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Why does FDL deserve your support?

There is very little time before FDL’s fundraising deadline, let’s count the ways Firedoglake makes your life better — and you are liberals, so I’m sure you can count past ten.

1. It has a roster full of quality writers and policy experts, though I also write here.

2. We provide you more updates than Java, without having to download them three-times a day, every day.

3. The people associated with this blog actually get things done, it’s more than just good writing, it’s good works, have I mentioned I also write here? It’s all about balance people.

4. We’ve generally opposed every American military intervention and/or occupation – and have been right every time. I’ll single-handedly protect Ghana, if need be.

5. We wish we could spend a billion dollars on each and every one of you if we could (remember that when you donate it’s the thought that counts – in our case at least).

6. We make all karmic wishes for Internet Race-baiters and War-mongerers public.

7. We’ve never been hired by Fred Hiatt.

8. We’ve made Glenn Beck cry, but then again who hasn’t?

9. We don’t believe in the “Internet Kill-Switch”, but defend your right to the “Internet Junk Shot”.

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12. We are aware of all 27 Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, not just the last part of the Second one. Not to paint too dark a picture, but if we fall short on donations, it might be just Third Amendment posts.

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Please help us meet our goal of $50,000 by Wednesday night to support Firedoglake and the people who make it all happen. Donate $20, $35, or whatever you can afford. Thanks

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Early Morning Swim: Chris Hayes and Dean Baker Discuss Paul Krugman’s Depression Warning
But…but…Greece!

The Shrill One, yesterday.

We are now, I fear, in the early stages of a third depression. It will probably look more like the Long Depression than the much more severe Great Depression. But the cost — to the world economy and, above all, to the millions of lives blighted by the absence of jobs — will nonetheless be immense.

And this third depression will be primarily a failure of policy. Around the world — most recently at last weekend’s deeply discouraging G-20 meeting — governments are obsessing about inflation when the real threat is deflation, preaching the need for belt-tightening when the real problem is inadequate spending.

But…but…Greece!

Don’t forget to donate to Firedoglake today.

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Truthdig Wins Big at L.A. Press Club Awards
We’re pleased to announce that Truthdig won four first-place honors, more than any other website, in the Southern California Journalism Awards presented by the Los Angeles Press Club on Sunday evening in Los Angeles. The honors follow on the heels of our Webby award for the world’s Best Political Blog of 2009, which we picked up in New York two weeks ago, and we’re deeply grateful for the recognition. The glittery event at the Biltmore Hotel featured comments by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and special honors to CNN’s Anderson Cooper (presented by Sean Penn) and NPR’s Anne Garrels. Print, online and broadcast journalists were honored for excellence in work produced in 2009.  Truthdig’s awards went to political reporter Bill Boyarsky, a former metro editor and longtime political writer for the Los Angeles Times, who was named Online Journalist of the Year; columnist Chris Hedges, a former Mideast bureau chief for The New York Times, for best Online Column/Commentary/Criticism (click here to read his winning column, “One Day We’ll All Be Terrorists”), and Mark Heisler, Los Angeles Times sports writer and Truthdig contributor, for best Online Sports News/Feature/Commentary, for his Truthdig commentary about the media’s coverage of the Tiger Woods scandal. Truthdig also won an award for Best Website, Exclusive to the Internet (Budget Over $10,000). Los Angeles Press Club President Will Lewis after the program told Truthdig Editor Robert Scheer and Publisher Zuade Kaufman that, in a sign of the times, the online categories were the most heavily contested of all. This was the 52nd awards program for the club, which was started shortly after 1900, long before the Internet would become a figment of Al Gore’s imagination. Following are the Truthdig awards and some comments made by presenters in announcing them: ONLINE JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR: Bill Boyarsky (Bill won the Journalist of the Year award for print as an L.A. Times staff member in the mid-’90s, when there was no online category.) Michael Linder (KABC Talk Radio journalist): “Next up, Online Journalist of the Year. You’re probably thinking somebody under 30? A real hip techno-baby, right? You’d be way wrong.” Pat Harvey (KCAL TV anchor): “You know him well. A seasoned journalist, an admired man, former city editor of the L.A. Times. The award goes to Bill Boyarsky of Truthdig. Score one for the way-cool dinosaurs! ONLINE COLUMN/COMMENTARY/CRITICISM: Chris Hedges: “One Day We’ll All Be Terrorists” Harvey: “Turning to a big name in Online commentary, the judges went beyond the local, to an expert on the Middle East.” Linder: “The winner is Christopher Hedges from Truthdig.com, whom they called ‘a brilliant and insightful intellectual.’ ” ONLINE SPORTS NEWS/FEATURE/COMMENTARY: Mark Heisler: “It’s Not About Tiger Woods, It’s About Us.” Ana Garcia (NBC4 reporter/anchor): “The judges loved the way Mark Heisler of Truthdig—a big winner here tonight—delved into ‘society’s role as a whole’ during the dramatic crashing and burning of Tiger Woods.” (Mark’s commentary was a journalistic introspection about the coverage of the celebrity golfer.) WEBSITE, EXCLUSIVE TO THE INTERNET (Budget Over 10K): Truthdig Stana Katic (star of ABC TV’s “Castle”): “We’ve seen four or five shining stars emerge here tonight, including this scrappy website that’s been chosen by the judges as the best site operating on a budget of more than $10,000.” George Pennacchio (ABC7 entertainment reporter): “Congratulations to Truthdig! The judges loved your strong and decisive viewpoints.”

