Today's edition of quick hits:
* The Obama administration made its first formal acknowledgement today of "its use of drone strikes against terrorism suspects, lifting but not removing the shroud of secrecy that surrounds the nation's expanding use of targeted killing operations overseas."
* A win for women's health, Part I: "A federal judge on Monday blocked a Texas rule that would have excluded Planned Parenthood from participating in the state's women's health program.... U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel ruled Monday there was sufficient evidence the state rule barring Planned Parenthood is unconstitutional."
* A win for women's health, Part II: "The Oklahoma Supreme Court unanimously tossed out a proposed 'personhood' amendment Monday, yet another setback for the controversial movement that has divided abortion-rights opponents."
* Human rights in China were an important topic of discussion at the White House today.
* A military strike on Iran? American officials and outside analysts now believe "that the chances of war in the near future have significantly decreased."
* Flexible principles: "Tea Party favorites ... were swept into Congress on a wave of anger over government-funded bailouts of banks. Now those incumbents are collecting thousands of dollars for re-election campaigns from the same Wall Street firms whose excesses they criticized. They have taken no significant steps to curb them or prevent future taxpayer-financed rescues."
* Adding muscle to fraud probes: "An Obama administration task force probing misconduct that fueled the financial crisis is increasing its ranks, adding five financial analysts and 10 new federal prosecutors spread across the country, according to a senior Justice Department official."
* A victim of faux outrage: "Al Armendariz, the Environmental Protection Agency official at the center of a budding scandal surrounding a 2010 video in which he said the EPA should "crucify" polluters, has resigned."
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
Leave a Comment:
I was very surprised that Rachel did not respond when Cathy McMorris said that this president has doubled the gas prices. How short people's memory is! When Bush got in office gas bouncing between $1.12-1.25 I remember it very clearly and at the very end on Bush's presidency I remember guying gas at $4.00! What did Bush do to gas prices? And If Obama doubled $4 gas then it should be $8?? Why nobody objected to this lie?
Well now those who buy into such lies are not about to let facts get in their way, yet you seem to have seen it for what it was.
The spoon fed drones of FOX never question the falsehoods or misrepresentations they are fed-they do not have any desire to discredit those who sing their tune.
Speaking of which , now gas prices are falling does Obama and his increased domestic production get credit?
I thought so , Never mind
I do worry a bit about Obama. If he really gets the whole truth behind the crash under Bush then those responsible might take off the gloves and do even more to try and bring him down. Murder is not beyond the realm of of possibilities for those who put greed above all things.Let's hope the Secret Service starts taking their job seriously.
I cannot understand why torture is condemned, but killing people, possibly innocents, is okay
Wait! Torture is condemned? Where??
Thats the hypocrisy of BO - condemning torture and lack of due process, calling for the closing of Gitmo and trying terrorists in NYC to now killing them by drones. Nice how the left and the press have given him a pass. Think the press would have done the same for a Republican?
Hank, of course not. The press would never let Bush and Cheney get away with moving a war from one country to another, waterboarding people held without charges filed, or leaving people in prisons around the world for years.
Oh, wait...
So you are agreeing with my point. The press, Pelosi and BO the candidate did not let Bush and Cheney get away with moving a war from one country to another, waterboarding people held without charges filed, or leaving people in prisons around the world for years.
Thats all the left and the press ranted about for years while Bush was in office. However when the left gets their boy elected, Pelosi and the press are silent. I do remember the ACLU tried to sue the government after the Anwar al-Awlaki assassination. Don't remember seeing any articles in the press screaming about this injustice and overreach of American policy.
I hope Obama and the Dems are MORE aggressive regarding trumpeting the Bin Laden elimination.
Position it this way: Bush couldn't be bothered to go after BL. Romney is on record saying he wouldn't have gone after him. Why not? Really - why not? Answer - they want the U.S. to move through the world like cowards. They want the U.S. to only go after easy pickings. They don't have faith in America's ability to do great things.
So, of course Romney and Republicans are squealing - that's what cowards do.
Yyyyess! The OK Supremes finally see the light. Now if we can just get them to overturn the vaginal probe law we'll be headed in the right direction!!
By the way, Must we watch Exxon Valdiz Mobile ads on your site? I dread it every time I come here. I have to turn the audio off until the ad is over. Thanks for everything.
Cheers,
Tell me that you are joking about the adding muscle thing. That still makes less than 100 personnel assigned to the banking fraud. Compare that to the S&L crisis. There were 1000 agents from the FBI plus whatever number of lawyers from Justice. This just isn't a serious investigation.
Adding muscle to the fraud investigation my aching ass. For the S&L crisis there were 1000 agents from the FBI alone. Plus whatever lawyers and whatnot from Justice. They have less that 100 total for the largest accounting control fraud in history? That's just enough to sweep the @!$%# under the carpet.
Sorry for the double comment. First time poster and all that.
I read this article and wondered if any of it had truth behind it. Sounds kinda like the police are trying to intimidate people which makes it harassment.
http://gawker.com/5906500/nypd-raids-activists-homes-before-tomorrows-occupy-wall-street-protests
It was a great article, I just also hope that it will solve the issue regarding gas energy increase.
Please visit http://chriscrosby.net/blog/2012/03/16/americas-gas-pains/