Motley Moose – Archive

Politico is reporting (and Jeffrey Toobin is confirming) that Stanford Law Professor Pam Karlan will become Deputy Assistant Attorney General for voting rights in the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.  This position is NOT subject to Senate confirmation.

Professor Karlan is one of the leading liberal Constitutional scholars and, at 54, would make a great choice for the next vacancy on the Court, but her taking this position is important not just for her professional development, but because it ensures that voting rights will be front and center at DOJ as we enter the crucial period where DOJ will be challenging states like Texas and North Carolina on their new restrictive voting laws.

Predictably, right wing heads are already exploding.  At PJ Tattler, they describe her as a “dishonest radical”.

Crossposted at The Daily Kos

From the White House – Weekly Address

In his weekly address, President Obama highlights the bipartisan budget agreement that unwinds some of the cuts that were damaging to the economy and keeps investments in areas that help us grow, and urges both parties to work together to extend emergency unemployment insurance and act on new measures to create jobs and strengthen the middle class.

  Make sure you let your peeps

  know where to find you!  

President Obama held a news conference at 2:00 PM EST on Friday, December 20, 2013.

The White House live stream video.

Tweet along with the Moose.

The winter solstice “occurs exactly when the Earth’s axial tilt is farthest away from the sun at its maximum of 23° 26′. Though the winter solstice lasts only a moment in time, the term is also a turning point to midwinter and the first day of winter.”

That moment occurs tomorrow, December 21st, at UTC 17:11 or 11:11 a.m. Central Time, which is my time zone.

Of course, that is the scientific explanation. We know better!

Twice a year, on the solstice holidays, Basement Cat and Ceiling Cat are locked in mortal combat over the Light. At summer solstice, Basement Cat prevails and the light starts receding … gradually at first and then more quickly until the autumnal equinox, when the light and dark are equal.

Interrogatories

If we had to let one state secede, if only to show them how bad things would be for them, which state would you choose?

Do you ever go caroling? Do you get carolers where you live?

How many pairs of shoes do you own? Do you need any more?

If you could have back one attribute of your youth, what would it be?

The Twitter Emitter

Breaking: A shocked A&E suspends Duck Dynasty star for anti-Gay slurs. Also apologizes a guy died in the A&E reality show "Let's Kill a Guy"

— William K. Wolfrum (@Wolfrum) December 19, 2013

Peggy Noonan: "I'm giving framed columns where I compare the current president to Reagan for Christmas. Everyone got a different one!"

— Top Conservative Cat (@TeaPartyCat) December 19, 2013

"They are arguing over what color Santa is. They are not ready." — Aliens watching us and deciding not to make First Contact

— pourmecoffee (@pourmecoffee) December 19, 2013

It seems like putting Alec Baldwin on Duck Dynasty for a weeks would be the fairest punishment for everyone.

— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) December 19, 2013

What I've learned today: Sarah Palin thinks the Constitution protects the right to have a reality TV franchise. I'm off to drink now.

— Chris Lehmann (@lehmannchris) December 19, 2013

Sarah Palin: "Criticizing Phil Robertson is intolerant. Free speech includes everything, people. Everything but insults against me."

— Top Conservative Cat (@TeaPartyCat) December 20, 2013

You have a constitutionally-protected right to verbally express your complete misunderstanding of your constitutionally-protected rights.

— God (@TheTweetOfGod) December 20, 2013

Good morning, Moosekind. TGIF! Hope it has been a good week for everyone.

A look at a ground-breaking short film series of the 1920’s-1940’s, after the jump …..

In Excelsis Deo (West Wing, NBC – 1999)

… a haunted Toby (Richard Schiff) learns more about a forgotten Korean War hero who died alone on the district’s cold streets wearing a coat that Toby once donated to charity.

President Bartlett: “Toby, if we start pulling strings like this, you don’t think every homeless veteran will come out of the woodwork?”

Toby Ziegler: “We can only hope, sir”.