Clean Air Act under attack

By GottaLaff

Below is an e-mail that someone forwarded to me. It's one that Al Gore sent out to Repower America, an initiative of his group, the Alliance for Climate Protection, which would like to get America off fossil fuels.

Their idea is energy efficiency + renewable generation + Unified Smart Grid = 100% clean electricity eventually.

Here is a link to the petition.

Gore is coming awfully close to calling Lisa Murkowski corrupt, pointing out her collaboration with lobbyists to attack the Clean Air Act.

Read it for yourself. Ouch:

From: "Al Gore, Repower America" <info@repoweramerica.org>
Date: January 12, 2010 3:25:39 PM EST
To:
Subject: Clean Air Under Attack

Dear , It's an outrage. 2010 should start in a way that reflects our movement's amazing accomplishments from last year -- moving the ball forward to passage of comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation. Instead, our elected leaders are proposing policies that would set us back decades and let the worst polluters completely off the hook. Despite the chorus of alarm bells sounding the need to address the climate crisis and stop polluting the air our families breathe and the water we drink, Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski and her allies are attacking the Clean Air Act -- for the second time in six months. And it gets worse. Last night, news broke that the original version of the amendment was literally drafted with lobbyists for the oil and coal industry.* We can't let this attack succeed. Write your Senators right now and tell them to vote NO on Senator Murkowski's proposal. We defeated this same effort once already, just six months ago -- but the fossil fuel lobby is at it again. The amendment would strip the Environmental Protection Agency of its ability to regulate most carbon pollution, letting the worst polluters completely off the hook. Efforts like this are designed to do one thing and one thing only -- slow our transition to a clean energy economy that will create millions of new jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and solve the climate crisis. Help flood your Senators with messages to vote NO on this attack on the Clean Air Act. The very last thing we should do in the fight to end the climate crisis is throw away tools that we already know are effective at reducing pollution. But that's exactly what Senator Murkowski's proposal does. For decades, the Clean Air Act has kept millions of tons of pollutants out of our air and water. Senator Murkowski's proposal would create an Alaska-sized loophole in the Clean Air Act, giving a pass to the biggest carbon polluters. Write your Senators now and tell them to vote NO on Senator Murkowski's amendment -- and protect our air, water and climate. http://cpaf.repoweramerica.org/cleanair In 2010, our movement to solve the climate crisis will face its biggest test yet -- passing comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation. But if Senator Murkowski's amendment passes, some in Congress will use it as an excuse to keep stalling -- and the long overdue promise of progress toward a 21st century clean energy economy will be lost. You helped stop this toxic amendment once before. Together, we can and must stop it again. Thank you, Al Gore __________ * "Murkowski and her lobbyist allies," The Washington Post, January 11, 2010 http://views.washingtonpost.com/climate-change/post-carbon/2010/01/murkowski_and_her_lobbyist_allies.html

"I don't recall when a poor country actually provided the U.S with anything when disaster struck the U.S"

By GottaLaff

Edeline B. Clermont weeps in the Little Haiti area of Miami as she talks to her sister after both were unable to contact relatives in Haiti, which has been devastated by Tuesday's earthquake. (Alan Diaz/Associated Press)

The following comments were responses to my post of yesterday, "U.S. Should Not Help Haiti Earthquake Victims".

Ignorance is even more widespread than I previously thought:

Anonymous said...

I pay taxes to run my government, not to "AID" other countries.

And I don't recall when a poor country actually provided the U.S with anything when disaster struck the U.S

January 14, 2010 2:45 PM

And there's this, by either the same or a different "Anonymous". If only they weren't so afraid to post a name or pseudonym, we'd know for sure:

Anonymous said... [in part]

You hippies gotta learn the Federal and State governments are NOT charities and shouldn't operate as such, they are there to GOVERN. The money is the taxpayers, and they have no right to use it for charity. If you think money should be sent to Haiti, YOU send it. Communists.

January 14, 2010 2:54 PM

And then there are commenters that should become regulars:

David D. said...

Dear "I don't recall":

Countries and organizations that offered to send aid in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, mentioned by the State Department, included Afghanistan, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, the Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, the European Union, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, International Energy Agency, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, NATO, Nepal, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Organization of American States, Oman, OPEC, Pakistan, Paraguay, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, United Kingdom, the United Nations, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Venezuela and the World Health Organization.

