From CNN
Washington (CNN) -- Two days before the deadline for a possible U.S. government default, President Barack Obama and congressional leaders reached agreement Sunday on a legislative package that would extend the federal debt ceiling while cutting spending and guaranteeing further deficit-reduction steps.
The proposed $3 trillion deal, which still requires congressional approval, brought some immediate relief to global markets closely watching the situation play out and a nation filled with anger and frustration over partisan political wrangling that threatened further economic harm to an already struggling recovery.
However, there was no guarantee the plan will win enough support to pass both chambers of Congress.
Democratic and Republican leaders in both the House and Senate were briefing their caucuses about the agreement on Sunday night or Monday.
Sen. John Hoeven, R-North Dakota, earlier told CNN that cuts to military spending were a final sticking point.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-California, told reporters that she needs to see "the final product" in writing before she can decide if she supports it.
Pelosi said she would meet with the House Democratic caucus on Monday to discuss the matter.
"I don't know all the particulars of what the final product is in writing and what the ramifications will be," Pelosi said, noting the measure will have an impact for a decade or more. Asked about the outcome, she warned: "We all may not be able to support it or none of us may be able to support it."
In the face of an August 2 deadline to get new authorization to borrow money or face a possible government default, congressional leaders and the White House were trying to complete the agreement that would extend the debt limit through 2012 -- a presidential election year.
Earlier, Reid's Republican counterpart in the Senate said the two parties were "very close" to reaching a deal that would bring $3 trillion in deficit reduction.
"We had a very good day yesterday," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, told CNN, adding that the two sides "made dramatic progress" in negotiations on a deal that would cut government spending and raise the federal debt ceiling.
Another Republican senator, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, later told reporters he expected a Monday vote on a compromise.
"It feels like they're going to finish the deal today and then we'll have the vote tomorrow," Isakson said, adding he supports the plan under discussion.
Democrats in Congress and the Obama administration agreed that progress has been made.
"If there's a word right here that would sum up the mood, it would be relief -- relief that we won't default," Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said on CNN. "That's not a certainty, but default is far less of a possibility now than it was even a day ago."
If Congress fails to raise the current $14.3 trillion debt ceiling by Tuesday, Americans could face rising interest rates and a declining dollar, among other problems.
Some financial experts have warned of a downgrade of America's triple-A credit rating and a potential stock market plunge. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped for a sixth straight day on Friday.
Without an increase in the debt limit, the federal government will not be able to pay all its bills next month. President Barack Obama recently indicated he can't guarantee Social Security checks will be mailed out on time.
In Afghanistan on Sunday, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen was unable to assure U.S. troops they would get their paychecks following the August 2 deadline without a deal. Mullen said August 15 would be the first payday jeopardized if the United States defaults.
Last week, a Department of Defense official told CNN on condition of not being identified that "it's not a question of whether, but when" military pay gets withheld if no agreement is reached.
Vice President Joe Biden arrived at the White House on Sunday morning, though no additional formal talks involving the administration and congressional leaders have been announced. A Democratic source told CNN on condition of not being identified that Biden was engaged in behind-the-scenes negotiations with both congressional legislators and the administration.
Initial news of a possible deal came shortly after the Senate delayed consideration of a debt ceiling proposal by Reid late Saturday night, pushing back a key procedural vote by 12 hours. When that vote occurred on Sunday afternoon, Republicans blocked a Democratic effort to end debate on the Reid proposal and move to a vote, extending consideration of the plan while negotiations continue.
The vote was 50-49, short of the super-majority of 60 required to pass.
Reid plans to insert a negotiated final agreement into the proposal once a deal has been reached. When it became clear that Democrats would lose Sunday's vote, Reid voted against his own plan in a procedural move to preserve the ability to bring it up again.
According to McConnell and other congressional and administration officials interviewed Sunday, as well as various sources who spoke to CNN on condition of not being identified, the deal under discussion would be a two-step process intended to bring as much as $3 trillion in deficit reduction over 10 years.
Some sources provided differing targets for the total, ranging from $2.4 trillion up to $3 trillion.
A first step would include about $1 trillion in spending cuts while raising the debt ceiling about the same amount. The proposal also would set up a special committee of Democratic and Republican legislators from both chambers of Congress to recommend additional deficit reduction steps -- including tax reform as well as reforms to popular entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security.
The committee's recommendations would be put to a vote by Congress, without any amendments, by the end of the year. If Congress fails to pass the package, a so-called "trigger" mechanism would enact automatic spending cuts. Either way -- with the package passed by Congress or the trigger of automatic cuts -- a second increase in the debt ceiling would occur, but with an accompanying congressional vote of disapproval.
In addition, the agreement would require both chambers of Congress to vote on a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Such an amendment would require two-thirds majorities in both chambers to pass, followed by ratification by 38 states -- a process likely to take years.
Schumer told CNN that a main sticking point still under discussion was the trigger mechanism of automatic spending cuts in case Congress fails to enact the special committee's recommendations.
According to sources, cuts in the trigger mechanism would be across-the-board, including Medicare and defense spending, to present an unpalatable alternative for both parties in the event Congress fails to pass the special committee's proposal.
"You want to make it hard for them just to walk away and wash their hands," Gene Sperling, the director of Obama's National Economic Council, told CNN. "You want them to say, if nothing happens, there will be a very tough degree of pain that will take place."
Preliminary reaction showed sensitivity to that pain. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, said the automatic spending cuts under a trigger mechanism should not affect Medicare benefits for senior citizens.
"The way we understand it's going to be worded is it does not affect beneficiaries. It would affect providers and insurance companies," Levin said. "That should be the case, because if it hits beneficiaries, you're going to lose lots of Democratic votes."
Meanwhile, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton, an aide to former Republican President George W. Bush, warned that automatic spending cuts for the military under the trigger would put national security at risk.
"By exposing critical defense programs to disproportionate cuts as part of the 'trigger mechanism,' there is a clear risk that key defense programs will be hollowed out," Bolton said in a statement.
Overall, the agreement under discussion would increase the debt limit in two stages, both of which would occur automatically -- a key Democratic demand that would prevent a repeat of the current crisis before the next election.
McConnell, who appears to have become the lead Republican negotiator, said he is "very, very close to being able ... to recommend to my members that this is something that they ought to support."
The deal will not include tax increases, McConnell added, expressing a key demand of Republicans. Obama has pushed for a comprehensive approach that would include additional tax revenue as well as spending cuts and entitlement reforms to reduce budget deficits.
Reid, D-Nevada, said Saturday night that the delay in considering his proposal was additional time for negotiations at the White House.
His announcement capped a day of sharp partisan voting in the House and extended talks behind closed doors between congressional and administration officials. Concern continued to grow that Congress will fail to raise the nation's debt ceiling in time to avoid a potentially devastating national default this week.
Earlier Saturday, the Republican-controlled House rejected Reid's plan -- partisan payback for the Democratic-controlled Senate's rejection of Boehner's plan Friday night.
House members rejected Reid's plan in a 246-173 vote. Most Democrats supported the measure; every Republican voted against it.
For their part, Republicans continued to trumpet Boehner's proposal. The measure won House approval Friday, but only by a narrow margin after a one-day delay during which the speaker was forced to round up support from wary tea party conservatives.
Boehner's deal with conservatives -- which added a provision requiring congressional approval of a balanced budget amendment in order to raise the debt limit next year -- was sharply criticized by Democrats, who called it a political nonstarter.
Democratic leaders vehemently object not only to the balanced budget amendment, but also the GOP's insistence that a second debt ceiling vote be held before the next election. They argue that reaching bipartisan agreement on another debt ceiling hike during an election year could be nearly impossible, and that short-term extensions of the limit could further destabilize the economy.
Leaders of both parties now agree that any deal to raise the debt ceiling should include long-term spending reductions to help control spiraling deficits. But they have differed on both the timetable and requirements tied to certain cuts.
Boehner's plan proposed generating a total of $917 billion in savings while initially raising the debt ceiling by $900 billion. The speaker has pledged to match any debt ceiling hike with dollar-for-dollar spending cuts.
His plan would require a second vote by Congress to raise the debt ceiling by a combined $2.5 trillion -- enough to last through the end of 2012. It would create a special congressional committee to recommend additional savings of $1.6 trillion or more.
Any failure on the part of Congress to enact mandated spending reductions or abide by new spending caps would trigger automatic across-the-board budget cuts.
The plan also calls for congressional passage of a balanced budget amendment before the second vote to raise the debt ceiling.
Reid's plan, meanwhile, would reduce deficits over the next decade by $2.4 trillion and raise the debt ceiling by a similar amount. It includes $1 trillion in savings based on the planned U.S. withdrawals from military engagements in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Reid's plan also would establish a congressional committee made up of 12 House and Senate members to consider additional options for debt reduction. The committee's proposals would be guaranteed by a Senate vote with no amendments by the end of the year.
