Voter's top priority: jobs. GOP's agenda:
Everything but.

The latest CBS/NYT poll:

one area of agreement among pluralities of each party’s loyalists is that job creation should be of paramount concern to Congress — half of Democrats, 41 percent of independents and 35 percent of Republicans agreed.

On the whole, more than 4 in 10 Americans said jobs should be the primary focus of the new Congress, while significantly fewer chose health care (18 percent), the federal budget deficit (14 percent), the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (12 percent) or illegal immigration (7 percent).

Given that the public's top priority is job creation, it's only natural that the House Republican agenda would focus on repealing health care reform, restricting abortion, reading an edited version of the Constitution, launching investigative witch hunts, and changing budget rules to allow tax cuts without considering the impact on the deficit. The only thing that's missing is jobs!

Read The Full Article:
http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/7y-1ocKQvRs/-Voters-top-priority:-
jobs.-GOPs-agenda:-Everything-but.

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Arguments in Siegelman Case: Criminal Law Has
Real Ramifications for the First Amendment

On June 29, 2010, the United States Supreme Court vacated the judgment in which former Alabama Governor Donald Siegelmand and former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy were convicted on multiple counts and remanded the case to the Eleventh Circuit Court of[...]

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/firedoglake/fdl/~3/xU5c_8P_Lho/

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Do Scalia and Thomas have a conflict of interest
with their ties to the Koch Brothers Billionaire Caucus Retreat

Common Cause makes a great argument that there's a conflict of interest between Scalia and Thomas over the Citizens United ruling because of their past participation in Koch Brothers' Bircheresque political retreats:

When the conservative financier Charles Koch sent out invitations for a political retreat in Palm Springs later this month, he highlighted past appearances at the gathering of ?notable leaders? like Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas of the Supreme Court.

A leading liberal group is now trying to use that connection to argue that Mr. Scalia and Mr. Thomas should disqualify themselves from hearing campaign finance cases because they may be biased toward Mr. Koch, a billionaire who has been a major player in financing conservative causes.

The group, Common Cause, filed a petition with the Justice Department on Wednesday asking it to investigate potential conflicts by Justices Scalia and Thomas and move for their disqualification from the landmark Citizens United case, in which the court last year lifted a ban on corporate spending on political campaigns. Common Cause also cited the role of Mr. Thomas?s wife, Virginia Thomas, in forming a conservative political group opposed to the Obama administration as grounds for his disqualification.

The petition is a new tack for opponents of the court?s decision in the Citizens United case. Common Cause, by its own acknowledgment, faces a difficult task in getting the justices? to remove themselves from the case and seeking to have the Citizens United decision itself vacated.

?We?re treading in new territory here for us,? said Arn H. Pearson, Common Cause?s vice president for programs. ?But a situation like this raises fundamental questions about public confidence in the Supreme Court.? Officials at Koch Industries, which Mr. Koch leads, did not respond to e-mails and a phone call Wednesday seeking comment on the petition. A spokeswoman at the Supreme Court declined comment...read on

I'll be going to the Common Cause panel discussion and rally against the Koch Brothers Billionaire Caucus next weekend in Palm Springs to represent. Aren't you getting sick and tired of our Democracy being bought and sold to uber-rich megalomaniacs who only care about their free market profits with no concern for the American worker?

The topic of the participation of Scalia and Thomas has come up before. Susie raised these very questions awhile back. Sam Stein wrote about the judges link to this gathering back in 2010.

In October of 2010, The NY Times wrote this: Secretive Republican Donors Are Planning Ahead

Koch Industries, the longtime underwriter of libertarian causes from the Cato Institute in Washington to the ballot initiative that would suspend California?s landmark law capping greenhouse gases, is planning a confidential meeting at the Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa to, as an invitation says, ?develop strategies to counter the most severe threats facing our free society and outline a vision of how we can foster a renewal of American free enterprise and prosperity.?

The invitation, sent to potential new participants, offers a rare peek at the Koch network of the ultra-wealthy and the politically well-connected, its far-reaching agenda to enlist ordinary Americans to its cause, and its desire for the utmost secrecy.

It's basically a strategy session on how to re-brand their John Birch propaganda to many more millions of Americans that haven't already bought into their fraudulent claims.

The Kochs also seek to cultivate Americans? growing concern about the growth of government: at the most recent meeting, in Aspen, Colo., in June, some of the wealthiest people in America listened to a presentation on ?a vision of how we can retain the moral high ground and make the new case for liberty and smaller government that appeals to all Americans, rich and poor.?

