After an earlier discussion with Qman over the Florida pastor and his crazy stunt to burn Quran’s on 9/11,  I was not surprised that this pastor was actually expelled from a German church that he helped build due to his hate filled antics. “Before Rev. Terry Jones was being condemned by the White House and military commanders in Afghanistan for his planned “International Burn a Quran Day,” he was a pastor at an evangelical church he founded in the 1980s in Cologne, Germany.”  http://thinkprogress.org/2010/09/08/terry-jones-germany/  This so-called man of God has made a career out of hate.  Check out the Think Progress article to see what some of his former parishioners think of him.  What Bible is he reading?

My next short involves the big news from Chicago that long time Mayor, Richard M. Daley is not running for reelection.  Of course, one of the possible candidates to replace the Mayor is President Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel.  Since I am not a big fan of Rahm, I would love to see him leave the White House to make the run for Mayor.  The quicker he is out of the White House, the happier myself and many other progressives would be. http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/09/windy-city-mayor-race-trigger-obama-shakeup/  If Rahm leaves I want President Obama to choose a strong progressive who can bring Mr. Obama back to his roots! 

My final Short for the week involves a decision by the 9th Circuit that upheld the government’s claim of states secrets and  denied the case against the CIA torture rendition flights and stopped it from proceeding. http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2010/09/07/08-15693.pdf  & http://emptywheel.firedoglake.com/2010/09/08/9th-circuit-the-government-can-do-anything-to-you-and-hide-it-under-state-secrets/  The ACLU represented the plaintiffs and the government utilized the much used and abused “state secrets doctrine” which basically allows that the “..government can kidnap you and send you to be tortured–as they did with Binyam Mohamed–yet even if your contractors acknowledge what they were doing, if the government wants to call their own law-breaking a secret, the most liberal Circuit Court in the country agrees they can.”  When will the rule of law hold the torturers accountable for their actions and will the courts realize that the State Secrets Doctrine is being used to hide the truth and not to protect security?!

Those are our Wednesday’s Shorts.  Take a look at them and at the sites where I found the stories and let us know what you think!  We’ll be waiting for you! Let’s hear from you!  Don’t be shy!   See you on Friday!

The first Musing of the night concerns the Religious Right’s attack on Islam.  It is not hard to have seen or heard about the story where a church in Florida is planning on burning the Quran to protest the evil of Islam! “On Sept. 11, Terry Jones’ Dove World Outreach Center will hold the first “International Burn a Koran Day” ceremony on the steps of his church in Gainesville, Fla. According to the church’s website, the event was organized “in remembrance of the fallen victims of 9/11 and to stand against the evil of Islam. Islam is of the devil!” ‘ http://www.splcenter.org/blog/2010/07/22/coming-soon-international-burn-a-koran-day/  These Teapublicans and American Taliban at this so-called church are not only making fools of themselves, they are also endangering our troops around the world.  That is not just my belief, it is the belief of Gen. David Petraeus.  “ Petraeus said the Taliban would exploit the demonstration for propaganda purposes, drumming up anger toward the U.S. and making it harder for allied troops to carry out their mission of protecting Afghan civilians.  “It could endanger troops and it could endanger the overall effort,” Gen. Petraeus said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. “It is precisely the kind of action the Taliban uses and could cause significant problems. Not just here [in Afghanistan], but everywhere in the world we are engaged with the Islamic community.” ‘  http://thinkprogress.org/2010/09/06/petraeus-quran-day/  When will these religious zealots realize that not only are they not following Jesus’ words, they are inciting even peaceful Muslims to act against the United States? 

We have talked before about how the Party of No has held up numerous legislative measures initiated by the Democrats, but one of the most egregious actions undertaken by the Republicans is the purposeful delaying of numerous Judicial appointments made by the Obama Administration.  “A determined Republican stall campaign in the Senate has sidetracked so many of the men and women nominated by President Barack Obama for judgeships that he has put fewer people on the bench than any president since Richard Nixon at a similar point in his first term 40 years ago.” http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/09/obama-judges-confirmed-nixon/  This continued obstruction is not only harming the Democratic agenda it is also delaying the work of the Judiciary.  Of course, the Republicans do not care how the country is damaged by any of their unprecedented tactics.  They should be ashamed of themselves.  With that in mind, I have a bit of advice for the Obama Administration and Democrats.  Do not forget what the Teapublicans have done to block these appointments.  What is good for the elephant is good for the Donkey!

