Anti-Gay National Organization For Marriage:
State Should Support ‘What Is True, And Good, And Beautiful’

Fox Business’ John Stossel wasn’t very convinced by Brian Brown’s argument for why the state should prohibit gays and lesbians from marrying. And no wonder — the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) President boiled it down to: “the state should support what is true, and good, and beautiful.” Watch it:

Read The Full Article:
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2011/08/19/299702/anti-gay-national-organization-fo
r-marriage-state-should-support-what-is-true-and-good-and-beautiful/

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"Feast Your Eyes": Fox Swoons Over Rick Perry

Following Texas Gov. Rick Perry's announcement that he will seek the GOP nomination for president, Fox News has relentlessly hyped his campaign, from promoting his policies to asking whether he would "ride his horse" rather than fly on Air Force One and defending his comments about Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

FoxFigures Promote Perry's Policies And Candidacy

Bolling:"I'm Going To Talk About Perry A Lot Today, Because I Really Find The Guy Compelling." On the August 17 broadcast of Fox News' Fox& Friends, guest co-host Eric Bolling said that he was going to talkabout Perry "a lot today" because"I really find the guy compelling." From the broadcast:

BRIANKILMEADE (co-host): I know Senator Lieberman is always smiling and nonconfrontational.However, who can forget the confrontation he had with President Obama -- whowas senator then -- who was questioning why Joe Lieberman was so vociferouslydefending John McCain as opposed to his own party?And remember, they were threatening to takehis chairmanship away for a while, and they actually ran somebody in the Democratic Party against him, NedLamont, over in, in Connecticut. So it does not surprise me at all that he'sstill keeping his powder dry. 

BOLLING: Yeah, he,he, yeah, absolutely. It would be very hard for him to kind of turn and goback, oh, Mr. Obama, I'm going to support you now after all that history. But Iguess he's going to wait and see. But you got to think, again, I'm going totalk about Perry a lot today because I really find the guy compelling. This issomeone you can get behind. This is someone he can absolutely get behind. [FoxNews, Fox & Friends, 8/17/11,via Media Matters]

Bolling On Perry: "Here Is The Real Winner Of The Weekend [Straw Poll]." On the August 15 broadcast of Fox News' The Five,Bolling held up a picture of Perry and declared, "Here is the real winner ofthe [Ames Straw Poll] weekend." From the broadcast:

BOLLING: You know, it was a great weekend. It wasa fantastic weekend. Fox did a great job from top to bottom. You heard the candidates, you heard the people here. But really, I'mgoing to hold it up again. We held it up on Friday. Here's the real winner of the weekend, you guys. AndBob, look at that --

KIMBERLY GUILFOYLE (co-host): Does he ever take abad picture?

BOLLING: Have you noticed, have you noticed thesheer hatred of this guy from the left? I mean, David Axelrod out there, Krugman -- it goes on and on. They're just taking shots atRick Perry. Good looking guy. Rick Perry -- I mean, he was the real winner of the weekend. [FoxNews, The Five, 8/15/11, via Media Matters]

Gutfeld: "You Get Everything With [Perry]." On the August 15 broadcast of Fox News' TheFive, co-host Greg Gutfeld stated of Perry: "You get everything with him. Aguy who can create jobs. You got a guy who's religious who doesn't talk about it too much. You got --you've got a guy who has conservative principles." From thebroadcast:

GUTFELD: It's going to depend on who thecandidate is, and the party will unite behind the candidate. And I do think if you look at somebody like Perry -- you could look at him as far right, but he's establishment.This is like -- this is like that whole cable package --

GUILFOYLE: Right --

GUTFELD: -- you get. You get everything with him.You're going to get, you got --

GUILFOYLE: You get HBO.

GUTFELD: A guy who can create jobs. You got a guywho's religious whodoesn't talk about it too much. And you got -- you've got a guy who'sgot conservative principles.

GUILFOYLE: He's got a great jobs--

BOLLING: And the guy --thank you. Say it. Right there.

GUILFOYLE: I was going to say a guy that knowshow to create jobs --

BOLLING: There it is.

GUILFOYLE: We need help here in the economy --

BOLLING: That is the most important of all ofthem.

GUILFOYLE: You even have Democrats consulting with Governor Perry about how toget jobs back on track in their states. I happen to know one that visited him fromCalifornia. [Fox News, The Five, 8/15/11]

Wallace Touts Perry's"Good Story To TellAbout Job Creation." On the August 15 broadcastof Fox News' Special Report, guest-host Chris Wallace claimed that Perryhas a "good story of job creation." From the broadcast:

WALLACE: All right, in the time we have left in this segment, let mestart with you Jonathan, let's talk aboutGovernor Perry. Governor of Texas for 10 years.Good story to tell about job creation. Somewhere between 35 to 40 percent ofall the jobs created since the recession in Texas. But some questions about -- about his record. And --and just sort of the unknown. Can he play at this level? What is your earlyread on Rick Perry? 

