Thursday, April 7, 2011

Prosser Hires Bush v. Gore Recount Lawyer Who Claims GOP Opposes Equal Protection

This Republican recount specialist is a high-powered lawyer for conservatives. More bad news in Wisconsin...
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/07/prosser-hires-bush-v-gore-recount-lawyer-who-claims-gop-opposes-equal-protection/

Previously Uncounted Votes Give Lead to Prosser in Wisconsin Supreme Court Race

If these votes stand up, and it appears that they will, this is truly bad news for the worker's rights movement in Wisconsin. I admit to deep skepticism regarding such election surprises but from what I can tell there was an open canvassing of these votes and a lead Democrat in the state has vouched for their legitimacy.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/04/waukesha-clerk-announces-votes-for-prosser-im-thankful-that-this-error-was-caught-early.php

NPR offers many more details on the story including a history of secrecy and partisanship surrounding the Waukesha County Clerk. 
"Wisconsin corrects vote count, gives incumbant big lead"
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/07/135221696/wis-corrects-vote-count-gives-incumbent-big-lead?ft=1&f=1001

Daily Kos reports on this story too, reporting that County Clerk Nickolaus has been involved in disputes and irregularities in previous elections.
"Local Clerk 'finds' over 7,000 Votes for Prosser"
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04/07/964538/-Wisconsin-Supreme-Court:-Local-clerk-finds-over-7,000-votes-for-Prosser?utm_

Extreme Warming Forces Climate Scientists To Add Hot Pink To Temperature Map

More bad news regarding the global climate crisis as researchers determine that this decade will be the warmest in history and that temperatures in eastern Canada during the dead of winter were a staggering 37.8 F above historical norms.
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/07/global-warming-hot-pink/

Climate hawks fight GOP efforts to shut down the clean energy economy

This report includes video excerpts from a debate yesterday in the House where Democrats forcefully countered myths and lies about climate change and policies around the world that climate deniers in the GOP continually assert in their efforts to weaken the EPA and the Clean Air Act on behalf of their benefactors in industry.
http://www.grist.org/climate-policy/2011-04-07-climate-hawks-fight-gop-efforts-to-shut-down-the-clean-energy

Franken introduces 'Pay for War' resolution

Al Franken (D-MN) introduced the Pay for War Resolution in the US Senate to induce Congress to actually finance the cost of war, rather than waging wars on borrowed money as has been the case in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Considering the $1.25 trillion that these wars added to the national debt, this bill is a prudent and responsible act that would put a more realistic price tag on our military adventures, and hopefully give pause, and political liability, to those who send our troops overseas.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04/07/964474/-Franken-introduces-Pay-for-War-resolution?utm_

Like Glenn Beck, Maine Gov LePage Rails Against "Communist" Artwork

I've been late in posting the story of Maine's Governor Paul LePage removing a mural celebrating the history of the worker's rights movement from the Department of Labor. This article provides valuable context to LePage's inflammatory act and links a number of other pieces that have been written throughout the country over the past couple of weeks.
http://www.alternet.org/news/150468/like_glenn_beck,_maine_gov_lepage_rails_against_"communist"_artwork/?utm_

"Many Americans are angry about the attack on our living standards and basic rights by the right-wing forces around the country -- of which the Maine mural controversy is but a small part. It is time for President Obama to give a major speech attacking those forces and providing those struggling on the ground the "audacity of hope" that was, and still could be, his promise."

REPORT: Everything You Need To Know About The Koch Brothers

The Center for American Progress Action Fund produced an extensive report detailed the vast political and organizing activities of the Koch brothers over the past couple of decades. The report identifies 85 right-wing think tanks that have received $85 million from the Kochs, detailing their grassroots organizing for big business, Tea Party support, state organizing and plans for the 2012 elections. 
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/04/charles-koch-and-david-koch-report/

Downplaying or remaining silent about climate change was and is a blunder for progressives

This piece concerns the flawed premise that to pass legislation to reduce global warming one needs to talk about issues other than climate change because, the thinking goes, people only care about jobs or a reduction on our dependence for foreign oil. Apparently, a prominent Republican strategist, Frank Luntz, as well as a number of progressive groups, have been influential in developing what has so far been a failed 'silence' strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The fact of the matter is that we need to talk about climate change and its implications for the planet on a regular basis to convince the public of the urgency for resolute action.
http://www.grist.org/climate-change/2011-04-04-downplaying-or-remaining-silent-about-climate-change-was-and-is

Buying Silence: Big Soda Takes a Page from Big Tobacco

The soda industry is actively working to rescind taxes on soda that are designed to improve health and combat obesity and diabetes in the US. To do so they are adapting strategies long employed by the tobacco industry.
http://civileats.com/2011/04/05/buying-silence-big-soda-takes-a-page-from-big-tobacco/

Republicans Have an Infinite Supply of Crazy Ideas to Distract the Public from Dealing with the Country's Pressing Issues

A summary of the bizarre and counter-intuitive agenda of the Tea Party and it's extremist allies in the GOP.
http://www.alternet.org/news/150502/republicans_have_an_infinite_supply_of_crazy_ideas_to_distract_the_public_from_dealing_with_the_country's_pressing_issues/?utm_

Net Neutrality news: Obama threatens veto, court dismisses telecom lawsuit

Network Neutrality, the principle of a free and open Internet, is an immensely important issue for those of us who value open communications, civic involvement and free speech. We do not want to hand control of this powerful medium to telecoms who would build tiered systems that give priority of service to premium corporate and special interest customers.  
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04/06/963704/-Net-Neutrality-news:-Obama-threatens-veto,-court-dismisses-telecom-lawsuit?utm_

Tea Party, Corporate Front Groups, Urge Democrats to Cave on Net Neutrality.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/timothy-karr/tea-party-corporate-front_b_844890.html

The truth about Philadelphia 1787

This is a fascinating and compelling examination of the explicit motives of delegates to the United States Constitutional Convention of 1787. 
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/04/04/campaign_finance_founding_fathers_bill_hogeland

Lawsuit Reveals How a Middleman Is Blocking Mortgage Modifications for Homeowners

The bizarre and dizzying bad faith methods employed by banks that refuse to modify mortgages is detailed in a Propublica report. Banks have been seen to falsely claim that 'investor restrictions' prohibit them from making modifications, when the contracts explicitly permit them.
http://www.propublica.org/article/lawsuit-reveals-how-a-middleman-is-blocking-mortgage-modifications-for-home

Budget fight threatens to turn Farm Bill into Industrial Ag Bill

Proposed cuts to the Farm Bill will target conservation and biodiversity initiatives initiated by Obama rather than subsidies, and further strengthen Industrial Agriculture's competitive advantage over organic and conventional farmers.
http://www.grist.org/farm-bill/2011-04-04-budget-fight-threatens-turn-farm-bill-into-industrial-ag