Hmmm… Is the FBI responsible for the Boston marathon bombing??? Or… is it the CIA that really is responsible for the death of three innocent spectators, and one MIT police officer??? Maybe they are both responsible for the mayhem, the loss of life and the torn apart bodies of all those spectators.
Or maybe, just maybe, it was the Islamic radical terrorist. Is that a possibility to FDL to consider. That if the two Islamic radical terrorist, never went to NH and bought fireworks, emptied out the gunpowder, put it into a pressure cooker with nails, BB’s and left it in front of an 8 year old child, that no one would have died. No one would have been maimed, and everyone would have enjoyed a peaceful fun day?
So two Islamic terrorist manage to slip through the scrutiny of those trying to protect s, and FDL blames them instead of the Islamic radical terrorist.

I would argue that we don’t actually have a free press. We have a newsertainment industry that parses words to fit ideological or commercial arguments. The actual (if it is the actual) memo as reported states

“A confidential Justice Department memo concludes that the U.S. government can order the killing of American citizens if they are believed to be “senior operational leaders” of al-Qaida or “an associated force” — even if there is no intelligence indicating they are engaged in an active plot to attack the U.S…”

Actual intelligence of indication of an active plot is not even required. Guilt by association.

The conservative press will report this as a breach of Constitutional law and call for impeachment regardless of history relating to the previous Administration.

The Liberal press will report this as a breach of Constitution and plant blame totally on the Bush administration. The current Administrations action will be justified by results.

Both sides have a narrative to adhere to when reporting. Newsertainment is advertiser driven and rating driven. Reporters do not have the freedom to report as desired or at this stage the desire to report unvarnished truth. Reporter know that to get a job in today’s news entertainment industry, you have to tailor reporting to the narrative of those who would hire you.

The days of unbiased truthful reporting have been replaced with selective reporting, half truths and repeated falsehoods. You know? A coke and a Smile.

A confidential Justice Department memo concludes that the U.S. government can order the killing of American citizens if they are believed to be “senior operational leaders” of al-Qaida or “an associated force” — even if there is no intelligence indicating they are engaged in an active plot to attack the U.S…

My guess is that the Administration is using the “public danger” clause in the 5th Amendment as justification. The bigger concern is how far will this justification be expanded? Drug dealers, domestic crimes that endanger the public, drunk driving, speeding? It appears that the due process rules of the 5th and 14th Amendments are in danger from this precedent.

5th Amendment
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.[1]

14th Amendment Section. 1
All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

What hyperbole! Manning knew what he was doing was not allowed, He knew it could be used by enemies and he acted, having that knowledge.
Nuremburg! Geeze, what a load of B.S. If there were “soldiers” like manning handling military secrets in WWII, Those trials would have been held by the S.S. with a short walk out behind the building for a date with a firing squad.

Perris you may think that the Gun bill pays lip service to the liberals, but every gun owner demographic study indicates the 28% of gun owners consider themselves liberals and 29% gun owners consider themselves moderates.
This so called appeasement to the liberals may cost the Democrats the Senate in 2014 with the GOP needing 11 seats and at least 17 seats that are Democrat in states with high gun owner support in contention.
This and as you state, the far left is angry for the Party being to far right the center is angry for the party being to left and the Party itself spending all their time lining up to be talking heads and asking for donations with every email and letter.
Me? I voted Dem for the last 40 years and I am sitting this next one out. I more or less have been rejected by the left wing controlling the party as being to center for their liking.

I have voted Democrat for the past 40 years, I am a member of the AFL-CIO for 33 years. I am one of those center left Democrats that is being driven out of the “tent”. I am not a corporate wall street type, but more of a ditch digger type. I work hard, I pay my bills, I live within my means.I also enjoy the sport of shooting. As a Union Member of 33 years i have seen times when the Democratic Party stood by the Unions and backed them with passion. When they weren’t afraid to spend a little political capital to help the middle class.Now, what I see is lip service and platitudes. Every important issue that the Unions have [pleaded for has been back burnered.
i am considered by almost all the people I deal with and know as a liberal, to the point that i started carrying a liberal card as a joke so I could show that I was a card carrying liberal. Now I go onto many of these forums and are often derided as a FOX Troll, a Neo-Con, or a NRA Nazi for simply debating about gun control from a perspective of a gun owner. I find it somewhat odd, since I don’t watch FOX, I am anything but a Neo-Con and I am not and never have been a member of the NRA (Macarthyism anyone?)
So basically I don’t pass the new Democrat purity test. The Party has thrown me out of the tent. I am done pushing for, backing up, defending and donation either time or money to the Democrat Party. I have no more cheeks to slap. If the Republicans take over the Senate in 2014, I feel it at this point I won;t be any worse off than i am under the Democrats.
So…Third Party anyone?