JONATHAN WEISMAN (Wall Street Journalreporter): I think a lot of reporters were really impressed with watching him workthe room in Waterloo and watching him today in Des Moines at the Iowa strawpoll. He just has a very defttouch with the public. But that public that he's talking to is the conservative wing of the RepublicanParty. And he, he came at Obama withlanguage that we haven'theard, saying that he's in this sothat, you know, so that men in uniform, or men and women in uniform, can respect their commander in chief again, or we need apresident who is in love with this country. That's the rhetoric that, you know, really gets conservativeaudiences going. But it still isuntested out beyond that, beyond, you know, the republican electorate. 

WALLACE: Karen, he is a bare knuckles politician. 

KAREN TUMULTY (Washington Postcorrespondent): He is. And he has spent hisentire career being underestimated. You talk to people in Texas, and they say Rick Perry is a very fiercecampaigner, and he's a very good campaigner. But he has never beentested on a national level. He's also never beenvetted by the national press. And while there is a good story to tell, in his Texas record, there's also -- has always been -- he is nota terribly popular figure in Texas. And he's not even a terribly popular figure among TexasRepublicans. There are deepdivisions in that party over the question of Rick Perry. [Fox News, SpecialReport, 8/15/11]

Morris: "Many PeopleSay" Perry "Was Tea Party Before Tea Party Was Cool." On the August 16edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, guest host Clayton Morris saidto Tea Party Express co-chairman Amy Kremer: "I'll ask you the same questionthat Michele Bachmann received no short of, like, 10 times on the Sunday talkshows this week. Why would somebody vote for Michele Bachmann if they're a teaparty member as opposed to Rick Perry, who's been a governor and who, as manypeople say, was tea party before tea party was cool?" [Fox News, Fox &Friends, 8/16/11,via Media Matters]

Fox Figures SwoonOver Perry's Hair, Looks, Use Of Note Cards

Kilmeade On Perry's Use Of Note Cards DuringSpeech: "YouHave A Guy That Says In The Most Important Speech Of His Political Career,Says, I'm OK Winging It." On the August 15 edition of Fox News' Fox& Friends, co-host Brian Kilmeade stated of aPerry speech in South Carolina: "[Y]ou have a guy that says in the mostimportant speech of his political career, says, I'm OK winging it."Kilmeade also stated: "It was so comfortable, as if it was coming offorganically, and I think this country thirsts for what they don't have. Rightnow they have a president that even at awards ceremonies has twoprompters." From Fox & Friends:

KILMEADE: And -- and by the way, Governor Perry notspeaking -- I thought this was noteworthy -- inSouth Carolina as well as last night, not speaking with the prompter. He haslittle note cards with him. He might have it written out entirely -- but a totally different approach than mosteverybody else right now. He's willing to wing it and comes off extremelyconfident on stage.

CLAYTON MORRIS (guest co-host): Ann Coulter onour show yesterday called it thebest presidential announcement speech she's ever seen. She linked to it on ourwebsite --

KILMEADE: In South Carolina?

MORRIS: In South Carolina, and speaking off the cuff like that.Interesting. And of course, someone who has been slammed for his prompter skills for along time now is President Obama, who's starting his three state bus tour.

[...]

KILMEADE: I just love -- I thought the speech inSouth Carolina was interesting for Governor Perry. Came out so strong, so confident, and he lived up to the hype, at least initially, as he introduces himself to the country. What Ialso thought was fascinating, because we're in a position a lot of times togive speeches and talk without notes, he -- if he wrote it out verbatim, I'd besurprised. He put it here -- 

MORRIS: Right --

KILMEADE: And walked around. It was socomfortable, as if it was coming organically, and I think this country thirstsfor what they don't have. Right now, they have a president that even at awards ceremonies has twoprompters on each side.

GRETCHEN CARLSON (co-host): Yes, this reminds me of --

KILMEADE: Now you have a guy that says in themost important speech of his political career, says, I'm OK winging it. [FoxNews, Fox & Friends, 8/15/11]

 

Guilfoyle On Perry Photo: "Feast Your Eyes On That HairClub For Men Shot." On the August 15 edition ofFox News' The Five, co-host Kimberly Guilfoyle reacted to a photographof Perry by saying, "Feast your eyes on that Hair Club for Men shot." [FoxNews, The Five, 8/15/11, via Media Matters]

Gretchen Carlson: "WeDon't Know If Governor Perry Would Even Want To Fly On Air Force One ... MaybeHe'd Ride His Horse." Responding to a clip of President Clinton saying that, ifpresident, Perry would "ride on Air Force One," Fox & Friendsco-host Gretchen Carlson said, "Well, firstof all, we don't know if Governor Perry would even want to fly on Air ForceOne. I mean, I think he would have to from time -- maybe he would ride hishorse around town." [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 8/16/11,via Media Matters]

Megyn Kelly AsksGuests: Do You Agree With Bill Clinton That Perry Is "A Good-Looking Rascal?" On the August 17broadcast of Fox News' America Live, host Megyn Kelly asked her guestsif they agreed with former President Bill Clinton's assertion that "Rick Perryis 'a good-looking rascal.' " From thebroadcast:

KELLY:Let me ask you this -- Kirsten and then Ron. I want to ask you if you agreewith our former president, Bill Clinton. Do you think that he's a good-lookingrascal?

