Extreme Makeover: Jesse Kelly 2.0 continues to benefit from federal stimulus money
May 29, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
The Tucson Weekly has been doing the fact check political reporting that the Arizona Daily Star has failed or refused to do. Today, The Arizona Republic also does the job that the Arizona Daily Star should be doing.
The Republic revisits an issue from the 2010 congressional campaign and looks at how Don Kelly Construction benefitted from federal stimulus money, of which idiot son Jesse Kelly is critical of (because it is a standardized GOP talking point — just read from the script). Way to bite the hand that feeds you. Jesse Kelly's firm benefited from stimulus he criticized:
Jesse Kelly, the Republican candidate running to replace Gabrielle Giffords in Congress, argues that President Barack Obama's economic-stimulus program failed to boost the economy through infrastructure projects and that government spending is driving the country to bankruptcy.
But the family construction company where Kelly has worked for about eight years, Don Kelly Construction Inc., has benefited from at least three contracts financed by millions in stimulus dollars and has relied almost exclusively on government-funded pipeline projects for its business.
Update: Will Montana’s challenge to Citizens United v. FEC get a hearing before SCOTUS?
May 29, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
An update to an earlier post, Will Montana's challenge to Citizens United v. FEC get a hearing before SCOTUS?
Lincoln Caplan writes about the status of the Montana Supreme Court decision challenging Citizens United v. FEC in the Sunday New York Times, Can State Laws Cohabit With Citizens United?:
The Supreme Court is expected to respond in June to a Montana Supreme Court decision upholding the state’s Corrupt Practices Act, which bans corporations from making political expenditures from their general treasuries.
American Tradition Partnership, a nonprofit group, and co-petitioners sued for a declaration that the act violates their freedom of speech. They contend the Citizens United decision so clearly invalidates the Montana law that the justices should reverse the state ruling without oral argument.
Montana, however, makes a sound and compelling argument that Citizens United, which struck down a federal ban on independent spending in political campaigns by corporations and unions, does not bar it from fighting political corruption with a carefully tailored campaign law. The Supreme Court should quickly uphold the state ruling, or hear oral argument before making a decision.
The Montana case, while about state law, deals with the central fallacy of Citizens United — that “independent expenditures, including those made by corporations, do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption.” The justices seemed to believe there would be no consequences for democracy if unlimited money flooded campaigns.
Koch is a cancer in the American body politic
May 29, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
McClatchy News has the latest reporting on the billionaire bastard Koch brothers, who are a cancer in the American body politic. Center's activities provide glimpse into network of conservative advocacy groups | McClatchy:
The financial firepower that fueled the rise of a network of conservative advocacy groups now pummeling Democrats with television ads can be traced, in part, to Box 72465 in the Boulder Hills post office, on a desert road on the northern outskirts of Phoenix.
That's the address for the Center to Protect Patient Rights, an organization with ties to Charles and David H. Koch, the billionaire brothers who bankroll a number of conservative organizations.
During the 2010 midterm election, the center sent more than $55 million to 26 GOP-allied groups, tax filings show, funding opaque outfits such as American Future Fund, 60 Plus and Americans for Job Security that were behind a coordinated campaign against Democratic congressional candidates.
The money from the center provided a sizable share of the war chest for those attacks, which included mailers in California, robo-calls in Florida and TV ads that inundated a pocket of northeastern Iowa. The organizations it financed poured at least $46 million into election-related communications in the 2010 cycle, among other expenditures.
