Friday Reads
Posted: June 10, 2011 Filed under: abortion rights, Economy, Federal Budget and Budget deficit, fetus fetishists, Foreign Affairs, Hillary Clinton, Libya, Middle East, morning reads, religious extremists, Reproductive Rights, Women's Rights | Tags: 30th anniversary AIDS epidemic, Robert Reich, War on Rape victims, War on Women 30 Comments
Good Morning!!!
The news continues to be fairly depressing as news tends to be, but we’ll try to cover some interesting things today!
It’s really hard to believe, but we’re about to mark the 30th anniversary of the AIDS epidemic. All of us that came of age during that period have a lot of lost friends and stories to tell. Thankfully, AIDS is a manageable disease now. Unfortunately, too many people still don’t do what it takes to protect themselves. Here’s an interesting story of how Congress came to realize that we had a growing health threat on our hands.
Oddly enough, it was the specter of Republican budget cuts that led to the first awareness of the AIDS epidemic in Congress. Ronald Reagan’s budget director, David Stockman, had targeted public health agencies for massive cuts. A Waxman staffer, concerned about their potential effects, had gone to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta to do reconnaissance. CDC scientists were alarmed and predicted that the cuts would lead to an epidemic, although they imagined it would involve a preventable childhood illness, since Reagan had proposed cutting the immunization budget in half. Waxman was worried enough by what he learned to join with a Republican colleague, Pete Domenici, to protect the immunization budget.The epidemic came anyway. While in Atlanta, the Waxman staffer was told that he should meet with a doctor named Jim Curran, who had noticed an outbreak of an unusual and deadly pneumonia among gay men in Los Angeles. Today, Curran is renowned as the doctor who first raised the alarm among epidemiologists. But back then, he declined the offer of a congressional hearing to help direct research funding to his work because he was afraid that the attention would interfere with his access to a gay community that was fearful of the government (homosexuality was a felony in many states). “I’ll call you when I’m ready,” he told Waxman’s staff. Let’s pause here to note that before AIDS even had a name, members of Congress were aware of the disease and working to help.Curran called a year later. In 1982, Congress held its first hearing on what was now called AIDS, a field hearing in Los Angeles. A single reporter showed up. But eventually Waxman and a group of colleagues succeeded in drawing attention to the epidemic
Texas continues its attacks on women’s right to choose. It has revived an anti-abortion measure to omnibus legislation. It’s also continuing the Republican extremist attack on Planned Parenthood.
Besides the two health care provisions to privatize Medicare and Medicaid, the Texas House attached several anti-abortion amendments to the omnibus legislation: (1) a bill to “ban hospital districts from using local tax revenue to fund abortions, except in emergency situations — or else risk losing state funding,” (2) “limit the state family planning funds received by Planned Parenthood,” (3) force physicians who provide abortions to collect more data on their patients.
More Kind and Kompassionate Konservative philosophy comes from a Republican in Massachussetts who believes that any undocumented worker who has been raped “should be afraid to come foreward”.
Massachusetts GOP state Rep. Ryan Fattman has such contempt for illegal immigrants that he believes undocumented women who are raped should be afraid to go to the police. Yesterday, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported on Fattman’s incendiary comments, which he made while defending a controversial federal immigration program that many say will damage the relationship between law enforcement and immigrant communities. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) has refused to join the program out of concern that immigrants who are victims of violent crimes will be afraid to report them and seek help…
Representative Fattman supports deporting any undocumented rape victim who goes to the police immediately. That appears to be more important to him than preventing crimes and supporting victims of crime. Unbelievable.
Robert Reich continues to be an outspoken advocate for the unemployed and for a stimulus to correct the current economic problem. He accuses Obama of going over to the supply side fairy tale spun by Republicans. Yup, it’s not about more business incentives, it’s all about the lack of customers. He joins me and other economists who say it’s all about the Demand side right now.
Obama says he’s interested in exploring with Republicans extending some of the measures that were part of that tax-cut package “to make sure that we get this recovery up and running in a robust way.”
Accordingly, the White House is mulling a temporary cut in the payroll taxes businesses pay on wages. White House advisors figure this may appeal to Republican lawmakers who have been discussing the same idea. It would, in essence, match the 2 percent reduction in employee contributions to payroll taxes this year, enacted as part of the deal to extend the Bush tax cuts.
Other ideas under consideration at the White House include a corporate tax cut, accompanied by the closing of some corporate tax loopholes.
Can we get real for a moment? Businesses don’t need more financial incentives. They’re already sitting on a vast cash horde estimated to be upwards of $1.6 trillion. Besides, large and middle-sized companies are having no difficulty getting loans at bargain-basement rates, courtesy of the Fed.