Occupy??? It grew like a lit match and just like a lit match it burned out quick. Face it, internet activists are a small group who only preach to the choir. The rest of those on the internet loose interest as soon as new cat playing a piano comes along.

I regret voting for this President and will work to make amends when Senator John Kerry’s replacement comes up for a vote in Massachusetts.

If I can’t live within the confines of the law or the Constitution? I’ll just consider them suggestions, reject them and live outside the confines of the law or the Constitution.

He better do it before Inauguration day though. Could be embarrassing.

“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

And your realistic solution? We all know the facts of life in a capitalistic society and a capitalistic world. But this attitude of winner take all is unrealistic. Short of a very violent revolution of the people taking over and creating a workers paradise? What is your answer. We can all come up with what’s wrong and doesn’t work, but nobody has ever been able to come up with real solutions that will work for all.

There are two things i have to say about this deal. First. It isn’t done yet. The House has a history of rejecting deals like this and I won’t be surprised if this deal is rejected. Second. If it by chance does pass the House and the President does sign it? I will have my SS tax rate increased as I fall into that category of working stiffs who make less than $110,000. But I also realize that we all have to pitch in to reduce the deficit and fund SS. So I say to all those who are bitching about how the President sold them out? Stop your whining and move on. This is how the government works nowadays and the reality is, that nobody gets the whole pie. We all only get a slice or two.

I disagree with the statement “Most liberals in the United States seem to prefer ignoring what is happening with WikiLeaks” It amazes me whenever i read from any group that claims to speak for all in unsubstantiated statements. Part of our divisiveness in this country comes from the right or left pigeonholing each other into massive groups with simple predictable mindsets. So maybe the writers friends and acquaintances at gatherings or his blog commenters may agree with this statement. It is a disservice to the truth to extrapolate that agreement into how I as a card carrying liberal may feel. It is the same as saying “all” conservatives are gun loving, god fearing, money mongers and “all” liberals are gun hating, godless, socialist. It makes good newsertainment, but is far from reality. There is no purity test for liberals and I hope there never is.

There is no serious debate or reporting on 24 hour newsertaintment. I now get 99% of my news on line and have the bonus of reading and giving opinions by a very active on line population. The bonus also being that there is always someone to fact check instantaneously any talking points put on by paid trolls. Real television news is dead. Talking head partisan newsertainment is alive and not so well.

This video addresses two of the issues that are being vilified by the GOP and ignored by the Democrats. The first is getting a job after turning the magical age of 50. If you are unfortunate to lose your job and you are over 50, there is a slim hope of getting employment even at a third of your old pay scale. And forget about insurance. Most companies are keeping new hires at part time to avoid paying any benefits. The GOP calls these unemployed parasites trying to live on the hard work of the wealthy and the Democrats buckle under to their browbeating and agree that people live longer so they should raise retirement and medicare to compensate. This all comes from a group that will receive benefits for life and full pay and healthcare after 10 years. This good man who worked till he was replaced by a younger cheaper worker and then allowed to die for lack of insurance that may have detected his cancer early is a sin on American society. A sin for all of us for allowing this to happen. A sin for all of us for not shaming those who are heartless towards the elderly, the sick and the poor. A sin!!!

The sad fact is, that with the redrawing of the districts to favor Republicans in the next election along with new voting regulations, it will be extremely difficult to hold on to these close race seats and ever get a majority for the Democrats. The Democrats have been outplayed and marginalized in Wisconsin. The GOP does though know one thing as fact, power is fleeting and when you have it go for the gold. The National Democrats when they had all three houses did not and a allowed the minority party to control the message. This will not be the same if the Republicans winn Nationally. They will change the rules and they will do it without conscience or regard for the middle class and poor.

“Just as we found compromise in recent days, we both know there is a path forward to end this impasse.” Are you kidding me? Why not just send a letter of capitulation and be done with it. I can see labor being sold down the road as i write this. What a weak democratic party this decade has produced, from the top down.

Third Party now. The time is perfect. If the Republicans win both houses and the White House it won’t really change anything except the middle class and poor will get screwed only a little faster than they are now. If a third party gains enough seats to take away any majority from any party, then real governance can happen. And maybe the Democrats will start to act the part they extoll.

More empty threats of action from the new transparent, empty vessel Democrat Party. The GOP lives by the children’s retort ‘Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me” If anyone here believes for one second the GOP will react positively to this tactic, then I have an outsourced Chinese bridge to sell you.