Bush tax cuts (on the whole)?
As to Covah, how much will we have to raise taxes to pay off the debt? Increased tax rates will only cover a very small part of our debt, unless you can prove otherwise....
Covah, how much will we have to raise taxes to pay off the debt?
Federal budget was nearly balanced before Bush tax cuts. That is a fact.
Increased tax rates will only cover a very small part of our debt
That is a lie.
unless you can prove otherwise....
Again, federal budget was nearly balanced before Bush tax cuts.
Perhaps Bain Capital and the Koch brothers along with ALEC can take their recovery policies to Spain. Then they can tell us nonbelievers , "I told you so."
I suspect that the purpose of the "mole" was to generate a law suit to expose the methods they use to prevent exposure. Fox appears to be a criminal enterprise, given the widespread investigation currently underway. So if they are committing crimes and requiring their employees to keep silent about them through contractual obligations it is conspiracy time.
Too bad the "mole" didn't do anything spectacular except potentially snark. I can do that all the day long..
Using Tor, a proxy and some intelligence the guy could have kept his "mole" status for years. What a shame. If he had just watched a few episodes of 24 or Nikita.
Ann Romney as an advocate for working women makes as much sense as Bristol Palin being Pro- Absteinance Only!
Looks like North Korea's space probe spontaneously self-destructed upon exposure to a hard vacuum.
Wow.
Who saw that coming?
Crackhead, That was the "Un-Ha", HA, HA! launch.
Their scientists are now WISHING they were ON that rocket. Heads will roll.
be good to see how the new dead leader will do.
CA
wonder if they used republican scientist for the planning of this space shot.
they look at each other and say Vacuum space? who knew.
When Republican make policies against contraception, they can hide behind the veil of "Freedom of Religion". When they make anti-abortion policies, they can hide behind the veil of "morality". When they make policy against equal pay for women, they gave up the right to claim that this "War on Women" is fictitious.
Yeah, they all want the Christen way. Until it's time for WAR, then it's KILL THEM ALL !!
Hey, I've got an idea:
Democratic Party campaign ad based on Ann Romney’s response to Hilary Rosen’s comment:
Ann Romney: “we need to respect choices that women make.”
President Obama: ” I agree.”
Michelle Obama: “I agree.”
College-age female holding school books: “I agree.”
Woman walking into Planned Parenthood clinic: “I agree.”
Rachel Maddow: "I agree."
Woman in her doctor’s office: “I agree.”
Married woman holding baby, standing by husband, with other children: “I agree.”
A lesbian married couple, arms linked, saying in unison: “I agree.”
A white-haired grandmotherly woman: “I agree.”
Hilary Clinton: “I agree.”
A female rock star or movie star: “I agree.”
President Obama again: “I agree, we do need to respect choices that women make."
(any number of ads based on this theme could be produced, with any number of people saying “I agree” to Ann Romney saying “we need to respect choices that women make.” This could even be made into a You Tube video. It’d probably go viral)
And each Democratic Party campaign ad could end with:
“Vote for Democratic Party candidate ………., so that we can all be certain that the choices made by all American women will be respected.”
The Democrat Party seems a bit short on information artists who can craft a message that actually speaks to our platform with dignity, truth, and yes, even pride of who we are.
We prefer, it appears, to outsource our messaging to the Republicans.
TN bill defines kissing and holding hands as "gateways to sexual activity." Thanks, small government Republicans!
http://www.wmctv.com/story/17353757/bill-would-define-holding-hands-kissing-as-gateway-sexual-activity
I'm sure this in response to West's latest disinformation. It is a wiki article. People take this stuff as truth. I don't quite know how to express the sickness I feel at people's dishonesty.
Note the bottom of the page that states it was last edited on March 13 at 00:29. If anyone can take a screen shot that would be cool. Send it in to MM or just wiki. I can't figure out how to take a screen shot. Just a little example of how people disinform society.
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The CPC (AKA Communist Party) was founded in 1991 and now has 76 members.......
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C...
I would love to see that wikipedia article, but it says your link is incomplete. Any chance you can relink or tell us what the article was? Thanx.
Sorry, double post. Um, how can you delete comments you've made?
In other, funny campaign news...
Borowitz Report
So Ann Romney’s raising of 5 boys is a job like any other
work. Really.
When was the last time Ann Romney had to cope with Gender
Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Wage Inequality, lost a job to downsizing,
had to forego critical medical treatment because her medical plan didn’t cover
the treatment, or maxed out of the major medical cap, navigate around the
gender politics of the workplace, was falsely accused of “sleeping her way to
the top”, Took only the time afforded by the Family Leave Act to attend to her
family.
The Romneys could afford however many nannies, etc. that were needed to take care of the kids while Ann was out prancing around on her show horses.
The only way to fix the "Euromess" is the elimination of the eurozone and the euro (and the European Union). They tried but they failed, leaving the dollar as still the world's currency.
The USSR broke up, next is the eurozone, then the USA.