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[lorb]

If he didn't already do so Scalia will sell his soul to the devil to not die while a democrat is president.

[GreatJustice]

Aren't we condescending? Of course I can read the graph. I can read that there was one year that is completely out of line with the others and suggests a statistical anomaly. The overall trend is not pro-life. There isn't strong movement in either direction. That graph does not possess a meaningful trend.

Well, at the pro-life (2000s) end of the line, the 50-41 is preceded by 51-42. Hardly an anomaly.

At the pro-choice end of the line (1990s), the 33-56 does stand out, yet it is followed by 48-45, 48-43, 48-42, all in favour of abortion. Even if you ignore the single data point of '96, there is STILL a pro-life trend.

I'd remind you that Scalia and Ginsberg are more likely than not to retire during Obama's second term and be replaced by our very much pro-choice president. The justices are all older people as well, so any one of them in particular suddenly having to retire or even dying isn't out of the question.

Furthermore, the actions of the Supreme Court are not predictable. People were calling each other crazy on this very liberal board for suggesting there was a chance that the ACA could be upheld entirely, and look what happened.

Assuming Obama gets into office for a second term, assuming Scalia and Ginsberg don't hold on until after Obama even if he does get a second term (especially Scalia), assuming Obama doesn't appoint a wishy-washy pro-executive justice like Roberts (who, might I remind you, was appointed by Bush). A lot of assumptions there if it comes down to the Supreme Court.

[Jervill]

New polls on Minnesota's gay bashing "Marriage" amendment, unfortunate results:
Survey USA: Support 50%, Oppose 43%
Public Policy Polling: Support 48%, Oppose 47%

The only silver lining I can see is that the cross-tabs in the SUSA poll is that it shows the ballot measure winning in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, which I find extremely unlikely considering the general center-left nature of the metro as a whole, even including the suburbs.
As for the reporting, KSTP is owned by a prominent Republican donor (Hubbard broadcasting), but Survey USA is generally a trustworthy institution.

EDIT: On the plus side, people do support civil unions by a large margin (72/25).  But separate is not equal, and all that.
EDIT 2 Electric Boogaloo:  Also, blank votes count as "no" votes, which I have said before, but I'll repeat.  The last amendment we had in 2008 had approximately 5% of blank votes.  It won with 55% of the vote and was about increasing the sales tax to help fund environmental and artistic causes in the state, if anyone wants to know.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

More murders by cops?

More murders by cops.

I really find it difficult to put into words how much I hate the police.

[Moghjubar]

Kansas is debating removing Obama from ballot, pending more information on birth location:
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/sep/13/state-panel-wants-more-information-ruling-obamas-b/
...

[Sirus]

Kansas is debating removing Obama from ballot, pending more information on birth location:
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/sep/13/state-panel-wants-more-information-ruling-obamas-b/
...

I don't think the panelists are in Kansas anymore...

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Too easy?

Edit

In 2010, after Kobach made his comments about Obama’s birth certificate in answering questions at a campaign event, an aide attempted to clarify Kobach’s stance and said he didn’t subscribe to “birther” theories. On Thursday, asked by reporters whether he personally doubts Obama’s citizenship, Kobach said he wants to wait on making a statement until “we have the full factual record in front of us.”

Riiiiiight.

[Reelya]

http://www.gallup.com/poll/154838/Pro-Choice-Americans-Record-Low.aspx

Whether any of these controversies is related to the shift in Americans' identification as pro-choice or pro-life is not clear. However, it is notable that while Americans' labeling of their position has changed, their fundamental views on the issue have not. If the advantage for the "pro-life" position persists in future Gallup updates on abortion, these would seem to be important factors to look at to help explain the shift in labeling.

A shift in people self-assigned labels, but no shift in how people view the legal status of abortions:

- Less people call abortion "morally wrong" than 10 years ago (2012 vs 2002)
- The exact same number call it "morally acceptable"  (2012 vs 2002)
- 20% in 2012 say abortion should be 100% illegal, in 2002 it was 22%
- 25% in both 2002 and 2012, said abortion should be legal in "any" situation
- 51% in 2002 and 52% in 2012, said abortion should be legal in "certain" situations

So, even with the "upswing" in the last set of polls related to which of the 2 "labels" people use, there has been no concurrent shift in the underlying policy values of those same respondents. If anything, going by the practical aspects, respect for legal abortions is higher if anything.

[RedKing]

Kansas is debating removing Obama from ballot, pending more information on birth location:
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2012/sep/13/state-panel-wants-more-information-ruling-obamas-b/
...

If this were to actually pass, I'd say the government should withhold all Federal funding until Kansas can prove it's a US state. I mean, REALLY prove it. After all, isn't it a little too convenient that the people that were supposedly present at its admission to the Union are all dead now? What are they covering up?? And it's a well-known fact that Kansas was previously part of France.

[Karlito]

And it's a well-known fact that Kansas was previously part of France.

And Mexico.

[Leafsnail]

If this were to actually pass, I'd say the government should withhold all Federal funding until Kansas can prove it's a US state. I mean, REALLY prove it. After all, isn't it a little too convenient that the people that were supposedly present at its admission to the Union are all dead now? What are they covering up?? And it's a well-known fact that Kansas was previously part of France.

There is more evidence for Obama being a natural born US citizen than virtually anyone else in the entire world (maybe excepting a few people born on video under the Statue of Liberty).  Unless all these accusers can produce at least 2 newspapers carrying adverts about their births and their longform birth certificates I don't see why we should listen to them.

[MonkeyHead]

So, are we allowed to call people that STILL debate Obama's nationality racists yet or not? I mean, the man has shown above and beyond any criteria that his nationality passes any check. It is wrong for me to accuse people who are still bringing it up to be dwelling on his name or skin colour?

[Shinotsa]

So, are we allowed to call people that STILL debate Obama's nationality racists yet or not? I mean, the man has shown above and beyond any criteria that his nationality passes any check. It is wrong for me to accuse people who are still bringing it up to be dwelling on his name or skin colour?

I think they've forgotten the whole racist aspect by now, it seems to have evolved into so much more. Sure, racists may be put off by people of different ethnicity, but this isn't that. This isn't them feeling that their country is in less moral hands, this isn't true concern anymore. There is nothing but a seething hate worked into a froth over the period of four years. I don't call these people anything, I am just grateful that we're in a country where angry mobs form rather rarely.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

You know what the hilarious ironic part of it all is? The Birther movement is pretty big in Kenya.

[Moghjubar]

Obviously BO should run for Kenyan presidency at the same time.

[RedKing]

Obviously BO should run for Kenyan presidency at the same time.

I'm sure there's probably a strain of Birther conspiracy theory that says he plans to do exactly that, then use his combined powers to cede US national sovereignty to his chieftain in Kenya.