ThinkFast: November 19, 2008
ThinkFast: November 19, 2008
According to two legal sources close to the presidential transition, President-elect Barack Obama “has decided to tap Eric Holder as his attorney general, putting the veteran Washington lawyer in place to become the first African-American to head the Justice Department.”
Senate Democrats called on President Bush yesterday to “halt any effort by his administration to place political appointees in career jobs just weeks before his team leaves office.” Sens. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) sent a letter to Bush urging him “to keep his pledge of a smooth transition without partisan maneuvering.
Despite formal dissents from half of the agency’s 10 regional administrators, the Environmental Protection Agency “is finalizing new air-quality rules that would make it easier to build coal-fired power plants, oil refineries and other major polluters near national parks and wilderness areas.” The proposal would make it so spikes in pollution during periods of peak energy demand would no longer violate the law.
Incoming White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel “challenged chief executives and other business leaders Tuesday night to join the new administration in a push for universal health care, saying incremental increases in coverage won’t be acceptable.” “I’m challenging you today, we’re going to have to do big, serious things,” Emanuel told the WSJ’s CEO Council. “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.”
“The number of young people considering a military career has significantly increased for the first time in about five years, buoyed by more positive news out of Iraq. Military officials predict interest will rise even further because of the worsening economy,” USA Today reports.
Mohammed al-Qahtani, the so-called “20th hijacker in the Sept. 11 terror plot,” will face new war-crimes charges despite “claims that his harsh interrogation would make a prosecution impossible.” Military documents show Qatahni was subjected to “prolonged isolation, sleep deprivation, forced nudity, exposure to cold,” among other harsh interrogation methods.
In a televised address Tuesday night, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki defended the new security pact promising U.S. withdrawal from Iraq by the end of 2011. Maliki characterized the pact as “a strong beginning to get back the full sovereignty of Iraq in three years.” There is considerable opposition to the agreement among Sunni lawmakers and Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen said in an interview yesterday that “[s]tress on U.S. troops from repeated combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan is ‘extraordinary’ and may be worsening even as fighting eases in Iraq.” Mullen “expressed hope that the strain will be relieved gradually as the Marine Corps and Army expand the pool of available forces.”
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said Tuesday that Democrats will not push to reinstate a ban on offshore oil drilling next year. “I don’t think there is any intent at this point in time…to return to the same position we were in” before the ban was lifted, Hoyer said.
And finally: It’s “bettin’ time” in the Senate. Sens. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) will settle a friendly wager with Sens. Mel Martinez (R-FL) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) on the 2008 World Series. “The Florida Senators will deliver on their end of the bet with a box of citrus, Cuban pastries, Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish and copies of the Columbia Restaurant Spanish Cookbook,” according to a release.
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Obama “has decided to tap Eric Holder as his attorney general, putting the veteran Washington lawyer in place to become the first African-American to head the Justice Department.”
Another page turns, out of darkness we emerge…
November 19th, 2008 at 9:05 amJerusalem Post reported on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant:
Atomstroyexport, the Russian firm building the plant, said in September that the plant was nearing completion and that it would start “technological work” between December 2008 and February 2009 which would put the plant on an “irreversible final” course.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:24 amMilitary officials predict interest will rise even further because of the worsening economy,” USA Today reports.
Interest in the military is picking up because we now have a President who is not going to “shoot first and ask questions later”. For chrissakes, the military is using the Obama Presidency as a recruiting tool.
As far as recruitments picking up because of the economy, that’s sad in a way, but good in a way because at least these young people have a place where they can go to earn a living and get an education.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:32 amMilitary documents show Qatahni was subjected to “prolonged isolation, sleep deprivation, forced nudity, exposure to cold,” among other harsh interrogation methods.
“..among other harsh torture methods.”
Come on, stop playing word games here. You lie, people say you “misspoke”. You torture and people say you used “harsh interrogation methods”.
The right is going to freak when the Obama Administration refuses to use confessions gained through torture. But, that’s what he needs to do if we are ever going to gain our moral high ground once again.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:38 amThe WSJ blog posted a piece on Rahm’s talk last night.
