FAMILY POLITICS

Who really is pro-family? Obama's big push for family leave benefits

http://tinyurl.com/n74lh55

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/23/1308952/-White-House-makes-push-on-working-families-issues-with-U-S-continuing-to-lag-badly

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/06/23/why-obama-is-having-so-much-trouble-helping-americas-new-moms/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/06/23/that-one-time-america-almost-got-universal-child-care/ 

Can the US execute a US citizen overseas for terrorist activities? The long-awaited release of the al-Awlaki memo

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/23/drone_memo_allowing_killing_of_u_s_citizen_released_to_public/

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/06/awlaki-assassination-memo-finally-released

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2014/06/23/release-of-legal-memo-justifying-anwar-al-awlakis-killing-paves-way-for-disclosure-of-more-records/

Analysis: http://www.vox.com/2014/6/23/5835602/anwar-al-awlaki-memo
The memo spends a lot of time arguing that the US didn't commit murder . . . 

http://www.emptywheel.net/2014/06/23/the-cias-redacted-operations/ 

http://www.emptywheel.net/2014/06/23/working-thread-the-awlaki-memo/ 

The first of several big Supreme Court decisions this week gives the EPA a partial victory on regulating emissions 

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/23/1308992/-In-a-split-Supreme-Court-decision-on-curbing-greenhouse-gas-emissions-the-EPA-mostly-wins

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/23/5834810/the-supreme-court-just-made-it-a-little-harder-for-the-epa-to-fight

More: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/epa-claims-victory-supreme-court-climate-change  
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2014/06/supreme-court-strikes-down-epa-interpretation-clean-air-act

http://prospect.org/article/supreme-court-hampers-epa-greenhouse-gases-it-could-have-been-worse

http://www.slate.com/articles/business/the_juice/2014/06/utility_air_regulatory_group_v_epa_we_re_winning_the_war_on_carbon_emissions.html

Next up: the Court's Hobby Lobby decision

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/23/scotus_upcoming_hobby_lobby_decision_what_you_need_to_know/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/religion/awaiting-supreme-courts-hobby-lobby-ruling-public-favors-contraception-mandate/2014/06/23/af6ff752-fade-11e3-9f27-09f20b8bfd1a_story.html

Ths missing IRS emails

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/23/5834518/irs-lois-lerner-missing-emails
Didn't the IRS back up its email? 
It did — but only for six months. After that, the backup tapes were taped over "for cost-efficiency," the agency wrote. (They've since changed their policy.) As mentioned, Lerner's computer crashed nearly two years before the scandal broke, so those backups would have been long gone by then. IRS employees are also supposed to keep hard copies of some important emails, but, as Philip Bump of the Washington Post explains here, the policy is vague and it's not clear whether Lerner saved any.  . . . 

Uh, yep

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/23/6_worst_right_wing_moments_of_the_week_%E2%80%94%C2%A0dick_cheney_is_the_worlds_biggest_liar_partner/
Dick Cheney is the world’s biggest liar  

Dr. Oz and his magic beans

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/23/5834160/watch-john-oliver-pull-back-the-curtain-on-dr-oz-and-the-fda

p.s. "All natural" doesn't mean anything: http://www.vox.com/2014/6/23/5827850/those-all-natural-labels-on-food-are-totally-meaningless

George Will's column gets dropped from the St Louis Dispatch

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/st-louis-dispatch-editor-axing-george-will
Tony Messenger, the editorial page editor of the St. Louis Dispatch, told CNN's Brian Stelter why he dropped George Will's column from his paper after Will's highly controversial editorial on sexual assault. Messenger said he was sorry that they even published it in the first place . . .

Bonus item: We could send humans to Mars within 10-12 years. But should we WANT to?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/18/1307848/-Elon-Musk-Man-on-Mars-in-10-12-years

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/in-the-loop/wp/2014/06/23/mitch-daniels-to-promote-men-on-mars/ 

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL: http://pbd.blogspot.com

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ELDER STATESMAN

Shameless -- literally

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2014/06/put-fork-in-him.html
Here's more Cheney from This Week, this morning, when asked what he would do in Iraq today:      

CHENEY: Well, first of all, Jon, I’d recognize that Iraq is not the whole problem. . . .

