Why doesn't the media's love affair with Palin include some actual Journalism?

I know we all just love to her about how the great Alaskan quitter has witty quips about Obama or tells us that the AZ governor has balls (is there a citizen without a radio or tv show in America that gets more positive press than this woman? The right wing media even turned her into hero for being the parent of an unwed teenage mother), but why do we never see any journalism investigating some of her claims?

http://www.politicususa.com/en/palin-steals-500-million

Palin’s Phantom Pipeline Steals $500 Million from Taxpayers

Some of that pesky truth you'll never hear on Fox

Deportations have soared under Obama administration

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38548026

Statistics put together by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University show that more illegal immigrants were removed from the United States during the first nine months of this fiscal year than during the same period in 2008. That is when Republican George W. Bush was in the White House and his administration controlled Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In fact, the number of those ejected from the country between Oct. 1, 2009 and June 30 of this year is nearly twice as much as it was in the same period ending June 30, 2005.

During the first nine months of the fiscal year, TRAC, using Immigration and Customs Enforcement data, figures that 136,714 "criminal aliens'' were deported. That same figure in 2008 was 85,334.

Did you also know that when Brewer first decided the Immigration was going to be her go-to relection issue she DEMANDED Obama send 250 additional troops to the AZ border, Obama responded by sending 524 plus additional border agents. THEN she has continued to have the balls to get on Obama for not doing enough, even though he did TWICE as much as she wanted.

Why does Newt Hate America's religous freedoms and the Constitution?

I know the Former Speaker thinks that Saudi Arabia should be the model for America's policy in re: Religous Tolerance (although I assume their take on Adultery I assume he has less in agreement with), but why does a man who has made a career out of deriding the East Coast Liberals in New York be so concerned about a community center?

HYPOCRISY

I can't wait for the "apology" blaming his words on our stupidity for hearing them

the head of the GOP is a little unclear on what America's been doing in Afghanistan for the past 8 years

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2010/07/obama-gop-rival-michael-steele-in-hot-water-over-afghanistan-comments-1/1

I can't wait for the retraction where he "apologizes" for everyone being too stupid to actually listen to the words that came out of his mouth and realize that he didn't mean that, but the exact opposite. (I apologize for anyone who misunderstood me...it will go)

Even after he chalks this up to miscommunication, shouldn't the head of the party be better at communicating?

Utilizing the Fox "News" standard for climate analysis

Considering whenever it snows during December in Minneapolis Fox and the rest of the anti-science crowd like to use that to "prove" that global warming is bunk, I'd like to submit the same standard of concrete proof of global warming.

Here in Phoenix, AZ at 9:52AM MST- the temp is 101 degrees. Yesterday's low was 82, the high 110. More of same today, with high of 110 predicted.

Another reason why American don't like Soccer

Adding to my points about how Americans don't like the faking and the falling down that happens way too much in Soccer, I've got to add that referee's have wayyyy too much power. I was watching the Australia-Germany game a few days ago and the AUS star gets a red card on a tackle where he had actually drawn his legs back up in order to avoid contact. Yet, some other time a much more aggressive foul didn't even result in a foul forget about a card. The fact that a referee has unreviewable power to force a team to play a man down at any time is stupid and I don't think Americans like that as if violates a sense of fair play. Aus wasn't going to beat Germany, but playing a man down helped give GER two more goals.

And the red card with all it's inherent power is used too much. ON that same day, Sunday maybe, all three games had a red card. I guess it's one thing to kick a guy out for a flagrant foul, but for his team to play down the rest of the game is too much of a punishment, especially with the subjectivity of what action results in a Red Card.

It's almost like the Republicans have been watching the Democrats on how to screw up politically

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100617/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gulf_oil_spill_bp_s_ally

Imagine the outrage if a Democrat apologized to the head of a foreign company...that was destroying American's property and likelihoods with no end in sight. Idiocy so egregious that even the far right wing of the GOP was outraged at his stupidity.

Although I absolutely love that he claims that the entire world "misconstrued" his words as an apology, even though he used the words "I apologize". He even said he didn't want to live in this country (you know Rush would be spinning it that way).

In classic political apology fashion, he didn't really apologize for what he said or did, but only to those who "misconstrued" his words....ASS

Right Wing Media breaks FOUR YEAR OLD STORY...

Again, one can be against illegal immigration, but I feel I must shed a little truth that you probably won't hear from Fox as it doesn't fit the talking points. 1- The Sherriff quoted is from Pinal County which is NOT a border county, but he has become a poster boy for the right on the issue because the Sheriffs of the border counties don't support the AZ legislature's recent laws, as they believe it does nothing to help them or WORSE harms their efforts at law enforcement. (It's telling that the quote about crime on the border quotes only from a sheriff whose county isn't on the border, no?) 2- The park in the story was closed 4 YES FOUR YEARS AGO. Yet, this headline screams "recent events", otherwise why is it a "news story"??? 3- Violent Crime is AZ is at historic lows: "According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), the violent crime rate in Arizona was lower in 2006, 2007, and 2008 -- the most recent year from which data are available -- than any year since 1983. The property crime rate in Arizona was lower in 2006, 2007, and 2008 than any year since 1968."
Additionally, "FBI Uniform Crime Reports and statistics provided by police agencies, in fact, show that the crime rates in Nogales, Douglas, Yuma and other Arizona border towns have remained essentially flat for the past decade"

Again, people can be against illegal immigration on it's own merits without distorting the reality of the situation. Despite what you may have heard, those of us in Arizona are not locked down in our houses in fear.

