January 30, 2015

Boehner: I Told Ambassador Not to Tell Obama

I had not seen this statement put up by Speaker Boehner's office trying to explain away the Boehner-Netanyahu speech debacle. For starters, the statement appears geared to suggest that reports questioning the incident are part of some sort of anti-Semitic conspiracy theory - claims that the Israelis "orchestrated" the invitation. But to the point, the statement has Boehner instructing Amb. Dermer not to tell the White House what they were agreeing to.

"The Speaker made it clear (to Amb. Dermer) that it was his prerogative to inform the White House. We then went about identifying potential dates for an address. On the afternoon of January 20, the day of the State of the Union, we informed Ambassador Dermer of our intent to issue the invitation and our intent to notify the administration of the invitation. He accepted and acknowledged our intent to do so."

On the off chance this is true, this makes the whole thing only more comical. The Ambassador is presumably a grown up and knows about diplomatic protocol and how to be an Ambassador. He really lets himself be drawn into this sort of skullduggery and trickterism within an allied government, his government's prime international protector? Really? So he allows himself to be drawn into what is - take your pick - a dispute between political parties in the host country or between branches of government?

MORE:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/lol--3

January 30, 2015

Well Duh: States With Most Gun Deaths Have High Gun Ownership And Weak Gun Laws, Report Shows

States With Most Gun Deaths Have High Gun Ownership And Weak Gun Laws, Report Shows

Alaska has the highest rate of gun fatalities in the country, according to data from 2013. The state saw 19.59 deaths per 100,000 people, which is significantly above the national average of 10.64 deaths per 100,000. VPC's report indicates that Alaska also has the country's third-highest rate of gun ownership, with firearms in 60.6% percent of households.

The study found a similar correlation between gun ownership and gun deaths in the rest of the country. Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Wyoming, the states that followed Alaska in terms of highest gun death rates, had some of the nation's largest percentages of households owning guns.

VPC also noted that states with weaker gun laws tend to see higher gun death rates. All five states named above have gun restrictions that the report's authors describe as "lax."

..............

States with the lowest gun death rates -- the top three were Hawaii, Massachusetts and New York -- were found to have strong gun laws as well as low rates of gun ownership. A separate 2013 analysis from the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence similarly found that these three states were among those with the strongest gun restrictions in place.


the rest:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/29/weak-gun-laws-and-high-gu_n_6572384.html?ncid=tweetlnkushpmg00000016

January 29, 2015

VICIOUS Christian protesters shout down Muslim kids singing National Anthem at Texas rally

Angry conservative protesters disrupted the Texas Muslim Capitol Day celebration in Austin on Thursday, repeatedly shouting “No Sharia” and screaming “Go home.”

The celebration was organized by the Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, and according to their website, the event was “an opportunity for community members to learn about the democratic political process and how to be an advocate for important issues.” The group largely consisted of Muslim students and children, along with faith leaders.

The event was protested by a group calling itself the Patriot Defense Foundation Inc., who claimed that CAIR sought to create a climate in which it would be able to “take over” America, destroying it for “Americans (who) believe in the Constitution and what this country was founded on.”




Local reporters said protesters shouted “Islam is a lie!” at Muslim children when they were singing the National Anthem. One protester reportedly shouted: “There’s no ‘twilight’ in Sharia!”

..............

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2015/01/christian-protesters-shout-down-muslim-kids-singing-national-anthem-at-texas-rally-islam-is-a-lie/
https://www.facebook.com/CAIRNational/posts/10152717999627695

January 29, 2015

How The World Would Look If Countries Were Scaled To Population Size (IMAGE)

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2015/01/29/map-population-scaled/

January 29, 2015

Bill Would Allow Texas Teachers To Kill Students & Not Be Liable

People who are concerned about the use of excessive force by law enforcement may have to deal with another fatal can of worms. If Texas state Rep. Dan Flynn (R) gets his way, teachers will have the right to use deadly force against students in Texas classrooms, in the near future.

The Lone Star State already permits teachers to have firearms in the classroom, but H.B. 868, also known as the Teacher’s Protection Act, would authorize instructors to use “force or deadly force on school property, on a school bus, or at a school-sponsored event in defense of the educator’s person or in defense of students of the school that employs the educator.” Instructors would also have the right to use deadly force “in defense of property of the school that employs the educator.” Moreover, civil immunity would be granted to those who use deadly force, meaning they would not be liable for the injury or death of student.

MORE:
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/01/29/3617031/deadly-force-in-texas-classrooms/

January 29, 2015

Jon Stewart Endorses "Johnny Actual Cash": "Let's Just Have Money Run For President Already"

As Jon Stewart pointed out on "The Daily Show" Wednesday night, the billionaire Koch brothers plan to spend $889 million on the 2016 elections.

“Now, you may think to yourself, that’s fucked up because aren’t those guys going to want something in exchange for spending the gross national product of many countries on one election cycle?” Stewart said. “And is the thing that they want control over the levers of our democracy, or would they settle for handjobs?”

But with nearly a billion dollars being put into the effort, why even have a candidate at all? Stewart suggested that maybe the money can run.

“Give it up for the next president of the United States: Johnny Actual Cash,” Stewart said.


VIDEO & MORE:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/29/jon-stewart-johnny-actual-cash_n_6568986.html

January 29, 2015

Here are the official Las Vegas odds on the next President:

Here are the official Las Vegas odds on the next President:

January 29, 2015

1917 "Wanted"

Wanted, 1917, Art Young


from:
mr. fish:
Political Cartoon, Comix and the Uncensored Artistic Mind
warning graphic content:
http://blog.cartoonmovement.com/2015/01/warning-graphic-content.html

January 29, 2015

The problem with American Sniper, explained in 3 minutes

The film is in large part an action movie set in the Iraq war, but it also depicts the sacrifices Kyle and his family made as he served four tours of duty. That said, the film has a major history problem: It deeply misrepresents why America went to war in Iraq and how the war actually went down. These inaccuracies aren't peripheral problems; they do a disservice to Iraqis and American veterans alike. See how in the video above.

http://www.vox.com/2015/1/27/7921779/american-sniper-chris-kyle

January 29, 2015

"American Sharpshooters"

Socrates: First, shouldn't we explain how a democracy becomes an oligarchy?

Adeimantus: Yes.

Socrates: The crutical step is that the rich figure out how to manipulate politics so the laws benefit them instead of the public.

Adeimantus: So it seems.




Translated by the author of the outstanding book, Keith Quincy

His book is “Worse than You Think: The Real Economy Hidden Beneath Washington’s Rigged Statistics, And Where To Go From Here”