On this Labor Day, I cannot forget to honor the country’s labor forces that have built this country and I am sure will be part of the process to rebuild our economy.  We are the most productive work force in the world and if given the chance, the American worker will be the example for the entire world.  Happy Labor Day!!

What do you think about my latest musings?  It is now time for you to let us know what you think!  Don’t be shy.  Get busy and give us your opinion!  Take the first step and write down what you think.  It won’t hurt!  I promise!

My first suggested topic is one that I have been “dealing” with ever since Barack Obama ran for the Presidency.  I have received numerous emails from Republican friends and contacts that consistently make the claim that President Obama is a Socialist and/or a Communist.  I have even received emails claiming that Obama’s associates and advisers are Socialists and Communists!  Of course, none of these claims are ever accompanied with any proof or facts to back up these far-fetched claims.  So tonight I have decided to suggest that anyone who thinks that Obama and/or his advisers are Socialists or Communists to tell us why they believe that nonsense and to try to prove it with facts.  Not Glenn Beck crazy statements, but facts that support the horrible claims that these Teapublicans still make to this very day.  I am waiting for your proof.   The AWMD nation is waiting for the proof! 

The next topic that I would like to suggest concerns another prime example of Republican hypocrisy.  It seems that one of the largest human traffickers in the country is a large GOP donor!  http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/09/major-human-trafficker-frequent-gop-donor-fought-illegal-immigration/  “The man at the helm is Mordechai Orian, 45, President and CEO of the Los Angeles-based Global Horizons Manpower Inc., a labor contracting group. Five of his affiliates and contractors were also charged in the scheme.  Orian gave tens of thousands of dollars to the National Republican Congressional Committee on eight occasions between 2004 and 2006, according to the election records database Newsmeat. His largest contribution of $11,000 came on July 13, 2006. Orian also gave $2000 to the GOP-affiliated Restore America PAC twice in that period.”  This same alleged felon was a big crusader against the immigration reform bill that John McCain co-sponsored during the Bush regime.  I wonder why the Republicans who had majorities in both houses of Congress and held the Presidency could not pass the bipartisan immigration bill that Orian was against?  What’s your guess?

My final suggested topic for the evening is a topic that is close to my heart.  The Right has been screaming for weeks that the Bush tax cuts must be extended for the wealthy in order for the economy to recover fully.  Of course, the facts don’t support that claim, but that hasn’t stopped the Republican from screaming it at the top of their lungs.  Now, Robert Reich has proposed another reason why the tax cuts for the wealthy should not be continued. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/03/opinion/03reich.html?_r=1  Reich explains that the problem is structural and the middle class must be given the buying power to help increase consumer spending. “The rich spend a much smaller proportion of their incomes than the rest of us. So when they get a disproportionate share of total income, the economy is robbed of the demand it needs to keep growing and creating jobs.” Reich goes on to give ideas to help us common folk spend the economy into a healthy recovery.  Take a look at Reich’s suggestions and let us know if you agree with his ideas!

I have made my suggestions, and they are just that, suggestions.  Let’s hear what You want to talk about.  The sky is the limit and I will be anxiously waiting to see what You want to talk about.  It is time to get busy and let everyone know what you are thinking about.  Let’s hear from all of You!  Don’t be shy and do not delay in telling us what you think.  These are important issues that all of our readers should have an opinion on.   It won’t hurt to let us know what You think!

My first Short concerns a story that really opened my eyes when I read it.  I guess it shouldn’t surprise anyone, but according to this Think Progress article, the CEO’s of the 50 companies that laid off the most employees collected millions of dollars in compensation. http://thinkprogress.org/2010/09/01/ceo-compensation-workers/?wpmp_switcher=desktop  “Indeed, the report found that “CEOs of the 50 firms that have laid off the most workers since the onset of the economic crisis took home nearly $12 million on average in 2009.” Those CEOs’ combined compensation totaled $598 million, while at the same time, their companies eliminated 531,363 jobs despite reporting a 44 percent average profit increase for 2009.”  These facts just astound me.  How can these crooks sleep at night?

