When the LDS came for the homosexuals....

Interesting comment on another blog:

I think it is unfortunate, obviously, but it's not the end, because I think this will go back into the courts, this will go back to the Supreme Court, because the Supreme Court very clearly in California has declared this unconstitutional. It's the same as in the 1948 case when blacks and whites were not allowed to marry. This falls into the same category.

And that was from my local BOP Governut Ahnold... Even he gets it.

[W]as it okay to out members of the Klan for the racist bigoted hatemongers that they were? What about those people that funded the Klan? Those that provided for them?

I didn't out Joe and Jane Smith, members of the LDS. I outed people that funded bigoted hate. They just happen to be members of the LDS, which seems to be a very common trait among those that funded bigoted hate. Now, when a preponderance of evidence shows up pointing to a conspiracy isn't RICO justified? When an organization seems to exude evil from it's core, isn't the organization itself responsible, and in that way, aren't the members responsible? Not every member of the Klan hanged black people from trees, but the beliefs they espoused were clear in their intent. When that occurs isn't it right to do all you can to stop it at the root? If so, then does wrapping it up with religiosity change the way it should be addressed, and if so, why?

The individuals that funded hate and intolerance should be exposed. But also the group that foments and teaches that hate and intolerance should be held responsible as well.

As much as I mention my wife in this thread, I should point out that the core for this belief system are the voices of millions that say that what happened in Germany could have been stopped, if only people had come to protect others. I believe that Pastor Martin Niemöller had a deep insight in his simple poem. And a part of my job as one who was a survivor of a group so targeted is to ensure that never again will anyone target the civil rights of another.

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I was not a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

When the LDS came for the Homosexuals,
I remained silent;
I was not a homosexual.

I will not be able to speak those words in blue, for I did stand up. I did not let hate, bigotry and fear rule the day. I will expose those who fund it, and those who teach it, to public ridicule and public shame. I will not let it percolate in the shadows where it can infect others and spread. I will throw the light of truth one it and it will not use the cover of the Almighty to justify it's false righteousness. I will see it exposed, and in the cool clear light of reason and justice let freedom ring. Read the rest of this post...

Gay marriages start tomorrow in Connecticut

While the fallout continues from Prop. 8 in California, there is some good news on the other side of the country. Gay marriages officially start tomorrow:

Superior Court Judge Jonathan Silbert has scheduled a hearing at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday in New Haven to enter the final judgment in the case that allows same-sex marriages in Connecticut. Once completed, couples can pick up marriage license forms at town and city clerk's offices.

It's unclear how many couples will get married. According to the state public health department, there have been 2,032 civil union licenses issued in Connecticut between Oct. 2005 and July 2008.

The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled 4-3 on Oct. 10 that same-sex couples have the right to wed rather than accept a civil union law designed to give them the same rights as married couples. Only Connecticut and Massachusetts have legalized gay marriage.

Last week, Connecticut voters soundly rejected the call for a constitutional convention, which could have led to efforts to overturn the court decision allowing marriage. The Catholic Church led the campaign for that measure:

The "no" campaign was far outspending the "yes" campaign last month before the Connecticut Catholic Conference paid for a television commercial that showed a woman standing outside the state Capitol and urging voters to say "yes" on Election Day.

"The Church has been like the cavalry coming over the hill with guns blazing," said Peter Wolfgang, executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut, which supported the convention. "The other side was outspending us 83 to 1. The only thing that leveled it out is the Catholic Church."

You'd think the Catholic Church would have better things to worry about. I mean, they're still reeling from all those child sex abuse cases, which has cost millions and millions of dollars. But, the Catholic hierarchy is in cahoots with the Mormons when it comes to gay bashing -- quite the unholy alliance. Has the Catholic Conference taken a position on posthumous baptism?

Tomorrow will bring great joy -- and equality -- to many Connecticut couples.

Read the rest of this post...

Does Obama's Statement Help Or Hurt Lieberman?

Greg Sargent at TPM Election Central looks at the issue of whether Obama's statements about Lieberman help or hurt Traitor Joe:

The move is all but certain to take the steam out of any efforts to dislodge Lieberman from the committee, and hence to diminish his influence in some way in return for his support for McCain, his suggestion that Obama put troops in danger, and his claim that Obama hasn't always put the country first.

Hey, what's a little accusation of treason among friends? Read the rest of this post...

Congressman compares Obama to Hitler

Keep it up. Maybe we can win 60% in the next presidential.

A Republican congressman from Georgia said Monday he fears that President-elect Obama will establish a Gestapo-like security force to impose a Marxist dictatorship.