January 14, 2010 2:55 PM

UPDATE, YesBiscuit tweeted:

Haiti offered $36k aid to US after Katrina

T1 adds Mexico to the list:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_response_to_Hurricane_Katrina they stepped in to help out along with a ton of others

VIDEO- Rachel Maddow Show: Haitian ambassador shames Pat Robertson

By GottaLaff

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Original post about Pat Robertson, with video, here.

Posts about petitions demanding that we don't help Haiti here and here.

Second anti-Haiti petition emerges

By GottaLaff

Earlier I posted what could have been a (tasteless) hoax petition, or it could be real. Many of those who signed it were certainly not. However, we now have a copycat petitioner... or vice versa.

Here's the other one (click on images to enlarge):


And most of these co-signers don't look like they're kidding:


View All Signatures

H/t: fbihop

"U.S. Should Not Help Haiti Earthquake Victims"

By GottaLaff

UPDATE: Question... Is this just a hoax, a spoof from our side? Could be. If it is, it's a rather tasteless one.

Original post:

So much for loving your fellow man.

Here's a screen shot of quite the little maladjusted not-grassrootsy organization. Check out the fine print under the black graphic (click on image to enlarge):


Here's the entire text, brought to you by.... ta da...

... yes, FreedomWorks:

To: U.S. Congress, President Obama

The recent earthquake in Haiti is a tragic situation that has touched America's heart. However, America must be careful to avoid losing its head and making a bad situation even worse.

The National Alliance for Liberty and Freedom, a coalition of national libertarian, tea party, objectivist, and Ayn Rand groups hereby demands that no public funds should be spent on any disaster relief.

Certainly, if private citizens want to donate money that is an individual decision that they will freely make, and we cannot - nor would we seek to - prevent those citizens from deciding where to spend their money.

However, public funds are entirely different and should not be spent in this matter.

The main reason is simple: those funds are not the U.S. government's to begin with. Any money that the U.S. government would give would have been stolen - under threat of force - from U.S. citizens.

Further, any donations to Haiti will only serve as a "moral hazard", in effect underwriting their bad choices. Haiti had some of the highest tax rates in the Western Hemisphere, hampering the natural innovation of its citizens and making it difficult for corporations - today's engine of prosperity - to operate in that country. Their rules and regulations were among the most onerous as well, preventing true innovation to occur. Without such onerous rules and high taxation, Haiti could have been a thriving commercial center able to better withstand the earthquake and its aftermath.

By giving money, we will prevent Haitian citizens from rising up in their own Tea Party Revolution and taking their country back from the Marxists.

Once again, if private citizens want to donate their own money, that is their choice. However, the U.S. government should not give one dime: it isn't their money to give and it will only reward failed choices.

Sincerely,

[...]

The U.S. Should Not Help Haiti Earthquake Victims Petition to U.S. Congress, President Obama was created by National Alliance for Liberty and Freedom, a coalition of national libertarian, tea party, objectivist, and Ayn Rand groups and written by Glenn Adamson (glennadamson78@yahoo.com). This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors.

Bolding was mine.

Appalling lack of compassion, utter derangement, and questionable sanity is theirs.

H/t: Musiccitygal, Litzz11

UPDATE: They got a whopping 26 signatures... if you want to call them that (click on image to enlarge)

Adding: I guess I wasn't obvious enough when I said, "if you want to call them that"... meaning, I'm well aware that the signatures are fake. That's why I took a screen grab of them. This whole thing could very well be some lefty mischief.

VIDEO: Colbert signs petition to "Close Gitmo Now"

By GottaLaff

Thank you, Stephen Colbert, thank you thank you thank you.

Last night, Roseanne Cash promoted the cause on The Colbert Report, where she successfully got the host to sign a petition calling for the closing of the prison at Guantanamo Bay.

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
We Got the Beating - Rosanne Cash
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Religion

You already know where I stand on this (see below).

*****

Lt. Col. Barry Wingard is a military attorney who represents Fayiz Al-Kandari in the Military Commission process and in no way represents the opinions of his home state. When not on active duty, Colonel Wingard is a public defender in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

All my previous posts on this subject matter can be found here; That link includes one specific to only Fayiz al-Kandari's story here. Here are audio and video interviews with Lt. Col. Wingard, one by David Shuster, one by Ana Marie Cox, and more. My guest commentary at BuzzFlash is here.