You gotta love the Tea Party and the Teapublicans!  Our next Short concerns a Teapublican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Ohio who was just indicted for an alleged inappropriate “relationship” with a teenager.  http://www.whiotv.com/news/24829497/detail.html?cxntlid=cmg_cntnt_rss.  “Eric Deaton was indicted on one count of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. He is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a 15-year-old girl between March 2006 and March 2007. ” http://crooksandliars.com/jamie/constitution-party-candidate-indicted-sex-ch  Who would have thought that a true patriotic Teapublican could also be a child sex offender?

My final Short of the evening is one that really fries my backside.  It seems that Fannie Mae is planning on using Government bailout money to sue underwater homeowners who default on their mortgages in an attempt by Fannie to collect deficiency judgements. http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/68564   Fire Dog Lake has a great article that reprints Congressmen John Conyer’s letter to Treasury Secretary Geithner asking the Secretary to stop this planned abuse of the very same people that the Obama Administration is trying to help stay in those homes.  Here are the Congressman’s words: ” At a time of record deficits and a nation crying for the government to get its finances in order, it is also unclear why Fannie Mae is proposing to use taxpayer dollars to pursue legal judgments against individuals who will lose or have lost their homes, have wrecked their credit rating, and likely have little or no remaining monetary assets. Treasury has already invested $86 billion into Fannie Mae and considering Fannie Mae’s dependence on federal dollars to exist and operate, we think pursuing expensive litigation against a vulnerable population when there appears to be little to no economic incentive is questionable at best.”  I don’t know why this story hasn’t been given more coverage.  Damn that liberal media!

Those are our Wednesday’s Shorts.  Take a look at them and at the sites where I found the stories and let us know what you think!  We’ll be waiting for you! Let’s hear from you!  Don’t be shy!   See you on Friday!

It doesn’t surprise me that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda operatives have been using the so-called Ground Zero community center fracas as a recruiting tool.  It is now being reported that the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 are benefiting from the Right’s attack on the plans to build a Muslim community center two blocks from Ground Zero. http://www.newsweek.com/2010/08/30/taliban-using-mosque-controversy-to-recruit.html  ‘ “By preventing this mosque from being built, America is doing us a big favor,” Taliban operative Zabihullah tells NEWSWEEK. (Like many Afghans, he uses a single name.) “It’s providing us with more recruits, donations, and popular support.” ‘  The evidence is mounting that the Republicans concerted efforts to take political advantage over a legitimate real estate development project is actually harming our country and possibly putting our soldiers at risk.  Why would the Republicans want to help our enemies?

I guess that after Sarah Palin’s recent appearance at Glen Beck’s “Whitestock” maybe some may think that she is ready for a run for the Presidency.  On second thought….. maybe not.  It seems that a recent poll taken by Vanity Fair and 60 Minutes indicates that most of the country does not think Palin would make a good President.  “The poll asks,’ “Do you think SARAH PALIN would have the ability to be an EFFECTIVE PRESIDENT?” ’  59 percent of respondents agree that the former Alaska governor would not be effective while 26 percent think she would.” http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/0830/law-professor-huffpo-fair-palin-cnn-time/  Hell, I could have saved Vanity Fair and CBS a lot of money on that poll.  They could have just asked me and I would have told them to just listen to her for a few minutes and you will know the outcome of the poll.  Sarah from Alaska is one of the most unintelligent and uneducated politicians in the history of our country.  On second thought, I guess that actually means she is as prepared to lead as George Bush was in 2000!  Run Sarah run!   Please!?

Is it me or are these Tea Party/Republican candidates getting stranger by the day?  It seems that the “Teapublican” candidate for Senator in Alaska called his opponent, Senator Lisa Murkowski, a “whore”!  “Looks like his mentor, Sarah Palin, has taught him the fine art of “keepin’ it classy” on Twitter.  No need to rub your eyes. Yes, Joe Miller just basically called Senator Lisa Murkowski a whore.  Someone must have “handled” our nominee pretty quickly because the tweet was deleted.  Too late. It went out to thousands, and was retweeted before he could scrub it.”  http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/scarce/joe-miller-calls-senator-lisa-murkowski-who  Maybe Sarah from Alaska has some new competition for the title that I conferred on her earlier in this post!  By the way, this is the same guy who just defeated Murkowski for the “Teapublican” nomination for Senator in Alaska.  I think the Dem’s may now have a real shot at winning the seat from this champion of  politeness!

What do you think about my latest musings?  It is now time for you to let us know what you think!  Don’t be shy.  Get busy and give us your opinion!  Take the first step and write down what you think.  It won’t hurt!  I promise!

