NEC calls the election

The Franklin Times -

The National Elections Commission has called the 5th General Assembly elections. Results can be found by going to the NEC Report. The "winning" party now has 24 hours to form a coalition that controls a majority of the General Assembly seats. The party also has 24 hours to announce their coalition government by dividing up the ministry positions among the coalition partners. Parties are reminded that coalition formation can be tricky has potential coalition partners make certain demands on positions and policies.

Positions to be filled:
Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
Foreign Minister
Defense Minister
Treasury Minister
Justice Minister
Homeland Minister
Commerce and Trade Minister
Health Minister
Education Minister
Environmental Minister
Agriculture and Mining
Speaker of the General Assembly

Early returns flood in...

The Franklin Times -

NEC initial reports show good news for the FLP, MP, RP, and WOP. These parties seem to be performing well.

Turnout models show strong voting in traditionally center-left precincts throughout the eastern states.

The RP seems to be benefiting from the absence of a true conservative party as many center-right voters are turning toward them.

However, the biggest story will be the very low conservative turnout. This will surely lead to a center-left government emerging from the 2011 elections.

The election remains tight and it is still too early and too close to project which party will emerge with the most seats. The NEC is reporting that no single party will emerge with a majority and a coalition government (which have governed Franklin for the past four years) will be required. The NEC is also reporting that returns will show the closest election in history at the top.

Voting begins...

The Franklin Times -

Voting across the nation has begun. Mirroring a growing trend in modern democracies polls have opened days early to allow for early voting. Press reports across the country report varying levels of turnout. In the west, long the bastion of the Franklin conservative movement, turnout was at historic lows. The NEC reported that voting trends in Atrium, Bennett, Gerke, Hampton, and Hunter revealed the lowest levels of voter turnout of the five democratic elections held in Franklin.

The NEC estimated that voter turnout may come in at 54% in these areas, nearly thirty percentage points lower than the 2010 election. Similar patterns could be seen in traditionally conservative areas in the eastern states. Many historically conservative precincts were reporting extremely low voter levels. This may bode ill for the conservative movement and parties as moderate parties become far more competitive in these areas. "The clear lack of a true conservative party has certainly had an effect on conservative voting. Many conservatives simply did not hear a voice that reflected their values. One is right to question the future direction of the conservative movement in light of these developments," commented Henry Lowman, a political science professor at Franklin National University.

The question remains: where will the Wilsonian coalition go? Prime Minister Wilson had built a center-right political coalition in the 2010 election. These voters may be influenced by Wilson's late endorsement of the RP. Yet, recent polling showed elderly and working class voters turning against the RP's plans to privatize Social Security and Medicare. This voter apprehension over the RP's entitlement reform plans may benefit the center-left party trifecta of the FLP, MP, and WOP.

The NEC reported that first projections will be out Tuesday morning.

Final Appeals

National Elections Commission -

The NEC is asking the nine parties to issue final appeals to voters. Through a comment to this post, the parties should lay out their final case of why voters should support them.

Conservatives wary about 2011

The Franklin Times -

At a massive rally in the nation's capital, conservatives gathered to make their voices heard. The rally was organized by the Franklinites for a Conservative Change (FCC) the largest and most politically active right-wing interest group in the country.

Speaking to the estimated crowd of 30,000, FCC leader Ryan McGerald asked conservatives to voice their desires on election day. Yet, he also articulated a growing concern within conservative circles that no current party represents their vision for the future.

"My fellow conservatives, I know you are upset and I share that frustration. We have heard a deafening sound from the supposed conservative parties in this country. Will no one speak for the values this country was founded on? Progressives throughout this country speak of tolerance and entitlements. Make no mistake, these are code words for policies that will abandon traditional family values and run our nation into crippling debt. We wait for the party of small government, less spending, entitlement reform, ending the murder of innocents, defense of traditional marriage, shutting our borders to the immigrants that flood our cities, and protecting this nation from the fundamentalism of Islam. Ladies and gentlemen, I tell you now, we wait to support a party that shares our values, but will not support fake conservativism!"

McGerald's comments clearly touched a cord with many in attendance. "I have generally liked P.M. Wilson, but even he has compromised with progressives and leftists too much. We need a truly conservative government," said Ian Madden, a resident of Nordonia.

There clearly is a cry for some conservative political force as the traditionally conservative interest groups (FCC, FMA, FCC, and the RVA) have all yet to endorse. P.M. Wilson had been able to consolidate the conservative forces in the last election but no party has yet proven to have this ability. They run a great risk in this failure for many conservatives many simply stay home on election day.

Election Hits Final Day

The Franklin Times -

The election is a day away and the race appeals tight. If the Wallup polls are to be believed the electorate looks to spread its support amongst a variety of parties. This will surely prevent any one party from gaining a majority and will force the "winner" to quickly enter into coalition negotiations with their rival parties.