The goals for the twice-yearly meetings, the brochure says, include attracting more investors to the cause, but also building institutions ?to identify, educate and mobilize citizens? and ?fashioning the message and building the education channels to re-establish widespread belief in the benefits of a free and prosperous society.?

And guess who was a key speaker in their Aspen circle jerk hoedown last year?

The participants in Aspen dined under the stars at the top of the gondola run on Aspen Mountain, and listened to Glenn Beck of Fox News in a session titled, ?Is America on the Road to Serfdom?? (The title refers to a classic of Austrian economic thought that informs libertarian ideology, popularized by Mr. Beck on his show.)The participants included some of the nation?s wealthiest families and biggest names in finance: private equity and hedge fund executives like John Childs, Cliff Asness, Steve Schwarzman and Ken Griffin; Phil Anschutz, the entertainment and media mogul ranked by Forbes as the 34th-richest person in the country; Rich DeVos, the co-founder of Amway; Steve Bechtel of the giant construction firm; and Kenneth Langone of Home Depot.

The Super Elites are gathering their forces to buy themselves another election in 2012. If you know of any billionaires that want to play for the good guys please ask them to email me. crooksandliars@gmail.com

Read The Full Article:
http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/does-scalia-and-thomas-have-conflict-in

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Meet Nicholas Ruiz-- Unlike Rep. Sandy Adams, He
Thinks All Americans Should Have The Same Kind Of Health Plan That Adams And Her Family Have

Over the course of the next few months, Blue America plans to help you get to know another courageous, fighting progressive from central Florida, Nicholas Ruiz III. A young father and university professor, Nicholas ran for Congress on the Green Party platform in 2010 and has since re-registered as a Democrat. He's already challenging extreme right-wing Republican freshman Sandy Adams for the right to represent FL-24, folks in Orange, Seminole, Volusia and Brevard counties who dumped one-term conservative Democrat Suzanne Kosmas in November. Kosmas was one of 39 Democrats to join with the Republicans voting against the historic Affordable Health Care for America Act on November 7, 2009. She and Sandy Adams saw eye to eye on that one-- tax-payer subsidized health care for them and their families-- but no health care reform for the people of Central Florida.

Along with our friends at Daily Kos, Blue America wants to make sure residents of FL-24 know about the vote yesterday and know that their newly elected congresswoman voted to take away their rights under the health care legislation-- while keeping her own. Up top is the radio ad we'd like to run-- please contribute here for that ad and a similar one in New Jersey and donate to Nicholas' campaign here. Hell, if we bring in enough contributions, we can run them all over the country! After all, every single Republican-- 242 of 'em-- plus 3 super-reactionary Blue Dogs who think just like them-- voted for repeal yesterday. Here's the text of the ad:

Equal protection, it?s the American way, but when it comes to health care protections Congresswoman Sandy Adams thinks she deserves better than you. Congresswoman Adams gets affordable health care with protections against insurance companies cutting her and her family off. No life time limits, no annual caps, no preexisting conditions. But yesterday Adams voted to deny you and your family these same protections. That?s not equal, that?s not fair. And that?s not all. Yesterday Congresswoman Adams voted to raise health insurance premiums, take away prescription drug benefits for seniors and lower doctors salaries. That will make it tougher for you to get affordable health care. Call Congresswoman Sandy Adams at 202-225-3121 and tell her: health care protections that are good enough for Congress should be good enough for all of us.

This week the House Energy and Commerce Committee issued a study on the impact of repealing the health care reform law in the 24th district and what the consequences would be for the people there:

* Allowing insurance companies to deny coverage to 129,000 to 333,000 individuals, including 9,000 to 39,000 children, with pre-existing conditions.

* Rescinding consumer protections for 463,000 individuals who have health insurance through their employer or the market for private insurance.

* Eliminating health care tax credits for up to 19,800 small businesses and 176,000 families.

* Increasing prescription drug costs for 11,700 seniors who hit the Part D drug ?donut hole? and denying new preventive care benefits to 122,000 seniors.

* Increasing the costs of early retiree coverage for up to 11,100 early retirees.

* Eliminating new health care coverage options for 3,800 uninsured young adults.

* Increasing the number of people without health insurance by 78,000 individuals.

* Increasing the costs to hospitals of providing uncompensated care by $7 million annually.

