Monthly Archives: November 2011

OBAMA: politics of college basketball

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Lead

The folks in the GOP Presidential nomination field need to step-up their games.

President Barack Obama made another high-profile appearance at a college basketball game on the campus of Towson University in Towson, Maryland.

Obama at Towson Basketball Game

Source:   Pete Gilbert, Sports Anchor, Gilbert’s Arena Blog at WBAL-TV.COM

In his Blog, Gilbert posted (Quote):

The visit from the First Couple for the basketball game at Towson today made for an atmosphere never before seen at the Towson Center. I think it was a little hard though for the fairly packed house to completely embrace the event considering President and Mrs. Obama were there to cheer for the visiting team (Oregon State’s head coach Craig Robinson is the brother of the First Lady.)

Regardless, a raucous standing ovation was delivered, along with a rendition of Hail to the Chief. Towson Athletics Director Mike Waddell embraced the opportunity to host the President and stated unequivocally that within that soon the crowds would arrive not for a VIP vistor, but because Towson would win. He stated first year coach Pat Skerry would win a CAA title within 5 years. And for those not familiar, Towson didn’t win a conference game last season

Source:   WBAL-TV.COM

MJB’s Take

Folks, don’t take these college basketball game appearances lightly.

Just a few weeks ago, President Obama attended the historic North Carolina/Michigan game on the deck of an aircraft carrier. Now he’s on the campus for another college game.

Critics have charged that President has not connected in a personal way with members of Congress.

Maybe he has, or maybe he has not.

But, if he continues his outreach to the people, connecting to college students, their parents and friends, college adminstrators and the local media in college towns, it may not mattter much whether he’s socializing with Congressional leaders or not.

He’ll get the votes he needs to win the 2012 General Election anyway!

Additional WBAL Coverage

Follow the Link above of the Blog for additional images.

Follow this Link for the news story posted about the event, and the VIDEO coverage at WBAL-TV. COM

Other Related Web Articles

AT&T/T-MOBILE: should the Congressional Black and Hispanic Caucuses be more visible, and support the merger?

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Issue: Could the AT&T/T-Mobile merger actually help minorities?

Lead: One online journal made that argument in September (quote):

Some of the more prevalent arguments against the merger are that it would significantly reduce competition, increase unemployment, raise consumer costs and harm low-income families and minorities the most. However, these arguments are largely unsubstantiated.

Many amateur economists insist the merger would lead to unfair domination of the market. But in its competition report earlier this year, the Federal Communications Commission noted that 89.6 percent of Americans have five or more wireless competitors to choose from in their area. The merger is unlikely to diminish competition.

Some argue the merger would significantly reduce competition to two major carriers, resulting in higher consumer costs. Further, they contend higher costs would disproportionately affect Latinos and other minorities. But, once again, the market shows a different picture — one of robust competition.

Source: Justin Velez-Hagan,  ”AT&T/T-Mobile Merger will Help Latinos and Economy — If Courts Allow,” at POLITIC365.COM

Further: Should not the Congressional Black and Hispanic Caucuses be on board with the merger?

Related Articles

Also: Are minority leaders MIA on this? What’s wrong-nothing to shout about?

Maxine Waters, have not heard from you on this!

Al Sharpton, have not heard from you on this!

Congressional Black Caucus, have not heard from you on this!

Congressional Hispanic Caucus, have not heard from you on this!

Tavis Smiley, have not heard from you on this!

Cornell West, have not heard from you on this!

NAACP, have not heard from you on this!

Talk up and be counted!

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REGULATION: AT&T withdraws FCC approval application for $39 billion T-Mobile merger deal; regulatory impact; political implications

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HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Lead

Our Lead today comes from a Blog. And, we’re commenting on the regulatory front.

AT&T has withdrawn its application to merge with T-Mobile. That’s big news in the regulatory world. But, it also may have political implications for the Administration of President Barack Obama.

