At the same time, Congress and the White House were rushing to enact legislation to prevent a lapse in several of the federal government’s investigative powers under the Patriot Act that were set to expire at midnight.
The Senate passed the bill 72 to 23 late in the afternoon, and within hours the House approved it 250 to 153. In an unusual move, a White House spokesman said that President Obama, who was in Europe, would “direct the use” of an autopen machine to sign the bill into law without delay. To Read more click here. — Two senators claimed on Thursday that the Justice Department had secretly interpreted the so-called Patriot Act in a twisted way, enabling domestic surveillance activities that many members of Congress do not understand.
Morgan Meis being characteristically wise, over at The Smart Set:
The most surprising thing about the death of Osama bin Laden was his funeral. Islamic law declares that a person must be buried within 24 hours of death. "We are ensuring that it is handled in accordance with Islamic practice and tradition," Time reported a U.S. official as saying, "This is something that we take very seriously. And so therefore, this is being handled in an appropriate manner."
Bin Laden was buried at sea, presumably so that there will be no burial site, no country that owns him, no place on Earth could be associated with him ever after. The sea gets him, being the only place capacious enough to take on the burden. There is dignity in having done it this way. Not dignity for him, but dignity for us. It is understandable that people want to celebrate the death of a man who scared us, who was the author of a traumatizing act of violence, who plotted the deaths of thousands and dreamed of the deaths of thousands upon thousands more. But I am not sure that celebrating death ever does anything very good for the one who celebrates.
I shuddered for the souls of the men at Saddam Hussein's execution. The footage is, now, widely available on the Internet. It was captured surreptitiously on a cell phone video camera. Saddam is brought into a dingy room in what looks like a basement. He is bustled toward a noose and begins praying. Some of the people standing below begin to shout. They are calling out, "Muqtada," in reference to Muqtada al-Sadr, the Shia religious and political leader. Saddam says the name Muqtada back to them and then asks, "Do you call this courage?" Another person yells at Saddam to go to hell. He replies, "the hell that is Iraq?" Then he goes back to praying. All of a sudden, the trap door beneath Saddam opens and he plummets. He is gone. It is impossible to watch that footage without feeling that Saddam stole his dignity back in those final moments. The people in the room gave Saddam the opportunity to do it. They gave him a moment to be the honorable one in death. It lessened those men, those witnesses. They became small in the face of the ultimate thing, the death of a human being.
The last few days have seen a lot of talk about whether or not it is appropriate to celebrate the killing of Osama bin Laden. I would phrase the question in a different way. What does it do to one human being to celebrate the killing of another human being, whatever the circumstances? What happens inside you, how does it make you feel? Is that something you want to feel? Is it a way you want to be?
Cornel West is turning up the heat on President Barack Obama.
West, the outspoken Princeton University professor and civil rights activist, is unabashedly unloading on Obama, and he doesn't seem to care if the White House is offended.
Once an eager supporter of the president, West has turned on Obama and refuses to hold his fire. He accuses Obama of not doing enough to uplift the America's black citizens. He called Obama a "black mascot" for Wall Street and described the president as a weak leader.
"I just haven't seen the kind of backbone," West told Politico Monday. "I just haven't seen the real spine, not just at the level of rhetoric, but in execution."
That's tough talk from West, who enthusiastically backed Obama in 2008 and helped elect Obama as America's first black president. But two years later, West has become one of the president's most vocal critics, insisting that Obama is a poor advocate for underserved communities and people of color.
"It's not just President Obama, but it's the whole [White House] team," West said. "They just tend to keep distance from black folk, politically" until election time; "then they come running back."
"There's too much social misery out there, man," West added. "The last thing we need is a weak and feeble reaction to the right wing."
The "backbone" reference was especially harsh – even for West – but the scathing critique does reflect real sentiment among some frustrated African-Americans who agree with West but prefer not to criticize Obama in public.
Some black professionals have told BlackAmericaWeb.com privately that they are livid about being asked to help raise an estimated $1 billion for Obama's re-election campaign at a time when so many African-Americans are out of work, behind on their bills and struggling to pay their home mortgages.
And others question whether voting for Obama in 2012 will actually translate into jobs.
"Are we voting for Obama simply because he's black?" one black professional asked. "Or are we voting for him because we honestly believe he can help make a difference in our lives? The jury is still out."
Meanwhile, the White House is puzzled about West's recent outbursts, and for the moment, officials have decided to ignore West and not respond publicly.
