There was some big thing going on in DC on Tuesday.

Lots of people attended.

Some people didn't make it.

Meanwhile, Obama staffers got a nasty technological surprise.

Roe v. Wade celebrated an anniversary.

There are lots of ways to see the GOP.

M. Night Shyamalan and Paramount Pictures are royally pissing me off.

New York gets a new Senator?

Congressman Hank Johnson, 4th CD, will be the newest subcommittee chairmen on the House Judiciary Committee. Yeah for Congressman Johnson. As a sophomore Congressman, he's moving on up and very quickly.

According to CQ Politics,

Johnson will head the Subcommittee on Courts and Competition Policy, which will have a narrower jurisdiction this Congress. Johnson's panel will handle antitrust law but not intellectual property issues, which will be pushed up to the full committee level.

Keep doing us proud!

I can't imagine how Georgia's Republican Governor has more time on his hand to care about the number of people serving on a school board than he does to keep school nurses.

I couldn't imagine growing up without having a school nurse - not that I was a sickly kid - but it was always the assurance that if something did go medically wrong there was a nurse professional onsite at the school. I moved into my Edgewood neighborhood because of the volunteer efforts of the late Dr. Brumley who set up a medical facility at Whitefoord Elementary. When the Atlanta School Board was forced by the State to cut school nurses in the mid-90's, Dr. Brumley established a medical facility at a public elementary school to serve all the children attending the school and their siblings. There aren't many Dr. Brumley types left in Georgia so it is critical that our legislators step up to the plate and find the money to keep school nurses. I'm glad the Democratic House Caucus opposes the Governor's cuts.

Children can't learn when they are sick and teachers can't teach when they are running a health clinic.

Atlanta -- According to the Governor's FY 2009 amended budget proposal school nurses will soon become a thing of the past. The recommendations submitted by the Governor last week cut $30 million in state funds which would eliminate the school nurse program. The Georgia House Democratic Caucus leaders oppose this cut and have pledged to work to restore the program.

Democrats believe in promoting preventive medicine and supporting nurses in schools so children can focus on learning and avoid complications that arise when health problems go untreated. They also believe every family should have access to a doctor and every school should have a nurse.

"We have a growing number of working families without health insurance and some of those parents rely on school nurses to keep their children safe and healthy while they are in school." said Pat Gardner (D-Atlanta), Chairperson for Health and Human Services Policy Committee for the Georgia House Democratic Caucus.

Georgia House Democratic Caucus Education Policy Chair, Rep. Kathy Ashe (D-Atlanta) said, "We must fight for our children and their right to receive appropriate health care while they are in school. If children don't receive the care they need their medical issues could escalate. It's a short sighted approach that will eventually cost our state additional funds and more importantly, diminish our children's ability to do the job they go to school to accomplish - learning. I am asking our parents and teachers to express your concern about these cuts to your state representative and state senators. Email gadhcissues@gmail.com if you need assistance finding your elected representatives."

Go to Tondee Tavern's Barrel Room and read what State Rep. Stacey Abrams has to say about Republican Ed Lindsey's HR-1 property assessment and taxation bill.

It's good stuff.

Obama's Other Family-Planning Move | Wash. Monthly

Because of Bush's actions on UNFPA, fewer women in developing countries received pre-natal care, fewer doctors were trained to deal with pregnancy complications, fewer HIV prevention programs could operate, and less medical equipment was made available to expectant mothers.

Obama is going to make this right.

Police Chief Resigns Amid Shoplifting Charge | WJBF

Harlem, GA - Jerry Baldwin, Harlem's Police & Fire Chief is now out of a job. Thursday evening Columbia County investigators say he stole items worth about $12 from the Evans Wal-Mart. According to a police report Baldwin stole 8 packs of gum, 2 bottles of tarter sauce, crystal light and grape jam.

Here's a dollar. Buy a clue.

In the face of push back from President Obama, today Rush Limbaugh proposed his own bailout scheme (you know how to find it... I'm not linking to him). The gist of it is, since 54% voted for Obama and 46% voted for McCain, 54% of the bailout funds should go to President Obama's bailout proposal and 46% to the conservate "supply side" scheme.

Apparently, Mr Limbaugh just can't grasp that President Obama is President of 100% of the United States of America. Not 54%.

I have been remiss in keeping up with my fellow activists trying to close the School of the America's, now know as Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation.

Today, the six activists who crossed in federal military land on Nov 23rd, the final day of protest at the gates of Ft. Benning were on trial.