In addition, it incorporates a process based on a proposal by McConnell that would give Obama the authority to raise the debt ceiling in two steps while providing Congress the opportunity to vote its disapproval.
Among other things, Reid has stressed that his plan meets the key GOP demand for no additional taxes. Boehner, however, argued last week that Reid's plan fails to tackle popular entitlement programs such as Medicare, which are among the biggest drivers of the debt.
A recent CNN/ORC International Poll reveals a growing public exasperation and demand for compromise. Sixty-four percent of respondents to a July 18-20 survey preferred a deal with a mix of spending cuts and tax increases. Only 34% preferred a debt reduction plan based solely on spending reductions.
According to the poll, the public is sharply divided along partisan lines; Democrats and independents are open to a number of different approaches because they think a failure to raise the debt ceiling would cause a major crisis for the country. Republicans, however, draw the line at tax increases, and a narrow majority of them oppose raising the debt ceiling under any circumstances.
Bout fucking time! And to all you 535 members of Congress, vote yes!
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Sunday, July 31, 2011
The epic defeat of "The Undefeated."
You know sometimes an image is almost all that you need to make your point.
This film was doomed from the start, which anybody who was really in Alaska, and knew about Sarah Palin's time as governor, could have easily predicted. In fact I do believe that I did.
However besides simply indicating how bad this movie was, it is also an indication of how truly inconsequential the Palin-bots have become. After all they both begged and threatened people to get them to go see this film, and virtually NOBODY responded.
It is very hard NOT to see this as a dry run for Palin's Presidential campaign.
If she does declare in September I have little doubt that the result will look very much like the box office results pictured above. In other words, in the immortal words of my daughter, it will be another EPIC FAIL!
(H/T to Box Office Mojo.)
Update: It looks like Malia wrote something about this as well.
Alaska militia member, Coleman Barney, denied bail. Whew!
One of the things that fumbled Barney's chances for bail was something for which he isn't even charged, dating back to events that took place late one night last November outside a Fairbanks television studio. Cox had a scheduled appearance at the building and felt he needed security, with Barney in charge. The detail involved about a half dozen, armed militia members patrolling the block, blocking access and turning citizens away. Some of the guards, including Barney, who also had with him an anti-personnel riot control device – a burst of rubber bullets that could be deployed via a grenade launcher, stood watch along the perimeter in the shadows. The judge found the operation, which Barney spoke about on the stand, troubling.
"The defandant's activities in regard to a 'security detail' for co-defendant Francis Schaeffer Cox indicated a very substantial danger to the safety of other persons and the community and, in particular, a willingness to use assaultive behavior illegally to prevent the lawful arrest of another," Judge Bryan wrote.
Well THAT is certainly good news. I know that there were some people who were pretty worried about Barney getting out.
By the way it certainly did not help to have Coleman Barney take the stand in his own defense.
Barney admitted that -- like many Americans involved in the tea party movement -- he's worried about the direction of the country. But Barney said he advocated change through nonviolence. He said he believed that change could be achieved through education, through holding law enforcement accountable to the Alaska and U.S. constitutions, and through the legislative process.
"Everything I have been pushing for has been of peaceful means," he said.
He helped set up the Second Amendment Task Force, aimed at protecting gun rights, and the Liberty Bell Network, designed to provide citizens a witness network to unlawful search and seizure. And the efforts, he said, have already paid off, citing a new state law (A.S. 44.99.500) that legalizes silencers and other weapons.
If such items are made in Alaska, they are none of the federal government's business, Barney said.
When it came to alleged murder plots and anti-government loyalties, the Feds, Barney would have the court believe, simply got it wrong.
But on cross examination, prosecutor Steven Skrocki was able to get Barney to admit that he was, in fact, a command major in Cox's Alaska Peacemakers Militia. And Barney also said that, if necessary, he was also prepared to kill, though he said only as last resort.
Just to bring you up to speed the individuals that Coleman was admitting he was prepared to kill were Federal agents which the incredibly paranoid Schaeffer Cox had convinced himself, and his friends, were out to kill him.
I think this should serve as a wake up call for those who are still laboring under the assumption that the Teabaggers are not potentially dangerous, or not associated with any violent extremists.
By the way I have been hearing some rather interesting tidbits of information from my sources that there are far more connections between Sarah Palin, Joe Miller, and Schaeffer Cox than have previously been brought to light. I am attempting to make headway on that story right now, and will keep you all updated once I get something really good.
Sarah Palin still does not get it
For starters, it was George Bush who signed TARP into law. He made this mess not Obama. 99.9% of people agree the debt ceiling should be raised. The reason the Republicans do not want to raise the debt ceiling is in order to impeach Obama since he does not get blow jobs from interns.
Why Mitt Romney would make a crappy president
Mitt had the worst job creation record in the country during his tenure.
Mitt also said his sons helping him get elected president was the most patriotic thing they can do.
Mitt also committed voter fraud
He is also a colossal flip-flopper who will say and do anything to get elected president.
Not a guy I want as president
Game - Belee Dat Lyrics Ft Lil Wayne
Fresh track for the return of Game for his new mixtape "Hood Morning (No Typo): Candy Coronas". One song samples Birdman and a fresh new verse from Lil Wayne in this new hype called "Belee Dat" which was captured first from the radio.
These Belee Dat Lyrics will be updated without any notifications. Belee Dat video recorded by Game is located above.
birdman
can you believe that?
can you believe that?
belee dat!
game
the way that paint drippin it’s gonna be a bloody summer
22 inches, all-red everything, that’s soo woo business
holla atchya 5 4 3 2 1 bitch in the coppet
and my knot’s sick – ill
i’ve got a million in my maze
red cardinal fitted, bitches feel me in the ?
red rubies in my watch and my chain
catch me in wade county, i’m the king like james
throwing the red flags like i’m charging on the play
tune – this shit retarded, i need a red helmet
and i’m all about my cake: red velvet
you can’t help it, gotta see what i got
it’s like ripley’s: believe it or not
you tell me
birdman
can you believe that?
can you believe that?
belee dat!
lil wayne
i’m a b, believe that
stop playing, i go hard, i go he man
young tune, break em off like a tree branch
putting you in hot water: tea bag
all-black maybach, part ?
http://latestvideolyrics.blogspot.com/2011/07/game-belee-dat-lyrics-ft-lil-wayne.html
and i just ordered your girlfriend some kneepads
can you believe the unbelievable?
bitch, i’m higher than venus. serena too..
yeah, game, holla atchya: soo woo!
young money bitch, we cold like two scoops
that bitch ?
gotta make them a believer
As you notice, we don't have the full precise Game Ft Lil Wayne - Belee Dat Lyrics. But if you happen to have some parts or maybe the full lyrics, please put it on the comment below or submit the lyrics directly. You can also suggest songs that are not in this blog yet.
Chevy Woods - The Drive Lyrics Ft Mac Miller
Fresh and first collaboration from rappers Chevy Woods and Mac Miller for this new song titled "The Drive". Mac goes hard in this, he always do in every song he's in.
These The Drive Lyrics will be updated without any notifications. The Drive video recorded by Chevy Woods is located above.
The full Chevy Woods - The Drive Lyrics is not yet available
Before you close this page,
You might want to spare some time listening to the video above.
We'll do our best to find it asap!
You can return to this page in a few hours to check if it is already updated.
You can also bookmark this page so that you won't forget the url
submit the lyrics or put it on the comment below.
Coming soon, an update on the progress of the "babygate" book.
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| Sarah Palin on March 26, 2008. Eighteen days before "birth" of Trig Palin. |
I will post it fairly early tomorrow morning because, and some of you may not be aware of this, IM receives more visitors on the weekdays than on the weekends. In order for the most people to have the opportunity to read what Fred has written I decided it would be best to post it on a day that saw more traffic so that I would not have people asking me over and over again about an update.
I think that most of you will be very pleased with the information, though for some of the more impatient ones it might be a little frustrating.
Just like with Joe and Geoffrey's books, there are ALWAYS new revelations which threaten to change the tenor of the book or delay its release. I learned long ago that patience is my best friend.
Speaking of patience, I should also let you know that there are many MORE revelations coming out about the Grizzled Mama, and her "Alaska mafia." Including one that I heard just the other day that I am hoping like crazy I can manage to prove, because even among the most jaded Palin watchers this one will be huge.
One thing I can share is that some, who are claiming to be in the know, are convinced that Palin actually WILL announce her candidacy during her speech in Iowa on September 3rd.
I remain somewhat skeptical, but as I have said before I would not put ANYTHING past this lunatic.
I know a couple of authors who would be thrilled if Palin DID launch a short lived, ultimately doomed campaign in early September. And I do have to admit that it would certainly bring more players into the "Sources for Gryphen" family.
