Randi Rhodes: Trayvon Autopsy

Details of the investigation into the Trayvon Martin killing are coming out. According to his family doctor, George Zimmerman had a broken nose and two black eyes. That just proves that Trayvon Martin managed to fight back a little before he was killed. All I know is, if George Zimmerman hadn’t have pursued Trayvon against the instructions of the police dispatcher, he wouldn’t have gotten a broken nose... and Trayvon Martin wouldn’t have gotten killed. The bottom line is that Trayvon Martin’s autopsy report definitely proves one thing—Trayvon Martin was the one who needed an autopsy.

If George Zimmerman was stalking Trayvon, and Trayvon did manage to give him a broken nose and black eyes, wouldn’t Trayvon’s reaction be thoroughly justified under Florida’s Stand Your Ground Laws? Or do Stand Your Ground Laws only apply to people who shoot other people? Or should I say non-black people who shoot black people?

The House has passed a Republican version of the Violence Against Women Act. As you would expect, it does a lot more to protect Republicans than it does to protect women. President Obama says he would veto the House version. That tells you how bad it is—women need to be protected from the Republican House bill to protect women.

The wacky anti-gay activist who said President Obama might be gay has given an interview. Dr. Paul Cameron is the chairman of the Family Research Institute. It really makes you question who should be able to use the terms “doctor” and “institute.” It’s not clear what made Paul Cameron think Obama is gay, but after hearing this interview, you’ll realize Paul Cameron has no idea who is gay or not... starting with himself.

Finally, Ben Stein says that President Obama is not really very smart. Ben said this on the Bill O’Reilly show. Ben, you can’t really question somebody’s decision-making ability when you’ve obviously made the decision to spend time talking to Bill O’Reilly.

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Rest in peace, Donna...

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Thom Hartmann: Judge Blocks a portion of the NDAA

 

The highly-controversial indefinite detention provision signed into law by the President at the end of last year has been ruled unconstitutional by a U.S. District court judge in New York. The provision allows the military to detain anyone indefinitely if they are suspected of associating with terrorists - whether they realize it or not.

 

But that law was challenged by a group of journalists and whistleblowers - including Chris Hedges, Noam Chomsky, and Daniel Ellsberg - who argued the law violated the First Amendment - since journalists often come in contact with terrorist organization and thus under the law could be subject to detention. On Wednesday night, Judge Katherine Forrest agreed with the plaintiffs in the case, ruling that the law is unconstitutional - violating the First Amendment rights of the press and the Fifth Amendment right of due process.

 

Meanwhile, as a new version of the NDAA is being debated in Congress, brave members on both sides of the aisle are arguing that there should be no indefinite detention provision in it, invalidating the previous NDAA. We need to return to the values our nation was founded on, which include bravery and due process - and not fear and medieval imprisonment techniques.

 

-Thom

 

(Do you think indefinite detention will be dropped? Tell us here.)

Randi Rhodes: Agent Orange

John Boehner has thrown down the gauntlet! Either that or he dropped it. When you drink as much as John, sometimes it’s hard to hold on to your gauntlet. Boehner vowed to block the next increase in the debt ceiling unless it’s offset by spending cuts larger than the increase. John is getting very combative. Somebody take him home before he ends up punching a parking meter. Make no mistake—these debt ceiling dramas damage the full faith and credit of the United States. But then damaging the United States is exactly what the Republicans want to do before the election.

Boehner’s remarks on the debt ceiling were coordinated with an attack by Mitt Romney on President Obama over the national debt. The theme of Romney’s debt speech was a prairie fire—a rather appropriate metaphor, seeing as how all the facts got obscured in a thick veil of smoke. Romney said that “A prairie fire of debt is sweeping” across America. That’s bad news, since Republicans have cut funding for basic services like fire-fighting.

George W. Bush has finally endorsed Mitt Romney, in the most unenthusiastic endorsement since... well, since the last person endorsed Mitt Romney. Bush endorsement consisted of him muttering “I’m for Mitt Romney” as a pair of elevators doors slid closed on him. Going down, Mr. President? That endorsement couldn’t have looked any weaker if Bush had actually been holding his nose when he said it. Bush doesn’t intend to campaign for Romney. Too bad, Bush and Romney deserve each other—the worst president who ever was, and the worst president who never will be.