That's just in Sandy Adams' district. And yesterday, as she threatened she would, Adams voted to repeal the health care reform legislation anyway. Earlier she had voted against a Democratic amendment to force Members of Congress to disclose if they were personally taking tax payer funded health care for themselves and their families. Adams, who is, doesn't feel that's any of her constituents' business and that they have no right to know.

Last November Democrats didn't have much of a choice. Kosmas was against health care reform and Adams was even more against it! In 2012, Democrats and independents will have someone with a starkly different approach to consider. Nicholas sent me the following when Blue America began the endorsement process a couple of weeks ago. We like it-- a lot.

We must decide, once and for all, what sort of society defines America. We have already decided that law enforcement (i.e. the police department) is a guaranteed service for all, regardless of social or economic status. We have also decided that the fire department is a guaranteed service. Our society, rightfully so, honors both of these public features. They are freely available to all, regardless of the size of one's wallet.

Why should healthcare be any different?

Social justice in a lawful commonwealth of society demands that when a person is attacked or threatened by crime or fire, the public will come to his or her aid. And when a person is attacked or threatened by disease, should the public not do the same?

We already employ an integral non-profit, for profit and single payer scaffolding to provide healthcare services. There is no reason to believe that all of these systems may not continue to work side by side in a free society. However, it is difficult to imagine that we can continue to allow profiteering to masquerade as uncontrollable healthcare costs that must consume such a large piece of our national income. Costs will have to be controlled through regulation. What is most important now is to take that final step and declare universal access to comprehensive healthcare as a standard public service, in the same way that fire and police services are a social norm everywhere. When will America realize that it is her ethical, logical, common sense and spiritual duty to provide universal healthcare services to her people?

America must no longer accept the false narrative of scarcity and withholding when it comes to healthcare. Social justice demands that all of our people receive universal access to all of these vital basic services. It is no great nation that denies these basic human services to people. In fact, anything less is uncivilized.

Put a progressive Democrat in Congress.

And yesterday Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius released a new analysis showing that, without the Affordable Care Act, up to 7.8 million non-elderly Florida residents who have some type of pre-existing health condition, like heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis or cancer, would be at risk of losing health insurance when they need it most, or be denied coverage altogether. This isn't something Sandy Adams has to worry about. We subsidize her healthcare.

?The Affordable Care Act is stopping insurance companies from discriminating against Americans with pre-existing conditions and is giving us all more freedom and control over our health care decisions,? said Secretary Sebelius. ?The new law is already helping to free Americans from the fear that an insurer will drop, limit or cap their coverage when they need it most. And Americans living with pre-existing conditions are being freed from discrimination in order to get the health coverage they need.?

The new Chairman of Florida's Democratic Party, Rod Smith, is also on the same page as Nicholas on this-- and that's important because if progressives-- Nicholas and any others that run in the state-- are going to have a chance to win, they'll need Rod's backing when the Blue Dogs, like the three who voted to repeal healthcare with the GOP today-- come demanding that the Democrats nominate conservative characters like themselves. Listening to Rod today gives us hope that he'll be backing real Democrats in this cycle:

"Today, House Republicans took a vote that can be viewed at best as a partisan gesture to the extreme right wing of their party and at worst can be considered an affront to millions of middle class Americans. The repeal of the Affordable Care Act, as approved by House Republicans, would have two primary consequences: Americans would be stripped of patient protections and health insurance would become more unaffordable for families and for America as a whole.

"The Republican-approved repeal legislation enables insurance companies to take away individuals? insurance coverage when they get sick or deny it to them in the first place; it takes Americans? health care decisions out of the hands of their doctor and puts them into the hands of their insurance provider; it enables insurance companies to raise premiums suddenly and without justification; and it increases America?s deficit by $1 trillion over the next twenty years.

"Unfortunately, Florida?s Republican Members of Congress were among those who are trying to get rid of those critical benefits-- taking away Americans? health care freedoms. They have reneged on their promise to stand up for the Sunshine State and their actions would saddle Florida?s children with unnecessary and burdensome national debt. I am extremely disappointed by the Republicans? vote to take these protections from Florida?s families, and I applaud Florida?s Democratic leaders in Congress for doing what is necessary to protect the Affordable Care Act, protect America?s fiscal future, and protect Americans? health care freedoms.?

Here's the joint Blue America/Daily Kos Act Blue fund-raising page for this project. We've included a slot for progressive Democrat Ed Potosnak (NJ) and as soon as the FEC sends Nicholas his candidate's number, up he'll go too. It'll cost around $2,500 for each district in which we run the ads.