If you are inclined to help rectify these injustices: Twitterers, use the hashtag #FreeFayiz. We have organized a team to get these stories out. If you are interested in helping Fayiz out, e-mail me at The Political Carnival, address in sidebar to the right; or tweet me at @GottaLaff.

If you'd like to see other ways you can take action, go here and scroll down to the end of the article.

Then read Jane Mayer's book The Dark Side. You'll have a much greater understanding of why I post endlessly about this, and why I'm all over the CIA deception issues, too.

More of Fayiz's story here, at Answers.com.

Chairmanship strip tease

By GottaLaff

Paddy wrote a good post about Evan Bayh here, to which I say Buh-Bayh. We're both steaming mad over him and Traitor Joe. Then I got this e-mail.

I read it, I followed the link, and I signed the petition. How about you?

Laffy,

Thanks for signing our petition asking Democratic senators to hold Lieberman accountable -- can you help spread the word?

If you're on Facebook, click here to share the petition.

If you're on Twitter, click to automatically Tweet this message: Are we going to let Joe Lieberman screw up health care reform? Hell no! Sign the petition to hold him accountable --> http://bit.ly/2N7YVq

Or simply forward the below email to your friends.

Thanks for being a bold progressive,
--Adam Green, PCCC co-founder

---

Hi. You may have heard the news -- Joe Lieberman is threatening to help Republicans block an up-or-down vote on health reform if it includes a public option.

When the Huffington Post asked Lieberman if he'd be willing to lose his powerful committee chairmanship as a consequence, what did Lieberman say?

"Oh, God no."

What's our answer? Hell yeah!

Please join me in petitioning Democratic senators to strip leadership titles from Lieberman (or others) if they block reform. Click here.

Over 90,000 people have signed! The Progressive Change Campaign Committee will deliver this petition to Democratic senators after we reach 100,000. Will you sign?

Thanks.

Go!

VIDEO: President Obama: It's Time To Fight

By GottaLaff



Here's an e-mail that I wanted to share with you. Please click on the link and sign the petition. It couldn't hurt, and it's important to express, loudly, our support for a strong public option:

---

Numerous news reports say the White House may cave on the public health insurance option. Click here to sign our emergency petition telling President Obama we need him to fight.

Laffy,

Urgent news: Multiple media reports say that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is very close to rounding up the votes needed for a public health insurance option, but "the White House is pushing back against the idea" in order to get the support of Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME).

Tell the White House that the support of one Republican isn't worth a bad bill.

PLEASE SIGN OUR EMERGENCY PETITION TO PRESIDENT OBAMA TODAY:

"Every day, insurance companies deny care and let people die. Getting one Republican senator's vote is not worth delaying reform -- too many real lives are at stake. We need you to fight and state clearly that anything less than a strong public option is not change we can believe in."

Click here to sign the emergency petition. Then, please send this to others.

The Washington Post confirms that the White House "wants Snowe on the bill" and is seriously considering Snowe's proposed "trigger" -- which would delay, and effectively kill, the public option.

As Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) recently said, "Olympia Snowe was not elected president last year." Even her own constituents in Maine support a public option 2 to 1, and overwhelmingly oppose a trigger! Only the insurance industry supports Snowe's proposal.

We'll deliver this petition to the White House and let the media know about it. The more people who sign by Monday, the more powerful a message we'll send. Please sign today -- together, we can have an impact.

Thanks for being a bold progressive.

--Aaron Swartz, Stephanie Taylor, Adam Green, Michael Snook, Natasha Patel, and the PCCC team

P.S. This petition comes on the heels of some amazing progress. Days after PCCC members chipped in to air a TV ad asking "if Harry Reid is strong and effective enough a leader to pass a public option into law," Reid is now "furiously working the phones" in support of a public option, according to the Huffington Post.

The New York Times quotes a Reid aide saying, "There is a growing sense that we need to lead on this issue...The idea is that it's better to show some fight." Exactly! Congrats, everyone -- our activism made a difference.

Now it's time to give the same push to President Obama that we gave Senator Reid. Please sign the emergency petition today.

* "Sources: White House Pushing Back Against Senate Public Option Opt Out Compromise," Talking Points Memo, September 23, 2009

"White House to Reid: We hope you know what you're doing," Washington Post, September 23, 2009

In case you missed the 400 links above, go here to sign.

