G’Morning Blue and All….Find some joy.

Good morning all.

O continues to pursue his winning strategy: beat up on those less advantaged.

Wonder how he’s gonna figure out how to insult wimmen before Nov 2. He has almost 3 weeks left to craft some good ones.

Go ahead and appeal the DADT ruling, too. Obama’s feet still have some places where he hasn’t shot himself yet.

Rachel on the blocking of funding for the entire Pentagon.

“That seems rather unsustainable!”

Why so, Rachel? Don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it.

Lots of joy in Chile today.

Someone at Raw Story summed it up nicely.

These miners are so lucky to be in a country where people matter, not just profits. Here in the U.S., when repeated safety violations are found, the mine owner pays a small fine and doesn’t even have to fix the violations. Americans and American jobs are considered expendable, just a tool to maximize corporate profits, whether by neglecting safety measures to cut costs, outsourcing jobs to where labor is cheaper, or failing to hold corporations accountable for needless worker deaths. Bravo to Chile for concern with people, not just corporate profits.

Sounds like a splendid idea to me.

Nice.

My version is: why do trapped miners get rescued in Chile and die in the U.S.

Amazing joyous story….thanks.

Obama and Bush seem to have the same temperament, becoming testy when criticized and responding as you’d expect a spoiled teen to behave. Going to do it his way regardless of the consequences.

What assholes we elect.

He’s already on shaky ground in the bedroom. If he tries any other antics, he’ll be sleeping on the couch in the White House lobby.

Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

Why do you say he’s in trouble in the BR? Because of what Michelle allegedly said to Carla Bruni-Sarkozy?

They’re our equivalents of the Romans’ Nero and Caligula. Whatever did happen to the Roman Empire?

Mornin’, BT, pups

So, Mr Obama, just what did you have in mind when you kept saying you were going to the instrument of change? You’re going to change what Mr Obama, your underwear?

Yes, the secret did seem to slip out while she was chatting with the French lady.

During commercials on some piece of TV garbage I was watching last week, I flipped to the history channel. Apparently, there is a big rewrite going on about Nero. He beautified Rome, made streets wider & improved building code (bricks instead of wood) to reduce fire hazard, did entertainment events for real peeps, also something about food security for ordinary Romans. Me, I’m a history moron, so I have no idea what makes most sense, but it was fascinating how different the new picture is from the old. The new source of info is obviously archeology on how he changed Rome. Don’t know what new info on other factors, whether they’ve discovered new docs or whatever else.

The way his staff seems to be scattering, he may not be changing that.

“you’d expect a spoiled teen to behave”

Please, teens have a lot on their plate, give em a break. We are lucky that conservatives generally treat them worse than we do. Keep em on our side where they should naturally be.

Last count of miners out that I heard was 10.

Ghostof911 had it right above. Hungary arrested the president of the firm responsible for the sludge flood. Here he’d get invited to the WH for lunch.

Well, you realize it’s the President’s constitutional responsibility to faithfully execute the laws of the United States? That includes laws he disagrees with and/or dislikes.

Every other court up until now has upheld DoMA. That means if similar cases are heard in other federal districts, those courts may or may not respect this decision and this injunction. They may instead choose to follow their own precedent, creating conflict in federal law.

For the sake of clarity and for the sake of defending an act of Congress, of course the President has to appeal.

His bank account…..change he can believe in !

Ding.

No, he does not have to appeal.

So typical of Obama. In terms of hypocrisy and bullsh*t he’s right up there with the best. And they wonder why there’s an enthusiasm gap? They must be on drugs or living in a fantasy bubble world.

It’s become the standard m.o. for the ruling caste. How dare those unwashed heathens criticize me/us? You can hear it in the scornful, patronizing way that Tweety and O’Donnell address their own viewers, you can see it in the naked arrogance when a politician or candidate tells a bald faced lie, despite a contrary statement being on record. It’s what happens when the ruling bubble becomes too impenetrable and when the media assists them with the propaganda.

Someone reconstructng Roman history? Will GWB be refashioned as America’s greatest statesman one day as well?

Here’s the Nero I know.

He is known for a number of executions, including those of his mother and stepbrother.