It would be nice if both sides had a little more respect for the truth and reality of what's going on here.

Finally, here is a FWS press release clarifying that the Park is NOT closed and points out that violence in the less than .02% of the park (yes 99.98% of park is open) is down significantly since 2006: http://www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/arizona/buenosaires/PDFs/USFWS%20MediaAdvisory%20BorderRefugeRemainsOpen%206%2016%202010.pdf

Seattle cop punches women in face

This story has everything.

This is the kind of solid defending of the public well-being that gives pissed off cops the "justification" to demand your papers in Arizona. Thank God, this officer was protecting the citizenry of Seattle form the scurge of jaywalking.

Chuck will no doubt join with the Union's position on this, he always seems to side with Police Unions when cops are doing something bad like Punching Women or shooting unarmed teenagers. Ironic considering his recent call for the elimination of unions, no? (I remember once in Portland where a cop let a felon get away because he was too fat to stop him and chase him as he ran away from the patrol car WITH handcuffs on. The office who weighed about 300 pounds was vigoursly defended by the union despite his inablity to do a very basic and simple policing task like running.)

Finally, what kind of solid individual punches a women in the face? Is that the kind of mentality you want in a peace officer? It takes a special kind of mindset to punch a women in the face.

It's interesting that the women who "grabbed" his arm is charged with "Assault", yet simply because he wears a badge he gets to punch women in the face. if that had been her boyfriend/husband he'd be in jail right now. Nice hall pass.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/06/16/police.jaywalker/index.html?hpt=T2

Former 'Family Values' CA Legislator Ashburn Comes Out In Favor Of Gay Rights

How many members are there in this club? The one comprised of Republican/"Family" values politicians and Religious leaders who spent their careers doing everything they can demonize gays and deny them basic human rights only to be gay themselves. I'm not psychiatrist, but i'm guessing it has to do with some sort of self-loathing they feel for what they really are. It seems the most vehement often are most likely to be trying to cover up their true selves. It's sad b/c they've been told "it's wrong" so they go to the extreme to prove their bona fides with the anti-gay crowd and deny what they are.

In my own experience, it's the ones who appear to be least secure in their own sexuality that seem to be the most outwardly homophobic (I mean that in the literal sense of "feaful" of homosexuality).

We manipulate ...you decide

watch the whole video...both versions

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/05/24/fox-obama-applause-speech/

This is why the "right" is so woefully ill-informed. It's not their fault, they really think Fox is a news organization.

Here you can watch Stewart catch them to it too

http://www.examiner.com/x-15870-Populist-Examiner~y2010m5d24-Cadet-applause-missing-from-Fox-News-video-of-Obama-West-Point-speech

This is what passes for rational thought among the right

A friend made a comment on FB that stated that illegal immigration in AZ had resulted in a "Massive Crime". I responded that crime is down DRAMITICALLY over the past 4 years while illegal immigration is suposedly exploding. Violent and property crimes down to levels from the 60's and 70's.

Another person responded, first conceeding that this was accurate and then claiming the proof that illegal immigration caused the "massive crime" was b/c the falling crime rate was not falling as fast as in other parts of America.

So, according to the logic of the right "massive crime" waves can be defined by historically low levels of crime, but those historically low levels not being lower...that is "massive crime". How exactly do you have a rational discussion with someone who "thinks" like that?

YOu can oppose illegal immigration on it's merits, you don't have to rely on hyperbole and outright lies to make the case. Although, I didn't realize that all those Canadian widow snowbirds living in Sun City overstaying their visas were such a crime risk, nor the Russian Software Engineer working beyond her H1-B visa. But i guess that's what they're saying.

Arizona...like 1950's Alabama with less humidity

So, the summer of Insanity in AZ continues with AZ banning "ethnic studies". Does this mean that AZ schools can't teach about Columbus Day, St. Patrick's Day? In fact, the way I read the law it would seem that most history would be banned, like how do you teach about WWII without bringing up one ethnic group versus another.

i can blog from my Droid

See

"Drill baby drill" crowd: Care to comment?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/04/29/louisiana.oil.rig/index.html?hpt=C1

All the Republicans were for drilling off shore...off someone else's shore. No one wanted it off their own coast. I wonder what the Drill Baby Drill crowd will say about this. This ain't going to help the cause. I guess we can ask Governor Bobby how he feels now. For that matter, ask Obama.

Supposedly 70% of Arizonians support new immigration bill?

Got this an email about the Rasmussen Poll from a teabagger.


