Miss California's church says pedophilia is central to the gay lifestyle

I think the religious right's newest bimbo mascot isn't going to be doing any more media for a while after this revelation. Alvin from Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters found the following (and lots more) on the Web site of Miss California's church:

There are also moral repercussions stemming from homosexual behavior as evidenced by the fact that one third of all sexual crimes against children are committed by homosexuals even though they are representative of only one percent of the population. Pedophilia has even been called central to the gay lifestyle. The agenda of the North American Man Boy Love Association (NAMBLA) is to lower the age of consent so that sex with children will be legal.

For anyone living under a rock, the homosexuality-pedophilia canard was debunked three decades ago. What's worse, the "research" Miss C's church is quoting - they also claim that 30% of gay men will die or get AIDS by the time they're 30 - appears to come from a known hate group (as designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center) led by one Paul Cameron, a quack researcher thrown out of all the top professional societies in his field.

So, Miss California may have been influenced in her attitudes towards gays by the research of a known hate group. I can't wait for her next interview. Read the rest of this post...

Obama makes commitment to leading in science

Another smart move by Obama. The Republican years were littered with religion taking precedence over leading science. Bush and the GOP were also content with allowing business to limit new initiatives and watch the world go by. Not only will that change, but Obama wants the US to step forward and be the leading country of science in the world.

"I believe it is not in our character, American character, to follow — but to lead. And it is time for us to lead once again. I am here today to set this goal: we will devote more than 3 percent of our GDP to research and development," Obama said in a speech at the annual meeting of the National Academy of Sciences.

"We will not just meet but we will exceed the level achieved at the height of the space race," he said.

Obama said the investments he is proposing would lead to breakthroughs, such as solar cells as cheap as paint and green buildings that produce all the energy they consume.

Elections really do matter. Read the rest of this post...

What's the flu got to do with the economy? Ask Senator Susan Collins

During the stimulus negotiations earlier this year, Senator Susan Collins couldn't get herself on t.v. enough. And, like so many of her GOP colleagues, she found plenty to mock -- but, as John noted this morning, she seemed particularly obsessed with mocking preparations for a flu pandemic. Watch her in action via Media Matters:

Hmm. What's the flu pandemic got to do with the economy? For starters, Reuters reports it's already having an effect:

Oil prices fell more than 4 percent to below $50 a barrel as investors feared a new blow to an already fragile global economy if trade flows are curbed and manufacturing is hit.

The MSCI world equity index fell 1 percent, and U.S. stocks were down in choppy trading.

What was that question Collins asked about the flu pandemic again? Oh yeah, "What does that have to do with an economic stimulus package?" Read the rest of this post...

Same-sex couples began applying for marriage licenses started in Iowa today

Today, Iowa began implementing the Supreme Court decision that allowed same-sex couples to marry:

At least 219 same-sex couples have applied for marriage licenses in Iowa so far today, with the heaviest concentrations in Linn, Polk, Scott and Johnson counties, according to information collected by The Des Moines Register. The tally so far includes 20 out-of-state couples, according to a survey of county recorders. The Register is still gathering its data, but afternoon figures show that the greatest number of applications so far is in Polk County, which has logged 58. Johnson County has seen 40 applications so far, Scott County has seen 23, and 22 couples have applied for marriage licenses in Linn County. Today was the first day same-sex couples could since the April 3 Iowa Supreme Court opinion that struck down a state law that said marriage was only between a man and a woman.

gallery Photo gallery: Iowa begins issuing same-sex marriage licenses.

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GOP won't stop filibuster of Sebelius despite swine flu emergency

This just says everything we need to know about Senate Republicans. They are committed to their filibuster of the Sebelius nomination despite the growing fears of a flu pandemic. Republicans put politics first. Greg Sargent has the story:

So Kathleen Sebelius will get her confirmation vote as Health and Human Services secretary tomorrow in the Senate — but even with the flu outbreak, her confirmation will still have to clear a big hurdle, requiring 60 votes.

So says the office of GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell, anyway.

As you know, Senate Republicans have been filibustering Sebelius over lingering questions about her views on late-term abortions and some campaign contributions she received from an abortion doctor. Late last week, the Senate Dem leadership announced that in the face of GOP opposition, they had agreed with Republicans to bring Sebelius’ confirmation to the floor for a vote tomorrow that would indeed require the 60 votes.

The outbreak of the flu epidemic had led some Dems to hope that the GOP would drop their filibuster, which would mean the 60 vote threshold would no longer apply. And even GOP Senator Susan Collins called for the Senate to expedite her confirmation today.

