Owl Creek, Wyoming – with its population that barely reaches into the double digits – just may be the last place on earth that one would expect to be on the national news. Indeed, the 20 members of the True Covenant Church holed up in their compound just outside the town may have been counting on that very fact. Yet, they find themselves the stars of an ongoing drama alongside the agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms who are camped outside their main building.
The True Covenant Church is a Christian Identity group, a term used to describe numerous organizations distinguished by an ideology that mixes white supremacy with their own version of Christian theology, resulting in a belief system where the white race is the last descendant of the tribes of Israel and God’s true chosen people.
Of the 20 members of the True Covenant Church trapped inside their compound, there are believed to be 2 women and 3 children. The group is believed to be heavily armed, with government spokesmen saying that they had been investigating the group for being involved with arms smuggling for quite some time.
How this latest standoff began is somewhat unclear at this time, although sources indicate that members of the church had fired upon an ATF agent driving by their property. The agent called backup and the siege began in earnest.
In any event, how this will end is even more unclear. No more shots have been fired, as government agents camped outside the church’s building and church members sitting within have been content to simply stare and point guns at each other – for now.
Full Version: National News
"In the wake of the acquittals of the officers in the Rodney King brutality case, many of the leading federal politicians, including President Bill Clinton, have appeared at a candlelight vigil at the Lincoln Memorial calling for peace. Washington D.C. mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly has notably also appeared at the vigil. But across the city, there is another rally. Its organizers say they want peace also. But, they say, “there can be no peace without justice. And that’s what we’re here for. Justice.”
This rally, on the other side of town, and on the other side of what locals call “the other river” in the predominantly black community of Anacostia, is angrier. It does not yet threaten to boil over into a riot, but the passion can still be felt. And the speakers are more incendiary. Former Mayor and current city councilman Marion Barry, who’s rumored to have plans to challenge the incumbent mayor Kelly (who, along with most federal politicians, is nowhere to be found at this rally) is the featured speaker. His words are not too different from those uttered by Senator Lamar Johnson (D-MI) or Rep. Nick Minoru (D-CA), but the contrast between them and those said by the speakers at the peace rally is stark nonetheless. Indeed, he even takes a few shots at the peace rally across town.
“Elsewhere in this great white city of marble and statues, we hear about peace. The people who live across the river, the people who live on the Hill, in Georgetown, in Montgomery County, they talk about peace. But tonight, there is no peace for Rodney King and there is no peace for us, the people who truly live in this city, who call the city, the real city and not the sparkling white edifice that they simply call Washington, our home. There is no peace because there is no justice, because the men who run this great white city continue to make us jump through hoops, continue to run it for us, and continue to led murderers and thugs in blue terrorize people from across this great nation.”
Barry, whose trial on charges of perjury and cocaine possession led him to drop out of the 1990 mayoral race and led to the reformist Pratt Kelly’s election, is considered the favorite in the 1994 Democratic primary (the true election in this 90% Democratic city), although most analysts say that mismanagement and corruption during his previous tenure created a fiscal emergency for the district that the current mayor has been unable to resolve, despite unpopular cuts in city services and employment rolls.
There is no riot in Washington tonight – at least not yet. But those at the rally for peace are not the only ones making their voices heard. Indeed, in the Washington that is not part of the official federal Washington, they may well be the minority.
For CNN, this is Jason Hedgepath.”
This rally, on the other side of town, and on the other side of what locals call “the other river” in the predominantly black community of Anacostia, is angrier. It does not yet threaten to boil over into a riot, but the passion can still be felt. And the speakers are more incendiary. Former Mayor and current city councilman Marion Barry, who’s rumored to have plans to challenge the incumbent mayor Kelly (who, along with most federal politicians, is nowhere to be found at this rally) is the featured speaker. His words are not too different from those uttered by Senator Lamar Johnson (D-MI) or Rep. Nick Minoru (D-CA), but the contrast between them and those said by the speakers at the peace rally is stark nonetheless. Indeed, he even takes a few shots at the peace rally across town.
“Elsewhere in this great white city of marble and statues, we hear about peace. The people who live across the river, the people who live on the Hill, in Georgetown, in Montgomery County, they talk about peace. But tonight, there is no peace for Rodney King and there is no peace for us, the people who truly live in this city, who call the city, the real city and not the sparkling white edifice that they simply call Washington, our home. There is no peace because there is no justice, because the men who run this great white city continue to make us jump through hoops, continue to run it for us, and continue to led murderers and thugs in blue terrorize people from across this great nation.”
Barry, whose trial on charges of perjury and cocaine possession led him to drop out of the 1990 mayoral race and led to the reformist Pratt Kelly’s election, is considered the favorite in the 1994 Democratic primary (the true election in this 90% Democratic city), although most analysts say that mismanagement and corruption during his previous tenure created a fiscal emergency for the district that the current mayor has been unable to resolve, despite unpopular cuts in city services and employment rolls.
There is no riot in Washington tonight – at least not yet. But those at the rally for peace are not the only ones making their voices heard. Indeed, in the Washington that is not part of the official federal Washington, they may well be the minority.
For CNN, this is Jason Hedgepath.”
The Tam nomination is dead and past, with the voters splitting along partisan lines as to their opinions, but Mr. Tam himself has broken his silence and released a stinging verbal broadside against the Senate Republicans, describing them as “either liars or cowards.”
Obviously, Mr. Tam has to know that a lot of people will dismiss the statement as an empty bitter diatribe from a failed nominee venting his frustrations. So why bother, why put it this strongly, what effect will it have now, and does he have a point? CNN’s Jennifer Hilton is here with us.
Jennifer Hilton: I think it’s safe to say that Simon Tam is a man who genuinely feels that he’s been unfairly maligned and mistreated by Senate Republicans, and that he believes that he is right, and he has been wronged. You’re right though, with public opinion now already split along partisan lines, I don’t think the statement will do much except harden the existing polarization.
Now, maybe this is just me, but I raised my eyebrows a little bit when Tam talked about how his mistake was in trying to be too polite and answer all of the questions he was given, and when he’s talking about the “petty and disgustingly personal vitriol” of Senator Michael Walsh (R-NJ), whom Tam clearly refers to but never mentions by name. When I watched the hearings, the first thing that jumped out at me was, you know, “Wow, Tam and Walsh clearly do not like each other and neither of them is really trying that hard, if at all, to hide it.”
Jennifer Hilton: You know, I agree. Senator Walsh’s questioning was clearly hostile from the start and probably not justified by Mr. Tam’s misstatement on NAFTA, and his questions on economic theory did seem, at times, to borrow The Economist’s phrase, like “a high school economics exam” or, to use a more classic Washington expression, a typical game of “gotcha.” That’s one thing, but you can’t ignore Tam’s responses either, which seemed to be to get defensive and to commit himself to winning a verbal joust with Senator Walsh. You can see that from the start – when Walsh gave Tam a follow-up on NAFTA, the nominee said that it was “signed by President Bush and what remains to be done is to implement it with or without modifications – or, if that is the preference of Congress, kill it” and then claimed that the follow-up resolved and corrected his misstatement. Tam’s follow-up is a technically accurate statement, but it gives the impression that NAFTA is mostly a done deal and that only minor changes and finalizations remain – something which is definitely not the case, and I don’t think it resolved his first misstatement at all. If anything, it seemed to support the accuracy of his first, inaccurate misstatement. In short, the nominee took the bait and was hostile in return to the senator, which might have been fine by itself since, after all, the senator was the one to start the confrontation, but along the way he made several misstatements which raised enough doubts in the rest of the Senate Republicans to eventually kill him. He committed himself to a verbal duel with Senator Walsh, he didn’t resoundingly win it, and that, ultimately, was the mistake that killed this nomination.
Alright, thank you for being here. In other news, the Owl Creek Standoff continues to drag on, with federal agents and members of the True Covenant church continuing their stalemate. Souces say that the FBI has taken point from the ATF, and that negotiations are still ongoing with progress on getting the children out of the ranch…
QUOTE
Ladies and gentlemen,
Throughout the confirmation proceedings, I remained silent; I did not feel it was appropriate for me to comment on ongoing debates, to try and sway Senators once hearings had ended, much less to try and debate when -- even if I was only acting secretary -- I had a job to do. But Senate Republicans have finally got their wish, and I've asked the President to withdraw my nomination. It is both sad and disappointing to see what Senators have resorted to in an attempt to discredit me; they've lied about me, fabricated entire positions I never expressed, deliberately misrepresented my statements, and in the case of one particularly zealous opponent, my very character has been slandered.
When I began this process, I could not have imagined such an outcome. Now, I don't just mean my nomination being unsuccessful, though I admit that comes as a rather bitter shock; no, I mean how Republicans handled this entire nomination, from the moment hearings began up until I was forced to withdraw. I went in to the Senate Judiciary Committee in high spirits and prepared for a spirited but ultimately civil and respectful hearing. Instead, I was immediately assaulted by a certain Senator from New Jersey, repeatedly asked how I would handle monetary policy -- which would have been the Fed's job, not mine -- or my views on basic economic theory -- entirely irrelevant to the question of whether or not I'd be a competent Secretary of the Treasury, and frankly, entirely unnecessary considering that I do, after all, have a PhD in Economics. As the Economist correctly pointed out, my big mistake was trying to do the polite thing and answering those questions, no matter how asinine, no matter how irrelevant and often no matter how repetitive. Other Republican senators certainly made a valiant effort of redirecting the hearing towards matters actually relevant to my potential post, but the New Jersey senator drowned them out.
The result, as can only be expected, is that some Senators left the hearing with doubts and concerns, such as those raised by the Senator from the Shenandoah Valley or even the Committee's chairman, the Senator from the Great Plains. And I can understand why they might have concerns, after all, in many cases, they only managed to squeeze in a few general questions, to which I could only profer a correspondingly vague answer, leaving them with only a general overview of my opinions and plans. There is, however, one very glaring flaw in this argument, in the idea that they had concerns that they wanted answered: all three Republican senators on the Judiciary Committee voted to extend the hearings. And yet, they chose to leave the hearing with their doubts rather than air them out with me personally. I will not mince words: it is absolutely ridiculous that Republican Senators who had every opportunity to ask me to clarify my remarks if they felt they weren't clear enough had the audacity to go on the floor and complain that I had not been clear. I can only answer questions, it is up to the Senators in the committee to go in to greater depth if they so wish, and to hold me responsible or pretend that I am to blame demonstrates a complete lack of common sense and a desire to shift the blame: it was their job to ask the right questions, I could not ask them for them.
And so, they voiced their concerns on the floor, not in committee. And those concerns were answered. Belated or not, every single Republican concern was answered by Democrats, oddly enough, often by simply reading the transcripts from the very hearing these senators were a part of. In fact, Democrats have repeatedly proven that these "concerns" could generally be placed in one of the following categories: a question I had already answered but they seemingly missed, a question that I had already answered but with which they disagreed for ideological reasons, a question which was entirely irrelevant to the issue at hand, and of course, in a special category all its own, lies, this last category being a favorite of the Senator from New Jerey.
When Republicans voiced concerns that I did not demonstrate a willingness to tackle the deficit, they did so despite no less than 4 explicit statements that deficit reduction, and ultimately balancing the budget, was a top priority. When Republicans voiced concerns that I seemingly demonstrated either support for or a willingness to raise taxes, they did so despite my explicit statement that I did not plan to, that I did not want to, and that I did not envision needing to, going so far as to deliberately state under which circumstances I would have raised them, the most extreme of conditions, such as a catastrophic natural disaster, or god forbid, a war. When Republicans voiced concerns that I seemingly believed that tax increases have no impact on the economy, they did so despite my explicit remarks that they do. And the list goes on and on.
But I digress; ultimately, all of this is irrelevant. Evidently, most Republicans had already made up their minds, and it's quite simply impossible to convince someone who has no intention of changing his mind. At the end of the day, it was not their opposition that bothered me the most -- I've served in public office for the past 5 years, I've dealt with opposition -- it's the way they went about it. Never mind that several of their concerns, specifically those related to whether or not they agree with my opinion, have no bearing on whether or not I would be competent as Treasury Secretary; it's shameful that almost an entire caucus was swayed by the petty and disgustingly personal vitriol of a certain senator from the Atlantic Seaboard. They refused to even let my nomination go to a vote even after their concerns were answered or proven to be fabricated. And they do all this, but when asked the simple question "why?", they had no answer, and will never provide an answer, only that their concerns were not answered, however untrue.
As things stood, I could only conclude that -- considering how much sway lies have on their caucus even after they're proven false -- they had no intention of letting me become Secretary of the Treasury, and thus I spoke to President Clinton and informed him that while Republicans wanted to play politics, there was a job that needed doing, and I'd rather stand aside than leave it in limbo any longer. I ask only this of them: if they were so opposed, why didn't they have the courage to actually vote my nomination down, instead of the "we have concerns that we need answered before we end debate" charade. And, once they've done that -- and for the benefit of every Democratic Senator, and quite possibly most Americans, not just my own -- I'd like for them to actually state their reasons why they were so opposed. But they won't answer either question. And so you see, unless and until they do, I'm left with the following: most of the Senate Republican Caucus are either liars or cowards, unwilling to actually vote my nomination down for fear of a much-deserved backlash, and obstinate to the point of stupidity in their opposition even when their claims are proven categorically false, and managing to appear spiteful and bitter in the process. That is not how the Senate is supposed to act.
But enough is enough. I've been slandered long enough and the Treasury Department has been left in limbo for far too long by Republicans, and so I must step aside. I'm sick of the lies, I'm sick of being misrepresented, and I'm sick of seeing my name being raked through the coals undeservedly. Unlike the 10 Republican Senators who cowered behind unspoken concerns and a ridiculous fillibuster, I'll show courage and principle.
I thank the president for this opportunity, however disappointing the outcome, and no matter how shameful the Senate's conduct has been throughout, I thank them as well. Most of them treated me with respect; it's too bad those Republicans who did chose to stick with the lies rather than own up to the truth.
Thank you.
Throughout the confirmation proceedings, I remained silent; I did not feel it was appropriate for me to comment on ongoing debates, to try and sway Senators once hearings had ended, much less to try and debate when -- even if I was only acting secretary -- I had a job to do. But Senate Republicans have finally got their wish, and I've asked the President to withdraw my nomination. It is both sad and disappointing to see what Senators have resorted to in an attempt to discredit me; they've lied about me, fabricated entire positions I never expressed, deliberately misrepresented my statements, and in the case of one particularly zealous opponent, my very character has been slandered.
When I began this process, I could not have imagined such an outcome. Now, I don't just mean my nomination being unsuccessful, though I admit that comes as a rather bitter shock; no, I mean how Republicans handled this entire nomination, from the moment hearings began up until I was forced to withdraw. I went in to the Senate Judiciary Committee in high spirits and prepared for a spirited but ultimately civil and respectful hearing. Instead, I was immediately assaulted by a certain Senator from New Jersey, repeatedly asked how I would handle monetary policy -- which would have been the Fed's job, not mine -- or my views on basic economic theory -- entirely irrelevant to the question of whether or not I'd be a competent Secretary of the Treasury, and frankly, entirely unnecessary considering that I do, after all, have a PhD in Economics. As the Economist correctly pointed out, my big mistake was trying to do the polite thing and answering those questions, no matter how asinine, no matter how irrelevant and often no matter how repetitive. Other Republican senators certainly made a valiant effort of redirecting the hearing towards matters actually relevant to my potential post, but the New Jersey senator drowned them out.
The result, as can only be expected, is that some Senators left the hearing with doubts and concerns, such as those raised by the Senator from the Shenandoah Valley or even the Committee's chairman, the Senator from the Great Plains. And I can understand why they might have concerns, after all, in many cases, they only managed to squeeze in a few general questions, to which I could only profer a correspondingly vague answer, leaving them with only a general overview of my opinions and plans. There is, however, one very glaring flaw in this argument, in the idea that they had concerns that they wanted answered: all three Republican senators on the Judiciary Committee voted to extend the hearings. And yet, they chose to leave the hearing with their doubts rather than air them out with me personally. I will not mince words: it is absolutely ridiculous that Republican Senators who had every opportunity to ask me to clarify my remarks if they felt they weren't clear enough had the audacity to go on the floor and complain that I had not been clear. I can only answer questions, it is up to the Senators in the committee to go in to greater depth if they so wish, and to hold me responsible or pretend that I am to blame demonstrates a complete lack of common sense and a desire to shift the blame: it was their job to ask the right questions, I could not ask them for them.
And so, they voiced their concerns on the floor, not in committee. And those concerns were answered. Belated or not, every single Republican concern was answered by Democrats, oddly enough, often by simply reading the transcripts from the very hearing these senators were a part of. In fact, Democrats have repeatedly proven that these "concerns" could generally be placed in one of the following categories: a question I had already answered but they seemingly missed, a question that I had already answered but with which they disagreed for ideological reasons, a question which was entirely irrelevant to the issue at hand, and of course, in a special category all its own, lies, this last category being a favorite of the Senator from New Jerey.
When Republicans voiced concerns that I did not demonstrate a willingness to tackle the deficit, they did so despite no less than 4 explicit statements that deficit reduction, and ultimately balancing the budget, was a top priority. When Republicans voiced concerns that I seemingly demonstrated either support for or a willingness to raise taxes, they did so despite my explicit statement that I did not plan to, that I did not want to, and that I did not envision needing to, going so far as to deliberately state under which circumstances I would have raised them, the most extreme of conditions, such as a catastrophic natural disaster, or god forbid, a war. When Republicans voiced concerns that I seemingly believed that tax increases have no impact on the economy, they did so despite my explicit remarks that they do. And the list goes on and on.
But I digress; ultimately, all of this is irrelevant. Evidently, most Republicans had already made up their minds, and it's quite simply impossible to convince someone who has no intention of changing his mind. At the end of the day, it was not their opposition that bothered me the most -- I've served in public office for the past 5 years, I've dealt with opposition -- it's the way they went about it. Never mind that several of their concerns, specifically those related to whether or not they agree with my opinion, have no bearing on whether or not I would be competent as Treasury Secretary; it's shameful that almost an entire caucus was swayed by the petty and disgustingly personal vitriol of a certain senator from the Atlantic Seaboard. They refused to even let my nomination go to a vote even after their concerns were answered or proven to be fabricated. And they do all this, but when asked the simple question "why?", they had no answer, and will never provide an answer, only that their concerns were not answered, however untrue.
As things stood, I could only conclude that -- considering how much sway lies have on their caucus even after they're proven false -- they had no intention of letting me become Secretary of the Treasury, and thus I spoke to President Clinton and informed him that while Republicans wanted to play politics, there was a job that needed doing, and I'd rather stand aside than leave it in limbo any longer. I ask only this of them: if they were so opposed, why didn't they have the courage to actually vote my nomination down, instead of the "we have concerns that we need answered before we end debate" charade. And, once they've done that -- and for the benefit of every Democratic Senator, and quite possibly most Americans, not just my own -- I'd like for them to actually state their reasons why they were so opposed. But they won't answer either question. And so you see, unless and until they do, I'm left with the following: most of the Senate Republican Caucus are either liars or cowards, unwilling to actually vote my nomination down for fear of a much-deserved backlash, and obstinate to the point of stupidity in their opposition even when their claims are proven categorically false, and managing to appear spiteful and bitter in the process. That is not how the Senate is supposed to act.
But enough is enough. I've been slandered long enough and the Treasury Department has been left in limbo for far too long by Republicans, and so I must step aside. I'm sick of the lies, I'm sick of being misrepresented, and I'm sick of seeing my name being raked through the coals undeservedly. Unlike the 10 Republican Senators who cowered behind unspoken concerns and a ridiculous fillibuster, I'll show courage and principle.
I thank the president for this opportunity, however disappointing the outcome, and no matter how shameful the Senate's conduct has been throughout, I thank them as well. Most of them treated me with respect; it's too bad those Republicans who did chose to stick with the lies rather than own up to the truth.
Thank you.
Obviously, Mr. Tam has to know that a lot of people will dismiss the statement as an empty bitter diatribe from a failed nominee venting his frustrations. So why bother, why put it this strongly, what effect will it have now, and does he have a point? CNN’s Jennifer Hilton is here with us.
Jennifer Hilton: I think it’s safe to say that Simon Tam is a man who genuinely feels that he’s been unfairly maligned and mistreated by Senate Republicans, and that he believes that he is right, and he has been wronged. You’re right though, with public opinion now already split along partisan lines, I don’t think the statement will do much except harden the existing polarization.
Now, maybe this is just me, but I raised my eyebrows a little bit when Tam talked about how his mistake was in trying to be too polite and answer all of the questions he was given, and when he’s talking about the “petty and disgustingly personal vitriol” of Senator Michael Walsh (R-NJ), whom Tam clearly refers to but never mentions by name. When I watched the hearings, the first thing that jumped out at me was, you know, “Wow, Tam and Walsh clearly do not like each other and neither of them is really trying that hard, if at all, to hide it.”
Jennifer Hilton: You know, I agree. Senator Walsh’s questioning was clearly hostile from the start and probably not justified by Mr. Tam’s misstatement on NAFTA, and his questions on economic theory did seem, at times, to borrow The Economist’s phrase, like “a high school economics exam” or, to use a more classic Washington expression, a typical game of “gotcha.” That’s one thing, but you can’t ignore Tam’s responses either, which seemed to be to get defensive and to commit himself to winning a verbal joust with Senator Walsh. You can see that from the start – when Walsh gave Tam a follow-up on NAFTA, the nominee said that it was “signed by President Bush and what remains to be done is to implement it with or without modifications – or, if that is the preference of Congress, kill it” and then claimed that the follow-up resolved and corrected his misstatement. Tam’s follow-up is a technically accurate statement, but it gives the impression that NAFTA is mostly a done deal and that only minor changes and finalizations remain – something which is definitely not the case, and I don’t think it resolved his first misstatement at all. If anything, it seemed to support the accuracy of his first, inaccurate misstatement. In short, the nominee took the bait and was hostile in return to the senator, which might have been fine by itself since, after all, the senator was the one to start the confrontation, but along the way he made several misstatements which raised enough doubts in the rest of the Senate Republicans to eventually kill him. He committed himself to a verbal duel with Senator Walsh, he didn’t resoundingly win it, and that, ultimately, was the mistake that killed this nomination.
