The First Monday in October

The Supreme Court begins it's term with newcomer Elena Kagan today. A few video reports from NBC news:

First a look at some of the cases the Court will be hearing:


Then, a look at the first day:

Tyler Clementi's Suicide Prompts Debate Over Online Privacy

A debate of the issues raised by Tyler Clementi's suicide:



You can view the debate on the site of PBS NewsHour.

Shock at student's suicide over sex video

Shock, anger, outrage, and sadness. Just some of the emotions many are feeling after the suicide of 18-year old Tyler Clementi, a freshman at Rutgers University. A closeted gay man, his room mate secretly video recorded him having sex with another man and broadcast it on the internet. It was this action that prompted young Tyler Clementi to jump to his death off of the George Washington bridge.
A summary of the story from PBS:




Shock at student's suicide over sex video: Coverage of the reaction by the BBC

For bullied gay teens, the world is still far from accepting Some commentary by Petula Dvorak.

For Many, Health Care Relief Begins Today

For Many, Health Care Relief Begins Today: "As a number of the law’s central provisions take effect, The Times talked to three families about the changes.




"

Move to End ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Stalls in Senate

Move to End ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ Stalls in Senate: "The Senate voted not to proceed with debate of the annual authorization of military spending that included a provision allowing the repeal of the policy on gay soldiers.


"

Students Take Political Action on the "Dream Act"

Students Spell Out Messages on Immigration:

Support for the Dream Act - It would create a path to legal status for hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrant students who arrived in this country before they were sixteen years old, have been here for at least five years, and have graduated high school. They would then need to complete either two years of military service or two years of college to earn the status of a legal resident. (Not citizenship, the naturalization process is yet another process to go through if they wanted to become citizens.)

What Else Was in That "DADT" Bill? A Lot. | Mother Jones

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA

Justice Breyer on the Constitution

No left wing radical, yet someone who stands up to the silly extremes of "originalism", I always enjoy the commentary of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer. He's got a new book out, so it's a great time to listen in, as he is making the media rounds promoting his book and his judicial philosophy.

From the Washington Post: Breyer on the Constitution

Unit 2 2010

Question on differences between Virginia and N.J. Plans

Congressional Republicans to Compromise on Tax Cuts?

John Boenher is the Minority Leader in the House of Representatives (head of Republicans). Here is the latest:

Court Dismisses a Case Asserting Torture by C.I.A.

Court Dismisses a Case Asserting Torture by C.I.A.: "A sharply divided appeals court dismissed a lawsuit involving the C.I.A.’s “extraordinary rendition” program.

Visiting Ground Zero, Asking Allah for Comfort

Visiting Ground Zero, Asking Allah for Comfort: "Hadidjatou Karamoko Traoré is a 9/11 widow who has had to balance an overnight job, three children and her Muslim faith.




"

Judge Rules That Military Policy Violates Rights of Gays

Judge Rules That Military Policy Violates Rights of Gays: "While the policy, known as “don’t ask, don’t tell,” will not change right away, the ruling reflects others taking aim at discrimination against homosexuals.




"

Florida Pastor Cancels Koran Burning?

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

Pastor Wants to Burn Korans on 9/11

Sane Americans fear the damage this will do to our image abroad, and may encourage more extremist attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Story from PBS:



Also, a short print version of the story:
NewsHour Extra: Anniversary of Sept. 11 Attacks Highlights Different Attitudes Toward Islam | Sept. 10, 2010 | PBS:

Anti-Muslim Rhetoric on the Rise

From NBC:

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

Rights Groups Sue U.S. on Effort to Kill Cleric

Can the U.S. legally order this American born man to be killed or captured?


Read about the controversy in the N.Y. Times.

ACLU opposes policy of schools seizing student phones in Oak Harbor

Does the right to privacy include a right to your cell phone in school? The ACLU says yes. What do you say?


http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2012765244_aclu31m.html

Court Rules Police Can Put GPS in Car

without a warrant.
From CNN

I'm Shocked by this Intolerance

This story really bummed me out. I can't believe there are people in America that think this way.

Battles Around Nation Over Proposed Mosques - NYTimes.com:

Judge blocks key parts of Arizona immigration law | Seattle Times Newspaper

Most of the law has been put on hold - this is not a final ruling, but definately a legal set-back for those in favor of the Arizona law. One of the biggest problems the judge had with the law was based on the Constitution's Supremacy Clause (Article VI) saying that the law would interfere with federal immigration enforcement.