Blog Quote

Following the Federal Communications Commission’s decision to send the $39-billion proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile USA to an administrative hearing on Tuesday, AT&T has withdrawn its official application to combine its spectrum with T-Mobile’s.

Source: Stacey Higginbotham, “AT&T backs off the T-Mobile fight,” GIGAOM.COM

Financial Consequences

Higginbotham notes further in her post: “[t]he company also said that it will take a $4-billion charge against earnings should the deal fall through.”

The deal could be dead. As noted by Seth Weintraub (quote):

But, AT&T has taken a $4B pre-tax charge in recognition that the deal isn’t likely to be going through and they are likely going to have to pay T-Mobile for the effort as part of the original merger agreement.  That means the deal is pretty much over, at least in the eyes of AT&T’s own accountants.

Source:  Seth Weintraub, “AT&T-T-Mobile Merger looks to be over, companies pursuing a tactical workout,” 9TO5MAC.COM

Justice Department Suit Continues

The U. S. Department of Justice filed an antitrust suit to block the merger.

As Higginbotham has written further in her post (quote):

AT&T still plans to fight the antitrust case that the Department of Justice has filed and has not said it plans to walk away from its deal just yet, but it clearly has realized that the forces arrayed against this combination will be hard to quell. As I noted on Tuesday, unless AT&T or T-Mobile pull the plug between now and then, the next big date should be the Department of Justice lawsuit hearing in February.

Regulatory Impact

The administrative phase of this matter before the FCC has concluded. It could be reopened later.

The immediate beneficiary of the withdrawal of the merger approval application apparently is Verizon. Kevin Fitchard argues (quote):

Of all the possible outcomes in the AT&T-Mo fallout, the FCC approving the merger with a laundry list of new regulations would have been the worst-case scenario for Verizon. It appears to have dodged a bullet.

The FCC could have required AT&T to divest spectrum and networks in numerous markets; FCC staffers had competitive concerns in 99 of the top 100 markets. It could have imposed deadlines for deployments and stricter requirements on the population and geographic areas those networks covered. It might even have dictated commercial terms on how it used that spectrum, spelling out the terms of data roaming agreements and maybe even imposing restrictions on what AT&T could charge for data service. All of these would have been anathema to Verizon.

Why? Because whatever restrictions and stipulations AT&T is forced to abide by if this merger goes through would return to haunt Verizon down the road. Verizon may be sitting pretty on a big fat LTE network today, but it readily admits it must go back to the market for more spectrum at some point.

Source:  Kevin Fitchard, “Why Verizon needs AT&T-Mo to just disappear,” GIGAOM.COM

Possible Political Implications

MJB’s take is that continuance of the Justice Department’s antitrust suit could have some political implications for the Obama Administration.

If AT&T prevails in the litigation, or if the suit is settled, AT&T can reboot the process and file another merger approval application with the FCC. A settlement of the suit probably would require the approval of Eric Holder, the Attorney General, who is one of the top Obama Administration cabinet officials and political appointees who is close to the President.

It can be expected that the handling of the litigation, particularly if the Justice Department loses, or the resolution of the case by a settlement, will make Holder a political target for criticism by the GOP and close scrutiny by Congressional committees in the GOP controlled House of Representatives.

That would not be good news for the President in an election year.

See VIDEO

On the Sidebar, under MJB News VIDEOS, we have uploaded a C-SPAN VIDEO from The Communicators segment, hosted by Peter Slen, on 09-18-2011, in which a panel discussed the implications of the AT&T/Mo merger.

The VIDEO is on C-SPAN’s YouTube Channel, and is described as follows (quote);

On The Communicators, Vonya McCann, senior vice president for government affairs at Sprint Nextel, and Larry Cohen, president of the Communications Workers of America, discuss the proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile. The guests will discuss the merger’s impact on the wireless industry, on jobs in the U.S. and on prices consumers pay for wireless service

Source: C-SPAN YOUTUBE CHANNEL

Read Related Web Articles

REZKO: Obama fund raiser gets 10 years on corruption conviction

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Issue

Will the stiff prison sentence of Antoin Rezko, one of President Barack Obama’s major fundraisers in the 2008 Presidential Election, deter corruption?