Alright, thank you for being here. In other news, the Owl Creek Standoff continues to drag on, with federal agents and members of the True Covenant church continuing their stalemate. Souces say that the FBI has taken point from the ATF, and that negotiations are still ongoing with progress on getting the children out of the ranch…
Tribal Actions Raise Concerns
The recent passage of the Native American Sovereignty Act has brought about some interesting, and perhaps unexpected consequences. Many tribes have announced their intentions to open liquor stores (particularly tribes with reservations in or near dry counties), others plan smoke shops, and some ambitious tribes are planning casino complexes in states where gambling is otherwise illegal. But two tribes have stepped forward with radical plans that have raised hackles with their non-Indian neighbors and within the tribes themselves.
In Connecticut, the Mashantucket Pequot has announced plans to open a brothel. "We're close to Route 95," said a tribal spokesman, "and an easy drive from New York and Boston. Also, the long-haul truckers on that route may be a big customer base." Attorneys for the tribe claim that the Federal Mann Act, which prohibits interstate transportation of prostitutes, won't be a problem. "The case law is clear - the states get to regulate prostitution, and the Native American Sovereignty Act lets us run any industry 'independent of state law.' As long as we don't transport the workers, we're in the clear," said one tribal attorney.
Meanwhile, in Kansas, the Women's Circle of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indian Reservation has invited a Witchita doctor known to provide abortion services to open a full service women's health clinic on their reservation. "All women deserve equal, open, and complete access to women's health services," said a leader of the Woman's Circle, "regardless of what politicians and patriarchs say in General Assembly." Other elders of the Prairie Bend Potawatomi have protested the actions of the Women's Circle, and threaten to use another provision of the Native American Sovereignty Act, which grants the tribal government sole jurisdition over tribal lands, to stop them. "This isn't happening on our land, no way, no how," said one tribal leader.
***
Child Pornography on the World Wide Web?
Police officials in California and Georgia have announced the arrest of several suspects alleged to have trafficked in child pornography on the World Wide Web, a growing nationwide network of computers. According to sources, members of the "Little Lolita" club would share photographs of underage girls on a "bulletin board system" that allowed photos to be passed around the nation. "The perverts have found a new tool for their perversions," said one investigator. "This World Wide Web is a playground for perverts and deviants, and I hope someone does something to protect the children before someone gets hurt."
The recent passage of the Native American Sovereignty Act has brought about some interesting, and perhaps unexpected consequences. Many tribes have announced their intentions to open liquor stores (particularly tribes with reservations in or near dry counties), others plan smoke shops, and some ambitious tribes are planning casino complexes in states where gambling is otherwise illegal. But two tribes have stepped forward with radical plans that have raised hackles with their non-Indian neighbors and within the tribes themselves.
In Connecticut, the Mashantucket Pequot has announced plans to open a brothel. "We're close to Route 95," said a tribal spokesman, "and an easy drive from New York and Boston. Also, the long-haul truckers on that route may be a big customer base." Attorneys for the tribe claim that the Federal Mann Act, which prohibits interstate transportation of prostitutes, won't be a problem. "The case law is clear - the states get to regulate prostitution, and the Native American Sovereignty Act lets us run any industry 'independent of state law.' As long as we don't transport the workers, we're in the clear," said one tribal attorney.
Meanwhile, in Kansas, the Women's Circle of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indian Reservation has invited a Witchita doctor known to provide abortion services to open a full service women's health clinic on their reservation. "All women deserve equal, open, and complete access to women's health services," said a leader of the Woman's Circle, "regardless of what politicians and patriarchs say in General Assembly." Other elders of the Prairie Bend Potawatomi have protested the actions of the Women's Circle, and threaten to use another provision of the Native American Sovereignty Act, which grants the tribal government sole jurisdition over tribal lands, to stop them. "This isn't happening on our land, no way, no how," said one tribal leader.
***
Child Pornography on the World Wide Web?
Police officials in California and Georgia have announced the arrest of several suspects alleged to have trafficked in child pornography on the World Wide Web, a growing nationwide network of computers. According to sources, members of the "Little Lolita" club would share photographs of underage girls on a "bulletin board system" that allowed photos to be passed around the nation. "The perverts have found a new tool for their perversions," said one investigator. "This World Wide Web is a playground for perverts and deviants, and I hope someone does something to protect the children before someone gets hurt."
Defense Condition Raised
For the first time since the end of the Cold War, the military has raised the defense condition. The defense condition, popularly known as DEFCON, was raised last night to DEFCON 4. Military bases have gone on security alert and leaves have been cancelled for troops in certain "high readiness" units, such as airborne divisions, special forces units, and the strategic forces.
There has been no announcement from the White House or Pentagon about the reasons for the increased readiness, but some speculate it may have to do with ongoing unrest in Russia.
For the first time since the end of the Cold War, the military has raised the defense condition. The defense condition, popularly known as DEFCON, was raised last night to DEFCON 4. Military bases have gone on security alert and leaves have been cancelled for troops in certain "high readiness" units, such as airborne divisions, special forces units, and the strategic forces.
There has been no announcement from the White House or Pentagon about the reasons for the increased readiness, but some speculate it may have to do with ongoing unrest in Russia.
Foxywoods Brothel Opens in Connecticut, Abortion Clinic Opens in Kansas
On the Mashantucket Pequot reservation in Connecticut, the Foxywoods Brothel and Casino has opened for business. "We have all the best games and all the best girls - and some guys, ladies! - within two hours of Boston and New York City," said a tribal spokesman. Protesters have established picket lines outside of the Reservation and the few that attempted to enter the Indian lands were arrested and imprisoned by tribal police, and are expected to be tried by tribal courts for tresspassing.
"We will shut down this moral outrage," said Pastor Richard Peters of the Fairfield Baptist Church. "There will not be legal prostitution in the state of Connecticut!" However, Peters did acknowledge that the Native American Sovereignty Act made closing the Foxywoods Brothel a difficult proposition. "But if the laws of man fail us," he said, "the laws of God will prevail."
In both New York and Boston, bus tours to the Brothel are now leaving on a daily basis.
Meanwhile, on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indian Reservation, the Women's Ciricle Health Center has opened over the protest of tribal elders. The Center, which offers full abortion services, performed its first procedure late Thursday.
On the Mashantucket Pequot reservation in Connecticut, the Foxywoods Brothel and Casino has opened for business. "We have all the best games and all the best girls - and some guys, ladies! - within two hours of Boston and New York City," said a tribal spokesman. Protesters have established picket lines outside of the Reservation and the few that attempted to enter the Indian lands were arrested and imprisoned by tribal police, and are expected to be tried by tribal courts for tresspassing.
"We will shut down this moral outrage," said Pastor Richard Peters of the Fairfield Baptist Church. "There will not be legal prostitution in the state of Connecticut!" However, Peters did acknowledge that the Native American Sovereignty Act made closing the Foxywoods Brothel a difficult proposition. "But if the laws of man fail us," he said, "the laws of God will prevail."
In both New York and Boston, bus tours to the Brothel are now leaving on a daily basis.
Meanwhile, on the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indian Reservation, the Women's Ciricle Health Center has opened over the protest of tribal elders. The Center, which offers full abortion services, performed its first procedure late Thursday.
NATIONALNEWS
Rape Victims Fall for Counseling Scams
Many lauded the passage of the Compassionate Aid for Rape Victims Act and few saw what was coming. Throughout the country, scam artists have established "counseling centers" for victims of rape, sexual assault, and other similar crimes. The problem? These "counseling centers" are in no-way certified to provide the services advertised. Unfortunately, the flaw in the bill passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton went unnoticed and, subsequently, has led many rape victims to fall victim once again.
Tammy Wagner of Millersburg, Ohio spoke out against the so-called counseling she received. "The fact of the matter is this. I was raped by a man who was justly sentenced to prison by the court. I was raped again, in a different way, when someone who is uncertified and unqualified tried to provide me counseling services. I told my story to a person I trusted. Trust is something hard to come by when you have been raped." Tammy is not the only victim to speak out. Women -- and some men -- across the country have gone to their local news, speaking out against this indignant crime.
The Federal government did not provide any outlet for the Secretary of the Interior (or the undersecretary of Health and Human Services) to oversee the provisions of the bill. The legislation went unchecked. The legislation in question provides that the Department of Health and Human Services pay for counseling and medical support services sought by rape victims, payments that HHS has been making.
"Congress sought to protect us", said Wagner, "but they ultimately made it worse."
Tornado Season In Full Swing
As winter turns to spring, snow turns to rain, and rain brings with it tornado season. Unlike past springs that brought a mild tornado season, this spring is going to be one for the record books according to a handful of national weather experts. Tom Ryan, the Director of the Storm Prediction Center, an agency within the National Weather Service, suggests that "This past winter was rather tame. Historical weather patterns suggest that, when winter weather does not make headlines, the following spring will."
Tornadoes have already begun spinning throughout the middle of our country, particularly throughout the flat plains: Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Kansas. While regional emergency services in those areas are used to the devastating power of tornadoes, places like Kentucky, North Carolina, and Georgia are not. Analysts have notified emergency personnel in the Midwest and Dixie about the potential for a devastating tornado season. Preparations are underway to ensure the safety of all.
Regional representatives are exploring the option of the targeted emergency grants made possible by the Federal Emergency Management Reform Act. Calls to Governors throughout the country have requested that regions secure these funds before they run out. Federal government spectators argue that the grant cannot be accessed until after an emergency occurs, pointing out that the legislation reads "Application for a grant shall be made by the Governor of an affected Region." These spectators say that a region cannot be "affected" until after an emergency, thus nullifying any proactive response by regional authorities. It remains to be seen how the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, in charge of the grant, will respond.
United States Trade Representative's Car Attacked in Brussels; Free Trade Negotiations Stall
Secretary of the Treasury Jacob Black Deer recently announced to the country that the United States is negotiating a new free trade agreement with representatives of the European Union in Brussels, Belgium. That is, until today.
Earlier this morning in the U.S., and as the night sky fell upon Brussels, the car carrying United States Trade Representative Samantha Tristman was attacked. As the car drove away from the building where negotiations were being held, a black SUV began following. The driver noticed that the SUV was trailing him and he attempted an unexpected maneuver in order to lose the trail. The SUV quickly followed and the attack ensued. As Tristman's driver sped away, the SUV gained in speed and drove up to the side of Tristman's vehicle. According to the driver, "Men dressed in black and wearing masks began shooting at the car with their large guns. I slammed my breaks and they sped away."
While Tristman and her security guard were unharmed, the Trade Representative's translator, 22 year old Stefaan Russo, was declared deceased upon the arrival of local authorities. Russo was a French born citizen whose Flemish mother brought him to Belgium upon her divorce and separation from her husband.
Radical members of Vlaams Blok, a right-winged political party in Belgium, have claimed responsibility for the shooting. It is unclear at this time whether the assailants were targeting the French immigrant translator or the African American Trade Representative, both representatives of groups looked down upon by Vlaams Blok. Official party leaders have denounced the attack.
Trade Representative Tristman is currently at the United States Embassy.
Cambridge- Harvard University is drawing fire from an unusual source: Gavin Hoertz, former head of the philanthropic arm of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, accuses the school of "hoarding" billions of dollars in endowment money, rather than using it for their students.
"Legally, philanthropic bodies are supposed to outlay at least 5 percent of their assets annually. That's the minimum. Most organizations do far, far more than that of course. University endowments aren't covered by this law, and at Harvard it sure shows. They're sitting on tens of billions of dollars, and for what? Five percent of their endowment is something like 1.5 billion dollars. With that they could pay the total cost of attendance for every single grad and undergrad student and still have a billion dollars left over. But what are they doing with it? Playing complex investments games to grow their endowment even further so that they can...make even more money? At Pfizer, we spent billions in medical education grants, helping people get their prescriptions, promoting awareness of disease and countless other programs. We were spending a whole lot more than five percent. So what's Harvard doing with the money?"
In response, Harvard President Neal Rudenstine dismissed the accusations stating that the Harvard endowment is "an extremely complicated financial beast" and that the school "does more for it's student's, particularly students in need, than any other college in the world."
Tampa- A new study by the University of South Florida's new Concussion Center, the number of concussions suffered by players in high school football has risen over 15 percent in the last decade. Although researchers admit the study was hampered by protective parents and coaches reluctant to talk about injuries to outsiders, the trend is clear.
"Despite recent advances in safety equipment, it is an inevitable conclusion that high school football players today are suffering more injuries than ever before, particularly concussions." This according to Dr. Eric Coris, who headed the year long study. "High school players today are simply bigger and faster and harder hitting than ever before. Even at schools that can afford modern protective gear, and many of them can't, the risk for injury has never been higher."
The report noticed across the board increases in injuries including spinal injuries and non-concussive head injuries. Concussions by far though, showed the highest spike in incidence of occurrence. Coris did admit the numbers might be skewed because concussions were frequently not reported in the past, but cautioned this practice is still in effect. "These guys aren't expected to show vulnerability. Too often they get their bell rung and feel compelled to get right back into it."
Tucson- The life of the undocumented migrant worker is never easy. And it may have gotten a little bit harder over the past years. Throughout the American Southwest and anywhere else Central American migrant workers congregate, small Mexican grocery stores dot the city corners. Selling things such as Mexican beer and soft drinks for workers eager for a taste of home, they also sell reams upon reams of Mexican lottery tickets. To the workers who buy them, the tickets are a way to reconnect with home while dreaming of striking it rich. Such tickets are also occasionally bought from strolling vendors and inside unsanctioned gambling hot spots. But now, some opportunists are preying on a demographic who feel they have little legal recourse when wronged.
So called "timadors", often connected to the unscrupulous network of smugglers who bring migrants across the border, have begun taking advantage of local workers by aggressively selling them discount lotto tickets, phone cards and even money orders. Of course one the seller is long gone, the buyer realizes the lotto tickets are all duds, the phone card doesn't work, and the money order is worthless at any respectable business.
"This is utterly shameful" says Arlena Santomeyer of the Arizona ACLU. "Con men push their wares as openly as drug dealers, and it goes wholly unnoticed by the police. And victims of these scams fear going to the law, out worry they will jailed or deported for trying to protect their basic rights."
Although little information exists on the financial extent of the problem, one anonymous source within the Tuscon PD stated "You're talking over a million dollars a year in fraud. And that's money these workers normally send home. Instead it's going into the pockets of fraudsters with connections to violent cartels, to do God knows what."
"Legally, philanthropic bodies are supposed to outlay at least 5 percent of their assets annually. That's the minimum. Most organizations do far, far more than that of course. University endowments aren't covered by this law, and at Harvard it sure shows. They're sitting on tens of billions of dollars, and for what? Five percent of their endowment is something like 1.5 billion dollars. With that they could pay the total cost of attendance for every single grad and undergrad student and still have a billion dollars left over. But what are they doing with it? Playing complex investments games to grow their endowment even further so that they can...make even more money? At Pfizer, we spent billions in medical education grants, helping people get their prescriptions, promoting awareness of disease and countless other programs. We were spending a whole lot more than five percent. So what's Harvard doing with the money?"
In response, Harvard President Neal Rudenstine dismissed the accusations stating that the Harvard endowment is "an extremely complicated financial beast" and that the school "does more for it's student's, particularly students in need, than any other college in the world."
Tampa- A new study by the University of South Florida's new Concussion Center, the number of concussions suffered by players in high school football has risen over 15 percent in the last decade. Although researchers admit the study was hampered by protective parents and coaches reluctant to talk about injuries to outsiders, the trend is clear.
"Despite recent advances in safety equipment, it is an inevitable conclusion that high school football players today are suffering more injuries than ever before, particularly concussions." This according to Dr. Eric Coris, who headed the year long study. "High school players today are simply bigger and faster and harder hitting than ever before. Even at schools that can afford modern protective gear, and many of them can't, the risk for injury has never been higher."
The report noticed across the board increases in injuries including spinal injuries and non-concussive head injuries. Concussions by far though, showed the highest spike in incidence of occurrence. Coris did admit the numbers might be skewed because concussions were frequently not reported in the past, but cautioned this practice is still in effect. "These guys aren't expected to show vulnerability. Too often they get their bell rung and feel compelled to get right back into it."
Tucson- The life of the undocumented migrant worker is never easy. And it may have gotten a little bit harder over the past years. Throughout the American Southwest and anywhere else Central American migrant workers congregate, small Mexican grocery stores dot the city corners. Selling things such as Mexican beer and soft drinks for workers eager for a taste of home, they also sell reams upon reams of Mexican lottery tickets. To the workers who buy them, the tickets are a way to reconnect with home while dreaming of striking it rich. Such tickets are also occasionally bought from strolling vendors and inside unsanctioned gambling hot spots. But now, some opportunists are preying on a demographic who feel they have little legal recourse when wronged.
So called "timadors", often connected to the unscrupulous network of smugglers who bring migrants across the border, have begun taking advantage of local workers by aggressively selling them discount lotto tickets, phone cards and even money orders. Of course one the seller is long gone, the buyer realizes the lotto tickets are all duds, the phone card doesn't work, and the money order is worthless at any respectable business.
"This is utterly shameful" says Arlena Santomeyer of the Arizona ACLU. "Con men push their wares as openly as drug dealers, and it goes wholly unnoticed by the police. And victims of these scams fear going to the law, out worry they will jailed or deported for trying to protect their basic rights."
Although little information exists on the financial extent of the problem, one anonymous source within the Tuscon PD stated "You're talking over a million dollars a year in fraud. And that's money these workers normally send home. Instead it's going into the pockets of fraudsters with connections to violent cartels, to do God knows what."
US Trade Representative Returns from Brussels
United States Trade Representative Samantha Tristman has returned to Washington D.C. after the recent attack on her and her entourage in Brussels, Belgium. Tristman, who had been assigned to Brussels by Treasury Secretary Black Deer to negotiate a US-European Union Free Trade Agreement, spoke about her return by saying "My attackers sought to permanently postpone the progress of the free trade agreement in negotiation. Thanks to Secretary Black Deer and my staff, the attack was only another speed bump on the road toward an official agreement." Some European media outlets described Tristman's words as "ruthless" and "cold-hearted" suggesting that the death of her translator was "just another part of the negotiating progress." Tristman has since clarified her comments saying that "the loss of Stefaan has impacted me more than anyone will ever know. To think that my words are being used to suggest that losing one of my greatest friends was 'just another day at work' is a rather audacious assertion."
An official announcement is expected in the coming days from the Treasury Department about the continuation of the Brussels negotiations. An unnamed source within the Department of the Treasury who wished to remain anonymous for not having clearance to speak to the press said that Secretary Black Deer and Mrs. Tristman have convinced the representatives of the European Union to relocate the negotiations to the United States.
Eckstein Resigns, Ballentyne Shines
Washington- Director of Central Intelligence Alan Eckstein has resigned his position in order to "spend more time with cocaine".
Universally heralded for his chiseled good looks and unmatched brain, Eckstein was equally well known for winning "Best Cabinet Member" four years running under the Clinton administration. He was less well known, but equally notable, for doing massive amounts of blow.
"He was a man who loved his country, his family, killing terrorists and stopping the international spread of communism." Fondly recalls one subordinate. "But mainly he loved doing cocaine."
Eckstein announced his decision to leave during a press conference in which he continually sniffled, gripped the podium until his knuckles turned white and repeatedly demanded orange juice.
(OOC: The above story should not be taken too seriously.)
Washington- While everyone will surely miss Alan Eckstein's winning smile and occasional tantrums around the halls of the White House, his replacement is already making converts to a new way of doing business.
Dr. Dan Ballentyne, former Secretary of Defense was tapped to take over the CIA, and hasn't hesitated in getting down to business. Reports from staffers say he has been quick to immerse himself in various global problems. A source in the White House praised Ballentyne for his comprehensive intelligence gathering and analysis of the situations in Haiti and France in particular. "He's much more thorough and thought-out than his predecessor. He doesn't jump blindly into things or fly off the handle."
While former Director Eckstein was known for being effective, he also had a habit of alienating subordinates and colleagues alike with his brusque manner and smugness. Ballentyne is already being seen as a much steadier hand, providing calculated responses in favor of knee-jerk reactions.
Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany- US troops are back in East Africa for the first time since leaving Somalia two years ago. This time though, they're much smaller in number and have a much different mission.
About 150 US special forces arrived in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa in anticipation of Operation Grim Vulture. The primary purpose of the operation is to train Ethiopian ground forces in more effective border control. Ethiopia has recently been plagued by inter-faith violence, which the government blames on outside influences, mainly from Sudan and Somalia. Although official Ethiopian government sources downplay the number of fatalities caused by the violence, independent reports suggest it may top several hundred over the last year. Much of that number reportedly comes from the southern, rural area of the country, which is less well patrolled by the army.
US troops were reportedly dismayed at the readiness of the Ethiopian army, with commanders prevailing upon Washington for additional personnel.
(Be sure to go and read Hayes' updated to the International News here.)
Supreme Court Rules on Constitutionality of Minimum Wage, Overtime Requirements; Also Limits Reach of Capital Punishment
In an opinion issued yesterday morning in the case of Birmingham Water Works Authority v. Department of Labor, in a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court held that the minimum wage and overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) do not apply to state and local governments. The Birmingham Water Works Authority sued the Department of Labor seeking a declaratory judgment that the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the FLSA did not apply to its activities as an entity of a local government. Relying on the Supreme Court's decision in Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority, 469 U.S. 528 (1985), the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama granted summary judgment in favor of the Department of Labor and the Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed that decision. According to some legal analysts, that the Supreme Court even decided to hear the case came somewhat unexpectedly.
