Source: http://thinkprogress.org/romm/2011/06/30/258551/judge-threatened-listing-polar-bear/
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Thursday 30 June 2011
Bye-Polar Disorder: Judge Upholds ?Threatened? Listing for Polar Bear, Leaving It on Road to Extinction
A federal judge today upheld the George W. Bush administration’s decision to list the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The ruling is a blow to environmental groups that wanted the bear listed as endangered, thereby giving it more protections, and industry groups and others that don’t want it listed at all. [...]
Administration cancels 'secret shopper' health care access survey
A few days ago, this story made a splash in the New York Times.
WASHINGTON ? Alarmed by a shortage of primary care doctors, Obama administration officials are recruiting a team of "mystery shoppers" to pose as patients, call doctors? offices and request appointments to see how difficult it is for people to get care when they need it.The administration says the survey will address a "critical public policy problem": the increasing shortage of primary care doctors, including specialists in internal medicine and family practice. It will also try to discover whether doctors are accepting patients with private insurance while turning away those in government health programs that pay lower reimbursement rates.
Predictably, there were many screams from Republicans about "Big Brother," and death panels and the rest. The result of which, was the administration abandoning the program.
The proposal's dismissal comes after Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) called on his colleagues to sign onto a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius urging her to nix the idea."I'm asking my colleagues to join in a letter to Secretary Sebelius sharing concern with the legality, standards and repercussions of this program," Kirk said on the Senate floor. "The cost in a proposed clandestine method of collecting information on physician offices is questionable, and therefore, I'm going to be requesting details on how this survey will be conducted, how investigators will be punished for any misconduct or extortion that they may carry out in their duties, and how patient and physician confidentiality will be maintained."
So serial liar Mark Kirk says that federal contractors in this program will probably be extortionists, and HHS gives up without a fight. Physicians taking tax dollars can't be mystery-shopped for efficiency because a Republican says it's extortion. These doctors, again taking tax dollars, can't be subject to simple survey, but any ordinary citizen can be wiretapped any old time the feds want to.
There's no question that the country is lacking adequate primary care providers. What this survey would have done is collect the hard data to find out things like where the need is the greatest, which populations have the most difficulty finding access, etc. The responses will be kept confidential?Health and Human Services did not intend to create a database of "bad" doctors who won't take on new patients, but to try to determine where access to care is most problematic. It was a smart idea, the kind that American businesses use regularly.
One of the objections doctors raised was that "the secret shoppers will not identify themselves as working for the government." Which pinpoints the problem in getting this kind of information in any other kind of survey. Whether the "shoppers" are calling as part of a government survey or are actual would-be patients shouldn't make any difference to doctors, which suggests that they might not provide the same answer to a self-identified government worker taking a survey and a potential patient. Gathering this information, which is essential for finding solutions to the primary care provider shortage, will now be more difficult.
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Officials: NM blaze grows but nuke lab protected
Wildfire near Los Alamos poised to become largest in state's history; Lab protected by 10-mile long burned out area 
Source: http://feeds.cbsnews.com/~r/CBSNewsMain/~3/O7rVgAWThC8/main20075840.shtml
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Kansas denies license to one of state's three abortion clinics. Ohio ponders fetal heartbeat law
Chart created by the Guttmacher Institute
That would leave Kansas worse off than South Dakota, where there is only a single clinic providing abortions with once-a-week visits by doctors from Minnesota. The state-by-state effort to make legal abortions ever more difficult to obtain has been intense in 2011, with more legislation enacted this year than in any other single year since the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade 38 years ago.
All of the clinics provide a wide range of family planning services.
The Aid for Women clinic, in Kansas City, was denied its license without an inspection last week. Unless the courts intervene, it will have to close its doors by July 1. The clinic's director expected the denial since the rented space was too small to meet the new standards and he does not have the required visiting privileges with a local hospital. Neither he nor other abortion providers think the regulatory requirements are necessary to run a safe clinic. Finding alternative space is difficult in Kansas because of harassment by anti-abortion forces.
The new regulations and inspection regime were just passed by the legislature and signed by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback in May. Previous attempts to get such regulations on the books had made it through the legislature but been vetoed under Democratic governors.
The law is one of more than 900 measures introduced across the country since the beginning of the year. You can see the latest (June 1) update by Guttmacher here and a table of changes for the whole year here.
The licensing procedure is part of a long-standing effort by anti-abortion crusaders called TRAP laws, "targeted regulation of abortion providers. Critics have pointed out that the Kansas law, like new regulatory laws in Utah and Virginia, only go after clinics that provide abortions, not other outpatient facilities whose surgical procedures have equivalent risks to patients.
