Court rules cops were in their rights to taser pregnant woman during traffic stop

Wow. Read the rest of this post...

Fed issues new rules for consumer gift cards

Ohhh, they're so consumer-ific! What are the odds of this right in the middle of everyone questioning their competence and ability to provide any value to consumers as opposed to the banks who clearly own them? It's obviously necessary but it's a cheap stunt to divert attention from their failures to protect consumers from trillions lost on Wall Street. Show us some real initiative that protects people from the gamblers on Wall Street and then let's talk.

Gift cards have grown in popularity — with more than 95 percent of Americans having received or purchased them, the Fed said.

And as usage has gone up, so too have complaints from people taken by surprise by fees that eat into the value of the cards as well restrictions on how long they'll be good for.

Under the rules, consumers must have at least five years to use the gift cards before they expire. The Fed also says service or inactivity fees can be imposed only under certain conditions.

Such fees can be charged if the consumer hasn't used the card for at least a year, if the consumer is given clear disclosures about them and no more than one fee is charged a month.

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UK supporting move for war crimes tribunal against Myanmar

The leadership is so isolated so it's hard to imagine any of them ever being arrested, but perhaps this will increase the pressure on the horrible government. Of course, Myanmar has plenty of regional support from their neighbor to the north who would probably be there to block any security council moves. The Guardian:

Britain is backing moves to refer Burma's military leaders to the international criminal court for investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity. The move is part of a heightened campaign to force the junta to embrace genuine democratic reforms, diplomatic and government sources told the Guardian today.

In a tough démarche that will increase pressure on the isolated regime ahead of planned elections this autumn, Britain's ambassador to the UN said the UK supported a recommendation by the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Burma that The Hague-based international court opens a war crimes investigation.

Speaking after a security council meeting, Sir Mark Lyall Grant said the council's five permanent members were "not sufficiently unanimous" in their views to allow an ICC referral to happen immediately. But if such a proposal were tabled, he said, Britain would support it. Nearly 200 MPs have backed the referral campaign.

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Barney Frank says White House 'not being supportive' on DADT repeal

This isn't a surprise to us, we knew this for months and have been saying so. It is good, however, to have someone like Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) confirm it. This is very bad. Read the rest of this post...

Editorial: GOP's 'ongoing vitriol has given license to the threats. They own what's happening now.'

Sacramento Bee editorial:

Sunday's passage of health care reform was preceded by many weeks of venomous attacks and wild exaggerations, yet it all seems so tame now in comparison.

Since the vote, at least 10 House members have reported death threats, harassment or vandalism at district offices. More than 100 House Democrats were alarmed enough to meet privately Wednesday with the FBI and Capitol Police. Some requested and received extra security.

Such violence and threats of violence are not free speech and political protest. It is intimidation, it is criminal, and it has no place in a democracy like ours.

Republicans, of course, have condemned the violence and acts of bigotry that followed the bill's passage. Yet their ongoing vitriol has given license to the threats. They own what's happening now.

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Road rage, accident centers on Obama bumper sticker

Party of No, culture of violence. Read the rest of this post...

FOX's Glenn Becks says situation in America: 'It's 9/11 all over again except we didn't have the collapsing building'

Or the terrorists, or the death. Other than that...

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Vatican attacks media 'conspiracy' in latest child rape cover up

Attacking the messenger, again. If a conspiracy exists, it's definitely not in the media. What do they expect in the Vatican when they can't even de-frock priests or fire the leadership who accepted and tolerated this behavior? The consistent story around the world is what jumps out time after time. The priests are shuffled around only to commit the same crimes. How does the church leadership live with themselves knowing this? They've always been more concerned about protecting their own instead of the innocent.

A strongly worded Vatican newspaper editorial said there was "no cover-up" over the case, which was reported in Thursday's edition of the New York Times.

L'Osservatore Romano labelled the allegations "clearly an ignoble attempt to strike at Pope Benedict and his closest aides at any cost".

Meanwhile, one of the Pope's top aides, Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, told reporters there was "a conspiracy" against the Church, without specifying who was responsible.

Happy Easter to you too. Read the rest of this post...

