News/Politics 1-26-13

What’s news today?

Let’s do an Open Thread.

Here’s a few from me.

First, some good news. And a fine example of why they’ve been termed the “greatest generation”.

Well done Donna. Thanks for “introducing” me to this gentleman. It’s a great story, and I hope they make this movie.

🙂

From TheDailyBreeze

“Louis Zamperini’s epic life may finally get its Hollywood movie.” 

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Here’s another good news piece.

From TheWashingtonPost

“March for Life seen through social media (photos)”

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And then we go downhill.

But really, it’s not like we didn’t see this coming. It’s the only way they could meet “standards” in some military occupations. Not to bash the ladies, but there are some jobs they are physically unable to meet the requirements to perform at an acceptable level. It’s not because they lack the will, desire, or technical knowledge.  

From CNSNews

“Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint  Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday that with women now eligible to  fill combat roles in the military, commanders must justify why any  woman might be excluded – and, if women can’t meet any unit’s  standard, the Pentagon will ask: “Does it really have to be that high?”

“Dempsey, who is at the pinnacle of the military’s top brass, was  asked by a reporter: “You indicated that — well, at least it sounds  like that there may be certain combat operational forays that women  might be excluded from still. I mean, what would be the reasons for  that? What sorts of operations?””

“He added: “Importantly, though, if we do decide that a particular standard is  so high that a woman couldn’t make it, the burden is now on the service  to come back and explain to the secretary, why is it that high? Does it  really have to be that high? With the direct combat exclusion provision  in place, we never had to have that conversation.””

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A Federal Appeals Court has reminded President Obama that he is not allowed dictator like powers, no matter how much he wishes it were so.

From TheWashingtonTimes

“In a case freighted with major constitutional implications, a federal   appeals court on Friday overturned President Obama’s controversial  recess appointments from  last year, ruling he abused his powers and  acted when the Senate was not actually in a recess.

The three-judge panel’s ruling is a major blow to Mr. Obama. The judges ruled that the appointments he made to the National  Labor Relations  Board are illegal, and hence the five-person  board did not have a quorum  to operate.

But the ruling has even broader constitutional significance, with the  judges  arguing that the president’s recess appointment powers don’t  apply to “intra-session” appointments — those made when Congress has  left town for a few days or weeks.  They said Mr. Obama erred when he  said he  could claim the power to determine when he could make  appointments.

“Allowing the president to define the scope of his own appointments power would eviscerate the Constitution’s separation of powers,” the  judges said in  their opinion.”

The White House response is much the same as with other laws (DOMA) and constitutional issues they don’t like. Just ignore it.

From TheWashingtonExaminer

“Mark Gaston Pearce, chairman of the National Labor Relations Board, issued the following statement in reaction to today’s DC Appeals Court decision that President Obama use of recess appointments to install three people on the NLRB last year was unconstitutional. The action renders the board without a quorum to act and potentially invalidates a year’s worth of actions and rulings by it. Pearce indicated that the NLRB will attempt to continue on regardless:”

“Pearce, in short, is indicating that the NLRB’s strategy is to act as if the court’s ruling that the appointments were unconstitutional somehow only applies only to the particular case that went before the Appeals Court and hope that the White House can get the Supreme Court to quickly review the case.

It’s a pretty brazen strategy, but consistent with a broader administration strategy to simply ignore the court’s ruling.”

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What have you got?

22 thoughts on “News/Politics 1-26-13

  1. Great book and will make a great story.

    Curious on the limitations of presidential power. I just finished reading 500 Days:Secrets and Lies in the Terror Wars. The amount of presidential power John Yoo and Cheney claimed in time of “war” was quite frankly scary. Simply put, they claimed the president had unlimited power during wartime. Presidential power was curtailed after Nixon but resurrected during the Bush jr presidency. It should come to no surprise that Obama would exploit the “imperial” nature of the presidency as established by Bush. It may not affect me but anytime an executive is limited in its power is a good thing.

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  2. aj — how do you think I feel? Our winters have gotten milder every year and then suddenly we get an old school cold air mass for a week straight. We’re not used to it anymore. Apparently it will be mild this week coming up.

    I ranted about the high price of bad quality California produce this weather has given me. Usually lettuce is 99 cents, fresh and crisp. Yesterday they were charging 2.99 for limp, almost rotting lettuce. Broccoli also went from 99 cents to 2.99. Not impressed.

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  3. Come on out! I bought broccoli for 99 cents just the other day. 🙂

    I understand the concern about war and secrets. I thought that’s why Congress needed to declare war. You can see Americans have gotten very sloppy about the Constitution they are sworn to protect, or claim to venerate. Interesting how the firm lines become maleable when you’re in power–either side. 😦

    And the rebuke to the President from the three judges is interesting. Finally, someone reminding us all that we DO have a Constitution and you can’t play willy nilly with it if you have other ideas.

    If only the media and other members of government would remember that . . . 😦

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  4. Politicians need to remember that any power they give themselves when their side is in power can and will be used by the opposition when it all swings the other way..

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  5. An interesting video on Iceland letting the banks go bankrupt and now in a better economic position than Europe

    Many here often act surprise when I state that the Democrats are a centre right party and the GOP is completely right wing. This article is a fairly accurate description of my position.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carl-gibson/the-implosion-of-the-gop-_b_2553042.html

    Michelle — It never ceases to amaze me that I (usually) pay the same price (our dollars are roughly the same) for fresh produce as California.

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  6. HRW, Good video! There is nothing conservative about bailing out businesses, whether they are banks, car companies, green energy companies or any other type of business. Similarly, as Reagan demonstrated, the conservative approach is to end tax credits, deductions or loopholes that favor one sector of the economy over another.

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  7. This is an interesting article. Once you understand that people aren’t born homosexual, you also understand that there is no limit to the number of people who may be turned homosexual. It also is evidence that in some respects the US is The Great Satan, pulling innocent children from Third World Countries to be raised by our perverts.
    http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/01/the_oncoming_human_rights_crisiscaused_by_the_lgbt_movement.html

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  8. Here’s an another article for your perusal on the Catholic approach to pro-life — one I can appreciate for its consistency;

    ricky — the left and true conservatives do agree but corporate interests are in control. With the left, we bailout people not corporations.

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  9. HRW, The left also bails out and subsidizes corporations and cities. Chrysler, New York, GM, the stimulus, corporate farmers, green energy, minority and women owned businesses, the list is long.

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