Christie Ally Ordered To Testify In Bridge Scandal

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/christie-ally-subpoena-bridge-scandal

A close ally and former high school classmate of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) was ordered on Tuesday to testify about the scandal involving lane closures on the George Washington Bridge.

David Wildstein was subpoenaed to testify at a hearing Jan. 9 by New Jersey Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D), who has been leading the investigation into the September lane closures.

Wildstein was the director of interstate capital projects at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees the bridge.

is Christie's jig up?  as mean spirited as he is to his constituents not much of a reach for him to play the playground bully and get even for the Fort Lee's mayor not endorsing him. a reasonable person would have looked at like "i won didn't need him anyway", not screw the citizens with gridlock and loss wages from missing time or not being able to get to work.

Some Democrats have alleged Christie's Port Authority appointees had the lanes shut because a Fort Lee's mayor declined to endorse the governor's re-election bid. Wildstein has said the lane closures were the result of a traffic study and Christie has repeatedly denied any role in the decision to shut the lanes.

"When not making traffic cone jokes and shrugging off the threats to public safety these lane closings created, Gov. Christie has made clear that this decision was largely the fault of Mr. Wildstein," Wisniewski said in his statement announcing the subpoena issued to Wildstein.

"So as we continue gathering information on this matter the time has come to hear directly from Mr. Wildstein. The public deserves answers as to how this decision was made, who was involved and its true purpose. I look forward to Mr. Wildstein providing insight into this decision that put public safety at risk and raised serious questions about this vital yet dysfunctional agency being used for political vengeance."

has the golden boy image been tarnished if guilty doing something like that is worse than raising taxes it is a right now in your face impact and all that was loss or compromised will not be forgotten. wonder how many republicans will seek his indorsement or support?

or will we see another republican recall nothing hurts more than electing someone who was not as advertised, makes you feel like a fool for being fooled it's personal.

Former General And Tea Party Activist Calls For Uprising And Obama’s Arrest

http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/12/31/vallely-tea-party-obama-arrest/

Former general and Tea Party activist Paul Vallely is calling for the citizens of the U.S. to arrest President Obama. According to Right Wing Watch, Vallely said:

“I would say if we can make citizens’ arrest, I challenge our government that if we have people that are conducting treason against the United States and the best interests of our country, violating the Constitution, violating our laws, just as they are doing with these excessive executive orders that are coming out of the White House where you have a President and his team that doesn’t care about the Constitution.”

He’s also calling for an Egyptian-style uprising against the U.S. government, a national recall election, and marching on state capitols. According to nutty right-wing site WorldNetDaily, Vallely said he’s getting lots of calls for interviews, and that millions of Tea Party Americans are looking for the type of leadership he and his compatriots are willing to provide. He said his ideas are resonating all over the country.

Paul Vallely is looking for a new George Washington.

do they really think it's enough dullards out there to hitch to their hayseed wagon?  maybe at one time 30 or 40 years ago but definitely not now and why do they think that they can impress other dullard that they are just as ignorant as they are, so what's the prize or do they get the whole cracker jack box or just the little whistle at the bottom?   here's a hint open the box from the bottom.

Iran Says Nuclear Deal To Be Implemented In Late January

http://www.newsweek.com/iran-says-nuclear-deal-be-implemented-late-january-225252

DUBAI (Reuters) - World powers and Iran have agreed to start implementing in late January an agreement obliging Tehran to suspend its most sensitive nuclear work, an Iranian official was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

There was no immediate confirmation of the agreement from the six powers - the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany - or the European Union, which oversees contacts with Iran on behalf of the six.

The reported agreement follows nearly 23 hours of talks between nuclear experts from Iran and the six powers held in Geneva on Monday and Tuesday.

The seven countries have met several times since striking the breakthrough accord on November 24 to iron out practical details and decide when the deal would be implemented.

An Iranian nuclear negotiator, Hamid Baeidinejad, said a date was agreed on Tuesday.

"Based on the conclusions the talks held with ...expert delegations, the implementation of the Geneva accord will start in the third ten-day of January," Baeidinejad was quoted as saying by Iranian Press TV.

now if we can muzzle the republicans and their doom and gloom rhetoric this will be a good thing for all even those not involved in the talks.

saber waving would not have come to this close it would have changed the number of living beings and the landscape ruined for decades as far as being habitable.

Under the November 24 agreement, Iran will suspend its most sensitive uranium enrichment efforts and, in return, Western governments will ease some economic sanctions.

The sequence of these moves appeared to be a sticking point in the expert talks, with divisions focusing on how much prior notice Iran will give Western governments that it is meeting its end of the deal before they lift the agreed sanctions.

