Jan Brewer: Can't Support Birther Law!

Brewer Vetoes Birther Bill In Arizona

Eric Kleefeld | April 18, 2011, 10:28PM Talking Points Memo

Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ)

Gov. Jan Brewer (R-AZ), who has been a darling on the right for her battles with the Obama administration over illegal immigration, health care and other issues, has now taken a potentially bold step against the Tea Party base: She has vetoed a "birther bill" -- a piece of legislation motivated by conspiracy theories about President Obama place of birth, requiring candidates for public office to submit proof of U.S. citizenship to the state Secretary of State before they could appear on the state's ballot.
"I do not support designating one person as the gatekeeper to the ballot for a candidate, which could lead to arbitrary or politically motivated decisions," Brewer said in her veto message, the Associated Press reports. Brewer herself is a former Arizona Secretary of State.
"In addition, I never imagined being presented with a bill that could require candidates for president of the greatest and most powerful nation on Earth to submit their early baptismal circumcision certificates' among other records to the Arizona secretary of state. This is a bridge too far."
Earlier, Brewer had foreshadowed her decision with skeptical statements about the bill: "I think my big concern probably, just shooting a little bit from the hip, is the fact that I don't know if we regulate federal elections."
It should be noted, however, that the bill had previously passed the legislature with margins that would potentially be veto-proof: 20-9 in the Senate, and 40-16 in the House. The question, then, is whether Brewer's veto would take the wind out of the bill's sails or if its backers will try to override the veto and be able to hold on to their numbers.


Jan Brewer is a controversial governor. Also the governor vetoes a law that requires firearms in public institutions and colleges. In 2010, the governor signed an illegal immigration law that requires state and local law enforcement to engage in targeting illegals. The United States Justice Department and law groups oppose the law. Brewer also called upon civil discourse after the shooting of Democratic congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in January 2011.

John John: Nde' Delegation to Participate in the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

NDÉ ISDZÁNÉ ŁANOHWILE’~~Lipan Apache Women Defense/Strength: Nde' Delegation to Participate in the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Representatives from El Calaboz Rancheria, Lower Rio Grande Valley, and Nde' inland traditional territory will participate in the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, 10th Session, New York City, NY, May 16-27, 2011.

Dr. Margo Tamez (Nde', Co-Founder, Lipan Apache Women Defense) and Chairman Daniel Castro Romero, Jr. (Lipan Apache Band of Texas) will accompany an Apache delegation to present concept papers, research, and interventions related to the human rights violations in the matter of Lipan Apache peoples and Indigenous Proprietary Title ('Aboriginal Title'), land claims, the border wall, gender violence, and the situation of Indigenous women human rights defenders, among the many concerns raised by Nde' communities.

Margo Tamez stated, "We have a specific mandate from our people, and it is up to us to ensure that our peoples' voices and concerns are heard and understood by other Indigenous peoples at the UNPFII 10th Session, by U.N. officials, NGOs, and by States--particularly Spain, the Holy See, Mexico and the U.S. Indigenous peoples in South Texas, the LRGV and along the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo river are and have always been deeply related along cultural, social, political and economic perspectives and our histories of colonization. The Nde' delegation are actively engaging international arenas today more than ever, which is part of a broader movement of Indigenous peoples across the hemisphere. We are finally reclaiming our rightful place in the international legal arena as a Nation--a self-determination process in which Nde Lipan Apaches are uniquely situated for, given our long international relations experiences with Spain, Mexico, Texas and the U.S."

Orange County CA Republican Leader Send Racist Email Depicting President Obama As A Monkey

Today’s installment of “heinous, unacceptable racism disguised as ‘jokes’” features a Republican official on Orange County, California, President Obama, and monkeys in photoshop. GOP official Marilyn Davenport is coming under fire for sending other Republican officials an email depicting President Obama as a chimpanzee, in the arms of chimpanzee “parents,” claiming, “Now you know why– no birth certificate! [sic].” Davenport is sticking to her guns, blaming the media for making too much of a fuss.
Among Davenport’s detractors (including, one would hope, “everyone else”), local news station KCAL caught up with former California Republican chairman Michael Schroder, who correctly posited: “no average person would send this out and feel comfortable with this, that this was just a joke.” Then again, Schroder also notes Davenport doesn’t come into this embarrassment with a clean slate– among the people in Orange County Republican politics she has defended are an official who sent an email with an illustration of the White House covered in watermelons and an official who opposed the installation of grass near beaches on the point that “grass attracts Mexicans.”
Nonetheless, Davenport said off-camera that she considered the email merely a “joke” and was confused as to why the media had blown the issue way out of proportion. She is still on the governing board of the county party, though one can expect that not for long.
More from Mediaite

Earlier this year, the Orange County Republican Party and various Tea Party groups protested a Islamic Mosque and hateful rhetoric was shouted at attendees.

White Men’s Hostility to Black Women: A Deeper Look

White Men’s Hostility to Black Women: A Deeper Look

Activist Communique: 3,000 missing women should be an election issue | rabble.ca

Activist Communique: 3,000 missing women should be an election issue | rabble.ca

How can 3,000 missing women not be an issue for the 2011 election? A prominent issue, in fact?

Is it because the 3,000 missing women are Indigenous and not white-skinned?

As Canadians soon face the decision of who they want to run their country, let me remind you that it was the Conservative government under Stephen Harper that cut funding to Native Women's Association of Canada (NWAC).

According to research conducted under NWAC's Sisters in Spirit program, nationally over 580 Indigenous women have been murdered or gone missing, most of them over the last 30 years.

I concede that the number is much higher, as Gladys Radek from Walk4Justice estimates over 3,000 women are known to have gone missing or been murdered in Canada since the 1970s, with at least 80 per cent of these women being from First Nations.