We’re pleased to announce that Truthdig won four first-place honors, more than any other website, in the Southern California Journalism Awards presented by the Los Angeles Press Club on Sunday evening in Los Angeles. The honors follow on the heels of our Webby award for the world’s Best Political Blog of 2009, which we picked up in New York two weeks ago, and we’re deeply grateful for the recognition.

The glittery event at the Biltmore Hotel featured comments by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and special honors to CNN’s Anderson Cooper (presented by Sean Penn) and NPR’s Anne Garrels. Print, online and broadcast journalists were honored for excellence in work produced in 2009.?

Truthdig’s awards went to political reporter Bill Boyarsky, a former metro editor and longtime political writer for the Los Angeles Times, who was named Online Journalist of the Year; columnist Chris Hedges, a former Mideast bureau chief for The New York Times, for best Online Column/Commentary/Criticism (click here to read his winning column, “One Day We’ll All Be Terrorists”), and Mark Heisler, Los Angeles Times sports writer and Truthdig contributor, for best Online Sports News/Feature/Commentary, for his Truthdig commentary about the media’s coverage of the Tiger Woods scandal. Truthdig also won an award for Best Website, Exclusive to the Internet (Budget Over $10,000).

Los Angeles Press Club President Will Lewis after the program told Truthdig Editor Robert Scheer and Publisher Zuade Kaufman that, in a sign of the times, the online categories were the most heavily contested of all. This was the 52nd awards program for the club, which was started shortly after 1900, long before the Internet would become a figment of Al Gore’s imagination.

Following are the Truthdig awards and some comments made by presenters in announcing them:

ONLINE JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR: Bill Boyarsky
(Bill won the Journalist of the Year award for print as an L.A. Times staff member in the mid-’90s, when there was no online category.)

Michael Linder (KABC Talk Radio journalist):
“Next up, Online Journalist of the Year. You’re probably thinking somebody under 30? A real hip techno-baby, right? You’d be way wrong.”

Pat Harvey (KCAL TV anchor):
“You know him well. A seasoned journalist, an admired man, former city editor of the L.A. Times. The award goes to Bill Boyarsky of Truthdig. Score one for the way-cool dinosaurs!

ONLINE COLUMN/COMMENTARY/CRITICISM: Chris Hedges: “One Day We’ll All Be Terrorists”

Harvey:
“Turning to a big name in Online commentary, the judges went beyond the local, to an expert on the Middle East.”