My first suggested topic concerns an old Republican friend, former Senator Alan Simpson.  Simpson is the co-chairman of the President’s deficit commission and he is trying to cut Social Security under the guise that the system is broken.  The Left has been asking why Simpson hasn’t been fired from the commission after making very disturbing public comments.  “Simpson likes to talk about the budget in terms of farm animals. In an e-mail to an older voter advocate he wrote that Social Security was like a cow with 310 million — I think you get the picture.”  http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/cenk-uygur-white-house-circling-wagons-aro   This Crooks and Liars article describes an interview withNew York University professor and Democratic strategist, Bob Frum,  who takes dead aim at the lies that the Right continue to spread about Social Security.  Mr. Frum’s facts are important to read, but his suggested cure for any Social Security shortfalls is the best part.

“Bob, look, this whole talk about how Social Security is going bankrupt, you don`t understand, you guys are milking it dry, doesn`t it have a $2.5 trillion surplus? Isn`t all this one big fat lie? 

BOB SHRUM: Yes, it is actually. The truth of the matter is that before Simpson loves to say Social Security goes bust in 2037. That`s not true.  There are 25 years of surpluses before then. The surpluses are supposedly secured by federal notes in the Social Security trust fund unless the federal government intends to default, those surpluses should be used in 2037 when the system starts collecting less money than it pays out.  Secondly, there`s another solution here. Let`s take the payroll tax cap off for people who make over $200,000 a year. The truth is, for Alan Simpson, for the Republicans who yearn to cut Social Security and always have, this is about one thing. They want seniors to get less so that the rich don`t have to pay more.”

 That isn’t the first time that I have seen that suggested fix for Social Security, but Prof. Frum laid it out in a very simple way.   I never have understood why I have to pay Social Security taxes on 100% of my salary, but someone who makes a lot more than I do doesn’t have to pay on 100% of his/her salary.  How does this make sense?   I think it would be interesting to get your argument why the payroll tax cap for those who make more than $200,000 should be retained.  Let’s hear your best argument!  This should be good!

My second suggested topic concerns a news story that made my head explode when I read it.  It seems that a Middle School in Mississippi requires that only white students can run and serve as class presidents of each grade level!  http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/27/nettleton-school-racism/ 

“A school memo, obtained by MixedandHappy and The Smoking Gun, was passed out to every 6th, 7th, and 8th grader to inform them of the breakdown. The upcoming elections are divided between offices delineated for black and white students. Of the 12 offices for which students can compete, “eight are earmarked for white students, while four are termed ‘black seats.” The presidency is reserved for white students across each grade, but a black student is permitted to be the 8th grade vice-president or reporter, the 7th grade treasurer, or the 6th grade reporter. So, along with a “B” average and “a good disciplinary status and moral character,” a child hoping to represent his or her class must be the right race:

http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/27/nettleton-school-racism/  I usually don’t like to quote such large sections of a story, but the memo was so disturbing, it needed to be reproduced in its entirety.  Would it surprise you to know that once this story made headlines, the local school board rescinded the racist plan!  Just who are these people who thought this “plan” was an acceptable way to teach our kids how a society should be constructed?  What do you think about this obscene idea?

My final suggested topic is just one more example of the excesses that the CIA has been responsible for.  It seems that the Vietnam Veterans of America have been suing the CIA to force disclosure of the tests that the CIA carried out on unknowing servicemen involving ’ “at least 250, but as many as 400 chemical and biological agents,” ‘.  http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/0827/veterans-group-sanction-cia-experiements/  The CIA tested these chemicals and drugs on these servicemen without their consent and now they are stonewalling the court by withholding documents that have been ordered to be disclosed by the court as part of the discovery phase of the litigation. It is time for this judge to put a hurt on the CIA and put some people in jail until they decide to disclosed just who and how these veterans were abused. 

I have made my suggestions, and they are just that, suggestions.  Let’s hear what You want to talk about.  The sky is the limit and I will be anxiously waiting to see what You want to talk about.  It is time to get busy and let everyone know what you are thinking about.  Let’s hear from all of You!  Don’t be shy and do not delay in telling us what you think.  These are important issues that all of our readers should have an opinion on.   It won’t hurt to let us know what You think!