Read The Full Article:
http://downwithtyranny.blogspot.com/2011/01/meet-nicholas-ruiz-unlike-rep-sandy.h
tml

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Flashback: Bush Administration Officials Praised
Tunisia Under Dictator As A ‘Democracy’ Making ‘Progress’

Last week, history was made as enormous street protests toppled Tunisia’s autocratic leader President Zine El Abadine Ben Ali, marking the first time in modern history that an autocratic Arab leader was forced to step down following pro-democracy protests. Reactions from across the globe have generally been positive, with some commentators even believing that it could be the start of a wave of pro-democracy revolutions across the region.

Yet as the world celebrates the downfall of an autocratic leader, it’s important to remember that just a few years ago, high-ranking officials in the Bush Administration were moving to increase links between the United States and Tunisia and downplay human rights concerns. As Al Jazeera’s Imran Garda notes, Secretary of State Colin Powell said that Bush Administration officials are “admirers” of Ben Ali and Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld said the country provided “constructive leadership in the world“:

It is worth rewinding and noting some choice words that former US secretary of state Colin Powell had to say about the country when he visited in December 2003. “Our bilateral relationship is very, very strong,” said Powell. “We are great admirers of Tunisia and the progress that has been achieved under president Ben Ali’s leadership.” [...]

A visit to Tunisia by defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld in February 2006 proves even more revealing: “We have a very long relationship with Tunisia,” Rumsfeld remarked after the meetings. “Tunisia is a moderate Muslim nation that has been and is today providing very constructive leadership in the world. The struggle that’s taking place within that faith is a serious one, an important one. There’s a very small number of violent extremists on the one side against a broad, overwhelming majority of people who are moderate.”

Additionally, Rumsfeld, during a visit in 2006 seeking greater ties to Tunisia — where “freedoms of the press, association, and expression [were] extremely restricted” and much electoral opposition was outlawed — was quoted by the Associated Press as calling the country a “democracy“:

It should be noted that while high-officials in the Bush administration continued to lavish praise on Tunisia’s autocratic leader and seek closer ties to the country, American diplomatic staff bravely documented much of the government’s corruption and abuses towards its people. In a leaked American embassy cable dated June 23rd, 2008, an embassy staffer wrote that “the excesses of President Ben Ali’s family…inspire outrage” among Tunisians and that the “lack of transparency and accountability that characterize Tunisia’s political system similarly plague the economy, damaging the investment climate and fueling a culture of corruption.”

For more on the situation in Tunisia, see today’s Progress Report, “Arabs Doing It For Themselves.”

Read The Full Article:
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/01/20/bush-administration-tunisia-democracy/

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Fox's Kelly Absurdly Claims Fox Personalities Do
Not Invoke Nazis

Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly responded to her guest's statement that Fox News figures regularly invoke Nazi imagery by claiming "I watch our programming every night and you're wrong." In fact, several Fox News, particularly Glenn Beck, have a long history of smearing President Obama, Democrats, and progressive figures by invoking Nazi and Holocaust imagery.

Kelly "Watch[es]" Fox News "Every Night"But Hasn't Noticed Nazi Imagery

Kelly Responds To Claim That FoxCommenters Invoke Nazi Imagery To Smear Dems By Absurdly Claiming "You'reWrong." On the January 20edition of Fox News' America Live, Kelly hosted Equality Matters'President Richard Socarides to discuss Rep. Steve Cohen's (D-TN) recent referenceto Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels on the floor of the House ofRepresentatives. Socarides stated that "on the very network that we're on rightnow, the leading commenters on this network use this kind of language." Kellyresponded by absurdly claiming "I don't know if you sit and watch ourprogramming every night, but I watch it every day and you're wrong." [Fox News, America Live, 1/20/11]

In Fact, Fox News Figures RegularlyInvoke Nazis, Hitler, Goebbels, Other Nazi Imagery

Glenn Beck Repeatedly Invokes TheNazis While Attacking Obama And Progressives

Beck: Progressives Use "Democratic Elections" ToPush Dictators -- "Hitler, 'Democratically Elected.' " On April 28, 2010, Beck stated that progressives use"democratic elections" to push dictators, then stated, "You'llhear this when they talk about the 'democratically elected' leader of Iran; thedemocratic leader Chavez, 'democratically elected,' you know; Castro,'democratically elected'; Hitler - 'democratically elected.' " [Fox News, GlennBeck, 04/28/10]