Administration officials are privately hoping that West will calm down because they realize he has a loyal black following. Some inside the administration are also questioning why West has taken his "moral outrage" with Obama to the media instead of meeting with White House officials to clear the air behind closed doors.
West's stinging criticism of Obama is a result of Obama's controversial deal with Republicans to cut $38 million in spending from the federal budget. West – and other black activists – viewed Obama's budget talks as capitulating to the GOP instead of standing his ground. Many of the budget cuts to social programs will adversely impact African-Americans, many of whom are already vulnerable as a result of a crippled economy.
Obama's solid approval rating among African-Americans slipped five percentage points to 85 percent last month, according to a new Gallup poll — the lowest rating since Obama's inauguration in 2008.
He [Cornel West] told POLITICO he questions whether the White House mounted an "aggressive" fight against the abortion and school vouchers policy riders, adding, "I have no problem holding the president accountable" for it and other concerns of the black community.
While vowing to bring national attention to Washington's plight, he carefully avoided blaming Obama. But said he understands why others might not be as understanding, adding, "We need to have that discussion." But West was unmoved, pointing to Obama's failure to tackle juvenile justice reform, his deal to extend the Bush-era upper-income tax cuts and the administration's hair-trigger firing of Shirley Sherrod, a black Agriculture Department employee who was dismissed after a videotape surfaced showing her apparently making racially inflammatory remarks. The videotape was later discredited, and the White House apologized, but West said the damage had already been done to Sherrod and the black community.
"We could just go on and on," West said, dismissing as "hypersensitive" Obama's apparent reluctance to being seen by white moderate voters as a strong advocate for black people. "That's the kind of moral outrage I have, and it's not the kind of thing that will in any way be appeased by one speech."
Back in Washington, black political figures such as Gray and Norton are walking a fine line between channeling the anger of their constituents and absolving Obama of blame.
A few days after his arrest, Gray hit the local airwaves, urging the president to "stand up" for his city; Norton, who has represented Washington in Congress for 20 years, wants her constituents to follow Gray's lead and hit the streets in protest. Anger at the deal, she told POLITICO, was "boiling over everywhere I went" in the city.
"We're giving politicians in our own party a pass," including the president, if Washington residents don't speak up, Norton said. But she emphasized that Republicans who pushed for the deal "are the real villains in this." Rep. Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, sounded a similar theme: While acknowledging that Obama can do more for African Americans, he said the president "has to balance a multitude of different issues and concerns. When he can lift up or promote issues that are unique to the African-American community, he has tried to do so, and he will continue to do so."
Nevertheless, the budget deal with Republicans left a bitter aftertaste, and "there's no doubt we would have preferred a different outcome," Cleaver said. The president may have had no choice, he added, but "we'll never know. We weren't in the room."
Yes, I know, the news is quite unexpected. Jobless claims have again jumped to over 400,000. I’m shocked. Shocked, I tell you! But not to worry, a Labor Department official tells us that it’s not at all unusual for jobless claims to spike in the beginning of a new quarter.
“New claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week, bouncing back above the key 400,000 level, while core producer prices clumbed faster than expected in March, government reports showed on Thursday.
Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 27,000 to a seasonally adjusted 412,000, the Labor Department said.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims slipping to 380,000. The prior weeks figure was revised up to 385,000 from the previously reported 382,000. The four-week moving average of unemployment claims—a better measure of underlying trends—climbed 5,500 to 395,750.”…
To add to the misery, the cost of living continues to rise. Thanks, Obama! That’s some recovery you’ve got going there.
Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey didn't hold back when referring to teachers unions as "political thugs". And, judging by what was witnessed in Wisconsin, he's right on the mark. While making clear that he respected teachers and the job they do, he pointed out that the union leaders do not care about children, education, or the success of pupils, but merely about power.
"I believe the teachers in New Jersey in the main are wonderful public servants that care deeply. But their union, their union are a group of political thugs," Christie said.
Christie also criticized Obama for not leading during a time of economic difficulty. Despite the massive deficit and skyrocketing debt, Democrats are refusing to cut any programs or spending. You can be sure they'll blame any government shut down on the GOP despite that they refused to pass a budget last year which has resulted in the current fiscal crisis.
The process of shutting down the federal government is underway.
With the clock ticking towards Friday’s federal budget deadline and President Obama hosting congressional leaders for budget talks at the White House on Tuesday, top administration officials have instructed agency officials to begin sharing details of shutdown contingency plans with top managers. This marks the next step toward both curtailing government operations if a budget impasse occurs and informing federal workers whether they are considered “essential” personnel who would stay on the job despite a shutdown.