I guess that would not be all bad now would it?
Update: I was just now watching Meet the Press, and sitting there with my plate of eggs watching David Gregory ask David Plouffe just WHICH bills the government will pay for certain if the debt ceiling does NOT get raised by Tuesday suddenly just pissed me the hell off!
So I would like to vent a little.
When the Tea Party was in its infancy and nobody was paying it much attention, the Koch brothers arranged for Sarah Palin to make appearances on their behalf and essentially, along with the spastic Glenn Beck, become the face of the Teabaggers. Because of her unrivaled name recognition she brought tons of undeserved attention to what was clearly a very unsophisticated astro-turf group of angry racists, who, over time, were polished with corporate money enough so that they were able to choose and back candidates who are currently holding our country hostage.
While that was taking place there were those who were working overtime to convince me to drop the babygate story because it was never going to "make any difference."
"Just focus on the wild ride story, Gryph. That will be enough to stop her if enough people hear about it. The babygate story just makes you, and ALL of us, seem like crazy conspiracy theorists."
Of course I refused, and as my reward I found myself isolated. I learned over time that journalists were steered away from me, for fear I would bring up"that crazy conspiracy story."
At one point I was so close I could taste it, to REALLY blowing this whole thing up. But I was sabotaged by those I considered my friends. In my personal opinion if I had received more support, and if others had worked side by side with me, Sarah Palin would NEVER have been able to provide the spark that the Koch brothers used to start the Teabagger bonfire.
So I would just like to take a moment to say FUCK YOU!
Fuck you for playing it safe. Fuck you for worrying about appearances more than truth. And fuck you for being a coward.
And while I am on this rant I would also like to say fuck you to those who wanted the babygate story all for themselves. Fuck you for driving people off of the net who were selflessly working to bring this story to the American people. Fuck you for chasing away sources who were timidly coming forward, until they realized that people might soon learn their true identities. And fuck you for damaging the reputation of good people because YOUR ego demanded that you get credit for EVERYTHING.
Okay I am done now. Sorry if some of you found that offensive or a little out of character, but damn I have been holding that inside for years.
The babygate story is NOT just about a mother protecting her daughter, or her family. It is MUCH deeper and uglier than that. And once it is really out there in the public consciousness, it should serve as the stepping stone to revealing all kinds of political manipulations and Faustian deals that might finally awaken a slumbering populace and get them to focus on taking back their country from the corporations and political fat cats who have held the reins of power for much, much too long.
And with that Gryphen steps off of his soapbox. Thank you for listening.
Bill Maher dissects Marcus and Michele Bachmann's (The indoor Palins) hypocrisy.
"Marcus hates government employees because sailors are so rough."
I loved that line.
It is possible that some of the Palin-bots have started to lose faith in their Queen?
The grass-roots group Organize4Palin isn't organizing a campaign for Iowans to write in Sarah Palin's name on their straw poll ballots.
Peter Singleton, the Iowa leader of the grass-roots group, which is unaffiliated with the former Alaska governor, told the blog Conservatives4Palin: "We are not even sending an email out to our mailing list in the state encouraging people to do so. We are simply not focused on this."
Singleton said the Aug. 13 straw poll isn't a priority because Palin isn't a declared candidate. But the group predicts she will announce soon that she's running for president, so Organize4Palin's attention is on the Feb. 6 Iowa caucuses.
"At that point, the campaign will begin in earnest for Governor Palin's grass-roots supporters in this state, and we will be ready when that moment comes."
This sounds like another rationalization to me.
It is hard to believe that a group of people that would pimp Palin's propaganda film as hard as they did (Only to fail in their effort to make it some sort of sleeper hit by the way) would allow this straw poll to pass without putting out SOME effort to get Palin's name on it, unless they realized that it would once again be another example of their idol returning to her usual place on the bottom of the list of GOP Presidential hopefuls.
And it is not like they don't turn somersaults every time Palin miraculously does well on a poll, because they do. So why skip this one? Especially since many of her supporters are under the impression that Palin will announce her candidacy during her big Teabagger speech in Iowa this September.
Could it be that they are starting to fear that WE have been right about Palin all along? Because eventually they will have to admit, at least to themselves, that we have.
Reason #77 not to vote for Sarah Palin for anything
Prisongate
Something doesn't appear to be right at the Alaska's Department of Corrections. Some of the events described below date from April 2008, but one of them is as recent as December 2008. I researched the issues quite fully and could not find references to any substancial changes in procedures or approach since the problems started. As a matter of fact, the excuses offered by the very people in charge suggest that there was never any intention to take any measures to address a number of grievances.
I have separated the issues according to the people responsible, to show the consistency in their responses to criticism. They are: Joe Schmidt, Commissioner for the Department of Corrections, Dr Rebecca Bingham, Clinical Director for the same department and Governor Sarah Palin, who's responsible for the appointments of heads of departments.
I must point out that what brought these issues to my attention was a brief article in the Anchorage Daily News about Governor Sarah Palin choosing Commissioner Joe Schmidt to be next in line to take the reins as governor of Alaska should anything happen to herself or lieutenant governor Sean Parnell. Sarah Palin and Joe Schmidt attended Wasilla High School together and she appointed him to the top job in the Department of Corrections when she was elected governor in 2006.
A comment on another article, (Stumper, by Andrew Romano, Newsweek) prompted some more digging into the problems faced by prison staff and inmates.
Posted By: akcorrec (October 8, 2008 at 1:33 AM)
"I am a female and work at Alaska’s only maximum security prison. Sarah Palin appointed a good buddy of hers to be our Commissioner of Corrections, Joe Schmidt. Joe Schmidt has deliberately made management decisions that have made our jobs, as correctional officers, more life threatening.
We tried going to Sarah Palin with our concerns but she wouldn’t listen to us. We then decided to submit a ‘no confidence’ vote in Schmidt. Out of the 733 correctional officers working in the state of Alaska over 500 of us voted. Out of those, less than 20 said they had confidence in Schmidt. The rest of us voted ‘no confidence’ in his leadership. This was unprecedented. At no time, before Schmidt was appointed as our commissioner, had we ever initiated a ‘no confidence’ vote in one of our commissioners.
Surely now, we thought, our governor Sarah Palin will hear and investigate our concerns regarding Joe Schmidt. That didn’t happen. Rather, she publicly said that she stood by Schmidt and that 97% of Alaska’s correctional officers are just a bunch of "disgruntled employees".
MRSA is running rampant in our institutions and we are deliberately being understaffed. Joe Schmidt is not only allowing understaffing but is actively encouraging it.
Prisoners with MRSA are being treated but not officially diagnosed with the bacterium. By not having cultures done, to determine the presence of MRSA, they are then able to be released right back out into the general prisoner population. If they were officially diagnosed then they’d have to be medically isolated. Consequently other prisoners and staff members keep contracting MRSA.
When a staff member contracts it, we’ve had two new cases in the last month and a half alone at my facility, they are told to "pin point exactly" where in the institution they contracted it. It’s a bacterium that can only be seen under an electron microscope yet we’re supposed to say exactly where we got it???
The department, under Joe Schmidt’s leadership, will not pay medical costs or reimburse leave time used, for any staff members that come down with MRSA unless they can prove that they got it at work. The very same place that contagious prisoners are being treated and then sent back home to their cells to expose every other prisoner and staff member they come into contact with.
We are also constantly under staffed. Rather than calling officers in on overtime, when we’re under manned, we’re left short handed. There are many officers willing to come in and work. All the department has to do is ask.
We also have mandatory posts that are never to be left unmanned. They are being manned by "phantom" officers. Which is to say one officer assigned to two posts. The officer’s name will be filled in, on paper, as filling in a certain post when in actuality he or she is working another one as well.
Twice, in the last year, we’ve had "man down" alarms go off in the facility and not enough officers to be able to allow anyone to respond to the emergency. By the grace of God, both times, the alarms were accidentally set off and no officer’s life was in actual jeopardy. But we may not always be so fortunate. When that happens, whether an officer loses his or her life to MRSA or a prisoner assault, we’ll be able to credit Sarah Palin and Joe Schmidt with murder."
Prisongate, in three parts.
Joe Schmidt
The Alaska Correctional Officers Association gave the state corrections commissioner Joe Schmidt a "no confidence" censure vote on Tue, April 22, 2008. ACOA union members voted 514 to 19 against Schmidt.
Overcrowded prisons, a drug-resistant skin infection being passed around the prisoner population and staff, plus a no-confidence vote for Commissioner Joe Schmidt are some of the problems faced by Alaska's Department of Corrections.
It is accepted that Alaska's jails are filled beyond capacity. But there are differing opinions about whether the state is doing enough to keep the facilities safe and clean.