Want to know why? Sargent explains it succinctly:

Bottom line: The filibuster over an abortion controversy is still throwing a hurdle in the way of this nomination, despite the flu epidemic.

McConnell is more worried about throwing a bone to the right-wing extremists than he is about having a Secretary of Health and Human Services during a health crisis. Read the rest of this post...

Rachel on torture

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Facebook activity leads to job termination

Big brother is watching. Reuters:

A Swiss insurance worker lost her job after surfing popular social network site Facebook while off sick, her employer said Friday.

The woman said she could not work in front of a computer as she needed to lie in the dark but was then seen to be active on Facebook, which insurer Nationale Suisse said in a statement had destroyed its trust in the employee.

"This abuse of trust, rather than the activity on Facebook, led to the ending of the work contract," it said.

The company may have been sneaky about spying on workers but they weren't alone. Read the rest of this post...

What if Reagan...

AMERICAblog reader Don writes:

After the nonstop cable coverage of the declaration of a public health emergency today by the Obama Administration, I wonder WHAT IF President Reagan declared a public health emergency in the first week of the HIV-AIDS epidemic in 1981....how many lives could have been saved????

Read the rest of this post...

More from Miss California

Rex Wockner interviews Miss California about her claims that she lost the Miss USA contest because she doesn't support gay marriage.

On being gay being wrong:

Rex: And, I guess, last question: What would be so wrong with two women who love each other getting married?

Carrie: What would be so wrong with two women that love each other?

Rex: What would be so wrong with that? Yeah.

Carrie: What don't you see wrong with that?

Rex: I don't see anything wrong with it.

Carrie: Why?

On how people become gay:

Rex: Um, some people are born gay, maybe, you think?

Carrie: No, I don't think so.

Rex: OK, so now we're getting somewhere.

Carrie: I think it's a behavior that develops over time.

Rex: Why would someone choose it, given that if you choose that, you get discriminated against?

Carrie: Um, because obviously Perez Hilton doesn't think that there's anything wrong with it.

Rex: No, but if being gay is a choice, rather than something you're born with, why would you choose something that's going to lead to your being discriminated against? What would be the motivation?

Carrie: I'm not sure what the motivation would be.

I see Mensa in somebody's future. Read the rest of this post...

EU warns against non-essential travel to Mexico & US

Swine flu has already been confirmed in Spain and reports on suspected cases from other EU countries are coming in. Limiting travel may help slow down new sources of the sickness though this is going to be a tough battle. Whether or not this is "the big one" that some fear is still undecided but being too casual about it or ignoring it is too risky until more is known. AP:

The European Union's health commissioner urged Europeans on Monday to postpone nonessential travel to the United States or Mexico due to swine flu.

EU Health Commissioner Andorra Vassiliou met with the EU foreign ministers on the subject as Spain reported the first confirmed case of swine flu in Europe. That was also the first swine flu case outside North America.

Read the rest of this post...

The only evil is those who would stand in evil's way

In David Broder's universe, the one where Spock sports a beard, if you commit a crime you're noble, but if you prosecute a crime you're mean, nasty and vindictive. Broder is against prosecuting members of the previous administration responsible for our policy of officially sanctioning torture. Here's what he had to say on Sunday:

The memos on torture represented a deliberate, and internally well-debated, policy decision, made in the proper places -- the White House, the intelligence agencies and the Justice Department -- by the proper officials.

One administration later, a different group of individuals occupying the same offices has -- thankfully -- made the opposite decision. Do they now go back and investigate or indict their predecessors?

They do when you're talking about the commission of war crimes. Why are we pretending like this is simply a disagreement over the appropriate tax rate or the minimum wage? We tortured people, apparently in violation of international law. That would seem to constitute war crimes. Unless Broder is suggesting that every American president has committed war crimes, thus we should just shrug this off, turn off the shining beacon, and call it a day. Read the rest of this post...

Karl Rove, conservative Republicans, and Susan Collins opposed money spent on pandemic preparedness

Now that we're in the middle of a public health emergency, the media might want to be asking the Republicans some questions about this:

When House Appropriations Committee chairman David Obey, the Wisconsin Democrat who has long championed investment in pandemic preparation, included roughly $900 million for that purpose in this year's emergency stimulus bill, he was ridiculed by conservative operatives and congressional Republicans....

[T]he arguments former White House political czar Karl Rove advanced in February to frame opposition to the stimulus package Obey crafted in the House....

Rove specifically complained that Obey's proposal included "$462 million for the Centers for Disease Control, and $900 million for pandemic flu preparations."

