On Wednesday, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) received an offensive t-shirt in the mail; the shirt had “a cartoon image of Curious George, the beloved children’s character, with a paper bag over his head holding a sign that says ‘A Truth We Can Believe in ’08!!!’ written underneath.” The Washington Post describes the back of the shirt:

The back of the shirt lists several African American organizations. … It prints the United Nations’ definition of “racial discrimination” and states, underneath the listing of all the black organizations, “Who is really causing the Racial Division.”

The t-shirt also says: “There are over 1,000 African American, Hispanic and other minority organizations in America. How many white organizations can you find? Or can you imagine what would happen every time one was made?” Mingled with the listing of the numerous black organizations is the Ku Klux Klan and two Hispanic groups.

CBCF president Elsie Scott was disturbed by the image of Curious George with a bag over his head, which reminded her of a lynching. Recently, other controversial t-shirts featuring Curious George and Obama ’08 logos have also appeared.

According to new Department of Labor data released today, the U.S. unemployment rate rose from 5.0 to 5.5 percent in May, which was higher than the expected 0.1 percent jobless rate increase. It was also the largest jump in unemployment since 1986. Labor Secretary Elaine Chao put out a statement today, attempting to explain the jump. Her answer? Blame America’s youth:

Today’s increase in the unemployment rate reflects the fact that unusually large numbers of students and graduates are entering the labor market.

Chao is just trying to hide bad news. These unemployment numbers are not good, nor are they normal. As Center for American Progress Director of the American Worker Project David Madland told ThinkProgress, unemployment isn’t just for young people:

The unemployment rate for prime-working age adults – people from 25 to 54 – also increased in May, rising from 4.2 percent to 4.4 percent. In addition, the share of this age group that was employed fell slightly from 79.6 percent to 79.5 percent.

Similarly, Jared Bernstein at EPI noted that “even if we take teenagers out of the data, unemployment still rises from 4.5% to 4.8%, a considerable 0.3% increase, and well above the 4.0% adult rate of one year ago.”

New workers are always entering the market. A healthy economy can absorb them; a Bush economy can’t.

Former Republican House speaker Dennis Hastert recently joined Dickstein Shapiro, a “powerhouse Washington law and lobbying firm.” He will cash in on his time as a lawmaker and is estimated to make more than $500,000 a year. Today, the New York Times has an editorial on this troubling revolving door:

We never really expected Mr. Hastert to indulge the Jeffersonian fantasy and humbly return to his old calling as a high school wrestling coach. Still, his new job as access-enabler highlights the capital reality that old incumbents never die; they just backslap away.

More than 200 former members of Congress have crowded through the revolving door to lobby in recent years. More are lining up at the pay window. Congress’s designated ethics monitors already are bending the rules to let incumbents job shop their private-sector value while still on the privileged elected perch.

(HT: CREW)

Yesterday, CNN Headline News host Glenn Beck joined in on the right-wing meme that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) may be a Marxist. As proof, Beck showed his guest, National Review contributing editor Jonah Goldberg, some things he had “found on the Internet.” These “things” included a poster of Obama that looked like “revolutionary art” and one of his campaign workers allegedly with a Che Guevara flag.

But perhaps the most ridiculous moment came when Beck pulled out a hat one of his listeners had sent him. The winter hat had earflaps and a red star, similar to Soviet insignia. It also said, “Obama ’08.” Watch it:

As ThinkProgress first reported, former House speaker Tom DeLay also yesterday went on Mike Gallagher’s radio show and said, “I have said publicly, and I will again, that unless he [Obama] proves me wrong, he is a Marxist.”

In April, after Obama made his now-infamous “bitter” remarks, Weekly Standard editor Bill Kristol claimed in his New York Times column that it was a reiteration of “Marx’s famous statement about religion.” Karl Rove agreed, calling the comments “almost Marxian.” Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) told Fox News Radio that it was “a good question” to ask if Obama is “a Marxist,” though he said he would “hesitate” to call him one himself.

(HT: TP commenter Mary)

Transcript: Read more

People should listen to Michelle Goldberg.

During a conference call with reporters today, the McCain campaign tried to push back against Florida environmental groups who have criticized Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) for opposing a bill that would have allocated $2 billion for Everglades restoration. The campaign claimed that the senator has strong environmental credentials and argued that he has “always stood for Everglades restoration,” and only opposed the 2007 Water Resources Development Act because it included “other spending”:

REP. MARIO DIAZ-BALART (R-FL): The only thing that cannot be said is that he voted against that bill because he is against Everglades restoration. … He has always been in favor of Everglades restoration. … He voted against it because of other spending. … What is totally inaccurate is to say that he voted against Everglades restoration.

But McCain’s argument that he often votes against causes he supports because those bills contain “wasteful earmarks” does not hold water. In May 2007, by his own admission, McCain voted for a $120 billion dollar Iraq war funding measure, despite the fact that it contained $17 billion in “other spending.” Speaking on the floor of the Senate the day the bill passed, McCain said he was voting for the bill “with deep reservations”:

McCAIN: We are about to pass a bill that while better than the last version, still contains billions of dollars that have nothing to do with the War on Terror. We can do better than this. The American taxpayers deserve and expect more.

During his speech McCain even listed “some of the un-requested and un-authorized items contained in this bill”:

– $110 million in aid to the shrimp and fisheries industries;

- $11 million for flood control projects in New York and New Jersey;

- $37 million to modernize the Farm Service Agency’s computer system;

- $13 million for the Save America’s Treasures program; and,

- $3 billion in agriculture disaster assistance, including $22 million to support the Department of Agriculture in implementing programs to provide this un-requested and unauthorized funding.

Despite the bill’s “irresponsible” spending, McCain promised to “vote for it nonetheless in order to support our brave men and women fighting for freedom in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

McCain thinks funding the environment is too pricey, but he is willing to support the Iraq war at any cost.

Cross-posted at the Wonk Room.