Linder:
“The winner is Christopher Hedges from Truthdig.com, whom they called ‘a brilliant and insightful intellectual.’?”

ONLINE SPORTS NEWS/FEATURE/COMMENTARY: Mark Heisler: “It’s Not About Tiger Woods, It’s About Us.”

Ana Garcia (NBC4 reporter/anchor):
“The judges loved the way Mark Heisler of Truthdig—a big winner here tonight—delved into ‘society’s role as a whole’ during the dramatic crashing and burning of Tiger Woods.” (Mark’s commentary was a journalistic introspection about the coverage of the celebrity golfer.)

WEBSITE, EXCLUSIVE TO THE INTERNET (Budget Over 10K): Truthdig

Stana Katic (star of ABC TV’s “Castle”):
“We’ve seen four or five shining stars emerge here tonight, including this scrappy website that’s been chosen by the judges as the best site operating on a budget of more than $10,000.”

George Pennacchio (ABC7 entertainment reporter):
“Congratulations to Truthdig! The judges loved your strong and decisive viewpoints.”

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Chris Weigant: Supreme Court Helps Out Kagan
The Supreme Court has yanked the rug out from under the argument that Kagan shouldn’t have had the option to bar military recruiters from campus while dean of Harvard law school. Today’s ruling affirms that right for universities.

Thurgood Marshall On Trial: Republican Senators Use Elena Kagan’s Supreme Court Hearing To Trash Her Mentor (VIDEO)
Republican senators sound increasingly unlikely to try and block Elena Kagan’s confirmation to the Supreme Court, owing perhaps in part to public apathy, but in…

Without Byrd, Senate Financial Reform Vote In Doubt
WASHINGTON — A sweeping overhaul of financial regulations faced new obstacles in the Senate on Monday – the loss of one and potentially more crucial…

On first day of hearing, ?Special Report? pushes Kagan myths

Fox News’ Special Report used the first day of her Supreme Court confirmation hearing to push several myths and falsehoods about Elena Kagan.

MYTH: Kagan supported a “ban on campus military recruitment” at Harvard Law

CLAIM: Kagan supported a “controversial wartime ban on campus military recruitment.” During a recap of the first day of Kagan’s confirmation hearings, Fox News chief political correspondent Carl Cameron claimed that “as dean of the Harvard Law School, she made headlines” for “supporting a controversial wartime ban on campus military recruitment.”

FACT: Harvard students had access to military recruiters during Kagan’s entire tenure as dean. Throughout Kagan’s tenure as dean, Harvard law students had access to military recruiters — either through Harvard’s Office of Career Services or through the Harvard Law School Veterans Association. Kagan became dean of Harvard Law in June 2003. In accordance with Harvard’s pre-existing nondiscrimination policy, she barred the school’s Office of Career Services (OCS) from working with military recruiters for the spring 2005 semester after the U.S Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit ruled that law schools could legally do so. During that one semester, students still had access to military recruiters via the Harvard Law School Veterans Association. During the fall 2005 semester, after the Bush administration threatened to revoke Harvard’s federal funding, Kagan once again granted military recruiters access to OCS.

FACT: Military recruitment continued throughout Kagan’s tenure at Harvard. The notion that military recruitment was banned during Kagan’s tenure is contradicted by data Media Matters obtained from Harvard Law School’s public information officer, which indicated that graduates entered the military during each year Kagan served as dean. Moreover, the prohibition on Harvard Law’s OCS working with military recruiters existed only during the spring 2005 semester, meaning that it could only have affected the classes of 2005, 2006, and 2007. However, the number of graduates from each of those classes who entered the military was equal to or greater than the number who entered the military from any of Harvard’s previous five classes.

