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December 29, 2005
Friday, April 01, 2005
Friday's Links
Activism
Daily Kos is looking at the Federal Election Commission's proposed plans to limit political writing and advertising by online sources (such as blogs). For example, the FEC could decide that Daily Kos, or AmericaBLOG, or StillFighting are "unpaid advertising" for Democrats, and therefore should be shut down. Daily Kos has links to the proposed plans, and has been engaged to write a response. If you're a lawyer, and want to help, they can use it. If not, you're encouraged to send your comments on the regulations straight to the FEC. Let's make some noise, and show that (for example) if Still Fighting wants to endorse Bob Casey Jr. in Pennsylvania, it's not considered a contribution!
News
She Works Hard for the Money. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has decided to look into Maggie Gallagher, the syndicated columnist who was paid by the Department of Health and Human services to promote a marriage initiative. Gallagher wrote publication materials and spoke on the topic. We like the GAO - they seem to be the only government agency that wants to hold the White House...well, accountable. American citizens have a right to know where their tax dollars are being spent, and most Americans would agree that self-serving propaganda probably isn't the best way to spend it.
Hastert Acknowledges Social Security Bill Will Be Unlikely This Year. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL) acknowledged that legislation on Social Security is not likely to pass this year. Unfortunately for Hastert, the White House doesn't agree, and sent out immediate press releases saying that Bush is still hopeful of pushing the legislation through this year. We're not sure why, as Democrats have shown no signs of caving in on this bill. The GOP is anxious to have the bill signed this year, because they want a full year before the next election to show why it's such a good thing (or maybe for America to forget that they are trying to ruin Social Security). Basically, it's shameless pandering - they don't really care about the bill - they care about making the party look good. Hastert thinks that "Most members, down in their heart, know that what we are trying to do is the right thing to do." If by most, he means the 233 Republicans in the House, then he's probably right.
DeLay on the Defensive. By now, you've surely read about House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's legal troubles. But outside the Beltway, these "troubles" aren't getting a lot of MSM press. Enter The Campaign for America's Future and the Public Campaign Election Fund, two liberal groups who are spending a combined $100,000 on advertising that shows DeLay's self-serving agenda, and highlight his legal battles (we linked to this as yesterday's "activism"). Moments like his stand for Schiavo and his acceptance of free gifts will be highlighted. It didn't take long for DeLay's camp to respond, as three conservative groups have organized a "formal defense" against the charges. The upper members of the House and Senate have been exposed quite a bit lately - DeLay, for his illegal acceptance of gifts, Frist, for both his ridiculous notion that tears and sweat cause AIDS and his "diagnosis" of Terri Schiavo, and Rick Santorum, who made absurdly incorrect remarks about the role of judges in Schiavo's case. Now, we need those weaknesses to be exploited, and get these elected officials replaced!
Editorials
Congressional Malpractice. We talked a little bit above about Bill Frist's credibility. Chris Mooney does us one better, and takes us through all of Frist's "sweet medical reason(ing)." The more we read this, the more outraged we get that someone could use his medical credentials to intentionally mislead the country. And make no mistake, that is exactly what Frist is doing.
Why Professors Tilt Left. An interesting editorial by Ezra Klein about the political tendencies of educators. According to Howard Kurtz, 72% of college faculty describe themselves as "liberal." Isn't that shocking? How could so many educated people be slanted to one side? Oh, of course...because it's the side that's the most informed and the most tolerant.
Debt Slavery. The most under-the-counter bill passed by the 109th Congress was the bankruptcy bill, a bill that caters and panders to the profits on credit card companies. But why should you care? Is there anything in that bill that affects you? David Swanson does an excellent job of explaining why you should care, and precisely how this bill could affect you. Yes, you!
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December 29, 2005
Friday, April 01, 2005
Friday's Links
Activism
Daily Kos is looking at the Federal Election Commission's proposed plans to limit political writing and advertising by online sources (such as blogs). For example, the FEC could decide that Daily Kos, or AmericaBLOG, or StillFighting are "unpaid advertising" for Democrats, and therefore should be shut down. Daily Kos has links to the proposed plans, and has been engaged to write a response. If you're a lawyer, and want to help, they can use it. If not, you're encouraged to send your comments on the regulations straight to the FEC. Let's make some noise, and show that (for example) if Still Fighting wants to endorse Bob Casey Jr. in Pennsylvania, it's not considered a contribution!
News
She Works Hard for the Money. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has decided to look into Maggie Gallagher, the syndicated columnist who was paid by the Department of Health and Human services to promote a marriage initiative. Gallagher wrote publication materials and spoke on the topic. We like the GAO - they seem to be the only government agency that wants to hold the White House...well, accountable. American citizens have a right to know where their tax dollars are being spent, and most Americans would agree that self-serving propaganda probably isn't the best way to spend it.
Hastert Acknowledges Social Security Bill Will Be Unlikely This Year. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL) acknowledged that legislation on Social Security is not likely to pass this year. Unfortunately for Hastert, the White House doesn't agree, and sent out immediate press releases saying that Bush is still hopeful of pushing the legislation through this year. We're not sure why, as Democrats have shown no signs of caving in on this bill. The GOP is anxious to have the bill signed this year, because they want a full year before the next election to show why it's such a good thing (or maybe for America to forget that they are trying to ruin Social Security). Basically, it's shameless pandering - they don't really care about the bill - they care about making the party look good. Hastert thinks that "Most members, down in their heart, know that what we are trying to do is the right thing to do." If by most, he means the 233 Republicans in the House, then he's probably right.
