As promised last night, I did a little more digging around about the author of the hated SB 1070, "Show Me Your Papers" State Senator Russell Pearce. I think I understand a little better where this guy's coming from. I absolutely do not support or endorse where he's coming from, but I think I do get it - sort of.
For those of you who don't feel like nosing around his website, here are some details. 2 of his sons work in law enforcement. I'll give you 3 guesses as to which county one of the sons works in; that's right - Maricopa. Mr. Pearce, himself, is a veteran of that county's law enforcement. The son who works in Maricopa County was shot in the line of duty just before Christmas 2004 by...an undocumented worker. Mr. Pearce is also the "brain child" of the "Tent City" in Maricopa County. I'm sorry his son was shot; no parent should have to go through that nightmare. But, that does not justify this new horrible racist xenophobic law. All righty...enough of the "honorable" Mr. Pearce.
I have a feeling I'm going to have to break out not only the cold shower & ice bucket for 1 of the "this day in history" items; I could see a whole mess of y'all "getting the vapors!" So, I'll break out smelling salts, too, when the time comes. ;D
On May 6, 1915, Orson Welles, the American motion-picture actor, director, producer and writer who combined his talents in the highly regarded (and OVER - RATED, sorry!) movie, Citizen Kane, was born. Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, was born in Freiberg, Moravia (present-day Pribor, Czech Republic) on this date in 1856. Oedipus will be joining us with his cigar in 5...4...3...2... ;D
Here's a birthday to make a whole mess of us feel old. Bob Seger is eligible for Social Security today; he is 65!
OK...here we go...
George Clooney is 49 today; commence with the fainting, drooling, and hysterics of all sorts! ;D Seriously, he's done a whole mess of great work both in front of & behind the camera. Up in the Air is FANTASTIC!
For a little more quirky George, I recommend Men Who Stare at Goats.
And, of course, I can't NOT MENTION this movie!
Let's Countdown!
#5 "No Trial, Just Error" AKA "GOP Holding Patterns" AKA "Terror of Their Ways" - Joementum & Senator Nude Cosmo introduced a bill today that will strip an American citizen of their citizenship if they are arrested out of the country on the suspicion they are "involved in terrorist activities." OK, if a bill is so bat$hit crazy that even Small Price to Pay Goldilocks is shaking his head...well, that’s akin to Tom Tancredo thinking SB 1070 goes too far!
If you’re hanging out with "the wrong crowd," watch out! AG Holder said in a hearing today that Faisal Shahzad is STILL talking. Who cares about that; when does the waterboarding start??!! We’re still getting mixed messages about the involvement or lack thereof with the Taliban in Pakistan. Well, let’s just hope that this proposed bill works for tea baggers, militia groups, and current members of Congress spewing $hit, too! The SOS could be empowered to figure out who or what the "wrong crowds" are. Uh...will the current SOS think I’m a "wrong crowd" since I didn’t support her in the primary and just all around don’t like her very much since then? CRAP! Oh well, it was nice knowin’ y’all! ;D HEY! JOEMENTUM’S NOT WEARING A FLAG PIN!! He needs to be the first one "stripped," so to speak. Senator Gillibrand just suggested automating the no – fly lists – TRAITOR! She’s the next to go. Senator McCaskill is trying to change Senate procedure by getting rid of "secret holds" on nominations. The jobs of TSA Chief & a whole host of other national security positions are still being put on hold by the GOP in the Senate.
Hm...one would think that they – being the law & order type – would want a fully staffed national security force to keep us safe. Don’t they keep saying, "Country first!"? I haz teh confused. ;D Long time no see to Ezra Klein! 96 nominations are on hold??!! Speaker Pelosi likes "the spirit" of Joementum’s & Nude Cosmo’s bill?! Great... And, there is already a rule about secret holds on the "Senate books" that no one pays attention to. I bet Professor Jonathan Turley is just WILD about Joementum’s & Senator Nude Cosmo’s proposed legislation. And, that’s a hell of a tie on Professor Turley – DAMN! SCOTUS has been very careful in previous cases to make sure that anyone who might be subject to a situation like "you know who" is proposing had the INTENT to lose their American citizenship as a result of their actions. The oogy term (for us Constitutional law wonks) "...material support..." is rearing its ugly rear. That term is the main basis for what these 2 crackpots are trying to do. If any American citizen is suspected of "giving material support" to groups or people that MIGHT be deemed as having terrorist leanings, your citizenship is out the door.