KARL: But — but…  

CHENEY: But what I think we need is a broad strategy that lets us address this whole range of issues. And that involves reversing a number of the policies of…  

KARL: But…  

CHENEY: — the Obama administration.  

KARL: But let me — let me ask you specifically on Iraq, because that — that’s the crisis confronting us right at this moment.  Would you in — would you take war — you know, air strikes against ISIS?  Would you move Special Forces into Iraq?  What would you do in Iraq?  

CHENEY: Well, I — what we should have done in Iraq was…  

KARL: No, no, what would you do now?  

CHENEY: — leave behind a force — well, what I would do now, John, is, among other things, be realistic about the nature of the threat.  . . .

But I think at this point, there are no good, easy answers in Iraq. . . . [read on]

More from Cheney: http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/dick-cheney-its-waste-time-complain-about

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2014/06/never-mind-about-past.html

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/cheney-i-didnt-intend-any-disrespect-when

Grab the popcorn!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/06/22/dick-cheney-and-rand-paul-clash-over-iraq/
Dick Cheney and Rand Paul clash over Iraq

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/06/dick-cheney-blasts-isolationist-rand-paul.html

http://crooksandliars.com/cltv/2014/06/rand-paul-blames-dick-cheney-iraq

More popcorn! Thad Cochran (R-MS), is in danger of losing his Senate seat to a Tea Party challenger, Chris McDaniel. Desperate, he appeals to BLACK voters on the Democratic side to cross over and vote for him. Predictable hilarity ensues

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/cue-up-the-band

A "rebellion" within the GOP? (thanks to DR for the link)

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/06/22/louisiana-gov-jindal-claims-rebellion-brewing-against-washington/

In Fox World, anti-Muslim hatred gets out of hand

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/foxs-tamara-holder-blasts-brigitte-gabriel

In case you missed the Sunday talk shows

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/06/22/missed-the-sunday-shows-watch-these-four-videos-and-get-caught-up-2/

Bonus item: Marx 2.0

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/22/believe_it_or_not_karl_marx_is_making_a_comeback/

http://my.firedoglake.com/cassiodorus/2014/06/22/capitalism-will-last-forever-or-maybe-not/




***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL: http://pbd.blogspot.com

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

IT'S COMPLICATED

Big development: the Kurdish region in Iraq is now selling its own oil. (And look who they're selling it to!)

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-18/half-price-kurdish-oil-threatens-iraq-breakup-with-turkish-help.html

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/a-big-deal

More: http://www.fox19.com/story/25834755/un-says-108-million-syrians-need-humanitarian-aid

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/white-house-beginning-to-consider-conflicts-in-syria-and-iraq-as-single-challenge/2014/06/19/b14bd8b4-f7ac-11e3-a606-946fd632f9f1_story.html
White House beginning to consider conflicts in Syria and Iraq as single challenge

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/21/a-winning-strategy-for-iraq-and-syria.html

It's complicated: http://www.internationalrelations.com/2013/09/03/guide-to-middle-east-complexity/

This may shock you, but people who believe that Obama is a "Muslim Marxist" think he should be impeached

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/south-dakota-republican-party-passes

Trouble ahead for Hillary Clinton?

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/21/5827618/hillary-clintons-legal-career-is-coming-back-to-haunt-her

Why Rand Paul will never be the Republican nominee for President

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/21/rand-paul-foreign-policy_n_5516454.html

Your daily Christie

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/embattled-gov-chris-christie-defends
Embattled Gov. Chris Christie Defends Embattled Gov. Scott Walker

[NB: Next up - Scott Walker defends Chris Christie!]

Simple truths

http://prospect.org/article/how-many-gun-deaths-are-there-your-state
Though there's a strong correlation between rates of gun ownership and rates of gun deaths, it isn't perfect. . . . But as a general matter, states with higher rates of gun ownership have higher rates of gun death. . . . [see the chart]

Sunday think piece - scientists are already creating life in the lab!