Who helped lead the charge against emergency disease preparedness in the Senate? None other than Maine Republican Susan Collins, who Joe has always argued is a conservative in moderate's clothing:

Famously, Maine Senator Susan Collins, the supposedly moderate Republican who demanded cuts in health care spending in exchange for her support of a watered-down version of the stimulus, fumed about the pandemic funding: "Does it belong in this bill? Should we have $870 million in this bill No, we should not."

Even now, Collins continues to use her official website to highlight the fact that she led the fight to strip the pandemic preparedness money out of the Senate's version of the stimulus measure.

This part is especially bad:

Obey and other advocates for the spending argued, correctly, that a pandemic hitting in the midst of an economic downturn could turn a recession into something far worse -- with workers ordered to remain in their homes, workplaces shuttered to avoid the spread of disease, transportation systems grinding to a halt and demand for emergency services and public health interventions skyrocketing. Indeed, they suggested, pandemic preparation was essential to any responsible plan for renewing the U.S. economy.

Read the rest of this post...

Large majority of Minnesotans to Norm Coleman: Concede already

From a new Star-Tribune poll, it's pretty clear that the people of Minnesota have had it with their former Senator:

Nearly two-thirds of Minnesotans surveyed think Norm Coleman should concede the U.S. Senate race to Al Franken, but just as many believe the voting system that gave the state its longest running election contest needs improvement.

A new Star Tribune Minnesota Poll has found that 64 percent of those responding believe Coleman, the Republican, should accept the recount trial court's April 13 verdict that Democrat Franken won the race by 312 votes.

Only 28 percent consider last week's appeal by Coleman to the Minnesota Supreme Court "appropriate."

I bet the 28% who think Norm should keep going also approved of the Bush/Cheney administration.

Minnesotans also know by now that Norm Coleman isn't worrying about them, he's only helping the national Republicans by keeping Franken out of the Senate. For Norm and his GOP colleagues, this is a political game. For the people of Minnesota, it's about having full representation in the Senate during some very trying times. Republicans always put their political interests first. Read the rest of this post...

NY Times dissects Geithner's old boy network on Wall Street

This is an excellent backgrounder on Geithner's term at the NY Fed during the worst recession in decades. The Times walks through his deep relationships with Wall Street including the extensive ties to Citigroup who has been one of the worst hit companies during the meltdown. Actions that are fair to Geithner, Paulson and Bernanke are questioned by others including Joseph Stiglitz. Did the US pay too much for the bailout? Did Geithner steer business to Wall Street friends in the private equity market including secretive no-bid contracts? Do we really need the AIG bailout attorneys writing any more easy contracts or Wall Street that are potentially risky to taxpayers?

According to a recent report by the inspector general monitoring the bailout, Neil M. Barofsky, Mr. Geithner’s plan to underwrite investors willing to buy the risky mortgage-backed securities still weighing down banks’ books is a boon for private equity and hedge funds but exposes taxpayers to “potential unfairness” by shifting the burden to them.

The top echelon of the Treasury Department is a common destination for financiers, and Mr. Geithner has also recruited aides from Wall Street, some from firms that were at the heart of the crisis. For instance, his chief of staff, Mark A. Patterson, is a former lobbyist for Goldman Sachs, and one of his top counselors is Lewis S. Alexander, a former chief economist at Citigroup.

A bill sent recently by the Treasury to Capitol Hill would give the Obama administration extensive new powers to inject money into or seize systemically important firms in danger of failure. It was drafted in large measure by Davis Polk & Wardwell, a law firm that represents many banks and the financial industry’s lobbying group. Mr. Geithner also hired Davis Polk to represent the New York Fed during the A.I.G. bailout.

So while the Washington Post saw no evidence of Geithner being "a tool" of Wall Street, others are less convinced. While there are benefits to having people on the team who understand Wall Street, in this case when so much is at stake it just doesn't feel right. Read the rest of this post...

Monday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

Your president is speaking at the National Academy of Sciences this morning. I don't think the previous occupant of the office even knew we had a National Academy of Sciences.

How much longer will the GOP Senate filibuster the nomination of Kathleen Sebelius? The Republicans always put politics ahead of the national interest...we're in the middle of a "public health emergency" and the GOP is playing political games. When the Senate convenes today at 2:00 PM, Harry Reid should demand an up-or-down vote.

And, how many times will Dick Cheney rear his ugly head this week? Let's hope the answer is: Many.

Okay, let's get this week rolling... Read the rest of this post...