In years past I've had friends on trial, but often I've just attended to bear witness and offer comfort and support. This year, I could not attend, since I was still making my way back from DC. During the long drive back, I pondered that while I had the thrilling experience to be at President Obama's Inauguration, others were worrying and preparing for their trial. I felt a bit guilty that others were doing some heavy lifting on the activist front while I was fretting over what to wear at an inaugural ball.

The legal team would have advised them to prepared for 3 month stays in federal prison and face up to a $5,000 fine. Often it's not the prison time that is so daunting, but the fines. In then end, of the six defendant's, one got a $1,000 fine, one a $500.00, one house arrest due to illness and five received 2 month sentences. Given that the Patriot Act allows for more, this is a relief. More on the six, here.

Based on this article, it sounds like Judge Faircloth was in quite the odd mood. He usually isn't that chatty and finds the annual trial to be quite tedious. He may not have to endure our protests much longer, since the talk is to move the Nov event to DC where quite rightly we need to press the closure case to congress.

Mary Norwood, Atlanta City Council member and candidate for Atlanta Mayor, lists this as her campaign's phone number - 404-Mayor-09.

Just brilliant.

Pastor Ted is back!

New revelations about a relationship with a young parishioner surface!

Alexandra Pelosi, daughter of Nancy, follows Pastor Ted around with a camera, results to be shown on HBO.

Mrs. Pastor Ted tells all on Oprah (tune in Wednesday!).

Pastor Ted will meet your life insurance needs!

Being completely left out of the The American Renewal and Reinvestment Act. At a time when Georgia is in dire need of funds for transportation, energy, environment, education, and health care, Georgia's obstructionist Republican Congressmen want to make damn sure we are left out in the cold.

And as usual, John Barrow and Jim Marshall can't seem to get off the pot.

John Lewis.

While watching the inauguration last week, I wondered what President Obama said to Congressman Lewis when he stopped to hug him on his way to the podium. Well, now we know.

After absorbing the thudding roar from the Mall, Obama glanced to his right. He spotted there on the steps, a few feet away, John Lewis's squat, bald, hatless--the eleven-term representative of Georgia's fifth congressional district and the only one of the speakers at the March on Washington still among the living. Obama bent to embrace him.

"Congratulations, Mr. President," Lewis whispered in his ear.

Obama smiled at the sound of that and said, "Thank you, John. I'll need your prayers."

"You'll have them, Mr. President. That, and all my support."

I just enjoyed reading this comment at the New Yorker, I think you will too. Fair warning it's a two tissue alert.

Hat tip: Jane Kidd

The Senate said YES.

The House said NO. Here's how Congress voted.

The Nielsen Co. estimates that more than six million households are still unready for the switch.

2.5 million persons are still on the waiting list for government coupons

Is Georgia prepared for the digital transition?
Nielsen predicts that less than 10% are unprepared in Atlanta. In Rep. John Linder's (R) congressional district (CD7), 98,000 coupons have been ordered - a jump of 6% between Dec. 31,2008 and Jan. 20, 2009 - only 37% of the coupons have been redeemed. So there are 62,000 unredeemed coupons in Linder's district and 6,100 coupons won't be mailed to recipients before the Feb 17th transition deadline. Rep. Westmoreland's (R) congressional district (CD3) has nearly 64,000 unredeemed coupons in his district and 5,800 coupons won't be mailed to recipients before the Feb 17th transition deadline. Rep. John Lewis' (D) congressional district (CD5) has nearly 76,000 unredeemed coupons in his district and 7,200 coupons won't be mailed to recipients before the Feb 17th transition deadline.

So what to do:
If you need a coupon, still apply. Get on the waiting list. The NTIA is sending out new coupons only as older, unredeemed ones reach a 90-day expiration date.

Donate coupons you don't need. The government's coupon program will accept any coupon that is valid and has not expired - regardless of who ordered it. So if your household is eligible for coupons but won't need them, you can give your unused coupons to a neighbor, or APPLY now and give one or both to a neighbor to use. Send coupons to: Atlanta DTV 2009 , 2020 Howell Mill Road, Suite C108, Atlanta, GA, 30318. * Please note that coupons cannot be bought, sold, or exchanged for goods other than converter boxes.

Contact your Congressperson and let them know how you feel about the DTV Transition. There may be other bills coming to the House floor.