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/11/18/determined-not-to-make-news-emanuel-speaks-of-era-of-reform/
November 19th, 2008 at 9:38 amOr maybe they should join the thousands of mercenaries who are running around Iraq, shooting and being shot at. As mercenaries, they’d make a hundred times the money, plus there’d be no pesky laws to cramp their style.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:38 amEmanuel told the WSJ’s CEO Council.“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.”
Isn’t this a textbook example of Naomi Klein’s description of disaster capitalism?
November 19th, 2008 at 9:39 am“Sens. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) sent a letter to Bush…”
Ooooooh, a letter…
November 19th, 2008 at 9:39 amI support Michael Steele for RNC Chair.
This guy isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. Keeping the RNC irrelevant, which Mr. Steele is capable of, is a good thing.
His depth of knowledge on pertinent issues matches Sara Palin, in fact.
Go Michael! Go RNC!
November 19th, 2008 at 9:41 amTo any and all young people considering joining the military, consider this;
Who wants to be the last man to die in Vietnam? Who wants to die for a mistake? -John Kerry, 1971.
You only have to substitute Iraq for Vietnam here. You can still die or be maimed for life in Iraq between now and our withdrawal.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:43 amDr. Hussein Matt Says:
More proof that the reich-wing is completely irrelevant:
Alan Keyes Files Lawsuit Over Obama Eligibility
Correct me if I am wrong but even if Obama was born in Kenya, as the right is trying to prove, he would still be a US citizen because his mother was a US citizen.
The one who really was not eligible was McCain because the law regarding citizenship if born outside the USA was not passed until 2 years after McCain was born and it was NOT retroactive.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:46 amstateofthedivision Says:
Jerusalem Post reported on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant:
Atomstroyexport, the Russian firm building the plant, said in September that the plant was nearing completion and that it would start “technological work” between December 2008 and February 2009 which would put the plant on an “irreversible final” course.
What’s your point? Is it that Iran really is buildig a nuclear power plant like they said they were?
November 19th, 2008 at 9:48 amEmanuel went to the WSJ event for give and take with CEO’s. They ranked their desires of the incoming Obama administration. Taxes ranked #5 on their list. They would like lower corporate income taxes and lower capital gains.
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/11/18/ceos-top-demands-for-obama-fix-the-economy-education/
November 19th, 2008 at 9:48 amBilbo, this is a news summary post. Numerous Israeli leaders said they will not allow a nuclear armed Iran. They view achievement of certain technological capabilities as a point of no return.
I don’t know what the future holds, but I can pay attention to the chess moves along the way.
If you already know “what I post”, you are free to ignore it.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:52 amJerusalem Post reported on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant:
Is this name some sort of sick irony or what?
November 19th, 2008 at 9:59 amSurvey Showing Many Physicians Would Like To Quit
That Happened! – 1 hour ago
New York – A recent survey suggested that many doctors in the United States are considering quitting their jobs. This is very serious because the health care industry is facing so many problems.
Many doctors plan to quit or cut back: survey Reuters
Half of primary-care doctors in survey would leave medicine CNN
USA Today – U.S. News & World Report – United Press International – Cortlandt Forum
all 126 news articles »
http://news.google.com/?ncl=1271681586&hl=en&topic=m
from the reuters articel:
The Physicians’ Foundation, founded in 2003 as part of a settlement in an anti-racketeering lawsuit among physicians, medical societies, and insurer Aetna, Inc., mailed surveys to 270,000 primary care doctors and 50,000 practicing specialists.
The 12,000 answers are considered representative of doctors as a whole, the group said, with a margin of error of about 1 percent. It found that 78 percent of those who answered believe there is a shortage of primary care doctors.
12,000 out of 320,000 doctors cared enough to help…
the mercenaries need to be weeded out…
November 19th, 2008 at 10:08 am“The Florida Senators will deliver on their end of the bet with a box of citrus, Cuban pastries, Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish and copies of the Columbia Restaurant Spanish Cookbook,”
__________________________________________________________
Hmmm…I wonder what the Florida Senators would have gotten if the Phillies lost? I assume a couple of decent Philly cheesesteaks were part of the package?