Writing for the five-member majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy concluded that "the balance of power between the federal and state governments is a delicate one. Where traditional government functions are affected, extension of the powers under the commerce clause into those areas tips the scales too far in favor of the central government." Justice Kennedy was joined in the majority by Chief Justice Rehnquist, Justice O'Connor, Justice Scalia, and Justice Thomas. Justice John Paul Stevens, joined by Justices Souter, Ginsburg, and Breyer, disagree with the majority's reasoning. Stevens wrote "The test set out for determining what is properly deemed a 'traditional governmental function' is just as unworkable today as it was a decade ago. Jettisoning our settled jurisprudence as the majority does today bodes nothing but ill for the continued ability of Congress to act in the national interest."
In another case handed down today, by a vote of 6-3 the Court held that it is unconstitutional for a state to impose the death penalty on a mentally retarded individual. In the case of Tyler v. Utah, Justice Stevens, wrote that "whatever else the Constitution might permit with regard to capital punishment, the clearly emerging national consensus is that the diminished mental capacity of an individual transforms the death penalty into a prohibited cruel and unusual punishment." He was joined in the majority by Justices O'Connor, Kennedy, Souter, Ginsburg, and Breyer. The case overrules Penry v. Lynaugh, 492 U.S. 302 (1989), an earlier case approving of the execution of the mentally retarded.
The opinion reverses a decision of the Utah Supreme Court affirming the conviction of Andrew Nathan Tyler and affirming his sentence of capital punishment. In September 1988, after an apparent dispute over money owed for odd jobs, Tyler stabbed and killed James and Wendy Grainger in their home outside Ogden, Utah. During the penalty phase of his trial, Tyler's defense team presented evidence that Tyler had an IQ of 62, classifying him as mildly mentally retarded. Nevertheless, Tyler was sentenced to death.
Writing on behalf of Justice Thomas and Chief Justice Rehnquist, Justice Scalia lashed out at the majority: "The majority's 'national consensus' standard is a rhetorical house of cards and can scarcely begin to support their decision today. What is most disappointing is that the cards with which the majority attempts to construct this 'national consensus' do not even exist. What we are left with are the personal views of the members of the majority, wholly divorced from any semblance of support in the text and history of the Eighth Amendment." In a separate dissenting opinion, Justice Thomas chided the majority for its references to European laws on capital punishment.
The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty estimates that at least a dozen death row inmates across the United States will be affected by this decision, including Johnny Paul Penry, the petitioner in Penry v. Lynaugh. Penry's case was sent back down to the trial court after the Supreme Court's decision in 1989 in order for the jury to consider whether his mental retardation was a mitigating circumstance weighing against capital punishment.
Supreme Court Rules on Constitutionality of Minimum Wage, Overtime Requirements; Also Limits Reach of Capital Punishment
In an opinion issued yesterday morning in the case of Birmingham Water Works Authority v. Department of Labor, in a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court held that the minimum wage and overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) do not apply to state and local governments. The Birmingham Water Works Authority sued the Department of Labor seeking a declaratory judgment that the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the FLSA did not apply to its activities as an entity of a local government. Relying on the Supreme Court's decision in Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority, 469 U.S. 528 (1985), the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama granted summary judgment in favor of the Department of Labor and the Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed that decision. According to some legal analysts, that the Supreme Court even decided to hear the case came somewhat unexpectedly.
Writing for the five-member majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy concluded that "the balance of power between the federal and state governments is a delicate one. Where traditional government functions are affected, extension of the powers under the commerce clause into those areas tips the scales too far in favor of the central government." Justice Kennedy was joined in the majority by Chief Justice Rehnquist, Justice O'Connor, Justice Scalia, and Justice Thomas. Justice John Paul Stevens, joined by Justices Souter, Ginsburg, and Breyer, disagree with the majority's reasoning. Stevens wrote "The test set out for determining what is properly deemed a 'traditional governmental function' is just as unworkable today as it was a decade ago. Jettisoning our settled jurisprudence as the majority does today bodes nothing but ill for the continued ability of Congress to act in the national interest."
* * * * *
In another case handed down today, by a vote of 6-3 the Court held that it is unconstitutional for a state to impose the death penalty on a mentally retarded individual. In the case of Tyler v. Utah, Justice Stevens, wrote that "whatever else the Constitution might permit with regard to capital punishment, the clearly emerging national consensus is that the diminished mental capacity of an individual transforms the death penalty into a prohibited cruel and unusual punishment." He was joined in the majority by Justices O'Connor, Kennedy, Souter, Ginsburg, and Breyer. The case overrules Penry v. Lynaugh, 492 U.S. 302 (1989), an earlier case approving of the execution of the mentally retarded.
The opinion reverses a decision of the Utah Supreme Court affirming the conviction of Andrew Nathan Tyler and affirming his sentence of capital punishment. In September 1988, after an apparent dispute over money owed for odd jobs, Tyler stabbed and killed James and Wendy Grainger in their home outside Ogden, Utah. During the penalty phase of his trial, Tyler's defense team presented evidence that Tyler had an IQ of 62, classifying him as mildly mentally retarded. Nevertheless, Tyler was sentenced to death.
Writing on behalf of Justice Thomas and Chief Justice Rehnquist, Justice Scalia lashed out at the majority: "The majority's 'national consensus' standard is a rhetorical house of cards and can scarcely begin to support their decision today. What is most disappointing is that the cards with which the majority attempts to construct this 'national consensus' do not even exist. What we are left with are the personal views of the members of the majority, wholly divorced from any semblance of support in the text and history of the Eighth Amendment." In a separate dissenting opinion, Justice Thomas chided the majority for its references to European laws on capital punishment.
The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty estimates that at least a dozen death row inmates across the United States will be affected by this decision, including Johnny Paul Penry, the petitioner in Penry v. Lynaugh. Penry's case was sent back down to the trial court after the Supreme Court's decision in 1989 in order for the jury to consider whether his mental retardation was a mitigating circumstance weighing against capital punishment.
Constitutional Convention Resolution Stalls in Congress
Although approved by the Conference Committee, the Congressional resolution calling for the states to convene a convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution appears to have met a roadblock in Congress. The measure was almost unanimously opposed by Democrats in the House while gaining almost unanimous support from congressional Republicans. The measure fared slightly better with Senate Democrats and managed to pass that house of Congress by a comfortable margin with strong Republican support.
Rollins Chapin, a regional legislator from Dixie expressed his frustration at the delays. "We started the process of getting this convention up and running years ago. The people of Dixie want this convention to happen and I just don't understand what the holdup is."
Taking that frustration one step further, the Foundation for Economic Education has offered its facilities for "any delegations of regional legislators wishing to follow the Constitution by holding a convention." Donald J. Boudreaux, president of the think tank, said the FEE was making its facilities in Irvington, New York available because "The Constitution is clear that the convention is mandatory; Congress simply does not get to decide whether it happens. They've dragged their feet on this issue long enough and I sincerely hope that we will be joined here by delegates from every part of the country so they can begin the process of proposing amendments to the Constitution."
Robert Greenstein, executive director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, is skeptical about that course of action. "What the FEE is proposing is constitutionally questionable at best. Fiddling with the constitutional process is not something that should be taken lightly. I only hope that regional governments will understand that fact and behave accordingly."
As of press time, no regional governments have publicly announced their intent to send delegates to a constitutional convention prior to passage of a congressional resolution.
Although approved by the Conference Committee, the Congressional resolution calling for the states to convene a convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution appears to have met a roadblock in Congress. The measure was almost unanimously opposed by Democrats in the House while gaining almost unanimous support from congressional Republicans. The measure fared slightly better with Senate Democrats and managed to pass that house of Congress by a comfortable margin with strong Republican support.
Rollins Chapin, a regional legislator from Dixie expressed his frustration at the delays. "We started the process of getting this convention up and running years ago. The people of Dixie want this convention to happen and I just don't understand what the holdup is."
Taking that frustration one step further, the Foundation for Economic Education has offered its facilities for "any delegations of regional legislators wishing to follow the Constitution by holding a convention." Donald J. Boudreaux, president of the think tank, said the FEE was making its facilities in Irvington, New York available because "The Constitution is clear that the convention is mandatory; Congress simply does not get to decide whether it happens. They've dragged their feet on this issue long enough and I sincerely hope that we will be joined here by delegates from every part of the country so they can begin the process of proposing amendments to the Constitution."
Robert Greenstein, executive director of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, is skeptical about that course of action. "What the FEE is proposing is constitutionally questionable at best. Fiddling with the constitutional process is not something that should be taken lightly. I only hope that regional governments will understand that fact and behave accordingly."
As of press time, no regional governments have publicly announced their intent to send delegates to a constitutional convention prior to passage of a congressional resolution.
NAFTA causes divisions in Democratic Party
An apparent historic deal on NAFTA in Washington now looks shaky, with the Senate leadership announcing its continued opposition to the trade agreement. The deal, brokered primarily between House Speaker Sebastian Williams, House Majority Leader Brady Fitzgerald and Treasury Secretary Jacob Black Deer, has the support of the Democratic leadership in the House, but not the Senate. The agreement would have seen NAFTA passed, along with the repeal of the Alternative Minimum Tax, in exchange for President Houston signing the PROGRESS Act into law.
Sources indiciate that while both the House and Senate leadership were present in negotiations with Secretary Black Deer, that it was predominantly the Speaker and House Majority Leader that were involved. A staffer to Speaker Williams, speaking on condition of anonimity, claimed that Senate Majority Leader DeWitt contributed so little that he "may as well have not been there", deferring almost entirely to Senate Majority Whip Benjamin Kalrade. Even then, Kalrade appeared to be more interested in opposing the deal entirely rather than obtaining a negotiated outcome, and was understood to have been disengaged from discussions after stating his opposition. This seems to have frustrated the House staff, who added "you can't just not participate in the process and then complain about the outcome".
The Senate leadership counters publicly that it was not privy to the final agreement, and while present at the negotiations with Secreatary Black Deer, that the actual agreement made was one made directly between Black Deer and the House leadership, to the exclusion of the Senate leadership. "The first we heard about this deal was from President Houston on CNN", stated a member of Senate Majority Leader Russell DeWitt's staff, "I'd hardly call that a deal that we were involved in".
The Senate leadership remains dead set against the deal, with Senator DeWitt saying that he will "not allow it [NAFTA] to pass the Senate while I am Majority Leader", Senator Kalrade that it "would not under any circumstances reach the Senate Floor...The implementation of NAFTA will not see the light of day" and FRID Committee Chair Senator Thomas Druide calling NAFTA "dead on arrival".
So far, Democratic Senators Merrilin, Patterson and Graham have declared their support for the agreement, which together with the Republican minority would provide the 12 voted required to prevent a filibuster in the Senate. However, with the entire Senate leadership opposed to NAFTA and promising not to put NAFTA on the docket for debate, having the numbers on the floor may not matter. And with a majority of the Democratic Senate caucus still opposed to NAFTA, Senator DeWitt appears to have a solid position from which to succeffully block NAFTA.
Senator DeWitt also stated that he remains in favor of PROGRESS and open to the free trade deal negotiated with the EU.
OOC: Nothing discussed in any war room was considered in the writing of this article. Any quotes and descriptions relate directly to things said and done IC, though not necessarily publicly said IC.
UPDATE
Vice President Andrew Dresner, who as Vice President also holds the title of President of the Senate, has entered into the debate, arguing that trade agreements negotiated while fast track legislation was in place must have enabling legislation considered by the Senate. As NAFTA was negotiated during this period, Mr Dresner is threatening to personally take control of Senate proceedings himself if Senate Democrats refuse to allow NAFTA legislation to be considered by the Senate. It's now appearing likely that Senator DeWitt may not be able to prevent NAFTA from receiving an up or down vote on the Senate Floor.
OOC: And to make it clear, that last part was not a ruling. Call it media uncertainty.
An apparent historic deal on NAFTA in Washington now looks shaky, with the Senate leadership announcing its continued opposition to the trade agreement. The deal, brokered primarily between House Speaker Sebastian Williams, House Majority Leader Brady Fitzgerald and Treasury Secretary Jacob Black Deer, has the support of the Democratic leadership in the House, but not the Senate. The agreement would have seen NAFTA passed, along with the repeal of the Alternative Minimum Tax, in exchange for President Houston signing the PROGRESS Act into law.
Sources indiciate that while both the House and Senate leadership were present in negotiations with Secretary Black Deer, that it was predominantly the Speaker and House Majority Leader that were involved. A staffer to Speaker Williams, speaking on condition of anonimity, claimed that Senate Majority Leader DeWitt contributed so little that he "may as well have not been there", deferring almost entirely to Senate Majority Whip Benjamin Kalrade. Even then, Kalrade appeared to be more interested in opposing the deal entirely rather than obtaining a negotiated outcome, and was understood to have been disengaged from discussions after stating his opposition. This seems to have frustrated the House staff, who added "you can't just not participate in the process and then complain about the outcome".
The Senate leadership counters publicly that it was not privy to the final agreement, and while present at the negotiations with Secreatary Black Deer, that the actual agreement made was one made directly between Black Deer and the House leadership, to the exclusion of the Senate leadership. "The first we heard about this deal was from President Houston on CNN", stated a member of Senate Majority Leader Russell DeWitt's staff, "I'd hardly call that a deal that we were involved in".
The Senate leadership remains dead set against the deal, with Senator DeWitt saying that he will "not allow it [NAFTA] to pass the Senate while I am Majority Leader", Senator Kalrade that it "would not under any circumstances reach the Senate Floor...The implementation of NAFTA will not see the light of day" and FRID Committee Chair Senator Thomas Druide calling NAFTA "dead on arrival".
So far, Democratic Senators Merrilin, Patterson and Graham have declared their support for the agreement, which together with the Republican minority would provide the 12 voted required to prevent a filibuster in the Senate. However, with the entire Senate leadership opposed to NAFTA and promising not to put NAFTA on the docket for debate, having the numbers on the floor may not matter. And with a majority of the Democratic Senate caucus still opposed to NAFTA, Senator DeWitt appears to have a solid position from which to succeffully block NAFTA.
Senator DeWitt also stated that he remains in favor of PROGRESS and open to the free trade deal negotiated with the EU.
OOC: Nothing discussed in any war room was considered in the writing of this article. Any quotes and descriptions relate directly to things said and done IC, though not necessarily publicly said IC.
UPDATE
Vice President Andrew Dresner, who as Vice President also holds the title of President of the Senate, has entered into the debate, arguing that trade agreements negotiated while fast track legislation was in place must have enabling legislation considered by the Senate. As NAFTA was negotiated during this period, Mr Dresner is threatening to personally take control of Senate proceedings himself if Senate Democrats refuse to allow NAFTA legislation to be considered by the Senate. It's now appearing likely that Senator DeWitt may not be able to prevent NAFTA from receiving an up or down vote on the Senate Floor.
OOC: And to make it clear, that last part was not a ruling. Call it media uncertainty.
51: PUERTO RICO STATEHOOD CALLED A 'POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE'
PLAYERS: IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE TODAY, READ THIS NEWS UPDATE
Who knew that an island far from the United States could change the game so much?
Puerto Rico's long journey to statehood was enabled by Congress' official endorsement of binding plebiscites on the question of Puerto Rico's political status. Congress passed and President White signed a bill in 2009 providing for a fully sanctioned vote on statehood, which was successfully held in 2010. With its majority vote to join the Union in March of 2010, the commonwealth earned five voting seats in the House of Representatives, two United States Senators and seven votes in the electoral college.
But what appear to be cosmetic changes to Congress and the Legislature's business betray a volatile and uncertain political environment that will most certainly have a ripple effect across the entire New South region (known by its rapidly growing Hispanic population as 'Nuevo Sur'), and leave both parties in a brutal rat race to secure a strong position in the hearts and minds of the Puerto Rican people.
During the commonwealth years, the political parties on the mainland devoted little time to building a strong presence in Puerto Rico. As a result, the island's political culture has never been defined by the polarized paradigms of Washington and regional legislatures. While the pro-statehood New Progressive Party (PNP) has been led by politicians who nominally identified with the national Republican Party, a large bloc of its members identified with the Democratic Party as well. The greatest ideological divides between the PNP and the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) were not the philosophical differences we see between Republicans and Democrats, but rather disputes over Puerto Rico's relationship with the mainland.
But with statehood now a reality, the game is changing, and fast. PPD's adamant opposition to statehood and subsequent failure to prevent it has devastated the party's standing with the people. The party is now in the throes of a nasty power struggle between the more calculating leaders who seek to lay the groundwork for the incoming Democratic Party, and the more fiercely anti-statehood membership who have even pondered an alliance with the more radical Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP). However, such struggles may end up moot, as the Puerto Rico Division of Elections reported that PPD and PIP have seen rapid declines in voter registration across the state since statehood was achieved.
The PNP has thus been put in the driver's seat of the unfolding political drama, and Party Chairman Luis Fortuno, Puerto Rico's most prominent Republican leader, has very gingerly worked behind the scenes to make entreaties to the GOP as they begin to aggressively start a party infrastructure. But such efforts have been slow going, and have a great risk of backfiring.
And then there is the question of Dixie's culture clashing with its newest member state. An overwhelming majority of Puerto Ricans do not speak English fluently, and a large portion of its residents continue to live at or well below the poverty line. Dixie's higher educational standards far outstrip Puerto Rico's, and billions of dollars may be needed to bring its K-12 education system up to par as Dixie's budget system remains deeply troubled. The addition of 7 Hispanic seats to a Dixie Legislature with 14 Hispanic members already will give Latinos across the region unprecedented influence over all legislation, but at the expense of legislative seats in states like Tennessee and South Carolina, a fact that is fomenting racial sentiments in Charlotte many thought long gone. And the island's remoteness and exposure to Atlantic weather patterns will be a thorn in the side of Citizens Insurance when it is already crippled by billions in unfunded liabilities. A poverty-addled state with horrific building codes and grave maldistribution of wealth is yet another actuarial mess that Charlotte will deal with.
So what does it all add up to? For starters, a state that is incredibly up for grabs for both parties. The GOP and the Democrats each claim about 15% of the voting population, while nearly 70% of the rest do not claim a party or remain loyal to the PNP or the other old parties. How each party contends with the questions of acculturation, delivering needed government resources to the island, and addressing the deep economic inequality that persists in Puerto Rico will determine the success of each party.
Will the Republicans connect with Puerto Ricans on social issues and religious solidarity? Will the nativist impulses of a growing faction of the regional GOP threaten to stymie their efforts?
Or perhaps the the Democrats could speak to the (usually empty) pocketbooks of the people of the 51st State and promote economic development and better distribution of wealth?
And what impact will the PPD or PIP have on this process, if anything? Both are considering slating candidates for the New South's Senate seats and the Dixie Governor's office, and even a 5% showing from the two parties could shift the results to one party or the other. How effectively Washington and Charlotte manage the acculturation process will greatly affect the fate of the old Puerto Rican parties.
TL;DR version:
* Puerto Rico's a state now. 7 electoral votes, and is part of the New South/Nuevo Sur region and Dixie super region. Yay.
* Puerto Rico is dirt poor, most residents don't speak English, and those that learn go to the mainland, and their schools are WAY behind Dixie in achievement standards. Boo.
* The GOP and DNC are competing for 70% of the electorate that still prefers the three old island parties.
* Two of these parties will almost certainly have candidates on the 2010 election ballot.
* The PNP is the wild card here. Its leadership favors the GOP, but its large bloc of registered voters are nowhere near as committed to any party.
* And while the GOP does have an inside track with the PNP, they also have a risk of pissing off white Dixie Republicans if they don't seem hardline enough on welfare to minorities.
* The party that Puerto Ricans trust to look out for their well-being and provide for a smooth transition to statehood will enjoy some serious #winning action.
* For the next DIX Gov: 1 in 5 members of your legislator is some strain of Hispanic. Have fun with that.
* And no, bilingual campaigning is a nice touch, but not necessary and won't boost your grade.
* Finally, we have 545 electoral votes now, rather than 538. Didn't want to go through the madness of taking votes away from other states.
We hope you enjoy this new feature in the flash forward. To my knowledge, we've never had a 51st state in the history of GovSim, so this will be an exciting experience. And best of luck to my fellow DIX-heads and Nuevo Sur players as you play a big part in this ongoing story line.
PLAYERS: IF YOU READ NOTHING ELSE TODAY, READ THIS NEWS UPDATE
Who knew that an island far from the United States could change the game so much?
Puerto Rico's long journey to statehood was enabled by Congress' official endorsement of binding plebiscites on the question of Puerto Rico's political status. Congress passed and President White signed a bill in 2009 providing for a fully sanctioned vote on statehood, which was successfully held in 2010. With its majority vote to join the Union in March of 2010, the commonwealth earned five voting seats in the House of Representatives, two United States Senators and seven votes in the electoral college.
But what appear to be cosmetic changes to Congress and the Legislature's business betray a volatile and uncertain political environment that will most certainly have a ripple effect across the entire New South region (known by its rapidly growing Hispanic population as 'Nuevo Sur'), and leave both parties in a brutal rat race to secure a strong position in the hearts and minds of the Puerto Rican people.
During the commonwealth years, the political parties on the mainland devoted little time to building a strong presence in Puerto Rico. As a result, the island's political culture has never been defined by the polarized paradigms of Washington and regional legislatures. While the pro-statehood New Progressive Party (PNP) has been led by politicians who nominally identified with the national Republican Party, a large bloc of its members identified with the Democratic Party as well. The greatest ideological divides between the PNP and the Popular Democratic Party (PPD) were not the philosophical differences we see between Republicans and Democrats, but rather disputes over Puerto Rico's relationship with the mainland.
But with statehood now a reality, the game is changing, and fast. PPD's adamant opposition to statehood and subsequent failure to prevent it has devastated the party's standing with the people. The party is now in the throes of a nasty power struggle between the more calculating leaders who seek to lay the groundwork for the incoming Democratic Party, and the more fiercely anti-statehood membership who have even pondered an alliance with the more radical Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP). However, such struggles may end up moot, as the Puerto Rico Division of Elections reported that PPD and PIP have seen rapid declines in voter registration across the state since statehood was achieved.
The PNP has thus been put in the driver's seat of the unfolding political drama, and Party Chairman Luis Fortuno, Puerto Rico's most prominent Republican leader, has very gingerly worked behind the scenes to make entreaties to the GOP as they begin to aggressively start a party infrastructure. But such efforts have been slow going, and have a great risk of backfiring.
