Marathon Pundit

Dodge City has got khat

2009-07-16T09:58:00.001-05:00

Cathine, also known as khat, is a commonly used drug in Somalia.

Could an alleged incident that took place in Dodge City, Kansas portend the spread of cathine in this country?

Dodge City police arrested five men earlier this month for alleged possession of a little-known drug.

Mohamed Ali, Hasssam Jama, Dahir Ibrahim Wais, Ahmed Yusuf and Ahdiwahid Yusuf were arrested July 4 on suspicion of possessing cathine, more commonly known as khat. The drug's effects are similar to but less intense than those associated with methamphetamine or cocaine.

Police Chief John Ball told the Globe on Thursday that Wais is from Dodge City, and the other four men hail from St. Cloud, Minn. The four had brought Wais from St. Cloud back to Dodge sometime around July 4.

Obama says it's his economy now

2009-07-16T08:29:00.001-05:00

It's Obama's economy now:

With four simple words — "Give it to me!" — President Barack Obama took possession of the economy.

For months, the White House and Obama's economic team have laid the economic crisis at the feet of President George W. Bush. But there comes a point in a presidency when inheritance becomes ownership. Obama made that pivot this week in Michigan, the state suffering the worst unemployment in the nation.

"I love these folks who helped get us in this mess and then suddenly say, 'Well, this is Obama’s economy,'" the president said, pointedly deviating from his prepared text. "That's fine. Give it to me!”

It was a defiant moment, reminiscent of Bush's own '"Bring 'em on!" taunt in 2003 to militants in Iraq.

Liberals like Barack Obama made sure that statement would haunt Bush.

Technorati tags: Democrats news politics news economy jobs Barack Obama Obama

PETA decries Jacko butter statue at Iowa State Fair

2009-07-15T22:58:00.001-05:00

Iowa is honoring Michael Jackson in a Hawkeye State way: With a statue of the the late King of Pop made of butter.

The Des Moines Regiser's John Carlson spreads the news:

The often-detested, sometimes-loved and always-controversial People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals thinks Michael Jackson's image most definitely should not be sculpted in butter at the 2009 Iowa State Fair.

Heck, PETA doesn't even think the butter cow should be made out of butter.

The animal rights organization recommends using something called "Earth Balance," which it describes as a "nondairy buttery spread." Either that "or another vegan spread instead of butter."

Not likely, since the butter cow is one of the most popular attractions at the fair every year, the display is sponsored by the Midwest Dairy Association and the fair is a meat-centered food extravaganza where pork chops on a stick are more popular than cotton candy and deep-fried Snickers bars.

Deep-fried Snickers bars? Eew!

Oh, but we were talking about Michael Jackson...

The live Jacko had crossed paths with PETA. Apparently the radical group does not want Jackson to rest in peace. Or butter.

Related post:

Sunday night at the Michael Jackson home in Gary

Technorati tags: culture Music news michaeljackson jacko entertainment peta iowa

America is an Obamanation: Obama's TelePrompTer™ is dead

2009-07-15T22:26:00.000-05:00

America is an Obamanation has the tragic news. Obama's TelePrompTer™ has passed on.

Click here to learn more about this developing story.

Technorati tags: humor satire humour Democrats Obama politics Barack Obama

Obama and "Cominskey Park"

2009-07-15T17:27:00.002-05:00

A few thoughts on Barack Obama and last night's Major League Baseball All Star Game.

Fox showed the president throw out the ceremonial first pitch, but they didn't show where the ball landed. By the way, there were some clearly noticeable boos after Obama was introduced.

Was this something the White House demanded from Fox--so embarrassing clips of Obama throwing a limp pitch ending up 10 feet from home plate wouldn't end up on YouTube for eternity?

Shortly after the midsummer classic started, Obama was interviewed by Tim McCarver and Joe Buck.
The president, who claims to be a longtime Chicago White Sox fan, referred to the park they play in as "Cominskey Park." It was Comiskey Park until 2003, when it became US Cellular Field.

And finally, which baseball team, if any, did Barack Obama support when he was a kid growing up in Hawaii? I believe most Hawaiians follow the San Francisco Giants, many others are devoted to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

As for myself, I've been a White Sox fan for as long as I remember.

