Marijuana- An Infographic

I’m not a marijuana user- I’m allergic. But I found this interesting:

Rehberg Didn’t Listen As “Promised”

You’d think he’d be more careful in an election year- or maybe he just thinks we’re not paying attention. From The Montana Democrats:

Multimillionaire Congressman Dennis Rehberg said earlier this month that he needed to “talk to Montanans” before making a decision on his party boss’s latest attack on Medicare.

That was one week ago. The House is expected to vote today on its plan to cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicare while giving tax breaks to millionaires.

And despite his promise, Congressman Rehberg still has not met with Montanans about Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan to attack Medicare.

“No matter how Congressman Rehberg votes on this bill, there can be no doubt that he’s serving his own interests, not Montana’s best interests,” said Dick. “Congressman Rehberg can’t erase his record of voting against Medicare. And let’s be clear: Congressman Rehberg’s own political career is the only thing that will influence his vote on this bill.”

Congressman Rehberg has consistently supported the Ryan budget’s basic goals: Giving huge tax breaks to corporations that ship jobs overseas, while gutting health care and education. Last July, Rehberg voted for the House’s “Cap, Cut and Balance” bill which, like the current proposal, would have forced huge cuts to Medicare in order to protect tax loopholes for millionaires.

The last time Rep. Ryan’s plan to attack Medicare came before Congress, Rehberg admitted he hadn’t read the bill just days before it came up for a vote [Rehberg conference call, 4/8/11; The Hill,4/6/11].

Tester Meets with Constituents, Rehberg Continues Invisibility Plan (dgsma.wordpress.com)
“Aspirin” Billionaire To Bankroll Rehberg (dgsma.wordpress.com)

AIDS Activists Arrested At Rehberg’s Office

Mar22 by D Gregory Smith

…for protesting the needle exchange ban “sneaked” into the Federal Funding Bill in December- despite scientific research which shows that it does not promote drug use, but does stem the progress of infectious disease. From The Missoula Indy:

via wikipedia

A demonstration by AIDS activists Wednesday morning targeted Rep. Denny Rehberg of Montana and other congressmen for their role in “sneaking in” a federal ban on clean needle exchange programs. Ten activists were arrested outside Rehberg’s office. Capitol Police put the total number of those arrested at 29; activist organizations say the number was actually 32.

The Huffington Post described the background of the demonstration:

“Rehberg was targeted for his role as chair of the House Appropriations subcommittee on health and human services, where he led the effort to ban funding for needle exchange programs, adding it to a House spending bill that funded the federal government through fiscal year 2012…

The ban was originally adopted in 1989 but was finally lifted by Congress in 2009. Republicans lawmakers quietly slipped the ban back into their spending bill in December of last year.”

In addition to Rehberg, activists targeted Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). There were also rallies in New York outside the offices of Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand. The groups taking credit for the demonstrations were Housing Works, Health Global Access Project and Citiwide Harm Reduction.

Activists are against the ban because studies show that clean needle programs help curb the spread of HIV and hepatitis C, and reduce the rate of new HIV infections among injection drug users by as much as 80 percent. The Huffington Post article also notes that additional research shows “syringe exchange programs do not increase the numbers of injection drug users and can further reduce long-term healthcare costs for people with HIV or hepatitis C.”

Indy reporter Jessica Mayrer wrote a 2010 cover story about outreach workers across Montana working on HIV and hepatitis C prevention programs, and how drastic cuts to funding were affecting their efforts.

The false meme that is promoted is this: clean needles encourage drug use and do not prevent the spread of disease.
The truth is this: clean needles do not significantly increase drug use and do prevent the spread of disease.

The only logical conclusion is this: the lawmakers who promoted this ban want those who use needles to spread and to die of deadly disease.

They are not interested in public health, they are interested in shaming people with disease (addiction, Hep C, HIV). Completely and utterly irresponsible.

AIDS activists detained following sit-ins in Boehner, Cantor offices (thehill.com)
“25 Things Montana Voters (And Media) Need To Know About Dennis Rehberg” (dgsma.wordpress.com)
CDC reports fewer drug users who inject are testing positive for HIV (ctv.ca)
The Photos Rep Denny Rehberg Doesn’t Want You to See (itsgettinghotinhere.org)
AIDS: “The Unnecessary Epidemic” (dgsma.wordpress.com)

The Myth Of Obama And Gas Prices

Mar18 by D Gregory Smith

Image via Wikipedia

Pursuant to a conversation I had yesterday, it is ridiculous that one man has the power to raise and lower prices at the pump- unless it’s the chairman of BP, etc.

Yet the myth lives on that the President has that power- and is, ridiculously in an election year- not using it. From Robert Semple, jr in The New York Times:

The issue of gas prices has not only been misunderstood but thoroughly distorted by relentless ideological spin from industry and its political allies, mainly Republican. Hardly a day goes by that some industry cheerleader somewhere — be it Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana or Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma — does not flay President Obama for driving up oil prices by denying the industry access to oil and gas deposits and imposing ruinous environmental rules. Senator John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican, said last week that Mr. Obama should be held “fully responsible for what the American public is paying for gasoline.”

