ThinkFast: February 23, 2006
ThinkFast: February 23, 2006
ThinkFast is a new feature of ThinkProgress. Coffee and donuts not included. (It’s still a work in progress – let us know what you think.)
Bush administration officials say the Medicare prescription drug bill has been a wild success, claiming over 25 million people have enrolled. Actually, the number is closer to five million.
Clean government group CREW has filed an ethics complaint against Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) after reports showing that a private Philadelphia bank that has contributed to Santorum’s campaigns violated its own policies to approve a $500,000 home mortgage for Santorum.
South Dakota’s senate has passed a bill banning virtually all abortions, becoming the “first state in 14 years to start a direct legal attack on Roe v. Wade.” State Sen. Tom Dempster (R): “This bill ends up being cold, indifferent and as hostile as any great prairie blizzard that this state has ever seen.”
The White House will release their Katrina “lessons learned†report today. The report will be “less scathing†than the House report that found “earlier involvement by President Bush could have spurred a faster response.â€
Mr. Musharraf’s Other War: Pakistan is using U.S. weaponry to violently suppress an ethnic minority separatist movement in the country’s largest province. “That’s no way to win the hearts and minds of anyone.”
60 Minutes rejects right-wing call for “balance” on global warming story. “There is virtually no disagreement in the scientific community any longer about global warming,” correspondent Scott Pelley said.
Sen. Elizabeth Dole writes that she is “deeply concerned” about Dubai Ports World managing the operations at six U.S. ports. Meanwhile, her husband, former Majority Leader Bob Dole has been hired by Dubai Ports World to shepherd the deal through.
25 million: Number of people provided food by America’s Second Harvest — the largest charitable food distribution network — an 8 percent increase since 2001. (Learn what you can do to help.)
Lawmakers have introduced legislation to repeal a law that gives pharmaceutical companies immunity against lawsuits in a public health or bioterror emergency. Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) writes that the law allows drug companies to “escape responsibility for gross negligence or even criminal acts”
Japan has banned the sale of used electronics.
What did we miss? Let us know in the comments section.
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When they checked Santorum’s work history and W2’s to approve the loan, what was the listed occupation, Senator/Scam Artist?”
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:08 am“It Takes A Well Connected Family”, how touching.
No coffee or donuts!? That sucks :(
Anyway, I like this idea.
“Sen. Elizabeth Dole writes that she is “deeply concerned†about Dubai Ports World managing the operations at six U.S. ports. Meanwhile, her husband, former Majority Leader Bob Dole has been hired by Dubai Ports World to shepherd the deal through.”
Wow. For a married couple, you’d think they’d be on at least the same page. Seems odd to me.
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:19 amRe. the South Dakota abortion ban: one of the bill’s sponsors is a woman, Sen. Julie Bartling, a
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:28 amDemocrat! ‘Democrat’ these days means conservative conformist, it is outrageous to me that any woman, let
alone one registered a ‘Democrat’ would be a party to this legislation. Rolling back the clock to the Middle Ages, what a plan to get the issue to the Supremes. Trouble is going wider and deeper. A
Religious Fundamentalists forcing their religion on the rest of us is a violation of our Constitution and gives us the right to retaliate the same way George Washington did. Bring it on rightwingers. You will be very sorry.
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:33 amKatrina “lessons learned†report
It works so good to have people investigating themselves.
“Whelp, we’ve looked it over, and we’re okay.
Next issue please.”
Maybe we should just do away with judges and prosecutors, let the accused investigate the crime, then provide us with their take on a verdict.
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:43 amRe: Dole vs Dole
Bob Dole is a whore to big business. His wife is a whore to the political whim of the day and has been suckered into this “port scare” like the rest of congress.
Sounds like they’re on the same page to me!
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:46 amabout the south dakota abortion ban, i thought this perplexing – from an AP story: “In my opinion, it is the time for the South Dakota Legislature to deal with this issue and protect the lives and rights of unborn children,” said Sen. Julie Bartling, a Democrat who is the bill’s main sponsor.
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:46 amhmmm
good morning…
For more on Santorum’s mortgage and why it might be an ethics violation, check out JABBS’ article from Tuesday.
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:56 amAlso in the news: Ohio shoots down an effort to bring intelligent design in their public schools.
That’s five states in the past few weeks to go against intelligent design, but as JABBS points out, there are still a host of states considering anti-evolution legislation.
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:58 amI posted my thought on the South Dakota ban on my blog
http://bfuentes.blogspot.com/
People need to realize this is a radical agendato force a radical moral view on us and it wont stop with control of abortions.
“Think of the ramifications of a law that states that life begins at conception. Women could be potentially prosecuted for having miscarriages. If one of the moral guardians decides the mothers actions caused the miscarriage, is that any different than an abortion.
There will have to be mechanisms to track every pregnant woman to guarantee she does not have an abortion. Are doctors going to have to report every pregnancy to the authorities? Then will the women be tracked?