Though Obama and congressional leaders remain committed to avoiding a shutdown, “given the realities of the calendar, good management requires that we continue contingency planning for an orderly shutdown should the negotiations not be completed by” Friday at midnight, Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director Jeffrey Zients said in a memo. The message was sent to the government’s deputy secretaries and chiefs of staff, who handle day-to-day management issues for agencies and departments.
OMB confirmed the authenticity of the memo, which was obtained from a senior government official who provided it on condition of anonymity.
artnet Launches Icons: 20th-21st Century Photographic Portraits Sale Featuring 200 Photographs of Legends from Madonna to Obama
200 photographs by 70 renowned photographers Estimates from $1,000 to $20,000
June 15 - 25, 2009
Actress Grace Kelly, 1955 New York / Berlin, June 15, 2009 - From June 15-25 artnet Auctions will feature Icons: 20th-21st Century Photographic Portraits, a special sale of 200 original fine art photographs of legendary figures including The Beatles, Madonna, Marilyn Monroe, President Barack Obama and Elvis Presley.
Screen Sirens Leading the sale is an exceptional group of fifteen photographs of screen stars Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe from the 1950s-1960s. Highlights include a rare photograph of Audrey Hepburn taken at the pinnacle of her career in 1956 by renowned portrait photographer Yousuf Karsh. This work has never before been seen at auction and is offered in pristine condition (estimate: $15,000-$20,000). Also featured in this section are two luminous portraits of Grace Kelly taken in 1955 by fashion photographer Howell Conant shortly before she became Princess of Monaco (estimates: $3,000-$3,500 each). Among the other highlights are some of the most recognizable photographs ever taken of Marilyn Monroe, including Marilyn Monroe Singing "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy, 1962 by Bill Ray (estimate: $2,500-$3,500) and Marilyn Monroe and Billy Wilder On The Set Of The Seven Year Itch, 1954 by George Zimbel (estimate: $5,000-$6,000).
Music Legends The sale celebrates music legends including Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Kurt Cobain, Bob Dylan and Madonna. Madonna's rise from a virtual unknown to pop icon is chronicled in five photographs by artists from Lee Friedlander to David LaChapelle. Friedlander's Nude (Madonna) is a rare nude portrait taken of Madonna in 1979 before she became famous (estimate: $25,000-$35,000) while LaChapelle's Madonna: Mythical Swans, 1998 captures the radiant pop megastar two decades later (estimate: $12,000-$14,000).
The sale also chronicles the evolution of Rock 'n Roll in the 1960s and 1970s featuring classic photographs of the Beatles, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, and Jimi Hendrix. The Beatles Land in Los Angeles, 1964 by Bill Ray captures the young musicians on their second world tour (estimate: $2,500-$3,500) while John Lennon, New York City taken by Bob Gruen in 1974 reflects the change in both the artist and the times (estimate: $1,400-$1,600).
Fashion Icons Fashion icons also figure prominently in the auction, with works ranging from the 1930s to the present. Leading this group is a collection of 20 rare vintage portraits by Louise Dahl-Wolfe from the 1930s to 1950s. One of the great fashion photographers of the 20th century, Dahl-Wolfe photographed a cross-section of fashion and film stars for Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. The collection includes photographs of Lauren Bacall, Josephine Baker, Balenciaga, Christian Dior, and Spencer Tracy (estimates: $1,000-$3,000 each). Also featured in the sale are contemporary fashion icons such as Kate Moss Veiled, 1993 by Albert Watson (estimate: $7,000-$9,000) and Naomi Campbell, 1995 by Sante D'Orazio (estimate: $8,000-$10,000).
United States Presidents Two U.S. Presidents are also the subject of photographs in the sale, including a pensive 2008 profile of Barack Obama taken by Kwaku Alston, who photographed the Obama family extensively on the 2008 campaign trail (estimate: $3,000-$3,500). President John F. Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy are the subject of five photographs in the sale, including John Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy, a beaming 1960 photograph by Bill Ray (estimate: $1,000-2,000) and Will McBride's John F. Kennedy, Willy Brandt & Konrad Adenauer, Brandenburg Gate Berlin, which documents Kennedy's historic 1963 trip to Berlin (estimate: $2,500-$3,500).
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Morgan Meis being characteristically wise, over at The Smart Set:
