Michele Bachmann's Constitutional Classes: Spring Training for the Minor Leagues?

Guest Post By Nomadic Joe

Normally when a Republic as great as the United States elects a citizen to a high office, the public expects that person to be politically "fully-developed." Naturally we don't expect to have to give classes to teach them what they should already be familiar with, such as, for example, the laws of the land or the basic principles upon which that republic was founded, namely the Constitution. And we certainly don't expect the American taxpayers to foot the bill for these remedial classes. Yet, apparently Rep. Michele Bachmann thinks that new members of Congress - read, Tea Party members - need some indoctrination into the the extreme far right's world view.

In an interview with Lou Dobbs, Bachmann outlined the concept in sporting terms:

Dobbs: You've got a terrific idea that you're going to implement with the new Congress: a course on the Constitution for incoming Congressmen and women. Tell us about that.
Bachmann: We're going to do what the NFL does and what the baseball teams do: we're going to practice every week, if you will, our craft, which is studying and learning the Declaration, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Justice Scalia has graciously agreed to kick off our class. The hour before we cast our first vote in congress, we'll meet in the Capitol, we'll have a seminar on some segment of the Constitution, we'll have a speaker, we'll have questions and answers, we'll wrap our minds around this magnificent document [and] that'll set the tone for the week while we're in Washington.

Watch:

“Every week the hour before we take our first votes, we have our weekly class so that we are reminded of our constitutional jurisdictional limits,” Bachmann told Glenn Beck in a recent radio interview.

Sergio Gor, a spokesman for Bachmann, explained:"It was something she’s always wanted to do. There’s so many folks that come to Capitol Hill to discuss obscure and mundane topics, but no one coming regularly to discuss bill of rights or the role of government.”

Although Bachmann doesn't plan on teaching the class, Gor added, she will organize sessions with constitutional scholars, experts, and judges likely to be held in one of the committee rooms on the Capitol Hill complex. According to a report by Politico in October 2010, Gor explained that the classes will be open to any members — not just freshman — looking to continue their study of America’s founding documents. They will not be open, however, to staff or members of the press, and the list of speakers won’t be made public.

However his statement, like so much about the Tea Party, is misleading. Both the topics being discussed and the speakers who have reportedly been asked to lecture are much more specific than Gor's statement suggests.

Even the way the opening seminar with Justice Scalia was conducted is questionable and shadowy. Take a look at this telephone conversation between a Daily Kos reporter and a staffer at Bachmann office, which was published on January 24, 2011:

REC: No, it is a seminar.
ME: Then, why is it closed to the public. I thought the only time a Caucus was "closed" was when the members were deciding on "policy."
REC: Justice Scalia is not speaking to the Tea Party Caucus. Justice Scalia is speaking to all members of Congress.
ME: Then why is it "closed" to the public.
REC: For security reasons.
ME: Where is the meeting being held?
REC: In the Capitol building
ME: Did they close the Capitol Building to the public today?
REC: No.
ME: Then Scalia's Seminar is not closed due to security reasons at all. Otherwise they would have cleared the Capitol.
REC: It is "closed" because it is a Congressional Constitutional Seminar.
ME: The only "Closed Door" Seminars I have attended are only "Closed" because the group hosting the event wants to make sure they get paid - so they can pay the Seminar Speaker. Since you are telling me Scalia is not getting paid there is no reason to "close" this seminar off from the public.
REC: It is closed because there was not enough room to handle the press.
ME: You told me that the Seminar was open to all 535 members of Congress. CNN is reporting that only 40 people showed up. That means there is PLENTY of empty seats for the press. So, who made the decision to have a "Closed Door" Seminar and why was that decision made.
REC: Members of Congress have 'closed door' meetings all the time.
ME: Is this a "meeting" or a "seminar."
REC: It is a Constitutional Seminar.

Influence and Conflicts

When certain members of the Supreme Court are allowed to give policy advice behind closed doors to selected members of Congress, it is time to start asking questions about ethics and impartiality of their rulings.

Issues of judicial ethics have already been raised regarding Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas, two of the more conservative members of the bench, attendance at seminars sponsored by the energy giant and Tea Party bank-roller Koch Industries. While there is nothing unusual about Supreme Court Justices attending seminars, the Koch event seems to have been more political than the usual fare. In its own invitation, it was described as a "twice a year" gathering "to review strategies for combating the multitude of public policies that threaten to destroy America as we know it." I think it is safe to assume this would be liberal policies.

"I think it is very important for judges to be part of the real world and to appear in public for educative purposes to help explain the arcane mysteries of the court to the general public," said William G. Ross, a judicial ethics professor at Samford University's Cumberland School of Law. "That is very healthy and I don't think that judges should isolate themselves in a marble palace... However I am very troubled by the tendency of judges to make broader comments on public issues and to appear in public or private gatherings in which there are political overtones."

A reform group called Common Cause requested that the Department of Justice investigate possible conflicts of interest regarding their appearance at Koch brother's retreats at the very time the court was deliberating a case which would allow corporation to spend unlimited amounts of money on federal elections (Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission).

So, the question boils down to: Is there any real evidence that judicial decision were affected or influenced by Koch? Nothing concrete. However there is circumstantial evidence.

In the dissenting opinion of the Supreme Court by Justice Stevens, it was noted that the decision of the court over-reached the original case brought before it and so claimed that the majority "changed the case to give themselves an opportunity to change the law." Stevens concluded his dissent with: Basically a case of opportunism.

Justice Thomas, the other Koch retreat attendee, would have preferred to go even further. In order to protect the anonymity of corporations that contributed financially - an exercise of their free speech according this ruling - Thomas argued that making contributor lists public makes the contributors vulnerable to retaliation, citing instances of retaliation against contributors to both sides of a then recent California voter initiative. Thomas also expressed concern that such retaliation could extend to retaliation by elected officials.