Regarding the name of the park, I prefer the name of the old stadium had when I was little: White Sox Park. Simple, but effective.

As for Obama, he's a bandwagon hopper. He picked the right church--at the time--after he moved to Chicago which was of course the Reverend Jeremiah Wright's Trinity United Church of Christ. And he chose to cheer the team most blacks in Chicago support--the White Sox.

Technorati tags: baseball mlb sports Chicago White Sox Illinois Chicago mlb all star game st. louis Illinois Democrats Obama politics Barack Obama

US Route 12...Chicago Road...Sauk Trail

2009-07-15T15:12:00.000-05:00

Many of the old US Highways are predominately straight-line routes. In Northwest Indiana, it's curvy. There's a reason why: It replaced the old Chicago Road, which ran from Detroit to, well you know where. That road was built on an old Indian Trail, known as Sauk Trail, which ran all the way to Rock Island, Illinois.

Sauk Trail, a busy thoroughfare in Chicago's far southern suburbs, follows a portion of that route.

The Indiana portion of US Route 12 is known as the Iron Brigade Highway, named for fierce fighters in the Civil War made up of soldiers from Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

Related posts:

Indiana Dunes: The Revolutionary War Battle of Le Petit Fort

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: Cowles Bog

Indiana Dunes

Indiana Dunes sunset

The U.S. Grant Memorial Highway

Highway 61 Blues Highway marker unveiled on Thursday

Technorati tags: history culture Civil War Illinois college Northwest Indiana Indiana indiana dunes michigan wisconsin native americans

Rezko mansion to be auctioned

2009-07-15T12:29:00.001-05:00

If you are in the market for an historic Chicago North Shore mansion, then head to Wilmette next month. The home of convicted felon Tony Rezko, Barack Obama's first political sponsor, will be put on the auction block, Crain's Chicago Business is reporting this afternoon.

Bank of America will auction off Antoin “Tony” Rezko’s north suburban mansion early next month to try to recoup part of the imprisoned developer’s past-due $5.15-million mortgage.

Mr. Rezko took out the loan on his more than 8,400-square-foot home at 1250 Chestnut Ave. in Wilmette in September 2003, roughly three years before he was indicted on federal fraud and money-laundering charges.

The original lender, Chicago-based LaSalle Bank N.A., filed a foreclosure lawsuit in October 2006, after Mr. Rezko, a key fundraiser for politicians including former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, allegedly missed his August 2006 payment, according to a copy of the complaint filed in Cook County.

Now, the home where Mr. Rezko once held a lavish fundraiser for President Barack Obama will be auctioned off Aug. 10. Bank of America, which acquired LaSalle Bank in fall 2007, is expected to set a minimum sales price for the property, though the amount was not yet known, says Scott Jensen, a partner at Murray Jensen & Wilson Ltd., a Chicago-based law firm that’s representing the bank.

Technorati tags: Illinois Democrats Obama politics Barack Obama Chicago Tony Rezko corruption legal Wilmette Chicago North Shore cronyism Rezko Blagojevich

Senate HELP Committee passes health care bill

2009-07-15T09:58:00.001-05:00

Along party lines, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee voted 13-10 to pass the Kennedy-Dodd bill, the Senate's health care reform proposal.

Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) gave the bill an "F," while Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) said the legislation would add $1 trillion to the national debt.

Related posts:

Wyoming Senator finds lots of pork in Kennedy-Dodd health care bill

Sen. Judd Gregg: "A budget to beggar us"

Technorati tags: government politics health care news health universal health care health care reform Wyoming Republican mike enzi chris dodd judd gregg Teddy Kennedy

Republicans don't believe Sotomayor

2009-07-15T09:33:00.003-05:00

I don't believe Judge Sonia Sotomayor is being trutful in her testimony in front fo the Senate.

Byron York agrees with me:

Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee are convinced that Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor has not been candid with them in under-oath testimony about her speeches and legal activism. But given the assurance that majority Democrats will vote to confirm Sotomayor no matter what, the GOP effort against her is largely an attempt to convince other Republicans that Sotomayor has not earned a vote for confirmation.

