DN Speak: 9/13/15

Saturday, September 19, 2015

GOP’s Dreams Of Denying Birthright Citizenship To Immigrants Are Becoming Reality In Texas

A Republican dream come true is a nightmare for undocumented immigrants. ... Read more

Billionaire Financier Thinks The Middle Class Is Fine Because They Have iPhones

If inequality is so bad, how come people are taking all these selfies? ... Read more

47 Republican Senators Want To Block The EPA’s Clean Water Rule

47 Republican senators signed on to a resolution Thursday that "disapproves" of expanding clean water protections. ... Read more

Best of Noam Chomsky Arguments And Comebacks

https://youtu.be/zbdQ8NO5Pow

John Kasich Says Everyone Should Show Their Appreciation For Hispanics By Tipping The Hotel Maid

"That's why, in a hotel, you leave a little tip, you know?" ... Read more

Best of Alex Rosenberg Arguments And Comebacks Part 1

https://youtu.be/SiKZaYFHWbs

Sarah Palin Wants Our Politicians To Be Just As Stupid As She Is

Well, it’s official– Sarah Palin wants our elected leaders to be just as dumb as she is.

In a recent interview with CNN, Palin admitted that she would rather have a president who is tough than one who can win at Trivial Pursuit. She then added that she doesn’t think Americans give a “flying flip” about who is leading a foreign country since those leaders will eventually change.
http://youtu.be/xpfsIdky-20

Asked About Ferguson, Scott Walker Says Police Are Always Right

During Heritage Action’s presidential candidate forum on Friday, the group’s CEO asked the Republican presidential candidate about the “Ferguson effect” — the false theory that police have slowed down enforcement due to public scrutiny, which has lead to more crime. Instead of addressing the demonstrations in Ferguson and other cities across the country in which Americans raised issues with police violence and racial inequalities in policing, Walker used the question as an opportunity to defend law enforcement unilaterally...
... Read more

Catholic Congressman Will Skip Papal Address To Congress, Cites Climate Change

When Pope Francis addresses Congress in Washington, D.C. next week, at least one Republican representative won't be in the ... Read more

British Scientists Seek Permission To Edit DNA In Human Embryos

"To provide further fundamental insights into early human development we are proposing to test the function of genes using gene editing and transfection approaches," Niakan said in a written statement released by the institute.
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/09/18/441408880/british-scientists-seek-permission-to-edit-dna-in-human-embryos

Real Time with Bill Maher: The King Trump Bible (HBO)

Donald Trump insists that the Bible is his favorite book, but experts can’t identify any of the verses he’s been quoting. As it turns out, he’s been referring to his very own edition of the holy book, the King Trump Bible.
https://youtu.be/P6faVpGlXtg

Real Time with Bill Maher: New Rules – September 18, 2015 (HBO)

https://youtu.be/wHu6YjPlXv4

Real Time with Bill Maher: Overtime Overseas – September 18, 2015 (HBO)

Bill Maher and his guests – Jorge Ramos, Chris Matthews, Mark Cuban and former NY Gov. George Pataki – answer viewer questions after the show.
https://youtu.be/Y040L6fMtGI

Real Time with Bill Maher – Ahmed's Clock Block (HBO)

Bill Maher and panelists Jorge Ramos, Chris Matthews, Mark Cuban and former Gov. George Pataki discuss the arrest of clock-making Texas teenager Ahmed Mohamed.
https://youtu.be/aGit-XltUB4

Real Time with Bill Maher: New Rule – The Sunk Cost Fallacy (HBO)

In his editorial New Rule, Bill Maher discusses the Sunk Cost Fallacy – the idea that the more money, time or effort one invests in a cause, the less likely they are to give up on it.
https://youtu.be/2JnJP2KmPvs

Real Time with Bill Maher: Has Trump Peaked? – September 18, 2015 (HBO)

Bill Maher and panelists Chris Matthews, Mark Cuban and former Gov. George Pataki discuss Donald Trump's debate performance and his impact on the political scene.
https://youtu.be/KkRLGDyt6Nk

Real Time with Bill Maher: Remember the Rubble – September 18, 2015 (HBO)

"My brother kept us safe."
https://youtu.be/e-aOFv4U4Fo

Real Time with Bill Maher: Monologue – September 18, 2015 (HBO)

https://youtu.be/Na986tyWmb4

Civil Rights Groups Fear Uptick In Hate Crimes After Trump’s Latest Remarks On Muslims

