News of the Week
Arab Revolts *************** Gaddafi Has Left Libya, Fled for Venezuela Posted by Matthew Avitabile Update: Muammar Gaddafi’s son has confirmed that his father has left the country in his news conference. In reports that are, as of now, unconfirmed, it is being reported that Libyan Dictator Muammar Gaddafi has left Libya. This could possibly mark an end to Gaddafi’s regime, which has ruled the coutry with an iron fist for over four decades. *************** Violence marks 'Friday of Rage' across Yemen By AHMED AL-HAJ SANAA, Yemen (AP) - Anti-government demonstrators clashed with supporters of Yemen's longtime ruler and riot police, who fired tear gas and shots in the air to disperse the crowd on what organizers called a "Friday of Rage" across the country. In the city of Taiz, what appeared to be a hand grenade was thrown at a group of protesters, seriously wounding at least eight people in the blast and stampede that followed, witnesses said. *************** Riot police crack down on protesters in Algiers Algerian riot police used batons to disperse protesters trying to organise an anti-regime rally in a central square of the capital on Saturday. An opposition deputy wounded in the clashes is in hospital and is thought to be in a coma, his party said. *************** Moroccan protesters call for curbs on king’s powers Several hundred Moroccan demonstrators, some waving Tunisian and Egyptian flags, have staged a rare protest in the Moroccan capital of Rabat to demand restrictions on the king’s powers and an end to corruption. *************** Bahrain protesters swarm square, police flee By Frederik Richter and Michael Georgy (Reuters) - Anti-government protesters in Bahrain swarmed back into a symbolic square on Saturday, putting riot police to flight in a striking victory for their cause and confidently setting up camp for a protracted stay. *************** Libyan forces fire on mourners at funeral again By SARAH EL DEEB, Associated Press CAIRO – Libyan forces fired machine-guns at thousands of mourners marching in a funeral for anti-government protesters in the eastern city of Benghazi Sunday, a day after commandos and foreign mercenaries loyal to longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi attacked demonstrators with assault rifles and other heavy weapons. *************** Hundreds demonstrate for secular Tunisia By Kaouther Larbi and Sonia Bakaric TUNIS — Hundreds of Tunisians demonstrated Saturday for a secular state following the murder of a Polish priest, verbal attacks on Jews and an attempt by Islamists to set fire to a brothel. Rallied by a call on social network Facebook, they gathered in the main Avenue Bourguiba in Tunis waving placards reading, "Secularism = Freedom and Tolerance" and "Stop Extremist Acts". *************** Why Bahrain blew up An ill omen for the Saudis *************** Middle East protests: Country by country Following the fall of the presidents of Egypt and Tunisia, unrest has been spreading throughout the region. Could a domino effect sweep more leaders from power? *************** U.S. Had Year of Warnings Over Egypt As Critics Pointed to Signs of Unrest, White House Gave a Muted Rebuke By JAY SOLOMON WASHINGTON—Early last year, a group of U.S.-based human-rights activists, neoconservative policy makers and Mideast experts told Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that what passed for calm in Egypt was an illusion. *************** LIBYA, YEMEN, BAHRAIN: Protests continue to erupt across region Reports of clashes Tuesday night between protesters and police in eastern Libya were the latest spasm of unrest sweeping the Middle East and North Africa as leaders attempt to avoid the revolutionary fervor that brought down governments in Tunisia and Egypt. *************** CBS News: Lara Logan sexually assaulted, beaten while covering Egypt president Hosni Mubarak's exit for '60 Minutes' By Lisa de Moraes CBS News has issued a statement about their correspondent Lara Logan: *************** Will revolution spread to Pakistan? The country is ripe for revolt, though it would mean ousting the army *************** Will only American allies fall? With two dictatorial allies of the West chased out of their palaces in Tunisia and Egypt, the strongmen that rule Iran are celebrating the 32nd anniversary of their revolution, which brought Islamists to power and made them the region's most dynamic political force. *************** Middle East nations scramble to contain unrest Governments step up political concessions, dole out benefits or prepare the riot police in attempts to keep order after the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, which showed people that strongmen may not be needed to protect against sectarian violence or Islamic extremism. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-arab-protests-20110214,0,1569548.story *************** Algeria shuts down internet and Facebook as protest mounts Internet providers were shut down and Facebook accounts deleted across Algeria on Saturday as thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators were arrested in violent street demonstrations. *************** Iran police fire tear gas at opposition rally in Tehran Thousands of opposition supporters have clashed with security forces in the centre of the Iranian capital, Tehran. *************** Security forces in Yemen beat protesters By AHMED AL-HAJ SANAA, Yemen (AP) - Yemeni police with clubs on Saturday beat anti-government protesters who were celebrating the resignation of Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak and demanding the ouster of their own president. *************** "Hide the Decline" *************** Obama administration replaces controversial 'conscience' regulation for health-care workers By Rob Stein, Washington Post Staff Writer The Obama administration rescinded most of a federal regulation Friday designed to protect health workers who refuse to provide care they find objectionable on personal or religious grounds. *************** War