In any case, whether or not there was any corporate influence in this historic - some say disastrous - court decision, the appearance of a conflict of interest undermines the impartiality of the court and therefore the Justices should have recused themselves from the case.

Beyond the question of Koch and its influence, Justice Thomas is facing, separate ethical questions regarding his wife's lobbying efforts on behalf of the Tea Party. According to a New York Times article, Mrs. Thomas is the founder and head of a new nonprofit group, "Liberty Central", dedicated to opposing what she characterizes as the leftist “tyranny” of President Obama and Democrats in Congress and to “protecting the core founding principles” of the nation.

Guest Speaker Barton

The list of seminar speakers is a tightly held secret but rumor has it that Bachmann intends to invite another member of the Supreme Court bench, Chief Justice John Roberts, Beyond Supreme Court Justices, Bachmann has also supposedly made plans to court a variety of other conservative stars, such as 9/11 "truther" and judge, Andrew Napolitano, Fox News personality Sean Hannity, and controversial Evangelical and separation-of-church-and-state denier David Barton to teach the "bipartisan" classes, AOL News reported last month.

The mention of David Barton should raise a lot of eyebrows from those in the know. Think Glenn Beck on steroids and that, believe it or not, is a charitable, a kind view of this character. David is a controversial figure whose ideas about the constitution and the founding fathers have drawn sharp criticism from both the religious and secular communities.

Bachmann and Barton, who have worked together for many years, have a long relationship going back to Bachmann’s time as state senator. Barton was invited to Minnesota to help Bachmann with legislation on school history standards, she’s appeared his radio show numerous times and she and Barton have conducted tours in Washington, D.C., to demonstrate to tea partiers how religious the Founding Fathers were.

Barton came to Minnesota in 2005 to help Bachmann shape the state’s “history standards.” Bachmann wanted to make sure that references to religion in historical documents were taught in Minnesota’s public schools. Barton came to the Minnesota Senate to give a presentation at Bachmann’s invitation.

The statements Barton has made in the past are certainly not the kind of remarks that bring either honor or information to the halls of Congress. For example, he has stated in all seriousness that the government should regulate homosexuality (if you don't believe me, please check this link).

According to the Anti-Defamation League, David Barton, a self-described historian promoted by Fox News' Glenn Beck, has twice spoken to groups affiliated with the racist and anti-Semitic Christian Identity movement. Beck himself has promoted the work and ideas of anti-Semites.

Also, the details of the charge do not paint a pretty portrait of Barton. In 1991 Barton addressed the Rocky Mountain Bible Retreat of Pastor Pete Peters' Scriptures for America, a group that espouses the racist "Christian Identity" theology. Advocates of this bizarre dogma insist that white Anglo-Saxons are the "true" chosen people of the Bible and charge that today's Jews are usurpers. Aside from being a virulent anti-Semite, Peters has advocated the death penalty for homosexuals. According to the Anti-Defamation League, other speakers at the event included white supremacist leader and 1992 presidential candidate James "Bo" Gritz, a leader of the radical and increasingly violent militia movement, and Malcolm Ross, a Holocaust denier from Canada. In November of that same year, Barton spoke at Kingdom Covenant College in Grants Pass, Oregon, another "Christian Identity" front group with ties to Peters.

In the recent past, he has stated his belief that United States borders were drawn by God, thereby condemning illegal immigration as a sin against God.

“God’s the one who drew up the lines for the nations, so to say open borders is to say, ‘God, you goofed it all up and when you had borders, you shouldn’t have done it,’” he said recently on his radio program. “And so, from a Christian standpoint, you cannot do that. God’s the one who establishes the boundaries of nations.”

Barton's brand of revisionist history has come under intense criticism and he penchant for using unverified quotes from the founding fathers are used to support his idea that Constitution calls for the United States to be a Christian nation.

Kyle Mantyla, senior fellow with People For the American Way, told the Minnesota Independent:

That Rep. Bachmann would possibly tap someone like David Barton to teach this class is in no way surprising, since Bachmann clearly has no desire to gain a true understanding of the Constitution and is looking instead for an opportunity to pass off right-wing propaganda as scholarship. As such Barton is the perfect teacher for her effort. In fact, only Bachmann would considering having a class on the Constitution taught by a man whose academic credentials consist entirely of a B.A. from Oral Roberts University and an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Pensacola Christian College.

Former Republican Senator Arlen Specter wrote in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy that Barton’s “pseudo-scholarship would hardly be worth discussing, let alone disproving, were it not for the fact that it is taken so very seriously by so many people.”

Tell it to the Newts of this world, Mr. Specter. At a Heritage Foundation speech pushing a school prayer amendment held on October 5, 1995, Newt Gingrich, who considers himself an historian and fancies himself a potential Republican candidate for president in 2012, praised Barton's books, calling them "most useful" and "wonderful."

Looking over Bachmann's list of speakers, who can hardly be considered experts, one wonders how much of this Bachmann-styled education is really just a form of Neo-Con brainwashing for the fresh faces of Washington.

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Suppression and intimidation of the media: It’s not just Egypt

By Blueberry Tart

AP photographer Khalil Hamra is injured in Tahrir Square on Thursday. (AP Photo/Mohammed Abed from cpj.org)

Egypt is fast becoming one of the world’s most visibly barbaric examples of suppression and intimidation of journalists who are trying to provide on-the-scene reports of a popular uprising to the watching world. The Egyptian police’s Gestapo-like tactics in trying to silence the press is also a warning to us all about the threat to democracy when freedom of the press is lost or compromised.

Here is a report from the Committee to Protect Journalists on what is going on in Egypt to silence the media.