VIDEO: Grayson/PCCC deliver nearly 90,000 public option petition signatures to Harry Reid

By GottaLaff



I get e-mails. This is one of the better ones. Go Rep. Grayson (again)! And go PCCC!

---

Laffy,

Bold progressive Congressman Alan Grayson (D-FL) helped us deliver nearly 90,000 petition signatures to Sen. Harry Reid on Wednesday.

We demanded that Reid stand up to conservative Democrats who are threatening to help Republicans block an up-or-down vote on the public option. CNN, ABC, Huffington Post, Washington Post, and others covered the event.

During the delivery, we ran into Sens. Russ Feingold (D-WI), Herb Kohl (D-WI), and Kent Conrad (D-ND) and talked with them about the petition! Oddly, Kent Conrad was holding a poodle during the entire conversation -- you have to see it.

Thanks for being a bold progressive.

--Adam Green, Stephanie Taylor, Andrew Perez, Michael Snook, and the PCCC team

P.S. Many thanks to PCCC fellow Max Berger for making this video.

Nearly 15,000 Sign Petition Demanding Reid Get Tough With Filibuster-Supporting Dems

By GottaLaff

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Last night I posted a video (see above) of Rachel Maddow's breaking news about leadership coming down hard on any Democrats who filibuster with the Rushpublics. Now there's a petition to make sure that happens:

A progressive group is launching a campaign to pressure Harry Reid into getting tough with Dem Senators who support the GOP’s filibuster on health care, circulating a petition demanding Reid strip any Senators who do that of their plum committee assignments.

The petition has already collected 14,000 signatures, according to Adam Green, the co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, the group behind the effort.

Early this morning, the group blasted out an email petition to 200,000 of its members saying:

Petition to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:

“Any Democratic senators who support a Republican attempt to block a vote on health care reform should be stripped of their leadership titles. Americans deserve a clean up-or-down vote on health care.”

A number of “centrist” Dem Senators, such as Ben Nelson and Mary Landrieu, have refused to rule out supporting the GOP’s filibuster on health care.

Tell Obama: The public option is not optional

By GottaLaff

Please go sign:

If we don't make a stand now for a public option, the Obama administration may hedge on its plan for health care reform.

This weekend, the Obama administration indicated that it might be open to passing health care reform without any provision for a public insurance option similar to Medicare that could compete with private insurance companies.

President Obama said that a public option was just a "sliver" of his plan. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius went so far as to say that the public option was not an "essential" part of reform.

The comments this weekend by the president and Secretary Sebelius rhetorically pave the way for the Obama administration to cave on a meaningful public option and instead accept toothless regional health care co-ops that would be unable to compete with insurance companies and keep them honest.

Help us remind President Obama that part of the reason he won the presidency was his plan to enact major health care reform that included a public option, a provision that 76% of Americans support.

Sign our petition asking him to pledge only to sign a bill with a robust public option similar to Medicare.

The petition reads:

President Obama:

When it comes to health care reform, the public option is not optional. You campaigned on change and on a health care plan that included a public option. But aside from single payer, a health care bill without a robust public option is just more of the same. If you are sincere about supporting the public plan, tell Congress and the voters that you will not sign a bill without a robust public option similar to Medicare.

I signed, and I posted this to my Facebook page. I also called and/or emailed everyone on the list posted here.

H/t: SqueakToad

ACLU: End indefinite detention, end Gitmo military commissions

By GottaLaff

I get e-mails:

Dear ACLU Supporter,

This week and next, the mammoth Defense Department Authorization bill is on the Senate floor.

This must-pass legislation could easily become a vehicle for amendments to stop the closing of Guantánamo Bay, undermine efforts to hold accountable those responsible for the Bush torture program, and -- most troubling of all -- promote a new system of indefinite detention without charge or trial. In fact, the bill already has language that would allow the Guantánamo military commissions to continue to convict people based on coerced confessions.

Email your senators and tell them not to let the Defense Department Authorization bill become a vehicle for undermining civil liberties.

Your voice and that of hundreds of thousands of other ACLU activists are being heard in Washington. After months and months of pressure and newer, more disturbing revelations, Attorney General Holder is close to appointing a special prosecutor to investigate torture. And we have allies in the White House and in Congress who are committed to cleaning up the mess left by the Bush administration.