Republican aides worked through the night, Tuesday into Wednesday, studying the 108-page transcript from Tuesday's hearing. They believe Sotomayor told a variety of stories, none of them entirely truthful, to explain her series of infamous "wise Latina" speeches. And they question her efforts to distance herself from the work of the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund, on whose board she served for twelve years in the 1980s and early 1990s.

For example, in response to questioning from Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sotomayor denied involvement in PRLDEF litigation which argued that the denial of taxpayer-funded abortions amounted to a form of slavery. One brief, in 1980, compared the withholding of taxpayer abortion funding to the Dred Scott decision, and another, in 1992, argued that for poor women, especially blacks, denying taxpayer-funded abortion violated "the right to privacy in matters of body and reproduction -- a right that was trammeled with state sanction during centuries of slavery."

Sotomayor testified that she "never reviewed" and "wasn't aware of what was said" in the abortion briefs. Yet Sotomayor served on PRLDEF's litigation committee at the time, and a report last May in the New York Times, citing several former board members, said that, among the PRLDEF board, Sotomayor "stood out, frequently meeting with the legal staff to review the status of cases." The paper reported that for Sotomayor's entire 12 years on the board, "she played an active role as the defense fund staked out aggressive stances on issues like police brutality, the death penalty and voting rights."

Technorati tags: law legal SCOTUS news sotomayor

Government-run health care botches swine flu care in Britain

2009-07-14T22:52:00.001-05:00

Here's the latest government-run health care story, once again from Great Britain's National Health Service (NHS), courtesy of The Times' Alpha Mummy blog:

Yes, more children will probably die in the swine flu epidemic. And it may well be partly because senseless bureaucracy is stopping child victims getting urgent medical help...

It was Saturday morning. My children had been taking Tamiflu for a couple of days, after our GP had diagnosed swine flu on the phone. Now both my husband and my younger son were looking worse. My husband has asthma and my son suffers from recurrent croup (for which he has been hospitalised twice). So I rang Out of Hours Urgent Care, who transferred us to NHS Direct. Surely, I thought, as probable swine flu victims my husband and son would be treatment priorities?

An arrogant telephone operative at NHS Direct told my asthmatic husband he probably didn’t have swine flu and had nothing to worry about. No treatment was offered. So I took my son to the NHS Walk-In Centre. There, when I mentioned Tamiflu, we were ushered into a separate room and then told we would not be seen by a doctor and must leave the building. Because we had swine flu. We should ring NHS Direct for help. I explained why that had failed, whilst my son’s coughing grew more ominous.

I refused to leave, I pleaded, I lost my temper. My child is sick, he is getting croup, he needs to be seen. Children die of this. At length, a kindly nurse arranged a GP Home Visit. We returned home to wait, but within two hours my son was struggling to breathe. A 999 call, ambulance, blue lights, hospital, steroids, oxygen. An emergency that could well have been avoided with the right medical treatment quicker. Admittedly, we got help quickly because I broke the rules given at the time of diagnosis: I rang for an ambulance myself rather than joining the queue for NHS Direct, as I’d been told to do in emergency. I wonder how long I would have waited in a telephone queue whilst my son struggled to breathe.

Her son eventually got the medicine he needed. But only after attacking the bureaucracy head-on.

Related post:

UK paid Gypsies to to attend seminar on health and schools

UK government health care nightmare: Gypsies first

Technorati tags: government politics health care news health universal health care health care reform UK Britain h1n1 tamiflu swine flu

Bob Costas calls Sotomayor out on strikes regarding her "saving" baseball

2009-07-14T20:50:00.000-05:00

It is All Star evening in the great Midwest and beyond. The Midsummer classic is being played in St. Louis, which brings us to former St. Louis broadcaster Bob Costas.

In an exclusive from Hugging Harold Reynolds, Costas explains in this 2002 CNBC appearance that Judge Sonia Sotomayor did not "save baseball."

Back to the All Star Game: Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox performed great on the mound. Why was he taken out after just one inning?