KIRSTENPOWERS (Fox News contributor): No.

KELLY:Ron?

RONBONJEAN (Republican strategist): I can't comment on that. I -- he has greathair, that's what I've been told. He's got --he's got great hair.

KELLY:It's so interesting that that's how President Clinton chose to weigh in on him.And then he said, well, he speaks a lot of nonsense. But just the term, "he's a good-looking rascal." [Fox News, America Live, 8/17/11via Media Matters]

Fox & Friends Turns To KISS SingerGene Simmons' Twitter Feed To Hype Perry. On the August 18broadcast of Fox News' Fox & Friends, Carlson referenced messagestweeted by KISS singer Gene Simmons that predicted Perry would win the presidency in 2012. Simmonsin one tweet asserted: "I voted forPresident Bush. I voted for President Clinton. I voted for President Obama. Thenext president will be Governor Rick Perry." From the broadcast:

CARLSON:You know how usually celebrities sometimes put themselves into politics andsometimes we say, "Oh, not again." But, you know, when they makepredictions, it's worth noting. So let's talk about KISS frontman Gene Simmons--  he's been on this show before. And he says that he's made the correctcall for president the last -- at least four times. He now says it's a donedeal. Rick Perry will be president in 2012. Here are the tweets that he postedin the last few days: "I voted for President Bush. I voted for PresidentClinton. I voted for President Obama. The next president will be Governor RickPerry."

KILMEADE:"Governor Perry worked for Al Gore and then switched Republican. He'll be ournext president. I've never been wrong."

BOLLING:Have we fact-checked Gene Simmons, whether he voted --

KILMEADE:No, we have done no background on Gene Simmons. [Fox News, Fox & Friends,8/18/11, via Media Matters]

Fox Figures DefendedPerry's Bernanke Comments As "Passionate," Using "TexasSwagger"

Bolling:"The Guy Is Passionate. He Said Stop Printing Money ... Nothing Wrong WithThat." Onthe August 17 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, Bolling defended Perry's comment that Federal Reserve ChairmanBen Bernanke would be "almost tresaonous" if he "prints moremoney between now and the election." Bollingstated: "[T]he guy is passionate. Hesaid stop printing money, you're ruining the country. Nothing wrong with that."Carlson later claimed, "We don't think that he actually thought out whattreason means." From Fox & Friends: 

BRIANKILMEADE (co-host): Yeah, and what [Perry] brought up yesterday is, saying inTexas, he's really upset about [what] Ben Bernanke says, he says it's almosttreasonous to do what he's doing. Got some backlash on that, but he did notapologize for saying it. 

BOLLING:Let me ask you something, Brian. You're going to play somebody in basketball,and you go, you know what? I'm not only going to beat you, I'm going to killyou. You think I'm actually going to kill you -- physically kill you? No, theguy is passionate. He said stop printing money, you're ruining the country.There's nothing wrong with that. 

CARLSON:But when you're running for president, and we argued about this on the radio --not argued, but debated -- that we don't think that he actually thought outwhat treason means, and that you can, you know, get the death penalty if you'reconvicted of treason. You're right, you just do figures of speech. But whenyou're running for president, unfortunately, every single thing you say now isgoing to be looked at and parsed and videotaped and picture taking, and it'sjust -- you have to be so incredibly careful. [Fox News, Fox & Friends,8/17/11,via Media Matters] 

Napolitano:Perry "Was Using His ... Texas Swagger"; "I Would Have ApplaudedThe Governor If I Was There." On the August 16 edition of Fox News' YourWorld, Fox Business host Andrew Napolitano reacted to Perry's comments byclaiming, "I would have applauded if I was there," and stating thatPerry was "using his, can I say, Texas swagger." From Your World:

NEILCAVUTO (HOST): Well, he might have gotten a round of applause from that crowd,but the White House quickly blasting Governor Perry's warning for Ben Bernanke,the Federal Reserve chairman. The presidential candidate standing by those remarks.To the judge, who says that the governor is expressing his frustrations withthe economy. What do you make of it?

NAPOLITANO:Well, I would have applauded the governor had I been there. You know,politicians sometimes speak, even Reagan did this, with exaggerations in orderto make their point. To be precise, treason is defined in the Constitution, andas horrible as QE3 would be, it's not treason. But --

CAVUTO:Quantitative easing -- buying up more paper by the Fed.

NAPOLITANO:Correct. Correct -- the funny money that they have just printed. Governor Perrywas making a point. Most Americans understand what the Fed has done to us, andmany Americans are against this happening again, because inflation is thecruelest tax of all. It was his way of expressing it. Did the governor threatenthe chairman of the Federal Reserve? Absolutely not. Did he say some harm wouldcome to him? Absolutely not. He was using his, can I say, Texas swagger, tosay, you're not going to get away with this if you say it to me.