James Lipton of “Inside the Actors Studio” has some advice for Mitt Romney on “how to act human” (video below). Unfortunately, Mitt simply isn’t convincing as a human being. Lipton says that Mitt’s laugh is not believable. I’m actually a little relieved by that, seeing as how the things he’s laughing about are things like beating up a gay kid, or the time his dad shut down that factory. According to Lipton, Mitt Romney exhibits what performers call “flop sweat.” In the case of Mitt Romney, it should be called “flip-flop sweat.” Lipton’s final advice to Romney is to just be who he really is. Hey, if Mitt comes off as an insincere phony, maybe that’s who he really is.

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Randi Rhodes: You're So Bain

President Obama is out with a tough new ad about Mitt Romney’s time at Bain Capital.  The ad focuses on a steel company in Kansas City that Bain took over and drove into bankruptcy... after charging the company a hefty fee for the ride. The ad is called “Steel,” as in “steel company.” But it’s really about Bain Capital liking to “Steal,” as in “steal the company’s assets.” It features testimony from former employees of the steel company. That highlights Mitt’s big problem—this country is full of people who are “former employees” of somebody that Bain took over and destroyed. One ex-worker says Bain is “a vampire. They came in and sucked the life out of us.” And corporations, like vampires, live forever... as long as they can find fresh blood. Actually, a vampire is a perfect comparison for Mitt Romney. He’s good looking, he dresses well, and he’s got that slicked hair. The only thing missing is the cape.

At the Kansas City steel company, 750 workers lost their jobs, while Bain made big profits from the deal. Vultures don’t eat unless something dies. The workers lost their severance and their health insurance. Their pensions were cut, and the pension fund had to be bailed out by... a federal agency. That’s what government does. It steps in when a disaster strikes—a disaster like Mitt Romney. In fairness to Mitt, I’m sure he didn’t plan on sticking the federal government with the bill for the worker’s pensions. He would have been just as happy to leave those workers with nothing. I’m sure Mitt’s attitude was “let the workers go bankrupt.” The Romney campaign responded quickly to the Obama ad. I’m sure they were ready for it. More than anyone, they know the things that Mitt Romney has done wrong. Heck, they might even know more things than most people.

Politico is reporting that Mitt Romney is intentionally going to pick an “incredibly boring white guy” for his VP. As a Republican, he has a lot to choose from. Romney doesn’t want to make the same mistake that John McCain did with Sarah Palin. The problem for Mitt is that the Republican Party is full of boring white guys who are just as extreme and just as dumb as Sarah Palin. Bob McDonnell’s communications director joked “Hey, we resemble that remark.” McDonnell doesn’t mind being thought of as boring, because it’s better than being knows as “that crazy vaginal probe guy.”

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One of the best cases against hate-media is the influence it can have on those who aren't exactly all there...

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Thom Hartmann: Could a lawsuit put an end to the Senate filibuster?

 

The organization Common Cause filed suit today against the United States Senate claiming current filibuster rules are unconstitutional. In a statement released today - Common Cause President Bob Edgar said the abuse of the filibuster by minorities on both sides of the aisle - especially Republicans - is, "an affront to our democracy and not the way the Senate was supposed to work."

 

Citing a previous Supreme Court decision ruling that the Senate's rules cannot conflict with the Constitution - Common Cause's lawsuit alleges that the Constitution ONLY calls for a super-majority requirement in special cases like overriding a Presidential veto or ratifying a treaty - and does not require a super-majority to begin debate, approve judges, or pass routine legislation - as it's used today. Several Members of Congress are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

 

For the last few years - led by Mitch McConnell - who boasted that his number one goal is NOT to create jobs for Americans but instead to put President Obama out of a job - a Republican minority has shut down an entire branch of government by abusing the filibuster. This is not what democracy what looks like.

 

-Thom

 

(Who do you think will win? Tell us here.)

