• Breaking Blue. What's happening in your state? If you're in Florida, you should know that Democratic turnout for the primary was 15% lower that Republican turnout. In Washington state, Democratic challenger Peter Goldmark is kicking the fundraising tail of the Republican incumbant, Rep. Cathy Morris (W-05). In the House, Verified Voting is close to being a reality. Get the latest on what's happening in your state with MyDD's "Breaking Blue."

• President of TV Indecency Watchdog Group to Step Down. We couldn't possibly be happier that L. Brent Bozell is stepping down as the head of the Parents Television Council. The new president will be Tim Winter, who wants to work collaboratively with the networks. That should be fun, considering how abrasive the PTC has been. And it's not possible to gaude how "effective" the PTC has been over the last few years. Sure, the number of complaints to the FCC has risen. But you've gotta think that many of them are conservatives who just want things to be like they were in the 60's. (Never mind that TV in the 60's was considered scandalous - The Beatles, Elvis...you name it). As society as a whole changes, so should the individual. We're not suggesting that "anything goes on network television." We are saying that a group that puts out an annual "Top Ten Best and Worst Advertisers," which ranks advertisers based on how much they sponsor "wholesome programming" versus "destructive programming" is doing more harm than good.

• Republican Rift Over Wiretapping Widens. We're in the home stretch of the 109th Congress, and is it possible, just possible, that Republicans are starting to realize that the NSA wiretapping is just plain wrong? Of course not; don't let their actions fool you. Republicans want to get re-elected, and by distancing themselves from a program that they verbally supported six months ago, they make themselves more appealing to their constituents. The same can be said for the administration, which is trying to shore up party support by releasing a new counterterrorism strategy. Only, the "new" strategy looks remarkably similar to the strategy Democrats suggested in 2003. Shocked? Of course, if the press remains complicit in passing along Republican talking points, it's gonna be tough to have a rational debate about the illegality of the President's actions.

• Communities Grapple With Rise In Violence. Poor domestic policy doesn't just happen in isolation. The rift between the rich and the poor is increasing every day in George Bush's America, and eventually it starts to take its toll on all of us. Not surprisingly, "After a decade of decline, violent crime is on the rise across the United States. Assault rose 2 percent between 2004 and 2005, according to the FBIs latest report of national crime trends. Murder and robbery are up nearly 5 percent - the sharpest increase since 1991." It's really no mystery why this is occurring: "Last year, Congress cut a major community policing program by 21 percent, or $127.7 million, and a Justice Department grant program by 34 percent, $217.5 million. Funding for the programs has declined by more than $1.5 billion, nearly 65 percent, since 2002." We have a crazy idea, but it just might work: Roll back the tax cuts!

• Bush Aims to Kill War Crimes. Well, this shouldn't really surprise anyone. After all this administration's talk about Gitmo and the atrocities that had been happening, this is just the next logical step, right? Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith document how Bush's aim to kill the War Crimes Bill will unfold, and what we should be prepared for. This is a scary, slippery slope to step on, and no one should underestimate this administration's ruthlessness when it comes to getting what they want.

• Hate Has No Place On the Airwaves. Given a national platform, many pundits feel the need to tell you exactly what's on their mind. For many, that translates to telling you how and why the opposite side is screwing up. For some, though, a national platform is an opportunity to spew hate and bile across the nation. There is little we can do about people like Pat Robertson (assassinate Hugo Chavez, anyone?), but pundits are a different slice. They exist only as a rented entity. So, when we read trash from the mouths of people like Ann Coulter, we wonder why networks and media outlets continue to give them a voice (particularly when conservatives are complaining). Sign Media Matters petition, and help get this garbage off of our airwaves! (It's important to note that this petition in no way promotes censorship. Ann Coulter is free to talk to anyone who will listen, but that doesn't mean we have to sit idly by. She has freedom of speech, but she does not necessarily have the right to a national platform).

• Pregnancy Centers Found to Give False Information on Abortion. Hey, did you know that abortion results in an increased risk of breast cancer, infertility, and deep psychological trauma? No, you likely didn't, because, you see, it's just not true. However, if you were to call one of the many federally-funded "pregnancy resource centers" in this country, that's exactly what they will tell you. What motives are at play here, then? This practice of misleading those seeking health care and advice "denies teenagers and women vital health information, prevents them from making an informed decision, and is not an accepted public health practice," according to the minority congressional report released yesterday. Mainstream, accepted medical studies do not support the claims being propagated by these centers. For example, "An expert panel of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), for instance, concluded in 2003 that an 'abortion is not associated with an increase in breast cancer.'" So, why would people like Molly Ford, spokeswoman for one of the pregnancy resource center networks, believe otherwise? Is it a religious thing? Or, is it simply that people like Ford believe that they are correct, and so everyone else should think what they think?