Lead

The New York Times, in a story by Stephen Yaccino,  reports (quote):

More than three years after his conviction on fraud and bribery charges, Antoin Rezko, a former real estate mogul and a once-powerful fund-raiser with ties to President Obama’s early political career, was sentenced on Tuesday to 10 and a half years in prison.

Source:  Stephen Yaccino, “Former Obama Fund-Raiser Gets Over 10 Years in Fraud and Bribery Case,” NEW YORK TIMES

More Story

Yaccino also wrote (quote):

In 2008, Mr. Rezko was convicted of 16 counts that included fraud, money laundering and bribery in an influence-peddling scheme that involved some of the highest-ranking officials in the state. Mr. Rezko was accused of using his connections with top political leaders to influence decisions made by two state boards in an attempt to get millions of dollars in kickbacks.

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Mr. Rezko’s trial is better remembered in Illinois as a preamble to the indictment, impeachment and trial of former Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich, who was eventually found guilty of a wide range of corruption charges, including an attempt to sell Mr. Obama’s former Senate seat. Mr. Blagojevich is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

Source: NEW YORK TIMES

MJB’s Comments

Did Rezko abuse the public trust?

Was the sentence too harsh?

Was the sentence too lenient?

Is there a more effective way to deter corruption?

What, if any, are the broader implications of Rezko’s conviction and sentence?

Remember that Rezko’s corrupt activites did not involve President Obama or the President’s 2008 Presidential Election campaign. Rezko case involved his attempt to influence decisions of two Illinois state boards.

But, the case became a high profile case because of Rezko’s fundraising activies on behalf of President Obama in 2008.

Comment and share your thoughts on the subject

Web Coverage + Links

Clever Headline

 

More Comments

Are there conceivably more “chickens coming home to roost?”

If so, when and how?

OBAMA: Chris Matthews-thrill is gone: are liberals concerned about President Barack Obama?

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Chris Matthews at presidential debate in Dearb...

Image via Wikipedia

Are liberals [really] concerned about President Barack Obama?

VIDEO Lead

Source: See, “Thrill is Gone,” VIDEO, uploaded in News Videos, Sidebar, in which MSNBC‘s Chris Matthews sounds off!

Issues

Is the “thrill [really] gone?”

Or, is the commentary by Chris Matthews, a high profile MSNBC media personality, intended as a strategic diversion to deflect attention and media coverage away from the coverage of Newt Gingrich and the GOP contest?

Also Reads

GINGRICH: Are liberals concerned about Newt Gingrich?

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Lead

“Liberals should fear Newt Gingrich.”

Online Quote

The opening quote comes from Tyler Mills, a young writer on the Yahoo Contributor Network, who said further:

Why? The man can put a sentence together. Newt has taken a lot of positions over the years that may be anathema to true “Constitutional conservatives” on education, healthcare, environmental and foreign policy. I would argue that Gingrich is a conservative for the 21st century, one that understands that an ocean is not going to always be able to protect us from a globalized, and sometimes volatile, world.

My liberal friends (I consider myself to be fairly left-wing) are not used to facing conservatives who understand complex policy questions, or at least that is the way they like to portray things. Michelle Bachmann, Herman Cain and Rick Perry are all talented people, but they are performers and hype people–they don’t have a serious grasp on policy

Source: YAHOO STORY

Issue

Are liberals concerned about Newt Gingrich?

Related Coverage & Web Links

CONGRESS: constitutional amendment introduced to overturn Supreme Court decision allowing unlimited corporate spending on politics

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Lead In

The Supreme Court ruled last year that corporations are persons, for the purpose of the First Amendment, which have a free speech constitutional right to tap corporate treasuries and spend unlimited corporate funds on politics. A constitutional amendment has been introduced in the House to overturn the decision.

The current United States Supreme Court, the h...