Become a volunteer and help others with the transition - visit www.atlantadtv2009.com

I can't get past it.

Ever since the news broke that Merrill Lynch had paid out $3-$4 billion (with a "B") in bonuses just before the close of the buyout from Bank of America I've been stewing. Let's just think about these big numbers for a moment. Let's say it was $3 Billion. With $3 Billion you could reward three people with One Billion dollars each; or 30 people with $100 Million each; or 300 people with $10 Million each; or 3000 people with $1 Million each; or 30,000 people with $100,000 each. These are bonuses. Over and above their salaries (which range from $60K - $600K). All while this legendary company fell to ruins.

Meanwhile, in the rest of the country we have countless examples of people struggling. Iraq war veterans have taken to the web seeking assistance for food, cribs, washing machines, and other essentials. A 93 year-old WW II veterans froze to death in his home this week after the local power company installed a limiting device due to unpaid electric bills.

Now, I'm not suggesting that this $3 Billion should have been divvied up among foreclosure-bound homeowners or seniors unable to pay electric bills. But, in these tough times we must have our priorities in order. Clearly, they are out of order now.

It's past time for standing up to these greedy bastards. I must admit that I feel more powerless about this than I have about anything in many moons. Why isn't there more outrage?

So, like, have you ever gone to get your hair cut, and there's someone finishing up before you, and you don't pay any attention, just sit down to read the magazines in the reception area? But then the guy before you goes to pay, and he looks at you, and is all like, "Oh, you look so familiar. Do I know you?" And you're all "I dunno. Do you?" And he's all like, "Oh, well, maybe I don't." And you're all like, "I guess not." And then he leaves, and all of a sudden you're like, "Oh! I do know that guy!"

What, it's never happened to you?

Well Senator Seth Harp isn't actually on the show, but he does Georgia Republicans really proud with his latest bill - SB41.

Last night, Jay Leno gives the nation a vision of our pain in Georgia. Nah, why worry about cutting school nurses, transportation gridlock, or Georgia's budget deficit. Seth Harp really thinks Georgians should care about that attorneys on tv commercials are actually lawyers and not actors. Yeah that is so way up in the concerns of Georgia families while they stand on the unemployment line.

Seth Harp is about as good as Rep. Paul Broun and Rep. Lynn Westmoreland. Now Broun and Westmoreland have definitely given Georgia some proud moments at the national level.

So far this legislative session, Seth Harp is winning with more media name ID. I'm sure he will have some strong competition before this session is over.

Just brilliant (complete sarcasm for BfD newbies).

Renee, sweetie, we saw him first.

Winnings may go to creditors instead of charity.

No license for you!

This is one way to get me to watch The Super Bowl.

Not sure why this was rejected by NBC. The Jolly Green Giant hasn't seemed to get us to eat our vegetables...

Yup, that's my President.

From Faux News:

4:30 pm: Michael Steele was elected Republican National Committee chairman on Friday, defeating the incumbent party chief and three other challengers over six rounds of voting to become the first black to lead the GOP. The former Maryland lieutenant governor takes over a beleaguered GOP as Republicans seek to rebound from back-to-back defeats in national elections that gave Democrats control of Congress and the White House.

From NYT:

4:05 pm: After five rounds of balloting, former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele and South Carolina GOP chief Katon Dawson were locked in a close race to reach the 85-vote majority needed to assume the party's top spot. Steele was six votes shy with 79, while Dawson had 69.

They were going head-to-head in what is likely to be the last voting round, the sixth, and both were hoping to pick up some of the 20 votes Michigan state party chairman Saul Anuzis got before he exited the field.

Sorry for the delay...naptime called.

SCOTUS Steps Closer to Repeal of Evidence Ruling | NYT

In 1983, a young lawyer in the Reagan White House was hard at work on what he called in a memorandum “the campaign to amend or abolish the exclusionary rule” — the principle that evidence obtained by police misconduct cannot be used against a defendant.

The Reagan administration’s attacks on the exclusionary rule — a barrage of speeches, opinion articles, litigation and proposed legislation — never gained much traction. But now that young lawyer, John G. Roberts Jr., is chief justice of the United States.

Okay, so it turns out that the octuplet-having woman who is all over the news is some kind of baby-obsessed nut whose own mother thinks she's a little off. My question is: what will the religious right make of someone who, on the one hand, implanted and carried eight embryos because she didn't want to destroy or abort them, and on the other hand, is an unwed mother of fourteen? Hero or villain?