Some people in Oklahoma are either able to predict the future or they’re just anti-Muslim bigots. A measure on the ballot next week in the state will ask voters whether they want to pass, no joke, a constitutional amendment outlawing Sharia, or Islamic law. Surprisingly enough, Oklahoma is not an epicenter of Muslim activity with only 15,000 followers of Islam living within the state’s oddly shaped borders. And no, there is no knowledge of a single example of Sharia law in the great state of Oklahoma. —JCL Los Angeles Times: As the country grapples with its worst economic downturn in decades and persistent unemployment, voters in Oklahoma next week will take up another issue — whether they should pass a constitutional amendment outlawing Sharia, or Islamic law. Supporters of the initiative acknowledge that they do not know of a single case of Sharia being used in Oklahoma, which has only 15,000 Muslims. “Oklahoma does not have that problem yet,” said Republican state Rep. Rex Duncan, the author of the ballot measure, who says supporters in more than a dozen states are ready to place similar initiatives before voters in 2012. “But why wait until it’s in the courts?” Read more Related Entries October 28, 2010 The Mondo-Bizarro Campaign October 28, 2010 Why Anita Hill’s Testimony Matters
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Like a well-financed and politically powerful parent, the European Union has agreed to implement tougher rules for euro zone countries who overspend and over-borrow as the European body implements guards to “deter bad budgetary behavior” that could lead the euro into yet another crisis. —JCL Al-Jazeera English: EU leaders have agreed on tougher rules for nations whose overspending threatens Europe’s single currency and risks triggering another financial crisis. Herman Van Rompuy, the EU president, said on Friday that the bloc was planning for a “robust and credible permanent crisis mechanism to safeguard the stability of the euro zone as a whole”. The point of the economic governance measures was to “deter bad budgetary behaviour by fining countries that run excessive deficits and debts much earlier than now. Also their budgets will come under review by the EU”, he said. Read more Related Entries October 29, 2010 U.S. Economy Quickens Its Pace October 28, 2010 Obama Does ‘The Daily Show’
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The U.S. economy had a bit of a pickup during this year’s third quarter, showing growth of 2 percent in an ever-so-slight acceleration toward economic improvement. Meanwhile, the housing market remains limp and high unemployment recalcitrantly hovers at 9.6 percent. —JCL The BBC: The US economy grew at an annualised rate of 2% in the July-to-September period, an acceleration on the previous quarter, official figures have shown. The expansion came despite continuing high unemployment and weakness in the housing market. The 2% figure is an improvement on the upwardly revised 1.7% increase between April and June, but less than the 3.7% growth recorded from January to March. Read more Related Entries October 29, 2010 Obama on ‘The Daily Show’ October 28, 2010 It’s the Stupidity, Stupid
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In one of the world’s most troubling on-again-off-again relationships, Iran has announced that it is open to resuming stalled multilateral talks over its nuclear program after irreconcilable differences shut down negotiation channels between Iran and six other nations last year. —JCL The Guardian: Iran has said it is willing to resume the stalled international talks over its contentious nuclear programme, the EU said today. Iran’s chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, sent the EU’s foreign policy chief, the British peer Lady Ashton, a letter saying he was prepared to continue the talks, which halted a year ago, “in a place and on a date convenient to both sides” after 10 November. “I think this is a very significant move,” Ashton told reporters at the EU summit in Brussels. Earlier this month Ashton – who is the main contact point for Iran in talks involving Britain, France and Germany along with the US, Russia and China – invited Jalili for three days of negotiations in Vienna next month. Read more Related Entries October 26, 2010 The Shifting Balance of Power October 17, 2010 Iraq’s PM Heads to Iran for Advice
Continue reading …My military friends have a favorite saying: “If you're not catching flak, you're not over the target.” This campaign season, conservative women in politics have caught more flak than WWII Lancaster bombers over Berlin. Despite daily assaults from the Democratic machine, liberal media and Hollyweird — not to mention the stray fraggings from Beltway GOP elites — the ladies of the right have maintained their dignity, grace and wit. Voters will remember in November. When “comedian” and “The View” co-host Joy Behar lambasted GOP Nevada Senate candidate Sharron Angle this week as a “b*tch” who would be “going to h*ll” for using images of illegal alien gang members in a campaign ad, Angle responded by sending a lovely bouquet of flowers and a good-humored note: “Joy, Raised $150,000 online yesterday. Thanks for your help. Sincerely, Sharron Angle.” read more
Continue reading …Media Research Center’s President Brent Bozell appeared on “Fox & Friends” Oct. 29, to discuss the broadcast networks’ spin on unemployment. “Well, it confirms what many conservatives have said for years. It absolutely confirms it, but when you look at the numbers it really does rattle you because it is so obvious when the same reporters are taking two completely different positions because of their political proclivities,” Bozell told Steve Doocy. After showing this video of network coverage of unemployment leading up the mid-term elections under Bush in 2005-2006 and Obama in 2009-2010, Doocy said, “OK Brent, so there they are trying to put on the happy face. I’m still struck by the comment during the Bush administration where they were talking about ‘Oh, unemployment’s at 4.8 percent. The sky is falling’.” read more
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By Mike Luckovich Related Entries October 28, 2010 It’s the Stupidity, Stupid October 28, 2010 Obama’s ‘Daily Show’ Stint a Success, Says Team Obama
Continue reading …By Eugene Robinson With their “Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear” this weekend, political satirists Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are late to the party. This weird campaign has been Comedy Central all along. Related Entries October 28, 2010 Bill Clinton Urged the Democrat to Drop Out of Florida’s Senate Race October 28, 2010 Why Anita Hill’s Testimony Matters
Continue reading …By David Sirota What could cause the intensifying politics of free-market fundamentalism at the very historical moment that proves the failure of such an ideology? Two new academic studies suggest all roads lead to ignorance. Related Entries October 28, 2010 Bill Clinton Urged the Democrat to Drop Out of Florida’s Senate Race October 28, 2010 Why Anita Hill’s Testimony Matters
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Fearing a win by tea party wunderkind Marco Rubio, Bill Clinton asked his friend Kendrick Meek, the Democrat in the race, to drop out and endorse Republican Gov. Charlie Crist’s independent bid. Meek almost agreed, but ultimately decided to stick it out, according to reports . The Meek campaign denies that the Democrat was ever going to drop out of the race.
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