And then there is the question of Dixie's culture clashing with its newest member state. An overwhelming majority of Puerto Ricans do not speak English fluently, and a large portion of its residents continue to live at or well below the poverty line. Dixie's higher educational standards far outstrip Puerto Rico's, and billions of dollars may be needed to bring its K-12 education system up to par as Dixie's budget system remains deeply troubled. The addition of 7 Hispanic seats to a Dixie Legislature with 14 Hispanic members already will give Latinos across the region unprecedented influence over all legislation, but at the expense of legislative seats in states like Tennessee and South Carolina, a fact that is fomenting racial sentiments in Charlotte many thought long gone. And the island's remoteness and exposure to Atlantic weather patterns will be a thorn in the side of Citizens Insurance when it is already crippled by billions in unfunded liabilities. A poverty-addled state with horrific building codes and grave maldistribution of wealth is yet another actuarial mess that Charlotte will deal with.
So what does it all add up to? For starters, a state that is incredibly up for grabs for both parties. The GOP and the Democrats each claim about 15% of the voting population, while nearly 70% of the rest do not claim a party or remain loyal to the PNP or the other old parties. How each party contends with the questions of acculturation, delivering needed government resources to the island, and addressing the deep economic inequality that persists in Puerto Rico will determine the success of each party.
Will the Republicans connect with Puerto Ricans on social issues and religious solidarity? Will the nativist impulses of a growing faction of the regional GOP threaten to stymie their efforts?
Or perhaps the the Democrats could speak to the (usually empty) pocketbooks of the people of the 51st State and promote economic development and better distribution of wealth?
And what impact will the PPD or PIP have on this process, if anything? Both are considering slating candidates for the New South's Senate seats and the Dixie Governor's office, and even a 5% showing from the two parties could shift the results to one party or the other. How effectively Washington and Charlotte manage the acculturation process will greatly affect the fate of the old Puerto Rican parties.
TL;DR version:
* Puerto Rico's a state now. 7 electoral votes, and is part of the New South/Nuevo Sur region and Dixie super region. Yay.
* Puerto Rico is dirt poor, most residents don't speak English, and those that learn go to the mainland, and their schools are WAY behind Dixie in achievement standards. Boo.
* The GOP and DNC are competing for 70% of the electorate that still prefers the three old island parties.
* Two of these parties will almost certainly have candidates on the 2010 election ballot.
* The PNP is the wild card here. Its leadership favors the GOP, but its large bloc of registered voters are nowhere near as committed to any party.
* And while the GOP does have an inside track with the PNP, they also have a risk of pissing off white Dixie Republicans if they don't seem hardline enough on welfare to minorities.
* The party that Puerto Ricans trust to look out for their well-being and provide for a smooth transition to statehood will enjoy some serious #winning action.
* For the next DIX Gov: 1 in 5 members of your legislator is some strain of Hispanic. Have fun with that.
* And no, bilingual campaigning is a nice touch, but not necessary and won't boost your grade.
* Finally, we have 545 electoral votes now, rather than 538. Didn't want to go through the madness of taking votes away from other states.
We hope you enjoy this new feature in the flash forward. To my knowledge, we've never had a 51st state in the history of GovSim, so this will be an exciting experience. And best of luck to my fellow DIX-heads and Nuevo Sur players as you play a big part in this ongoing story line.
Defending Regional Marriage Rights Act signed into law
October 17th, 2001 | Washington, DC
President John Houston (R-FL) signed into law today the Defending Regional Marriage Rights Act, sponsored by Senator Christopher Richards, Sr. (R-CA), which will prevent all regions from being required to recognize same-sex marriages legalized in other states. The bill, which was given green light in the Senate last session overcoming a filibuster, was narrowly passed this session by the House of Representatives, with a small coalition of conservative Democratic Congressmen voting for the bill's passage in wake of the Northeast's landmark Hudson ruling.
The bill is considered a lighter version of DOMA, which never achieved passage in Congress despite several attempts by Republican leadership. The Defending Regional Marriage Rights Act contains the vital provision securing each regions' rights to refuse recognition of out-of-state same-sex marriages, but does not contain the infamous section providing a federal definition of marriage. Many proponents of DOMA, while still calling for the need to define marriage as an union of one man and one woman, saw the bill as a compromise.
Passage in the Senate wasn't easy, given Senate Majority Leader Russell DeWitt's (D-MA) fierce opposition to the bill. The bill reached the floor having been passed by the Senate Domestic Affairs Committee, chaired by conservative Democrat Beau Patterson (D-GA). On arrival, it was met by a filibuster led by Senator Alex Merrilin (D-MI) of the Great Lakes. The liberal faction of the Democratic Caucus, including Senators DeWitt, McCoy and Darmody soon joined the filibuster, but it was ultimately unsuccesful due to the cloture votes of the 9 members of the Republican caucus and moderates Irving (D-NC), Richmond (D-OH), Graham (D-VA) and Patterson himself. *
In the House, Speaker Sebastian Williams (D-NC) stated, upon passage in the Senate, that the bill would never reach a place on his docket. This caused Republicans to attempt a discharge petition to force the House's version, introduced by Representative Rich Texan (R-TX), on the floor. Despite getting a majority (242-193) thanks to the votes of conservative Democrats afraid of losing re-election in their moderate districts, the petition did not reach the 60% needed to succeed.
With the culture war gaining prominence, an important number of Blue Dog Democrats replaced Representatives who voted against the bill. Additionally, the Democratic majority shrank to a 219-216 lead due to a decent number of socially conservative Republicans who, helped by the issue, defeated their Democratic opponents.
In the new House, the Republican minority proposed a new discharge petition, which was passed 265-170, securing its final passage. The bill was sent to the President's desk on October 2001, who signed it in a public ceremony.
* (Note: All DNC Senators who voted for the bill expressed support for it publicly or voted for past versions; Irving expressed opposition to DOMA, but support for DRMRA, which was the enacted version.)
October 17th, 2001 | Washington, DC
President John Houston (R-FL) signed into law today the Defending Regional Marriage Rights Act, sponsored by Senator Christopher Richards, Sr. (R-CA), which will prevent all regions from being required to recognize same-sex marriages legalized in other states. The bill, which was given green light in the Senate last session overcoming a filibuster, was narrowly passed this session by the House of Representatives, with a small coalition of conservative Democratic Congressmen voting for the bill's passage in wake of the Northeast's landmark Hudson ruling.
The bill is considered a lighter version of DOMA, which never achieved passage in Congress despite several attempts by Republican leadership. The Defending Regional Marriage Rights Act contains the vital provision securing each regions' rights to refuse recognition of out-of-state same-sex marriages, but does not contain the infamous section providing a federal definition of marriage. Many proponents of DOMA, while still calling for the need to define marriage as an union of one man and one woman, saw the bill as a compromise.
Passage in the Senate wasn't easy, given Senate Majority Leader Russell DeWitt's (D-MA) fierce opposition to the bill. The bill reached the floor having been passed by the Senate Domestic Affairs Committee, chaired by conservative Democrat Beau Patterson (D-GA). On arrival, it was met by a filibuster led by Senator Alex Merrilin (D-MI) of the Great Lakes. The liberal faction of the Democratic Caucus, including Senators DeWitt, McCoy and Darmody soon joined the filibuster, but it was ultimately unsuccesful due to the cloture votes of the 9 members of the Republican caucus and moderates Irving (D-NC), Richmond (D-OH), Graham (D-VA) and Patterson himself. *
In the House, Speaker Sebastian Williams (D-NC) stated, upon passage in the Senate, that the bill would never reach a place on his docket. This caused Republicans to attempt a discharge petition to force the House's version, introduced by Representative Rich Texan (R-TX), on the floor. Despite getting a majority (242-193) thanks to the votes of conservative Democrats afraid of losing re-election in their moderate districts, the petition did not reach the 60% needed to succeed.
With the culture war gaining prominence, an important number of Blue Dog Democrats replaced Representatives who voted against the bill. Additionally, the Democratic majority shrank to a 219-216 lead due to a decent number of socially conservative Republicans who, helped by the issue, defeated their Democratic opponents.
In the new House, the Republican minority proposed a new discharge petition, which was passed 265-170, securing its final passage. The bill was sent to the President's desk on October 2001, who signed it in a public ceremony.
* (Note: All DNC Senators who voted for the bill expressed support for it publicly or voted for past versions; Irving expressed opposition to DOMA, but support for DRMRA, which was the enacted version.)
Debt Continues to Decrease; Balanced Budget on the Horizon
Upon his election in 1996, President John Houston declared a balanced budget the ultimate goal his administration. With the assistance of South Dakota's Jacob Black Deer in the Treasury Department, John Houston's ultimate goal is about to become a reality. After successfully whittling away at the nation's deficit throughout his first term, President Houston and Treasury Secretary Black Deer ferociously sought to eliminate a large chunk of the nation's deficit, setting Houston's successor up for implementing the nation's first balanced budget since 1957 when Dwight Eisenhower roamed the halls of the White House.
Enter Stanford White, a renowned Southern Democrat whose policies resembled a moderate Republican more than staunch Democrat as his opponent attempted to make him out to be. White's main policy on the deficit and the economy was rather simple: don't fix what isn't broken. Following Houston's lead, President White continued to slash the budget throughout his first term, all the while maintaining the financial commitments signed by President Houston.
White pushed to draw down the Department of Defense, suggesting that his promise to keep the United States from war was a real one. After a heated battle with Congressional leaders, White's budget was ultimately pushed through the House of Representatives and the United States Senate. White signed his first budget two hours before a potential government shutdown. The showdown on Capitol Hill marked the strength of White's administration and the unwilling culture in Congress to challenge a popular Democratic president. The American people responded in kind, bumping President White's and Congress' approval ratings for their transparent debate and ultimate decision to continue eliminating the deficit.
However, with the attacks on the Federal Reserve and the ensuing War on Terror, the decreasing effects on the deficit rapidly came to a halt. Spending levels to the Department of Defense grew above the figures outlayed in Houston's first budget. After the economy dipped in 2007 following the terrorist attack in New York City, President White and Congress agreed on an economic stimulus plan that sparked the economy and reestablished confidence throughout most economic systems. Stanford White fought to restore confidence in American markets by making many stops around the globe during an economic revitalization tour.
Though he faced many uphill battles including regaining momentum after the repeal of the Alternative Minimum Tax and having to pay for the famed PROGRESS Act, President White was able to bring the looming deficit down to approximately $165 billion USD. While still a steep deficit, the number is much lower than most recent President's have been dealt. Though President White's term is coming to a close, whoever finds him/herself as the most powerful person in the world will also find a budget situation that is primed for being balanced. Thanks to the diligent work by President Houston to begin the deficit scale-down and the steady hand of President White to keep America's commitments while decreasing the deficit, the next President of the United States is walking into the best financial situation in decades.
Bits and Pieces
Domestic response to terrorism
Following the terrorist attacks on 4/11, the US government responded through the creation of a new Homeland Security Department, which would cover the domestic security and emergency response agencies previously scattered amongst other various departments, and with the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act, which gave law enforcement authorities additional powers to prevent suspected and investigate actual terrorism incidents. The USA PATRIOT Act includes a sunset clause, and must be extended before the end of 2012 for its provisions to continue in force. OOC: Assume that, other than the timing, both these things mirrored what happened IRL in 2001.
Unemployment
In the stagnating first half the the 00s, America's economy had not grown enough to sustain its employment levels, let along to reduce the rate of unemployment. By 2006 things had started looking better and unemployment was now at 6%. Not low, but falling. The attacks of 2007 and the sharp recession that followed changed that, and unemployment shot back up to almost 9% by the start of 2008. However, the downward spike in the economy was followed by an equally dramatic recovery, and by 2010 unemployment had come back down to 7%.
Defense spending
Stanford White came into the White House with a plan to slash the defense budget. Between 2004 and 2007, the Pentagon's budget dropped by $100bn from around $350bn to roughly $250bn. The terrorist attacks in 2007 changed all of that, and the next few years saw a reversal of the budget cuts. By 2010, the defense budget was back to it's Houston Administration era levels of $350bn.
The budget deficit
The recession in 2000 put a spanner in the works for President Houston and Secretary Black Deer's plan to balance the budget. The fall in tax receipts and cost of the economic stimulus package raised the size of the budget deficit to a high of $506bn in 2002. A mild recovery made the budget balance sticky, and it refused to drop much for the next few years. By mid decade, a pick up in economic growth and President White's cuts to the military's budget meant that a surplus was almost in sight, and by 2006 the deficit had dropped to $70bn. But like Houston before him, White was struck by a recession, falling tax revenues and a Republican Congress that reversed the defense department's budget cuts. The difference this time was a stronger recovery, and a deficit that had risen to $335bn in 2007 was down to $165bn in 2010.
Free trade
Following it's success in passing the enabling legislation for NAFTA, the Houston Administration would go on a shopping spree of free trade agreements. During the 00s, America entered into an FTA with the EU, Central America, Panama, Chile, Australia, South Korea, the Phillipines, Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Ghana, Morocco, Oman and Bahrain.
Also make sure to read the recent articles on the war on terror by Hayes, the budget by Mal and the world economy by myself.
Domestic response to terrorism
Following the terrorist attacks on 4/11, the US government responded through the creation of a new Homeland Security Department, which would cover the domestic security and emergency response agencies previously scattered amongst other various departments, and with the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act, which gave law enforcement authorities additional powers to prevent suspected and investigate actual terrorism incidents. The USA PATRIOT Act includes a sunset clause, and must be extended before the end of 2012 for its provisions to continue in force. OOC: Assume that, other than the timing, both these things mirrored what happened IRL in 2001.
Unemployment
In the stagnating first half the the 00s, America's economy had not grown enough to sustain its employment levels, let along to reduce the rate of unemployment. By 2006 things had started looking better and unemployment was now at 6%. Not low, but falling. The attacks of 2007 and the sharp recession that followed changed that, and unemployment shot back up to almost 9% by the start of 2008. However, the downward spike in the economy was followed by an equally dramatic recovery, and by 2010 unemployment had come back down to 7%.
Defense spending
Stanford White came into the White House with a plan to slash the defense budget. Between 2004 and 2007, the Pentagon's budget dropped by $100bn from around $350bn to roughly $250bn. The terrorist attacks in 2007 changed all of that, and the next few years saw a reversal of the budget cuts. By 2010, the defense budget was back to it's Houston Administration era levels of $350bn.
The budget deficit
The recession in 2000 put a spanner in the works for President Houston and Secretary Black Deer's plan to balance the budget. The fall in tax receipts and cost of the economic stimulus package raised the size of the budget deficit to a high of $506bn in 2002. A mild recovery made the budget balance sticky, and it refused to drop much for the next few years. By mid decade, a pick up in economic growth and President White's cuts to the military's budget meant that a surplus was almost in sight, and by 2006 the deficit had dropped to $70bn. But like Houston before him, White was struck by a recession, falling tax revenues and a Republican Congress that reversed the defense department's budget cuts. The difference this time was a stronger recovery, and a deficit that had risen to $335bn in 2007 was down to $165bn in 2010.
Free trade
Following it's success in passing the enabling legislation for NAFTA, the Houston Administration would go on a shopping spree of free trade agreements. During the 00s, America entered into an FTA with the EU, Central America, Panama, Chile, Australia, South Korea, the Phillipines, Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Ghana, Morocco, Oman and Bahrain.
Also make sure to read the recent articles on the war on terror by Hayes, the budget by Mal and the world economy by myself.
"Founding Fathers" Write Congress
Returning from commercial break, CNN's Jennifer Hilton begins . . .
Jennifer Hilton: As the winners of the 2010 elections settle in, today was a normal day of transition on Capitol Hill. While the majority of the members of Congress were busy transferring files, clearing out offices, and welcoming new faces, the congressional staff went about their daily routines. While most Congressmen and women are used to receiving hundreds of pieces of mail each day, today was a little different. CNN's Jason Hedgepath reports live from Capitol Hill...Jason?
The screen image changes from a Jennifer to Jason, who is standing on the steps of the Capitol Building.
Jason Hedgepath: Yes, Jennifer, saying today was a just a little different might not be doing it justice. Office staff for each member of Congress found in their stack of mail a letter written by the Founding Fathers. At least, Jennifer, that is who the anonymous letter is attributed to. The letter was also sent to major media outlets throughout the country, including CNN. Here is a picture of the letter.
The image of Jason disappears and the letter appears with a blue background. Jason's voice is still heard.
Jason: The letter begins with "As we, those you call the Founding Fathers, gather to assess the condition of the republic, we are obliged to inform you of the constitutional inaccuracies which you continue to use to defend the action's of the republic." The letter goes on to call out Congress and its actions over the years in the way it has interpreted the U.S. Constitution and its actions in other nations. Jennifer, the most interesting thing about this letter is the timing. It comes on the heels of the U.S. Embassy bombing in Algeria.
The screen splits the image between Jennifer and Jason, who talk back and forth.
Jennifer: What's been the reaction on Capitol Hill to this odd letter, Jason?
Jason: For the most part, members of Congress have questioned the authenticity of the letter. They receive hundreds upon hundreds of special interests letters. Some Congressmen are calling this just another one of those letters, perhaps just a joke or a publicity stunt. Others have a more cautioned tone, Jennifer. They aren't quite sure make of it. One staffer whom I spoke with said that the congressman for whom he works "believes the letter is a tactic of the Sacralogos Lex", a grassroots movement in The Heartland.
Jennifer: And what do we know about that?
Jason: I just got off the phone with a CNN affiliate station in Kansas City before we went live, Jennifer. The reporter I spoke with said that Fred Phelps and the Sacralogos Lex have not claimed responsibility for the anonymous letter. In fact, Jennifer, they denied any part in the writing and/or sending of the letter. This is Mr. Phelps speaking here, and I quote, "Sacralogos Lex has had no dealings with the letter received by many of the members of the United States Congress. However, we join the authors of the letter in their sentiment that Congress has failed to live up to the expectations set forth by our Founding Fathers." While little else is known at this time, this is definitely something worth keeping an eye on. This is Jason Hedgepath with CNN, Jennifer . . .
The screen switches to an image solely of Jennifer in the CNN Newsroom
Jennifer: While Jason was reporting from Capitol Hill, we received this bulletin in the Newsroom. The United States Postal Service issued a findings report to the Federal Bureau of Investigation stating that, while the letters had no return address, a postal worker in St. Paul, Minneapolis picked up the letters from a drop box just outside the city. The letters went through the normal process just as any other letter would. Perhaps this is just a publicity stunt in the making. More on this as the story develops...
"Founding Fathers" Write Congress Cont.
Returning from commercial break, CNN's Jennifer Hilton begins . . .
Jennifer Hilton: Our viewers will remember the breaking news announcement about the Founding Father letters received by every member of Congress. Today, the Sergeant-at-Arms spoke on behalf of the Capitol Police Board. Here is Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives Bill Linvingood speaking . . ."The Capitol Police, under the direct supervision of Chief of Police Philip Morse, have concluded their investigation into the anonymous "Founding Fathers" letters. It was concluded that the letters were no more a threat than any other day-to-day letter Congressmen and women receive. The threat level is low and the Capitol Police are encouraging everyone on Capitol Hill to continue on without worry. This investigation will remain open, as is customary procedure, until such time that 3 months have passed from this date."
Jennifer Hilton: The Sergeant at arms was clear to say that the threat level is low. This is the lowest possible condition that the Captiol threat level may be. I'm certain that there are a few on Capitol Hill who are relieved to hear the news. Most, however, seemed to suggest that this was the case all along . . .
Also posted this afternoon: Hayden's Update to the Valentines Day Earthquake Also, you'll need to read this story for the below story to make sense.
HOUSE MINORITY LEADER DEAD
HOUSE MINORITY LEADER DEAD
The commercial break comes to a close and a solemn Jennifer Hilton is sitting behind her news desk.
Jennifer Hilton: Ladies and Gentlemen, as word continues to filter throughout the Midwest to the rest of the country, we can now confirm that House Minority Leader Byron Thompson who was shot earlier today at a public rally in Minneapolis has been pronounced dead at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview. Again . . . the House Minority Leader has died from an assassin's bullet. The footage we are about to show may seem graphic to some; discretion is advised.Footage replays from the morning's incidentQUOTEAs Thompson and Eriksen take the first question, a loud explosion is heard on the background.
"What the . . . .?"
Camera moves away from the politicians and shakes as people run past it. A few seconds later it steadies and pans, zooming in on a building in flames.
"Tom, that's the federal courthouse!"
The federal courthouse continues to burn; all reporters move to get closer images of it. As it continues burning, it shows signs of an impending collapse. Several gunshots are heard nearby, and more are heard in the background.
"Sir! Sir? OH MY GOD! Call an ambulance!"
Camera moves back to the entrance of the city hall. Thompson and Eriksen are lying on the concrete, blood pouring from their heads. Image freezes.
Jennifer Hilton: While no video footage has been obtained by media sources at this point showing footage from a different vantage point, speculation is mounting as to who is behind this tragic event. With me now is CNN's Dean Spitzer, Dean?
The camera pans over to Spitzer who is standing in front of a large screen.
Dean Spitzer: Thank you Jennifer. Indeed, the nation has come to a standstill as the eerie events of this morning sink in. The loss of life has been a devastating side story today, after the assassination of House Minority Leader Thompson and Minneapolis Mayor Eriksen. Speculation mounts on the death toll and amount of destruction. CNN has been praised for not investing in panic viewership. We will withhold any information until we are 100% accurate in the information we are receiving. While we wait, here are some reactions by Congress and others . . .
The screen brings up quotes of people's reactions.QUOTE (Dresner)Spitzer Voiceover: In an ominous turn of events, the former vice president and current Representative from Minnesota A.J. Dresner made this his Facebook status hours before the events of today.
@RdmlBLT No HHH or Mondale quotes? Hope you had a great Gopher welcome. #umn
Spitzer Voiceover: And after the successful assassination . . .