November 19th, 2008 at 10:13 amAl-Qaida No. 2 brands Obama dishonorable
MSNBC – 1 hour ago
Ayman al-Zawahri, seen here in an image taken from a video issued by al-Qaida’s media branch on Feb. 27, has accused President-elect Barack Obama of being “the direct opposite of honorable black Americans” such as Malcolm X. AP file For more than 15 …
Al-Qaeda message condemns Obama BBC News
Al-Qaida No. 2 insults Obama in new audio message The Associated Press
The Standard – The Daily Voice – KXMC – Straits Times
all 270 news articles »
http://news.google.com/?ncl=1272254650&hl=en&topic=h
he must be doin’ sumthin’ right?
November 19th, 2008 at 10:14 amHappy Birthday, Ted Stevens!
November 19th, 2008 at 10:17 ammisshusseinmolly Says:
Hmmm…I wonder what the Florida Senators would have gotten if the Phillies lost? I assume a couple of decent Philly cheesesteaks were part of the package?
Victory beer!
November 19th, 2008 at 10:20 amHouse Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) said Tuesday that Democrats will not push to reinstate a ban on offshore oil drilling next year. “I don’t think there is any intent at this point in time…to return to the same position we were in” before the ban was lifted, Hoyer said.
Wow! Second day in a row, is Steny fired up or what? With that spirit you would’ve thought the republicans took over congress with a two-thirds majority, or perhaps Steny himself misses the good ole days.
November 19th, 2008 at 10:23 am#15 stateofthedivision
Thanks for info. With that news I am awaiting another Israeli airstrike like the one on the Iraqi nuclear reactor years ago. Let’s see what mayhem will come of this! The American miltary is weak and far less intimidating than it was when the last air strike happened.
November 19th, 2008 at 10:37 amPutin won’t be happy if the Israelis bomb his power plant.
November 19th, 2008 at 10:41 amVia the TARP program, taxpayers will soon be partners with The Carlyle Group in Boston Private Financial Holdings, a financial firm catering to high net worth individuals.
Congratulations on your investment!
November 19th, 2008 at 10:52 amstateofthedivision Says:
Bilbo, this is a news summary post. Numerous Israeli leaders said they will not allow a nuclear armed Iran. They view achievement of certain technological capabilities as a point of no return.
November 19th, 2008 at 10:56 am______
Thirty some countries have nuclear power plants and we don’t say they are nuclear armed. I don’t understand the distinction. The Bushehr reactor is not a research reactor, it is a power plant.
Maybe military recruitment is going up because we won’t have a war monger in power any more?
November 19th, 2008 at 11:09 am$153 million of TARP money going to The Carlyle Group’s Boston Private Financial Holdings:
Boston Private Financial Holdings, Inc. is a holding company of private banks, asset managers and wealth advisors, which share a focus on the growing U.S. high net worth population.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:03 pmDoesn’t the Carlyle Group have strong Bush I connections ?
November 19th, 2008 at 12:11 pmAnybody but Mukasey.
November 19th, 2008 at 12:27 pmWhat did we miss?
Once again the U.S. car makers are on Capitol Hill begging for more money to fill their coffers. These are the same clowns who thought the big vehicle, low mileage party would last forever. What, me worry? was their mantra.
Why is it that their unions are not kicking in to support them?
More importantly, why are the oil companies not investing?
November 19th, 2008 at 12:42 pmThe Carlyle Group is peppered with political insiders of both red and blue stripes.
Bush I, James A. Baker, Bush II (Board of CaterAir), Carlucci, and Darman are some from the red side.
Leavitt, Rossotti, Kennard, McLarty, and Marchick represent some of the blue team.
Carlyle even has an Axelrod in their health care sector. A relative of David’s?
November 19th, 2008 at 12:43 pmFrances Fragos Townsend, Bush’s former Homeland Security Adviser, expressed her willingness to work for the Obama team:
http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/spytalk/2008/11/fran-townsend-comes-to-eric-ho.html
November 19th, 2008 at 5:57 pm