Today's edition of quick hits:
* In the wake of North Korea's humiliation, what's next? "Most analysts believe the failed test will encourage the military ... to take some provocative action to bolster its credentials, increasing the likelihood of a nuclear test that the country appeared to already be preparing."
* Did the 2008 bailouts turn a profit? More on this next week.
* Falling gas prices? "Thanks to easing demand from a slowing global economy and increased production from Saudi Arabia, the oil market is coming off a two-year cycle of tightening supply, according to the International Energy Agency."
* Progress: "U.S.-Pakistan relations took a leap forward on Friday, when Islamabad agreed to a plan to reopen vital supply routes to American and coalition forces in Afghanistan."
* Tulsa shootings: "Oklahoma prosecutors filed murder and hate crime charges Friday against two men arrested in an Easter weekend shooting spree that left three people dead and terrorized Tulsa's black community."
* The White House today released the tax returns for the Obamas and Bidens. No word yet from the Romneys.
* Big ruling from the 9th Circuit: "Reversing a decades-old rule, a federal appeals court said on Thursday that public television and radio stations could not be prohibited from broadcasting paid political advertisements."
* Komen grants are, in fact, going to Planned Parenthood, as they're supposed to.
* It's actually a good thing that more workers are quitting their jobs than being laid off. That's "a sign that the labor market is improving."
* The trend continues: two more companies sever their ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
* And following up on an earlier item, "Sh** Allen West Says" debuts.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Leave a Comment:
There's not an article yet, on the speeches that were made at the NRA convention. Who does the United States feel is a threat to our security?
Walt Kelly in his comic "Pogo" "We have met the enemy and he is us;"
your TULSA link would not work Steve
Allen West makes Gomer Pyle look like George Patton.
It is a sad day for those of us who love public radio and public television. The 9th Circuit Court said today that although these stations are banned from commercial advertisement, they can carry all the political ads they want.
The public radio and TV stations have had a hard time staying financially solvent so I am afraid that this will be a carrot way to big to pass up. One campaign ad will probably bring in more revenue than one of their quarterly fund drives!
Sigh, I may just have to listen to my iPOD and watch DVD's until November!
Duck and cover because: the liberals are coming, the liberals are coming!
Gee whiz the republicans want to end a woman's right to chose abortion or contraception, they want to limit voting rights, they attack unions, they have ended democracy in Michigan and yet we on the left are commies? I think somebody needs to go back to school.
It's odd isn't it. A few years ago I was called a moderate conservative. Now, I am called a liberal and a "commie" and yet my political positions haven't changed.
I need to read that book "Hitlerland" because something REALLY WIERD is going on in this country. People are actually VOTING for these nut cases like West and Walker and Bachmann and.......
I used to think it was stupidity, but, really, THAT MANY stupid people in this country? Maybe it is when people are frightened they always move to the right - like what happened in Germany after World War I??
To be right-wing is to be afraid. It's not a coincidence or a fluke that right-wing politics appeals mostly to fear.
I'm hoping the N. Korean's never have a successful missile launch. The thought of a couple successful flights demonstrating the reliability of the missile is very upsetting. The next step would be building and selling them.
While I am sure that being a MOM is indeed work, being employed outside the home AND being a MOM has to be even more work! I would love to know how many Nanny's, maids and/or cooks Ann Romney has had to help her with the work of raising her 5 boys. Does anyone know if Ann cooks, shops, takes the kids to school, etc. or does she have help to do these things?
I wonder if the women who work for Ann Romney have kids of their own and if Ann ever talks to them about what is happening in their lives? If so, maybe she reports to Mitt. Which begs the question, why can't Mitt just talk to those women? Why does he have to go through Ann?
Didn't work out so good when Arnold tried to talk with his maid.
What is up with the oil companies? Reducing gas prices for a sitting Democratic, in an election year, is strange! There is more to the story as Paul Harvey use to say!
