►Is Impeachment now out of the question? Bush admin rids us of a reg from the Reagan years.
From Think Progress:
“Interior Dept. overturns regulation, clearing the way for concealed, loaded firearms into national parks”
“Today, the Department of Interior overturned a Reagan-era regulation, permitting loaded firearms at 388 of 391 national park sites. The decision allows guns in parks in “any states with concealed carry laws, not just those that allow guns in their state parks as originally proposed.” While the Department cited safety concerns as a factor, the National Park Conservation Association notes.”
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►Yet another anti-environment rule from Bush in his last-ditch efforts to further freaking damage the environment..
The Bureau of Land Management, which manages 258 million acres of federal property, stripped from its regulations Thursday a provision that gives two Congressional committees the power to compel the Interior Secretary to temporarily place public land off limits to mining and oil and gas development.”AP report
Thanks to The Relevant Rhino for making me aware of this story, and for expanding on it in a comment on this post, as quoted below.
“The Bush Administration, in conjunction with the BLM, was pushing for the right to drill and mine on 278 acres of public land and the House Natural Resources Committee/Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee said "Oh Hell Naw".
To which BushCo said, "Watch us", and claimed the Congressional Committees had no power to tell them no because of a disproportionate amount of GOPers on the two committees.”
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►Automakers go home to Detroit. Congress playing "chicken"? Unemployment stats today grim. Really grim.
Barney Frank tells Congress that in the midst of the greatest economic depression since the 1930's, even a limited failure of the 3 automakers would be an "unmitigated disaster".
Congress needs to pay attention. The employment stats released today are frightening.
2.7million people became unemployed this year, which brings the total number of unemployed to 10.3 million. That does not include the 7+ million people who are working at part-time jobs because they can not obtain full-time employment.
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►Palin refuses to release her Troopergate testimony.
If it was all so innocuous, as claimed by Governor Palin, why not go ahead and release it to allay more speculation? Hmmm.........
“As far as Gov. Sarah Palin is concerned, "troopergate" is behind her and she won't provide a transcript of testimony she gave in an investigation into whether she violated ethics laws in firing her public safety commissioner, Walt Monegan.
Palin has maintained she did nothing wrong and that Monegan was dismissed for reasons unrelated to her concerns about her ex-brother-in-law, Trooper Michael Wooten.”
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►Another Kennedy in the Senate?
According to ABC News, New York governor, David Paterson, has spoken with Caroline Kennedy about taking Hillary Clinton's senate seat once she is confirmed as the Secretary of State. A great choice, I am thinking.
Kennedy is reputed to be considering the offer.
“The crazy speculation about Hillary Clinton's Senate seat may not be so crazy after all. A Democrat who would know tells ABC News that New York governor David Paterson has talked to Caroline Kennedy about taking the seat, which was once held by her uncle, Robert F. Kennedy. It’s not exactly shocking that Paterson would reach out to one of the most highly respected public figures in New York, but this is: Sources say Kennedy is considering it, and has not ruled out coming to Washington to replace Hillary Clinton in the Senate.”
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►A former US interrogator claims that US torture policy has led to more deaths than 9/11.
In a November 30th op-ed piece published on the Washington Post, Matthew Alexander [writing under a pseudonym for security reasons] discusses the interrogation techniques used by those who refused to use torture.
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►PEBO filling positions at the fastest rate in history.
“Mr. Obama is moving more quickly to fill his administration’s top ranks than any newly elected president in modern times. He has named virtually the entire top echelon of his White House staff and nearly half of his cabinet. Just a month after his election, Mr. Obama has announced his selections for 13 of the 24 most important positions in a new administration.
By comparison, Bill Clinton had filled only one of those jobs by this point in his transition, and Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan only two. Even the elder George Bush, who had the advantage of succeeding a fellow Republican, had picked just eight a month after his election.”
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►A final tally from the RNC on Palin's campaign spending.
Politico reported today on the latest RNC expense reports, which show that in total, approximately $180,000 was spent on personal "accessories" for Palin and her family during the campaign.
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►Obama to help retire Clinton's campaign debt.
Obama's donor list being asked to contribute to/help to retire Hillary Clinton's remaining campaign debt.
“An appeal on Clinton's behalf signed by Vice President-elect Joe Biden is to be sent by e-mail to all of the more than three million donors to Obama's record-setting fundraising, according to this adviser, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the e-mail had not yet been sent.”
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►Senior Democratic lawmakers doing a reversal on torture?
Yesterday, in an NYT article on Obama and the CIA, NYT noted a change in rhetoric by at least two senators, Feinstein and Wyden. [of note: Feinstein is replacing Jay Rockefeller as Chairperson of the Senate Intelligence Committee.]
“But even some senior Democratic lawmakers who are vehement critics of the Bush administration’s interrogation policies seemed reluctant in recent interviews to commit the new administration to following the Army Field Manual in all cases.”
Today, on Salon.com, Glenn Greenwald expanded on this, and published a statement from Sen. Feinstein's office.
“What makes this so notable is that, for the last year, Feinstein and Wyden were both insistent that the only way to end torture and restore America's standing in the world was to require CIA compliance with the Army Field Manual -- period. But as long as George Bush was President, it was cheap and easy for Feinstein and Wyden to argue that, because they knew there was no chance it would ever happen. As they well knew, they lacked the votes to override Bush's inevitable veto of any such legislation. So as long as Bush was President, it was all just posturing, strutting around demanding absolute anti-torture legislation they knew would never pass.”
:: Compendium of articles on America and torture » Mother Jones
RELATED POSTS
>A final tally from the RNC on Palin's campaign spending.>Ongoing List of President-Elect Obama's Cabinet Level Appointments
>US Automakers Return to Washington - Daily Political News Round-Up - Thursday, December 4, 2008
>A former US interrogator claims that US torture policy has led to more deaths than 9/11.
>Palin Still Matters
>Obama Confronts Guantanamo