A second Kansas clinic, Planned Parenthood in Overland Park, was inspected for more than 20 hours over two days last week, according to Peter Brownlie, president of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri. His view is that the clinic met all the requirements of the new regulations and should get a license. But he told The New York Times last Friday that he thought the clinic might be denied a license anyway. He's prepared to go to court if it is.
The third clinic, also in Overland Park, will be inspected Wednesday:
Dr. Herbert Hodes, who has operated a practice in Overland Park for 34 years with a wide array of obstetric and gynecological services, called the new regulations?the latest versions of which were issued only a week ago?bizarre and ?out of date with modern medicine.? Among the provisions for which he said he might be deemed out of compliance: a rule that procedure rooms be at least 150 square feet in size and that storage areas for ?janitorial supplies and equipment? be at least 50 square feet per procedure room.
Meanwhile, HB 125, proposed by Ohio Republican Rep. Lynn R. Wachtmann, would prohibit abortions as soon as a fetal heartbeat can be detected. That's typically six or seven weeks after conception, a time before many women even realize they are pregnant. The bill includes no exceptions for rape, incest, or health of the mother.
Even some supporters believe the proposal is probably unconstitutional, but want to go ahead with it anyway. If passed and signed by the governor, the bill, which already has support from 49 Ohio representatives, just one short of what is needed for approval, would confront Roe v. Wade head-on. That's a key reason Ohio Right to Life has opposed the bill.
Like many other states, Ohio is also considering several additional attacks on legal abortion, including barring publicly funded hospitals in the state from performing the procedure.
Update: As noted in anastasia p's diary here, the Ohio House of Representatives passed the fetal heartbeat bill today.
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No recess? Some won't play along
Senators not involved in debt talks want to leave.
Source: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0611/58084.html
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Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker officially cuts collective bargaining
MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Friday signed into law the proposal that eliminates most union rights for public employees, saying he had "no doubt" that support for the measure would grow over time.
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WA-Gov: Inslee announces, leads new SurveyUSA poll
In what will come as a surprise to absolutely no one (not just because he teased it last week, but because it's been in the works for two or three years), WA-01 Democratic Rep. Jay Inslee formally announced today that he's running for Washington governor. Inslee kicked off his campaign with a speech at a biotech company in Seattle this morning, one that was heavily focused on jobs, especially green jobs (as fitting his environmental credentials) and jobs in new technologies.
SurveyUSA for KING5 (6/24-26, registered voters, 4/27-28 in parentheses):
Jay Inslee (D): 47 (41)
Rob McKenna (R): 44 (48)
Undecided: 9 (11)
(MoE: �4.4%)
Now here's the surprising part: today also gives us the first public poll giving Inslee a lead over all-but-certain Republican opponent Rob McKenna. Previous polls from SurveyUSA and PPP had given McKenna within-the-margin-of-error leads over Inslee, which, frankly, I'd expect at this point, given that McKenna, as Attorney General, is known statewide, while Inslee represents only 1/9 of the state, and also that McKenna has meticulously crafted the image of an old-school moderate Northwestern Republican for himself. (Notwithstanding the way he incinerated that image last year with one quick match-strike when he signed on to the multi-state Republican AGs' anti-HCR suit.)
Particularly surprising is that this poll comes from SurveyUSA, an automated pollster who've historically tended to lean in a pessimistic direction for Dems in Washington despite their best efforts to include cellphone users in the sample when polling the heavily wired state; case in point, their April poll of the race put McKenna ahead by 7. I'm not sure what would explain this big a shift, although a lot of Democratic-leaning locals who haven't thought about the race before probably got their first real exposure to Inslee in the last few weeks as the local media spotlight turned to him in the wake of Chris Gregoire's announcement that she wouldn't seek a third term. Inslee and McKenna are similarly well-liked, with 31/16 and 36/21 favorables respectively; Inslee's overall lead seems to come from a 19-point edge among self-described moderates.
Further down the ballot, we've already got two stories developing today in the race for the Democratic nod to fill the safely-blue suburban seat that Inslee leaves behind. State Rep. Roger Goodman, who filed to run in the 8th against Dave Reichert but who lives (under the current map) in the 1st, said that he'd filed in the 8th out of respect for Inslee but quickly clarified today that he's actually running in the 1st. And Nepal-born tech executive Darshan Rauniyar also announced his bid today; while he hasn't held elective office before, he's been active in the local party organization. They join state Rep. Marko Liias and ex-state Rep. Laura Ruderman.
This diary is brought to you by Daily Kos Elections, an official Daily Kos sub-site. Please read our Mission Statement. Our focus is on electoral politics rather than policy. Welcome aboard!
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Wednesday 29 June 2011
What Happens If the U.S. Defaults on Its Debt?
While many economists say a genuine default is unlikely because politicians in Washington will ultimately agree on a way to raise the debt ceiling, naysayers in Washington have downplayed the potential consequences such as higher interest rates and inflation.