DeLay on the Defensive. By now, you've surely read about House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's legal troubles. But outside the Beltway, these "troubles" aren't getting a lot of MSM press. Enter The Campaign for America's Future and the Public Campaign Election Fund, two liberal groups who are spending a combined $100,000 on advertising that shows DeLay's self-serving agenda, and highlight his legal battles (we linked to this as yesterday's "activism"). Moments like his stand for Schiavo and his acceptance of free gifts will be highlighted. It didn't take long for DeLay's camp to respond, as three conservative groups have organized a "formal defense" against the charges. The upper members of the House and Senate have been exposed quite a bit lately - DeLay, for his illegal acceptance of gifts, Frist, for both his ridiculous notion that tears and sweat cause AIDS and his "diagnosis" of Terri Schiavo, and Rick Santorum, who made absurdly incorrect remarks about the role of judges in Schiavo's case. Now, we need those weaknesses to be exploited, and get these elected officials replaced!
Editorials
Congressional Malpractice. We talked a little bit above about Bill Frist's credibility. Chris Mooney does us one better, and takes us through all of Frist's "sweet medical reason(ing)." The more we read this, the more outraged we get that someone could use his medical credentials to intentionally mislead the country. And make no mistake, that is exactly what Frist is doing.
Why Professors Tilt Left. An interesting editorial by Ezra Klein about the political tendencies of educators. According to Howard Kurtz, 72% of college faculty describe themselves as "liberal." Isn't that shocking? How could so many educated people be slanted to one side? Oh, of course...because it's the side that's the most informed and the most tolerant.
Debt Slavery. The most under-the-counter bill passed by the 109th Congress was the bankruptcy bill, a bill that caters and panders to the profits on credit card companies. But why should you care? Is there anything in that bill that affects you? David Swanson does an excellent job of explaining why you should care, and precisely how this bill could affect you. Yes, you!
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December 29, 2005
Daily Kos is looking at the Federal Election Commission's proposed plans to limit political writing and advertising by online sources (such as blogs). For example, the FEC could decide that Daily Kos, or AmericaBLOG, or StillFighting are "unpaid advertising" for Democrats, and therefore should be shut down. Daily Kos has links to the proposed plans, and has been engaged to write a response. If you're a lawyer, and want to help, they can use it. If not, you're encouraged to send your comments on the regulations straight to the FEC. Let's make some noise, and show that (for example) if Still Fighting wants to endorse Bob Casey Jr. in Pennsylvania, it's not considered a contribution!
News
She Works Hard for the Money. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has decided to look into Maggie Gallagher, the syndicated columnist who was paid by the Department of Health and Human services to promote a marriage initiative. Gallagher wrote publication materials and spoke on the topic. We like the GAO - they seem to be the only government agency that wants to hold the White House...well, accountable. American citizens have a right to know where their tax dollars are being spent, and most Americans would agree that self-serving propaganda probably isn't the best way to spend it.
Hastert Acknowledges Social Security Bill Will Be Unlikely This Year. Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL) acknowledged that legislation on Social Security is not likely to pass this year. Unfortunately for Hastert, the White House doesn't agree, and sent out immediate press releases saying that Bush is still hopeful of pushing the legislation through this year. We're not sure why, as Democrats have shown no signs of caving in on this bill. The GOP is anxious to have the bill signed this year, because they want a full year before the next election to show why it's such a good thing (or maybe for America to forget that they are trying to ruin Social Security). Basically, it's shameless pandering - they don't really care about the bill - they care about making the party look good. Hastert thinks that "Most members, down in their heart, know that what we are trying to do is the right thing to do." If by most, he means the 233 Republicans in the House, then he's probably right.
DeLay on the Defensive. By now, you've surely read about House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's legal troubles. But outside the Beltway, these "troubles" aren't getting a lot of MSM press. Enter The Campaign for America's Future and the Public Campaign Election Fund, two liberal groups who are spending a combined $100,000 on advertising that shows DeLay's self-serving agenda, and highlight his legal battles (we linked to this as yesterday's "activism"). Moments like his stand for Schiavo and his acceptance of free gifts will be highlighted. It didn't take long for DeLay's camp to respond, as three conservative groups have organized a "formal defense" against the charges. The upper members of the House and Senate have been exposed quite a bit lately - DeLay, for his illegal acceptance of gifts, Frist, for both his ridiculous notion that tears and sweat cause AIDS and his "diagnosis" of Terri Schiavo, and Rick Santorum, who made absurdly incorrect remarks about the role of judges in Schiavo's case. Now, we need those weaknesses to be exploited, and get these elected officials replaced!
Editorials
Congressional Malpractice. We talked a little bit above about Bill Frist's credibility. Chris Mooney does us one better, and takes us through all of Frist's "sweet medical reason(ing)." The more we read this, the more outraged we get that someone could use his medical credentials to intentionally mislead the country. And make no mistake, that is exactly what Frist is doing.
Why Professors Tilt Left. An interesting editorial by Ezra Klein about the political tendencies of educators. According to Howard Kurtz, 72% of college faculty describe themselves as "liberal." Isn't that shocking? How could so many educated people be slanted to one side? Oh, of course...because it's the side that's the most informed and the most tolerant.
Debt Slavery. The most under-the-counter bill passed by the 109th Congress was the bankruptcy bill, a bill that caters and panders to the profits on credit card companies. But why should you care? Is there anything in that bill that affects you? David Swanson does an excellent job of explaining why you should care, and precisely how this bill could affect you. Yes, you!