"Anti-Muslim rhetoric isn't just ugly, it's dangerous," said a Muslim advocate. ... Read more

Climate Change And Overfishing Are Driving The World’s Oceans To The ‘Brink Of Collapse’

Within a single generation, human activity has severely damaged almost every aspect of our global oceans. ... Read more

What Happened When An Illinois County Rehabilitated Mentally Ill Offenders Through Treatment

"I continue to use these skills so they've become a practical part of my life." ... Read more

GOP Rep Repeats Fiorina's Bunk Claim About Planned Parenthood Videos

Carly Fiorina came under fire this week for claiming during the GOP debate that the Planned Parenthood "sting" videos released by anti-abortion activi... Read more

Makers Of Sting Videos Can't Point To The Scene Fiorina Said She Watched

What does the video show and where does it show it? Those have been the question since Wednesday's debate, when Carly Fiorina graphically described a... Read more

Police Brutally Assault Teenage Boy For Jaywalking

"He's just a kid." Read more

Lost In The Noise Of Budget Standoff, Funding For Volunteer Work Faces Huge Cuts

Federal funding for volunteer service programs makes up less than one three-thousandth of federal spending. GOP budget ... Read more

Donald Trump Has A New Gun Plan, And It’s Just As Crazy As You Think

Donald Trump imagines a world where regular citizens can buy automatic weapons; where gun owners can hide their weapons in any state; where there are no expanded background checks for gun purchases; and where citizens fight crime with their own assault rifles.
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/09/18/3703319/trump-concealed-carry/

Friday, September 18, 2015

Top U.S. and World News Headlines for Friday, September 18 (Democracy Now!)

Visit http://democracynow.org to watch the full independent, global news hour, read the transcript, search our archive, and to make a donation to support us.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/oV4dLQUReCw

Week In The News: GOP Debate, Congressional Stalemate, Refugee Crisis Grows (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

More Republicans on the debate stage this week. Eleven this time, with Carly Fiorina coming on tough with Donald Trump. But Trump, of course, claiming victory. It’s still a rumble. At conservative, Christian Liberty University, Bernie Sanders raised the flag of social justice and got a polite hearing. Time to talk, he said. In Europe, the gas and water cannon came out on migrants on Hungary’s border. Borders closing. We’ve got the Fed hitting pause on higher interest rates, and a Texas boy with a clock headed to the White House. This hour On Point, our weekly news roundtable goes behind the headlines.
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/09/18/gop-debate-carly-fiorina-migrant-crisis-congress

Friday News Roundup – Domestic (Diane Rehm Show)

The Federal Reserve holds off on a short-term interest rate hike. But Fed chair Janet Yellen leaves the door open for an increase later this year. A deadline in Congress passes on the Iran deal, but another looms as Republican leaders try to avert a government shutdown over Planned Parenthood. General Motors agrees to a settlement for its failure to fix defective ignition switches that killed more than 120 people. And President Obama extends a White House invitation to a Texas high school student whose homemade clock got him arrested. A panel of journalists joins guest host Susan Page for analysis of the week’s top national news stories.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-09-18/friday-news-roundup-domestic

Friday News Roundup – International (Diane Rehm Show)

Secretary of State Kerry says the U.S. is ready to hold military-to-military talks with Russia about Syria. Croatia becomes the latest flash point in the European migrant crisis. And Mexico presses Egypt for a full investigation into the recent killing of tourists. A panel of journalists joins guest host Susan Page for analysis of the week’s top international news stories.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-09-18/friday-news-roundup-international

New Clinton Ad Ridicules GOP Debate

Funny, that's just how most normal viewers saw it! Hillary Clinton's campaign is out with a light-hearted new ad that makes a serious point about Wed... Read more

Answering 5 Basic Misconceptions About Evolution

https://youtu.be/aUSc_gnmWMA

Justice Is Not For Sale (Bernie Sanders)

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced legislation to ban private prisons, reinstate the federal parole system and eliminate quotas for the number of immigrants held in detention.
https://youtu.be/-A8HgT7Pp_Q

CACI Profited from Torture at Abu Ghraib • BRAVE NEW FILMS

Although CACI interrogators were given set rules to follow, no direct supervision oversaw the completion of such treatment to detainees. This clip is from the 2006 film, "Iraq For Sale" WATCH THE FULL FILM: http://bit.ly/1Htzl63
Interview:
https://youtu.be/PKuhVhNOhqg