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/20/5815582/synthetic-biology-genetic-engineering-explainer  

The Sunday talk show line-ups

http://my.firedoglake.com/elliott/2014/06/22/sunday-talking-heads-june-22-2014/
ABC’S THIS WEEK: Iraq with former Vice President Dick Cheney. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor “in a rare wide-ranging interview.” Roundtable: Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Terry Moran, Greta Van Susteren.  

CBS’ FACE THE NATION: Last week Bob Schieffer brought Lara Logan back to the airwaves without fanfare. This Sunday, Iraq and Republican stuff with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI).Then from Iraq, Clarissa Ward. Plus, CBS News’ Senior Security Correspondent Michael Morell, a former deputy director of the CIA. Roundtable: Tavis Smiley, Robin Wright, David Ignatius, John Dickerson.  

CNN’S STATE OF THE UNION: Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY). Plus, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). Then, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Roundtable: Donna Brazile, Kristin Soltis Anderson, Penny Lee, SE Cupp.

MOYERS & COMPANY: Chaos in Iraq. While armchair warriors in Washington cry “back to Iraq,” former combat veteran and military historian Andrew Bacevich says no way.  

NBC’S MEET THE PRESS: Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY). Then, House Homeland Security Committee Chair Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) and former Undersecretary of Defense Michèle Flournoy. Roundtable: E.J. Dionne, David Brooks, Katty Kay, and Erika Harold, former Congressional Candidate (R-IL).

Bonus item: Write your own punch line! 

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/herman-cain-stupid-people-are-ruining
Herman Cain: 'Stupid People Are Ruining America'

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL: http://pbd.blogspot.com

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

X's AND O's

Start prepping your scorecards

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/06/20/the-12-races-that-will-decide-the-senate-majority/
The 12 races that will decide the Senate majority

The anti-science party

http://tinyurl.com/lv9c54x
Reason vs. the right: Have conservatives abandoned science and rationality?

More: http://www.salon.com/2014/06/20/community_discussion_do_pundits_harm_science/ 

Will Silicon Valley become an ally of the Right?

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/21/coming_soon_to_american_politics_an_unholy_alliance_between_the_gop_and_silicon_valley/
 
Koch addiction

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/18/1307957/-Behind-the-scenes-of-a-Koch-conclave
 
More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/20/1308425/-Rep-Tom-Cotton-has-a-Koch-problem 

Former Illinois congressman had a radio show, but got fired for using the "N" word on air. He just can't understand why

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/18/1307957/-Behind-the-scenes-of-a-Koch-conclave
"Found out if I said Redskins or Cracker or Redneck Bible Thumper, I could stay on. But if I said Nigger or Spick, they cut me off."

And here's another one

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/18/1307986/-Arizona-school-chief-busted-for-posting-appalling-comments-online
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction John Huppenthal is a career politician who came up through city councils and the legislature—a man who never spent a day teaching class. Nationally, Huppenthal is probably best known as an advocate for privatizing education, and he was part of the Republican team that carried out the Ethnic Studies ban two years ago in the Tucson Unified School District . . .

Huppenthal is running for re-election but first he has to make it out of a tough primary . . . Today we learned that Huppenthal has an anonymous online life. . . .

Fox World: We misinform, you decide

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/20/1308440/-Great-news-for-John-McCain

Leave it to Fox World to invite a guest who was a victim of anti-Muslim hate speech . . . and then add some further hate of their own

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/sean-hannity-attacks-muslim-student-who

Bonus item: If Dick Cheney wrote an advice column . . .

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/21/dear-dick-cheney-advice-from-the-former-veep.html


***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL: http://pbd.blogspot.com

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

A CRIMINAL SCHEME

Scott Walker facing big trouble

http://tinyurl.com/lv9c54x
Wisconsin prosecutors have alleged that Gov. Scott Walker was part of a wide-ranging “criminal scheme” to coordinate the activities of conservative groups that spent millions to help him and other Republicans fend off recall efforts, according to documents released Thursday. . . .

