Santorum: First it was "blah" people, now he's called Obama a "government nig"

While Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum may be against them, if there ever was a candidate who needed a teleprompter, it's him!

You'll recall earlier this year when Lil Ricky had a problem with "blah" people:


Now he's called President Obama an "anti-war, government nig":


Lil Ricky, Dr. Freud is calling. Your slip is showing!

Announcement

I have some personal business to attend to and so my blogging will be reduced for a while.

I am sure that comes as a great relief to Jack Kelly, Richard Mellon Scaife and all my fans at the Tribune-Review, World Net Daily and the rest of the right wing noise machine.

In the mean time don't let them (however you define "them") bullshit you.  They're hoping you won't check their work - that's how they get away with it.

Check their work.

Make sure that what they say is true is actually, you know, true.

And if it's not, decontaminate the BS with smarts, snark and style.

Carry on.

If I win that $500,000,000 lottery today...

...I'm gonna get me one of those car elevators complete with its own lobbyist!

Hmm...They've Been Busy.

Remember our friends the Freedom From Religion Foundation?

They're the folks who're looking to get the New Kensington-Arnold school district to remove the (obviously unconstitutional) Ten Commandments Monument from school property.

(And if there's anyone who agrees with the FFRF and who actually lives IN New Kensington who is reading this, the FFRF wants to hear from you.)

But this isn't about that.  This is about the Pennsylvania House declaration of 2012 as "The Year of the Bible".

I didn't like it, thought it was unconstitutional (by both state and federal constitutions) and so, apparently, does the FFRF.

Photos and video from Justice for Trayvon Martin Rally in Pittsburgh

Here are photos and video from the Justice for Trayvon Martin Rally which was held today in Pittsburgh at Carnegie Mellon University (click on each photo to enlarge).


Photo by Kesha Silver


Photo by David Chang


Photo by Joy Sabl


Photo by Joy Sabl


Photo by Joy Sabl


Photo by Joy Sabl


Photo by Joy Sabl


Photo by Joy Sabl
Speakers included Brittany Claud, Ricky Burgess (Councilor Burgess' son) and Kimberly Ellis (Dr. Goddess) seen here:

Krugman Writes About ALEC

NYTimes Columnist writes about ALEC, the American Legislative Exchange Council:

What is ALEC? Despite claims that it’s nonpartisan, it’s very much a movement-conservative organization, funded by the usual suspects: the Kochs, Exxon Mobil, and so on. Unlike other such groups, however, it doesn’t just influence laws, it literally writes them, supplying fully drafted bills to state legislators. In Virginia, for example, more than 50 ALEC-written bills have been introduced, many almost word for word. And these bills often become law.

Did you know that there are ALEC legislators here in Pennsylvania?

The Braintrust Never Fails...

From today's Tribune-Review:

It's outrageous to see some in the lamestream media characterize a unanimous U.S. Supreme Court ruling that stopped a tyrannical EPA from running roughshod over property owners as being a great victory for corporations hellbent on destroying the environment.

But that's what happens when major media outlets gather their "intelligence" -- if not take their marching orders -- from the likes of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

This is funny coming from a paper owned by the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Heritage Foundation but that's another blog post.  Let's get to the real issue:

More On New Kensington's Monument

There's been more local news media coverage of the unconstitutional New Kensington Ten Commandments monument.

Nothing yet (as far as I can see) from the P-G, but the Trib's got a reporter, Michael Aubele, on the story.

Today he writes:

While separation of church and state proponents decry the existence of a Ten Commandments monument outside Valley High School, district officials are saying they won't kowtow to demands that it be removed.

That's at least not immediately. The officials said Solicitor Tony Vigilante -- who couldn't be reached for comment on Friday -- will review the issue.

"I personally believe the complaint is ludicrous," board President Bob Pallone said. "We as a district do not intend to take down the monument. We feel confident this is not a violation of church and state."

Except it is a violation.  But more of that in a second.

Justice for Trayvon Martin Rally - Monday in Pittsburgh

UPDATE: Photos and video from the rally here.


Trayvon Martin
Via Facebook (RSVP there):

Remembering Our Lost

Please join the Black Graduate Student Organization at Carnegie Mellon University as we rally for justice and remembrance of Trayvon Martin. THIS EVENT IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND ALL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN PITTSBURGH.

MARCH 26, 2012 12:30-1:30 PM ON THE LAWN (by the fence) of CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY. [map]

We seek justice, not only for his family and friends, but in honor of all racially profiled, stereotyped, and unjustly convicted citizens of this country, whose voices have long been suppressed and whose lives are often subject to overt discrimination and criminalization in a biased justice system.