However, the race is clearly not over. Many questions remain and their answers will impact the ultimate outcome of this election. Will the historical regional divide between west and east continue? Will center-left voters flock to the leftist parties in response to P.M. Wilson's policies? Which party will have the best "ground-game" and demonstrate the ability to turnout their supporters? Will conservative voters turnout or stay home (please refer to The Franklin Times story "Conservatives wary about 2011")? Will the interest groups organize and endorse or continue to sit on the sidelines?

Only the voters can answer these questions and they will deliver their decision in the next 24 hours.

Final Ad buys made by parties...

Ads fill the airwaves...

FLP Ad released

FLP Ad

Going negative

New Ad hits airwaves

Editorial

The Franklin Times -
Editorial

As the conflict in Afghanistan enters its ninth year it is becoming clearer and clearer that the western world is failing. One would be hard pressed to look at this war-torn nation and conclude that progress is being made or that it is even possible. This is a land that has defeated every foreign force that has tried to control or change it.

It is a land governed by religious extremism, tribalism, warlords, and drug smugglers. Since bringing Karzai to power after the fall of the Taliban government, the United States has been unable to extend his power. Many analysts agree that while President of Afghanistan in name, Karzai's true power does not extend outside the capital of Kabul.

To complicate matters, the Taliban has reemerged. Supported by sympathetic Pashtuns in Pakistan's ungovernable frontier, this religious movement has reasserted its control over much of the countryside and drug trade. This has led to increasing violence throughout the country and has threatened to prevent the creation of a stable Afghanistan.

In response to these changing dynamics, the United States has reevaluated its military strategy in the country. President Obama and Defense Sec. Gates expanded the military operation and increased the number of troops in country. NATO, which officially has military command of all international forces, is growing wary of the extended military involvement. European nations seem increasingly unwilling to send more troops. Last Spring, Prime Minister Chaffins also announced that the Franklin States would expand its troop commitment. With nearly 3,000 troops now in country and unsteady progress questions arise. Should our commitment continue? What are the goals? What does success look like?

So, now the question for our nation is straightforward: does Franklin continue to commit military forces to Afghanistan?

Letter to the Editor

Franklin Times
Letter to the Editor

The global economic meltdown has hit us all. Economies here at home and across the globe are faltering and shrinking. There can be no doubt that our economy, like that of our neighbors, is headed in the wrong direction.

Time can be spent pointing fingers later, but now we must no longer ignore an issue that has for too long been neglected. Since the absolute monarch fell four years ago we have witnessed a great democratic transition. Yet, we have also seen three consecutive democratically elected governments fail to address the issues facing education today.

Through three election cycles parties have promised veiled promises wrapped in empty rhetoric on the education issue. Furthermore, in the past three governments little effort has been made to confront the problems facing our nation's educational system.

Now with our nation facing a crippling economic contraction, the fear has grown that education will once again move to the back-burner. I assert that this would be a fatal mistake. The road out of our economic crisis and the foundation of any long-term recovery rests in the creation and promotion of a sound educational system.

The economy of fifty years ago no longer exists. Our world is more interconnected then ever before, and as a result we must adjust. To be competitive in this new global environment an educated work force is a necessity.

The need for help will also become more acute if this crisis continues. As tax revenue falls, funding for public services (like education) will surely fall too; as states are forced to cut back. The future government must not let this happen. To cut funding in education is to sacrifice the future opportunities for our children.

The members I represent are looking for real solutions and answers as to how the educational system will be run by future governments. We are looking for honest and clear policies and look forward to seeing them in the coming days.

Lauren McDonald
The National Teachers Rally President
Franklin Workers Alliance Co-Chair

The Environmental Movement

The Franklin Times -

The Environmental Protection Council (EPC), one of the certified interest groups, has announced its 4th Annual National Convention will be held this weekend. It is inviting representatives from the political parties to speak at its convention. Any party interested in speaking is to reply to this post and submit a speech.

"We hope all the parties will attend and inform our members of their plans to protect and defend our precious environment," said Eric Greene, President of EPC.

Aiming for the Gun Vote

The Capital Courier -

Gun Gala - This weekend, thousands of gun owners will meet at the Gun Gala, the largest gun show held in Franklin. The annual event, held this year in the nation's capital, represents not only a prime opportunity for gun buyers and sellers to do business, but also represents a political event.

"As our nation moves into its democratic future, it is critically important that our government respect the rights of gun owners," explained Greg Godsen, President of the Franklin Rifle Association (FRA). "Our members will be looking closely at the parties' policies and views when it comes to gun ownership."

Godsen went on to explain that while the group will not be extending direct invites to the parties, they encourage the parties to submit clear policies and views to the FRA's Executive Council that can be considered when making endorsement decisions. This can be done by both responding to the story.

Many political analysts agree that gun rights will not play a pivotal role in the 2010 election, but this interest group and its supporters could play crucial roles in key states. "This will force many political parties to develop a delicate balancing act," stated Kyle Smithson, a political analyst.