Napolitanolater said Perry's comments "were appropriate and made a good, strongpoint." [Fox News, Your World, 8/16/11,via Media Matters]

On Fox,Michael Reagan Claims, "Most People In This Country Agree With Rick Perry... It Is What It Is. Get Over It." On the August 16 edition of Fox News' AmericaLive, guest and conservative commentator Michael Reagan reacted to Perry'scomments by claiming that "[m]ost of the people in this country probablyagree with Rick Perry." From America Live:

REAGAN:Most of the people in this country probably agree with Rick Perry here.Printing more money is not going to answer the problems we have in the UnitedStates of America. We're running a primary here, not a general election, and heknows who the audience is. The audience [would] say, 'We print enough money, weneed to get our house in order.' And this is the governor who, in fact, hasdone nothing but create jobs in Texas since he's been there. Eleven years hehas been the governor of Texas. He's been creating jobs. And that's what thiselection is going to be about.

Reagan latersaid that "people say things of that nature. I think sometimes we just --we take this stuff too seriously in the middle of a campaign. It is what it is.Get over it." [Fox News, America Live, 8/17/11,via Media Matters] 

TuckerCarlson: "Probably Best Not To Say Stuff Like That" But "TheFundamental Point He Makes Is Totally True." On the August 16edition of Fox News' Hannity, Fox News contributor Tucker Carlsonreacted to Perry's comments by stating:

CARLSON:It's probably best not to say stuff like that, but the fundamental point hemakes, and I know the [George W.] Bush people are mad about this, they don'tlike Perry, but the fundamental point he makes is totally true, actually. Weare devaluing the currency. It's happening because of the Fed's policies. Andit is benefitting, in a short term way, I think, the White House. Or that isone of its potential effects, and he's right to call them out on it. [Fox News,Hannity, 8/16/11,via Media Matters]

Read The Full Article:
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Deadbeat dad Joe Walsh also deadbeat driver

Rep. Joe Walsh (R-Deadbeat)Hahahaha. What an asshat:

[Rep. Joe] Walsh recently found himself on the defensive amid claims by his ex-wife that he owes more than $117,000 in unpaid child support and interest. And now the Tribune, looking more deeply into his troubled driving record, has learned that he lost his driving privileges from mid-April to mid-July of this year because he let his high-risk car insurance lapse ? the second time in three years his license was suspended.

And his response is classic:

"It's unfortunate the Chicago Tribune has chosen to waste time and ink scrutinizing my driving record over the last 22 years rather than Washington's unsustainable spending, which is driving the United States over a financial cliff. I have received speeding tickets, parking tickets and other motor vehicle citations over the last 22 years, but I've always admitted guilt when appropriate, received court supervision when available and paid my fines."

Yup. It's "unfortunate" that anyone would look into the record of the guy who claims to be an advocate for fiscal responsibility, only to find out that, shockingly, he doesn't know a thing about fiscal responsibility.

Read The Full Article:
http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/DmJVU96GGsE/-Deadbeat-dad-Joe-Wals
h-also-deadbeat driver

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Fox Sees "Amnesty" Everywhere

Fox News host Dave Briggs claimed that a new immigration policy, which will postpone deportation proceedings of certain undocumented workers in order to prioritize convicted criminals, is "perhaps blanket amnesty."  Fox News has a long history of labeling immigration policies "amnesty," a term that has been shown to produce a more negative reaction than describing a policy as "a path to citizenship."

Fox's Briggs Claims New Immigration Policy Is "Perhaps Blanket Amnesty"

Fox's Briggs Claims New Immigration Policy Is "PerhapsBlanket Amnesty." On the August 19 edition of Fox News' Fox &Friends, guest host Dave Briggs teased a story about the Obamaadministration's decision to prioritize convicted criminals for deportation bysaying:

BRIGGS: And thecourts want them out, but the president wants to give illegal immigrants, [whoare] ready to be deported, a second chance. He's going around Congress --perhaps blanket amnesty. [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 8/19/11]

PollShows "Amnesty" Is Loaded Term ...

PewResearch Poll Found More Respondents Opposed Immigration Reform When DescribedAs "Providing Amnesty To Illegal Immigrants." From a research brief published bythe Pew Research Center on November 23, 2009:

When Congress and the president abandoned efforts to passa comprehensive immigration reform bill in 2007, public opinion was quiteconflicted. A Pew Research poll found that, among those aware of thelegislation, more people opposed (41%) than supported (33%) the bill beingconsidered by the Senate, but a solid majority of 63% of the general publicsupported the bill's main objective to provide a "path tocitizenship" for undocumented immigrants. At the time, support for thisprinciple was bipartisan, with nearly as many Republicans as Democrats favoringit. And even when the provision was described as "amnesty," amajority still supported it -- though by a smaller margin of 54%-39%.Republicans were evenly divided on the question when the policy was describedas "amnesty."