Beck Invoked "First They Came For The Jews" PoemTo Respond To Ad Boycotts. On April8, 2010, Beck portrayed ad boycotts of his show as being orchestratedby the Obama White House in order to "destroy" his "career"and "silence" him, adding: "Is there absolutely no chancewhatsoever that you might be a target at some point in the future? What's that poem?First they came for the Jews, and I stayed silent?" [Fox News, GlennBeck, 04/08/10]

Beck On NEA Conference Call: "You Should Look Up TheName Goebbels." On November 3,2009, discussing an NEA conference call in which artists reportedlydiscussed how "to help lay a new foundation for growth, focusing on coreareas of the recovery agenda," Beck said that "advocating through artis known as propaganda. Hmm. You should look up the name Goebbels." [FoxNews, Glenn Beck, 11/03/09]

Beck On Obama's "Civilian National SecurityForce": "This Is What Hitler Did With The SS." Discussing President Obama's call for a "civiliannational security force" -- which was a reference to expandingthe foreign service, AmeriCorps, and the Peace Corps -- Beck said onAugust 27, 2009:

BECK: I'm finding this -- this isthe hardest part to connect to. Because this is -- I mean, look, you know,David [Bellavia, former Army staff sergeant], what you just said is, you said,'I'm not comparing' -- but you are. I mean, this is what Hitler did with theSS. He had his own people. He had the brownshirts and then the SS. This is whatSaddam Hussein -- so -- but you are comparing that. And I -- I mean, I thinkAmerica would have a really hard time getting their arms around that. [FoxNews, Glenn Beck, 08/27/09]

Beck Said "The Germans" During Hitler's Rise"Were An Awful Lot Like We Are Now." On June 10, 2009, Beck stated: "I think theGermans, however, were an awful lot like we are now. We're kind of living in adenial, like, 'No, no, that can't really be happening. No, that really -- I --you don't want to believe some things, but you have to. You have to actuallythink about them." [Fox News, Glenn Beck, 06/10/09]

Beck Compared Auto Bailouts To The Actions Of GermanCompanies "In The Early Days Of Adolf Hitler." While discussing the auto company bailouts on April1, 2009, after stating, "I am not saying that Barack Obama is afascist," Beck said, "If I'm not mistaken, in the early days ofAdolf Hitler, they were very happy to line up for help there as well. I mean,the companies were like, 'Hey, wait a minute. We can get, you know, we can getout of trouble here. They can help, et cetera, et cetera.' " [Fox News, GlennBeck, 04/01/09]

Beck Airs Photos Of Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, Asks, "IsThis Where We're Headed?" OnApril 2, 2009, while teasing the next day's show, Beck asked, "Is thiswhere we're headed?" while airing photos of Hitler, Josef Stalin,and Vladimir Lenin. [Fox News, Glenn Beck, 04/02/09]

Beck Has Attacked Progressive Organizations As"Brownshirts." On May 7,2009, Beck attacked the "brownshirts" at ACORN and "theirhenchmen" at the Service Employees International Union. [Fox News, GlennBeck, 05/07/09]

Beck Warned Of Impending "National Socialism." On February 6, 2009, Beck claimed that "We arereally truly stepping beyond socialism and starting to look at fascism."Then, purporting to "explain what happened in Nazi Germany,"Beck claimed that "we're talking now about nationalizing thebanks," which he called "national socialism." Beck said that"at first, all the big companies and the big capitalists in Germany said,'Oh, thank goodness there's a savior. OK, great, we'll do that. Yes.' It didn'ttake too long before, like here in America now -- Goldman Sachs -- they startedto see the writing on the wall and ... they couldn't get out of it fastenough." [Fox News, The O'Reilly Factor, 02/06/09]

Beck Compared Gore To Goebbels, Says, "The GovernmentAnd Its Friends Are Indoctrinating Our Children For The Control Of TheirMinds." On February 5, 2009,Beck stated "The government and its friends are indoctrinating ourchildren for the control of their minds, your freedom, and our choice and ourfuture." Beck then quoted Joesph Goebbels discussing the Hitler Youth andsaid, "If mom and dad decide the keep the temperature above 72, should our'Gore youth' report mom and dad?" [Fox News, Glenn Beck, 02/05/09]

