TPM: "Conservative radio host Bryan Fischer on Wednesday doubled down on his "Muslims have no first amendment rights" comments from last month, this time arguing that the United States should "restrict immigration from Islamic countries." ........................."

I've said it before - the worst thing that could happen to the safety of the American worker is Rand Paul, and others who share his vision of deregulation.

In many ways, the hearing led by Senate Democrats on Tuesday was the dramatic antithesis of one House Republicans held earlier this month on homegrown Islamic radicalism.

This is a phenomenal video of the immigrant rights community in southern Arizona & their battle last summer against Governor Jan Brewer's draconian legislation regime....

A famous World War II slogan was, "Food will win the war and write the peace." Today, the House of Representatives, with its budget proposal, has a new take on this slogan: No food. The House is planning over $800 million in cuts to international food aid programs.

Anti-choice lawmakers' attacks today are just plain irresponsible. Cutting funding for Planned Parenthood and other health centers would leave at least five million women and men without access to basic health care. Where will these people go for critical services?

It's comforting to know that at least some Republicans are standing up to the newly-established orthodoxy, as Daniels here shows by calling for a "truce" in the culture wars so that government can deal with the financial crises we are all facing....

Paul Barrow points out that "the real focus" of DHS "is not on prevention but on management of disasters" which "have created immense political backlash." But the real backlash will come when we attempt to use the new software & there's noone to show us how!

An overview of the trial of Shawna Forde in Tucson tells us little we don't already know.... I kept missing the fact that she was a beautician....

How can anyone justify threatening rape victims with a Bad-Conduct Discharge if they dare to speak out about their assaults? I'm just dying to hear the argument, if you've got one!

Contrary to what I'm sure you're going to hear this weekend: Reagan was not one of our most popular presidents, both during his reign & for the first decade after it (how quickly we forget!);

A crucial reminder that myths are precisely that: halfway between fact/truth & lies/falsity! As Joan says:

A genius piece of journalism on "the other Arizona" explores the state that time forgot, the liberal intelligentsia oft overlooked by the MSM: it starts with a story of how a (most likely Muslim) African scout led the first (Spanish) settlers to the gates of the Salt River & ends …

"Alarming trends" is the understatement of the day!

A brilliant academic piece which shows that not only will rescinding birthright citizenship create a massive new bureaucracy at a time when we need to streamline but it would deprive us of the crucial resource of young people who are paying taxes, fulfilling civil & military serv …

I hope you weren't thinking that the people in the government who were putting you in harm's way were actually going to make sure that you received the treatment you deserved for your services.... If you were, perhaps you should look at Joe Rogan's youtube page!

A second time around, this expose on the culture of corruption & secrecy that allows Border Patrol officials literally get away with murder was even more rewarding & meaningful: it is an absolute must-read, regardless of your political persuasion.

Another brilliant piece on the rising anti-immigrant states-rights extremists being accepted into the mainstream discourse of American politics just as they are being elected into the mainstream offices of American jurisprudence (however unprudently) leaves me wondering if the Ut …

Let's hope that noone protests at the funerals!

I can't believe that "no state or federal judge has ever been impeached to punish a judicial opinion" yet in the history of our country: unfortunately these Family Leader folks dont' seem to be weary of "dangerous" roads....

How hard is it to recognize that if we're going to send so much money to Mexico, that we ought to make sure that at least some of the money goes to fund development projects rather than flooding corrupt police & government officials' offices with more grease for their wheels?

Apparently, House Republicans are not reading the same briefs on the topic as we are....

I'm always afraid when the most liberal court in the country hands down a fascist decision like this: hopefully not a sign of things to come!

An encyclopedia of rightisms!

Now this is what an adult conversation looks like!

WBAI's Evening News had the best coverage, detailing the stories of the unscrupulous restauranteur who answered a plea for payment with a whack of a frying pan & the contractor who threw someone out of a moving vehicle after they had severely beaten them - all for asking when the …

Imagine if your employers felt that they could strike you upside the head with a frying pan when you asked to get paid or throw you out of a moving car after severely assaulting you - & get away with it! Would you believe in the need for better labor laws then?

I wonder how many people will get arrested tomorrow at this rally in DC.... Hopefully noone will end up in Guantanamo, but you never know....

WASHINGTON - Vice President Joe Biden says the country is evolving on the issue of gay marriage and he thinks it's inevitable there will be national consensus.

TPM: "If Don't Ask, Don't Tell is going to be repealed by Congress this year, it will be because the Senate found the time to do it.

Congress has passed a groundbreaking child nutrition bill that "expands the school lunch program and sets new standards to improve the quality of school meals, with more fruits and vegetables," according to the New York Times.

When a majority of troops told Pentagon interviewers this summer they didn't care if gays were allowed to serve openly in the military, it represented a sharp break from the past when America's fighting forces voiced bitter opposition to accepting racial minorities and women in t …

Gawker: "...................ISP was "United States Senate," and it appeared to come from the Atlanta office of Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia). Now the Atlanta Journal Constitution has confirmed that Sen.

Jezebel: "Gay rights blogger Joe.My.God traced the IP address of a hateful comment to... a "United States Senate" ISP, and possibly to "the neighborhood of GOP U.S. Sen.

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama's choice to lead the Marine Corps told the Senate today that Congress should not repeal the law barring gays from serving openly in the military, dealing a blow to gay rights advocates just hours before a crucial test vote.

Jenny Kopfstein, a decorated Naval officer, will testify in a case challenging Don't Ask, Don't Tell beginning today about how being openly gay led to her discharge from the Navy. The twist? The case was filed by Republicans.

"The Supreme Court has ruled that human rights advocates, providing training and assistance in the nonviolent resolution of disputes, can be prosecuted as terrorists," said Georgetown University law professor David Cole, who argued the case.

Key votes pending in Congress this week on whether to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" law that prohibits openly gay men and lesbians from serving in the military remain too close to call, advocates on both sides say.

"Who doesn't support ending violence against women across the world?