Thereport included this chart:

[PewResearch Center, 11/23/09]

...And Fox Routinely Uses "Amnesty" When Discussing Immigration Policy

DREAM Act

Kelly: "Critics Call"The DREAM Act "A Pathway To Amnesty For Illegals." On the November 23, 2010, edition of FoxNews' America Live, host Megyn Kelly introduced a segment on the DREAM Act by saying, in part, "Critics call [the bill] a pathway to amnesty forillegals." She then brought on Fox host GreggJarrett, who said: "You know, for millions of illegals, the DREAM Act is apropitious title because it would fulfill their dream of jumping right to thefront of the line and becoming U.S. citizens. Those who oppose it call it averitable nightmare, granting amnesty right away to more than 2 million illegalimmigrants, and in the end, maybe as many as 6 million or more illegals."[Fox News, America Live, 11/23/10,via Media Matters]

Gallagher: "I Think It's Front Door Amnesty." On the November 23, 2010, edition of FoxNews' America Live, Fox News contributor Mike Gallagherdescribed the DREAM Act by saying: "The analogy I keep using ... is thatwe feel sorry for these children of adults who made a bad decision and brokethe law to come into the United States, but it would be like saying if one'sparent is a bank robber, the child gets to keep the money and the proceeds fromthe bank robbery. I'm sorry, most Americans don't accept this." Gallagherlater said of the bill: "I don't think it's backdoor amnesty; I think it'sfront door amnesty." [Fox News, AmericaLive, 11/23/10, via Media Matters]

Guilfoyle: DREAM Act "Encourages People To EssentiallySeek An Amnesty." On the November 23, 2010, edition of FoxNews' The O'Reilly Factor, Fox News legal analystKimberly Guilfoyle claimed that the DREAM Act "incentivizes illegalityand encourages people to essentially seek an amnesty by saying, 'Sure, I'mgoing to be in the military.'" [Fox News, The O'Reilly Factor, 11/23/10,via Media Matters]

Fox Nation: "Shamnesty: Reid Putting The 'Lame'In 'Duck.'" In a December1, 2010, post, Fox Nation linked to a story about Democrats attempting toadvance the DREAM Act with the headline, "Shamnesty: Reid Putting The'Lame' In 'Duck.'" [Fox Nation, 12/1/10]

Malkin Called DREAM Act "Reckless IllegalAlien Amnesty." On theDecember 2, 2010, edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, Fox Newscontributor Michelle Malkin said: "There are so many political payoffs thatare currently in the pipeline. Foremost among them, Harry Reid trying toram through this very unpopular, expensive, and reckless illegal alien amnestyDREAM Act." [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 12/2/10,via Media Matters]

Hannity Called The DREAM Act "BasicallyAmnesty." From the December 8edition of Fox News' Hannity:

SEAN HANNITY (Host): ActressSalma Hayek admits she was once an illegal immigrant in theU.S. Now the House this very night by the way passed 216-198the DREAM Act, which is basically amnesty. [Fox News, Hannity,12/8/10,via Media Matters]

Chris Wallace On Bloomberg's "Path To Citizenship"Support: "Isn't That Amnesty?"On Fox Broadcasting Company's Fox News Sunday, host Chris Wallace askedNew York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, "You support a path to citizenship.Question: Isn't that amnesty?" [Fox Broadcasting Co., Fox News Sunday,4/24/11] 

Temporary Protections For HaitiansFollowing Earthquake In Haiti

Fox Nation Equated Temporary Protections For Haitians In The U.S. With"Amnesty" For "Illegal Aliens." A January 15, 2010, Fox Nation headlineasserted, "Obama Moves to Grant Amnesty to Haitian Illegal Aliens." [MediaMatters, 1/15/10]

For the truth behind FoxNation's "amnesty" headline, SEE HERE.

ICE Policies And Border Enforcement

Fox Botched ICEPolicy To Claim Feds Were Granting "Backdoor Amnesty." In August 2010, several Fox News anchors claimed that a new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy meantthat only illegal immigrants with criminal records would be deported, with several Fox News hosts labeling it"amnesty."

For the truth about the ICEpolicy, SEE HERE.

Dobbs Claimed Obama's Border EffortsAre A "Foundation" For "Unconditional Amnesty."  Onthe August 9, 2010, edition of Fox News' America Live, guest Lou Dobbscalled a pending border security bill "a modest border security piece oflegislation," and claimed "it would give [the Obama administration]the foundation to say, we did something about border security ... and then moveahead and have their way on the issue of unconditional amnesty." Dobbslater claimed that "we are not seeing a commitment to actualdetention and apprehension." [Media Matters, 8/30/10]

Immigration Reform

Fox Nation Relabeled Immigration Bill "Amnesty Bill." In a July9, 2009, post, Fox Nation linked to an Associated Press (AP) article about anupcoming immigration bill under the headline, "Schumer: Amnesty Bill Ready byLabor Day." The original AP headline was, "Schumer: Immigration bill to beready by Labor Day." [Fox Nation, 7/9/09,via Media Matters]

Fox Nation: "House Dems Introduce Illegal Alien Amnesty Bill." In aDecember 16, 2009, post, Fox Nation linked to an article about a proposedimmigration reform bill under the headline, "House Dems Introduce Illegal AlienAmnesty Bill." [Fox Nation, 12/16/09, via Media Matters]