I wish you'd make up your mind on polls. When they show that most Americans support a Public Option for health care it's irrelevant, when most Americans support a women's right to chose, it doesn't matter. When polls show that a vast majority of Americans feel that George W. Bush's unnecessary war was a complete disaster, "we dont' run the country by polls". But as soon as one support you, you're Mr Populace. I wonder what the polls showed in Alabama about segregation in 1950. (In a statewide referendum in Alabama in 2004 to remove the segregation in education language, long since Unconstitutional, from the Alabama Constitution changing the language LOST...yep 6 years ago. Arizona's racism is directed toward Latinos.)

it's clear from the most vocal supporters of this measure that they don't know what it entails. It's is legalized racial profiling. BY DEFINTION. If the purpose is to stem the tide of illegals from Mexico by definition it means that cops will be pulling over latinos and asking for their papers. They sure as hell won't be asking for Canadians who live here in the summer to verify their visa status. They won't be asking Russian software engineers to show their H1-Bs.

if the governor is serious about not tolerating racial profiling, she's completely made the law useless because without racial profiling you can't very well be checking the status of every brown skinned person in Arizona. COnsidering 30% of Arizona is hispanic that's a lot of innocent people who need to verify their right to be where they are for the arbitrary whims of cops. It also makes that 70% approval number very suspect.

SO, if the police pulled you over as you walked down the street, could you PROVE you're here legally? Your driver's license doesn't prove shit, so you're ready to go to jail or will you be carrying your passport and birth certificate with you.

Again, all you good Teabaggers are always bitching about freedom but that "freedom" only applies to white, Christian, straight people. if it's the government screwing gays or dark skinned people, that's not about freedom b/c they're not really "americans" are they?. Really, is it America where we ask people to show their papers for no other reason than they look Mexican. (What does a person with an expired visa look like? What does a person with a Green Card look like? What does an American citizen look like?)

Oh yeah, and the Arizona Police Chiefs Association said this will do NOTHING to impact illegal immigration, it will make their jobs harder and take resources away from stopping real crime.

Remember when ARizona wouldn't pass the MLK Jr. holiday? It took the NFL saying they wouldn't hold the Super Bowl here any more to get them to overcome their racism. Racist state laws are bad for business and for a state that depends so heavily on tourism, it will be the reality that racist laws impact tourism that will cause a change.


Finally, I know you hate the Constitution but:
Under the Constitution's "supremacy clause," the Constitution and federal law trump state law. Article 1 of the Constitution, which spells out Congress' powers, specifically gives U.S. lawmakers authority to establish a "uniform Rule of Naturalization" and to regulate commerce with other nations.

Arizona...national joke

My old Bushie aquaintance says that the new AZ law doesn't allow police to demand their status unless they believe a crime has occurred, but in a fantastic case of circular logic, the crime they need to be suspected of is being illegally in the country.

Oh if that were only the case.

The crime you speak of is that the person looks like they don't hold US Citizenship, a visa, are a refugee, an asylee or otherwise vaild reason to be in the US? How exactly can you tell that from looking at someone? I ask you. In fact, the law REQUIRES that police ascertain whether the person is in the country legally. REQUIRES if there is suspicion (again, how can you guess a person's citizenship/visa status from looking at them?)

I don't know why I keep making this mistake, but I thought that for all the talk about Obama's socialist government and "intrusiveness" and "freedom" that you might be offended by cops pulling any person for them to prove that they are a citizen or have a visa, but I often forget that the "Freedom" you speak of is The freedom of White, Christain, Straight Men to be free from paying taxes while sucking at the government teat without the slightest acknowledgement of their own hypocrisy.

Actually, you might want to put that on a sign and carry that at the next Tea Bagger rally.

Welcome to Arizona...a little taste of Johannesburg circa 1979

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/04/19/arizona.immigration.bill/index.html?hpt=T2

How would I prove my immigration status if I got pulled over? Am I to carry my birth certificate with me?

Is there anything more totalitarian than having a police officer demand "your papers"?

The sanctity of marriage

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/TV/04/15/larry.king.divorce/index.html?hpt=Sbin

Pro-Christian bias in the MSM

Despite all the right fringes constant catterwalling about how "Christians are always under attack", the reality is much different...as usual. In case you needed more proof of the Mainstream media bias toward Christians and a gripping fear at offending them, notice that this terrorist group (of Christians) has not once been called a Terrorist organization nor have I even heard the words "terrorist" mentioned in reference to them. You can be DAMN sure that if this was a Hindu/Muslim/Buddhist group or Individual they'd be called a "terrorist" in every article and not a "militia" with all its Constitutional referenced romance. if these charges aren't terrorism, nothing is: seditious conspiracy, attempted use of weapons of mass destruction, teaching the use of explosive materials and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. Shameful.

Yet when that guy lost his shit at Fort Hood he was instantly branded a terrorist based on his name not the reality of that guy's past as a pissed off loner(Don't believe me? You can read the article in Esquire about Ft. Hood http://www.esquire.com/features/fort-hood-shooting-0310?click=main_sr from last month that tells the story that Fox "News" ignored)