Technorati tags: baseball mlb sports history law legal SCOTUS sotomayor bob costas all star game st. louis Mark Buehrle White Sox chicago white sox

Obama's overseas tax reach could cost American jobs

2009-07-14T19:30:00.000-05:00

Barack Obama's quest for higher taxes isn't just a domestic operation. The president is looking at taxing the revenue American firms earn overseas.

On the surface that sounds fair.

But remember, businesses create jobs, businesses create wealth.

Here's how The Economist viewed Obama's proposal in May:

As a "downpayment" on a "simpler and fairer and more efficient" tax system, which would also raise $210 billion over ten years, Mr Obama promised tighter rules on the taxation of businesses' foreign earnings and a crackdown on the use of tax havens. He wants to make it harder for multinational firms to shift income to subsidiaries in low-tax countries, stiffen the rules on the credits American firms can claim for the foreign taxes they pay, and limit how much companies can defer tax payments on their foreign earnings. Under today's rules American firms do not pay tax on profits earned abroad unless those profits are repatriated. Mr. Obama wants to roll back this "deferral" by allowing firms to deduct the cost of investments abroad from their tax bill only once they have paid taxes on foreign profits. He has also vowed to get tough with individuals who park funds in tax havens to avoid American tax, and proposes an extra 800 inspectors to root out the scofflaws.

If the goal is to improve the tax code, this grab-bag of measures is deeply disappointing. No one doubts that America's corporate-tax system is a Byzantine mess of high statutory rates and oodles of exemptions. But much of that complexity is caused by the divergence between America's system of taxing its firms (and citizens) on their worldwide income and the territorial system used by most other countries. Mr. Obama's proposals, particularly his partial reversal of firms' ability to defer taxes, would add yet more complexity. Nor is there much evidence that they would boost domestic job creation, as the administration claims. In fact, by raising the tax bills of American firms and putting them at a disadvantage beside their foreign peers, Mr Obama's tax changes may reduce domestic job creation and even induce companies to move offshore.

In truth this plan is less an economic downpayment than a political one. Mr Obama needs more tax revenue, and corporate America’s foreign profits are an appealing pot of cash—particularly since Congress seems set to reject the administration’s other (sensible) plan to reduce tax deductions for richer folk. This week’s tough line may also be a useful bargaining chip with business. But the rhetoric is unconvincing. George Bush confused tax cuts with tax reform. Mr Obama seems to think reform lies in a tax crackdown; but he is wrong, too.

John John Castellani, president of Business Roundtable, expressed similar sentiments in a column for today's Richmond Times-Dispatch:

The Obama administration now wants to change the international tax rules in a way that will give foreign competitors an unfair advantage over U.S. companies in the global marketplace, allowing the foreign companies to reinvest more, expand faster, and sell products at lower prices. The administration claims it is protecting Americans against companies that export jobs; in reality, the proposal would put the U.S. increasingly out of sync with the rest of the world.

More...

The administration's proposals, however, threaten to inhibit economic growth and slow job creation here at home.

Among the world's leading industrial countries only one -- Japan -- has a higher corporate tax rate than America. Japan, unlike the United States however, does not tax the worldwide income of Japan-based corporations. Those companies pay taxes only in the countries where the income is earned.

The U.S., by contrast, expects its overseas companies to pay taxes in a country -- say, Germany -- where the income is earned and to pay an additional tax in the United States. This puts American companies at a significant disadvantage. If worldwide American companies are hit with a big tax hike, as the administration proposes, it will undoubtedly impact job security for the millions of U.S. workers who support their companies' overseas operations.

“Higher taxes will also stifle future job growth -- and job creation is a necessity in turning around our economy.

And finally...

The fact is, U.S. corporations already face an uphill battle because our tax code is out of step with those of our competitors abroad. To restore growth and job creation, the United States must have a competitive tax system that puts its major employers -- America's worldwide companies -- on equal footing with the rest of the world.

Technorati tags: Democrats news politics news economy jobs Barack Obama Obama

A video look at Canadian government run health care

2009-07-14T14:54:00.000-05:00

Take a number. Courtesy of Pajamas Media, here is a look at Canada's government-run health care system.

It's a twenty minute video--but well worth your time.

If you think that's a long time, remember those long wait times for health care Canadians endure.

Hat tip to Canadian blogger Parenting Freedom.