Kelly Said Immigration Reform Bill Would Grant "Amnesty To Illegals."On the March 19, 2010, edition of Fox News' AmericaLive, host Megyn Kelly claimed that a bill that would launch a "majorimmigration overhaul" would "grant amnesty to illegals after asking them to paya fine, among other things." [Fox News, America Live, 3/19/10]

Fox Aired "Hate" Group's Claim That Obama Promised "Mass Amnesty" InExchange For Health Care Votes. On the March 21, 2010, edition of Fox News'Fox & Friends Sunday, co-host Dave Briggs introduced a segment byasking, "Did [President Obama] agree to amnesty for illegals in exchange forvotes [for the health care bill]?" During the segment, Briggs' guest Dan Stein,president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), claimedthat Obama "promised mass amnesty for 13 million illegal aliens in exchange forgetting the support of the Hispanic caucus" for health care reform. TheSouthern Poverty Law Center has designated FAIR an anti-immigrant hate group.[Fox News, Fox News Sunday, 3/21/10; MediaMatters, 3/30/11]

Fox & Friends Referred To Immigration Reform As "Amnesty."On the May 12, 2010, edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends, co-host GretchenCarlson referred to upcoming immigration reform as "amnesty." [Fox News, Fox& Friends, 5/12/10]

Fox Reporter La Jeunesse: Senator Boxer Is A "Big-Spending Liberal" WhileCarly Fiorina Opposes "Amnesty" For Immigrants. On the June 9, 2010, edition of America's Newsroom,reporter William La Jeunesse described the senatorial race in California bycalling Senator Barbara Boxer (D) a "big-spending liberal" and saying that heropponent, Carly Fiorina, opposed "amnesty" for undocumented immigrants. [FoxNews, America's Newsroom, 6/9/10]

Kelly: "A Group Of Republican Senators ... Are Demanding To KnowIf The Administration Plans To Grant Amnesty To 11 Million Illegals." Onthe July 27, 2010, edition of AmericaLive, Kelly said, "A group of Republican senators -- a dozen, to be exact -- aredemanding to know if the administration plans to grant amnesty to 11 millionillegals here in the United States." [Fox News, America Live, 7/27/10]

Read The Full Article:
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Rick Perrys Innovative Educational Model:
Students Get to Decide the Right Answer

A lot of people are talking the Secessionist's response to a question about evolution.Let's put aside the fact that evolution isn't just a "theory that's out there," that there aren't "gaps" in it -- and that Texas doesn't teach creationism. All of that[...]

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This Week's Blues In The Dream Antilles

Elmore James (1918-1963).  A Bluesman and poet whose work your Bloguero admires.  It's work that holds up extraordinarily well after 50 years.But, Sr. Bloguero, with all due respect, you might ask, what's Elmore James got to do with this, which[...]

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Docudharma/~3/YW0bh-yOHPs/this-weeks-blues-in-the-
dream-antilles

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Confidence in Obama, and in the Economy, Declines

The broad decline in the president's approval ratings is evident in all demographic groups, including many that will be crucial to his re-election efforts.

Read The Full Article:
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/19/confidence-in-obama-and-in-th
e-economy-declines/

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Mitt Romney defends 'corporations are people'
comment in new web video

Mitt Romney's campaign is out with a new web video aimed at explaining his "corporations are people, my friend" comment:

Businesses are comprised of people.

I'm talking about repair shops, and gas stations, and beauty salons, and restaurants. I'm talking about Apple computer, Facebook and Microsoft. I'm talking about businesses that employ people.

It's really astonishing to me that the Obama folks would try and argue that businesses aren't people. What do they think they are? Little men from Mars?

I'll give Romney's team some credit for trying to make lemonade out of lemons, but redefining what their boss said isn't going to make it go away. As a reminder, here's what Romney actually said:

 ROMNEY: To balance our budget and not spend more than we take in, we need to make sure that the promises we make in Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare are promises we can keep, and there are various ways of doing that. One is we could raise taxes on people. That's not the way...

AUDIENCE MEMBERS: Corporations!

ROMNEY: Corporations are people, my friend.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: No they're not!

ROMNEY: Of course they are. Everything corporations earn ultimately goes to people.

AUDIENCE (laughter)

ROMNEY: Where do you think it goes?

AUDIENCE MEMBER: In their pockets!

ROMNEY: Whose pockets? People's pockets. Okay, human beings, my friend.

Yes, Romney wasn't saying that corporations are actually people. What he was saying was that given the choice between increasing corporate taxes and cutting Social Security and Medicare benefits, he'd rather cut Social Security and Medicare benefits. And he completely avoided the fact that corporate taxes only fall on income that doesn't go to workers and suppliers. It's true that our corporate tax code is broken and needs reform, but that doesn't have anything to do with what Romney was saying. What he really needs is a reminder that Social Security recipients and Medicare beneficiaries are people too.

Read The Full Article:
http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/6ug31448B4Q/-Mitt-Romney-defends-c
orporations-are-people-comment-in-new-web-video

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VA Gov. McDonnell makes false claim about Obama's
record on unions

(freddthompson)Here's what, in the course of praising Rick Perry, Virginia governor and chair of the Republican Governors Association chair Bob McDonnell had to say about Barack Obama's administration in contrast to the awesomeness of Perry:

This administration is doing just the opposite. More taxes, more regulation, more unionization. It?s the wrong policy.