Gun ownership is extremely high in the western States, while gun control remains a popular issue in urban areas of the East.

A Matter of Education

The Franklin Times -

The National Teachers Rally, the nation's largest teachers union, is organizing an educational forum. The forum's purpose, as explained by NTR's President Lauren McDonald, is to provide an opportunity for a free ranging and thought provoking discussion on the current issues facing education.

"As the educators of Franklin, we believe that education is a prime issue for our nation. It is also a complex issue that cannot be discussed in sound bites and press releases. A real discussion and debate is needed if we are ever to see progress. That is the purpose of this forum," explain McDonald.

The NTR invites all parties to participate in the forum. Parties are invited to participate through an internet discussion room sponsored by Nicenet. Parties willing to participate are encouraged to access the forum through the Nicenet link on the NECs election wiki and comment on the "Future of Education" thread.

The Stem Cell Debate

The Franklin Times -

As of now, the Franklin States has no national policy in regards to stem-cell research. As the research expands it may become necessary for the new government to develop a clear policy in regards to this issue. Below is a story about recent changes in stem-cell policies within the United States.

By BEN FELLER and LAURAN NEERGAARD, Associated Press Writers Ben Feller And Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press Writers

WASHINGTON – Eight years of frustration are close to an end for scientists seeking ways to use embryonic stem cells to combat illness and injury.

On Monday, President Barack Obama plans to reverse limits imposed by President George W. Bush on using federal money for research with embryonic stem cells.

The long-promised move will allow a rush of research aimed at one day better treating, if not curing, ailments from diabetes to paralysis — research that is has drawn broad support, including from notables like Nancy Reagan, widow of the late Republican President Ronald Reagan, and the late Christopher Reeve.

But it stirs intense controversy over whether government crosses a moral line with such research, and opponents promptly denounced the move.

Obama will hold an event at the White House to announce the move, a senior administration official said Friday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the policy had not yet been publicly announced.

Embryonic stem cells are master cells that can morph into any cell of the body. Scientists hope to harness them so they can create replacement tissues to treat a variety of diseases — such as new insulin-producing cells for diabetics, cells that could help those with Parkinson's disease or maybe even Alzheimer's, or new nerve connections to restore movement after spinal injury.

"I feel vindicated after eight years of struggle, and I know it's going to energize my research team," said Dr. George Daley of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute and Children's Hospital of Boston, a leading stem cell researcher.

But the research is controversial because days-old embryos must be destroyed to obtain the cells. They typically are culled from fertility-clinic leftovers otherwise destined to be thrown away.

Under Bush, taxpayer money for that research was limited to a small number of stem cell lines that were created before Aug. 9, 2001, lines that in many cases had some drawbacks that limited their potential usability.

But hundreds more of such lines — groups of cells that can continue to propagate in lab dishes — have been created since then, ones that scientists say are healthier, better suited to creating treatments for people rather than doing basic laboratory science.

Work didn't stop. Indeed, it advanced enough that this summer, the private Geron Corp. will begin the world's first study of a treatment using human embryonic stem cells, in people who recently suffered a spinal cord injury.

Nor does Obama's change fund creation of new lines. But it means that scientists who until now have had to rely on private donations to work with these newer stem cell lines can apply for government money for the research, just like they do for studies of gene therapy or other treatment approaches.

The aim of the policy is to restore "scientific integrity" to the process, the administration official said.

"America's biomedical research enterprise experienced steady decline over the past eight years, with shrinking budgets and policies that elevated ideology over science. This slowed the pace of discovery and the search for cures," said Sean Morrison, director of the University of Michigan's Center for Stem Cell Biology.

Critics immediately denounced the move.

"Taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for experiments that require the destruction of human life," said Tony Perkins of the conservative Family Research Council. "President Obama's policy change is especially troubling given the significant adult stem cell advances that are being used to treat patients now without harming or destroying human embryos."

Indeed, there are different types of stem cells: So-called adult stem cells that produce a specific type of tissue; younger stem cells found floating in amniotic fluid or the placenta. Scientists even have learned to reprogram certain cells to behave like stem cells.

But even researchers who work with varying types consider embryonic stem cells the most flexible and thus most promising form — and say that science, not politics, should ultimately judge.

"Science works best and patients are served best by having all the tools at our disposal," Daley said.

Obama made it clear during the campaign he would overturn Bush's directive.

During the campaign, Obama said, "I strongly support expanding research on stem cells. I believe that the restrictions that President Bush has placed on funding of human embryonic stem cell research have handcuffed our scientists and hindered our ability to compete with other nations."

He said he would lift Bush's ban and "ensure that all research on stem cells is conducted ethically and with rigorous oversight."

"Patients and people who've been patient advocates are going to be really happy," said Amy Comstock Rick of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research.