Rights of individuals stopped under this law were also a concern. This article has a summary of major points in the ruling.

Nation & World | Judge blocks key parts of Arizona immigration law | Seattle Times Newspaper

How much has the Court changed under John Roberts?

An article in the NY Times this morning argues that the Court has definately moved to the right, but that the biggest change wasn't a result of Roberts becoming Chief Justice, it was Samuel Alito replacing Sandra Day O'Conner's more moderate swing vote.
Court Under Roberts Is Most Conservative in Decades - NYTimes.com

Also on the NY Times website: A nice 360 degree panoramic photo of the Supreme Court, where arguments with a short (1 minute) narration.

Thurgood! One-Man Play Starring Morpheus

Well, Lawrence Fishbourne to be more correct. He is starring in a one-man play in Washington, D.C. as the man who successfully argued the Brown v. Board Case at the Supreme Court. This civil rights icon is one of my heroes from U.S. history. I wish I was in D.C. to check it out!

Matrix Star Takes On Civil Rights Leader | NewsHour Extra: Video ClipBoard | PBS

The Gulf Oil Spill

The Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico - the worst in U.S. History is an environmental disaster that isn't going to stop any time soon.

A good place to start if you haven't followed the story very closely is at PBS NewsHour for Students article from May 31 - Largest Oil Spill in U.S. History Continues Despite Efforts to Stop the Leak

ProPublica has an entire page of stories, graphics, and background info on the spill.

Some of the latest from MSNBC on providing for those whose jobs and livelihoods have been effected by this disaster: U.S.: BP must get better, quicker on spill claims

The New York Times is reporting this morning that the cleanup may take years - I'm not surprised. Did anyone really think this was going to be a quick little project?

BTW, the Times also has a page devoted to the Oil Spill where they have gathered all of their stories, graphics, and multi-media. Check it out.

BP, the company that owns the well that is spewing gas and oil into the ocean is making an effort to hire local workers to help in the cleanup effort. By law, they can't hire undocumented workers, and the government is helping to screen workers for proper immigration status. Latina Lista, a news blog from a Latina perspective has this report on how well the Latino workers that have been hired are being treated.

High Court Approves Internet Filters In Libraries

High Court Approves Internet Filters In Libraries: "The Washington Supreme Court has affirmed that public libraries in Washington now have permission to use Internet filters to keep patrons from looking at pornography and other objectionable sites. The justices ruled Thursday that a rural district that uses filters in its libraries is not violating the state constitution. KPLU's Doug Nadvornick reports."

Pay Gap Continues for Women

Will Obama's administration make changes? The following NPR story investigates the question:

Despite New Law, Gender Salary Gap Persists

Justice John Paul Stevens to Retire from Supreme Court

Considered one of the Court's more liberal justices, the 89 year old Stevens has decided it is time to hang up the robes. Congrats on a distinguished career.

Now the hard part for the nation - another battle over a Supreme Court nomination.

Politics | Obama promises quick court replacement for Stevens | Seattle Times Newspaper

Obama in Iowa to Promote Health Care Law

msnbc.com: In victory lap, Obama returns to Iowa

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

Legal-Marijuana Advocates Focus on a New Green

Solution to California's budget problems???

Legal-Marijuana Advocates Focus on a New Green - NYTimes.com

Judge Rules on Same-Sex Couple Ban at School Prom in Mississippi

A quick vid from CBS News:


Watch CBS News Videos Online

WA State Attorney General to Join Lawsuit Challenging Constitutionality of Heath Care Reform

Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna has joined a lawsuit with 11 other states which seeks to strike down the new Health Care Reform Law just passed by Congress. All of the Governors or Attorney Generals that are a party to the suit are Republicans, and most are running for office in the fall.

A short clip from KOMO news:

Lost Children of Haiti

A CBS 60 Minutes report on abuse of children as slaves in Haiti.


Watch CBS News Videos Online

New Strategy to Pass Health Care Reform

I wish members of Congress would have the courage to just vote "yes" for this thing already. We all know they aren't going to do any better in this political environment, and it is simply immoral and unethical to vote no on an opportunity to provide health care insurance to 30 million uninsured Americans.

Lesbian teen sues to force school to hold prom

There are plenty of conservatives that don't like the ACLU, but they really do a lot of great work. One example is stopping the idiocy of the Mississippi school district involved in this story.