Technorati tags: government politics health universal health care Canada Obama Barack Obama Democrats

Time: Obama's stimulus plan: Failing by its own measure

2009-07-14T13:09:00.000-05:00

Yes, the rushed-through-Congress stimulus bill is proving to be less than stimulating.

This article comes not from the Wall Street Journal, but the more Barack Obama-friendly Time.

The $787 billion stimulus plan is turning out to be far less stimulating than its architects expected.

Back in early January, when Barack Obama was still President-elect, two of his chief economic advisers — leading proponents of a stimulus bill — predicted that the passage of a large economic-aid package would boost the economy and keep the unemployment rate below 8%. It hasn't quite worked out that way. Last month, the jobless rate in the U.S. hit 9.5%, the highest level it has reached since 1983.

The two advisers who wrote the paper, Christina Romer and Jared Bernstein, went on to land key jobs in the Obama Administration. Romer is the head of Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, and Bernstein is the chief economist and economic-policy adviser to Vice President Joe Biden. And the stimulus bill that both economists championed became law in mid-February. What has not come to pass, however, is the boom in job creation that Romer and Bernstein predicted. A little over a month ago, the Administration said the stimulus bill had created or saved 150,000 jobs. That's a far cry from the 3 million to 4 million jobs that Romer and Bernstein foresaw back in January.

Technorati tags: Democrats news politics news economy jobs Barack Obama Obama arra

CBS poll: Obama approval rate down to 57 percent

2009-07-14T10:18:00.000-05:00

A new CBS poll shows that Barack Obama's approval rate continues its slide. This one is different, Democrats, in small numbers, are starting to bail on the president.

President Obama's approval rating has fallen six points in the past month, a new CBS News poll finds, amid growing skepticism about his handling of the economy and questions about the impact of the stimulus package.

The president's current approval rating, which is 57 percent, is still relatively high. But it has fallen 11 points from its peak of 68 percent in April, and has also dropped since last month's mark of 63 percent. His disapproval rating, meanwhile, has risen from 23 percent in April to 32 percent today.

The decline in support is coming not from Republicans - whose support for the president has actually risen - but from Democrats and independents. While 82 percent of Democrats still approve of the job Mr. Obama is doing, this number is down ten points from last month.

The president's support among independents has fallen eight points to 50 percent. Only 30 percent of Republicans back Mr. Obama, though that's up from 23 percent in June.

Technorati tags: Democrats news politics news economy jobs Barack Obama Obama

Dems' government health care bill out today

2009-07-14T09:12:00.000-05:00

Although many eyes are turned towards the Senate hearings of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, the expected release of the Democrats' health care reform bill, or if you prefer, government run health care.

As they did with the stimulus and cap-and-trade bills, expect the Dems to use their hurry-up offense to get Obamacare passed.

Will members of Congress have enough time to read the bill?

Technorati tags: government politics health care health universal health care health care reform Obama Barack Obama news

Washington Nationals update: Manager fired

2009-07-14T07:56:00.002-05:00

When I last took a look at the Washington Nationals, the team was on pace to "top" the woeful record 43-119 of the 2003 Detroit Tigers.

The Nats are playing a little better now, they've improved, and now the Nationals are on pace to lose only 110 games.

So what do they do? They fire their manager, Manny Acta, and replace him, on an interim basis, with former Chicago Cubs manager Jim Riggelman, a DC area native.

Typically, a mid-season changing-of-the-guard leads to a short term improvement. Teams usually revert to their losing ways soon enough.

UPDATE: Read all about, from the perspective of a Nationals fan. The Nats are worse than they appear.

Related post:

Washington Nationals bailout coming?

Technorati tags: baseball mlb sports detroit tigers history washington nationals

Obama nominates Sen. Tim Johnson's son as US Attorney

2009-07-13T23:16:00.002-05:00

Here's a story I missed because of the various Mark Kirk machinations here in Illinois--which have reverberated nationally.

Rule number one in releasing news that could be unpopular is to announce it on a Friday, as the White House did when it revealed the nomination of Brendan Johnson as the US Attorney for South Dakota. Johnson is a common name...could he be related to Tim Johnson, the man pictured on the right?