The ruling brought change: Scientists who've had to meticulously keep separate their federally funded research and their privately funded stem cell work — from buying separate microscopes to even setting up labs in different buildings — don’t have that expensive hurdle anymore.

Next, scientists were allowed to apply for research grants from the National Institutes of Health. The NIH already wrote guidelines that, among other things, are expected to demand that the cells being used were derived with proper informed consent from the woman or couple who donated the original embryo.

A Question of Religious Freedom

The Nordonia News -

Religious freedom is considered by many to be a central tenet of any stable democracy. It enables individuals the freedom to choose religious beliefs and conduct that reinforces their moral beings. Yet, at times this can conflict with the wider state. Where is the line between individual religious rights and the powers of the state? Recent conditions in France bring this debate to the forefront for all.

Read More...

The Costs of Higher Education

The Nordonia News -

There is no question that the global economy is transforming. Modern post-industrial economies, like that of the Franklin States, are increasingly becoming knowledge-based. This means the future keys to economic success rest not with manual skills but with knowledge and skills fostered through formal education.

These changes lead us to question what kind of public investment must be placed in institutes of higher education. There are no easy answers as the U.S. and European models demonstrate. In the United States, where higher education costs rest with the individuals, college tuition expenses are exploding. Many tuition rates in both state and private schools have doubled in less than ten years. These high costs are placing severe strain on the ability of many to afford college educations. In Europe a public financing system is witnessing increased fiscal strain.

An Issue in Hunter

The state legislative of Hunter today announced the creation of a referendum for the upcoming election regarding student privacy. The referendum if approved will provide laptops to every student in districts that meet the state requirements. The catch for state funding of laptops is that these laptops will include webcams that can be activated on demand and track what a student is doing at any given time.

Several interest groups have publicly stated opposition against the laptop referendum. Riegle Far, leader of the FCC (Franklinites for a Conservative Change) said that they fear higher taxes included in the referendum to raise state money for the laptops. A representative from the Civil Liberties Council, Wayne Plant stated. "The CLC believes that the the ability to spy on private citizens with any of sort of visual device is an invasion of privacy and violates the Franklin Compact."

Other groups are in favor of the laptop referendum. The NTU (National Teacher Union) in particular supports the laptop referendum. A written statement was sent to Trio News from the NTU saying towards the end of the statement, "As schools become more electronic based, computers will be a necessity for students and this referendum is a step foward in establishing the future of public schooling."

Questions must be raised. Will other states consider similar referendums or laws in the future. Is it truly an invasion of privacy or is it part of the change to electronic connected schooling? What will the future plurality party do?

Prime Minister Wilson visits the American Gulf Coast One Year Later

A month after announcing plans to expand offshore drilling; the Prime Minister visited ground zero of the Gulf Coast oil disaster and warned that residents could be facing a "potentially unprecedented environmental disaster."

The citizens of the United States are worried that the oil spill will damage the environment and economy around the Gulf States for a long time to come.

Eric Green from the Environmental Protection Council (EPC) is concerned about the wildlife around the area, and proclaims, "BP is responsible for this mess, and they are going to clean it up well...or there will be a price to pay, the price of destroying our shared earth."

The Prime Minister has taken little action to solve the oil spill issue. He stated, "The government will be leaving the clean-up to BP, for it is their responsibility."

The Prime Minister still believes that the current method of offshore drilling is an "important part of the strategy for energy security, and is domestic.” The enthusiasm from administration officials that were once for the Prime Minister’s plan has subsided.

Eric Green from the EPC went on to say, "The Prime Minister is partly accountable for these actions for previously promoting the offshore drilling in his State of the Union address. Therefore, the government should be taking action to help preventing it from happening in the future, and cleaning up the mess."

Now we the people ask the Franklin States: Will we keep this method, or create a new and better plan that does not risk the environment and economy? Will the government help clean up the oil spill, or will they let BP handle it all?

Trouble in Hampton

The Franklin Times-

The state of Hampton is becoming a topic of controversy here in the Franklin States of America. Just recently, a bill was introduced involving immigration. This bill gives one a feeling of intense familiarity. Perhaps this is because it is very similar to Arizona's bill that is causing so much heated debate in the United States.

Hampton has always had an abundance of immigrants. This is partly because of its southern border with the United States - Many Latinos travel through the U.S. to our borders - and partly because of its rich agricultural economy. Many Latinos come to Hampton in search of jobs, and many places are willing to hire them because they work at extremely cheap rates.

The proposed bill takes steps to try to control the number of illegal immigrants. The bill says that immigrants must constantly carry registration documents so they have proof on hand in case they are questioned by law enforcement officials. If an official has someone stopped to look into another crime, they must ask that person (if the official has reason to suspect they are an illegal immigrant) for his/her registration. And if that person fails to produce sufficient documentation, he/she will be arrested.

