So James O’Keefe has another scalp. Apparently, Glenn Beck can call the president of the United States a racist on national television and keep his job, but if you’re an NPR executive who says the same thing privately about a bunch of nameless Teabaggers — you’ve gotta go.

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I saw Lee Baca speak last night at the “People’s Hearing on Defending Religious Freedom,” an event put on by the Southern California chapter of the ACLU. Baca will head to DC today for the hearings. Baca said that the only way to focus on the problem of extremist violence is to look at the statistics. “Since 9/11, 77 extremist efforts or attacks have been carried out by non-Muslim extremists in the United States,” said Baca. In addition, of the last 10 terror plots attempted by Muslims, seven of them have been thwarted by Muslims coming forward. “This is not a Muslim problem, it’s a people problem.”

In my last update on the Raymond Davis case, I suggested that it appeared that Davis would possibly be convicted for the killing of two Pakistanis on January 27 in Lahore before his March 14 hearing scheduled on the issue of diplomatic immunity. Tuesday, however, proceedings in the murder case were adjourned until March 16, two days after the immunity hearing. Other related developments include the granting of bail for Aaron DeHaven and discussions in multiple venues (see Scott Horton’s discussion in the video and this NPR story) of the increasing tensions between the CIA and Pakistan’s ISI that this case has exposed.

What you have to understand about this is that Republicans are frauds. They don’t want to cut the budget deficit, they want to cut programs that liberals like. Nothing we’re arguing over in this budget fight costs even 1/10th as much as the tax cut deal from last December. So Republicans will not want to broaden the conversation. That would mean they’d have to reduce subsidies to their favorite industries, or cut defense spending, or (gasp!) raise revenues.

Bradley Manning is accused of leaking documents that described serious flaws in U.S. foreign policy in an effort to start a debate that would lead to a more perfect union. This patriotism for America has resulted in him being denied due process and treated inhumanely — virtual solitary confinement for ten months and now forced nudity. The actions of the government are inconsistent with the rhetoric of President Obama and Secretary Clinton; and inconsistent with what the U.S. Constitution requires.

• Disunity among the Libyan rebels.
• Become an FDL Founding Member.
• Crazy Teabaggers upset someone called them crazy.
• The poor and the sick have it so goddamn easy in this country.
• Run, Newt – run!

Give the power to take away rights to the Secretary of Defense…you mean the name isn’t Orwellian enough?

Tom Jones — St. James Infirmary Blues, with Jools Holland and The Rhythm & Blues Orchestra.

Today is the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day: “a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women’s Day is a national holiday.”