The Hollywood Liberal

Gold Scam Bilks $37M from Investors
The gold-investment company American Precious Metals has been accused of targeting investors — particularly senior citizens — across the country with a combination of high-pressure and illegal sales tactics and misleading and fraudulent claims. The approach worked well enough to bilk as much as $37 million from investors, according to court documents filed this month in U.S. District Court by the Federal Trade Commission. Federal agencies that shut down American Precious Metals this month allege that the company never purchased any physical quantities of any precious metal.

Late Late Night FDL: Geraldine and Ray Do Hank
Flip Wilson (as Geraldine) having fun with Ray Charles and singing a medley of Hank Williams Sr. songs on The Flip Wilson Show.

Flip Wilson (as Geraldine) having fun with Ray Charles and singing a medley of Hank Williams Sr. songs on The Flip Wilson Show.

What’s on your mind?

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Earthshaker
Newt Gingrich, he’s like a gigantic natural disaster with a website and twitter account.

Yesterday Newt Gingrich called his campaign a once-in-a-century kind of event. I suppose that’s true, if you think of it like the Tanguska Event or Krakatoa.

But if a campaign like his comes along once a century, how come he is on the same monthly “Apologize to Rush Limbaugh like you Bogarted his Hillbilly Heroin Tour”, every other Republican with a moment of sanity has to partake in?

[Regarding Paul Ryan’s Medicare Replacement Plan] “I don’t think right-wing social engineering is any more desirable than left-wing social engineering. I don’t think imposing radical change from the right or the left is a very good way for a free society to operate.”

Oh really?

“I have an enormous personal ambition. I want to shift the entire planet”
– Newt Gingrich

I guess he really does think he’s one of those once-in-a-century events.

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Whose War on Terror?
At a time when the White House is spending hundreds of billions and has dispatched killer teams to liquidate Osama bin Laden and lesser targets, imagine what the leaders of other countries—Cuba, for instance—might do if they declared their own war on terror.

By Barry Lando

At a time when the White House is spending hundreds of billions and has dispatched killer teams to liquidate Osama bin Laden and lesser targets, imagine what the leaders of other countries—Cuba, for instance—might do if they declared their own war on terror.

Related Entries

• May 20, 2011 Whose War on Terror?
• May 19, 2011 Meltdown on the Launch Pad

Queen Comes Close to Apology in Ireland
Speaking at a historic dinner in the castle that once headquartered Ireland’s British overseers, Queen Elizabeth II expressed regret over the two islands’ violent history: “To all those who have suffered as a consequence of our troubled past, I extend my sincere thoughts and deep sympathy.”

Speaking at a historic dinner in the castle that once headquartered Ireland’s British overseers, Queen Elizabeth II expressed regret over the two islands’ violent history: “To all those who have suffered as a consequence of our troubled past, I extend my sincere thoughts and deep sympathy.”

Related Entries

• May 20, 2011 Whose War on Terror?
• May 19, 2011 Meltdown on the Launch Pad

Richard (RJ) Eskow: Republicans Declare War On Bank Customers. Dems, Consumers, & Dr. Phil Declare For Warren (Dr. Phil?)
Warren’s appointment is supported by consumer groups, civil rights groups – even Dr. Phil! Jon Stewart interrupted his interview with Warren to ask if they…

Labor Chief To Dems: If You Don’t Even Try To Stop The Wrecking Ball, We Won’t Support You
WASHINGTON — AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka plans to issue yet another warning to Democrats on Friday, proclaiming that if lawmakers don’t push hard enough to…

GOP Presidential Hopeful Begins ‘Due Diligence’
This article has been updated to include additional reporting. HANOVER, N.H. -â?? The political insiderâ??s dark horse in the GOP presidential primary, former U.S. Ambassador…

Sen. Graham: “I Am Willing To Take The Bruises And Stand By Obama”
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama had two Republican audiences for his Thursday speech on U.S.-Middle East policy. One was made up of GOP lawmakers on…

Fox Seizes On Immigrant Bust To Criticize Obama’s Immigration Record

Fox & Friends seized on a story of over 500 migrants who were caught packed into trucks in Mexico to attack President Obama’s claim that “far fewer people are attempting to cross the border illegally.” But immigration data supports Obama’s claim that illegal border crossings have decreased.

Authorities Caught Over 500 Immigrants Packed Into Trucks In Chiapas, Mexico

AP: Police In Chiapas, Mexico Find “513 Migrants…Inside Two Trailer Trucks Bound For The United States.” A May 17 Associated Press article reported:

Police in Mexico’s southern Chiapas state found 513 migrants on Tuesday inside two trailer trucks bound for the United States.

[…]

Chiapas state police discovered the migrants while using X-ray equipment on the trucks at a checkpoint in the outskirts of city of Tuxtla Gutierrez, the National Immigration Institute said in a statement.

Police also arrested four people accused of smuggling the migrants, who are from Central and South America and Asia, Chiapas state prosecutors said in a statement.

The alleged smugglers tried to escape police but were chased down and captured, prosecutors said.