Yep, as AP reports:

The Obama administration announced Johnson's nomination on Friday. Sen. Tim Johnson, a Democrat, has said he would not be part of the nomination process.

The senior congressional delegation member of the president's political party typically puts forth a name for consideration.

The younger Johnson said because his family connection removed that usual link, he sought the support of South Dakotans of both political parties and sent the application directly to the new administration.

Johnson is a 34-year-old partner with the Sioux Falls law firm of Johnson, Heidepriem, Abdallah and Johnson, which he joined in 2005.

Sounds just like Illinois politics. Oh wait, Obama is from Illinois. How could I forget!

Technorati tags: democrats South Dakota news Senate law legal tim johnson cronyism nepotism Obama politics Barack Obama

Indiana Dunes: The Revolutionary War Battle of Le Petit Fort

2009-07-13T19:54:00.000-05:00

The Revolutionary War wasn't just fought in the 13 colonies.

For instance, until I saw this historical marker last Sunday in the Indiana Dunes State Park, I was not aware that a Revolutionary War battle was fought there.

From NWI.com:

A lone marker, erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution, sits within sight of the lake front near the main pavilion at Indiana Dunes State Park.

It commemorates a battle fought in the dunes on Dec. 5, 1780 between American forces commanded by Lt. Thomas Brady and Jean Baptiste Hamlin and British forces under the command of Dahreau de Quindre.

History records it as the Battle of Le Petit Fort. Powell A. Moore, describing it in his book "The Calumet Region: Indiana's Last Frontier," writes that during the War of Independence turmoil broke out in the Northwest between the French fur traders, Native Americans and the British, who were making every effort to enlist the Indians against the Americans.

In Powell's account, "The sand dunes echoed to the sound of musket fire and war whoops as adherents of the English and Americans were locked in combat."

The British won the battle, Hamlin and three other men were killed, and Brady was captured.

Related posts:

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore: Cowles Bog

Indiana Dunes

Indiana Dunes sunset

Technorati tags: Northwest Indiana Indiana lake michigan indiana dunes dunes revolutionary war history

Sonia Sotomayor: Judge or advocate?

2009-07-13T17:55:00.002-05:00

Sonia Sotomayor was nominated by the president to be a justice on the US Supremee Court: Will she be a judge (the way I think it's supposed to be) or an advocate for her pet causes:

Here's some back up on my fears:

Judge Sotomayor’s handling of the firefighters claims’ of unfair treatment in the Ricci case have been widely criticized, both for the perfunctory and peculiar way in which she handled the matter and for the quota-driven decisions her ruling would allow in the workplace. Her view of the law in this case was also consistent with the positions she took in conjunction with the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund (PRLDEF). In numerous cases, the PRLDEF organization, for which Judge Sotomayor held senior positions as a top policy maker and was actively involved, led litigation efforts to offer and deny promotions to city workers based solely on race – much like in the New Haven case. During part of this time, Judge Sotomayor was even the Chairperson of PRLDEF’s Litigation Committee. These cases include the following:

· In Hispanic Society of the Department of Sanitation v. N.Y.C. Dep’t of Sanitation, PRLDEF represented the plaintiffs “in regard to a claim that the Supervisor Examination has a severe disparate impact upon Hispanic test-takers.” PRLDEF claimed that “Hispanics comprised 5.2% of the test-takers and only 3.8% of the passers[.]”

· In Hispanic Society v. New York City Police Department, PRLDEF represented Hispanic police officers “challenging the examination of sergeant in the New York City Police Department as discriminatory and not job related.” The settlement “provid[ed] for positions of sergeant consistent with the percentage of Hispanic test-takers.” PRLDEF used litigation to force an employer to employ a quota-based hiring scheme.

o “In one case against the New York City Police Department, ‘we obtained quota promotions for Latinos and African Americans to the rank of sergeant,’ the group said in a May 1992 report.” (“Sotomayor Helped Push Minority Cases,” The Wall Street Journal, 7/2/09)

· In Hispanic Police Society v. New York City Civil Service Commission, PRLDEF represented the plaintiffs in a “Title VII employment discrimination case challenging the validity of the examination for lieutenant in the New York City Police Department.” The settlement allowed “plaintiffs the opportunity to participate in the preparation of a new lieutenants test.” PRLDEF used litigation to invalidate a standardized test.

