http://www.fight-the-right.org/ Liberal and Democratic political bumper stickers, commentary, news, and more en-us Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:32:35 MST chris@fight-the-right.org chris@fight-the-right.org Copyright (c) 2007 www.fight-the-right.org. All rights reserved. http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-09.html#4497 A top former Treasury official under the Bush administration laid the blame for the financial crisis at the foot of the government Tuesday, and said the government is itself the biggest risk to the economy in the months and years ahead. Those tough words came from John Taylor, an economics professor at Stanford University, who once served as a Treasury undersecretary under George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He said it was the government - by way of actions such as an overly accommodative monet... Tue, 12 May 2009 21:54:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-09.html#4497 US domestic-policy Article - Wsj.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-09.html#4494 Supreme Court Justice David Souter is planning retire at the end of the current court term. Souter, 69, has informed the White House of his decision and plans to return to his native New Hampshire according to NPR, which first reported the story. According to NPR, Souter will remain on the court until a successor has been chosen and confirmed. The court recently finished hearing a term of oral arguments and will begin issuing decisions this summer before reconvening in October. "It&#... Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:08:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-09.html#4494 US domestic-policy Supreme Court Justice Souter To Retire - Cbs News http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-09.html#4470 The U.S. Supreme Court Monday declined to consider a Bush-era rule that would have allowed a cap-and-trade approach to mercury, a toxic heavy metal emitted by power plants that burn coal and oil. Power plants are the largest source of mercury in the nation. The Supreme Court's decision not to hear the case invalidates the U.S. EPA's so-called Clean Air Mercury Rule, which would have allowed dangerous levels of mercury pollution to persist under a weak cap-and-trade program that would no... Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:50:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-09.html#4470 US domestic-policy U.S. Supreme Court Blocks Weak Bush-Era Mercury Rule http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-09.html#4496 On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 into law. The majority of people probably wouldnt take the time to read all 1,588 pages of the act, but there are some tax credits they could be missing out on. The economic stimulus package lengthens the Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives first enacted in 2005 and even creates some new ones for those who remodel their homes using more energy efficient and eco-friendly materials. Existing homes ar... Tue, 17 Feb 2009 09:59:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-09.html#4496 US domestic-policy asbestos http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-09.html#4466 AMEN. OK... I'm 100% Obama fan now. Pledging to take "the air out of golden parachutes," President Obama announced Wednesday that executives of companies receiving federal bailout money will have their pay capped at $500,000 under a revised financial compensation plan. Last year's "shameful" handout of $18 billion in Wall Street bonuses "is exactly the kind of disregard for the costs and consequences of their actions that brought about this crisis: a culture of... Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:47:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-09.html#4466 US domestic-policy Obama Sets Executive Pay Limits - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-09.html#4465 The slumping economy will leave state and local governments facing shortfalls totaling more than $300 billion by the end of 2010, far worse than a previous estimate, congressional auditors reported Monday. In November, the Government Accountability Office projected states, cities and counties would face operating deficits of between $100 billion and $200 billion for 2009 and 2010. But worsening economic projections mean they are now likely to see a deficit of $312 billion, the agency told Sen... Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:37:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-09.html#4465 US domestic-policy Recession Will Leave States $300 Billion Short, Congress Told - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-09.html#4452 Oregon is joining other states in lawsuits challenging last-minute rule changes by the Bush administration on issues dealing with endangered species and abortion. Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski and Attorney General John Kroger (nyse: KR - news - people ) said Thursday one of what they called the "midnight rules" adopted last month would gut the Endangered Species Act by discounting the advice of federal scientists in adopting species protections. They said the other rule change would l... Sun, 18 Jan 2009 09:20:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-09.html#4452 US domestic-policy Ore. Challenges Endangered Species, Abortion Rules - Forbes.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-09.html#4449 Attorney General-designate Eric Holder pledged to fight terrorism and reinvigorate the Justice Department’s “traditional missions” – to protect public safety and safeguard civil rights – at his Senate confirmation hearing Thursday. Responding to senators’ questions on issues ranging from terrorism to Clinton-era pardons, Mr. Holder said nothing is more important than protecting the American people from terrorism. “I will use every available tactic ... Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:16:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-09.html#4449 US domestic-policy Holder Denounces Waterboarding, Other Forms Of ‘Torture’ | Csmonitor.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-09.html#4445 The congressional panel overseeing the administration's financial rescue program plans to release a report today repeating questions it first posed to the Treasury Department in mid-December and harshly criticizing it for failing to provide satisfactory answers. The report says the department has not articulated a plan for restoring lending to consumers. It asks again why the Treasury has refused to spend any money on foreclosure prevention programs. And it says the department is sowing c... Fri, 09 Jan 2009 04:35:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-09.html#4445 US domestic-policy Treasury Must Divulge Details On Bailout, Panel Says - Washingtonpost.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-09.html#4443 President-elect Barack Obama launched his campaign Monday for a massive package of tax cuts and spending proposals aimed at reviving an economy mired in recession. Obama met with lawmakers from both parties including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., as well as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio. Obama is also planning to deliver a major speech on the economy on Thursday, a senior ... Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:14:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-09.html#4443 US domestic-policy Obama Readies Push For Recovery Plan - Jan. 5, 2009 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4442 Conservatives and other critics of the U.S. Treasury’s $700 billion Wall Street bailout argue it is based on flawed economics and represents an unconstitutional delegation of legislative powers to the executive branch. But the first major court challenge to the bailout involves neither of those arguments. Instead, now comes Iraq War veteran Kevin J. Murray arguing that part of the bailout creates an unconstitutional “establishment of religion.” In short, it violates the Const... Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:21:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4442 US domestic-policy Www.Dcexaminer.Com >> Quin Hillyer http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4438 Chrysler LLC announced late Wednesday that it is stopping all vehicle production in the United States for at least a month. All 30 of the carmaker's plants will close after the last shift on Friday, and employees will not be asked to return to work before Jan. 19. Chrysler blamed the "continued lack of consumer credit for the American car buyer" for the slow-down in sales that forced the move. The company ordinarily shuts down operations between Dec. 24 and Jan. 5. This clos... Wed, 17 Dec 2008 20:42:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4438 US domestic-policy Chrysler Shuts Down All Production - Dec. 17, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4437 After what is likely to be the last in a long series of interest rate cuts Tuesday, the Federal Reserve is expected to continue its new, perhaps more effective monetary strategy: printing lots of money. The Fed traditionally uses its rate-cutting tool to encourage lending and boost the economy. But despite a staggering 4.25 percentage points of cuts since September 2007, the economy has not improved - in fact, it has gotten worse, drifting in to a recession last December. Economists expect... Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:51:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4437 US domestic-policy After Rate Cuts: The Fed'S New Ball Game - Dec. 15, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4434 "Foreclosure activity in November hit the lowest level we've seen since June thanks in part to recently enacted laws that have extended the foreclosure process in some states, along with more aggressive loan modification programs and self-imposed holiday foreclosure moratoriums introduced by some lenders," James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac, said in a statement on Thursday. Saccacio added, "There are several indications, however, that this lower activity ... Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:18:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4434 US domestic-policy Foreclosure Storm To Hit The U.S. In 2009 As Filing Drop To June Levels | Ahn | December 11, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4432 President George W. Bush expressed remorse that the global financial crisis has cost jobs and harmed retirement accounts and said he'll back more government intervention if needed to ease the recession. "I'm sorry it's happening, of course," Bush said in a wide-ranging interview with ABC's "World News," which was airing Monday. "Obviously I don't like the idea of people losing jobs, or being worried about their 401(k)s. On the other hand, the American p... Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:57:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4432 US domestic-policy Bush Sorry Economic Crisis Has Cut Jobs, 401 (K)S http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4430 Jobs took another painful hit in November, with planned cuts rising to the highest level in seven years, according to a report released Wednesday by an outplacement firm. Job cut announcements by U.S. employers soared to 181,671 last month, up 61% from October's 112,884 cuts, and 148% higher than the same period a year ago, when 73,140 job cuts were announced, according to the report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas. November's total represents the second highest on record, shy ... Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:51:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4430 US domestic-policy Planned Job Cuts Highest In Nearly Seven Years - Report - Dec. 3, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4429 The Bush administration deserves credit for its efforts to make the transition go smoothly, perhaps exceptionally so. But these are also ominous days, with Republican political appointees trying to rush through dangerous rule changes on the environment, domestic surveillance, workplace safety and more. It's almost an across-the-board push. The Labor Department is finishing a new rule that would hinder regulations on workers' exposures to toxic substances and hazardous chemicals. The J... Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:58:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4429 US domestic-policy Bush Administration: Almost Midnight http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4428 Having promised to "sprint to the finish" of his second term and "to remain focused on the goals ahead," President Bush is "working to enact a wide array of federal regulations, many of which would weaken government rules" aimed at protecting workers, consumers and the environment, the Washington Post reports. "The administration wants to leave a legacy," said Gary Bass, executive director of OMB Watch, "but across the board it means less protection for the pu... Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:56:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4428 US domestic-policy Coastal Post Online Article December, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4426 The National Bureau of Economic Research said Monday that the U.S. has been in a recession since December 2007, making official what most Americans have already believed about the state of the economy . The NBER is a private group of leading economists charged with dating the start and end of economic downturns. It typically takes a long time after the start of a recession to declare its start because of the need to look at final readings of various economic measures. "The committee vi... Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:15:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-08.html#4426 US domestic-policy It'S Official: U.S. In A Recession Since December 2007 - Dec. 1, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-08.html#4423 The Labor Department is racing to complete a new rule, strenuously opposed by President-elect Barack Obama, that would make it much harder for the government to regulate toxic substances and hazardous chemicals to which workers are exposed on the job. The rule, which has strong support from business groups, says that in assessing the risk from a particular substance, federal agencies should gather and analyze “industry-by-industry evidence” of employees’ exposure to it durin... Sun, 30 Nov 2008 21:16:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-08.html#4423 US domestic-policy Bush Aides Rush To Enact A Rule Obama Opposes - Nytimes.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-08.html#4397 The Supreme Court appeared divided on Tuesday over a U.S. government crackdown on dirty words on television as the justices carefully avoided uttering the two four-letter expletives at the heart of the case. In considering the policy that subjects broadcasters to fines for airing a single expletive blurted out on a live television show, the justices and the lawyers who argued the case instead referred to the "F word" and the "S word." Several liberal justices seemed concern... Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:26:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-08.html#4397 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4295 A federal judge last week silenced a plan to allow 540 snowmobiles to roar through Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks every day this winter. It was an appropriate, and welcome, rejection, especially for those who believe the parks and the wildlife need protection from the noise and pollution caused by the machines. But you can bet the Bush administration is figuring out a way to get the snowmobiles back in the park. That’s what it has been doing for the better part of its two... Sun, 21 Sep 2008 23:18:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4295 US iraq-war Scott'S Column: President Bush Has Been Abysmal On Environment | Midwest Voices http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4280 The U.S. credit squeeze has brought on a "once-in-a-century" financial crisis that is likely to claim more big firms before it eases, former Federal Reserve chief Alan Greenspan said Sunday. Greenspan told ABC's "This Week" that the situation "is in the process of outstripping anything I've seen, and it still is not resolved and it still has a way to go." "Indeed, it will continue to be a corrosive force until the price of homes in the United States stab... Sun, 14 Sep 2008 11:20:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4280 US domestic-policy Greenspan: Economy In 'Once-In-A-Century' Crisis - Sep. 14, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4268 Government officials handling billions of dollars in oil royalties engaged in illicit sex with employees of energy companies they were dealing with and received numerous gifts from them, federal investigators said Wednesday. The alleged transgressions involve 13 Interior Department employees in Denver and Washington. Their alleged improprieties include rigging contracts, working part-time as private oil consultants, and having sexual relationships with - and accepting golf and ski trips and d... Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:13:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4268 US domestic-policy Federal Investigators Accuse Oil Officials Of Gifts, Sex - Sep. 10, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4265 The budget deficit will jump by $246 billion to $407 billion this year, the Congressional Budget Office estimates in a report released Tuesday. "Over the long run, growing budget deficits and the resulting increases in federal debt would lead to slower economic growth," the agency said. The budget deficit shot up 153% from last year's shortfall of $161 billion. The government's fiscal year ends Sept. 30. The agency attributes the jump to "a substantial increase in spend... Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:42:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4265 US domestic-policy 2008 Deficit Forecast Soars To $407B - Sep. 9, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4264 It's amazing that Bunning is allowed to be a Senator with his limited knowledge of how the US system actually works. If not for deregulation and increased privatization by the Bush team, Fannie and Freddie probably wouldn't be in this mess. Senator Jim Bunning said Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, by rescuing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, is acting like China's finance minister and both Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke should step down. ``I sincerely believ... Tue, 09 Sep 2008 11:52:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4264 US domestic-policy Bloomberg.Com: Worldwide http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4259 Federal officials on Sunday unveiled an extraordinary takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, putting the government in charge of the twin mortgage giants and the $5 trillion in home loans they back. The move marks Washington's most dramatic attempt yet to shore up the nation's housing market, which is suffering from record foreclosures and falling prices. The sweeping plan, announced by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and James Lockhart, director of the Federal Housing Finance Ag... Sun, 07 Sep 2008 11:18:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4259 US domestic-policy Feds Unveil Rescue Plan For Fannie, Freddie - Sep. 7, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4257 The government has formulated a plan to put troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under federal control, dismiss their top executives and prop them up financially, federal officials told the two companies yesterday, according to three sources familiar with the conversations. Under the plan, which could prompt one of the most sweeping government interventions in the workings of financial markets in U.S. history, federal officials would place the firms under a conservatorship, a ... Fri, 05 Sep 2008 20:25:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4257 US domestic-policy U.S. Nears Rescue Plan For Fannie And Freddie - Washingtonpost.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4253 The unemployment rate soared to a nearly five-year high in August as employers trimmed jobs for the eighth straight month, the government reported Friday. The unemployment rate rose to 6.1%, the highest level since September 2003. That's up from 5.7% in July and 4.7% a year ago. In addition, the economy suffered a net loss of 84,000 jobs in August, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, compared to a revised reading of a 60,000 job loss in July. The U.S. economy has lost 605,0... Fri, 05 Sep 2008 08:50:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4253 US domestic-policy Unemployment Rate Hits 5-Year High Of 6.1% - Sep. 5, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4249 Stocks plummeted Thursday, with the Dow plunging around 345 points as mixed retail sales, lower oil prices and dour labor market readings amplified worries about a global economic slowdown. The concerns overshadowed a better-than-expected sales report from Wal-Mart Stores and surprisingly strong readings on productivity and the services sector. The Dow Jones industrial average (INDU) lost 345 points, or 3%. It was the fourth-biggest one-day decline on a point basis this year and the thir... Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:28:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4249 US domestic-policy Cnnmoney.Com Market Report - Sep. 4, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4244 The US economy is sputtering amid weak housing, difficult credit and "retrenchment" in consumer spending, while inflation pressures are high, the Federal Reserve said in its Beige Book report Wednesday. The report, to be used by its policymakers for their September 16 meeting on interest rates, indicated little improvement from the sluggish pace of activity since July. Data from the 12 regional Fed banks "indicate that the pace of economic activity has been slow in most distric... Wed, 03 Sep 2008 21:44:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4244 US domestic-policy Afp: Us Economy Still Stuck As Inflation Heats Up: Beige Book http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4238 I am writing to express my dismay over the number of people, including those in Congress, who wish to persuade Americans that more offshore oil drilling is the answer to high gas prices. These people are in denial or they simply do not know the real facts when it comes to America's use of this resource. Those of us looking for a quick fix to high gas prices will not find it if more offshore drilling is allowed or encouraged. It will take at least 10 years before any newly drilled oil w... Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:51:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-08.html#4238 US domestic-policy Nashuatelegraph.Com: Offshore Oil Drilling Not The Right Answer http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-08.html#4197 Uninsured Americans will spend $30 billion out of pocket for health care, and receive $56 billion in uncompensated care in 2008, new research shows. Uncompensated care is defined as health care that is received but not paid for by the uninsured or a health insurer. In a report appearing in Monday's online edition ofHealth Affairs, Jack Hadley, of George Mason University, and John Holahan, Teresa Coughlin and Dawn Miller, of the Urban Institute, analyzed data on medical spending in pe... Mon, 25 Aug 2008 21:18:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-08.html#4197 US domestic-policy Uninsured Get Less Health Care Than Insured - Washingtonpost.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-08.html#4181 An energy-fueled 0.8% monthly surge in consumer prices—double the rate expected by economists—boosted the year-over-year inflation rate to the highest level since the 1991 Gulf War. But the big August slump in energy prices could counteract the July jump. Meanwhile, another report on first-time unemployment filings points to continued weakness in the U.S. labor market. The government's consumer price index for July, released Aug. 14, showed a jumbo 0.8% increase in the headli... Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:52:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-08.html#4181 US domestic-policy July Inflation Is A Real Scorcher http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-08.html#4167 The U.S. unemployment rate hit its highest in four years during July as employers cut jobs for a seventh straight month, though less severely than predicted, a Labor Department report showed on Friday. The rising toll of job losses and plunging new-car sales in July fueled worry that a recession may be unavoidable and helped drive stock prices lower again. The jobless rate climbed to 5.7 percent from 5.5 percent in June as 51,000 jobs were eliminated in July, bringing losses for the year t... Sun, 03 Aug 2008 00:09:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-08.html#4167 US domestic-policy Jobless Rate Highest In 4 Years, Payrolls Drop | Reuters http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4164 The White House on Wednesday made a new push for expanded offshore drilling to help lower fuel prices, days after new government data showed American petroleum product exports hit record levels. Flanked in the White House Rose Garden by his cabinet after meeting to discuss energy issues, President George W. Bush called on Congress to pass legislation before its month-long August recess to allow more offshore drilling. "To reduce pressure on prices, we need to increase the supply of oil, es... Wed, 30 Jul 2008 16:40:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4164 US domestic-policy Business Feed Article | Business | Guardian.Co.Uk http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4162 The U.S. Forest Service is launching a public review of a proposed rule for national forests in Colorado that could weaken protection for about 4.1 million acres of federal “roadless” lands in the state. The latest version of the rule, specific to Colorado, leaves loopholes for mining, logging, ski-resort expansions and energy development, according to conservation groups. The controversial roadless rule affects about 58 million acres nationally, including about 60,000 acres in... Tue, 29 Jul 2008 08:38:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4162 US domestic-policy Roadless Plan For Colo. Up For Review | Summitdaily.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4160 President Bush pulled the rug out from under Republicans this week when he abruptly dropped his opposition to a massive housing rescue. Their reaction? Good riddance. Three-quarters of House Republicans defied Bush and voted against the package, designed to help 400,000 homeowners stave off foreclosure and inject a dose of stability into jittery housing and financial markets. The split reflected an every-man-for-himself mentality that has taken hold in GOP circles in a challenging polit... Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:49:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4160 US domestic-policy The Associated Press: Analysis: Gop Chose Base, Not Bush In Housing Vote http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4146 Tractor-trailer and bus drivers in the United States have suffered seizures, heart attacks or unconscious spells behind the wheel that led to deadly crashes on highways. Hundreds of thousands of drivers carry commercial licenses even though they also qualify for full federal disability payments, according to a new U.S. safety study obtained by The Associated Press. The problems threatening highway travelers persist despite years of government warnings and hundreds of deaths and injuries blame... Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:10:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4146 US domestic-policy The Associated Press: Deadly Tolls: Sick Truckers Causing Fatal Wrecks http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4141 The White House on Thursday threatened to veto legislation being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives that would force oil companies to give up undrilled federal leases and ban the export of crude drilled in Alaska. The bill, which the House was to vote on later on Thursday, has a "use it or lose it" provision that requires oil companies to diligently develop their existing federal leases or turn them back to the government before they could obtain new acres to drill. &#... Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:51:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4141 US domestic-policy White House Threatens To Veto Oil Drilling Legislation | U.S. | Reuters http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4139 There is no quick fix to $4.50-a-gallon gas, no way to provide instant relief to consumers we know are hurting. Yet President Bush and others continue to push the false promise of offshore oil drilling. Just this week, the president lifted the executive order banning drilling that George H.W. Bush put in place in 1990. And he's asked Congress to lift its own moratorium on oil exploration on the outer continental shelf -- which includes coastal waters as close as three miles from shore. ... Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:44:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4139 US domestic-policy The Distraction Of Offshore Drilling - Los Angeles Times http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4134 Money problems will likely force NASA to abandon its ambitious internal goal of having a new moon spaceship ready by 2013, a top space agency official said Wednesday. The agency should still be able to meet its public commitment to test launch astronauts in the first Orion capsule by March 2015, the official said, unless national budget stalemates continue. But the agency's own plan to get the job done even earlier — with a first launch by 2013 — will "very likely" ... Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:21:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4134 US domestic-policy Budget Woes Doom Ambitious Plan For Moon Ship | Chron.Com - Houston Chronicle http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4133 Just as John F. Kennedy set his sights on the moon, Al Gore is challenging the nation to produce every kilowatt of electricity through wind, sun and other Earth-friendly energy sources within 10 years, an audacious goal he hopes the next president will embrace. The Nobel Prize-winning former vice president said fellow Democrat Barack Obama and Republican rival John McCain are "way ahead" of most politicians in the fight against global climate change. Rising fuel costs, climate chan... Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:20:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4133 US domestic-policy Gore: Use Only Earth-Friendly Energy In U.S. In 10 Years | Chron.Com - Houston Chronicle http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4130 Record gas and higher food prices drove inflation to the biggest annual jump since 1991 and fanned fears about growing pressures on consumers. The Labor Department reading on Wednesday is another sign, along with mounting job losses and declining home prices, of the economic pain suffered by Americans as prices outstrip increases in paychecks. The latest reading came as Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, in testimony on Capitol Hill, was warning that inflation could pose a major drag o... Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:28:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4130 US domestic-policy Price Jump Worst Since '91 On Record Gas, Higher Food - Jul. 16, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4129 U.S. President George Bush is stepping up pressure on Congress to open up off shore oil exploration. VOA White House Correspondent Paula Wolfson reports Mr. Bush has lifted an executive order banning offshore drilling and is urging lawmakers to complete the process by dropping a legislative prohibition. President Bush is upping the stakes in his battle with Congress over domestic oil exploration. In order for offshore drilling to resume, both Congress and the president have to remove exist... Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:43:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4129 US domestic-policy Voa News - Bush Lifts Executive Ban On Off-Shore Drilling http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4128 Just as Bush exploited the fear over 9/11 to lie America into the disastrous Iraq war, he is now using Americans exasperation over high energy prices to scare Americans into approving drilling in pristine areas of our country - not to help lower the price of energy, but to enrich the coffers of his oil cohorts he's in bed with - and profits personally from. Here are the irrefutable facts: 1) We use 25 percent of the world's oil, yet have only three percent of the world's reserv... Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:30:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4128 US domestic-policy Bush, Oil And The Irrefutable Facts -- Chicagotribune.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4127 Sen. Charles Schumer said Sunday the Bush administration is trying to "blame the fire on the person who calls 911" by suggesting he had a role in one of the costliest U.S. bank failures. Federal regulators with the Office of Thrift Supervision were "asleep at the switch" when it came to IndyMac's "reckless" behavior, the New York Democrat complained. The OTS announced Friday that it was taking over the $32 billion IndyMac and transferring control to the Federal... Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:12:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4127 US domestic-policy Schumer: Don'T Blame Me For Indymac Failure - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4125 In what could turn out to be the most expensive bank failure ever, troubled mortgage lender IndyMac Bank was taken over by federal regulators on Friday. The operations of the Pasadena, Calif.-based bank - once one of the nation's largest home lenders - were shut down at 3 p.m. by the Office of Thrift Supervision and transferred to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. According to the FDIC, 10,000 IndyMac customers could lose as much as $500 million in uninsured deposits. The agency say... Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:24:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4125 US domestic-policy Bank Regulators Close Indymac, Transfer To Fdic - Jul. 11, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4124 A federal court struck down a rule Friday to cut air pollution from power plants in the eastern U.S., roiling environmental markets and dealing a blow to Bush Administration policy. The decision issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit eliminates a federal program to improve air quality in 28 states using an existing market-based system created to address acid rain. "We find more than several fatal flaws in the rule," wrote the court, ordering the En... Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:09:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4124 US domestic-policy Court Strikes Down Emission Rule, In Blow To Bush Administration - Wsj.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4123 A failure or government bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could push mortgage rates above 7 percent for the first time in six years and delay a recovery in the U.S. housing market. Home loan rates would go up by one percentage point, to about 7.3 percent, if the companies failed because borrowers would have to pay private market rates, said Keith Gumbinger, vice president of mortgage research firm HSH Associates in Pompton Plains, New Jersey. Even if the government steps in, rates could ... Fri, 11 Jul 2008 21:07:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4123 US domestic-policy Bloomberg.Com: Worldwide http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4122 Clearly those abstinence programs are working. Teen pregnancies rose in the United States for the first time since 1991, the National Institutes of Health reported Friday. The new data also show that eighth-graders smoke less, according to the report "America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being 2008." The report comes after a spate of high-profile teen pregnancies: that of 17-year-old TV star Jamie Lynn Spears, who recently gave birth to a daughter, a... Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:55:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4122 US domestic-policy Report: Teen Pregnancies Up For First Time In 15 Years - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4121 Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the largest buyers of U.S. home loans, are too big for the government to let them fail, leading Republican and Democratic lawmakers said. The government-chartered companies, which own or guarantee about half the $12 trillion of U.S. mortgages, can count on a federal lifeline, said Republican Senator John McCain, of Arizona, and Democratic Senator Charles Schumer, of New York. The remarks by the presumptive Republican presidential candidate and the head of the ... Thu, 10 Jul 2008 16:43:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4121 US domestic-policy Bloomberg.Com: Worldwide http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4118 Senator Edward M. Kennedy made an extraordinary return to the Senate on Wednesday to deliver Democrats a decisive victory on a signature health care issue despite his own treatment for brain cancer. Mr. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, flown in virtual secrecy to Washington, stirred the normally staid chamber to a rousing ovation and moved many colleagues to tears when he made a surprise appearance in the Senate in the late afternoon to break a Republican filibuster on a Medicare bill. ... Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:50:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4118 US domestic-policy Kennedy Returns To Help Pass Medicare Bill - Nytimes.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4113 Christmas came early for the NRA this year. The big gift: the Supreme Court's June 26 ruling in the case of District of Columbia vs. Heller, which struck down the District's decades-old handgun ban and held that the Second Amendment guarantees the right to possess a handgun in the home for self-defense. The court did just what the gun lobby wanted - it disregarded long-standing judicial precedent (including a 1939 Supreme Court decision holding that the Second Amendment confers a rig... Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:58:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-08.html#4113 US Supreme Court Decision Ignores Precedent, Common Sense http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4104 Oil prices Wednesday jumped to near $137 per barrel Wednesday as speculators reacted to news that U.S. crude inventories have declined and of a possible strike in Nigeria, a key supplier of crude oil to the U.S. But it's that kind of speculation that has caused key commodities, such as oil and food, to skyrocket to record highs this year that has Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., concerned. Commodity markets Wednesday had corn futures at $7.80 per bushel; soybeans, $15.58 per bushel; and wheat,... Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:40:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4104 US domestic-policy Market Speculators Driving Up Gas, Food Costs - Grand Island, Ne - Grand Island Independent http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4101 Ross Perot is jumping back into the political fray, this time with a stern warning that the country better start paying attention to the national debt. The former presidential candidate has reemerged with a Web site spotlighting the soaring budget deficit: more than $9.3 trillion and growing. "We live in the greatest country in the history of man. We've been so successful for so long that we now take our success for granted," Perot says in a video posted on PerotCharts.com. ... Thu, 19 Jun 2008 18:21:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4101 US domestic-policy Ross Perot Wants More Focus On National Debt - Cnn.Com#Cnnstcvideo http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4099 Americans drove 1.4 billion fewer highway miles in April than they did in April 2007, the Department of Transportation said Wednesday. That marks the sixth consecutive monthly drop and coincides with record gas prices and an increase in transit ridership, Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said. April's drop is more than three times larger than the drop from March 2007 to March of this year, which was 400 million fewer highway miles. Peters said vehicle miles traveled on all publi... Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:07:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4099 US domestic-policy Americans Drive 1.4 Billion Fewer Highway Miles - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4097 President Bush, reversing a longstanding position, will call on Congress on Wednesday to end a federal ban on offshore oil drilling. According to White House officials, Bush now wants to work with states to determine where drilling should occur. The move underscores how $4-a-gallon gas has become a major issue in the 2008 presidential campaign, and it comes as a growing number of Republicans are lining up in opposition to the federal ban. The party’s presumptive presidential nomin... Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:55:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4097 US domestic-policy Www.Kansascity.Com | 06/17/2008 | Bush Calls For End To Offshore Oil Drilling Ban http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4092 The director of Federal Emergency Management Agency on Sunday defended giving away an estimated $85 million in hurricane relief supplies, blaming Louisiana officials for turning down the stockpiles. "We still have quite a few left if Louisiana needs those," David Paulison said. "But we did find out, we did ask Louisiana, 'Do you want these?' They said, 'No, we don't need them.' So we offered them to the other states." A CNN investigation revealed last w... Sun, 15 Jun 2008 20:45:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4092 US domestic-policy Fema Director Defends Giving Away Hurricane Supplies - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4086 A new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston projects that Massachusetts foreclosures will peak no earlier than the second quarter of 2009, and perhaps not until the second quarter of 2010. The complete projections are after the jump. The report, available here, makes the basic point that foreclosures almost always happen when a homeowner's mortgage debt exceeds the value of the home, but that only a small share of people in that situation end up in foreclosure. In other words, ow... Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:55:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4086 US domestic-policy Fed Projects Mass. Foreclosures - Boston Real Estate - Boston.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4085 For those struggling to deal with record gasoline and soaring food prices, there's bad news and more bad news. Economists think inflation is here to stay. And it's likely to get worse. A weak dollar and growing economies in emerging markets have conspired to send commodity prices higher. Those factors are unlikely to change anytime soon. "We're more open to influences from the rest of the world than we were before," said Jay Bryson, international economist with Wacho... Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:43:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4085 US domestic-policy Don'T Look For Relief From High Prices Any Time Soon. - Jun. 12, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4084 In the face of a veto threat, House Democrats are urging their colleagues Thursday to pass an extension of unemployment insurance benefits, a tool they hope will ease at least part of the financial stresses burdening U.S. families. Several million unemployed workers could be helped by the program, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The legislation would provide up to 13 weeks of extended unemployment benefits to workers exhausting the regular program, which typically lasts 26 weeks. ... Thu, 12 Jun 2008 10:53:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4084 US domestic-policy House To Vote On Extending Unemployment Insurance - Marketwatch http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4082 Sen. Arlen Specter said the Bush administration is "drastically hindering" the Food and Drug Administration's ability to quickly get an important boost in funding. In a letter sent Tuesday to Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, Sen. Specter said the FDA's request on Monday for an additional $275 million wouldn't give them any money until March or April 2009 "at the earliest." In a handwritten note on the letter, the Pennsylvania Republican said ... Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:27:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4082 US domestic-policy Specter Says Bush Administration Is Hindering Quick Fda Funding - Wsj.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4080 Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday blocked an effort by Democrats to quickly pass an extension of jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed. Even though a large majority of the House, 279-144, voted for the measure, it fell three votes short of the two-thirds vote needed under special rules for passing the bill, which would have extended jobless benefits for those who exhaust the usual 26 weeks of state benefits. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland ... Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:14:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4080 US domestic-policy Update 1-Us House Republicans Block Longer Jobless Benefits | Markets | Bonds News | Reuters http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4077 Wow, a lot of people must have bought Hummers last week. How else to explain the spike in oil prices? No, I'm not being silly - they are. And by "they," I mean the gaggle of media pundits and other administration apologists abetted by some green zealots who want to explain our energy crisis by reference to profligate consumers. Sure, in the long run, we consumers, particularly the most wasteful ones who happen to reside in the good old USA and who have become accustomed to consumi... Tue, 10 Jun 2008 22:51:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4077 US domestic-policy Blame Rising Oil Prices On Bush http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4076 LAST WEEK, the Senate considered a bipartisan global warming bill - the closest such a far-reaching measure has ever come to passage. Although the bill failed in the end, over half of the Senate supported action on climate change. The next Congress and administration will have a historic opportunity to build on this momentum and deliver the American people a comprehensive program to reduce greenhouse gases. The voters this fall must decide an important question: Who is the best candidate to m... Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:01:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4076 US domestic-policy On Energy Policy, Is Better Than Bush Enough? - The Boston Globe http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4074 With oil companies receiving more than $4 for each gallon of gas they sell, Senate Democrats today tried to eliminate the $17 billion in tax breaks Congress has awarded them in recent years. It also imposed a windfall profits tax. But Republicans wanted nothing to do with either. In a largely party line vote, they blocked the Democrats’ attempt to bring the tax issue to a vote, so it died on the Senate floor. For the record, Republicans Kit Bond of Missouri and Sam Brown... Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:39:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4074 US domestic-policy Oil Giants Keep Billions In Tax Breaks | Kansascity.Com Prime Buzz http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4071 Senate Republicans blocked a proposal Tuesday to tax the windfall profits of the largest oil companies, despite pleas by Democratic leaders to use the measure to address America's anger over $4 a gallon gasoline. The Democratic energy package would have imposed a tax on any "unreasonable" profits of the five largest U.S. oil companies and given the federal government more power to address oil market speculation that the bill's supporters argue has added to the crude oil price ... Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:29:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4071 US domestic-policy The Associated Press: Republicans Block Extra Taxes On Oil Companies http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4059 Sandra Day O’Connor does not play video games. But she believes in their potential. In her keynote speech at the Games for Change conference in New York on Wednesday, the retired Supreme Court justice discussed her latest project, “Our Courts,” an online interactive digital game and civics curriculum designed for seventh to ninth graders. At the age of 78, Justice O’Connor is, by her own admission, an unlikely game developer. “If you had told me when I re... Thu, 05 Jun 2008 16:25:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4059 US domestic-policy An Unlikely Champion -- A Former Supreme Court Justice -- Promotes Computer Games As A Way To Change Society - Philanthropy.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4049 US lawmakers braced Monday for a fight to push a sweeping climate change bill through the Senate, as President George W. Bush threatened to veto it and other opponents railed that it was economically unsound. The legislation, known as the Lieberman-Warner bill after its sponsors, Senators Joe Lieberman and John Warner, calls for a "cap and trade" system, under which companies can trade permits giving them the right to emit a certain amount of pollution, "capped" below current ... Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:30:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-08.html#4049 US domestic-policy Afp: Us Lawmakers Brace For Fight With Bush, Big Oil On Climate Change Bill http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4036 At a time when gas prices are at an all-time high, Americans have curtailed their driving at a historic rate. The Department of Transportation said figures from March show the steepest decrease in driving ever recorded. Compared with March a year earlier, Americans drove an estimated 4.3 percent less -- that's 11 billion fewer miles, the DOT's Federal Highway Administration said Monday, calling it "the sharpest yearly drop for any month in FHWA history." Records have been ... Mon, 26 May 2008 19:56:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4036 US domestic-policy As Gas Goes Up, Driving Goes Down - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4033 The Senate is famed for its longwinded debates, but on Friday it took Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown just seconds to stop Republicans in their tracks. With the Senate entering the first day of its Memorial Day recess, the Ohio senator was briefly in the chair, before a near-empty chamber, to gavel in and gavel out what is called a pro forma session. Without that procedural move, the Senate would technically be adjourned and President Bush could install administration officials or judges as ... Sat, 24 May 2008 09:28:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4033 US domestic-policy The Associated Press: A Quick Senate Session Blocks Bush Appointees http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4030 America's wildlife refuges are so short of money that one-third have no staff, boardwalks and buildings are in disrepair, and drug dealers are using them to grow marijuana and make methamphetamine, a group pushing for more funding says. "Without adequate funding, we are jeopardizing some of the world's most spectacular wildlife and wild lands," said Evan Hirsche, president of the National Wildlife Refuge Association and chairman of the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancem... Sat, 24 May 2008 09:13:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4030 US domestic-policy Drugs, Prostitution Threaten Wildlife Refuges - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4028 The House Judiciary Committee served a subpoena on former top Bush aide Karl Rove on Thursday to compel his testimony concerning allegations that the Department of Justice had dismissed U.S. attorneys based on party affiliation. The committee ordered Rove to appear July 10 to testify on claims that he was a key player in pressing the Justice Department to dismiss some U.S. attorneys and to prosecute Democrats. It had authorized the subpoena earlier but delivered it Thursday after Rove'... Thu, 22 May 2008 20:55:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4028 US domestic-policy House Panel Subpoenas Rove - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4027 Lawmakers scrambled Thursday to fix a clerical error that derailed an effort to override President Bush's veto of a $300 billion farm bill. The House of Representatives voted 316-108 Wednesday to override the president's veto, but shortly after the vote, lawmakers learned that a "not particularly controversial" section of the bill was accidentally omitted from the version that Congress sent to the White House, said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland. The discov... Thu, 22 May 2008 10:21:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4027 US domestic-policy Lawmakers Scramble To Fix Farm Bill Mix-Up - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4020 On a ranch nestled in the high plains of northeastern Colorado, thousands of cattle are being fattened up and prepared for slaughter. Owner Gary Teague's operation seems enormous: 20,000 head of cattle over 25,000 acres. But it's a relatively tiny part of an industry with an estimated worth of more than $100 billion annually. "There are over 800,000 beef producers like myself across the country that are working hard every day to ensure that the product we put out there is safe... Wed, 14 May 2008 12:02:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4020 US domestic-policy Lawmaker: Nation'S Food System Is Collapsing - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4019 The U.S. ranks rather poorly compared to most developed countries. NCHS publishes a book each year called Health, United States, which has international rankings, and in the latest [edition], which ranks data based on the 2004 data year, the U.S. ranked 29th in the world in infant mortality. One of the main [factors] is whether the baby is delivered too small or too soon, which increases its chances of death. About two-thirds of all of our infant deaths occur among the 8.2% of babies that are... Tue, 13 May 2008 23:32:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4019 US domestic-policy Why U.S. Infants Die Too Often - Time http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4015 The Senate, jittery about a political backlash over the rising price of gasoline, voted by a veto-proof majority today to halt deliveries to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve over President Bush's objections. The House is expected to follow suit later today. The action, supported by the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, comes as high fuel costs have contributed to the nation's economic woes and become a hot issue on the campaign trail. It could be the only legislatio... Tue, 13 May 2008 11:43:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4015 US domestic-policy Senate Votes To Halt Strategic Oil Stockpiling - Los Angeles Times http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4011 The Bush administration today urged a federal appeals court to stop meatpackers from testing all their animals for mad cow disease, but a skeptical judge questioned whether the government has that authority. The government seeks to reverse a lower court ruling that allowed Kansas-based Creekstone Farms Premium Beef to conduct more comprehensive testing to satisfy demand from overseas customers in Japan and elsewhere. Less than 1 percent of slaughtered cows are currently tested for the dise... Fri, 09 May 2008 13:01:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4011 US domestic-policy White House Fights Broader Mad-Cow Testing | Chron.Com - Houston Chronicle http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4010 Democrats are meeting stiff resistance to efforts to rein in speculation on the oil markets as they try to push through a broader energy package ahead of the start of summer driving season. But pressure continues to build on Capitol Hill to force President Bush to stop the flow of oil to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. When unveiling their latest energy package this week, Senate Democrats knew they were resurrecting a number of proposals that had died in the past — from efforts to h... Fri, 09 May 2008 13:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4010 US domestic-policy Legislation By Democrats Takes Aim At Oil Prices | Chron.Com - Houston Chronicle http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4000 House Democratic leaders plan a vote on war-funding legislation as soon as this week, but they will link it to billions in spending on domestic initiatives, the first step in what may be an extended skirmish with President Bush. The roughly $180 billion measure, agreed upon in a meeting of top House Democrats Monday night, would give Mr. Bush nearly all of the funds he requested for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan into next year and would allow a vote on withdrawing most troops from Iraq b... Mon, 05 May 2008 22:11:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#4000 US domestic-policy War-Funding Bill Ties In U.S. Items - Wsj.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#3996 The Bush administration on Wednesday announced its intent to shoot down federal rules that prohibit individuals from carrying loaded firearms in U.S. national parks and wildlife refuges. The proposal would permit individuals to carry loaded and concealed weapons if permitted by state laws in the state where the park or refuge is located, a change many current and retired park rangers contend is unnecessary and potentially dangerous. U.S. Interior Department officials said the proposed change... Thu, 01 May 2008 22:45:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-08.html#3996 US domestic-policy Bush Administration Takes Aim At National Parks Gun Ban http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3990 The Federal Reserve lowered the benchmark U.S. interest rate by a quarter point to 2 percent and indicated it's ready to pause after seven cuts since September. ``The substantial easing of monetary policy to date, combined with ongoing measures to foster market liquidity, should help to promote moderate growth over time,'' the Federal Open Market Committee said in a statement after meeting today in Washington. The central bank also warned that ``some indicators of inflation expec... Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:26:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3990 US domestic-policy Bloomberg.Com: Economy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3986 When Federal Reserve governors meet today, they should consider that solutions to their twin challenges – a flagging economy and systemic moral hazard in financial markets – have common roots in a stable dollar. One of the primordial lessons of economic history is that sound money is a necessary condition to promote long-run prosperity and maximal growth. Moreover, a stable currency and low inflation lessen the need for complex hedging vehicles which can be leveraged to harmful effec... Mon, 28 Apr 2008 22:11:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3986 US domestic-policy The Fed Must Strengthen The Dollar - Wsj.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3980 The US supreme court today upheld a law requiring voters to produce photo identification, rejecting the arguments of civil rights groups that believe the rule disenfranchises minorities and the poor. The decision comes one week before Indiana's presidential primary. The high court ruled 6-3 to validate the state of Indiana's strict photo ID law, which was crafted by conservative Republicans and billed as a protection against voter fraud. The ruling ended the most important voting ... Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:14:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3980 US domestic-policy Ahead Of May 6 Primary, Us Supreme Court Upholds Indiana Voter Id Law | World News | Guardian.Co.Uk http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3978 Horns blaring in a deafening fanfare, a convoy of truck drivers arrived in Washington on Monday to protest high fuel prices. Members of Truckers and Citizens United circled the National Mall before parking their rigs at RFK Stadium. Organizers said about 350 vehicles were expected. The truckers planned an afternoon rally at the Capitol as they call on Congress to stop subsidizing big oil companies, release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserves, and end exports of oil from Alaska, among... Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:02:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3978 US domestic-policy The Associated Press: Truckers Rally In Washington, Seeking Lower Gas Prices http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3967 Twice a day, 7-year-old Hannah Austin exhales all the air from her lungs. She then takes a puff of a low-dose steroid from a purple inhaler, holds her breath for a few seconds and exhales. Like nearly 7 million other children in the United States, Hannah, a second-grader from Smyrna, Georgia, has asthma. This simple exercise with the inhaler allows her to breathe easier. But on a day when the air quality is poor, she often struggles to catch her breath. "We know that environmental ... Mon, 21 Apr 2008 11:24:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3967 US domestic-policy How Air Pollution Hurts Your Kids' Lungs - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3955 The Bush administration is likely to move its research on one of the most contagious animal diseases from an isolated island laboratory to the U.S. mainland near herds of livestock, raising concerns about a catastrophic outbreak. Skeptical Democrats in Congress are demanding to see internal documents they believe highlight the risks and consequences of the decision. An epidemic of the disease, foot and mouth, which only affects animals, could devastate the livestock industry. One such gov... Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:14:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3955 US domestic-policy Dangerous Animal Virus On Us Mainland? - Yahoo! News http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3954 A recent National Public Radio program featured carbon traders excitedly discussing their work, traveling the world drumming up business for carbon-offsets trading. Fresh out of graduate school, they were making $60,000-$100,000 doing whatever it is they do (it was as clear to me as subprime mortgage deals). About the same time, I read an article called "Benefits of Carbon Offsets are a Myth" by local Web developer Neil Rowland. He was angry about a Statehouse bill that would put a ca... Fri, 11 Apr 2008 08:59:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3954 US environment Seacoastonline.Com: Is There A Will To Make The Hard Choices On The Environment? http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3941 The Bush administration says it favors "environmentally friendly" energy development, but that policy is under attack in a Mississippi town where residents worry a planned emergency oil reserve may drain a river, destroy wetlands and harm Gulf of Mexico fishing areas. There is fear the Energy Department's plan to carve out underground salt caverns in Richton, Mississippi, to hold some 160 million barrels of crude oil could be the worst environmental disaster to hit the state since... Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:02:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3941 US domestic-policy Oil Reserve Site Raises Ire, Bush Policy Tested | Reuters http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3939 U.S. employers slashed jobs for the third straight month in March and unemployment rose to a nearly three-year high, offering the latest signs that the economy has fallen into a recession. The Labor Department's much anticipated report showed a net loss of 80,000 jobs last month. That marks the third straight month that jobs have fallen - the longest period of decline since early 2003. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast that payrolls would fall by 50,000 in the latest rea... Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:38:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-08.html#3939 US domestic-policy Job Losses, Unemployment Both Worse Than Forecast - Apr. 4, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-08.html#3934 Why are we not moving toward a national health care system? The Supreme Court on Monday gave employers a green light to reduce health benefits for millions of retirees who turn 65 and become eligible for Medicare. The justices turned away a legal challenge from AARP, the nation's leading senior citizens lobby, which had contended these lower benefits for older retirees violated the federal law against age discrimination. The court's action upholds, in effect, a rule adopted last ye... Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:50:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-08.html#3934 US domestic-policy Supreme Court Allows Retiree Benefit Cuts - Los Angeles Times http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-08.html#3926 Corey Carter spends a quarter of his paycheck on gas. The 30-year old Carter, who earns $7 an hour making car parts for a Hyundai factory near Montgomery, Ala., spends $65 a week on gas, double what it cost just a few years ago. Paying $30 more for gas out of a $240 paycheck makes a big difference. "Going out to eat, going to the movies, you can't do stuff like that," says Carter, filling up his Firebird at a BP station in Camden, a quiet southern town 80 miles southwest of ... Mon, 24 Mar 2008 11:56:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-08.html#3926 US domestic-policy High Gas Prices Hit Small Town Usa - Mar. 24, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-08.html#3919 Tuesday’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to allow Washington state to hold “top-two” primaries could change the face of local and statewide politics. The high court stopped eight years of bickering in the state when it ruled that the “top-two” primary, proposed in 2004 and opposed by the major political parties, is constitutional. The 7-2 ruling allows for a replacement of the “blanket primary” system, which had allowed voters to cross party li... Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:51:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-08.html#3919 US domestic-policy Supreme Court Decision On Washington Primary Could Wipe Out Competitive Races - America’S Election Hq http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-08.html#3910 President Bush acknowledged Friday the country was facing challenges both in the housing and financial markets, but said that the strength of the underlying economy would help it maneuver through this difficult period. Speaking before The Economic Club of New York, Bush said he was confident that the government action take so far would help get the economy back on track. "Theses are tough times," he said. He also called on Congress to take additional steps to help alleviate the ... Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:59:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-08.html#3910 US domestic-policy Bush: Economy Facing 'Tough Times' - Mar. 14, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-08.html#3899 There is "not a lot" President George W. Bush can do in the near-term to tame record high oil prices after OPEC declined to boost output, the White House said on Thursday. "We did try to encourage (an increase in OPEC output). But if OPEC has decided they are not going to increase output, there's not a lot that the president can do. We don't control their decisions," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said. U.S. oil hit a new record of $105.97 a barrel on Thursday,... Fri, 07 Mar 2008 10:09:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-08.html#3899 US domestic-policy Not A Lot Bush Can Do On Oil Prices-White House | Reuters http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-08.html#3898 Employers slashed 63,000 jobs in February, the most in five years and the starkest sign yet that the country is heading dangerously toward recession or is in one already. The Labor Department's report, released Friday, also indicated that the nation's unemployment rate dipped to 4.8 percent as hundreds of thousands of people - perhaps discouraged by their prospects - left the civilian labor force. The jobless rate was 4.9 percent in January. Job losses were widespread, with hefty c... Fri, 07 Mar 2008 10:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-08.html#3898 US domestic-policy Employers Slash Jobs By Most In 5 Years - Forbes.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3891 Wikileaks is getting its domain name back. After spending more than three hours hearing arguments from a raft of attorneys--two representing the Swiss bank that fought to get the site's plug pulled and about 10 who have been trying to get the site back online--a federal judge here has ruled in favor of Wikileaks. Wikileaks, which uses Wikileaks.org as its primary domain, is a whistle-blowing site that focuses on posting leaked documents. "The court denies the motion for preli... Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:55:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3891 US domestic-policy Judge: Wikileaks Gets Its Domain Name Back | The Iconoclast - Politics, Law, And Technology - Cnet News.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3886 President Bush, saying he was unaware of predictions of $4-a-gallon gasoline in the coming months, told reporters Thursday that the best way to help Americans fend off high prices is for Congress to make his first-term tax cuts permanent. "If you're out there wondering... what your life is going to be like, and you're looking at $4 a gallon, that's uncertain," Bush responded to a question posed at a White House news conference. "And when you couple that with the idea ... Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:16:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3886 US domestic-policy Bush Promotes Tax Cuts, Domestic Oil And Gas Production - Feb. 28, 2008 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3883 Democrats in Congress are relying on record oil prices and a surge in gasoline costs to make another attempt at imposing $18 billion in new taxes on the largest oil companies. With crude oil prices exceeding $100 a barrel and gasoline prices moving well over $3 a gallon — and indications that $4 is not out of the picture as the summer driving season approaches — the House scheduled a vote on the tax measure for late Wednesday afternoon. The House bill, similar to one that faile... Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:28:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3883 US domestic-policy The Associated Press: Democrats Try Again To Tax Oil Giants http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3881 Florida's public school science standards for the first time will use the word "evolution," although the biological concept already was being taught under code words such as "change over time." The new standards, part of a set of overall science changes adopted by the State Board of Education Tuesday on a 4-3 vote, require schools to spend more class time on evolution and teach it in more detail. more stories like thisThe standards state that evolution is "the fundamen... Tue, 26 Feb 2008 08:44:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3881 US domestic-policy New Fla. Standards Use Word 'Evolution' - Boston.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3877 A U.S. Senate panel this week will review how the government uses the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, a spokesman for the committee said Friday. Some of the current administration's policies for filling and using reserves from the SPR, an emergency crude stockpile, have come under criticism from some Democratic leaders in Congress. In particular, the Bush administration's plan to fill the SPR at a time of record oil prices has prompted angry reactions from Capitol Hill. Despite oil pr... Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:57:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3877 US domestic-policy Senate Panel To Review Use Of Oil Stockpile By The Doe - Wsj.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3876 The tobacco industry lost a U.S. Supreme Court bid aimed at limiting damage awards in more than 700 West Virginia lawsuits filed by smokers who say cigarettes gave them cancer and other diseases. The justices, without comment, today left intact a trial plan that Altria Group Inc.'s Philip Morris USA unit and other cigarette makers said will lead to unconstitutional awards of punitive damages. The approach calls for a jury to consider common issues, including the availability of punitive ... Mon, 25 Feb 2008 13:28:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3876 US domestic-policy Bloomberg.Com: U.S. http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3874 One of the government's chief internal watchdogs resigned yesterday, as Comptroller General David M. Walker, an outspoken gadfly and frequent witness on Capitol Hill, announced his plans to lead a new foundation focused on U.S. fiscal responsibility. Walker has led the Government Accountability Office, Congress's investigative agency, for a decade. He was an outspoken critic of the costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Social Security, and Medicaid and Medicare spending -- i... Sun, 24 Feb 2008 21:40:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3874 US domestic-policy Government Accountability Chief Resigns - Washingtonpost.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3866 For students whose families earn less than $60,000 a year, Stanford University will not charge for either tuition or room and board, officials at the prestigious university near San Francisco said. Harvard University, Yale University and Stanford have the three largest endowments among U.S. universities. Some lawmakers want universities to use investment gains in endowments to make college more affordable. Tuition costs at leading U.S. universities have soared in recent years to levels tha... Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:01:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3866 US domestic-policy Stanford Waives Tuition If Income Under $100,000 | U.S. | Reuters http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3862 Rep. Albert Wynn, D-Md., chairman of the House Environment and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee, said Bush’s $7.1 billion request for EPA is notably low compared to last year’s funding, as well as compared to authorized budgets in years past. The FY 2009 budget request, for example, represents a $1.3 billion cut from EPA’s authorized $8.4 billion budget in FY 2004. This proposal, Wynn claimed, would “dramatically cut spending by $400 million for environmental programs ... Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:31:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3862 US domestic-policy Lawmaker Bushrsquos Epa Budget Cuts Drastic http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3861 A federal judge in San Francisco has ordered the shutdown of an anonymous whistleblower site, wikileaks.org. More precisely, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White ordered a Bay Area Internet host to disable the main Wikileaks.org site and prevent the organization from transferring to any other server until further notice. The website is still available here: 88.80.13.160 as the IP address is still running. San Mateo, California-based Dynadot, which hosts Wikileaks.org, was ordered to cease the re... Wed, 20 Feb 2008 09:30:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3861 US domestic-policy First Amendment Challenged: Wikileaks Shut By Ca. Judge http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3833 The White House budget request released Monday for Fiscal Year 2009 is historic as it is the first budget in U.S. history to crack the $3 trillion mark. It takes the United States deep into deficit spending - the deficit is predicted to be $407 billion in FY09. Even so, President George W. Bush requests less money for environmental measures and more for nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. Bush asked Congress to fund the first new U.S. nuclear weapons in two decades and requested additional f... Tue, 05 Feb 2008 21:51:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3833 US domestic-policy Bush Record-Splitting Budget Cuts Environment, Funds Nuclear Weapons http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3831 The President has proposed a budget of $968.5 million for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in fiscal year 2009, a decrease of $38.0 million from the 2008 enacted level. The FY 2009 budget focuses on the highest priorities for research while ensuring that the USGS builds the expertise it needs to continue answering the complex scientific questions that may arise. The budget includes $34.9 million in program increases and $15.0 million in fixed costs, offset by $87.8 million in reductions for low... Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:56:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3831 US domestic-policy Press Releases - Directions Magazine http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3827 THE US Food and Drug Administration is supposed to guarantee the safety of one-fourth of all the goods American consumers buy with 1,311 fewer workers than it had 14 years ago. As a result, FDA staff now inspect US companies that make medical devices, such as heart pacemakers, just once every three years instead of two years, as required by its own rules. The situation is far worse when it comes to inspection of foreign makers of medical devices, prescription drugs, and food. Last week a House s... Sun, 03 Feb 2008 14:12:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3827 US domestic-policy Condition Critical At The Fda - The Boston Globe http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3826 The biggest news of the record $3-trillion-plus federal budget that President Bush plans to propose to Congress on Monday may be the potential deficit that comes with it. After years of White House boasting that it is getting the deficit under control – cutting it by $250 billion during the past two years – the administration appears ready to concede that the deficit will rise to $400 billion or more in the coming year. That’s a near-return to the record $413-billion deficit... Sun, 03 Feb 2008 14:06:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3826 US domestic-policy The Swamp: White House: Deficit On The Rise Again http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3825 Perhaps providing the smoking gun indicating that the nation's economy has entered a recession, government data released Friday showed a net reduction in U.S. nonfarm payrolls for the first time in more than four years. As employers cut back their hiring, nonfarm payrolls fell by an estimated 17,000 in January, the Labor Department said. This is the first decline since August 2003. Read government report. The nation's unemployment rate also fell, trending down to 4.9% from 5%. The d... Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:16:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-08.html#3825 US domestic-policy Nonfarm Payrolls Contracted By 17,000 In January, U.S. Says - Marketwatch http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3824 The U.S. economy barely grew in the fourth quarter, pulled down by a worsening slump in housing and heightened caution by consumers and businesses, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. The 0.6% annualized growth rate in gross domestic product was lower than the 1.1% expected by economists surveyed by MarketWatch. The drag from inventories was larger than expected. See Economic Calendar. "The GDP hit stall speed," wrote Joseph Brusuelas, chief U.S. economist at IDEAglobal. GDP... Wed, 30 Jan 2008 11:56:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3824 US domestic-policy U.S. Economy Slows To 0.6% Growth In Fourth Quarter - Marketwatch http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3811 Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) joined other governors and several U.S. senators yesterday in criticizing a recent decision by the Environmental Protection Agency blocking California and effectively a host of other states from cutting greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. Testifying before the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee, O'Malley said Maryland had been prepared to follow California's lead and cut vehicle emissions about 30 percent by 2016. But now tha... Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:22:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3811 US domestic-policy O'Malley Attacks Epa Greenhouse Gas Decision - Washingtonpost.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3810 President George W. Bush and congressional leaders agreed on Thursday on a $150 billion package of tax rebates and business incentives meant to ward off a recession in the world's largest economy. The deal between the White House and leaders of the House of Representatives provides for tax rebates of up to $600 for individuals and $1,200 for married couples. Families with children would receive an additional $300 per child. It marked a rare show of election-year cooperation between Bus... Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:19:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3810 US domestic-policy Bush, Congress Strike Deal On Economic Plan | Top News | Reuters http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3798 France, Japan and Australia rated best and the United States worst in new rankings focusing on preventable deaths due to treatable conditions in 19 leading industrialized nations, researchers said on Tuesday. If the U.S. health care system performed as well as those of those top three countries, there would be 101,000 fewer deaths in the United States per year, according to researchers writing in the journal Health Affairs. Researchers Ellen Nolte and Martin McKee of the London School of H... Tue, 08 Jan 2008 23:07:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3798 US domestic-policy France Best, Us Worst In Preventable Death Ranking | Reuters http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3794 A federal magistrate has ordered the White House to reveal whether copies of missing e-mail messages written from 2003 to 2005 during an investigation into the disclosure of the name of a C.I.A. operative are stored in computer backup files. The order was issued Tuesday as the White House tried to win dismissal of lawsuits by two private groups that are seeking the missing messages. Two federal laws require the White House to preserve all records, including e-mail; but, in asking that th... Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:55:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3794 US domestic-policy White House Told To Answer E-Mail Query - New York Times http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3791 — The League of Women Voters has tried to put names and faces on the people who could be hurt by a strict Indiana voter-identification law that the Supreme Court will take up Wednesday. The league, in a court filing, refers to Mary Wayne Montgomery Eble, 92, who had no driver's license or ready access to the birth certificate she needed to get an alternative ID. Ray Wardell, a stroke victim, made one trip to a state office for an alternative ID in vain. He did not have the proper ... Sun, 06 Jan 2008 20:42:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3791 US domestic-policy Voter Id Case Could Affect Election Laws - Usatoday.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3787 President George W. Bush said on Thursday adding oil to the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve wouldn't have much impact on available supplies, but a senator wants the Government Accountability Office to investigate whether the president's policy violates U.S. law. Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer, who asked for the GAO probe, said the administration's plan is distorting the market just as crude tops a record $100 a barrel. The government plans to deliver 12.3 million barrels of o... Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:51:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3787 US domestic-policy Bush Defends Oil Reserve Boost As Gao Probe Sought | Special Coverage | Reuters http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3786 The EPA’s decision has been described as a victory for the auto industry. Automakers opposed the California rules as too strict, saying they would “reduce their selection of vehicles and raise prices in states that adopted California’s standards.” So in other words, it’s better to have a ton of cheaper cars to choose from, regardless of how badly they’re polluting the air we breathe. Now if that ain’t like driving off a cliff in a brand new beemer, I... Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:49:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3786 US domestic-policy States Urge Environmental Protection Agency To Actually Protect Environment | Tortdeform http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3784 California has sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for denying its first-in-the-nation greenhouse gas limits on cars, trucks and SUVs. The lawsuit challenges the Bush administration's conclusion that states have no business setting emission standards. New Mexico, which adopted the Clean Car standards in November, will join the lawsuit. Governor Richardson says the state is doing so because the federal government is showing a lack of legal and moral leadership when it comes... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:28:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-08.html#3784 US domestic-policy Kvia.Com El Paso, Las Cruces - Weather, News, Sports - California Sues Epa Over Greenhouse Gas Regulations http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3781 President Bush signed legislation on Saturday that extends a popular children's health insurance program after having twice beaten back attempts to expand it. The extension of the State Children's Health Insurance Program is expected to provide states with enough money to cover those enrolled through March 2009. Bush and some Republican lawmakers say the program will serve those that it should: children from families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford private... Sun, 30 Dec 2007 19:38:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3781 US domestic-policy Bush Signs Child Health-Care Extension Into Law - Washingtonpost.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3776 The Environmental Protection Agency is ready to preserve all documents including communique with the White House regarding its decision of blocking California from imposing its own limits on greenhouse emission. On Thursday the EPA's general counsel Roger Martella Jr. served the employees a memo in that direction. The memo directs to preserve "any records presenting options, recommendations, pros and cons, legal issues or risks, (or) political implications." The EPA had las... Fri, 28 Dec 2007 09:46:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3776 US environment Environment Protection Agency Justifies Blocking California From Setting Own Emission Rules | December 28, 2007 | Ahn http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3768 President Bush insisted today that he did not personally know about the existence or destruction of CIA interrogation videotapes until briefed on the matter earlier this month, and said that he would withhold judgment until after investigations are completed. "Until these inquiries are complete, I will be rendering no opinion from the podium," Bush said. The destruction of tapes of the 2005 interrogation of two terrorist suspects is being investigated by the Justice Department, the... Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:32:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3768 US domestic-policy Bush Reserves Judgment On Destroyed Tapes - Los Angeles Times http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3766 The Bush administration announced yesterday that it will block efforts by Maryland, California and 15 other states to cut emissions of global warming gases from cars and trucks. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Stephen L. Johnson said improved fuel efficiency standards passed Tuesday by the House of Representatives and signed yesterday by President Bush were good enough. Those standards - which had not been raised in more than three decades - require new vehicles to have an av... Thu, 20 Dec 2007 08:59:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3766 US domestic-policy U.S. Blocks States On Emissions -- Baltimoresun.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3764 President Bush on Wednesday signed a sweeping energy bill that he said would help the country become "stronger, cleaner and more secure." The bill -- approved overwhelmingly Tuesday by the House of Representatives -- raises automotive fuel economy standards for the first time in more than three decades, requiring a corporate average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. It also boosts federal support for alternative fuel research and energy conservation efforts. A Republican filibust... Wed, 19 Dec 2007 09:28:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3764 US domestic-policy Bush Signs Bill Raising Auto Fuel Efficiency Standards - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3762 Colorado's top election official decertified electronic voting machines used in many of the state's largest counties Monday, calling into question equipment used in past elections in a move he said could have national implications. Electronic voting machines used in Denver, Arapahoe, Pueblo, Mesa and Elbert counties cannot be used in the next election because of problems with accuracy or security, Secretary of State Mike Coffman said. A number of electronic scanners used to count... Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:27:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3762 US domestic-policy Colo. Bans Most Electronic Voting Machines, Security Risks, Inaccuracy Cited; Federal Certification Process Called "Inadequate" - Cbs News http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3760 Federal officials began demolishing a local housing project Thursday despite protesters who angrily decried the destruction, saying the hurricane-ravaged city needs to preserve its affordable housing. About 30 protesters had stood Wednesday in the path of a two-story excavator, temporarily blocking the demolition crew's path into the B.W. Cooper housing development in central New Orleans. Thursday's gathering was less confrontational and crews began demolishing one section of the dev... Thu, 13 Dec 2007 21:28:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3760 US domestic-policy Demolition Of Public Housing In N.O. Draws Protest - Usatoday.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3754 Al Gore praised Japan and Europe -- but chided the U.S. and China -- for their efforts to combat climate change, "a planetary emergency" at which the former U.S. vice president took aim Monday as he accepted the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Gore shared the honor -- and the $1.6 million in award money -- with the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which was represented by scientist Rajendra Pachauri. Gore said he intends to donate his prize money to an organization that ... Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:03:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3754 US domestic-policy Gore: U.S., China Must Lead Fight Against 'Planetary Emergency' - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3753 Federal judges have discretion to sentence individuals to prison terms that substantially depart from the punishment range established in the federal sentencing guidelines. In a pair of 7-to-2 decisions announced Monday, the US Supreme Court offered important guidance to federal judges who have been struggling to mete out sentences after the high court's 2005 ruling that said the sentencing guidelines established by Congress are no longer mandatory, but are now only advisory. How muc... Mon, 10 Dec 2007 11:23:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3753 US domestic-policy Supreme Court Gives Judges More Leeway In Crack-Cocaine Sentencing | Csmonitor.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3748 The showdown over an energy bill that raises vehicle fuel mileage standards and hikes oil company taxes is headed for the Senate, after the House easily approved a Democratic-written package today. But with the White House threatening a veto and Republican lawmakers vowing to slice off parts of the bill, the fight over the nation's energy strategy isn't over. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said the bill in its present form ``clearly has no chance of becoming law.&#... Fri, 07 Dec 2007 22:29:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3748 US domestic-policy House Oks Energy Bill, New Fuel Standards | Chron.Com - Houston Chronicle http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3743 This week, representatives of more than 180 nations will meet on the Indonesian island of Bali to begin discussing a climate change agreement intended to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012. But the delegation that will be the most closely watched will not even have an official seat at the table. A bipartisan group of U.S. senators and their top aides plan to meet with attendees and affirm their commitment to participating in the next round of global efforts to cap carbon emissi... Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:27:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-07.html#3743 US domestic-policy Cq Politics | All Eyes On The Uninvited At Climate Change Talks http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3739 There is a compelling article in yesterday's New York Daily News by Pulitzer Prize winner William Sherman. Sherman shows that there is not much for us to be thankful for in terms of the cost of food we put on the table this week. Consumers are getting slammed with the biggest increase in food prices in a decade -- fueled by a perfect storm of rising grain prices and a falling dollar. Poultry -- including your Thanksgiving Turkey -- along with dairy products have risen the most. A ... Sat, 24 Nov 2007 13:48:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3739 US domestic-policy How Bush Screwed Our Thanksgiving - Yahoo! News http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3734 After a hiatus of 68 years, the Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to rule on the meaning of the Second Amendment — the hotly contested part of the Constitution that guarantees “a right to keep and bear arms.” Not since 1939 has the Court heard a case directly testing the Amendment’s scope — and there is a debate about whether it actually decided anything in that earlier ruling. In a sense, the Court may well be writing on a clean slate if, in the end, it decides the ... Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:50:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3734 US domestic-policy Court Agrees To Rule On Gun Case | Scotusblog http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3724 Ethanol, the centerpiece of President George W. Bush's plan to wean the U.S. from oil, is 2007's worst energy investment. The corn-based fuel tumbled 57 percent from last year's record of $4.33 a gallon and drove crop prices to a 10-year high. Production in the U.S. tripled after Morgan Stanley, hedge fund firm D.E. Shaw & Co. and venture capitalist Vinod Khosla helped finance a building boom. Even worse for investors and the Bush administration, energy experts contend et... Mon, 19 Nov 2007 07:28:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3724 US domestic-policy Bloomberg.Com: Exclusive http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3719 Follow the link to check out this video that discusses the fact that there is really no shortage of high skilled domestic workers, but a shortage of jobs for them because companies are going overseas.... Fri, 16 Nov 2007 12:10:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3719 US domestic-policy Youtube - No Need For Cheap Foreign Labor http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3717 Reported chlamydia cases in the U.S. topped one million in 2006, and diagnoses of gonorrhea and syphilis rose as well, CDC surveillance experts reported. A total of 1,030,911 chlamydia diagnoses were reported in the U.S. in 2006, up from 976,445 in 2005, and the actual number of infections is probably on the order of 2.8 million, estimated Douglas M. Johnson, Jr., M.D., and colleagues, of the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. Although there has been... Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:28:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3717 US domestic-policy Medical News: Stds On The Rise In The U.S. After Years Of Decline - In Ob/Gyn, Stds Source: Medpage Today http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3713 Interesting compilation of the impact of the Bush Administration on the dollar and on our trade deficits. Yikes.... Mon, 12 Nov 2007 10:11:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3713 US domestic-policy Bits Of News - Bush Fiddles While The Dollar Burns http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3711 Lawmakers in both houses of the U.S. Congress this week handed President Bush a major defeat when they voted to override his veto legislation to fund popular water projects. It was the first time in his seven year presidency that the Congress was able to overturn a Bush veto. As VOA's Cindy Saine reports from Washington, the override is a sign that the Republican president will face growing pressure from the Democratic controlled Congress during his last year in office. The U.S. Senate vo... Sun, 11 Nov 2007 15:20:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3711 US domestic-policy Voa News - Us Congress Overrides Bush Veto For The First Time http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3702 Crude oil fell from a record after the release of an Energy Department report showing that U.S. inventories fell less than analysts expected. Crude-oil supplies declined 821,000 barrels in the week ended Nov. 2. A drop of 1.5 million barrels was expected, according to the median of 16 responses in a Bloomberg News survey. Stockpiles of distillate fuel, a category that includes heating oil and diesel, unexpectedly rose. ``This report wasn't the impetus needed to push prices over the $... Wed, 07 Nov 2007 09:47:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3702 US domestic-policy Bloomberg.Com: Asia http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3700 Congressional Democrats and Republicans are united in their determination to override President George W. Bush's veto of a $23 billion waterways infrastructure and environmental protection bill that passed both the House of Representatives and the Senate with solid veto-proof majorities. Saying, "This bill lacks fiscal discipline," the president Friday vetoed the Water Resources Development Act, WRDA, which authorizes projects that impact waterborne commerce on the nation's ri... Wed, 07 Nov 2007 09:33:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3700 US domestic-policy Congress Intends To Override Bush Water Resources Veto http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3698 The spending showdown is heating up on Capitol Hill, with Republicans planning to turn the tables on Democrats by using new Senate rules to block a massive spending bill from going to the president. Tomorrow Republicans in the Senate plan to raise a point of order against the Labor Health and Human Services bill that has been combined with the Veterans Affairs and military construction bill. The bills were combined by appropriators last week in an effort to streamline the delayed spending bil... Tue, 06 Nov 2007 10:29:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3698 US domestic-policy Republicans Deploy Senate Rules Against Democratic Spending Plan, By Martin Kady Ii - Cbs News http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3697 Peanut butter is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration. But chicken pot pies are the U.S. Department of Agriculture's responsibility. Frozen cheese pizzas — FDA. But if there's pepperoni on them, USDA has jurisdiction, too. Critics of the nation's food safety system say that it is too fragmented and marked by overlapping authority, and they say that may help explain why dangerous foods keep slipping through and why contamination scares are handled in sometimes incons... Mon, 05 Nov 2007 19:07:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3697 US domestic-policy The Associated Press: Critics Decry U.S. Food Safety System http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3696 George Bush's nominee to replace disgraced former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, retired Federal Judge Michael B. Mukasey, must be rejected by the Senate Judiciary Committee for the same reason that Gonzales should have been rejected in 2005. Like Gonzales, Mukasey refuses to accept that the president of the United States must abide by the laws of the land, beginning with the Constitution. In fact, the nominee to replace the worst Attorney General since Calvin Coolidge forced Harry M... Sun, 04 Nov 2007 19:46:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3696 US domestic-policy Mukasey Is (Much) Worse Than Gonzales - Yahoo! News http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3693 Nancy Nord, the country's top cop when it comes to consumer product safety, is troubled. I know that because she repeatedly said so when we spoke the other day. "I'm terribly troubled by all this," she said. What's all this? All this is legislation approved by a Senate panel last week that would significantly beef up the Consumer Product Safety Commission with more money and more power. With about 20 million kids' toys being recalled in recent months because of l... Sat, 03 Nov 2007 01:02:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3693 US domestic-policy Trouble At The Top For Safety Agency - Los Angeles Times http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3692 President Bush delivered his threatened veto of a $23-billion water bill Friday, but Congress is virtually certain to reverse it in the first override of a Bush veto. And Bush and the Democratic-controlled Congress are moving closer to a federal budget showdown that could result in more vetoes. The House and Senate are expected to move swiftly next week to override Bush's veto of a bill loaded with water-related projects sought by members of both parties, from shoring up California... Sat, 03 Nov 2007 01:01:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-07.html#3692 US domestic-policy Bush Vetoes $23-Billion Water Bill - Los Angeles Times http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3686 America's Internet access subscribers can breathe a sigh of relief: Congress isn't planning to allow taxes on your connection for another seven years. With little debate, the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday voted 402-0 to pass an extension of an existing ban on Internet access taxes until 2014. The same proposal received unanimous approval in the Senate late last week. The move comes just in the nick of time, as current law generally prohibiting state and local governmen... Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:08:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3686 US domestic-policy Ban On Net Access Taxes Extended To 2014 | Tech News Blog - Cnet News.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3684 President Bush accused Democratic lawmakers today of wasting time by passing legislation to expand children’s health coverage, knowing that he would veto it again. At the same time, he criticized Congress for failing to approve spending bills to keep the government running. Bush said Congress had "set a record they should not be proud of: October 26 is the latest date in 20 years that Congress has failed to get a single annual appropriations bill to the president’s desk." ... Fri, 26 Oct 2007 11:10:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3684 US domestic-policy Bush Scolds Dems For Second Effort On Children’S Health Bill - Bostonherald.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3683 House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel has dropped a political bomb that Republicans say may derail his fellow Democrats' pre-election momentum. Rangel yesterday offered a sweeping tax overhaul, which he dubbed ``the mother of all reforms.'' The proposal would raise taxes on higher-income families and some businesses, while cutting bills for the working poor and lowering the corporate rate. Republicans accused Rangel and his party of trying to raise taxes by more ... Fri, 26 Oct 2007 10:59:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3683 US domestic-policy Bloomberg.Com: Worldwide http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3680 Once again, the Bush administration is sending work overseas that could be done here and ignoring laws that get in the way of what it wants to accomplish. This time it’s the $1.2 billion, 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border that’s supposed to make us more secure. Seems part of the fence is made out of pipes from China, and it’s being built in a way that’s jeopardizing one of the world’s top natural wonders. Members of the Congressional Steel Caucus, ... Wed, 24 Oct 2007 11:57:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3680 US domestic-policy Border Fence Shuts Out U.S. Steelworkers, Threatens Environment : Indybay http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3664 The White House is threatening to veto any energy bill that seeks to raise taxes on oil companies. President Bush's senior advisers will recommend he veto any energy bill that raises taxes or uses the tax code to "single out specific industries," Allan Hubbard, director of the National Economic Council, said in a letter sent late Monday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Reacting to Hubbard's letter today, House Democrats vowed not to back down, paving the way for a co... Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:38:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3664 US domestic-policy Bush Advisers Urge Veto Of Any Bill Raising Oil Company Taxes | Chron.Com - Houston Chronicle http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3645 Congressional Democrats have found an unexpected ally in their budget showdown with President Bush: Republicans. The president is pushing to cut and even eliminate some popular domestic programs that pump billions of dollars into the states. Many congressional Republicans, wary of the potential fallout from the loss of funds, have joined Democrats to oppose the cuts. California alone has hundreds of millions of dollars at stake. More than a week into the new fiscal year, Congress has ye... Tue, 09 Oct 2007 18:34:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3645 US domestic-policy Bush Faces Gop Foes On Budget Cuts - Los Angeles Times http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3640 Along the Appalachian Trail, the 2000-mile ribbon of wilderness stretching from Vermont to Tennessee, the leaves are putting on their annual display of dazzling yellows, gold and vermilion. And like the autumn leaves politics turns quicker in Vermont than elsewhere in the US. The self-styled Green Mountain state has always had a doggedly independent streak. It opposed slavery long before other states. Vermont people are fiercely proud of the way they run their affairs through "town ha... Sat, 06 Oct 2007 19:44:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3640 US domestic-policy Anger Over Iraq And Bush Prompts Calls For Secession From The Us For Vermont - Independent Online Edition > Americas http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3639 Congressional Democrats are vowing to override President Bush's veto of legislation that would expand health insurance coverage for poor children. VOA White House Correspondent Scott Stearns has the story. President Bush says he supports the Children's Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP, but vetoed its expansion on Wednesday because he believes the bipartisan legislation is deeply flawed. "Millions of children would move out of private health insurance and onto a governmen... Sat, 06 Oct 2007 19:41:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3639 US domestic-policy Voa News - Congress Vows To Override Bush Veto On Child Health Care http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3634 President George W. Bush's veto of a bipartisan bill that would dramatically expand the SCHIP children's health insurance program Wednesday drew sharp rebuke from both sides of the aisle. "This is a presidency fixated on ideology and not one fixated on solving the nation's problems," said Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton). "Kids need health care." Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, a conservative Republican, said: "Frankly, I don't understand how we can say it is a gr... Thu, 04 Oct 2007 08:39:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3634 US domestic-policy Lawmakers Criticize Bush'S Kids' Health Plan Veto -- Newsday.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3631 - As one of the largest meat recalls in history unfolds, Congress is considering legislation that would reduce required federal inspections for meat that is produced by small companies and then shipped to another state. Because of a little-noticed legislative change buried deep within the 2007 farm bill approved in July by the House, only state inspections would be required for some meat products. The measure was planted in the farm bill by Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), according to cong... Tue, 02 Oct 2007 17:25:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-07.html#3631 US domestic-policy Bill Would Reduce Meat Inspections -- Chicagotribune.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3627 More than 50,000 Maryland children could be uninsured next year if President Bush makes good on his threat to veto the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which was passed by the Senate Thursday. Despite the bipartisan and bicameral majority support, President Bush is threatening to veto the bill, calling it a step in the direction of government-run health care. "There is no disagreement on the goal," said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Lea... Sat, 29 Sep 2007 21:43:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3627 US domestic-policy Kids' Health Care Bill Advances, Bush Veto Looms - Southern Maryland Headline News http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3625 The Smithsonian Institution's maintenance backlog has grown by $300 million in the past two years, as the museum complex faces problems such as corrosion of historic airplanes and leaky pools at the National Zoo. A report by the Government Accountability Office also questions security at the museums, finding that the overall number of guards has decreased despite an increase in the Smithsonian's square footage. The Air and Space Museum and the Museum of Natural History, have seen a 31 pe... Fri, 28 Sep 2007 19:19:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3625 US domestic-policy Smithsonian Faces $2.5 Billion Maintenance Backlog|Abc 7 News http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3622 For President George W. Bush, climate change is one of those pesky issues that he would love to see just go away. International diplomats say that when the topic of global warming comes up, Bush appears annoyed and has expressed exasperation that the issue still garners so much attention. After all, the White House position has been consistent from the very start of Bush's tenure: The U.S. will not require mandatory reductions in emissions of the so-called greenhouse gases, such as carbon di... Thu, 27 Sep 2007 22:36:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3622 US domestic-policy Bush'S Climate Meeting: Talk, But No Action http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3621 The stage is set for one of the most significant domestic policy showdowns of the Bush presidency. The Senate on Thursday night cleared a massive children's health insurance bill by a veto-proof margin, 67-29, but House approval earlier this week of the same bill was not enough for a veto override, leaving President Bush with the upper hand for now. Eighteen Republicans in the Senate, some of whom have been Bush allies for years, voted for the $35 billion increase in the State Childr... Thu, 27 Sep 2007 21:21:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3621 US domestic-policy Bush Readies Veto Pen As Senate Passes Children'S Health Bill, By Martin Kady Ii - Cbs News http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3616 A much-needed and effective federal health-insurance program for children will end Sept. 30 unless Congress takes action and the White House moves off its ideological pedestal to do what is right for kids. Nine million American children did not have health insurance last year, according to census figures. About 250,000 of those children are Arizonans. Elected officials are fond of invoking the image of innocent children to score political points on everything from crime legislation to Medica... Sun, 23 Sep 2007 19:07:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3616 US domestic-policy Compromise Bill To Insure Kids Deserves To Pass | Www.Azstarnet.Com ® http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3599 Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan sharply criticizes President George W. Bush's administration and Republican congressional leaders in his memoir for putting political imperatives ahead of sound economic policies, several newspapers reported on Friday. "Little value was placed on rigorous economic policy debate or the weighing of long-term consequences," Greenspan writes of the Bush administration. Accounts of Greenspan's book, "The Age of Turbulence: Adven... Sat, 15 Sep 2007 11:07:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3599 US domestic-policy Greenspan Criticizes Bush Policies In Memoir | U.S. | Reuters http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3596 A federal judge in Vermont gave the first legal endorsement yesterday to rules in California, being copied in 13 other states, that intend to reduce greenhouse gases emitted by automobiles and light trucks. Ruling in a lawsuit against Vermont’s standards on those heat-trapping gases, the judge, William K. Sessions III, rejected a variety of challenges from auto manufacturers, including their contention that the states were usurping federal authority. The ruling follows a decision by... Fri, 14 Sep 2007 13:33:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3596 US domestic-policy U.S. Court Backs States’ Measures To Cut Emissions - New York Times http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3583 A federal judge struck down a key part of the USA Patriot Act on Thursday in a ruling that defended the need for judicial oversight of laws and bashed Congress for passing a law that makes possible ``far-reaching invasions of liberty.'' U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero immediately stayed the effect of his ruling, allowing the government time to appeal. Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd said: ``We are reviewing the decision and considering our options at this time.'' ... Fri, 07 Sep 2007 19:21:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3583 US domestic-policy Judge Strikes Down Part Of Patriot Act | World Latest | Guardian Unlimited http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3570 Whoever replaces Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will face a daunting challenge. Charges of cronyism and partisan politicking have sunk the Justice Department's reputation to levels not seen since Watergate and damaged the Bush administration's ability to fight crime, pursue the war on terrorism and achieve its other goals, current and former department officials said. President Bush has downplayed the criticism of Gonzales as political mudslinging, but if he selects a new attorn... Tue, 04 Sep 2007 07:34:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-07.html#3570 US domestic-policy New Attorney General Has Rebuilding Ahead http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3564 The number of Hoosiers living in poverty increased by 4 percent from 2005 to 2006, according to a new Census Bureau report. The report found 12.7 percent of Indiana residents -- or about 777,700 men, women and children -- lived in poverty in 2006. That represents an increase of more than 37,000 from 2005, when the state poverty rate was 12.2 percent. Nationally, the poverty rate remained the same as in 2005 -- 13.3 percent -- while the number of Americans without health insurance incre... Tue, 28 Aug 2007 10:03:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3564 US domestic-policy Census: Ranks Of Poor Grow In State | Indystar.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3558 Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney walks off the stage after speaking to the Florida Medical Association about his health care plan. (Lynne Sladky/Associated Press) Even as Mitt Romney is laying out his health care plan at this hour to Florida doctors, Democrat John Edwards wasted no time bashing it. "Mitt Romney's cure is worse than the disease," Edwards said in a statement. "Not surprisingly, he's unwilling to take on the big insurance and drug companies. A... Fri, 24 Aug 2007 14:17:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3558 US domestic-policy Edwards Bashes Romney Health Care Plan - 2008 Presidential Campaign Blog - Boston Globe - Political Intelligence http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3552 Are Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani competing for the Republican Presidential nomination, or for the job of vacation replacement for Lou Dobbs? It's hard to tell these days as the candidates attempt to one-up each other's anti-immigration rhetoric. Mr. Romney has faulted the former New York City mayor for not directing the local police to harass illegal-alien janitors, cooks and bus boys, thus making the Big Apple a so-called "sanctuary city" for the undocumented. Mr. Romney app... Thu, 23 Aug 2007 08:33:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3552 US domestic-policy Gop Immigration Meltdown - Wsj.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3549 Thousands of Massachusetts children from low-income families could be denied health insurance under new rules imposed by the Bush administration late last week. The rules could cut federal matching funds for a state-run program that is a key component of the state's health insurance initiative. But congressional leaders, including Senator Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, said yesterday that they would fight the changes, which are the latest volley in the national battle over the ... Thu, 23 Aug 2007 08:16:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3549 US domestic-policy Children May Lose Out On Insurance - The Boston Globe http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3537 The U.S. has tried many tactics in its campaign to thwart illegal immigration -- border fences, additional Border Patrol agents, cameras, motion sensors, unmanned aerial vehicles. The focus on flashy technology and beefed-up manpower has ignored one little-known program: the Social Security Administration's (SSA) no-match letter program. But with new rules from the Bush administration due any day now, the program will require employers to fire undocumented workers, making it the weapon that ... Mon, 13 Aug 2007 07:23:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3537 US domestic-policy 'No Match,' No Sense - Wsj.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3528 The House on Saturday passed a far-reaching package of energy legislation that would promote conservation and the use of renewable resources at the expense of the country's oil and gas interests. The bill, which passed 241-172, would require more energy efficiency in appliances, buildings and power grids, which proponents of the bills say would reduce carbon-dioxide emissions and electricity use. It calls for more energy-efficiency measures in the Capitol building. It also would provide gra... Mon, 06 Aug 2007 20:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3528 US domestic-policy San Jose Mercury News - House Approves Major Energy Reform http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3526 Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee voted 13-8 to empower the FDA to regulate tobacco products. States and municipalities have spent years shoving cigarettes out of the public domain, but the FDA would be able to control cigarette advertising, mandate bigger, European-style warning labels, and regulate nicotine content. Only Congress has the power to ban cigarettes outright.... Sat, 04 Aug 2007 10:35:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3526 US domestic-policy News From The Swamp: Senate Committee Votes To Give Fda Power To Regulate Tobacco - Consumerist http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3524 The FBI violated the Constitution when agents raided U.S. Rep. William Jefferson's office last year and viewed legislative documents in a corruption investigation, a federal appeals court ruled Friday. The court ordered the Justice Department to return any legislative documents it seized from the Louisiana Democrat's office on Capitol Hill. The court did not order the return of all the documents seized in the raid and did not say whether prosecutors could use any of the records again... Sat, 04 Aug 2007 10:30:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3524 US domestic-policy Abc News: Court: Fbi Violated Constitution In Raid http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3520 The White House today threatened to veto a pair of energy bills House Democrats are hoping to push through before lawmakers leave for their August recess. But with House members still having a row today over a heated procedural fight late Thursday on an unrelated bill, votes scheduled for today on the energy package could get pushed back to Saturday or even Monday. The White House Office of Management and Budget said the president's senior advisers recommended he veto the proposed Hous... Fri, 03 Aug 2007 13:13:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3520 US domestic-policy Bush Threatens To Veto Energy Bills | Chron.Com - Houston Chronicle http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3511 House Democrats decided today not to try to raise fuel mileage standards for cars and trucks as part of the energy package lawmakers will vote on this week. As Democrats put the finishing touches on a pair of bills they hope to pass out of the House on Friday, Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass. — after consulting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. — announced he would withdraw an amendment designed to raise fuel mileage requirements to 35 miles per gallon by 2019. Raising fuel ... Wed, 01 Aug 2007 23:45:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-07.html#3511 US domestic-policy House Decides Against Tougher Fuel Economy | Chron.Com - Houston Chronicle http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-07.html#3482 Loyal even after leaving the White House, President Bush's former political director Sara M. Taylor obeyed his instructions and declined to answer Congress' questions Wednesday about her role in the firings of federal prosecutors. But Democrats insisted that the decision to cooperate with their subpoena -- or not -- is hers. "It is apparent that this White House is contemptuous of the Congress and feels that it does not have to explain itself to anybody," Judiciary Commit... Wed, 11 Jul 2007 10:26:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-07.html#3482 US domestic-policy Former Bush Aide Declines To Answer Senate Questions - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-07.html#3479 President Bush's first surgeon general testified Tuesday that his speeches were censored to match administration political positions and that he was prevented from giving the public accurate scientific information on issues such as stem cell research and teen pregnancy prevention. "Anything that doesn't fit into the political appointees' ideological, theological or political agenda is ignored, marginalized or simply buried," Dr. Richard H. Carmona, who was surgeon general ... Wed, 11 Jul 2007 07:31:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-07.html#3479 US domestic-policy Ex-Surgeon General Faults White House - Los Angeles Times http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-07.html#3477 There is little doubt that the United States has some of the best science and engineering schools in the world. So why should we be concerned that the American scientist might become an endangered species? The main problem is that too few Americans are enrolling in these programs. Although the number of students enrolled in science and engineering graduate programs in the United States has increased by 25 percent from 1994 to 2001, the number of U.S. citizens enrolled in these programs has ... Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:29:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-07.html#3477 US domestic-policy Jobs, News And Views For All Of Higher Education - Inside Higher Ed :: Are American Scientists An Endangered Species? http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-07.html#3475 The founder of the Republic, conscious of the excesses that resulted when King George III and his Parliament cooperated, endeavored to put the legislative and executive branches of the United States at odds with one another. Jefferson believed: "The concentrating [of the legislative, executive and judicial powers] in the same hands is precisely the definition of despotic government." To combat such despotism, the first democrat said, "The powers of government should be so div... Mon, 02 Jul 2007 21:21:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-07.html#3475 US domestic-policy To The Courts, Then, On Behalf Of The Constitution! http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3467 Inflationary pressures in the US were greater than previously thought in the first three months of the year, according to data which also showed that the economy grew at its slowest pace since 2003 over the period. Personal consumption spending excluding volatile food and energy costs, which Federal Reserve policymakers considers a key measure of inflation, was revised up to an annualised 2.4 per cent level of growth from a previous estimate of 2.2 per cent, figures from the Commerce Departme... Thu, 28 Jun 2007 10:40:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3467 US domestic-policy Financial Times Business News: Us Inflation Worries Grow - Msn Money http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3466 The Supreme Court ruled today that race cannot be used to decide where students go to school except in limited circumstances, a ruling that advocates fear could jeopardize roughly 20 voluntary desegregation plans in Massachusetts. By a 5-4 vote, the court struck down voluntary programs adopted in Seattle and Louisville, Ky., to attain racial diversity in public school classrooms. In Massachusetts, advocates fear that the ruling will also impact the Lynn public schools' longstanding pl... Thu, 28 Jun 2007 09:13:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3466 US domestic-policy Supreme Court Ruling Could Impact 20 School Desegregation Plans In Massachusetts - Local News Updates - The Boston Globe http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3458 The U.S. Supreme Court tightened limits on student speech Monday, ruling against a high school student and his 14-foot-long (4.3-meter) "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" banner. Schools may prohibit student expression that can be interpreted as advocating drug use, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court in a 5-4 ruling. Joseph Frederick unfurled his homemade sign on a winter morning in 2002, as the Olympic torch made its way through Juneau, Alaska, en route to the Winter Olympics in Salt... Mon, 25 Jun 2007 09:38:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3458 US domestic-policy Supreme Court Limits Student Speech In "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" Case - International Herald Tribune http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3457 The Supreme Court ruled Monday that ordinary taxpayers cannot challenge a White House initiative that helps religious charities get a share of federal money. The 5-4 decision blocks a lawsuit by a group of atheists and agnostics against eight Bush administration officials including the head of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. The taxpayers' group, the Freedom From Religion Foundation Inc., objected to government conferences in which administration offici... Mon, 25 Jun 2007 09:27:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3457 US domestic-policy Education Week: U.S. Supreme Court Halts Challenge Of Faith-Based Initiatives http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3455 Reigniting the debate over campaign finance regulation, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a part of the 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act Monday. That legislation, also known as the McCain-Feingold law, restricts corporations and labor unions from broadcasting ads at election time using general funds. Proponents of campaign finance reform fear Monday's ruling will create a major loophole in the legislation and cause an influx of "sham issue" ads that McCain-Feingold was create... Mon, 25 Jun 2007 09:14:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3455 US politics Abc News: Court Weakens Campaign Finance Law http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3452 The Environmental Protection Agency offered tighter standards for ozone pollution for the first time since 1997 but critics said on Thursday the proposal is more lax than what the EPA's own experts recommended. The environment agency proposed the new rules for ground-level ozone -- damaging pollution also known as smog that is spawned by motor vehicle exhaust, power plants, gasoline vapors and chemical solvents -- late on Wednesday, suggesting an acceptable ozone range of 70 to 75 parts p... Thu, 21 Jun 2007 12:04:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3452 US domestic-policy Critics Question Epa'S Tighter Ozone Limits | U.S. | Reuters http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3450 Senate Democrats pressed for budget increases for party priorities such as health, special education and medical research Tuesday as an appropriations panel approved a $152 billion spending bill. Earlier, a Senate panel responsible for environmental and public lands programs approved a $27.2 billion measure awarding increases to the National Parks system, Indian health programs and clean water projects. Both bills enjoyed unanimous support within the collegial confines of the Senate subcom... Wed, 20 Jun 2007 23:21:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3450 US domestic-policy Senate Democrats Boost Programs For Health Care And The Environment | Battle Creek Enquirer - Www.Battlecreekenquirer.Com - Battle Creek, Mich. http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3443 A unanimous Supreme Court ruled yesterday that passengers in vehicles pulled over by the police have the same rights as drivers to challenge the legality of the traffic stop when it results in an arrest. The court said that passengers, like the driver, are "seized" by police when the vehicle they are traveling in is stopped and are thus covered by the Fourth Amendment and allowed to challenge unreasonable searches and seizures. In the specific case before the court, a California ... Mon, 18 Jun 2007 16:44:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3443 US domestic-policy High Court Says Passengers May Question Legality Of Traffic Stops - Washingtonpost.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3439 For most of the past 10 days, Harry Reid had a ready explanation of why the Senate abruptly gave up on a highly volatile immigration overhaul: President Bush hadn’t done enough to rally Republicans to the cause. “This is the president’s bill, and we are doing our very best to see if we can help the president,” the majority leader had said June 7, just before his third attempt to break a logjam that threatened to undermine months of negotiations. Confident that no more ... Mon, 18 Jun 2007 07:56:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3439 US domestic-policy Cqpolitics.Com - For Reid, A Tricky Course To Democratic Victory http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3433 U.S. Senate leaders agreed on Thursday to revive a stalled immigration overhaul after lawmakers worked out a plan to overcome conservatives' objections to a bill that would legalize millions of immigrants. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, and Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said in a joint statement the Senate would reconsider the legislation after completing work on an energy bill some time next week. "We met this evening with several of the senat... Thu, 14 Jun 2007 19:39:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3433 US domestic-policy U.S. Senate Leaders Revive Immigration Bill http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3429 Inmates at the federal prison camp in Otisville, N.Y., were stunned by what they saw at the chapel library on Memorial Day — hundreds of books had disappeared from the shelves. The removal of the books is occurring nationwide, part of a long-delayed, post-Sept. 11 federal directive intended to prevent radical religious texts, specifically Islamic ones, from falling into the hands of violent inmates. Three inmates at Otisville filed a lawsuit over the policy, saying their constitutional... Mon, 11 Jun 2007 21:35:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3429 US domestic-policy U.S. Purging 'Radical' Religion Texts In Prisons | Www.Azstarnet.Com ® http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3422 Celebrity party girl Paris Hilton left jail after just 72 hours sparking cries of favouritism, but returns to court on Friday on a prosecutor's demand she serve her 45-day sentence behind bars. Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokesperson Steve Whitmore cited "medical reasons" for releasing Hilton, saying she was not free, but "reassigned" to house arrest while wearing an electronic tag. Within hours city prosecutors filed a motion seeking her return to ja... Thu, 07 Jun 2007 23:07:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3422 US domestic-policy Entertainment.Iafrica.Com | News Prosecutor Wants Paris Back In Jail http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3420 President Bush's nominee for surgeon general, Kentucky cardiologist Dr. James Holsinger, has come under fire from gay rights groups for, among other things, voting to expel a lesbian pastor from the United Methodist Church and writing in 1991 that gay sex is unnatural and unhealthy. Also, Holsinger helped found a Methodist congregation that, according to gay rights activists, believes homosexuality is a matter of choice and can be "cured." "He has a pretty clear bias agains... Wed, 06 Jun 2007 16:16:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-07.html#3420 US domestic-policy Gay Groups Decry Surgeon General Nominee - Washingtonpost.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-07.html#3379 The Federal Reserve held its key short-term rate steady yesterday and warned that, despite flagging growth in the first quarter, inflation remained the main worry of the central bank. In its statement after a one-day meeting, the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee announced its target rate for overnight federal funds was staying at 5.25 per cent, where it has been for almost a year. In the statement accompanying the decision, the FoMC noted growth had weakened in the first three... Wed, 09 May 2007 21:32:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-07.html#3379 US domestic-policy Us Freezes Interest Rates Despite Inflation Concerns - Independent Online Edition > Business News http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-07.html#3373 Corn-and-soybean farmer John Adams considered the pitch too good to pass up. The 58-year-old Adams, who works 950 acres in central Illinois, didn't immediately join the farmer cooperatives pooling together to build a 100-million-gallon-a-year ethanol plant. But when he dropped by an informational meeting a few months ago, he had to have a piece. "I was impressed," he recalled. "I had to do a lot of thinking about where the ethanol market was and where I think it's going.&... Sun, 06 May 2007 08:59:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-07.html#3373 US domestic-policy Ethanol Surges In Spite Of Questions About Demand, Environment, Food - Usatoday.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-07.html#3367 More farms across the United States will likely be affected by animal feed tainted with recalled pet food, federal health officials said Tuesday, after an investigation of Indiana chicken farms found the contaminated feed in more than three dozen facilities that raise poultry for human consumption. The Food and Drug Administration said it expects farms in other states will report they received the tainted pet food and predicted that the number of plants that received contaminated feed could r... Wed, 02 May 2007 15:29:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-07.html#3367 US domestic-policy Fda: Contaminated Feed Could Affect Farms Nationwide - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-07.html#3359 The Bush administration looks all set to permit oil drilling in the Virginia coast angering environmentalists who feel the step could be the first in allowing drilling over other prohibited areas off the US coast. High oil prices and fears that the US would become dependent on foreign forces for its oil have led the Congress to relent on the ban imposed after the Santa Barbara spill in 1969. President Bush has also indicated his willingness to allow for oil drilling in Alaska, but he is bound... Tue, 01 May 2007 10:33:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-07.html#3359 US domestic-policy Bush Administration Nod For Oil Drilling Off Virginia Coast http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-07.html#3344 Native American and Alaska Native women in the United States suffer disproportionately high levels of rape and sexual violence, yet the federal government has created substantial barriers to accessing justice, Amnesty International (AI) asserted in a 113-page report released today. Justice Department figures indicate that American Indian and Alaska Native women are 2.5 times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than women in the United States in general; more than one in three Native wo... Wed, 25 Apr 2007 15:12:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-07.html#3344 US domestic-policy Amnesty International: Widespread Rape Of Indigenous Women In Us http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-07.html#3336 In a poignant condemnation of one of the compelling myths of the current wars, the brother of Pat Tillman bitterly accused the U.S. military Tuesday of consciously deceiving the public and the family of the football-star-turned-Army-Ranger to promote a story of heroism that suited its purposes. Kevin Tillman, the brother of Tillman who served in the same platoon in Afghanistan, told a House committee that the military was going through a particularly rough patch when his brother was killed in... Tue, 24 Apr 2007 22:23:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-07.html#3336 US domestic-policy Tillman Case Cover-Up Alleged | Chicago Tribune http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-07.html#3316 Iowa produces 36 percent of the nation's ethanol. Many believe it's not only a boost for the economy, but also the environment. But, a new study shows that might not be the case. Professor Mark Jacobson looked at what would happen if all vehicles in the U-S ran on an ethanol fuel blend by 2020. The result? Higher ozone levels and more smog, especially in Los Angelos and the Northeast. And the study says the switch could cause 200 more people to die each year from respiratory pro... Thu, 19 Apr 2007 08:55:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-07.html#3316 US domestic-policy News::New Study Suggests Ethanol Bad For Environment http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-07.html#3315 Gov. Brian Schweitzer said "no, nope, no way, hell no" Tuesday to national driver's licenses, signing into law a bill supporters say is one of the strongest rejections to the federal plan. The move means the state won't comply with the Real ID Act, a federal law that sets a national standard for driver's licenses and requires states to link their record-keeping systems to national databases. Though several states have either passed or are considering resolutions or bill... Wed, 18 Apr 2007 15:46:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-07.html#3315 US domestic-policy Billingsgazette.Com :: Governor Signs Bill Defying U.S. Id Law http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-07.html#3286 President Bush is making a renewed push for big changes in U.S. immigration laws. VOA's Paula Wolfson reports it is one major issue where Mr. Bush believes he can work well with the new Democratic Party majority in Congress. The president says now is the time for comprehensive immigration reform. "This is a matter of national interest and it is a matter of deep conviction for me," he said. "I have been working to bring Republicans and Democrats together to resolve outstandi... Mon, 09 Apr 2007 16:58:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-07.html#3286 US domestic-policy Voa News - Bush Renews Call For Us Immigration Reform http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-07.html#3276 The powerful chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Charlie Rangel, and I sat down together last night to talk about, among other things, his new book, "And I Haven't Had a Bad Day Since." For 36 years, Rangel has served the constituents of Harlem -- what the new Ways and Means chairman calls "the capital of black America." The chairman's new book is a terrific read and tells the fascinating story of his rise from the impoverished streets of New York to the cor... Wed, 04 Apr 2007 09:50:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-07.html#3276 US domestic-policy Dobbs: We'Re On A 'Fast Track' To Bad Trade Policy - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-07.html#3275 Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to blame tainted wheat gluten for recent cat and dog illnesses and deaths, a mounting number of complaints about sick and dying animals who ate only dry food that did not contain wheat gluten strongly suggests another source of contamination. Evidence from reputable laboratories indicates that an excessive amount of vitamin D in pet food may be to blame. Vitamin D overdoses produce symptoms similar to those seen in animals who recently ha... Tue, 03 Apr 2007 23:16:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-07.html#3275 US domestic-policy Peta :: Fda Likely Wrong About Wheat Gluten As Sole Source Of Pet Food Poisoning http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3233 The Veterans Affairs' vast network of 1,400 health clinics and hospitals is beset by maintenance problems such as mold, leaking roofs and even a colony of bats, an internal review says. The investigation, ordered two weeks ago by VA Secretary Jim Nicholson, is the first major review of the facilities conducted since the disclosure of squalid conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. A copy of the report was provided to The Associated Press. Democrats newly in charge of Congress... Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:55:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3233 US domestic-policy Ap Wire | 03/21/2007 | Many Va Health Clinics Beset With Mold, Leaky Roofs http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3224 Hmm... I wonder how many Americans will realize that this will just needlessly drive up gas prices again. The Bush administration sent Congress its plan to more than double the amount of crude oil held in the U.S. emergency petroleum stockpile to 1.5 billion barrels. In his State of the Union speech to Congress in January, President George W. Bush called for boosting the capacity of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to ensure the U.S. market had sufficient backup supplies in case oil imports... Tue, 20 Mar 2007 12:13:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3224 US domestic-policy Congress Gets Bush Plan To Boost U.S. Oil Stockpile | U.S. | Reuters http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3220 Jaws dropped on Capitol Hill last week when Rep. John Hall of New York wondered aloud if the Department of Veterans Affairs should be rolled into the Department of Defense. The idea was a response to the month-old scandal at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, a military facility, which has bled like an ink stain into every facet of veterans' care and remote crannies at the civilian Department of Veterans Affairs. Moving all or part of the VA under the Department of Defense - so that the ... Tue, 20 Mar 2007 08:38:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3220 US domestic-policy Old Complaints Get New Life In Scandal | Theledger.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3206 President Bush has a one-word response to Democrats who want to set a timetable for a troop wthdrawal from Iraq: Veto. Legislation to withdraw U.S. combat troops from Iraq cleared its first Senate hurdle Wednesday, but Republicans confidently predicted they would soon defeat it and President Bush backed them up with a veto threat. The legislation, calling for combat troops to return home over the next 12 months, 'would hobble American commanders in the field and substantially endanger ... Wed, 14 Mar 2007 20:23:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3206 US domestic-policy Democrat Out-Of-Iraq Measure Clears Senate, But Gop Says They Will Stop It http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3201 Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco lashed out at the Army Corps of Engineers on Wednesday for installing defective pumps at three major drainage canals just before the start of last summer's hurricane season. "This could put a lot of our people in jeopardy," Blanco said. "It begs the question: Are we really safe?" She called for a congressional investigation into how the Corps allowed it to happen. Citing internal documents, The Associated Press reported Tuesday that th... Wed, 14 Mar 2007 15:05:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3201 US domestic-policy La. Governor Outraged Over Faulty Pumps - Washingtonpost.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3197 The story begins in 1919 with Erle Halliburton sitting up late one night with his wife, Vida, worrying about money. Squeezed together in their one-room home in the Oklahoma dustbowl town of Wilson, the couple were trying to work out how to meet the next payment on Halliburton's fledgling business, the New Method Oil Well Cementing Company. At about 1am, so the story goes, the pale light from a small lamp reflected off his wife's wedding ring. "I sat there admiring it when the tho... Tue, 13 Mar 2007 19:27:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3197 US domestic-policy Independent Online Edition > Americas http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3191 The nation's first trial debating the rights of local governments to curtail illegal immigration began Monday in federal court, with officials from the city of Hazleton defending laws that would make life difficult for undocumented residents there, and civil liberties attorneys charging that the measures unfairly targeted Latinos. Attorneys defending the Hazleton ordinances argued that the city wanted to take control of immigration law in their city because the federal government has fail... Mon, 12 Mar 2007 22:48:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3191 US foreign-relations Trial Begins On City'S Illegal Immigrant Laws - Los Angeles Times http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3187 Lieutenant General Kevin Kiley, the U.S. Army's surgeon general, has submitted his resignation, becoming the third official to lose his job after disclosures last month of substandard care for injured soldiers, the Army announced today. Major General Gale Pollock, the current deputy surgeon general, immediately assumed the top post, the Army said in a statement. Kiley was the Army's top uniformed medical official and commander of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington betw... Mon, 12 Mar 2007 11:36:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3187 US domestic-policy Bloomberg.Com: Worldwide http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3186 This is just amazing... shouldn't they have to drop all current US govt contracts as a result? U.S. oil services firm Halliburton Co. is moving its headquarters and chief executive to Dubai in a move that immediately sparked criticism from some U.S. politicians. Texas-based Halliburton, which was led by Vice President Dick Cheney from 1995-2000, did not specify what, if any, tax implications the move might entail. It plans to list on a stock exchange in the Middle East once it moves to... Mon, 12 Mar 2007 10:47:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3186 US domestic-policy Halliburton To Open New Hq In Dubai - Oil & Energy - Msnbc.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3185 Arguments like this are just stupendous... All of our problems would be better cured by overpopulation than by better fiscal and environmental management. Amazing. > Former U.S. Senator Zell Miller stated the obvious and compelling reality that those many needed people in America, are actually missing because of the continued practice of abortion. In an article dated March 9th, 2007, from the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, Says Zell: Military shortages, Social Security crisis, and illegal im... Mon, 12 Mar 2007 10:09:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3185 US domestic-policy Zell Miller Has It Right, Abortion Causes Millions To Be Missing From America - Press Release http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3180 As reported by the Associated Press today, Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez will unveil the Bush administration's offshore aquaculture policy at the International Boston Seafood Show on Monday, March 12. The following is a statement by Christopher Mann, senior officer, environment at The Pew Charitable Trusts. Mr. Mann is an aquaculture expert who recently served as the executive director of the Marine Aquaculture Task Force, which released its recommendations for national aquaculture ... Sun, 11 Mar 2007 19:39:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3180 US domestic-policy Statement In Response To The Bush Administration'S National Aquaculture Policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3178 Denver’s Jan. 30 special election cost $543,000, about $150,000 less than some had estimated. A City Council committee today endorsed a supplemental appropriation to cover the costs, including $95,400 for postage and $309,900 for printing. John Gaydeski, the commission’s executive director, said he expects the May election to cost less than January’s because inactive voter files have been purged. Denver now has about 178,000 active registered voters, nearly 117,000 fe... Sun, 11 Mar 2007 18:39:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3178 US domestic-policy Rocky Mountain News - Denver And Colorado'S Reliable Source For Breaking News, Sports And Entertainment: Elections http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3174 State Attorney General John Suthers on Friday filed a lawsuit against the federal government. Suthers filed the suit as directed by Referendum K, which was approved by Colorado voters last November. "As directed by voters, my office has filed suit against the federal government for its failure to protect and secure the borders. Although similar lawsuits initiated by other states have failed, we believe 9/11 has changed the way we must look at border security and whether the federal ... Sat, 10 Mar 2007 11:18:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3174 US domestic-policy 9News - Article - Colorado Files Lawsuit Against Feds For Immigration Enforcement Failures http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3173 Strangely, this protectionism is driven by some of Colorado's conservative roots, just like the arcane blue laws. All over the Front Range this weekend, people like Alec Brewster are going car to car at grocery store gas stations delivering a simple message: If you want discounted gas, call your State Senator in favor of House Bill 1208. In addition to passing out fliers at gas stations in Denver, Colorado Springs and Boulder, tens of thousands of e-mails and phone calls will be made i... Sat, 10 Mar 2007 11:15:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3173 US domestic-policy 9News - Article - Gas Price Battle Revs Up At Capitol http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3167 Hillary Rodham Clinton offered a new GI Bill of Rights for men and women in uniform, arguing that Democrats can do a better job of protecting and providing for U.S. troops than the Republican administration. ``This administration is frankly unable to run a two-car parade,'' the Democratic presidential candidate said in a speech at the Center for American Progress, a think tank run by former Clinton White House aide John Podesta. The New York senator, who leads early polls of Demo... Fri, 09 Mar 2007 13:21:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3167 US domestic-policy Clinton Fights For Gi 'Bill Of Rights' | World Latest | Guardian Unlimited http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3163 The murder rate jumped by more than 10 percent among dozens of large U.S. cities since 2004, a study shows in the latest sign of the end of a national lull in violent crime. Robberies also spiked, as did felony assaults and attacks with guns, according to the report to be released Friday by the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington-based law enforcement think tank. FBI data similarly has shown a rise in violent crime -- if not as dramatic -- since 2004. The Justice Department says ... Fri, 09 Mar 2007 08:23:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3163 US domestic-policy Study Finds 'Alarming' Rise In Violent Crime - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3160 Citing a problematic military health care system, a Republican senator on Thursday introduced a bill to allow veterans to receive care from the private sector. Stories about outpatient issues at Walter Reed Army Medical Center have led lawmakers to express outrage over conditions for wounded soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan. Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, said he thought Walter Reed Army Medical Center's problems were isolated, but he wants service men and woman to have the additional op... Thu, 08 Mar 2007 15:10:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3160 US domestic-policy Foxnews.Com - Senator Craig Proposes Private Sector Health Care For Veterans - Politics | Republican Party | Democratic Party | Political Spectrum http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3146 The Bush administration's plan to revise fuel economy standards appears to have stalled on Capitol Hill, with both Democrats and Republicans criticizing the proposal as timid and inadequate. The White House wants authority to set new standards for passenger cars, but members of the key Senate panel on Tuesday argued a specific mandated increase in fuel economy is needed to reduce oil consumption and address global warming. "I sense a great deal of footdragging, reluctance and frankly... Wed, 07 Mar 2007 11:17:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3146 US domestic-policy Senate Panel Slams Bush Fuel Economy Plan http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3122 procession of officials from the Pentagon and Walter Reed Army Medical Center expressed surprise last week about the living conditions and bureaucratic nightmares faced by wounded soldiers staying at the Washington, D.C., facility. But top officials at Walter Reed have heard complaints about outpatient neglect from family members, veterans groups and members of Congress for more than three years. As far back as 2003, the commander of Walter Reed, Lt. Gen. Kevin Kiley, who is now the Army&#... Thu, 01 Mar 2007 11:26:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3122 US domestic-policy Buffalo News - Walter Reed Officials Aware Of Problems http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3119 The $545 million reduction from NASA’s budget for 2006 could delay the agency’s plans to send a man back to the moon in 2014, NASA's boss Michael Griffin told the Congress on Thursday. NASA administrator Michael Griffin told lawmakers that the planned cut of $545 million would be a serious setback for the nation’s plans to send a man back to the moon by 2014. He warned that the shortages could translate into a four to six months delay (pushing the 2014-planned flight to... Thu, 01 Mar 2007 11:08:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-07.html#3119 US domestic-policy Shrunk Budget For Nasa Causes Delays In Manned Moon-Flight - Science News - Playfuls.Com - Science & Technology http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3105 Five Western states, including California, announced an agreement Monday to create a regional effort to lower greenhouse gas emissions that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger touted as illustrating "the power of states to lead our nation addressing climate change." But officials with the governors of the other states -- Arizona, New Mexico, Washington and Oregon -- indicated that they were not close to adopting the same kind of strong global-warming law that California has in place. The stat... Tue, 27 Feb 2007 09:33:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3105 US domestic-policy 5 Western States Announce Effort To Reduce Emissions http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3099 The American Civil Liberties Union today filed a new motion in federal court seeking to strike down a provision of the Patriot Act that allows the United States government to deny entry to foreign scholars because of their political views. The law, known as the “ideological exclusion” provision, violates the right of Americans to hear constitutionally protected speech, charged the ACLU. Today’s motion comes in a lawsuit filed in January 2006 by the ACLU and the New York Civi... Mon, 26 Feb 2007 12:08:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3099 US domestic-policy U.S. Government Illegally Censoring Speech At Border, Groups Tell Court : Indybay http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3096 President Bush's plan to cut $1.5 billion in domestic discretionary spending next year was apparently just the tip of the iceberg. His five-year proposal would slash these programs by $114 billion, according to a new analysis. The largest cuts would come in 2012, when domestic discretionary programs would be cut $34 billion, or 7.6 percent, below the 2007 funding level, adjusted for inflation, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Meanwhile, Bush has called for permanent ... Mon, 26 Feb 2007 10:01:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3096 US domestic-policy The Connecticut Post Online - Bush Budget Proposal Called Setback http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3094 In Texas, home to some of the world's biggest oil companies, you might think the case for renewable energy would be tough to make. As it happened it was tough, but not impossible. It was simply a case of showing that technologies like massive wind turbines and solar roof shingles would do the job with costs that were in line with power generated from fossil fuel, said Jim Marston, of the Texas office of Environmental Defense, an advocacy group. Texas is one of more than 20 states which... Sun, 25 Feb 2007 16:47:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3094 US domestic-policy Reuters Alertnet - Feature-States Beat Washington To Renewable Energy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3092 Wounded — and by wounded, I mean missing arms, legs, eyes, heads caved in, all wounds that will be visible for the rest of their lives — soldiers have been left to sleep in rooms with mice and mildew, substandard in every respect, at Walter Reed Medical Center. Just so we are clear — this is happening in Washington D.C., less than ten miles from the White House. This is happening to soldiers who were blown apart in Iraq and Afghanistan. Politicians and generals of every ilk ... Sun, 25 Feb 2007 09:50:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3092 US domestic-policy Foxnews.Com - Soldiers At Walter Reed Deserve Better - Fox Fan http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3087 President Bush's tough talk with Iran, like his rhetoric prior to invading Iraq, is racheting up oil prices around the world and picking the pockets of American motorists. "Whenever the U.S. says things that make a military conflict with Iran seem more likely, the price of oil rises, strengthening Iran's regime rather than weakening it," writes James Surowiecki in the February 19-26 issue of The New Yorker magazine. For example, during the second half of last year, the pr... Fri, 23 Feb 2007 09:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3087 US domestic-policy Political Affairs Magazine - Bush'S Threats Against Iran Are Pushing Up Oil Prices http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3084 Education, clean water programs, low-income home energy assistance and other key programs will suffer under the president's proposed 2008 budget, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities found in an analysis released Wednesday. The budget would cut $31.5 million in funding for elementary and secondary education in Maryland in 2012, according to the center's report. Additionally, in 2008 the new budget would trim $10.7 million from Environmental Protection Agency clean water pro... Thu, 22 Feb 2007 21:39:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3084 US domestic-policy Md. Education, Environment Would Suffer Under Bush Budget, Study Finds - Southern Maryland Headline News http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3080 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for stricter oversight of ethical standards in government Wednesday, a week after an Associated Press report that a Bush administration official bought a $980,000 vacation home with an oil company lobbyist. Pelosi called it unacceptable that Sue Ellen Wooldridge, a former top environmental prosecutor at the Justice Department, would buy a South Carolina beach house with Donald R. Duncan, the top Washington lobbyist for ConocoPhillips, and then approve consent... Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:36:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3080 US domestic-policy Ethics Questioned In Oil Lobbyist Deal http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3072 I can't even believe this. This is truly a travesty of justice. Didn't Bush just say this week that American ideals should apply to everyone? Guantanamo Bay detainees may not challenge their detention in U.S. courts, a federal appeals court said Tuesday in a ruling upholding a key provision of a law at the center of President Bush's anti-terrorism plan. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled 2-1 that civilian courts no longer have the authority t... Tue, 20 Feb 2007 09:05:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3072 US domestic-policy Court: Detainees Can'T Challenge Cases http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3067 Anti-smoking congressional leaders filed bipartisan legislation Thursday to give the Food and Drug Administration control over tobacco products, something health advocates have long sought. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act would force cigarette makers to disclose contents and let the FDA regulate toxin and nicotine limits. Tobacco products that companies want to advertise as "safer" would have to get FDA approval and the FDA could restrict marketing, particularly ... Mon, 19 Feb 2007 10:44:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3067 US domestic-policy Monterey County Herald | 02/19/2007 | Bill Would Put Fda In Charge Of Tobacco Products http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3062 President Bush wants Congress to pony up $168 million next year to fund his proposed expansion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. As part of his strategy to bolster the nation's energy security, Bush has called for doubling the storage capacity of the nation's emergency oil stockpile. Created in the wake of the Arab oil embargo to help cushion the U.S. economy against a major oil supply disruption, the petroleum reserve currently holds 691 million barrels of crude, enough to han... Sun, 18 Feb 2007 22:29:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3062 US domestic-policy Mywesttexas.Com - Bush Seeks Money To Double Oil Reserve http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3059 House Republicans on Friday sought to deflect blame off the Bush administration for not acting earlier to fix faulty oil drilling contracts that could cost the government billions in lost royalty fees, saying former President Bill Clinton's administration was at fault for issuing the leases. The dispute centers around drilling contracts the Interior Department gave oil companies in 1998 and 1999 to search for crude in the Gulf of Mexico. The contracts accidentally omitted language that wo... Fri, 16 Feb 2007 15:45:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3059 US domestic-policy House Republicans Defend Bush In Oil Royalty Error - Washingtonpost.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3043 The U.S. trade deficit set a record for the fifth straight year in 2006, reflecting a huge jump in America's foreign oil bill and a record imbalance with China. The year ended with the December deficit increasing more than had been expected. The Commerce Department reported Tuesday that the gap between what America sells abroad and what it imports rose to a record $763.6 billion last year, a 6.5 percent increase from the previous record of $716.7 billion set in 2005. For December, the def... Tue, 13 Feb 2007 12:06:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3043 US domestic-policy Trade Deficit Rises To Record $763.6B, Trade Deficit Sets Record For Fifth Consecutive Year - Cbs News http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3033 Toxic fumes from gasoline, motor vehicles and fuel containers would be cut significantly under new U.S. government rules the Bush administration developed under legal pressure from environmental groups. The new requirements, to go into effect between 2009 and 2011, would reduce toxic emissions of benzene and other pollutants from passenger vehicles by 80 percent in the next two decades, the government said. The Environmental Protection Agency said the new rules would toughen benzene standa... Sat, 10 Feb 2007 14:29:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3033 US domestic-policy U.S. Environment Agency'S Rules Cut Benzene, Other Air Toxics For Cars, Fuel, Containers - International Herald Tribune http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3027 The large scale biofuel program president Bush announced in his State of the Union, could do the environment more damage than good, critics say. Ethanol should replace imported fossil fuels and thus reduce the dependence of import. Bush wants to reduce fuel usage by 20 % in 2017. This is equivalent to three quarters of the current import from the Middle East. The president wants to reach this target by making vehicles more fuel efficient and by dramatically increasing the ethanol producti... Thu, 08 Feb 2007 14:06:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3027 US domestic-policy Us http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3022 President George W. Bush today sent Congress a $2.9 trillion budget package for the fiscal year starting in October that includes big increases for defense spending, cuts in conservation programs and assumptions that tax revenues will increase and that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will be leased for oil and gas development. Yet the administration said reducing U.S. dependence on petroleum imports and expanding incentives for clean energy technologies are central to the President's... Wed, 07 Feb 2007 22:21:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3022 US environment Bush Budget Slashes Environment, Funds Nuclear Development http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3013 House Democrats unveiled an energy package Friday designed to slap down scores of oil and gas companies that have been pumping crude in the Gulf of Mexico royalty-free. The new majority party in the House plans to push through a bill next Thursday aimed at producers that have refused to renegotiate flawed lease agreements. The bill hits them with sizable new fees or forbids them from leasing any more acreage in federal waters. "Energy companies may have been able to get away with rippi... Tue, 06 Feb 2007 11:52:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3013 US domestic-policy House Rolls Out Energy Plan That Takes On Royalties | Chron.Com - Houston Chronicle http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3012 How does Mr. Bush plan to handle the additional price pressure on oil that filling additional reserve will cause? President Bush wants Congress to pony up $168 million next year to fund his proposed expansion of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. As part of his strategy to bolster the nation's energy security, Bush has called for doubling the storage capacity of the nation's emergency oil stockpile. Created in the wake of the Arab oil embargo to help cushion the U.S. economy again... Tue, 06 Feb 2007 11:49:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3012 US domestic-policy Bush Seeks Money To Double Oil Reserve | Chron.Com - Houston Chronicle http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3009 Health care providers would get smaller pay increases when caring for the elderly, poor and disabled under President Bush's budget plan submitted to Congress on Monday. The recommendations, if adopted, would trim Medicare spending by $66 billion over five years. That means the health care program for seniors would grow at a 6.7 percent clip rather than a 7.6 percent rate, budget officials said. Bush also calls for reducing Medicaid spending by about $25 billion over five years, which w... Mon, 05 Feb 2007 15:10:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3009 US domestic-policy Bush Budget Trims Health Care Funds http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3003 US President George W Bush is asking Congress for nearly 3 trillion dollars in his budget for fiscal year 2008, with about one-quarter earmarked for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the defence budget, according to news reports on the document to be released Monday. With the exception of defence, which would get a 10 per cent boost, overall spending increases would be limited to 1 per cent for 2008, less than enough to keep up with last year's inflation rate of 2.5 per cent. Bush is ca... Mon, 05 Feb 2007 11:04:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3003 US domestic-policy Bush'S 3-Trillion-Dollar Budget Boosts War Spending - Us http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3002 If Bush's predictions about the economy are as good as his predictions about the Iraq war... The budget that President Bush will submit to Congress today shows the federal deficit falling in each of the next four years and would produce a $61 billion surplus in 2012, administration officials said. But to get there, Bush is counting on strong economic growth, diminishing costs in the Iraq war and tight domestic spending to offset the cost of his tax cuts. Democrats yesterday criticized ... Sun, 04 Feb 2007 21:49:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#3002 US domestic-policy Bush Budget Projects A Surplus By 2012 - Washingtonpost.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#2999 In a bid to balance the federal budget in five years, President Bush will seek cuts in several key programs. But the spending blueprint he sends to Congress on Monday leaves room for some sweeteners, according to administration officials. Under the Bush plan, grants for college students would rise after remaining stagnant for three years, and some parts of the No Child Left Behind Act would receive additional funding. There would be new money to spur the manufacture of hybrid cars and prod... Sat, 03 Feb 2007 18:26:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#2999 US domestic-policy Bush Budget To Seek Cuts For Medicare, Medicaid - Los Angeles Times http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#2995 President George W. Bush presented a long wish-list in his State of the Union address, full of stuff that's going to cost America lots of money. Before explaining his spending plans, the president talked about fiscal discipline. He promised to eliminate the federal deficit in five years and "do so without raising taxes." But he left out a small detail, namely how he plans to accomplish this. He did suggest one useful idea: stopping lawmakers from including pet projects, call... Sat, 03 Feb 2007 00:14:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#2995 US domestic-policy President Needs To Explain Balanced-Budget Pledge - Fosters http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#2993 It was a hard act to follow, but Exxon Mobil managed an encore. After ringing up the biggest annual profit in U.S. corporate history in 2005, Exxon Mobil on Thursday announced that it topped that number in 2006. Riding the wave of high crude-oil and gasoline prices, and despite depressed fourth-quarter earnings, the company reported a $39.5 billion profit, up more than 9 percent from the previous year. Its revenue of $377.6 billion exceeded the gross domestic product of all but 25 countrie... Fri, 02 Feb 2007 15:04:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#2993 US domestic-policy The Seattle Times: Business & Technology: Last Year, Exxon Made $4.5 Million An Hour http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#2986 A federal lawsuit filed by Wiccans against the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will proceed despite a request by the VA that it be put on hold for perhaps as much as a year. The lawsuit, filed in November, accuses the VA of coming up with “excuse after excuse” for more than nine years for not putting the Wiccan symbol on grave markers of veterans who were members of that religion. The department does not allow Wiccan religious symbols on veterans’ headstones in national ... Fri, 02 Feb 2007 09:26:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#2986 US domestic-policy La Crosse Tribune - 6.0 http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#2980 The American Civil Liberties Union today commended the House Judiciary Committee for holding its first hearing of the 110th Congress to examine President Bush’s use of presidential “signing statements.” Since taking office, President Bush has issued such statements affecting more than 750 laws, often claiming a right to not enforce laws passed by Congress. “When Congress sends a law to the president for signature it is not asking for his comments. The Constitution d... Thu, 01 Feb 2007 11:33:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#2980 US domestic-policy American Civil Liberties Union http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#2979 New House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., used his first oversight hearing Wednesday to say that he is launching an investigation into President Bush's possible abuse of presidential-signing statements. Democrats and some Republican lawmakers have accused Bush of conducting an imperial presidency by using bill-signing statements to declare that he will interpret legislative provisions his way and will ignore some terms. ``That conduct threatens to deprive the Americ... Thu, 01 Feb 2007 11:31:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#2979 US domestic-policy Mercurynews.Com | 02/01/2007 | Panel To Probe Signing Statements http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#2978 Colorado Governor Bill Ritter today signed his first executive order and directed the state to establish a Preferred Drug List for the purchase of prescription pharmaceuticals for Medicaid clients. Ritter said establishing the list will save taxpayers 2 percent to 5 percent on the bulk purchase of Medicaid pharmaceuticals. “At a minimum, we believe we can save $1.6 million a year,” Ritter said during a signing ceremony at the state Capitol surrounded by dozens of supporters and... Thu, 01 Feb 2007 11:30:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-07.html#2978 US domestic-policy .: Colorado Governor Ritter Signs First Executive Order, Directs State To Establish Preferred Drug List - Colorado :. .: All American Patriots :. http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2973 Democrats who control Congress turned up the heat on President Bush's global warming policy Tuesday at an oversight hearing where witnesses claimed White House political operatives stifled government scientific findings on climate change and other topics. "Without strong action to restore integrity to federal science, our nation will be ill prepared to deal with the challenges we face," warned Francesca Grifo of the Union of Concerned Scientists, which released a survey of 1,800 ... Wed, 31 Jan 2007 15:38:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2973 US domestic-policy Scientists Say Bush Stifled Data On Climate http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2967 When the @#$% did we become the USSR? Oh yeah... as soon as the Supreme court interfered with State's rights in 2000 and gave the election to Bush. President George W. Bush has signed a directive that gives the White House much greater control over the rules and policy statements that the government develops to protect public health, safety, the environment, civil rights and privacy. In an executive order published last week in the Federal Register, Bush said that each agency must hav... Tue, 30 Jan 2007 19:18:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2967 US domestic-policy Bush Directive Increases Sway On Regulation - International Herald Tribune http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2964 President Bush brushed aside criticism of his new health care plan as "reflexive" partisanship and urged the Democratic-led Congress to work with him on the issue. The president's proposal, to offer tax breaks to people to encourage them to buy health insurance on their own while taxing some with employer-provide health coverage, has received a chilly reception from Democratic lawmakers, labor unions and some consumer groups. But Bush, who unveiled his plan in his State of th... Tue, 30 Jan 2007 18:54:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2964 US domestic-policy Zee News - Bush Brushes Aside Criticism Of Health Plan http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2961 Scientists at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday recommended tougher standards for ground-level ozone, the main component of smog, but no action will be taken until next year. Dropping the level of ozone allowed in the air would offer health benefits for asthmatic children and others with lung disease, as well as for healthy children and adults, the scientists said in a staff paper. The current standard permits 0.08 parts per million of ozone, while the EPA scientists prop... Tue, 30 Jan 2007 18:52:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2961 US domestic-policy Us Environment Scientists Urge Tougher Smog Rules | Bonds News | Reuters.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2960 TWO private advocacy groups told a US congressional hearing yesterday that climate scientists at seven government agencies say they have been subjected to political pressure aimed at playing down the threat of global warming. The groups presented a survey that shows two in five of the 279 climate scientists who responded to a questionnaire complained that some of their scientific papers had been edited in a way that changed their meaning. Nearly half of the 279 said in response to anothe... Tue, 30 Jan 2007 18:50:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2960 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2957 From high-dollar fraud to conspiracy to bribery and bid rigging, Army investigators have opened up to 50 criminal probes involving battlefield contractors in the war in Iraq and the U.S. fight against terrorism, The Associated Press has learned. Senior contracting officials, government employees, residents of other countries and, in some cases, U.S. military personnel have been implicated in millions of dollars of fraud allegations. "All of these involve operations in Iraq, Afghani... Mon, 29 Jan 2007 11:08:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2957 US domestic-policy 9News - Business - Article - Army Probes War Contractor Fraud http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2954 President Bush likes to say that his health-care proposal would "level the playing field" between people who get health coverage through their job and those who buy it on their own. But experts said yesterday that it would tilt that field toward a kind of health insurance that Bush has long favored -- a high-deductible plan paired with a special tax-exempt health savings account, or HSA. "I think it would be a big push for HSAs," said Mark B. McClellan, a health economist a... Sun, 28 Jan 2007 14:52:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2954 US domestic-policy Health Plan'S Impact Debated - Washingtonpost.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2946 With his proposal to uproot a tax break that has been in place for more than 60 years, President Bush has touched off an impassioned debate over the future of the employer-based system that provides health insurance to more than half of all Americans. “Changing the tax code is a vital and necessary step to making health care affordable for more Americans,” Mr. Bush said in his State of the Union address this week. Mr. Bush said his proposal would eliminate a bias in the tax co... Sat, 27 Jan 2007 10:30:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2946 US domestic-policy Experts See Peril In Bush Health Proposal - New York Times http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2944 The European Union is working closely with California to bring it into the 27-nation bloc's trading scheme for greenhouse gas emissions, the EU environment chief said Friday. In an interview with Dow Jones Newswires, Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said members of his staff met with Californian officials last week and discussed how to make the state's planned program fit with a European one that has been operating for two years. "We are trying to make their trading schem... Fri, 26 Jan 2007 20:37:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2944 US domestic-policy Article - Health Science - Eu Environment Chief Wants California To Join Emissions Trading Program http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2949 A sweeping proposal by President George W. Bush to dramatically cut U.S. gasoline consumption over the next decade -- and perhaps change U.S. car culture -- was greeted with widespread skepticism from automakers, environmentalists and political experts yesterday. Greenpeace called the plan, unveiled in Mr. Bush's State of the Union address to Congress on Tuesday evening, "delusional," while the automobile industry insisted it was already going down the environmental green road and... Thu, 25 Jan 2007 10:37:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2949 US domestic-policy Can Bush'S Oil Plan Work? http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2933 These are the highlights of programs announced in the last year aimed at reducing U.S. dependence on foreign sources of oil, as detailed by the White House and the federal Energy Department. * $1 billion in tax credits to promote clean coal technologies; * $450 million over 10 years to demonstrate carbon sequestration technologies, such as burying carbon dioxide underground; * $235 million to design, build and demonstrate a clean, coal-fired power plant Reuters Pictures Editors... Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:46:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2933 US domestic-policy Factbox-Highlights Of Bush Environment Programs | Top News | Reuters.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2927 Faced with a widely unpopular war in Iraq and a Democratic Congress, President Bush in his State of the Union address urged lawmakers to work with him to "achieve big things for the American people." "Our citizens don't much care which side of the aisle we sit on, as long as we are willing to cross that aisle when there is work to be done," Bush said Tuesday night (Speech transcript). Bush put forth a wish list to extend health insurance coverage, reduce gasoline consum... Tue, 23 Jan 2007 22:52:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2927 US domestic-policy Bush State Of The Union: Work With Me - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2924 The chief executives of 10 major corporations, on the eve of the State of the Union address, urged President Bush on Monday to support mandatory reductions in climate-changing pollution and establish reductions targets. "We can and must take prompt action to establish a coordinated, economy-wide market-driven approach to climate protection," the executives from a broad range of industries said in a letter to the president. Bush, who in the past has rejected mandatory controls on ca... Mon, 22 Jan 2007 19:50:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2924 US domestic-policy Ceos Ask Bush To Back Climate Protection http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2919 For years, the federal government has tried, ineffectively, to litigate away the effects of smoking on people and the public purse, pursuing expensive lawsuits against an industry that nevertheless continues to produce a needlessly dangerous product. Then, in 2004, it seemed that Congress might opt for a better strategy by giving the Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco products. To make the measure palatable, its sponsors attached it to a proposal that handed tobacco f... Sun, 21 Jan 2007 13:19:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2919 US domestic-policy Opinion: Congress Should Put Fda In Charge Of Regulating Tobacco Products http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2918 Environmentalists, evangelical Christians and congressional and corporate leaders have called for action on global warming in the days leading up to President George W. Bush's State of the Union speech. Interest is particularly keen because of what Bush said in last year's address to Congress and the nation: that "America is addicted to oil" and that this addiction should be broken with technological advances and alternative fuels. Since then, environmental activists and ot... Sun, 21 Jan 2007 13:17:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2918 US domestic-policy Calls To Act On Global Warming Precede Bush Speech | Us News | Reuters.