March 2012 Archives

Let's take a look at the Florida "Stand Your Ground" law and put the shoe on the other foot, or in the Trayvon Martin case, the gun in the other hand. The law reads: "A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in any other place where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her...

Now that the Supremes have finished hearing arguments and begin to deliberate the fate of the Affordable Care Act it seems to be the time for predictions on how they'll rule, so I'll throw in my $0.02 worth.I see a 5-4 decision to not only throw out the individual mandate but the entire law. The reason being that without the individual mandate the entire law collapses. Justice Scalia said as much when he remarked about...

Houston Mayor Annise Parker has been pushing an anti-food sharing ordinance in Houston that would criminalize  many acts of kindness towards those most in need in our city. (Above--The type of sharing with others that may soon be illegal in Houston.)  Beyond that, Mayor Parker, in explaining her support for the anti-giving ordinance, has some strange views about the public's right to use public space.From the Houston Press---"Mayor Parker argued that City property is, indeed, private --...

Houston Mayor Annise Parker has been pushing an anti-food sharing ordinance in Houston that would criminalize  many acts of kindness towards those most in need in our city. (Above--The type of sharing with others that may soon be illegal in Houston.)  Beyond that, Mayor Parker, in explaining her support for the anti-giving ordinance, has some strange views about the public's right to use public space.From the Houston Press---"Mayor Parker argued that City property is, indeed, private --...

...the saddest are these, it might have been: "With the Supreme Court arguing the legality of the Affordable Care Act, it is a good time to remember that almost nobody disputes that single payer, such as Medicare for All, would be undoubtedly constitutional. Even Michael Carvin, one of the lead lawyers arguing (for the non-state private opponents) that the individual mandate is unconstitutional admitted today that single payer would be clearly legal. From the Supreme...

AFP (Americans For Prosperity) sponsored a rally attended by AFP (Astroturf Fools and Pawns) yesterday across the street from the Supreme Court. The speakers at this gathering of people against government interference in health care included Rep. Michele Bachmann, Sen. Jim DeMint, Rep. Steve King, Rep. Allen West, Sen. Ron Johnson, and Sen. Pat Toomey. Notice a pattern there? They all receive government health care. Here's a photo of the crowd. Seems to be quite...

There will be a protest on Sunday, 3/25 at Houston City Hall to call for justice in the Trayvon Martin case.While Trayvon was shot and killed in Florida, his death is a matter of national concern.I will be attending this event at City Hall.We've got to stick together and show up for each other when times are difficult.We don't always do that in Houston and in the nation. The rights and freedoms of all people are...

Former Vice President Dick Cheney has received a heart transplant.(Above--Former Vice President Cheney)Good.I hope that Mr. Cheney's new heart lasts long enough for him to be prosecuted for war crimes.Human Rights Watch says that both former President Bush and Mr. Cheney should be investigated for war crimes because they ordered people to be tortured.I suppose it is not likely that this will ever take place.But with Mr. Cheney having a new lease on life, we can keep...

Geraldo Rivera on Fox and Friends this morning, via Media Matters: "I believe that George Zimmerman, the overzealous neighborhood watch captain should be investigated to the fullest extent of the law and if he is criminally liable, he should be prosecuted. But I am urging the parents of black and Latino youngsters particularly to not let their children go out wearing hoodies. I think the hoodie is as much responsible for Trayvon Martin's death as George...

Now that Big Brother is taking the time and the $2 billion expense of building a  massive data collection center in Utah (details later), they need something to put in it. So here we go:"The Obama administration is moving to relax restrictions on how counterterrorism analysts may retrieve, store and search information about Americans gathered by government agencies for purposes other than national security threats. [...]The guidelines will lengthen to five years -- from 180...