Today's edition of quick hits:
* Problems persist in Greece: "Political deadlock in Greece on Monday stoked a renewed sense of crisis about the fate of the European economy as new data confirmed a downturn in one of the world's major trading blocks."
* Are sanctions taking a toll on Iran? Yep.
* Gay marriage is not yet legal in Rhode Island, but Gov. Linc Chafee (I) issued an executive order today, recognizing same-sex marriages from other states.
* Jeffrey Toobin has a fascinating piece on Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts orchestrating the Citizens United decision.
* It sure does seem as if Norm Ornstein and Tom Mann would make fine Sunday show guests.
* Given Edward Klein's background, it's going to be difficult to take his new attack book against President Obama seriously.
* Though Republicans no longer seem sure what to say about marriage equality, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told an Iowa audience about the president over the weekend, "Call me cynical, but I wasn't sure his views on marriage could get any gayer."
* And speaking of Obama, the president delivered quite a commencement address at New York's Barnard College earlier today. It's about a half-hour long, but it's worth watching.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
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"Call me cynical, but I wasn't sure his views on marriage could get any gayer."
Honestly, Sen. Paul, "cynical" isn't the word that springs to mind for what I would call you after a comment like that.
Why is this all of a sudden a hot topic? Is it somehow tied into the November elections? Is there going to be something on the ballot? I'm sure someone will say that it's because it differentiates the candidates, which is all good and fine, but why did this not happen in 2008? Is it because then candidate Obama was not fully "evolved" on the issue? Just honestly puzzled on why this is now the topic du jour.
I am all for equal marriage rights nationwide, but the way this is being played here is that since the POTUS came out in support of it, you would think that if you vote for Obama same sex marriage will be legal in every state in 2013.
Well, Skip, I'm glad you asked. You've shown in previous threads that you just don't get why people would care about this, dismissing it as trivial, equating it with the Romney-bully story. Of course, with current efforts to actively bar homosexuals from enjoying the same rights as their fellow straight American citizens, many people consider it the preeminent civil rights issue of our era; but hey, it's puzzling. But why did this not happen in 2008? Could it be insert random snark comment here? Or could it be that, at the time, gay marriage still did not enjoy majority support in the US? That didn't happen until 2009. And today support is even bigger. And in an election year, it's an issue that motivates Obama's base, not to mention a large number of independents who might not back him so strongly on other issues, but this one gives them a clear, unmistakeable choice.
But other than that...total mystery.
Given Edward Klein's background, it's going to be difficult to take his new attack book against President Obama seriously, unless you're a right-wing zealot who'll believe anything a fellow cultist tells you.
Fixed.
Given Edward Klein's disdain for historical fact, I would not be surprised if some of his ancestors helped write the Bible. sigh.
With Roberts as the Chief Justice the only hope for the Court to ever return to a true court of law rather than a political puppet, is for us to make sure no republican gets to ever appoint a Judge to the Court.
Just an FYI http://dougwead.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/ron-paul-is-not-out-he-is-up/
And Rand's ol' man has stated that any consenting adults should have the option to get married, it's non of the government's business.
Exactly. I thought Libertarians were for personal responsibilty and personal freedom. What two consenting adults do is their business only. Which includes getting married.
Please excuse the typos.^
Ron is Libertarian, Rand is a bit more conservative.
Sorry MaxP, but I think it's about time people - including those in the media who should know better - stopped calling Paul a libertarian. This self-proclaimed champion of liberty fully supports the government's power to control a pregnant woman's body. That doesn't sound like liberty to me.
All you gay-bashing, anti-women's rights so-called "less government, more freedom" types, stay out of my bedroom! Stay out of my doctor's office! Leave us alone! Leave me alone! GO AWAY!
Oh, and just for fun, search "Ayn Rand abortion."
Yep, the string of adjectives just got longer: Obama's a Muslim atheist Marxist fascist gay Kenyan anti-colonial terrorist. What'd I leave out? Oh, yeah, the old "N-word lover." But I guess they can only use that one on his late mother.
I wouldn't call Obama any of that. I would call him a thief, a keynesian, and a murderer, I call G.W.B. those things as well. After all BO kept and even expanded over 90% of GWB policies. Each of them has had more civilians killed than all the terrorist attacks in history on the USA.