The Atheist Communist Caliphate Made Flesh, Spread the Clusterfuck Around Thread

[RV]

The AMA does not approve of the Obama plan for health care.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/11/us/politics/11health.html

WASHINGTON — As the health care debate heats up, the American Medical Association is letting Congress know that it will oppose creation of a government-sponsored insurance plan, which President Obama and many other Democrats see as an essential element of legislation to remake the health care system.

The opposition, which comes as Mr. Obama prepares to address the powerful doctors' group on Monday in Chicago, could be a major hurdle for advocates of a public insurance plan. The A.M.A., with about 250,000 members, is America's largest physician organization.

In other news, Germany surrendered in 1945.

Not that AMA opposition to reform is anything new, but they've "clarified" their position:

Today's New York Times story creates a false impression about the AMA's position on a public plan option in health care reform legislation. The AMA opposes any public plan that forces physicians to participate, expands the fiscally-challenged Medicare program or pays Medicare rates, but the AMA is willing to consider other variations of the public plan that are currently under discussion in Congress.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2009/06/hardball_on_health_care.html

Adding:

Currently, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the nation's largest pharmaceutical lobbying group, is pursuing a multimillion dollar campaign against many aspects of health reform. A public insurance plan might pay less for branded drugs, or would opt for generics in many cases, so drug companies want to maintain the status quo. But if this is the concern, why is AMA stepping up to the plate for the drug lobby?

AMA derives at least a fifth of its budget from drug companies through an arrangement known as "licensure." The program consists of AMA selling drug companies its "Masterfile" of doctor profiles, spanning everything from detailed biographic information to an individual doctor's prescription-writing history. The program is extremely controversial since drug companies in turn use the information to aggressively market their products to doctors. Controversial drugs Vioxx and Avandia, which have subsequently been found to pose significant risks to patients, have been marketed to doctors, in some cases, using information obtained from the AMA.

[Tank]

Next week's MikeC copy–paste outrage today!

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/06/president-obama-fires-controversial-inspector-general-.html

With little public notice, President Obama Thursday fired the Inspector General of the Corporation for National and Community Service, Gerald Walpin.

Saying he was "exercising my power as president," Mr. Obama suspended Walpin with pay, saying his termination would be "effective 30 days from now."

The president wrote that "it is vital that I have the fullest confidence in the appointees serving as Inspectors General. That is no longer the case with regard to this Inspector general."

The decision was announced, such as it was, in letters the president wrote to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Vice President Joe Biden in his role as president of the Senate.

White House counsel Greg Craig, responding to a letter of concern about Walpin's termination from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, noted that the "Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of California, a career prosecutor who was appointed to his post during the Bush Administration, has referred Mr. Walpin's conduct for review by the Integrity Committee of the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency."

Craig said that the White House was "aware of the circumstances leading to that referral and of Mr. Walpin's conduct throughout his tenure and can assure you that that the president's decision was carefully considered." He noted that Walpin's termination "is fully supported by the Chair of the Corporation (a Democrat) and the Vice-Chair (a Republican)."

Exactly what conduct issues necessitated review was unclear; the White House and the office of the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California would not comment.

A source familiar with the president's thinking told ABC News that "Mr. Walpin's overall conduct in a variety of circumstances -- well beyond the scope of the Assistant U.S. Attorney's referral -- led the president to conclude that Mr. Walpin should be replaced by someone who could effectively provide the kind of independent oversight that the president values."

Walpin had been criticized for the way he handled an investigation into Kevin Johnson, former point guard of the Phoenix Suns, who was elected Mayor of Sacramento last November and is an ally of the president's.

...

Grassley said Walpin needed to be given 30-days notice, which he said is required by the 2008 Inspector General Reform Act that President Bush signed into law and then-Sen. Obama co-sponsored.

Specifically, Section 3 of the law requires that, "the president shall communicate in writing the reasons for any such removal or transfer to both Houses of Congress, not later than 30 days before the removal or transfer."

"No such notice was provided to Congress in this instance," Grassley wrote in a letter to the president.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090612/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_national_service_inspector_general

In August 2008, Walpin referred the matter to the local U.S. attorney's office, which said the watchdog's conclusions seemed overstated and did not accurately reflect all the information gathered in the investigation.

"We also highlighted numerous questions and further investigation they needed to conduct, including the fact that they had not done an audit to establish how much AmeriCorps money was actually misspent," Acting U.S. Attorney Lawrence Brown said in an April 29 letter to the federal counsel of inspectors general.

Walpin's office made repeated public comments just before the Sacramento mayoral election, prompting the U.S. attorney's office to inform the media that it did not intend to file any criminal charges.

In settling the case, the government agreed to lift its suspension of any future grants to the academy and Johnson agreed to immediately repay $73,000 in past grants. The academy was given 10 years to repay the remaining $350,000.

Brown said at the time of the settlement that prosecutors determined there was no fraud, but rather a culture of "sloppiness" in St. HOPE's record-keeping.

http://pogoblog.typepad.com/pogo/2009/06/flagrant-foul.html

Whatever the merits of the administration's decision to terminate Gerald Walpin, we feel strongly that the President should fully inform Congress of the justification for such decisions, in accordance with the IG Reform Act, so as to protect the independence of IGs. As we noted in our first report on the IG system, Inspectors General: Many Lack Essential Tools for Independence, "an IG who lacks independence is unlikely to be effective." Even the appearance of political favoritism can cast a shadow on the independence of the IG community.

[Tank]

Continued...

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/06/obama_removes_americorps_ig_who_clashed_with_ally.php

- In April 2008, federal agents (meaning Walpin's IG office, it seems, though the reporting is unclear) began investigating the use of federal grant money by the St. HOPE Academy, a Sacramento non-profit then run by Johnson.

- The following month, local law enforcement announced that no criminal case could be made against Johnson, but the federal probe continued.

...

- In September, the federal probe was turned over to the U.S. attorney's office in Sacramento.

- Later that month, Walpin, on behalf of CNCS, released the findings of the federal probe, which it appears he had led. Walpin found that St. HOPE had improperly used hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money, by using AmeriCorps volunteers to run errands for Johnson, wash his car, and do political work relating to a local school board race. Saying he had found "potential criminal violations," Walpin recommended that while the US attorney's office's investigation was ongoing, Johnson and another St. HOPE official be barred from receiving federal money. But as the Bee would later note in an editorial, "Walpin decided to act before any legal body determined whether irregularities in the administration of grants from 2004-2007 reflected inadvertent errors and ignorance of regulations or actual fraud."

- Nonetheless, days later, a "debarment official" at CNCS followed up on Walpin's recommendation, taking the rare step of issuing a letter suspending Johnson and the other official from receiving federal funds. Walpin touted the news in "huge red headlines" on his IG website, according to the Bee.

- The Bee would later find that, since its inception in 1994, the NCSC had suspended only two other organizations and three other people, and that the irregularities at St. HOPE were similar to those found at other nonprofits that were not suspended.

...

- On November 4, Johnson won the mayor's race 57-42 over Fargo.

- Two days later, US attorney McGregor Scott, a Bush appointee, announced that the investigation into the misuse of funds did not warrant criminal charges. Scott said he had asked Walpin's office to go back and conduct a line-by-line audit to help determine whether civil charges should be filed, implying that Walpin's probe had been insufficiently detailed.

...

- In April, the US Attorney's office announced a settlement with Johnson, which would involve Johnson, St. HOPE, and the other official repaying over $400,000 in grants it received, and would allow him to again receive federal money.

- That same month, the new acting US attorney, Lawrence Brown wrote a letter to a federal oversight body for inspectors general, asking it to review Walpin's work on the St. HOPE investigation. According to the AP, Brown wrote: "We also highlighted numerous questions and further investigation they needed to conduct, including the fact that they had not done an audit to establish how much AmeriCorps money was actually misspent."

- Then in May, Walpin submitted a "Special Report to Congress" that called the settlement "a farce" and declared that claiming it was in the government's interest "is an attempt to pull the wool over the public's eyes."

...

So here's what it sounds like: Johnson and his non-profit ran a very loose operation, which deserved some kind of sanction. But Walpin's action -- in publicly suggesting, without much apparent evidence, that Johnson might have committed a crime, and having Johnson barred from receiving federal funds, ultimately jeopardizing the fortunes of the city as a whole after Johnson became mayor -- was out of all proportion to the wrongdoing. (That's especially true given that it could have affected the outcome of a closely fought election -- which is exactly why the FBI has specific policies forbidding public comments about ongoing investigations during political campaign season.) Then, even once the relevant authorities had determined that no crime had been committed and agreed on an appropriate remedy, Walpin worked to undermine that agreement by appealing to Congress.

The White House should probably offer some more specific details about its reasons for firing Walpin, beyond simply referring to Brown's letter -- a spokesman didn't respond to our request for comment. That's especially true given that Walpin had been skirmishing with an Obama ally, raising the specter of a politicized firing. But on its face, it seems like Obama may have had ample reason for making the decision he did.

[Tank]

Back to the Iranian Presidential election...

http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/06/12/iran_elections_update

Leading Iranian opposition presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi was due to give a press conference at 10am Tehran time (8 1/2 hours ahead of EST), a Washington-based Iran hand tells The Cable. Two hours earlier, final vote counts (according to state counters) are expected to be announced.

"If [Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei comes and endorses the results prior to 10am, then a Mousavi protest will be more than a confrontation, but war," the Iran hand says.

Meantime, an international human rights group says that it has received unconfirmed reports that Mousavi may have been taken into custody by Iranian intelligence officials.

"We were told by very reliable sources that Mousavi was detained on his way to meet the Supreme Leader by members of the intelligence ministry and taken to a safe house to prevent him from making any public announcement," Hadi Ghaemi, of the Hague-based NGO, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, told The Cable.

(A source who just spoke to someone who went to the Mousavi headquarters said the person disputed that Mousavi was detained. The situation is not clear.)

Ghaemi said that the Tehran campaign headquarters of Mousavi and another opposition presidential candidate Mehdi Karoubi have been surrounded by intelligence services.

"Security and armed forces have completely taken control of the situation and Karrubi and Mousavi both have been intimidated to accept defeat," Ghaemi wrote. "Both their HQs been seized and shut. Khamanei has summoned Karrubi and told him 'to shut up.' Similarly Mousavi has been forced to accept defeat."

"Based on this information, the claim is that using armed presence and use of force the coup is completed. Ahmadinejad's supporters are reportedly already in the streets of Tehran and celebrating their 'victory.' Mousavi and Karrubi and their supporters are so intimidated they don't dare to make any public challenges. I am told none of their top staff would do an interview. A very sad day for Iranian people...."

"Moussavi's official website, www.ghalamnews.ir, reported that when his supporters gathered around his headquarters to celebrate what they believed was his victory based on reports of his representatives at polling stations, police forces confronted them using pepper spray and violently dispersed them. Moussavi's headquarters have been since shut, similar to Karroubi's headquarters," the human rights group said in a press release.

Ghaemi said  opposition forces believe there was massive fraud in the vote count but cannot figure out or yet prove where it occurred, perhaps in the computer system pre-planned in advance. He said that they are frightened. 

Iran hands have used words like "coup" to describe what they believe may be taking place.

[Tank]

http://www.iranhumanrights.org/2009/06/electionfraud/

Partial Vote Count Declaring Ahmadinejad Win Amidst Allegations of Widespread Fraud "Gross violation of the right to a free and fair election"

(13 June 2009) [As of 7 am Tehran time] After a disputed election, the offices of two reformist candidates, Mir Hossein Moussavi and Mehdi Karroubi were seized and locked by intelligence and security forces. As the Interior Ministry is declaring Ahmadinejad as the victor, the security apparatus loyal to him have taken to the streets in an overwhelming show of force.

According to unconfirmed reports, Mir Hossein Moussavi may have been detained by intelligence agents as he traveled to the Supreme Leader's residence to meet with him.

By all indications, the government of Ahmadinejad, which is in charge of conducting the elections and counting votes, is using a combination of intimidation and military might to prevent any challenges to announced results of the election.

"It appears that a coup has taken place in Iran overnight to force the results on other parties. These elections cannot be considered fair by any measure under such circumstances," said Hadi Ghaemi, spokesperson for the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.

Moussavi's official website, www.ghalamnews.ir, reported that when his supporters gathered around his headquarters to celebrate what they believed was his victory based on reports of his representatives at polling stations, police forces confronted them using pepper spray and violently dispersed them. Moussavi's headquarters have been since shut, similar to Karroubi's headquarters.

At 11 PM Tehran time, Moussavi told a press conference, "I am the absolute winner of the election by a very wide margin. It is our duty to defend people's votes. There is no turning back."

However, since then the situation seems to have drastically shifted in favor of Ahmadinejad, with continuous announcements of his wide margin of victory. According to reports from Tehran, heavy armed agents, many in plainclothes, have taken control of major intersections.

As of this writing, crowds of Ahmadinejad's supporters are reportedly already celebrating his victory in the streets.

