Wall Street Journal – Obama Aims to Repair Ties With Muslim World
In his 6,000-word “address to the Muslim world” from Cairo, President Obama spoke of the shared blame for the poor relationship between Muslims and the West, touted his own Muslim heritage, indicated that his rise to power in America was evidence of tolerance, and called for mutual sacrifice to resolve the problem.
“‘This cycle of suspicion and discord must end,’ Mr. Obama said in a much-anticipated speech in one of the world’s largest Muslim countries, an address designed to reframe relations after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the war in Iraq.
In a gesture, Mr. Obama conceded at the beginning of his remarks that tension ‘has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations.’”
New York Times — Telecoms Win Dismissal of Wiretap Suit
The Obama administration won a legal battle it picked up from the previous presidency to shield telecommunications companies that aided in warrantless wiretapping of calls and emails between U.S. and overseas parties from lawsuits brought by civil liberties groups.
Writer Eric Lichtblau explains that the groups wanted to know how extensive the practice was and what kind of individuals and communications were targeted. But thanks to a bipartisan vote in Congress last year offering broad, retroactive immunity to the companies, no one will ever know.
“After a fight lasting months, Congress last July included the immunity provision for the phone companies as part of a broader overhaul of federal wiretapping law. The debate put President Obama, then a Democratic senator from Illinois, in an awkward political position, as he initially opposed the provision and vowed to filibuster it on the Senate floor, only to anger some of his supporters by voting for it.
Under Mr. Obama, the Justice Department has maintained the Bush administration’s forceful efforts to kill the lawsuits, and the department said Wednesday that it was pleased by the ruling…
Since Congress acted 11 months ago, Judge Walker considered more arguments and numerous filings on whether Congress could pass immunity retroactively and whether it had acted improperly in sidelining the judiciary and allowing the executive branch to “certify” that the phone companies had met the conditions for immunity.
In his ruling on Wednesday, Judge Walker said the legal protection carved out by Congress for the phone companies appeared unique in immunity law. ‘It creates a retroactive immunity for past, completed acts committed by private parties acting in concert with government entities that allegedly violated constitutional rights,’ he wrote.
Milbank — Liberals May Be Looking for a Take-Back
Dana Milbank goes to what used to be the Take Back America annual conference for liberals that has been renamed America’s Future Now since they have taken everything back.
It seems that the Left is going through the final stage of Bush Derangement Syndrome – withdrawal. Defending a politically pliable, crony capitalist, war president is a lot less exciting than attacking the moron/mastermind who stumbled into/plotted an illegal war. A culture of complaint and conspiracy is having a hard time with defending the status quo. Where then-Senator Obama once spoke to cheering crowds about throwing the bums out, lethargy abounded.
“[Organizer Roger] Hickey estimates attendance dropped from 2,500 last year to 1,500 this year, and even that may overstate things. At yesterday morning’s four concurrent ‘issue briefings,’ 585 chairs were set out. Only 213 of them were occupied, including just 15 for the session on global warming. ‘Radio row’ was quiet, the ‘TV Terrace’ was empty, and two people sat typing on ‘Blogger Boulevard.’
‘It’s been much less busy this year,’ said a guy in the nearly empty exhibit hall who was handing out stickers from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force saying ‘Power is Sexy.’ Nobody was shopping at the book kiosk in the middle of the room, where the titles leaned toward the battles of the George W. Bush years: ‘The Constitution in Crisis . . . a Blueprint for Impeachment.’ ‘The Uprising.’ ‘Plunder and Blunder.’ ‘The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule.’
Without Bush in power, such red meat is mostly off the rhetorical menu. And off the actual menu, too: Avocado soup, cheese souffle, salad and shortcake were served at yesterday’s vegetarian lunch.”
USA Today — Benefit spending soars to new high
Writer Dennis Cauchon reveals that this year Americans will receive $2 trillion from social welfare programs – accounting for 16.2 percent of all personal income. It’s by far the highest level of economic subsidy in American history and shows no sign of abating.
“What’s driving the $209 billion increase in benefit costs from a year ago:
• Unemployment insurance. One-fourth of the extra spending covers jobless benefits, a program started in the Depression. The stimulus law, passed in February, increased benefits.
• Social Security. The bad economy has prompted a 10%-15% jump in early retirements, the program’s actuary says. A 5.8% increase took effect January 1. Bottom line: $55 billion in new costs.
• Food stamps. Enrollment hit a record 33.2 million people in March, up 5.2 million from last year. The stimulus law boosted the size of the benefit. Average March benefit: $114 per person.
‘The increase in social spending is still relatively modest given the severity of the downturn’ says economist Dean Baker of the liberal Center for Economic and Policy Research. ‘We’re not France.’
Adam Lerrick, economist at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, says the benefits’ explosion will eventually lead to an economic crisis.
‘We’ve seen this movie before in many countries. It always has the same ending,’ he says.”
Washington Post – Prominent Republicans’ Moves Scrutinized for Clues to 2012 Bids
Whether it was a suddenly tan Tim Pawlenty declining a third term as Minnesota governor and opening the door on a presidential run or Mitt Romney burnishing his foreign policy credentials, the spirit of 2012 is animating Republicans from coast to coast.
Writer Dan Balz checks out the roster and, dishearteningly, looks at what shape the battle will take.
“The 2008 campaign was one of the longest in history, but Republican strategists think the competition for their 2012 nomination will be as long or longer. They expect to see candidates beginning their campaigns immediately after the 2010 midterm elections, and to do that, they must spend much of the next 18 months getting ready.
Over that time, prospective candidates must gauge whether they have the political viability and the financial wherewithal to mount a successful campaign. If the last campaign is any guide, some of those now looking will conclude they have no realistic chance of winning and drop out before the campaign even begins.
‘Most potential candidates are going to be looking at putting something into the field in early 2011, and you can’t do that if you don’t work hard for the next year and a half,’ [GOP strategist Terry] Nelson said.”