Randi Rhodes: The Ayn Rand Doctrine

Randi's out today, but our good friend Nicole Sandler will be filling in. Nicole’s guests include:

Stephen L. Goldstein, author of "Atlas Drugged: Ayn Rand Be Damned!" He'll discuss how the role of government is NOT what Republicans like Paul Ryan believe it is, and how the unregulated world Tea Party extremists dream of is a nightmare for the rest of us.

Speaking of unregulated, Jared Bernstein, former Chief Economist and Economic Adviser to Vice President Joseph Biden, and currently a Senior Fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, will explain what exactly happened in the $2 billion JP Morgan Chase loss - and what hedgehogs have to do with it.

Finally, comedian and commentator John Fugelsang - the guy who asked the question that generated the infamous Mitt Romney "Etch A Sketch" meme - will talk about about President Obama's support of same-sex marriage, the Sexy Liberal Comedy Tour, and his one-man show, Guilt: A Love Story, now touring the U.S.
Call Nicole at 866-87-RANDI (866-877-2634)

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You're so Bain: Obama 2012 released a video today hitting Mitt hard on 'Romney Economics'...

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Thom Hartmann: The Euro crisis, and the revolt against trickled-down austerity, enters a new phase

 

Europeans stocks are tumbling and investors around the world are keeping a close eye on Greece as the Euro crisis enters a new phase. On the heels of elections that ousted the pro-austerity government in Greece - new anti-austerity parties have - so far - been unable to form a coalition government. Greek President Karlos Papoulias is desperately trying to bring together party leaders for a meeting today in hopes of finding a coalition government. But, far-left SYRIZA Party leader - Alex Tsipras - is refusing to attend the meeting alongside other parties that support austerity.

 

Neither austerity nor anti-austerity parties won enough seats in the last election to form a coalition government - meaning the President will likely have to call for a new round of elections in the coming weeks. If so, the far-left SYRIZA party will likely pick up even more seats in Parliament - making an anti-austerity coalition government a real possibility just before Greece runs out of money as early as next month. When Greece goes broke - if the new government refuses to sign on to the IMF and EU-backed austerity and bailout - then Greece will default and likely be forced out of the Eurozone. Thanks to the worldwide economic meltdown and trickle-down austerity response - the Greek economy has been in recession for the last five years. At least now - an end might be in sight - although it could get very, very painful.

 

Meanwhile in Germany - Chancellor Angela Merkel saw her Conservative Party get crushed in state elections in the North Rhine-Westpahlian - the biggest state in Germany. Merkel has been leading the charge for austerity around Europe - but now finds herself vulnerable as support for her Party plunged to 26% - its worse result since World War 2.

 

Everywhere you look - the supporters of trickle-down austerity are getting hammered by voters. Let's help Americans get the message - and kick the Republicans, pushing their own trickled-down austerity here, to the curb.

 

-Thom

 

(Will America get the message? Tell us here.)

Randi Rhodes: Attack of the Preppy

Look through the Washington Post article at the pictures of young Mitt at Cranbrook. They look like stills from a horror movie: “Willard Goes to Boarding School”! At least there aren’t any pictures of Mitt gripping money in his teeth. I guess the Cranbrook yearbook editors didn’t feel they were appropriate. Mitt made a call to Brian Kilmeade’s radio show to discuss the Post article. Kilmeade was a good choice. Something tells me that when the cameras aren’t rolling at “Fox and Friends,” Kilmeade bullies Steve Doocy in order to try and score points with Gretchen Carlson.

At first Mitt said he didn’t recall any such incident. Then he apologized for it anyway... you know, because other people remember it. Mitt said “As to the teasing or taunts that go on in high school, that’s a long time ago.” We’re familiar with “teasing and taunts,” Mitt, and they don’t involve having to hold somebody down. Mitt says he doesn’t believe that he “thought the fellow was a homosexual… That was the furthest thing from our minds in the 1960’s.” No, Mitt—the furthest thing from your mind in the 1960’s was Vietnam. You knew it was the working class shmucks who had to go there, not you.