Lesbian teen sues to force school to hold prom

Supreme Court hears appeal of anti-gay protests

msnbc.com: Supreme Court hears appeal of anti-gay protests

Does speech this offensive and obnoxious deserve protection under the First Amendment?

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

Obama Gets Fired Up Over Health Care Reform

Can the President capture some of the old magic from the campaign to rally the American people and wavering members of Congress to support health care reform? I'm hoping so, and am encouraged by what I saw out of the President today.

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

Iraq Election, a New Beginning - CBS News Video

Much of the war in Iraq has been leading up to a moment such as this one - when the Iraqi people try to hold their own free and fair election. Despite violence early in the day that claimed numerous lives, the Iraqi people turned out in large numbers to select the new members to their parliament.


Watch CBS News Videos Online

What Haiti Needs More Than Charity: Trade

From NPR's Planet Money Broadcast
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124280498

Stop! Wait a Minute Mr. Postman!

No more Saturday mail? Changing technology and hard economic times are causing serious proposals being made to scale down the USPS.

From NBC Nightly News:

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

Supreme Court Still Divided on Guns

A very big case was argued before the U.S. Supreme Court regarding the extent to which states and cities may regulate and ban guns. In this case, a Chicago law, one of the most restrictive laws in the nation, is being challenged as a violation of the Second Amendment.

Supreme Court Still Divided on Guns - NYTimes.com

From the NBC Nightly News:

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

Why the Effects of the Earthquake in Haiti were Much Worse than those in Chile

Economic and political development make a huge difference.

The Lost Children of Haiti

From the New York Times:

Even before the earthquake, one option for Port-au-Prince's homeless children was Restavek, an underground system that some call foster care, and others call child slavery. Now their numbers swell.

A very sad, but compelling video report on Haitian Orphans:

White House Is Rethinking Nuclear Policy - NYTimes.com

White House Is Rethinking Nuclear Policy - NYTimes.com

A Portrait of the Millenial Generation

Millennial Generation - that is the term some are using for the generation of Americans now aged 18 - 29. Here is a report on a new study of this generation.



http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/video/blog/2010/02/what_is_the_millennial_generat.html

Highlights from the Health Care Summit

From Obama's Opening Remarks:

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

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

Republican Senator Lamar Alexander's Opening Remarks:

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

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat from Nevada:

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

Obama on areas of bipartisan agreement:

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

NBC Evening News Report

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

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

Does Obama's style of persuasion work on members of Congress?

An interesting piece in the NY Times this morning about the successes and failures Obama has had in convincing individual members of Congress to support his program. If he expects to win upcoming battles such as the one on health care, does he need to get tougher?

Gentle White House Nudges Test the Power of Persuasion - NYTimes.com

Obama's Health Care Pitch

From PBS

PA school using laptop webcams to spy on students?

From the USA Today:

A suburban Philadelphia school district used school-issued laptop webcams to
spy on students at home, potentially catching them and their families in
compromising situations, a family claims in a federal lawsuit.

What is up with the Tea Party?

The Tea Party, a loosely knit group of people who are fed up with big government, are trying to get more organized in hopes of influencing the 2010 election.

(Some affiliated with the group says their name stands for Taxed Enough Already, while others claim the name is a reference to the civil disobedience of the Boston Tea Party of 1773.)

While members of the group don't agree on everything, they held their first ever convention in Nashville recently with Sarah Palin as the headline speaker.

Take a good look at the picture: Is the look of American democracy in the new decade? I'll refrain from making any snarky jokes here, but you may be able to imagine some of my thoughts.

Some info on this group and the impact they are having on politics:

Tea Party Lights Fuse for Rebellion on Right - NYTimes.com

Big Military Offensive in Afghanistan

What has been a Taliban stronghold, the city of Marjah,in the southern province of Helmand, is the target of a joint U.S./Afghan military offensive. While success might mean a major region of the country will be more open to Afghan government services (hopefully winning "hearts and minds" away from the extremists) there are always big risks when the guns and bombs start going off.

Sadly, one such tragedy occurred only three days into this operation as a U.S. missile destroyed a house killing at least 9 civilians.

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

Psychiatrists Propose Revisions to Diagnosis Manual

The Safety Net - Once Stigmatized, Food Stamps Find New Acceptance - Series - NYTimes.com

The Safety Net - Once Stigmatized, Food Stamps Find New Acceptance - Series - NYTimes.com

A Health-Care Summit?

