Democracy For Florida :: grassroots activists working for progressive government

Below is a complete listing of the articles in "How to Talk to a Climate Skeptic," a series by Coby Beck containing responses to the most common skeptical arguments on global warming. There are four separate taxonomies; arguments are divided by:

* Stages of Denial,
* Scientific Topics,
* Types of Argument, and
* Levels of Sophistication.

http://gristmill.grist.org/skeptics

708 Comments

Democrats Are Set to Subpoena
Posted by: sofiadad on Friday, November 10, 2006 - 12:00 AM
topic: in_the_news

The new majority is expected to hold hearings on military spending and the Iraq war -- just for starters.

by Richard B. Schmitt and Richard Simon

http://www.commondreams.org/..

WASHINGTON - Rep. Ike Skelton knows what he will do in one of his first acts as chairman of the Armed Services Committee in the Democratic-led House: resurrect the subcommittee on oversight and investigations.

The panel was disbanded by the Republicans after they won control of Congress in 1994. Now, Skelton (D-Mo.) intends to use it as a forum to probe Pentagon spending and the Bush administration's conduct of the Iraq war.

It has been 12 years since Democrats were in control of both the House and Senate. But they are looking to make up for lost time, and in some cases, make the Bush administration and its business allies sweat.

http://www.commondreams.org/..

717 Comments

Eleven New And Happy Things
Posted by: tw on Friday, November 10, 2006 - 12:00 AM
topic: national_politics

Santorum dead, religious right imploding, Bush whimpering in the corner. Can we all exhale now?

By Mark Morford, SF Gate Columnist
Friday, November 10, 2006

1) (Chant, in happy sing-song voice, while holding bottle of wine, Astroglide and copy of Rob Brezsny's Pronoia): Rick Santorum is gone, Rick Santorum is gone, oh praise Jesus, Rick Santorum is gone. The third most powerful and first most reprehensible "Christian" Republican lawmaker in Congress was also arguably the most homophobic, misogynistic and small-minded of them all, especially given his sticky sheen of fundamentalist goo.

Remember Rick? He's the one who equated homosexuality with pedophilia and bestiality. He championed intelligent design, tossed Terry Schiavo's lifeless body like a political football, voted against Plan B and funding for contraception education and voted to ban abortions on military bases (among many, many other attacks on women's rights), thus earning himself a whopping 0 percent rating from NARAL. He also voted to cut the NEA, increase school prayer, pursue ANWR drilling and on and on. Ricky's voting record is the ethical equivalent of a pie full of nails left over from the "Passion of the Christ" bake sale. Women, the sexually awake and Dan Savage fans rejoice: Rick Santorum is gone. Praise Jesus and pass the wine.

2) While you're at it, all hail the happy defeat of Dick Pombo, Christian Coalition/NRA poster boy and powerful GOP "eco-thug" from Tracy who oversaw the House Resources Committee and whose agenda on environmental and social issues reads like a rundown of the murder techniques of a serial killer. What, too extreme? Check the voting record, baby. Dick and Rick were two peas in a savage, misogynist pod. This guy made trees weep. Good riddance.

3) A loving, bittersweet farewell to Don "Black Soul" Rumsfeld, a nasty, otherworldly hunk of wartime lizard leather who should've been fired three years ago but whom Dubya clung to like a terrified child clings to a ragged, spit-soaked security blanket. Downside: Rumsfeld's bizarre utterances and unmatched aura of bemused evil will be missed by comedians and caricaturists alike. Downside No. 2: Word is that Rummy's replacement nominee, Robert "I (Heart) Iran/Contra" Gates, is even worse than Rummy -- which, if true, would seem to defy the universal laws of evilness.

continued

720 Comments

Authors say media negligent since 9/11
Posted by: tw on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - 11:17 PM
topic: mainstream_media

JESSICA KLIPA
Bradenton Herald

SARASOTA - After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, America's mainstream media formed a "cozy partnership" with the U.S. government and failed to critically report the news, a radio talk show host said.

Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now!, attracted a crowd of more than 400 students, faculty and others at New College of Florida on Tuesday as she weighed in against the war in Iraq, the Bush administration and the media's coverage.

Her ideas are presented in her new book, "Static: Government Liars, Media Cheerleaders and the People who Fight Back."

"We will not be silenced. That should be the media's Hippocratic oath," Goodman said.

[ continued ]

706 Comments

An apology from a right-wing radio host (for what it's worth)
Posted by: tw on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - 11:03 PM
topic: mainstream_media

AN APOLOGY FROM A BUSH VOTER

By Doug McIntyre
Host, McIntyre in the Morning
Talk Radio 790 KABC

There’s nothing harder in public life than admitting you’re wrong. By the way, admitting you’re wrong can be even tougher in private life. If you don’t believe me, just ask Bill Clinton or Charlie Sheen. But when you go out on the limb in public, it’s out there where everyone can see it, or in my case, hear it.

So, I’m saying today, I was wrong to have voted for George W. Bush. In historic terms, I believe George W. Bush is the worst two-term President in the history of the country. Worse than Grant. I also believe a case can be made that he’s the worst President, period.

In 2000, I was a McCain guy. I wasn’t sure about the Texas Governor. He had name recognition and a lot of money behind him, but other than that? What? Still, I was sick of all the Clinton shenanigans and the thought of President Gore was… unthinkable. So, GWB became my guy.

[ continued ]

694 Comments

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