The first Short tonight is another example of how out of touch the Republican Party is when it comes to their beloved tax cuts and the economy.  Indiana Congressman, Mike Pence claims that Obama should fire his entire economic team and, of course, extend the Bush Tax Cuts for the wealthy.  “VAN SUSTEREN: What — besides the sort of the usual — the — you know, the tax program, extending the Bush tax cuts that I know the Republican Party want, what is it that you could do to turn it around?  PENCE: Yes, look, the enemy of our prosperity is uncertainty. … the greatest uncertainty right now is — and you just heard — you heard the Vice President again kind of defend it in passing, their tax cuts — their tax increases on the rich — is this administration actually thinks that it would be a good idea to allow a tax increase on job creators on January 1st, 2011. You know, higher taxes never got anybody hired.”  http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/25/pence-tax-cuts/  The long and “short” of Rep. Pence and the Republican Party is that the wealthy must continue to get their tax breaks no matter how much it adds to the deficit!  What don’t they get?

My second short is related to our first one.  In an Op-Ed by former Clinton Cabinet member, Robert Reich, Mr. Reich reiterates why the Republicans are way off base in their claims that the tax cuts for the wealthy must be extended in order to save the economy. http://www.truth-out.org/robert-reich-tax-jujitsu-why-democrats-should-propose-a-peoples-tax-cut62665  The part of the Op-Ed that I liked best was when Reich teaches the Democrats how they have to attack the Republicans nonsense.  Here are just a few of his recommendations.  “So instead of playing defense, Democrats should go on the attack.  Accuse Republicans of being shills for the rich.  And don’t stop there. Do tax jujitsu. In addition to ending the Bush tax cut for the rich, put forward another proposal for growing the economy that cuts taxes on lower-income Americans.  Democrats should propose eliminating payroll taxes on the first $20,000 of income, and making up the revenue loss by applying payroll taxes to incomes above $250,000.  This would give the economy an immediate boost by adding to the paychecks of just about every working American. 80 percent of Americans pay more in payroll taxes than they do in income taxes. And because lower-income people would get most of the benefit, it’s likely to be spent.”  It is sort of the best defense is a good offense theory.  I think it is not only correct in its theory, it also hits the Right where they are weakest. What is your take on these bold recommendations?

Those are our Wednesday’s Shorts.  Take a look at them and at the sites where I found the stories and let us know what you think!  We’ll be waiting for you! Let’s hear from you!  Don’t be shy!   See you on Friday!

My first and only Musing of the night involves the continuing lie by the Republicans that the only way to economic recovery is to extend and make permanent the Bush Tax Cuts for the wealthy.  We have outlined the numerous examples of this fabrication being pushed by the Right.  The latest argument for denying the extension of the tax cuts for the wealthy was made by Nobel Economics Laureate Paul Krugman.  In an op-ed in the New York Times he explains just how much money the extremely wealthy stand to gain if these tax cuts are extended. ” And the average tax break for those lucky few — the poorest members of the group have annual incomes of more than $2 million, and the average member makes more than $7 million a year — would be $3 million over the course of the next decade. ” http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/opinion/23krugman.html?_r=1&hp   Of course, this giveaway to the wealthy would cost the Treasury 680 Billion over ten years.  The Republicans also refuse to admit that this huge giveaway would be a huge addition to the deficit.  Sen. Minority Leader McConnell claims that we don’t have to pay for a huge deficit loading tax cut! http://thinkprogress.org/2010/08/22/mcconnell-pay-for/   You need to look at Krugman’s op-ed to understand the full cost of this gift to multi millionaires. 

However, the idea of a tax cut for the super wealthy is even more outrageous when you look at some historical facts.  Would it surprise you to know that ever since the highest income tax rates were lowered twice during the Reagan administration, the greed of our wealthiest Americans has increased?  In arguing that deregulation of the financial industry was only part of the problem, this LA Times author makes the claim that the financial industry went nuts since Reagan lowered the highest tax rates. “But when President Reagan cut the top marginal tax rate drastically from 70% to 50% in 1981 and then to 28% in 1988 (putting aside for the moment the cut in the capital gains tax and other investment incentives), that’s when the troubles began — from the S&L crisis right through to the fall of Lehman Bros. It wasn’t enough for the rich to be rich. Human nature being what it is, they had to be super-rich. Or put another way, tax cuts, including the Bush tax cuts, fed some of the worst aspects of human nature and led to some of the worst excesses. It was just a matter of time before Wall Street went wild.” http://articles.latimes.com/2010/aug/22/opinion/la-oe-gabler-greed-20100822/3  Mr. Gabler makes a very strong case that in order for the financial industry to come under control the tax rates for the wealthy must be raised substantially!  “To a surprising degree, economic misfortune has correlated with low top marginal tax rates. The top marginal tax rate at the time of the 1929 crash was 24%. After his election, Roosevelt promptly raised it to 63% and then to 94%, and one could easily make the case that it was this rise, rather than financial regulation, that played the primary — though certainly not the only — role in curbing abuses by attacking greed at its source, without, by the way, damaging the economy. Roosevelt essentially taxed away big money.”  Let’s digest that information.  The tax rates on the super wealthy has been low each time we have had a big economic crash.  Even during the Eisenhower years the tax rate for the wealthy topped out over 90% and yet the economy flourished. The common denominator in these economic disasters turns out to be Greed enabled by low tax rates. 

