FDA Advisory Panel Tainted by Corporate Interests

"Ten members of the Food and Drug Administration advisory panel that voted to allow a group of powerful painkillers to be sold despite safety concerns had ties to the drug makers, an advocacy group says."
(Seattle Times)

Rob Reiner v. Schwarzenegger for California Gov?

"Off screen, Reiner has been an active Democratic fund-raiser. And currently, he serves as chairman of the California First Five Commission, which has a goal of promoting, supporting and optimizing the early development of children."
(KCRA)

The Cost of Homelessness

"What's the cost of homelessness? In Atlanta, it's $11 a day at a shelter, $53 a day in jail or $335 in a mental hospital. In San Francisco, make that $28 for the shelter, $94 for the jail and $1,278 for the hospital stay. What these raw numbers, compiled for the nonprofit Corporation for Supportive Housing, illustrate is that the societal costs of homelessness depend on the options we leave ourselves."
(Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Troubling Data Released Regarding HIV Infection Rates in US

"Other troubling statistics indicate that almost half of all infected people in the United States who should be receiving HIV drugs are not getting them."
(U.S. News)

Why Are Homophobia-Related Crimes Being Removed From Hate Crime Laws?

"This week, the Montana legislature killed a bill that would have added crimes motivated by the victim's sexual orientation to the state's existing hate-crimes law. Opponents worried that such a provision would be used to target religious leaders preaching against homosexuality from their pulpits. Last week, a state lawmaker in Pennsylvania introduced legislation to remove language about sexual orientation from the state's hate-crime law—language first inserted only in 2002."
(Slate.com)

Horrifying Photos From the Genocide in Sudan

"Certainly there's no doubt about the slaughter, although the numbers are fuzzy. A figure of 70,000 is sometimes stated as an estimated death toll, but that is simply a U.N. estimate for the deaths in one seven-month period from nonviolent causes. It's hard to know the total mortality over two years of genocide, partly because the Sudanese government is blocking a U.N. team from going to Darfur and making such an estimate. But independent estimates exceed 220,000 - and the number is rising by about 10,000 per month."
(New York Times)

Bush Administration Still Losing American Jobs

"The number of new claims for U.S. jobless benefits climbed more than expected to 312,000 last week, government data showed on Thursday, while a more reliable job market gauge fell to its lowest level in more than four years."
(Reuters)

An Op-Ed by Al Franken

"Anyone looking at Bush's 2006 budget must wonder about the depth of the president's commitment to black Americans, who will be disproportionately affected by the proposed cuts in food stamps, housing and community development grants, Medicaid and student loans."
(LA Times)

FOX News Altering News Reports to Mimic Bush Administration

"Since April 2002, FOX News has consistently doctored Associated Press articles featured on the FOX News website concerning terrorist attacks in the Middle East to conform to Bush administration terminology. Without any editorial notation disclosing that words in the AP articles have been changed, FOX News replaces the terms "suicide bomber" and "suicide bombing" with "homicide bomber" and "homicide bombing" to describe attackers who kill themselves and others with explosives." (Media Matters for America)

Limbaugh Attacks Dems in Appearance Before Troops

"While in Afghanistan to highlight America's ongoing relief efforts in that country, nationally syndicated radio host Rush Limbaugh delivered a partisan attack against a "political party," an apparent reference to Democrats, in a discussion with American troops...It isn't clear who is paying for Limbaugh's trip to Afghanistan or if he is being paid for his time."
(Media Matters for America)

Bush Uncle Cashes in on Iraq

"President Bush's uncle, who serves on the board of a U.S. defense contractor with over $100 million in business in Iraq, recently cashed in on some of that lucrative work, a government filing showed on Wednesday."
(Reuters)

No Child Left Behind "Unconstitutional"

"A bipartisan panel of state lawmakers that studied the effectiveness of President Bush's No Child Left Behind initiative assailed it today as a flawed, convoluted and unconstitutional education reform effort that had usurped state and local control of public schools."
(New York Times)

It's About Time...

"...81 percent of people surveyed would vote for a woman for president and 53 percent think New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton should try for the job."