There are more inmates than ever at Anchorage Correctional Complex. Alaska Correctional Officers Association, which represents officers, says the state is reducing the number of guards patrolling the jails.
Commissioner Joe Schmidt and his deputy commissioners claim the union is playing dirty to get more control over the department and its management. "I felt bullied," he said.
Schmidt claims he has made a lot of difficult changes since being appointed at the end of 2006 - reducing overtime, promoting rehabilitation programs, and pushing aggressively for ways to reduce costs and the state's staggering 60 percent of offenders who end up back in jail. .
Governor Sarah Palin released this statement at the time:
April 22, 2008, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin today expressed her full support for Department of Corrections Commissioner Joe Schmidt. The Alaska Correctional Officers Association voted today in favor of a "no confidence" measure.
"Commissioner Schmidt has my full support as he and his team continue to bring remarkable reforms to the Department of Corrections," Governor Palin said. "As Commissioner, Joe has emphasized recruitment and hiring new correctional officers, bringing 34 new officers on board in FY 2007 with an additional 43 authorized for FY 2008. Joe’s strength is his respect for the hard work and talent of his department’s employees, and his understanding of the role the department plays in protecting the public, while providing offenders with the opportunity to successfully return to society. Joe has my unconditional support."
Rebecca Bingham
Rebecca Bingham is the Department of Corrections Clinical Director.
MRSA is rampant behind bars in Anchorage. The guards say the administrators are not doing enough to keep them safe in the state's overcrowded prisons. They say the department won't acknowledge dangerous health issues, like constant exposure to MRSA, a difficult-to-treat staph infection.
But the Clinical Director refuted that claim. "Once they are in here, as long as the institution is keeping things relatively clean and the inmates and officers are washing their hands frequently, it really has a much lower level than the outside," said Dr Rebecca Bingham. She also said that although the DOC doesn't track cases of MRSA, she believes there are four unconfirmed cases of the infection.
The state says it is doing its best to keep the jails clean and safe.
A more recent case illustrates Dr Bingham's attitude to prisoners' health.
Joseph Alexie, an Alaska Native, died of tuberculosis on December 9, 2008, while held at Red Rock correctional center in Arizona. Alaska Department of Corrections has a contract with Red Rock to house Alaskan inmates. Although Joseph Alexie was in Arizona when he died, he was governed by the Alaska's department health standards.
"Occasionally villages will have an outbreak of tuberculosis where quite a few people get exposed and go on the INH treatment, but it is pretty rare in the United States for someone to die from it," said Clinical Director Dr. Rebecca Bingham.
Myra Colley, Joseph Alexie's cousin, had a different view."He kept going and trying to get checked up, but they kept sending him away telling him it was bronchitis, or this or that, and they were just giving him a wrong diagnosis every time, without really giving him any medical attention."
His family said no matter what his crimes, he should not have died behind bars from a controllable and treatable disease.
Though bound by federal laws not to talk about the health of specific inmates, Dr Bingham said that if they had known an inmate was that sick, they would have treated him. "Joseph didn't tell anyone he was feeling bad in time."
Joseph Alexie was set to get out of jail in June 2009.
Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin has been sued by a prisoner named Berry L Jack, who claimed he was raped for 3 days, treated at a medical facility, and then denied recommended therapy.
Jack brought the suit against Sarah Palin and Debbie Miller, Correctional Superintendent at the Mat-Su pre-trial facility, Palmer, on March 10, 2008.
Berry Jack's claim and amended claim contain the following passages:
"I was raped and beaten for 3 days while in the custody of the Department of Corrections. The Anchorage Sexual Assault Response Team and the State Troopers told the DOC that I needed extensive therapy. The answer was NO.
One mental health worker said to me: "Everyone needs a bit of a stiff dick stuck inside of them from time to time."
I made many requests for treatment and orders came down from Debbie Miller that the answer was no and for me to deal with it.
I wrote a letter to Governor Palin asking for help and her first letter said she supported Debbie Miller. On December 23 I wrote to the governor again and she turned the State Troopers on me.
On March 12 all my evidence court documents were destroyed by the DOC."
The outcome of Mr Jack's civil rights court case, June 2, 2008:
ORDER OF DISMISSAL
Berry L. Jack, a self-represented prisoner, filed a civil rights complaint, which
this Court screened as required under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(B) and 1915A.1 Mr.
Jack then filed an amended complaint, as permitted by the Court, but since that
time, mail sent to him has been returned to the Court, and Mr. Jack has filed no
notice of change of address.
It looks like, having made the effort to file a lawsuit, Berry Jack has gone missing while his case was being dealt with by the Court. It's very unlikely that anybody will go to the trouble of finding out what happened to him. Neither Sarah Palin nor Debbie Miller had to respond to his allegations.
***********************
It's interesting to note some similarities in the attitudes of these people in positons of power, as described above.
Joe Schmidt feels victimised and bullied, Dr Rebecca Bingham denies any responsibility for either case and ultimately blames a prisoner for his own death. Sarah Palin famously feels victimised all the time, denies responsibility for anything and is very good at blaming others for her mistakes, ill-judgement and shortcomings. (As seen in her dealings with criticism by members of the media.)
For people who constantly say that they are all about honesty and accountability, they seem to close ranks and collude to deny wrongdoing, suppress any attempts to verify the truth and are very quick to apportion blame to others.
These are the things that seem to define the ethos of Sarah Palin's office. After so many newspapers columns dedicated to Troopergate, perhaps some attention should be given to what, in my opinion, amounts to Prisongate.
**********************
This article appeared on my blog on February 28, 2009. Some readers expressed concern over the fate of Mr Berry Jack, so I did some further research and posted an update:
I found Mr Jack in the system after June 2nd. For court case details, click on link. Navigate through the tabs to find dates, etc. It seems, quite simply, that the prison authoritites couldn't find Mr Jack to deliver mail connected to his civil rights case, but they managed to find him when the time came for him to face criminal charges... he was sentenced to four years behind bars for second degree theft.
Something doesn't appear to be right at the Alaska's Department of Corrections. Some of the events described below date from April 2008, but one of them is as recent as December 2008. I researched the issues quite fully and could not find references to any substancial changes in procedures or approach since the problems started. As a matter of fact, the excuses offered by the very people in charge suggest that there was never any intention to take any measures to address a number of grievances.
I have separated the issues according to the people responsible, to show the consistency in their responses to criticism. They are: Joe Schmidt, Commissioner for the Department of Corrections, Dr Rebecca Bingham, Clinical Director for the same department and Governor Sarah Palin, who's responsible for the appointments of heads of departments.
I must point out that what brought these issues to my attention was a brief article in the Anchorage Daily News about Governor Sarah Palin choosing Commissioner Joe Schmidt to be next in line to take the reins as governor of Alaska should anything happen to herself or lieutenant governor Sean Parnell. Sarah Palin and Joe Schmidt attended Wasilla High School together and she appointed him to the top job in the Department of Corrections when she was elected governor in 2006.
A comment on another article, (Stumper, by Andrew Romano, Newsweek) prompted some more digging into the problems faced by prison staff and inmates.
Posted By: akcorrec (October 8, 2008 at 1:33 AM)
"I am a female and work at Alaska’s only maximum security prison. Sarah Palin appointed a good buddy of hers to be our Commissioner of Corrections, Joe Schmidt. Joe Schmidt has deliberately made management decisions that have made our jobs, as correctional officers, more life threatening.
We tried going to Sarah Palin with our concerns but she wouldn’t listen to us. We then decided to submit a ‘no confidence’ vote in Schmidt. Out of the 733 correctional officers working in the state of Alaska over 500 of us voted. Out of those, less than 20 said they had confidence in Schmidt. The rest of us voted ‘no confidence’ in his leadership. This was unprecedented. At no time, before Schmidt was appointed as our commissioner, had we ever initiated a ‘no confidence’ vote in one of our commissioners.
Surely now, we thought, our governor Sarah Palin will hear and investigate our concerns regarding Joe Schmidt. That didn’t happen. Rather, she publicly said that she stood by Schmidt and that 97% of Alaska’s correctional officers are just a bunch of "disgruntled employees".
MRSA is running rampant in our institutions and we are deliberately being understaffed. Joe Schmidt is not only allowing understaffing but is actively encouraging it.
Prisoners with MRSA are being treated but not officially diagnosed with the bacterium. By not having cultures done, to determine the presence of MRSA, they are then able to be released right back out into the general prisoner population. If they were officially diagnosed then they’d have to be medically isolated. Consequently other prisoners and staff members keep contracting MRSA.
When a staff member contracts it, we’ve had two new cases in the last month and a half alone at my facility, they are told to "pin point exactly" where in the institution they contracted it. It’s a bacterium that can only be seen under an electron microscope yet we’re supposed to say exactly where we got it???