There are also some dangerous proposals being considered -- including indefinite detention without charge or trial. That is why it is so critical for you to contact to your senators today and ask them to:

• Support the President's commitment to shutdown Guantánamo by January 2010.
• End Guantánamo military commissions, and charge and try any alleged terrorists in federal criminal courts.
• Totally reject indefinite detention without charge and without trial. Nothing could be more un-American than giving the federal government the power to imprison people indefinitely without charge or trial.

Please help the ACLU create a drumbeat letting Congress and the White House know that Americans want them to move forward. Congress should not codify and expand Bush Administration policies.

Email your senators and tell them not to let the Defense Department Authorization bill become a vehicle for undermining civil liberties.

With critical civil liberties issues about to hit the Senate floor, we have to be as vocal as possible. Please take a moment right now to contact your senators. And please stay alert to fast-moving events in the days ahead.

Sincerely,

Anthony D. Romero Executive Director American Civil Liberties Union

P.S. The news last weekend that Attorney General Eric Holder is actively considering launching a torture investigation is encouraging. It is because of the hard work of ACLU attorneys and advocates and the voices of activists like you that we are at this point. We’ll be counting on you to make sure he follows through -- and to insist that an investigation is as thorough and far-reaching as it needs to be.

All my previous posts on this subject matter can be found here; That link includes audio and video interviews with Lt. Col. Wingard, one by David Shuster, one by Ana Marie Cox, and more. My guest commentary at BuzzFlash is here.

If you are inclined to help rectify these injustices: Twitterers, use the hashtag #FreeFayiz. We have organized a team to get these stories out. If you are interested in helping Fayiz out, e-mail me at The Political Carnival, address in sidebar to the right; or tweet me at @GottaLaff.

If you'd like to see other ways you can take action, go here and scroll down to the end of the article.

Then read Jane Mayer's book The Dark Side. You'll have a much greater understanding of why I post endlessly about this, and why I'm all over the CIA deception issues, too.

Single Payer Central: Don't get angry; get ACTIVE

By GottaLaff

Go sign the petition. (Oh, and here's yet another one, via Commenter Squeaky Toad. Let's sign as many as possible, keep it in their faces.)

Single payer health insurance is a system by which the health care expenditures of an entire population are paid for through one source.

Distinctly different from socialized medicine (where the government owns and operates health care facilities) a “single payer system” is simply a financing mechanism. The government collects and allocates money for health care but has little to no involvement in the actual delivery of services. Care is provided privately at hospitals and clinics but paid for publicly.

Damn socialists and their propaganda, trying to get us decent health care instead of letting those nice insurance/pharma companies dictate and profit off of our needs.

Joe Biden is asking us to support Sotomayor

By GottaLaff

Vice President Biden emailed me:

President Obama hit a home run with his nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court -- and not just because she's the "woman who saved baseball" by ending the strike in 1995, nor simply because she would be the first Latina ever to serve on the high court.

It was a home run because in her three-decade career as a prosecutor, judge, private litigator and law professor, she has time and again earned bipartisan praise as one of America's finest legal minds. And it was the right choice because Judge Sotomayor -- herself born and raised in a South Bronx housing project -- has summed up the American dream in her own incredible story and never once forgotten how the law affects our daily lives.

Now her historic nomination goes to the Senate. I know that process well, and I can tell you that the debate of the coming weeks and months will be shaped by the public response in the next few hours and days. It's critical that the Senate and the public clearly see where the American people stand.

Will you add your name to the growing list of Americans who are pledging to "Stand with Sotomayor" today? Your name and comments will become part of a public display of support at this crucial time.

There was a lot more, but you get the idea. I signed, because I'm empathetic that way. Your turn.

Via one of my students: Harvey Milk Day petition

By GottaLaff

This is an email from one of my Comedy Workshop students. He was one of a lucky few who got to go up to Sacramento and meet some of our California representatives, and someone named Ahnold Sch... Schwa.... something or other. I am so proud of him, because he was lobbying for a very good cause:

One of the bills that I lobbied for... it passed senate:

Last year the SB572 (also known as Harvey Milk Day) was introduced and was passed by both senate and assembly, but vetoed by the Governor Schwarzenegger. Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill stating that Harvey Milk was a 'San Francisco icon' and wasn't known enough to be given a day of recognition.