Source: http://feeds.abcnews.com/click.phdo?i=ae3db5cbc5b4b7b7215cde2cd97ae3ee
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In race, Huntsman fights Romney cash juggernaut
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman is racing to find moderate Republican donors who have not been caught up in frontrunner Mitt Romney's fundraising juggernaut, which shows no signs of slowing. 
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West Thinks NATO Ally Turkey Is Behind Gaza Flotilla, Worried U.S. Will Have To Attack Israel If Israel Attacks The Flotilla
Frank Gaffney‘s Center for Security Policy honored Rep. Allen West (R-FL) in New York this week, where West “made a presentation delineating some of our more pressing national security concerns.” During the speech, West turned to the issue of the Gaza flotilla that has been making headlines in recent weeks. A group of pro-Palestinian activists, [...]
Source: http://thinkprogress.org/security/2011/06/29/257750/allen-west-turkey-israel-flotilla/
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Unlike Palin, Bachmann shrugs off attacks, criticism
The two conservative women are often compared, but they have very different strategies in addressing critics and the news media.
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Obama Aides Defend Use of White House Room for Campaign Pitch
The White House offered a vigorous defense Tuesday of a presidential campaign video filmed inside 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., saying no lines were crossed by using federal facilities in a political pitch.
Source: http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/politics/~3/fcfYu_nzWRc/
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Giffords makes public appearance
U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords made a public appearance Monday evening in Houston with her astronaut husband at a NASA function, a spokesman said. 
Source: http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/cnn_allpolitics/~3/kUxoohQ5v6E/index.html
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First Thoughts: Bachmann's turn for overdrive
Minnesota lawmaker officially enters the 2012 GOP field with a boost in the Iowa polls.
Source: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/06/27/6956158-first-thoughts-bachmanns-turn-for-overdrive
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Tuesday 28 June 2011
Midday open thread
- Tom DeLay's going to prison. Get your mockery on in Land of Enchantment's diary.
- Thrice-married, serial adulterer Newt Gingrich, also known as the great defender of marriage, concern trolls New York's passage of gay marriage, saying we're "drifting toward a terrible muddle."
- But that's nothing compared to Pat Robertson's reaction to teh gay marriage. Apparently, it makes God angry:
In history there?s never been a civilization ever in history that has embraced homosexuality and turned away from traditional fidelity, traditional marriage, traditional child-rearing, and has survived. There isn?t one single civilization that has survived that openly embraced homosexuality.
Thanks a lot, New York. Now we're doomed!
- Speaking of New York, apparently there was a celebration or something?
- Look out, Orrin Hatch. The teabaggers are coming for you.
- Whoa:
Members of the House of Representatives reported up to $6.1 million in staff bonuses between January and March even as they debated spending cuts and came within minutes of shutting down the federal government over fiscal problems, a CNN investigation has found.
At least one congressman gave thousands of dollars to his staff as he criticized other federal workers as being overpaid.
So much for that whole "overpaid government workers" argument, right? Except it looks like Democrats are generous ones:
Members of both political parties reported bonuses, though Democrats outspent Republicans, with up to $3.1 million in staff bonuses compared with $908,000 for GOP members. The remaining $2.1 million CNN found was disbursed by committees. Committee spokesmen did not respond or were not able to delineate between Democratic and Republican staff members.
- Maybe we need to start invading countries with cooler climates:
The amount the U.S. military spends annually on air conditioning in Iraq and Afghanistan: $20.2 billion.
That's more than NASA's budget. It's more than BP has paid so far for damage during the Gulf oil spill. It's what the G-8 has pledged to help foster new democracies in Egypt and Tunisia.
- Via Andrew Sullivan, Joe McGinnis calls bullshit on the title of Sarah Palin's movie, "The Undefeated":
She was defeated, most famously, in her run for vice president in 2008.
Prior to that, she was defeated in her run for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor of Alaska in 2002.
Those are two defeats in tries for elective office.
But Sarah?s history of defeat is much more extensive.
She was defeated in the Miss Alaska pageant.
She was defeated in four different attempts to graduate from college before she finally managed it at University of Idaho.
She was defeated in her attempt to get a creationist majority elected to the Wasilla School Board in the early 1990?s.
She was defeated in her attempt to have abortion banned at the Mat-Su Valley hospital.
Before her election as Wasilla mayor, she was defeated when she applied for a position as dispatcher with the Palmer, Alaska, police department and was not hired.
After her election as Wasilla mayor, she was defeated in her attempt to appoint Alaska Independence Party and John Birch Society member Steve Stoll to the city council.
As mayor, she was defeated in her attempt to fire Wasilla librarian Mary Ellen Emmons in 1997, a move that nearly led to her recall.
The list goes on. And on. And on.
- Huh?