The department, under Joe Schmidt’s leadership, will not pay medical costs or reimburse leave time used, for any staff members that come down with MRSA unless they can prove that they got it at work. The very same place that contagious prisoners are being treated and then sent back home to their cells to expose every other prisoner and staff member they come into contact with.
We are also constantly under staffed. Rather than calling officers in on overtime, when we’re under manned, we’re left short handed. There are many officers willing to come in and work. All the department has to do is ask.
We also have mandatory posts that are never to be left unmanned. They are being manned by "phantom" officers. Which is to say one officer assigned to two posts. The officer’s name will be filled in, on paper, as filling in a certain post when in actuality he or she is working another one as well.
Twice, in the last year, we’ve had "man down" alarms go off in the facility and not enough officers to be able to allow anyone to respond to the emergency. By the grace of God, both times, the alarms were accidentally set off and no officer’s life was in actual jeopardy. But we may not always be so fortunate. When that happens, whether an officer loses his or her life to MRSA or a prisoner assault, we’ll be able to credit Sarah Palin and Joe Schmidt with murder."
Prisongate, in three parts.
Joe Schmidt
The Alaska Correctional Officers Association gave the state corrections commissioner Joe Schmidt a "no confidence" censure vote on Tue, April 22, 2008. ACOA union members voted 514 to 19 against Schmidt.
Overcrowded prisons, a drug-resistant skin infection being passed around the prisoner population and staff, plus a no-confidence vote for Commissioner Joe Schmidt are some of the problems faced by Alaska's Department of Corrections.
It is accepted that Alaska's jails are filled beyond capacity. But there are differing opinions about whether the state is doing enough to keep the facilities safe and clean.
There are more inmates than ever at Anchorage Correctional Complex. Alaska Correctional Officers Association, which represents officers, says the state is reducing the number of guards patrolling the jails.
Commissioner Joe Schmidt and his deputy commissioners claim the union is playing dirty to get more control over the department and its management. "I felt bullied," he said.
Schmidt claims he has made a lot of difficult changes since being appointed at the end of 2006 - reducing overtime, promoting rehabilitation programs, and pushing aggressively for ways to reduce costs and the state's staggering 60 percent of offenders who end up back in jail. .
Governor Sarah Palin released this statement at the time:
April 22, 2008, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sarah Palin today expressed her full support for Department of Corrections Commissioner Joe Schmidt. The Alaska Correctional Officers Association voted today in favor of a "no confidence" measure.
"Commissioner Schmidt has my full support as he and his team continue to bring remarkable reforms to the Department of Corrections," Governor Palin said. "As Commissioner, Joe has emphasized recruitment and hiring new correctional officers, bringing 34 new officers on board in FY 2007 with an additional 43 authorized for FY 2008. Joe’s strength is his respect for the hard work and talent of his department’s employees, and his understanding of the role the department plays in protecting the public, while providing offenders with the opportunity to successfully return to society. Joe has my unconditional support."
Rebecca Bingham
Rebecca Bingham is the Department of Corrections Clinical Director.
MRSA is rampant behind bars in Anchorage. The guards say the administrators are not doing enough to keep them safe in the state's overcrowded prisons. They say the department won't acknowledge dangerous health issues, like constant exposure to MRSA, a difficult-to-treat staph infection.
But the Clinical Director refuted that claim. "Once they are in here, as long as the institution is keeping things relatively clean and the inmates and officers are washing their hands frequently, it really has a much lower level than the outside," said Dr Rebecca Bingham. She also said that although the DOC doesn't track cases of MRSA, she believes there are four unconfirmed cases of the infection.
The state says it is doing its best to keep the jails clean and safe.
A more recent case illustrates Dr Bingham's attitude to prisoners' health.
Joseph Alexie, an Alaska Native, died of tuberculosis on December 9, 2008, while held at Red Rock correctional center in Arizona. Alaska Department of Corrections has a contract with Red Rock to house Alaskan inmates. Although Joseph Alexie was in Arizona when he died, he was governed by the Alaska's department health standards.
"Occasionally villages will have an outbreak of tuberculosis where quite a few people get exposed and go on the INH treatment, but it is pretty rare in the United States for someone to die from it," said Clinical Director Dr. Rebecca Bingham.
Myra Colley, Joseph Alexie's cousin, had a different view."He kept going and trying to get checked up, but they kept sending him away telling him it was bronchitis, or this or that, and they were just giving him a wrong diagnosis every time, without really giving him any medical attention."
His family said no matter what his crimes, he should not have died behind bars from a controllable and treatable disease.
Though bound by federal laws not to talk about the health of specific inmates, Dr Bingham said that if they had known an inmate was that sick, they would have treated him. "Joseph didn't tell anyone he was feeling bad in time."
Joseph Alexie was set to get out of jail in June 2009.
Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin has been sued by a prisoner named Berry L Jack, who claimed he was raped for 3 days, treated at a medical facility, and then denied recommended therapy.
Jack brought the suit against Sarah Palin and Debbie Miller, Correctional Superintendent at the Mat-Su pre-trial facility, Palmer, on March 10, 2008.
Berry Jack's claim and amended claim contain the following passages:
"I was raped and beaten for 3 days while in the custody of the Department of Corrections. The Anchorage Sexual Assault Response Team and the State Troopers told the DOC that I needed extensive therapy. The answer was NO.
One mental health worker said to me: "Everyone needs a bit of a stiff dick stuck inside of them from time to time."
I made many requests for treatment and orders came down from Debbie Miller that the answer was no and for me to deal with it.
I wrote a letter to Governor Palin asking for help and her first letter said she supported Debbie Miller. On December 23 I wrote to the governor again and she turned the State Troopers on me.
On March 12 all my evidence court documents were destroyed by the DOC."
The outcome of Mr Jack's civil rights court case, June 2, 2008:
ORDER OF DISMISSAL
Berry L. Jack, a self-represented prisoner, filed a civil rights complaint, which
this Court screened as required under 28 U.S.C. §§ 1915(e)(2)(B) and 1915A.1 Mr.
Jack then filed an amended complaint, as permitted by the Court, but since that
time, mail sent to him has been returned to the Court, and Mr. Jack has filed no
notice of change of address.
It looks like, having made the effort to file a lawsuit, Berry Jack has gone missing while his case was being dealt with by the Court. It's very unlikely that anybody will go to the trouble of finding out what happened to him. Neither Sarah Palin nor Debbie Miller had to respond to his allegations.
***********************
It's interesting to note some similarities in the attitudes of these people in positons of power, as described above.
Joe Schmidt feels victimised and bullied, Dr Rebecca Bingham denies any responsibility for either case and ultimately blames a prisoner for his own death. Sarah Palin famously feels victimised all the time, denies responsibility for anything and is very good at blaming others for her mistakes, ill-judgement and shortcomings. (As seen in her dealings with criticism by members of the media.)
For people who constantly say that they are all about honesty and accountability, they seem to close ranks and collude to deny wrongdoing, suppress any attempts to verify the truth and are very quick to apportion blame to others.
These are the things that seem to define the ethos of Sarah Palin's office. After so many newspapers columns dedicated to Troopergate, perhaps some attention should be given to what, in my opinion, amounts to Prisongate.
**********************
This article appeared on my blog on February 28, 2009. Some readers expressed concern over the fate of Mr Berry Jack, so I did some further research and posted an update:
I found Mr Jack in the system after June 2nd. For court case details, click on link. Navigate through the tabs to find dates, etc. It seems, quite simply, that the prison authoritites couldn't find Mr Jack to deliver mail connected to his civil rights case, but they managed to find him when the time came for him to face criminal charges... he was sentenced to four years behind bars for second degree theft.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
I think this cartoon pretty much says it all about how the Teabaggers are screwing up our country right now.
If so feel free to sound off in the comments section.
Adult language will not only be allowed, it will be encouraged.
There really are two Americas and I will never, and I mean NEVER, relate to this one!
But I do have to say that there are several members of my family who would feel right at home listening to that prayer and watching those cars drive around, and around, and around, and around, and....well you get the idea.
Starting tomorrow
I will be profiling each of the candidates (declared and undeclared) for the 2012 Republican nomination for president. I will explain why each of them will make a crappy president
Bristol Palin addresses her bizarre weight gain during DWTS in her book of excuses and outright fabrications. Oh THIS ought to be good!
I actually thought I would never revisit the DWTS weight gain issue again, but Bristol's ridiculous excuse for why she gained weight on the show is too stupid to leave unaddressed. (I can't believe the Palins think they can say such outlandish bullshit and never get called on it!)
Here is the actual page from her book:
I know it is small and hard to read, but I wanted to give you an actual screenshot in case anybody thought I might be exaggerating. Below I have typed out the pertinent portions.