In consequence, businesses are already spending as much as they can justify economically. Almost two-thirds of the measly growth in the economy so far this year has come from businesses rebuilding their inventories. But without more consumer spending, businesses won’t spend more. A robust economy can’t be built on inventory replacements.
The problem isn’t on the supply side. It’s on the demand side. Businesses are reluctant to spend more and create more jobs because there aren’t enough consumers out there able and willing to buy what businesses have to sell.
The so-called Gang of Six are close to releasing their budget ideas. They’ve shared what they’ve come up with so far with some members they feel may be responsive. Will it be enough to head off Republican calls for default on US debt?
Freshman Republican Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, who was in the meeting, said she was open to looking into any potential plan that would address the deficit in a serious and responsible way. She characterized the meeting as an update on the group’s progress.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) who is spearheading the group’s efforts with Chambliss was tight-lipped about the presentation and refused to take any questions or even vaguely describe the mood of the meeting.
“Do you really think, as somebody who’s obsessed about this that I’m going to do anything to screw it up now?” Warner said emphatically Thursday afternoon.
Even Dick Durbin, another Gang member and the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat, was coy with reporters after the meeting. The Illinois Democrat is typically quick to present even a basic line expressing optimism or progress made in the meeting, instead opting to playfully pretend with reporters he knew nothing about the group or the meeting.
“I can neither, confirm, deny or retract [anything about the meeting,” Durbin teased with reporters.
Aides on the Hill are quick to point out that lawmakers will talk more when things are going poorly and less when things are going well. Perhaps after a few weeks of uncertainty, the remaining “Five Guys” trying to forge a deal are close to one.
NATO has upped the ante in Libya by hammering Tripoli and directly targeting Colonel Gaddafi. Some countries are seeking to give access to the country’s frozen assets to the rebels. Many believe that the regime’s days are coming to an end shortly. Qaddafi is said to have ordered mass rape and to have handed out Viagra to troops. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in the middle east working with other nations to plan for a post-Gaddafi Libya.
But another U.S. official indicated there was a conscious effort by NATO military planners to target air strikes closer to where Gaddafi is thought to have been taking shelter — and the Obama administration is privately supporting the intensified strikes.
So, that’s a little bit of what I found is going on in the world. What’s on your reading and blogging list today?
peej
Carissa
ecocatwoman
mablue2
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
a Republican in Massachussetts who believes that any undocumented worker who has been raped “should be afraid to come foreward”.
god help us…of course is a green light to rapists who work with and over undocumented workers…and notice, nothing happens to rapist john, no rubbing of hands there …per usual
I’m having a difficult time seeing the difference these days between the harsh treatment of women in the developing world and these laws that keep popping up for consideration here in what should be fairly civilized states.
I am waiting to see the anti-women driving bill pop up any minute here. According to this nut, women should be raped and shut up. The fact that the Republican Party doesn’t speak up, is another reason minors are sold into slavery in this very country and why they are prosecuted and don’t have a SAFE HARBOR protection, they are children!
We are on a slippery slope right now. We are becoming Saudi Arabia. A country run by a book written a very long time ago.
Asshats.
Hillary 2012
Texas continues its attacks on women’s right to choose. It has revived an anti-abortion measure to omnibus legislation. It’s also continuing the Republican extremist attack on Planned Parenthood.
I believe the word attacks falls far too short of what’s really going on – there is currently a growing WAR on women in this country with Republicans in the lead and the Dems filling the audience seats.
Clearly we’re on our own here – and must expose them for what they are.
Shakestweetz Melissa McEwan
Deeky: FYI ladies — Rick Santorum has not wavered on his belief that you are less important than a fetus. http://bit.ly/jmIgcZ
The_Gambit Gambit
“Louisiana retains its status as the only state in the nation with an anti-evolution law on the books” http://bit.ly/jvASOy
sigh
The DJ is under 12,000 as I post this. That’s noteworthy. I’d say a lot of it has to do with the republicans and their plan to default on US debt plus the continued bad economic news with no particular solution on deck.
I know this doesn’t help….
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/06/10/china-official-its-too-late-us-already-defaulting/#ixzz1Oszh7Z3w
Hillary 2012
China has dumped
allits Treasuries over the last few years. That says a lot. Make that lots instead of all.Defaulting by letting the value of the dollar fall? Give me a break –that’s just tit for tat between the US and China.
Dakkat–Has China really divested of all its US Treasury notes? I thought they were beginning to unwind, but then I haven’t been following it that closely….