The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran expressed its serious concerns about the vote counting process and the intimidation of candidates to accept results of government counts without any challenge. The Campaign is also seriously concerned about the safety of Moussavi and Karroubi and their top advisors, as well as the possibility of violence against any protestors who may publicly challenge the government.

"The Iranian people, throughout this entire election process, believed that through peaceful and legal means significant change could be achieved and they participated enthusiastically, but their right to a free and fair election has been grossly violated," Ghaemi said.

[morpheus]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124473141538306335.html

Fuckers.  But remember, no new taxes on anyone making less than $250K.  Or something.

[Slaky]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124473141538306335.html

Fuckers.  But remember, no new taxes on anyone making less than $250K.  Or something.

My work phone sits in a drawer, untouched and unseen. Sweet.

[Tank]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124473141538306335.html

Fuckers.  But remember, no new taxes on anyone making less than $250K.  Or something.

Define "new"...

The IRS move, which is spurring efforts by the wireless industry and others to kill the idea, would mark a stricter enforcement of an existing rule that classifies employer-provided cellphones as a taxable benefit, rather than a 24-hour-a-day work tool.

Under a 1989 law, workers who use company-provided mobile phones for personal calls are supposed to count the value of those calls as income and pay federal income taxes accordingly.

But businesses and workers have long ignored the requirement, prompting the IRS to consider steps the agency said would make it easier for businesses and workers to comply.

...

Over the past couple of years, the IRS has begun challenging employers over the accounting of workers' cellphone expenses during tax audits, said Mr. Carpenter, the trade-group spokesman.

The 1989 law requires that company-provided wireless services be included in a worker's gross income -- unless the employee keeps detailed records showing the device was used only for work.

Following one IRS audit, the University of California system owed additional payroll taxes because it couldn't substantiate that employees' cellphone use was solely work-related.

John Harper, the mayor of Rowlett, Texas, said his town wrestled with whether to declare as worker income a portion of the 100 cellphones provided to city employees, but decided it was too much work.

And, no... that doesn't mean it's not retarded.

[morpheus]

http://dcinterns.blogspot.com/

Nonpartisan awesomeness.

[Jon]

http://dcinterns.blogspot.com/

Nonpartisan awesomeness.

Heh.

[CBStew]

http://dcinterns.blogspot.com/

Nonpartisan awesomeness.

Heh.

There is a disease which is probably spread by mosquitoes which are bred along the banks of the Potomac.  I think that the disease causes everyone who works in DC, not merely in government, to believe that the rest of the world is the boondocks, and nothing important can possibly happen anywhere else. 

[thehawk]

http://dcinterns.blogspot.com/

Nonpartisan awesomeness.

Heh.

There is a disease which is probably spread by mosquitoes which are bred along the banks of the Potomac.  I think that the disease causes everyone who works in DC, not merely in government, to believe that the rest of the world is the boondocks, and nothing important can possibly happen anywhere else. 

Its probably waterborne, I've seen it infect residents around the Hudson and East Rivers as well.

[Jon]

http://dcinterns.blogspot.com/

Nonpartisan awesomeness.

Heh.

There is a disease which is probably spread by mosquitoes which are bred along the banks of the Potomac.  I think that the disease causes everyone who works in DC, not merely in government, to believe that the rest of the world is the boondocks, and nothing important can possibly happen anywhere else. 

Its probably waterborne, I've seen it infect residents around the Hudson and East Rivers as well.

Apparently it's also carried in the dirty water along the banks of the river Charles.

[Tank]

http://dcinterns.blogspot.com/

Nonpartisan awesomeness.

Heh.

There is a disease which is probably spread by mosquitoes which are bred along the banks of the Potomac.  I think that the disease causes everyone who works in DC, not merely in government, to believe that the rest of the world is the boondocks, and nothing important can possibly happen anywhere else. 

Its probably waterborne, I've seen it infect residents around the Hudson and East Rivers as well.

Apparently it's also carried in the dirty water along the banks of the river Charles.

Sometimes good guys don't where white?

[Jon]

http://dcinterns.blogspot.com/

Nonpartisan awesomeness.

Heh.

There is a disease which is probably spread by mosquitoes which are bred along the banks of the Potomac.  I think that the disease causes everyone who works in DC, not merely in government, to believe that the rest of the world is the boondocks, and nothing important can possibly happen anywhere else. 

Its probably waterborne, I've seen it infect residents around the Hudson and East Rivers as well.

Apparently it's also carried in the dirty water along the banks of the river Charles.

Sometimes good guys don't wear white?

I swee that you swee what I did there.