Today's edition of quick hits:
* It took a while, but the Senate this afternoon approved the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), with a 68 to 31 vote. All 31 opponents were Republicans.
* The VAWA debate on the Senate floor included these emotional remarks from Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.).
* Afghanistan: "An Afghan soldier fatally shot an American service member and a local interpreter in southern Afghanistan, officials said Thursday, the latest in a string of attacks against U.S. and other foreign forces by their Afghan partners."
* It's a good thing the Obama administration didn't listen to Republicans on U.S. auto policy: "Chrysler put its dark days further behind it Thursday, reporting its strongest quarterly results in 13 years."
* The Hague: "A U.N.-backed court on Thursday convicted ex-Liberian President Charles Taylor of war crimes during a conflict that left 50,000 dead. He is the first former head of state to be found guilty by an international tribunal."
* The Senate's postal-reform bill was approved last night on a 62-to-37 vote. It's not great.
* Osama bin Laden's widows and children, detained by Pakistani security forces last year, are being deported to Saudi Arabia.
* A U.S. Marine who making disparaging remarks about President Obama on Facebook has been thrown out of the Corps (thanks to reader R.S. for the tip).
* Rupert Murdoch admitted today there was a "cover-up" of the phone-hacking practices at one of his British media outlets. He also acknowledged News Corp's cooperation with an ongoing Justice Department investigation in the U.S.
* Fox News' Monica Crowley, ostensibly a political and foreign affairs analyst for the network, seems to have an odd sense of humor, at least as far as Sandra Fluke is concerned.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
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From the story about the post office:
"Before the Senate began voting on the bill on Tuesday, Mr. Corker and three other Republicans — Senators Jeff Sessions of Alabama, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Dan Coats of Indiana — raised a point of order. They argued that it would add $34 billion to the national debt, including the overpayment to the pension fund."
None of the three were aware of the fact that the money belonged to the USPS, not the US Treasury. Neither were they aware that in the absence of the ridiculous requirement to fully fund pensions for the next 75 years, the Post Office was in the black. Furthermore they objected to the Post Office getting back money that it had overpaid to a pension fund due to an accounting error. Wait until they object to tax payers getting their refund checks.
It makes one wonder how anyone so out of touch with what is going on around them ever got to be a Senator, and how much damage their ignorance in other areas has and will cause the US.
They are the same jerks that are asking 'for the language of unity' for the rest of the campaign. C'mon women and minorities SUCK IT UP so the cranky white men can screw you over ONE MORE TIME.
The "overpayment" by the USPS had hidden the amount of the national debt for almost 5 years. That was the whole point of requiring the outrageous law in the first place (not to mention the Republican desire to "privatize" the postal service.)
I would expect many more of the Republican senators would make the same comments - to hide their complicity in the actions. I doubt seriously that Senators Coburn, Session and Coats are unaware of the facts, they just want to warn their cohorts in the House that their feet are in a muddy place.
Expect the House to kill the process as they have everything over the last 3+ years.
Paul Ryan defending his budget. All my years in Catholic grade school, high school and college, I can't recall the nuns or priests preaching about stealing from the poor and giving to the rich. I wonder what bible Ryan was reading.
Bush and Chaney?
As much of a shame as that would be to the United States of America, it would only be justice. Especially as we the people voted them in for a second term. One would hope that some of the Republicans could share the shame and scream loudly against Mr. Romney's Bush advisors on foreign policy. Wouldn't that be decent?
Al Franken understands and communicates social issues better than anyone else I've ever heard.
Republicans would need no abortion laws if adequate social support existed for women.
Right to shelter, food, safety, and education to boost income. Too much to ask?
Kinda sad when people that are considered comedians can nail the subject matter with common sense and reason more often than all the elected people and appointed people in government put together.
As a Minnesotan, I am pretty proud of our Senators. They are real, they are people who care for people. We need more of their kind in our government.
C'mon...Monica Crowley does NOT have 'an odd sense of humor'...it was mean, bitchy and stupid. In what world does someone SAY something like that? The 'values' crowd? I'll take MY godless, latte sipping liberals that just say 'congratulations' anyday.
Well, except that saying "Congratulations" is what you are supposed to say to the man. To a woman it is more appropriate to just express your happiness for their joy.
I'm just saying.
granma
Actually to a woman you're suppose to say "My complements".
Did I miss you covering the Internet Hall of Fame. They just had their first awards ceremony. http://internethalloffame.org/ Great moment of geek.
BTW, it was Bush that kicked off the GM/auto bailout.
http://www.thepoliticalguide.com/Profiles/President/US/Barack_Obama/Views/TARP_and_GM/
At least he had one good idea. Too bad that it took President Obama to do it (in spite of the Republicans refusal to agree.) Go, President Obama!!!!