Yup, it divesting them … http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2011/05/16/chinas-treasury-holdings-1-14-trillion/
that means its holding lots of dollars however
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/06/09-0
Lots of Inconvenient Truths — Chemical Illness Epidemic in the Wake of the BP Blowout
EuropeanCourier The European Courier
ICC Prosecutor: #Gaddafi provided Libyan troops with Viagra to encourage rape j.mp/kz2a5F
I’m waiting to accept all these charges against Gaddafi — I keep thinking about the lies we were told about Iraqi soldiers tossing babies out their incubators. Once burned, twice wary.
It may be true; it may not be true.
Did the lies about Iraqi soldiers come from the head international War Crimes prosecutor? I don’t remember, do you?
The economy is so bad I had a dream last night that we took back every cent we’ve invested and had it in our bedroom and then didn’t know what to do with it. 😕
American #plutonomy: “the top 10% of U.S. households account for nearly 50% of all consumer spending” http://is.gd/X5cc4i
Wow! That’s amazing.
“the top 10% of U.S. households account for nearly 50% of all consumer spending”
50% of many US compaines revnue come from over seas…. so the top 10% here are buying 50 % here and much of the rest is gained over seas …..they really don’t need us 90% peons to buy anything( hense the jlack of jobs ) and now they want us to stop costing anything . In short: die
Are we non-wealthy being made…redundant? Soylent Green time?
Yes, they do want us to die. They don’t need us and we’re just taking up space and resources that they, the Exceptional Ones, think they deserve much more.
That is the point of Austerity.
Austerity=Murder.
You’d think if they really wanted to kill Gaddafi it wouldn’t be that hard. Maybe they should just use the same method as with bin Laden.
lol! …Gaddafi isn’t sitting in a tank ,…e,r I mean compound …until the time was ripe to help Obie get relected.. They don’t know where Gaddafi is exactly . We knew where bin Laden was and for years , hell I’m sure we paid for the compound .
CNN just spent 10 minutes on some comedian anti gay rant at a comedy club…wow what news!
The evening reads will be a bit late today. My family from Tampa is in town and we are all going to Lake Chatuge….catch ya later!
Uh oh. What’s considered “good” to these guys is probably very bad for us.
Police talked to a 17 year that had direct messages with Anthony.
“According to Congressman Weiner, his communications with this person were neither explicit nor indecent,” said the statement.”
I hope his spokesperson is correct.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/56740.html#ixzz1OvKVmcWD
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/56740.html
““I can neither, confirm, deny or retract anything about the meeting,” Durbin teased with reporters” . WHY THE HELL NOT? DON’T WE HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE PLOTTING? WHERE IS ALL THE MUCH VAUNTED TRANSPARENCY??
What a bunch of chickenshit assholes these jerks are. It is not anything for Durbin to be “teasing” about. It is wrong for them to be having these converstaion in private. They are deciding the future of our country. This is a turning point in America. And what comes out of all of these ‘negotiations’ will determine what kind of country America becomes. What kind of values will we as a nation espouse? Will we be a nation that cares for everyone or will we become a nation where it’s everyone for himself? Shouldn’t the rest of us have some say in that decision? This “negotiation” about more than one year’s budget. It is a decision point about national priorities and values from this point forward.
And they don’t want anyone to know what the hell they are plotting?SHAME on Durbin and Warner. Why do they think they are qualified to make these decisions without input from those it will actually affect? They know not one ordinary American citizen will approve of their outragous assault on the poor, old, young and weak. Durbin and Warner do not know as much as I do about what it is like to not take your kid to the doctor when she is sick. They do not know what it is like to decide between groceries and rent. They will never lose their house because of doctor bills or to a crooked banker. They are not representative of this country.
Why should they decide what becomes of Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security? They are not going to have to depend on those programs. I truly believe that if changes are going to be made to programs we have paid into for (most of our lives, it should be voted on by all of those who own that program. There are some things that are too important to trust to a bunch of sneaky rich bastards plotting behind closed doors. That is not their money. It is not the government’s money to do with as it pleases. It is my money, my Mom’s money and yours.
I am so gaddammed tired of thse from both parties acting like ordinary Americans are somehow stealing from the rich because we want what we worked for and were promised. I mean they say “entitlements” lke it is a dirty word. They try to shame people who worked all their lives and didn’t manage to get rich. I am tired of DC dirtbags looking down their noses at less furtunate.
We all know that they are talking to their corporate sponsors. They are talking to their wealthy doors. They are talking to lobbyists for the MOTUs. They just don’t want to talk to the rest of us. It is no big secret what they are going to come up with. It just offends me that they think they are pulling the wool over anyone’s eyes.