Politics '11: Keeping up with the Xornses

[Dhyerwolf]

Senator.  Yes, the senate is that fucked up.

I've said it before in this topic and I'll say it again: I support abolishing the US Senate.

At least it isn't a secret hold anymore. Granted, now that I understand what this is, it's absolutely ridiculous. I can't imagine how Shelby doesn't expect this to blow up in his face.

Granted, kill the Senate because of that 2 Senator a state bullshit. There are practically more people within spitting range of me than there are in the entire state of Wyoming.

[NotMiki]

As the wiki page mentioned, even within the time period before it becomes publicly known who issued the hold, other senators have been more or less ratting them out in the last couple years.  Apparently senators' offices don't like outright lying about holds their senators have issued, so it's mostly a process of harassing the offices of the usual suspects to see who doesn't categorically deny it.

[metroid composite]

On a side note, been tracking the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill - something that'd allow the state to execute a person that was LGBT... at least, in the earlier drafts; mixed reporting has come into play now.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=ajROCFqLP2Lo <-- Commentary on how the bill's changed.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/13/death-penalty-uganda-homosexuals <-- Apparently it's not changed so much, tho?

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hyRSa3Mg98X6wRxMVGjCCAFKCNEw <-- Uganda rep responds angrily to Obama/Clinton/legislative condemnation of said bill.

Oh, and what seems to have started the craze, at least in part? Three Americans! Frabjuous day!
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/04/world/africa/04uganda.html?src=twt&twt=nytimes

People are making a big deal of Uganda?  Geez, it's a third-world country.  I know people from Eastern European countries who claim that they would be put to death in their home country if their LGBT status was known.  Granted, I suspect this might be more of a lynch mob "put to death" and less of an actual legal "put to death", but...still.

[Dark Holy Elf]

So we should just ignore shit like this because it's in a third world country? That comment doesn't really sit well with me, it's like saying that aprtheid wasn't worth making a big deal out of because blacks were being discriminated against in parts of Europe. The level of intolerance that Ugandan bill has shown deserves the international backlash, and attention, it has received.

[NotMiki]

I agree.  Saying we shouldn't care because Uganda is small, uninfluential, and remote (which is pretty much what goes into being a '3rd world country') is a lot like saying we don't care what happens to people whose lives aren't connected to ours.  I believe in the inherent worth of humanity, so I reject the idea that people are more important just for being close to me.

[metroid composite]

So we should just ignore shit like this because it's in a third world country? That comment doesn't really sit well with me, it's like saying that aprtheid wasn't worth making a big deal out of because blacks were being discriminated against in parts of Europe. The level of intolerance that Ugandan bill has shown deserves the international backlash, and attention, it has received.

No, that's true.  I guess what I'm saying is more like "I'm constantly shocked and outraged by LGBT issues, but they usually flat out don't make the mainstream press.  I'm just surprised that, of all the LGBT stories that are going unreported, stuff from Uganda is one of the few that gets international attention."

I mean, I'm happy that they're reporting LGBT human rights violations.  For that matter, I'm happy that they're reporting human rights violations in Africa (another issue that often goes woefully unreported).  I'm just expressing my surprise at this particular combination actually getting the spotlight.

[Dark Holy Elf]

I think the point is that the human rights violation is just that bad, because I agree, most such problems from that part of the world barely attract notice here.

[metroid composite]

Speaking of Gays in Affrica, they seem to be on a media roll:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/02/07/malawi.posters/index.html?hpt=T2

[NotMiki]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/08/AR2010020802352.html?hpid=topnews

John Murtha dead at 77.

[NotMiki]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/10/nyregion/10hiram.html?hp

In a rare win for common decency in one of the country's most backward political bodies, Hiram Monserrate was booted from the NY State Senate.  Monserrate slashed his girlfriend in the face last year with a broken bottle.  He was also one of two Democrats that switched over to the Republican party last year, causing much embarrassment to pretty much the whole state of NY.  A cynic might say that it is not coincidental that someone who pissed off both the Democrats for turning Republican and the Republicans for turning back would get the boot, but I'm ever so sure the NY State Senate is above such pettiness.

[Cmdr_King]

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/01/secretary_of_state_candidate_p.html

Because Michigan hasn't been mistaken for the deep south lately.

Edit: The local paper I have adds him as saying "My personal belief is you are who your DNA says you are, regardless of surgical procedures you may have thereafter".  Just in case you thought this was anything other than pandering to the conservative base.

[Anthony Edward Stark]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/magazine/14texbooks-t.html?em

So apparently there's a bloc in the Texas board of education that is pushing to "emphasize America's Christian roots" and claim that the Framers intended for the Bible to be considered America's highest legal document. Hopefully this falls though, but... fuck, I guess I can hope the Union collapses in to a bunch of meta-States or something if they win.

[NotMiki]

Goddammit, there just HAD to be a method of Constitutional interpretation that would make me want to read a Scalia opinion tearing it to shreds.  Not fair.

[Cotigo]

http://www.alternet.org/story/145671/dick_cheney_admits_to_torture_conspiracy

You know, when I read a headline like that I expect that it's one part truth to three parts exaggeration.

I... think the concentrations might be mixed up on this one.  A little bit moreso than usual, anyway.

[NotMiki]

http://volokh.com/2010/02/26/is-repealing-mccarran-ferguson-health-reform/

An interesting view on the antitrust exemption for health insurance providers.

[Anthony Edward Stark]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/27/us/27race.html?hp

Holeeeeeee shit. Basically the anti-abortion lobby has started trying to convince people that abortion is part of a conspiracy to keep the numbers of black children being born artificially low.

White Christians exploit undereducated Black people. I am surprised.

[Xeroma]

That is fucking disgusting.

[AAA]

Link too long

ACORN is cleared of all charges following that video. Turns out it was rather....creatively edited. Who knew?

[AAA]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/04/roy-ashburn-arrested-anti_n_485419.html

Chalk up another anti-gay politician turning out to be gay.

On another note, do you know what the longest and most popular article is on Conservapedia? The one on homosexuality. Just sayin'.

[Hunter Sopko]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_ts1217

Kind of funny. S'why you always check you have everything before leaving any kind of strategy session.

[NotMiki]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/04/roy-ashburn-arrested-anti_n_485419.html

Chalk up another anti-gay politician turning out to be gay.

so useful.

[metroid composite]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/ynews_ts1217

Kind of funny. S'why you always check you have everything before leaving any kind of strategy session.

"House Speaker Nancy Pelosi  appears as Cruella De Vil from "101 Dalmatians," and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is the witless cartoon dog Scooby-Doo."

Umm...actually I have no problems with that imagery.  (Obama as Heath Ledger doesn't work very well, though.  He's more like...the cartoon grownup who is always serious and has forgotten the meaning of fun).

[Cotigo]

"Republicans to use scare tactics to raise money."

In other news, the sun rises in the east, Meeple never has anything relevant to say, and VSM's love life is pathetic.

[Grefter]

"Following the meeting, it was clear those in the meeting shared a common goal: stopping the Obama/Pelosi/Reid agenda."

Because goals should only be about cock blocking the opposition party, not about you know, governing or anything.

This breaking news just in, Zenny is touching himself right now.

[Dunefar]

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/03/03/2010-03-03_congressman_patrick_mchenry_wants_ronald_reagans_face_put_on_50_bill.html

Reagan on the $50 dollar bill is being floated around again. Thoughts?