The Hollywood Liberal

4 Protesters Killed in Libya
Protests in Libya continue despite the killing of at least four demonstrators since Tuesday, a sign that Muammar Gaddafi could be facing the most sustained challenge yet to his 41-year rule. Armed pro-government demonstrators clashed with Gaddafi opponents on what opposition groups dubbed a “Day of Rage” Thursday.

Early Morning Swim: Ed Schultz Interviews John Nichols in Wisconsin
Good for the President. “President Obama thrust himself and his political operation this week into Wisconsin’s broiling budget battle, mobilizing opposition Thursday to a Republican bill that would curb public-worker benefits while planning similar action in other state capitals.”

Good for the President.

President Obama thrust himself and his political operation this week into Wisconsin’s broiling budget battle, mobilizing opposition Thursday to a Republican bill that would curb public-worker benefits while planning similar action in other state capitals.

Obama accused Scott Walker, the state’s new Republican governor, of unleashing an “assault” on unions in pushing emergency legislation that would nullify collective-bargaining agreements that affect most public employees, including teachers.

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I do believe we’ve found the GOP’s game plan
I guess we know now as goes Tunisia so goes Wisconsin.

Making Democrats flee the state. Is there no lesson of Tom Delay they didn’t learn…especially the felonious parts?

And Wisconsin there is no truth to the rumor your State’s 14 Democratic Senators traveled to Eden Prairie, Minnesota to sign with the Vikings and play quarterback, yet.

And all those rallies of the last few years featuring FoxNews viewers wearing teabags don’t seem to carry the weight that a spontaneous demonstration of the traditional Democratic base.

Authorities say an estimated 25,000 people are protesting anti-union legislation at the Wisconsin state Capitol, and nine demonstrators have been arrested.

And we know where a Republican’s sympathies lie:

Republican Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan compared the protests in his state’s capital to those in Egypt that led to the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Pity the poor Despots of the GOP. I guess they’ve re-modified the revolutionary slogan they used the last couple years already to be “I’ll Tread on Thee“.

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New Rule

By Mr. Fish

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Daniel Koh: The Race Classification Gap
A significant portion of colleges did not allow me to represent myself accurately on the application. This issue symbolizes a significant problem with race identification in America and deserves to be addressed with all possible expediency.

Richard Grenell: Susan Rice Fails to Convince the Palestinians, and Offers a Rebuke to Israel
U.S. Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice announced to the UN’s Arab group that she will support their statement condemning Israel for its settlement construction after failing to convince the group to support her language.

GOP Backs ‘Broadband Barons’
WASHINGTON — House Republicans on Thursday moved to block the Federal Communications Commission from enforcing new rules that prohibit broadband providers from interfering with Internet…

Bob Cesca: Most Americans Are Big Government Socialists in Denial
When we’re asked whether or not we want to cut spending, a plurality of Americans want to slash away. But when we get specific, our preference is to keep spending — by wide margins. And when I write “wide,” I mean chasm-wide. Huge.

Howard Schweber: Governor Walker, Welcome to the Show
We’re not Egyptians, it turns out — we won’t wait 30 years to make our objections known. That was a tough lesson for the Democrats in November, and just three months later it’s turning out to be a tough lesson for Republicans as well.

Watchdogs: Campaign Finance Agency Is AWOL
A coalition of watchdog groups are calling for Congressional hearings into what they regard as systematic failings of the Federal Election Commission, the agency charged with enforcing campaign finance law. In a letter to the top Republicans and Democrats on the House and Senate oversight committees, the coalition urges the panels to hold hearings on the FEC’s “frequent refusal to enforce the campaign finance laws passed by Congress.”

Issa Issues Broad Countrywide VIP Loan Subpoena
Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, expanded a prior investigation into the Countrywide Financial Corporation’s infamous VIP loan program by issuing a wide-ranging subpoena aimed at exposing the mortgage giant’s efforts to win friends and influence people at the highest levels of government. Issa’s subpoena, announced Wednesday night, was sent to Bank of America, which purchased Countrywide just before the worst of the nation’s economic crisis hit. The subpoena asks for all documents and requests related to Countrywide’s VIP program, which implicated Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) and former Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), the then-chairman of the Banking Committee.

Antarctica: The only continent where WAR is illegal
Now that we have officially outlawed war, banned war and made war illegal on the continent of Antarctica, now we only have six more continents to go. What ever became of all those high-sounding human ideals that we all used brag about — such as religious morality, Thou shalt not Kill, turning swords into plowshares, […]

Pawlenty Decision Likely By April
Tim Pawlenty said he could finalize a decision on a presidential bid within six weeks, the Miami Herald reports.

Pawlenty met with Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) but would not say whether they talked about 2012. He did says Scott was “going to be one of the nation’s best governors. He already is a rising star in the party.”

