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Today's coverup of surveillance crimes and Barack Obama — What we learned in December, 2005 that George Bush and the telecoms were doing — listening in on the private conversations of American citizens without warrants — is a felony under clear U.S. law, punishable by up to 5 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine for each offense.
Discussion:
michellemalkin.com, Lessig Blog, TalkLeft, Boztopia.com, Chicago Sun Times, Daily Kos, Wonkette, TPMMuckraker and Corrente
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SENATE TICK-TOCK ON THE FISA BILL — From NBC's Ken Strickland — The Senate is finally expected to wrap up the bill updating the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act today, which includes the controversial provision of retroactive immunity for telecom companies facing lawsuit.
Discussion:
protein wisdom, Stop The ACLU, Hot Air, Daily Kos, Ben Smith's Blogs, The Strata-Sphere and Macsmind

One nation, not just speaking English — After a substantial speech decrying the current state of bankruptcy law in the United States, Barack Obama took a few questions from the audience in Powder Springs, Georgia on Tuesday morning. One young woman asked whether there was anything …
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Dishonest or Stupid? — Via Jim Geraghty I see Obama had this to say about proponents of English-only laws: … Me: Jim has a lot more thoughts on this. But it seems to me the central point is that this is either staggeringly dishonest or stupendously dumb.

Tomorrow's anti-Obama email today — This monologe will getting many heads nodding in agreement, but for those Americans who don't like much having to “press 1 for English” one line won't go over well: — “Instead of worrying about whether immigrants can learn English — they'll learn English …


Iraq official: U.S. could be out by 2011 — BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — A deadline should be set for the withdrawal of U.S. and allied forces from Iraq, and the pullout could be done by 2011, an Iraqi government spokesman said Tuesday. — Ali al-Dabbagh said any timetable would depend on …
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Maliki's Withdrawal Card — A year ago, the conventional Beltway wisdom had it that Iraq was a failed state. Today, the same wisdom holds that it is less chaotic but still fragile, dependent entirely on a U.S. presence to survive. But judging by recent comments from Nouri al-Maliki, even this view may be out of date.
Discussion:
The Daily Dish, democracyarsenal.org, Austin Bay Blog, Commentary, ATTACKERMAN and Gateway Pundit

Jesse Ventura To Run for Senate? — In an interview with NPR's David Welna that ran today former Gov. Jesse “The Body” Ventura, Ind-Minn., sounds like he may run for Senate, challenging incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., whom Ventura defeated for governor in 1998, as well as Democratic nominee …
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He quit rather than lower flag for Helms — RALEIGH - L.F. Eason III gave up the only job he'd ever had rather than lower a flag to honor former U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms. — Eason, a 29-year veteran of the state Department of Agriculture, instructed his staff at a small Raleigh lab not to fly …

MORE ON OBAMA, ABORTION, AND THE PAY GAP. — Just to be clear — I believe pay equality is a very important issue; it's something I've written about frequently. And I'll all for broadening the boundaries of what are considered key “women's issues,” from family-medical leave …
Discussion:
Washington Monthly
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Pemberton GOP: Airbrushing Racism Since... So the Pemberton and Burlington County GOP got caught today. Take a look at a before screen shot of the Pemberton GOP website and see if anything looks out of place... Ah, what a tasteful municipal party message.
Discussion:
pandagon.net
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In theory, economists support McCain — The endorsement could hardly have been stronger. On Monday, John McCain's campaign released a statement signed by 300 economists who “enthusiastically support” his “Jobs for America” economic plan, providing a heavyweight testimonial …
Discussion:
Obsidian Wings, The Carpetbagger Report, The New Republic, Ben Smith's Blogs, Buck Naked Politics, Think Progress and Salon
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MORE McCAIN-ONOMICS....This is amusing. A couple of Politico …
Discussion:
Megan McArdle

QUITE A STATEMENT — People say a lot of things about Social Security — a lot of it nonsense. But I haven't heard something like this in a long time. John McCain says that Social Security, as originally conceived more than 70 years ago, is an “absolute disgrace.”

Dallas County meeting turns racial — A special meeting about Dallas County traffic tickets turned tense and bizarre this afternoon. — County commissioners were discussing problems with the central collections office that is used to process traffic ticket payments and handle other paperwork normally done by the JP Courts.

Funds Misappropriated at 2 Nonprofit Groups — Two prominent national nonprofit groups are reeling from public disclosures that large sums of money were misappropriated in unrelated incidents by an employee and a former employee. — The groups, Acorn, one of the country's largest community …


INTELLECTUALS LIE, THE POWERLESS DIE — THE greatest lie intellectuals tell us is that “the pen is mightier than the sword.” That's what cowards claim when they want to preen as heroes. — Billions of words have been hurled at Sudan's government. The misery in Darfur not only continues but deepens.