Image via Wikipedia

Justices of the Supreme Court

The Amendment raises several important policy questions: (a) whether corporations will voluntarily limit their political spending in the 2012 Elections until the fate of the Amendment is resolved by Congress; and, (b) whether the candidates for President will voluntarily impose contribution limits on corporate contributions to their campaigns?

The political question is whether introduction of the Amendment is, as stated in the article, “one of the greatest signs yet that the 99 Percenters are having an impact” on national policy.

Media Quote

*  *  *Rep. Ted Deutch (D-FL), a member of the House Judiciary Committee, today introduced an amendment that would ban corporate money in politics and end corporate personhood once and for all.

Deutch’s amendment, called the Outlawing Corporate Cash Undermining the Public Interest in our Elections and Democracy (OCCUPIED) Amendment, would overturn the Citizens United decision, re-establishing the right of Congress and the states to regulate campaign finance laws, and to effectively outlaw the ability of for-profit corporations to contribute to campaign spending.

Source: Read THINK PROGRESS

Background

The decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission is unprecedented in American jurisprudence and national politics.It  could unleash unlimited corporate expenditures of treasury funds into the political process without any comments by shareholders. That could result in billions of dollars of heretofore untapped and unavailable corporate cash pouring into elections.

One view is that the full impact of the decision, authorizing an unprecedented and historic expansion of corporate political advocacy directed at policy decisions, and to the election or defeat of candidates for political office, could be devastating.

Another view, as articulated by Dr. Stephen R. Weissman, a former associate director for policy at the Campaign Finance Institute, is that the “decision is unlikely to change the political situation on the ground very much.” Read Los Angeles Times, Opinion (January 28, 2010).

MJB’s Take

The decision in Citizens United could usher into the mix new era campaign  technologies, communications strategies and fierce rapid responses by savvy politicians to hits from corporate sponsored political ads on a range of policy issues some of which may not directly concern the business operations of corporations.

Corporations will raise their profiles, advocate and engage in politics by hitting politicians for their  positions on policy issues. Politicians in turn will intuitively respond and hit back.

Increased corporate spending for political advertising will generate significant mainstream political media coverage of the controversies. The coverage in one sense may heighten the public’s interest; but, in another sense, the coverage will diminish the quality of the information disseminated to the public by the media which generally should empower them to take part more effectively in the political process by acting on what, but for the portal to portal coverage of controversies, otherwise would be unbiased and quality information.

Of course, the clear rebuttal to that argument is that heightened public interest is a good thing because it expands the base of stakeholders in the game on the political playing field. Hence, the political take from the Occupy Wall Street movement which is apparently grafted into the title of the proposed Amendement.

In addition, it can be argued that the more intense the controversies, the policy debates, the attacks on politicians and the  media coverage, the better for the political process in general.  Savvy politicians and candidates for political office can take advantage of the new-found field of political play, expensed for the most part by corporate political money, and prosper.

The clearest example to illustrate the point is the low-budget but effective campaign by Herman Cain. Cain was able to use low-budget campaign tools, campaign strategies and the Internet to fight back against a barrage of mainstream media coverage, which for the most part was negative; take part in the debates on policy issues; and, position himself as a contender to be taken seriously for the GOP nomination.

Certainly, there will be  legitimate concerns expressed about the possible corrosive influence of corporate political money on policy making and the outcomes of elections. But, good politicians should be ready to hit back if they are attacked just as Herman Cain has been able to do by employing new media tools and strategies.

Related Coverage & Web Articles

Corporations may not necessarily be anxious to begin spending corporate treasury funds on politics because of the uncertainty whether the Amendment will be passed and adopted by the States paticularly if the spending decisions lack shareholder approval. Shareholders are bound to sue executives should such spending decisions be made.

Candidates may need to consider voluntarily imposing limits on corporate contributions to their campaigns. Although the expenditures in question technically are independent expenditures made without input of campaigns, the court of public opinion is bound to connect them. So it may be better for candidates to get in front of the issue and potential controversy by initiating voluntary measures.