He is also infamously known as the emperor who “fiddled while Rome burned”, and as an early persecutor of Christians

The U.S. public by and large is willing to let it’s workers be sacrificed on the alter of unregulated corporate capitalism. Watching ABC’s Nightline last night, first time in years, you would have thought the U.S. was behind the entire rescue operation.

I keep looking at those stories and thinking no way a mine operator in this country would spend that kind of money and go to that kind of effort to rescue people and no way would the government force them to. We already know that rather than being arrested, the people responsible for environmental disasters here are instead granted the power to arrest and harass others who have the temerity to question their response or the scale of the disaster.

No, the President does not “have to” appeal in the same sense that he doesn’t “have to” take any executive action not specifically mandated by law. He doesn’t “have to” take his obligations to act as Commander-in-Chief seriously either, and neither Congress nor the courts could force him to.

It is his job though. He is supposed to defend and execute the laws as written.

But but but, it must be the U.S. that is responsible for the rescue. The U.S.A. is the best. No one else can accomplish anything.

Vomit.

No, it is not his job to defend every law that was ever written.

The corporate media seems to have adopted a combination of Goebbels’ propaganda skills and the Soviet Union’s methods to disseminate the propaganda.

Here, those responsible for the BP oil spill control the media spotlight, restrict access to the crime scene, and oversee the distribution of damage payments to the afflicted.

Right. I’m surprised the corporate media didn’t dub in the Chilean rescue workers, family and bystanders all chanting in unison, “USA, USA, USA…………..

Obviously the corp media, in the process of becoming propaganda mouths for the PTB, have been dumbed down. They aren’t clever enough to figure out something like you suggest.

Isn’t that the truth!

Soviet Union’s methods to disseminate the propaganda.

And do not forget the “suiciding” of the dissenters.

Yes, you’re right, the President should execute the laws, except he should entirely avoid arguing the legality of those laws in court as soon as any district court anywhere in the country gives him a particularly favorable ruling. Nevermind the fact that district court has no actual authority outside its own district, and every other court in every other district has reached an opposite conclusion.

He should leave the law in limbo, or let there be a special law for just this district in Massachusetts. That makes sense.

Turned on the Today Show this a.m. to see the rescue operation and the lead story being pushed by Matt Lauer and crew was the question, “With the separation of Courtney Cox and David Arquette are “Cougars” an endangered species?” Inquiring minds really want to know.

Why do you bother with that drivel?

Am I to assume that you disagree with the judge’s ruling?

Can’t help but wonder that if a Federal Court had ruled that slavery was unconstitutional if the Lincoln administration would have appealed?

Curious to see “coverage” of the rescue efforts. First time I’ve turned it on in years. Was not surprised, however, that it had become even more shallow and banal than when I stopped watching. Just another tool for keeping the public distracted and dumbed down.

Silly you. That’s so 19th century.

The Defense of Marriage Act is abominable and it enshrines in United States law the permanent status of not full citizenship for tens of millions of Americans. Obama, by defending it, is not only showing contempt for his base but he is showing contempt and diregard for equal protection under the law.b Obama is a homophobe. Period.

No, I like the DoMA decision. But the decision needs to be confirmed by the appellate courts. One isolated district court decision counts for little. As for the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell decision, that’s legally wrong, IMO. Congress clearly has the right to regulate the military under the Constitution, but they don’t have the right to interfere with state marriage law or let states refuse recognition of other states’ laws (that’s part of the federal system).

I’m saying no President should just leave a decision like this at the district court level. If they don’t appeal, then the First Circuit can’t hear it and issue a much more important legal precedent. Plus, it is customary for presidents to at least make a half-assed effort to defend laws, even if they dislike them. It is part of the legal culture of our country.

Yeah, there are other options for actual news coverage. I was just curious why you thought that the Today Show might be a good source is all.

I thought that was the century that serves as the model for the Republican’s vision for the U.S..

but they don’t have the right to interfere with state marriage law.

Of course they do! We fought a civil war over states’ rights, (specifically the “right” to hold people as chattel property). States’ rights lost.

Unfortunately, in this case, they do, because the judge massively overreached:

There is, however, a distinction between having the authority to declare the DADT policy unconstitutional on its face, which Judge Phillips has done, and the further power to immediately force the entire US military worldwide to stop enforcing the policy, which Judge Phillips has now also done.