FACT: Former Harvard Law School Dean said “[T]he practical effect on recruiting logistics was minimal.” In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, former Harvard Law School Dean Robert Clark wrote (emphasis added):

As dean, Ms. Kagan basically followed a strategy toward military recruiting that was already in place. Here, some background may be helpful: Since 1979, the law school has had a policy requiring all employers who wish to use the assistance of the School’s Office of Career Services (OCS) to schedule interviews and recruit students to sign a statement that they do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, and so on.

For years, the U.S. military, because of its “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, was not able to sign such a statement and so did not use OCS. It did, however, regularly recruit on campus because it was invited to do so by an official student organization, the Harvard Law School Veterans Association.

The symbolic effect of this special treatment of military recruiters was important, but the practical effect on recruiting logistics was minimal.

[…]

In November 2004, however, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals found that the Solomon Amendment infringed improperly on law schools’ First Amendment freedoms. So Ms. Kagan returned the school to its pre-2002 practice of not allowing the military to use OCS, but allowing them to recruit via the student group.

Yet this reversion only lasted a semester because the Department of Defense again threatened to cut off federal funding to all of Harvard, and because the U.S. Supreme Court reversed the Third Circuit’s decision. Once again, military recruiters were allowed to use OCS, even as the dean and most of the faculty and student body voiced opposition to “don’t ask, don’t tell.”

MYTH: Kagan lacks “courtroom experience”

CLAIM: “We don’t have a lot of specifics about Kagan because of her lack of courtroom experience.” Host Bret Baier advanced the false claim that Kagan does not have courtroom experience by introducing a segment on Kagan by stating, “While we don’t have a lot of specifics about Kagan because of her lack of courtroom experience, there are some signals of what kind of justice she might be.”

FACT: Kagan worked for two years in private practice as an associate at Williams & Connolly. Kagan worked in private practice as an associate in the Washington, D.C., office of Williams & Connolly from 1989 to 1991. Kagan litigated cases during her time at Williams & Connolly. 

FACT: Kagan has had six oral arguments before the Supreme Court as solicitor general. As she wrote in her Judiciary Committee questionnaire, Kagan has argued before the Supreme Court six times as solicitor general.

FACT: Kagan has signed over 170 briefs as solicitor general. Kagan has also filed more than 170 briefs as solicitor general.

FACT: Kagan’s legal experience is comparable to that of Rehnquist, Thomas, and Roberts at the time of their nominations. Kagan has 23 years of legal experience (after law school). Rehnquist had 20 years of legal experience at the time of his nomination. Thomas had 17 years of legal experience at the time of his nomination. Roberts had 26 years of legal experience at the time of his nomination. None had served more than two years as a judge.

(See here for the biographical information used to compile this chart.)

MYTH: Kagan’s praise of Israeli Supreme Court Justice Barak is troubling

CLAIM: Kagan’s “judicial hero” Justice Barak is “way out of the American mainstream,” calling her own beliefs into question. Baier introduced a segment profiling retired Israeli Supreme Court Justice Aharon Barak by stating, “not that much is known about Kagan, but we might gain some insight by looking at someone she admires.” The segment went on to forward the claims of Robert Bork and other conservatives that they are “concerned” that Kagan called Barak her “judicial hero” because some of Barak’s views are supposedly “way out of the American mainstream.” Additionally, on Special Report‘s All-Star Panel, Weekly Standard editor Fred Barnes claimed that Kagan is “a liberal activist who likes that type of judge — you know, her favorite judge is that Israeli judge who thinks that judges should rule not on the rule of law but on whatever is their concept of justice.”

REALITY: Kagan is not alone in praising Barak — prominent conservatives have praised him as well. Kagan’s praise for Barak is hardly evidence that she is outside the mainstream. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia reportedly sang Barak’s praises while presenting him an award. And former Reagan administration Solicitor General Charles Fried called Barak “superhuman.”

Blago Trial Update: Rahm’s ‘B.S.’ List Of Potential Senate Appointees
The corruption trial against former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) has been chugging along, with the highlight this week being testimony from Blago’s former chief of staff about Rahm Emanuel and President Obama’s Senate seat.