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2917 A year after warning America of its addiction to oil, President Bush is expected to renew concerns about energy security in his State of the Union address. But will the rhetoric be followed by action? Up to now, the record has been mixed. Aides hint of a major pronouncement on energy in the speech before Congress and the nation Tuesday night. Yet the president is expected to take a predictable path, urging expanded use of ethanol in gasoline, more research into cleaner burning coal and on gas... Sun, 21 Jan 2007 13:15:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2917 US domestic-policy Bush Record On Energy Security Mixed http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2913 As President Bush readies a new plan on global warming, environmentalists say an 18-lane highway going up in Houston speaks volumes about how people in his home state of Texas view the planet. Between 2003 and 2009, $2.7 billion of state and federal money will have been ploughed into expanding 23 miles of Interstate-10 in west Houston to as wide as 18 lanes in some stretches of the city's main east-west road. "It is a concrete monstrosity," said Jim Blackburn, an environment... Sun, 21 Jan 2007 13:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2913 US domestic-policy Texas View On Environment Is 18 Lanes Wide - New Zealand News On Stuff.Co.Nz http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2907 For more than a decade, I've written about the need to reform Social Security. And I've blamed older generations of Americans for not fixing a program they know is unsustainable into the future. My bad. It turns out, if I wanted to get everyone up in arms, all I needed to do was blame illegal immigrants. Ah, yes. The folks who, we are told, wrecked our schools, ruined our environment and lowered our wages are now poised to steal our Social Security. Oh, there's some stealing... Mon, 15 Jan 2007 13:18:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2907 US domestic-policy Commentary: Social Security Is About Math, Not Mexicans - Cnn.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2893 The House easily approved a bill Wednesday to increase the minimum wage to $7.25 per hour over two years, the first such boost in a decade. The measure now goes to the Senate. Oklahoma's five House members split along party lines on the issue, as Rep. Dan Boren, a Democrat, voted for the bill and Reps. John Sullivan, Frank Lucas, Tom Cole and Mary Fallin, all Republicans, voted against it. One of the items in the 100-hour agenda laid out by the newly empowered Democrats, the bill... Thu, 11 Jan 2007 15:52:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2893 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2884 The Democratic-controlled House voted Wednesday to increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour, bringing America's lowest-paid workers a crucial step closer to their first raise in a decade. The vote was 315-116, with 82 Republicans joining Democrats to pass it. "You should not be relegated to poverty if you work hard and play by the rules," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland. The bill was the second measure passed since Democrats took control of the H... Wed, 10 Jan 2007 17:18:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2884 US politics http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2872 California electric utilities would have to make renewable energy one-third of their power supplies by 2020 under a bill proposed on Thursday by Democratic Assemblyman Lloyd Levine. Levine, who chairs the Assembly's Utilities and Commerce Commission, said more renewable energy could help stabilize California power prices, reduce reliance on imported fuel, and improve air quality. Levine co-authored a bill last year with Democratic Senator Don Perata that established renewable energy re... Fri, 05 Jan 2007 12:18:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2872 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2871 The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday voted to reinstitute the "pay as you go" budget rule that Democrats credited with helping end federal budget deficits in the 1990s. By a vote of 280-152, the House approved the internal House rule that would require any new tax cuts to be paid for with other tax increases or spending reductions. Any increased spending on "entitlement" programs, such as the Medicare health plan for the elderly, also would have to be paid for with spen... Fri, 05 Jan 2007 12:17:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2871 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2870 Members of the newly seated U.S. Congress on Thursday wasted no time in proposing a series of measures designed to extend and expand tax breaks on Internet and telephone service. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), and John Sununu (R-N.H.) proposed legislation that would make permanent an existing ban on state taxes on Internet access. The ban is set to expire on November 1. The moratorium, first enacted in 1998, was extended amid tense negotiations in 2004. Opponents of a sw... Fri, 05 Jan 2007 11:01:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2870 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2869 Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR), John McCain (R-AZ) and John Sununu (R-NH) on Thursday proposed legislation to make permanent a ban on multiple and discriminatory taxation on Internet access and online sales. The Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act would forever prohibit three types of taxes that unfairly single out the Internet, including taxes on Internet access, double taxation (for example, by two or more states) of a product or service bought over the Internet, and discriminatory taxes that treat I... Fri, 05 Jan 2007 10:59:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2869 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2868 Former Chief Justice Roy Moore and attorneys with the Foundation for Moral Law filed an amicus curiae ("friend-of-the-court") brief today in the U.S. Supreme Court in the Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation case arguing that the federal courts should stop giving liberal groups like Freedom From Religion Foundation special permission to sue the government on behalf of "taxpayers"—in this case, to stop President Bush’s promotion of faith-based initiatives. The brie... Fri, 05 Jan 2007 10:42:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2868 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2860 History will be made today when the 110th Congress is sworn in and Keith Ellison of Minnesota becomes the first Muslim member. But some Americans have been outraged by the idea that he will take his oath on the Quran -- even if only in a private ceremony for family and friends. Radio talk show host Dennis Prager wrote on townhall.com that Ellison should not be allowed to swear on the Quran "because the act undermines American civilization." Prager declared, "If you are incapa... Thu, 04 Jan 2007 12:56:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2860 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2857 Energy will be a central theme of President George W. Bush’s state of the union speech this month, as it was in last year’s address when he briefly caught national attention with the claim that the country was “addicted to oil”. But his critics doubt that he will do much more than call for more spending on alternative fuels, and again fail to embrace international efforts to agree a post-Kyoto regime to tackle greenhouse emissions. “We’ve had the ... Wed, 03 Jan 2007 12:16:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2857 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2854 Our president is an idiot. He's the cause of the excess spending and he knows that you can only save so much by cutting, especially when he refuses to cut the military. President George W. Bush, facing a Democratic congressional majority for the first time in his presidency, promised to send lawmakers a budget plan that will balance federal accounts by 2012. ``Congress has changed,'' Bush said in remarks at the White House following a meeting with his Cabinet. ``Our obligatio... Wed, 03 Jan 2007 09:16:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2854 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2845 Environment Iowa's new energy policies might not only save the state over $1 billion in energy bills - they could also reduce serious pollution problems and create close to 5,000 employment opportunities by the year 2020. Coal provides most of the state's power, but it also causes pollution from greenhouse gases, acid rain, and other dangerous particles harmful to the lungs. Redirecting Iowa's Energy report urges the state to mandate that at least 20 percent of Iowa's power co... Tue, 02 Jan 2007 11:40:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-07.html#2845 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2832 More than a year ago, President Bush told a group gathered at the national small business conference that nuclear power is one of the safest, cleanest sources of power in the world, and we need more of it in the United States. He’s right. And he hasn’t swayed in his support. Earlier this month, Clay Sell, deputy secretary of the Department of Energy, told reporters that beginning construction of the first U.S. nuclear power plant in more than 30 years and convincing the public... Wed, 27 Dec 2006 08:54:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2832 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2827 Truly, as long as there's no genetic tampering going on, this should be fine. I'm more concerned about the humane treatment of cloned animals as well as the potential for market-killing disease in genetically identical livestock. Consumer advocates and others have complained bitterly in recent years that the Food and Drug Administration has veered from its scientific roots, making decisions on controversial matters -- such as the emergency contraceptive "Plan B" -- on politic... Tue, 26 Dec 2006 11:29:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2827 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2826 What about a bill to protect veterans from underfunded hospitals and services? President Bush signed into law a $3.2 billion bill that will improve veterans’ benefits, health care, the security of their sensitive data and, when it occurs, its response to a comprehensive breach. The Veterans Benefits, Health Care and Information Technology Act of 2006, S. 3421, directs the Veterans Affairs Department to notify veterans promptly in the case of a data breach and to provide fraud alerts... Tue, 26 Dec 2006 11:25:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2826 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2785 Nearly four years after authorizing it, the United States Congress has finally begun a real discussion of the purpose of the War in Iraq and of how long U.S. troops should remain there. Hopefully, only hundreds and not thousands more American soldiers will have to die before the politicians can admit they made a mistake in getting us involved in the petty squabbles and religious hatreds of this misbegotten "country." Those who advocate a continuation of the Iraq war owe our soldi... Fri, 15 Dec 2006 13:51:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2785 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2792 The Bush administration is clamping down on scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey, who study everything from caribou mating to global warming, subjecting them to controls on research that might go against official policy. New rules require screening of all facts and interpretations by agency scientists. The rules apply to all scientific papers and other public documents, even minor reports or prepared talks, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. Top officials at the... Thu, 14 Dec 2006 14:10:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2792 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2775 If you needed to find out how much pollution an industrial plant in your neighborhood was spewing, or what toxic chemicals were in a local river, where would you go? Until recently, you could discover the answer at one of the Environmental Protection Agency's 29 libraries. But now the E.P.A. has obstructed the American public -- as well as its own scientists and staff -- by starting to dismantle its crown jewel, the national system of regional E.P.A. libraries. Until now, any citizen coul... Thu, 14 Dec 2006 11:11:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2775 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2755 "Since the Clean Air Act became law in 1970, EPA has set standards to protect public health from air pollution based on the best available science, not politics. This has occurred under both Democratic and Republican Presidents. For decades, the cornerstone of this process was that EPA got expert advice from the leading independent scientists, and then EPA scientists proposed standards to EPA managers based on the science and health evidence. "Now, based largely on the recommendations... Sat, 09 Dec 2006 17:01:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2755 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2749 The House of Representatives passed legislation that contains about $38 billion in corporate and individual tax breaks, allows expanded oil and gas drilling off U.S. coasts and prevents a fee cut for doctors who are paid by Medicare. The 367 to 45 vote would renew many tax cuts that expired a year ago. The biggest items include renewal and modification of a $16.3 billion research tax credit that benefits companies such as Hewlett-Packard Co., and Monsanto Co. The provisions include a $1 bill... Fri, 08 Dec 2006 16:48:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2749 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2743 In the final hours of Republican rule, Congress on Wednesday took up a trade bill that would change economic relations with old enemy Vietnam while giving conservatives perhaps their last chance for a while to vote on an abortion bill. House and Senate lawmakers were also working on renewing tax breaks that affect millions of people. Completing that bill could be the last major task before this Congress adjourns at the week's end, making way for the new Democratic-controlled Congress to ... Thu, 07 Dec 2006 15:01:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2743 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2731 Sen. Barbara Boxer, the soon-to-be chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said Tuesday she will ask Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and two Democratic state lawmakers to testify about why Congress should pass federal legislation modeled on California's landmark law to combat global warming. "We will invite them to come and tell America that this can be done," Boxer said, noting that with the governor she'll invite Assembly Speaker Fabian Nú... Wed, 06 Dec 2006 10:23:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2731 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2728 Apparently short of votes, House Republicans on Tuesday abruptly scrapped plans to consider opening a huge swath of the Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas drilling. The bill is scheduled to come up for another vote Wednesday, either alone or as part of a package of tax breaks. But Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., who helped craft the legislation, warned that time was running out and said the Senate won't touch the bill if the House tinkers with it. "Anytime you have to work within a time f... Tue, 05 Dec 2006 21:10:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2728 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2727 Environmental rollbacks from the Bush administration "in the dead of the night" are history, the incoming head of the Senate environment committee declared Tuesday. "That's over. We are going to bring these things into the light," Sen. Barbara Boxer, a Democrat, said in a wide-ranging interview laying out her agenda with The Associated Press. She cited concerns about a host of new Bush administration rules on air, land and water quality. "I am saying today, unequivo... Tue, 05 Dec 2006 11:11:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2727 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2723 Lawmakers and the Bush administration are renewing controversial efforts to blast open new channels for offshore oil and gas drilling in Florida and Alaska. The US House of Representatives is set to vote on a bill that would open up 8.3 million acres off Florida’s Gulf coast for drilling. The House Republican leadership approved the initiative for a vote as it prepares to yield to an incoming Democratic majority. The plan involves leases for oil and natural gas exploration on the Out... Tue, 05 Dec 2006 09:37:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2723 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2708 Software and hardware makers have long complained that a glut of so-called junk patents threatens to disrupt the way they do business. In their third major patent case this year, Supreme Court justices appeared to take issue with the current legal standard for granting patents, which many high-tech firms claim is ineffective at weeding out inventions that should be obvious. During hour-long oral arguments in a case closely watched by the business community, Chief Justice John Roberts suggest... Mon, 04 Dec 2006 09:14:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2708 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2707 Several hundred demonstrators, many of them college or high school students, gathered on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court early this morning to proclaim support for using skin color as a factor in admissions in order to maintain racially diverse public schools. The court is hearing arguments today in two high-stakes school desegregation cases-- the first test on the issue Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. since they were appointed to the court last term. Bot... Mon, 04 Dec 2006 09:12:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2707 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2700 President Bush is deciding whether to lift a ban on oil and gas drilling in federal waters off Alaska's Bristol Bay, home to endangered whales and sea lions and the world's largest sockeye salmon run. Leasing in a portion of the area rich in oil and natural gas ended nearly two decades ago - while Bush's father was president - in the outcry after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. But with natural gas prices higher, the Interior Department's Minerals Management Service pro... Sat, 02 Dec 2006 23:36:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2700 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2688 The U.S. renewable energy industry collectively tallied its future deliverable energy capacity at 550 to 700 gigawatts (GW) in Washington, DC yesterday. At such a GW-production rate, the U.S. could produce, at a minimum, 25% of the country's electrical energy requirement with renewable energy by 2025. According to Michael Eckhart, American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) president whose organization hosted the 5th annual national policy conference "Renewable Energy in America: Ph... Fri, 01 Dec 2006 10:10:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-06.html#2688 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2683 The Bush administration, looking at the prospect of stronger oversight from a Democratic-led Congress, is withdrawing a proposal to let big polluters report less often on what they spew from their smokestacks. The administration, however, is going ahead with a plan to make one-third less provide detailed figures at all. The government last year proposed easing air regulations to exempt some companies from having to tell the Environmental Protection Agency about what it considers to be sma... Thu, 30 Nov 2006 15:34:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2683 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2677 A county in Florida has the dubious honor once again of butchering an election. In Sarasota, a software glitch apparently denied as many as 18,000 voters the ability to vote in a congressional race decided by 369 votes out of 280,000 cast. Had the electronic foul-up undermined a close U.S. Senate race in Virginia or Montana instead of a House race in Florida, it would have become a national crisis. Republicans and Democrats would still be arguing over which party will control Congress next ye... Wed, 29 Nov 2006 11:18:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2677 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2675 The new Democrat-controlled Congress should abolish an outdated tax that could condemn up to 23m Americans to pay a total $1,000bn next year, according to the incoming head of a powerful congressional committee. Charles Rangel, the New York Democratic congressman who is expected to become chairman of the tax-writing ways and means committee in the House of Representatives, said scrapping the alternative minimum tax (AMT) was a top priority.... Wed, 29 Nov 2006 11:13:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2675 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2657 Rising expenses and a shrinking budget are forcing U.S. Forest Service officials to consider closing hundreds of campgrounds, picnic areas and other recreation facilities. By the end of 2007, each of 155 national forests and 20 grasslands must complete a recreation-site facility master plan evaluating recreation facilities on their condition, frequency of use and how they fit in the forest's recreation focus, or "niche." Federal officials said they are weighing the value of eac... Tue, 21 Nov 2006 11:19:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2657 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2650 The two top House Democrats said they have no intention of bringing up legislation to resume the military draft. The remarks by Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader-Elect Steny Hoyer come a day after Representative Charlie Rangel, a New York Democrat, said he plans to again introduce legislation to revive the draft when his party takes control of Congress in January. ``The speaker and I have discussed scheduling'' for the House next year, Hoyer said after a meeting toda... Mon, 20 Nov 2006 13:37:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2650 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2632 Republican leaders in the House of Representatives agreed Monday to take up legislation during a post-election lame-duck session that would expand offshore oil and gas drilling and provide the first meaningful sharing of federal royalty payments with Louisiana and other producing states, Rep. Bobby Jindal, R-Kenner, said. Jindal said the GOP House leaders for the first time expressed a willingness to pass a Senate measure with more limited drilling options and less revenue sharing, at least ... Tue, 14 Nov 2006 12:03:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2632 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2631 Britain's environment minister urged President George W. Bush on Tuesday to agree cuts in emissions of greenhouse gases, saying there could be "no greater legacy" for his last two years in office. Touring east Africa's biggest slum on the outskirts of Nairobi during a November 6-17 U.N. climate conference, David Miliband also said the world faced a "massive challenge" to help Africa to overcome poverty and global warming. He said that 189-nation talks in Nairobi sho... Tue, 14 Nov 2006 11:48:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2631 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2626 The Humane Society of the United States has no tolerance for individuals and groups who resort to intimidation, vandalism, or violence supposedly in the name of animal advocacy, and we have spoken out repeatedly against violence in any form. We believe harassment, violence, and other illegal tactics are wholly unacceptable and inconsistent with a core ethic of promoting compassion and respect, and also undermine the credibility and effectiveness of mainstream, law-abiding organizations and i... Mon, 13 Nov 2006 13:25:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2626 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2621 Senator Harry Reid has played defense as minority leader, forging a Democratic united front against Bush administration proposals to create private Social Security accounts and cut estate taxes. Now, with Democrats in control of Congress for the first time since 1994, he can go on the offensive. Reid is poised to become Senate majority leader and join House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi in pushing the party's own legislative goals of raising the minimum wage and reducing Medicare drug p... Fri, 10 Nov 2006 13:12:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2621 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2615 Control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate shifted to Democrats on Wednesday, with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld the first victim of heavy Republican election losses fueled by voter anger at President George W. Bush and his Iraq policies. Democrats, who gained about 30 seats to seize control of the House and had moved to within one seat of a majority in the Senate, won the contested seat of Virginia Sen. George Allen, an incumbent whose narrow race over Democrat Jame... Wed, 08 Nov 2006 20:23:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2615 US Domestic Policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2609 Mayor John Hickenlooper told 9NEWS Tuesday he was upset about all the voting problems and promises they will be fixed. Many Denver voters were greeted by long lines at the polls when they went to vote on Tuesday. The problem was compounded when the computer system used to check in voters was rebooted around 1 p.m. At one point, some of Denver's voting centers had a three-hour wait. "This is the 21st Century, how hard can it be to get a database and make it accessible to 55 ... Tue, 07 Nov 2006 19:32:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2609 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2606 The president stated in his recent news conference that "we cannot allow an oil-rich nation in the Middle East to become a terrorist state." I can't believe that your newspaper or a news agency didn't take this statement and run with it as the biggest revelation or story of the year. The war is all about oil, has been all about oil, and won't end until President Bush's oil buddies are satisfied about the security of their contracts long term and only then will the tro... Mon, 06 Nov 2006 09:56:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2606 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2594 The Florida vote count in the 2000 presidential campaign not only gave the White House to George Bush, it stimulated an upsurge of interest in how elections are run, how votes are counted and what can go wrong along the way, either accidentally or on purpose. The fascination has fueled fear and loathing on the Internet and myriad conspiracy theories. It's been fed by numerous newspaper and magazine articles and now by an HBO documentary, "Hacking Democracy," which features Bev Har... Thu, 02 Nov 2006 11:11:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-06.html#2594 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2584 When Washington state Senator Maria Cantwell invited former US vice president Al Gore to campaign with her last month, it wasn't to launch an attack on the Republicans for their faulty Iraq policy or the global war on terrorism. Instead, the two appeared at an energy and environment forum in Seattle, promoting action on global warming and investing in renewable energy. "The Northwest can lead the way to get off of our overdependence on foreign oil, to grow the economy, protect the en... Tue, 31 Oct 2006 23:04:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2584 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2580 Some 201 million Americans will troop to the polls on November 7, and how they will vote in the midterm US congressional election will impact on the Philippines. Fil-Ams who would be voting for the Democratic Party would also be helping the Philippines in the process. A Democratic Party victory in the polls will mean more investments and jobs for the Philippines. The Democrats have vowed to raise the federal minimum wage once they seize control of Congress. This will drive American companies... Mon, 30 Oct 2006 22:09:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2580 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2567 Good! We need more research on autoimmune disorders... Human Genome Science has received a special protocol assessment from the FDA, agreeing to the company's phase III clinical development program for its antibody LymphoStat-B in patients with lupus. "We expect to initiate phase III trials of LymphoStat-B before the end of 2006, and we look forward to moving ahead with site activation and patient enrollment," said Thomas Watkins, president and CEO, Human Genome Sciences. ... Sat, 28 Oct 2006 13:38:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2567 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2555 The Food and Drug Administration plans to meet with medical device makers and health care administrators Wednesday to discuss whether the millions of medical devices sold in the United States should be tracked through an electronic database. "Companies like General Motors, Ford and Honda have a tracking number for every bolt and screw that goes into a car," said Dr. Michael Fitzmaurice, a scientist with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. "Do we expect medical device c... Tue, 24 Oct 2006 22:30:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2555 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2550 Proponents of electronic voting have found themselves again on the defensive following the unauthorized release of software for voting machines used by the State of Maryland and manufactured by Diebold Election Systems. The apparent security breach comes just two weeks before nationwide elections that will include an array of new voting technologies. According to news reports, three disks containing software code were sent to a former Maryland lawmaker. Maryland and Diebold officials tol... Mon, 23 Oct 2006 16:34:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2550 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2544 President George W. Bush said Republicans can hold their congressional majority by focusing on national security and the economy, and that he will return to overhauling Social Security as a top domestic priority for his last two years in office. The president said he was confident that his party will keep control of the House and Senate, even if the margin is narrower. He dismissed ``conventional wisdom'' that his low job approval ratings, public concerns about the Iraq war and ethic... Sun, 22 Oct 2006 16:14:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2544 US politics http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2517 While planning to end a program to protect poor and minority communities, the EPA's Northwest regional office says it will deliver more environmental justice. Although unlikely, that's theoretically possible. We can think of several key ingredients for transforming the promise from window-dressing to credible: an administration that really cares about the poor; adequate funding; and a strong focus throughout the agency on transforming a poor record on environmental justice to a strong... Tue, 17 Oct 2006 09:05:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2517 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2513 The Food and Drug Administration is set to approve milk and meat from cloned animals. The Washington Post reports the move is based largely on new data that indicates milk and meat from cloned livestock and their offspring pose no unique risks to consumers. But there is opposition, even among large food companies concerned that the public will not buy food products from cloned animals.... Tue, 17 Oct 2006 08:58:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2513 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2512 Former FDA chief Lester Crawford has agreed to plead guilty to charges of failing to disclose a financial interest in PepsiCo Inc. and other firms regulated by his agency, his lawyer said Monday. The Justice Department accused the former head of the Food and Drug Administration in court papers of falsely reporting that he had sold stock in companies when he continued holding shares in the firms governed by FDA rules. Court papers say Crawford was the chairman of the FDA's Obesity Worki... Tue, 17 Oct 2006 08:52:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2512 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2506 The Military Commissions Act of 2006 governing the treatment of detainees is the culmination of relentless fear-mongering by the Bush administration since the September 11 terrorist attacks. Because the bill was adopted with lightning speed, barely anyone noticed that it empowers Bush to declare not just aliens, but also U.S. citizens, "unlawful enemy combatants." Bush & Co. has portrayed the bill as a tough way to deal with aliens to protect us against terrorism. Frightened ... Sun, 15 Oct 2006 20:33:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2506 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2503 As President Bush promotes ethanol as a green alternative to gasoline, his administration is quietly relaxing environmental rules for dozens of new corn-to-fuel refineries sprouting up across the nation. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is planning to change the way ethanol plants are treated under the Clean Air Act, a move critics say could make it easier for the burgeoning industry to evade controls that dramatically reduce toxic air pollution. The shift in policy would give a br... Sun, 15 Oct 2006 20:27:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2503 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2498 At the Pinitos Learning Center in Boca Raton, disaster workers dressed as "Windy Biggie" and "Sunny" teach 30 preschoolers a song about how the wind is good, even during a hurricane. "Windy Biggie is our friend. "Windy Biggie is strong wind. "She turns, turns, turns, turns around. "She's knocking things to the ground." This is FEMA tax money at work. It's also paying for Hurricane Bingo, puppet shows, "salsa for seniors," and yog... Fri, 13 Oct 2006 10:09:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2498 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2486 Don't forget that even if the Federal buget deficit has fallen to $250 billion, that means that we're still going into Federal debt at the rate of $1 trillion every four years... The federal budget deficit, helped by a gusher of tax revenues, fell to $247.7 billion in 2006, the smallest amount of red ink in four years. The deficit for the budget year that ended Sept. 30 was 22.3 percent lower than the $318.7 billion imbalance for 2005, handing President Bush an economic bragging po... Wed, 11 Oct 2006 13:55:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2486 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2485 On “Countdown” Keith Olbermann examined the Military Commission’s Act of 2006 and what it does to something called habeas corpus. The following is a transcript of Keith Olbermann's special report on habeas corpus, as reported on Tuesday, October 10th: The president has now succeeded where no one has before. He’s managed to kill the writ of habeas corpus. Tonight, a special investigation, how that, in turn, kills nothing less than your Bill of Rights. Because... Wed, 11 Oct 2006 13:48:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2485 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2481 Xcel Energy officials and environmentalists battled two years ago over renewable energy in Colorado. Now, they're holding press conferences together. Environmentalists turned out Tuesday to praise Xcel Energy. The utility and some of the state's rural electric cooperatives opposed Amendment 37 -- an initiative approved by voters in 2004 to increase the amount of power that utilities get from renewable energy sources. However, Environment Colorado, Western Resource Advocate... Wed, 11 Oct 2006 11:36:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2481 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2480 Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says the debate whether humans are changing the climate is over. Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican, says the science linking human activity to global warming is overwhelming. President Bush recently called global warming "a serious problem." He said there is still uncertainty over how much of the warming is natural and how much man-made, but he added that it was time to "get beyond the debate" and deploy new technologies to curb greenhouse gas... Wed, 11 Oct 2006 11:32:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2480 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2466 Speaking in front of a packed lecture hall of more than 150 people at Harvard Law School, a panel of experts offered sharp, and at times very harsh, criticism of the effects of United States abstinence-only until marriage policies within the U.S. and abroad. The September 28 panel, "Sex, Lies and Silence: The Harm of U.S. Abstinence-Only Policies at Home and Abroad," attempted to spark discussion on the push by the Bush administration to substantially increase funding for abstinenc... Thu, 05 Oct 2006 23:40:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2466 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2458 The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has turned to bloggers for help passing government reform and accountability bills through Congress. OMB Deputy Director Clay Johnson III met with bloggers from Porkbusters.org, Townhall.com, Instapundit.com and Human Events Online's Right Angle blog after they gathered to witness President Bush sign the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, also known as the Coburn-Obama bill, into law, The Washington Post reported Wednesday. T... Wed, 04 Oct 2006 10:53:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2458 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2442 Abortion regulations and race-based public school enrollment plans are among major national issues at the US Supreme Court this year in a term that offers the first real insight into the constitutional vision of the high court under Chief Justice John Roberts. Constitutional scholars and other analysts are watching closely to see if respect for legal precedent - the principle of stare decisis - emerges as a defining approach, or whether the Roberts court will seek to build on the conservative ... Mon, 02 Oct 2006 10:37:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-06.html#2442 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2457 The government on Thursday announced new limits on how many tiny particles of soot that people safely can breathe each day, rejecting tougher standards recommended by its own experts. The Environmental Protection Agency kept some of its 1997 standards for soot particles -- those smaller than 2.5 micrometers, or one-thirtieth the diameter of a human hair -- that lodge in the lungs and blood vessels. Experts advising the agency had said that the science supports tougher standards than EPA ch... Thu, 21 Sep 2006 10:45:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2457 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2391 The Bush Administration's war on America was exposed in full today at hearings here in Washington chaired by Senator Dorgan's Democratic Policy Committee, attended by Senators Reid, Durbin, Bingaman and Leahy. The hearings followed a press conference we held with Senator Dorgan and two of the truck drivers featured in "Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers." The events took place in the Everett C. Dirksen Building, named for an elegant Republican statesman who died in 1969, hav... Tue, 19 Sep 2006 10:58:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2391 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2389 Senator John McCain continues to oppose a Bush Administration push to redefine rules on CIA interrogations of terrorism prisoners. Speaking yesterday in New Hampshire, McCain said prisoners deserve the fundamental rights afforded prisoners under the Geneva Convention. He was a Navy pilot during the Vietnam war and was held captive for five years and tortured by the North Vietnamese. He says Americans will be captured in future wars, and the U-S must not set a bad example by all... Mon, 18 Sep 2006 11:45:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2389 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2386 It is my sad duty to report that anyone who questions the American military's continuing role in Iraq, or seriously doubts the Bush administration's contention that fighting in Iraq somehow makes us safer from acts of international terror at home, is "morally and intellectually confused," and no better than the folks who "ridiculed or ignored" the rise of Nazism in the 1930s. "How's that?" you ask. "We're morally confused? We're like the Nazi a... Mon, 18 Sep 2006 10:43:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2386 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2364 Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root charged millions to the government for recreational services never provided to U.S. troops in Iraq, including giant tubs of chicken wings and tacos, a widescreen TV, and cheese sticks meant for a military Super Bowl party, according to a federal whistle-blower suit unsealed Friday. Instead, the suit alleges, KBR used the military's supplies for its own football party. Filed last year in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., by forme... Mon, 11 Sep 2006 11:08:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2364 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2358 The fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States began today with tributes of silence and a recitation of the names of the 2,749 people who were killed at ground zero, ushering in one of many memorial gatherings around New York and the United States where thousands of Americans are observing a solemn day of remembrance. Go to Complete Coverage » “It surely cannot be easy to come to this site,” said Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, speaking at ground zero, a... Mon, 11 Sep 2006 08:54:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2358 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2352 The US House of Representatives has overnight voted to ban the slaughter of horses for human consumption, which could bring an end to a $US40-billion industry exporting horse meat to Europe and Japan. By a vote of 263-146, the House voted to amend the Horse Protection Act, yielding to animal rights activists and average American horse enthusiasts for whom the animals are best enjoyed at the racetrack or on the riding trail. The law would "prohibit the shipping, transporting, moving, de... Thu, 07 Sep 2006 16:01:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2352 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2351 New Mexico is one of two states that got an F in a recent national report card for how well it prepares high school students for college, but it received an A for the number of adults taking college-level courses. The new independent report on higher education fails most states on the issue of affordability, and gives mixed grades in areas such as college participation and completion rates. The biennial study by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education evaluates how we... Thu, 07 Sep 2006 14:29:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2351 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2350 Measuring Up 2006 consists of the national report card for higher education and fifty state report cards. Its purpose is to provide the public and policymakers with information to assess and improve postsecondary education in each state. Measuring Up 2006 is the fourth in a series of biennial report cards. This Web site provides state leaders, policymakers, researchers and others with access to the national report card as well as access to all fifty state report cards. In addition, the site c... Thu, 07 Sep 2006 14:28:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2350 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2337 "Security September" comes to Congress today, courtesy of congressional Republicans groping for a winning issue. Increasingly confident Democrats say: Bring it on. Facing daunting poll numbers in their quest to keep their congressional majority, Republicans hope that touting national security -- their party's trump card in two elections since Sept. 11, 2001 -- will once again rally voters to their side. "Polling obviously still shows that it's their strongest card in a ye... Tue, 05 Sep 2006 08:52:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2337 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2331 Sacramento, CA, believes an answer for global warming is growing on trees. About 375,000 shade trees have been given away to city residents in the past 16 years, and there are plans to plant at least 4 million more. To receive up to 10 free trees, residents simply call the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, a publicly owned power company. "A week later, they are here to tell you where the trees should be planted and how to take care of them," said Arlene Willard, a retired welf... Mon, 04 Sep 2006 21:47:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2331 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2330 U.S. lawmakers return to work on Tuesday from a month-long recess with time running out for Republicans to pass legislation, impress unhappy voters and retain control of Congress in the November 7 elections. With the stakes so high, both parties will jockey for political advantage in the coming weeks, particularly over the increasingly unpopular Iraq war and the battle against terrorism, as the majority Republicans and minority Democrats debate who can best protect the United States. Amid ... Mon, 04 Sep 2006 21:46:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2330 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2326 Lockheed Martin Corp. won a multibillion-dollar contract Thursday to build a space vehicle to return humans to the moon and be the precursor to a manned ship to Mars. The award marks NASA’s most concrete step to fulfill President Bush’s two-year-old, $230 billion promise that the space agency would return astronauts to the moon for the first time since 1972 and restore excitement about space exploration. NASA has planned to replace the shuttles since the mid-1980s, and has spent a... Sun, 03 Sep 2006 10:40:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2326 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2318 The offices of at least six Alaska legislators, including the son of Sen. Ted Stevens, were raided by federal agents searching for possible ties between the lawmakers and a large oil field services company, officials and aides said. Tam Cook, the Legislature's top attorney, said the company named in the search warrant was VECO Corp., an Anchorage-based oil field services and construction company whose executives are major contributors to political campaigns. Four different teams ... Fri, 01 Sep 2006 13:14:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-06.html#2318 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2316 With paper ballots from the 2004 presidential election in Ohio scheduled to be destroyed next week, the secretary of state in Columbus, under pressure from critics, said Wednesday that he would move to delay the destruction at least for several months. Since the election, questions have been raised about how votes were tallied in Ohio, a battleground state that helped deliver the election to President Bush over Sen. John Kerry. The critics, including an independent candidate for governor... Thu, 31 Aug 2006 11:24:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2316 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2311 California would become the first state to impose a limit on all greenhouse gas emissions, including those from industrial plants, under a landmark deal reached Wednesday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and legislative Democrats. The agreement marks a clear break with the Bush administration and puts California on a path to reducing its emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by an estimated 25 percent by 2020. The bill still needs lawmakers' approval, but that appears l... Wed, 30 Aug 2006 16:50:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2311 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2305 As the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina neared, House Democrats toured devastated areas of New Orleans on Monday and decried the slow pace of recovery, while President Bush began a two-day visit to the region. "I think the American public is going to be very, very surprised to know this recovery is way, way behind what their expectations would have been," Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., said during a tour that took more than a dozen Democratic members of Congress through the Ninth W... Tue, 29 Aug 2006 08:54:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2305 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2298 Wednesday's planned protest in Salt Lake City against President Bush and the war in Iraq is certainly not unusual. But Utah, considered to be the most Republican state in the nation, may be the first place where a citizens group actually presents a written petition to indict the president. We The People, one of the groups that will demonstrate against the war at the City-County Building on Washington Square, plans to march from there to the federal building Wednesday and present the pe... Mon, 28 Aug 2006 09:56:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2298 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2296 Nearly half of New Orleans was still under water when President Bush stood in the Crescent City’s historic Jackson Square and swore he would “do what it takes” to rebuild the communities and lives laid to waste two weeks before by Hurricane Katrina. “Our goal is to get the work done quickly,” the president said. Bush promised to spend federal money wisely and accountably. And he vowed to address the poverty exposed by the government’s inadequate Katrina ... Mon, 28 Aug 2006 09:47:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2296 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2292 All the ducks might not be lined up in time to implement a new law requiring random hand-counts in elections. Republican Secretary of State Jan Brewer said Aug. 24 that changes to the elections Policy and Procedures Manual to include the new law were still in the works, and they must be sent to county elections officials for comment, and then blessed by the governor, attorney general and the Justice Department, all with only 18 days before the Sept. 12 primary. Asked whether the state ... Sat, 26 Aug 2006 09:17:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2292 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2288 Earlier this year, a report landed on the desk of Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. It bore a less than eye-catching title. Something about “diversification” and “ethanol.” But it carried a message that hit home with the governor, conjuring up images from only a few months earlier of hurricanes and gas pumps running dry. “This one was one of those light bulb deals for me,” he said in an interview at his office in Tallahassee. “It was a eureka idea.