The immigration institute said 410 of the migrants were from Guatemala, 47 from El Salvador, 32 from Ecuador, 12 from India, six from Nepal, three from China and one each from Japan, the Dominican Republic and Honduras. There were 32 women and four children among them. [CBS News, 

[House Homeland Security Committee Hearing, 

[Fox News, Fox & Friends, 5/19/11]

In Fact, The Trucks Were Found And Stopped In Southern Mexico. As CNN reported, “X-ray equipment detected the immigrants at checkpoints in the southern state of Chiapas, the state attorney general’s office said. The drivers of both trucks sped away after authorities ordered them to stop, but police apprehended them nearby.” [CNN, 5/17/11]

Fox Has A History Of Misinforming About Obama’s Immigration Record

Fox Uses White House Meeting On Immigration Reform To Insult Undocumented Immigrants And Border Security. On April 19, Fox News’ “straight news” programs used a White House meeting on immigration reform to fearmonger about immigration and bash Obama’s record on border security and immigration. [Media Matters, 4/20/11]

Fox & Friends Falsely Suggested Obama Refuses To Secure Border. In October, 2010, Fox & Friends hosted Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and agreed with his false suggestion that Obama has not worked to secure the border with Mexico. [Media Matters, 10/13/10]

Right-Wing Media Falsely Claim Obama Said Border Security Is “Impossible.” In July, 2010, right-wing media distorted one of Obama’s immigration speeches to claim that he said border security is impossible. In fact, Obama said our immigration problems can’t be solved “only with fences and border patrols” and that other measures are needed to reduce the incentives for illegal immigration, a view that has also been expressed by many experts and several Republicans. [Media Matters, 7/20/10]

Right-Wing Media Figures Have Repeatedly Distorted Obama’s Record On Border Security. Right-wing media figures have a history of falsely portraying Obama as weak on border security. [Media Matters, 7/1/10, 7/29/10, 8/4/10]

Ethanol Producer Wants To Make It Easier For Corn Farmers To Fund PAC
The world’s largest ethanol producer wants to put a check box on their contracts with corn farmers to make it easier for them to donate to their political action committee.

Is New Republican ‘Super PAC’ Legal?
Republican lawyer James Bopp has been chipping away at federal campaign regulations for years. He’s the guy affiliated with the Republican National Lawyers Association who was behind the Citizens United case, which allowed for unlimited corporate campaign spending to influence…

SC GOPer: 99% Of Recent Terrorist Acts Were Committed By Muslims
South Carolina State Sen. Michael Fair (R) doesn’t quite seem to know what his proposed sharia ban bill has to do with terrorism, but he does know that “ninety nine percent probably, of the acts of terrorism around the world” have “occurred at the hands of Middle Eastern men who happen to be advocates of the Islam religion.”

Ye Olde Scribe Productions Presents: The Search for the Next bin Laden
Now that America has gotten its Junior “protect my good buddy” lead out of its arse, and Obama put it in Osama’s head (As he died did he say, “Eye Yi Yi?”) the hunt continues for… The Next bin Laden Keep a look out for this dangerous terrorist. Below the fold you will find a picture from […]

Palin Insists She Has “Fire in the Belly”
Sarah Palin was asked on Fox News why she hasn’t made a decision about a presidential bid and whether she has the necessary drive to run.

Said Palin: “Oh, that’s a great question. I think my problem is that I do have the fire in my belly. I am so adamantly supportive of the good, traditional things about America and our free enterprise system, and I want to make sure that America is put back on the right track, and we only do that by defeating Obama in 2012. I have that fire in my belly.”

“It’s a matter for me of some kind of practical, pragmatic decisions that have to be made. One is, with a large family, understanding the huge amount of scrutiny and the sacrifices that have to be made on my children’s part in order to see their mama run for president. But yes, the fire in the belly? It’s there!”

Gingrich’s Statement Illustrated
Jon White has turned Newt Gingrich’s classic response to his recent media coverage into a compelling and humorous illustration, using the exact wording of the statement to narrate.

First Ad of the 2012 Campaign
The first ad of the 2012 presidential campaign is from a Democratic independent expenditure group and slams Mitt Romney in South Carolina while using Newt Gingrich as a wedge issue.

Said spokesman Bill Burton: “It will run during Romney’s trip over the weekend across South Carolina and online at election year levels.”

What NY-26 Means for 2012
Stuart Rothenberg argues that while drawing “big conclusions” from the results of next week’s special election in New York’s 26th District may be “dangerous business,” there are at least a few indications of things to come.

On recruiting top-tier candidates: “Indeed, if Hochul wins, even in a three-way race, it will be great news for Democrats, who will use the victory not only to talk about Medicare, Budget Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) budget and their own momentum, but also to recruit candidates around the country and raise funds.”

On former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA): “Corwin and National Republican Congressional Committee ads have hit Hochul on raising taxes and have tried to tie her to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to bring Republican voters home… Still, even some Republicans acknowledge that the California Democrat simply doesn’t have the visibility that she once did and that GOP control of the House makes Pelosi a less threatening figure.”

On President Obama: “Democrats can take heart from the fact that Obama’s shadow didn’t destroy Hochul’s candidacy before the race even began.”

Obama Should Follow His Own Advice on the ‘Moral Force’ of Non-Violence
There he was, the leader of the largest empire in history, praising the power of peaceful protest in countries with repressive leaders backed by his own administration.

The Obama’s Administration’s Plan to Subsidize Mortgage Securitization
A child learns the dangers of fire by getting his hand burned. Washington policy wonks are not as quick learners. This is demonstrated by the reports that the Obama administration is about to come forward with a plan to replace…

AIPAC Wins — Plus, It’s New Resolution Which Congress Will Approve
On the surface it appears that President Obama has given up on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and, given the evidence, it is difficult imagining that there is something different beneath the surface. To wit: Special Envoy George Mitchell resigned, clearly…