“Journalists in Cairo faced assaults, detentions, and threats again today as supporters of President Hosni Mubarak continued their efforts to obstruct news coverage of protests demanding the Egyptian leader's ouster. While the extent of attacks lessened after a peak on Thursday, ongoing anti-press activities remain at an alarming level that must be halted, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In addition, a journalist shot a week ago while filming a demonstration died today, a state newspaper reported…

Just in the last 24 hours, CPJ documented another 10 anti-press assaults, eight detentions, two attacks on newsrooms, and the hacking of a major news website. In all, CPJ has documented at least 101 direct attacks on journalists and news facilities this week, and it's investigating numerous other reports.”

The BBC also showed scenes of its reporters being mobbed and threatened, as did CNN’s Anderson Cooper, who also wrote this:

“…we would like to be showing you pictures, live pictures, of what's happening in Liberation Square right now, but we can't do that because our cameras have systematically been taken down through threats, through intimidation, through actual physical attacks…

I don't mind telling you I am a little bit scared, because we frankly don't really know what the next few hours will hold. And I think there's a lot of people who are scared tonight in Egypt."

These tactics, combined with the internet kill switch described in Kathleen’s earlier post, are the Egyptian government’s desperate and brutal attempt to keep the whole world from watching. Thankfully, they are failing. Images of what is going on are still getting out and being broadcast around the world; this is critical. The world’s outrage against the regime’s brutality is palpable. This ability to bear witness and to gain public attention is a key element of the non-violent resistance campaigns used so successfully to overcome injustices by Mahatma Gandhi, Rev. King and others. Whether it will be enough to effect reform in Egypt in the near term remains to be seen, but without the world’s witness, I think it is obvious that repression of the protests would be even more brutal and successful protest more unlikely.

These brutal tactics against journalists are becoming the norm during popular uprisings against violent regimes, and also in cases where journalists dare to delve into the underbelly of corrupt societies. They usually don't garner so much attention. Veronica Guerin in Ireland and Anna Stepanovna Politkovskay in Russia are two cases of reporters who tackled corruption and paid with their lives, and whose stories were reported internationally; but the International Federation of Journalists has documented 300 murders and disappearances of journalists in Russia alone since the early 1990s.

These images also caused me to think about erosion of freedom of the press in the United States. Remember the shocking incident last fall, when an editor for the Alaska Dispatch was forcefully detained by Joe Miller’s security goons? Rarely is intimidation here quite so brazen and overtly threatening, but it is nevertheless growing as a successful tactic to stifle full and honest reporting of the facts. Subtle intimidation is more pervasive, and probably more effective (we saw that Joe Miller’s bullying tactics backfired). As we have seen more frequently, the American media has fallen victim to another method of being silenced: the propagandizing of the right-wing controlled media, combined with the intimidation of mainstream media outlets that are too cowed to fully investigate and report the truth about how policies, politicians, power and power-brokers are manipulating the public and mischaracterizing the public interest.

Nowhere is this truer than in the misinformation about going to war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the hysteria about “Obamacare” and “death panels,” and deficit-hawkish legislators voting for tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans. Yet it happens so pervasively, even on less momentous issues. Remember how Time Magazine reported for a cover story on Palin, based on emails she sent? Or how often her own statements have been reported as truth, without any corroborating evidence or even legitimate inquiry? This is how she has been “enabled.” Remember the “journolists” scandal that surfaced for a day or two, revealing that those journalists who questioned Palin’s implausible birth story were intimidated into not following up and reporting on their suspicions or the huge discrepancies in her often conflicting stories? This is more of the deliberate manipulation of the media. Instead of rifles, water cannons, handcuffs, the weapons of choice are discrediting factual reports and honest reporters, accusations of media “liberal bias,” disinformation and distractions.

The possible combination of media suppression and government control of the internet is especially chilling. The importance of the new, grassroots media, including its newest star, Politicalgates, is especially important to ensure that we can continue to provide the information the public needs to make good decisions about our collective future.

Live Blogging "Sarah Palin Remarks on Ronald Reagan"

By Ennealogic

A view of the YAF property that used to be owned and sometimes inhabited by Ronald Reagan

Our favorite former half-term Alaska governor and unsuccessful Vice Presidential candidate is speaking tonight at an event hosted by the Young America's Foundation, marking the 100th anniversary of Ronald Reagan's birth. The location where Palin will give a 'keynote address' is a ranch in Santa Barbara, CA, where Reagan, the 39th person to have been elected President, reportedly spent a total of 350 days during his two terms in office.

(The official centennial celebration, closed to the general public, begins on February 5 with the unveiling of the newly-renovated Reagan Presidential Museum, about 50 miles away in Simi Valley at Reagan's Presidential Foundation and Library.)

From YAF's Web site,

The Reagan Ranch Center in downtown Santa Barbara is a “schoolhouse for Reaganism” where young and old alike can visit and learn more about one of America's greatest presidents.

Young America's Foundation stepped in to save President Reagan's Western White House, Rancho del Cielo, in the spring of 1998 to preserve it as a living monument to Ronald Reagan to pass on Ronald Reagan's ideas to future generations. President Reagan committed himself to reaching young people with his ideas—a goal that is also central to the Foundation's mission.

I glanced at the list of staff and governors for YAF. It might be interesting at some point to look into the backgrounds of these people...

YAF proudly announces that Sarah Palin will be speaking at tonight's dinner and Dick Cheney will follow suit tomorrow night. I'm sure there are several young and not-so-young Republicans who are just all titillated about this event.

This is the first of five slides displayed on YAF's Home page today - doesn't Dick look like he just swallowed a canary?
And Sarah's image is from 2006 - I recognize it as her official Governor picture.

 ===

C-Span is live-casting the Palin speech, beginning at 11:00 PM (US Eastern) in case you want to listen in.

We'll get started in just under an hour. I'll try to update the blog every few minutes, but I have not attempted this before so have patience! Meantime, any predictions on which topic(s) the infamous word salad tosser mentions tonight will show up in tomorrow's "OMG, did she say that" stories?

---

10:00 PM - Watching the CSPAN window for signs of life.

10:07 PM - The YAF people gave Dick the honor of showing up first on that slide. Wonder if SP feels slighted, since her picture is kinda cut off and shoved to the side.

10:16 PM - There's another live stream at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/Young-Americas-Foundation and it's active now. Waiters moving around several small round dining tables, looks like they seat 4-6 each.

10:19 PM - They showed a short movie in the dining room about RR. A mash-up, lots of American flag-ish-ness in the background. People clapping for it.

10:21 PM - Aww it's off air now. Was probably just a test. CSPAN video still dark.

10:26 PM - Motivation Truth was channeling the USTREAM feed.

10:32 PM - Would be funny if there was a little earthquake.  Now that the USTREAM feed is back on, I can see the water in the goblets on the tables jiggling.  Soft floor?

10:35 PM - The wait staff are dressed alike, with badges dangling around their necks, white shirts, black aprons, black pants. The guests look quite upper class, mostly older folks.

10:42 PM - I hope the lighting gets better, it's a pretty darkened scene. There are red flowers as a centerpiece for each table. Couple little candles... looks like our view might currently include a lecturn past the tables. Occasional camera flashes go off.

10:50 PM -  CSPAN feed still off line.  Noticing that this room is far from luxurious.  Celiing is pretty low, ceiling fixtures are bland, room color is dark yellowy ochre?

10:56 PM -  This is cool.  Glad others are also watching because we'll catch more that way!  Waiters are still serving... dessert maybe?

11:00 PM - Okay, where's Sarah?  LOL I remember that bumper sticker from her gov days. The table arrangement is forcing the wait staff to pass the plates in like, a bucket brigade to get to the next table.

11:06 PM -  Looks like there's some activity near what I think is the podium (I called it a lecturn earlier). It is made of wood, has a burned in logo, and is solid in front. Can't make out the logo though.  Same image also appears tiled on the backdrop, and on the columns that define the rather small, no, very small 'stage' area.

11:08 PM - someone is on the stage... I wonder who it is? She's asking people to stay at their tables so SP can do a photo line...  she's introducing her now.

11:12 PM - She's dark haired, thin, said RR didn't talk with a teleprompter, started by saying do you remember how hard it was to be a conservative?  RR was 'villinized' by the media.  "Seemingly out of nowhere another hero emerged, a woman ... who has taken on the establishment time and time again and won! She loved her freedom more than she loved her comfort.  Stood tall for freedom even when told to sit down.  Ignored the establishment, led the largest spontaneous grass roots movement... "  Can I be sick now?

11:15 PM -  Sounds like this intro speaker has bought the 'poor Sarah' bit hook, line and sinker. She's one of those who enables and promotes SP's victimhood. "Great leader for the cause of liberty and freedom!"  Enter SP stage left. Yes, she's wearing red.

11:18 PM - Flag pin, also too. "I can't tell you how humbling this is... riding horses on trails that Ronald Reagan had cleared...building fences with his own hands... "  She's comparing the ranch with all frontiers, incl Alaska.

11:24 PM - She's equating the 1964 speech .. swamp to stars, as metaphor for socialism to freedom.  Oh, she's reading off notes, keeps looking down.

11:28 PM - Claiming that current outrage came with 'Obamacare' and American people "rose up and said enough is enough, but just a couple days ago at the SOTU,..."  Here she goes, bashing the current administration. "An exceptionally big government..."  "beaurocrats" .. "tax and spend"  ... the "stimulus only stimulated the tea party" ... cheers from the assembled.

11:29 PM - "Bullet train to bankruptcy is all we'll get"... did she really say that?? DC stymies domestic drilling.  Bad government. Big debt. "This is insane!"  *clapping*  "Investing in green jobs brought nothing but massive debt and job loss..." "This is social engineering, it is not the road to greatness, it is the road to ruin."

11:34 PM - "Government makes it increasingly impossible for anyone BUT cronies to get ahead."  I think I need a barf break.  She's saying RR was for the little guy, and by extension, herself.  "When government picks the winners, we the tax payers subsidize the failures."

11:38 PM -  Overregulation is the root of the problem.  "20 lb weights on our ankles"  "We are shackled with taxes, get big government out of the way and we will win..." "There is a fear in the air, the individual Amurican needs to fill (sic) someone cares, seek the spirit of God so we can make sound decisions..."  *more applause*  Ah, there's the 'hard work' phrase.  Drink up!

11:43 PM - She's moving heavy into the preaching now. "Our ancestors put their faith in GOD, not government!"  *more applause*  "Here are the virtues of those in uniform.."  Oh wait, she didn't mention any.  Praising the Gipper throughout, literally having a lovefest with his holy memory.  The speech is reminiscent of the cliches she used throughout the Stanislaus campus talk.  Oh my god, "Don't tread on me!"  Equating her audience with David and the government with Goliath.

11:46 PM - "last best hope" .. "a force for good, nothing to apologize for" ...  "God bless you and God bless America"  and thank god it's over.  Lots and lots of catch phrases.  Nothing of substance, per usual.

---

Phew.

Now we are going to hear the ground rules for the photo line.  No book signings.  If you came together, you have to be photographed together. Satellite room goes first. This room goes into the Atrium, take your time. Turn in your belongings and you'll get them back as soon as your picture is taken.  Then go get on the shuttle bus.

Ta da! 

“No” should always mean “No”

I’ve seen a lot of discussions in the comments about H.R. 3, sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), a bill that was trying to re-define rape to mean only "forcible" rape. I wondered why that change would even be considered, decided to look deeper into the reasons behind it, and write a post about it. Right after I finished the post, I saw the good news that the controversial provision had been dropped. From TPM:

"Report: Republicans Give Up On Redefining Rape -- After pressure from women's groups, Democratic politicians and Jon Stewart, the authors of the controversial abortion bill in the House will drop language that appeared to exempt some rape victims from seeking federal help to pay for an abortion.

Though the House bill was never really likely to become law with a Democratically-controlled Senate and a committed pro-choice president in the White House, the language regarding forcible rape had created a firestorm among pro-choice activists and politicians around the country. Even pro-life Democrats who had signed on to the bill as co-sponsors questioned the forcible rape wording, which experts said would likely change which abortions could be covered under the rape and incest exemptions in existing federal law."

Nevertheless, I want to go ahead with the post I had drafted, both to highlight why we need to keep an eye on Congress now more than ever before, and to demonstrate that speaking out DOES work.

So why was the re-definition of rape even proposed? Right now, federal dollars can only be used for abortion in cases of rape, incest, or when the woman's life is in danger. By re-defining rape to mean only cases of forcible rape, but not statutory or coerced rape, Congress can limit the number of abortions paid for with tax payer dollars.

How many abortions are granted to women who are raped and paid for with taxpayer dollars? Well, in 2006, the most recent year on record, 191.

Yes, all this fuss is over 191 abortions a year.

H.R. 3’s original language would have meant that women who were raped while drugged, given excessive amounts of alcohol, have limited mental capacity, or date raped would no longer have been officially raped. If they did not have health insurance coverage, those women would no longer have been able to go to a clinic and request federal help in paying for their abortion. (If too economically disadvantaged to pay for their own abortion, they would have been forced to have the baby of their rapist.) And keep in mind that poorer women are far more likely to be date raped. In fact, the higher income is, the lower are reported intimate violence rates.

Once I learned all this, a light bulb went off in my head. I know someone who has been there. In high school, someone very close to me was date raped. She is also a Republican (not a teabagger, but a more traditional conservative). She lives a very different life from me – 1,500 miles away, surrounded by farm land and mega churches. I wanted to know what she thinks. I immediately called and asked her if she would be willing to share her personal experience and her feelings about this provision in H.R. 3. She agreed. Below is our conversation, during which I will refer to her as “Nickels.”

Leadfoot: There is a bill in congress right now, introduced by Republican Chris Smith and supported by 173 members of the House, which includes a provision that could redefine rape, setting women's rights back by decades. Have you heard of it and what do you think?

Nickels: Yes, I have heard of it. I feel that government intervention on the issue of rape should be limited and perhaps even decided on a case-by-case basis. You cannot make a blanket definition that covers every situation.

Leadfoot: How do you feel about redefining rape to be defined as only "forcible" instances of rape?

Nickels: I think that is like redefining all cars and saying they are all “sedans” or calling every mammal a “cat.” There are multiple forms of sexual activity that occur without consent, and they do not all necessarily involve violent force.

Leadfoot: Isn’t ALL rape "forcible," by definition -- and therefore, no redefinition should be necessary?

Nickels: Yes, by definition, all rape is by force. Sexual activity without consent is, after all, forcing yourself upon someone.

Leadfoot: Do you care to share your personal experience with date rape?

Nickels: I was willingly on a date with a kid in high school and we were fooling around. But he wanted to take it too far. We were at a party where no one could hear me due to being upstairs with loud music below. He told me that if I revealed what had happened, he would deny it and tell everyone, including my parents, that I was a whore and a slut. So I was scared, and he forced himself on me, without my consent or participation.

Leadfoot: Would you have felt any more raped had the perpetrator been a complete stranger? Or if he had beaten you up?

Nickels: I may have felt more battered and abused, but I was just as “raped” as someone who is abducted and raped by a stranger. But as we know -- most abductions, kidnappings, homicides and rapes are an act of violence committed by someone WE KNOW, not a stranger. So to try to define rape as stranger-rape eliminates a very large percentage of rapes.

Leadfoot: Do you feel this bill is sexist because it is being put forth by a man?

Nickels: Possibly.

Leadfoot: You lean towards being a Republican/conservative. Would you be less likely to lean that way if this bill passes?

Nickels: Probably not. I don’t really define myself by party though, more by views on individual issues and candidates.

Leadfoot: Do you understand how Republican congresswomen could support such a law?

Nickels: I think any human who has not been exposed to the situation is not as sensitive to it. It is shameful, but it is parallel to a parent who has lost a teen in a drunk driving or texting accident. You just tend to relate less if it hasn’t happened to you.

I expressed that in my opinion, women's reproductive health care is already grossly underfunded, so we should not be making access even more difficult with more stringent laws. I also mentioned that H.R. 3 is full of other anti-choice provisions. It will raise the taxes of millions of American families who have a health plan that covers abortion, thereby also jeopardizing abortion coverage in the private market. Nickels said she hadn’t heard that part, and didn’t really have an opinion on it, but that overall, she is against H.R. 3.

With that, we ended our conversation. So what did I learn today? There are reasonable Republican women who stood with us against the re-defining rape provision. When similar issues come up in the future – we need to look at them as WOMAN issues, not Republican or Democrat issues. We need to get the word out to all of our friends, including the Republican ones, and ask them to look only at the issue at hand, and call their Congressmen and women. We need to tweet far and wide, and post them on Facebook. We need to ask for help. With enough voices, the Tea Party cannot win.


The provision in H.R. 3 was morally wrong. We stood against it. And we won.

Egypt - Christians Stand Together to Protect Muslims at Prayer.