Rahm Emanuel – Barack Obama – Rod Blagojevich – Illinois – United States Senate

The Gore Allegations: What You Need To Know
You’ve no doubt heard by now about the sexual assault allegations made against Al Gore by a Portland, Oregon massage therapist stemming from a 2006 incident. It’s a complicated case, and we’ve now read the 73-page police report so you don’t have to.


algore – Massage – Vice President of the United States – United States – Portland Oregon

Americans Love Corpo-Cola to Death
Listed in the fake ad are the 20 largest corporations by revenue in 2010, according to Fortune magazine and CNN Money. The real Coca-Cola ranks at 72, Wall Street bad boys Goldman Sachs Group peg in at 39, and BP has dropped off the top 100 list entirely; it was consistently in the top 20 […]

Strickland Holds Lead in Ohio
A new Quinnipiac poll in Ohio finds Gov. Ted Strickland (D) leading challenger John Kasich (R) by five points, 43% to 38%, essentially unchanged from similar polls in March and April.

Siad pollster Peter Brown: “Kasich still has four months until Election Day and Strickland’s other numbers show his potential vulnerability, but at this point the Governor remains ahead despite the anti-incumbency wave sweeping the country. The good news for Strickland is that he is ahead. Nevertheless, when an incumbent governor is getting less than 45 percent of the vote four months out, it should make him concerned/”

What Job Hunters Can Learn from the Campaign Trail
Political Job Hunt: “Politicians are the ultimate job hunters. They are continually seeking a job — often, their same job, unless they’re tossed out of that one by the voters and then they’re looking for another one… What can ordinary job hunters, who don’t need to be re-elected but must campaign for a position, nonetheless, learn from the campaign trail?”

50 Members of Congress Warn State Department Against Rubberstamping 2,000-Mile Oil Sands Pipeline
A proposed massive pipeline that would carry Canadian tar sands oil 2,000 miles, from northern Alberta to refineries in Texas, may be our next major catastrophe.

A proposed massive pipeline that would carry Canadian tar sands oil 2,000 miles, from northern Alberta to refineries in Texas, may be our next major catastrophe.

Power is Relative: Runaway General Stanley McChrystal has to Go
Barack Obama has an easy choice to make: fire a general who has established a culture of insubordination and indifference toward civilian leaders and partners in government or defer yet again to a general who acquires power like medals every…


Barack Obama – Stanley McChrystal – Government – Joe Biden – United States

Etzioni: Time To Bomb Iran’s Civilian Infrastructure!
This piece speaks for itself. It can be summed up like this. Bombing Iran’s nuclear sites won’t succeed in stopping Iranian nuclear development so the US and or Israel should bomb Iran itself, what Etzioni calls its “infrastructure”. Obviously, I…


Iran – Israel – Middle East – Warfare and Conflict – Weapons

McChrystal & MacArthur
Rolling Stone Magazine dropped a bombshell on Washington this morning that will test Obama’s strength as commander in chief. It could be a defining moment in the War in Afghanistan. I’ve known JannWenner, editor and proprietor of Rolling Stone Magazine…



Afghanistan – Rolling Stone – War in Afghanistan – President – United States

Wamp?s Monthly Stimulus Hypocrisy: Stimulus Both A ‘Flawed Notion’ And Creates ‘Good High-End Jobs’
Earlier this year, ThinkProgress released a report detailing how more than 114 lawmakers who voted to kill the Recovery Act — over half the GOP caucus in Congress — later either took credit for stimulus projects or hailed stimulus-related programs as a success. Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN), who is mentioned in the report for […]

Earlier this year, ThinkProgress released a report detailing how more than 114 lawmakers who voted to kill the Recovery Act — over half the GOP caucus in Congress — later either took credit for stimulus projects or hailed stimulus-related programs as a success. Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN), who is mentioned in the report for celebrating a stimulus-funded laboratory after voting against the stimulus, has continued to vigorously attack the stimulus as a failure, while hailing Tennessee stimulus projects as a success.

