USDA Secretary Vilsack says agency will adopt recommendations on diversity
Posted in Main Blog (All Posts) on May 11th, 2011 4:32 am by HL
USDA Secretary Vilsack says agency will adopt recommendations on diversity
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Tuesday that his agency would quickly adopt most of the recommendations contained in a two year study that looked at USDA’s history of discrimination and its ongoing civil rights failings.
The recommendations range from making the department’s rural development programs more accessible to women to appointing a “chief diversity officer” in each of the agency’s state offices.
The $8 million assessment by an outside group was spurred by a promise from the Obama administration to bring “cultural transformation” to a department that has been guilty of some of the government’s most egregious cases of discrimination.
Navy revokes guidance on same-sex marriages
The Navy is revoking guidance to its chaplains about conducting same-sex marriages at military chapels following an uproar by Republican lawmakers and social conservatives claiming the move would violate a law prohibiting federal recognition of gay marriage.
Despite the decision, military officials said Tuesday night that the Defense Department may still eventually permit gay troops to use military chapels in states that recognize homosexual marriages for same-sex weddings after President Obama lifts the ban on openly gay service members known as “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Number of baby girls named Palin spikes
The next generation may be able to see Russia from their cribs.
Yes, the new popular baby name is none other than Palin. Well, popular may be an overstatement. It’s no Bear Blu and it’s not among the top 2010 baby names that the Social Security Administration has just announced.
But, according to Baby Center’s recent survey, the numberof little baby girls named Palin has spiked in the last two years.
Why John Boehner gets away with it
Steve Benen and Digby both have posts up wondering why Beltway commentators are treating John Boehner’s demand for trillions in cuts seriously when he’s already agreed that the debt ceiling must be raised and has completely taken any tax hikes off the table.
Both Benen and Digby point out that if Dems adopted a similarly intransigent position in exchange for an outcome that we’ve already agreed is inevitable, they’d be laughed out of town. As Digby says:
Benen adds:
Pakistan will allow bin Laden wives to be questioned
Pakistan has informed the U.S. that it will allow direct access to Osama bin Laden’s widows. CBS News correspondent Elizabeth Palmer reports Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani denied repeated allegations that top officials knew where he was hiding.