Iran's deputy foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, was quoted saying earlier that he was likely to meet Helga Schmid, Ashton's deputy, to further discuss some issues next week.

we must pray that those voices that could reverse the progress or kill the agreement fall mute until we can get it done.  if we don't need to shed blood why would we?    if this gets off it will be another positive for this admin that IMO never would have seen the light of day with the smoked filled skies of war.

Conservatives urge boycott of Rose Parade over same-sex wedding float

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/31/conservatives-urge-boycott-of-rose-parade-over-same-sex-wedding-float/

Anti-LGBT activists and other right-wing conservatives are calling for a boycott of the 2014 Rose Parade because of a parade float that will feature the wedding of a same-sex couple.

CBS Los Angeles reported on Monday that Aubrey Loots and Danny LeClair plan to formalize their partnership of 12 years atop a float sponsored by the AIDS Health Foundation in this year’s parade.

The two will be the first same-sex couple to get married in the parade. On its Facebook Page, the foundation announced that the two men will be married on top of a float made of thousands of flowers shaped into a white wedding cake. The float will be one of 45 featured in this year’s Rose Parade, a tradition that dates back 125 years.

The theme of the float will be “Dreams Come True,” which for LeClair and Loots, could not be more true.

we need to start sanctioning and boycotting those who oppose others living their lives especially when it has no affect on them that is shoving your prejudices down the throats of those who may not be intolerant of another American pursuing life liberty and the pursuit of happiness, and who elected them hate police. 

 is God now speaking to groups in town halls and such were they instructed by God to forget the 10 commandments an go on and hate your little azzes off?

“AIDS Healthcare Foundation is about love is the ultimate protection. We’ve taken it to love saves lives. This is about love, across the world, no boundaries. We’re celebrating love,” Loots said to CBS. “This is also an opportunity, for us, to give a voice to people who don’t have a platform like this to express their love, in this country and many other countries, too.”

Last summer, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that supporters of California’s ban on same-sex marriages, Proposition 8, had no grounds legally to deny same-sex couples the right to marry. The decision allowed the thousands of same-sex couples married in the state to remain married, and couples like Lootens and LeClair to get married.

Anti-LGBT conservatives, on the other hand, are incensed.

you here the right wing say we are a country of laws, but they ignore this law, ACA, voter blocking and the few we know about so where is there any patriotism in that more so anti American and they wear it well.

Franklin Graham: Pope Francis is not the judge, God is the judge

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/30/franklin-graham-pope-francis-is-not-the-judge-god-is-the-judge/

Franklin Graham, the son of influential evangelist Billy Graham, does not think Christians should shy away from criticizing LGBT people and their relationships.

“God would have to shift and God doesn’t,” Graham said in an interview that aired NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday. “God’s word is the same, yesterday and today and a million years from now. This is sin. But to wink at sin and to tell somebody it is OK when I know the consequences of what will happen one day when they have to stand before God, so I want to warn people.”

“I think the pope is right when he says he’s not the judge,” he added. “He’s not the judge. God is the judge.”

he is calling the Pope to question what about that pot kettle thing he has going on the guy is a racist/bigot/blasphemer/evangelical of another God. maybe that's why he says what his God would or would not do, was he spoken to also? click the link and take a pick or 5.

https://www.google.com/search?q=franklin+graham+racist&oq=franklin+graham+racist&aqs=chrome..69i57.11394j0j7&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8

Pope Francis made international headlines in July after expressing a more friendly tone towards LGBT people.

“If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” Francis told reporters.

but Graham's God let's him judge even after preaching to the Pope about the ramifications of judging

“I think the pope is right when he says he’s not the judge,” he added. “He’s not the judge. God is the judge.”

he supports republican ideology and bigotry and racism while preaching about Jesus. the Bible says beware of false profits at least the Bible i grew up with interesting to hear how his Bible states that book and verse?

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7%3A15&version=KJV

Ken Langone To Cardinal: The Pope Better Watch What He Says

http://crooksandliars.com/2013/12/ken-langone-cardinal-pope-better-watch

Cardinal Dolan is someone who, in my kinder moods, I might describe as a "right-wing corporate bootlick." So the thought of him having to explain to self-centered billionaires that OF COURSE Pope Francis didn't mean to criticize them puts me in a happy mood. But billionaires like wingnut Langone (who's famously tight with a buck when it comes to his employees) really should reflect on the pope's economic message, because yes, he really was talking about people like him:

Pope Francis' critical comments about the wealthy and capitalism have at least one wealthy capitalist benefactor hesitant about giving financial support to one of the church's major fundraising projects.