Lots more: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/06/scott-walker-allegedly-led-criminal-scheme.html

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/06/2016-gop-candidates-keep-getting-prosecuted.html

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/19/prosecutors-allege-criminal-scheme-involving-gov-scott-walker.html

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/19/1308150/-Prosecutors-Scott-Walker-at-center-of-criminal-scheme
Surprise surprise, Rove is involved. . . .  

Your daily Christie

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/sources-prosecutor-closing-chris-christie
Sources: Prosecutor Closing In On Chris Christie

Boo-hoo

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/20/coming_apart_at_the_seams_scandals_and_infighting_take_over_the_gop/
GOP is falling to pieces: How scandals and infighting took over the party 

What is Obama's new policy on Iraq?

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/president-obama-outlines-more-specific

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/19/5824892/will-obama-bomb-iraq-strikes

http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-obama-iraq-20140619-story.html#page=1

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/20/5824480/why-the-iraqi-army-cant-defeat-isis

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/19/5823922/what-happens-if-maliki-leaves-iraq

John McCain has been praising Gen. David Petraeus for "winning" the Iraq war -- problem is, Petraeus disagrees with the course of action McCain and other Repubs are pushing now

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/19/1308087/-Sorry-John-Petraeus-thinks-you-re-wrong 

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/gen-david-petraeus-dismisses-airstrikes
 
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/petraeus-keeps-telling-the-right-what-it-doesnt-want-hear

More: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2014_06/wrong_from_the_start050851.php
Often Wrong; Never in Doubt

Should we be happy that Dick Cheney is front and center in representing the anti-Obama line?

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/dick-cheney-iraq

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/bring-us-more-dick-cheney-and-liz
 
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/06/actually-lets-hear-more-from-cheney-on-iraq.html 

More: http://www.vox.com/2014/6/19/5822482/17-reasons-not-to-trust-dick-cheney-on-iraq
17 reasons not to trust Dick Cheney on Iraq

Cheney's b.s. is too much even for Fox (thanks to DR for the link)

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2014/06/18/megyn_kelly_to_dick_cheney_time_and_time_again_history_has_proven_you_got_it_wrong_on_iraq.html

More: http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/megyn-kelly-grills-bolton-and-mccarthy 

Time for a change

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/19/5824022/its-still-perfectly-legal-in-most-states-to-fire-workers-for-being
It's still perfectly legal in most states to fire workers for being gay or lesbian

Bonus item: Phony "Cesar Chavez" out as a candidate in Arizona

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/06/19/cesar-chavez-booted-from-arizona-ballot-attributes-name-change-to-dog-food-athletes/ 

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL: http://pbd.blogspot.com

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

COWBOYS AND INDIANS

Dick Cheney declares war on Obama

http://on.msnbc.com/1lXwGWO 

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/18/the-cheneys-permanent-war.html
 
http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/gall-dick-cheney
 
And on Rand Paul: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/06/18/dick-cheneys-new-group-is-all-about-rand-paul/

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2014_06/if_you_didnt_know_better050840.php 

Quote of the day

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/06/18/harry-reid-being-on-the-wrong-side-of-dick-cheney-is-being-on-the-right-side-of-history/
Harry Reid: ‘Being on the wrong side of Dick Cheney is being on the right side of history’

More: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/06/18/maybe-listening-to-dick-cheney-on-iraq-isnt-a-good-idea/ 

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/19/go_away_dick_cheney_an_old_man_and_the_%E2%80%9Cliberation%E2%80%9D_he_unleashed_11_years_ago/

Another government shutdown?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/18/1307875/-White-House-to-Republican-senators-floating-shutdown-threat-Don-t-even-think-about-it

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/white-house-warns-gop-not-to-risk-shutdown-over-climate-rules

The death of civil political discourse: a conversation

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/06/17/dont-agree-with-me-youre-a-moron/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/06/18/the-death-of-civil-political-discourse-part-2/

Remember when a GOP leader said that if the GOP brand were a dog food, it would be taken off the shelves? What has happened since then?