The Romney campaign was fishing around for old classmates of Mitt’s who would offer “supporting remarks” to counter the story of Mitt’s gay-bashing. If they’re anything like Mitt, their supporting remarks will be things like “It was great!” A classmate described Mitt’s behavior in the dorms as “like Lord of the Flies.” And I’m sure that a Mitt Romney presidency would be every bit as brutal and dysfunctional as the society created by those schoolboys in Lord of the Flies. Remember what happens in Lord of the Flies—they all turn on each other, and end up killing Piggy. That doesn’t bode well for a Romney presidency... especially if the vice president ends up being Chris Christie.

In any case, we don’t want Mitt Romney in the White House. I can just see him storming down the Mall to the Capitol with his posse, ready to cut off Lindsey Graham’s hair.

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The Romney camp has know for weeks that this story was coming out. Watch Ann Romney - in a $990 t-shirt - try to get ahead of it on May 1st...

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Thom Hartmann: The GOP controlled House of Representatives fights back against marriage equality

 

On the same day that President Obama and the nation took a major step forward toward marriage equality - Republicans in the House of Representatives tried to drag the nation backward. Hours after the President's endorsement of marriage equality - House Republicans passed a measure in support of the discriminatory Defense Against Marriage Act - known as DOMA - which is a federal ban against same-sex marriage.

 

The Republican measure also forbids the Department of Justice from using taxpayer funds to oppose DOMA. Even though Wednesday was a historic day for the nation - with the President of the United States coming out in support of marriage equality for this first time in history - it's clear that this will be a long battle before the LGBT community finally gets the civil rights it deserves.

 

And we'll need the President's leadership - and grassroots pressure on all lawmakers until victory is achieved.

 

-Thom

 

(Who do you think will win this fight? Tell us here.)

Randi Rhodes: Obama Evolves / Romney Bullies

President Obama has come out in support of gay marriage. The reaction to Obama coming out in support of gay marriage was a lot like the reaction when a certain people come out as gay. Most folks just thought “Well, duh. Everybody always knew.”

Obama said that his children’s views on the subject influenced his decision to support gay marriage. He said it changes your perspective “not wanting to somehow explain to your child why somebody should be treated differently when it comes to the eyes of the law.” It’s one thing to have to convince yourself of something wrong, but it’s a whole other thing to have to convince your kid. In the end, the only way to justify something wrong to your kids is to resort to saying “Because I said so!” And that is essentially the argument that conservatives use to oppose gay marriage. Of course, they don’t literally say “Because I say so!” They say “Because the Bible says so! Now go to your room!”

If President Obama is now, as Fox's Shepard Smith said, in the 21st century when it comes to equality, Mitt Romney affirmed that he is still firmly entrenched in the 19th century... the early part of the 19th century, to boot. In addition to opposing gay marriage, Mitt added “I don’t favor civil unions if it’s identical to marriage.” The only marital arrangement that Mitt favors for gay people is a sham marriage to a heterosexual. So who is really diluting the institution of marriage? Of course you know, if public sentiment turns strongly in favor of gay marriage, Mitt Romney will say that supporting the idea of same-sex marriage was HIS idea in the first place. He’ll take a lot of credit!

It turns out that Mitt Romney was a bully in school. Of course, since we’re talking about Mitt Romney, he was a bully in an elite private school. Little Mitt led a pack of students in pinning down and cutting off the hair of a student they presumed was gay who had dyed his hair blond. I’m surprised Mitt didn’t tie the poor kid to the roof of his car. Actually, it sounds like Mitt did to this poor kid pretty much what he did to Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum this election. It’s just that now he’s using super-PACs instead of scissors.

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Jon Stewart on President Obama affirmation and North Carolina's condemnation...

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Thom Hartmann: Most Americans now disapprove of the Afghanistan War

 

No more war! That's the message the American people are sending as approval for the Afghanistan war has now dropped to an all-time low. A new AP poll shows that only 27% of Americans support the war - that's a ten-point drop from one year ago.

 

On the flip-side two-thirds of Americans are opposed to the war - and 40% say they are "strongly opposed" to the war. So far - 1,834 U.S. soldiers have died in Afghanistan - and the conditions don't seem to be getting much better over there. French President-Elect Francois Hollande has promised to remove all troops from Afghanistan by the end of this year. I think it's time we do the same.

 

-Thom

 

(What do you think Obama will do? Tell us here.)