My heart goes out to the Mayor and @RdmlBLT and any other victims. Stay strong #mplsQUOTE (Bridges)Spitzer Voiceover: Former candidate for Senate and, I presume, acting-House Minority Leader Tara Bridges tweeted this message upon hearing of the shooting of her higher up in Congress . . .
OMG @RdmlBLT and Mayor of Minneapolis shot?!?! What in the world is going on?QUOTE (Fitzgerald)Spitzer Voiceover: Governor of the Northeast Brady Fitzgerald tweeted a message that we should all be reminded of . . .
Attack in Midwest is deplorable. Sad reminder of the threats we face in a post 4/11 world. My prayers are with the victims. #NE
The screen image reverts back Spitzer.
Dean Spitzer: At this time, we are hearing word that President White has ordered the airspace of the Greater Midwest closed. Governor Lilly of the Greater Midwest took quick action this morning to evacuate the general area surrounding City Hall in Minneapolis. While there was slight damage done to the metro, there wasn't enough to force Lilly to close down metro activity, a move that has been praised throughout the city. The tension in Minneapolis is thick, you can feel it in the air. The Governor needs to combat the state of panic throughout his region. Governors nationwide are on high-alert.
Jennifer, not much more is known or will be known until Homeland Security agents arrive to the scene and begin briefing the press. CNN will bring that news to our viewers immediately. Jennifer?
Make sure you check Red's ERA Ratification update!
"APRIL FOOLS' BOMBING" CLAIMS OVER 200 LIVES
"APRIL FOOLS' BOMBING" CLAIMS OVER 200 LIVES
The commercial break comes to a close and a solemn Jennifer Hilton is sitting behind her news desk.
Jennifer Hilton: Ladies and gentleman, we've got breaking news - a first official death toll was announced this morning by government officials from the Department of Homeland Security. We can confirm that, as of today, April 2nd, 207 people were killed in the attack, including House Minority Leader Thompson and Mayor Eriksen, who were shot as the federal courthouse collapsed. May God bless their souls.
Additionally, up to 700 people were injured, with 49 people in critical state. We have received notice of severe hospital overcrowding in the area, and the Midwestern Government is considering fleeting helicopters to move patients from Minneapolis.
We can already state, ladies and gentleman, that this is the most destructive act of terrorism on domestic soil in America's history, after 4/11, of course. But that's not all we found out today. Dean?
The camera pans over to Spitzer.
Dean Spitzer: Yes, Jennifer, we've got more. Homeland Security agents haven't yet determined who is responsible for this attack, but they did give us information us today regarding what caused the explosions - a yet unknown number of explosives located in the federal courthouse's underground parking, probably inside one or more cars.
Hilton: And perhaps the most solemn news coming out of Minneapolis, Dean, is that a yet-to-be identified airborne chemical agent may have been spread during the attack. Local authorities have stated everything's under control and have asked the public to remain calm, but it seems that a state of panic is living in Minneapolis right now and it can only grow. CNN will bring any further updates to you immediately.
"Founding Fathers" Pen Second Letter
Jennifer Hilton: . . . and sources continue to reassure us that there is no radiation threat to the continental United States. We turn now from the Valentine's Day Earthquake to the latest news coming off of Capitol Hill. Reporting live from Washington D.C. is Jason Hedgepath.
The image changes over from Jennifer to Jason, who is standing in front Capitol Hill.
Jason Hedgepath: Weeks ago, CNN broke that every member of Congress had received an anonymous letter from a group calling themselves the "Founding Fathers." As published in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times . . . basically every major newspaper source in America, the "Founding Fathers" have struck again. This time, they have claimed responsibility for the devastating attack that took place in Minneapolis on the first of April that resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives, injuring hundreds more, and the assassination of House Minority Leader Byron Thompson. Here is a direct quote from the letter. Let's get this up for our viewers . . .QUOTE"On April 1st, the United States of America -- a nation that we built and seek to continue -- was devastated by a deadly explosion in Minneapolis, Minnesota destroying the federal courthouse building, killing many. The media includes the assassination of House Minority Leader Byron Thompson and Mayor of Minneapolis Walker Eriksen on the steps of City Hall as part of some sort of evil plot.
Let us inform you: no evil plot has been planned. No evil deed has been committed. The devastation in Minneapolis was brought on by our one true God, the Lord of all creation. The same vengeful God who brought Sodom and Gommorrah to their knees seeks to make the United States of America an example to the world."
Jason Hedgepath: We can accurately report now, Jennifer, that the Speaker of the House Haley Cavalier and newly elected President Pro Tempore Russell DeWitt also received specific threats. The letters read, as it has been reported, "Madame Speaker...(or Senator, depending on the individual) you have been warned. I confirmed earlier today with Chairman of the Capitol Police Board and Sergeant at arms of the House Bill Livingood that the Secret Service detail of the two Congressional leaders has been briefed and are on high alert. The Department of Homeland Security is also looking into providing tighter security for all of Capitol Hill.
The image splits between Jennifer and Jason.
Jennifer Hilton: Jason, have you received any information in regards to just who these "Founding Fathers" are?
Jason Hedgepath: No, no Jennifer I haven't. If Homeland Security, the FBI, or any other authority have any leads on just who these anonymous authors..or author...may be, they are being very tight-lipped. Of course, this is common in open investigations, especially those as serious as this.
Jennifer Hilton: Certainly. And what, Jason -- if anything -- have you heard about the delivery of the letters? Were the letters actually secured in the caucus leaders offices?
Jason Hedgepath: This is indeed true, Jennifer. Every member of Congress could only read their letters if they first signed them out, read them in the office, and signed them back in. All the while, the letters were guarded by security and video surveillance. I had first heard that Speaker of the House Haley Cavalier ordered this after a conversation with the Postmaster General. However, sources have now informed me that this was an agreed upon decision by the Postmaster General and Capitol Police Board.
Jennifer Hilton: Thank you Jason. We'll keep our viewers up-to-date as information becomes available . . ..
President Stanford White addresses the nation.
QUOTE
My fellow Americans, I address you tonight with a heavy heart. The attacks yesterday in Minneapolis have destroyed innocent lives and ripped apart families. I join with the rest of the nation in grieving these losses. The many victims of this attack will not be forgotten and their murderers will be brought to justice.
The group that claims responsibility for this act of terrorism claims the United States is suffering the judgment of God. Nothing could be further from the truth.
We are a nation of many faiths, religions, and belief systems. Whatever belief we hold, however, we all trust that God did not carry out this heinous attack. The people who indiscriminately took so many lives yesterday did so of their own volition. They did not act at the direction of any supernatural force; they acted at the direction of their own hate.
The God they claim to follow will surely judge their actions, but that is not the only judgement they will face. The judgment of this nation will be swift and fierce. The threat posed by this group is not merely a local one, but is one that threatens the United States as a whole. I will devote the full power of the federal government to tracking down the group responsible for these attacks.
My solemn promise to the survivors, to the families of the victims, and to every single American is that those who carried out this attack will be held responsible. They will suffer the severe penalty they justly deserve. Our nation--a nation under the rule of law--demands it and the victims of the attack deserve nothing less.
America will not cower at the threats of anonymous extremists. We became that beacon of freedom that we are today by standing up for the right no matter the consequences. That has not changed with this attack and under my watch it will not change.
We have weathered the storm of the 4/11 attacks and we will weather this storm. Tonight America stands as strong as ever and though we grieve we will not be defeated.
Thank you. Good night. And God bless America.
The group that claims responsibility for this act of terrorism claims the United States is suffering the judgment of God. Nothing could be further from the truth.
We are a nation of many faiths, religions, and belief systems. Whatever belief we hold, however, we all trust that God did not carry out this heinous attack. The people who indiscriminately took so many lives yesterday did so of their own volition. They did not act at the direction of any supernatural force; they acted at the direction of their own hate.
The God they claim to follow will surely judge their actions, but that is not the only judgement they will face. The judgment of this nation will be swift and fierce. The threat posed by this group is not merely a local one, but is one that threatens the United States as a whole. I will devote the full power of the federal government to tracking down the group responsible for these attacks.
My solemn promise to the survivors, to the families of the victims, and to every single American is that those who carried out this attack will be held responsible. They will suffer the severe penalty they justly deserve. Our nation--a nation under the rule of law--demands it and the victims of the attack deserve nothing less.
America will not cower at the threats of anonymous extremists. We became that beacon of freedom that we are today by standing up for the right no matter the consequences. That has not changed with this attack and under my watch it will not change.
We have weathered the storm of the 4/11 attacks and we will weather this storm. Tonight America stands as strong as ever and though we grieve we will not be defeated.
Thank you. Good night. And God bless America.
This is the main page of CNN.COM today.
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Homeland Security issues report stating that
chemical agent scare in Minneapolis a hoax by perpetrators -- only chlorine.
1 car bomb detonated, set off 3 other explosive-laden vehicles
QUOTE
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Chemical Agent Hoax, Details on Minneapolis Bombing
Homeland Security issues report stating that
chemical agent scare in Minneapolis a hoax by perpetrators -- only chlorine.
1 car bomb detonated, set off 3 other explosive-laden vehicles
This is the main page of CNN.COM today.
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Homeland Security released today the sketches of two men
reportedly seen at letter drop-off locations and federal courthouse. No names were associated.
Any knowledge of names associated with sketches, report directly to DHS
QUOTE
Home - Video - NewsPulse - U.S. - World - Politics - Justice - Entertainment - Tech - Health - Living - Travel - Opinion - iReport - Money - Sports
Homeland Security Releases Sketches of April Fools Day Suspects
Homeland Security released today the sketches of two men
reportedly seen at letter drop-off locations and federal courthouse. No names were associated.
Any knowledge of names associated with sketches, report directly to DHS
Theater Exec Makes Noisy Exit from Secretive MPAA Appeals Board
In an interview on NBC's Today, Anders Svensson, Vice President of Operations and film buyer for Landmark Theatres announced that he had resigned from the appeals board of the Motion Picture Association of America. The MPAA's film-rating system is used in the U.S. and its territories to rate a film's thematic and content suitability for certain audiences. The appeals board is the group within the MPAA that decides whether the initial rating assigned to a film should be overturned. Svensson explained to Amy Robach of NBC that after he voted to overturn half a dozen NC-17 ratings initially assigned to independent films, he was pressured by the MPAA to "knock it off."
Pressed by Robach to say who had pressured him regarding his voting on the appeals board, Svensson would only say that the person was "high up" at the MPAA. Svensson had signed a confidentiality agreement prohibiting him from disclosing the details of his work with the MPAA. According to Svensson, however, "the truth about the stranglehold that the MPAA has on the [film-making] industry in this country has to be told." Svensson accused the MPAA of inconsistencies in its ratings system and lambasted them for their "censorship." He also accused the MPAA of collusion with the major movie studios. "I have proof," Svensson said, "that the major studios and the MPAA are working together to insure that films put out independently get more restrictive ratings than those put out by the big players. There's a lot of money to be had in the industry and certain people are not above doing whatever it takes to increase their bottom line. It's downright anti-competitive if you ask me."
The MPAA declined to comment and executives at the "Big 6" movie studios were unavailable as of press time. Landmark Theatres is owned by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban's 2929 Entertainment. It is also the largest art house movie theater chain in the United States, operating 62 theaters in 17 states.
In an interview on NBC's Today, Anders Svensson, Vice President of Operations and film buyer for Landmark Theatres announced that he had resigned from the appeals board of the Motion Picture Association of America. The MPAA's film-rating system is used in the U.S. and its territories to rate a film's thematic and content suitability for certain audiences. The appeals board is the group within the MPAA that decides whether the initial rating assigned to a film should be overturned. Svensson explained to Amy Robach of NBC that after he voted to overturn half a dozen NC-17 ratings initially assigned to independent films, he was pressured by the MPAA to "knock it off."
Pressed by Robach to say who had pressured him regarding his voting on the appeals board, Svensson would only say that the person was "high up" at the MPAA. Svensson had signed a confidentiality agreement prohibiting him from disclosing the details of his work with the MPAA. According to Svensson, however, "the truth about the stranglehold that the MPAA has on the [film-making] industry in this country has to be told." Svensson accused the MPAA of inconsistencies in its ratings system and lambasted them for their "censorship." He also accused the MPAA of collusion with the major movie studios. "I have proof," Svensson said, "that the major studios and the MPAA are working together to insure that films put out independently get more restrictive ratings than those put out by the big players. There's a lot of money to be had in the industry and certain people are not above doing whatever it takes to increase their bottom line. It's downright anti-competitive if you ask me."
The MPAA declined to comment and executives at the "Big 6" movie studios were unavailable as of press time. Landmark Theatres is owned by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban's 2929 Entertainment. It is also the largest art house movie theater chain in the United States, operating 62 theaters in 17 states.
[Don't forget to see recent Hollywood news, just above!]
In a whirlwind session, the Washington, D.C., City Council passed bills authorizing same-sex marriage and the sale and use of medical marijuana. Both bills passed with large majorities.
"Medical marijuana works," said Ward Eight Councilman Marion Barry, a leading sponsor of the bill which will allow for growing, dispensing, prescribing, and use of medical marijuana in D.C. "Not that I'd know, of course. Clean as a whistle, I am. Anyway, it works, it's legal in D.C., and I'm looking forward to this new industry employing the residents of my Ward."
At-Large Councilman David A. Catania, the only openly gay member of the Council, praised the vote on same-sex marriage, saying that marriage for all is "a civil right, a human right, and now a right for every person in the District of Columbia!" However, the leaders of several major churches in the city decried the action, and a large protest is currently underway at the Wilson Building in downtown D.C.
Both measures are now subject to the approval of Congress.
[OOC: The approval or disapproval of such measures is subject to the House and the Senate, and takes the form of a resolution, simply stating "That the . . . . . . . . . . approves/disapproves of the action of the District of Columbia Council described as follows: . . . . . . . . . .", the blank spaces therein being appropriately filled, and either approval or disapproval being appropriately indicated; but does not include a resolution which specifies more than 1 action," per section 604 of the Home Rule Charter. IRL, no action w/i 30 days is de jure approval, so you'll need to move fast. Disapproval by both bodies via a Joint Resolution is required to kill the D.C. action. Have at it.]
In a whirlwind session, the Washington, D.C., City Council passed bills authorizing same-sex marriage and the sale and use of medical marijuana. Both bills passed with large majorities.
"Medical marijuana works," said Ward Eight Councilman Marion Barry, a leading sponsor of the bill which will allow for growing, dispensing, prescribing, and use of medical marijuana in D.C. "Not that I'd know, of course. Clean as a whistle, I am. Anyway, it works, it's legal in D.C., and I'm looking forward to this new industry employing the residents of my Ward."
At-Large Councilman David A. Catania, the only openly gay member of the Council, praised the vote on same-sex marriage, saying that marriage for all is "a civil right, a human right, and now a right for every person in the District of Columbia!" However, the leaders of several major churches in the city decried the action, and a large protest is currently underway at the Wilson Building in downtown D.C.
Both measures are now subject to the approval of Congress.
[OOC: The approval or disapproval of such measures is subject to the House and the Senate, and takes the form of a resolution, simply stating "That the . . . . . . . . . . approves/disapproves of the action of the District of Columbia Council described as follows: . . . . . . . . . .", the blank spaces therein being appropriately filled, and either approval or disapproval being appropriately indicated; but does not include a resolution which specifies more than 1 action," per section 604 of the Home Rule Charter. IRL, no action w/i 30 days is de jure approval, so you'll need to move fast. Disapproval by both bodies via a Joint Resolution is required to kill the D.C. action. Have at it.]
Be sure to check out the latest Pew numbers!
Department of Justice Launches Hollywood Investigation
A Department of Justice representatives announced today that the Attorney General is launching a preliminary investigation into possible antitrust investigations in the film-making industry. The Antitrust Division issued subpoenas to the MPAA, Warner Bros. Pictures, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Universal Pictures, and several national theater chains including Landmark Theatres whose Vice President publicly accused the MPAA and Big 6 of illegal collusion.
Noreen Campostella, Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice, said that "the investigation is still in the preliminary stage. The initial information we received was enough to merit a closer look at the matter." Campostella declined to say whether the Svensson accusation had played a role in deciding whether to investigate nor would she elaborate on what information the Department of Justice had in its possession.
Department of Justice Launches Hollywood Investigation
A Department of Justice representatives announced today that the Attorney General is launching a preliminary investigation into possible antitrust investigations in the film-making industry. The Antitrust Division issued subpoenas to the MPAA, Warner Bros. Pictures, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Columbia Pictures, Universal Pictures, and several national theater chains including Landmark Theatres whose Vice President publicly accused the MPAA and Big 6 of illegal collusion.
Noreen Campostella, Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice, said that "the investigation is still in the preliminary stage. The initial information we received was enough to merit a closer look at the matter." Campostella declined to say whether the Svensson accusation had played a role in deciding whether to investigate nor would she elaborate on what information the Department of Justice had in its possession.
(See the far more important news above)
2000
August 28th, 2000 – With the final day of the Democratic National Convention at Baltimore finished, it is finally time to turn to the general election with the Democrat ticket of Damien Thorn (D-CA)/Lincoln Irving (D-VA) and Republican incumbent ticket of John Houston (R-FL)/A.J. Dresner (R-MN). While Americans now wait for what the candidates will do in this election, it is also important to remember how the Democratic primary shaped up because it was indeed a long battle filled with victories and losses alike.
The Democratic primary in this election had an array of issues to make a good stump speech on. Despite the close passage of NAFTA by the U.S. Senate, one of the consequences was a surge of Democratic energy in both the Northeast and Midwest regions of the country. The Houston Administrations intervention into Ethiopia was looking to be a foreign policy quagmire for the Republicans, especially when the coup in Addis Abba took place in October of 1999. Finally, around the turn of the new century, the economy seemed to be in another decline and unemployment rose. With those sort of issues, the Democrats seemed to have an edge in a presidential race with a good voter turnout from their party. The question was, who was going to run for the nomination?
Around summer of 1999, three candidates formed exploratory committees to test the waters of a presidential run in 2000. 55 year old Senator Matthew Salem (D-PA) was a candidate that wasn’t as well known nationally outside of the Northeast, but his message of opposing free trade, securing labor protections, and advocating an alternate energy policy package was enough to get some traction in his native region and in the neighboring Midwest. 57 year old Heartlands Governor George W. Bridges (D-TX) ran as an old style New Deal/LBJ style of Democrat, center-right on social issues while advocating education reform, health care reform, and an economic plan that would invest in American industry; his candidacy was seen as the Blue Dog candidate for the Democratic primary. Then finally 43 year old former West Governor Damien Thorn (D-CA) tried to have a unity platform composed of advocating fair trade rather than free trade or protectionism, a withdrawal from Ethiopia, recognizing gay marriage, and economic expansion; he resigned from the Governorship to get ready for 2000. All three men were neck and neck going into 2000, with Bridges taking a slight lead with Thorn and Salem behind. In late November, Senate Majority Leader Russell DeWitt (D-MA) would join them.
Iowa was a brawl between Bridges and Thorn while New Hampshire was a duel between Salem and DeWitt. However, Thorn was able to win Iowa by exploiting some of the mistakes Bridges did in his tenure as Governor as far as social conservative policies and painting him to be a DINO; results were 32% Thorn with 23% Bridges. Using the new momentum in the campaign, Governor Thorn invested in New Hampshire and in a surprise, tied with Russell DeWitt in delegate counts. South Carolina was a Bridges victory, but not in large numbers that he hoped to take with him into Super Tuesday.
The Democratic Primary Map after Super Tuesday Results. Thorn is in Deep Blue, Bridges in Lavender, and Salem in Green.
Russell DeWitt withdrew after polls displayed any lack of support outside of New England due to the left vote being split between Thorn and Salem; he decided to stay in the Senate and barnstorm for the Senate elections that year. Super Tuesday saw the race shorten to Governors Thorn and Bridges. Senator Salem only managed to get the states of Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, and Delaware and with this lackluster performance, Senator Salem dropped out of the race withholding his endorsement.
The map after all the primary contests were over and after the Salem endorsement of Thorn in mid-March.
The rest of the primary season saw both Bridges and Thorn take up the respective sides of the party, Thorn with the left and Bridges with the moderate, blue dog faction of the party that didn’t agree with the high-minded ideals of Thorn. By the end, Thorn was leading with 2,059 delegates while Bridges had 1,993 delegates. Salem endorsed Thorn back in mid-March on the condition that the Democratic National Convention would be held near his home state; after some dickering inside party circles it was decided the location would be Baltimore, a city that wasn’t on a candidates home territory, but still represent labor in some fashion. Soon, Bridges would finally release his delegates to Thorn, supposedly after a deal to be included in the cabinet if Thorn won. Former Governor Thorn was the presumptive nominee, but he understood some of the anger the moderates in his party had with his policies and to balance the ticket, he chose Senator Lincoln Irving from the swing state of Virginia to appeal to former Bridges supporters for his moderate positions on trade and social issues, but liberal enough on other domestic policy to be workable with Governor Thorn.
Will Houston win a second term? The voters are still split according to some polls, Houston leading by just four percentage points over Thorn, but there are still a few months to go before election day and if the primaries are any indicator, it will be a heated contest we haven't seen since at least 1992.
2004
2008
TL;DR
2000: Houston/Dresner (R) def. Thorn/Irving (D)
2004: White/Baker (D) def. Dresner/Richards (R)
2008: White/Baker (D) def. McDowell/McFarlen (R)
EDIT: The presidential election histories are for purely cosmetic purposes and have no IG impact whatsoever. If you don't like them, you can ignore them in most circumstances with absolutely no penalty.
2000
QUOTE
The Electoral Cyclone– 2000 DNC Primary Edition
Dr. Peter Galloway, creator and head writer
www.electoralcyclone.com/2000DNC
Dr. Peter Galloway, creator and head writer
www.electoralcyclone.com/2000DNC
August 28th, 2000 – With the final day of the Democratic National Convention at Baltimore finished, it is finally time to turn to the general election with the Democrat ticket of Damien Thorn (D-CA)/Lincoln Irving (D-VA) and Republican incumbent ticket of John Houston (R-FL)/A.J. Dresner (R-MN). While Americans now wait for what the candidates will do in this election, it is also important to remember how the Democratic primary shaped up because it was indeed a long battle filled with victories and losses alike.