• Senate Stem Cell Bill to Prompt Bush Veto. It's been over five and a half years, and finally, President Bush is preparing to use his first veto. The majority of Congress has been in such lockstep with Bush that it just hasn't been necessary before now. But stem cell research has put Republicans in a bind. The Senate is going to pass the bill. The House will (most likely) pass the bill. But George "I'm Living in the 19th Century" Bush will veto it. Just like abortion, Social Security, solar power...anything that disturbs the status quo or pisses off his extremist base...this, too, will not be tolerated. Republican senators and representatives will vote for the bill. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger wrote to Bush and asked him to not to veto the bill. And then, voila! Bush will veto it. The result? More scientific research is denied because of the religious views of one man.

• Why the Left Is Furious at Lieberman. Duncan Black, or, as he's known online, Atrios, has an excellent summation in the LA Times over why Joe Lieberman is no longer a Democrat. Black's editorial is a response to a horrendous piece by Jonathan Chait last week, who uses the argument that Lieberman, as an incumbent Democrat, should not be challenged. What kind of nonsense is this? Chait wrote, "Lieberman recently declared, 'I have loyalties that are greater than those to my party.'. . .But shouldn't we all have greater loyalties than the one to our party - say, to our country?" This sentence seems so obvious that it's almost an insult to his readers. What Chait doesn't explore is the relationship between party and candidate. Lieberman still prefers to call himself a Democrat, even though his recent track record would indicate otherwise. Somewhere between loyalty to the party and loyalty to the country lies a very important step, and it's one Chait avoids completely: loyalty to the constituents. Given the momentum that Ned Lamont has gained over the last few months, it's safe to say that many Democrats in the state do not see Joe Lieberman as someone qualified to represent them and their state. And, for Democrats, if they are unhappy with the incumbent, well, why not challenge him? We're not talking about someone like Senator Barak Obama, who won with 70% of the vote two years ago, and enjoys almost unparalleled success and adoration as a face of the Democratic Party. Should someone try to challenge Obama in the Illinois Democratic primary in 2010, they will most surely lose. But, they are free to challenge him; that's the power of democracy. Chait also accused left-wing bloggers of mounting a personal vendetta against Lieberman for his stance on the war. Black dispels that notion, because Lieberman has willingly stood by and defended the worst president in history! Left-wing bloggers also had nothing to do with Lieberman's challenger, Ned Lamont, deciding to run for his seat. Sure, as a progressive voice, Lamont is an ideal "netroots" candidate. But, Lamont decided to run all on his own, and the state of Connecticut couldn't be better off for it.

• Poker Players Alliance. The evangelical Republican mindset of "our rules, our world" has led to attempted legislation on everything from stem cell research to gay marriage to bankruptcy. Now, Republicans are just going beyond absurd in their legislative attempts. Representative Robert W. Goodlatte (R-VA) has introduced a bill that would ban online gambling. Goodlatte's main complaint is that it leads to "a whole host of ills in society." Ironically, there is a strong parallel to gun control here. Republicans have long been pro-NRA, saying that "guns don't kill people; people kill people." So, Republicans are trusting enough to allow Americans to use common sense when it comes to guns, but not for online gambling? And really, how is playing online any different than going to a casino? If Goodlette wants to introduce legislation to more closely regulate online gambling sites, well, that's just fine. Beyond that, though, is the idea that poker (specifically) is a game of skill. Games like roulette, blackjack, craps - these are all games of chance which pit one person against the dealer/house. In poker, although the card deal is random, it is all about skill, because you play not against the house/dealer, but against other players. The Poker Players Alliance was formed, in part, as a response to this ridiculous piece of legislation. Visit the title link, join them today, and tell our government to stop trying to restrict our rights and focus on the actual problems of the country (like the war, high gas prices, etc.). Our thanks to Adam for the link.

• Judge Rules That U.S. Has Broad Powers to Detain Noncitizens Indefinitely. Well, what did they expect? Detaining people based on race is nothing new here in America. Does anyone else remember that detainment camps held Japanese-Americans during World War II? And those were our own citizens! Of course a court is going to rule that we can hold non-citizens indefinitely (purely based on race) without explanation! That doesn't mean that it's right, or that we agree with it, but you need look no further than sixty five years into our past to know how this court would rule. Interestingly, the case is still going forward, and will now require John Ashcroft and Robert Mueller (among others) to take the stand and testify. Temper your excitement here, though. If they had no problem lying to us while they were in office, why should we think their hand on a bible will be any different? (For much more, check out Orcinus.