Now, I think taxes and regulation can be and unionization is good. Taxes can be done wrong, for sure, but they pay for safe bridges and clean water systems and schools and police and firefighters. Those are all good things. Regulations keep us from sucked into and killed by machines on the job, they reduce the pollutants factories spew out into the air and water, they make it less likely Wall Street will tank our economy. Unionization reduces income inequality, not just for union members but for all workers.

So, I disagree with the political content of that statement. But there's also truth content to be considered. As in, is it a true statement?

Obama has taxed cigarettes and tanning salons, it's true. At the same time, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, 95% of working families got a tax cut, and Obama subsequently signed an extension of the Bush tax cuts. Obama's record on taxes is largely cuts?both good ones to working families who will actually put the money back into the economy and ones the U.S. really couldn't afford to give to incredibly wealthy people.

On unionization the picture is simple. In 2010, 11.9% of the working population belonged to a union, down from 12.3% in 2009. And the Obama administration has done little to affect this number in either direction.

That means Bob McDonnell is, at best, woefully uninformed. But more likely he's a liar.

Read The Full Article:
http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/ty8wdLevHHY/-VA-Gov-McDonnell-make
s-false-claim-about-Obamas-record-on-unions

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Bringing The Pain, Part 3

(Part 1 including the setup is here and Part 2 is here.)

Idaho

As noted here, the jobless rate remained at 9.4 percent in June. However, as noted here from May?

George Stewart hears how North Idaho?s jobless rate is slowly improving, but he?d prefer to experience it.

The Rathdrum man walked away from job searching for a construction position at the Idaho Department of Labor on Friday feeling shut out.

?There?s still not a lot out there,? Stewart said. ?If this economy is turning, I?m sorry, but I?m just not feeling it yet.?

Kootenai County?s jobless rate was 11.1 percent in April, down from 11.2 percent in March, according to a report released on Friday by the Idaho Department of Labor.
?The number of people in the labor force decreased as well as the number of unemployed, driving down the unemployment rate itself,? said Alivia Body, regional labor economist.

Body said local initial unemployment claims decreased by 100 in April.

The trends in job openings have steadily been in health care and administrative services,? she said. ?However, seasonal employment has trickled in and, as the weather starts to turn, we will start seeing those seasonal jobs ramp up.?

Hopefully when the third-quarter numbers come out, that prediction will be realized.

Also, this tells us that state Repugs tried to block an unemployment extension in March (figures), and this tells us how Idaho ?shortchanges the unemployed? with fees on debit cards that are apparently used to collect benefits. Further, the Idaho Department of Labor sponsored a class in June here to help people whose federal unemployment benefits have expired.

Illinois

This takes us to ?voices of the long-term unemployed? from Progress Illinois (and this tells us the following)?

Unemployment in Evanston and across Illinois soared in June, as more people, including many new college graduates, entered the labor force.

For Evanston the rate rose from 7.3 percent in May to 8.2 percent in June. That was even higher than the 8.1 percent level in June a year ago.

The statewide rate rose from 9 percent to 9.7 percent -- still below the 10.5 percent of last June.

As noted here, though, Dem Senator Dick Durbin and Repug Senator Mark Kirk have lobbied for the rail funds that Lex Luthor Scott pissed away in Florida in an effort to create jobs in the home state of our current president. And if Illinois can put the dough to work, it will lessen the burden on the federal government; it is one of the biggest borrowers from Washington to pay unemployment benefits (not surprising I guess given the total population, particularly around the Chicago area ? here).

And from here?

Chicago Jobs with Justice is not the only organization to respond to the jobs crisis by organizing those directly affected by it. Unemployed people are building similar movements in Pennsylvania, Virginia, California, Rhode Island and other states, according to Hurley and Bill Fletcher Jr., a longtime labor activist and co-author of Solidarity Divided: The Crisis in Organized Labor and a New Path toward Social Justice. And UCubed, a project launched by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers in early 2010, also aims to organize the jobless to create a ?union of the unemployed? and demand a real economic recovery?exclusively through the Internet.

It?s gonna take ?people power? to fix this in the end, as long as the Democrats in Washington keep trying to play nice with a political party that has utterly lost its mind.

Indiana

As noted here from April?

Indiana?s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped 0.3 percent in March to 8.5 percent, below both the national average and all neighboring states for the second month in a row, according to figures released Tuesday by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. In March 2010, Indiana?s unemployment rate was 10.6 percent.

Monroe County, whose nonseasonally adjusted rate for March dropped to 6.2 percent, has the fifth lowest unemployment rate among Indiana?s 92 counties.

Area counties also saw their nonseasonally adjusted unemployment rates drop in March: Greene, from 12.1 to 8.5 percent; Owen, from 10.6 to 8.6 percent; Morgan, from 10 to 9.1 percent; Lawrence, from 12.1 to 10.9 percent; and Brown, from 11.8 to 9.8 percent.