RWW News: Jesse Lee Peterson: Gay Marriage Is Different Because It's About Sex, Not Love

Jesse Lee Peterson attempts to explain the difference between discriminating against a gay couple and discriminating against someone who's been married multiple times.
https://youtu.be/h2QVF3DJeUE

Jerry Boykin Says Christians Are Getting 'Riled Up' About Persecution From 'Radical Secularists'

https://youtu.be/EJODCSysIok

Seth Recaps the GOP Debate - Late Night with Seth Meyers

https://youtu.be/mKKBnxzIqoE

Trevor Noah Impersonates The Entire GOP Debate

Trevor Noah explains what every candidate sounded like at Wednesday night's GOP Debate.
https://youtu.be/kztkcj-WAvw

You can blame CNN (and the news media) if childhood vaccinations go down

There were a lot of half-truths and out-right falsehoods peddled at CNN’s Republican debate Wednesday night, but perhaps the most damaging among them was the assertion by Donald Trump that childhood vaccinations cause autism, and others’ skepticism about the safety of the vaccine schedule set out by the American Academy of Pediatrics. It was particularly galling watching two physicians who are president candidates, Ben Carson and Rand Paul, pander when they clearly know better.

Those who saw the vaccine exchange during the debate will rightly castigate the Republican field for their refusal to stand up for medical science consensus. But CNN’s role in raising the issue in the first place should not be overlooked.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2015/09/18/you-can-blame-cnn-and-the-news-media-if-childhood-vaccinations-go-down/

Catholic conservatives feel less welcoming about Pope Francis

...Even Catholic publications have piled on, in unusually harsh language. A writer for the conservative Catholic publication First Things has called Francis "an ideologue and a meddlesome egoist." An August church bulletin from the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in St. Hedwig, Tex., bemoaned the pope's encyclical Laudato Si, writing that "it's too bad that he acquired and used phrases that are scientifically unproven and used by the segment of world leaders that strive to 'control people' by controlling energy issues usages." Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke has even suggested it might be necessary to "resist" the Pope's doctrinal shifts...
http://hosted2.ap.org/vastr/5ecab0d35e9743199eba9b58fad3c09a/Article_2015-09-18-criticism%20of%20pope%20francis/id-eb6dc2a68e8a38069c250cc179d151df

Bernie Sanders Live Tweets the Republican Debate

Thom Hartmann shares tweets by Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders that were sent out live during last night's Republican debate.
http://youtu.be/K88ftiArSc4

Fiorina Stands By Her Bogus Debate Description Of Planned Parenthood Vids

Carly Fiorina on Thursday morning defended claims she made during the CNN Republican presidential debate that the Planned Parenthood sting videos show... Read more

House Leaders Float Yet Another Plan To Break GOP Shutdown Fever Over Abortion

As the deadline to fund the government approaches, the House GOP leadership is floating a new plan that would allow members to rail against Planned Pa... Read more

Walker Goes Big And Bold In Flailing At CNN Debate | Crooks and Liars

Scott Walker went into Wednesday's debate knowing he was in trouble. In the first GOP debate, Walker turned in a very poor performance which contributed to his sharp decline in the polls.
http://crooksandliars.com/2015/09/walker-goes-big-and-bold-flailing-cnn

Fiorina Attacks Hillary Clinton's Record By Lying About It | Crooks and Liars

...Carly Fiorina, the Ex-HP disastrous CEO, feels she has a right to attack the track record of the former Senator, Secretary of State and Democratic Front-runner. Hillary is, perhaps, the most qualified candidate for this job, but Carly wants the world to know that she disagrees...
http://crooksandliars.com/2015/09/fiorina-attacks-hillary-clintons-record

City To Allow Only Christian Prayer, Screw Church And State Separation | Crooks and Liars

Knowing that the Supreme Court currently has a conservative slant, those who would turn America into a Christian theocracy have consistently been pressing their luck to see what they can get away with. In 2014, they were able to get five Supreme Court Justices to ignore the separation of church and state by allowing prayer before government meetings, and one city is now pushing even further to allow only Christian prayer.
http://crooksandliars.com/2015/09/city-allow-only-christian-prayer-screw

CNN's Horrific Fact Checking Segment On Carly Fiorina's Planned Parenthood Claims | Crooks and Liars

...Clearly there is no verifiable proof that what Carly described on CNN was ever real. The video was edited in with no way of knowing where it came from or when it was taken and how it was captured...
http://crooksandliars.com/2015/09/cnns-horrific-fact-checking-segment-carly

Man Asks Trump: ‘When Can We Get Rid’ Of All The Muslims In America? His Answer Was Horrifying.