& Terror *************** Possible Mexican Military Incursion On U.S. SoilReported by: Polo Sandoval MISSION - CHANNEL 5 NEWS is exposing what appears to be a Mexican military incursion into the United States. It was all caught on camera. We froze surveillance video taken at the Anzalduas International Bridge. *************** Iraqi Defector Admits He Lied About WMD in Lead Up to War by John Sexton His name is Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi but he was given the codename “Curveball” prior to the Iraq War. He played a significant role in convincing US authorities, including Colin Powell, that Saddam had biological weapons capabilities. Of course we’ve known since 2005 that claim wasn’t true, but now Curveball is admitting he made up claims of mobile weapons labs in order to get the US to topple Saddam. *************** US admiral: Carrier killer won't stop US Navy By ERIC TALMADGE, The Associated Press YOKOSUKA, Japan -- A new "carrier killer" missile that has become a symbol of China's rising military might will not force the U.S. Navy to change the way it operates in the Pacific, a senior Navy commander told The Associated Press. *************** Argentina Confiscates U.S. Air Force Cargo By TAOS TURNER Argentina's relations with the U.S. worsened sharply Monday as the South American country continued to hold military equipment it confiscated last week from a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport plane sent as part of a training course for local police. *************** Rep. McClintock’s Change of Heart on PATRIOT Act Rep. Tom McClintock, (R-Calif.), explains how he came to the conclusion that the PATRIOT Act violates and degrades your civil liberties. *************** San Diego Port Director Claims WMD Found in U.S. This report was on San Diego television a few days ago but this is the first I've seen of it ... in a British newspaper. Strange how this hasn't become major news. *************** National *************** The case against public sector unionism As a non-unionized public sector employee who studies organizations for a living, I am in favor of unions in theory. Indeed, there is a strong case to be made for unionism from the perspective of new institutional economics, which is the theoretical foundation on which my work in the field rests. I long ago summarized that case in these very pages (here). In practice, of course, the history of the American labor movement is far too replete with mob involvement, thuggery, intimidation, political machinations, and a host of other abuses to give one much confidence in translating theory into practice. *************** Sen. Bingaman to retire By Shane D'Aprile and Daniel Strauss Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) will retire from the Senate, a Democratic source with knowledge of Bingaman's plans confirmed Friday. *************** Protestors Take State Capitol in Wisconsin Obama Says Wisconsin Governor Is Assaulting Unions; State Sen. Mark Miller Says 'This Is a Disaster' A dramatic political showdown is underway in Wisconsin over painful budget cuts that threaten thousands of state employees. Even President Obama has injected himself into the growing fracas. *************** House Passes Amendment to Block Funds for Net Neutrality Order By Juliana Gruenwald The House passed an amendment Thursday that would bar the Federal Communications Commission from using any funding to implement the network-neutrality order it approved in December *************** Rep. David Wu's staff confronted him over concerns about his mental health By The Oregonian WASHINGTON -- Three days before the Nov. 2 election, U.S. Rep. David Wu’s most loyal and senior staffers were so alarmed by his erratic behavior that they demanded he enter a hospital for psychiatric treatment. *************** Daniels and Christie light fuse under GOP lawmakers Michael Barone New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J. gestures while speaking at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011.