Friday News Roundup - Domestic
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2013-02-08/friday-news-roundup-domestic
The White House agrees to give Congress classified drone documents. The Justice Department sues Standard and Poor’s. And the Post Office announces plans to end Saturday delivery. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week's top national news stories.
Guests
Manu Raju
senior congressional reporter at Politico.
Ruth Marcus
columnist and editorial writer for The Washington Post.
Greg Ip
U.S. economics editor for The Economist and author of "The Little Book of Economics: How the Economy Works in the Real World."
Friday News Roundup Video
A caller to the show asked whether the Obama administration's secret memo authorizing the targeted killing of American citizens is an impeachable offense. The caller also questioned why the drone strike policy has not sparked a national debate. Ruth Marcus, columnist for The Washington Post, said the executive and legislative branches have always engaged in a tug of war for accountability and access to information. "I remind everybody again, it is not--it should not--be a surprise that the U.S. government targeted American citizens for killing," Marcus said. Marcus added that the John Brennan confirmation hearings have been useful in shedding light on counterterrorism operations.
Comments
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The USPS must finance it`s retirement plan 75 years in advance.This crazy scheme was mandated by Republicans in 2006. We in the United States have the finest and lowest cost mail service of any country on Earth. This scheme for destruction, and eventual PRIVATIZATION will hurt Americans in the wallet.
I`m sick of the T-Party/Republican rant on JUNK MAIL. This is an affordable advertising method for local small businesses.Why are T-Party/Republicans against small businesses? Many small businesses use the USPS for delivery.I buy many items on line. I cringe whenever a package comes by private carriers.They take twice as long,and cost me double.
All of a sudden the Constitution doesn`t mean so much?
Dear clifffromparma:
Aside from the fact that the Constitution authorizes Congress to establish post offices, I don't see how it's relevant. Congress is under no obligation to do so. The Constitution merely grants the power should Congress choose to use it.
P.S. - Aside from that, I agree with most of the rest of what you wrote.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2013/02/07/171399507/rubios-job-... :
From article: "... Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida has been chosen to deliver the Republican response to President Obama's State of the Union address next Tuesday. And in a first, Rubio will deliver his speech in both Spanish and English..."
Defacto proof of how unbalanced & broken the US's administration of its immigration laws are....
Until the last 20-years or so, the US has been a country forged in large part by accepting immigrants from foreign countries- without overly favouring any one country's immigrants over another...
Unfortunately, during the last several decades, millions upon millions of illegal trespassers have entered the US from Mexico and other hispanic countries...
Rather than rebuking and telling Mexico and other hispanic countries that the numbers of legal immigrants accepted from these countries annually will be reduced to zero- in order to compensate for their citizens that are illegally entering and residing in the the US- the US govt, in effect, encourages a continuation of illegal hispanic trespassing of the US by giving hispanic persons a special status in the country: spanish/english versions of govt web sites and, now- spoken spanish used in the most important of official- and internationally covered- govt proceedings...
The vast majority hispanics illegally residing in the US are from countries without: Anglo-Saxon values; functional human rights upholding structures and democratic governance apparatus'...
Almost without exception, these countries are cesspools of lawlessness, egregious corruption and systemic subjugation of the weak/less fortunate....
Why does this matter??
Because if not checked the continued defacto invasion of the US by millions of hispanics will end up destroying the country....
The United States in a slow motion national suicide.....
INTELLECTUAL HONESTY NEEDED IN US's ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION DEBATES!!
Since persons from hispanic countries have violated US immigration laws en-masse for decades- entering and residing in the country without following due process of law AND while the US has had in place explicitly delineated annual 'immigration quotas' (limits) for these persons' countries of origin- the US should:
1) reduce the annual immigration quotas (numbers of immigrants/persons accepted) from ALL hispanic countries to zero for at least 25-years;
2) Publicly and openly communicate the above to leaders of hispanic countries and their citizenry- from Mexico south to Antarctica- using standard diplomatic protocols as well as mass media advertisements;
3)Proportionally raise the annual immigration quotas (numbers of persons accepted) from non-hispanic countries, IE: European, Asian, African, etc in order to compensate for reductions in numbers of accepted-immigrants from hispanic countries....
And, recognizing the egregious financial, economic and political costs of deporting current illegal hispanic residents, the US should:
4) immediately grant legalized-residency to all hispanic illegal residents/immigrants who are currently residing in the US....
Roderick V. Louis,
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Topic: Out of the Box Cost Saving Plans
Post Office: Use a post office building to deliver mail in one part and deliver health care as a community health clinic in another part. This may be especially helpful in rural areas where post offices are centrally located and health care services are meager.