Police say no bullet was fired at GOP Rep. Cantor's office

Well there's another lie gone bad. So, the fact remains that the Teabaggers are the only ones menacing members of Congress, and the targets are Democrats.

A bullet that hit a window in Republican U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor’s office building was fired randomly into the air, police said Thursday.

Cantor announced at a Capitol Hill news conference Thursday that a shot had been fired into his Richmond campaign office.

“A bullet was shot through the window of my campaign office in Richmond this week, and I’ve received threatening e-mails,“ Cantor said. He refused to release details, however, saying it would only encourage more threats, and refused to take questions.

Later Thursday, however, Richmond police said in a news release that the bullet had been fired into the air around 1 a.m. Tuesday. It finished its random arc back to earth at a sharp downward trajectory, breaking a window pane on the bottom floor of the two-story brick building where Cantor’s campaign leases the top floor.

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Winning has given Dems. momentum and the GOPers are starting to doubt themselves

It's like the Democrats finally beat up the schoolyard bully. And, it turns out the bully is all talk and really a wimp. Winning seems to have inspired Obama and the Hill Democrats. Losing has caused angst in the GOP. That's the assessment from one of the papers that covers Congress, The Hill:

Political momentum has shifted so fast over the last week that it has given Republicans whiplash.

Democrats are heading into the two-week Easter recess in high spirits after passing the most sweeping domestic policy reform since Medicare was enacted four decades ago.

President Barack Obama on Thursday dared Republicans to make healthcare reform a campaign issue.

“They’re actually going to run on a platform of repeal in November,” Obama said. “Well, I say go for it.”

But even as some Republicans talk of using healthcare as a cudgel, others are questioning the hard-line opposition strategy that limited their input on the substance of healthcare reform and may deny them any chance of shaping financial regulatory reform later this year.

Cracks emerged in the unified front Republicans held throughout most of the healthcare debate.

Congress is taking a two week vacation district work period. Let's hope the Democrats come back even more fired up. The GOPers are regrouping and plotting their next moves of obstruction. But, we need to exploit the "cracks" in the "unified front."

And, let's keep that momentum going til November. Passing more progressive legislation -- and being bold about it -- will help.

Markos tracks the "intensity gap" in the "Daily Kos Weekly State of the Nation Poll." This week, that gap, which has favored the GOP, narrowed. The tracking poll is here. The analysis arrived via email:

While both sides saw big spikes in their numbers, Democrats were particularly energized, with that intensity gap narrowing from 11 points to a far more manageable seven. First the first time in over a year, Democrats have a reason to get excited about their party, and are newly engaging in the political process.

This intensity gap will bear tracking the rest of this cycle. Democrats can continue to close the gap by ending Don't Ask, Don't Tell, passing tough financial regulatory reform, make progress on comprehensive immigration reform, and continue to talk tough against the obstructionist GOP.

The base has awakened. Democrats keep to it inspired. Read the rest of this post...

Friday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

This was a pretty big week. The health care bill is done. Last night, by a margin of 220 - 207, the House voted to approve the reconciliation bill, which the Senate completed yesterday, too. The first round is over. No doubt, fixes will be needed. And watch how the insurance companies will still try to gouge people.

The Senate is in session today, but both chambers will be off until April 12th. Perhaps with an emboldened President, fresh off a major victory, we'll see some recess appointments.

Obama has a low-key schedule today. This afternoon, he's heading to Camp David.

The big question for the White House and Congress is: What's next? There's been a backlog created by health care. Will they rest on their laurels or do more? Here's hoping they come down on the side of doing a lot more...the base still needs some love.

Let's get started... Read the rest of this post...

UK promotes 'Peace Corps' for European Union

What an excellent idea.

Gordon Brown used what may be his last European summit to explore the idea of establishing a new European "peace corps" of thousands of volunteers performing charity and aid work across the developing world.

Under the Lisbon treaty, which came into force in December, Lady Ashton, the Labour peer and former leader of the House of Lords, is the recently appointed head of European foreign policy at the helm of a new European diplomatic service involving up to 8,000 staff at 137 embassies across the world.

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