Palin Says GOP Should Stop Questioning Obama’s Birthplace
Sarah Palin echoed Karl Rove’s advice and said it was unwise for Republicans to keep doubts alive about the authenticity of President Obama’s birth certificate and his citizenship, the New York Times reports.

Said Palin: “It’s distracting. It gets annoying. Let’s stick with what really matters.”

Republican Backs Family Planning…for Horses
Politico reports that Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN) has introduced legislation that would promote the use of fertility control as a less costly way to reduce the population of wild horses and burros.

“Burton’s amendment comes as Republicans seek to cut off funding for Title X, the only federal program devoted to family planning among humans.”

‘The Next Rush Limbaugh’: Conservatives Pumping Right-Wing Young People into Media Jobs
This year’s Conservative Political Action Conference offered such panels as "Freelance Writing for Freedom" and "Want to be the Next Rush Limbaugh?"

Chomsky: Uprising in the USA?
World-renowned public intellectual Noam Chomsky discusses the protests in defense of public sector employees and unions in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Is a Battleground Against the Billionaire Kochs’ Plan to Break Labor’s Back
The war on Wisconsin employees isn’t just about the budget or Wisconsin: Koch toady Gov. Walker is just one soldier in the billionaire’s offensive to kill labor.

The Obama Budget: And Why the Coming Debate Over Spending Cuts Has Nothing to Do With Reviving the Economy
President Obama has chosen to fight fire with gasoline. Republicans want America to believe the economy is still lousy because government is too big, and the way to revive the economy is to cut federal spending. Today (Sunday) Republican Speaker…

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Boehner Falsely Claims ?There?s Been No Talk Of Shutting The Government Down On Our Side?

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) spoke with Sean Hannity at the friendly confines of Fox News yesterday. The discussion quickly veered to the continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year. If a new CR is not passed by March 4, the government won’t have any money to fund itself and will shut down. Republicans have been threatening to shut down the government if they don’t get what they want in the CR, but it seems that Boehner doesn’t see it that way:

HANNITY: My question to you then is, when March 4th, comes around, which is the day the government runs out of money, all the Democrats in almost every interview they talk about, they mention Republicans want a government shutdown.

BOEHNER: The only people cheering for government shutdown around here are Democrats, led by Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer. There’s been no talk about shutting the government down on our side. Our goal here is to reduce spending. It isn’t to shutdown the government.

Watch it:

This simply isn’t true:

– Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR): “Womack said he would be open to forcing a government shutdown over spending.” [The Hill, 12/12/10]

– Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA): “If government shuts down, we want you with us. … It’s going to take some pain for us to do the things that we need to do to right the ship.” [9/10/10]

– Rep. Tom Price (R-GA): Q: do you think shutdown should be off the table? PRICE: Everything ought to be on the table. [2/11/11]

– Rep. Steve King (R-IA): “[King] said last week that he wants Boehner and other House leaders to sign a ‘blood oath’ that they will include a repeal of health care reform in every appropriations bill next year, even if President Barack Obama vetoes the bills and a government shutdown occurs.” [Roll Call 9/10/10]

– Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI): If Obama…responds to the mandate from voters and understands he can’t disregard it, then he thinks Obama will do well “If he doesn’t, he will shut government down,” Walberg said. [Jackson Citizen Patriot, 11/03/10]

– Rep. Alan Nunnelee (R-MI): Q: Are you willing to participate in what would lead to a shutdown of the federal government to stop this monstrosity from going down he tracks? NUNNELEE: I agree with Congressman Boehner. We need to do whatever is necessary to make sure this bill never goes into effect. [11/09/10]

– Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX): “If it takes a shutdown of government to stop the runaway spending, we owe that to our children and our grandchildren.” [11/15/10]

– Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX): “This is the way the government should adjust. If they can’t pay their bills, wait.” [12/16/10]

– Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL): “We will do what we have to do, to shut down the government if we have to, to choke Obamacare if we have to.” [2/12/11]

As for the Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) called on Boehner to take government shutdown off the table. “Speaker Boehner said his goal is to not shut down the government,” Reid said in a statement Sunday. “If he is serious about that, he should completely take a shutdown off the table and tell other Republicans to stop with the threats.”

VIDEO: Boehner Can?t Make Up His Mind On Whether He Cares About Federal Employees? Jobs

Calling for massive spending cuts on Tueday, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said he didn’t care whether federal workers lost their job. “So be it,” he quipped nonchalantly. Boehner’s callous comments drew widespread condemnation, and less than 48 hours later, Boehner was already walking them back. At a press conference this morning, he said, “I don’t want anyone to lose their job, whether they’re a federal employee or not.” Ironically, in both cases, he explained his answer by saying, “we’re broke”:

If Boehner really does care about middle class federal workers losing their jobs, then he may want to reconsider the draconian cuts his party is pushing, as they could cost up to one million jobs.