Nominees For Ninth Annual Golden Dukes Award Announced!!

TPM is pleased to announce that we will be awarding our Ninth Annual Golden Dukes on December 31st, in recognition of the year's best purveyors of public corruption, outlandish behavior and The Crazy...
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/golden-dukes-2015-nominees

Muslim Group Leader: Hate Crimes Against Muslims At A 'Crisis Point'

"We believe the level of hate violence has reached a crisis point, and that’s why it’s crucial that the federal government needs to send a message to the public, in the strongest terms, that these hate crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Farhana Khera, the executive director of Muslim Advocates, a legal advocacy group in San Francisco, told the New York Times after the meeting.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/farhana-khera-muslim-hate-crime-crisis-point

'Daily Show' Breaks Down Ted Cruz's 'Cute' Take On Global Warming (VIDEO)

"What Ted Cruz has done here is kinda cute," host Trevor Noah said. "You see, he's technically correct, that according to the satellite data, there hasn't been a significant increase in global temperatures in 18 years. But we don't usually measure in time periods of 18 years unless you're calculating child support."
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/daily-show-ted-cruz-cute-global-warming

Mike Huckabee Tells America's Youth To Get Off Their Butts At CNN's Republican Debate

https://youtu.be/MJDiEEq5OGM

The Stunningly Long List Of Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Since San Bernardino

"We're talking at least three dozen that we're aware of, and I'm sure there are many more incidents that haven't been reported," he said. "With legit terror attacks and the public discourse about them, it has created an atmosphere ripe for these types of stereotypes and incidents."
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/anti-muslim-attacks-after-san-bernardino

Robert Reich: Why the Middle Class Is in Revolt and Susceptible to a Dangerous 'Strongman'

"It was only a matter of time before the anxious class would revolt."
http://www.alternet.org/economy/robert-reich-why-middle-class-revolt-and-susceptible-dangerous-strongman

Larry Wilmore Totally Slams 'Creepy' Ted Cruz | Alternet

"There is something seriously off about this guy."
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/watch-larry-wilmore-totally-slams-creepy-ted-cruz

Great Day for Veterans (Forethought Radio)

Portland, Oregon, public high-school students disallowed from participating in a religious Catholic Grotto performance. Gideon bibles removed from Northern Illinois University hotel rooms. We announce Brooke Mulder as the winner of FFRF’s “Nothing Fails Like Prayer” contest for her secular invocation before Glendale, Arizona, city council. Then we hear veteran Steven Hewett (introduced by veteran Steve Trunk) talk about his successful lawsuit to remove a Christian War Memorial from the city of King, North Carolina.
Interview:
http://ffrf.libsyn.com/great-day-for-veterans

Dr. Abby Hafer on Unintelligent Design (The Humanist Hour #178)

In this episode, Bo Bennett speaks with Dr. Abby Hafer live, in studio, about her new book, The Not-So-Intelligent Designer: Why Evolution Explains the Human Body and Intelligent Design Does Not.

Dr. Hafer is a speaker, writer, and humorist who particularly loves taking about Intelligent Design & Creationism, the politics surrounding them, and science denialism in general.

A few years ago she realized that Intelligent Design is a political pressure group, not a scientific issue. With this figured out, she realized that what we need are political-style arguments in defense of evolution. Her presentations contain bulletproof science, and she uses humor to puncture bad arguments. Crucial questions are raised, such as, “Why do men’s testicles have such a bad location?” and, “Who does God like better, us—or squid?” She finds that once she mentions testicles, everybody pays attention.

Dr. Hafer has given talks at the American Humanist Association’s Annual Conferences in 2009 and 2011, and at the American Atheists’ 50th Anniversary Conference in 2013. She has a doctorate in zoology from Oxford University, and teaches human anatomy and physiology at Curry College in Milton, MA.
Interview:
http://thehumanist.com/multimedia/podcast/the-humanist-hour-178-dr-abby-hafer-on-unintelligent-design

SCOTUS Tackles Affirmative Action, Again (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

The U.S. Supreme Court is back in the middle of affirmative action. It’s the University of Texas case again. White Abigail Fisher says she was cut off from admission by policies that consider race. And not, she says, in her favor. Oral argument was testy yesterday. Justice Scalia saying straight up that some black students might be better off at “slower track” schools. Nobody likes that affirmative action was needed. Is it needed now? Is there a better way, in this year of racial tension on American college campuses? This hour On Point, race, America, and affirmative action before the high court. — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/12/10/supreme-court-affirmative-action

Four Reasons for Decline of Religion

...As a researcher who has spent 30 years studying human motivation, I believe we embrace or reject religion based on our values. I see four possible psychological reasons for the recent rise in secularism in America based on decades of studying what makes people tick...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-reiss/four-reasons-for-decline-_b_8778968.html

Top U.S. & World Headlines — December 15, 2015

https://youtu.be/fDeFsX0Y-H8

Rev. Franklin Graham: Only 'biblical principles' can fix the U.S. government

https://youtu.be/pM52vTDWNtU

For God and country: more U.S. pastors seek political office in 2016

“This is a fundamental shift in strategy,” said John Fea, a history professor at Christian Messiah College, who is nevertheless skeptical the effort will produce the desired results. “Rather than forcing this from the top down, this is about a grassroots approach to changing the culture by embedding ministers in local politics from the ground up,” he said...
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2015/12/11/for-god-and-country-more-u-s-pastors-seek-political-office-in-2016/

“Light the motherf*cker on fire!”: Another Trump rally turns on Black Lives Matter protestors

“Shoot him!” someone yelled as the protestors were escorted out of the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. A large middle aged man shouted, “Sieg heil!” as the protesters were taken away...
http://www.salon.com/2015/12/15/light_the_motherfcker_on_fire_another_trump_rally_turns_on_black_lives_matter_protestors/

Santorum Super PAC Ad Warns Of 'Small Bands Of Radicals' Waging WWIII

A female narrator opens the radio ad with an ominous warning: "World War III is upon us." (Listen to the radio ad here.)...
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/santorum-world-war-iii-ad

Brian McFadden on Donald Trump's Recipe for Spreading Hate Across America | Alternet

http://www.alternet.org/comics/alternet-comics-brian-mcfadden-donald-trumps-recipe-spreading-hate-across-america

Matt Taibbi: It's Too Late To Turn Off Trump

Even if we take the man off the air, the problem he represents is still going to be there, just like poverty, corruption, mass incarceration, pollution and all of the other things we keep off the airwaves...
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/matt-taibbi-its-too-late-turn-trump

Trump's Sick Predecessors: 6 Racist Bullies Who Stirred Up Americans' Basest Instincts

Loud-mouthed political bullies have been part of the American political system since its earliest days. America’s past is littered with the legacies of political demagogues like Trump and some of his Republican cronies...
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/trumps-sick-predecessors-6-racist-bullies-who-stirred-americans-basest-instincts

Ted Cruz misquotes CIA official, makes false claim on bombing ISIS oil and climate change

Cruz, who vowed to "utterly destroy ISIS" and "carpet bomb them into oblivion," said Obama is not serious about defeating the jihadists. The Texas senator brought up Obama’s former CIA deputy director, Mike Morell, to show how Obama has prioritized a green agenda instead...
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/dec/14/ted-cruz/ted-cruz-misquotes-cia-official-makes-false-claim-/