Its OK Because They're Poor
Wed Jun 01, 2005 at 02:05:11 PM PDT
A simple yet common tale. An intro comment from Eric Alterman
Read
this story about a New York City school built on contaminated land--the environmental assessment done for the city that had showed levels of mercury, chromium, lead, arsenic and other toxic substances much higher than state standards allow--and surrounded by truck fumes for poor minority children- and tell me again that this is the land of equal opportunity.
Ted Stevens to Sanitize Life
Tue Mar 01, 2005 at 09:42:36 AM PDT
From Reuters:
Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens said on Tuesday he would push to apply broadcast decency standards to subscription television and radio services like cable and satellite.
"Cable is a much greater violator in the indecency area," the Alaska Republican told the National Association of Broadcasters, which represents most local television affiliates. "I think we have the same power to deal with cable as over-the-air" broadcasters.
"There has to be some standard of decency," he said.
Stevens went on to say that he would also seek to apply decency standards to Europe. "They're a bunch of degenerates. There have to be some standards." Not quite, but what the fuck is he thinking. Will this be the latest salvo in the culture war?
NYT: Jury Still Out on Rwandan Genocide
Mon Jan 10, 2005 at 08:47:55 AM PDT
I was reading an
article in the Business Section of this morning's New York Times about HBO's decision to let public television broadcast 3 of its new films after they have aired on HBO for a month. One of the films entitled 'Sometimes in April' is a film about the Rwandan Genocide. As I read the article I came across this wonderful formulation that was used to describe what occurred in Rwanda: '...the 1994 incidents of genocidal atrocities in Rwanda.' Almost 11 years later, and the New York Times still refuses to call it genocide. Instead, it resorts to the legalese that was employed by the State Department and others to avoid calling it Genocide, which would have required intervention. So instead we would get, 'acts of genocide' or 'incidents of genocide'. And as, I believe, a reporter asked at the time, how many acts of genocide are needed before we can call something genocide. Indeed. Apparently 800,000 still doesn't do it for the New York Times.
Cuyahoga County changes criteria for counting provisional ballots
Mon Nov 15, 2004 at 11:07:15 AM PDT
From Jesse at
Pandagon:
Now, apparently, votes will not be counted unless the date of birth is on the ballot. The initial rules for casting and counting ballots declared that birthdate didn't need to be on the ballot. That therefore makes it incredibly likely that a lot of votes will be disqualified because they were legal on November 2nd, and illegal now.
Ok. This is clearly not acceptable. People cast their provisional ballots according to the rules at the time. Now the rules change after the fact. This is ridiculous. Make some noise people.
Frist: Stop Whining
Fri Nov 12, 2004 at 09:11:27 AM PDT
Frist: Judicial filibusters must stop
Why is this the headline, and there is no response headline from the Dems? These guys are successful at portraying Democrats in the Senate as obstructionist. Its an easy and effective line of attack. We should be working just as hard to portray them as whining, weak and spoiled. Ridicule works. The Republicans work every day to control the conventional wisdom and the public's perception of the workings of government. They are the poor struggling champions of the people and Democrats are the elite obstructionist beauracrats. We need to be hitting them just as hard. And not always responding, but hitting first as well. Why are they the first out of the gates with these soundbites? Get out the brass knuckles boys, the fight is ruthless and it is constant. Now get in the ring.
THE FIGHT BEGINS: Some Suggested Strategies
Wed Nov 03, 2004 at 08:41:41 AM PDT
1. The kids. MoveOn and ACT should immediately transform their GOTV operations and begin campus outreach. We need to be building greater interest and excitement among our youngest voters. We need to keep these voters, who are socially liberal, within the Democratic fold. And we need to fill the bench of future progressive leaders. This is the only remedy to the theocratic victory we've seen today.
Support for Kerry in St Maarten
Fri Oct 29, 2004 at 01:20:02 PM PDT
I was away for 8 days on my honeymoon in St Barths (no blogs for 8 days!). To get to St Barths you have to fly through St Maarten. On the way there, and again on the way home I was wearing a Vote Kerry t-shirt. I got multiple comments of support from St Maarten and St Barths locals while in the airport. Most U.S. citizens didn't say anything, except for one woman on the way home who wanted to make sure I'd be back for the election.
While on the way home a St Maarten airport employee even asked for a shirt, I then directed her to the website where she could buy it. Her co-worker standing next to her said to tell people back home that Kerry has supporters in St Maarten. So I am. Its amazing how important this elections is, not just to U.S. citizens. These people really cared. To want to buy a t-shirt for a candidate for a presidential election in another country is pretty amazing.
It wasn't until I returned to NY that I got a 'Vote W' from the young guy at the customs counter at JFK airport. Thus the honeymoon was over. Back to the fight.
The Dread of Disenfranchisement
Fri Oct 15, 2004 at 08:26:12 AM PDT
It is clear to me that there is one prime source for the people who fill the ranks of the criminals in our jails, the hopeless youth of our gangs and the terror recruits in third world countries. It is disenfranchisement. More then poverty or religion or politics, it is the feeling that you are powerless, without any measure of control over the forces that frame your existence. No voice. No recourse. No power of your own and no trusted power to turn to in order to right a wrong or address your suffering.
That is why I am so terribly frightened of what I am feeling, and what seems to be happening right here in our country
More below.
TAKE ACTION: Contact Major Sinclair Investor
Sat Oct 09, 2004 at 02:58:37 PM PDT
Posted this in another diary, but thought it was important to highlight.
EARNEST Partners is the Top Institutional Shareholder of Sinclair Broadcasting (5.77% of outstanding shares). The CEO is Paul E. Viera who we see has the following listings on OpenSecrets:
VIERA, PAUL
ATLANTA,GA 30309
EARNEST PARTNERS
2/17/2004
$5,000
Obama, Barack
VIERA, PAUL E
ATLANTA,GA 30309
EARNEST PARTNERS/CEO
5/20/2004
$2,000
Kerry, John
VIERA, PAUL E
ATLANTA,GA 30309
EARNEST PARTNERS
6/10/2004
$2,000
Obama, Barack
He appears to be a prominent member of the business community, and is certainly someone who might be sympathetic to our cause. Lets try and contact Mr. Viera, and see if we can't influence him to do something about this. Its one more avenue to provide pressure, and we need to apply as much as we can.
75 14th Street, Suite 2300, Atlanta, GA 30309
Phone: 800-322-0068
Facsimile: 404-815-8948
E-Mail: invest@earnestpartners.com
Bulllying the Bully and the CW
Tue Aug 03, 2004 at 10:39:57 AM PDT
The Democrats are in a position, or at least percieved to be in a position, that they cannot extricate themselves from no matter how hard they try. As efficient the debunking is and as well studied the response, you cannot defeat a bully with just reason and facts.
Over at the Daily Howler and at Talking Points Memo we can see examples of how this playing out.
Louisville Kentucky Republican party - it was bound to happen
Fri Jul 16, 2004 at 12:31:01 PM PDT