At issue is an effort to raise $180 million for the restoration of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York being spearheaded by billionaire Ken Langone, the investor known for founding Home Depot, among other things.

Langone told CNBC that one potential seven-figure donor is concerned about statements from the pope criticizing market economies as "exclusionary," urging the rich to give more to the poor and criticizing a "culture of prosperity" that leads some to become "incapable of feeling compassion for the poor."

Langone said he's raised the issue more than once with Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, most recently at a breakfast in early December at which he updated him on fundraising progress.

"I've told the cardinal, 'Your Eminence, this is one more hurdle I hope we don't have to deal with. You want to be careful about generalities. Rich people in one country don't act the same as rich people in another country,' " he said.

did the right wing just threaten Pope Frankie, all i can say is knock yourself out hell ain't half full.  

as far s rich and different countries that's BS it is inevitable without the general population working together to overcome the monarchy they have built, the only difference is how much they can openly get away with without interference.

we can serve as a template we defied the odds the rich and the republican party, it can be done 2008 2012 and on to 14 and 16, but only if we stick together to a common goal of fair and honest elections and politicians to do our work not the Koch bros's.

But Ken, they do! They create ideologies and theologies that justify squeezing every last cent out of the poor and vulnerable, and they buy politicians to rig the game for their benefit. Are you claiming that doesn't happen here?

Some of the statements in question are from Francis' first teaching, or "exhortation," a 224-page document issued in late November. In it, the pontiff criticizes what he calls "an economy of exclusion and inequality," blaming ideologies that "defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation."

- In a speech in Brazil in July, Francis appealed "to those in possession of greater resources," saying that they should "never tire of working for a more just world, marked by greater solidarity. No one can remain insensitive to the inequalities that persist in the world." 

he is turning things upside down and that messes with the money which is first over God and Pope Frankie. again if we want more change we have to do it together or we will be in a state of deja vu all over again.

Chinese Muslims Freed From Guantanamo Ten Years After Being Found Innocent

http://thinkprogress.org/security/2013/12/31/3108621/uighurs-guantanamo-freedom/

well there's some more humans that the right wing can hate on i have to admit i had not heard of these people until i spotted this articles. will republicans now insist on Chinese immigrants be spied on or waterboarded? 

The last of 22 Uighurs, a largely Muslim ethnic group concentrated in Western China, were freed from Guantanamo Bay, according to an announcement from the Pentagon on Tuesday. Their freedom comes ten years after the U.S. military determined that the men posed no threat to American national security.

Slovakia agreed to repatriate Yusef Abbas, Hajiakbar Abdulghupur, and Saidullah Khalik, who could not be transferred to the U.S. mainland because of Congressional restrictions. The decision is consistent with the Guantanamo approach codified in the newly signed2014 National Defense Authorization Act, 

which maintains the ban on transferring detainees to the United States while increasing the president’s power to transfer detainees to other nations.

The deal with Slovakia is a comparatively happy ending to a terribly sad saga. The 22 Uighurs rounded up by the United States in 2001 were fleeing brutal persecution in China, which represses the mere expression of Uighur religion and culture as a matter of policy. 

“At its most extreme,” Human Rights Watch documented in 2005, “peaceful [Uighur] activists practicing their religion in ways that the Party and government deem unacceptable are arrested, tortured, and at times executed.”

The now-released Guantanamo inmates ran to Taliban-controlled regions of Afghanistan, where there were preexisting Uighur communities, and hence were rounded up during the first year of the war in Afghanistan as suspected transnational terrorists. 

“When the Uighurs were turned over to the United States, they thought that they had been saved,” J. Wells Dixon, a lawyer representing some of the inmates, told PBS.

 It took two years for the U.S. military to acknowledge its mistake. In 2003, the New York Times’ Charlie Savage reports, military officials decided the Uighur inmates were “not affiliated with Al Qaeda or a Taliban leader” and hence should be released from custody.

But the mechanism for release was tricky. They couldn’t be sent back to China, and there were tremendous domestic political pressures against releasing them into the United States. So, for some time, they continued to be held as prisoners in Guantanamo, despite demonstrably posing no threat to the United States.

In 2005, a military tribunal ruled the Uighurs were “not enemy combatants” and hence should be released. One of their lawyers asked that they be allowed to live in a hotel in Guantanamo until a permanent place for them could be found, a request the Department of Defense denied. Three years later, a civilian court ruled that all remaining Uighurs be transferred to the United States to live freely, a ruling overturned on the Obama Administration’s appeal.

the price for freedom of some can be a hell for another, innocence seems to fall under that lock down first and when you get time check it out, medieval times did that reasonable to assume first man did the same in their way, it's always been about the strong survive but the Bible says "the meek shall inherit the earth.  is that being ignored or just no fear or belief of God?

people fear what they don't know denial of such things only makes the reality of them more of an impact.