Beck: Holocaust Survivor's Story Of How Nazis Drove A WedgeBetween Students And Parents Sounds Like U.N. and Gore. On September 24, 2010, Beck hosted a Holocaustsurvivor who said that the Nazis drove a wedge between students and theirparents. Beck responded by saying, "I don't know about anybody else ...this, to me, doesn't sound like stuff necessarily that I've heard from Obama.This is stuff that I've heard from the U.N. This is the kind of stuff that wehave heard from ... Al Gore." [Fox News, Glenn Beck, 09/24/10]

In 2007, ADL Rebuked Beck's Smears Of Gore. On May 2, 2007, the ADL issued a press releasecondemning Beck's April 30, 2007, statement that "Al Gore's notgoing to be rounding up Jews and exterminating them. It is the same tactic,however. The goal is different. The goal is globalization. The goal is globalcarbon tax. The goal is the United Nations running the world." Abraham H.Foxman, ADL National Director and a Holocaust survivor, said of the remark, inpart: "Glenn Beck's linkage of Hitler's plan to round up and exterminateJews with Al Gore's efforts to raise awareness of global warming is outrageous,insensitive and deeply offensive." [American Defamation League, 5/2/07]

Beck Invokes Nazis While Attacking TheMedia

Beck Compares Media Portrayal Of "Tea Partygoers"To Nazi Portrayal Of Anti-Nazi "Complainers." On August 11, 2009, Beck compared themedia's portrayal of the "tea partygoers" to a Nazi propaganda posterportraying "complainers" about Nazi policies, saying, "This is aposter of what you see every day now in the news media making the complainers,the tea partygoers, look somehow rotten." [Fox News, Glenn Beck, 08/11/09]

Beck Says U.S. Is On The Same Course AsWeimar Republic

Beck Suggests U.S. On Course To Make Same "Mistake[s]That Germany Made During Weimar Republic" On February 24, 2009, Beck suggested thatthe U.S. was on course to make the "scariest mistake that Germany madeduring Weimar Republic." [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 2/24/09]

Beck Conspiracy Theory: Similar To Weimar Republic, U.S.Government To Seize Land Through Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac To Back NewCurrency. On October 28, 2009, Becktheorized that the United States, in order to pay its debts, would continueprinting money and drive up inflation, at which point the country would dropthe dollar as its currency and establish a new currency backed by land, whichthe government will seize through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Beck explainedthat this is exactly what happened in the Weimar Republic. [Fox News, GlennBeck, 10/28/09]

Beck's Economic Forecast: "The Great Depression Times100" Or Hyperinflation Like The Weimar Republic. On January 5, 2010, Beck predicted a possible future ofhyperinflation he described as "the Great Depression times 100,"adding: "This is the reason I told you two years ago, please study theWeimar Republic." [Fox News, Glenn Beck, 1/5/10]

Beck Explains Deflation, Hyperinflation: "See If YouNotice Any Similarities Of The Weimar Republic" To U.S. On August 2, 2010, Beck explained deflation andhyperinflation by saying, "See if you notice any similarities of theWeimar Republic" to the U.S. economy. [Fox News, Glenn Beck, 8/2/10]

Beck Continues Weimar Republic Warning: "I Want YouWatch For Three Things." OnAugust 12, 2010, Beck asked his viewers to "watch for three things"that were done in the Weimar Republic, saying that "you must educateyourself." [Fox News, Glenn Beck  8/12/10]

O'Reilly, Other Fox Personalities HaveAlso Invoked The Nazis

Bill O'Reilly

O'Reilly Said Liberals Who Support GunControl Are "Totalitarians," Compared Them To Hitler. On March 2, 2010, O'Reilly saidliberals who support gun control are "today's totalitarians," addingthat in the past people like "Hitler and Mussolini" held suchpositions in favor of "state control." [Fox News, TheO'Reilly Factor, 3/2/10]

O'Reilly: Huffington Post Uses "SameExact Tactics That The Nazis Used." On March 5, 2008, O'Reilly said "And I said that thesetactics that are being used on this website, The Huffington Post, are the sameexact tactics that the Nazis used in the late '20s and early '30s to demonizecertain groups of people, so it would become easier for them, the Nazis, whenthey took power, to hurt those people." Earlier, on February 27, 2008,O'Reilly said that "I don't see any difference between [Arianna]Huffington and the Nazis. ... I don't see any difference." O'Reilly later said: "I didn't say she was a Nazi. ... I said there's no differencebetween what the two do. I want everybody to know that." [Fox News, TheO'Reilly Factor, 3/10/08, 2/28/08]