[snip]

WE INVITE:

All students, community leaders and activists, and residents to come and discuss the role of ethnic/racial profiling, stereotypes, and judicial bias in perpetuating violence and against minority groups in the United States. ALL ARE WELCOME.

CHIME IN ON TWITTER: #TrayvonatCMU

I'm assuming that no one who reads this blog at this point is unfamiliar with the racially-motivated murder of Trayvon Martin and the police inaction and misactions in this case (David blogged on an aspect of it here). Think Progress has a good rundown of it here and the Huffington Post has a news page devoted to it here.

Sometimes there are issues and stories that I want to write about, but feel too overwhelmed to do so. This is one of those stories where I've collected dozens of links, but haven't managed to publish word one. I'm glad that I can post something positive -- a rally that I hope anyone who can will attend. I will be there. Also, if you haven't already, please sign the petition at change.org calling for justice -- there are currently over 1.5 million signatures. (I do believe that social networking is playing a positive role in bringing stories like this to the attention of the media and the masses and, more importantly, producing actual results.)

ALEC and The Castle Doctrine

Media Matters has an interesting post up regarding the recent killing of Trayvon Martin:

Legal experts have noted that Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law may prevent George Zimmerman from ever being successfully prosecuted for the killing of Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman has claimed that he acted in self-defense, and court precedent indicates that the State has the heavy burden of disproving this in order to win a conviction.

Florida's statute on the use of force in self-defense is virtually identical to Section 1 of ALEC's Castle Doctrine Act model legislation as posted on the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD). According to CMD, the model bill was adopted by ALEC's Civil Justice Task in August 2005 -- just a few short months after it passed the Florida legislature -- and approved by its board of directors the following month.

Since the 2005 passage of Florida's law, similar statutes have been passed in 16 other states. [links and emphasis in original] 

You can probably guess where this is headed.  Here's a hint: Which of those "16 other states" do you think I care about right now?

A Follow-Up

I wanted to do a brief follow-up on yesterday's blog post.

In case you don't remember, the Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to the New Kensington-Arnold School District about a Ten Commandments monument currently standing on school grounds.

Our friends at the Tribune-Review have picked up the story:

A Wisconsin-based atheist group wants officials to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the front of a New Kensington high school, claiming the display amounts to an "egregious" violation of the separation between church and state.

Freedom From Religion Foundation sent New Kensington-Arnold School District officials a letter this week asking them to remove the stone monument, which the New Kensington Eagles gave to the district more than a decade ago. It sits near the entrance to Valley High School's gymnasium.

And then two competing comments. The first in favor of the letter:

"From my view, this is an unsurprising letter given the law," said Vic Walczak, legal director of the Pennsylvania American Civil Liberties Union. "The Supreme Court decided on this more than 30 years ago."

And the second a bit more neutral:

"The court would have to consider whether or not the display represents the intent on the part of a public body -- the school district -- to promote religion," said Bruce Antkowiak, law professor at St. Vincent College.

Antkowiak noted a challenge to a Ten Commandments display at the state house in Austin, Texas, that ended with the Supreme Court ruling the display's significance was historical and not intended to advance a religious cause so it could remain.

"If this would go to litigation -- if they can't work something out -- I'm sure that's what the school board is going to be arguing -- that this is a matter of almost a historical anomaly and wasn't erected for the purpose of promoting any religious group or value," he said.

The only problem with using Can Orden V Perry (the case Antowiak cited above) is that Justice Breyer in his concurring opinion stated:

This case, moreover, is distinguishable from instances where the Court has found Ten Commandments displays impermissible. The display is not on the grounds of a public school, where, given the impressionability of the young, government must exercise particular care in separating church and state.

The monument still needs to be taken down.

Yea, This Needs To Be Moved.

(H/t to our friends at Steel City Skeptics):

(Full sized image can be seen here.)
This monument stands at the main entrance of a local public high school.  It needs to be moved.

Romney Camps' Etch A Sketch Flip-Flop

Via ABC News:

When his campaign spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom was asked this morning on CNN how the GOP frontrunner would make the pivot to the general election, Fehrnstrom compared Romney's primary campaign to an Etch A Sketch, a gaffe that spread like wildfire to Romney's rival's stump speeches.

"Well, I think you hit a reset button for the fall campaign. Everything changes. It's almost like an Etch A Sketch," Fehrnstrom told CNN's John Fugelsang. "You can kind of shake it up and restart all of over again."

