Strange Bedfellows

post from They gave us a republic... - Front Page on 16 August 2010 11:39:14 AM. © They gave us a republic... - Front Page

I am really, really having a hard time getting my head around the fact that I am finding myself on the same side of any issue with Michael Gerson. Mark McKinnon and Joe Scarborough, I kinda grok...(Well, Scar anyway...and by the way, how shocking is it that he is suddenly the voice of sanity, reason and moderation?)

On Morning Joe earlier today, a pair of leading Republicans - host Joe Scarborough and former Bush strategist Mark McKinnon - blasted the GOP for its xenophobic and unconstitutional stance against American Muslims' right to build a new Islamic center in lower Manhattan.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has claimed that the new Islamic center project "would be like putting a Nazi sign next to the Holocaust Museum." Referencing that quote, Scarborough expressed angry disdain at Gingrich's intolerance. "I don't know where to begin," Scarborough said. "To suggest that someone trying to build a tolerance center for moderate Muslims in New York is the equivalent of killing six million Jews is stunning to me."
McKinnon then chimed in, arguing that the debate surrounding the Cordoba House project is contrary to his party's principles. "We may get our membership [by the GOP] revoked," McKinnon joked. "Screw 'em," Scarborough responded. McKinnon then said that the GOP's stance is "reinforcing al Qaeda's message."

But Gerson? (Okay, you have to get past the contempt he makes sure you know he feels and the condescending tone, but it's there.)

Though columnists are loath to admit it, there is a difference between being a commentator and being president. Pundits have every right to raise questions about the construction of an Islamic center near Ground Zero. Where is the funding coming from? What are the motives of its supporters? Is the symbolism insensitive?
But the view from the Oval Office differs from the view from a keyboard. A president does not merely have opinions; he has duties to the Constitution and to the citizens he serves -- including millions of Muslim citizens. His primary concern is not the sifting of sensitivities but the protection of the American people and the vindication of their rights.
By this standard, Obama had no choice but the general path he took. No president, of any party or ideology, could tell millions of Americans that their sacred building desecrates American holy ground. This would understandably be taken as a presidential assault on the deepest beliefs of his fellow citizens. It would be an unprecedented act of sectarianism, alienating an entire faith tradition from the American experiment. If a church or synagogue can be built on a commercial street in Lower Manhattan, declaring a mosque off-limits would officially equate Islam with violence and terrorism. No president would consider making such a statement. And those commentators who urge the president to do so fundamentally misunderstand the presidency itself.

Holy hell, I could not have dreamed up a better issue to split the GOP than Cordoba House and the ~~debate~~ furor surrounding the future of the old Burlington Coat Factory at Park 51 if I had been asked to do so and offered a huge bonus for the idea.

The whole thing reminds me of a discussion I had with my step-dad as a young adult. I was doing an honors class project on the French Revolution, and I was waxing poetic about ideals. He gently reminded me that I didn't have any yet, because they hadn't been tested. I asked him what that meant, and he just gave me that look of his and said "You'll see."

He was right.

This issue is testing the people who have been shrieking that we have to "get back to constitutional principles" and they are failing. Spectacularly. And history will not be kind to them.

Or to us, if we let them win simply because their ignorance is only exceeded by their volume and their small-minded hatefulness and bullying.

Gosh, if that happened, you would have to say the terrorists won. And it would be a true statement of fact any way you parsed it.

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ge-bedfellows

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Wow! That Was Quick!

post from They gave us a republic... - Front Page on 16 August 2010 11:34:10 AM. © They gave us a republic... - Front Page

Two days ago I commented on one of BG's Afghanistan pieces in regard to why we will probably be in that miserable sand trap forever by saying I would expect there to be a big announcement about huge oil reserves underlying the country soon.

Well (Thanks to Susie Madrak and C&L for the link.)... how's this for soon?

Afghanistan says finds 1.8 billion barrel oilfield

Afghanistan said on Sunday it had discovered an oilfield with an estimated 1.8 billion barrels in the north of the war-ravaged country, where U.S. and other foreign forces are trying to tame a Taliban-led insurgency.
The discovery of the basin between northern Balkh and Shiberghan provinces was made after a survey conducted by Afghan and international geologists, said Jawad Omar, a spokesman for the ministry of mines.
"I do not know its price in the market. But the initial survey says there are 1.8 billion barrels of oil and I think there will be more than what it is estimated," he told Reuters.

So there you have it... the Neocon chicken hawk's wet dream. Another couple of billion barrels of oil he can send your kids to die getting for him. We aren't going to leave that hellhole until those resources have been secured for Wall Street and its international equivalents.

The U.S. Department of Defense estimated earlier this year that Afghanistan's mineral resources could top $1 trillion, but experts say the fragile security situation could delay seeing the benefits of this wealth for years.