O'Reilly Compared Tim Robbins' Comments ToThose Of "Von Ribbentrop In The Nazi Hierarchy." On December 13, 2007, Jane Hall said thatcomments made by actor Tim Robbins while campaigning for John Edwards were"valid." In response, Bill O'Reilly said, "But VonRibbentrop in the Nazi hierarchy made valid points, Jane." [FoxNews, The O'Reilly Factor, 12/14/07]

O'Reilly:Daily Kos Is "Like The Nazi Party." On July 16, 2007, O'Reilly said that theDaily Kos is "like the Ku Klux Klan. It's like the Nazi party. There's nodifference here." A day later, O'Reilly said "That websitetraffics in [hate], as do the Nazi websites. No difference." On July19, 2007, O'Reilly said of Daily Kos: "The hate this websitetraffics in rivals the KKK and Nazi websites." [Fox News, TheO'Reilly Factor, 1/16/07, 1/17/07, 1/19/07]

O'Reilly Compares Michael Moore's"Power" To What "Happened In Nazi Germany." On July 28, 2004, BillO'Reilly said that Michael Moore "has more power thanprobably anybody else other than [Senators John] Kerry and [John]Edwards," adding that Moore's purported "power" was"scary" because "this happened in Nazi Germany." O'Reillywent on to ask: "Who was the most powerful person in Nazi Germany otherthan Hitler and Himmler and Goering, who? You guys know? ... Goebbels. Thepropaganda minister." [Fox News, The O'Reilly Factor, 7/28/04]

O'Reilly Likened Moore, Franken To Goebbels. On June 14, 2004, BillO'Reilly compared both Michael Moore and Al Franken to Goebbels.O'Reilly also likened a group of Hollywood celebrities who attended a premiereof Moore's film Fahrenheit 9/11 to "the people who wouldturn out to see Josef Goebbels convince you that Poland invaded the ThirdReich." [Fox News, The O'Reilly Factor, 6/14/04]

NewtGingrich 

Gingrich: Obama, Dems Threatening America As Much As "NaziGermany Or The Soviet Union Once Did." On the May 16, 2010, edition of Fox NewsSunday, Fox News contributor and former House Speaker NewtGingrich said that President Obama and the Democratic Party presentas great a threat as "Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union once did."[Fox News, Fox News Sunday, 5/16/10]

SeanHannity

Hannity: UsingQuran For Swearing-In Is Same As Using A "Nazi Bible." On the November 30, 2006, editionof Hannity & Colmes, Sean Hannity said that Rep.Keith Ellison using a copy of the Quran during his swearing-in ceremony"will embolden Islamic extremists and make new ones" and iscomparable to using "Hitler's Mein Kampf ... the Nazis'bible." [Fox News, Hannity & Colmes, 11/30/06]

Ann Coulter

Coulter On Fox: Media Matters IsA "Little Nazi Block Watcher" Website. On the December 1, 2005, edition of FoxNews' The O'Reilly Factor, right-wing pundit Ann Coulter called websiteslike Media Matters "little Nazi block watchers" that"tattle on their parents, turn them in to the Nazis." [FoxNews,  The O'Reilly Factor, 12/1/05]

Fox's Nazi Rhetoric Mirrored By FoxChairman Roger Ailes

Ailes: NPR Executives Have A "NaziAttitude. They Are The Left Wing Of Nazism." In a November 2010 DailyBeast interview with Howard Kurtz, Ailes called NPR"Nazis," adding "they have a kind of Nazi attitude. They are theleft wing of Nazism." From The Daily Beast:

The onetimeRepublican strategist is a man of strong opinions, in case that wasn't clear,and he also puts his money where his mouth is. When Juan Williams wasfired by National Public Radio for remarks he made on Fox about fearingairplane passengers in Muslim garb, Ailes rushed to award him a three-year, $2million contract.   

"A guy whogets fired and humiliated in the press can lose a lot of confidence,"Ailes says. Calling Williams "a pure liberal," Ailes says he wantedto compensate the pundit for his losses because he was "mad" and"I didn't want him to have to call his wife and say we lost money."  

Then he turned hissights on NPR executives.    

"They are, ofcourse, Nazis. They have a kind of Nazi attitude. They are the left wing ofNazism. These guys don't want any other point of view. They don't even feelguilty using tax dollars to spout their propaganda. They are basically AirAmerica with government funding to keep them alive."   

