Thursday Open Thread
Welcome to Thursday. So far my day is going better than yesterday and catching up on sleep really helped with that. So, tell us, what’s on your mind? Open thread!
A win for the good guys! Jamie Leigh Jones gets her day in court, thanks to Senator Al Franken.
The Fifth Circuit eventually held that some of Jones’ claims did indeed belong in court because the assault was not related to her employment. KBR had appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, but after initial briefing, KBR withdrew its appeal on March 11.
Why? Sen. Al Franken! Franken successfully advocated a prohibition that keeps contractors receiving federal defense funds from forcing employees to arbitration to resolve certain claims, including civil rights and harassment disputes.
KBR spokesperson Heather Browne told the Blog of the Legal Times that the withdrawal was in fact related to the Franken amendment. Though they said they believe “that the language of the amendment is broad and vague,” they did not wish to run afoul of it.
Jones’ attorney said they are now preparing for trial.
Good news on the DADT front – Sec. Gates has announced changes in the way that the rule is enforced.
The changes raise the level of officer authorized to initiate a fact-finding inquiry into a case, the level of officer who can conduct an inquiry and of the one that can authorize a dismissal.
To discourage the use of overheard statements or hearsay, from now on any evidence given in third-party outings must be given under oath, Gates said. Cases of third-party outings also have included instances in which male troops have turned in women who rejected their romantic advances or jilted partners in relationship have turned in a former lover.
Some kinds of confidential information also will no longer be allowed, including statements gays make to their lawyers, clergy, psychotherapists or medical professionals in the pursuit of health care.
What about public announcements to the media – Lt. Dan Choi or cases like the enlisted woman who was turned in by cops when they found her D.C. marriage license?
Tags: Open Thread
Here’s Multiple Choice Mitt endorsing the individual mandate. Oopsie on that Constitutional challenge.
Multiple Choice Mitt! One day he will explain why he ran away from his own (pretty reasonable) record to go Full Metal Wingnut. I can see history writing that he had a chance to bring his party back to relevance and got his teabag on instead.
On dkos someone posted a chain letter they received from a family member. It’s pretty scary:
Also, Eric Cantor is now saying that one week ago someone shot at his office window in VA. The ‘nets are skeptical.
Remember back to January or so when the GOS released a poll of Republican attitudes that showed pretty definitively that they were going batsh#t insane? The VRWC rose up on its hind legs to howl about those so-called partisan results. Fast forward to NOW — when the Harris Poll has done a similar survey of attitudes and comes up with this:
The Harris Interactive poll has its methodology flaws, but still comes up with data not too far off from the Research 2000 one.
Party of Nuts, indeed.
The Georgia legislature is beginning impeachment hearings on the GA AG because he refused the join a hcr repeal lawsuit. The governor is also looking to appoint a “special AG.”
There’s a lot going on right now about the threats of violence. I don’t really have time to write up a post, but our buddy Andy Sere from the NRCC said the following in an interview:
Eric Cantor gave a press conference and said the following:
If only our Democratic leaders would cater to their their base the way the repubs cater to theirs.
Any denunciation of the threats is nullified when you append stuff like this from Sere:
“What you’re seeing is a frustration among his constituents who believe he’s not listening to them.”
I’m not so sure about the new DADT rules. My first impression was that this was something proposed so the military could get around a full repeal. I hope it’s just my cynicism getting the best of me.
Just saw on Twitter that Obama’s daily tracking number went up +11 in one day. Pretty soon Republicans are going to have to decide what strategy they really want to pursue. As health care reform becomes more popular, are they going to want to be the anti-reform party? The Tea Party violence meme is also really starting to take hold in the MSM as well. Do they still want to associate themselves with the tea party?
The DADT rule change is supposed to be temporary until the repeal is passed.
Shorter GOP: Violent threats are bad but understandable given the fact that Obama is a fascislamisocialist who we can’t beat at the ballot box.
Those DADT rule changes are more modifications in how they get applied more than anything else. I suspect that they are giving themselves some room to ease back on enforcement while they do their study.
This is OK — but the DOD was saying last year that they needed a year to study and get themselves oriented to change. So I’m not all that tolerant of needing a year to get themselves in order, but there is no doubt that the rules changes is a good step.
The repeal bills were getting some momentum, but I don’t know how many co-sponsors they have any more.
Do they still want to associate themselves with the tea party?
Who else can they associate with? Republicans are the Tea Party and the Tea Partiers are Republicans. The Tea Party is just the GOP’s teenager who wants to walk a block ahead of their parents to show how independent they are.
One vote left!
The reconciliation bill has passed the Senate 56-43. Pryor (AR), Lincoln (AR) and Nelson (NE) voted no. For the Republican Isakson (GA) did not vote (illness).
The House will take up the bill today.
More developments today:
David Frum got canned from the American Enterprise Institute.
Teabaggers plan a protest at the Senate Parliamentarian’s house. This parliamentarian is the one hired by Republicans when they fired the last one who ruled against them in reconciliation.
Colin Bonini for state treasurer has a poll up at 302 698-4112. /public service announcement 😉
Something’s going on in the Senate right now. Coburn is playing Bunning and blocking unanimous consent on Unemployment Insurance extension. They’re now calling a quorum call where the Sargeant-at-Arms has to round up Senators for a vote.
I just saw “10 Months: The Wilmington Voices Project” at the Delaware Theatre Company. It’s running until April 4th and I highly recommend it. Powerful stuff and lots to think about if we are truly interested in starting a dialogue about race in our community. Their website is http://www.delawaretheatre.org