The “criminal look” « Jewamongyou's Blog

The “criminal look” « Jewamongyou's Blog: "Kiwiguy recently linked to an article in Psychology Today that claims people can ascertain the criminality of a person, somewhat accurately, just by looking at him. Criminals Look Different From Noncriminals Yes, once again, you CAN judge a book by its cover Published on March 13, 2011 by Satoshi Kanazawa"

$20 and not a penny more! - Minnesota GOP seek provisions to eliminate welfare!

Minnesota GOP wants it to be illegal to carry cash if you're poor

By Erin Carlyle

Kurt Daudt wants to crack down on cash for poor people

​For a political party that keeps harping on Democrats for trying to control people's lives, Republicans in Minnesota sure are doing some weird things. First, they want government to control decisions made between pregnant women and their physicians. Now they want to make sure that poor people never have more than $20 in their pockets. Poor people can't be trusted with cash, it seems.

A bill introduced by Rep. Kurt Daudt (R-Crown) would prohibit people who use EBT cards--government assistance on plastic--from withdrawing cash at ATMs with the cards, except for $20 per month.

We haven't been able to reach Daudt yet, but Angel Buechner of the Welfare Rights Committee is not amused.

"The Welfare Rights Committee would like to state that this Bill, House File 171, is not based in any common sense or fiscal responsibility," Buechner said at this week's hearing on the bill. "It is appears to be based on knee-jerk, ignorant bias and a desire to stigmatize the poor."

The bill (see the text here) would require cashiers to ask for photo ID and prohibit EBT-card holders from purchasing alcohol or cigs.

Steve Gottwalt (R-St. Cloud) thinks $20 is enough for the month

​As things stand now, people using EBT cards are allowed to withdraw cash, which works out well for them because a lot of stores don't have EBT hook-ups. If the bill passes, all those stores would have to get EBT connections, or poor people using the cards would have a limit on where they could shop.

We reached Jodi Boyne, director of public affairs for House Republican Caucus, and she confirmed that the intent of the bill is to crack down on public money used for bad stuff--those alcohol and cigs again--and actually, in some cases, at a casino, according to this KSTP news report.

"There is documented evidence that these cards have been used for fraudulent purposes, and it's looking at addressing that," Boyne says.

The KSTP report was the reason Daudt launched his bill--watch this video to see the report--and he is not the only Republican supporting it. A whole host of his fellow GOP-ers have signed on, as you can see here.

Nicholas Stix, Uncensored: Cincinnati: Recipe for a Riot

Nicholas Stix, Uncensored: Cincinnati: Recipe for a Riot: "Cincinnati’s riot was in many ways generic. The “Queen City,” as Cincinnati is known, has its own generic (but considerably younger), Maxine Waters-style, racist politician, Councilwoman Alicia Reece. As reported by Jane Prendergast and Robert Anglen in the April 10 Cincinnati Enquirer, Councilwoman Reece demanded, to the cheers of a black mob that had taken over City Hall, and refused to let any white leaders speak, that “Every member of the council, from the mayor on down, needs to be here today. Leadership needs to deal with the diversity that exists in the city.”"

Population drastically declines in Ohio cities - USATODAY.com

Population drastically declines in Ohio cities - USATODAY.com: "Ohio's major cities continued their drastic decline during the past decade, a sign that hard times are not easing in the industrial heartland. By Mark Duncan, APCleveland, among Ohio's top metro areas, saw a drastic population decline in the last decade.EnlargeCloseBy Mark Duncan, APCleveland, among Ohio's top metro areas, saw a drastic population decline in the last decade.Ads by Google3 Credit Scores (Free) Places that once prospered from making things — steel, tires, cash registers, bikes — continued a free-fall that started half a century ago and may be getting worse, according to Census Bureau population numbers released Wednesday."

White flight drives mayoral results | Charlotte | News | Citizen Servatius

White flight drives mayoral results Charlotte News Citizen Servatius: "In a column called 'Charlotte's last white mayor,' Glenn H. Burkins, editor of the local news Web site Qcitymetro.com, pointed out the obvious last week. 'Outgoing Mayor Pat McCrory may well be Charlotte's last 'white' leader,' Burkins wrote, after studying election results. That hits some people funny. When I made the same argument last week, I was called a racist by some callers to my radio show. Burkins, who explained that this was the new reality because Charlotte is 'darker,' probably won't be called a racist because he is black, even though we were saying the same thing."

Minorities now in the majority in Charlotte - CharlotteObserver.com

Minorities now in the majority in Charlotte - CharlotteObserver.com: "Greg Johnson and Judy Galindo have helped change the face - and complexion - of Charlotte. Johnson is an African-American marketing executive who moved back to his home state last summer. Galindo is a native of Colombia who came to launch a Spanish-language paper last fall."

DEFINITIVE BIOGRAPHY OF KING?: A REVIEW ESSAY, THE - page 3 | Encounter

DEFINITIVE BIOGRAPHY OF KING?: A REVIEW ESSAY, THE - page 3 Encounter: "Young argues, it had to do with a fear of sexuality:
Deeply buried but intense sexual fear of black males, illustrated by the sexual nature of attacks on black men by whites who seek to control or destroy black aggressiveness, has been a persistent pattern in the South since the advent of slavery. From the systematic destruction of the black family during slavery to contemporary barriers for black males attempting to protect and provide for their families via the imposition of strong societal and economic proscriptions, there is a recurrent theme: controlling black men. The theme was ever-present at lynchings of black men for allegations of rape or for flirtation with white women, and is always evident somewhere in the heavy punishment awaiting black men who assert or advocate the interests of their people. The FBI campaign was very much consistent with this neurotic white Southern racist tradition"