This past year, Harvey Milk was contributed with a biopic film about his later years in office and has won two academy awards. Harvey Milk has starting to be more than just a San Francisco and LGBT figure.

SB572 was introduced again and had just recently passed the Senate floor and is making its way to the assembly. With the looks of it, its bound to be passed again by both houses as it did last year. Hopefully the Governor will pass the bill, with your help. By clicking on the link below, please show your support for Harvey Milk day. These online signatures will appear on his office desk, when he makes the decision.

Please Show Support for Harvey Milk Day!

Please go sign. I did.

VIDEO: An Honest Investigation on Torture

By GottaLaff

The Nation of Dick has no credibility whatsoever, yet his delusions are propelling him to leave toxic stains all over the Tee Vee Machine.



Produced by Lee Stranahan and Kat Barr:

Dick Cheney said Sunday the Bush torture program was "the right thing to do." He's wrong - and we need to push back. Watch the video and then sign the petition to the Attorney General, asking for an investigation into the torture program.

VIDEO: Stanford Anti-War Alumni, Students Call for Condi War Crimes Probe

By GottaLaff



Marjorie Cohn:

During the Vietnam War, Stanford students succeeded in banning secret military research from campus. Last weekend, 150 activist alumni and present Stanford students targeted Condoleezza Rice for authorizing torture and misleading Americans into the illegal Iraq War. [...]

On Sunday, surrounded by alumni and students, Lenny Siegel and I nailed a petition to the University President's office door. The petition, circulated by Stanford Say No to War, reads:

"We the undersigned students, faculty, staff, alumni, and other concerned members of the Stanford community, believe that high officials of the U.S. Government, including our former Provost, current Political Science Professor, and Hoover Institution Senior Fellow, Condoleezza Rice, should be held accountable for any serious violations of the Law (included ratified treaties, statutes, and/or the U.S. Constitution) through investigation and, if the facts warrant, prosecution, by appropriate legal authorities."

I stated, "By nailing this petition to the door of the President's office, we are telling Stanford that the university should not have war criminals on its faculty. There is prima facie evidence that Rice approved torture and misled the country into the Iraq War. Stanford has an obligation to investigate those charges." [...]

As National Security Advisor, Rice authorized waterboarding in July 2002, according to a newly released report of the Senate Intelligence Committee. Less than two months later, she hyped the impending U.S. invasion of Iraq, saying, "We don't want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud." Her ominous warning was part of the Bush administration's campaign to sell the Iraq war, in spite of the UN International Atomic Energy Agency's assurances that Saddam Hussein did not possess nuclear weapons.

A week before the nailing of the petition, Rice made some Nixonian admissions in response to questions from Stanford students during a campus dinner designed to burnish Rice's image on campus.

I posted about that here, along with this video:

Marjorie Cohn is a professor at Thomas Jefferson School of Law and president of the National Lawyers Guild. She is the author of "Cowboy Republic: Six Ways the Bush Gang Has Defied the Law" and co-author of "Rules of Disengagement: The Politics and Honor of Military Dissent." Read her articles at www.marjoriecohn.com.

Whether or not any of this petition has any immediate effect, it is still important to keep the pressure on. I applaud Marjorie Cohn for her efforts and support her for them. The more attention this continues to get the better.

Howard Dean needs our help

By GottaLaff

Howard Dean sent me an e-mail, so of course, I'm posting The Photo:

I have an announcement. After four exciting years in Washington, I'm hitting the campaign trail again! Only this time, I'm campaigning to help President Obama win health care for all.

During the election, President Obama proposed a health care plan that would give every American the freedom to choose between keeping their private insurance—if they have any—and choosing a universally available public health insurance option like Medicare.

But for-profit insurance companies and HMOs are already working hard to strip this public health insurance option from any upcoming health care bill. They don't want us to have a choice, and they'll stop at nothing to kill real reform. Trouble is, some in Congress are siding with the insurance companies—and against what's best for the rest of us.

Today, we draw a line in the sand. A public health insurance option is the only way to guarantee health care for all Americans. And to show that we mean business, we all need to tell Congress we won't settle for less.

