♦ What does it mean, as the Obama administration yet again invokes "state secrets", just like the Bush-Cheney administration, as grounds for quashing another lawsuit over illegal surveillance? "The government tells us that if it were to answer the complaint, it would have to disclose information that would do “exceptionally grave harm to national security.” In reasoning so absurd that it would force a smile from Kafka, the government claims that disclosing whether the plaintiffs have standing to sue (because they were affected by an intelligence dragnet) would require disclosing the methods used in the dragnet system. In other words, the government says the victims of its unlawful snooping are not entitled to know that they are victims of unlawful snooping. It also says it cannot be forced to acknowledge whether telecommunications service providers have collaborated in this process — although the Justice Department has already openly acknowledged that they do in papers filed just a few weeks ago. Essentially, the Justice Department’s brief amounts to a massive 'trust us'.”
Health care hell in America
♦ The basic premise of Obama's godawful health care reform is that the federal government will require us all to buy health insurance, and provide financial assistance for the poorest of those who can't afford it. But with a proposal from Democratic but anti-choice Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Michigan) which friggin' passed over the weekend, abortion will probably not be covered by the plans for which subsidies apply. Of course, thanks to the horrendous Hyde amendment of 1976, federal funding for abortions has already been illegal for more than thirty years, so I'm not sure Stupak's amendment even accomplishes anything beyond symbolism, but it ought to help highlight the Democrats' hypocrisy on the matter and it ought to piss off the Left. Again.
♦ The AARP and AMA have endorsed the Democrats' plan for health care reform, which President Obaba takes as great news, and which probably is, for him. A brief reminder for real people, though: The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is basically an insurance company. They operate as a special-interest group for seniors, but they make the bulk of their funds by packaging and selling health insurance to their members. And the American Medical Association (AMA) is, of course, just a business organization for doctors. So having the endorsement of AARP and AMA just says again what we already know — the Democrats' health care reform is going to be great news for the business of health insurance and health care providers. It might also provide some benefit to, you know, actual human beings who need health care, but that's not the primary purpose of the legislation.
♦ Ezra Klein at The Washington Post:If you leave everything else the same -- the volume of procedures, the days we spend in the hospital, the number of surgeries we need — but plug in the prices Canadians pay, our health-care spending falls by about 50 percent.
♦ Pharma giant Amgen has been sued by 15 states over allegations of kickbacks and fraudulent claims. Pessimistic prediction: They're going to end up paying a fine and admitting nothing.
♦ Congresscritter Michelle Bachmann (R-Minnesota) led thousands of people in a DC protest against health care reform, or more accurately, against the lies Bachmann and her ilk have told about health care reform. Dang if I know what to make of all this teabagging nonsense, except that the birth rate for suckers has gone way, way up since P.T. Barnum allegedly said "There's a sucker born every minute".
♦ Congressman Steve King (R-Iowa) says "All Americans have health care, every single one", and in his district, he says, people "want freedom", not health care. And as imbecilic as those statements are, that's the Republican perspective. Inhale deeply, breathe in the stupid.
♦ Maher Arar, a Canadian guilty of nothing but who was kidnapped by American officials and "renditioned" to Syria to be tortured, cannot sue the US government over what was done to him. That's the ruling of the United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit Court. The court's rationale is an embarrassment to the court and to the country — in short, Arar can't sue because the court thinks it shouldn't meddle in national security matters.
This is an enormous green light to the US government, to continue its Bush-Cheney era policies of kidnapping and torture, safe in the knowledge that justice will never be served. The court willfully turns a blind eye, and that's really all that's needed to establish a police state.
♦ At the Medill Innocence Project and similar projects at other colleges, students are assigned to investigate cases where the evidence suggests that innocent people have been convicted of serious crimes. It is just plain heroic work that's freed eleven people atMedill alone. In response to the Medill Project's work, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office did nothing for a year and then prosecutor Anita Alvarez subpoenaed Medill's Journalism Professor David Protess, demanding all sorts of internal information about the school's investigation, the students, the grading process, etc. Seriously chilling, and seriously, what the hell?
♦ A brief moment of good news: The Senate appears to not be caving completely on legilation that would curb the Obama and future administrations' abuse of "state secrets" claims and wind back the so-called PATRIOT Act a bit.
♦ There are women in Congress these days, and some of them are Democrats, but when Democratic Congresswomen took the floor to talk about health care reform they were treated with, at least by Congressional standards, remarkable rudeness. I don't hang around the halls of Congress, but this looks like something a bit beyond politics as usual.
♦ Can the principal of Churubusco High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana punish students for racy photos taken at a slumber party at a student's home? Common sense says no — schools are only in charge of students while they're at school or at school functions — but if there was common sense we wouldn't need an American Civil Liberties Union
(donate).
♦ What are the odds that then-Vice President Dick Cheney was honestly forgetful as FBI investigators questioned him on the exposure of a CIA agent's identity, and Cheney replied "I don't recall" over and over again? Nil.
♦ It's been a year since the Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) killed at least nine people with contamination that, the evidence shows, the company knew about in advance. It's been a year, and no charges have been filed.