-Evan Vucci/AP As congressional Republicans mull whether to address the government's long-term fiscal problems -- House Republican leaders are being pushed by the 87 freshmen to do so, while some Senate Republicans are seeking some bipartisan accords with Democratic colleagues -- two Republican governors barrelled into Washington with the message that the lawmakers better get moving. And that congressional Republicans might do just fine politically if they do. *************** Chicago Communists Join Wisconsin Rally *************** Documents Show Congressman David Wu's Staff “Threatened to Shut Down His Campaign” *************** Wisconson: Missing Wis. lawmakers left the state By SCOTT BAUER MADISON, Wis. – A Wisconsin state senator says the 14 Democratic lawmakers who are boycotting a vote on a controversial anti-union bill have left the state. *************** House votes to overthrow 'czars' By ROBIN BRAVENDER The House voted Thursday to dethrone nine White House “czars.” Republicans successfully added an amendment to the continuing resolution that would leave President Barack Obama’s senior advisers on policy issues including health care, energy and others out of a job. *************** Meet the New Bellwether States: Ohio and Nevada Ohio has the longest current streak in the nation with 12 consecutive elections voting for the winning presidential candidate; Nevada has the highest rate over the last 100 years at 96 percent (24 of 25 cycles) *************** Ark. cities feel unexplained surge in earthquakes By SARAH EDDINGTON, Associated Press LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Jim Sutterfield was briefly puzzled by a thumping sound that seemed to slam the back of his office chair. But when the small-town Arkansas fire chief turned and saw no one was around, he quickly realized it was just an earthquake — again. *************** The strange, racist attack on Herman Cain While young conservatives chased out a white-supremacist recruiter from CPAC, it seemed that one site on the Left felt more comfortable with racist attacks. AlterNet, a site that proudly proclaims its “strong content” and “huge readership and reach,” offered its analysis of Herman Cain’s speech at CPAC by calling the former CEO of Godfather Pizza a “monkey in the window” *************** Dean Heller’s message: Senate seat is mine to lose By Anjeanette Damon When a potential candidate for major office drops a poll showing what most in the political world already know — that at this moment he’s a shoo-in — it’s more about the timing of the message than the content. *************** California Supreme Court to consider key issue in battle over same-sex marriage The California Supreme Court will decide Wednesday whether to plunge back into the legal battle over same-sex marriage. *************** Marxist uprising in America…..in Wisconsin? *************** Darrell Issa's agenda: condoms, yoga, pot By JONATHAN ALLEN & JAKE SHERMAN Rep. Darrell Issa is focused on menopause, condoms, malt liquor and video games as the House considers how the government should spend taxpayer money over the next seven months. *************** John Ensign—No RSVP Required Nevada’s 2012 Senate campaign will be a marquee race, regardless of what the incumbent Republican does. *************** Hillary Clinton donors indicted By Jordy Yager A federal grand jury indicted two Virginia men on Wednesday for allegedly trying to illegally reimburse donors who gave to Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Senate and presidential campaigns. *************** U.S. Government Shuts Down 84,000 Websites, ‘By Mistake’ Ernesto The US Government has yet again shuttered several domain names this week. The Department of Justice and Homeland Security’s ICE office proudly announced that they had seized domains related to counterfeit goods and child pornography. What they failed to mention, however, is that one of the targeted domains belongs to a free DNS provider, and that 84,000 websites were wrongfully accused of links to child pornography crimes. *************** Liberals launch anti-Darrell Issa crusade By JAKE SHERMAN & JOHN BRESNAHAN Democrats are understandably obsessed with Darrell Issa — he’s built himself up as a one-man investigative machine aimed straight at the Obama presidency. *************** Court confirms: IP addresses aren't people (and P2P lawyers know it) By Matthew Lasar Wrapping up the last of the United Kingdom's notorious copyright infringement "pay up" letter cases, a UK patent and copyright judge has had a major revelation. Just because some lawyer cites an Internet Protocol (IP) address where illegal file sharing may have taken place, that doesn't mean that the subscriber living there necessarily did the dirty deed. Or is responsible for others who may have done it. *************** Flake to announce Senate run Rep. Jeff Flake will announce on Monday that he is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Jon Kyl, who said last week that he is retiring and will not seek reelection in 2012. *************** Gonorrhea Steals DNA From Humans By Duncan Geere, Wired UK Researchers have discovered the first case of a direct transfer of a human DNA fragment to a bacterial genome. The guilty party? Gonorrhea. *************** Legislature has new look, perspective Jessica Ebelhar/Las Vegas Review-Journal During her first Senate Revenue Committee meeting, freshman state Sen. Elizabeth Halseth listened carefully Tuesday as a staffer explained to the panel exactly how Nevada collects and spends its money. Economy