If a woman can produce eggs but her body is inhospitable to the egg implanting and surviving, shouldn’t she be prohibited from having sex. That brings us around to the possible goal. Sex outside of marriage, which is not intended for procreation, may have to be made illegal.
Therefore, there is no need for condoms, so therefore why not just make them illegal. Therefore, since homosexual sex can not be for procreation it should be illegal.
Does this all sound ridiculous? Yeah, I guess so. But you know that there are people that voted for this ban that think everything I have stated should happen. The whole purpose of this is to impose a radical right Christian moral code and philosophy on this nation.”
February 23rd, 2006 at 10:15 am“Lives and Rights of Unborn children” — what about lives and rights of mothers? Of course since this law only hurts the poor, maybe the senator thinks poor people ought to suffer?
February 23rd, 2006 at 10:18 amWatch the politicians who are in trouble, and up for election, to come out against the Bush plan to veto the ports deal.
February 23rd, 2006 at 10:21 amDole has been an embarrassment since he is retired, and his wife is as phony as he is. They should quietly go off to Sun City where he can hawk his Viagara, and she can visit the spa every day.
I am not seeing this anywhere, but this ports issue is not helping anyone except the pukes up for re-election in the house and senate.
Of all the voices out there, the dems are once again being silenced by the pukes and their “staged” revolt against Bush.
The pukes will be seen as strong on security in spite of Bush and all will be re-elected in November.
The dems have no issue, no backbone, no desire to be heard over the din of the pukes. So, once again, down the drain.
February 23rd, 2006 at 10:23 amThe democrats have become just like the republicans, only less so. Looking for them to mount real opposition to the fascist takeover of this country is foolish–they are sucking from the same corporate teat.
February 23rd, 2006 at 10:29 am#13, Paul, a post from yesterday.
The investigation didn’t occur because the element of suprise was important.
This is the chance for the Republicans to stand up, puff their chests out, and crow about how they are doing what is right for the security of The United States. How they have boldly told their President ‘no way’, and how they are protecting their people from potential ‘terrist’ attacks.
I’ve since heard arguments that this can’t be the case, but it seems likely to me.
February 23rd, 2006 at 10:31 amRight On #10!!
I totally agree that this is where the Christian fundies are going with this bill. The holes in it are so huge it is pathetic. If an embryo has the same rights as we do then mothers who don’t wear seat-belts should be arrested for child endangerment. Any activity like rock climbing, biking, rollerblading and the like endangers the unborn human so that should be punishable by arrest and prosecution.
If they smoke, they provide cigarettes to minors as well as committing child abuse. The same goes for having an alcoholic drink. Agreed these two examples are things pregnant mothers should refrain from but do we arrest and fine them or put them in jail for repeat offenses?
I agree this is just the first attack to make the whole country submit to fundamentalist Christian morality.
February 23rd, 2006 at 10:47 am# 7 Yes she is a Democrat up for re-election this year.
She needs to be voted out. Here is a list of the NARAL
South Dakota senators abortion ratings:
http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_detail.php?sig_id=003563M
February 23rd, 2006 at 11:04 amI agree this is just the first attack to make the whole country submit to fundamentalist Christian morality.
…ruled by some of the most Amoral people….
February 23rd, 2006 at 11:07 amSad. Scary.
Another small point: yes, this would hurt the poor the most.
But do you *really* think that rich women won’t have access to abortions? $$$ talks.
Nice timing Karl!
February 23rd, 2006 at 11:18 amAbortion smokescreen device successfully deployed…
I thought SD had its statehood revoked after the Cold War; we don’t need a vacant, wasteland to store our nuclear weapons anymore. Can we give it back to the Indians!
February 23rd, 2006 at 11:25 am#10 & #16 – The common theme for the whole issue is controlling the lives and bodies of uppity women. The nerve of us wanting self determination!
February 23rd, 2006 at 11:44 amTP — Although coffee and donuts are not included, why not a picture on the heading of a couple decadent donuts and a steaming mug of coffee? Sort of our signal of where to go to unleash or unhinge.
February 23rd, 2006 at 11:47 amIf abortion is illegal in South Dakota, women with money will go to Minnesota, or North Dakota or even as far afield as California or Washington State. Its the poor woman who can’t afford a couple days off from work, or gas in their car, or have to care for children or parents or other relatives who will suffer.
February 23rd, 2006 at 12:02 pmWomen could be potentially prosecuted for having miscarriages.
This could also lead to all contraception being outlawed including the Plan B pill.
February 23rd, 2006 at 1:11 pm#10, some of those moralists think they have the right to approach a pregnant woman and publicly criticize her for smoking or drinking (unwise habits to be sure, but that’s not my point) — so it’s not so far fetched to envision your posit that we can see police records on all pregnant women to ensure they don’t “misbehave” and cause an abortion.
February 23rd, 2006 at 4:50 pm#25 – This could also lead to women delaying prenatal care as long as possible. More sick women, more sick and disabled babies.
February 23rd, 2006 at 6:10 pm