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

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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?

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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.

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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:

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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:

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