ACTION - Save the MN Boundary Waters from Sulfide Mining!

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Monday August 02, 2010 · 9:58 AM PDT

2010/08/02 · 09:58

The Boundary Waters (BWCAW), Minnesota’s pristine wilderness area, is a national treasure. Every year, more than 250,000 people escape to its remote lakes and forests to canoe, hike, camp, and fish. In 1978 the Boundary Waters area was established as a protected wilderness, but it is not safe from new threats.

A new and dangerous type of mining that has never been done in Minnesota is being proposed near the Boundary Waters. Sulfide (also called "hard-rock" or "non-ferrous") mining often creates acid mine drainage, and can leak sulfuric acid and heavy metal contaminants into nearby waters.

Many of the proposed mines are right on the edge of the Boundary Waters, and alongside precious waters like the South Kiwishiwi and Bald Eagle Lake in the wilderness. If built, they would not only threaten these waters, but the Boundary waters as well. One company is already undertaking exploratory drilling under Birch Lake, whose water runs right back into the wilderness.

We need to make sure the Boundary Waters are protected as a pristine area for generations to come. We’re asking the EPA to block any new mines that could pollute the Boundary Waters, degrade water quality, or exceed water quality standards.

Find out what you can do about it over the fold...

LiberalBadger

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Tuesday January 26, 2010 · 5:55 AM PST

2010/01/26 · 05:55

I was going to attempt the Smallest.Diary.Evah, but apparently I have to have at least 300 characters...so here are my formulas for the current political parties.

For Republican Reps and Senators,

Party > Country > Self

For Democratic Senators (and some Reps),

Self > Country > Party

Either way, country gets screwed. And most people in those parties do not follow this - but it is a trend I see in our national discourse.

I Heart Caucuses! Here's why...

LiberalBadger

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Thursday April 24, 2008 · 9:08 AM PDT

2008/04/24 · 09:08

I just saw a clip of Sen. Clinton bashing caucuses again...my first instinct was SYFPH, and then to write this diary about why I love caucuses (particularly early in our party nomination phase).

I've frankly had it up to here (imagine me with my hand at my neck) with all this talk about why caucuses aren't as good as primaries. Bullocks! Caucuses allow people to vote their conscience and then if they find that their candidate does not have enough votes - then they get to go to their second pick.

That to me is "in-person run-off voting" and I love it because as the US becomes more and more progressive, we will offer a chance to change the Democratic party and politics in general.

But there's more we can do - instant run-off voting.

LiberalBadger

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Tuesday April 22, 2008 · 5:46 AM PDT

2008/04/22 · 05:46

Via ThinkProgress, we now learn two new things. Not only did high-level Bush administration members meet to go over interrogation details with the knowledge and approval of the President. Some got to go watch.

There was an extraordinary meeting held in September 2002, just before the techniques were to go up the chain of command, so to speak. [Gonzales, Addington, and Haynes] descended on Guantanamo, met with the combatant commander there Mike Dunlavey, watched some interrogations, and as I was told by Dunlavey and by his lawyer Diane Beaver, basically sent out the signal ‘do whatever needs to be done.’

And the other bit...torture probably happened before and after the Yoo memos.

LiberalBadger

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Wednesday April 09, 2008 · 2:08 AM PDT

2008/04/09 · 02:08

Via Alternet, but originally from Melina Hussein Ripcoco at Brilliant at Breakfast, I found a gut wrenching story about one of Gen. Petraeus' and Fil's direct commanders, Col. Ted Westhusing, who at the time of his suicide was the highest ranking suicide during the Iraq War.

His story is one of the ethical soldier who believes in the honor of service, but in just one year in Iraq, becomes so disillusioned with the corruption and greed of all parties, including those above him in the chain of command, that he takes his own life. Death before dishonor.

LiberalBadger

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Tuesday April 08, 2008 · 6:22 AM PDT

2008/04/08 · 06:22

and the cease-fire may be called off as well.

Via AP writer SINAN SALAHEDDIN

Iraqi government forces and Shiite militia fighters clashed anew Tuesday despite a government ultimatum to anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to either disband his Mahdi Army or give up politics.
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Meanwhile, security forces were reported to be blocking al-Sadr's supporters from traveling to Baghdad from outlying areas to attend an anti-U.S. rally scheduled for Wednesday.

and via AP writer ABDUL-HUSSEIN AL-OBEIDI

Two aides in al-Sadr's office in the holy city of Najaf told The Associated Press that the rally had been canceled. They spoke on condition of anonymity pending an official announcement.

Al-Sadr had called for a "million-strong" protest to mark the fifth anniversary of the capture of Baghdad by U.S. troops. It was seen by many observers as a show of force in his confrontation with the government over calls to disband his Mahdi Army militia.