Having every district court judge in the country with that kind of injunctive authority over military function is likely unacceptable to any administration, and will be for the Obama Administration. It has only grown to this absurd point through the fantastical overreaching of the LCRs and, now, Judge Phillips. They have gone a bridge too far.

And that is the problem here, by wildly overreaching, Judge Phillips has given the White House/Executive Branch legitimate and compelling grounds to appeal that are separate from the critical merits issue of the constitutionality and propriety of DADT, which is a discriminatory and loathsome policy and should be terminated immediately.

In this regard, a grave disservice has been done by Phillips to the cause of elimination of DADT. I think the DOJ has to appeal and seek stay, and will unfortunately do just that. Phillips root determination of unconstitutionality combined with a compelling injunctive order limited to her jurisdiction would have been a very powerful stick in the eye of a recalcitrant White House and would have forced them to act, or not act, on the merits and expose themselves as either true to their word on elimination of DADT or craven impostors. But now there are powerful side issues injected, and even I have issue with the posture the case is now in. And I am livid that it gives the duplicitous on DADT Obama White House something to hide behind when they deserve to be exposed.

Only the Gilded Age part.

Can someone, anyone, tell me why this administration continues to defend the DADT? I understand the admin. is obligated to defend a law passed by congress, but they’re also NOT obligated to defend the law…

And do you think for a moment that if the judge overreached in favor of the gubbmint that any appeal would be successful?

I’ve been wondering why no media has made the comparison to the 29 that died in WV.
These guys in Chile, all of them, survived because they were able to make it to a safe place.
If the Massey mine had been operating by the rules, those 29 men may still be alive

That’s why teevee is going the way of the aardvark, the auk, and the dodo bird.

What 29 miners who died in WV? You mean the ones who have been flushed down the memory hole?

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

I don’t see anything in the oath of office about defending laws enacted by Congress. They seem to get around the Constitution restriction that provides that only Congress can declare war. We fight ‘em but I iirc FDR was the last president to ask Congress for a declaration of war. Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) doesn’t cut it in my book.

See Bmaz’ view of the ruling — the judge screwed up by doing a massive overreach that pretty much forces the DOJ to appeal. And Bmaz hates Obama with the flame of a thousand Luminous Blue Variables.

why no media has made the comparison

You’re begging the question. If that comparison is to be made, it will be in a Seminal diary or the equivalent on another blog site. The media that you refer to is worthless.

Geez! Someone’s always got to be the voice of reason!

And Bmaz hates Obama with the flame of a thousand Luminous Blue Variables.

Gettin’ there meself.

Did you actually read what Bmaz wrote? (And as I just stated above, B is not a fan of Obama. At all.)

Besides, DOMA isn’t a state marriage law, it’s a federal law.

I know, I know, reflexive automatic vitriol spraying is so much more fun.

Massey would have then allowed them to die rather than spend the money to save them and after the BP disaster, I have to believe that the Obama administration would have let Massey have it’s way and tell us all that, sadly, they HAD to let those people die because they were just too deep to save….

Indeed. It’s one thing to say “Congress violated the Fourteenth Amendment when it passed DADT”, and I enjoin the military from applying DADT to these litigants. It’s another to say “I enjoin all military officials everywhere in the globe from enforcing this policy to all litigants, even those over which I have no jurisdiction.”

If the judge couldn’t hear a case involving a violation of her injunction, she shouldn’t issue it. She’s acting beyond the boundaries of her authority. She’s basically issued an injunction telling the military and all its officers what they must do, and she has no means whatsoever of enforcing that.

Courts hear cases from litigants they have jurisdiction over. They don’t issue blanket orders that have nothing to do with any case whatsoever.

The problem is that the judge’s order puts states’ rights over Federal law, as Bmaz (who again is no fan of Obama) points out. And no administration will countenance that, even if they weren’t already predisposed to uphold the law the judge is trying to strike down.