Bank Loans- Use the Bank of North Dakota as a model. Have the Federal Reserve and the Small Business Administration work on mini loans for established small businesses within a range of gross receipts. Sorry no brokerage firms or hot shot law firms. The big banks are using the public's bailout money as “reserves”, rather than currency; so, the Government can circulate badly needed currents of credit for established Main Street type businesses.
Gun checks- All guns registered (yes there's a fee like a car registration). The fees can be channeled toward local education efforts and budgets for background checks. They can even be used to buy guns and other weapons (M-60 machine guns and TOW and other missiles, perhaps, stretching here) the people vote on are too dangerous for an open, civil, public square. Research, such as good ways to design guns to prevent easy use and disable when used inappropriately, and identify risk factors as we do other health risks (cigarettes, alcohol, diabetes, etc.)
Wall Street- Transaction fees of 2 cents per transaction. Perhaps, those computer models would then give “two continentals” consideration before a trade inflates the chances of risk. The money can et cops to keep them honest.
Congress- Sequester Congress, not sequester by Congress. Yes, a 10% across the board sequester of Congress. Half each Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate. If for some reason, Representatives and Senators exclude themselves, then sequester their salary equivalents from their staff. Savings from the next Representative Jumping like a Jack in the Box screaming, “Sequester” ?
NATIONAL SALES TAX NEEDED IN US??
Why is there such a paucity of reporting/discussions in main stream news media and among politicians/bureaucrats and interest groups of the US potentially adopting a country-wide goods and services sales tax (commonly termed a 'Value Added Tax') similar to the VAT tax mechanisms which have been in place in virtually all other industrialized nations world-wide* for decades??
Canada's so-called GST Value Added Tax**, although objected to by many upon its implementation over 20-years ago, is now widely accepted across the country and is credited by respected economists with enabling many of Canada's most vital federal and provincial govts' programmes' continuation and, in some cases, badly needed expansion...
Substantial additional and increased sources of revenue are needed by the US govt to continue provision of irreplaceable federal and state-delivered programmes and services...
Considering the dire consequences for ordinary Americans- and for the US's international partners around the world- of dramatic cut-backs in federal spending (on things such as education, research and development, defense, health care and old age security):
... why aren't the US's politicians, news media and leading economists discussing the potential attributes and negatives of the US adopting a national sales tax??
Roderick V. Louis,
Vancouver, BC, Canada
* G7 and most European Union member countries
** http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/bsnss/tpcs/gst-tps/gnrl/menu-eng.html
http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goods_and_Services_Tax_(Canada)
Because we've deemed it legal, we have given our selves the privilege to conduct bombings when and wherever in world we choose.
Can't wait until all countries acquire drone technology and adopt the same policy.
clifffromparma wrote:
"We in the United States have the finest and lowest cost mail service of any country on Earth. "
Most of your posts I don't give a second thought to, cliff, but this one bears a response. You see "low cost mail service" from the consumer end. It isn't "low cost" if the USPS goes broke. I can sell eggs for the lowest price in town, but if I go broke doing it, it's not really "low cost" now is it? It's irresponsible.
Republicans forced the USPS to fully finance its retirement plan because it saw what happened in CA and other places. It's the responsible thing to do. No wonder you think it was a "crazy scheme".
Junk mail is "cheap" because postal rates are held unnaturally low. Our mail service isn't "low cost". Somebody pays. In this case, it's our children and our children's children because of the debt being run up.
Private carriers do not take "twice as long" and the USPS is only cheaper (generally) for packages under two pounds. In fact Fedex and UPS are more reliable because they have a reputation to protect. The USPS does not.
You have some kind of fantasy that the USPS is cheap and efficient. But that's all it is ... a fantasy.
The US post office isn't bad, but I would not say it's the best either. Japan is better, and several in Europe are at least as good.
Well, that's taken care of. Enough talk about John we've-never-killed-a-foreign-citizen by a drone of last Summer.
And Ruth Marcus says "we should not be surprised at the killing of Americans overseas without due process".. We'll, I may not be quite the cynical a Washington insider after all -- because I am surprised. How can we expect to get an honest discussion about these constitutional issues when those, like Marcus, are wiling to just "ho hum" She's supposed to be of the fourth estate, whose job it is to hold the administrations' feet to the fire.
And our supposedly incisive host, Ms. Kaye, just cuts off the quite upset caller with a chuckle and a "yes, he has a point -- and might have been headed toward impeachment talk" So?
I don't care what rationale the executive offers for assassinating US citizens without trial- it isn't Constitutional.