• DeLay's Mission Continues. Robert Scheer makes a very good point. If Tom DeLay was really so proud of the work he did while in office, why did he withdraw his name from the 2006 ballot? Surely, if he really was doing "a good job," why didn't he have faith in the voters of his district to see that? DeLay claims that he did everything for God. "In this House, I found my life's calling and my soul's savior." Now, though, DeLay is free to continue to pump K Street for money, to act as a go-between for lobbyists and the House, and do it all under far less stringency. Perhaps that's the real reason why DeLay called it quits.

• EFF's Class-Action Lawsuit Against AT&T for Collaboration with Illegal Domestic Spying Program. Today's Activism requires you to read. Isn't it amazing how all this talk of gay marriage, immigration and Iran has dropped the illegal NSA spying program off of the front page and off of many people's radars? It's pretty disheartening to think that this administration can simply invent a "crisis" to change the subject. It's like an awkward teenage date, where Bush tries to feel up America, and when America says no, Bush starts talking about where he's going to go to college. Only, while he's talking, he's still feeling America up. Aren't you sick of this? We sure are. Check out how the Electronic Frontier Foundation is trying to bring accountability to the telecoms and the government, and, if you're so inspired, donate to them.

• House Backs Bill to Help Telcos Offer TV Service. We'd like to believe it's just coincidence that the House handed telecoms a major victory this week. With this vote, companies like Verizon and AT&T now have a much easier route to offering "subscription television service." But, as soon as we read this, there was that nagging voice in the back of our heads reminding us about the NSA spying scandal. If you recall, AT&T, among other telecoms, turned over their phone records to the government in what was clearly a violation of the privacy agreement with their consumers. So, is this how the companies are rewarded, with a clearer path to more money? We really don't like shouting "conspiracy," but the timing of this legislation is just too close for comfort.

• War Cost Reports Said to be Incomplete, Understated. Here's the lead-in to this editorial by Winslow Wheeler: "The Congressional Research Service says the total cost for Iraq and Afghanistan will soon be $439 billion; $7 billion that the Pentagon 'couldn't track' is now up to $11 billion." If $11 billion gone missing isn't bad enough for you, keep reading. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that additional costs for the two countries could be $371 billion, which would mean that, by 2016, we'd have spent a total of $811 billion! Where's all this money coming from? Bush is treating us like small children. He's patting Americans on the head and telling us to be good and that we don't need to worry about these pesky money issues. If we promise not to worry, we can have a cookie! Then, he cuts taxes for the rich. He's not only shoved us into a costly, short-sighted war, but he has done absolutely nothing to help pay for it. Worst. President. Ever.

• Women are Waiting. Can you believe that the FDA has been dragging its heels on Plan B for over 5 years? It's true, and it's ridiculous. Giving in to a right-wing agenda that thrives on fear and small-mindedness is just an absurd way to run a country, and we're tired of it. Today's post is dedicated to that fear and small-mindedness, so get started against the agenda by signing NARAL's petition to support the "Maloney-Shays-Inslee-Crowley 'Plan B for Plan B Act.'"

• Senate Rejects Gay Marriage Amendment. We're sure that you know this by now, but yesterday, the Senate failed to even come close to passing a Constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Seven Republicans swung over to the liberal side and voted against the amendment, which would have required a 2/3 majority to pass. Nonetheless, conservatives aren't deterred, and are hoping that this issue will stay alive long enough to get Republicans out to vote in November. Much like immigration, the same-sex marriage issue is simply a ploy by neocons to turn America's focus away from the issues that they can't fix, like rising gas and energy costs, the war in Iraq, and finding Osama bin Laden. In fact, you need look no further than Bill "You could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down" Bennett, who was on The Daily Show last Monday, to see the Republican fear machine at work. Stewart poignantly and effortlessly tore that wall down:

Bennett: Look, it's a debate about whether you think marriage is between a man and a woman.

Stewart: I disagree, I think it's a debate about whether you think gay people are part of the human condition or just a random fetish.

And that's what this debate boils down to. Christian extremists on the right see homosexuality as "wrong," and don't want it in this country. Maybe neocons are hoping that, if the amendment passes, homosexuals will just up and leave. Bennett represents everything that's wrong with Republican leadership, and it's high time we called them out on it.