The questions that arise in this debate are numerous and both sides have valid points to consider. Is this racial profiling? Does the bill plan to go too far? Is this what is necessary to control immigration? Is immigration really that big of a problem or does it help us more than hurt us? One thing is for sure, there are definitely many things for our brains to mull over.

Revolution Party Ad

U.S. Calls for Global Cybersecurity Strategy

By HELENE COOPER
Published: May 16, 2011

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration on Monday proposed creating international computer security standards with penalties for countries and organizations that fell short.

While administration officials did not single out any countries in announcing the strategy, several officials said privately that the hope was that the initiative would prod China and Russia into allowing more Internet freedom, cracking down on intellectual property theft and enacting stricter laws to protect computer users’ privacy.

“The effort to build trust in the cyberspace realm is one which should be pushed in capitals around the world,” said Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, who will soon be taking over as President Obama’s ambassador to China.

Read More

Texas: State Poised to Require Photo ID From Voters

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: May 16, 2011

The State House on Monday sent Gov. Rick Perry a bill that would require Texas voters to show photo identification before casting a ballot. The governor, a Republican, has called the bill an emergency item for the legislative session. His signature will give Republicans a major victory in a bitter partisan debate that has raged for years. Republicans say photo identification is needed to prevent fraud. Democrats say it will make it harder for poor and minority Texans to vote and is designed to increase Republicans margins in elections.

Article

Ultimatum Holding Up Trade Deals

By BINYAMIN APPELBAUM
Published: May 16, 2011

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said on Monday that it would not seek Congressional approval of free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea until Republicans agree to expand assistance for American workers who might lose jobs as a result.

President Obama has made the three deals a focus of his foreign and economic policy, but the Monday ultimatum reflects the political difficulty of advancing the deals in the face of high unemployment and opposition from parts of the Democratic base.

“This administration believes that just as we should be excited about the prospect of selling more of what we make around the world, we have to be equally firm about keeping faith with America’s workers,” said Ron Kirk, the United States trade representative.

The announcement puts the White House in line with Congressional Democrats who have made expanded benefits a condition of their support for the trade deals, and at loggerheads with Republicans who say the government cannot afford the cost.

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Search Allowed if Police Hear Evidence Being Destroyed

By ADAM LIPTAK
Published: May 16, 2011

WASHINGTON — The police do not need a warrant to enter a home if they smell burning marijuana, knock loudly, announce themselves and hear what they think is the sound of evidence being destroyed, the Supreme Court ruled on Monday in an 8-to-1 decision.

The issue as framed by the majority was a narrow one. It assumed there was good reason to think evidence was being destroyed, and asked only whether the conduct of the police had impermissibly caused the destruction.

Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., writing for the majority, said police officers do not violate the Fourth Amendment’s ban on unreasonable searches by kicking down a door after the occupants of an apartment react to hearing that officers are there by seeming to destroy evidence.

In dissent, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote that the majority had handed the police an important new tool.

“The court today arms the police with a way routinely to dishonor the Fourth Amendment’s warrant requirement in drug cases,” Justice Ginsburg wrote. “In lieu of presenting their evidence to a neutral magistrate, police officers may now knock, listen, then break the door down, never mind that they had ample time to obtain a warrant.”

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In Georgia, Court Ruling Could Close Some Charter Schools

By SAM DILLON
Published: May 16, 2011

A ruling by the Georgia Supreme Court on Monday cast doubt on the future of 17 charter schools there, leaving thousands of families uncertain about whether classes will continue through the end of the academic year and how students will continue in the fall.

In a 4-to-3 decision, the Georgia court struck down a law empowering a special statewide commission to approve and finance charter schools even over the objections of local school boards.

National charter school advocates, who had closely watched the case, said they feared the ruling could encourage a new wave of litigation against charter schools, which are publicly financed but independently run.

Since the law established it in 2008, the Georgia Charter School Commission had authorized operations and public financing for 17 schools, officials said. Nine of them, with a collective enrollment of about 8,000 students, are in operation this year; eight new ones were to open this fall with an additional enrollment of about 7,000 students, said Tony Roberts, president of the Georgia Charter Schools Association.

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Budget cuts hit poor the hardest

By DAVID ROGERS | 5/17/11 4:49 AM EDT

It’s Back to the Future, and who woulda’ thought: Bill Clinton’s the new target.

After campaigning on the promise to roll back spending to Bush-era levels, House Republicans have overshot their mark and landed in the last years of the Clinton administration — at least in the case of cuts from labor, health and education appropriations important to poor and working-class families.

Indeed, a proposed $139.2 billion cap for the annual labor, health and education bill is about $19 billion less than the eight-year average for the same discretionary spending under former President George W. Bush — when measured in current dollars. It comes closest, in fact, to a bill negotiated in late 2000 by the man who’s the White House budget director again, Jack Lew.

The Back to the Future scenario is important to the current debt ceiling debate on two counts.

