Life is sometimes stranger than fiction. For the life of me, I can’t see why President Obama met with Mitt Romney on Thursday. Even the Republican Party is distancing itself from Mitt Romney. Romney, even after he lost the election, continued to say that he lost because of all the gifts that President Obama gave out—referring to "free" healthcare, free contraceptives for women, forgiveness of college loan interest, amnesty for what Romney refers to as "children of illegals"---to name a few according to Romney. Although, Romney orchestrated the Massachusetts health care plan on which the Affordable Care Act is based, he distanced himself from his own plan, during the election. He previously mentioned during the campaign that 47% of the country were freeloaders and would not merit his attention, if he was elected. Thank God he was not elected. This brings me to my question of why would President Obama meet with Mitt Romney. There is very little that Romney can offer. As … [Read more...] about Mr. 47% Goes to Washington to Meet with Pres. Obama
Archives for November 2012
Pt 2- The Election is Over but the GOP War on Voter Rights Continues
The election is over but the Republicans’ war on voting rights is far from over. Alabama is now going after the heart of voter rights, section 5 of the 1965 Voter Rights Act. Just three days after the election, the Supreme Court agreed to take on an Alabama case on whether section 5 of the Voter Rights Act should still apply to states today. The nine states of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia and municipalities and counties in seven other states, must seek federal approval before changing their voting laws, due to their past history of racial discrimination. Shelby County, Alabama sought to change its voting laws without the approval of the Justice Department. Opponents of section 5 state that the “evils it was crafted to address have been long over”. If the 2012 election taught us anything, it is that these protections under the Voter Rights Act in these southern states and other municipalities are still needed. … [Read more...] about Pt 2- The Election is Over but the GOP War on Voter Rights Continues
Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone
In the middle of America’s bloody Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln made the fourth Thursday in November a day of thanksgiving on October 3, 1863. A day of thanksgiving had been established as far back as President George Washington but Lincoln made it a regular holiday for Americans. We have not had a bloody civil war but we have come out of a very contentious election; Hurricane Sandy has wrecked many livse—many are still without food or electricity. We still need to set aside Thanksgiving as a day to give thanks for what we have and what we have in each other. There is always much to be thankful for and to pray for those in need. Let’s not forget that every day is a day of Thanksgiving. I give thanks for being in a country where we can give voice to our political viewpoints. I have regularly for the past several years blogged, wrote articles and appeared on TV and radio expressing my political and legal commentary. And I am thankful that we live in a country that allows … [Read more...] about Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone
Lawyers.Com: Zimmerman Lawyer Uses Internet to Sway Public
This article first appeared in Lawyers.Com for which I was interviewed on the denial of the gag order. State Loses Second ‘Gag Order’ Battle The email, sent the week before the trial judge was to rule on whether a gag order should be placed on O’Mara, was an attempt to help the defense find any and all statements he’d made in the media. And it could have looked like an admission that he had been improperly vocal about Zimmerman’s case. But instead of denying or ignoring what could have been a total nightmare for the defense, O’Mara posted the email on his George Zimmerman Legal Case web site and spun it in his favor. “We’re confident that everything we’ve posted, and everything we’ve said publicly is proper and well within our rights, but we know that on Friday, the State is likely to find the most questionable thing Mark’s said and present it to the Court,” says O’Mara on the site. It worked: Judge Deborah Nelson ruled on Oct. 29 that a gag order against O’Mara is not necessary. … [Read more...] about Lawyers.Com: Zimmerman Lawyer Uses Internet to Sway Public
Trayvon Martin Case Goes to Trial Online
The Trayvon Martin case is not expected to go to trial until June, 2013. The trial could be finished online before it starts in the courtroom if the defense has its way. Criminal defense attorney, Mark O’Mara has been vigorously defending his client in the media, particularly online through social media. The defense has put court pleadings in the web site dedicated for the defendant's case, commented on the evidence and witnesses just in case any would be jurors need to read them. The Zimmerman defense has a Twitter account, web site and had a Facebook account dedicated to the case. The prosecution has tried on two occasions to get a gag order issued in the case. On both occasions, two different judges have denied the gag order. The last one was denied last week. A gag order may be issued where either side of a case is releasing information publicly that may prejudice the case or the defendant. Judge Debra Nelson stated that there was no evidence of "an overriding pattern … [Read more...] about Trayvon Martin Case Goes to Trial Online
The Election is Over but the War on Voting Continues
President Obama won the 2012 presidential election despite an army of new GOP voter ID laws, suppression and intimidation tactics to deny the vote to many citizens, including minorities, young adults and seniors. The after effects of the voter ID laws and voter suppression tactics are still going on. Many minority voters, young adults and seniors were still unable to vote, voted provisionally, stood in long lines or had to pay the equivalent of a poll tax to exercise their right to vote. Adding insult to injury, many voters after standing in long waiting lines ended up voting provisional ballots---many of which may not count. In Ohio, there are still 207,000 provisional ballots which won’t begin to be counted until November 17. That’s an insane number of provisional ballots. In Philadelphia, 27, 000 people voted by provisional ballot, almost double the number that did in 2008. A provisional ballot is cast in instances where problems arise such as where the voter is not on the … [Read more...] about The Election is Over but the War on Voting Continues