The ironic thing about this whole thing is that my critic was a self-described public advocate against bullying...as long as she agrees with the victims politics, I guess. After a prominent gay suicide, she went to the airwaves and criticized bullies...while at the same time publicly stating that a 135 pound girl like me was obese. But because I was already active and fit, the show's schedule wasn't new to me. I did gain five pounds over the course of the show, but I was still thinner than a lot of girls my age.
Bristol continues in the next paragraph:
So let me address this issue head-on. I'm not skinny and I'm not fat. I'm a girl like everyone else who lives in this era of airbrushed photos who's trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. And do you know what? I'm succeeding. Everyone talks about how strenuous the Dancing with the Stars workouts are, but they're nothing compared to any high school basketball practice. Though one contestant famously lost forty-one pounds, I have to assume it was because she was not too active beforehand. Because I was an active kid before I started, this show actually took my activity level down a notch. That meant I was not going to be seeing rapid weight loss. Which was fine with me.
Okay rather than simply pick apart what Bristol is saying I think I will let the pictures, which surely she knows are still available on the internet, do my talking for me.
First let me point out that the weight Bristol brought with her to DWTS was NOT the weight gain left over from having Tripp, as evidenced in his May, 2009 picture taken while she was promoting the Candies Foundation.
And as for her so-called athletic lifestyle before DWTS, Bristol did not attend regular school after the beginning of 2008, and was certainly not on any basketball teams since then. She went back for a short time and graduated from Wasilla High, on May 15, 2009. (Once again NOT participating in any organized sports during that time.)
And as evidence of her rather sedentary lifestyle (Or perhaps something else) here is Bristol in May of 2010.
So I think it is pretty well established that Bristol was NOT engaged in any rigorous sports activities directly before starting with DWTS.
Here is a picture of Bristol's very first rehearsal with Marka Ballas on September 2, 2010.
I am not going to make any disparaging comments about her weight, other than to say that for a nineteen year old she is NOT in what I would consider athletic condition. Anyone disagree?
So taking this rather out of shape nineteen year old and having her compete on what has been called "more of a weight loss competition, than a dancing show," one would logically expect Ms. Palin to start toning up and dropping some lbs.
But instead this is what she looked like a twenty six days after she started working with Mark Ballas on the dance routines.
And here she is in October.
And again in November, at the end of the show.
Now I am not going to claim I am an expert on female weight loss, but I WAS a personal trainer and I can tell you that what these pictures demonstrate is physiologically impossible. Unless Bristol has some very dangerous thyroid gland problem, there is simply NO reasonable explanation for this weight gain while practicing dance steps for up to eight hours a day. None.
And by the way, just to spike the ball a little here, DWTS also had as contestants gymnast Shawn Johnson, football player Emmet Smith, figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, basketball star Rick Fox, speed skater Apolo Ohno, just to name a few of the athletes that appeared in past seasons, and they ALL demonstrated an increase in their overall conditioning and a decrease in their weight. Are we to believe that THEY led sedentary lives before they started rehearsals?
In fact as far as anybody can tell, EVERY constestant on DWTS lost weight and got into much better shape due to the strenuous rehearsals involved, with ONE notable exception.
So Bristol perhaps you should have just left this topic alone, because bringing it up in this book is only going to have people talking about what they believe was the REAL cause of your bizarre weight gain on DWTS.
Here is the actual page from her book:
I know it is small and hard to read, but I wanted to give you an actual screenshot in case anybody thought I might be exaggerating. Below I have typed out the pertinent portions.
The ironic thing about this whole thing is that my critic was a self-described public advocate against bullying...as long as she agrees with the victims politics, I guess. After a prominent gay suicide, she went to the airwaves and criticized bullies...while at the same time publicly stating that a 135 pound girl like me was obese. But because I was already active and fit, the show's schedule wasn't new to me. I did gain five pounds over the course of the show, but I was still thinner than a lot of girls my age.
Bristol continues in the next paragraph:
So let me address this issue head-on. I'm not skinny and I'm not fat. I'm a girl like everyone else who lives in this era of airbrushed photos who's trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. And do you know what? I'm succeeding. Everyone talks about how strenuous the Dancing with the Stars workouts are, but they're nothing compared to any high school basketball practice. Though one contestant famously lost forty-one pounds, I have to assume it was because she was not too active beforehand. Because I was an active kid before I started, this show actually took my activity level down a notch. That meant I was not going to be seeing rapid weight loss. Which was fine with me.
Okay rather than simply pick apart what Bristol is saying I think I will let the pictures, which surely she knows are still available on the internet, do my talking for me.
First let me point out that the weight Bristol brought with her to DWTS was NOT the weight gain left over from having Tripp, as evidenced in his May, 2009 picture taken while she was promoting the Candies Foundation.
 | ||
| Bristol May 6, 2009 |
And as evidence of her rather sedentary lifestyle (Or perhaps something else) here is Bristol in May of 2010.
 |
| Bristol May 5, 2010 |
Here is a picture of Bristol's very first rehearsal with Marka Ballas on September 2, 2010.
 | ||
| DWTS first rehearsal September 2, 2010. |
So taking this rather out of shape nineteen year old and having her compete on what has been called "more of a weight loss competition, than a dancing show," one would logically expect Ms. Palin to start toning up and dropping some lbs.
But instead this is what she looked like a twenty six days after she started working with Mark Ballas on the dance routines.
 |
| Bristol September 28, 2010. |
And here she is in October.
 |
| Bristol in October, 2010. |
And again in November, at the end of the show.
 |
| Bristol November 23, 2010. |
And by the way, just to spike the ball a little here, DWTS also had as contestants gymnast Shawn Johnson, football player Emmet Smith, figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, basketball star Rick Fox, speed skater Apolo Ohno, just to name a few of the athletes that appeared in past seasons, and they ALL demonstrated an increase in their overall conditioning and a decrease in their weight. Are we to believe that THEY led sedentary lives before they started rehearsals?
In fact as far as anybody can tell, EVERY constestant on DWTS lost weight and got into much better shape due to the strenuous rehearsals involved, with ONE notable exception.
 |
| Bristol on the View November 24, 2010. |
 |
| Bristol at 32 weeks pregnant with Tripp |
Are you prepared for spiritual warfare in the United States? Well perhaps you are not, but many others are more than ready.
Prior to 9/11, the Taliban government in Afghanistan did not register very much on American radar screens, with one notable exception: when it blew up two colossal images of the Buddha in Bamiyan province in early 2001. But destruction of treasured artifacts isn't just limited to the Taliban.
There's a right-wing politico-religious presence centred in the US, but with a global reach, engaging in similar practises, destroying religious and cultural artifacts as a key aspect of its ideology of "strategic level spiritual warfare" (SLSW).
Until recently a fringe evangelical movement, warned against as deviant, "spiritual warfare" is rapidly positioning itself within America's mainstream political right. It's well past time for political journalists to start covering what this movement is up to.
As an example, leaders have bragged online about the destruction of Native American religious artifacts, which their twisted ideology somehow sees as a liberating act, promoting "reconciliation" between estranged groups of people. Critics, however, see it as reflecting an eliminationist mindset, while traditional conservative evangelicals have denounced the ideology as un-biblical. Some even claim it is actually a form of pagan practice dressed up in Christian clothes, according such artifacts a spiritual power that the Bible itself denies.
The ultimate goal is to replace secular democracy, both in America and around the world, with a Christian theocracy, an ideology known as "dominionism". The supposed purpose is to "purify" the world for Christ's return - again, strikingly similar to what the Taliban believe, but also significantly at odds with more common, long-standing Christian beliefs about the "end times", as well as the nature and purpose of prayer, and the roles of human and divine power.
This is a VERY informative article which touches on many of the same frightening themes that fans of Leah Burton, and God's Own Party, are probably already aware. The piece explores the New Apostolic Reformation, the Seven Mountains Mandate, the influence of Sarah Palin, and also lays out the three levels of Spiritual Warfare.
Ground level spiritual warfare is casting out demons from individuals. Occult level spiritual warfare is a confrontation with demons operating through witchcraft and esoteric philosophies (examples are Freemasonry and Tibetan Buddhism). Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare is the highest level, dealing with confrontation of territorial principalities that control entire communities, ethnic groups, religions, and nations.
Like I said the article is quite informative, however it is also a chilling read that might cause you one or two sleepless night. So take care.
Laura Ingraham blasts Sarah Palin's ghostwritten Facebook post. Seriously?
Conservative radio host Laura Ingraham, one of the high-profile certified non-moderates urging the GOP to support John Boehner's debt ceiling bill, leveled criticism at Sarah Palin during today's show for raising the prospect of 2012 primary challenges to House Republicans.
Palin published a Facebook message Thursday urging Republicans to stand firm on fiscal issues, adding: "Everyone I talk to still believes in contested primaries."
"Well, just, watch out, 'Everyone I talk to still believes in contested primaries.' God bless her, Sarah Palin's saying that in a message she put out," Ingraham said.