Read more

WOP ad adds to media campaign

Metamorphic Party continues its ad blitz

Metamorphic Party unleashes national ad

The Prosperous Party adds to the ad war

The Refresh Party releases first ad of the season

US: Medicare to hit financial woes sooner than expected

Report says program could exhaust funds in 2024, not 2029 as estimated last year

WASHINGTON — Two of the government's most popular programs for the elderly, Medicare and Social Security, will run out of money sooner than thought earlier as a slow-growing economy saps revenues, a report Friday said.

Trustees for the two funds said the Medicare trust fund is projected to exhaust its funds in 2024, not 2029 as estimated last year, and that the Social Security retirement program will run out of money in 2036, not 2037 as previously thought.

The latest projections hit in the middle of an intense debate between the Obama administration and opposition Republicans about how to rein in the nation's runaway debt, set to hit the legal limit of $14.3 trillion on Monday.

Read more of the article...

Navy Rescinds Guidelines For Same-Sex Marriages

By ERIK ECKHOLM
Published: May 11, 2011

Facing strong criticism from Congressional Republicans and conservative organizations, the Navy said Wednesday that it had suspended new guidelines that would have allowed chaplains to perform same-sex marriages.

In a memorandum last month, Rear Adm. Mark L. Tidd, the chief of Navy chaplains, declared that after the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on homosexuality is phased out later this year, naval bases should be “neutral” on questions of sexual orientation.

Read more of the article...

Delaware: Medical Marijuana Nears Legalization

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: May 11, 2011

All that is left to make medical marijuana legal in Delaware is the signature of the governor, who has said he will make it law. The bill would allow people 18 and older with certain serious or debilitating conditions that could be alleviated by marijuana to possess up to six ounces of the drug. On Wednesday by a 17-4 vote the State Senate gave its approval to the bill that cleared the House last week. It heads to the desk of Gov. Jack Markell. Under the bill, qualifying patients would be referred to state-licensed and regulated “compassion centers,” which would be responsible for growing, cultivating and dispensing the marijuana. Delaware would join 15 other states and the District of Columbia in legalizing medical marijuana.

Article

Oil Executives, Defending Tax Breaks, Say They’d Cede Them if Everyone Did

WASHINGTON — Executives of five of the largest oil companies on Thursday defended the $2.1 billion they receive each year in tax breaks, but said they would be willing to give them up as part of a comprehensive reform of the tax code.

At a three-hour Senate Finance Committee hearing that was largely political theater interrupted occasionally by a serious tax policy discussion, the oil industry executives said their current tax breaks were not subsidies but legitimate tax deductions, shared in some cases with other industries.

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Critical Letter by Catholics Cites Boehner on Policies

Speaker John A. Boehner, a Republican who grew up in a Roman Catholic family in Ohio, is scheduled to give the commencement address on Saturday at the Catholic University of America in Washington, a prestigious setting in church circles for its affiliation with the nation’s bishops.

But now Mr. Boehner is coming in for a dose of the same kind of harsh criticism previously leveled at some Democrats — including President Obama — who have been honored by Catholic universities: the accusation that his policies violate basic teachings of the Catholic Church.

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Wallup Poll Released

The Franklin Times -

The Wallup Polling Company has released the first results from its Election 2011 daily tracking poll. The results can be accessed on the simulation website.

Judge Gives Immigrant in Same-Sex Marriage a Reprieve From Deportation

By JULIA PRESTON

Published: May 6, 2011

An immigration judge in Newark on Friday suspended the deportation of a Venezuelan man who is married to an American man, responding to an unusual signal this week from the Obama administration that it is exploring legal avenues for recognizing same-sex marriages in immigration cases.

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After Bin Laden, U.S. Reassesses Afghan Strategy

By THOM SHANKER and CHARLIE SAVAGE

Published: May 10, 2011

WASHINGTON — The killing of Osama bin Laden has set off a reassessment of the war in Afghanistan and the broader effort to combat terrorism, with Congress, the military and the Obama administration weighing the goals, strategies, costs and underlying authority for a conflict that is now almost a decade old.

Two influential senators — John Kerry, Democrat of Massachusetts, and Richard G. Lugar, Republican of Indiana — suggested Tuesday that it was time to rethink the Afghanistan war effort, forecasting the beginning of what promises to be a fierce debate about how quickly the United States should begin pulling troops out of the country.

“We should be working toward the smallest footprint necessary, a presence that puts Afghans in charge and presses them to step up to that task,” Mr. Kerry, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said at a hearing. “Make no mistake, it is fundamentally unsustainable to continue spending $10 billion a month on a massive military operation with no end in sight.”

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Critics Fear G.O.P.’s Proposed Medicaid Changes Could Cut Coverage for the Aged

By JENNIFER STEINHAUER

Published: May 10, 2011

WASHINGTON — As Republicans inch away from their plan to reshape the nation’s Medicare program, their equally transformative ideas for Medicaid, now largely in the shadows of the budget debate, are moving front and center.