&#... Fri, 25 Aug 2006 11:55:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2288 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2286 The government awarded 70 percent of its contracts for Hurricane Katrina work without full competition, wasting hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in the process, says a House study released Thursday by Democrats. The report, a comprehensive overview of government audits on Katrina contracting, found that out of $10.6 billion in contracts awarded after the storm last year, more than $7.4 billion were handed out with limited or no competitive bidding. In addition, 19 contracts worth ... Thu, 24 Aug 2006 15:49:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2286 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2285 The United States is headed for a recession that will be "much nastier, deeper and more protracted" than the 2001 recession, says Nouriel Roubini, president of Roubini Global Economics. Note: The 2001 recession was not actually a recession because the economy did not experience negative growth for two consecutive quarters, rather the language was framed politically in such as way as to help George Bush get elected. Writing on his blog Wednesday, Roubini repeated his call that the U.S.... Thu, 24 Aug 2006 12:16:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2285 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2282 Many adults in the United States are disappointed with the way computerized electronic voting machines are being operated, according to a poll by Zogby International. 79.8 per cent of respondents think it is unacceptable for the votes to be counted in secret without any observers from the public. In September 2005, a commission headed by former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and former state secretary James Baker recommended significant changes in the way Americans cast their ballots. The sugges... Thu, 24 Aug 2006 09:10:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2282 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2263 The government will not require recorders in autos but said on Monday that car makers must tell consumers when technology that tracks speed, braking and other measurements is in the new vehicles they buy. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulation standardizes recorder content and sets guidelines for how the information should be disclosed. It also requires recorders to be more durable. Privacy experts complained that consumer interests are not fully protected and infor... Tue, 22 Aug 2006 08:53:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2263 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2259 This is brilliant. Fight crime, poverty, and overcrowding with... more overcrowding! On a street once known as Murder Row, a teen center founded to steer youths away from drugs and crime has become an outpost in another crusade - a nationwide push by anti-abortion activists to expand their foothold in heavily black and Hispanic inner cities. The campaign involves crisis pregnancy centers, whose counselors seek to dissuade women with unplanned pregnancies from having abortions. There are m... Mon, 21 Aug 2006 10:01:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2259 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2251 A new study raises serious questions about whether Diebold touch-screen voting devices used in more than half of Ohio's counties produce accurate results, but Diebold insists the machines can be trusted and that the study is flawed. A three-month review of Diebold electronic voting machines used in Cuyahoga County during the May primary concluded that the votes recorded electronically and on paper receipts did not always match. “(T)he election system, in its entirety, exhibits sh... Thu, 17 Aug 2006 09:21:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2251 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2244 Allegations of recruiting violations by the US military increased from 4,400 cases in 2004 to 6,600 cases in 2005 according to a report [text, PDF; abstract; highlights, PDF] released by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) [official website] on Monday, with actual criminal violations rising by more than 200 percent, from 30 in 2004 to 70 in 2005. The report noted that due to the current environment, with fewer potential recruits coming forward while numbers were needed for service in I... Tue, 15 Aug 2006 12:56:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2244 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2238 Mike Shteiwi pulled out the pump in disgust after buying just a few gallons of gas on a day when the price for a gallon of regular jumped a dime, to $3.09, in his southwest Ohio hometown. "It's killing everybody,"muttered Shteiwi, 54."Whoever's in office now, I'm not going to vote for none of them." With the country's gas prices averaging $3 a gallon, congressional and gubernatorial candidates nationwide are trying to turn pain at the pump into smart politi... Mon, 14 Aug 2006 08:41:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2238 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2234 Gov. Don Carcieri called on President Bush on Friday to take all steps necessary to alleviate what he described as a national crisis caused by rising gasoline prices. Article Tools Printer friendly E-mail to a friend R.I. RSS feed Available RSS feeds Most e-mailed Save this article powered by Del.icio.us More: Globe City/Region stories | Latest local news | Globe front page | Boston.com Sign up for: Globe Headlines e-mail | Breaking News Alerts "The average nation... Fri, 11 Aug 2006 15:01:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2234 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2233 Missouri Democratic leaders unveiled a new plan Thursday to educate low-income and disabled voters on ways to get proper photo identification so they can vote in November's election. The plan comes in response to a new law signed by Republican Gov. Matt Blunt in June requiring all voters to present a federal- or Missouri-issued photo ID, starting in November. "I think it's appalling. It's very simply voter suppression," former Missouri Gov. Roger Wilson said at a new... Fri, 11 Aug 2006 14:45:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2233 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2213 BP Plc is shutting Alaska's Prudhoe Bay oil field, the largest in the U.S., because of pipeline corrosion and a leak, stoking already increasing criticism of the company's safety record in its biggest market. Oil rose as much as 3.4 percent, and shares of London-based BP, the world's second-largest publicly traded oil company by production, slid 2.1 percent. It will take three to five days to finish shutting down production, BP America President Steve Marshall said today at a pre... Mon, 07 Aug 2006 13:30:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2213 US environment http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2210 The Alaska House on Sunday approved a change in the state's production tax system to one based on oil companies' profits. Moments before the final vote, word circulated that BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. was shutting down Prudhoe Bay, the nation's largest oil field and the center of Alaska's economy, due to transit line corrosion. House leaders pressed on with the vote anyway, despite protests by House Minority Leader Ethan Berkowitz, D-Anchorage, that it should be delaye... Mon, 07 Aug 2006 08:54:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2210 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2206 The Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CO-PIRG) says debt is becoming part of the college experience. "I've kind of befriended my collections agent at this point," said Erica Rangel, a recent college graduate. Thursday, CO-PIRG filled up a giant ball and chain with air at the Auraria Campus and put people like Rengel inside the shackle to make their point. "It's a heavy burden, to know that you have to make a lot of money in order to make payments and still liv... Fri, 04 Aug 2006 11:42:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2206 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2204 A Republican election-year effort to combine a cut in inheritance taxes on multimillion-dollar estates with the first minimum-wage increase in nearly a decade was rejected by the Senate late Thursday. Republicans needed 60 votes to advance their bill, which links a $2.10 increase in the $5.15 federal minimum wage over three years to reductions an estate taxes next decade. But the measure fell four votes short, 56-42. Prodded by moderate Republicans eager to undercut criticism by Democrats ... Fri, 04 Aug 2006 09:05:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2204 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2194 Californians mobilized Tuesday to oppose a new federal minimum wage law coming up for a Senate vote this week that they say would slash the pay of an estimated 650,000 California waiters, waitresses, manicurists, bellhops and others who rely on tips for a chunk of their income. But advocates of the proposal say the critics are misreading the legislation's arcane wording. The proposal is part of a voluminous House-passed bill that would cut estate taxes on the wealthiest Americans and off... Wed, 02 Aug 2006 13:40:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2194 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2192 As Congress battles over whether or not to raise the minimum wage, Main Street America is moving on. More than a dozen U.S. states, including Massachusetts, Michigan, Arkansas and Missouri, have either already raised the minimum wage in their states above the federal level of $5.15 an hour, or have ballot initiatives for a raise in the works for November elections. The U.S. Senate this week is expected to take up a measure that would raise the $5.15-per-hour minimum wage in three 70-cent s... Wed, 02 Aug 2006 08:40:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2192 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2190 A gush of money could flow to Texas and three other states under a bill passed by the Senate opening up areas in the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas drilling. The bill, approved 71-25 Tuesday, calls for divvying up 37.5 percent of the federal leasing proceeds from new Gulf drilling among Texas, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. Texas gets 10 percent of that after 2007. Beginning in 2017, Texas will get 21 percent of the 37.5 percent of revenues as other parts of the Gulf are opened for drill... Tue, 01 Aug 2006 16:50:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy8-06.html#2190 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2182 Last month's selection of Eurocopter, a subsidiary of the European aerospace consortium EADS, to supply more than 322 light helicopters to the U.S. Army was the first major penetration of the American military helicopter market by a European defense company. And it represents a major shift in Pentagon procurement policies. European helicopter executives are now gearing up for a major push to win a crown jewel of current global helicopter deals — the U.S. Air Force's CSAR-X rescu... Mon, 31 Jul 2006 09:34:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2182 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2174 Congress would pass an increase in the minimum wage before leaving Washington for vacation, but only as part of a package rolling back taxes on the heirs of multimillionaires, a Senate leadership aide said Friday. The GOP package would also contain a popular package of expiring tax breaks, including a research and development credit for businesses, and deductions for college tuition and state sales taxes. The wage would increase from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour, phased in over the next two y... Fri, 28 Jul 2006 11:33:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2174 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2152 In five and a half years in office, President George W. Bush has lodged more "signing statements" — or challenges to provisions of laws passed by Congress — than all 42 previous presidents combined. Numbers don't lie. Bush is overusing a tool relied on occasionally throughout history to lay down legal objections in case of subsequent court challenges and to instruct agencies how to execute new laws. The imperial president has a more pernicious approach. He uses signing... Wed, 26 Jul 2006 09:04:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2152 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2142 An American Bar Association report released on Monday has strongly criticized President Bush's "signing statements" that assert his right to by pass laws passed by Congress. The ABA says Bush has challenged provisions of laws than all previous presidents put together. The group believes such a practice is a major threat to the Constitution's system of checks and balances. It has urged Congress to introduce a legislation that would allow the court to review these "signing ... Tue, 25 Jul 2006 09:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2142 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2140 Thousands of tons of deadly radioactive rods of spent nuclear fuel and waste have accumulated at three California nuclear power plants because the federal government has failed to open a permanent nuclear burial site in Nevada that was supposed to be ready eight years ago. And the delay is only getting worse: Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that the nuclear dump site won't open until 2017 -- almost two decades past the original 1998 inauguration target and five years b... Mon, 24 Jul 2006 21:16:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2140 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2112 Evangelical Christians, the fastest-growing faith-based group in the US which played a pivotal role in tilting the scales in President George W. Bush's favor in the last presidential election, are increasing bringing religion into politics. "I appreciate the fact that the church is politically involved," said Kyle Hatfield, a 30-year-old father of two who believes the separation of church and state has gone too far. "It was not our forefathers' intention to prevent chur... Mon, 17 Jul 2006 15:13:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2112 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2111 I wonder how many customers McDonald's Corp. would keep if instead of including a Coke with a Happy Meal, as the menu promised, the company charged for it twice. That's what Halliburton Co. did to Uncle Sam, billing $45 for soda by the case and billing for it again when served by the glass at meals. It's all part of the cost-plus, no-bid life of Halliburton and its subsidiary, Kellogg, Brown & Root, the sole source of just about everything the U.S. Army needs to supply tr... Mon, 17 Jul 2006 15:12:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2111 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2095 MOUNTING EVIDENCE suggests that Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative in children's vaccines, may be responsible for the exponential growth of autism, attention deficit disorder, speech delays, and other childhood neurological disorders now epidemic in the United States. Prior to 1989, American infants generally received three vaccinations (polio, measles-mumps-rubella, and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis). In the early 1990s, public health officials dramatically increased the number of T... Thu, 13 Jul 2006 09:11:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2095 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2093 Has the president forgotten that ANY budget deficit means that our national debt is still growing? How can he he proud of the fact that our national debt is growing again this year by $300 billion, even though that is less than the $450 billion originally projected? And he claims his policies are working... The administration's budget analysts say the budget deficit will be about 30 percent lower than anticipated just six months ago. President Bush says it is good news. "Our o... Wed, 12 Jul 2006 10:04:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2093 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2079 State lawmakers adjourned their five-day special session late Monday after approving the last of a bipartisan package of bills Democrats called the toughest in the nation in dealing with illegal immigration, which would force 1 million people receiving state or federal aid in Colorado to verify their citizenship. The cornerstone measure, supported by Republican Gov. Bill Owens, would deny most non-emergency state benefits to illegal immigrants 18 years old and older, forcing people to prove ... Tue, 11 Jul 2006 12:44:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2079 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2108 The evidence that the Office of the Vice President was directly involved in arranging government contracts with his former company, Halliburton, is now undeniable: A new report issued by Rep. Henry Waxman (Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Government Reform Committee, "Dollars, Not Sense: Government Contracting Under the Bush Administration," documents that Halliburton, the company run by Dick Cheney before he appointed himself Vice President, is, in fact, the paradigm for the w... Fri, 07 Jul 2006 22:32:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy7-06.html#2108 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2038 A three-judge federal panel signaled Thursday that it will move expeditiously to revise the boundaries of Texas’ 23rd Congressional District, as ordered a day earlier in a ruling by the Supreme Court. An order issued by U.S. District Judge T. John Ward gave plaintiffs and defendants until July 14 — a 15-day period — to file proposed district maps and supporting documents with the federal court. Responses by interested parties to the proposals must be filed by July 21. Oral a... Thu, 29 Jun 2006 20:14:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2038 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2034 The White House on Tuesday defended President Bush's frequent use of special statements that claim authority to limit the effects of bills he signs, saying the statements help him uphold the Constitution and defend national security. Senators weren't so sure. "It's a challenge to the plain language of the Constitution," said Arlen Specter, a Republican whose Senate Judiciary Committee opened hearings on the issue. "There is a sense that the president has taken sig... Tue, 27 Jun 2006 15:18:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2034 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2023 U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta, who overhauled aviation security after the Sept. 11 attacks, resigned after a 5 1/2-year tenure that was the longest for anyone in the job. Mineta, 74, one of three remaining members of President George W. Bush's original cabinet and the only Democrat in the group, will pursue ``new challenges beyond public service,'' Robert Johnson, the secretary's spokesman, said today. He wouldn't be more specific. The resignation is effecti... Fri, 23 Jun 2006 21:49:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2023 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2012 Maine, like most other states, has overstated its high school graduation rate, according to a new study by a national education weekly newspaper that questions the methodology that states have used to come up with their figures. Education Week estimates that 30 percent of the nation's high school class of 2006 failed to graduate this year and that the dropout rate is underreported. Using 2003 data, the most current available, to estimate this year's graduation rate, the study found... Thu, 22 Jun 2006 07:50:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2012 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2010 The Republican-controlled Senate smothered a proposed election-year increase in the minimum wage Wednesday, rejecting Democratic claims that it was past time to boost the $5.15 hourly pay floor that has been in effect for nearly a decade. The 52-46 vote was eight short of the 60 needed for approval under budget rules and came one day after House Republican leaders made clear they do not intend to allow a vote on the issue, fearing it might pass. The Senate vote marked the ninth time sinc... Wed, 21 Jun 2006 19:34:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2010 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2007 The American Civil Liberties Union today released a report to the U.N. Human Rights Committee condemning the U.S. government for failing to comply with its treaty obligations to protect and preserve a range of human rights protections at home and abroad. Drawing attention to some of the most vulnerable members of society, including women, children, minorities, immigrants and the accused, the ACLU offered detailed recommendations to bring the U.S. in line with universally recognized human rights ... Wed, 21 Jun 2006 10:37:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2007 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2006 With a statewide election looming in September, Florida has not set up procedures designed to avoid a repeat of the 2000 presidential election fiasco, according to a state auditor general's report. The report released Friday listed a dozen findings of problems with the state's efforts to comply with the federal Help America Vote Act. Among them: The secretary of state's office should improve the way it identifies duplicate voters and felons in a central voter database; also, it mu... Wed, 21 Jun 2006 10:36:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2006 US politics http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#1996 The top Democrat on the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee on Monday rejected a proposed compromise on access to high-speed Internet networks and said the effort to pass a broad telecommunications reform bill could fall apart. Sen. Daniel Inouye of Hawaii said the revised Republican legislation did not go far enough to ensure that Internet network providers cannot discriminate against unaffiliated Web sites or services, an issue known as "Net neutrality." Inouye also said the Democrats... Tue, 20 Jun 2006 08:56:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#1996 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#1989 With the Bush Administration touting ethanol as the great hope for easing gasoline prices, just the opposite is true. No less an economic expert than J.P. Morgan analyst James Glassman claims that "retail gasoline prices would probably be between $2.30 and $2.40 a gallon," if not for the governmental mandate of an increasing percentage of ethanol as a gasoline additive. Although other economists may not agree on the exact amount of such a price premium, all believe that the required ... Tue, 20 Jun 2006 08:46:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#1989 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2839 NASA's space science program is at risk, according to a recent report from a National Research Council (NRC) panel. The panel, which was tasked with assessing the impact of the proposed FY 2007 NASA budget, concluded that the budget provides the agency with insufficient funds to allow it to meet all of its mandates while remaining strong in science. "NASA is being asked to accomplish too much with too little," says the report. That message isn't lost on NASA. In February, the... Fri, 16 Jun 2006 20:43:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#2839 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#90 Prosecutors can use evidence seized by police during a home search even though officers violated the Constitution by failing to knock or announce their presence before entering, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled. The justices, voting 5-4 in a Michigan case, today put new limits on the so-called exclusionary rule, which in some circumstances bars prosecutors from using the product of an illegal search. The majority said the exclusionary rule doesn't apply to violations of the "knock and annou... Fri, 16 Jun 2006 15:21:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#90 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#91 Congress is moving to give President Bush and his successors greater power to try to weed bills of certain spending, though the new power would pale compared with the line-item veto law struck down by the Supreme Court in 1998. The House Budget Committee on Wednesday approved by a 24-9 vote a bill to allow the president to single out wasteful items contained in appropriations bills he signs into law, and it would require Congress to vote on those items again. Under the proposal, it would take a ... Wed, 14 Jun 2006 23:50:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#91 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#92 Nothing gets a conservative American's dander up like the thought of politicians getting a pay raise. Now that the federal government is in Republican hands, however, it's a different story entirely. Fox News' "Dayside" on Wednesday (June 14, 2006) defended the pay raise as well deserved for a bunch of hard-working folks. Under the pay raise as explained by co-hosts Juliet Huddy and Mike Jerrick, an average member of Congress will make $168,500 a year. The Speaker of the Hous... Wed, 14 Jun 2006 23:06:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#92 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#93 The government doled out as much as $1.4 billion in bogus claims to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, getting hoodwinked to pay for football-season tickets, a tropical vacation and even a divorce lawyer, congressional investigators have found. Prison inmates, a supposed victim who used a New Orleans cemetery for a home address, and a person who spent 70 days at a Hawaiian hotel all were able to wrongly get taxpayer help, according to evidence that gives a new black eye to the nation's ... Wed, 14 Jun 2006 23:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#93 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#94 The Supreme Court opened the doors of the federal courts Monday to state death-row inmates who wish to challenge their convictions based on new DNA evidence or to claim that a poorly administered lethal injection would cause them great pain. The court’s two rulings were narrow and procedural, and they are not likely to affect a large number of convicted murderers. In neither case did the justices say the inmate deserved to win. Rather, they said only that his claim deserved a full hearing.... Tue, 13 Jun 2006 14:39:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#94 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#95 The Supreme Court gave the green light for a Florida death row inmate to challenge that state's lethal-injection procedures through a federal civil rights lawsuit, in a unanimous ruling that underscored the pivotal role of Justice Anthony M. Kennedy in the court's death-penalty jurisprudence. Clarence E. Hill, convicted in 1982 of murdering a police officer, did not claim that lethal injection, in and of itself, is cruel and unusual punishment. Instead, he asserted that Florida's met... Tue, 13 Jun 2006 14:38:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#95 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#96 Violent crime in 2005 increased at the highest rate in 15 years, driven in large part by a surge of killings and other attacks in many Midwestern cities, the FBI reported yesterday. The FBI's preliminary annual crime report showed an overall jump of 2.5 percent for violent offenses, including increases in homicide, robbery and assault. It was the first rise of any note since 2001, and rape was the only category in which the number of crimes declined.... Tue, 13 Jun 2006 04:14:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#96 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#97 The U.S. House of Representatives has defeated a provision to require U.S. broadband providers to offer the same speed of service to competitors that’s available to partners, a major defeat to a coalition of online companies and consumer groups. The 269-152 House vote against the so-called net neutrality amendment late Thursday came after a last-minute push for the measure from many technology companies. After the House defeated the net neutrality amendment, it passed the underlying bill, ... Fri, 09 Jun 2006 17:19:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#97 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#98 THE richest university in the US has thrown its reputation and financial resources behind efforts to clone human embryos for medical science. Scientists at Harvard University were yesterday awarded ethical approval and private funds to pursue therapeutic cloning experiments that are strongly opposed by the Bush administration and the US's religious Right. The researchers hope their work could lead to cures for conditions such as diabetes and motor neurone disease. The Harvard team will see... Wed, 07 Jun 2006 17:23:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#98 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#99 Well, it gave George Bush the presidency once before, so why not use it again? Our old friend gay marriage is back, evoked anew by the man in the White House to scare "values voters", most of them Christian conservatives, into voting Republican one more time. It did the business in 2004, when Bush's efforts to turn the election into a referendum on same-sex unions may well have tipped the pivotal state of Ohio, chiefly by persuading social conservatives to get out and vote. So it'... Wed, 07 Jun 2006 17:22:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#99 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#100 Decent commentary discussing whether the ends really do justify the means in our War on Terror.... Wed, 07 Jun 2006 17:16:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#100 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#101 The great dollar sell-off has begun in earnest, although to a large extent, it's being concealed from the public. Wary currency traders have been expecting a dollar-slide for months but were nervous about the possibility of widespread panic. Everyone from Bill Gates to Paul Volcker has predicted that the current trade deficit of $800 billion (7% of GDP) would inevitably produce a weaker dollar, so it is only natural that China, Japan and other foreign lenders would begin to cut back on their... Sun, 04 Jun 2006 02:08:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#101 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#102 If government had its way, much of what our public servants do would never be known by the public. We wouldn't know that Marines are suspected of killing innocent civilians in Iraq. We wouldn't know that the Department of Veterans Affairs let confidential files on 26 million veterans get stolen. We wouldn't know that President Bush signed 750 orders saying he was secretly reserving the right not to abide by congressional legislation he publicly signed. We wouldn't know that the ... Thu, 01 Jun 2006 19:25:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy6-06.html#102 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#103 The Senate passed legislation last week that Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) hailed as "the most far-reaching immigration reform in our history." You might think that the first question anyone would ask is how much it would actually increase or decrease legal immigration. But no. After the Senate approved the bill by 62 to 36, you could not find the answer in the news columns of The Post, the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. Yet the estimates do exist and are fairly startling. By... Wed, 31 May 2006 21:55:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#103 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#104 In the shadowy world of Class B dog and cat dealers, an animal’s life can be harsh and unrelenting. Animals may suffer from crowded and unsanitary conditions, poor food, and insufficient water. Veterinary care may be nonexistent. They may not even survive their time in a Class B dealer’s hands. So who are Class B dog and cat dealers? They're brokers who acquire animals from a variety of sources—including "pounds," flea markets, and newspaper ads—and then sell ... Wed, 31 May 2006 21:36:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#104 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#105 I have long argued that President George W. Bush and his greedy and arrogant gang are not conservatives. Sure, they like to call themselves that and see political advantage in using the label. But the truth is, the Busheviks' only real ideology is gaining and keeping power to protect and enhance their wealth. They repeatedly reject traditional conservative principles and beliefs to pursue the narrowest of interests at the expense of the common good. They routinely assault the Constitution,... Tue, 30 May 2006 15:27:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#105 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#106 President Bush marked Memorial Day by signing a bill that keeps demonstrators from disrupting military funerals. Before heading to Arlington National Cemetery for a wreath laying and speech, Mr. Bush signed the "Respect for America's Fallen Heroes Act." It was passed mainly in response to a Kansas church group that has staged protests at military funerals around the country. The group says the deaths in Iraq and elsewhere show that God is angry over U.S. tolerance of gays. The law p... Tue, 30 May 2006 15:23:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#106 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#107 As expected, U.S. Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden won confirmation Friday to be the next director of the CIA. The U.S. Senate confirmed Hayden by an overwhelming vote of 78 to 15. More than twice as many Democrats in the Senate voted for the confirmation than voted against it. The vote was another victory for the White House in what has been a rebound on security issues on Capitol Hill over the past two weeks. President George W. Bush's proposals on border security, while widely criticized, ha... Fri, 26 May 2006 17:38:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#107 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#108 The Senate approved a wide-ranging overhaul of immigration laws Thursday, voting 62-36 to bolster security at the Mexican border and to grant many illegal immigrants a path toward citizenship. But the inclusion of that path sets the stage for a battle with the House of Representatives, which passed a stricter bill in December. Several senators said after the vote that President Bush's participation in the political maneuvering will be key to crafting a compromise. "I believe we can do ... Fri, 26 May 2006 14:05:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#108 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#109 A bill that seeks to prevent broadband providers from offering an exclusive high-speed lane for video and other services has taken a step closer to becoming law. By a 20-13 vote Thursday that partially followed party lines, the House Judiciary Committee approved a bill that would require broadband providers to abide by strict Net neutrality principles, meaning that their networks must be operated in a "nondiscriminatory" manner. All 14 Democrats on the committee--joined by 6 Republican... Thu, 25 May 2006 20:26:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#109 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#110 Sen. Jeff Sessions (R.