& Taxes *************** China flexed its muscles using U.S. Treasuries By Emily Flitter NEW YORK (Reuters) – Confidential diplomatic cables from the U.S. embassies in Beijing and Hong Kong lay bare China's growing influence as America's largest creditor. *************** Obama's Louis XV budget By Charles Krauthammer Five days before his inauguration, President-elect Obama told The Post that entitlement reform could no longer be kicked down the road. He then spent the next two years kicking - racking up $3 trillion in new debt along the way - on the grounds that massive temporary deficit spending was necessary to prevent another Great Depression. *************** Fear of 'Catastrophic' Crash Rising Despite Bull Market By: John Melloy In an unprecedented move, the number of investors fearing a catastrophic stock market crash is rising even with the stock market at 2 ˝ year highs. *************** Rising wholesale prices spur inflation concerns Consumers may face faster inflation as wholesale prices rise at quickest pace in two years *************** On the Budget, Obama Simply Lies. By Jim Geraghty The country faces a serious problem. We’re starting to reach the point where long-delayed, painful financial decisions cannot be put off much longer; we’re all out of later. The future is now, in most of the worst ways. And as we try to discuss the best way to rectify this financial mess, our head of state continues to state things that simply aren’t true. It’s not a matter of spin, it’s not a matter of interpretation; he simply is saying that 2 + 2 = 5. *************** UNLV president plans for ‘state of fiscal collapse’ Steve Marcus UNLV President Neal Smatresk delivers his State of the University Address in this Sept. 15, 2009 file photo. On Tuesday he proposed a “financial exigency” plan in response to proposed budget cuts. *************** House Begins Debate Over Plan to Chop Spending for Remainder of 2011 Republicans have kicked off what is expected to be a weeklong debate on the House floor over their controversial blueprint for reducing spending by $100 billion over the rest of the 2011 budget year. *************** Gold, Silver, Copper, Nickel and the Slow Death of Money By Gary Gibson A huge opportunity to hedge against both inflation and deflation is lying out there in the open. There are no transaction costs and right now there’s even a built-in discount. But most people will never realize any of this. *************** Healthcare Reform Law Requires New IRS Army Of 1,054 By Paul Bedard The Internal Revenue Service says it will need an battalion of 1,054 new auditors and staffers and new facilities at a cost to taxpayers of more than $359 million in fiscal 2012 just to watch over the initial implementation of President Obama's healthcare reforms. Among the new corps will be 81 workers assigned to make sure tanning salons pay a new 10 percent excise tax. Their cost: $11.5 million. *************** Political Ragnarök, or, Obama’s Boldly-Played Budget Battle Bet-The-Ranch Blowout Posted by Lexington Green Newt Gingrich led the GOP to a massive victory in the 1994 elections. *************** Jerry Brown: A Modern-Day Sisyphus By Victor Davis Hanson California Gov. Jerry Brown must rapidly close a $25 billion budgetary shortfall. But right now it seems almost a hopeless task since the state's disastrous budget is a symptom, not the cause, of California's much larger nightmare. *************** The Federal Government’s Unspent Billions “Unobligated balances” sit in government accounts. It’s enough to make a budget hawk lose his feathers. Notwithstanding President Obama’s promise in his State of the Union address to freeze domestic discretionary spending for five years, Vice President Joseph Biden Tuesday proposed $53 billion in high-speed-rail projects — atop $8 billion so previously “invested.” This is every boy’s dream: the ultimate train set. Thank you, Santa! *************** Obama budget could boost fees on airline tickets By DAVID KOENIG Airline travelers would pay more to help finance airport projects under President Barack Obama's budget plan. *************** Obama's FY2012 Budget: Taxes, Taxes, and More Taxes From Ryan Ellis President Obama released his budget this morning. Rather than focusing on Washington’s over-spending problem, the budget calls for higher taxes on families and small businesses to pay for even more government spending. Under the Obama budget, tax revenues will grow from 14.4% of GDP in 2011 to 20% of GDP in 2021. By comparison, the historical average is only 18% of GDP. *************** Debt now equals total U.S. economy By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times President Obama projects that the gross federal debt will top $15 trillion this year, officially equalling the size of the entire U.S. economy, and will jump to nearly $21 trillion in five years’ time. *************** International *************** U.K.: NHS hospitals begin axing frontline staff despite government pledge Two major hospitals shed hundreds of jobs despite repeated government pledges to protect NHS services *************** China tries to stamp out 'Jasmine Revolution' By ANITA CHANG BEIJING – Jittery Chinese authorities wary of any domestic dissent staged a show of force Sunday to squelch a mysterious online call for a "Jasmine Revolution," with only a handful of people joining protests apparently modeled on the pro-democracy