Trump welcomed the question. His ... Read more

Efficiency up, turnover down: Sweden experiments with six-hour working day | World news | The Guardian

A trial of shorter days for nurses at a Gothenburg care home is inspiring others across Scandinavia to cut back, but the cost of improving staff wellbeing is high...
Read more

Carly Fiorina: "I dare Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama to watch these tapes..."

"...Watch a fully formed fetus on the table, it's heart beating, it's legs kicking while someone says we have to keep it alive to harvest its brain."
The only problem? Nothing like that happens in the Planned Parenthood tapes.
Read more

World's largest green roof proposed for Silicon Valley would span multiple city blocks, crossing streets and sidewalks below

Aiming to turn Cupertino into the green center of Silicon Valley, this expansive green roof design rolls over 30 acres of central urban real estate, capping a massive mixed-use redevelopment project. Read more

Antidepressant Paxil Is Unsafe for Teenagers, New Analysis Says

Fourteen years ago, a leading drug maker published a study showing that the antidepressant Paxil was safe and effective for teenagers. On Wednesday, a major medical journal posted a new analysis of the same data concluding that the opposite is true.
Read more

Virginia school suspends an 11-year-old for one year over a leaf that wasn’t marijuana

The student, the 11-year-old son of two school teachers, had to enroll in the district's alternative education program and be homeschooled. He was evaluated by a psychiatrist for substance abuse problems, and charged with marijuana possession in juvenile court. In the months since September, he's become withdrawn, depressed, and he suffers from panic attacks. He is worried his life is over, according to his mother, and that he will never get into college.
Read more

Thursday, September 17, 2015

God and Government (Freethought Radio, 2015-08-31)

FFRF’s “Pray to Play” exposé gets national coverage, including FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel on MSNBC “Sports Matters.” Dan Barker was interviewed on NBC's “Today” show about the Jesus painting in a Kansas school that was taken down after FFRF complained. After talking with Viet Nam veteran and plaintiff Steve Trunk about the decades-long saga of the cross on Mt. Soledad, we interview Executive Director of Americans United For Separation of Church and State, Rev. Barry W. Lynn, about his new book: God and Government: Twenty-Five Years of Fighting for Equality, Secularism, and Freedom of Conscience.
Interview:
http://ffrf.libsyn.com/god-and-government

Attorney David Niose, On Legal Issues Affecting Young Atheists (The Friendly Atheist)

David Niose has been the president of two major organizations, the American Humanist Association and the Secular Coalition for America. He currently serves as the AHA’s legal director. He’s also a lawyer who has argued in front of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court about why the Pledge of Allegiance shouldn’t be recited in public school classrooms. And he’s the author of Nonbeliever Nation and Fighting Back the Right: Reclaiming America from the Attack on Reason.

We spoke with David about the legal issues affecting young atheists and how they should respond. Topics addressed include: Saying the Pledge of Allegiance, “See You at the Pole” events, religious choir music, science education, Gideons Bible giveaways, faith-based assemblies, and prayers at football games.

http://friendlyatheistpodcast.com/2015/08/30/attorney-david-niose-on-legal-issues-affecting-young-atheists/

America's Forgotten History Of Mexican-American 'Repatriation' (Terry Gross, Fresh Air)

With a scarcity of jobs during the Depression, more than a million Mexican-Americans were sent to Mexico. Author, Francisco Balderrama estimates that 60 percent were American citizens. Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Carly Rae Jepsen's new album 'Emotion.' Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews Elena Ferrante's final novel in the Neapolitan series, 'The Story of the Lost Child.'
http://freshairnpr.npr.libsynfusion.com/americas-forgotten-history-of-mexican-american-repatriation

A Letter to the Editor (The Thinking Atheist)