Randi Rhodes: Obama Affirms / N.C. Denies

In North Carolina, they voted to ban gay marriage... which was already prohibited in the state. I think they just enjoy banning gay marriage. In some states, they enjoy rodeos or barbecues. In North Carolina, people unwind by preventing lesbians from having a wedding. The gay marriage ban was approved by a margin of 61 to 39 percent. We get it, North Carolina—you don’t like gay people. Please stop before you ban dinner theater throughout the state.

The language of the ban is very vague, as it usually is with these anti-gay laws. It’s very difficult to put the sentiment “I hate homos” into proper legal language. The way the law is worded, it also strips rights away from straight couples in domestic partnerships. Great, in their haste to punish gays, they’re including those heterosexuals who just have a hard time committing.

50 percent of Americans support gay marriage. That’s a very high number when you consider that a certain percentage of people won’t support the idea of marriage for anyone. And most of those people are married. As recently as 1996, only 27 percent supported it. But back in 1996 people had all kinds of crazy beliefs—like balanced budgets. Even today, only 22 percent of Republicans support gay marriage. Those Republicans are living in 1996. I bet they don’t like it—Bill Clinton is still president!

Voters have taken down one of the longest-serving and most respected Republicans in the Senate. And I don’t have to tell you that they were Republican voters. Dick Lugar was the longest currently-serving Republican Senator, with 36 years of service. He knew what he was doing. And there’s no place for that in today’s Republican Party. Lugar was an expert in foreign policy and excelled at getting things done. But Tea Party Republicans want Senators who are experts in filibustering and preventing anything from getting done. On top of everything else, Richard Lugar was 80 years old! Kicking him out of the Senate just demonstrates impatience. Republican extremists got rid of an old man because they thought he was no longer useful. And they say Obama has death panels!

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President Obama has affirmed his support for same sex marriage! Click for video.

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http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/29242313

Randi Rhodes: Pants On Fire

Mitt Romney is now claiming that he deserves “a lot of credit” for saving the auto industry. Amazing! Mitt Romney is scared to death to say anything that might alienate a supporter, but he’s absolutely fearless when it comes to telling lies. Mitt said “I pushed the idea of a managed bankruptcy, and finally when that was done, and help was given, the companies got back on their feet.” Mitt, you didn’t want the auto companies “back on their feet.” You wanted them on their knees. Mitt’s “managed bankruptcy” idea wasn’t meant to serve the auto companies. It was meant to serve them up on a platter for other vulture capitalists like Mitt Romney.

Then Mitt said “So, I’ll take a lot of credit for the fact that this industry has come back.” Wow! What chutzpah! Or as Michele Bachmann would say, “What choots-paw!” Mitt didn’t even say “I deserve a lot of credit.” No, he said “I’ll take a lot of credit...” There’s Mitt’s privileged, entitled attitude in a nutshell! It’s not “Please give me credit.” He knows he can’t ask, because he doesn’t deserve it! He just says “The credit is mine, and I will take it now. Have it packaged and delivered to my California mansion. On the double!”

The auto industry was saved by a bailout, which was nothing like the “managed bankruptcy” that Mitt was calling for. The bailout was a lifeline. A managed bankruptcy was a death sentence. If Mitt deserves any credit for saving the auto industry, it’s because his crazy call to “let Detroit go bankrupt” woke people up to the fact that something had to be done before Mitt got his way! The extent of Mitt Romney’s lying on this one is simply amazing. In terms of lying, Mitt has crossed the line from pathetic to pathological.

Rick Santorum finally endorsed Mitt Romney... in an email sent out to supporters... at 11pm... in the 13th paragraph of the email. Yeesh, Rick, why didn’t you just post it on MySpace... or Friendster, for that matter? Rick, this “endorsement” couldn’t have been more obscure if you had just posted it on a handbill that you put up on a few telephone poles and lampposts like somebody looking for a lost dog. Santorum didn’t say if he plans to campaign for Romney. I’m sure Rick will be campaigning for Mitt—just  as soon as Rick conquers his gag reflex.

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Mitt Romney clearly finds it easier to take credit for saving Detroit than he does taking credit for his own tax returns...

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