The Democratic primary in this election had an array of issues to make a good stump speech on. Despite the close passage of NAFTA by the U.S. Senate, one of the consequences was a surge of Democratic energy in both the Northeast and Midwest regions of the country. The Houston Administrations intervention into Ethiopia was looking to be a foreign policy quagmire for the Republicans, especially when the coup in Addis Abba took place in October of 1999. Finally, around the turn of the new century, the economy seemed to be in another decline and unemployment rose. With those sort of issues, the Democrats seemed to have an edge in a presidential race with a good voter turnout from their party. The question was, who was going to run for the nomination?
Around summer of 1999, three candidates formed exploratory committees to test the waters of a presidential run in 2000. 55 year old Senator Matthew Salem (D-PA) was a candidate that wasn’t as well known nationally outside of the Northeast, but his message of opposing free trade, securing labor protections, and advocating an alternate energy policy package was enough to get some traction in his native region and in the neighboring Midwest. 57 year old Heartlands Governor George W. Bridges (D-TX) ran as an old style New Deal/LBJ style of Democrat, center-right on social issues while advocating education reform, health care reform, and an economic plan that would invest in American industry; his candidacy was seen as the Blue Dog candidate for the Democratic primary. Then finally 43 year old former West Governor Damien Thorn (D-CA) tried to have a unity platform composed of advocating fair trade rather than free trade or protectionism, a withdrawal from Ethiopia, recognizing gay marriage, and economic expansion; he resigned from the Governorship to get ready for 2000. All three men were neck and neck going into 2000, with Bridges taking a slight lead with Thorn and Salem behind. In late November, Senate Majority Leader Russell DeWitt (D-MA) would join them.
Iowa was a brawl between Bridges and Thorn while New Hampshire was a duel between Salem and DeWitt. However, Thorn was able to win Iowa by exploiting some of the mistakes Bridges did in his tenure as Governor as far as social conservative policies and painting him to be a DINO; results were 32% Thorn with 23% Bridges. Using the new momentum in the campaign, Governor Thorn invested in New Hampshire and in a surprise, tied with Russell DeWitt in delegate counts. South Carolina was a Bridges victory, but not in large numbers that he hoped to take with him into Super Tuesday.
The Democratic Primary Map after Super Tuesday Results. Thorn is in Deep Blue, Bridges in Lavender, and Salem in Green.
Russell DeWitt withdrew after polls displayed any lack of support outside of New England due to the left vote being split between Thorn and Salem; he decided to stay in the Senate and barnstorm for the Senate elections that year. Super Tuesday saw the race shorten to Governors Thorn and Bridges. Senator Salem only managed to get the states of Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, and Delaware and with this lackluster performance, Senator Salem dropped out of the race withholding his endorsement.
The map after all the primary contests were over and after the Salem endorsement of Thorn in mid-March.
The rest of the primary season saw both Bridges and Thorn take up the respective sides of the party, Thorn with the left and Bridges with the moderate, blue dog faction of the party that didn’t agree with the high-minded ideals of Thorn. By the end, Thorn was leading with 2,059 delegates while Bridges had 1,993 delegates. Salem endorsed Thorn back in mid-March on the condition that the Democratic National Convention would be held near his home state; after some dickering inside party circles it was decided the location would be Baltimore, a city that wasn’t on a candidates home territory, but still represent labor in some fashion. Soon, Bridges would finally release his delegates to Thorn, supposedly after a deal to be included in the cabinet if Thorn won. Former Governor Thorn was the presumptive nominee, but he understood some of the anger the moderates in his party had with his policies and to balance the ticket, he chose Senator Lincoln Irving from the swing state of Virginia to appeal to former Bridges supporters for his moderate positions on trade and social issues, but liberal enough on other domestic policy to be workable with Governor Thorn.
Will Houston win a second term? The voters are still split according to some polls, Houston leading by just four percentage points over Thorn, but there are still a few months to go before election day and if the primaries are any indicator, it will be a heated contest we haven't seen since at least 1992.
2004
QUOTE
2004 Republican Primary
Sen. William McDowell (R-WA)
Gov. Jeff McKinley (R-OH)
VPOTUS A. J. Dresner (R-MN)
Rep. Vincent B. Halfhyde (R-SC)
Vice President Dresner faced a significant challenge to his position as presumptive frontrunner after the entrance of Governor Jeff McKinley, whose conservative credentials made him a hefty candidate. McKinley made significant inroads in Iowa, eventually placing as a close second in a state expected to vote Dresner in droves. McDowell, as a second tier character, skipped Iowa with a hope to make inroads in New Hampshire, selling his experience as a mainstream Republican in a ideologically diverse region. McDowell didn't perform quite as well as expected, ending up in a close third to McKinley, who made an expected surge after his performance in Iowa. Far-right favorite and darkhorse Vincent Halfyde brought the political dialogue into social issues, a turn of events that heavily favored McKinley. The SC primary ends with McKinley in first, Halfy in second and Dresner in third. McDowell drops out. Despite his growing momentum, Dresner had learned his mistakes from the 1996 primary and made a huge financial push in ST states. The gambit worked out, and Dresner sweeps ST. Halfy drops out. After a couple more primaries where Dresner pushes out McKinley, the latter withdraws and endorses the Vice President.
Dresner picks Sen. Chris Richards (R-CA) as his running mate, and runs a campaign focused largely on foreign policy and moderate governmental issues like education and energy. Despite his efforts to differentiate himself from President Houston, Dresner largely suffers from public perception that he is a Washington insider, and is too closely associated with Houston's economic and foreign policy. Dresner/Richards does well in the West and Midwest, but has trouble holding the traditionally conservative southern states, which eventually go to the fiery populist Stanford White. Dresner and White are clearly less congenial opponents than Houston and Delaney or Houston and Thorn. The two politicians dislike for each other is evident in the first debate, when after a heated exchange over free trade, Dresner accused: "Behind all your rhetoric, you're a hack. The voters may not see it, but I do."
Sen. William McDowell (R-WA)
Gov. Jeff McKinley (R-OH)
VPOTUS A. J. Dresner (R-MN)
Rep. Vincent B. Halfhyde (R-SC)
Vice President Dresner faced a significant challenge to his position as presumptive frontrunner after the entrance of Governor Jeff McKinley, whose conservative credentials made him a hefty candidate. McKinley made significant inroads in Iowa, eventually placing as a close second in a state expected to vote Dresner in droves. McDowell, as a second tier character, skipped Iowa with a hope to make inroads in New Hampshire, selling his experience as a mainstream Republican in a ideologically diverse region. McDowell didn't perform quite as well as expected, ending up in a close third to McKinley, who made an expected surge after his performance in Iowa. Far-right favorite and darkhorse Vincent Halfyde brought the political dialogue into social issues, a turn of events that heavily favored McKinley. The SC primary ends with McKinley in first, Halfy in second and Dresner in third. McDowell drops out. Despite his growing momentum, Dresner had learned his mistakes from the 1996 primary and made a huge financial push in ST states. The gambit worked out, and Dresner sweeps ST. Halfy drops out. After a couple more primaries where Dresner pushes out McKinley, the latter withdraws and endorses the Vice President.
Dresner picks Sen. Chris Richards (R-CA) as his running mate, and runs a campaign focused largely on foreign policy and moderate governmental issues like education and energy. Despite his efforts to differentiate himself from President Houston, Dresner largely suffers from public perception that he is a Washington insider, and is too closely associated with Houston's economic and foreign policy. Dresner/Richards does well in the West and Midwest, but has trouble holding the traditionally conservative southern states, which eventually go to the fiery populist Stanford White. Dresner and White are clearly less congenial opponents than Houston and Delaney or Houston and Thorn. The two politicians dislike for each other is evident in the first debate, when after a heated exchange over free trade, Dresner accused: "Behind all your rhetoric, you're a hack. The voters may not see it, but I do."
2008
QUOTE
2008 Republicans
After the defeat of the Dresner/Richards ticket in 2004, the Republican party elite saw a divergence of opinion. Many on the right saw their defeat at the hands of White not as an outgrowth of a hostile national environment towards Republicans, but as a direct result of the relative lack of conservative punch on the ticket. A moderate Midwesterner and an even more moderate Californian, they argued, were not the standard bearers that would rally the conservative troops and put the next Houston in office. On the other hand, there were some who argued that a moderate approach would be what would bring the Republicans back to power… that alienating a large bloc of independent voters and motivating the Democrats to turn out would undo any gains that a more fire breathing conservative would bring to the table.
It was this split that manifested as the primary began shaping up in spring and summer 2007. The lines in the sand were drawn. With Senator Lyhakov constitutionally ineligible to run, Senator Diane McFarlen (R-TX) became the standard bearer for the conservative revival wing of the party. To the right of even Houston, McFarlen was as pro-life, as small government ,and as pro defense as any Republican voter could want in these troubled times, as Liberals stacked the Supreme Court against them. Senator (and former Vice Presidential candidate) Richards initially appeared to be attempting to challenge her, but health problems eventually forced him out. It was in Fall 2007 that the moderates truly found their champion… the man who had spent most of his Senate career sitting in the shadow of Senator Lyhakov. Politically similar to Vice President Dresner, Senator McDowell (R-WA) was moderate enough to be attractive to independent voters, but conservative enough to get the base to turn out (or so his supporters said). Minor candidates threw their hats into the ring as well: former Western Majority Leader Chris Van Patten (R-WA) ran on his successful Incorporation Act, former Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) attempted to rally the latent Libertarian streak in the party, and a few others, but they did never gain significant traction.
The battle lines were drawn, and the first few primaries were utterly predictable. McFarlen won Iowa, a state that shares a super-region with her own. McDowell rode the maverick streak of New Hampshire to a win. McFarlen soaked up the votes of the socially conservative South Carolinians. Van Patten dropped out of the race for financial reasons, leaving only the top two (and paul) in it by Super Tuesday.
Super Tuesday was itself inconclusive… with states like Texas, Tennessee, Oaklahoma, Louisiana and Florida breaking for McFarlen (as well as Puerto Rico), and the New England and Western states, plus North Dakota, breaking for McDowell. The day McDowell took control of the race was almost certainly the day of the Western primaries. At least, that is when he took the delegate lead he would never relinquish. The narrative of course was that he was supposed to win every Western state except Utah. When he did exactly that… exactly no one was surprised. His real break came during the southern primaries. While McFarlen won the day on paper… the loss of several states she was supposed to win (Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Missouri) hurt the “southern candidate” badly. Exit polling revealed that as the general election lurched closer, Republican primary voters were starting to have serious doubts over McFarlen’s ability to win nationwide... she was too conservative, too aggressive. McDowell’s mix of conservatism and pragmatism was starting to grow in appeal. Senator McDowell secured the Republican nomination during the northern primaries. For his vice presidential candidate, he made the unusual gesture to try and unify the party by picking his rival, Senator McFarlen, to be his running mate.
2008 Democrats
Incumbent presidents do not lose primary challenges. Taft did not, Ford did not, Bush did not. Lyndon Johnson probably would not have. And so, while the dove faction in the Democratic party was enraged with President White’s (as they perceived it) warmongering, no serious Democratic politician seemed to want to challenge a sitting president. President White’s popularity among democrats overall was high, and it seemed that he would sail to the nomination.
In spite of this, in Fall 2007, former Senator Amelia McCoy announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for president. A handful of leftist groups, eager to finally have someone promoting their views, sent McCoy money, as did a large number of private donors. But it turned out to be an one issue campaign… the main point of discussion was the war, and just the war. It really was a David v. Goliath situation going into the Iowa Primary…
And Goliath won. With far superior name recognition, the status as incumbent president, and far more money, President White dominated in Iowa, barely having to campaign. New Hampshire was closer, but ‘closer’ is relative… it was still a massive blowout in his favor. And on it went, state, after state, after state. McCoy was able to energize a small segment of Democrats, but not enough to come anywhere close to unseating the incumbent. The only state she even came (within 20%) close in was her home state of California, which she had represented in the Senate from 1992 to 2006 – Californian democrats did not want to get rid of a sitting Democratic president. McCoy re-retired from politics in the summer of 2008, conceding to President White, and continuing to preach about the dangers of an overly militaristic foreign policy.
After the defeat of the Dresner/Richards ticket in 2004, the Republican party elite saw a divergence of opinion. Many on the right saw their defeat at the hands of White not as an outgrowth of a hostile national environment towards Republicans, but as a direct result of the relative lack of conservative punch on the ticket. A moderate Midwesterner and an even more moderate Californian, they argued, were not the standard bearers that would rally the conservative troops and put the next Houston in office. On the other hand, there were some who argued that a moderate approach would be what would bring the Republicans back to power… that alienating a large bloc of independent voters and motivating the Democrats to turn out would undo any gains that a more fire breathing conservative would bring to the table.
It was this split that manifested as the primary began shaping up in spring and summer 2007. The lines in the sand were drawn. With Senator Lyhakov constitutionally ineligible to run, Senator Diane McFarlen (R-TX) became the standard bearer for the conservative revival wing of the party. To the right of even Houston, McFarlen was as pro-life, as small government ,and as pro defense as any Republican voter could want in these troubled times, as Liberals stacked the Supreme Court against them. Senator (and former Vice Presidential candidate) Richards initially appeared to be attempting to challenge her, but health problems eventually forced him out. It was in Fall 2007 that the moderates truly found their champion… the man who had spent most of his Senate career sitting in the shadow of Senator Lyhakov. Politically similar to Vice President Dresner, Senator McDowell (R-WA) was moderate enough to be attractive to independent voters, but conservative enough to get the base to turn out (or so his supporters said). Minor candidates threw their hats into the ring as well: former Western Majority Leader Chris Van Patten (R-WA) ran on his successful Incorporation Act, former Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) attempted to rally the latent Libertarian streak in the party, and a few others, but they did never gain significant traction.
The battle lines were drawn, and the first few primaries were utterly predictable. McFarlen won Iowa, a state that shares a super-region with her own. McDowell rode the maverick streak of New Hampshire to a win. McFarlen soaked up the votes of the socially conservative South Carolinians. Van Patten dropped out of the race for financial reasons, leaving only the top two (and paul) in it by Super Tuesday.
Super Tuesday was itself inconclusive… with states like Texas, Tennessee, Oaklahoma, Louisiana and Florida breaking for McFarlen (as well as Puerto Rico), and the New England and Western states, plus North Dakota, breaking for McDowell. The day McDowell took control of the race was almost certainly the day of the Western primaries. At least, that is when he took the delegate lead he would never relinquish. The narrative of course was that he was supposed to win every Western state except Utah. When he did exactly that… exactly no one was surprised. His real break came during the southern primaries. While McFarlen won the day on paper… the loss of several states she was supposed to win (Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Missouri) hurt the “southern candidate” badly. Exit polling revealed that as the general election lurched closer, Republican primary voters were starting to have serious doubts over McFarlen’s ability to win nationwide... she was too conservative, too aggressive. McDowell’s mix of conservatism and pragmatism was starting to grow in appeal. Senator McDowell secured the Republican nomination during the northern primaries. For his vice presidential candidate, he made the unusual gesture to try and unify the party by picking his rival, Senator McFarlen, to be his running mate.
2008 Democrats
Incumbent presidents do not lose primary challenges. Taft did not, Ford did not, Bush did not. Lyndon Johnson probably would not have. And so, while the dove faction in the Democratic party was enraged with President White’s (as they perceived it) warmongering, no serious Democratic politician seemed to want to challenge a sitting president. President White’s popularity among democrats overall was high, and it seemed that he would sail to the nomination.
In spite of this, in Fall 2007, former Senator Amelia McCoy announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for president. A handful of leftist groups, eager to finally have someone promoting their views, sent McCoy money, as did a large number of private donors. But it turned out to be an one issue campaign… the main point of discussion was the war, and just the war. It really was a David v. Goliath situation going into the Iowa Primary…
And Goliath won. With far superior name recognition, the status as incumbent president, and far more money, President White dominated in Iowa, barely having to campaign. New Hampshire was closer, but ‘closer’ is relative… it was still a massive blowout in his favor. And on it went, state, after state, after state. McCoy was able to energize a small segment of Democrats, but not enough to come anywhere close to unseating the incumbent. The only state she even came (within 20%) close in was her home state of California, which she had represented in the Senate from 1992 to 2006 – Californian democrats did not want to get rid of a sitting Democratic president. McCoy re-retired from politics in the summer of 2008, conceding to President White, and continuing to preach about the dangers of an overly militaristic foreign policy.
TL;DR
2000: Houston/Dresner (R) def. Thorn/Irving (D)
2004: White/Baker (D) def. Dresner/Richards (R)
2008: White/Baker (D) def. McDowell/McFarlen (R)
EDIT: The presidential election histories are for purely cosmetic purposes and have no IG impact whatsoever. If you don't like them, you can ignore them in most circumstances with absolutely no penalty.
Check out the latest news update for the West here.
Landmark Theatres Thumbs Its Nose at MPAA; Major Studios Distance Themselves; Christian Groups Likely to Boycott
In a move unprecedented since the advent of the MPAA's movie ratings system in in 1968, Landmark Theatres announced that it will run an unrated version of the movie Woman of Pleasure. The movie, produced by IFC films and directed by Kimberly Peirce, is an adaption of the novel Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure (popularly known as Fanny Hill). Emma Watson takes the leading role in what many critics are calling a last-ditch effort to distance herself from her role in the Harry Potter films. The film premiered at the most recent Telluride Film Festival, but the plans for theatrical release had not been announced prior to today.
Given the overt sexual content of the film, it undoubtedly would have received a rating of "NC-17" from the MPAA. Movies receiving such a rating are not as widely distributed and generally take in far less money than movies receiving an "R" rating. Director Kimberly Peirce said "I can't tell you how glad I am to put a piece of my work out for the public in the exact form I intended it to be seen. I couldn't have done it without the support of IFC and the opportunity the Landmark Theatres is giving us." A spokesman for Landmark gave the following statement: "The MPAA ratings system has always been a voluntary system. Given the high quality of independent films available today, we see opening up our theaters to movies that forego the MPAA process or submit to other voluntary ratings systems as a tremendous opportunity for moviegoers across the country. We're very pleased to be able to work with IFC Films in the distribution of Woman of Pleasure and I'm pleased to be able to announce that IFC Films has decided to make Landmark Theatres its exclusive licensee for distributions of its films. Landmark looks forward to continuing to bring a top-notch moviegoing experience to all of our customers."
Executives at the "Big 6," however, were not excited by the development. Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures, and Columbia Pictures have all announced that they do not intend to renew their licensing agreements with Landmark Theatres and will cancel them earlier if possible. Only 20th Century Fox and Universal Pictures have not announced how they will deal with the situation. A representative for Paramount said that "the studio just can't afford to be associated with Landmark if this is the path they're going to take. Parents rely on the guidance given by the MPAA ratings and casting them to the side is not something that moviegoers are going to take lightly."
R. Albert Mohler, Jr., former President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and current Chairman of the Board of Directors of Focus on the Family called Landmark's decision "shameful." He went on to say that he was "glad that many of the major studios will not be doing business with Landmark any more. Parents have a right to protect the innocence of their children and it's more than a little disappointing that Landmark has decided to throw that concern in the dustbin." Although Mohler has not yet called for an outright boycott of Landmark Theatres most analysts agree that that will be the likely effect of his denouncement of Landmark Theatres.
Landmark Theatres Thumbs Its Nose at MPAA; Major Studios Distance Themselves; Christian Groups Likely to Boycott
In a move unprecedented since the advent of the MPAA's movie ratings system in in 1968, Landmark Theatres announced that it will run an unrated version of the movie Woman of Pleasure. The movie, produced by IFC films and directed by Kimberly Peirce, is an adaption of the novel Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure (popularly known as Fanny Hill). Emma Watson takes the leading role in what many critics are calling a last-ditch effort to distance herself from her role in the Harry Potter films. The film premiered at the most recent Telluride Film Festival, but the plans for theatrical release had not been announced prior to today.
Given the overt sexual content of the film, it undoubtedly would have received a rating of "NC-17" from the MPAA. Movies receiving such a rating are not as widely distributed and generally take in far less money than movies receiving an "R" rating. Director Kimberly Peirce said "I can't tell you how glad I am to put a piece of my work out for the public in the exact form I intended it to be seen. I couldn't have done it without the support of IFC and the opportunity the Landmark Theatres is giving us." A spokesman for Landmark gave the following statement: "The MPAA ratings system has always been a voluntary system. Given the high quality of independent films available today, we see opening up our theaters to movies that forego the MPAA process or submit to other voluntary ratings systems as a tremendous opportunity for moviegoers across the country. We're very pleased to be able to work with IFC Films in the distribution of Woman of Pleasure and I'm pleased to be able to announce that IFC Films has decided to make Landmark Theatres its exclusive licensee for distributions of its films. Landmark looks forward to continuing to bring a top-notch moviegoing experience to all of our customers."
Executives at the "Big 6," however, were not excited by the development. Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures, and Columbia Pictures have all announced that they do not intend to renew their licensing agreements with Landmark Theatres and will cancel them earlier if possible. Only 20th Century Fox and Universal Pictures have not announced how they will deal with the situation. A representative for Paramount said that "the studio just can't afford to be associated with Landmark if this is the path they're going to take. Parents rely on the guidance given by the MPAA ratings and casting them to the side is not something that moviegoers are going to take lightly."
R. Albert Mohler, Jr., former President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and current Chairman of the Board of Directors of Focus on the Family called Landmark's decision "shameful." He went on to say that he was "glad that many of the major studios will not be doing business with Landmark any more. Parents have a right to protect the innocence of their children and it's more than a little disappointing that Landmark has decided to throw that concern in the dustbin." Although Mohler has not yet called for an outright boycott of Landmark Theatres most analysts agree that that will be the likely effect of his denouncement of Landmark Theatres.