Gas prices are entering their mid-Spring decline, just like they had their late-Winter rise. It's happened almost every year this whole millennium, as http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_retail_price_chart.aspx?time=18 and the other charts there make clear. With the exception of Hurricane Katrina, *every* steep 20%-or-more rise in gas prices has happened in late Winter... and they've fallen again in the Spring.
Put the country in the hands of this former Governor who once supported gun control in his own State then you have a guy who never will admit he was wrong or right about gun control before leading the country‘s moral standings. The country does not need confused leadership on this issue anymore than the rich need more tax breaks.
For Mitt Romney not to redress the NRA with their failing influence of the Stand your Ground laws across this county at this time, fails a moral leadership of this country. Given the recent embarrassment in Florida’s Law Enforcement management that the NRA has influenced, Mitt Romney’s Campaign could have canceled his appearance at the NRA, or at least, postponed it, giving a silent criticism. Instead, his appearance, without mentioning it, gave silent praise.
Some Republican’s will vote for any Republican Candidate, along with tolerating their vote counting towards any Republican issue, right or wrong, supporting gun manufacturers and gun dealers, as long as the constituents get their tax breaks along with those companies that contribute to the Republican Party. Such as supporting an agenda that encourages everybody to own a gun, including people like George Zimmerman, including people who will never admit they could be wrong and always think they are right.
Do we want people in other countries to think it is O.K. in 2 dozen States of America to shoot anybody you are threatened of, or feel slightly threatened of, and be presumed innocent unless the arresting officers can prove guilt on the spot, while it is up to the dead victim and his family to prove ‘his or her’ innocence later? This is embarrassing to our country.
Must the Democratic Party always gain an embarrassing win with the Republican Party's Nixon-losses? We have so much more to be proud of in this country, and even more to gain.
The Kentucky Derby is just around the corner! Everyone in the Industry is hoping and praying that they can make it through the weekend without a major wreck! Everyone is ready to do their part should it happen again! Mine is providing the solution to the broken leg problem, if and when I am asked!
Rachel, I don't know if you read these comments. You probably don't have the time. Even if that's the case, I hope somehow this comment gets to you. And I'll try not to turn this into a rant, but I'm really upset about this -- and I'm usually very cheerful and easy-going.
If at all possible, could you spend some time on a future show giving more details on what's happening in Michigan? The commentaries and videos so far are just simply confusing. Please tell me that I'm simply not seeing the reality of the situation as it truly is, because here's what I'm seeing:
1. The Republican members of the state legislature are openly falsifying vote counts and are declaring laws passed for immediate effect when no such vote count was taken, and would not have the required number of votes if they did bother to count.
2. The Democratic members of the state legislature are not only not protesting an obvious fraud, but are in fact supporting the fraudulent activity by going along with it as if they have no choice.
3. The democratic process as set down by our founding fathers has been discarded in favor of the dictatorial absolute rule of the "emergency manager" and the citizens of those affected regions in Michigan have given their approval.
And here are my questions:
1. Is it not a crime in Michigan to falsify vote counts in the legislature? If it is a crime, why hasn't anyone been arrested?
2. Why are the Democrats not protesting? For that matter, why aren't the Democrats calling a press conference every time a vote count is falsified?
3. Are Republicans in Michigan in favor of dictatorships? Would the citizens of Michigan prefer to live in a dictatorship?
For questions 1 & 2, I don't want you to speculate. I want representatives from the Michigan state legislature (both parties) on the show to answer direct questions, and hammer them until you get those answers. I ask question #3, but such a situation would result in my incarceration at best, or death at worst if it was happening in my home. Because, I would feel it was my duty as an American citizen to take up arms in defense of the democracy that I treasure. Our military is actively fighting for our way of life abroad while the leaders they are fighting for are discarding that very democracy.
How ironic. Survivalist camps all over the country are preparing for the day "when Obama destroys the country they hold dear" and yet it's the Republicans who are dispensing with democracy in Michigan. Does it concern you that othe state and local legislatures may be watching Michigan closely in order to determine if they could get away with similar actions? We spent billions deposing a dictator in Iraq and imposing democracy whether they wanted it or not. What an example we must be.
If you read this, thanks very much for your time. Love the show.