Among other things, the movement of the 99 Percenters could have influenced the decision of the Representative to introduce the Amendment

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End Notes

Thank you for visiting the site, and reading the content.

Please feel free to ask questions, make comments, or reply to any of the questions or comments posted.

Generally, we will respond to all questions and comments.

GINGRICH: Newt Gingrich: the GOP candidate of the moment; can Newt break away from the pack and take the GOP nomination?

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Lead In

The GOP Presidential candidate of the week, of course, by virtue of the scope and volume of political media coverage without doubt is Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives.

Newt surged in the polls this week. That raises the question whether is he is now positioned to break away from the pack, and to take the GOP nomination for President?

Newt’s surge came about just in time to capture and dominate the media coverage this weekend on the Sunday Talk TV Shows. The hosts were interviewed by POLITICO on VIDEO this week to talk about and share their views about Newt and likely success of his candidacy.  That VIDEO is uploaded under MJB News VIDEOS, Sidebar, Title: “11-18: NEWT Rises-Sunday TV hosts talk about it.”

His surge also is in time for the CNN GOP Debate scheduled next week on 11-22-11, one day before the anniversary of the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The Debate will focus on national security and the economy.

And, in the segment of the Journal Editorial Report TV show entitled: “Is Newt the Real Deal?” a panel of journalists from the Wall Street Journal have a lively roundtable discussion about Newt and his candidacy. The show is a featured program of FOX News. The VIDEO of that panel discussion is uploaded under  MJB News VIDEOS, Sidebar, Title: “Newt’s Poll Numbers Surge.”

The media coverage in the coming news cycle for next week is likely to be intense, something that Newt is well aware of and is likely to play into.

MJB’s collaborative partner, X9TV, uploaded in the first module on its site a FOX News VIDEO featuring a 6 minute clip of a FOX News Watch panel  talking about media bias and coverage with respect the Newt’s campaign. See VIDEO: at  X9TV.COM   Also click:  tab for X9TV on the Menu Bar of this Blog.

Media Quote

Newt Gingrich calls it giving advice. Most people would call it cashing in on his prominent name.

The former House speaker has raked in millions of dollars since leaving office more than a decade ago. Now as a rising GOP presidential candidate he’s facing renewed scrutiny of the intricate network of consulting firms, advocacy organizations and other businesses that, taken together, some have called Newt Inc.

“I do no lobbying of any kind. I never have. A very important point I want to make. I have never done lobbying of any kind,” Gingrich told Fox News Channel this week, defending himself over questions about his time since he left the speaker’s office under a political cloud in January 1999.

Source + Read:  HUFFINGTON POST

MJB’s Take

Newt Gingrich is now taking his turn being in the limelight as the putative front-runner for the GOP Presidential nomination. And, it seems that unlike the other contenders, including Mitt Romney, he’s ready for it, but more importantly, he relishes it.

Newt knows that his government affairs work as a “strategist” will be controversial.

The difference between a lobbyist and a strategist for most voters is a distinction without significance. As far as the court of public opinion is concerned, Newt is no more and no less than a high paid lobbyist who became rich by exploiting the honor and prestige of high office, Speaker of the House, to line his pocket with millions of dollars, irrespective of the history lessons and other consultations on politics and policy he has provided to clients.

Controversy fuels media coverage. And, it is that coverage which draws interest, which Newt is getting in spades, and attracts viewers, political money and votes. Newt loves it.

So he’s getting all the ego stoking attention he wants. If his calculations and projections are correct, in the end he will be the only GOP Presidential candidate having an image of a take charge leader who can assume the reigns of leadership as President on day one.

Newt has packaged himself as a “true conservative.” That’s music to the ears of the multi-billionaire conservatives who are prepared to unleash a torrent of political money, in the billions of dollars, to fund and fuel his campaign for President.

As for now, it’s clear that Newt may be the only true conservative who has the potential of breaking away from Romney and the other contenders, and then dominate and lead the field until the Republican National Convention to take the nomination for President.

That’s our take on it.