"It may sound a bit crazy and off base, but the thing is, he's the one who proposed this national security force," Rep. Paul Broun said of Obama in an interview Monday with The Associated Press. "I'm just trying to bring attention to the fact that we may—may not, I hope not—but we may have a problem with that type of philosophy of radical socialism or Marxism."

Broun cited a July speech by Obama that has circulated on the Internet in which the then-Democratic presidential candidate called for a civilian force to take some of the national security burden off the military.

"That's exactly what Hitler did in Nazi Germany and it's exactly what the Soviet Union did," Broun said. "When he's proposing to have a national security force that's answering to him, that is as strong as the U.S. military, he's showing me signs of being Marxist."

Read the rest of this post...

Possibly the most hated man in California today

Big story in the Sacramento Bee about the guy who gave to Prop 8 and works in the theater industry. Wow.

Gay and lesbian artists called Monday for an artistic and audience boycott of California Musical Theatre after learning that its artistic director donated $1,000 to a campaign that backed banning gay marriage in California.

Scott Eckern was not available for comment Monday as the revelation has gained stunning momentum on the blogosphere. The California Musical Theatre produces the Music Circus, presents Broadway Sacramento, and recently opened "Forever Plaid" at the capital's newest performing venue, the Cosmopolitan Cabaret.

Richard Lewis, the organization's executive producer, said the board of directors will conduct an emergency meeting on the matter this afternoon. He said it was too early to tell how this would affect Eckern's 25-year employment with California Musical Theatre.

That is what the No on 8 campaign lacked: Balls. Read the rest of this post...

A Bush voter speaks

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Full Dem caucus will vote on Lieberman's fate

At least now we can force the spineless wonders to take a public position. It is depressing how quickly the Democrats are choosing to show they have no spine. It's a week since the election. I think that's a record.

Read the rest of this post...

52% of evangelicals who voted for McCain think Obama is or was a Muslim

These people are idiots. And they're an embarrassment to Christians. Why do evangelical Republicans always have to show the world the uneducated, bigoted, and downright goofy side of Christianity? These are the people the Mormons have made their bed with? Nice choice. Half of them think Obama is or was a Muslim. Seriously, I'm not writing this simply to mock the far right. It's to show why the religious right is so anti-science. Why they believe George Bush is doing a great job. Why they hold so many of their views. Because they have no idea what's actually going on in the world around them.

This is part of a larger survey of evangelicals who voted for Obama and McCain. Check it out here, it's quite interesting. Read the rest of this post...

AIG does it again - another pricey boondoggle

This is clearly an organization that doesn't have a clue. Fire the entire damned executive team and start over. For other businesses who are struggling to get through this tough economy, they trim costs. For AIG? They schedule yet another executive event for $350,000 with all the trimmings. Maybe it is necessary to get everyone together but c'mon, there's no need for spending money that they are already borrowing from taxpayers. Change needs to come at AIG immediately and no more golden parachutes as they're sent packing. Read the rest of this post...

Sarah Palin is mad at us

Apparently she's vewy vewy mad at the mean liberal bloggers who brought her down. From Jane at FDL:

Ms. Palin directed most of her media criticism at liberal bloggers, whom she twice called, “those bloggers in their parents’ basement just talkin’ garbage.”

Better than running the country from your parents' basement.

"Just talkin," huh? Seriously, can this woman put a single proper English sentence together? Just once? Jane has more, included the bios of five of the top bloggers - bios that show that, far from being children writing in their parents' basement, the top liberal bloggers actually have far more education and experience than the Wasilla beauty queen. (And up until the time she was nominated for VP, I'd met more world leaders than Palin.) Read the rest of this post...

New Study: Lieberman not that progressive at all

A new study suggests that Traitor Joe's voting record is hardly very progressive or Democratic.

While Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) has fought for progressive policies in the past — such as protecting the environment and expanding civil rights — his recent record demonstrates that he’s a progressive no more. As this report documents, Lieberman has embraced the right wing on far more than foreign policy. In fact, he has betrayed progressive principles on a variety of domestic issues. As he has lurched to the right, Lieberman has actively worked to undermine the progressive agenda.

Read the rest of this post...

Obama still making nice to Lieberman

It' s still not clear where this is headed. But what's sad is the degree to which Democrats let people step all over them. It's the root of the Republican argument that Democrats don't care about national security - the notion, the very true notion, that Democrats don't like to fight. The argument goes: If Democrats aren't willing to defend themselves, aren't willing to prove that they have even the teeniest bit of backbone and bite, then how will they defend the nation? Even if we get a 60-Senator majority, we won't break filibusters with a caucus that sees no price in straying. No discipline, no unity. Read the rest of this post...