While the largest number of Medicaid recipients are low-income children and adults, who tend to be far less politically potent voices in battles over entitlement programs than older voters, the changes to Medicaid proposed by Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin, the House budget chairman, could actually have a more direct impact on older Americans than the Medicare part of his plan.

The House plan would turn Medicaid, which provides health coverage for the poor through a combination of federal and state money, into a block grant program for states. The federal government would give lump sums to states, which in turn would be given more flexibility and independence over use of the money, though the plan does not spell out what the federal requirements would be.

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Report Strengthens Democrats’ Argument to Eliminate Oil Tax Breaks

By CARL HULSE

Senate Democrats have a new weapon in their escalating oil and gasoline war with Republicans, though some party members are none too happy with their leadership’s offensive against the major oil companies.

Trying to counter Republican claims that ending some tax breaks for the five largest oil companies would ultimately hurt consumers, Democrats are now armed with a Congressional Research Service report that predicts a negligible impact on the price of gasoline if the changes are carried out.

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President Obama at the Border

Published: May 10, 2011

President Obama went to the border in El Paso on Tuesday and delivered a speech on immigration reform. He didn’t present a bill or issue any executive orders or set deadlines for action. Aides say his goal was to “create a pathway” and “a sense of urgency” to “move forward.” That is a start but not nearly enough.

The speech was right on its merits. The immigration system is a shambles. Millions live here outside the law. Visa policies are too restrictive, cruelly separating families and driving away talented university graduates to other countries. As Mr. Obama dryly noted, “We train them to create jobs for our competition.”

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Catholic Professors Criticize Boehner in Letter

By LAURIE GOODSTEIN

Published: May 11, 2011

House Speaker John A. Boehner, a Republican who grew up in a devout Roman Catholic family in Ohio, is scheduled to give the commencement address this Saturday at the Catholic University of America in Washington, a prestigious venue in church circles for its affiliation with the nation’s bishops.

But now Mr. Boehner is coming in for a dose of the same kind of harsh criticism previously leveled at some Democrats — including President Obama — who have been honored by Catholic universities: the accusation that his policies violate basic teachings of the Catholic church.

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Nuclear Problems in the Rearview Mirror

By MATTHEW L. WALD

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said this week that in hindsight, a problem at the Browns Ferry nuclear plant in Alabama last fall was quite serious. And its records indicate that there have been reports in recent days of engineers’ flubbing a basic calculation of reactor operation at two other plants.

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Turning point? Libya rebels reportedly seize Misrata airport

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls for 'immediate, verifiable cease-fire'

Navy backpedals on gay unions

Decision allowing same-sex ceremonies is suspended following petition by House GOP

Worldwide interest as Canada drug program in court

By JEREMY HAINSWORTH, Associated Press – 23 mins ago

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The woman stands close to a mirror fingering her throat. Then, sweeping back a mane of red hair, she injects heroin into her jugular vein. A nurse keeps an eye on her from behind.

The scene unfolds in North America's first and only legal injection site, promoted by its founders as a safe, humane facility for drug abusers, now facing a court challenge from a government that sees it as a facilitator of drug abuse.

Defenders of the taxpayer-funded site, in a seedy, drug-infested district of Vancouver, British Columbia, say it is a providing a form of health care, and that health care is a provincial matter under Canada's constitution. The federal government counters that its writ trumps provincial rights because heroin is a federally banned substance.

The case opens before the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa on Thursday, and has drawn international attention. Insite, as the Vancouver center is called, is the only facility of its kind in Canada. More could open if the top court agrees Insite is legal.

As of 2009, there were 65 injection facilities in 27 cities in Canada, Australia, and western Europe, according to the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The World Health Organization has called them a "priority intervention" in slowing the spread of AIDS via infected needles.

Insite receives more than 800 visitors a day on average and has supervised more than a million injections since it opened in 2003, and none has caused a death, according to Insite supervisor Russ Maynard.

Addicts are given clean needles and sterilized water in which to mix their drug. They bring their own drugs and inject at 12 stainless steel alcoves with mirrors on the walls so nurses on a raised platform can see them.

The storefront facility sits in Downtown Eastside, 15 blocks of cheap rooming houses where addiction and street prostitution are rampant and an estimated 5,000 of the area's 12,000 population are believed to be addicts.

When Insite opened, the Bush administration's drug czar, John Walters, called it "state-sponsored suicide," and after a Conservative government was elected in Canada in 2006, it moved to close the site.

Arguing for the government before the British Columbia Court of Appeal in 2009, Robert Frater rejected the notion that Insite was a form of health care, because it was not the ban on drugs that harms addicts.

"There is no constitutional obligation on the state to provide safe-injection rooms," he said.

The provincial court ruled 2-1 against the federal government.