LiberalBadger

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Monday April 07, 2008 · 6:44 AM PDT

2008/04/07 · 06:44

Via the BBC

Nouri Maliki told CNN that the cleric's movement would not be allowed to take part in elections unless it disbanded its militia, the Mehdi Army.

This looks to be a "what I can't do by force of arms, I will do by force of state power" situation to me. The quote from al Maliki:

"We have opened the door for confrontation, a real confrontation with these gangs, and we will not stop until we are in full control of these areas," he said.

I'm not sure if Sadr will plan to split the movement into a political / unarmed one and an armed branch (IRA/Sinn Fein).

Rep. Wexler - I'd like you to ask Gen. Petrateus about this!!

A Plan for FL and MI (with poll!)

LiberalBadger

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Saturday April 05, 2008 · 3:14 PM PDT

2008/04/05 · 15:14

The Obama campaign has announced that since a re-vote in MI is not going to happen, that they would support a 50/50 split of the MI delegation (see TPM).

In the last week, we had Markos' diary "Those Poor Florida Delegates" and bobswern's rebuttal diary "Can Kossacks Handle Truths Re: MI & FL?", which included a reference to this piece by Wayne Barret (via HuffPost).

All this has got me going over my opinions (and I got LOTS of 'em) and a potential plan. And then you get to vote!! But it won't count (I mean, since when does a DailyKos poll make the rules?!)

Poll

131 votes Show Results

What do you think is the fair thing to do?

131 votes Vote Now!

What do you think is the fair thing to do?

Show 'em all the door!

21 votes

Seated but neutered (the current plan?)

15 votes

Split them all (50/50 - pledged and supers)

29 votes

Split the pledged 50/50 (both states) - let supers do their super thang

30 votes

Reduce votes per delegates (% may vary) for all of them (LiberalBadger's plan)

15 votes

Reduce votes per delegates (50/50 in MI, results in FL) for pledged, not supers

7 votes

Full votes (50/50 for MI, results in FL)

8 votes

Give all the votes to Senator Missing

0 votes

Something else...

6 votes

NACD: What Up in Iraq (what the MSM won't tell you)?

LiberalBadger

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Thursday March 27, 2008 · 2:18 AM PDT

2008/03/27 · 02:18

Just read two fascinating articles about the situation in Iraq and it amazes me how little I understand about Iraq. I truly believe that our lack of understanding (ours AND reporters) is why we get the wrongly framed stories that we do (well, that and a little propaganda for good measure).

The Iraqi government that the US is supporting - including air cover for current operations - is our latest role in avoiding the nationalization of Iraqi resources. We are actively supporting the takedown of a group that supports a strong national Iraqi government that wants its resources nationalized before the October elections.

LiberalBadger

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Tuesday March 18, 2008 · 10:16 AM PDT

2008/03/18 · 10:16

As Democrats Abroad goes through its delegate selecting process, I just got an email update on the process and current delegate counts. I think this will help for those folks keeping track of such things.

LiberalBadger

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Thursday February 21, 2008 · 7:45 AM PST

2008/02/21 · 07:45

Just saw the result from my primary - Democrats Abroad. Senator Obama won 65.6% of the vote. Senator Clinton won 32.7%. You can find the announcement here.

LiberalBadger

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Wednesday February 13, 2008 · 5:17 AM PST

2008/02/13 · 05:17

I'm currently an ex-pat living in the UK. Specifically, I live in Calderdale, a part of West Yorkshire in the north of England. This year, I've paid maybe 3% more in taxes than I do in the US. But for that extra money, everyone gets healthcare. That's it - 3%. People don't have to worry about being covered, or if a particular episode is covered, if the insurance will actually pay. Doctors get paid and actually focus on...health.

So this week, I got the breakdown of the Calderdale health expenses (try to get this info from your insurance company!!). What I found was quite interesting and I share below.

Poll

79 votes Show Results

What form of health care system should the US have?

79 votes Vote Now!

What form of health care system should the US have?

All public all the time

50 votes

Private health services but single payer insurance

23 votes

Private health services, private insurance but public assistance to pay (not through work)

2 votes

I like what we have - part employer, part employee all private

1 vote

All private but leave take the employer out of it

0 votes

Dog eat dog

0 votes

God eat god

1 vote

Prayer

1 vote

Something else...

1 vote

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ACTION - Save the MN Boundary Waters from Sulfide Mining!

Formulas for current political parties

I Heart Caucuses! Here's why...

The Torture Story Continues - Phillipe Sands, my hero

Gen. Petraeus "corrupt" says Col. Westhusing, who then shot himself

BREAKING: Iraqi and Sadr militia clash / rally cancelled

BREAKING: Iraq may disqualify Sadr's party

A Plan for FL and MI (with poll!)

NACD: What Up in Iraq (what the MSM won't tell you)?

Delegate Count Update from Dems Abroad

11 in a row - Obama wins Dems Abroad

What Socialized Medicine Looks Like