Has the employee at the 7-11 given a statement to the police or media about his perception of Martin? I think his/her opinion would develop a more comprehensive picture of what happened that night. My suspicion is that the employee would say that Martin was not seen as a threat.

I also disagree with the assumption that the drop in benefits will result in higher taxable wages. If companies are positioned to offer higher wages to keep or attract more employees, they’ll do it. But if the company needs the savings gained by dropping health care to maintain profitability, I wouldn’t expect them to pass those savings on to the employees through higher wages. Just not gonna happen.

Aw, crap. Mary’s comments were always a treat, as they revealed a sharp analytical mind and gentleness of soul. I’m saddened to hear of her passing.

Damn, we sure need to work on the ethereal WiFi, so we can hear from her and Tanta (Calculated Risk) again.

So he just tipped his hand again to the conservative position again, instead of staking out hard left. And then he’ll “compromise” off that position. As predictable as the sun rising in the east.

No commitment from Peter Welch yet.

The “Tea Party” has served as the populist name for the John Birch Society and Libertarian groups that form the base of the Republican Party. It is not surprising to me in the least bit that the American public has a negative view, as it’s probably very consistent with the general view on the extreme positions that those groups hold. The American people, mostly due to the favorable reporting by the media, were scammed into believing the Tea Party was a new movement by people of all stripes shouting “No More!”. Instead, it was a large scale Brooks Brothers Riot aided in great by Rick Santelli’s rant heard around the world.

And if it doesn’t work, they have to contend with a host of issues, including annual re-certification to a membership that knows it’s legally barred from advocating on their behalf.

Wouldn’t this be in violation of the Citizens United decision?

Call your congressional representatives and demand that they take action to stop the torture of an American citizen, who has only been accused of a crime.

This isn’t the first time that BCBS has gifted its departing executive with an outlandish retirement package.

In 2009, BCBS of Vermont CEO William Milnes was given a retirement of 6.3 million dollars. In June 2010, the state of Vermont forced BCBS to refund 3 million dollars to its customers.

http://7d.blogs.com/blurt/2010/06/blue-cross-blue-shield-ordered-to-repay-3-million-in-executive-payout.html.

I really hate that our distrust of criminal allegations related to terrorism is so warranted. It’s downright criminal in itself to use the Justice Department to help scare our representatives into supporting the PA extension. Frack.

This is brilliant, Jane. These numbers should be repeated over and over again until they sink in. Thanks for compiling them.

The idea that Assange is withholding damaging files as a threat to those who would harm him seems at odds with WikiLeaks goal “bringing important news and information to the public.” Is Assange really saying that he won’t release these files if he’s left alone?

“Walton’s comment suggested he had had to choose between reporter’s privilege or government impunity for attacking one of its citizens.”

When I read this, I turned to the question of “why does a president nominates a particular judge to the federal bench?” And I think the answer during the Bush and Obama administration is not the left/right ideology of the judge as we reflexively believe, but rather the judge’s temperament toward Authority. I strongly suspect that most, if not all, judges nominated under both administrations have a deep and abiding respect for Authority and quite readily dismiss challenges to Authority as threats to National Security, which now, quite remarkably, includes Foreign, Domestic, and Economic entities.