· In Guardians Association v. New York City Civil Service Commission, PRLDEF challenged “seven examinations for police officers given from 1968 through 1970.” After successful litigation and subsequent appeals, “Hispanic and Black police officers who sat for the challenged examinations are entitled to at least the median date of appointment from those examinations as well as backpay.”

o The Supreme Court reversed, holding the minority officers were not entitled to compensation in the absence of showing intentional discrimination. PRLDEF had argued that the “conclusion that proof of discriminatory impact is insufficient to establish a prima facie case of discrimination in employment ignores the language of the statute, the legislative history, and the agency regulations . . .”

Other PRLDEF Cases Similar To Ricci Include:

· In 1981, PRLDEF “eliminated” the use of the Professional and Administrative Career Examination (PACE), a standardized examination for federal employment, to fill positions within 120 job categories (Luevano v. Campbell). PRLDEF reached that goal by initiating litigation and then entering into a settlement that called for the elimination of the examination. As part of this settlement, the Federal government “agreed to use alternate hiring programs to insure that the percentage of persons obtaining the positions is equal to the percentage of minority test-takers.”

· A report documenting the litigation history of PRLDEF from 1982 to 1987 explained why the organization’s “more recent class action litigation has involved public employment. The reasons are obvious. First, because hiring and promotion are based on civil service examinations, class actions are clearly appropriate to challenge the disparate impact caused by those examinations . . . .”

· The 1982-87 report also discussed PRLDEF’s strategy of using some settlements to try to alter the content and use of examinations: “Being an insider gives us the advantage of helping shape the examination and training process to help eliminate adverse impact. Our expert has a great deal of leverage. If he recommends something and the City does not follow his recommendation, we are in a good position to challenge the examination if there are adverse results . . . . The strategy so far has been successful . . . . [A]s insiders, we have forced the City away from strict rank ordering of test results.”

· The 1982-87 report also summarized:

o A challenge to “the United States Postal Service in Connecticut that involves entry level tests.” (Osorio v. Tisch).

o A successful effort to “set aside an examination for Counselors in the New York City Division of Youth.” (Hispanic Coalition v. Valenti).

Sotomayor’s Accion Puertorriquena Charged Princeton With A “‘Lack Of Commitment’ In Hiring Puerto Rican And Chicano” Faculty & Administrators

A Group Sotomayor Chaired At Princeton Filed A Complaint Against The University Over The “Lack Of Commitment” In Recruiting Puerto Rican And Chicano Administrators, Faculty And Students. “Accion Puertorriquena and the Chicano Organization of Princeton have filed a complaint with the New York office of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW), charging the university with a ‘lack of commitment’ in hiring Puerto Rican and Chicano administrators and faculty and recruiting students from these minority groups. While Provost Hackney, the university’s Affirmative Action officer, denied the charges yesterday, he admitted ‘we can make better efforts in the future.’ He added that university’s new Affirmative Action plan, now being drafted, will ‘reflect our renewed commitment.’” (David Liemer, “Latin Student Groups Assail University Hiring Performance,” The Daily Princetonian, 4/22/74)

· In 1974, Sotomayor Wrote A Letter To The Editor Of The Daily Princetonian Regarding The Complaint, Citing The Lack Of Puerto Rican And Chicano Faculty, Students And Courses. “On April 18, 1974, the Puerto Rican and Chicano students of Princeton filed a complaint with HEW charging the university with an institutional pattern of discrimination. The facts of the complaint are these: 1) There is not one Puerto Rican or Chicano administrator or faculty member in the university; 2) There are two million Puerto Ricans in the United States and two and a half million more on the island itself. Yet there were only 66 Puerto Rican applicants this year, and only 31 Puerto Rican students on campus. While there are 12 million Chicanos in the United States, there were only 111 Chicano applicants and 27 students on campus this year; 3) Not one permanent course in this university now deals in any notable detail with the Puerto Rican or Chicano cultures.” (“Letter To The Editor: Anti-Latino Discrimination At Princeton,” The Daily Princetonian, 5/10/74)

Technorati tags: affirmative action law legal SCOTUS news connecticut sotomayor

Big labor bosses vs. big labor bosses

2009-07-13T15:33:00.000-05:00

There are several apparent themes of the Obama administration. More government spending is good--except for defense, controversial bills need to be rushed through Congress, before anyone--including members of Congress--knows what's in them, and labor unions are a protected class.