demonstrations sweeping the Middle East. *************** China rounds up 100 activists to rapidly quash pro-democracy 'Jasmine Revolution' organised online By Daily Mail Reporter 'We want food, work and fairness' protesters told to chant; Egypt-style get-togethers planned for 13 cities; Word 'jasmine' blocked on most popular social network site Chinese authorities moved quickly and with force to quash a pro-democracy 'Jasmine Revolution', believed to have been inspired by the recent uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa. *************** Taiwan Prosecutors Office vows to crack down on food hoarding TAIPEI -- The Taiwan High Prosecutors Office vowed yesterday to harshly crack down on anyone caught hoarding food staples as part of the government's efforts to stabilize food prices amid a string of price hikes following the Lunar New Year. *************** China cracks down on call for 'Jasmine Revolution' By CARA ANNA, The Associated Press BEIJING -- Chinese authorities cracked down on activists as a call circulated for people to gather in more than a dozen cities Sunday for a "Jasmine Revolution." *************** China Lays Out Rare-Earth Goals BY CHUIN-WEI YAP AND YAJUN ZHANG BEIJING—China said it intends to impose more restrictions on rare-earth mining in the next five years while maintaining international cooperation on trade in the metals, including "reasonable" export quotas. *************** World Bank: Food prices at "dangerous levels" WASHINGTON – World Bank President Robert Zoellick says global food prices have hit "dangerous levels" that could contribute to political instability, push millions of people into poverty and raise the cost of groceries. *************** Bolivian President Evo Morales flees town ahead of speech after angry miners throw dynamite in protest at food shortages By Daily Mail Reporter Bolivian President Evo Morales has abruptly abandoned a mining town after protesters angered by rising prices booed him and set off dynamite. *************** Swiss vote to keep army rifles at home By Jordan Davis, World Radio Switzerland Soldiers won’t be required to leave their weapons at armories following a resounding no to the initiative “For the protection against weapon violence.” Over 56 percent of voters rejected the text. While it garnered strong support in urban and many French-speaking areas (61 percent voted “yes” in Geneva, 58.9 in Basel-City, 53.7 in Vaud, 50.4 in Zurich), a broad swath of rural and Swiss German cantons rejected it (27.7 percent voted yes in Appenzell-Inner Rhodes, 35 percent in Graubünden, 39.2 in St. Gallen, 39.9 in Lucerne). *************** Opinion *************** Who knew we needed a $1 Andrew Johnson coin? Finally, a one dollar coin honoring Andrew Johnson, one of the most overlooked U.S. presidents ever. *************** The Negro Project: Planned Parenthood Founder Margaret Sanger's Eugenic Plan for Black Americans *************** Two, Three, Many Wisconsins Posted by David Boaz Newly elected Wisconsin governor Scott Walker has introduced what he calls a "budget repair" plan that would, among other things, require state employees to pay about 5.8% toward their pension (about the private sector national average) and about 12% of their healthcare benefits (about half the private sector national average) and restrict the collective bargaining powers of government-employee unions. In response, as many as 25,000 state workers and their supporters have been protesting in and around the state Capitol. *************** Killing California: Keep the Train, Take the Court Posted by: Hugh Hewitt Congressman Jeff Denham was on the program Friday to update the audience on the effort to kill the biggest boondoggle in America --high speed rail. *************** Are The Wild Teacher Protests In Wisconsin A Prelude To The Economic Riots That Are Coming To America? *************** A deadlock on the budget will defeat Obama in 2012 By Dick Morris So what happens if the cuts proposed by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) prove unacceptable to the Senate and the president? What if there is no compromise? What if nobody gives in? *************** This Week’s Column: Going Galt What will a libertarian future look like? On my show tonight, I have Congressman Ron Paul on to propose a solution to cut government down to size. *************** The Patriot Act Is a Threat to Our Liberty by Rep. Tom McClintock (R–CA) Last year I voted to extend the PATRIOT Act for one year. I regret that vote and was glad to have been able to correct it, although I am pained that the House voted otherwise yesterday. *************** Obamacare and the Need for Reform at the FDA Posted by Ben Domenech *************** Higher education probably won't help our economy Bloated, wasteful and ineffective is no way to grow an economy As the rest of the Nation recovers Nevada’s economy still seems to slide further and further into the abyss. Nevada has the nation’s highest unemployment rate (over 14 percent). We also face a significant budget shortfall. The general fund revenue for the state budget is projected to be $5.3 billion for the next biennium – current spending is $6.4 billion. *************** |
News of the Week Mainpage
Follow me on Twitter: @ThePoliticalHat