She proceeded to run through a list of conservatives who have endorsed Boehner's plan, quipping sarcastically: "I guess we're threatening, implicitly, explicitly, Paul Ryan, Col. Allen West, Mike Pence is gonna be out of the House of Representatives. He'll be the governor of Indiana. Maybe we can run someone else as governor of Indiana, to run for the governorship, 'cause Pence is obviously a sellout. Can I have the whole list of sellouts? I need the list so I can make sure I understand who's going to get the primary challenge."
"It's a very odd way to go about things if we have a common goal," Ingraham continued, urging tea party-aligned Republicans to seek a "real and meaningful" role — "not just, ok, I'm the spoiler here. I stood on principle, everybody else is impure."
"You can stand on that soapbox and it might make you feel good in the moment. It make might you feel good to put out these Facebook postings," she said. "But in the end, does it actually advance your cause? And does it advance the cause of fiscal restraint, which I think we all have?"
Interesting, it looks like Palin's scorched earth philosophy is not selling well with the people who have some rudimentary connection to reality.
After all Ingraham is pretty damn wingnutty her own darn self, so if Palin starts losing the batshit crazy crowd, she will end up simply standing next to an isolated lake in a remote part of the world talking to herself.
Though come to think of it, that is already kind of what she is doing NOW!
Only in the rapidly approaching future, nobody will bother to pay any attention to what the crazy lady is screaming into the chilly Alaskan night. Pretty sure Todd and her kids (Except Bristol of course) stopped listening to her quite some time ago.
Sarah Palin possibly responsible for Norway shooter
OK it's a bit of a stretch but lets talk about it anyway
From Firedoglake.com
Watching the international media on the web and TV change gears Friday, as information started to fasten to the fact that the worst terrorist act in Scandinavia since the 3rd Reich was perpetrated by a right-wing Christian zealot, was fascinating. This, rather than what people like Pam Geller, Daniel Pipes, Dennis Prager, David Horowitz, CNN, Fox News and many others were touting for hours as most likely an act of Muslim Jihad in a country that is way, way too liberal.
I was keyed into paying attention to how this meme might have to morph fairly early in the afternoon, by an item carried by Michael Rivero at What Really Happened, about the major event at the youth camp the day before the massacre:
During the second day of Labour Youth League summer camp at Utøya got the Labour Party’s young hopefuls visit by Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store.
Together with the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation correspondent Sidsel Wold and Norwegian People’s Aid Kirsten Belck-Olsen, discussed the Foreign Minister of the deadlock between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
As foreign minister arrived Utøya he was met with a demand from the AUF that Norway must recognize a Palestinian state.
- The Palestinians must have their own state, the occupation must end, the wall must be demolished and it must happen now, said the Foreign Minister to cheers from the audience. [automatically translated from Norwegian by Google translate]
That was an event held Thursday at the summer camp for the children of Norwegian liberals.
As the story developed Friday, almost every news outlet was quick to provide experts on Muslim terrorism and how that might have a growing negative impact on Norway and Europe. On Anderson Cooper, Friday afternoon, as he had his experts on Jihadism on camera, he was being told by another person – a CNN reporter – that the shooter, possibly the bomber, was a blond Norwegian. Cooper seemed to be taken aback, turning back to his Jihad experts, who were dismissive of the new information.
The bombing-shootings took up enormous bandwidth in our media machine until it came out that the alleged perpetrator has more in common with Sarah Palin and Alan Dershowitz than with Rachel Corrie or Furkan Doğan, both of whom have been labelled terrorists by Dershowitz.
As the end-of-the-week-in-midsummer stupor overtakes the media on a hot Friday evening in the USA, will they get around to trying to find out what set Anders Behring off?
The bombing had to be pre-planned, probably for some time. Was the pro-Palestinian event Thursday at the camp where over 70 were killed published on the web, facebook, twitter or somewhere else? Most likely. That may be what pushed this guy’s last button.
And just who created the group that fictitiously took credit for the massacres early Friday?
The ‘Helpers of Global Jihad’ group, of which al-Nasser is a member, made the claims in an email circular issued to various sources. The group does not appear to have any past history.
It is thought that the bombings are a belated response to Norwegian newspapers and magazines republishing cartoons of Mohammed originally published by Jyllands-Posten of Denmark.
I’m not about to go all conspiracy theory on this story. I am bothered, though, that the media was extremely rapid to ramp up the radical Islam run amok meme, yet so unready to deal with what is increasingly appearing to be possible – that the Christian gunman was impelled to kill liberals he may have felt were too sympathetic to Palestinians.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Lawrence O'Donnells' epic takedown of Teabagger, and deadbeat dad, Joe Walsh.
As a divorced father myself, who gladly paid my child support payments on time and in full, I share O'Donnell's disgust with Rep. Joe Walsh.
I cannot tell you how angry it makes me to hear politicians use children to make a political point while refusing to support policies, or social programs, that they so desperately need.
How could we possibly trust a politician who does not even care about his OWN kids enough to make sure they are well cared for, to help protect ours?
Having run out of theaters willing to show Palin's pathetic propaganda film, now her supporters have taken to showing it in their homes! Can we change the name of the film now?
 |
| Yet another hat tip to Azure Ghost, who I imagine NEVER thought her poster would come in this handy! |
Toni Hagen of Mason City will be hostess for three showings Saturday of a new political film, “The Undefeated,” which promotes former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
The film had its premiere in Pella last month with Palin in attendance.
Hagen, a volunteer with a grassroots effort called Organize4Palin, has an advance copy of the film for private screenings and will be showing it at her home in Mason City at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. Saturday.
I can hear Ms. Hagen's pitch now: "This film is the greatest celluloid epic in this, or any other, century. And if you don't believe me, come over to my house where I will be showing it on a white bed sheet tacked to the wall of my family room."
You know I wonder if the Palin-bots even take the time to stop and think before they put up a post like this?
I mean come on, you people are not even making this challenging for me anymore!
Update: Well now we know why they have to show the film at their teabagging neighborhood block parties. "The Undefeated" is down 60.5% at the box office this week.
I guess all of that begging and threatening was just NOT enough to get anybody to waste two hours of their precious life watching this steaming pile of moose shit.
Update 2: You know I think Palin might seriously be having a nervous breakdown. Check out this newest tweet:
@BarackObama you're wrong, threatening to throw seniors under the bus because you refuse to prioritize govt spending.Time to #womanup & lead
52 minutes ago via web
Does this lunatic REALLY believe that Obama pays even the slightest bit of attention to her?
You know I wonder if this is the first time that a person's psychotic episode was captured on Twitter?
Despite the rhetoric coming from the GOP not ONE current Republican candidate, or potential Republican candiate, has a snowball's chance in hell against President Obama in 2012.
In a side by side match up with each of the potential Republican Presidential candidates for 2012, essentially Obama eats their lunch for them according to Real Clear Politics.
Here is the breakdown.
Against Mitt Romney, who will surely emerge from the primary much more battered, bruised, and politically damaged than he is right now, President Obama polls at 4.3% higher in a potential 2012 election match up.
(By the way, Romney is in fact the GOP's best hope.)
Against Libertarian favorite Ron Paul, President Obama enjoys a 9.8% lead in the polls.
(But believe me the American people do NOT yet know about the racism, crazy conspiracy theories, and batshit crazy ideas. Once those come to light, Paul's chances shrink to somewhere between "slim," and his buddy "none.")
Against "Let God handle it" Rick Perry, President Obama maintains a very comfortable 11.6% lead.
(The thing about Perry is the farther away from him you are, the better he looks politically. But up close?)
Tim "TimPaw" Pawlenty is nowhere even close to providing a challenge with Obama leading him at 12.3%.
(You know I was going to write more about Pawlenty, but I kept nodding off. I understand that when sheep suffer from insomnia they count TimPaw's boring public statements until they fall asleep.)
Michele Bachmann is trailing right behind Mr. Ho-hum with the President enjoying a 12.4% lead over the batshit crazy, "pray away the gay" lady.
Now Jon "The other Mormon" Huntsman is trailing behind Obama by about 14%.
(You might as well get used to seeing the picture above, because if Huntsman looks like he is actually presenting a challenge to any of the other GOP candidates, you will see it showing up in third party TV ads over and over again.)
Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich share the seventh spot, both trailing the President with an embarrassing 14.7%.
(After over thirty years in politics, I can only imagine how thrilled Gingrich is to be tied with the Godfather's Pizza guy!)
Okay well that is just about everybody, and NOBODY (With the possible exception of Mitt Romney) has any real shot against our President in a head to head match up.
Wait! Somebody IS missing. (Oh my God, who could possibly be lower than 14.7% this early in the polling? They must have ZERO name recognition or something!)
In fact it is lower. MUCH lower.