QUOTE (Dateline NBC w/ Stone Phillips)
A SPECIAL REPORT FROM DATELINE NBC
TO CATCH A PREDATOR
STONE PHILLIPS: Good evening, I'm Stone Phillips. Five years ago, Dateline NBC ran a series of special reports on adult men who solicited underage children for sex online. After a long hiatus, NBC partnered once more with PervertedJustice, a firm that consults police departments in sting operations, to search for predators in the halls of power in Washington, DC. Their results were quite shocking. A warning: some of what you are about to see and hear is explicit.
Here's Chris Hansen.
[montage of Washington, DC at night]
CHRIS HANSEN: Washington. The center of American power. A town filled with ambitious, powerful people, and some with dangerous tastes. Dateline spent four days here in Washington observing 13 men go to a house in Georgetown to meet who they thought were underage children for sex. And some of the men we found may shock you.
[blah blah blah]
CHRIS HANSEN: First, meet screen name DCPlayer2000. He's 66 years old, married with children, and says he works in Congress. More on that later. DCPlayer2000 started chatting with a PervertedJustice decoy online, screen name ShyBoiinGtown. They begin chatting privately for a few minutes, but it doesn't take long for DCPlayer2000 to make his real intentions known.
CHRIS HANSEN: Shortly after lying about his age, he sends pictures of himself shirtless. And then he sends a picture of his genitals. Not long after that, the chat continues to get sexual. He tells the decoy that he 'likes to help boys discover their wild side' and that he would 'like to see your wild side come out all over me....'.
The next day, they chat again. DCPlayer tells him he would like to meet ShyBoi right away, and tells the 12 year old EXACTLY what he has in mind.
CHRIS HANSEN: The house in Georgetown is ready for DCPlayer to arrive. It's nighttime, and the DC Police are waiting in a house next door, ready to step in when the time is right. But NOTHING prepares us for what's about to come next.
[Grainy picture of DCPlayer getting out of his car, but cuts off just before we see his face, we hear PervertedJustice workers gasp.]
FRAG: Oh my God, that can't be who I think it is.
UNKNOWN: Oh no, oh s****.
[cut to commercial]
TO CATCH A PREDATOR
STONE PHILLIPS: Good evening, I'm Stone Phillips. Five years ago, Dateline NBC ran a series of special reports on adult men who solicited underage children for sex online. After a long hiatus, NBC partnered once more with PervertedJustice, a firm that consults police departments in sting operations, to search for predators in the halls of power in Washington, DC. Their results were quite shocking. A warning: some of what you are about to see and hear is explicit.
Here's Chris Hansen.
[montage of Washington, DC at night]
CHRIS HANSEN: Washington. The center of American power. A town filled with ambitious, powerful people, and some with dangerous tastes. Dateline spent four days here in Washington observing 13 men go to a house in Georgetown to meet who they thought were underage children for sex. And some of the men we found may shock you.
[blah blah blah]
CHRIS HANSEN: First, meet screen name DCPlayer2000. He's 66 years old, married with children, and says he works in Congress. More on that later. DCPlayer2000 started chatting with a PervertedJustice decoy online, screen name ShyBoiinGtown. They begin chatting privately for a few minutes, but it doesn't take long for DCPlayer2000 to make his real intentions known.
QUOTE (Chat scripts w/loud keystroke sound effects)
DCPlayer2000: a/s/n?
ShyBoiinGtown: 12/m/georgetown u?
DCPlayer2000: oh, 19/m/lincoln heights
ShyBoiinGtown: ooo ur in a rough hood
ShyBoiinGtown: i bet ur hot
DCPlayer2000: lol yea?
ShyBoiinGtown: o yea but maybe not
DCPlayer2000: oh i can prove it to you if you don't believe it
ShyBoiinGtown: really?
DCPlayer2000: here it comes
ShyBoiinGtown: 12/m/georgetown u?
DCPlayer2000: oh, 19/m/lincoln heights
ShyBoiinGtown: ooo ur in a rough hood
ShyBoiinGtown: i bet ur hot
DCPlayer2000: lol yea?
ShyBoiinGtown: o yea but maybe not
DCPlayer2000: oh i can prove it to you if you don't believe it
ShyBoiinGtown: really?
DCPlayer2000: here it comes
CHRIS HANSEN: Shortly after lying about his age, he sends pictures of himself shirtless. And then he sends a picture of his genitals. Not long after that, the chat continues to get sexual. He tells the decoy that he 'likes to help boys discover their wild side' and that he would 'like to see your wild side come out all over me....'.
The next day, they chat again. DCPlayer tells him he would like to meet ShyBoi right away, and tells the 12 year old EXACTLY what he has in mind.
QUOTE
DCPlayer2000: u ever count sheep when you can't sleep?
ShyBoiinGtown: lol no y?
DCPlayer2000: im gonna wear something that will make you want to count me all night long
DCPlayer2000: while i'm [bleep] you and [bleep] you all over your sweet [bleep] on the [bleep] bathtub [bleep] singing [bleep] The Police
DCPlayer2000: lol
ShyBoiinGtown: lol can't wait for that
ShyBoiinGtown: lol no y?
DCPlayer2000: im gonna wear something that will make you want to count me all night long
DCPlayer2000: while i'm [bleep] you and [bleep] you all over your sweet [bleep] on the [bleep] bathtub [bleep] singing [bleep] The Police
DCPlayer2000: lol
ShyBoiinGtown: lol can't wait for that
CHRIS HANSEN: The house in Georgetown is ready for DCPlayer to arrive. It's nighttime, and the DC Police are waiting in a house next door, ready to step in when the time is right. But NOTHING prepares us for what's about to come next.
[Grainy picture of DCPlayer getting out of his car, but cuts off just before we see his face, we hear PervertedJustice workers gasp.]
FRAG: Oh my God, that can't be who I think it is.
UNKNOWN: Oh no, oh s****.
[cut to commercial]
QUOTE (Dateline NBC w/ Stone Phillips)
A SPECIAL REPORT FROM DATELINE NBC
TO CATCH A PREDATOR
CHRIS HANSEN: We're back at the house in Georgetown, where an incredible scene is unfolding.
We left off as our friend DCPlayer2000 arrived at the house, and we couldn't believe who it turned out to be.
It was Congressman Benjamin Warwick of Georgia, a married father and an active candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States. And here he was, about to walk into what he thinks is the home of a 12 year boy, alone, to meet for a sexual encounter.
He knocks on the door, and Perverted Justice decoy Mattie springs into action.
MATTIE: Hey! Come on in! Did you bring the stuff?
WARWICK: Oh, I suuuuuuuure did. I got the uh...I got the condoms and the sandwiches, just like you asked. Can't wait to see ya.
CHRIS HANSEN: According to PervertedJustice, police officers prefer that potential predators bring something requested by the decoy. That shows that the potential predator had intent. In this case, Congressman Warwick, as requested by the decoy, has brought two roast beef sandwiches with goat cheese and lettuce.
Congressman Warwick comes inside, and that's when things get strange....
He begins to take off his suit, revealing a very REVEALING sheep's costume. Fuzz and all. Apparently that was what he was thinking of in his sexually charged chats with our decoy. He picks up the sandwiches and heads to the back of the house, pleasuring himself with one of the sandwiches as he walks. And that's where I have to step in.
[CHRIS HANSEN opens a nearby door and stops Warwick in his tracks.]
CHRIS HANSEN: Excuse me sir, I'm gonna need to take your hand and your sandwich out of your pants...and then take a seat right over there.
[Warwick takes a seat right over there, covering his pleasured self with the paper bag that holds the unpleasured sandwich what he thought would be his. CHRIS HANSEN is visibly struck with disgust.]
CHRIS HANSEN: Sir, I know who you are. So I have to be honest here. Because I have no idea why.
What were you THINKING? Why did you come here tonight?
[Warwick is wilting under CHRIS HANSEN'S penetrating glare. He can barely make out the words.]
Warwick: Sir, I was just here to meet someone. That's all. I was just here to meet somebody I had met online, just to talk is all. Just talk.
[CHRIS HANSEN screws his eyes shut and clenches his fist briefly on the breakfast nook, then responds.]
CHRIS HANSEN: Sir, I have the chat logs. You know that's not true. I know that's not what was going to happen. I HAVE the chat logs, sir.
Warwick: You got no right to--that was a private conv--
CHRIS HANSEN: Sir, I think we both know what you had planned, because I have the chat logs right here.
You said in this chat that you liked to 'show a hot virgin boy a good time', 'maybe u can eat eat your sandwich off of my rock hard BLANK'.
Those are your words, aren't they?
[Warwick says nothing. CHRIS HANSEN continues.]
CHRIS HANSEN: 'I work so hard, after a long day, nothing gets me to relax like a hot time with a hot boy. Ur a virgin, and it makes me want u even more. I can't wait to show you a good time lol.'
That was from your chat, sir. And now you're here, trying to meet a twelve year old boy, home alone in the middle of the night. You're bringing him food. You brought condoms. And what is WITH the costume?
Warwick: I just thought he might like it, 'cause he's a little kid is all.
[CHRIS HANSEN'S pent-up disdain is frothing across his chiseled face now.
CHRIS HANSEN: Sir, what is going through your MIND when you are typing these things and doing these things? What do you think would have happened if I wasn't here? If there really was a twelve year old boy here? What do you think would have happened? You're here with your sandwiches. You're....[grimace] touching yourself with the sandwiches. You're dressed like a sheep. What do you think would have happened, sir?
[A pregnant pause. Beads of sweat drip down Warwick's forehead.]
Warwick: I--I can't tell you sir, I can't tell you what could have happened, 'cause I don't know it any better'n you did, sir.
CHRIS HANSEN: Well, we've gone through the chat logs, and you've made your intentions pretty clear so far in those chats and in coming here tonight. What were you THINKING?
Warwick: I was just here, trying to meet a nice feller I met online. That was all. I might have been joking around little bit, but--
CHRIS HANSEN: Joking around? Sir, who jokes around by saying they want to...let's see here, 'stick my blank up YOUR blank while you work your cute little blank up my blank and then you dance naked around the house while I blank to your sweet, sexy move'. Who makes jokes about that, sir? How is that funny?
Warwick: I...um...I guess it's not all that funny sir.
CHRIS HANSEN: No, sir. No it is not. Do you watch much television, sir?
Warwick: A little bit. I like FOX News a bit. Like it when Sarah Palin's on the teevee.
CHRIS HANSEN: Do you watch NBC News?
Warwick: No sir, I don't.
CHRIS HANSEN: Well, there's something I should tell you...
...I'm Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC, and we're filming a special on adults who prey on young children online for sex.
[The three handheld camera crews jump from their positions and swarm the breakfast nook. Warwick is mortified and shoves the paper bag over his head in shame.]
Warwick (muffled): Oh God. Oh Jesus, no. Please God, no. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Please don't put this on teeveee PLEASE don't put this on teevee.
CHRIS HANSEN: That's not up to me, sir. That was all up to you up to the moment you walked through that door.
Warwick (muffled): I know, Jesus, I know. Please don't put the camera on me please. Oh God.
[the boom mics pick up a soft trickling of liquid against the tile floor of the kitchen. One of the handheld crews pans down to see Warwick's sheep costume stained down his leg as urine seeps onto the floor.]
CHRIS HANSEN (v/o): Congressman Warwick is so humiliated by the camera crews, that he starts to wet himself. On NATIONAL television.
CHRIS HANSEN: Sir, I'm going to let you walk out that door now. But before you go, is there anything you'd like to say?
Warwick: No sir, just please don't put it on da teevee. I don't want this on the teevee I do anything I'm sorry just don't put dis on da teeevee they're not gonna arrest me is dey?
CHRIS HANSEN: Now I'm not the police, sir. That's not up to me. But if there's nothing else you have to say, you're free to walk out that door right now.
Warwick: Okay, fine. I'm sorry. I'll leave. I'm sorry....
CHRIS HANSEN: Bag still on his head, Congressman Warwick stumbles toward the door, leaving his suit and his pleasured sandwich behind. He doesn't get far out the door before the DC Police apprehend him.
[grainy exterior footage of Warwick walking out the door. A police officer in a ghillie suit barks out in the night "POLICE! ON THE GROUND NOW!" and wrestles Warwick to the cement walkway]
CHRIS HANSEN: Congressman Warwick is arrested, processed, and charged with three felony counts for attempted sex with a minor. However, after posting his $50,000 bail and suspending his Presidential campaign, Warwick reportedly committed suicide in his DC apartment, leaving a confession with the subject line "RESIGN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!RESIGN!!!!!!!!!RESIGN!!!!!!!! and a large sum of money for his family.
Coming up next, another animal lover. This time, it's a younger predator with a seriously odd attraction....to goldfish. Stay tuned.
[cut to commercial]
TO CATCH A PREDATOR
CHRIS HANSEN: We're back at the house in Georgetown, where an incredible scene is unfolding.
We left off as our friend DCPlayer2000 arrived at the house, and we couldn't believe who it turned out to be.
It was Congressman Benjamin Warwick of Georgia, a married father and an active candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States. And here he was, about to walk into what he thinks is the home of a 12 year boy, alone, to meet for a sexual encounter.
He knocks on the door, and Perverted Justice decoy Mattie springs into action.
MATTIE: Hey! Come on in! Did you bring the stuff?
WARWICK: Oh, I suuuuuuuure did. I got the uh...I got the condoms and the sandwiches, just like you asked. Can't wait to see ya.
CHRIS HANSEN: According to PervertedJustice, police officers prefer that potential predators bring something requested by the decoy. That shows that the potential predator had intent. In this case, Congressman Warwick, as requested by the decoy, has brought two roast beef sandwiches with goat cheese and lettuce.
Congressman Warwick comes inside, and that's when things get strange....
He begins to take off his suit, revealing a very REVEALING sheep's costume. Fuzz and all. Apparently that was what he was thinking of in his sexually charged chats with our decoy. He picks up the sandwiches and heads to the back of the house, pleasuring himself with one of the sandwiches as he walks. And that's where I have to step in.
[CHRIS HANSEN opens a nearby door and stops Warwick in his tracks.]
CHRIS HANSEN: Excuse me sir, I'm gonna need to take your hand and your sandwich out of your pants...and then take a seat right over there.
[Warwick takes a seat right over there, covering his pleasured self with the paper bag that holds the unpleasured sandwich what he thought would be his. CHRIS HANSEN is visibly struck with disgust.]
CHRIS HANSEN: Sir, I know who you are. So I have to be honest here. Because I have no idea why.
What were you THINKING? Why did you come here tonight?
[Warwick is wilting under CHRIS HANSEN'S penetrating glare. He can barely make out the words.]
Warwick: Sir, I was just here to meet someone. That's all. I was just here to meet somebody I had met online, just to talk is all. Just talk.
[CHRIS HANSEN screws his eyes shut and clenches his fist briefly on the breakfast nook, then responds.]
CHRIS HANSEN: Sir, I have the chat logs. You know that's not true. I know that's not what was going to happen. I HAVE the chat logs, sir.
Warwick: You got no right to--that was a private conv--
CHRIS HANSEN: Sir, I think we both know what you had planned, because I have the chat logs right here.
You said in this chat that you liked to 'show a hot virgin boy a good time', 'maybe u can eat eat your sandwich off of my rock hard BLANK'.
Those are your words, aren't they?
[Warwick says nothing. CHRIS HANSEN continues.]
CHRIS HANSEN: 'I work so hard, after a long day, nothing gets me to relax like a hot time with a hot boy. Ur a virgin, and it makes me want u even more. I can't wait to show you a good time lol.'
That was from your chat, sir. And now you're here, trying to meet a twelve year old boy, home alone in the middle of the night. You're bringing him food. You brought condoms. And what is WITH the costume?
Warwick: I just thought he might like it, 'cause he's a little kid is all.
[CHRIS HANSEN'S pent-up disdain is frothing across his chiseled face now.
CHRIS HANSEN: Sir, what is going through your MIND when you are typing these things and doing these things? What do you think would have happened if I wasn't here? If there really was a twelve year old boy here? What do you think would have happened? You're here with your sandwiches. You're....[grimace] touching yourself with the sandwiches. You're dressed like a sheep. What do you think would have happened, sir?
[A pregnant pause. Beads of sweat drip down Warwick's forehead.]
Warwick: I--I can't tell you sir, I can't tell you what could have happened, 'cause I don't know it any better'n you did, sir.
CHRIS HANSEN: Well, we've gone through the chat logs, and you've made your intentions pretty clear so far in those chats and in coming here tonight. What were you THINKING?
Warwick: I was just here, trying to meet a nice feller I met online. That was all. I might have been joking around little bit, but--
CHRIS HANSEN: Joking around? Sir, who jokes around by saying they want to...let's see here, 'stick my blank up YOUR blank while you work your cute little blank up my blank and then you dance naked around the house while I blank to your sweet, sexy move'. Who makes jokes about that, sir? How is that funny?
Warwick: I...um...I guess it's not all that funny sir.
CHRIS HANSEN: No, sir. No it is not. Do you watch much television, sir?
Warwick: A little bit. I like FOX News a bit. Like it when Sarah Palin's on the teevee.
CHRIS HANSEN: Do you watch NBC News?
Warwick: No sir, I don't.
CHRIS HANSEN: Well, there's something I should tell you...
...I'm Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC, and we're filming a special on adults who prey on young children online for sex.
[The three handheld camera crews jump from their positions and swarm the breakfast nook. Warwick is mortified and shoves the paper bag over his head in shame.]
Warwick (muffled): Oh God. Oh Jesus, no. Please God, no. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. Please don't put this on teeveee PLEASE don't put this on teevee.
CHRIS HANSEN: That's not up to me, sir. That was all up to you up to the moment you walked through that door.
Warwick (muffled): I know, Jesus, I know. Please don't put the camera on me please. Oh God.
[the boom mics pick up a soft trickling of liquid against the tile floor of the kitchen. One of the handheld crews pans down to see Warwick's sheep costume stained down his leg as urine seeps onto the floor.]
CHRIS HANSEN (v/o): Congressman Warwick is so humiliated by the camera crews, that he starts to wet himself. On NATIONAL television.
CHRIS HANSEN: Sir, I'm going to let you walk out that door now. But before you go, is there anything you'd like to say?
Warwick: No sir, just please don't put it on da teevee. I don't want this on the teevee I do anything I'm sorry just don't put dis on da teeevee they're not gonna arrest me is dey?
CHRIS HANSEN: Now I'm not the police, sir. That's not up to me. But if there's nothing else you have to say, you're free to walk out that door right now.
Warwick: Okay, fine. I'm sorry. I'll leave. I'm sorry....
CHRIS HANSEN: Bag still on his head, Congressman Warwick stumbles toward the door, leaving his suit and his pleasured sandwich behind. He doesn't get far out the door before the DC Police apprehend him.
[grainy exterior footage of Warwick walking out the door. A police officer in a ghillie suit barks out in the night "POLICE! ON THE GROUND NOW!" and wrestles Warwick to the cement walkway]
CHRIS HANSEN: Congressman Warwick is arrested, processed, and charged with three felony counts for attempted sex with a minor. However, after posting his $50,000 bail and suspending his Presidential campaign, Warwick reportedly committed suicide in his DC apartment, leaving a confession with the subject line "RESIGN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!RESIGN!!!!!!!!!RESIGN!!!!!!!! and a large sum of money for his family.
Coming up next, another animal lover. This time, it's a younger predator with a seriously odd attraction....to goldfish. Stay tuned.
[cut to commercial]
Landmark Theatres Saga Continues
With its decision to premiere the unrated, independent film Woman of Pleasure, Landmark Theatres stunned the cinematic world. Even as the first run of that film is winding down, most observers say it's too soon to say for sure how that decision is playing out.
The most obvious and raucous reaction has been from predominantly evangelical protest groups. Angry parents and "watchdog" groups have turned out at Landmark Theatres locations across the country in numbers unseen since large protests were organized to coincide with the release of The Last Temptation of Christ in 1988. Representatives of the Christian Coalition have denounced the film itself and Landmark's decision to play it as "an abominable attack on the moral values that Americans hold dear."
The critical reception of the film has been mixed. Roger Ebert said the film "failed to deliver a product as engaging as its ambitious source material." He called Emma Watson's performance in the title role "adequate, but not the breakthrough she seems to believe she needed." Ebert's lukewarm review of the film, however, seems to be a minority view. Critics at Rotten Tomatoes, the popular film review aggregator, rate the film 79% "fresh."
From Landmark's perspective the decision seems to have been a good one despite the uproar from some corners. Whether out of sheer controversy or owing to its artistic merit, Woman of Pleasure is poised to bring in more money for Landmark Theatres than any other single film in the company's history. In its opening weekend the film grossed over $400,000, a respectable sum for an independent film with such a limited opening.
The outlook for Landmark, however, is not entirely rosy. According to a source at Landmark who spoke on condition of anonymity, the company has seen significant decreases in revenue at several locations. The Atlanta and Minneapolis outlets, despite selling out showings of Woman of Pleasure, have seen revenues slump significantly against their historical averages. The source attributes that decline at least partially to the near-constant presence of protest groups and, at least to some degree, the success of the protest groups in convincing some moviegoers to participate in a boycott. Landmark representatives have publicly stated that business is better than ever and they hope to see an explosion in the popularity of independent films that will drive a "renaissance of thoughtful, creative, independent film-making and a moviegoing public that appreciates films created largely outside of the Hollywood bubble."
Meanwhile, Universal Pictures, a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, became the fifth of the major movie studios to announce that its films would no longer be shown at Landmark Theatres. 20th Century Fox remains the only one of the "Big Six" yet to announce that it has severed ties with Landmark. With Fox Searchlight being one of the largest and most successful players in the realm of independent-style films, many analysts say that Landmark should count its blessings and hope that Fox continues on its present course.
With its decision to premiere the unrated, independent film Woman of Pleasure, Landmark Theatres stunned the cinematic world. Even as the first run of that film is winding down, most observers say it's too soon to say for sure how that decision is playing out.
The most obvious and raucous reaction has been from predominantly evangelical protest groups. Angry parents and "watchdog" groups have turned out at Landmark Theatres locations across the country in numbers unseen since large protests were organized to coincide with the release of The Last Temptation of Christ in 1988. Representatives of the Christian Coalition have denounced the film itself and Landmark's decision to play it as "an abominable attack on the moral values that Americans hold dear."
