Pelosi
Defends Doctored Photo
A photo of
the 61 female members of Congress including the photo-shopped images
of four absentees was defended by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi
(D-Calif) who says that the altered image “more accurately
portrayed reality than the unaltered actual photo.”
“Sometimes
what you see isn't as true as what you should see,” Pelosi
explained. “Since we now have the technology to seamlessly correct
the official record it would be foolish for us not to use it.”
The
Minority Leader brushed aside criticisms that altering official
history in this manner recalls a practice used by the former Soviet
Union. “Just because the Soviet Union was disliked by many on the
American right-wing doesn't mean that everything they did was a bad
idea,” she said. “There could be very good reasons for erasing or
inserting certain persons in official photos. With everything being
digital these days modifying the record is simplicity itself.”
In related
news, Pelosi asserted that “one of the biggest problems we have in
Congress is that many of those in the Republican Caucus don't believe
in government. I'm not saying that they don't believe that government
exists. They just lack confidence that government is willing and able
to provide optimal solutions to society's problems. They persist in
the delusion that leaving individuals free to make their own choices
is better than letting government with its virtually inexhaustible
power and expertise decide what's best for the whole.”
Professor
Urges Constitution Be Abandoned
In an op
ed piece for the New York Times, Georgetown Professor of
Constitutional Law Louis Seidman asserts that “obedience to the
Constitution blocks implementation of measures those in a position to
know best want to enact.”
“The
heralded 'checks and balances' inflicted on us by this archaic
document stifle the beneficence of wise leaders like President
Obama,” Seidman wrote. “Unconstrained by the outdated philosophy
of the nation's founders, President Obama could easily bring a new
era of social justice to America and the world.”
Seidman
cited the imperfections of the men who wrote the Constitution as
grounds for rejecting their work. “The so-called freedoms of speech
and religion, the right to bear arms, and the idea of limited
government are the values of dead white males,” the professor
continued. “The women, minorities, and poor who were excluded from
participating then should not today be bound to respect them.”
Calling
the notion of individual freedom a “false consciousness,” the op
ed argued for “the more robust freedom of 'total democracy' where
society acting collectively can make and remake the rules under which
they choose to live. Why should the majority be forced to tolerate
the speech of a disruptive minority or be prevented from disarming
enemies of the state? Modern times call for modern ideas to supplant
reverence for the past.”
Retiring
Frank Wants to Fill Senator Kerry's Seat
Former
Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass) has offered his services to fill
Democratic Senator John Kerry's seat now that Kerry has been
nominated by President Obama to take over as Secretary of State.
The thrust
of Frank's case is that his years in the House of Representatives
have given him “the kind of experience required to handle the give
and take between other members of the Senate. After filling my seat
with distinction for 16 years in the House I think I have proven I
can work with others to achieve satisfying outcomes.”
Massachusetts
Governor Deval Patrick (D) confirmed that he has held confidential
talks with several potential candidates for the interim appointment,
but declined to give any clues as to who he might select. “In light
of Congressman Frank's decision to go public on this matter despite
what I thought was a bilateral agreement to keep our get together
under wraps, I will say that 'Bawney' may be the most amusing
contender for the post.”
Whoever is
inserted into Kerry's vacant seat won't remain there long. State law
requires that a special election be held later this year to complete
the remaining two years of his term.
Gore
Sells TV Network to Al Jazeera
Former
Vice-President Al Gore sold his Current TV network to Al
Jazeera for a reported $100 million after rebuffing a bid from
Glen Beck.
Money, as
it turns out, was not the deciding factor. “We chose to go with Al
Jazeera because of a compatibility of values and objectives,”
Gore said. “We feared that Beck, as a purveyor of extremism, would
have taken things in the wrong direction. It was clear to us that Al
Jazeera was founded with the same goals we had for Current TV.
Our decision was basically a 'no brainer.'”
That Al
Jazeera has been a frequent advocate of what might be termed
anti-American propaganda was no cause for pause in the negotiations.
“There are a lot of legitimate criticisms that people can level at
America,” Gore maintained. “America's materialistic society is
despoiling the natural resources that belong to all. America's
militarism is instigating wars around the globe. The voices of
America's victims, especially those in the Muslim world, deserve to
be heard. If Current TV provides another outlet for these
voices so much the better.”
