From NBC news:
He was convicted of manslaughter defined as: the unlawful killing of a human being without malice.
Was justice done in this case?
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
WA Legislature Special Session Begins With Turmoil
Monday, the State Legislature was back for a "special session" that was called by Governor Christine Gregoire to deal with the $2 billion dollar budget shortfall.
That is $2 billion more than they expected when they passed the budget in the spring, which already made deep cuts in state government programs such as K-12 education, state universities, and health care services for the state's poorest residents.
So, lots of people showed up to protest the state making any more cuts. Here was the scene at the State Capitol on Monday:
Last week, Governor Gregoire gave a forceful, and passionate speech urging the legislature to increase the state sales tax by 1/2 cent to cover some of the shortfall. The legislature can't do that with a simple majority however, so Gregoire has asked them to put it on the ballot as a referendum to be voted on by the people of WA in March.
I'm with the Gregoire on this one, except in my perfect world, the solution would be to institute a state income tax, which would fall most heavily on those able to pay. A sales tax hurts the poor, unemployed, and lower middle classes much more.
What do you think the government should do? Do you think the legislature will raise taxes, or make deeper cuts?
That is $2 billion more than they expected when they passed the budget in the spring, which already made deep cuts in state government programs such as K-12 education, state universities, and health care services for the state's poorest residents.
So, lots of people showed up to protest the state making any more cuts. Here was the scene at the State Capitol on Monday:
Last week, Governor Gregoire gave a forceful, and passionate speech urging the legislature to increase the state sales tax by 1/2 cent to cover some of the shortfall. The legislature can't do that with a simple majority however, so Gregoire has asked them to put it on the ballot as a referendum to be voted on by the people of WA in March.
I'm with the Gregoire on this one, except in my perfect world, the solution would be to institute a state income tax, which would fall most heavily on those able to pay. A sales tax hurts the poor, unemployed, and lower middle classes much more.
What do you think the government should do? Do you think the legislature will raise taxes, or make deeper cuts?
Monday, November 21, 2011
No Deal from the Super Committee
Thanks for nothing Congress. Of course this isn't over because new legislation can replace the legislation calling for the automatic spending cuts triggered by the committee's failure. The cuts don't begin to take effect until 2013, and cooperation may be easier after the election.
From the USA Today: Panel's inability to cut debt deal reflects divide
From the NBC Nightly News:
From the USA Today: Panel's inability to cut debt deal reflects divide
From the NBC Nightly News:
Super Committee Standoff?
Prospects look dim for a budget deal to be reached by the November 23rd deadline:
Saturday, November 19, 2011
UC Davis - Police Use Pepper Spray on Passive, Non-Violent student protesters
The video of seemingly indefensible police action:
The police claim they were surrounded and the protesters would not move. From the CBS news article:
"according to Annette Spicuzza, UC Davis police chief...police used the pepper spray after they were surrounded. Protesters were warned repeatedly beforehand that force would be used if they didn't move, she said.
An 84-year-old woman who was pepper sprayed this week at an Occupy Seattle protest said the national attention she received can help the movement's cause.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Supreme Court to Hear Legal Challenge to Health Care Law
Note: I will try to get a brief summary of the law and the controversy surrounding it posted here soon.
The signing of the law was a high moment for the Obama Administration, which promised to solve many of the problems plaguing the American health care system, including estimates that 47 million Americans don't have health care insurance.
The signing of the law was a high moment for the Obama Administration, which promised to solve many of the problems plaguing the American health care system, including estimates that 47 million Americans don't have health care insurance.
However, many conservatives, especially "Tea Party" activists thought the law went too far and challenged the constitutionality of it in court. Those challenges have quickly worked their way through the system and Monday, the Supreme Court, announced its decision to hear the case in March of 2012.
The NBC Evening News report:
You can also read more detailed coverage from the New York Times:
Justices to Hear Health Care Case as Race Heats Up
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Supreme Court Hears Arguments in GPS Tracking Case
One of the more controversial cases of the Supreme Court term was heard this past week.
Below NBC has a short report on the case, and the oral arguments made before the Court.
Two more detailed sources on the case:
From the NY Times:
Below NBC has a short report on the case, and the oral arguments made before the Court.
Two more detailed sources on the case:
From the NY Times:
In an argument studded with references to George Orwell’s “1984” and the possibility that rapid advances in technology would soon allow the government to monitor everyone’s movements, the Supreme Court on Tuesday struggled to articulate how the Fourth Amendment’s ban on unreasonable searches and seizures should apply to the tracking of cars using GPS devices. The fit between 18th-century principles and 21st-century surveillance seemed to leave several justices frustrated.
From the NewsHour on PBS:
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