As for the last one, you would think that now they are blessed by Barack Obama, they would get along.

The Workforce Fairness Institute informs us that is not the case. Read all about it: Big labor bosses vs. big labor bosses.

Technorati tags: government politics Obama Barack Obama labor unions news organized labor

Left and right worry that Obamacare won't cut costs

2009-07-13T14:11:00.000-05:00

President Barack Obama claims that his health care plan will cut costs. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that others view the issue differently:

And, some say, the ballyhooed deals the White House recently struck with hospitals and drug makers to keep them at the negotiating table could make the problem worse.

From the left, labor leaders are scheduled to have a closed-door meeting with Obama today to push for more aggressive action to hold down costs.

"We are certainly for expansion of coverage. We think every American ought to have health insurance," said Terry O'Sullivan, president of the Laborers' International Union of North America, one of the most influential unions. "But if that doesn't come with making sure there is real prevention, if we're not talking about really controlling healthcare costs, this is going to be a train wreck."

At the other end of the political spectrum, business groups are pressing the administration and its congressional allies to attack the cost issue more directly by changing the way hospitals, doctors and other providers are paid.

Technorati tags: government politics health care health universal health care health care reform Obama Barack Obama labor unions news organized labor laborers

Rasmussen: More Americans oppose health care reform than favor it

2009-07-13T13:26:00.001-05:00

Support for goverment-run health care continues to drop. According to a Rasmussen poll released today, for the first time since Barack Obama becaume president, more Americans oppose health care reform than support it:

Forty-nine percent (49%) of U.S. voters now at least somewhat oppose the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats, while 46% at least somewhat favor it, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

This marks the first time that more voters lean against the plan than support it. Just two weeks ago, 50% were for the reform plan, and 45% were opposed.

The “nays” also continue to have the edge in terms of intensity. While 22% strongly favor the Democrats’ health care reform plan, 38% strongly oppose it, up four points from the previous survey.
Among those voters who have health insurance, opposition is even higher: 43% favor the plan, but 52% oppose it. Those who strongly oppose it outnumber those who strongly favor it by two-to-one – 40% to 20%.

Technorati tags: government politics health care health universal health care health care reform Obama Barack Obama news

Breaking: Andy McKenna won't oppose Kirk in GOP primary

2009-07-13T12:19:00.000-05:00

Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna issued this statement about an hour ago:

As Party Chairman my goal has been to build Party unity. Mark Kirk and I met last evening as part of an ongoing discussion about the U. S. Senate race. I reassured Mark that if he chooses to be a candidate, I will not oppose him

Which leaves open the possibility that McKenna might still run--if Kirk doesn't.

Technorati tags: Illinois Mark Kirk Congress illinois politics Republican Chicago North Shore andy mckenna

Tonight: Marathon Pundit on the Michael Koolidge Show

2009-07-13T11:16:00.001-05:00

If you are in north central Illinois this evening, then tune into the Michael Koolidge Show. I'll be talking about the fallen dominoes being reassembled following the surprising announcement that Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan will bypass running for governor or senator.

Rep. Mark Kirk, who may or may not run for the Senate, will certainly be a topic of conversation, as well as the Tea Party I attended at his Northbrook office last month.

Heck, we might even get a little bit in about baseball.

I'll be on 5pm on WRHL-AM 1060AM in Rochelle, and the show will replay on WLBK-AM DeKalb at 7pm.

Or you can listen on the internet by visiting The Michael Koolidge Show web site from 5:00pm-7:00pm.

All times are Central.

Here's what Dr. Melissa Clouthier said about Koolidge last month:

Michael Koolidge: What is it about Chicago and radio? They’re just good. Chicago radio guy, self-syndicated and just a wonderful person. A veteran, he's breaking new ground in the new media radio world.