Supporters of Insite point to studies showing sharp drops in deaths from drug overdoses in the district since the drug-injection program was launched.

"I think it's saying we're effective. We're meeting our mandate," Maynard said. He said Vancouver also needs a safe-inhalation facility for crack users, while Ontario and Quebec need safe-injection sites like Vancouver's.

Julio Montaner, president of the International AIDS Society, an association of professionals in the AIDS field, has said the area's AIDS rate is the worst in the developed world, and can be designated an epidemic. Montaner, a Canadian, accuses his government of ignoring scientific research and sabotaging a health initiative for society's weakest citizens.

In 2008 the then federal health minister, Tony Clement, told the Canadian Medical Association that the Conservative government opposed Insite because "injections are not medicine and they do not heal."

Dr. Bonnie Cham, then head of the CMA's ethics committee, responded that addicts who inject drugs "have the right to compassion and access to care that has proven to be beneficial."

Last week the Conservative Party was elected to another term.

Postal Service reports billions in losses

JENNIFER C. KERR, Associated Press – Tue May 10, 6:25 pm ET

WASHINGTON – The Postal Service is continuing to hemorrhage money, reporting a loss Tuesday of more than $2 billion over the first three months of the year and warning it could be forced to default on federal payments.

Such a default would not interrupt mail service to millions of Americans, but it could further hobble an agency struggling with a sharp decline in mail because of the Internet and a tough economy.

The agency says the $2.2 billion loss covers Jan. 1 to March 31, 2011 — sharply higher than the net loss of $1.6 billion for the same period last year. The post office also said it will have reached its borrowing limit, set by Congress, of $15 billion by the end of the fiscal year.

Unless Congress intervenes, the Postal Service said, the agency won't have the cash for certain payment to the government, such as billions for a trust fund to provide health care benefits for future retirees.

"The Postal Service continues to seek changes in the law to enable a more flexible and sustainable business model," said Postmaster General and CEO Patrick R. Donahoe. "The Postal Service may return to financial stability only through significant changes to the laws that limit flexibility and impose undue financial burdens."

Total mail volume, about 41 billion pieces, was down 3.1 percent for the January to March period, compared to the same time a year earlier, the Postal Service said. A modest increase in revenue from standard mail wasn't enough to offset the revenue loss from fewer pieces of first-class mail.

In the last three years, the agency has cut over 130,000 jobs. And it's making more cuts, with the elimination of about 7,500 administrative jobs in regional offices.

The Postal Service does not receive tax money for its operations.

Editorial Board Invites Comment

The Franklin Times -

The editorial board of this newspaper asks the newly recognized parties to explain their plans and agendas for Franklin's future. The board invites the parties to highlight their basic principles and explain why voters should support them in the upcoming electoral contest.

Parties Emerge

The Franklin Times -

The National Election Commission announced this morning the recognition of nine political parties. This represents the most parties ever recognized in a single electoral cycle. According to the NEC statement the following parties have formed and have been given formal permission to compete in the 2011 General Assembly elections: Franklin Liberal Party (FLP), Metamorphic Party (MP), Prosperous Party (PP), Revolution Party (RP), The Beluga-Whale Party (BWP), The Flyers Party (TFP), The People's Party (TPP), The Refresh Party (TRP), and Wise Ole Party (WOP).

With formal recognition the parties are now permitted to campaign in earnest. As is Franklin tradition, the nine recognized parties qualify for public financing and will each be given $60 million with which to run their campaigns. In regards to this public money, the NEC has announced that its financial disclosure form is due by Friday, May 13th.

Additionally, political analysts advise the parties to be active in presenting and projecting their platforms to the voters. If past elections are any indication active involvement in the media through blog posts, TV advertising, and utilization of campaign websites are keys to success.

2011 Election Begins

The Franklin Times -

The nation's fourth General Assembly elections are now underway. Prime Minister Wilson was able to hold his fragile governing coalition together for a year after weathering serious political tests. Throughout the past year, Wilson has been able to institute fundamental reforms in the areas of budget, education, and social security. His government was able to institute the first balance budget in over five years, increase the power of the central government in the area of assuring education equality, and reform social security benefits. However, these reforms came at a cost. Throughout these votes Wilson was attacked from the left and right and suffered substantial losses during the votes from his own coalition partners and party members.

Due to the constitutional mandates requiring a General Assembly election within one year after the last, King Guy has dissolved the current government and called for new elections. Most of the present political parties (as is Franklin tradition) have disbanded. The National Election Commission must now certify the applications of new parties.

Early indications point to the most competitive election ever, with up to nine parties running. Adding to the intrigue is the fact that Prime Minister Wilson has not indicated his political future. Rumors are spreading that he may end the tradition of one year terms and attempt to reconstitute his Franklin Alliance Party and defend his Prime Ministership at the polls. This would be an unprecedented development in the Franklin States and would add to the uncertainty of this election cycle.