Meaning that US troops and huge chunks of our own wealth will be required "for years" also to bring about a level of security that would allow exploitation by the world's major ~~gangs~~ financial institutions.

Add this latest news to other stories of vast mineral resources being discovered in that miserable excuse for a country and I think it's safe to say that the MIC and their Republican puppets have truly found their Holy Grail... a forever war.

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Market Updates: Medco Health Solutions
(NYSE:MHS), Dell (NASDAQ:DELL), 3Par (NYSE:PAR), Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS)

post from Jutia Group on 16 August 2010 11:25:51 AM. © Jutia Group

Pharmacy benefits manager Medco Health Solutions (NYSE:MHS) says it will buy United BioSource Corp., which develops technology used in clinical trials and patient monitoring, for $730 million in cash. United BioSource is based in Bethesda, Md., and designs phone and web technologies that clinical trial patients can use to provide information about their health. That information is used in post-approval research. The companies say United BioSource will report about $280 million in revenue in 2010. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter and to add slightly to Medco’s profit in 2011. Medco is the largest pharmacy benefits manager in the U.S., but in recent years it has expanded its ability to do research and compare the effectiveness of different drugs. –Daily Finance

Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) announced that…

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Brilliant

post from Daily Kos on 16 August 2010 11:16:03 AM. © Daily Kos

Congratulations to the Senate, for demonstrating the link between responsibly addressing climate change and building the economy. As reported by Reuters:

Alternative energy investment prospects have shriveled in the United States after the U.S. Senate was unable to break a deadlock over tackling global warming, a Deutsche Bank official said.

"You just throw your hands up and say ... we're going to take our money elsewhere," said Kevin Parker in an interview with Reuters.

Parker, who is global head of the Frankfurt-based bank's Deutsche Asset Management Division, oversees nearly $700 billion in funds that devote $6 billion to $7 billion to climate change products.

Thanks to the brilliance of the Senate, Parker will be looking to invest in China and Europe, where policymakers are looking to the future, which the U.S. isn't. As Jed Lewison noted, the new Congressional state aid package is being funded, in part, by slashing $1.5 billion from renewable energy programs, which is like buying a hungry man some fish by selling a fishing rod.

Meanwhile, someone is setting an example of how to transition an economy to clean energy. Sometimes doing what is right at home is the way to demonstrate international leadership. This comes from the New York Times, on Tuesday:

Nearly 45 percent of the electricity in Portugal’s grid will come from renewable sources this year, up from 17 percent just five years ago.

Land-based wind power — this year deemed "potentially competitive" with fossil fuels by the International Energy Agency in Paris — has expanded sevenfold in that time. And Portugal expects in 2011 to become the first country to inaugurate a national network of charging stations for electric cars.

"I’ve seen all the smiles — you know: It’s a good dream. It can’t compete. It’s too expensive," said Prime Minister José Sócrates, recalling the way Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister, mockingly offered to build him an electric Ferrari. Mr. Sócrates added, "The experience of Portugal shows that it is possible to make these changes in a very short time."

Portugal, a country that is suffering some of the worst impacts of Europe's economic crisis. And despite a short-term increase in electricity costs. President Obama's goal is to have 20 to 25 percent of U.S. electricity produced from renewable sources by 2025, which may be optimistic, given the ease with which renewable energy programs are being eviscerated. By comparison, IHS Emerging Energy Research says Ireland, Denmark and Britain will be getting at least 40 percent of their energy from renewable sources by that same year. At the same time, federal agencies in the U.S. have been studying how to expand the use of the illusory "clean" coal. The Washington Independent has this exciting news:

The report calls on the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, the Department of the Interior and the Treasury Department to provide recommendations on the issue by late 2011. In the meantime, the report gives a number of potential solutions to the liability dilemma. They include limiting future liability claims, creating an fund into which companies would pay to cover potential claims and the transfer of liability to the federal government.

Limiting corporate liability, while transferring it to the government. Sound familiar?

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A Word About Robert Gibbs

post from Taylor Marsh on 16 August 2010 11:11:44 AM. © Taylor Marsh

Our Lady of Pearls, aka Maureen Dowd, wrote something in her column yesterday that needs to be culled from the crap in it. First, you must ignore the headline, because it has absolutely nothing to do with the nut of what she’s saying. Robert Gibbs[...]

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DNC Summer Meeting in St. Louis starts on
Thursday

post from DemConWatch on 16 August 2010 11:06:10 AM. © DemConWatch

St. Louis gets an extra chance this week to show off the city in hope of winning the 2012 Democratic National Convention.