It's hardlysurprising that Ailes would defend Williams or castigate NPR. But trotting outsuch Third Reich rhetoric seems, shall we say, disproportionate to thesituation. NPR spokeswoman Anna Christopher says only that "we will letMr. Ailes' words speak for themselves." [Daily Beast, 11/17/10]

Ailes Apologizes For Nazi Comments to ADL. According to Politico, Ailes apologized to theAnti-Defamation League for invoking the Nazis in his comments, but according toNPR, Ailes did not apologize to NPR executives themselves. [Politico, 11/18/10, NPR, 11/19/10]

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http://feeds.mediamatters.org/~r/mediamatters/latest/~3/2tanQoXbXKo/201101200037

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Police strip conservative of weapons horde after
threatening more Giffords-style shootings

Another "isolated incident".

Police in Arlington, MA this week seized a “large amount” of weapons and ammunition from local businessman Travis Corcoran after he wrote a blog post threatening U.S. lawmakers in the wake of the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ). In a post on his blog (which has since been removed) titled “1 down and 534 to go” — 1 referring to Giffords and 534 referring to the rest of the House of Representatives and the Senate — Corcoran applauded the shooting of Giffords and justified the assassination of lawmakers because he argued the federal government has grown far beyond its constitutional limits. “It is absolutely, absolutely unacceptable to shoot indiscriminately. Target only politicians and their staff and leave regular citizens alone,” he wrote in the post.

“We certainly take this as a credible threat,” Arlington police Captain Robert Bongiorno told reporters, adding that “multiple federal law enforcement agencies” were involved. Authorities also suspended Corcoran’s gun license, though he is currently not facing any charges [...]

He seems to dislike liberals, writing, “You so-called liberals make me laugh – you’re all for free speech until someone disagrees, then it’s ‘report him!’” He also accuses the Daily Kos of “Stalinism.”

As we reported earlier this week, a Daily Kos/PPP poll found that 13 percent of Tea Party supporters felt that violence against the current government was justified. There are too many Travis Corcorans around the U.S.

Read The Full Article:
http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/C1C7EXuVkAM/-Police-strip-conserva
tive-of-weapons-horde-after-threatening-more-Giffords-style-shootings

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Police strip conservative of weapons hoard after
threatening more Giffords-style shootings

Another "isolated incident".

Police in Arlington, MA this week seized a “large amount” of weapons and ammunition from local businessman Travis Corcoran after he wrote a blog post threatening U.S. lawmakers in the wake of the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ). In a post on his blog (which has since been removed) titled “1 down and 534 to go” — 1 referring to Giffords and 534 referring to the rest of the House of Representatives and the Senate — Corcoran applauded the shooting of Giffords and justified the assassination of lawmakers because he argued the federal government has grown far beyond its constitutional limits. “It is absolutely, absolutely unacceptable to shoot indiscriminately. Target only politicians and their staff and leave regular citizens alone,” he wrote in the post.

“We certainly take this as a credible threat,” Arlington police Captain Robert Bongiorno told reporters, adding that “multiple federal law enforcement agencies” were involved. Authorities also suspended Corcoran’s gun license, though he is currently not facing any charges [...]

He seems to dislike liberals, writing, “You so-called liberals make me laugh – you’re all for free speech until someone disagrees, then it’s ‘report him!’” He also accuses the Daily Kos of “Stalinism.”

As we reported earlier this week, a Daily Kos/PPP poll found that 13 percent of Tea Party supporters felt that violence against the current government was justified. There are too many Travis Corcorans around the U.S.

Read The Full Article:
http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/pQcxx0EDYSM/-Police-strip-conserva
tive-of-weapons-hoard-after-threatening-more-Giffords-style-shootings

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Geithner Snubs Congressional Request to Testify
on TARP and Foreclosures

Tim Geithner won't show up to House Oversight Committee Chair Darrell Issa's first hearing, on TARP and the foreclosure crisis, sending a top deputy instead. The deputy, Tim Massad, has no real experience with the Administration's foreclosure mitigation[...]

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/firedoglake/fdl/~3/12KLgznvIYM/

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Obama's crack alternative-universe economic team

Mike Konczal writes about the upcoming NY Times Magazine piece The White House Looks For Work,[...]

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http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OpenLeft-FrontPage/~3/ipbEsvQkchw/obamas-crack-alt
ernativeuniverse-economic-team

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