-Ala.), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, offered a devastating analysis on the Senate immigration bill in a speech delivered on the Senate floor on Tuesday, May 23. Sessions pointed to shocking elements of the bill that were hidden deep in its text. These include, for example, that the employers of illegal aliens would be given an amnesty for cheating on their taxes, and that under the terms of the law the government would for all practical purposes have to take ... Thu, 25 May 2006 17:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#110 US immigration http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#111 Fannie Mae has agreed to pay $400 million in fines as part of a settlement with the federal government for manipulating earnings to allow senior executives to receive rich bonuses. Accusing former Fannie Mae executives of operating an "arrogant and unethical" corporate culture, federal regulators condemned the mortgage giant today for inflating its earnings to reward senior mangers with rich bonuses. "Senior management manipulated accounting, reaped maximum, undeserved bonuses and p... Tue, 23 May 2006 18:57:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#111 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#112 Lawmakers gathered on the House floor Monday evening to vote on veterans benefits, but that's not what caused most of the buzz. Nor was the corruption probe of Rep. William Jefferson (D) of Louisiana the leading topic of conversation. No. More than reports of videotaped bribery and cash hidden in his home freezer, the scuttlebutt centered on the fact that the FBI had, for the first time, searched a congressional office. Is Congress missing the point - or is there a serious constitutional is... Tue, 23 May 2006 18:53:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#112 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#113 Two big and controversial corporate names -- Halliburton and Bechtel -- could benefit from mammoth increases in federal spending on border security. Federal and state efforts to bolster porous border security include plans for increased security infrastructure, expanded use of technology, including radar. Other plans include construction of more prison beds, and additional law enforcement operations, security roads and improved employment verification systems and ports of entry. That will mean... Mon, 22 May 2006 15:15:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#113 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#114 Appearing on the ABC's News program This Week, Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez says he believes any reporter printing classified information should be prosecuted, citing an obligation to national security. The nation's chief law enforcement officer added there is justification for using telephone records to track down reporters' sources when investigating leaks, but added that such tracking would not be done randomly. "There are some statutes on the book which, if you read the ... Mon, 22 May 2006 15:10:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#114 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#115 Prisons and jails added more than 1,000 inmates each week for a year, putting almost 2.2 million people, or one in every 136 U.S. residents, behind bars by last summer. The total on June 30, 2005, was 56,428 more than at the same time in 2004, the government reported Sunday. That 2.6 percent increase from mid-2004 to mid-2005 translates into a weekly rise of 1,085 inmates. Of particular note was the gain of 33,539 inmates in jails, the largest increase since 1997, researcher Allen J. Beck said. ... Mon, 22 May 2006 15:10:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#115 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#116 After an emotional debate fraught with symbolism, the Senate yesterday voted to make English the "national language" of the United States, declaring that no one has a right to federal communications or services in a language other than English except for those already guaranteed by law. The measure, approved 63 to 34, directs the government to "preserve and enhance" the role of English, without altering current laws that require some government documents and services be provided ... Fri, 19 May 2006 21:48:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#116 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#117 Politicians of all stripes agree that the United States would benefit from a reduced dependence on foreign oil. But that's where the agreement ends. On Thursday, President George W. Bush said the nation "must start building nuclear power plants." He described them as a "key part of a clean, secure energy future." Bush spoke on the same day that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi warned, "We cannot drill our way to energy independence." In a videotaped address to a ga... Fri, 19 May 2006 18:50:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#117 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#118 The federal government says a former IBM programmer whose job in New Jersey was outsourced to Canada is eligible to apply for the same employment benefits typically extended to manufacturing workers who lose their jobs to lower-cost offshore competition. Under a ruling handed down by the Department of Labor, the former IBM staffer—who helped develop billing software for businesses—can seek benefits under the Trade Adjustment Act. The Act provides for extended unemployment paymen... Fri, 19 May 2006 04:32:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#118 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#119 In an attempt to revoke billions of dollars worth of government incentives to oil and gas producers, the House on Thursday approved a measure that would pressure companies to renegotiate more than 1,000 leases for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. The measure, approved 252 to 165 over the objections of many Republican leaders, is intended to prevent companies from avoiding at least $7 billion in payments to the government over the next five years for oil and gas they produce in publicly owned wat... Fri, 19 May 2006 04:30:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#119 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#120 Adding muscle to the push for President Bush's immigration plan, the White House demanded Wednesday that Congress move $1.9 billion for border surveillance equipment to pay for new Border Patrol agents and detention facilities. The Bush administration also dispatched top political adviser Karl Rove to lobby lawmakers to support comprehensive legislation that includes a guest worker program and the chance of earned citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants. The Senate worked Wednesday to... Thu, 18 May 2006 17:27:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#120 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#121 California's highest-ranking officials were reacting with displeasure and exasperation Wednesday to President Bush's plan to use thousands of National Guard troops to support border patrols and curb illegal immigration. State Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) said he would move to freeze $38 million in California Guard funding that could be used for border patrols. And he ordered legislative hearings on the Bush border proposal, giving Democrats another public forum in whic... Thu, 18 May 2006 17:25:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#121 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#122 House GOP leaders had to further dilute President Bush's austere 2007 budget plan in order to push it past the finish line early Thursday. It long ago had been shorn of Bush initiatives such as curbs on Medicare spending or new incentives for health savings accounts. But conservative GOP House leaders had to make further concessions to mollify party moderates in order to win a 218-210 vote around 1 a.m. EDT. Moderates won promises for modest increases in spending on education, health and oth... Thu, 18 May 2006 17:23:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#122 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#123 A set of flashcards designed to help applicants for U.S. citizenship learn basic civics has become one of the most popular items sold by the Government Printing Office. But the $8.50 flashcards — which contain questions and answers from the actual citizenship exam — won't help immigrants learn much about the role of the press in American democracy. Question 80 asks, "Name one right or freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment." The answer lists freedom of speech, religion... Wed, 17 May 2006 20:32:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#123 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#124 Monday night, President Bush announced he is sending 6,000 National Guardsmen to help secure the United States border with Mexico. National leaders hope that will prevent people from illegally entering the country. North Carolina has seen thousands of National Guardsmen called to active duty and deployed to fight in the war on terror. They are no longer just weekend warriors. “The type of soldier coming up now is a totally different generation then when I came in. It’s not a part tim... Wed, 17 May 2006 01:14:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#124 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#125 A three-man crew of immigrant laborers had just finished the lawn work at the yellow house: grass trimmed, flower beds neatened, sidewalk edged and swept. Don Hogan Charles/The New York Times Representative Peter King. The workers said they did not know the homeowner personally, but the one driving the landscaping truck, Elmer Martinez, 34, said that he must be someone important because of the brass plaque on the front door. "Congressman Peter T. King," the plaque reads, "3rd Dist... Mon, 15 May 2006 20:37:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#125 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#126 See this for an interesting disucssion of how the country has changed during the last 5 years under George W. Bush as president.... Mon, 15 May 2006 19:25:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#126 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#127 President Bush is sending thousands of National Guard troops to bolster patrols along the Mexican border, a move designed to win support for immigration reform from get-tough conservatives in his party. Bush, in a speech to the nation Monday, is proposing to use the troops in a supportive role to the Border Patrol while it builds up its resources to more effectively secure the 2,000-mile line between the U.S. and Mexico, White House spokesman Tony Snow said. Snow said the effort would use only &... Mon, 15 May 2006 16:03:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#127 US foreign-relations http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#128 Michael Shamos remembers that the call came late at night, during the last week of April. The call - from election watchdog BlackBoxVoting.org - described a critical vulnerability in Diebold Election Systems' touchscreen voting systems that could allow any person with access to a voting terminal the ability to completely change the system code or ballot file on the system. As a professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University and adviser to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on elec... Mon, 15 May 2006 15:08:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#128 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#129 Law enforcement officials executed search warrants Friday on the house and office of CIA's outgoing executive director as part of an investigation into corruption involving agency contracts, the FBI said. The CIA's third ranking official, Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, has been under investigation by the FBI, IRS, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the CIA's inspector general and the U.S. attorney's office in San Diego, said FBI spokeswoman April Langwell in San Diego. Under a ... Fri, 12 May 2006 19:08:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#129 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#130 U.S. Senators Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), John McCain (R-Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) today released the following joint statement regarding the unanimous consent agreement to bring comprehensive immigration reform legislation back to the Senate floor Monday: “Under the unanimous consent agreement reached today, the Senate will resume the immigration debate next week. Senate Republicans are united in th... Thu, 11 May 2006 19:54:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#130 US foreign-relations http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#131 The Bush Library? Can you imagine? The guy doesn't read anything except the back of cereal boxes... and he gets library? What is this country coming to?!?!... Wed, 10 May 2006 19:52:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#131 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#132 The Medicare prescription drug benefit has managed to unite the country. Nearly everyone denounces it. The seniors eligible for it grumble about the complexity of premium-and-benefit spreadsheets – and those are the lucky ones who can compare plans at their leisure on the Internet. The rest are bombarded by mailings from insurance companies, which leave them feeling as if they’re comparing apples to oranges to bananas to celery to corn. Or they can call a toll-free Medicare helpline,... Wed, 10 May 2006 19:47:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#132 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#133 U.S. President George Bush, making a reminder of a signup deadline for a Medicare prescription drug plan, heard from some people seeking extensions. Bush visited Florida to talk about the prescription drug benefit plan his administration has supported. The deadline to sign up for the program, which started taking enrollees in November, is Monday. Some 20 million people have signed up but there are an estimated 7 million people who are eligible who haven't signed up. Some Democrats and som... Wed, 10 May 2006 03:26:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#133 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#134 A $2.7 trillion budget plan pending before the House would raise the federal debt ceiling to nearly $10 trillion, less than two months after Congress last raised the federal government's borrowing limit. The provision -- buried on page 121 of the 151-page budget blueprint -- serves as a backdrop to congressional action this week. House leaders hope to try once again to pass a budget plan for fiscal 2007, a month after a revolt by House Republican moderates and Appropriations Committee member... Tue, 09 May 2006 22:05:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#134 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#135 Republicans in Congress reached agreement Tuesday on a $70 billion measure to extend tax breaks for investors and prevent more middle-income families from being hit by a tax aimed at the wealthy. The bill would hand President Bush one of his top tax priorities, a two-year extension of the reduced 15 percent tax rate for capital gains and dividends, currently set to expire at the end of 2008. Republicans credit the tax cuts, enacted in 2003, with boosting economic growth and creating many ... Tue, 09 May 2006 22:03:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#135 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#136 The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a rare second hearing for judicial nominee Brett Kavanaugh today, spurred by Democrats who have focused on the power of the court he would join and his background. "This is a nomination for the second-highest federal court in the country," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., invoking the popular depiction of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He said he wants to ask Kavanaugh, who was associate White House counsel from 200... Tue, 09 May 2006 19:57:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#136 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#137 General contractor Tom Chargin is not a happy camper and, in fact, won't be taking his family on the yearly camping getaway any time soon. "Let's just say our ski vacation in Aspen has been curtailed," laughs the father of two pre-schoolers. Chargin, a resident of Gilroy, runs a small company and crew that specializes in remodeling and additions - jobs that take them to all points in the South Bay, including Hollister, Santa Cruz and San Jose. To get to his clients, Chargin drive... Mon, 08 May 2006 02:30:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#137 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#138 The replacement of Porter Goss as head of the Central Intelligence Agency appears rooted in one presidential objective: to coordinate and streamline America's various intelligence agencies to "stop the terrorists before they strike." Mr. Goss, who said Friday he would step down as CIA director after 19 months at the helm, reportedly defended the CIA's status quo too strenuously. In so doing, he ran afoul of John Negroponte, director of national intelligence who oversees 16 intel... Mon, 08 May 2006 02:28:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#138 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#139 In his latest column, Paul Krugman of the New York Times points out that covering every American with Medicare would be cheaper than America's current health care system. No doubt that those who profit from the current system will label him a communist, a socialist who wants the government to pick your doctor, or a traitor. Such labels are a price of speaking the truth these days. ... Fri, 05 May 2006 05:23:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#139 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#140 The nation's largest beverage distributors have agreed to halt nearly all soda sales to public schools, according to a deal announced Wednesday by the William J. Clinton Foundation. Under the agreement, the companies have agreed to sell only water, unsweetened juice and low-fat milks to elementary and middle schools, said Jay Carson, a spokesman for former President Bill Clinton. Diet sodas would be sold only to high schools. "Soft drink companies have been marketing what we call liqui... Wed, 03 May 2006 16:24:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#140 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#141 When it comes to the need for smarter environmental policies and the insatiable addiction to keeping our fossil fuel economy at high-growth peaks, the headlines are not encouraging. And make no mistake about it - the connection between oil prices likely topping $75 a barrel for the foreseeable future and the reports of polar ice caps melting in record amounts couldn’t be more obvious. When it comes to the energy crisis and global warming, President Bush relies on ever more bizarre tunes ... Wed, 03 May 2006 16:22:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#141 US environment http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#142 President Bush has quietly claimed the authority to disobey more than 750 laws enacted since he took office, asserting that he has the power to set aside any statute passed by Congress when it conflicts with his interpretation of the Constitution. Among the laws Bush said he can ignore are military rules and regulations, affirmative-action provisions, requirements that Congress be told about immigration services problems, ''whistle-blower" protections for nuclear regulatory officials... Wed, 03 May 2006 15:04:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#142 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#143 California is among 10 states that filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Bush administration over new federal fuel-economy standards on SUVs and light trucks, alleging that they ignore the effects of emissions on global climate change and the environment. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, contends that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has failed to consider the environment and fuel conservation when adopting fuel economy standards for SUVs and light ... Tue, 02 May 2006 21:05:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#143 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#144 Social Security and Medicare trustees say the financial condition of the government's two biggest benefit programs deteriorated slightly over the past year. That assessment on Monday prompted Democrats and Republicans to hurl familiar charges at each other in a repeat of last year's pitched battle over what to do about Social Security. Democrats accused the Bush administration of overstating the problems in the two programs as a way of getting Congress to enact draconian benefit cuts, wh... Tue, 02 May 2006 14:36:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#144 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#145 Senate Republicans have hurriedly abandoned a broad tax proposal opposed by the oil industry and business leaders, another sign of their struggle to come up with an acceptable political and legislative answer to high gasoline prices. Senator Bill Frist, the majority leader, said Monday that he had decided to jettison the provision, which would have generated billions of dollars by changing the way businesses treat inventories for tax purposes. Instead, he said the Senate Finance Committee woul... Tue, 02 May 2006 14:35:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#145 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#146 A coalition of states, cities, and conservation groups is challenging the Bush Administration’s decision not to limit carbon dioxide emissions from new power plants and industrial facilities across the nation. The Clean Air Act requires that the Environmental Protection Agency review and revise emission standards for new stationary pollution sources every eight years to ensure that they protect public health and the environment. In February, EPA issued new source performance standards but ... Mon, 01 May 2006 20:16:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy5-06.html#146 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#147 In a rare moment when we agree with the president, George W Bush says the national anthem should be sung in English - not Spanish – in a blunt rejection of a new Spanish-language version. He also expressed opposition to a national work stoppage called for Monday to dramatise the importance of immigrants to the US economy. "I'm not a supporter of boycotts," Bush said yesterday while restating his support for a comprehensive overhaul of immigration laws. Bush made his comments a... Sat, 29 Apr 2006 17:13:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#147 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#148 President Bush on Friday rejected calls in Congress for a tax on oil company profits, saying the industry should reinvest its recent windfalls in finding and producing more energy. "The temptation in Washington is to tax everything," Bush said in an exchange with reporters in the White House Rose Garden. Rather than for the government to reap the benefit from oil company profits driven by the recent surge in global oil prices, he said, "the answer is for there to be strong re-invest... Fri, 28 Apr 2006 17:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#148 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#149 The Maine Supreme Judicial Court upheld a controversial state law Wednesday that prohibits parents from using publicly funded tuition vouchers for religious schools. Writing for the majority in the 6-1 decision, Justice Donald Alexander concluded that the state is not compelled to pay for religious education, even though the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that similar programs are constitutionally permissible. Alexander wrote that the state can deny access to the funds because it has an interest ... Thu, 27 Apr 2006 18:39:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#149 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#150 Congressman Charles Taylor (R-PA) has found himself at the center of an emotional firestorm surrounding a proposed memorial to people killed on Flight 93, the plane that crashed in rural Pennsylvania during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Taylor, as chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the Interior Department, has blocked millions in funding for the project in the last two years and has expressed opposition to funding it when it comes up again before his committee May 3, said J... Wed, 26 Apr 2006 14:40:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#150 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#151 The big question motorists want to know right now -- whether filling their gas tanks at $2.54 a gallon in Boise, Idaho or $4 a gallon in Brooklyn, N.Y. -- is how bad will gas prices get? The short answer: higher for a while and then lower. Since crude oil topped $75 a barrel last week, the question has quickly become a national obsession. Republican leaders of Congress were asking the Bush Administration on Monday to investigate possible price gouging. "High gasoline prices drain from the ... Wed, 26 Apr 2006 02:51:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#151 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#152 Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid is trying to derail the conservative agenda by portraying it as out-of-touch with Americans' real concerns. On Monday, Reid said the Senate, before its current session ends, must focus on the issues that concern the American people most -- not on the "'pet' issues of the right wing." Just back from the two-week Senate recess, Reid said he got an earful from his constituents in the various towns and cities he visited -- "but not once -- in... Tue, 25 Apr 2006 17:29:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#152 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#153 President Bush on Tuesday ordered a temporary suspension of environmental rules for gasoline, making it easier for refiners to meet demand and possibly dampen prices at the pump. He also halted for the summer the purchase of crude oil for the government's emergency reserve. The moves came as political pressure intensified on Bush to do something about gasoline prices that are expected to stay high throughout the summer. Bush said the nation's strategic petroleum reserve had enough fuel... Tue, 25 Apr 2006 16:52:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#153 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#154 Republican Senator Arlen Specter said the U.S. Congress should consider taxing the "windfall profits'' reaped by oil companies as a result of surging crude oil prices. Specter, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and other lawmakers are responding to what they say is rising voter anger over gasoline prices, which exceed $3 a gallon in some regions of the country, about 31 percent higher than a year ago. Specter, of Pennsylvania, earlier this month introduced legislation to strengt... Mon, 24 Apr 2006 03:15:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#154 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#155 Cancer stole enough of Carleta Wilson's lung capacity that even standing up from her wheelchair leaves her breathless. The Billings woman cannot fathom climbing aboard a transport van to ride 60 miles to Crow Agency for health care. "The last time I rode it, it took three people to put me in there," said Wilson, who is a member of Crow Tribe. "Even some of the other patients were trying to help. I felt bad about that, but I was so desperate to get that medication." Wilson, 74... Wed, 19 Apr 2006 15:17:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#155 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#156 Consumer prices in the United States shot up in March, reflecting higher costs for gasoline, clothing and hotel rooms, with core inflation rising by the biggest amount in a year. The Labor Department reported that its closely watched Consumer Price Index rose by 0.4 per cent, far higher than the modest 0.1 per cent gain in February. The inflation surge was led by higher gasoline prices, which jumped by 3.6 per cent. With oil prices climbing to record levels above $70 (U.S.) per barrel this week,... Wed, 19 Apr 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#156 US inflation http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#157 Protection of marriage amendment? Check. Anti-flag burning legislation? Check. New abortion limits? Check. ADVERTISEMENT Between now and the November elections, Republicans are penciling in plans to take action on social issues important to religious conservatives, the foundation of the GOP base, as they defend their congressional majority. In a year where an unpopular war in Iraq has helped drive President Bush's approval ratings below 40 percent, core conservatives whose turnout in Novemb... Mon, 17 Apr 2006 12:58:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#157 US GOP Pre-Election Agenda http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#158 Gov. Mitt Romney signed a groundbreaking measure Wednesday that makes Massachusetts the first state to mandate universal health care. Supported by Democrats and Republicans in the state Legislature, the law requires residents to buy health insurance by July 1, 2007, just as drivers must have automobile coverage. It aims to help low-income families buy private health insurance with subsidies and penalizes those who don't get coverage. It will help extend coverage to about 500,000 people in th... Sat, 15 Apr 2006 04:36:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#158 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#159 President George W. Bush and the leader of Senate Democrats squabbled on Thursday over who was to blame for stalling immigration reform, an issue that has deeply divided the United States in an election year. The White House said Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada had "single-handedly" blocked efforts to move immigration legislation through the Senate. Reid slapped back that it was the president's own Republican Party which was to blame. The finger-pointing between Republ... Thu, 13 Apr 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#159 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#160 At the Justice Department between 2001 and 2003, Berkeley law professor John Yoo crafted a series of now notorious legal opinions. In them, he spelled out the fundamentals of a secret emergency Constitution under which the President's inherent powers in the "war on terror" are essentially unlimited. In the wake of 9/11, Yoo argued, the United States was at war in a constitutional sense, and consequently Congress and the courts could no longer purport to second-guess or interfere with... Thu, 13 Apr 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#160 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#161 President George W. Bush's health- care initiatives, which he showcased as his top domestic priorities in the Jan. 31 State of the Union address, are stalled in Congress, with little chance for passage. While the Senate is scheduled to spend the first week of May focusing on health care, Republicans say there is little hope any legislation will be passed in this election year. Bush had outlined four proposals: allowing small companies to pool health insurance, expanding health savings accou... Wed, 12 Apr 2006 06:01:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#161 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#162 Fifty-one Democratic lawmakers urged President Bush on Thursday to hold an energy summit to find ways to reduce the country's dependence on oil. The White House showed little interest in such a meeting. The lawmakers said participants should include representatives "from all facets of life" from oil companies and automakers to environmentalists, academics and consumer advocates. "Developing a serious long-term strategy to curb our nation's dangerous dependence on oil is lon... Thu, 06 Apr 2006 21:21:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#162 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#163 Now, after the President s last State of the Union, when he told us that America was addicted to oil, there was a brief moment of hope that he d finally do something on energy. I was among the hopeful. But then I saw the plan. His funding for renewable fuels is at the same level it was the day he took office. He refuses to call for even a modest increase in fuel-efficiency standards for cars. And his latest budget funds less then half of the energy bill he himself signed into law - leaving hund... Mon, 03 Apr 2006 20:44:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#163 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#164 The Bush administration insists that its new fuel economy rules will force SUVs, pickups and minivans to get better gasoline mileage. But skeptics wonder whether the Law of Unintended Consequences will overtake that goal. Critics say the new standards could encourage automakers to build bigger trucks, potentially wiping out the promised fuel savings. That's because the standards set different fuel economy targets for different-sized light trucks. The classifications are based on the area bo... Mon, 03 Apr 2006 15:36:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#164 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#165 Senate Republicans important to passing a wholesale revision of the nation's immigration laws focused yesterday on a compromise that would get tough on illegal immigrants new to the United States while offering those who have been here at least five years a path to citizenship. The talks, led by Sens. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) and Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), are aimed at finding a formula that would persuade a majority of Republicans to support an immigration bill now backed largely by Democrats. Sena... Mon, 03 Apr 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy4-06.html#165 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#166 New goals to raise the fuel economy of light trucks were announced Wednesday by the Bush administration, which called them the most ambitious changes in the history of mileage regulations. The plan sets higher standards for pickups, vans and SUVs from the current 21.6 miles per gallon to an overall average of 24.1 by 2011. "The numbers proposed by the federal government are going to be a challenge for automakers, but the automakers are committed to meeting them," said Eron Shosteck, sp... Thu, 30 Mar 2006 16:24:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#166 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#167 AS YOU pull up to the pump, where gas prices are now approaching $3 a gallon, it's bad enough to know that oil companies are enjoying record profits. But it's even worse to learn that they're still enjoying an offshore-drilling tax break that was designed to give them an incentive to explore and produce when prices were depressed. Rep. George Miller, D-Martinez, was one of the few lawmakers who stood up to object to 1995 legislation that carved out what was supposed to be a limited,... Wed, 29 Mar 2006 18:05:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#167 US environment http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#168 Senate majority leader Bill Frist and GOP Sen. Sam Brownback stood together on trade, war, judges, guns, energy, abortion, and war, but they are bookends in this week's debate on "earned" amnesty for illegal aliens - the toughest issue before the Senate this year. They illustrate the rift that runs through both parties, but especially the GOP, which controls both the House and Senate. That rift yawns so large that it could keep Congress from passing any immigration legislation this ... Tue, 28 Mar 2006 20:53:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#168 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#169 Focusing on better gas mileage, the Bush administration is expected to complete its overhaul of fuel economy rules for pickup trucks, minivans and most sport utility vehicles next week. Under the current system, automakers must maintain an average of 21.6 miles per gallon for 2006 model year light trucks, a number that grows to 22.2 mpg for 2007 vehicles. Passenger cars, which would not be covered by the new rules, need a 27.5 mpg average. Nearly two months after President Bush President Bush ... Tue, 28 Mar 2006 16:46:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#169 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#170 A US Supreme Court judge has ridiculed legal claims by detainees of Guantanamo Bay as "crazy" in a tape recording of a lecture obtained by the American magazine Newsweek. The comments attributed to Judge Antonin Scalia were published a day before the Supreme Court begins hearing a challenge to the legality of special military tribunals for suspects held at the US prison camp in Cuba. The case, brought by Osama bin Laden's driver, is the greatest challenge yet to President Bush s p... Mon, 27 Mar 2006 23:41:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#170 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#171 It was after midnight, and every lawmaker in the committee room wanted to go home, but there was still time to sweeten a deal encouraging oil and gas companies to drill in the Gulf of Mexico. "There is no cost," declared Representative Joe Barton, Republican of Texas, who was presiding over Congressional negotiations on the sprawling energy bill last July. An obscure provision on new drilling incentives was "so noncontroversial," he added, that senior House and Senate negotiato... Mon, 27 Mar 2006 17:35:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#171 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#172 CNet is reporting that a newly created branch within the Homeland Security Department that brings together many different federal agency employees and private sector players has been given the go-ahead to disregard a law requiring meetings to be open and proceedings public. From the article: "The 1972 law generally requires such groups to meet in open sessions, make written meeting materials publicly available, and deliver a 15-day notice of any decision to close a meeting to the public. The... Mon, 27 Mar 2006 14:26:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#172 US Homeland Security Group To Meet Away From Public Eye | Cnet News.Com http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#173 Hundreds of Detroit teachers stayed home Wednesday, forcing more than 50 schools to close in what school officials described as a sick-out to protest a temporary pay cut. The teachers are upset because some principals are getting raises while they are giving up five days of pay to help balance the district's budget, district spokeswoman Mattie Majors said. ... Thu, 23 Mar 2006 14:42:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#173 US Detroit Teachers Stage Sick-Out http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#174 Senate Republicans deserted President Bush's budget for the coming year, only hours after sending the White House a bill raising the Treasury's borrowing authority by $781 billion to cope with the mounting national debt. Party discipline broke on a series of votes adding $16 billion above the administration's proposed caps for appropriations for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1. The increased spending -- together with promises of sharing energy royalties with Gulf Coast states -- hel... Fri, 17 Mar 2006 14:41:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#174 US Senate Republicans Break Ranks On Spending http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#175 Police allege that Claude Allen, a former domestic policy adviser to President Bush, made fraudulent returns worth at least $5,000 at Target and other stores in the Washington suburbs on 25 different occasions. Target Corp. investigator Pete Schomburg said he stopped Allen on January 2 outside the company's Gaithersburg store after Allen allegedly received a refund for items using a receipt from an earlier purchase. "Allen had receipts from previous purchases at Target stores and admitte... Tue, 14 Mar 2006 17:19:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#175 US Ex-White House Aide Admits To Fraud http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#176 Who's your neighbor? Do many of us really know much more than "Hi, how are ya?" about the people next door? Well, Steve Prator, the sheriff of Caddo Parish, Louisiana, has made it his mission to get to know some of his new neighbors. He's trying to do background checks on hundreds of Hurricane Katrina evacuees living in his jurisdiction -- the area around Shreveport, Louisiana, about a five hour drive from New Orleans. Is this right? Think about it. A sherrif is asking for backgr... Tue, 14 Mar 2006 16:40:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#176 US Privacy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#177 It's easy to raise the blood pressure of an American chief executive. Just talk about rising tort costs and the burdens of asbestos exposure, medical malpractice, product defects and other lawsuits. The tort system is designed to compensate people who feel they've been wronged -- and rightfully so. But the extremes of litigation and the volume of lawsuits considered frivolous drive CEOs nuts. The U.S. tort liability system is the most expensive in the world, more than double the average ... Tue, 14 Mar 2006 05:54:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#177 US Tort Politics Reform Lawsuits Frivelous http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#178 The Maryland House of Delegates unanimously passed legislation yesterday to ditch the state's touch-screen voting machines for the coming election in favor of a system that uses paper ballots. The 137 to 0 vote in the House and the endorsement of the plan this week by Republican Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. represents a stunning turnaround for a state that was on the leading edge of touch-screen voting in 2001, and it reflects a national shift toward machines that provide a paper record. The t... Fri, 10 Mar 2006 21:06:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#178 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#179 U.S. Interior Secretary Gale Norton said on Friday she was stepping down after serving five years overseeing federal lands, a tenure in which she often clashed with environmentalists. Norton, 51, is the first woman to head the 156-year-old department and one of the original members of President George W. Bush's Cabinet. She previously served as Colorado's attorney general. In her resignation letter to Bush, Norton said she would be moving to the private sector at the end of March.... Fri, 10 Mar 2006 21:03:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#179 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#180 The nation's trade deficit widened to another record in January, the government reported today, as the strengthening American economy attracted a surge of imported cars, household goods and petroleum products. Americans imported $68.5 billion more in goods and services than they exported at the start of the year, up 5.3 percent from December, the Commerce Department said. It exceeded the previous record in October, when the deficit swelled to $67.8 billion. A 3.5 percent jump in imports in J... Thu, 09 Mar 2006 21:20:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#180 US GAS Defecit Trade Auto Cars http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#181 President George W. Bush renewed his threat to veto legislation that would block a state-owned Dubai firm's takeover of some terminal operations at six U.S. ports as leaders in his own party prepared a measure to kill the plan. Republican leaders said the House later today will attach language preventing DP World from assuming control of the U.S. operations of Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co. to an emergency measure that provides $92 billion for military operations in Iraq and... Wed, 08 Mar 2006 19:47:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#181 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#182 Distraction alert! President Bush has formally announced he's trying to take the focus off of his 2nd term woes by sending controversial legislation to Congress calling for reinstatement of the line item veto. The White House says the proposal would overcome constitutional questions by allowing an up or down Congressional votes on spending items singled out for the line veto. The president, who has not vetoed any legislation during five years in office, asked Congress in his State of the U... Mon, 06 Mar 2006 16:25:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#182 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#183 Renewable energy technologies got a boost in an Arizona Corporation Commission vote this week. In a state known for its sunshine but not as well known for large, swiftly moving rivers and streams or large-scale geothermal opportunities, state regulators set high standards for renewable energy, hoping to capitalize on Arizona's sunshine and other renewable energy technologies. On Monday, Commissioners Marc Spitzer, Bill Mundell and Kris Mayes voted to require regulated electric utilities to ... Thu, 02 Mar 2006 19:42:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#183 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#184 A new videotape of a U.S. government briefing on hurricane Katrina is raising new questions about President George W. Bush's handling of the hugely destructive storm last summer. The tape is of a briefing on Aug. 28 just one day before Katrina roared ashore, unleashing its fury and destruction on the city of New Orleans and along the U.S. Gulf Coast. The video shows Bush and his federal disaster officials being warned that the levees in New Orleans could be breached. ... Thu, 02 Mar 2006 16:53:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#184 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#185 In a nutshell, it looks like congress is proposing to change copyright law to exempt so-called orphan works of no commercial value from copyright. Amazing...... Wed, 01 Mar 2006 17:45:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#185 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#186 A top House Democrat released e-mails Tuesday detailing Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's role in a $236 million federal contract for Carnival Cruise Lines to house Hurricane Katrina victims. In a letter, Rep. Henry Waxman of California called on Bush to explain his role in the award of the "lucrative contract," which was given to the Florida-based company without a full competitive-bid process. The e-mails Waxman released were provided to Congress by Michael Brown, former director of the Fede... Wed, 01 Mar 2006 17:24:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy3-06.html#186 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#187 As this opinion piece points out, it is nearly impossible to find goods made in the USA if you actually try. Hidden in his words is the statement that small changes in international trade, such as free trade agreements, are responsible for small changes in the cost of doing business, which result in big changes for American industry.... Mon, 27 Feb 2006 17:33:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#187 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#188 Archivist of the United States, Professor Allen Weinstein, and Google co-founder and president of Technology, Sergey Brin, have announced the launch of a pilot program to make holdings of the National Archives available for free online. This non-exclusive agreement will enable researchers and the general public to access a diverse collection of historic movies, documentaries and other films from the National Archives via Google Video (http://video.google.com/nara.html) as well as the National A... Mon, 27 Feb 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#188 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#189 Because the DOD did such a good job repairing the bombed out infrastructure in Iraq, the President thinks the US military should take a greater role in US natural disasters... A new White House report on what went wrong after hurricane Katrina lashed Louisiana and Mississippi in August suggests the U.S. military should play a bigger role in disaster efforts. U.S. President George W. Bush had ordered White House officials to prepare the review, amid criticism of how the Federal Emergency Managem... Thu, 23 Feb 2006 20:28:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#189 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#190 Consumer-level prices advanced at a slightly faster pace than economists expected last month, driven by a 5% increase in energy costs, but underlying inflation appeared to be generally under control. The overall consumer price index rose 0.7% in January, following declines in both of the previous months, the Labor Department said Wednesday. The consensus estimate was for a 0.5% rise. Higher energy costs accounted for about 70% of the advance in the overall index. The core CPI, which excludes t... Wed, 22 Feb 2006 20:45:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#190 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#191 Health care spending in the United States is projected to grow 7.4 percent and surpass $2 trillion in 2005, down from the 7.9 percent growth experienced in 2004. This rate is 0.5 percentage points less than the 7.9 percent growth observed in 2004 and represents the third consecutive year of decelerating growth, following six years of acceleration from 1996 through 2002. As a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), health care spending is expected to continue to grow, reaching 16.2 percent in... Wed, 22 Feb 2006 20:43:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#191 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#192 Throughout the hearings for the Supreme Court nominations the public was told the nominees were strict constitutionalist and through avoidance and other tactics the public was told there was no conspiracy to overturn Roe v. Wade. Whether you agree or disagree with the ruling that is not the point here. The point is that the American people are being lied to and misled by a group of politicians who believe the ends justify the means. I find it quite interesting and not coincidental that S.D. is a... Wed, 22 Feb 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#192 US S.D. Senate Bill To Ban Most Abortions http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#193 Read the President's comments at NREL in this document.... Tue, 21 Feb 2006 22:30:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#193 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#194 When it comes to tackling global warming, the Bush administration is right about one thing: There are economic consequences. The problem is they've been too quick to assume that such consequences will be bad for the economy. It turns out that reducing greenhouse gases doesn't have to be expensive. In fact, it can be a serious moneymaker. ... Tue, 21 Feb 2006 16:24:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#194 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#195 The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden received $5 million on Monday from the Department of Energy to help offset the nearly $28 million budget cut it sustained in the current fiscal year. The DOE's gesture, timed to coincide with a visit by president Bush and announced late Sunday, is welcome but barely sufficient to rehire the 32 employees laid off earlier this month, NREL officials said. Today, President Bush is scheduled to tour the lab and participate in a panel on energy ... Tue, 21 Feb 2006 16:23:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#195 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#196 The mobile homes started arriving sometime in October, pulling into a 282-acre site at the Hope, Ark., airport, one after another, row upon row. They kept on coming, week after week and month after month, convoys of sometimes 100 at a time lugged by trucks that clogged the roads into town, queuing up on a runway and on the adjacent gumbo-like soil, side to side, front to back. They were supposed to be shelters for the thousands of victims left homeless by Hurricane Katrina, waiting here to be sh... Mon, 20 Feb 2006 18:25:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#196 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#197 Two uniformed men strolled into the main room of the Little Falls library in Bethesda one day last week and demanded the attention of all patrons using the computers. Then they made their announcement: The viewing of Internet pornography was forbidden. The men looked stern and wore baseball caps emblazoned with the words "Homeland Security." The bizarre scene unfolded Feb. 9, leaving some residents confused and forcing county officials to explain how employees assigned to protect county ... Sun, 19 Feb 2006 15:42:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#197 US Steve-blog http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#198 Ali Mohagheghi expected bad news when a senior director at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory interrupted a meeting Tuesday morning and asked to see him. Only three years away from retirement, Mohagheghi, 58, became one of 32 people laid off at the federal laboratory because of a $28 million budget cut. It was horrible, he said. He kept saying that I had until 3 p.m. to leave. The senior biochemical engineer had worked for the laboratory for 22 years, converting biomass, such as trees,... Sat, 18 Feb 2006 17:43:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#198 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#199 Disgruntled members of a congressional oversight committee objected Wednesday to a White House budget plan that threatens to cripple NASA's unmanned space programs and Earth and aeronautics research, President Bush's plan instead emphasizes sending American explorers back to the moon by 2018. The lawmakers' bipartisan complaint emerged as the House Science Committee quizzed NASA administrator Michael Griffin and his top deputy, Shana Dale, about the agency's proposed $16.8 billio... Fri, 17 Feb 2006 15:50:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#199 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#200 Mayor John Hickenlooper plans to put Denver's abundant sunshine to work by building one of the nation's first city-owned solar plants to provide clean, cheap power for the county jail. "Reducing our use of petroleum and coal-based energy is one of the primary goals of Denver's Sustainable Development Initiative," Hickenlooper said Wednesday. "With the construction of this plant, we will continue our progress toward making the Denver metro area a national leader in renew... Thu, 16 Feb 2006 16:53:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#200 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#201 President Bush campaigned for his plan to expand health savings accounts on Wednesday here at the headquarters of the Wendy's fast-food chain, declaring that his proposals were not just for the wealthy and would help some of the 45 million Americans who remain uninsured. In an hourlong speech in one of the most politically troublesome states for Republicans in this year's midterm elections, Mr. Bush took on critics of his plan, who say that poor or underemployed people cannot afford the ... Thu, 16 Feb 2006 16:51:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#201 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#202 An Anchorage Democrat is pursing legislation forcing Wal-Mart to pay more for its employee health care. The bill by Rep. Eric Croft requires employers with more than 2,000 workers to spend at least 8 percent of their payroll on employee health care or else pay into a fund for the uninsured. The Fair Share Health Care Act is patterned on a Maryland law that has spawned both similar legislative attempts in more than 30 states and a court challenge. Wal-Mart is one of four companies in Alaska wi... Thu, 16 Feb 2006 16:46:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#202 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#203 BELEAGUERED US Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has testified that he did not take charge of his department's faltering response to hurricane Katrina because his experience during the September 11 terrorist attacks convinced him that micro-managing by senior officials could make matters worse. But members of the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, which has spent months probing the disaster, sharply criticised Mr Chertoff for being so out of touch with the ... Thu, 16 Feb 2006 16:18:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#203 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#204 In a butt-saving move taken from the George W. playbook, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told a Senate panel today that he is responsible for the federal government's failures in the response to Hurricane Katrina. Chertoff, who was in his job six months when the storm hit Aug. 29, promised to fix the problems with the Federal Emergency Management Agency that surfaced before and after the hurricane. ``I am responsible for the Department of Homeland Security,'' Cher... Wed, 15 Feb 2006 19:51:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#204 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#205 A judge on Monday turned aside a last-minute attempt to force the federal government to continue paying directly for hotel rooms of 12,000 families made homeless by last year's hurricanes. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has promised evacuees from hurricanes Katrina and Rita they will still receive federal assistance that they can use toward hotel stays or fixing their ruined homes, though FEMA will no longer pay for the hotels directly after Monday. ... Mon, 13 Feb 2006 18:21:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#205 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#206 Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and wounded a campaign contributor during a weekend quail hunt on a friend's South Texas ranch, local authorities and the vice president's office said Sunday. The wounded man, 78-year-old Harry Whittington, was in intensive care at a Corpus Christi hospital after being hit by several pellets of birdshot Saturday afternoon, hospital spokesman Peter Banko told CNN.... Mon, 13 Feb 2006 05:13:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#206 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#207 The U.S. trade deficit skyrocketed in 2005 to a record $725.8 billion, as American companies and consumers snapped up record levels of low-priced goods from China and high-priced oil from the Middle East, a U.S. government report on Friday showed. The trade deficit, which has risen more or less steadily since 1991 when it was $30.7 billion, widened 17.5 percent in 2005 to set a record for the fourth year in a row. A huge chunk of the deficit was with China alone. The trade shortfall with that co... Fri, 10 Feb 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#207 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#208 Michael Brown, the former chief of the U.S. disaster agency, dismissed as "just baloney" and "a little disingenuous" claims by top Homeland Security officials that they did not know about the severity of Hurricane Katrina damage until the day after it roared ashore. Brown testified Friday that he notified White House and Homeland Security officials on the day that Katrina hit that "we were realizing our worst nightmare" and that New Orleans was seriously flooding. Tes... Fri, 10 Feb 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#208 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#209 A typographical error in a $39 billion domestic spending-cut bill signed into law by President Bush on Wednesday could mean another vote on the measure that passed only after Vice President Dick Cheney intervened with a tie-breaking vote. The law, which sparked fury among Democrats and strong opposition from some Republicans in an election year, cuts funds for health care, student loan and other programs. ... Thu, 09 Feb 2006 20:30:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#209 US politics http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#210 Late last year, Congress passed an amendment to a spending bill that would prohibit the slaughter of horses for food exports for most of 2006. Due to come into effect on March 10, the ban would save tens of thousands of American horses destined for human consumption overseas. Because horses hold a unique place in the history of the United States, the ban received overwhelming public and Congressional support, culminating in lopsided, bipartisan votes in both the House and the Senate. Congress&#... Wed, 08 Feb 2006 23:35:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#210 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#211 The Senate's top Democratic tax writer said Tuesday that a presidentially appointed panel's recommendations for overhauling tax laws didn't stand a chance in Congress. "That's dead, Mr. Secretary," Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) told Treasury Secretary John W. Snow, who was before the Senate Finance Committee to discuss the president's budget. "We don't accept that," Snow replied. "Congress thinks it's dead," Baucus said. "That's going no... Wed, 08 Feb 2006 22:53:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#211 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#212 The $2.77 trillion budget request that Bush submitted to lawmakers on Monday would boost defense spending by nearly 7%, while attempting to curb spending in most other areas. Among the most contentious areas, the plan calls on Congress to restrain growth in spending on Medicare, the healthcare program for the elderly, by $36 billion through 2011. Bush, speaking to a business group in New Hampshire, said the effort would trim the rate of growth in Medicare spending from 8.1% to 7.7%. "People ... Wed, 08 Feb 2006 22:47:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#212 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#213 The Environmental Protection Agency's 2007 budget would decrease by 4 percent to $7.3 billion, the fourth cut in a row for the agency's yearly budget, the Bush administration said on Monday. Stephen Johnson, the EPA's administrator, told reporters that even with the budget cut his agency would help achieve the president's goals of fighting the war on terror, strengthening homeland defense and strengthening the economy. The department's budget increases funding for security me... Tue, 07 Feb 2006 18:40:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#213 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#214 The administration defended President Bush's $2.77 trillion budget plan on Tuesday against congressional attacks that the cuts it sought to deal with exploding budget deficits would unfairly harm government efforts in education, health care and farm programs. Treasury Secretary John Snow, among leadoff witnesses in a series of congressional hearings, said the administration had made the tough choices to fund programs that were working and eliminate those that were not. "This budget rep... Tue, 07 Feb 2006 17:28:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#214 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#215 Some small Wyoming and Montana towns are facing a huge boom in petroleum production and exploration. The exploration is changing the face of the towns and the environment around them and is expected to continue for up to 40 years. Over 5000 permits for drilling were issued last year in the two states, up from previous years.... Mon, 06 Feb 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#215 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#216 The coming debate over the 2007 budget may be the most difficult fiscal discussion President Bush has yet faced. Mr. Bush's proposed $2.77 trillion spending plan, released Monday, contains some controversial provisions - notably, a $35.9 billion reduction in Medicare spending over five years. But it's an election year, and GOP leaders are worried about maintaining control of Congress. Rank-and-file Republicans may have little enthusiasm for tough budget cuts, while Democrats will almo... Mon, 06 Feb 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#216 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#217 The White House has told Congress to expect requests for about $70 billion in additional funding for the ongoing budget year for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and $18 billion more for hurricane relief, a Senate GOP aide says. The details of the requests are not finalized but President Bush's budget for 2007, to be submitted next week, will reflect the totals for planning purposes, said the aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Another $2.3 billion to combat avian flu is also expected... Thu, 02 Feb 2006 18:16:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#217 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#218 As with much of the rest of his State of the Union address, US President George W Bush's proposals to boost government spending on clean energy technologies received a tepid reaction from analysts on Wednesday, who described the speech as uncharacteristically timid. While energy and environmental activists applauded his portrayal of the energy problem faced by the US as an "addiction to oil", they said his solution - a 22% increase in clean-energy research - falls far short of what ... Thu, 02 Feb 2006 16:45:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#218 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#219 NPR, AP, and other news organizations seem to be hitting Bush hard after his State of the Union last night. This morning, NPR had a point-by-point rebuttal of his economic statements. This article by the AP lists a series of vignettes relating the reactions of common Americans around the country.... Wed, 01 Feb 2006 15:55:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#219 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#220 Congressional investigators on Wednesday lambasted the U.S. government for its response to Hurricane Katrina, saying a lack of a clear chain of command hindered relief efforts and that Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff or another top official should have been the point person on relief efforts. The Government Accountability Office also found that the government still lacks sufficient plans and training programs to prepare for catastrophic disasters like the Aug. 29 storm that devasta... Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy2-06.html#220 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#221 Samuel Alito was confirmed to the Supreme Court today after a contentious and partisan battle in the Senate, becoming the nation's 110th justice to serve on the high court. The Senate approved Alito 58-42, one of the most divided tallies in modern history as all but four Democrats opposed him. Alito, an appellate judge whose conservative ideology was honed as a young lawyer in the Reagan administration, succeeds Sandra Day O'Connor, who shaped the court through her voice of moderation fo... Tue, 31 Jan 2006 19:09:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#221 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#222 President Bush delivered his State of the Union address tonight, seemed intent on pushing more empty spending initiatives and pushing us farther into debt by only cutting 'non-security, discretionary spending.' His emphasis on cutting so-called entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid is shameful, but hidden in that message is a longterm intent to cut spending on everything that can't be privatized... probably including road and bridge construction, borde... Tue, 31 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#222 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#223 President Bush's expected call for expansion of health savings accounts in Tuesday's State of the Union address will likely stoke the debate over the accounts. Under the law, the accounts must be coupled with health insurance policies that carry at least a $1,050 annual deductible for individuals or $2,100 for families. They allow people to set aside money, tax free, to cover medical costs. This year, the maximum allowable deposit is $2,700 for individuals and $5,450 for families. Bush w... Mon, 30 Jan 2006 20:02:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#223 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#224 Can it be doubted that Bush has been good for big oil? Exxon Mobil Corp., the world's largest publicly traded oil company, on Monday reported a quarterly profit of $10.7 billion, capping a year of record earnings dominated by surging oil and gas prices. The results pushed up Exxon's profit for the year to a staggering $36.13 billion -- bigger than the economies of 125 of the 184 countries ranked by the World Bank. Profit rose 42 percent from 2004. ... Mon, 30 Jan 2006 19:42:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#224 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#225 Oilfield services conglomerate Halliburton Co. swung to a profit in its fourth quarter on robust sales and increased rig activity, and called last year the best in its 86-year history. The income reversed a loss from a year earlier for Houston-based Halliburton, the company once led by Vice President Dick Cheney. Its KBR unit has become known for its support work for troops stationed in the Middle East. Net income was $1.1 billion, or $2.08 a share, including a gain of $540 million or $1.02 a sh... Fri, 27 Jan 2006 16:32:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#225 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#226 Text of an interview with Sen. Barack Obama on January 27th.... Fri, 27 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#226 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#227 A list of the Senators and Congressmen recognized for their work on the defense of animal rights and leadership in animal welfare causes.... Thu, 26 Jan 2006 22:24:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#227 US environment http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#228 Medicare's new drug benefit was supposed to bring peace of mind to many seniors, including people who previously lacked drug coverage and individuals of modest means who qualify for extra help paying for their medications. But enrolling in a Part D drug plan does not necessarily mean that seniors can rest easy, consumer advocates caution. "The 'buyer beware' sign needs to say up," says Robert M. Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights Center, a national organization that cou... Wed, 25 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#228 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#229 The White House is hindering the Senate's investigation into the government's response to Hurricane Katrina by prohibiting federal officials from talking about their hurricane-related communications with the administration, the two senators leading the probe said Tuesday. Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, accused the White House of "a near total lack of cooperation." Some officials from the White Ho... Wed, 25 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#229 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#230 Lawmakers in both political parties demanded that the Bush administration address concerns that energy companies may have been underpaying the government for oil and gas they produce on publicly owned land and in coastal waters. Representative Richard Pombo, a California Republican and chairman of the House Resources Committee, ordered the Interior Department on Monday to provide "all relevant data so that we can ensure the public is getting full compensation for the production of oil and ... Tue, 24 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#230 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#231 The Bush administration would allow some limited pesticide testing on children and pregnant women under controversial rules set to be made final as early as this week. After fielding some 50,000 public comments on its earlier human-testing proposals, the Environmental Protection Agency is setting out final rules that officials call tough and fair. But California Democrats and environmentalists are raising an outcry, and courts could remain busy sorting it all out. ... Tue, 24 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#231 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#232 Documents released today by Congress show that two days before Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, the White House received detailed damage forecasts from Homeland Security officials predicting that the city's levees might be overtopped or breached. Yet in the days after the storm struck on Aug. 29, federal officials, including President Bush, said the levee breaches could not have been foreseen. Embattled former FEMA Director Michael Brown said, "I think we were all taken aback ... Tue, 24 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#232 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#233 Yep... you read right. Now you can read all about your future home behind bars in this press release.... Tue, 24 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#233 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#234 At a time when energy prices and industry profits are soaring, the U.S. government collected little more money last year than it did five years ago from the companies that extract more than $60 billion in oil and gas from publicly owned lands and coastal waters. If royalty payments in fiscal 2005 for natural gas had risen in step with market prices, the government would have received about $700 million more than it actually did, a three-month investigation by The New York Times has found... Mon, 23 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#234 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#235 A new study that measured the skills of students nearing graduation from a four-year university found that more than half lacked the literacy skills to handle complex tasks, such as analyzing arguments in newspaper editorials or understanding credit card offers. Students at two-year colleges fared even worse, with at least 75 percent lacking the skills to perform complex tasks, according to a study released Thursday by the American Institutes for Research. ... Mon, 23 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#235 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#236 Most people, particularly senior citizens, say they are having a hard time understanding the new Medicare prescription drug program, an AP-Ipsos poll found. The drug benefit requires people to choose from among dozens of competing private insurance plans. Along with senior citizens, those most likely to acknowledge difficulties live in rural areas or are college graduates. "I pretty much completed a master's degree in psychology and I can't understand it," said Raymond Lloyd, a R... Mon, 23 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#236 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#237 From hidden caps on benefits to confusing choices, the ill-implemented Medicare prescription drug plan is sure to spell trouble for the Republicans in November.... Mon, 23 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#237 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#238 The Office of Citizenship is designing a new US citizenship test, to be administered starting in 2008. It will ask aspiring citizens about what it means to be American, rather than quiz them on picayune facts. Officials say it is more important to ask immigrants about such principles as freedom of speech and religion, than for them to know trivia quiz items like how many amendments there are to the Constitution.... Sun, 22 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#238 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#239 Several leaders of Hispanic organizations expressed opposition Thursday to the likely Senate confirmation of Samuel Alito as a Supreme Court justice, predicting his accession to the bench would erode civil rights and advances made by Hispanics in the United States.... Sun, 22 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#239 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#240 As George W. Bush claims the economy is strong working family inflation-adjusted income has dropped by $2,000 a year according to the Labor Bureau. Dick Cheney is paid three times the average household income in deferred compensation alone from Halliburton. Health care costs have soared fifty percent since Bush took the White House. Home heating costs are 79 percent higher than the winter of 2001. The number of people in poverty is nearly twenty percent higher than in 2000. And while wages are d... Thu, 19 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#240 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#241 Despite record spending levels, record budget deficits, record national debt, record trade deficits, and rising poverty levels (30% of the country qualifies for the national underfunded Low Income Heating Assistance Program), our uncompassionate president is still pushing to have the upper income tax cuts made permanent. Sad.... Thu, 19 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#241 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#242 As President Bush returned to the city for the first time in three months, teenage protesters donned life jackets, goggles and inner tubes Thursday to symbolize their flooded homes and protest New Orleans' lack of defense against future storms.... Fri, 13 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#242 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#243 The president is touring non-devestated areas of New Orleans and declaring that the city shows dramatic improvement from four months ago.... Fri, 13 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#243 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#244 Even before the coldest weather has set in, federal funding of the LIHEAP fuel assistance program has badly lagged the rise in energy prices. This year, LIHEAP has been able to help fewer than 15 percent of the estimated 32 million households who qualify for assistance.... Wed, 11 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#244 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#245 Medicare's new prescription drug benefit is off to a rocky start. Dozens of plans, overloaded computers and an entirely new system have left seniors nationwide scratching their heads. The problems are particularly serious for the 6.5 million low-income Americans who get both Medicare and Medicaid -- and whose Medicaid drug coverage ended Dec. 31.... Wed, 11 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#245 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#246 Here we go again. President Bush puts highly unqualified political supporters in charge of a vital public service, and Americans pay the price. But this time it isn't the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It's our national passenger railroad: Amtrak. The current head of the Amtrak board is another Bush Posse member who raised $100,000 or more for the Bush-Cheney campaign.... Tue, 10 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#246 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#247 Financial policies of the Bush administration and the Republican Congress have the nation headed for serious economic trouble, U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd said Monday. Boyd points out that Medicare and other social programs have lifted the average retiree well above the poverty level, but that our government's current policies can't sustain those programs.... Tue, 10 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#247 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#248 Rising health care costs, already threatening many basic industries, now consume 16 percent of the nation's economic output -- the highest proportion ever, the government said yesterday in its latest calculation. The nation's health care bill continued to grow substantially faster than inflation and wages, increasing by almost 8 percent in 2004 ... Tue, 10 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#248 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#249 Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito faced his first series of questions Tuesday when Sen. Arlen Specter asked President Bush's nominee about privacy rights and a woman's right to choose an abortion. Alito is doing his best to assuage senators' fears about his conservative views, but he has some work to do.... Tue, 10 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#249 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#250 A new book, 'Fooled Again: How the Right Stole the 2004 Election and Why They'll Steal the Next One Too (Unless We Stop Them)' by Mark Crispin Miller, details the voting abuses that the Republicans played on the system in 2004. If this is even close to right, then it's pretty scary.... Mon, 09 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#250 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#251 Sen. Bill Frist promised 6,000 farmers better access to health care, a plan to research alternative energy sources such as ethanol, a temporary worker program for immigrants and an end to the inheritance 'death tax' during a speech yesterday. The speech was clearly another step down the path toward a 2008 presidential campaign.... Mon, 09 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#251 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#252 The Florida Supreme Court knocked the wind out of Gov. Jeb Bush's education revamp Thursday, ruling that the private-school voucher program violates the state Constitution's promise of a 'uniform system of free public schools.'... Fri, 06 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#252 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#253 California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is taking a page from the Bush playbook and proposing a jaw-dropping spending initiative to combat his falling poll numbers. Republicans, who have turned into the Spend and Awe party, now pretend to be shadows of FDR. By proposing huge public works initiatives. The only problem is that they are undercutting American workers by promoting illegal immigration and dropping minimum wage rate requirements for government contracts. It ain't gonna work t... Fri, 06 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#253 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#254 A decent profile of the 18 Senators who will make up the Judiciary Committee that will interrogate Samuel Alito, the next possibly appointee to the US Supreme Court.... Wed, 04 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#254 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#255 The Bush administration is hinting at further troop withdrawals from Iraq, conveniently in time for our Fall election season. Murtha and others predicted it.... Wed, 04 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#255 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#256 Bush's former energy adviser, Matthew Simmons, expects oil to hit between $200-$250 in the next few years. Ouch.... Tue, 03 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#256 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#257 President George W. Bush turned his back on several thousand U.S. workers who make steel pipes when he refused Dec. 30 to place limits on Chinese-made steel pipe imports flooding the U.S. market.... Tue, 03 Jan 2006 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy1-06.html#257 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#258 The US current account deficit and budget deficits are going to plague the younger US generations for many years to come. The policies of the Bush administration have been temporarily stimulating to the economy, but long term interest on huge debts will surely slow it down.... Thu, 29 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#258 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#259 US electronic voting machines are fraught with problems including a lack of security. It has seemed clear that in the last 5 years, the push to modernize the voting system has been underfunded, leading to gaping holes in security, accountability, and accuracy.... Thu, 29 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#259 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#260 Now the NSA is in trouble for putting Cookies on the computers of visitors to their website. Now that may be going a little too far... but it's amazing at all that the Agency has seen so much press that people are now visiting its website: Visit the NSA website to get a cookie... Thu, 29 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#260 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#261 Vice president Dick Cheney voted to break a Senate tie on the budget cutting bill that removes billions from federal programs for the poor and middle class, such as medicare and medicaid.... Wed, 21 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#261 US politics http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#262 Bill Frist has continued the pork and pillage Republican strategy of attaching completely unrelated issues to the mammoth defense spending bill that is now in the Senate. Frist attached a blanket waver of liability of any damages caused by vaccines that are produced for an 'epidemic.'... Wed, 21 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#262 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#263 As part of a $40 billion deficit reduction bill, Dick Cheney may cast the tie-breaking vote in the Senate to cut from medicaid, medicare, and other social programs.... Tue, 20 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#263 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#264 A federal judge has ruled that it is unconstitutional to teach Intelligent Design in a grade-school science classroom. The ruling came regarding a Pennsylvania case in which the school board members voted to force scient teachers to teach about Intelligent Design.... Tue, 20 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#264 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#265 A Democratic congresswoman from NY wants the head of the Small Business Administration to quit for a variety of reasons ranging from misspent appropriations to a high rate of declined loans for Katrina victims.... Mon, 19 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#265 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#266 This frightening article spotlights another animal rights activist who committed vandalism and intimidation, but is being threatened with 23 years in prison for mostly misdemeanor activities.... Mon, 19 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#266 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#267 It should surprise no one that the Bush administration overlooks scientific evidence and the scientific method and instead relies on unilateral religious beliefs to make medical (and other) policy decisions.... Thu, 15 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#267 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#268 It looks like Bush appointees are trying to dismantle Amtrak under a 'privatization' scheme that basically means "put more money into the pockets of corporations and less into benefitting taxpayers."... Thu, 15 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#268 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#269 Now this is something I agree with. Out of state students have filed a class action lawsuit against California alleging that they should pay the same in-state tuition as illegal immigrants. Amen to that one.... Thu, 15 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#269 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#270 It looks like Ohio is set to pass a bill (HB3) that will make it illegal to challenge federal election results in the state. Incredible.... Mon, 12 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#270 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#271 Bush is seeking $1 billion to help poor families heat homes. It's one more spending spree to help his image and poll numbers. Why not veto the tax cuts to pay for it?... Thu, 08 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#271 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#272 Bush is pressing congress to spend money to help the poor oil companies who have too little refining capacity to make more money. Funny thing is this government site basically says the US has plenty of capacity and is very profitable using Just In Time (JIT) supply.... Mon, 05 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#272 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#273 Oil executives seem to be wary of boiling in their own product as Congress investigates discrepancies between statements made last month and records of visits by officials to the White House. Did they or did they not participate in shaping US energy policy?... Thu, 01 Dec 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy12-05.html#273 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#274 The Colorado State Patrol has banned large biking events due to personal safety concerns. Click here to tell the state patrol that personal safety is an individual responsibility and not the responsibility of non-elected state officials.... Wed, 30 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#274 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#275 Arnold Schwarzenegger is responding to his defeat in November's elections by shaking up his staff and beginning to embrace a bi-partisan atmosphere.... Wed, 30 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#275 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#276 The U.S. is now trailing after being a leader as it ranks 7th behind China, South Korea, Russia, Sweden, Finland, and Japan in GDP spending on R&D. The U.S. is now 8th overall in researchers per 1000 people in the population. The U.S. now trails China and Europe in the total number of conferred Science and Engineering Doctorates. Resources: 1. CIA World Fact Book 2. Science and Engineering Indicators, National Science Board 3. National Science Indicators, Thomson Scientific 4. World Bank ... Sun, 27 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#276 US Steve-blog http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#277 Narrowly fending of defections by moderate Republicans, the House passed a $50+ billion dollar spending cuts bill that primarily impacts middle and lower class spending programs. Thanks guys.... Fri, 18 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#277 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#278 The senate has passed its version of the $60 billion in tax cuts that the Republicans are trying to push through. The tax cuts do include some bones to the middle class and a large part of it comes from the phantom Alternative Minimum Tax that bites many upper middle class families.... Fri, 18 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#278 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#279 Democratic senators have attached taxes for oil companies and reduced petroleum exploration tax rebates by adding ammendments to the Republicans' $60 billion tax cut package.... Thu, 17 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#279 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#280 Adding weight to the argument that US energy policy was disproportionately shaped by input from oil companies, the Washington Post found a document that shows that oil execs from four major oil companies participated with vice president Cheney in his 2001 energy policy task force.... Wed, 16 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#280 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#281 A Senate panel voted to impose a $5 billion tax on oil profits next year. If the oil companies rake in another $100 billion in profits next year, that will amount to a drop in the bucket and very little back in the US consumers' pocket.... Wed, 16 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#281 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#282 A Senate committee approved a $60 billion dollar tax cut bill, voted for by all Republicans on the committee. The bill does at least fail to include extensions on tax cuts that are desired by president Bush. ... Wed, 16 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#282 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#283 Republican Kenneth Tomlinson, ex-chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, was found to have violated ethics standards by using a political test to recruit for the presidency position at the CPB.... Tue, 15 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#283 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#284 Only 20% of seniors know that they will be signing up for the bewildering Medicare prescription drug plan, championed by president Bush. The plan offers seniors dozens of private drug plans that give discounts based on confusing combinations of medical conditions.... Fri, 11 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#284 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#285 The trade deficit swelled to $66 billion last month, suggesting that we need to revive the strong dollar policy. The US dollar should go farther and it has been devalued for no reason, except perhaps to make oil imports more expensive.... Fri, 11 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#285 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#286 President Bush's policies are bad for rural Americans. From cutting funding for agriculture offices and health care to rising fuel prices, there is very little in the Bush budget to support or help rural Americans.... Mon, 07 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#286 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#287 Louisiana is balking at a $3.7 billion collection notice from the federal government that FEMA claims is required by law. Under federal law, state and local governments are responsible to pay for up to 25% of disaster recovery costs.... Fri, 04 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#287 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#288 An email trails shows the level of Michael "Brownie" Brown... Thu, 03 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#288 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#289 An email trails shows the level of Michael "Brownie" Brown during the lead up and follow on to the Hurricane Katrina recovery act. Brown spent more email time on his wardrobe and lamenting his job position than on helping hurricane victims.... Thu, 03 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#289 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#290 Bush had a bad week last week, so of course we should have expected this. The president has come out with a $7.1 billion proposal to head off a bird flu epidemic. He'll probably pay for this one by cutting Head Start and Veteran Funding... as if they even got that much! ... Tue, 01 Nov 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy11-05.html#290 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#291 Even though the oil companies saw another record profit quarter, even though Americans were forced to pay nearly one hour of minimum-wage work per gallon of gas, George Bush has ruled out any tax increase on oil companies to help pay for mounting national debt that now totals tens of thousands of dollars per US citizen.... Fri, 28 Oct 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#291 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#292 Despite refusing to appear with President Bush during a visit to the state last week, California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is watching the implosion of his attempt to use ballot initiatives to drive California politics.... Fri, 28 Oct 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#292 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#293 The House and Senate Republicans are considering massive spending cuts that include cuts to student loan programs and to the enforcement of child support programs across state lines. At the same time, these same Republicans are refusing to put a moratorium on President Bush's tax cuts. 'Ouch' for the little guy.... Thu, 27 Oct 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#293 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#294 Ben Bernake, who in the past has made claims that the US government can print as much money as it wants with impunity, could actually worsen the US economic situation by playing into the high-spending-high-debt policies of George Bush.... Thu, 27 Oct 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#294 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#295 President Bush appears to be bowing to political pressure from his own party and is reinstating the Davis-Bacon Act as of Nov. 8. Bush suspended the Act, which requires government contractors to pay the prevailing wage in a region, after Katrina.... Wed, 26 Oct 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#295 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#296 President Bush has picked advisor Ben Bernanke to succeed Alan Greenspan as head of the private Federal Reserve Bank. Bernanke is not expected to greatly change the course of the Fed.... Tue, 25 Oct 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#296 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#297 The House approved sending a gun manufacturer shield law to the President. Bush has indicated that he will approve the bill designed to prevent wrongful death lawsuits against gun companies.... Thu, 20 Oct 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#297 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#298 The Bush administration is renewing calls for a guest worker plan, part of the administrations plans to homogenize North America. The plan will contribute to falling real-dollar-value wages in the US.... Tue, 18 Oct 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#298 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#299 Poor families in rural Texas can't affort health insurance or clothes, but can afford high-sugar, high-fat fast foods. A generation of Texas children is suffering from obesity and related health problems as a result.... Mon, 10 Oct 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#299 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#300 The Senate passed an ammendment to a military appropriations bill on a vote of 90-9 that would require that all foreign prisoners held by the US be subject to the same treatment demanded in the US Army manual. The White House has strongly opposed the measure.... Thu, 06 Oct 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#300 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#301 Republicans in Congress are contemplating cuts to foodstamp and conservation programs to help pay for the hurricane Katrina recovery effort. Democrats and some moderate Republicans are fighting the cuts.... Thu, 06 Oct 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#301 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#302 Hurricane Rita damaged a significant number of oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, halting a majority of the oil and gas production in the region. According to a separate NPR quote this morning, Norton stated that this may be a good opportunity to explore other sources of oil and gas. Think ANWR. How about other sources of energy?... Wed, 05 Oct 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy10-05.html#302 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-05.html#303 Former Reagan Secretary of Education William Bennett suggested on his radio program that if every black baby in the country were aborted, that the crime rate would go down. While his remarks were meant to illustrated the difficulty of attempting to link abortion and crime rates, they were still unnecessarily inflammatory.... Fri, 30 Sep 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-05.html#303 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-05.html#304 Judge John G. Roberts was approved today by a 78-22 vote in the US Senate to become the next US Supreme Court Chief Justice. Roberts becomes one of the youngest Chief Justices in American history.... Thu, 29 Sep 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-05.html#304 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-05.html#305 Ignoring the separation of church and state, plus the fact that churches are tax-exempt organizations, FEMA is planning to offer reimbursement money to churches that participated in the Katrina and Rita cleanup efforts.... Wed, 28 Sep 2005 00:00:00 MST http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-05.html#305 US domestic-policy http://www.fight-the-right.org/domestic-policy9-05.html#306 Controversial FDA Commissioner Lester Crawford has abruptly resigned from his post. Crawford had a brief but stormy tenure as Commissioner, including an