Mr. Gabler argues that the Glass Steagall Act might have helped rein in the financial industry until its unfortunate repeal in 1999, but it was really the incentive to get greedy, caused by the huge reductions in the high end tax rates that brought us back to the brink of Depression.   I have to agree with the bulk of Mr. Gabler’s argument, but I am not sure that I am ready for a 90% top marginal tax rate.  A rate that is significantly higher than the low rates we have now should also reduce the incentive for greed.   Can you imagine what Senator McConnell and his crowd would scream if the Bush Tax Cuts were not renewed and the tax rates for the extremely wealthy were raise to 50, 60 or even 70%?  I think I would be in favor of the tax increases, just for the pleasure of hearing the Republicans heads collectively explode! 

What do you think about my latest musings?  It is now time for you to let us know what you think!  Don’t be shy.  Get busy and give us your opinion!  Take the first step and write down what you think.  It won’t hurt!  I promise!

My first suggested topic concerns the ongoing debate about the Bush Tax Cuts that expire at the end of the year and whether it makes sense to extend them for the wealthiest taxpayers.  President Obama and the Democrats only want to extend the tax cuts for those earning less than $200,000 individually or families earning less than $250,000.   The Republicans try to claim that if you don’t extend the tax cuts for the wealthy, small businesses will not hire new workers.  It is a nice try, but of course the facts do not back up their claim.  “According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, extending all the Bush tax cuts would yield economic growth worth only 10 to 40 percent of each dollar  lost in government revenues. But the projections note that continuing the breaks for low income earners would be more stimulative as they would spend more of it than the wealthy.” http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0820/69-percent-rescind-bush-tax-cuts-rich/  The CBO figures don’t lie and we already have seen that the tax breaks for the wealthy did not create jobs during the Bush years and they also did not create jobs during the Reagan years.  Why would the Republicans and the Chamber of Commerce want to keep the tax cuts on the wealthiest 2% of Americans when it is detrimental to the economy??  I guess you could consider it feeding their base!

My second suggested topic concerns a story I read on FireDogLake.com.  It seems that the military is still mixing religion into its training.  At least at two Virginia bases. It seems that 80 soldiers were disciplined by their superior officers for not attending concerts put on by a evangelical Christian rock band which was part of a training exercise they were required to attend.  ‘ “For the past several years, two U.S. Army posts in Virginia, Fort Eustis and Fort Lee, have been putting on a series of what are called Commanding General’s Spiritual Fitness Concerts. As I’ve written in a number of other posts, “spiritual fitness” is just the military’s new term for promoting religion, particularly evangelical Christianity. And this concert series is no different.  On May 13, 2010, about eighty soldiers, stationed at Fort Eustis while attending a training course, were punished for opting out of attending one of these Christian concerts. The headliner at this concert was a Christian rock band called BarlowGirl, a band that describes itself as taking “an aggressive, almost warrior-like stance when it comes to spreading the gospel and serving God.” ‘ http://firedoglake.com/2010/08/21/the-return-of-compulsory-government-sponsored-religious-indoctrination/  There is no place in the Military for any mandatory religious indoctrination.  We seen past problems at the Air Force Academy and now this nonsense.  As the story mentions, the Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, should remove the general who has been forcing soldiers to attend this mandatory religious event.  What is your take on this subject?