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/republicans-rebranding-never-mind

Dog food: http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2008/05/14/4436302-goper-compares-brand-to-bad-dog-food

Bonus item: When sports news becomes real news

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/18/1307830/-In-major-legal-and-PR-blow-to-Washington-R-ds-ins-owner-team-s-trademark-registration-tossed-out 

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/18/5820770/the-redskins-just-lost-legal-protection-of-their-name-heres-what-it

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/18/your_days_are_numbered_redskins/
 
***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL: http://pbd.blogspot.com

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

ABU KHATTALA

Republicans have been howling for Obama to do more to bring the attackers at Benghazi to justice. The US arrests the ringleader and brings him here to face charges -- and, of course, the Republicans find reason to criticize that too

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/17/1307630/-Benghazi-suspect-captured-now-in-U-S-custody

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/17/5817948/who-is-khattala-benghazi

The GOP response: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/good-news-i-guess
‘Good news … I guess’

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/17/1307655/-With-suspect-under-arrest-GOP-finally-decides-to-praise-Obama-on-Benghazi-Ha-ha-just-kidding

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/06/benghazi-obsessives-not-happy-with-capture.html 

Gitmo or Miranda? 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/capture-of-benghazi-suspect-renews-debate-over-what-to-do-with-terrorism-suspects/2014/06/17/16094bea-f63d-11e3-8aa9-dad2ec039789_story.html?wprss=rss_politics 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2014/06/17/where-are-civil-liberties-republicans-on-suspected-benghazi-ringleader/
 
I'm sure the GOPers don't want to talk about THIS

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/benghazi-suspect-says-yes-it-was-video
Benghazi Suspect Says Yes, It Was The Video

More: http://americablog.com/2014/06/benghazi-ringleader-anti-muslim-video-inspired-consulate-attack.html

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/18/ahmed-abu-khattala-arrest-spoils-gop-s-benghazi-party.html
Ahmed Abu Khattala Arrest Spoils GOP’s Benghazi Party

It is nauseating to see Paul Wolfowitz, Paul Bremer, and other people who lied the country's way into Iraq, now brought back to second-guess Obama's decisions in trying to fix what they screwed up

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/17/1307618/-Let-s-ask-the-architects-of-the-Iraq-War-what-we-should-do-now

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/18/paul_wolfowitz_despicably_reprising_old_lies_on_iraq/
 
http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/neocons-getting-band-back-together

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/they-have-earned-the-right-not-be-listened 

Jon Stewart: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/17/1307579/-Jon-Stewart-goes-after-Iraq-nbsp-War-nbsp-cheerleaders

Asking the question  

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/18/george_w_bushs_horrific_deadly_blunder_would_saddam_hussein_be_better_than_iraqs_new_hell/
 Would Saddam Hussein be better than Iraq’s new hell?

Bonus item: Irony alert!

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2014/06/18/bonus_quote_of_the_day.html
"Rarely has a U.S. president been so wrong about so much at the expense of so many."  
    -- Dick Cheney, writing with daughter Liz in the Wall Street Journal.  

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WHY DO THEY CALL IT "CIVIL" WAR?

Once again, the US tries to resolve somebody else's civil war

http://www.vox.com/2014/6/16/5815968/american-troops-are-going-back-to-iraq
American troops are going back to Iraq

http://news.firedoglake.com/2014/06/16/us-preparing-to-evacuate-embassy-staff-in-iraq/
US Preparing To Evacuate Embassy Staff In Iraq

The GOP's own civil war

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-heritages-ugly-benghazi-panel/2014/06/16/b8bd423c-f5a3-11e3-a606-946fd632f9f1_story.html?hpid=z6
Representatives of prominent conservative groups converged on the Heritage Foundation on Monday afternoon for the umpteenth in a series of gatherings to draw attention to the Benghazi controversy.  

But this one took an unexpected turn. . . .