Really Understanding Health Care Policy by Ed Kilgore

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2013_12/really_understanding_health_ca048425.php

As someone who has tried very hard and only intermittently succeeded in keeping up with the deeper trends in health care policy, 

I’ve become an admirer of WaMo’s own Phil Longman, who wrote three major pieces in 2013 on what might be called the hidden challenges of the U.S. health care system. 

The first, in our March/April issue, was about the heavy Republican investment in protecting wasteful forms of health care spending, despite all the rhetoric about costs, as exemplified in the GOP battle against cost effectiveness research. 

The second, in the July/August issue, exposed the role of heavily subsidized teaching hospitals in skewing priorities in the health care system. 

And the third, in the current issue, focuses on the growing wave of hospital mergers and the potentially devastating impact that might have on health care costs.

republicans, big business and their money are trying to keep your health right where it is a cash cow for their benefactors in big business, they careless than gnat crap about your health, remember Alan Grayson and his interpretation of republican health care plan?

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/alan-grayson-die-quickly-comment-prompts-uproar/

http://www.rooseveltinstitute.org/new-roosevelt/repealing-health-care-reform-will-kill-32000-people-year

if they worried half as much as they claim they do about money except that which they spend (issa) and more about the people the swore to represent what a wonderful world this would be, but they are addicted.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AZ1ar508F4

Congress tax breaks: 55 are about to expire.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/12/31/congress_tax_breaks_55_are_about_to_expire.html

What do college students, renewable energy companies, and rum importers have in common? They're all about to see their tax breaks expire. What should be a routine renewal of popular tax breaks has become a fraught waiting game thanks to Congress' manipulation of budget calculations. From the AP:

The two-year extension Congress passed in January cost $76 billion in reduced revenue for the government, according to the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation. Making those tax breaks permanent could add $400 billion or more to the deficit over the next decade.

Instead of permanence, then, Congress has chosen to renew the breaks year by year—but this dyfunctional Congress never quite got around to doing it. That means myriad businesses and individuals will be unable to properly calculate their 2014 taxes until Congress passes a bill that retroactively applies the breaks. 

And if recent history is any indication, our representatives in Washington are in no rush to do that. Congress didn't renew 2012's tax breaks until January 1, 2013, leaving taxpayers scant time to claim the breaks on their 2012 returns. 

it is amazing how republican congress plays lord and master over so many fates, they now need to add another title to their do nothing "the most destructive congress in history", they speak of uncertainty now we see it's them that creates this obstruction in our gov't they refused to let Pres. have his cabinet picks leaving many gov't offices without a leader.

all this in an effort to break and deny Pres. but by default all their dirt is covering you and your family. there are those who will still vote even though they have a cross hair on their backs it's like they have some kind of masochistic need to hurt themselves by hurting us.

Given all this confusion, why doens't Congress just make the cuts permanent and accept the budget impact all at once? It might go beyond dysfunction and budget manipulation:

"More cynically, some people say, if you just put it in for a year or two, then that keeps the lobbyists having to come back and wine-and-dine the congressmen to get it extended again, and maybe make some campaign contributions," said Mark Luscombe, principal tax analyst for CCH, a consulting firm based in Riverwoods, Ill.

this is another example of who in our gov't really wears the banner of can kicker down the road championship. nothing to be proud of but the smile everytime they do it, most do that when they think they've come out on top, well they should be at the top of our list to kick them back down the roads that they use to deny us the last 5 years.
Pres. fight for education affordability too, they want us dumb and in a lower world ranking than we are now, they don't care when they say they do they don't 2014 deadline for them or us. recognize

The numbers are even more sobering when compared among only the 34 OECD countries. The United States ranked 26th in math — trailing nations such as the Slovakia, Portugal and Russia. What’s more, American high school students dropped to 21st in science (from 17th in 2009) and slipped to 17th in reading (from 14th in 2009), according to the results.  riches greatest country i the world i guess keeping us dumb down makes them think they can sell that elephant dung

 http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/12/03/21733705-us-teens-lag-in-global-education-rankings-as-asian-countries-rise-to-the-top?lite

Instead of permanence, then, Congress has chosen to renew the breaks year by year—but this dysfunctional Congress never quite got around to doing it. That means myriad businesses and individuals will be unable to properly calculate their 2014 taxes until Congress passes a bill that retroactively applies the breaks. And if recent history is any indication, our representatives in Washington are in no rush to do that. Congress didn't renew 2012's tax breaks until January 1, 2013, leaving taxpayers scant time to claim the breaks on their 2012 returns. 