The final suggested topic that I have pertains to the ongoing saga of building a Muslim community center 2-3 blocks from “ground zero” and the debate that has been raging since the news broke of the proposed development.  First of all, if Fox News is against something, I have to look very closely at the facts because I know they are not reporting the truth or not reporting all of the truth.  Once again, Fox News has not disappointed me.  They have been hammering this issue for weeks now and have falsely claimed that it was a Mosque and that it would be built on “hallowed” ground.  Here is a link to just one example of Fox News twisting the truth and pushing the false idea that the First Amendment doesn’t pertain to local governments.  http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/node/39150  When will people realize that any religion is free to build their community centers and mosques, and temples and churches anywhere that state and local government rules allow?  The idea that this Muslim development should not be built in a former clothes store because it is hallowed ground is simply, a joke.  Preventing any religion from building a lawful edifice on the grounds that it will upset people is an affront to our Constitution.  I must add that this barrage of falsehoods and outright lies has even brought election year Dems into the fold of asking for a halt to construction.  Sen. Harry Reid and the former DNC Chair, Dr. Howard Dean and New York Governor Paterson have recently voiced their opposition to the building of the Muslim center.  The facts don’t change just because any prominent Dems are against this project.  For the Fox so-called legal analyst to claim that it takes a real citizen to give up their rights for the good of the country is just outright garbage.  The First Amendment rights are designed to protect citizens from just this kind of attack by Fox News and their lying pundits as well as wavering Democrats.   http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/democracy-america-rebuts-dr-deans-mos & http://crooksandliars.com/matt-osborne/ground-zero-and-zero-sum-mindset  In the past people have tried to prevent Catholics and Jews from exercising their freedom of religion and freedom of speech, but thanks to the First Amendment, those attacks have failed.  This latest attack on freedom of religion cannot be allowed to win the day. 

I have made my suggestions, and they are just that, suggestions.  Let’s hear what You want to talk about.  The sky is the limit and I will be anxiously waiting to see what You want to talk about.  It is time to get busy and let everyone know what you are thinking about.  Let’s hear from all of You!  Don’t be shy and do not delay in telling us what you think.  These are important issues that all of our readers should have an opinion on.   It won’t hurt to let us know what You think!

The first news item to discuss tonight concerns the nonsense that the Republicans keep trying to spread about the Muslim Community Center and Mosque that is planned for a site 2 blocks from the World Trade Center site.  This Raw Story article not only gives us examples of the lies being pushed by Republicans, but it also gives us the true facts on each issue. http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0818/ap-fact-check-islam-already-part-wtc-neighborhood/  How can Newt Gingrich and the other quoted blowhards actually get away with spewing nonsense like this: ‘_”The folks who want to build this mosque — who are really radical Islamists who want to triumphantly prove that they can build a mosque right next to a place where 3,000 Americans were killed by radical Islamists — those folks don’t have any interest in reaching out to the community. They’re trying to make a case about supremacy.” — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a potential 2012 presidential candidate.” ‘  Of course, these Muslims are not radical Islamists as the news story explains.  Who would have guessed that Newt Gingrich would be telling a lie??

The next story is a happy one.  It seems that President Obama’s pledge to remove all of combat brigades from Iraq has been met.  The last combat brigade left Iraq today as noted in this linked Crooks and Liars story. http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/node/39112  “The official end to Operation Iraqi Freedom is August 31st. But today’s exit of the last Stryker Brigade into Kuwait signals an end to the United States’ active combat role in that country, and serves as notice that the promises made to leave are being kept.”  Now, let’s see if we can get the troops out of Afghanistan in short order.  That isn’t asking too much, is it?

My final Short of the night concerns a McClatchey story that asks the question that I have been asking for months.  Why is it that other countries are actually investigating the evidence of torture by U.S. authorities, but the United States isn’t?   ‘ “This is the remarkable thing: Other countries are reckoning with the legacy of the Bush administration’s torture program, and meanwhile the United States is not,” said Jameel Jaffer, the director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s national security program.”That’s part of why we’re so concerned. The Obama administration, rather than investigate the abuses of the last eight years, has increasingly become an obstacle to accountability.” ‘  President Obama, if the Bush Administration has committed crimes, why won’t you prosecute them?  Why are other countries doing the work that our Justice Department should be doing?   Don’t you think that the Republicans would be investigating Democrats if they had ordered the torture?  We either have the rule of law or we don’t.  Do your job!

Those are our Wednesday’s Shorts.  Take a look at them and at the sites where I found the stories and let us know what you think!  We’ll be waiting for you! Let’s hear from you!  Don’t be shy!   See you on Friday!