Meanwhile, in Idaho: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/jun/14/idaho-gop-convention-fiasco-leaves-state-party-dis/
Idaho’s state Republican Party convention degenerated into a fiasco Saturday after attempts to disqualify up to a third of the delegates attending appeared to be succeeding – and the convention ended up adjourning without electing a chairman, setting a platform or doing any of it scheduled business. . . .

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/15/idaho-republican-party-convention_n_5496981.html
Raul Labrador Adjourns Idaho GOP Meeting As Party Hits 'Rock Bottom'

A post-constitutional America?

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/17/america_entering_dangerous_new_age%C2%A0the_post_constitutional_era_partner/

We'll be hearing about this for a while: the IRS now says they've lost thousands of Lois Lerner's emails

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/06/16/heres-how-the-irs-lost-emails-from-key-witness-lois-lerner/

Is it a big deal?  http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/gop-fumes-over-missing-lerner-emails 

Your (almost) daily Christie

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/16/chris_christie_to_gop_donors_nervous_about_bridgegate_%E2%80%9Cyou%E2%80%99ll_get_over_it%E2%80%9D/
Chris Christie to GOP donors nervous about Bridgegate: “You’ll get over it” 

Koch addiction

http://www.politico.com/story/2014/06/2014-elections-koch-brothers-super-pac-107926.html
Kochs launch new super PAC for midterm fight

Mitt's comeback?

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/16/republicans_pathetic_pipe_dream_mitt_romney_will_never_be_elected_president/ 

The state of teachers in America
 
http://www.vox.com/2014/6/16/5810438/11-facts-about-americas-teachers-and-schools

Theocracy watch: ten hateful church signs

http://www.salon.com/2014/06/17/10_most_un_christian_church_signs_partner/

Bonus item: Look out! The GOP has a really devastating plan for dealing with Hillary

http://www.gop.com/general/political-animal-declares-another-clinton-in-the-white-house-is-nuts/
“Another Clinton in the White House is Nuts!”

Video: http://gawker.com/the-gop-will-try-to-entice-you-with-this-shitshow-of-an-1591646077

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL: http://pbd.blogspot.com

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

ANOTHER IRAN-IRAQ WAR?

We're now looking to IRAN to help us settle matters in Iraq

http://tinyurl.com/l6xkkc3
The radical Sunni militia that has plunged Iraq into chaos bragged on Sunday that it had executed hundreds of Shiite Iraqi soldiers, even as the Obama administration said it is preparing to open direct talks with Iran on how the two longtime foes can counter the insurgents. 

The U.S.-Iran dialogue, which is expected to begin this week, will mark the latest in a rapid move toward rapprochement between Washington and Tehran over the past year. . . .

More: http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/graham-wants-more-war-so-badly-hes-now

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/15/iraq-crisis-us-iran-republican-talk-obama-isis

http://billmoyers.com/2014/06/13/the-second-iran-iraq-war-and-the-american-switch/ 

Sharing the blame for the mess

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/johncassidy/2014/06/the-iraq-mess-place-the-blame-where-it-is-deserved.html
The Iraq Mess: Place Blame Where It Is Deserved

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/15/1306639/-10-lessons-from-Bush-s-fiasco-in-Iraq
10 lessons from Bush's fiasco

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/16/gop-iraq-hypocrisy-hits-overdrive.html
GOP Iraq Hypocrisy Hits Overdrive

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2014_06/the_brutal_neoconservative_leg050785.php
The brutal neoconservative legacy in Iraq

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2014/06/yeah-its-real-mystery-how-neocons-got.html

In case you missed the Sunday talk shows

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/06/15/sunday-shows-everything-you-need-to-know-in-5-videos/
 
Bonus item: Fox World, always ready to believe the worst, gets taken in (again) by a silly hoax

http://crooksandliars.com/2014/06/fox-falls-endfathersday-4chan-hoax-its
The host of "Fox & Friends" on Sunday fell for an Internet hoax that feminists had hatched a plot for bringing down Father's Day . . . 

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sending them a copy of its URL: http://pbd.blogspot.com

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***