Financial
experts are convinced that Gore got the best of his Arabian bidders.
Given Current TV's daily
viewership, Al Jazeera's
$100 million investment amounts to around $500,000 per watcher. On
top of this, Gore pressure to conclude the deal prior to January 1,
2013 enabled him to avoid President Obama's tax increase.
President
Says Recent Tax Hike “Not Nearly Enough”
While
admitting to being pleased and proud of the tax increases he was able
to force Republicans to accept, President Obama lamented that “it
is but a small positive step in the right direction.”
The
President argued that “it should be self evident that the rich
still fall far short of paying their fair share. There are many
private citizens who live more lavishly than the President of their
country. The inequity of this is stark and, quite frankly, shameful.
Not even the wealthiest owner of the biggest business has as big a
burden as the President of America has. The idea that such a person
should have more than the nation's chief executive is appallingly
unjust. I will not rest until this heinous inequity is remedied.”
An
analysis of the “fiscal cliff” legislation pushed by Obama
indicates that 77% of American taxpayers will see their taxes rise.
Nevertheless, the President still touted it as benefiting the
majority of the population. “Look, this 77% or whatever is only of
those who pay taxes,” Obama pointed out. “Almost half the
population doesn't pay these taxes. When you combine the 23% of
taxpayers who won't see an increase with the 47% who don't pay taxes
that's a clear majority benefiting from this legislation.”
“If we
can continue to add more people to our disability rolls, enable more
to permanently leave the workforce, and ease the barriers to
achieving eligibility for welfare payments our nation's progress
toward a fairer distribution of wealth and a broader access to lives
free of toil will become politically irresistible,” Obama bragged.
“While it may not be possible for everyone to enjoy this new
freedom, I am confident that a substantial majority can.”
President
Says “Right of Conscience” Not Valid for Military Personnel
Even
though he signed the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA),
President Obama says he will not abide by its provision protecting
military chaplains from being compelled to perform services which
violate their moral or religious beliefs.
“I am
the Commander-in-Chief,” Obama explained. “It is every soldier's
duty to carry out my orders without hesitation or mental reservation.
No religious dogma can be permitted to interfere with this duty.”
The
genesis of the so-called “right of conscience” clause in the
legislation was the desire to allow chaplains to be excused from
performing gay marriages if their religious beliefs are opposed to
the concept.
“The
notion that those seeking same-sex marriage should just accept a
minister from a denomination that accepts this practice is
unacceptable,” the President declared. “For an army to function
individual consciences must be suppressed. Isn't there a commandment
'thou shalt not kill' in the Christian Bible? We don't allow
individual soldiers a 'right of conscience' privilege to refrain from
obeying commands to kill enemies. How, then, can we allow individual
chaplains a privilege to refrain from marrying soldiers of the same
sex?”
ACLU
Opposes Iowa Effort to Bar Non-citizen Voting
Iowa
Secretary of State Matt Schultz's effort to combat illegal voting by
requiring those listed on the State's licensed driver rolls as
non-citizens to show proof of eligibility is being opposed by the
American Civil Liberties Union.
Schultz
argues that existing laws mandating that only citizens may vote is
all the statutory authority he needs. “It is my responsibility as
Secretary of State to protect the integrity of the ballot,” he
said. “If I have reasonable grounds"like the information on our
driver license rolls"to believe that someone registered to vote is
not eligible it is my duty to take action.”
For its
part, the ACLU rejects Schultz's argument. “It is our contention
that there is no specific legislative authority for this action,”
complained ACLU spokesman Bertram Petty. “Nowhere under current law
does it say the Secretary of State can request that a person listed
as a non-citizen on one database be asked about his eligibility to be
on another completely separate and different list.”
“Secondly,
beyond the legal technicalities issue, there is the question of human
rights,” Petty added. “We maintain that voting is a human right
that cannot be withheld from anyone for any reason. Therefore, even
if Schultz could conclusively prove that a registered voter is not a
citizen, removing that person from the rolls would be a violation of
that person's human rights.