If only the president had the power to give us $2.50-a-gallon gasoline, as Newt Gingrich promised to do if he got to the White House. It is ridiculous to think that a president can.

The reality is much more complex and nuanced than the “Obama’s making us suffer” meme. And yet, the flames of this meme are fanned by populists and Republicans running for re-election. Why? Because it’s popular. And it’s easy. It preys on a simple fear, like the myth of the creature in the dark under the stairs.

Which basically amounts to a cheap shot.

So, if you want to fill yourself in on the full story behind gas prices, read the full article here.

If not, enjoy listening to the myth in your head. Just don’t confuse it with the facts.

Obama: End tax breaks for oil companies (washingtontimes.com)
Rachel Maddow Debunks Climategate Myths Using Skeptical Science (skepticalscience.com)
Zakaria: Republicans are pandering on gas prices (globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com)
Newt Gingrich Blames Price of Gas on ‘Obama’s Policies’ (crooksandliars.com)

“Conservatives Plot To Roll Back LGBT Protections”

Mar6 by D Gregory Smith

That’s the headline of the article in The American Independent that talks about how religious conservatives are moving to eliminate equal protection ordinances in several states, and – you guessed it- Montana is prominently featured.

Under the radar and with clever wording, social conservatives in several states are trying to make it illegal for local communities to protect their LGBT citizens from discrimination in housing and employment. And they hope that by not explicitly mentioning “sexual orientation” in the legislation, judges may let the proposed laws stand where they otherwise would be unconstitutional.

Currently, 21 states and the District of Columbia have laws that ban discrimination in housing and employment with respect to either sexual orientation or gender identity or both. In other states, it is perfectly legal to fire someone for being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, or to deny them housing. As a result, many local communities have taken steps to fix that inequity through nondiscrimination ordinances of their own.

The Human Rights Campaign estimates that more than 160 communities have enacted comprehensive anti-discrimination laws, and dozens more have enacted incomplete ordinances that leave out the transgender community or that only provide limited protections.

But under proposals by Republicans in several states, such ordinances in Lawrence, Kans., Missoula, Mont., and Kalamazoo, Mich., would be illegal.

Bills in Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and Michigan would bar local governments from enacting laws that prevent discrimination against any group not already covered by that state’s own nondiscrimination laws. Montana’s House passed a similar bill last year, but it died in the Senate.

The article gives some extensive space to the 2011 Montana Legislature’s anti-gay rodeo. Crazy Montana pastor and part-time fugitive Harris Himes even warrants a mention:

It was the testimony of Pastor Harris Himes that demonstrated further anti-LGBT bias behind the bill. He’s pastor of the Big Sky Christian Center in Missoula who also serves as the head of the Montana Eagle Forum, an affiliate of Phyllis Schlafly’s Eagle Forum.

“There are those of us who would not wish to rent to gay and lesbian people for religious reasons and we should be allowed to do that,” he said adding that he supported the bill and opposed Missoula’s ordinance. “It’s going to be a situation that would force churches to bring in people to do Sunday school, these homosexuals… [Himes was cut off by the chair for deviating from the topic].”

Rep. Diane Sands, a Democrat from Missoula, grilled Himes. “My question for you today is: You feel that [religious people] should be able to discriminate against LGBT if they will? What are those religious reasons for which gay people should be discriminated against?”

Himes responded, “They should be able to discriminate. They should be able to choose to whom they rent based on religious reasons, that goes to employment, that goes to Sunday school, that goes to all of those issues. And likewise, the religious reason is… it is God himself that says homosexuality is an abomination and he has various punishments for that too.”

Sands followed up, “What are those punishments?”

Himes answered, “The punishment in Leviticus 20:13 is this: If a man lies with a man like a women, they shall surely be put to death. That’s the punishment.”

Read the entire article– it has many salient points about how some conservatives are aiming for LGBT rights specifically as “anti-Christian”- there’s more on Montana, too.

Flint Passes Non Discrimination Ordinance (transgenderflint.com)
Nebraska Churches Buy Full-Page Ad To Oppose LGBT-Friendly Nondiscrimination Protections (thinkprogress.org)
“Mitt ‘N Match” — Watch Mitt Romney change his positions on LGBT equality more than he changes his clothes (yubanet.com)

Rehberg: The Anti-Hunter?

Mar6 by D Gregory Smith

For the second time in as many weeks, Congressman Dennis Rehberg’s support for endangering the Montana world-famous hunting and fishing heritage is under fire.

Montana hunters have been clear in their opposition to Rehberg’s Roadless Area Release Act (H.R. 1581), cosponsored by Rehberg. The Montana Wildlife Federation and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation are among 26 Montana hunting and fishing organizations that oppose Rehberg’s bill.