By Kathleen

Yesterday the situation in Egypt took a menacing turn for the worse as pro Mubarak protesters took to the streets with weapons because they believe that groups such as The Muslim Brotherhood could become the ruling majority if free elections take place there. They want Mubarak to continue as their leader.

Nevertheless, a throng of anti Mubarak voices resolutely persists in calling for Mubarak to step down immediately. They do so although Mubarak promised that he would not put himself up for elections in September – many do not trust him to keep that promise. They say that he has broken many promises in the past so why should he change now?

The Mail online reported yesterday that more than 1,500 people were wounded in the violent clashes which included Mubarak supporters on “horses and camels wielding whips, bars and sticks” against anti Mubarak protestors in Tahrir Square, Cairo. Reports estimate that five people were killed.

One victim of the attacks was CNN reporter Anderson Cooper who, together with his crew, was beaten by pro Mubarak demonstrators who also tried to take Cooper's videographer's camera from him. In an article at the Hollywood Reporter Cooper claimed:

"It was chaotic. I've been in riots and melees before, but this is the first time that I've been in a situation that escalated to a level where we really had no control. Many people in the crowd came for a fight and that's what they have."

Additionally, Christiane Amanpour for ABC News and an ABC crew were also confronted by pro Mubarak demonstrators. The crowd told them to turn back and when they did their car was stoned resulting in a cracked windscreen which shattered glass all over the driver. Amanpour stated that she and her crew felt menaced.

There are further stories of reporters being intimidated by soldiers, pro Mubarak supporters and plain clothed agents here.

In response to yesterday's events The White House advised Mubarak to begin preparations for democratic elections “now”. Robert Gibbs, the White House Press Secretary, revealed that President Obama "found the images" of the violence today in Cairo "outrageous and deplorable" and that the only solution that would satisfy the people of Egypt is that "transition must begin now". By stating these concerns President Obama appears to believe that this is an uprising by the people and not that of one particular sect. A true revolution of the people.

My concern is that such revolutions can be hijacked and idealism soon squandered. My hope is that the Egyptian people will be triumphant.

There can be little doubt that many Egyptians want their freedom and they want it now. In Cairo a young woman has been covering the events via twitter. Her name is Nevine Zaki and she twitters regular updates about the uprising from her perspective.

Yesterday at the height of the violence Nevine sent the following message via twitter:


@NevineZaki

"When I despair, I remember that throughout history, truth and love have always won" - Gandhi

Earlier Nevine was present when Christians formed a human chain to protect Muslims at prayer from the military forces and she took the following photos. They deserve to be seen by as many people as possible. I believe that this is one of the real stories of the Egyptian uprising. There is joy and determination in these photos.







Here is the link to Nevine's yfrog account which contains more photos from the protests. Please be warned that some of them are NSFW as they are of a more sensitive nature than the ones I have published here with Nevine's kind permission.

Nevine's quotation from Ghandi is appropriate, however, it would be remiss of me to leave the quotation unfinished.

"There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall - think of it, always."

The protests in Egypt are not about religion. They are about democracy and respect and an end to unjust rule.

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UPDATE

Horreyah!

I want to add the following video to the post because it beautifully expresses the will of the people. The music accompanying the video is "One Million Miles Away" by Joshua Ralph

Hat tip for the link to Nevine's photos to reader mmboucher.

Bradley Manning: Tragic Hero or Shameful Traitor?

By Ennealogic

(I decided to dive right in with a post about a political issue that nags at my conscience and gives rise to questions about justice, fairness, decency and honesty in our country. I hope all the Po'gaters don't mind my skipping a personal introduction! For those who don't know me, here's where I've blogged since 2003.)

You'll find two distinct camps when the discussion turns to Bradley Manning. On one side, this young Army intelligence analyst was simply following his conscience and did what he felt he must to increase global awareness about the usually hidden, ugly side of war. On the other, this misguided and even contemptible miscreant abused his access to military and diplomatic secrets and deserves to be scorned and imprisoned for life, if not put to death first. (Given Sarah Palin's Facebook post stating that Julian Assange should be "pursued with the same urgency we pursue al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders," I think I can guess which camp she would fall into here.)

Who Is Bradley Manning?

Wikipedia has a relatively comprehensive page on PFC Manning that tells us he was charged with unauthorized disclosure of classified information in June, 2010, and that he has since been held in a maximum security brig at Quantico, Virginia. His pre-trial hearing isn't expected to take place until May, 2011, a very long eleven months—due to the unusually harsh constraints of his confinement—since he was first put into the brig.

He's 23 years old, slight of build, and an adept when it comes to computers and information security. Born in Oklahoma to a US Navy father and a Welsh mother, he has joint citizenship with both US and UK. We don’t know very much about him yet. He was just another faceless troop in the Army, until the day someone he trusted turned him in to authorities. He has not been given a chance to talk to us since.

However, a convicted hacker named Adrian Lamo initially gave copies of chat logs—the same evidence Lamo presented to authorities that resulted in Manning’s arrest and detention—to Kevin Poulson of Wired magazine who informs us that Wired printed about a quarter of what they received, and offers various rationalizations for withholding the rest. (This has prompted speculation that we aren't getting the whole story, triggering calls for the entire set of chat files to be released.)