Kinsley: Proof that Social Security Doesn't Work

"Social Security privatization is not just unlikely to succeed, for various reasons that are subject to discussion. It is mathematically certain to fail. Discussion is pointless."

Bush Makes "Ridiculous" Statement on Iraq

"This notion that the United States is getting ready to attack Iran is simply ridiculous. And having said that, all options are on the table."—Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 22, 2005

Why Is the Mainstream Media Ignoring Mangate?

"How did this character obtain a coveted place in the White House? What did the White House press staff know about him? How does his story fit within the larger scandal of payola punditry, with federal funds subsidizing Republican propagandists in the press corps? Did someone in the Bush administration give him a classified document?"

Bush Paying for Sins Past in Europe

"On Sunday February 20th President George W Bush left for a 5-day trip to “mend fences” with Europe. He will achieve nothing. Not only because of European payback for his own arrogant past actions, but, also, because of the thoughtless words of his Secretary of State, and the cavalier attitude of his Secretary of Defense."

Discredited Swift Boat Ad Hacks Working for Bush on Social Security Scam

"The group, now called Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, is widely credited with helping swing the election to Bush, though he never coordinated with the group and in fact criticized it at one time."

Edwards '08 Decision Does Not Hinge on Kerry's Plans

"Not only are John Kerry and I friends, our families are close," Edwards said. "I have enormous respect for him. But I'll decide what's the right thing to do based on what's going on with my own family."

Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie Looks to Reform-Minded Ministers

"Legislators said at least two lawmakers, staunch proponents of reform, and technocrats who could help the Palestinian Authority run more smoothly would be included in what one deputy described as a cabinet "with new faces.""

CBS: Rove - Gannon Connection?

"Karl Rove's hope to become a respected policymaker will be hampered if the dirty tricks from his political past are more apparent than his desire to spread liberty around the globe."

Bush's Budget Short Changes AIDS Research

"A tighter 2006 budget for the National Institutes of Health could force the world's No. 1 funder of medical research to pull the plug on some AIDS research and other projects that don't prove their value, a top official said on Monday."

Bush Inhaled!

Bush says he "wouldn't answer the marijuana question ... 'cause I don't want some little kid doing what I tried."

A Culture of Life? Death Penalties for Juveniles

"Among other crucial matters this session, the US Supreme Court is expected to determine the legality of executing juvenile offenders with its decision in the Roper v. Simmons case."

A Personal Appeal from John Edwards

Last week, I asked to hear your ideas about how we can make Social Security stronger. I was amazed by the response, and reminded of how much our leaders and Washington could learn if they took more time to just stop and listen to the people they work for. Today, I'm asking for your help again - please visit our blog and join in the conversation to share your thoughts on Bush's budget and ways we can come together to combat poverty. I will be posting sometime very soon, but I can't wait to hear from you!

Thanks again for everything.

Your friend,
John

The Bush Budget: Gutting Clinton's Progress

"Community policing was one of the central tenets of Clintonism. Even in the face of heated opposition from local law enforcement, Bush aims to cut $635 million out of the Justice Department program..."

Betraying FDR's Legacy

"The New Deal was about ensuring against risk, making disadvantaged people feel more secure in the knowledge that the government would help them stand against the vicissitudes of fate. The Bush Deal is about expanding risk, making disadvantaged people feel more acutely than at any time since the 1920s that they are at sea amid unpredictable market forces, fending for themselves."

Sen. Clinton Seeks Support

Democrats sought to help Senator Clinton raise funds.

Democrats Push to Make Election Day a Federal Holiday

"Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a possible White House candidate in 2008, joined 2004 nominee Sen. John Kerry and other Democrats yesterday in urging that Election Day be made a federal holiday to encourage voting."

Iraq - Worse Off Today Than Ever?

"[H]ere we are just a month short of two years after the Bush administration launched its triumphant invasion against a fifth-rate military with a nonexistent air force and no effective air defenses, in a tattered country already run into the ground by a combination of endless war, a tyrant's whims, and international sanctions. After all this time, the election aside, the actual condition of the country and its people may in most ways have worsened."