Leave a comment, and let us know what you think.

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TRUMP: Melania Trump tells Joy Behar on HLN that husband Donald Trump still may run for president

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POLITICO reports on comments by Melania Trump that her husband, Donald Trump,  still may run for President.

Donald and Melania Trump

Donald and Melania Trump

Source: POLITICO

See Also VIDEO: HLN NEWS 11/17/11

MJB’s Take

Don: give it a rest.

Enjoy the company of your beautiful wife.

Keep making that money!

America needs you on reality TV, not on the campaign trail!!

Related Articles

OBAMA: 11-11-11: Attempted Assassination of President Barack Obama at The White House

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Headline

“Man charged with trying to assassinate Obama-

Arrested man ‘hates the president,’ official says”

MSNBC Reports (Quote)

An Idaho man charged with firing two shots at the White House last week has been charged with attempting to assassinate President Barack Obama.

Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, will be taken back from a federal court in Pittsburgh to face the charges in Washington, D.C.

xx   xx   xx

Investigators and the man’s father said Ortega was obsessed with President Barack Obama and the date 11/11/11. Authorities are investigating the man’s mental health and say there are indications he believed attacking the White House was part of a personal mission from God, according to two different law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press. There are also indications the man had become obsessed with Obama.

“He hates the president, he hates Washington, he hates society,” one official told The Washington Post.

The man’s father, Ramiro, who lives in Idaho Falls, Idaho, told NBC’s Telemundo Spanish News Network that his son was obsessed with the date 11/11/11. Ortega believed the world might end on that day, the father said.

Source: MSNBC.MSN.COM

I begin by commending and thanking the people of law enforcement for apprehending the suspect as quickly as they did. But, this is frightening stuff.

For those not aware, it is reported that the suspect fired the shots at a distance the length of 8 football fields away from The White House. That’s 2,400 feet!

My take for now is that he is very proficient in the use of a weapon to make the shots at that distance with near perfect accuracy.

The other thing unsettling about the incident is that it happened on: 11/11/11, shortly after the release of Stephen King”s new novel about the Kennedy assassination: “11/22/63″

That’s surreal.

Related Web Articles

GINGRICH: GOP’s Million Dollar Baby-Is the Bubble (NEWT) already in trouble?

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“Gingrich acknowledges benefiting from Freddie Mac fees, defends his work for mortgage giant”

NEXT

NEWT

Quote

URBANDALE, Iowa — Rising in polls and receiving greater scrutiny, Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich found himself on the defensive Wednesday over huge payments he received over the past decade from the mortgage giant Freddie Mac.

Gingrich, who now is near the top in polling on the GOP race, said he didn’t remember exactly how much he was paid, but a person familiar with the hiring said it was at least $1.6 million for consulting contracts stretching from 1999 to early 2008. The person spoke on condition of anonymity in order address a personnel matter.

Source: THE WASHINGTON POST

Can’t Remember? 

Newt’s “Contract With America” perhaps?

And, he was not even lobbying?

But, Newt’s presidential timber?

MJB’s Take: Give me Herman or give me Mitt!!

Web Reaction

If you can’t remember pocketing over $1 Million in “consulting fees,” for strategy, of course, not lobbying, I suppose you go brain dead if you pocket a $Billion!

LOHAN: GAWKER: Is Lindsay Lohan Better Off Dead?

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First lindsay lohan

Image via Wikipedia

“According to a book excerpt on the gossip website Gawker, troubled actress Lindsay Lohan is better off dead.”

Photo by MARIO ANZUONI/AFP/Getty Images

Blogroll Web

Some Talk

Wow. Piazza’s point is that Lohan has ceased to be the “sweet little freckled thing” she used to be; worse, her status as a “train wreck” makes her thoroughly “unlikable” to audiences and unlikely to be cast in movie roles. Death is the only thing that could make Lohan likable again, Piazza observes, and she points to the “death bump” enjoyed by celebrities like Elvis and Michael Jackson.