If I accept that the incomplete logs are genuine, though, a picture of Manning does begin to take focus. Here's an excerpt (please take a look at Firedoglake's compilation when you can):

(02:35:46 PM) Manning: was watching 15 detainees taken by the Iraqi Federal Police… for printing “anti-Iraqi literature”… the iraqi federal police wouldn’t cooperate with US forces, so i was instructed to investigate the matter, find out who the “bad guys” were, and how significant this was for the FPs… it turned out, they had printed a scholarly critique against PM Maliki… i had an interpreter read it for me… and when i found out that it was a benign political critique titled “Where did the money go?” and following the corruption trail within the PM’s cabinet… i immediately took that information and *ran* to the officer to explain what was going on… he didn’t want to hear any of it… he told me to shut up and explain how we could assist the FPs in finding *MORE* detainees…
(02:36:27 PM) Manning: everything started slipping after that… i saw things differently
(02:37:37 PM) Manning: i had always questioned the things worked, and investigated to find the truth… but that was a point where i was a *part* of something… i was actively involved in something that i was completely against…

As an intelligence analyst, Manning would certainly be in a position to access all kinds of reports and data coming in from our war zones. He would be expected to pick through the details and alert officers in his chain of command with his findings. I can only imagine his frustration when he brought reports of events he believed to be terribly wrong to the attention of his superiors, only to be brushed aside and ignored.

An interesting side note is that Manning might have been about to be discharged under ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.’ When Manning was attending school in the UK, he apparently revealed to his classmates that he was gay. The image above, from his Facebook page, shows him wearing a rainbow wristband and displaying a poster calling for equality 'on the battlefield.' Based on his chats with Lamo, Manning’s discharge was going to say he had an 'adjustment disorder.' Would an earlier repeal of DADT and official acceptance of gays in the military have changed Manning’s state of mind and his future actions? Hard to know.

Who is Adrian Lamo?

Adrian Lamo is called a 'grey hat' hacker (not white but not black either) in the opening paragraph on his Wikipedia page. Convicted in 2004 for electronically breaking into The New York Times, Microsoft, Yahoo and MCI in 2002, Adrian Lamo served 6 months' detention at his parent’s home and was subject to 2 years probation. (More on Lamo's crimes here.)

I can't help but contrast Lamo's case with that of David Kernell, the college student who guessed the answers to Sarah Palin's secret questions protecting her Yahoo e-mail account; Kernell is currently serving one year plus one day in prison, followed by a 3-year supervised release.

From Wikipedia,

On May 21, 2010, Manning is alleged to have gone online to chat with Adrian Lamo, a former hacker. Lamo had been profiled the day before by Kevin Poulsen in Wired magazine, after being hospitalized and diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. According to The Washington Post, Manning subsequently e-mailed Lamo, introducing himself as "an army intelligence analyst, deployed to eastern baghdad, pending discharge for 'adjustment disorder.'"

In June 2010, Adrian Lamo reported to U.S. Army authorities that Specialist Bradley Manning had leaked classified information to him. Lamo also stated that Manning confessed to leaking the video footage of the July 12, 2007 Baghdad airstrike incident in Iraq to Wikileaks. Lamo has alleged that Manning leaked tens of thousands of pages of classified U.S. government data and diplomatic cables to Wikileaks.

Glenn Greenwald of Salon has been outspoken about this story, and in particular, about Manning's treatment at the brig in Quantico, a topic I hope to discuss in a future post. Greenwald has this to say about Lamo and his relationship to the Wired editor, Poulsen:

Lamo is notorious in the world of hacking for being a low-level, inconsequential hacker with an insatiable need for self-promotion and media attention, and for the past decade, it has been Poulsen who satisfies that need.

It is likely that Manning reached out to Lamo due to his notoriety as a hacker, and possibly because of Lamo's diagnosis that was highlighted by the story in Wired. What followed was several days' worth of online chats where Lamo seems at times to be soliciting information from Manning, drawing him in and getting him to reveal more.

In spite of Wikipedia lore maintaining that Lamo supports Wikileaks, he claims to have acted in order to protect national security by turning over his chat logs to authorities. "I wouldn’t have done this if lives weren’t in danger... [Manning] was in a war zone and basically trying to vacuum up as much classified information as he could, and just throwing it up into the air."

What Does it Mean to Be a Patriot?

Whistleblowers find it very difficult to go against the status quo. There's social isolation, loss of status and employment, and in some cases, negative legal consequences. If the whistleblower is also a member of the US Military, negative consequences can mean imprisonment and even torturous detention. "Don’t rock the boat," as the saying goes, is a prevalent mindset—and for a good reason.

---

This is part one of my post. In part two I want to explore what has and is happening to Bradley Manning, what his future may hold, and what impact his case has on other potential contributors to Wikileaks.

If you are interested, one of Bradley Manning's support networks has organized a National White House Call-in Day for tomorrow—Thursday, February 3.

Your comments and ideas are always welcome. Please send e-mail to Ennealogicpoliticalgates@gmail.com. (Boy, that's a mouthful, isn't it?)

Koch Brothers and friends meet at luxurious resort in California and need riot police to protect them from protestors armed with slogans

By Patrick

The Koch Brothers, who recently have been exposed of being one of the main financial backers of the Tea Party movement, are in the headlines again. They had another of their "secret meetings" last Sunday at a luxury resort in California. The content of such "top secret" meetings of the Koch Brothers are "not so secret" any more after a few months ago explosive documents from previous "secret meetings" were leaked - proving beyond any doubt that the billionaire Koch Brothers use their vast resources to achieve a libertarian corporate domination in American politics. It became apparent that one of their main goals is to get rid of environmental regulations, using "Americans for Prosperity" as their "propaganda teams."

Watch the Koch Brothers gloating over their success in funding the Tea Party movement earlier in 2010:



It was revealed that not only several mainstream journalists, but also for example the Supreme Court justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas have also secretly taken part in previous Koch Brothers secret meetings as well.

This in itself is not enough to start a revolution, but many people woke up after these recent revelations - they are not silent any more. Curiously it seems that the law enforcement authorities regard peaceful protestors as a real threat, and apparently expected the protestors to storm the "Rancho Las Palmas Resort" just like the angry citizens of France once stormed the Bastille. The law enforcers were out in force on Sunday.