• Middle East Wars Flare Up At Yale. We link to Juan Cole quite a bit; because we feel that he's not only a good writer, but that he also has Middle East knowledge and experience that lends a tremendous amount of weight to his words. Cole has been very vocal in his distaste for the Iraq War, and routinely gives a unique view as to why it's not working. He also spends a lot of ink on why Israel's policies are also not working. Conservatives despise Cole because they can't really argue with his facts. Cole, who currently teaches at the University of Michigan, would be teaching at Yale, as he was approved by both Yale's sociology and history departments, but then something happened. The school's tenure committee, Cole's final hurdle, said "No." The "No" vote was unusual in and of itself; the reasons for the vote even more so. In Cole's own words, he believes that "the concerted press campaign by neoconservatives against me, which was a form of lobbying the higher administration, was inappropriate and a threat to academic integrity....The articles published in the Yale Standard, the New York Sun, the Wall Street Journal, Slate, and the Washington Times, as part of what was clearly an orchestrated campaign, contained made-up quotes, inaccuracies, and false charges. The idea that I am any sort of anti-Jewish racist because I think Israel would be better off without the occupied territories is bizarre, but I fear that a falsehood repeated often enough and in high enough places may begin to lose its air of absurdity." This is nothing short of fear at work. Conservatives, knowing that they can't argue Cole's facts head-on, instead play on people's fears and insecurities with made-up assertions. Unfortunately, in this case, it worked. Nothing against Michigan, but Yale is a far more prestigious school, and the tenure committee at Yale should be ashamed of themselves for allowing personal politics to play a role in their faculty selections.

• Bush: Immigrants Must Adopt U.S. Values. Ah, America. Land of the free, as long as you marry someone of the opposite sex! Home of the brave; just don't be brave enough to not learn English. The conservative agenda keeps sliding us back into the 17th century. Republicans continue to pursue power, and they don't care who they have to step on to keep it. Of course, Bush's message of "Learn English or Get Out" was undermined when he talked with students in Spanish. He also wants to tighten security on the border, and while it's a nice idea, where is he going to find the people to do it? Army recruitment numbers continue to come in well below expected goals. Bush and his administration play on people's fears: "Drug traffickers, smugglers, hostage takers, terrorists, violent gangs: These are threats that are serious," said Donald Rumsfeld. Are they all? Perhaps you should focus on the imminent problems, then, and not the 12 million illegal immigrants in this country, many of whom are valuable members of society.

• Citizens 1, Corporations 0. Last Tuesday was an election day, though it only affected several states. There was some bad news (Francine Busby lost, but that was really her own fault), and there was some good news (Jon Tester won the right to face Conrad Burns for his Montana Senate seat). However, there was also news that got slipped under the radar. John Nichols writes that an initiative referendum in Humboldt County, California (placed on the ballot by residents), easily passed. This referendum stated that corporations based in the county could not use the same campaign finance rules as residents (i.e. with regards to how much money they can contribute to a campaign). Sure, corporations will take this measure to the courts now, but it was progressive thinking that got it on the ballot, it was progressive thinking that got it passed, and it will be progressive thinking that keeps it law. Kudos to the residents of Humboldt County, who showed no fear in telling big business that they can't dictate their lives.

• Big Business, Not Religion, Is the Real Power In the White House . Jonathan Freedland sums up the neocon attack on gay marriage nicely: "The Republicans could get whipped in November's midterm elections, unless they can persuade God-fearing values voters to turn out to halt the devil of gay marriage all over again." After all, it worked in 2004, didn't it? Only this time, Bush's base is not so easily swayed. Sugar-coated words that drew them before won't keep them here, and Bush's lack of pressure on the Senate for the gay marriage amendment doesn't gibe with his words. Every single time this country has restricted the rights of a group, it has backfired. Blacks and women are two perfect examples of this. America's desire of the 90's to "not offend anyone" has turned into "don't offend me." The Christian right have taken the idea of political correctness to a level it was never designed to reach, arguing that we, as a country, are destroying Christmas (for example), and that they are being persecuted. To the evangelical who announces that homosexuality is against god, we'd love to sit them down and have them explain that to Dick Cheney, who has been unnaturally quiet on this topic. Perhaps that's because his daughter is openly gay. We have to believe that this stupidity will cause Republicans to lose power, but only if the Democrats can seize the day.

• Tell the Phone Companies to Hang Up on the NSA. We're pretty nauseated with the way phone companies have rolled over for this administration. When does "in the name of freedom" become too much of a price, particularly for an illegal program that just doesn't work (for more, see today's Blogger Commentary). Sign this petition from the ACLU, which will be delivered to AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth. It wouldn't hurt to let them know that you're considering moving to Skype or Vonage, either. Nothing makes companies stand up more than a hit to their pocketbooks and wallets.