Tomorrow, all eyes on Alaska (again) as up to 90,000 remaining votes will be counted

Tomorrow should be a decisive day in Alaska. A lot of votes are going to be counted, which means the Senate race between Mark Begich and the convicted felon, Ted Stevens, could be resolved. From the Anchorage Daily News:

For days, the count has been frozen. Sen. Ted Stevens leads Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich by about 3,000 votes with roughly 30 percent of the ballots remaining to be counted, including:

• 61,000 absentee votes.

• More than 20,000 questioned ballots.

• 9,500 early votes.

Of those, at least two-thirds of the absentee votes and nearly all the early votes are expected to be counted Wednesday, said Division Director Gail Fenumiai.

And, for the record, I have great respect for the Anchorage Daily News. That paper has been just a font of excellent information. (And, I love the breaking news alerts. Most are political, but over the summer, there were quite a few about grizzly bear attacks, some right in Anchorage.)

Remember, last week, Nate Silver wrote:

Although Ted Stevens currently holds a lead of approximately 3,200 votes in ballots counted to date in Alaska's senate contest, there is good reason to believe that the ballots yet to be counted -- the vast majority of which are early and absentee ballots -- will allow Mark Begich to mitigate his disadvantage with Stevens and quite possibly pull ahead of him.

We'll know a lot more tomorrow. There's a lot wrapped up in this obviously. If Begich wins, we've got our 58th Democratic Senator. If Stevens wins, it will get messy. Harry Reid already said of Stevens, "he's not going to be in the Senate." The Senate will probably expel him. That could put Sarah Palin back in our lives again. Under Alaska's constitution, she couldn't appoint herself, but she could run for the vacated seat.

Read the rest of this post...

Catholic bishops plan opposition to Obama

While most sane Americans are still celebrating Obama's election and preparing for a new, fair and honest administration, the Catholic bishops are in a snit. They're having a meeting this week in Baltimore where a big part of the discussion is how to challenge the new president:

Abortion is not the only issue on which the bishops plan to challenge the president-elect. Over the weekend, aides to Mr. Obama said he was considering overturning President Bush’s directive that banned most research on embryonic stem cells. Cardinal George said the bishops would “be in conversation” with Mr. Obama on this matter, too.

After eight years of a Republican president who invoked Catholic language to cement his anti-abortion platform, the bishops are now confronting an incoming Democratic administration that has championed abortion rights.

In the closing months of the presidential race, several Catholic bishops skirted close to endorsing the Republican candidate for president, Senator John McCain, by proclaiming that Catholics could not in good conscience vote for a candidate who favored abortion rights.

The Catholic hierarchy has kissed George Bush's ass for years. And, George Bush did enormous damage to this nation and this world, with the tacit blessing of the Catholic bishops. They were played for fools by the GOP -- and it looks like that's going to continue.

Challenge Obama, bash gays --all in a day's work for the Catholic bishops. Read the rest of this post...

Tuesday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

Today is Veterans Day -- when we honor the service of the men and women who have served in the military and defended our country. They deserve our gratitude. November 11th also marked the end of World War I. My grandfather and my great uncle, Irish immigrants, enlisted to fight in that war as a way to obtain American citizenship.

I'd like to give a shout out to the veterans at VoteVets.org, not only for their service to the country, but for their excellent work in campaigns this year. They had some of the best ads around.

This morning, Matt Lauer had a really long interview with Sarah Palin today from her home in Wasilla. He seemed quite taken with the Governor. She's doing a lot of press these days. A lot.

Start threading the news....

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Economists predict contraction for 2009, increased unemployment

It is going to get worse for a while before it gets better. Decades of poor economic policy is going to die a long, hard death and any turn around won't happen until 2010, at the earliest.

The U.S. economy is expected to shrink 0.4% in 2009 compared with 2008, according to the monthly survey of 49 economists published Monday by Blue Chip Economic Indicators.

The economists also expect contractions in the Japanese, British and euro-zone economies in 2009.

The economists' median forecast calls for U.S. gross domestic product to fall by 2.8% in the final three months of 2008 and by 1.5% in the first quarter of 2009. GDP growth of 0.2% is expected in the second quarter next year.

Measured from the fourth quarter of 2008 to the fourth quarter of 2009, the Blue Chip forecasters expect GDP to rise 0.6%, compared with a forecast of 0.1% from the fourth quarter of 2007 to the fourth quarter of 2008.

"The consensus strongly suggests that the current recession will be deeper and last longer than those of 2001 and 1990-91," said Blue Chip editor Randell Moore in his commentary.

"Some of our panelists believe it may rival the 1981-1982 downturn, but that is not yet the consensus view," he added.