So, we go back to the scenario of you or me or Keith or, hell, even DICK donating money to a charitable organization, and then someone somewhere decides this organization "supports terrorism," then, based on that suspicion alone, buh – bye to your citizenship. *&^%$#@! Joementum is also basing the introduction of this law to his belief that President Obama or any other POTUS has the power & the authority to order the death of someone or an American citizen overseas if they’re suspected of unsavory activities. All he wants to do, Joementum says, is take their citizenship away; at least they’d still be breathing! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO PROFESSOR TURLEY!!! ALL RIGHT!!!
#4 "Arizona Protests" AKA "Protesting Arizona" - Well, well, well! Governor Jan "Show Me Your Papers!" Brewer is petrified that Major League Baseball will decide to take their little All – Star game someplace else next year! JD Hayworth was not at all impressed with the Los Suns jerseys; he’s probably just pi$$ed he wasn’t at the game. The "good" Governor is a little confused about what "out – of – state interests" entail; good grief, she HAS BEEN drinking St. Sarah from Wasilla’s water!
She was a state Senator during the Super Bowl yank over MLK Day. Richard Justice covers sports for the Houston Chronicle; he doesn’t think Bud Selig will move the game. Hell, I’ve been saying that all along! Make me a sports writer!! ;D If certain players & certain managers made it clear they would not participate in a game there if the law is still in effect, well, that may or may not help sway Bud of the Jelly Spine Selig. Don’t hold your breath for him, kiddies. A lot of international players might be hesitant about making waves.
** There was a big ‘ol blast off in New Mexico for the potential new post – shuttle program. We’ve got lava in Hawaii – and not the soap, folks! **
#3 "Big Problem" AKA "Political Spill" - A big ‘ol containment dome is being readied to be lowered down over the oil leak in the Gulf. This containment stuff has never been tried before. There’s oil on the beach of one of the islands off Louisiana. NOW, Governor Gilligan Jindal wants his federal coin & help!
Congress is considering additional funding on top of what BP is promising. Our Great Orange Satanic Leader is here! The Governor might just be directly & personally affected by this oil spill – as opposed to the people of his state who’ve been suffering under the terlet – like economy. A whole lot of government officials nationally & within Louisiana on all sides of the political aisle have an oily hand in what’s going on in the Gulf.
"Tea Time" The National Review revealed that it was the tea baggers themselves who introduced the term "tea bag!" Pew Research Center had some interesting poll results about people’s response to certain words. And, the Dem voter enthusiasm gap is beginning to shrink!
WPITW – A couple of Tennessee "gentleman" tried to whip the citizens’ arrests all over the place trying to find someone who would support a birther law.
Joe the Plumber has won elected office??!! A soccer ref thought a player was faking an injury; the player was dead. Or, maybe this didn’t happen after all – on the field anyway.
#1 "Decision UK ‘10" - We have a hung Parliament across the pond {insert juvenile adolescent joke here}! What could happen over there might be akin to Florida 2000; well, they might be a bit more civilized about it – maybe. ;D No party won a majority of the votes. Gordon Brown might try to form some sort of crazy coalition government making deals with who knows who. Who’s this Mark Mardell dude?! WHERE IS RICHARD WOLFFE?????!!!! Keith...Keith...Keith...you’ve got a "resident Brit" at your disposal, dude! And, he’s WAY MORE EASY on the eyes, thank you very much. If I was on teh Twitter, I’d give Keith such a pinch! Patrick Stewart should’ve run; I’d actually watch that Question Time stuff if he was in charge! ;D