Larkspur Posts

Democrats for Public Education is a new group committed to blocking the progress of the charter school movement with some high profile members. The group plans to take on members of its own party who, like Michelle Rhee, have pushed the pro-corporate schooling agenda.

In case it wasn't obvious, the bottom line for charter schools isn't a new alternative to public education but big business' bottom line. A report in Forbes, shows that charter schools are in corporate portfolios right next to movie megaplexes and retail space. However, only one of these holdings is funded with tax payer dollars.

In case you didn't need another reason to vote for President Obama this November, it looks like Lieberman is still addicted to media attention and Romney is willing to be his drug supplier.

Who will get top jobs in a Romney administration?

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For secretary of state, most advisors interviewed for this article said that Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) is under serious consideration at the top levels of the campaign. An "independent Democrat," Lieberman, who hasn't endorsed any presidential candidate this cycle, was almost chosen by Sen. John McCain to run as vice president on his 2008 ticket. Lieberman will be unemployed in January when he retires after 24 years in the Senate. He has spent much of that time developing close relationships with foreign leaders all over the world, and he is a strong supporter of Israel, a major focus of Romney's critique of Obama. By choosing him, Romney could show bipartisanship while handing the reins in Foggy Bottom to someone with international stature and whose foreign-policy views are more hawkish than many Republicans.

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from Digby...

Deficit scolds on a bus

And the Deficit Fetish Club rolls out yet another stunt in preparation for their big Lame Duck moment:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

   July 25, 2012

   The Hon. David M. Walker, former U.S. Comptroller General, today announced a first-of-its-kind national bus tour to engage Americans about our nation's deteriorating financial condition - and show them what they can do to help restore fiscal sanity.

   The "$10 Million a Minute Tour" will help voters understand that we face a fiscal cliff in January 2013 and a possible U.S. debt crisis within the next two years.

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Please visit the bus tour's web site at www.10MillionaMinute.com for graphics of the Burden Barometer, a full list of high-profile bus tour supporters, and the tour itinerary.

This Cat Food Commission bus tour will be rolling into New Haven, CT on Saturday, September 8 2012.

The rumor has it that in the Lame Duck session this year, the infamous Grand Bargain will be drug out of the garbage can and shoved down our throats.  Progressives are going to have to stay alert and active after the election so that our Elites don't chop Social Security and Medicare.

It couldn't happen to a better person...

Both party conventions snub Lieberman

Sen. Joe Lieberman has not been invited to either the Democratic or the Republican presidential convention this year, a major snub for a lawmaker who played prominent convention roles in the past.

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...when Democrats and Republicans gather in Charlotte, N.C., and Tampa, Fla., later this summer, Lieberman will receive less homage than a local councilman. He will be left out of the festivities altogether.

Some Democrats think keeping Lieberman away is a mistake. After all, he served as Al Gore's running mate in 2000, becoming the first Jewish American to run atop a major party's ticket.

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Here's 1 Democrat who will be celebrating Lieberman's early entry into the Dustbin of History.

From Huffington Post...

U.S. Conference Of Mayors Passes Pro-Choice Resolution

The U.S. Conference of Mayors, a non-partisan organization made up of representatives from about 1,200 cities across the country, voted on Saturday to pass a resolution in support of women's reproductive rights and funding for Planned Parenthood.

The resolution outlines the numerous efforts by state and federal lawmakers over the past several years to restrict women's access to abortion and family planning services, including attempts to mandate ultrasounds before abortions, defund Title X and Planned Parenthood, ban abortions after 20 weeks, jeopardize access to birth control, compel the Internal Revenue Service to audit rape survivors who have abortions and allow hospitals to refuse emergency abortion care to women. The mayors promise to fight back against these efforts in the future and speak out on behalf of their female constituents.

The resolution "affirms the importance of women's reproductive rights" and "urges Congress and the states to pursue a positive agenda that reaffirms fundamental rights and improves women's access to safe and comprehensive reproductive-health care."

Some of its leading sponsors include Michael Bloomberg of New York City, Ed Lee of San Francisco, Mike McGinn of Seattle, Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, Pedro Segarra of Hartford, Conn. and Sam Adams of Portland, Ore.

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Kudos to Mayor Segarra and his fellow Mayors who passed this resolution.

Pat Summitt to step down: legendary Tennessee women's basketball coach won 1,098 games, 8 NCAA titles

Eight months after disclosing her diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer's disease, Pat Summitt announced Wednesday that she will step aside as the Tennessee women's basketball coach, making way for longtime assistant Holly Warlick take over the Lady Vols.

The university made the news official via a press release Wednesday afternoon after Summitt met with her players in Knoxville, Tenn., to inform them in private. A news conference is expected to follow Thursday.

Summitt, who has won more college basketball games than any man or woman in the sport (1,098), is not retiring but will remain part of Tennessee's staff, assuming the title "head coach emeritus," which will give her latitude and flexibility to do as much mentoring with players as her health allows.

But her role will be circumscribed by NCAA rules, which will permit her to watch practice, collaborate on game plans and continue as a motivator, disciplinarian and mentor but will preclude her from actively coaching. Rather than sit on the bench during games, she'll sit directly behind the Volunteers' staff, able to consult with Warlick and, no doubt, telegraph her impressions of what's unfolding on court through her famously piercing glare.

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For her health's sake, this seems like a good choice for Pat Summitt.  It keeps her engaged with the game of basketball which she loves and with the Tenn players.  Staying engaged is helpful for those suffering from dementia.

But I wonder how it will affect their national recruiting?  Will players want to play for Tenn knowing that Pat Summitt is no longer the head coach.  Can Holly Warlick close the deal with top recruits against accomplished recruiters like Geno, Tara Vanderveer?  Will this give other schools, like Notre Dame, Texas A&M, St. Johns, the a chance to become dynasties?

Will Pat hovering in Holly Warlick's shadow affect Holly's coaching decisions for good or bad?  If Tenn fails to reach the Final Four and national championship within the next few years, will Pat Summitt retire completely and will she be blamed for Tenn's decline?

Senate Democratic hopefuls debate at NFA

By ADAM BENSON

The Bulletin

Posted Mar 03, 2012 @ 09:03 PM

Last update Mar 03, 2012 @ 11:35 PM

Norwich, Conn. - Connecticut's three leading Democratic candidates for Joseph I. Lieberman's  U.S. Senate seat jockeyed for position Saturday night during a free-flowing debate at Norwich Free Academy that focused largely on how each would strengthen the middle class and triumph over leading Republicans for the seat.

The 90-minute event in front of a packed house at Slater Auditorium was the first formal debate of the campaign season for former Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz, U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, D-5th District, and state Rep. William Tong, D-Stamford.

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The debate, which was sponsored by The Bulletin and moderated by Editorial Page Editor Ray Hackett, took place in front of more than 300 people drawn to a wide-open race against big name Republicans like McMahon and former Congressman Christopher Shays.

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Hackett led the conversation toward many topics, including education, small business development and job creation in the state. He also asked candidates what they would do to protect the region's military assets in the face of possible action by the Base Closure and Realignment Committee.

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The Bulletin will host a debate on April 19 with Republican candidates for Senate.

There is a video of this debate at the Norwich Bulleting web site.  Direct url is http://www.livestream.com/norw...  , but I could not get it to properly embed on My Left Nutmeg.

I attended this debate with a fellow DTC member.  It was a good debate.  My friend said after watching the Republican Presidential debates, all 3 of our Democratic Senate hopefuls could easily defeat the Republican Prez hopefuls in debates.