Wednesday, August 26, 2009

MAJOR Death Penalty News out of Texas

Daily Kos: MAJOR Death Penalty News out of Texas

Expert contradicts evidence used to convict man of arson -
http://www.abajournal.comnews/expert_hits_arson_finding_in_case_that_led_to_defendants_execution/

Teddy Kennedy, RIP

1932 - 2009

Edward "Teddy" Kennedy served as a Senator from the state of Massachusetts from 1963 until his death yesterday. There are many great tributes to the youngest of the four Kennedy boys all over the internet right now. Here are a few I thought I would share:

The NY Times had a pretty comprehensive obituary covering the ups and downs of his life that I enjoyed reading last night. Politico.com has a nice article collecting tributes made by some of the most influencial Democrats and Republicans in U.S. politics. They also have a video of highlights from speeches ranging from a eulogy for his brother in the sixties to him campaigning for Obama last year.

Joe Biden shared some heartfelt thoughts on the decades he and Kennedy shared together in the Senate:

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Bernanke to be reappointed by Obama

Obama has just reappointed him, but a question remains for a lot of people who don't closely follow economic news: Who is Ben Bernanke and what does he do as Chairman of the Federal Reserve?
Bernanke to be reappointed by Obama - Aug. 25, 2009

Op/Ed - Obama, Lost at the Chalkboard

As reality sets in, and the Obama administration is losing the luster of the historic election and inauguration, there has been more dissatisfaction with the President than at any time in his still young presidency.

Admittedly, he is still personally popular, and he is dealing with some of the most difficult challenges any president has had to face in recent history. I must confess that I am still rooting for him and see great potential in him, I have been disappointed in a number of areas.

Many commentators have begun to opine on mistakes they believe Obama and his administration have made. I will collect what I believe to be some of the most insightful here:

Richard Cohen - Obama, Lost at the Chalkboard - washingtonpost.com

Friday, August 21, 2009

Rowdy Health Care Town Halls

Civil Discourse? A well-educated citizenry debating the effect of health care reform on the common good of the nation? Democracy and freedom of speech can be messy sometimes. It also reminds me why some in the Founding Generation were suspicious of too much democracy.

Reversal of fortunes as rich become poorer

Nation & World | Reversal of fortunes as rich become poorer | Seattle Times Newspaper

Saturday, August 01, 2009

Did Obama Miss a Moment to Defend Constitution?

Colbert I. King - Obama Missed a Moment to Defend Constitution - washingtonpost.com

Eleanor Holmes Norton on the Gates-Crowley Settlement

First Vietnamese-American Federal Judge

These "firsts" are important. It is a way that we assure ourselves that we fully include and appreciate the status of an ethnic/gender group in the American dream.

According to Politico.com
"President Barack Obama announced today that he has nominated a county judge and former federal prosecutor from California, Jacqueline Nguyen, to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, which is based in and around Los Angeles. If confirmed, Nguyen would become the first American of Vietnamese origin to serve as a so-called Article III, confirmed federal judge. (There is a Vietnamese-American federal magistrate in Tennessee, Tu Pham.)

Nguyen's confirmation would also boost the thin ranks of Asian-Americans on the federal bench by 12.5%--taking the tally from eight to nine out of more than 800.

Nguyen is a graduate of Occidental College and UCLA law school."