If 250,000 of you sign this petition, I will personally deliver it to Congress. Clicking here will add your name:

http://pol.moveon.org/standwithdrdean/o.pl?id=15863-5387478-Z2xk3Hx&t=1

Here's our message to Congress: "Give America a choice. We support health care reform that allows individual Americans to choose either a universally available public health care option like Medicare or for-profit private insurance. A public option is the only way to guarantee health care for all Americans and its inclusion is non-negotiable. Any legislation without the choice of a public option is only insurance reform and not the health care reform America needs."

The fight is heating up over whether or not to include the public health insurance option. This is going to be the biggest fight in the debate over health care reform. It would take the power away from the private insurance companies that have driven up costs and denied coverage for years—and they're dead set against it.

But I've seen firsthand what people power can accomplish. And I know I can count on MoveOn members to help lead the charge.

Now is our moment to stand up. Together, we can generate broad-based support for a public health insurance option. We will need to canvass our neighborhoods, call our elected leaders, and arrange meetings with members of Congress in the coming months.

Our goal today is to show Congress that we are many and ready to fight. Can you click here to stand with me?

http://pol.moveon.org/standwithdrdean/o.pl?id=15863-5387478-Z2xk3Hx&t=2

After you add your name, spread the word to your friends, family, and co-workers. Send a personal email and include a link to the website, update your Facebook status to tell people about the campaign, write a blog post about why you support this campaign—we need all hands on deck to win this fight.

Thank you for all you do.

Gov. Howard Dean, M.D.

Pro-life group wants Notre Dame to rescind Obama invitation

By GottaLaff

Anti-choicers' rescinding invitations is the new hottt trend in Rushpublicland. Next thing you know, they'll be selling "Shun [fill in name here]!" tee shirts and mugs, because, you see, nobody should ever have an opposing viewpoint. Not ever. Marching in lockstep is a must. Rushbots are a members-only club; location: Stepford. Independent thinkers need not apply.

As you may recall, Michael Steele got shunned by a Roman Catholic bishop for daring to hint at a pro-choice view. Now the National Right to Life Committee is going after President Obama:

The National Right to Life Committee is calling on the University of Notre Dame to rescind its invitation to President Obama to speak at the university's May commencement.

In a letter sent to Notre Dame's president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, the pro-life group called President Obama the "Abortion president," and that the school's invite "is a betrayal of the University's mission and an affront to all who believe in the sanctity and dignity of human life."

Indeed. Just the other day, President Obama made that speech in which he displayed a huge tally board of abortions, hoping to encourage more women to get them so he could add to his numbers. He's such an evil life-hater. Impeach him now!

Incidentally, how are his pro-choice views relevant to what he might *choose* to speak about?

The National Right to Life Committee isn't the only Catholic group raising objections over the university's invitation.

The conservative Cardinal Newman Society has launched notredamescandal.com, a website opposing Notre Dame's decision to honor President Obama in South Bend, Indiana. As of Tuesday, over 50,000 conservative Catholics have signed the online petition protesting the invite.

The Catholic vote is important, but freedom of choice is more important.

UPDATE From Paddy- I called Rev Jenkins' office earlier and made a point of telling them that not all Catholics want to stiffle speech, and that a vibrant institution of higher learning listens to all voices. The lady who answered the phone seemed almost achingly grateful, so if you have a minute give Rev Jenkin's office (574-631-8261) a call or drop them an email note here. Don't let the crazies rule the day.

Limbaugh fights back Democrats with 'reverse petition'

By GottaLaff

I'm starting to get weary of this story. Ping pong. LimpDong's serve:

Hot Air's Ed Morrissey observes that "Rush has an answer today to the DCCC. He has a headline banner linking back to the DCCC’s comment pages, asking readers to load them up with demands to stop lying about the stimulus bill and stop distorting Rush’s remarks. He has already had an effect, as this blog post at the DCCC site shows. It indicates that over 500 comments have been received, but only shows the first 300 — and I’d bet that the rest overwhelmingly support Rush. Feel free to add your own in support of Rush and in support of independent political voices."

"I am greatly puzzled. Why would the Democrats petition against me if I am doing such terrible damage to the GOP?" Limbaugh wrote at his site.

Limbaugh's power with the GOP was highlighted today, after a Republican congressman [Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) ] apologized for remarks attributed to him about the popular conservative talk show host.

That self-indulgent, porcine old windbag's oral farts rival only those emanating from the cowboys in the Blazing Saddles campfire scene [see video]. Someone feed him a Maalox already.

The DCCC petition can be found here.