A listener on the TTA Facebook page recently asked Seth Andrews to respond to a "Letter to the Editor" posted in Seth's hometown paper, the Tulsa World. Usually, as skeptics, we let these kinds of posts slide, because they often don't accomplish much and/or they generate more trouble that they're worth. But in this case, Seth responded, and this show chronicles the exchange, the fallout, and the curious tactics of the indignant commenters who couldn't prove the god they were defending. Yes...it's a rant. (Gonna be one of those shows.) Enjoy. Sam Harris: An Atheist Manifesto:
http://www.truthdig.com/dig/item/200512_an_atheist_manifesto

Daniel Levitin: “The Organized Mind” (Diane Rehm Show)

Texts, emails, cellphone messages, tweets, news alerts, apps and fit bits. We are expected to process much more information than ever before. It is no surprise that the average American reports feeling worn out by the effort to keep up with everything. In a new book, the best-selling neuroscientist Daniel Levitin says new research on memory and attention can help us learn how to navigate this tremendous amount of data each day. He argues that with a little effort, we can regain a sense of mastery in how we organize our lives in the age of information overload.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-09-10/daniel-levitin-the-organized-mind

A Defiant Kentucky County Clerk And The Cultural Divide Over Same-Sex Marriage (Diane Rehm Show)

In June, the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. The day after that ruling, Kim Davis, a clerk for Rowan County, Kentucky, began refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, citing her religious beliefs as an Apostolic Christian. Last week, Davis was held in contempt of court and spent Labor Day weekend in jail. This week, she’s been set free; her lawyers say she’ll return to work on Monday. What will happen when she gets there? Supporters of Davis say she should not be forced to comply with a law that violates her religion. Critics say the rule of law requires that she issue the licenses or resign. We look at Davis’ case and the cultural divide over same-sex marriage.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-09-10/a-defiant-kentucky-county-clerk-and-the-cultural-divide-over-same-sex-marriage

California's Bold Plan To Curb Gas Use (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

California is not just a national leader in measures to fight climate change. It’s a world leader. And yesterday, California blinked. Current Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown and former Gov. Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger have both championed an 80 percent cut in CO2 emissions. One key to that has been a whopping 50 percent cut in gas and diesel use in the next fifteen years. That’s a reach, but it may be what it takes. Yesterday, that cut got killed. Democrats helped kill it.This hour On Point: a dramatic step to take on global warming, denied in California – and what that means for us all.
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/09/10/california-gas-use-energy-policy-climate-change

Using Brain Science To Understand The Terrible Teens (Diane Rehm Show)

If you think your teenagers are moody, impulsive and overly concerned about what others think, you’re right. But don’t blame them. Blame their brains. Over the last several years, neuroscience has revealed a number of striking things about the teenage brain. The part in charge of planning and judgment is not as developed as in adults. And yet, the portion of the brain that experiences pleasure is larger than at any other time of life. Understanding this, experts say, can have a profound effect on how we teach and parent teens, as well as on public policy regarding everything from the driving age to juvenile justice. We look at the science behind the “terrible teens.”
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-09-09/using-brain-science-to-understand-the-terrible-teens

The Enduring Appeal Of The Quixotic Cervantes (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

Four hundred years ago this year, in 1615, the Spanish writer Cervantes finished his great work “Don Quixote.” Within months, he would die. But Don Quixote has never died. The mock epic of the ramshackle knight on his bony horse tilting windmills has been one of the most durable and massively popular literary works in history. George Washington read it. And Melville and Mark Twain. Picasso. Dostoevsky. My guest Ilan Stavans calls it a cornerstone of Hispanic culture, and of the modern understanding of the human condition. This hour On Point, Don Quixote rides again.
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/09/09/don-quixote-400-miguel-cervantes

Moral And Legal Quandaries In Migrant Crisis (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

Europe is stepping up, or trying to. To take care of the refugees, the migrants that have piled up so dramatically on its doorstep. But the misery in war-torn Syria and beyond is so deep. The flood keeps coming. Families, children. People with stories that tear the heart. And raise hard questions. Who should take these people? What should the US do here? Is Lindsey Graham right that if we do not open our doors we should take down the Statue of Liberty? And how do we address this problem at its source? This hour On Point: the refugee crisis before us, and who should do what.
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/09/09/migrant-crisis-europe-isis-us-politics

Invisible Catastrophes: Erik Loomis on the Consequences of Outsourcing (Point of Inquiry)

Corporate outsourcing is so common in the U.S. that it’s become exceedingly difficult to avoid consuming products made by unregulated and unethical means. But this has not always been the norm, as several decades ago America’s working class economy was booming, and with the advent of unions, labor laws, and environmental protections, the American dream seemed alive and well.