I am sorry but, in my view, the President should be impeached for this. Saying that 'due process' doesn't mean a fair trial is ridiculous. All citizens, even people who are despicable, have the right to face their accusers and to see the evidence against them. All citizens have a right to defend themselves in a court. I am not a republican or a conservative- I am a citizen who believes in our Constitutional system.
The rights of due process are some of our most important rights. Secret detention, torture, murder without trial are all things our country specifically outlawed- they are policies of despotic monarchies not of free, and Constitutional, republics.
I wanted to point out that one of the male guests on today's show (2/8/13) referred to undocumented immigrants as "illegals" and "illegal aliens". I just wanted to point out that those words sounded very negatively biased to me. I felt offended listening to those loaded words to describe people. One of the main reasons I listen to NPR and not other news outlets is because NPR generally has a more balanced and reasoned approach to coverage. If I wanted to hear offensive and negative terms I would listen to Fox News or other AM radio outlets. Can you please call out this person who used the offensive terms to refer to undocumented immigrants?
"War on Terrorism"
It seems one argument for extended US military action without a formal declaration of war is as follows; "These are not conventional nation states. Who would we declare war against?"
If so, isn't the proper jurisdiction criminal and NOT military?
This would seem to have important implications regarding drone strikes by our government...
DCListener wrote:
"I wanted to point out that one of the male guests on today's show (2/8/13) referred to undocumented immigrants as "illegals" and "illegal aliens". I just wanted to point out that those words sounded very negatively biased to me. I felt offended listening to those loaded words to describe people."
Well don't all people have the right to express their opinion? Maybe the male guest finds the term 'undocumented immigrants' objectionable.
Anyway how on Earth is NPR going t be able to scrub all their shows to meet your personal standards?
I don't really like the terms 'illegals' and 'illegal aliens' either but I recognize that some people see undocumented immigrants as criminals who have broken the law. They see it that way because, technically and literally, every undocumented immigrant has broken the law.
Let's give people the benefit of the doubt- let's assume that when someone uses the term 'illegal aliens' they aren't trying to offend you, or anyone else, but rather they are trying to let people know that they support the rule of law.
Don S wrote:
"Ms. Kaye, just cuts off the quite upset caller "
WillT26 wrote:
"I don't care what rationale the executive offers for assassinating US citizens without trial- it isn't Constitutional."
Agree. FG is out of control with respect to size and power. The fact that our fundamental freedoms granted by the Bill of Rights are so casually marginalized by some these days is incredibly chilling. Is it because simple civics and appreciation for how unique our privelege of living under the protections of our Constitution is no longer taught? Either in school or at home? I don't know what it is, but as a people, we're losing it.
Maybe because they are illegal aliens? I think that you have pointed out one of the traits that makes NPR so grating! (Aside from my having to pay for it involuntarily. e.g., So pleased to send Ms Rehm to Miami on my money!!)
@ taopagan
Yes , you raise more important questions.
Additionally, there has been a convenient conflation between national states (conventional or not) and non-state 'terror' groups. All this goes over the head of the public, who respond by cheering "yes, get the terrorist" without being given or understanding the smoke and mirrors being used.
Ruth was wrong on Social Security -- Social Security has an accumulated surplus of $2.7 trillion, which is still growing for the next many years. The surplus is known as the Trust Fund. The surplus is invested in US Treasury bonds and earning interest. I believe Social Security did need to use some of the interest from the Trust Fund in recent years due to the reduction in income SS tax payments associated with the recession and job losses.
Please advise Ruth to learn more about Social Security finances by consulting the nonpartisan National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI).
DCListener wrote:
"I just wanted to point out that those words sounded very negatively biased to me."
Of course they did.
Which terms best describes these individuals? The latter are certainly true, but the former cannot be denied.
illegal: Contrary to or forbidden by law
alien: Belonging to a foreign country or nation.
undocumented: Not having the needed documents, as for permission to live or work in a foreign country.
immigrant: a person who comes to a country to take up permanent residence
It's frustrating to hear the dismissive tone of the guest host and guest in the discussion this morning (2-8-13) of the USPS discontinuing Saturday service. I don't think Diane would have allowed such a shallow and personal response ("I only get junk mail these days"), had she been present. The evisceration of the USPS began in 2006, with a congressional bill that required the USPS, which takes no tax dollars, to fully fund its pension plan for 75 years in ten years' time. This was clearly an attempt to de-fund a government agency in favor of private corporations (which are not required to do anything of the sort and can cut pension obligations at will) and to eliminate middle class jobs and a source of votes for Democrats. Do your homework! Yes, we may need new models of mail delivery in this day and age, but that's not what is at stake with this issue.