You may be aware that there has been one persistent question surrounding a passage of Bristol Palin?s new memoir wherein she describes her first ever sexual encounter, with then-boyfriend Levi Johnston, as being fueled by too many wine coolers. Was this young woman, people wanted to know, raped? Was she coerced into having sex? Could she have said no if she wanted to?
Palin is addressing those concerns, telling USA Today that the drunken encounter was ?a dumb decision,? and sharing that she had agreed to it with the hope that she and Johnston would one day marry:
I?m not accusing Levi of date rape by any means. I?m just honestly looking back on it with the eyes of an adult. That was five years ago, and I?m realizing that it was a dumb decision.
Right. She's not accusing him of rape, just of getting her drunk on wine coolers and having sex with her when she was unconscious. But I guess her clarification makes sense. After all, under the Republican definition, that's not rape. It's just sort of rape-ish.
Source: http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/PzVYxuQ4fD8/-Midday-open-thread
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Midday open thread
- Tom DeLay's going to prison. Get your mockery on in Land of Enchantment's diary.
- Thrice-married, serial adulterer Newt Gingrich, also known as the great defender of marriage, concern trolls New York's passage of gay marriage, saying we're "drifting toward a terrible muddle."
- But that's nothing compared to Pat Robertson's reaction to teh gay marriage. Apparently, it makes God angry:
In history there?s never been a civilization ever in history that has embraced homosexuality and turned away from traditional fidelity, traditional marriage, traditional child-rearing, and has survived. There isn?t one single civilization that has survived that openly embraced homosexuality.
Thanks a lot, New York. Now we're doomed!
- Speaking of New York, apparently there was a celebration or something?
- Look out, Orrin Hatch. The teabaggers are coming for you.
- Whoa:
Members of the House of Representatives reported up to $6.1 million in staff bonuses between January and March even as they debated spending cuts and came within minutes of shutting down the federal government over fiscal problems, a CNN investigation has found.
At least one congressman gave thousands of dollars to his staff as he criticized other federal workers as being overpaid.
So much for that whole "overpaid government workers" argument, right? Except it looks like Democrats are generous ones:
Members of both political parties reported bonuses, though Democrats outspent Republicans, with up to $3.1 million in staff bonuses compared with $908,000 for GOP members. The remaining $2.1 million CNN found was disbursed by committees. Committee spokesmen did not respond or were not able to delineate between Democratic and Republican staff members.
- Maybe we need to start invading countries with cooler climates:
The amount the U.S. military spends annually on air conditioning in Iraq and Afghanistan: $20.2 billion.
That's more than NASA's budget. It's more than BP has paid so far for damage during the Gulf oil spill. It's what the G-8 has pledged to help foster new democracies in Egypt and Tunisia.
- Via Andrew Sullivan, Joe McGinnis calls bullshit on the title of Sarah Palin's movie, "The Undefeated":
She was defeated, most famously, in her run for vice president in 2008.
Prior to that, she was defeated in her run for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor of Alaska in 2002.
Those are two defeats in tries for elective office.
But Sarah?s history of defeat is much more extensive.
She was defeated in the Miss Alaska pageant.
She was defeated in four different attempts to graduate from college before she finally managed it at University of Idaho.
She was defeated in her attempt to get a creationist majority elected to the Wasilla School Board in the early 1990?s.
She was defeated in her attempt to have abortion banned at the Mat-Su Valley hospital.
Before her election as Wasilla mayor, she was defeated when she applied for a position as dispatcher with the Palmer, Alaska, police department and was not hired.
After her election as Wasilla mayor, she was defeated in her attempt to appoint Alaska Independence Party and John Birch Society member Steve Stoll to the city council.
As mayor, she was defeated in her attempt to fire Wasilla librarian Mary Ellen Emmons in 1997, a move that nearly led to her recall.
The list goes on. And on. And on.
- Huh?
You may be aware that there has been one persistent question surrounding a passage of Bristol Palin?s new memoir wherein she describes her first ever sexual encounter, with then-boyfriend Levi Johnston, as being fueled by too many wine coolers. Was this young woman, people wanted to know, raped? Was she coerced into having sex? Could she have said no if she wanted to?
Palin is addressing those concerns, telling USA Today that the drunken encounter was ?a dumb decision,? and sharing that she had agreed to it with the hope that she and Johnston would one day marry:
I?m not accusing Levi of date rape by any means. I?m just honestly looking back on it with the eyes of an adult. That was five years ago, and I?m realizing that it was a dumb decision.
Right. She's not accusing him of rape, just of getting her drunk on wine coolers and having sex with her when she was unconscious. But I guess her clarification makes sense. After all, under the Republican definition, that's not rape. It's just sort of rape-ish.
Source: http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/PzVYxuQ4fD8/-Midday-open-thread
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