Source: SLATE

Occupy Capitol Hill: OCH, a tax me more moment for America’s “Millionaire Party Patriots”

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US Congress on Capitol Hill, Washington DC

Image via Wikipedia

A Hoot

This is an absolute hoot-Millionaires occupying Capitol Hill, if only for a day, demanding to be taxed more!


Quote

Lobbyists for a day, a band of millionaires stormed Capitol Hill on Wednesday to urge Congress to tax them more.

They had a little trouble getting in. It turns out there are procedures, even for the really rich.

But once inside, their message was embraced by liberals and tolerated by some conservatives — including the ideological leader of anti-tax lawmakers, who had some advice for them, too.

Source:  TAX ME MORE

MJB’s Take

An OCH moment perhaps for America’s Patriotic Millionaires?

Where’s S. W. A. T.?

Where’s Mitt?

Where’s Newt?

Where’s Rick?

Blogroll Web

Add On

Kim Zolciak‘s $1 Million Wedding (PHOTOS)

A MILLION DOLLAR WEDDING

“FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE”

It seems as though Kim Zolciak’s $58,000 wedding dress was only a small piece of the reality show star’s wedding pie. Life & Style is reporting that Zolciak and her husband Kroy Biermann spent almost $1 million on their extravagant nuptials.

So what pushed the pair’s extreme wedding budget over the top? Perhaps it was Zolciak’s three dress changes which totaled roughly $92,000.

“We spared no expense, you only do this once,” Kim told Life & Style. “This is it for me. It’s very expensive but we’re in a position where we’re able to do that and I’m thankful for that.”

Source: HUFF POST

Realated Web Coverage

Real Housewives: MJB invites your comments!

DOGS: the real dogs of politics!

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Dogs:  Do you love dogs, real dogs?

The images are striking !

Link: HANK ROTH’S SCRAPBOOK

An Animal: My kind of politician!

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CAIN: the Herman Cain Wreck? it’s just not so!

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The Lead 

For those of you who think that Herman Cain wrecked in campaign in the way he commented on Libya, think again!

In any event, here is a news feed about it (quote):

WASHINGTON — The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, to whom Herman Cain gave a highly damaging interview on Monday, never requested to speak with the presidential candidate. Rather, the sitdown with the paper’s editorial board was requested by Cain’s own campaign manager, Mark Block.

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And yet, from a tactical standpoint, the decision made little political sense. Wisconsin does not play a role in the early stages of the Republican presidential primary process, and editorial board meetings are notoriously tricky for political candidates to navigate. If a candidate is going to meet with one, the logic goes, it’s best to do it in a key state, having negotiated in advance what can be asked and published.

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In the aftermath of Cain’s meandering response to a question about how his Libya policy would have differed from President Obama’s, along with his confusing and somewhat contradictory statementsabout collective bargaining rights, the campaign staff’s work has come under increased scrutiny. According to Kaiser, Block was present at the editorial meeting, as was J.D. Gordon, Cain’s top spokesman. Only once during the interview did they notably interject: When Cain was pressed about whether his campaign received illegal contributions from Prosperity USA, the conservative group Block headed, either Block or Gordon urged the editors to change the subject.

“I’m running a presidential campaign. I’m not commenting on this any more. Please. You’re wasting your time with all due respect. Can we move on?” Cain complained at one point.

Source: Sam Stein, “Herman Cain’s Campaign Manager Mark Block Requested Train Wreck Interview,” Read at: HUFF POST

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MJB’s Take

Sam Stein’s article is a good read.

And, for what I regard as a non story, it drew over 2,900 comments.

Good for Sam and Huff Post!!

Just proves that in the business of political commentary and opinion,

“[A good] spin is [always] in!”

MSNBC: Goldie Taylor: a real face and compelling personal story on sexual abuse

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MSNBC

MSNBC’s contributor Goldie Taylor speaks out about her real life experience being sexually abused by a college coach.

Her story is the most compelling “speak out” and personal story I have seen recently on the air about the subject from a victim.