Riot police were on the scene, and 25 protestors were arrested, out of at least 1000 - for "trespassing." David Dayen wrote on Firedoglake about the protests on Sunday:

The Koch Brothers, billionaires who have generously funded conservative and libertarian causes for over a generation – including the Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute, and tea party groups like Americans for Prosperity – put together an annual meeting, typically held in the California desert, with fellow corporate CEOs and conservative operatives, to plan the year ahead. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Herman Cain were reputed to attend the gathering at the sprawling Rancho Las Palmas resort. The Kochs bought out the entire resort for Saturday and Sunday. Some activists who stayed at the resort Friday night and booked dinners at their restaurants on Saturday had their reservations canceled by the resort, and were given $150 each for their trouble.

Common Cause organized the protest weeks ago, and set up a stage in the parking lot across the street from the Rancho Las Palmas resort. But from the beginning, activists were far more interested in the resort site, and they massed themselves across the street and then eventually in the driveway of the resort. The police, in their riot gear, came out very early to guard the resort, only letting in authorized personnel. Hotel guests, presumably attendees to the Koch Brothers meeting, looked on, holding smart phone cameras and taking pictures of the display. In addition, conservative provocateur Andrew Breitbart, resplendent in shorts and roller skates, mulled around the crowd with a couple lackeys and a small video camera, talking to (and arguing with) attendees. I asked Breitbart exactly who necessitated the riot police, the lady with the papier-maché puppet or the Code Pink lady’s umbrella, and he claimed to have seen unspecified “internal emails” proving the potential for violence and the need for security. Surely that will come out in the next few days. I didn’t want to keep him from his workout, so I wrapped up the interview.

Here is a news report about the meeting:



Politicalgates was very lucky, because our reader Kasha Knish was "at the scene" on Sunday as well!

Kasha Knish made lots of pictures for politicalgates and also wrote a report. Therefore we have the chance to get a much better impression of what happened; we are always very grateful when our readers take the initative!

Kasha Knish left before the arrests happened, but nevertheless managed to take great pictures and also sent us a very detailed report.

All the following pictures were taken by Kasha Knish (click to enlarge).

SUMMARY - By Kasha Knish

Several weeks ago I became aware of the “Secretive Billionaire’s Caucus” (Koch Brothers) that was to be held in my area. At the time I did not realize that this was to be 8th time this gathering has occurred only miles from my home. (Thank you, Caligirl!)

So, it was that I found myself leaving my home early on Sunday morning to begin a political adventure of sorts.

I decided to record this experience for posterity and Politicalgates, of course… along the way I met some very nice people…had my camera battery die (aren’t cell phone cameras a great back-up?) …and ultimately realized that sending photos without context would not really work well. So, along with the photos I have now penned (well, typed out) my experience.

Here we go….

It was 9:29 a.m. when I passed the Rancho Las Palmas Resort in Rancho Mirage which is where the Koch Caucus was being held. Two sheriffs’ officers were already ensconced across the street at the resort. The resort is located across the street from The River (an upscale outdoor shopping area).

Later in the day the parking area of The River was to be used for a protest rally, music, entertainment, personal testimonies, etc. I suppose the yellow caution tape everywhere provided a clue that something was up.

Ultimately, I found myself going to the theatre at The River. This is where the program prior to the rally was going to be held.

Before going in I decided to take a photo of “the river” at The River (it is actually man-made and very small), but was told by a security guard that photos of the common areas were not allowed unless a person was in the photo. Really? I thought it odd, but just continued on into theatre.

As soon as I entered the lobby, I spotted a group of people with signs. Yeah! Finally, signs. We chatted a bit. I told them what had just happened and asked if they would come outside, so, I could take a photo of them.

I just couldn’t resist telling the security guard that I found some people as they held their signs high for several photos. (grin)


Folks began arriving about the time I did – some had come as a group via bus. As we entered one of the theatres, we were given a Common Cause T-shirt and some information on Common Cause. Slowly, the theatre seats began filling up.

The front row seats were being saved for media. At one point, I explained that I was taking photos for a blog and asked if I would be considered media. She answered in the affirmative, but I had just been curious.

In the course of the brief conversation, I told her about the blog(s) and she said she was familiar with the site due to information on Trig.

The program began, but I had taken so many photos at that point that I decided to go home to send them off to Patrick/Kathleen.

My adventure continued about an hour later… By this time all the folks were at the cordoned off area and things got a bit more interesting.

The first thing I heard when I got out of my car was a helicopter. I don’t know if it was law enforcement or perhaps, a news station. Most likely law enforcement, though, as it circled in a continuous loop the entire time I was there.

It was a very pleasant and mellow crowd although those seeing photos might wonder when they see the large police presence.

Folks stood at The River facing the Las Palmas Resort – both locations are on Bob Hope Drive.

Lots of people beeped their car horns in support of the protestors. I was a bit surprised. This is a somewhat conservative area - most likely why the meeting has been held here in the first place.

At one point protestors began to cross the street in large groups, but continued to follow traffic rules. I noticed that more officers were now across the street and they had their truncheons out and ready.

A Sheriff’s bus appeared behind the wall of the resort and disappeared. Hmmm, was this to transport the officers or perhaps, protestors or maybe both??? Who knows…. All the while the helicopter circled above.


I must admit although all was calm, I did think, briefly, of Tucson when I found myself next to two sweet little girls and their parents.

It was about this time that my camera battery went dead and I began to go back to my car in defeat. But, all of a sudden I remembered that my cell phone had a camera on it.

A few more photos were taken with my cell phone, but all of a sudden I noticed the sky looking quite ominous.

At that point, I decided to come home and download the new photos.

Thus, ends my political adventure…the sun has set and all is well…

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