If this facility is so secret that the name cannot even be seen by the public, then why in the world would the Obama administration allow filmmakers to tour it?
“
| — |
Representative Peter King • Expressing his dismay over news that director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal were given access to Seal Team Six and information about the death of Osama bin Laden for their upcoming movie Zero Dark Thirty. Information which the Obama Administration has steadfastly defended from Freedom of Information Act inquiries, Congressional committees, and anyone else not involved in making movies about war-zones. Oh, and they received a tour of the complex that Seal Team Six used to prepare for the operation. You know, nothing special. source (via • follow)
|
It’s a lot like a talking circle. Everybody gets a chance to talk without interruption. It’s done in a respectful way. It’s confidential.
“
| — |
Oglala Sioux tribe Attorney General Rae Ann Red Owl • Discussing the South Dakota tribe’s unusual method of sentencing people convicted of crimes in the community. In the sentencing circle, people involved in the case — including prosecutors, police, victims, relatives and others with an interest in the suspect’s punishment — get to talk about their issues with the case, allowing the offender to get a punishment tailored to their specific situation. It takes time (the first test case, which originated in Family and Child Court, started in February) and some worry about the surfacing victims’ dark memories, but Red Owl hopes that the sentencing method better holds community members accountable and encourages a form of justice that helps the community at large. A very fascinating test. (via shortformblog)
|
shortformblog:
Here’s the video of President Obama confirming his support for same-sex marriage.
Virginia election poll, which shows Obama ahead, has one crazy stat:
shortformblog:
- 97% of blacks in Virginia plan to vote for Obama source
» That’s compared to 1 percent for Romney: While that stat (from a Washington Post poll) doesn’t say everything about the election, the lopsidedness of this one stat is pretty stunning. Overall in the state, Obama is ahead of Romney 51 percent to 44 percent, with the president leading among independents, women and younger voters, and Romney leading among whites and men. (hat tip to The Fix)
Follow ShortFormBlog • Find us on Twitter & Facebook
shortformblog:
In which the WaPo’s opinion section isn’t afraid of pinning the blame for Congress’ ongoing gridlock. Note that this article, by Brookings’ Thomas E. Mann and the American Enterprise Institute Norman J. Ornstein, has 5,000+ comments.
The American people expect their Government to enhance security without undermining their privacy and civil liberties. Without clear legal protections and independent oversight, information sharing legislation will undermine the public’s trust in the Government as well as in the Internet by undermining fundamental privacy, confidentiality, civil liberties, and consumer protections.
“
| — |
A statement from The White House • Which included specific reasoning as to why President Obama does not support Congress’ newest efforts to regulate the internet. The President believes the legislation, called CIPSA, is too far-reaching, does not include adequate limitations on the transference of personal information between private companies and the government, and unfairly shields companies from lawsuits pertaining to possible misuse of consumers’ private data. “The Administration looks forward to continuing to engage with the Congress in a bipartisan, bicameral fashion to enact cybersecurity legislation to address these critical issues,” said the White House, continuing, “however, for the reasons stated herein, if H.R. 3523 were presented to the President, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.” source (via • follow)
|
Bones: I just really don't see how Obama can lose this election. He might as well be running unopposed.
Hal: Maybe if he died.
Hal: ...No. No I'd still vote for a dead man first.
Bones: I'd totally vote Zombama into office.
We could call it the Reagan Rule instead of the Buffett Rule. I’m not the first president to call for this idea that everyone has to do their fair share.
“
| — |
President Barack Obama • During a speech before a group of executives at the White House, the second pitch he’s made for the policy in as many days. The President said he agreed with critics who claim the policy doesn’t put a large enough dent in our debt, saying that the absence of a complete fix was not an excuse for inaction, and that it would be “something that will get us moving in the right direction.” Obama also took aim at Republican opposition, saying, “If Republicans in Congress were truly concerned with deficits and debt, then I’m assuming they wouldn’t have just proposed to spend an additional $4.6 trillion on lower tax rates….for every millionaire in America.”source (via • follow)
|