yep they care /sarc

This Week in ‘Nation’ History: Fifty Years Later, the War on Poverty Must Be Renewed

http://www.thenation.com/blog/177722/week-nation-history-fifty-years-later-war-poverty-must-be-renewed

On January 8, 1964, nearly fifty years ago, President Lyndon Baines Johnson declared in his first State of the Union address that his new administration “today, here and now, declares unconditional war on poverty in America.” The Nation was immediately enthusiastic and supportive, writing in its lead editorial, “The Rediscovery of Poverty,” just after the speech:

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the State of the Union address was that Mr. Johnson not only spoke about poverty, but spoke at length, emphatically, and with the apparent intention of actually meaning to alleviate it. The second most important aspect, gearing into the first, was the suggestion that the money was there for such a program, that it could be hacked out of the military program, and that Mr. Johnson proposed to swing the pickax. All this was said with a Rooseveltian resolution, sincerity and directness that exhilarated some listeners as much as it frightened others—those others who feel that poverty should be neither seen nor heard…

What is amazing is that it took fifteen years to get out from under the incubus of the cold war and to show a decent concern for the victims of industrialism. Now—it is as true as it is hackneyed—words must be followed by deeds. That is not up to the President alone, but he has supplied the words, and they are good.

not so amazing the right wing was not for giving anything to anybody today they deny disaster relief until they can see how it will be payed for, meanwhile Americans die and lose their homes a and jobs but still republican congress got find the money to replace it.

there are many places that are not necessary and would not be hurt by cuts military tops that list, tax cuts and loopholes stay while they vote to take food stamps from children and working poor and vets they claim to support.

our problems are republican born and republican nurtured. 2014 is the next time we have to turn this around and stop the third world dictator right wing of the gov't recognize

There could be no more honorable or productive way for President Obama and his congressional Democratic allies to mark the fiftieth anniversary of President Johnson’s declaration than to rededicate themselves to passing legislation—a minimum wage increase, universal pre-school access, reversal of recent cuts in food stamps (and expansions beyond the previous levels), job training assistance, and extensions of unemployment insurance, to name a few—which would at least signal a renewal of what President Johnson acknowledged fifty years ago would “not be a short or easy struggle…but we shall not rest until that war is won. The richest Nation on earth can afford to win it. We cannot afford to lose it.”

remember he said "YES WE CAN" not "YES I CAN"  time for us to pay the correct piper and not republican defiance.

Steve Stockman: 'Liberal Tears' Are The Best Gun Lubricant

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/steve-stockman-liberal-tears-best-gun-lubricant

Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX) has a recommendation for cleaning your gun: liberal tears.

Stockman, who's a longshot candidate running in the Republican primary against Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), tweeted out a picture of a gun with a spray can that read "liberal tears." The text with the picture read: "the best gun lubricant."

republican apathy while they seek your votes they telegraph their intent and action then when caught red handed they deny.  it never seems to fail every few days one comes through the cracks into the light and says the most insensitive, asinine thing for someone who seeks to lead 

although they speak alone no one on their side of the great divide rebukes it silence is tantamount to agreement if you don't say no then you leave it open to maybe you are ok with it, then future acts and rhetoric fit in the same bucket of right wing elephant dung and they confirm what they just denied.

look back over the years and recall the vaudeville that is the republican party difference we don't continue to laugh because it is seriously a threat to the country, and there are those out there that will vote for destruction either knowingly or blindly but radically for sure.

McCain: Don't count Obama out

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/194121-mccain-dont-count-out-obama

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) says people shouldn't underestimate President Obama as he heads into his sixth year in the White House.

He discounted Obama's low approval ratings and said a sitting president always has influence.

"We all wear thin with the American people after a while," McCain told the Associated Press. 

"To count a man of that talent out at this point in time in his administration would be a huge mistake," he added.

McCain has had his up-and-downs in his relationship with Obama, his foe during the 2008 presidential campaign.

He met with Obama this year to discuss immigration reform, but was a vocal critic of the president's foreign policy moves in Syria and elsewhere.

what's really behind this sudden "i heart Obama" thing with McCain is he getting back at his people for allowing the T-P to take over or is he having a "real moment"?

 i wrote a while back my suspicions as to the republican old guard tanking the mid term just to rid themselves of that tea scourge on America it fits.

he is giving them good advise whether they like it or take it or not he has seen for 5 years his party getting pummeled by Pres. all do to their underestimating him and Americans and overestimating the power of their lies and misreadings, this time are they going to add their base to that list?