Watching The Trib Omit

I'll say it again - oh the stuff they leave out!

Take a look at this Editorial from today's Tribune-Review (by the way, it's titled "Ed the terrorist?":

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell is so self-serving that he accepted apparently illegal payments for speeches supporting an Iranian-dissident organization that the State Department has listed as a terrorist group since 1997.

The Treasury Department has subpoenaed records related to payments that Mr. Rendell admits taking in exchange for advocating removal of the People's Mujahedeen of Iraq, aka Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (MEK), from State's terror-group list.

He denies wrongdoing and says he and his agent are cooperating. Yet a Treasury spokesman told The Washington Times that "U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with or providing services to this group."

As always, when you peek into the details you'll see what Scaife's braintrust has decided you don't need to know.  From there you can decide for yourself their credibility.

Now THIS Is A Surprise

Take a look at this from the Tribune-Review. It's from today's Tuesday Takes:

The voice of Luke: We see nothing wrong with KDKA radio giving Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and his spokeswoman, Joanna Doven, three hours of free air time Friday last. That is, if the station gives all of Mr. Ravenstahl's challengers in next year's mayoral election equal time. If not, it should send the mayor a bill for a three-hour campaign commercial.

This is not about the Mayor as I am not a supporter.  Beyond that, it's simply surprising to read such a subtle defense of the Fairness Doctrine coming from the pages of the city's conservative paper.

What is the Fairness Doctrine, you ask?  The Huffingtonpost describes it as:

Imposed in 1949, the Fairness Doctrine mandated that the scarcity of media resources made it necessary that FCC license holders allow competing points of view to have equal time and access.

Hmmm...demanding that KDKA give equal time to the mayor's political challengers.  Sounds like the fairness doctrine to me.

That is surprising, isn't it?

Sally Kalson's Modest Proposal

An idea whose time has come. Guys, this one's for you:

"I solemnly swear to abstain from sexual intercourse with any and all human females, paid or unpaid, regardless of age, ethnicity, national origin and marital status, including my own wife, who hasn't let me near her anyway since this whole birth control thing began.

"I further swear to hold my sperm sacred for its zygote-creating potential and to account for every single one my body produces, verified by monthly tests and exams.

"My employer has the right to question me and see the test results, in order to avoid providing medical coverage for behavior he finds morally objectionable."

Read Kalson's entire article here.

Tracking Teh Crazie

In the past couple of days, these things have happened in this order:

• President Obama signed an executive order on Friday
• Some of the wingnuts went crazy because of it on Saturday
• Some other wingnuts said, "Eh...not so much." on Sunday

First here's the Executive Order.  Then teh crazie.

Special Message To The OPJ!

Buon compleanno, Maria!

Patrick Murphy calls for Corbett to apologize to PA women

Via Murphy for PA:

“It’s bad enough that Governor Corbett wants to force women to get an unnecessary and invasive procedure as a means of getting a government permission slip to undergo legal medical care. It’s worse yet that he wants to shame them by shoving an ultrasound screen in their face. But it’s unthinkable that he would so casually dismiss this by advising women to just close their eyes. Governor Corbett’s comments are disturbingly offensive, insensitive, and out of touch. He should apologize immediately.” Murphy said. “As I have said before, this legislation is an outrageous assault on women’s rights in Pennsylvania and an unprecedented intrusion into decisions that should be made exclusively between a woman and her doctor. The proposal is demeaning, mean spirited and wrong. There is no legal justification for forcing a woman to undergo an invasive ultrasound, and after careful analysis, I believe that no reasonable arguments can be made to support the Constitutionality of this bill. As Attorney General, I could not defend it against a Constitutional challenge.”

Murphy is running for Corbett's old PA Attorney General seat.

If you agree that Corbett should apologize, sign the petition here.

Gov. Corbett to PA Women on Mandatory Ultrasounds: "You just have to close your eyes"

Gov. Tom Corbett's (R-PA) advice to Pennsylvania women on PA HB 1077 which would have required women seeking an abortion to have medically unnecessary mandatory ultrasounds (which has thankfully been tabled for now):

Via Think Progress: QUESTION: Making them watch…does that go too far in your mind?

CORBETT: I’m not making anybody watch, OK. Because you just have to close your eyes. As long as it’s on the exterior and not the interior.

Hmmm, "just close your eyes." Kind of like the approach he took to the child rape investigation of Jerry Sandusky while he was state Attorney General.