Biden, Kaine and Sebelius are to speak at the DNC's general meeting on Friday. They are to be joined by Missouri's two top Democrats -- U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (far right) and Gov. Jay Nixon -- who both have been dealing with the political fallout on a congressional and state level. Each has adopted a difference approach. McCaskill appears to favor more confrontation, while Nixon has opted more accommodation.
What will be intriguing is if Nixon and McCaskill -- once rivals, now allies -- bring up their political approaches when each addresses the DNC officials.
Also set to speak Friday: St. Louis County Charlie Dooley, who has a keen political interest in the political climate -- and Democrats' approach to it -- since he will be on the November ballot as well.
Speaking Thursday to the DNC representatives, along with Kaine, will be St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay and state Democratic Party chairman Craig Hosmer. - St. Louis Beacon

The DNC will vote on a Proposed Charter Amendment which "updates language to reflect modifications in
the proposed 2012 Delegate Selection Rules pertaining to Unpledged Add-on Delegates". If you're a regular reader you'll know that an Unpledged Add-On Delegate is also known as a Superdelegate.

A list of resolutions will also be voted on during the meeting.

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DeLay Will Not Face Federal Charges

post from TPMMuckraker on 16 August 2010 11:01:57 AM. © TPMMuckraker

Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay will not face federal charges related to his ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, Politico reported.

The Justice Department notified DeLay's lead attorney, McGuireWoods Chairman Richard Cullen, about the decision last week, the lawyer said.

"The federal investigation of Tom DeLay is over and there will be no charges," Cullen told Politico. "This is the so-called Abramoff investigation run by the Public Integrity section of DOJ. There have been a series of convictions and guilty pleas since 2005."

Cullen said that DeLay "voluntarily produced to the prosecutors over 1,000 emails and documents from the DeLay office dating back to 1997. Several members of Congress objected to producing official government records under Speech or Debate Clause concerns," Cullen said.

"DeLay took the opposite position, ordering all his staff to answer all questions. He turned over more than 1,000 documents, and several of his aides gave interviews and grand jury testimony."

Reached by TPMMuckraker, Justice Department spokeswoman Laura Sweeney declined to comment.

A separate state probe in Texas into an alleged scheme to funnel corporate money in the 2002 campaign remains open, Cullen said. DeLay and two other men are allegedly raised $190,000 in corporate money in Texas through a fundraising committee and sent it the Republican National Committee, which then gave the money to candidates in Texas, a state which bans corporate donations.

DeLay would like to see that case go to trial, his lawyer Dick DeGuerin told TPMMuckraker in April.

Tom DeLay - Jack Abramoff - United States - Texas - Business

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Feds Close Case On Delay

The federal investigation of Tom Delay's ties to Jack Abramoff, one of several aspects of Delay's iron-fisted rule over the era of excess on Capitol Hill that were under scrutiny, has ended with no charges against the former House majority leader. Jack[...]

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Oilfield With Estimated 1.8 Billion Barrels Of
Oil Identified In Afghanistan

video details and more

Oh dear. If this is verified, how likely is it that we'll ever leave?

KABUL, Aug. 15, 2010 (Reuters) ? Afghanistan said on Sunday it had discovered an oilfield with an estimated 1.8 billion barrels in the north of the war-ravaged country, where U.S. and other foreign forces are trying to tame a Taliban-led insurgency.
The discovery of the basin between northern Balkh and Shiberghan provinces was made after a survey conducted by Afghan and international geologists, said Jawad Omar, a spokesman for the ministry of mines.
"I do not know its price in the market. But the initial survey says there are 1.8 billion barrels of oil and I think there will be more than what it is estimated," he told Reuters.
Various estimates of Afghanistan's hidden wealth have been made in recent years, but the challenge of exploiting the resources in a country at war and with little mining infrastructure is daunting for most investors.
Omar gave no more details on how the estimates were made but said the country will offer the reserves for development along with other minerals in the coming months.
Afghanistan hopes that untapped mineral deposits valued at $3 trillion could help reduce the need to rely on Western cash for bankrolling its impoverished economy and for its soldiers to maintain security when foreign troops draw down numbers.

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War vets dismissed with wrong diagnoses, denied
benefits

This is just wrong. It's another legacy of the Bush/Cheney era. All those politicians who claim to support the troops aren't supporting the troops if they let this happen:

At the height of the Iraq war, the Army routinely fired hundreds of soldiers for having a personality disorder when they were more likely to be suffering from the traumatic stresses of war, discharge data suggests.

Under pressure from Congress and the public, the Army later acknowledged the problem and drastically cut the number of soldiers given the designation. But advocates for veterans say an unknown number of troops still unfairly bear the stigma of a personality disorder, making them ineligible for military health care and other benefits.

"We really have an obligation to go back and make sure troops weren't misdiagnosed," said Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen, a clinical psychologist whose nonprofit "Give an Hour" connects troops with volunteer mental health professionals.

So, we sent these men and women to war, they suffered because of it. And, instead of helping them, the Army kicked them out with no benefits.

Fix it.