?We haven?t seen the (state) unemployment rate drop by 1 percent in a quarter since 1993,? said Mark W. Everson, commissioner of the Department of Workforce Development, in a prepared statement. ?We also saw solid job growth in March, particularly in the manufacturing sector.?

Hmmm, Mark Everson ? I was wondering what had happened to this guy (here ? first bullet).

Also, it looks like we have more ?smoke and mirrors? here on unemployment from Gov. (and another former Bushie) Mitch Daniels (maybe the reason why he decided not to run for prez because he?d get called out for this stuff, instead of the supposed intrusion into his personal life as Smerky alleged here).

And from here?

Hundreds of thousands of Indiana residents are unemployed and underemployed. Although the state?s unemployment rate is slightly better than that of its neighboring states, a striking number of people here ? a significantly greater percentage than in Illinois or Ohio ? have simply left the work force altogether since the dawn of the recession.

For the second year in a row, Hoosiers ranked fifth nationally in personal bankruptcies, at 7.1 people per 1,000 residents. (Illinois came in 11th.) Indiana?s median family income is just 86 percent of that of the rest of the country.

Property tax caps, put in place over the past few years, offer relief to limping homeowners but have pushed school boards and city leaders, they say, into rounds of budget cutting and layoffs.

Well, it looks like the Genesis Casket Company may be hiring, as noted here (I?ll let you, dear reader, inject any symbolism you want into that).

Iowa

When it comes to the Hawkeye State, it?s really impossible to discuss much of anything without noting also that state?s chief U.S. congressional numbskull, and that would be Repug Steve King of course; as noted here, he compared electricians, teachers and other workers to bushels of soybeans and corn.

And from here in a story in March?

DES MOINES, Iowa - Improved unemployment levels made Iowa ineligible for federal funds.

The U.S. government told Iowa Workforce Development that the state did not qualify for $14.5 million in benefits because Iowa's unemployment rate is improving, according to Rep. Lance Horbach, R-Tama, chairman of the House Labor Committee.

The funds would have extended unemployment benefits to about 7,000 Iowa workers who have been unemployed for more than a year, according to Sen. Pam Jochum, D-Dubuque.

Benefits would have been retroactive. The federal government looked at revised unemployment numbers. Those numbers showed the three-month rolling average had dropped to 6.1 percent unemployment.

"That's good news unless you've been unemployed for more than a year," Jochum said.

I couldn?t determine how many Iowans fall into that category, but if you want more jobless numbers for the state, here they are.

Also, this tells us that Iowa was due to close 37 state unemployment offices in July, though the Iowa City office will stay open (here?and here is a link to the Iowa jobs center ? good luck, all those who qualify).

Kansas

This tells us that the state?s unemployment rate was 6.6 percent in June, which isn?t terrible. The problem, though, is that that gives Gov. Sam Brownback and his pals even more of an excuse to wage war on public sector employees (here) and cut back on unemployment benefits (here).

(And I?m sorry, but I must point out again the idiocy of electing governors like Brownback, Mary Fallin, Rob Kasich, Rick Snyder and Hosni Mubarak Walker by the voters of those states. Really, if these people had half a brain, what else did they think would happen?)

And as noted here?

Economic development and community leaders throughout western Kansas agree the challenges facing the region are four-fold: depopulation, few jobs, an aging population and drought.

But just remember that speaking of the climate crisis is ?condescending elitism? according to Kansas Repug U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, as noted here (uh huh).

Kentucky

Another place where time has apparently stood still?

This tells us that the state?s newest senator, Rand Paul, lied in March (shocking, I know) when he said that public sector employees don?t contribute to their pensions and health care (like to know what his contributions are as a sitting U.S. Senator). And not to be outdone, his ?mentor,? Sen. Mr. Elaine Chao himself, just loves himself those ?stim? projects in his home state but hates them in DC (here).

Continuing, this tells us that Repug State Rep Lonnie Napier (Lancaster) and Dem (!) Greg Stumbo (Prestonburg) co-sponsored a bill to drug test welfare recipients, and?

Napier said he has no intention of drug-testing all of Kentucky's unemployed -- only those who receive "free handouts" from the state.

No, not much he doesn?t.

Oh, and by the way, this tells us that Kentucky?s preliminary unemployment rate fell below 10 percent in May for the first time in more than two years.

I kind of feel about this state the way I do about Florida ? I?m sure a lot of good people live there, but man, does this state do nothing but elect lousy Repug politicians who do nothing but sell them out (for that reason, the state as a whole deserves very little of my sympathy).

Louisiana

The unemployment rate for the state was 8.2 percent last May, as noted here (and this tells us of a Raceland man who pled guilty to Katrina-related unemployment insurance fraud). Also, here is a list of job fairs in the state (some for September), and this tells us of the ?summertime blues? for those employed on the Gulf Coast (this is about the only recent information I could find for the state).

I?ll try to pick this up again next week.

Read The Full Article:
http://liberaldoomsayer.blogspot.com/2011/08/bringing-pain-part-3.html

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