President Obama has called for a televised, bi-partisan, half-day health care summit. Clearly, Obama is trying to move the momentum back toward passage of health care reform after its chances were diminished by Republican Scott Brown becoming the 41st Republican Senator, and making it possible for Republicans to filibuster any health care bill they don't approve of in the Senate.

My first take is that this is a smart move on the part of the Obama Administration. He came off looking very good in his exchange with House Republicans during an hour-long televised Q & A session a week and a half ago. I think the chances of Obama winning over more public support by engaging with Republicans in an open, televised, give-and-take are very good.

We need health care reform to pass, we can't do nothing. It is costing us too much in money and in the quality of life for too many Americans. If Obama can pull of this summit (how can the Republicans really say no?) he will greatly increase the prospects of passage of health care reform legislation.

The President made his invitation in a pre-Super Bowl interview with Katie Couric of CBS News:


Watch CBS News Videos Online

New Economic Numbers & the Tea Party Movement

A report from CNN Student News:

Obama wants more civil tone in Washington D.C.

At a National Prayer Breakfast, Obama gave a speech in which he called for a more civil tone in the debates and discussions going on in Washington D.C.

An MSNBC report here.

Beginning of the End of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"

From the Washington Post:
'Don't ask, don't tell' policy on gays in military to change - washingtonpost.com

From a Congressional Hearing yesterday:

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

And comments from Former Lt. Daniel Choi, an outspoken and courageous advocate of ending the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

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

An update - Powell changes his position on DADT

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

An Argument that the Obama Administration is Making a Difference

I found this to be an interesting commentary on a less flashy, but very important aspect of a presidential administration: a reliance on scientific driven regulatory policy instead of ideologically driven policy.

The Quiet Revolution | The New Republic

...the old-time progressives who fashioned the regulatory state rested their hopes on what could be called “scientific administration.” Louis Brandeis and Herbert Croly--to name two of the foremost turn-of-the-century progressives--believed that the agencies, staffed by experts schooled in social and natural science and employing the scientific method in their decision-making, could rise above partisanship and interest-group pressure....

Many of the last century’s presidents--from Theodore Roosevelt to Jimmy Carter to Bill Clinton--subscribed to this progressive ideal of regulation based on expertise. But, beginning in the 1980s and culminating in the presidency of George W. Bush, the notion of scientific administration came under attack from Republicans and their allies. They began to subvert the agencies by bringing in business executives, corporate lawyers, and lobbyists--the very opposite of the impartial experts envisioned by Brandeis and Croly.

...Obama’s regulatory appointments could not be more different--no surprise given that he is the son of two social scientists (one of whom attempted to introduce scientific administration to Kenya) and that he once worked in academia himself. Indeed, the flow of expertise into the federal bureaucracy over the past year has been reminiscent of what took place at the start of the New Deal.

Taking apart the federal budget

Probably you have heard that our nation has a big national debt. Yes, we do. If you click on this link, you will see how much money we owe.

The debt is the total of all the money the governnment owes because of all the years in which our government had a deficit - we spent more than was collected in taxes.

Why do we do this? basically because Americans demand a lot from the government but don't want to pay more taxes. There are only two ways to reduce budget deficits, reduce spending or raise taxes. Neither are popular.

So, now that the economy is having lots of trouble and people are hurting, it makes it especially hard to cut government programs or raise taxes.

SO, let's look at the budget that Barack Obama has proposed to Congress for 2011. Look at the following links, and see what you can learn about our federal budget.

First an NBC news report on Obama's budget announcement:

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

What is in the new federal budget proposed by the Obama Administration?

Taking apart the federal budget (washingtonpost.com)

Will it pass? Congress has to pass the budget each year, and it is a complicated process. Here is an interactive look at the budget process also from the Washington Post.

The New York Times has another way of looking at this in the following interactive graph. It give more info about what each category is all about.