Linda Roberts wrote:
"I think that you have pointed out one of the traits that makes NPR so grating! (Aside from my having to pay for it involuntarily. e.g., So pleased to send Ms Rehm to Miami on my money!!)"
I don't understand why people take vocabulary words so seriously. People can use the words they want. "Undocumented immigrants' or 'illegal aliens' either way they are still people who needed to be treated with respect. Whatever words you use the facts are the same- there are a lot of people in this country who are not complying with the laws and we need to find a solution without terrorizing people.
Most countries have state run networks which use public funding. I am sorry that the very small amount you put in is causing you so much financial hardship. You can always refuse to file your taxes in protest.
I agree with you--this brief and dismissive treatment of the USPS issue was not worthy of the Diane Rehm show!
DCListener wrote:
"Ruth was wrong on Social Security -- Social Security has an accumulated surplus of $2.7 trillion, which is still growing for the next many years. The surplus is known as the Trust Fund. The surplus is invested in US Treasury bonds and earning interest. I believe Social Security did need to use some of the interest from the Trust Fund in recent years due to the reduction in income SS tax payments associated with the recession and job losses. "
Ugh! Here we go again. First, SSTF is ready to turn upside down - outflows exceeding inflows. The has been exacerbated, sped up by the recession.
The SSTF does not have a "surplus of $2.7T". It has $2.7T in debt instruments. The cash that flowed through the SSTF to the General Fund has been spent. It was part of the .40 of every dollar the FG borrows for its spending. The best way to understand it is this;
You have two pockets - your right pocket and your left pocket. When the SSTF takes money out of your paycheck to pay its obligations, and there is money left over, it sticks it in your right pocket (the SSTF). Then your other hand, takes the money out of your right pocket, replaces the cash with an IOU, places the money in your left pocket (the GF - ever so briefly), puts it with other of the .40 (of every dollar) that it has borrowed from your neighbor (e.g. China), and spends it. Once outflows from SS exceed income, you reach into your right pocket (the SSTF) to make up the difference but only find IOUs. So you present an IOU to your left pocket and say, "pay". But the left pocket doesn't have any money. It's already borrowing .40 of every dollar it spends, some of it from your right pocket! So it has to borrow MORE to pay your obligations. See? Do you see a problem there?
"We don't have a spending problem" President Barack Obama, January 8, 2013.
Waterboarding = Unethical
Homicide = Ethical
Am I missing something here?
This comment is specifically for Katty Kay re: her off hand remark that of course it would be fine for the USPS to stop Saturday mail delivery because she uses e-mail anyway. Both the ignorance and arrogance of people with privilege never cease to amaze me. Firstly, there are many people in the United States that don't have computers and there are others that have computers or tablets, but cannot afford to pay to access the internet. There all also vast areas of the US that don't have any type of high speed internet. (Including parts of the Maryland Eastern Shore less than 100 miles from WAMU!) Secondly, for many elderly and homebound people mail delivery is one of the highlights of their day and one of their primary connections to the outside world. Not only do most not have the internet, they also do not have cell phones. For poor people and people on a fixed income food, heat and shelter are the priorities.
Well, as others have said, the problem with being ignorant is that you don't know you are ignorant because you are ignorant.
Dear ecgberht2:
What! No "pithy" comeback to my question about the Constitution? I'm truly hurt.
;-)
Not too long ago,an American citizen was gunned down by a vigilante. His crime,wearing a hoodie. But the same folks who deny him his day in court,deny the President the authority to protect us from known terrorists.
Oh course,I don`t blame the republicans for being worried. Reading the 14th Amendment,treason is still punishable.Insurrection and disavowing the oath of office is still treason. Ah, all those traitors who vowed an oath to Norquist,must now worry about a drone crashing in.So much for the NRA`s claim that the 2nd Amendment entitles citizens the right to plot and overthrow the government.
When I heard the comments that we could do without Sat. mail and people need to get with the times, it sounded rather callous. Not everyone has access to the internet, either because of cost, it's unavailable in their area or by choice. My thought was we could do without Catty Cay & her guest! I wished they could have went into depth about the particulars of the USPS instead of the snarky comments!
"What! No "pithy" comeback to my question about the Constitution?"
What question? The premise of your followup is false.
;-)
Dear ecgberht2:
Which "follow up" and which question are you referring to?
I was asking (jokingly, of course) why you didn't respond to my Comment to clifffromparma that's at the top of the page. Are you referring to my question to him, or the question to you?
If the question to him, what "premise" was false, and how so?
If the question was the one I asked you, the only "premise" was an attempt to be humorous.
(A feeble attempt, perhaps, but false?)
;-)