February 2012
59 posts
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ShortFormBlog: President Obama exempts US citizens... →
shortformblog:
then On the last day of 2011, President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act which, amongst other things, allowed for the indefinite detention of US citizens suspected of terrorism.
now Obama signed a policy directive today that exempts US citizens from that provision in the bill (Section 1022, if you’re keeping track). Here’s the fact sheet released by the White...
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Supreme Court won’t hear NOM disclosure case →
The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Monday it won’t hear a case brought by the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage challenging a Maine law requiring the organization to reveal its donors.
The high court posted a notice on its website indicating it wouldn’t hear the case, known as National Organization for Marriage v. McKee, without providing comment. The decision means NOM no longer...
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Romney Reassembles the Bush Economic Team →
How did that work the last time?
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Wonklife: Romney is using the programs the poor... →
Cutting subsidies from Amtrak and Planned Parenthood is the equivalent of President Obama promising to close loopholes for corporate jet owners. It’s red meat for the base, but a rounding error in context of the budget.
Romney’s real savings come in the next section. He’ll “send Medicaid back…
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Austerity Bites →
With the Budget Control Act starting to really take effect, lets hope we’ve learned from Europe’s mistake and don’t continue with more austerity.
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Wonklife: President Obama as an alien →
They say that President Obama is a Muslim, but if he isn’t, he’s a secularist who is waging war on religion. On some days he’s a Nazi, but on most others he’s merely a socialist. His especially creative opponents see him as having a “Kenyan anti-colonial worldview,” while the less adventurous say that he’s an elitist who spent too much time in Cambridge, Hyde Park and other excessively...
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EU says eurozone economy to shrink in 2012 →
Spain is expected to contract by 1% this year, but the Commission warned that if its government brought in further budget cuts to meet its targets, the economy would contract by more than that.
Austerity is running Europe into the ground, even they are beginning to recognize it, yet it continues. Elections have consequences.
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Paul Krugman: Austerity Europe →
Austerity hurts.
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“I’m against very wealthy people attempting to or influencing elections. But as...”
– Sheldon Adelson, a billionaire who, with his wife and family, has donated $11 million to a pro-Newt Gingrich super PAC. (via officialssay)
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“It is not only Israeli leaders who have doubted Obama’s commitment to stop...”
– Memo to Republicans: Obama is Tougher on Iran Than George W. Bush - Jeffrey Goldberg (via wonklife)
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“No woman’s health should depend on who she is or where she works or how much...”
– President Obama’s full remarks on preventive care
(via barafundlebay)
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After a week dominated by women's health issues,...
think-progress:
ABC’s “This Week” — Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.; Robert Gibbs, adviser to President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign. NBC’s “Meet the Press” — Reps. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. CBS’ “Face the Nation” — GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum. CNN’s “State of the Union” — GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul; Gov. Mitch Daniels, R-Ind. “Fox News Sunday” — GOP...
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Paul Krugman: Reversing Local Austerity →
Paul Krugman notes how much help it would be to aid states in simple things like helping teachers return to the classroom.
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Santorum’s Gospel of Inequality →
Rick Santorum is becoming increasingly unhinged in his public comments. Just look at some of the things he has said recently.
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ShortFormBlog: Still think Detroit's going... →
shortformblog:
$4.7 billion General Motors’ posted earnings for the 2010 fiscal year
$7.6 billion General Motors’ posted earnings for the 2011 fiscal year source
» What a record to break! One year removed from bankruptcy, American automaker General Motors posted record-setting earnings for the…
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“The Bible’s the greatest game of ‘Telephone’ in history. Jesus said ‘Love your...”
– @JohnFugelsang (via apoplecticskeptic)
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“Consider the Lawrence case decided by the Supreme Court in June. The Court...”
– Ron Paul, 2003
Ron Paul’s libertarian political views: It’s wrong for one big government to oppress the freedoms of American citizens; it should be up to the state whether or not it wants to discriminate against and oppress the freedoms of its citizens. ‘Cause freedom = If a lot of people want to...
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OECD Finds Inequality is rising in America, and... →
Two key findings from a recent report:
The wealthiest Americans have collected the bulk of the past three decades’ income gains. The share of national income of the richest 1% more than doubled between 1980 and 2008: from 8% to 18% [Table 9.1]. The richest 1% now makes an average US$1.3 million of after-tax income (compared to US$17,700 for the poorest 20% of US citizens). During the same time,...
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"Advertisers are drawing new redlines, limiting... →
Law Professor, Lori Andrews writes about privacy on the internet in the New York Times:
Stereotyping is alive and well in data aggregation. Your application for credit could be declined not on the basis of your own finances or credit history, but on the basis of aggregate data — what other people whose likes and dislikes are similar to yours have done. If guitar players or divorcing couples are...
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OECD: No, the U.S. Government Is Not a Powerful... →
Brad DeLong reports on yet another study examining the increase in inequality, and how the government tries to reduce it, from the OECD:
The United States has the fourth-highest inequality level in the OECD, after Chile, Mexico and Turkey. Inequality among working-age people has risen steadily since 1980, in total by 25%. In 2008, the average income of the top 10% of Americans was...
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We Need a Second Party →
Thomas Friedman comments:
The 2012 crop of Republican presidential candidates is out of date. The party has lost its conservative roots.
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Prime-Age Employment by Sex →
Interesting. You should give it a quick look.
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“I’ve been involved in the legislative process for 35 years. Chaos is standard...”
– Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) on congressional gridlock. (via officialssay)
Thats my boss! (and he is right!)
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