In a match up with President Obama, everyone's favorite teabagging reality star, trails by a whopping 20%.
That's right Palin-bots, your idol trails the President by 20% and is in absolutely the LAST place on the list of potential GOP Presidential contenders for 2012, when it comes to viability.
You know somebody, the person's name escapes me right now, said that "2012 can't come soon enough."
I could not agree more.
(P.S. I just noticed that Santorum is not even on the list so I am guessing that he polled even lower than Snowdrift Snooki. Ouch, that has to hurt!)
Here is the breakdown.
Against Mitt Romney, who will surely emerge from the primary much more battered, bruised, and politically damaged than he is right now, President Obama polls at 4.3% higher in a potential 2012 election match up.
Against Libertarian favorite Ron Paul, President Obama enjoys a 9.8% lead in the polls.
Against "Let God handle it" Rick Perry, President Obama maintains a very comfortable 11.6% lead.
Tim "TimPaw" Pawlenty is nowhere even close to providing a challenge with Obama leading him at 12.3%.
Michele Bachmann is trailing right behind Mr. Ho-hum with the President enjoying a 12.4% lead over the batshit crazy, "pray away the gay" lady.
 |
| "I can't believe my numbers are that high. Maybe batshit is the new black." |
(You might as well get used to seeing the picture above, because if Huntsman looks like he is actually presenting a challenge to any of the other GOP candidates, you will see it showing up in third party TV ads over and over again.)
Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich share the seventh spot, both trailing the President with an embarrassing 14.7%.
Okay well that is just about everybody, and NOBODY (With the possible exception of Mitt Romney) has any real shot against our President in a head to head match up.
Wait! Somebody IS missing. (Oh my God, who could possibly be lower than 14.7% this early in the polling? They must have ZERO name recognition or something!)
In fact it is lower. MUCH lower.
In a match up with President Obama, everyone's favorite teabagging reality star, trails by a whopping 20%.
That's right Palin-bots, your idol trails the President by 20% and is in absolutely the LAST place on the list of potential GOP Presidential contenders for 2012, when it comes to viability.
You know somebody, the person's name escapes me right now, said that "2012 can't come soon enough."
I could not agree more.
(P.S. I just noticed that Santorum is not even on the list so I am guessing that he polled even lower than Snowdrift Snooki. Ouch, that has to hurt!)
MBLAQ - You and I Lyrics
MBLAQ - You and I Lyrics
Rising korean boyband MBLAQ has got a chance to take part of the upcoming drama "Scent Of A Woman" not as actors but as the ones who sang one of the original soundtracks. These is titled "You And I".
Romanized(latestvideolyrics.blogspot.com):
lala lallalalla lalalalla
lala lallalalla lalalalla
When I wake up morning
everyday neon nae style
niga cheongug-iya niga naui kkum-iya
You are something in my dream
neomu haengboghaessdeon neowanaui History
neowa naega cheoeum salanghaessdeon geujali
sometime in the morning
sometime in the everynight
I wanna hold you in my eyes
naege dagawa jullae
hanbaljjag dagawajullae wo-eoeo
niga hamkke handamyeon geulaejundamyeon sesang modeungeol dajundaedo
nan haengboghalkkeoya You are my sunshine everynight
salang-eun ileongeongabwa ige salang-ingabwa You and I
lala lallalalla lalalalla
lala lallalalla lalalalla
When I wake up morning
everyday neon nae style
kiss me in the morning
kiss me in the everynight
I wanna hold you in my eyes
naege dagawa jullae
hanbaljjag dagawajullae wo-eoeo
niga hamkke handamyeon geulaejundamyeon sesang modeungeol dajundaedo
nan haengboghalkkeoya You are my sunshine everynight
salang-eun ileongeongabwa ige salang-ingabwa You and I
haengboghan kkum-eul kkuneun geosman gat-eun
jeohaneul byeol-i nun-i busin ibam-e
neoege salanghandan mal-eul jeonhae in my heart
naege dagawa jun neol
hanbaljjag dagawa jun neol wo-eoeo
haengboghage haejulge usgehaejulge
naega nipyeon-i doeeojulge
nan haengboghalkkeoya You are my sunshine every night
salang-eun ileongeongabwa niga salang-ingabwa You and I
English Translation(latestvideolyrics.blogspot.com):
LaLa Lala Lala La La Lala
Lala Lala Lala La La Lala
When I wake up morning
everyday you're my style
You are heaven you are my dream
You are something in my dream
Filled with happiness was your and my history
That place where I was first in love with you
sometime in the morning
sometime in the everynight
I wanna hold you in my eyes
Can you come to me
Come to me one step at a time, woooah
If you'll be with me, If you'll do that for me, Even if I get everything in the world
I'll be happy You are my sunshine everynight
Love must be like this, this must be love you and I
LaLa Lala Lala La La Lala
Lala Lala Lala La La Lala
When I wake up morning
everyday you're my style
kiss me in the morning
kiss me in the everynight
I wanna hold you in my eyes
Can you come to me
Come to me one step at a time, woooah
If you'll be with me, If you'll do that for me, Even if I get everything in the world
I'll be happy You are my sunshine everynight
Love must be like this, this must be love you and I
Like dreaming a happy dream
This night where that star in the sky is shining
I give you words of love in my heart
You who have come to me
You who have come one step at a time, woahh
I'll make you happy, I'll make you smile
I'll be on your side
I'll be happy You are my sunshine every night
Love must be like this, You must be love, you and I
Submit/Correct "You And I" Lyrics by MBLAQ
Bei Maejor - Can't Believe Lyrics
Upcoming artist Bei Maejor releases a new song on his official youtube channel titled "Can't Believe" which he wrote that it will be from is maejorMaejor project.
These Can't Believe Lyrics will be updated without any notifications.
oh yeah
i can’t believe i can’t believe
i can’t believe i can’t believe
what i happened last night, i’m barely sober
i think i need i think i need
i think i need i think i need to come back time
the party is over.
there were ..drunk and girls in the back front
my voice that came .. sound cool
but the time of my life it all fell right
can’t believe we’re gonna do the same.
whether man cuff sunshine
i woke up drunk with the girl on my mind
i only think about the sometimes
i wish the teary come sun at least one time
whatever i take the seep is dumping ..and get busy
i hope this .. from the last night and give me right
i hope my cell phone start ..this shit is night
i guess is the same thing all the shit is ..like i wasted
faded really shit fasted
yeah this is my life i really wanna change it
we gonna fall out the party till we fall out
if you do the same holla, uh yeha
chorus:
i can’t believe i can’t believe
i can’t believe i can’t believe
what i happened last night, i’m barely sober
i think i need i think i need
i think i need i think i need to come back time
the party is over.
there were ..drunk and girls in the back front
my voice that came .. sound cool
but the time of my life it all fell right
can’t believe we’re gonna do the same thing ..
smashing i’ run like this ice tea
.. this mad cause they girl like me
i’m just tryin to live my life
straight ranges is the kind of shit that we like
you had a house party harder than the ..
neighbors bugging out they was knocking on the window
there was ..cute girls juicy at the
cups in the sky man pull me up a ..
oh oh here come the cops y’all
everybody got low
get everyyone who ain’t 21 about here
what you’re doing here
ain’t supposed to be wasted shit ..
yeah this is my life and i really wanna change it
we go heard love party to be fall out
if you do the same holla.
chorus:
i can’t believe i can’t believe
i can’t believe i can’t believe
what i happened last night, i’m barely sober
i think i need i think i need
i think i need i think i need to come back time
the party is over.
there were ..drunk and girls in the back front
my voice that came .. sound cool
but the time of my life it all fell right
can’t believe we’re gonna do the same thing ..
Submit/Correct these "Can't Believe" Lyrics by Bei Maejor
J-Doe - Coke, Dope, Crack, Smack Remix Lyrics Ft Busta Rhymes, David Banner & T-Pain
David Banner and T-Pain jumps on this J-Doe-Busta Rhymes collaboration with a deep beat song titled "Coke Dope, Crack, Smack". Pain gives us a dope verse in this brand new remix!
These Coke, Dope, Crack, Smack Remix Lyrics will be updated without any notifications. Coke, Dope, Crack, Smack Remix video recorded by J-Doe is located above.
The full J-Doe - Coke, Dope, Crack, Smack Remix Lyrics is not yet available
Before you close this page,
You might want to spare some time listening to the video above.
We'll do our best to find it asap!
You can return to this page in a few hours to check if it is already updated.
You can also bookmark this page so that you won't forget the url
submit the lyrics or put it on the comment below.
Song Information:
Title: Coke, Dope Crack, Smack
Artist: J-Doe
Length: 3:33
Type: Remix
Album: N/A
Genre: Hip-Hop Rap
Producer: N/A
Featured Artists: Busta Rhymes, David Banner, T-Pain
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