Yes. In fact, it actually probably hurts the cause of overturning DADT in the courts. Even I, who knows bupkis about the law, can see that.

okay. I’ll accept that from a bmaz or a GG

so why aren’t they employing their mad communication skillz to explain that ?
surely these branding/messaging geniuses could come up with something

Good morning pups,

…and to insure future mine safety we will turn exclusively to mountain-top removal. /s

Well yes, DoMA is a federal law. But it basically says, “states, you may ignore any federal law that seems to suggest you give full faith and credit to other states’ gay marriages.” Except the Constitution specifically requires states to give full faith and credit to each others’ laws, i.e. New York should try as much as possible to respect the laws of New Jersey. That had always been interpreted to mean New York must recognize the status of marriage, e.g. conferred by New Jersey on its citizens.

DoMA is noxious because Congress basically said a section of the Constitution doesn’t mean what it says, and the courts went along with that.

You know there are other options. I know there are other options but sadly, tens of millions of Americans think the corporate media is the only source of “news.” I disagree with the ghostof911 that the “news” shows are headed for extinction. The plutocracy/ruling elites will never allow the corporate media to become extinct. It’s too important a tool for indoctrination and control of the citizenry’s world view.

Off to swim in the great capitalist cesspool.

US KIA Afghanistan: 1,329

US KIA Irak: 4,425

Iraki, Afghan and Pakistani casualties: estimates vary to over 1.5M

US MBS 2010: 35,340 and counting

Tam Lin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guFZkLxYM60

Be good to yourselves, and all other living things

Namaste

Before I go I just want to add this.

I served in the USAF. And I’m sure there are times when I showered with gay men, slept in barracks with gay men, I marched, drilled and trained with gays, male and female. During my time in the service, I never once was propositioned, molested or ogled by the gays I served with.

I would trust my life and my safety with any of the many men and women I served with gay or straight.

It’s time we got over these foolish obsessions with other peoples sex lives, it’s nobody else’s business.

you seem to be confusing “arguing the legality of” and “defending” laws with appealing judicial decisions. Obama already did argue the legality of and make a “half-assed defense” of DOMA. He LOST.

Now, I do understand that you want the decision appealed in order to have the result apply to more than just MA. Married same-sex couples in MA may not agree with you. They may not want to take the chance of losing at the next level. They may prefer to have other states file their own suits modeling their arguments after those used successfully in MA.

Do you also propose that the Prop 8 victory in CA be appealed all the way to the Supreme Court and put the rights of same-sex couples in CA in jeopardy in order to get a national decision.

But, you know the idiots who oppose repeal of DADT would argue that the only reason you weren’t propositioned during your career was because of DADT. And, that once removed, teh gays will feel free swish around, proposition and harass you with no fear of consequences. You know, because that’s just how they behave in their jobs outside of the military. Bigots are bigots and they are NOT going to be swayed by facts.

I don’t know, Obama sure let that corrupt judge in LA stop the drilling moratorium…at least for awhile, didn’t he?
I guess it depends on what the issue is.

I agree with you. The way it’s looking, with the Federal government so corrupt, anything is going to have to be done state by state.
That’s why I’m way more interested in THIS election than 2012

FWIW, my roommate was all praising of the Chilean miners rescue mainly because there was a US citizen who assisted with the rescue effort (some sort of drilling expert), which is nice. My roommate is a decent person and votes trad Democratic and has some liberal leanings. But she is an adamant Team USA USA USA cheerleader. She started burbling about how Team USA is always the ONLY nation that does “such good work” in disasters like the Chilean mine situation.

I then asked her what she thought about the Massey mine disaster in WV earlier this year and all the lives that were lost… and how Massey barely got tapped on the wrist. It sort of stopped her cheerleading for a second or two, and I could see her brain ticking over trying to remember the disaster in question (as eCHAN said: down the memory hole for sure). She really didn’t have a response, but then flipped back to Team USA USA USA cheerleading about the Chilean mine.

Most citizens – no matter how they vote – are thoroughly brainwashed these days IMHO. And Dem voters become very very defensive when the truth is revealed… and the “man behind the curtain” is pointed out. Very sad. SIGH.

I’m happy for the Chileans; very happy. It’s a spot of good news, and it’s nice that a US citizen could assist. So I’ll stick with that thought for a bit.

I saw the guy in charge of Plan B on CNN International this morning (well, it was morning in Paris). He pointed out that he was helped by a Canadian group in order to get the proper diameter for the hole — he was used to drilling 6″ to 7″ wells and the Canadians had the equipment/knowledge to expand the “pilot hole” out to 28″ or so.