This week is the last week before our legislators take their vacations until September. Once again, President Obama’s judicial nominees will be left hanging without even receiving a vote. Republicans have taken an unprecedented approach to blocking President Obama’s judicial nominees. This week, Republicans vow to stand in the way of Judge Robert Bacharach, President Obama’s nominee to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. This is despite the fact that Judge Bacharach received bi-partisan support and even acclaim from conservative court watchers. Instead of filling the vacancy and confirming Judge Bacharach, legislators will go home to their home districts until sometime in September. So nomination for a two year old vacancy on the court, Republicans choose instead to engage in obstructionism. On average, President Obama’s judicial nominees have waited over 125 to be confirmed; this is four times longer than President Bush’s nominees. Compared to other presidents, … [Read more...] about The Last Harrah for Judicial Nominees before Lawmakers Vacation
Archives for July 2012
PA Voter ID Law Goes On Trial
Pennsylvania’s voter ID law went on trial on Wednesday, July 25 to challenge the constitutionality of Pennsylvania’s voter ID law. Pennsylvania signed a stipulation before the trial began agreeing that no voter fraud exists in Pennsylvania or elsewhere in the country to justify the need for photo ID laws. Nonetheless, Pennsylvania is standing its ground on the need for voter ID. The only fraud being committed is not voter fraud but fraud on the American people by the GOP. One Pennsylvania state law maker, Mike Turzai, broke ground when he also admitted the law is needed to give Mitt Romney the win in November. While Republicans say the need for voter ID is only common sense. The trial and issue is whether the laws are constitutional and not common sense. Even if the laws were based on common sense, they would still fail. It makes no common sense for them. The U.S. constitution states that the right to vote shall not be denied due to race or gender. And yet, … [Read more...] about PA Voter ID Law Goes On Trial
Why the NRA and Gun Rights Advocates Are Wrong
The second amendment guarantees the right to bear arms. There are 27 amendments to the U.S. constitution. The first ten are known as the Bill of Rights. Proponents of the second amendment believe there should not be any restrictions on the right to bear arms. They believe the U.S. Constitution gives them an absolute right to bear arms. The only thing wrong with their thinking is there are restrictions and limits on most of the amendments to the Constitution. The first amendment is freedom of speech. While freedom of speech is protected, there is not an unrestricted freedom to all speech. Libel and slander are not constitutionally protected. Other forms of speech are not protected. The first amendment also covers freedom of the press. Yet there are occasions where a journalist is asked by a court to reveal his or her sources or be held in contempt. That hardly seems like freedom of the press. The 4th amendment protects against unreasonable search and seizures. The Supreme … [Read more...] about Why the NRA and Gun Rights Advocates Are Wrong
Is the NRA the Osama bin Laden of US Gun Terrorism?
The Aurora, Colorado movie killings bring up once again the second amendment and right to bear arms issue. The first 10 amendments in the US Constitution, known as the Bill of Rights, are like the 10 Commandments in the Bible. They are etched in stone in our history just like the 10 commandments in the Bible. And the 2nd amendment protects the right to bear arms. The National Rifle Association (“NRA”) is the ultimate defender of the 2nd amendment since their organization’s inception in 1871. The NRA is also a powerful political entity whose gun industry members are worth more than $60 billion a year. Their political contributions help to lobby against any gun control in this country. And persons like the Aurora killer are legally allowed to buy assault weapons, with the NRA’s blessing. Assault weapons can kill multiple persons at a time and terrorize a nation. A recent Al Jazeera article printed some interesting facts on the background of guns in the US: The US gun industry is … [Read more...] about Is the NRA the Osama bin Laden of US Gun Terrorism?
Women Hold the Key in Election 2012
Women have come a long way since the early days of women’s suffrage. On July 19, 1848 a controversial resolution seeking the vote for women was passed at the first women's rights convention. Elizabeth Cady Stanon also called for the right to exercise free speech. The move was necessary because public speaking was considered an unwomanly act. Thomas Jefferson had declared it would result in a "depravation of morals." Ironically, that first convention was presided over by a man - James Mott, husband to suffragist Lucretia. It was not until 1920 that women earned the right to vote. Just last month in 2012, legislators in Michigan banned a colleague from speaking on the floor. The group panicked when Representative Lisa Brown used the word "vagina" during a debate on reproductive health care. Republican Ann Richards once said Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did—only backwards and in high heels. While some men may still think that women should not be heard or heard using … [Read more...] about Women Hold the Key in Election 2012
Why Joe Paterno’s Statue Must Come Down
The trial of Jerry Sandusky has been concluded. Louis Freeh’s investigative report has been written. And still the statue of Joe Paterno still stands on Penn State’s campus. And this is but one example that Penn State is still in denial of Papa Joe Paterno’s wrongdoing and involvement in the Sandusky sex abuse scandal. How do you keep a statue of a man that was fired for aiding and abetting a known—at least to him, child sex abuser? There should be no question that the statute should be removed. It should have been removed shortly after Paterno’s firing. A statue honors the legacy of a hero—someone who set an outstanding example. Paterno does not fit that category. He is a disgraced and fallen coach. All the years of Paterno’s coaching rests on the lives of the young boys that Sandusky raped. There is no reason to honor greed and corruption. A college cannot honor someone who brings dishonor upon them in the most vile way. The statue must be removed to teach the students of Penn … [Read more...] about Why Joe Paterno’s Statue Must Come Down