VIDEO:   Uploaded in MJB News VIDEOS [Sidebar 11-15-11]

MJB’s Take

Sexual abuse is a very serious matter.

Too much of the recent covereage aired recently concerned politics and college sports.

It’s sobering witness via video and  come to grips with sexual abuse through the experience of someone like Goldie Taylor who is credible and who has bravely come forward to tell her story which is real!

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CAIN: Mrs. Gloria Cain will speak on the record; FOX debut scheduled; the lid is about to blow again in the media

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The Lead

Well folks, I thought things had quieted down a bit for Herman Cain, his campaign and The Fourth Estate, mainstream political media

Now that his lovely wife, Gloria Etchison Cain, will do a FOX News interview, in a segment to air Monday, it is likely that the sparks will start flying again at Cain in the media. This event certainly will be a pivotal moment for Cain’s political campaign and his aspirations for The White House. It could either make him. or break him. There will be no wiggle room for Cain after Monday.

For The New York Times, in her article entitled: “Herman Cain’s Wife Plans to Sit Down for a Television Interview,” Susan Saulny writes (quotes):

“Introducing … Gloria Etchison Cain”

Mrs. Gloria E. Cain

Mrs. Gloria E. Cain

At long last, the political spouse who has kept the lowest profile of the campaign season is preparing to make a network debut. Mrs. Cain, who has been married to the former restaurant executive Herman Cain for 43 years, is expected to sit down this weekend with Greta Van Susteren of Fox News, for a segment that could air on Monday, according to a source familiar with the planning.

Mrs. Cain has, to date, not appeared on the campaign trail with her husband, and is said to prefer her home life in Atlanta, far away from the national spotlight. But since allegations of sexual harassment began to engulf the Cain campaign almost two weeks ago, it had been rumored that Mrs. Cain would eventually come to her husband’s defense on television.

Source of Quotes + Image: THE NEW YORK TIMES

MJB’s Take 

“At long last,” this is some of ”the news that’s fit to print” about a significant event in the coverage on the road to the White House and related to the process for the GOP Presidential nomination. The NYT article is well done.

Whatever mainstream media planned for the weekend political coverage will be sliced and diced. The “A Team” of media talent probably will be front and center do talk about this development.

Unquestionably, this is Cains’ weekend, for both Mr. and Mrs.; and, all hands will be on deck by every one in media in covering it.

I plan to be glued to the TV, radio and laptop screen so that I can pick up every bit and piece of coverage I can find because this is Cain’s moment. The reports, stories, commentaries, opinions and attack pieces will be flying out the door as fast as the stuff can be can be generated, published, clicked and aired. The videos and images of her interview are certain to go viral.

Mrs. Cain’s interview; all the staging which takes place in the media before her interview airs; the broadcast of the interview itself; and, all the coverage which follows will roll out in grand fashion. It will either make Cain, or break him-he’ll be heading either to The White House, or to his home in Atlanta.

This is every bit the real deal in high political drama! Stay tuned!

That’s all I can say for now.

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A headline that is shocking: BLOGGER BEHEADED!

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I’m not making this stuff up. An activist blogger was beheaded in Mexico.

Headline: Gang sends message with blogger beheading

Quote

Gangsters killed and beheaded an Internet blogger Wednesday in Nuevo Laredo, the fourth slaying in the city involving people associated with social media sites since early September.

“This happened to me for not understanding that I shouldn’t report on the social networks,” advised a note left before dawn with the man’s body at a key intersection in the city’s wealthier neighborhood.

xx xx xx

“No matter, I have to die of something,” said one post. “It will be for my people.”

With mainstream newspapers and broadcasters terrorized by the criminal gangs, whose violence has killed upward of 50,000 people across Mexico in five years, social media networks have become key information sources in many towns and cities.

 

Source: Read  DUDLEY ALTHAUS, HOUSTON CHRONICLE

What a tragedy!

This story should be a sobering reminder to us all of how valuable and precious our constitutional rights under the First Amendment to free speech and a free press really are in America!