Here to talk about the history of corporate outsourcing in America, and the effects it has had on the economy, the environment, and the lives and well being of countless overseas workers, is author and labor expert, Dr. Erik Loomis. Dr. Loomis is a history professor, blogger, activist and author of the new book Out of Sight: The Long and Disturbing Story of Corporations Outsourcing Catastrophe. Dr. Loomis explains how various legislative incentives have made it nearly impossible for corporations to invest in cutting back on their carbon output, and why irresponsible corporate behavior has led to numerous disasters that take innocent lives and further harm the planet.
Interview:
http://www.pointofinquiry.org/invisible_catastrophes_erik_loomis_on_the_consequences_of_outsourcing/

‘Negroland’ Author Margo Jefferson (Terry Gross, Fresh Air)

Pulitzer Prize winning cultural critic Margo Jefferson calls the region she’s from, ‘Negroland.’ She describes it as a ‘small region of Negro America where residents were sheltered by a certain amount of privilege and plenty.’ ‘Negroland’ is also the title of Jefferson’s new memoir.
Interview:
http://freshairnpr.npr.libsynfusion.com/negroland-author-the-subtle-things-that-win-baseball-games

Colleges Face Soaring Mental Health Demands (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

College may look like party time, but it’s a lot of work too and for many students a stressful time of growing up and growing out. And these days, more students than ever are reporting anxiety and depression. An “epidemic of anguish,” it’s been called. Maybe they’re just reporting it more. Maybe they are more stressed. Whatever the answer, they are flooding campus mental health services. This is a generation that has no fear of counseling. But they may get one. Some schools give a lot of mental health support. Some just kick you out. This hour On Point: Stressed on campus. Why? And what follows.
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/09/08/college-mental-health-suicide-psychologists

Congressional Cheatsheet, Fall 2015 (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

Congress is back. With all the steak fries and county fairs behind them. And a whole lot of big business right in their laps. President Obama may be going around Congress every chance he gets, but there are limits. A lot of roads go right through Capitol Hill. First up, right away, the Iran nuclear deal. He’s got the votes to make it happen, but they’ve got the microphone. Then, spending and Planned Parenthood funding versus all the rest of government. Then highways and taxes and trade, the Pope, and a whole lot more in not much time. This hour On Point: Congress and a lot to do in a hurry.
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/09/08/congress-fall-2015-schedule-government-shutdown

Vaccine Truther Trump Peddles Anti-Science Conspiracies Unchallenged

The frontrunner was allowed to spout debunked theories linking vaccines to autism, and ‘bunching up’ shots, before an audience of millions of CNN debate viewers—and went unchallenged.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/17/vaccine-truther-trump-peddles-anti-science-conspiracies-unchallenged.html

The POLITICO Wrongometer

Politico's policy reporters truth-squad the Republican debates.
http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2015/09/wrongometer-cnn-gop-debate-000246

Action Alert: This Constitution Day, Tell Congress to Oppose the First Amendment Defense Act

Help Us Protect Our Secular Government

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Tell Your Members of Congress to Oppose the First Amendment Defense Act

September 17 marks the 228th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution. The foundation of our democracy, its authors envisioned it as a living document able to adapt to the changing needs of the country. One thing, however, that has remained constant is the Constitution’s commitment to a secular government. Unfortunately, bills in Congress threaten to undermine the basic protections guaranteed by the First Amendment.

The misnamed “First Amendment Defense Act” (HR 2802 and S 1598) would allow for legalized discrimination under the guise of religious freedom and have the federal government powerless to take action. The stated purpose of FADA is to protect the tax-exempt status, government contract, or any other Federal benefit of those whose religious beliefs tell them that marriage is between a man and a woman, or that sex is reserved for marriage. This act’s true impact would allow for sweeping, taxpayer-funded discrimination against same-sex couples and their children – all under the guise of religious liberty. It would also eviscerate federal employment nondiscrimination laws by allowing individuals to discriminate against women who have children outside of marriage.

The First Amendment protects freedom of religion and freedom from religion, not the special privileges of the religiously affiliated at the expense of the fundamental rights of other Americans. On Constitution Day, please help protect it by writing to your legislators and urging them to vote against the FADA.

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