IMF & World Bank: global recession driving 50 million into extreme poverty

But hey, no problem since Wall Street pay is bouncing back as strong as ever this year. When the likes of Geithner fail to understand why and how people around the world are furious with the banking industry who have yet to fully appreciate their failure, it's because of this. Bankers really need to get out and see the real world impact of their mess, but no, Timmy Geithner still believes a light tap on the wrist is plenty. More on the global recession by the AFP:

The IMF and World Bank have warned on Sunday the global economic crisis is turning into a "human calamity" and called on members to speed up pledged aid and give even more to help the most vulnerable. At the end of spring meetings in Washington Sunday, the two Bretton Woods institutions told their 185 member countries that the worst global slump in generations had already driven more than 50 million people into extreme poverty.

"The global economy has deteriorated dramatically ... Developing countries face especially serious consequences as the financial and economic crisis turns into a human and development calamity," the International Monetary Fund and World Bank joint development committee said in a statement.

Read the rest of this post...

At least one US bank will need more capital

If in fact there is only one bank, it should be easy to figure out which bank is in trouble. Should that single bank happen to be any other than a former high-flier who sent their CEO packing with tens of millions, it will be very surprising. Meanwhile, more criticism of Geithner's Treasury Department.

"There are two things that are terribly wrong,” former FDIC Chairman Bill Isaac told CNBC.com. “First, that was publicly announced. I can't imagine what Treasury was thinking when it made that move. It has been causing incredible angst in the markets … The second big problem is that the Treasury is directing the stress testing, apparently with direct involvement of the White House at the highest levels. Bank regulation by law is supposed to be carried out by the independent banking agencies without any political interference.”

What’s more, analysts say the tests face a fundamental credibility issue. The tests can neither be too tough nor too soft or the outcome might be suspect; at the same time, some have speculated that at least one bank would have to come up short .

The government has repeatedly said the tests are not “pass/fail”, but analysts say it is inevitable that the results create something of two-class system of institutions, something resembling the weak and the strong, which investors will then factor into stock prices.

Having a transparent environment is OK for me and the problem for too long has been a lack of transparency. Even today, we could and should do much more to let Americans see the system they are keeping afloat. The second point about political involvement as opposed to independent involvement is a fair criticism. The Obama economic team is made up of Wall Street insiders and Geithner has yet to prove his willingness to play hardball with Wall Street. Trust in his efforts remains sketchy, at best. Read the rest of this post...

Swine flu spreads, countries react

For reasons not understood yet, the swine flu in Mexico appears to be stronger than what people elsewhere are experiencing though this is fast-moving. The rapid movement has come as a surprise as has the location Mexico and pigs. Most global health care organizations expected this flu outbreak to start in Asia and be related to birds. Fast action is required by all governments and as expected, preventative steps can be taken to lessen the odds of being exposed to the flu. Here's a good overview of the flu by The Independent in the UK so click through for more:

Q: What is swine flu?

A: Much the same as human flu – but in pigs. The worry is that pigs are excellent hosts for the virus. And because they are genetically close to humans, they can pass the virus to us more easily than birds can. The great fear over the past decade has been that the avian flu virus, H5N1, would infect pigs which would act as a reservoir for its transmission to humans. Luckily for the world, apart from a few isolated outbreaks, this did not happen.

CNN also has more on the global movement and response to the outbreak:

Mexico seems to be the epicenter of the outbreak, where as many as 103 deaths are thought to have been caused by swine flu, the country's health minister said. An additional 1,614 reported cases have been reported in the country.

So far, however, only 18 cases have been confirmed by laboratory tests in Mexico and reported to the World Health Organization.

The United States stepped up preparations for a possible epidemic of the virus after 20 cases were confirmed, and Canada announced its first cases of the virus Sunday -- six mild cases.

Russia banned all meat imports from Mexico and the southern United States, and said it would screen incoming passengers from those two countries for swine flu by taking their temperatures.

Read the rest of this post...

British banking chiefs see value of retirement plans increase

What the? This is downright silly but I'm struggling to think of any lead bankster anywhere who has suffered because of the crisis they started. The initial big three (O'Neal, Prince and Mozilo) all were sacked but they also all walked away with a very healthy amount of money instead of an indictment. In this case, the chief executives across Britain are doing pretty well across the board despite quite the opposite for everyone else.

Bosses of Britain's biggest companies enjoyed huge increases in the value of their pension pots last year, despite the onset of recession and the downfall of major banks such as Northern Rock, Royal Bank of Scotland and HBOS.

The figures will fuel the controversy over the size of directors' pensions and raise concerns about the yawning gap between bosses and the shopfloor.

Sixteen company chiefs saw the value of their pensions jump by more than £1m in 2008. When they eventually retire, their final pension payouts could put even Sir Fred Goodwin in the shade.

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