On Friday, Wamp’s office released a statement praising the construction of a new Alstom steam and gas turbine factory in Chattanooga. Wamp said the $300 million dollar factory, “means good high-end manufacturing jobs for our region’s workers.” Wamp did not mention anywhere in the release that Alstom’s new plant was boosted by $63 million in stimulus funds, and that the Recovery Act Wamp opposed contains various clean energy loan guarantees and tax credits for Alstom’s business.

While there are many stimulus hypocrites abound in the Republican Party, Wamp seems to flip-flop on his stimulus position on a near-monthly basis:

February 2009: Wamp votes against the stimulus, explaining that it will only hurt the economy. “The larger picture is: This is not good for our country,” Wamp said, “It would make our recession longer and deeper.” He added, “it’s a flawed notion that we can borrow our way out of this mess.”

March 2009: Wamp urges Gov. Phil Bredesen (D-TN) to reject stimulus funds for unemployment insurance.

March 2009: Wamp hails $71 million in stimulus funds to Oak Ridge laboratory. “This modernization effort will help keep ORNL as one of our nation’s premier laboratories,” said Wamp at the news of the new 170 construction jobs.

April 2009: Wamp demands more stimulus spending on high speed rail projects. “We need to throw the ball deep,” Wamp said.

July 2009: Wamp signs onto a bill to repeal the stimulus, stop future stimulus projects.

August 2009: Wamp complains to the Chattanooga Times Free Press that “unfortunately” the stimulus did not contain enough loan guarantees for nuclear power plants.

August 2009: Wamp praises the Chickamauga Lock replacement project, funded by a $58.9 million stimulus grant to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

October 2009: Wamp boasts that stimulus money is being spent quickly in his district. “We have done a better-than-average job in our state of actually taking the stimulus money and getting it out in the field, and we’re ranked high there. Sure there is going to be some silver lining in this, but the dark cloud is still there,” said Wamp.

January 2010: Wamp attacks the stimulus program as a failure, claims “our country can no longer accept these spending policies,” and says the stimulus was “reckless.”

January 2010: Wamp’s press office praises the construction of a $200 million stimulus-funded solar panel manufacturing plant.

March 2010: Wamp celebrates opening of stimulus-funded uranium stage facility. “Big projects just don’t happen. Somebody has got to get in the middle of it, and make it happen, and the people in this room made it happen. Congratulations to all of you,” said Wamp.

June 2010: Wamp hails stimulus-funded turbine factory in Chattanooga.

Wamp, who is running for Governor of Tennessee, has postured as a states’ rights candidate, going as far as threatening that if President Obama tries to confiscate firearms, he will “meet him at the state line.” Despite the bluster and fiery rhetoric against the federal government, Wamp clearly has embraced federal stimulus funds with open arms.

24 percent of Americans believe Obama was born outside the U.S.
Long after the question of President Obama’s birthplace should have been put to rest, a new poll shows that nearly one in four Americans believe the “birther” lunacy that the president was born outside the country. The Vanity Fair/60 Minutes poll found that 24 percent of respondents think Obama was born outside the U.S., with […]

Long after the question of President Obama’s birthplace should have been put to rest, a new poll shows that nearly one in four Americans believe the “birther” lunacy that the president was born outside the country. The Vanity Fair/60 Minutes poll found that 24 percent of respondents think Obama was born outside the U.S., with six percent saying he was born in Kenya, another two percent choosing Indonesia, and the remainder being unsure of his exact foreign origins:

Of course, Obama made his birth certificate available during the campaign, and the birther theory has been squashed by independent fact checkers, but a campaign by far-right publications like World Net Daily has continued to keep the rumor alive. Astoundingly, at least 11 Republican congressman endorsed the fringe theory, perhaps contributing to its perseverance.