News Analysis - A Decade of Enormous Deficits May Alter American Politics and Power - NYTimes.com

News Analysis - A Decade of Enormous Deficits May Alter American Politics and Power - NYTimes.com

The meeting between Obama and House Republicans

Sunday Take: The theater in the meeting between Obama and House Republicans - washingtonpost.com

Highlights from the Q & A between Obama and the House Republicans:

Obama's State of the Union Address 2010

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

Howard Zinn, Historian and Activist, Dies at 87 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com

Howard Zinn, Historian and Activist, Dies at 87 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com

Obama One on One with Diane Sawyer

Obama One on One with Diane Sawyer

What budget cuts are doing to our universities

Local News | Budget cuts swell class sizes at UW | Seattle Times Newspaper

Obama Looks to Regain Momuntum in SOTU

That's the State of the Union Address in Washington D.C. tonight. Here is a report of some fresh poll numbers from the NBC nightly news:

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

Another report on how Obama Administration is reacting to changing political circumstances:

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

Spending Freeze

Except as a political move, I'm having trouble understanding how this helps us a whole lot.

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

Nation & World | Supreme Court lifts limits on corporate political contributions, changing election equation | Seattle Times Newspaper

Nation & World | Supreme Court lifts limits on corporate political contributions, changing election equation | Seattle Times Newspaper

Effect of Republican Victory in Massachusetts

From NBC News:

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

Aftershock of 6.1 in Haiti

From NBC News:

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

Evaluating Obama's First Year in Office

What criteria should we use to evaluate Obama's first year in office? What letter grade would you give him for his first year on the job.

One measure might be how is he doing on his campaign promises. Politifact.com has rated hime, and here is a background summary from video from NBC:

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

A dramatic loss in a special election in Massachusetts last night has hurt Democrats and will make it more difficult for Obama to get things passed in the Senate. This was liberal icon Ted Kennedy's seat, and hands a 41st vote to the Republicans, enough to sustain filibusters. Was this loss a failure a reflection of people being unhappy with Obama? Analysis from the New York Times:
News Analysis - A Year Later, Voters Send a Different Message - NYTimes.com

Obama started out with very high ratings in the opinion polls, but those have dropped below 50% on approval ratings in many polls. A look back at the last year of Obama's year in office from NBC:

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

Some editorials sympathetic to Obama:
No Obama Obits, Please The New York Observer

New Jersey Lawmakers Pass Medical Marijuana Bill

New Jersey Lawmakers Pass Medical Marijuana Bill: "The measure, expected to be signed by the governor by next Tuesday, would make the state the region’s first to legalize medical marijuana.


"

Conservative Attorney Makes Case for Gay Marriage

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

Same-Sex Marriage Goes Before Federal Court

For the first time, the issue of same-sex marriage is going before a federal court. At issue is Proposition 8, passed by California voters, which bans same sex marriage in that state. Do states have the authority under the Constitution to ban same sex marriage, or is it a violation of basic rights?

A CBS news report:

Watch CBS News Videos Online

From NBC news:

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

State faces nothing but bad choices | Seattle Times Newspaper

In this "Great Recession", it is going to be a lot of bad news out of Olympia as the Legislature begins its session today.

Local News | State faces nothing but bad choices | Seattle Times Newspaper

The Flap Over Reid's 2008 Comments about Obama's Race

Fellow Democract, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has faced the embarrassing disclosure of remarks he made about Barack Obama during the 2008 political campaign.

Reid, in predicting that Obama could become the first African-American President was quoted in a new book about the campaign as having described Obama as “light-skinned” and had “no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.”

Reid Apologizes for Remarks on Obama’s Color and ‘Dialect’

WTP State Competition - Mt. Rainier H.S.

Video available on www.tvw.org. Search for it under "recent media".

msnbc.com:President orders intel changes after ‘systemic failure’

msnbc.com:President orders intel changes after ‘systemic failure’

How has Obama Handled the Crisis?

A discussion of how Obama handled the crisis of the attempted terrorist bombing aboard an airliner on Christmas day.

Nigerian man indicted in plot to blow up plane | Seattle Times Newspaper

Nation & World | Nigerian man indicted in plot to blow up plane | Seattle Times Newspaper

Washington state felons should have voting rights, federal court rules

An important news item:

Washington state felons should have voting rights, federal court rules

Obama reprimands intelligence failures

msnbc.com:Obama reprimands intelligence failures

From the President's News Conference:

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

Coverage from the Newshour on PBS:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/terrorism/jan-june10/obama1_01-05.html

Will Profiling Make a Difference?

Will Profiling Make a Difference?: "The U.S. has decided that treating people differently depending on where they come from will improve airline security."

Is racial profiling justified in an effort to improve airline security? The debate over individual rights and security continues. What are your thoughts?