With the way the law is currently structured, the Republicans actually made it illegal for them to approve it.

 

I wonder if this really was inadvertent or if it was designed to give them something to attack Obama over.

With the way the law is currently structured, the Republicans actually made it illegal for them to approve it.

Illegal? That part I must have missed recently, I'll need to go read up on the latest developments.

 

Illegal? That part I must have missed recently, I'll need to go read up on the latest developments.

After they changed the course of the pipeline, there was another required safety/environmental review. The Republicans then, in the bill that extended the payroll tax by 2 months, were allowed to attach a rider demanding that the Administration make a decision on the pipeline by February. This deadline left insufficient time for the mandated review of the new proposed pathway. Thus, approving it would basically have been illegal, and failing to come to a decision would also be illegal.

 

This was of course done so that the Obama Administration's opposition to "Domestic" (thanks Rick Perry) oil production could be turned into a campaign issue.

Illegal? That part I must have missed recently, I'll need to go read up on the latest developments.

 

The Republican Governor (and possibly legislature, too, not sure) opposed the planned route since it ran right over a hugely important aquifer. If Obama had approved the plan, he'd essentially be dismissing the state of Nebraska's objections. Not sure if it'd actually be illegal, though.

I was providing context for what I assumed SOXOBAMA was referencing. And you're right that this will likely just be re-tooled into a slightly less awful bill. I'd agree that Obama did not stop this but that the massive tech/internet industry push-back did. Which says something very troubling about our democracy, but I digress...

 

 

 

The article states that the State Department will reject the pipeline's currently proposed route at 3PM EST today. They could still work out an alternative down the road. He's required to make a decision prior to the State of the Union address.

 

Killing both SOPA/PIPA and Keystone would be great things, but I doubt that they'll happen 100%.

Not necessarily. Voting is only one way to force politicians to do things. It's not like blacks just boycotted the polls to get the Civil Rights Act passed.

Not necessarily. Voting is only one way to force politicians to do things. It's not like blacks just boycotted the polls to get the Civil Rights Act passed.

This thing was gonna roll through Congress until Google etc. stepped up. It is basically one industry vs another, not a principled fight over freedom.

 

By the way, Chris Dodd was comparing this favorably to how the chinese control the internet, lol.

Not necessarily. Voting is only one way to force politicians to do things. It's not like blacks just boycotted the polls to get the Civil Rights Act passed.

 

One of the most interesting things I have read during the whole Occupy stuff was a look at the 1% around Chicago that the Trib under took. One of the biggest things that stood out to me was that nearly 50% of them had not just voted, but contacted a public official over the last six months. Contrary to the lunacy of the apathetic, voting and bothering office holders does matter.

The 1%er's might get a little more attention when they bother officials, which is exactly the same point.

One of the most interesting things I have read during the whole Occupy stuff was a look at the 1% around Chicago that the Trib under took. One of the biggest things that stood out to me was that nearly 50% of them had not just voted, but contacted a public official over the last six months. Contrary to the lunacy of the apathetic, voting and bothering office holders does matter.

 

I doubt office holders are bothered by those large donations.

The 1%er's might get a little more attention when they bother officials, which is exactly the same point.

 

And not voting nor contacting officials gets you nothing, which is the point.

And not voting nor contacting officials gets you nothing, which is the point.

Then we agree!

PPP's 3rd annual TV News Trust Poll

 

(percentage difference of people who trust each news source)

 

Among Democrats and Independents, the situation is pretty much reversed. No one media source is completely trusted above all others, while Fox is generally distrusted. That chart illustrates the effect of a media narrative that's focused on repeatedly telling their conservative listeners that they shouldn't trust any media source that isn't explicitly pro-conservative.

Edited January 19, 201214 yr by StrangeSox

PPP's 3rd annual TV News Trust Poll

 

(percentage difference of people who trust each news source)

 

Among Democrats and Independents, the situation is pretty much reversed. No one media source is completely trusted above all others, while Fox is generally distrusted. That chart illustrates the effect of a media narrative that's focused on repeatedly telling their conservative listeners that they shouldn't trust any media source that isn't explicitly pro-conservative.

 

And this just in! The sun will rise from the east tomorrow.

And this just in! The sun will rise from the east tomorrow.

Assuming Fox told you so.

Assuming Fox told you so.

 

 

Honestly, I never watch any of it. None. I don't even have cable.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords will step down from Congress this week to focus on her recovery.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-c...40Y6K_blog.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-c...40Y6K_blog.html

 

Well damn.

I'd like to say I hope This is a hoax, but even then that would be pretty sick. Campaign manager for a House candidate in Arkansas came home to find their cat killed with the word "liberal" written on it.

 

I picked a link that didn't include te photo, and I wish I hadn't seen it myself.

Not sure where else to post this/wasn't sure if it was somewhere else yet.

 

http://nymag.com/news/features/danny-chen-2012-1/

People are stupid, I wish I could say the store was unbelievable.

I'd like to say I hope This is a hoax, but even then that would be pretty sick. Campaign manager for a House candidate in Arkansas came home to find their cat killed with the word "liberal" written on it.

 

I picked a link that didn't include te photo, and I wish I hadn't seen it myself.

 

 

Not sure where else to post this/wasn't sure if it was somewhere else yet.

 

http://nymag.com/news/features/danny-chen-2012-1/

 

Both of these sicken me.

Frank Wuterich, the Marine responsible for ordering the Haditha massacre which resulted in the death of 24 civilians within 45 minutes, gets a reduction in rank and no jail time.

Frank Wuterich, the Marine responsible for ordering the Haditha massacre which resulted in the death of 24 civilians within 45 minutes, gets a reduction in rank and no jail time.

 

I hate the world.