In that campaign, outside groups – the vast majority backing Republicans – reported spending a record $304 million, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
An Almost Good Proposal For Entitlement Reform
May 28, 2012
by
By Bob Lord I’ve been meaning to write on this piece for a week now, and finally found the time: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/20/entitlement-reform-for-the-entitled/?scp=2&sq=emanuel&st=Search Here, Zeke Emanuel outlines a proposal to reform Medicare and Social Security by basing the eligibility age on lifetime earnings. The more you earn during your life, the later your benefits would kick … Read more
Never Forget
May 28, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: As President Obama noted in his remarks at the Vietnam War Memorial this Memorial Day, there are 1,666 Americans still missing in action (MIA) from the Vietnam War. Of course, there are still many Americans MIA from all previous wars. A memorable made for television movie by CBS, Sole Survivor (1970) — … Read more
President Obama commemorates 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War on Memorial Day
May 28, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
President Obama offered a message to veterans across the country Monday by noting the day "holds special significance because it marks the beginning of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War." PBS:
"After Vietnam, our veterans didn't always receive the respect and thanks they deserved. At times they were neglected and even shunned, which was a national shame. We've pledged many times since Vietnam that we would never let that happen again, and that we would give our veterans, especially our Vietnam Veterans, the respect and honor they deserve. This 50th anniversary is our opportunity to do it right," Mr. Obama wrote in an op-ed for Stars and Stripes.
A man visits the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., on May 28. Photo by Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images.
Transcript of remarks by President Obama at the Vietnam War Memorial (video below the fold). Transcript: President Obama's Memorial Day remarks at Vietnam War Memorial (Snippets):
[O]ne of the most painful chapters in our history was Vietnam — most particularly, how we treated our troops who served there. You were often blamed for a war you didn't start, when you should have been commended for serving your country with valor. (Applause.) You were sometimes blamed for misdeeds of a few, when the honorable service of the many should have been praised. You came home and sometimes were denigrated, when you should have been celebrated. It was a national shame, a disgrace that should have never happened. And that's why here today we resolve that it will not happen again. (Applause.)
And so a central part of this 50th anniversary will be to tell your story as it should have been told all along. It's another chance to set the record straight. That's one more way we keep perfecting our Union — setting the record straight. And it starts today. Because history will honor your service, and your names will join a story of service that stretches back two centuries.
Let us tell the story of a generation of servicemembers — every color, every creed, rich, poor, officer and enlisted — who served with just as much patriotism and honor as any before you. Let's never forget that most of those who served in Vietnam did so by choice. So many of you volunteered. Your country was at war, and you said, "send me." That includes our women in Vietnam — every one of you a volunteer. Applause.) Those who were drafted, they, too, went and carried their burden — you served; you did your duty.
Talking Baseball
May 28, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Back in the good old days, one popular belief for forecasting teams that would finish in first place centered on Memorial Day. The teams in first place on the morning of Memorial Day, the belief held, would end the season in first place.
Murray Chass writes Memorial Day Madness:
Perhaps at one time the Memorial Day guideline made sense, especially in the days of two leagues and no divisions. But narrowing the statistical sample to the current era of six divisions [and wild card teams], the Memorial Day barometer barely prevails.
According to Elias Sports Bureau, since 1995, the forecast formula has worked only 58 percent of the time, where 56 of 97 teams in sole possession of first place on Memorial Day morning have ended the season as division winners.
Last season only half of the Memorial Day division leaders were division leaders at the end. Texas, Philadelphia and Arizona made it; Boston, Cleveland and St. Louis did not.
The Cardinals nevertheless crept into the post-season as the National League wild card and won the World Series.
The most surprising and unlikely team in first place this Memorial Day is the Washington Nationals (aka the "Nats").
The original Washington Nationals (aka the "Senators") played in the American League from 1905-1960, and their motto was "Washington first in war, first in peace, last in the American League." For many years that was true. The Washington Nationals won only one World Series behind "The Big Train" Walter Johnson in the latter part of his career, defeating the New York Giants in 1924. The Nationals had a chance to repeat as world champions in 1925, but they became the first team to blow a 3-1 World Series lead to lose to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Nationals best season was in 1933, making the World Series for the last time, but losing to the New York Giants.
In 1960, the renamed Washington Senators moved to Minnesota to become my Minnesota Twins, who this year on Memorial Day are competing with the Chicago Cubs for the worst record in baseball. Oy!
The current Washington Nationals team is the old Montreal Expos so maybe the old motto does not apply. Although the Expos only made the post season once in the split season strike year of 1981. The Expos had the best record in baseball in 1994 when, again, a strike ended the baseball season in August. Lucky for the "Nats" there is no player strike this year.
Memorial Day Message
May 28, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Memorial Day message that President Obama delivered over the weekend in his weekly address. Video below the fold.