The critical reception of the film has been mixed. Roger Ebert said the film "failed to deliver a product as engaging as its ambitious source material." He called Emma Watson's performance in the title role "adequate, but not the breakthrough she seems to believe she needed." Ebert's lukewarm review of the film, however, seems to be a minority view. Critics at Rotten Tomatoes, the popular film review aggregator, rate the film 79% "fresh."
From Landmark's perspective the decision seems to have been a good one despite the uproar from some corners. Whether out of sheer controversy or owing to its artistic merit, Woman of Pleasure is poised to bring in more money for Landmark Theatres than any other single film in the company's history. In its opening weekend the film grossed over $400,000, a respectable sum for an independent film with such a limited opening.
The outlook for Landmark, however, is not entirely rosy. According to a source at Landmark who spoke on condition of anonymity, the company has seen significant decreases in revenue at several locations. The Atlanta and Minneapolis outlets, despite selling out showings of Woman of Pleasure, have seen revenues slump significantly against their historical averages. The source attributes that decline at least partially to the near-constant presence of protest groups and, at least to some degree, the success of the protest groups in convincing some moviegoers to participate in a boycott. Landmark representatives have publicly stated that business is better than ever and they hope to see an explosion in the popularity of independent films that will drive a "renaissance of thoughtful, creative, independent film-making and a moviegoing public that appreciates films created largely outside of the Hollywood bubble."
Meanwhile, Universal Pictures, a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, became the fifth of the major movie studios to announce that its films would no longer be shown at Landmark Theatres. 20th Century Fox remains the only one of the "Big Six" yet to announce that it has severed ties with Landmark. With Fox Searchlight being one of the largest and most successful players in the realm of independent-style films, many analysts say that Landmark should count its blessings and hope that Fox continues on its present course.
Brazilian Whistleblower Killed in Washington
The normal quiet of Embassy Row in Washington, D.C., was shattered today when a car bomb exploded in Sheridan Circle, killing Mercio Rondon and his translator. Rondon, the former head of the Brazilian government agency charged with protecting the natives of the Amazon forest, was in Washington to testify before Congress about the slaughter of those natives. Rondon alleged that certain American corporations were financing mercenary groups to displace and kill natives living on valuable land.
Also killed was Donna Berberg of the Washington office of Survival International, who was acting as Rondon's translator. Berberg was a 23-year old recent graduate of American University.
Three others were critically injured but not identified by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The death of Rondon is an eerie echo of the death of Orlando Letelier, a Chilean dissident who died in a car bomb explosion in 1976. Letelier and his assistant were killed mere yards away from Rondon, just across Sheridan Circle, by agents of the Chilean government.
The normal quiet of Embassy Row in Washington, D.C., was shattered today when a car bomb exploded in Sheridan Circle, killing Mercio Rondon and his translator. Rondon, the former head of the Brazilian government agency charged with protecting the natives of the Amazon forest, was in Washington to testify before Congress about the slaughter of those natives. Rondon alleged that certain American corporations were financing mercenary groups to displace and kill natives living on valuable land.
Also killed was Donna Berberg of the Washington office of Survival International, who was acting as Rondon's translator. Berberg was a 23-year old recent graduate of American University.
Three others were critically injured but not identified by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The death of Rondon is an eerie echo of the death of Orlando Letelier, a Chilean dissident who died in a car bomb explosion in 1976. Letelier and his assistant were killed mere yards away from Rondon, just across Sheridan Circle, by agents of the Chilean government.
See above for more important news.
Landmark Theatres Announces Closures; Woman of Pleasure Ends Theater Run
On the heels of a relatively successful run of the unrated film Woman of Pleasure, Landmark Theatres announced today that it will close half a dozen of its locations in Minneapolis, Indianapolis, and Houston. Those locations were hit particularly brutally with protests and boycotts and, according to a spokesperson for Landmark, "the financial strain was just too much." Among the theaters being closed are two of the "Top 25 Best Movie Theaters in America" according to the readers of the website flavorwire.com, The Uptown in Minneapolis and the River Oaks Theatre in Houston.
After running for 34 consecutive weekends, Woman of Pleasure ended its run at Landmark Theatres having brought in gross receipts of just under twelve million dollars. Director Kimberly Peirce said she was happy with the results: "Making this film was never about seeing how much money we could make. This was about telling a story, creating memorable characters, and most importantly, doing both of those things the exact way that the writers, the actors, and I wanted to do them." Some internet message boards have been abuzz with talk of Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for the film. Peirce has been dismissive of such rumors saying "that would be nice, but given how those awards are usually decided I'm not getting my hopes up."
Landmark Theatres Announces Closures; Woman of Pleasure Ends Theater Run
On the heels of a relatively successful run of the unrated film Woman of Pleasure, Landmark Theatres announced today that it will close half a dozen of its locations in Minneapolis, Indianapolis, and Houston. Those locations were hit particularly brutally with protests and boycotts and, according to a spokesperson for Landmark, "the financial strain was just too much." Among the theaters being closed are two of the "Top 25 Best Movie Theaters in America" according to the readers of the website flavorwire.com, The Uptown in Minneapolis and the River Oaks Theatre in Houston.
After running for 34 consecutive weekends, Woman of Pleasure ended its run at Landmark Theatres having brought in gross receipts of just under twelve million dollars. Director Kimberly Peirce said she was happy with the results: "Making this film was never about seeing how much money we could make. This was about telling a story, creating memorable characters, and most importantly, doing both of those things the exact way that the writers, the actors, and I wanted to do them." Some internet message boards have been abuzz with talk of Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for the film. Peirce has been dismissive of such rumors saying "that would be nice, but given how those awards are usually decided I'm not getting my hopes up."
In Washington, D.C., medical marijuana dispensaries are starting to occupy storefronts, and same-sex couples are getting married. "We're pleased the Congress saw fit to let the actions of the City Council stand," said Mayor Vincent Gray. "Equality for homosexuals and succor to the chronically ill. That's something to be proud of."
Congress had an opportunity to disapprove of the medical marijuana and homosexual marriage acts, but failed to do so before they recessed for the November elections.
[OOC: Just wrapping up a loose thread.]
Congress had an opportunity to disapprove of the medical marijuana and homosexual marriage acts, but failed to do so before they recessed for the November elections.
[OOC: Just wrapping up a loose thread.]
Department of Justice Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Big 6 Movie Studios and MPAA
A Department of Justice representative announced today that the Attorney General has filed an antitrust suit against several major movie studios and the Motion Picture Association of America. The suit, now pending before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, names the MPAA, Warner Bros. Pictures, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Columbia Pictures, and Universal Pictures of illegal collusion in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Noreen Campostella, Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division, said that "the preliminary investigation uncovered further evidence of anticompetitive behaviors among the major movie studios and the MPAA. Whether the defendants choose to cooperate or fight this suit, the Department of Justice is confident that we have a strong case and we will pursue it vigorously."
A Department of Justice representative announced today that the Attorney General has filed an antitrust suit against several major movie studios and the Motion Picture Association of America. The suit, now pending before the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, names the MPAA, Warner Bros. Pictures, Paramount Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Columbia Pictures, and Universal Pictures of illegal collusion in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Noreen Campostella, Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division, said that "the preliminary investigation uncovered further evidence of anticompetitive behaviors among the major movie studios and the MPAA. Whether the defendants choose to cooperate or fight this suit, the Department of Justice is confident that we have a strong case and we will pursue it vigorously."
13:37 Eastern Time
"Oil prices have moved up slightly on news of continued tensions between Argentina and Chile which might endanger exploitation of oil fields in the Beagle Channel. Meanwhile, in Japan . . . ."
As the announcer drones on, the line chart running below her, showing the current status of the Dow, peaks and starts to drop. Fast. An almost vertical drop.
". . . prices in shares of Takeda Pharmaceutical have risen sharply in response to news of their application to sell laboratory grown meat in the United States . . . . um, ah, this is interesting, the Dow has just plummeted, down, down eight, no, eleven percent in a massive sell-off. We, ah, we don't have any idea what might be causing this sell-off, uh, do we? Anyone? A drastic sell-off, not just the Dow, but across the New York Stock Exchange."
"Oil prices have moved up slightly on news of continued tensions between Argentina and Chile which might endanger exploitation of oil fields in the Beagle Channel. Meanwhile, in Japan . . . ."
As the announcer drones on, the line chart running below her, showing the current status of the Dow, peaks and starts to drop. Fast. An almost vertical drop.
". . . prices in shares of Takeda Pharmaceutical have risen sharply in response to news of their application to sell laboratory grown meat in the United States . . . . um, ah, this is interesting, the Dow has just plummeted, down, down eight, no, eleven percent in a massive sell-off. We, ah, we don't have any idea what might be causing this sell-off, uh, do we? Anyone? A drastic sell-off, not just the Dow, but across the New York Stock Exchange."
13:41 Eastern Time
The announcer looks increasingly frazzled. "The NYSE continues to dive. We're down twenty-five percent, that's percent, not points, and the circuit breakers don't appear to have kicked in yet. Trading should have halted already, but the numbers are just going down! The markets were jittery after the Los Angeles bombing, but this is just unprecedented!"
The announcer looks increasingly frazzled. "The NYSE continues to dive. We're down twenty-five percent, that's percent, not points, and the circuit breakers don't appear to have kicked in yet. Trading should have halted already, but the numbers are just going down! The markets were jittery after the Los Angeles bombing, but this is just unprecedented!"
13:45 Eastern Time
"Forty, forty percent, it just can't be possible that trillions of dollars have vanished from the market like this . . . . just a moment, representatives of the NYSE are saying that the numbers we are seeing are not real, they're not real number, the NYSE says that their external data feed has been hacked. They're working to get accurate numbers out now over the feed, but they can tell us that as of two minutes ago, the real numbers are a six hundred and thirty four point drop in the Dow, entirely fed by the uncertainty in the external data feed. That's about a four percent drop. Still massive losses today across the NYSE and the Dow. A huge black eye for the NYSE if this is true."
"Forty, forty percent, it just can't be possible that trillions of dollars have vanished from the market like this . . . . just a moment, representatives of the NYSE are saying that the numbers we are seeing are not real, they're not real number, the NYSE says that their external data feed has been hacked. They're working to get accurate numbers out now over the feed, but they can tell us that as of two minutes ago, the real numbers are a six hundred and thirty four point drop in the Dow, entirely fed by the uncertainty in the external data feed. That's about a four percent drop. Still massive losses today across the NYSE and the Dow. A huge black eye for the NYSE if this is true."
16:30 Eastern Time
"Thankfully, the NYSE has closed for the day. The crash caused by the hacked external data has resulted in a loss of 404 points on the Dow, about two and a half percent. There's some serious questions about the validity of the trades made during the window of bad data. The traders on the floor got solid data, the external traders got stampeded into selling by the hacked data. There some very rich traders on the floor this afternoon, and some very angry day traders. We hear the NYSE is lawyering up for what is likely to be a very difficult time.
"The largest hits were suffered by the day traders, the quants - who deal with high speed mathematical models - and the big mutual funds, whose computers started to sell off automatically when stocks hit a certain level. Pension funds in particular took a heavy hit. On the flip side, the established house, which have their people on the floor, made out pretty well today.
"A Twitter feed from someone - or some group - calling itself Simulacra claimed responsibility for the hack. Our research indicates that Simulacra is a hacking group known mostly for attacking video game sites. The group was founded by members of a World of Warcraft forum several years ago. The members and leadership of Simulacra are anonymous, and their motto, taking from the movie Batman is that 'some people just want to watch the world burn.' Well, I guess they're proud of themselves tonight, for they burned a lot of money.
"Sources at the NYSE have told us that the attack consisted of a massive denial of service attack which overwhelmed the NYSE's servers. While the NYSE was battling this attack, a smaller attack managed to break the firewall. 'I think there was an inside source,' said one NYSE investigator.
"The Chicago Exchange also took a heavy hit today, and futures for Tokyo and other Asian markets are down. It looks like a bleak day tomorrow for the markets."
"Thankfully, the NYSE has closed for the day. The crash caused by the hacked external data has resulted in a loss of 404 points on the Dow, about two and a half percent. There's some serious questions about the validity of the trades made during the window of bad data. The traders on the floor got solid data, the external traders got stampeded into selling by the hacked data. There some very rich traders on the floor this afternoon, and some very angry day traders. We hear the NYSE is lawyering up for what is likely to be a very difficult time.
"The largest hits were suffered by the day traders, the quants - who deal with high speed mathematical models - and the big mutual funds, whose computers started to sell off automatically when stocks hit a certain level. Pension funds in particular took a heavy hit. On the flip side, the established house, which have their people on the floor, made out pretty well today.
"A Twitter feed from someone - or some group - calling itself Simulacra claimed responsibility for the hack. Our research indicates that Simulacra is a hacking group known mostly for attacking video game sites. The group was founded by members of a World of Warcraft forum several years ago. The members and leadership of Simulacra are anonymous, and their motto, taking from the movie Batman is that 'some people just want to watch the world burn.' Well, I guess they're proud of themselves tonight, for they burned a lot of money.
"Sources at the NYSE have told us that the attack consisted of a massive denial of service attack which overwhelmed the NYSE's servers. While the NYSE was battling this attack, a smaller attack managed to break the firewall. 'I think there was an inside source,' said one NYSE investigator.
"The Chicago Exchange also took a heavy hit today, and futures for Tokyo and other Asian markets are down. It looks like a bleak day tomorrow for the markets."
The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)
On short notice, the George H. W. Bush and her battlegroup are putting out to sea. The Bush has been maintained in a surge-ready capacity since her last overhaul. All personnel assigned to the Bush battlegroup are expected to report to their stations by 0600 tomorrow morning for extended deployment.
On short notice, the George H. W. Bush and her battlegroup are putting out to sea. The Bush has been maintained in a surge-ready capacity since her last overhaul. All personnel assigned to the Bush battlegroup are expected to report to their stations by 0600 tomorrow morning for extended deployment.
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President Lyakhov and Economic Adviser Flynn Rider have entered closed-door discussions
to seek input on how to fade-out federal department of education
and department of agriculture via the Federal Budget
click here for more
QUOTE
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President Seeks to Eliminate Two Key Federal Departments
President Lyakhov and Economic Adviser Flynn Rider have entered closed-door discussions
to seek input on how to fade-out federal department of education
and department of agriculture via the Federal Budget
click here for more
((Yay for real-time news! This is connected to the above news posting.))
This is the current main page of CNN.COM. The previous main page now is a subsection of the main page.
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The White House has reached out to the press pool in the Capitol in order to
dispel an earlier report that President Lyakhov is seeking to dissolve the Departments of Education and Agriculture
via the Federal Budget. Press Secretary Sarah Weston is currently preparing her statement
and is expected to address the report in the Briefing Room within the hour.
click here for more
This is the current main page of CNN.COM. The previous main page now is a subsection of the main page.
QUOTE
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White House to Deny Report
The White House has reached out to the press pool in the Capitol in order to
dispel an earlier report that President Lyakhov is seeking to dissolve the Departments of Education and Agriculture
via the Federal Budget. Press Secretary Sarah Weston is currently preparing her statement
and is expected to address the report in the Briefing Room within the hour.
click here for more
Another CNN main page update to continue to the ongoing saga outlined above! (and via the Press Secretary's Office here)
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Press Secretary Sarah Weston states that CNN.com's report
on Departments of Education and Agriculture budget status are "categorically false."
Capitol Hill insider suggests the White House is trying to cover its tracks early.
QUOTE
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Watch Out Weston!
Capitol Hill Suggests Otherwise
Press Secretary Sarah Weston states that CNN.com's report
on Departments of Education and Agriculture budget status are "categorically false."
Capitol Hill insider suggests the White House is trying to cover its tracks early.
Big 6/MPAA Antitrust Suit Reportedly Close to Resolution
According to an official at the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice the government, the movie studios, and the MPAA are close to reaching a settlement in the antitrust case filed earlier this year. The terms of the agreement will reportedly include heavy fines for each of the individual studio executives involved and significant fines to be paid by the studios themselves. The settlement proposal will also include, according to the source, an injunction restricting the activities of the studios and the MPAA. Details of the terms of the injunction were not immediately available.
Anderson Thompkins, the head of the antitrust practice group at the Washington D.C. office of Hogan Lovells, LLP, speculates that the injunction will likely include "some fairly strict requirements requiring what contact the studios and the MPAA will be able to have in the future." Thompkins went on to say that he believes that the Justice Department will likely also ask for an injunction to require the MPAA to open up its process and records to enable the government to more easily "keep tabs" on potentially anticompetitive activities.
Any settlement agreement in the case would be subject to final approval by the presiding judge.
According to an official at the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice the government, the movie studios, and the MPAA are close to reaching a settlement in the antitrust case filed earlier this year. The terms of the agreement will reportedly include heavy fines for each of the individual studio executives involved and significant fines to be paid by the studios themselves. The settlement proposal will also include, according to the source, an injunction restricting the activities of the studios and the MPAA. Details of the terms of the injunction were not immediately available.
Anderson Thompkins, the head of the antitrust practice group at the Washington D.C. office of Hogan Lovells, LLP, speculates that the injunction will likely include "some fairly strict requirements requiring what contact the studios and the MPAA will be able to have in the future." Thompkins went on to say that he believes that the Justice Department will likely also ask for an injunction to require the MPAA to open up its process and records to enable the government to more easily "keep tabs" on potentially anticompetitive activities.
Any settlement agreement in the case would be subject to final approval by the presiding judge.
New York- Former Director of Central Intelligence Alan Eckstein was arrested Thursday, after attempting to purchase $4,000 worth of cocaine from an undercover DEA agent. According to a source within the agency, Eckstein had not been specifically targetted initially, but was apparently a regular customer of a drug dealer who had recently begun working with the DEA.
Since leaving the Federal government in 1997, Eckstein has been dogged by rumors of a worsening drug habit. According to former subordinates within his office, Eckstein's use of cocaine during high level security negoatiations and discussions was an open secret. After his resignation he made increasingly sporadic media apperances, typically seeming paranoid and confused and complaining of conspiracies against him.
At his arraignment, Eckstein pled not guilty before making muttered threats that "[He would] take them all down." He was released on bail pending a preliminary hearing.
Neither Eckstein or his attorney could be reached for comment.
Since leaving the Federal government in 1997, Eckstein has been dogged by rumors of a worsening drug habit. According to former subordinates within his office, Eckstein's use of cocaine during high level security negoatiations and discussions was an open secret. After his resignation he made increasingly sporadic media apperances, typically seeming paranoid and confused and complaining of conspiracies against him.
At his arraignment, Eckstein pled not guilty before making muttered threats that "[He would] take them all down." He was released on bail pending a preliminary hearing.
Neither Eckstein or his attorney could be reached for comment.
Eighth Harry Potter Book Released in China
Fans of the Harry Potter series of books were shocked to learn that the long-promised eighth book in the series, Harry Potter and the Minister of Dragons, was released a month early in China. Scholastic, the U.S. publisher for the series, said that the release was not sanctioned. "Simply put, someone leaked the manuscript, and the Chinese published the book," said one senior Scholastic official. "As usual, the PRC disregards even the slightest notion of protecting intellectual property."
Despite the best efforts of Scholastic, copies of the pirated book have turned up in the United States. "Why should I wait a month to find out how Harry's first year as an auror went?," said one enthusiastic fan who purchased the book on-line.
Scholastic is expected to lose millions to the pirated copies, and the company's shares on the NASDAQ slumped in response.
Fans of the Harry Potter series of books were shocked to learn that the long-promised eighth book in the series, Harry Potter and the Minister of Dragons, was released a month early in China. Scholastic, the U.S. publisher for the series, said that the release was not sanctioned. "Simply put, someone leaked the manuscript, and the Chinese published the book," said one senior Scholastic official. "As usual, the PRC disregards even the slightest notion of protecting intellectual property."
Despite the best efforts of Scholastic, copies of the pirated book have turned up in the United States. "Why should I wait a month to find out how Harry's first year as an auror went?," said one enthusiastic fan who purchased the book on-line.
Scholastic is expected to lose millions to the pirated copies, and the company's shares on the NASDAQ slumped in response.
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New York- Former Director of Central Intelligence Alan Eckstein is believed to have fled the country, after failing to show for his initial court appearance. Eckstein was free on bail following an arrest for attempting to purchase cocaine from an undercover DEA agent.
According to sources within the TSA, Eckstein is thought to have used forged documents to fly to Brazil yesterday, though law enforcement there have been unable to find him. Eckstein's lawyer declined to comment on the matter.
New York- Former Director of Central Intelligence Alan Eckstein is believed to have fled the country, after failing to show for his initial court appearance. Eckstein was free on bail following an arrest for attempting to purchase cocaine from an undercover DEA agent.
According to sources within the TSA, Eckstein is thought to have used forged documents to fly to Brazil yesterday, though law enforcement there have been unable to find him. Eckstein's lawyer declined to comment on the matter.
FBI agents raided an Internet server farm outside of Atlanta this morning, seizing hundreds of computers and taking thousands of websites off-line. The United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia told the press that the company in question was "used by the group Simulacra during their attacks on the New York Stock Exchange, and agents have seized a great deal of evidence."
A representative of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, an Internet rights group, decried the seizure. "Anyone could be seized if the standard is 'used by a hacker.' Botnets and zombie nets could attack anyone's computer, and every major server farm is used by thousands, or tens of thousands, of people a day."
The Internet Traffic Report, a website that monitors world-wide Internet connectivity, noted a seven percent fall in U.S. connectivity in the hours immediately after the seizure.
A representative of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, an Internet rights group, decried the seizure. "Anyone could be seized if the standard is 'used by a hacker.' Botnets and zombie nets could attack anyone's computer, and every major server farm is used by thousands, or tens of thousands, of people a day."
The Internet Traffic Report, a website that monitors world-wide Internet connectivity, noted a seven percent fall in U.S. connectivity in the hours immediately after the seizure.
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