The nation's unemployment rate is expected to average 7.4% in 2009; it was 6.5% in October.

Read the rest of this post...

UK banks raise credit card interest rates despite rate cuts

This is an industry that continues to beg for government intervention. I don't think that I'm alone in my complete disgust with this industry. Everything they ever wanted was given to them courtesy of active efforts in the US, UK, Europe and around the world. They own this credit crisis and are still being treated too gently and that really has to change. As much as I avoid using plastic, this is still incredibly unfair considering how much regular taxpayers have done to save their sorry businesses.

Banks have increased interest rates on credit and debit cards held by tens of millions of shoppers despite the cost of borrowing falling to its lowest level for more than 50 years, research for The Independent reveals today.

The Bank of England has almost halved its base rate from 5 to 3 per cent since May, but during the same period the average annual percentage rate for credit cards has climbed from 17.2 to 17.6 per cent. Store cards – already in the spotlight after being accused of carrying excessive rates – have hit a peak of 25 per cent, and the high street chains Principles, Karen Millen and Oasis have raised charges for their in-store cards by 4 percentage points – almost a sixth – to 28.9 per cent.

More than £200bn is owed by Britons in unsecured borrowing, including personal loans, overdrafts and credit and store cards – almost one-fifth of total lending.

While the banks have been heavily criticised for failing to pass on the Bank of England's interest rate cut to their customers, so far providers of "plastic" – which include the same banks and some specialist players – have escaped scrutiny for failing to do likewise with their credit cards.

Read the rest of this post...

Armistice Day/Veterans Day

The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. That's when it all ended in 1918. The war to end all wars. It's a public holiday in France today to honor the end of WWI. My paternal grandfather arrived in America just a few years before the war broke out and when the US jumped in, he signed up. For him it was a chance to become a US citizen, provided that he survived. Fighting in the Army he made it through Verdun and was wounded at Chateau Thierry but made it back to Philadelphia. After arriving back home he became a US citizen, raised a family of six children with my grandmother and was a cop in Philly. None of us really knew much about what he did until after he died when we found his army papers.

Anyone have any family that became US citizens this way as well? I think (but am not sure) that it was a relatively common way of becoming a citizen back then, perhaps today as well. Read the rest of this post...

Bike sharing programs continue to expand

I was impressed seeing so many "bicing" stations around Barcelona last week. It looks similar to the "velib" system in Paris and people were riding the "bicing" bikes everywhere. The bikes in such systems are not for pleasure riding but for point to point transportation. As long as you arrive in less than 30 minutes, they're amazingly cheap.

Over the last several years, the programs have sprung up and taken off in dozens of cities, on a scale no one had thought possible and in places where bicycling had never been popular.

The sharing plans include not just Paris’s Vélib’, with its 20,000 bicycles, but also wildly popular programs with thousands of bicycles in major cities like Barcelona and Lyon, France. There are also programs in Pamplona, Spain; Rennes, France; and Düsseldorf, Germany. Even Rome, whose narrow, cobbled streets and chaotic traffic would seem unsuited to pedaling, recently started a small trial program, Roma’n’Bike, which it plans to expand soon.

For mayors looking to ease congestion and prove their environmental bona fides, bike-sharing has provided a simple solution: for the price of a bus, they invest in a fleet of bicycles, avoiding years of construction and approvals required for a subway. For riders, joining means cut-rate transportation and a chance to contribute to the planet’s well-being.

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Federal Reserve refuses to identify recipients of $2 trillion

You can't even make this stuff up. This crew can't be shoved out the door quickly enough. From Bloomberg:

The Federal Reserve is refusing to identify the recipients of almost $2 trillion of emergency loans from American taxpayers or the troubled assets the central bank is accepting as collateral.

Fed Chairman Ben S. Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said in September they would comply with congressional demands for transparency in a $700 billion bailout of the banking system. Two months later, as the Fed lends far more than that in separate rescue programs that didn't require approval by Congress, Americans have no idea where their money is going or what securities the banks are pledging in return.

``The collateral is not being adequately disclosed, and that's a big problem,'' said Dan Fuss, vice chairman of Boston- based Loomis Sayles & Co., where he co-manages $17 billion in bonds. ``In a liquid market, this wouldn't matter, but we're not. The market is very nervous and very thin.''

Bloomberg News has requested details of the Fed lending under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act and filed a federal lawsuit Nov. 7 seeking to force disclosure.

The Fed made the loans under terms of 11 programs, eight of them created in the past 15 months, in the midst of the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression.

``It's your money; it's not the Fed's money,'' said billionaire Ted Forstmann, senior partner of Forstmann Little & Co. in New York. ``Of course there should be transparency.''

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