Blog by Dave Johnson
[Heads-up from Ed Kent]
Whirlpool, recipient of federal stimulus “smart grid” dollars, is closing an Evansville, Indiana freezer-topped refrigerator and icemaker production plant and moving the 1,100 jobs to Mexico.
New America Media, Commentary, Aaron Glantz, Posted: February 20, 2010
It was one year ago that this week that President Obama signed the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, better known as the stimulus package. It’s the biggest investment in our country since the Great Depression, but in this commentary I show how for most of us, a year of stimulus is not enough.
On February 16, ABC World News and NBC Nightly News aired incomplete and unbalanced reports following Barack Obama’s announcement of $8 billion in new loan guarantees for a nuclear power plant in Georgia.
Jeremy W. Peters, February 9: ALBANY — The New York State Senate on Tuesday night expelled a senator convicted of assaulting his companion, the first time a member of the Legislature was forced from office in nearly a century. Full NYT story here.
So: There has been much – research studies as well as news stories – about the corruption suffused in incredible hubris – in Albany. Criminal corruption as well as a withering ethical malaise that has nothing to do with the best interests of constituents. So, to see “them” eat one of their own (in a period when lots of eyes are turned to the shenanigans) almost brings tears to the eyes. Hasta la vista Hiram Monserrate even if there is a chance it won’t be permanent.
Let the feasting get contagious. One down, many to go.
“The Tea Party movement has energized activism against President Obama’s vision for immigration reform. The link between tea partiers and immigration politics developed last summer, when the impact of illegal immigration on the health care system became a prominent side issue in town hall debates. Since then, illegal immigration has steadily gained ground on the Tea Party agenda.” — Article by Marcelo Ballvé for New America Media.
Read more here.
Whose lament (below) is this?
Just finished watching the Sarah What’s-Her-Name segment of CNN’s Reliable Sources, an excellent show for a genre purporting to broadcast insightful commentary and analysis and news about news. Sometimes, however, the difficulties of producing a regular schedule of quality programming for this genre is evident – slow news week, bad news week – and banality can rule at times.
Nothing insightful this date, November 22. Nothing new, nothing gained.
Lots missed?
FAIR:
TV host Lou Dobbs abruptly quit his CNN program yesterday, bringing a sudden end to a television program most notable for its remarkably one-sided presentation of immigration issues. Full FAIR Article.
Dobbs’ nativistic preaching and preening in front of the camera was more than “remarkably one-sided.” He engaged, loathingly, in news demagoguery and got away with it for way tooooooo long. Roberto Lovato, one of the co-founders of Presente.org, was quoted in the New York Times as saying, “We are thrilled that Dobbs no longer has this legitimate platform from which to incite fear and hate.â€
By Jonathan Mena
Senior Editor/Producer
Pro immigration groups in the U.S. exulted in delight at the knowledge that Lou Dobbs stepped down yesterday.
Dobbs, who has denigrated Latinos and immigrants in his news show, has been accused of consistently spreading false information as facts about issues concerning immigration. On Tuesday he said issues like immigration have been, “defined in the public arena by partisanship and ideology rather than rigorous empirical thought and forthright analysis and discussion.†His resignation comes at a time when talks of immigration reform have all but been absent in the White House.
Without a major platform like CNN, Dobbs next move will be closely watched to see where he lands. Groups like BastaDobbs.com have sprung to stop what they call “anti-immigrant extremism.â€Â The Latino community is the fastest growing demographic group and will soon become a constituency to be reckoned with. Dobbs resignation was just a small battle victory.
With healthcare reform, war and the economy on the top of Obama’s to do lis,t Latinos from all across the U.S. will need to unite to see that our concerns are heard and resolved.