• Close Ties To Ehrlich Lucrative For Lawyer. Maryland's current Governor, Republican Robert Ehrlich, is a case study of the modern conservative. He looks out for Big Business at the expense of his constituency. He makes great-sounding campaign promises that disappear upon election. He caters to the religious right. He cries foul when his own tactics are turned against him. He doesn't give a flying fig about who he pisses off when he pushes his legislation. And, to top it off, he finds all sorts of loopholes for questionable activity. Witness this story in the Washington Post, which focuses on Ehrlich's personal lawyer, David Hamilton. Hamilton uses his position and influence to "help clients get access to the governor and other policymakers, and then ask those same clients to donate to Ehrlich's 2006 reelection campaign." Sounds like a lobbyist, right? Not according to Hamilton, who says that "I know exactly where that line is, and I am very careful not to cross it. I do lawyering, not lobbying." We're pretty sure that they don't teach you this kind of give-and-take when you're preparing for the Bar Exam. Why doesn't Hamilton register himself as a lobbyist, you may ask? The answer is shockingly simple: lobbyists have a slew of disclosure requirements they must fill out, and are subject to rigorous screening of their activities. By not registering, Hamilton is free and clear from all that. The result, of course, is that he continues to lobby serve as Ehrlich's personal lawyer, and an entire system is flouted.

• House Leaders Demand FBI Return Papers. It's time we weighed in on the scandal surrounding Representative William Jefferson (D-LA), who is being investigated for taking bribes. Recently, the Justice Department conducted a raid on Jefferson's office, and Republican leaders in the House are pissed. Yes, Republicans. You see, Jefferson's exposure makes them extremely uneasy, because public demand for accountability will surely backlash onto their party. Speaker Dennis Hastert and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi stood up and said that documents taken in the raid were "unconstitutionally seized." But make no mistake: Hastert is looking out for the GOP. One might think that Pelosi was blindly standing up for Jefferson, but if that's the case, why did she ask him to resign his seat on the House Ways and Means Committee? His response to Pelosi: "With respect, I decline to do so. I will not give up a committee assignment that is so vital to New Orleans at this crucial time for any uncertain, long-term political strategy." We agree with Pelosi wholeheartedly, and Jefferson should step down. After all, how much does he honestly expect to accomplish with this cloud of scandal surrounding him? Actually, the fact that Jefferson hasn't yet resigned from Congress is pretty upsetting to us. Don't think that just because we're liberal Democrats that it means we blindly support every member of our party in office.

• Will Your Vote Count in 2006? Democrats are certainly facing an uphill battle this year. Although public disgust with the administration gives them momentum, there are still several key challenges. How do Democrats get voters to actually vote in November? How do they help safeguard voting zones so as to avoid another Ohio? How can the DNC effectively use its net roots? All of these questions become moot if we can't even assure that votes are cast and counted correctly. It's been awhile since we've talked about verified voting, but believe us, the issue hasn't gone away. At the center of the controversy are Diebold machines, whose software is so easily alterable that a 16-year-old could do it. In politics, there is no second place. You win, or you go home. So it's no secret why Republicans have been at the center of the electronic voting controversy for six years now. According to one of the Diebold testers, "If Diebold had set out to build a system as insecure as they possibly could, this would be it." Now, why would they do that?

• Can You Still Hate Wal-Mart? Of course you can! Speeches and pretty words are one thing, but action is quite another. Although it's commendable that Wal-Mart is moving further into the "Green," heed Mark Morford's words: this is about making money, pure and simple. The great PR is just a side bonus. When Wal-Marts actually start ponying up for health care for all workers, for better working conditions, and for better pensions, then you can call us. In the meantime, it's entirely possible to enjoy the benefits of Wal-Mart's "21st Century Leadership Plan," yet still not shop there. We sure don't.

• John Kerry's Encore. It can be argued that John Kerry is (and has been) an effective Senator. He's also found his voice. Kerry has spent a lot of time (since the end of 2005) working on a plan to get us out of Iraq. Of course, any plan that involves leaving Iraq would require Bush to admit that he was wrong, and that's just not going to happen. "Staying the course" is clearly not a working option, but that's all Bush seems to know how to do. If Democrats regain control of the Senate in November, it will make for an interesting two years of politics. We fully support Kerry's ideas, if not his overall plan. Now please, just don't let him run for president again.