The bill would open up millions of roadless acres putting some of Montana’s richest big game country at risk. The legislation has been called “short-sighted, top-down legislation” by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation who pulled their support for the legislation at the request of Montana hunters in August. [RMEF, Website]

The Montana Wildlife Federation is running an independent TV ad expressing the need to protect Montana’s outdoor legacy by opposing the legislation:

“It’s amazing that Dennis Rehberg is ignoring the voices of Montana hunters saying that legislation threatening Montana’s big game is ‘common sense,’” said Montana Democratic Party Executive Director Ted Dick. “Montana hunters have been loud and clear, standing with Jon Tester against Dennis Rehberg’s out-of-touch, anti-hunting agenda—no matter what Montanans say.”

This is the second ad from the Montana Wildlife Federation which began running an ad last Sunday criticizing Rehberg’s legislation.

“Aspirin” Billionaire To Bankroll Rehberg (dgsma.wordpress.com)
Tester Meets with Constituents, Rehberg Continues Invisibility Plan (dgsma.wordpress.com)

Vote Republican 2012

Mar4 by D Gregory Smith

Blatant Propaganda:

Tester Stands Up

Mar1 by D Gregory Smith

Senator Jon Tester’s office released the following today:

Image via Wikipedia

Senator Jon Tester today released the following statement after voting against a controversial amendment by Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., that would have allowed employers to deny health insurance coverage, including contraception, for any employee based on “moral convictions”:

“This is a reckless attempt to undermine individual freedom and restrict access to health care for women. This measure is unprecedented and out-of-touch with Montana, and it would have prevented women from making their own healthcare decisions.”

The amendment did not define “moral convictions,” meaning an employer could have denied insurance coverage for anything from blood transfusions and diabetes screenings to HPV vaccinations and treatment of HIV.

The measure failed by a vote of 51-48, failing to reach the 60 votes needed for approval.

It sounds like it would have given employers the right to discriminate for insurance coverage.

I’m especially glad the release specifically mentioned HIV- we have hundreds of Montanans living with HIV who are enrolled in health insurance through their employers….

Rehberg Defends Controversial Bill (dgsma.wordpress.com)
Tester Meets with Constituents, Rehberg Continues Invisibility Plan (dgsma.wordpress.com)
Romney reverses on Roy Blunt’s health care amendment A few… (shortformblog.tumblr.com)
GOP Sen. Roy Blunt to introduce bill allowing employers to deny coverage for any health service (dailykos.com)

The Call For Cebull To Step Down Gets Louder- Petition Edition

Mar1 by D Gregory Smith

Thanks to the folks at the Montana Human Rights Network, there’s now a petition. From The Great Falls Tribune:

Seal of the United States Court of Appeals for...

Image via Wikipedia

Travis McAdam, executive director of the Montana Human Rights Network, said citizens from throughout Montana and across the country are flooding the organization’s phone lines and email inbox with angry calls for Cebull to be removed from his post as the state’s top federal judge.

“People are really angry and motivated and wanting to do something,” McAdam said Thursday.

The Montana Human Rights Network and other groups are now circulating online petitions calling for Cebull to resign.

“On February 20, the chief federal judge in Montana, Richard Cebull, forwarded an email to six individuals that included racist and misogynistic content. The content of this email dehumanizes people of color and women. People of color and women appearing before Judge Cebull will have valid concerns about his ability to treat them fairly,” the network petition reads in part.

“From the time story broke online (Wednesday) to this morning we had gotten dozens of emails through our website, and phone calls from people who are really wanting some way to register their real displeasure with the email the judge sent around and also really talking about ‘how can we lend our names to something to try to get the judge to resign?’” McAdams said.

The network also plans to file a formal ethics complaint with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The MHRN petition is here.

UPDATE: CONGRESSIONAL TRI-CAUCUS CONDEMNS MONTANA JUDGE’S RACISM TOWARD OBAMA

MT Federal Judge Admits Racist Obama Email (dgsma.wordpress.com)

Racist Judge Makes The Washington Post

Mar1 by D Gregory Smith

I was worried that the bestiality-inferring racist email sent by Federal Judge Richard Cebull of Billings might go unnoticed by most of the national media- thank God I was wrong.

The Washington Post today picked up the original GF Tribune story, as did the Los Angeles Times, which added this:

The Tribune said it received the email after it had been forwarded several times in a chain that began at its original recipients. Cebull said he was “surprised” it had been passed along with his name attached to it, the newspaper said.

The Colbert Report ticket (Photo credit: eszter)

Again, he’s not sorry he did it, just sorry he got caught. And probably wondering which one of his buddies or (buddies friends) turned him in.

Dare I hope to see this story on tv tonight? -at least The Daily Show or The Colbert Report. Cross your fingers, light a candle and forward, retweet and write about this as often as you can….

In any case, this story warrants two new categories here on the site: Hypocrisy At Work and Conduct Unbecoming.