It made me stop and think
"This might be the indignant, self-rightous bastard in me talking but how about putting forth a proposal to end the legal benefits of marriage for straight couples?"
More people saw Paul Blart, Mall Cop than saw The Shawshank Redemption. Therefore, Paul Blart, Mall Cop is a better movie than The Shawshank Redemption. Do you see? That's right. More people like it — that means it's better. Don't you understand capitalism?"
"Religion has convinced people that there’s an invisible man…living in the sky, who watches everything you do every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a list of ten specific things he doesn’t want you to do. And if you do any of these things, he will send you to a special place, of burning and fire and smoke and torture and anguish for you to live forever, and suffer and burn and scream until the end of time. But he loves you. He loves you and he needs money."
George Carlin
♦ Melanie Sloan of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
(donate): “In what world do Wall Street employees deserve to be vaccinated ahead of high-risk children, pregnant women and health care workers? The Centers for Disease Control is distributing the much-sought but in chronically short-supplied flu vaccine to Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase and Time Warner.
♦ Observe the utter sh*ttiness of Goldman Sachs on a personal level, as it buys up and bundles mortgages from disreputible lenders, then takes homeowners to bankruptcy while demanding payment far in excess of the mortgage. And then, observe how Goldman Sachs loses one case, and a couple of its victims get to keep their home.
♦ The Obama administration has responded, after Afghan puppet President Harmid Karzai was declared the victor on his re-election race, an election in which the UN tallied huge mountains of fraud, Afghan law mandated a run-off, butKarzai's opponent, Abdullah Abdullah, refused to re-run. "We congratulate President Karzai on his victory in this historic election", the US Embassy said in a statement, though of course, there wasn't an election. 'Cuz the right to pretend democracy and stolen elections and puppet American dictatorship is, after all, what American soldiers are fighting and dying and killing for in Afghanistan.
♦ The Obama administration sure seems to be waffling on what had been perceived as a rare foreign policy victory, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton saying that the US will respect Honduran elections later this month regardless of whether the coup government follows through on their pledge to reinstate overthrown President Manuel Zelaya to some modicum of power. What's the point of such a statement, but to encourage the coup-plotters? So the agreement is "a dead letter", says Zelaya.
♦ In China, the Ministry of Health has banned physical punishment for internet overuse, after a teenaged boy was beaten to death at what's called an internet boot camp and is presumably quite different from an internet chat room.
♦ To garner support for climate change legislation among cro magnon Republicans and conservative Democrats, the Obama administration is holding out as a lure the promise of more nuclear power plants. These are our options? Suffer global climate change, or risk nuclear catastrophe?
♦ Are the media's perpetual reports on the death of Detroit just a bit overhyped?
♦ Newsweek and the American Petroleum Institute are hosting their sixth Executive Forum for journalists and lobbyists to mingle and tingle.
♦ Markos Moulitsas, the founder and top honcho at DailyKos, went on TV last week to argue against former Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-Colorado) about health care reform. Tancredo made an ordinary and hollow right-wing talking point about how crappy the Veterans Administration is run, and Moulitsas responded, "I'm a veteran, OK. I did not get a deferrment because I was too depressed to fight in a war that I supported in Vietnam". Tancredo responds with umbrage and walks off the set, and Moulitsas seems to think this is a television moment to be proud of. It's not. It's rude, stupid, and counterproductive. Tancredo's a big ol' chickenhawk, sure, but that has nothing to do with health care reform. And I don't give a damn about Tancredo's hurt feelings — he's an opponent of health care for the tens of thousands of Americans who die for lack of health care every year, so he really deserves no good manners. In person I'd have nothing but vulgarities for the man. But on coast-to-coast television, with a sizable audience including many people who might not have made up their minds about health care reform, you don't want to come off looking like an ass — and in this clip Moulitsas looks exactly like an ass.
♦ In a profoundly shallow think piece, Dan Froomkin of The Huffington Post has blamed we the people for President Obama's increasingly obvious milquetoastiness. It's not at all because Barack Obama is owned by Big Business and Big Military and Big Insurance, and it's not because Obama's a political milquetoast who's more interested in looking good than doing good. Oh no, it's not that at all. As Froomkin explains, it's because you and I don't have the President's back so he quivers at the thought of showing leadership, and if only millions of us took to the street again, why, Obama would become President Michael Douglas from The American President or at least President Kevin Kline from Dave. Froomkin's full of crap, of course. The Left has spoken up loud and clear, and we should speak up louder — but even if the Left took to the streets in huge numbers it wouldn't move President Obama to the Left. Obama would do whatever it took to distance himself from the Left, just like he's done for ten months now. He'd probably respond by naming Rush Limbaugh to a cabinet-level position to show us all how amazingly bipartisan he is.
♦ CNBC knows who's a "real American" and who's not. If you're a black guy who fled civil war in Africa and became a legal citizen and won the New York Marathon, you're still only "technically American".
♦ There are 237 millionaires in Congress. Judging from the tone of the coverage I think we're supposed to be outraged, but the number actually strikes me as surprisingly good news — it means there are 298 members of Congress who aren't millionaires. It means there are more non-millionaires in Congress than millionaires. And in all seriousness, that surprises me. Whoops and update: Don't miss SirJ's debunking of this. The report only considers income, not property, which means it's "meaningless in determining how many millionaires there are in Congress."
♦ Sure is impressive, after two months of capitulating to Republicans on everything, to see Democrats charge ahead despite Republican obstinance. I guess the big bucks aren't yet fully arrayed against climate change legislation like they're arrayed against health care for Americans.
♦ Creigh Deeds, the Republicanesque Democrat who lost badly in the Virginia Governor's race last week, got a lot less support from Democrats and Independents than Barack Obama got last year, precisely because he wasn't progressive enough. Will Democrats get the message and move to the left, even incrementally?
♦ After months of Nazi this, Hitler that, and endless lies from Republicans about death camps and so forth, a prominent Jewish leader has expressed some long-overdue offense — Elie Wiesel, the writer, professor, political activist, Nobel Laureate and Holocaust survivor. Did he make a speech? Did he write an article? Did he complain about it on television? Well, no, but he's tweeted that "This kind of political hatred is indecent and disgusting".
♦ Seven and a half tons of steel from the twisted bloody wreckage of the World Trade Center has been recycled to a new purpose, and what do you suppose that purpose might be? Schools in Afghanistan? Hospitals in America? Nope. It's the USS New York, a new amphibious assault ship for our nation's glorious military, which will use this new tool, no doubt, to manufacture new enemies for America.
♦ Here's the heartwarming story of a Tennessee family that was uncooperative when cops came to the door. Cops had an arrest warrant for James Kimbro, but his wife tried to turn them away at the door. His son got into a fight with the cops, and pointed an assault rifle at them while the wanted man shouted at his son, "Shoot them!" Dad, Mom, and son all got probation. I'm not going to wade into the weeds of whether probation is appropriate or whether the punishment should have been more harsh and tangible. The cops say they're content, and I'm a big believer in mercy and second chances, and after all, nobody got hurt here. But the question that pops into my mind is — what color do you suppose James Kimbro's skin is? And the follow-up question, of course, is: What do you suppose would have happened if the answer wasn't white?
♦ You're probably aware that Stephen Colbert is a satirical character. This awareness puts you a few steps ahead of Bill Donohue, the Catholic League's top douchebag, or anyone at his publishing house, where a kooky quote from Colbert was used to blurb Donohue's new book.
♦ I guess parking is for little people, not for big shots like Congressman Patrick McHenry (R-North Carolina), who left his SUV illegally parked on the curb, because he was running late to catch a flight at the airport. The world these people live in is just beyond my comprehension — was McHenry confident that his flunkies would rescue his car before it was towed away? Or is a Congressman's vehicle impervious to towing?
♦ Here's a story that brightened my otherwise quite cloudy afternoon: A prisoner in Florida attacked a guard and started strangling him, and other prisoners came to the guard's rescue. It's a reminder: Most people are good guys, or at least have plenty of good inside. Even most people in prison, I'd wager (but I'd rather not find out first hand).
♦ I generally try not to get too worked up about media reports on scientific studies, as reporters often look for a story in the findings, and in most research there isn't a story worth telling to non-experts. But. I've heard strong word-of-mouth about the cancer-fighting properties of curcumin, found in the spice turmeric, and the study seems to add evidence worth considering. A shaker of generic turmeric at a big store is less than a dollar, and adds a pleasant flavor to good cooking. Presumably a shaker of more organic turmeric at an herb shop would be only a few bucks, and I'm thinking, why not?
♦ Hey, do you know a little about CSS? Then you know a lot more CSS than we do. We need a little help with some very brief and presumably easy CSS coding that'll make the website look better. If you'd like to provide a helping hand with a task that shouldn't take more than a few minutes, please get in touch. We're at unknownnews@inbox.com.
♦ Unknown News is updated once weekly, usually on Mondays. Have a seat and some cheese puffs but please, no smoking. With a tip o' the hat to Ellie F., JR Mooneyham, Jonathan Turley, Eat the Blog, gordon.coale, Mark T., Cab Drollery, Sherri B., Cassandra, Joseph D., Joe G., Lon Garm, J.S. (not the Watergate felon) Magruder at Why Not Resist?, SirJ, Bill T., Wig, the letter Z, our first home at pitas.com (1999-2003, and still a great place for publishing your blog), and the love of my life (who prefers to remain anonymous).
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Congress of the United States begun and held at the City of New York, on Wednesday the fourth of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine. The Conventions of a number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution expressed a desire in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government will best ensure the beneficent ends of its institution.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, two thirds of both Houses concurring that the following Articles be proposed to the Legislatures of the several states as Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, all or any of which articles, when ratified by three fourths of the said Legislatures to be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the said Constitution. viz: Articles in addition to, and Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress and Ratified by the Legislatures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth Article of the original Constitution. The First Amendment
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
The Second Amendment
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.
The Third Amendment
No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.
The Fourth Amendment
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
The Fifth Amendment
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.
The Sixth Amendment
In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.
The Seventh Amendment
In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.
The Eighth Amendment
Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.
The Ninth Amendment
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
The Tenth Amendment
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.
