Should I Stay or Should I go?

If this is true:

But the stem cell battle is not just a high-profile clash of values. The dispute provides a sharp focus on how science may help reshape America. Several states have set aside billions of dollars to support stem cell research, and the new federal money Obama is promising will generally flow to those areas. That means states supporting stem cell research will experience an economic windfall while attracting highly educated technology workers who tend to vote Democratic. The more conservative states restricting stem cell research will attract fewer funds and fewer socially liberal voters. In short, a state's stem cell policy will influence electoral results and help determine whether a state turns red or blue.

...then what should one conclude from this?

Texas researchers who thought President Barack Obama’s executive order lifting the restrictions on embryonic stem cell research would finally free them to ramp up work with the cutting-edge science are facing a new obstacle: the state Legislature.

Eighteen of the state’s leading scientists signed a letter sent to the Legislature Monday objecting to a provision inserted in the Senate budget bill last week that would ban state funding from supporting research involving the destruction of human embryos.

“Such an amendment would be detrimental to Texas,” said the statement. “A ban would halt ongoing research projects and negatively impact the ability of Texas academic health institutions, both public and private, to competitively recruit and retain world-class scientists, professors and students in the biological sciences.”

Doctors Fighting for Real Health Care Reform

Over on DKos there's a diary that I thought needed more exposure, so I'm linking to it here so 1 or 2 more people will see it :) When you start seeing all the BS ads about how public health care will make your life so bad, ask yourself why these 8 doctors were willing to get arrested in an effort to keep the publicly funded option on the table...

On May 5, eight health care advocates, including myself and two other physicians, stood up to Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and the Senate Finance Committee during a "public roundtable discussion" with a simple question: Will you allow an advocate for a single-payer national health plan to have a seat at the table?

The answer was a loud, "Get more police!" And we were arrested and hauled off to jail.

The fact that a national health insurance program is supported by the majority of the public, doctors and nurses apparently means nothing to Sen. Baucus. The fact that thousands of people in America are dying every year because they can’t get health care means nothing. The fact that over 1 million Americans go into bankruptcy every year due to medical debt — even though most of them had insurance when they got sick — means nothing.

Good Work by Republican Senator (no snark)

Props to Charles Grassley for adding Fed transparency to the bankruptcy bill:

A last-minute amendment to the bankruptcy reform bill passed in the Senate Wednesday opens the Federal Reserve to congressional scrutiny.

The amendment was pushed by Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the highest ranking Republican on the finance committee, and quietly breezed through 95 to 1. Grassley said that his measure wasn't aimed at limiting the Fed's independence, but that Congress just wanted to know a little bit about what it's doing.

The proposal is, said Grassley, "an important reform for holding the entities involved in the massive taxpayer-funded economic bailout accountable to the public."

How the Mighty Have Fallen

I've been trying to hold off on the conservative bashing as much as I can. It seems a little gratuitous at this point. But then I see something like this from RedState (no link):

4. DNC Chair and Obama lose two council seats in their backyard
The media will ignore it, but they shouldn't.

Democrats lost two seats on the Alexandria, Virginia city council.

Boy, how long has it been since I've been able to report good news on an election night for Republicans? With results from 26 out of 26 precincts, and absentees included, Republican Frank Fannon and GOP-endorsed independent Alicia Hughes appear to have won seats on the Alexandria City Council. The Democrats will still control a majority of four out of six seats, but this is a couple rippes of red in a deep blue community in a purple state - the best news for local Republicans in a long time.

But the implications are bigger. Barack Obama won this county 72-27. Senater Mark Warner is from Alexandria. Democratic National Committee Chair Tim Kaine is the Governor of Virginia.

Barack Obama lost today. The Democratic National Committee lost today.

That's right, Alexandria city council. A massive loss for the Democratic National Committee (and the President). I guess the tide is turning. Palin '12! Whatever gets you through the night...

Corporate Taxes

This is worth reading. I think I'd hit this point in a press conference, not just on the White House blog if I were president:

Jason Furman: Kyle, you are correct that the United States has the second highest statutory tax rate in the world, the official rate published in the tax code. But the United States also has more loopholes and special tax preferences than many other countries. As a result, the United States has a much lower effective tax rate. If you look at corporate taxes as a share of GDP they are below those of most major economies.

Cyclone Nargis anniversary

It was a year ago (May 2-3) that Nargis devastated the Irrawaddy delta region of Burma (Myanmar). The people are still struggling:

Foreign governments and charities provided US$315 million for food aid and emergency assistance in the months after the tropical storm hit the country May 2-3, 2008, leaving 138,000 people dead or missing and another 800,000 homeless.

But international charities and U.N. agencies like the World Food Program say hundreds of millions of dollars are still needed over the next several years to rebuild the delta's decimated infrastructure and provide farmers and fishermen with the cash they need to regain their livelihoods.

Many noted the funds raised so far are about 40 times less than US$12 billion raised for the 2004 tsunami, even though Nargis was the worst natural disaster in Myanmar's modern history and the world's fifth deadliest in the past 40 years.

At least the illegitimate military dictatorship has stopped obstructing aid, even if they are not doing much to help:

But perhaps the most shocking aspect of the disaster was the military government's indifference to the suffering of its own people.
The ruling generals said Burma did not need "chocolate bars donated by foreign countries", and refused to allow aid into the region for nearly three weeks.

The international community was appalled, and eventually - after intense diplomatic lobbying - Burmese leaders were persuaded to accept foreign assistance.
A full-scale aid operation got under way, and the world heaved a collective sigh of relief.

Burma's military generals are wary of any outside influence
A year later this aid operation is still in full swing, and while lots of people remain dependant on outside help, most have now been given some form of assistance.
The government has not spent much of its own money on the relief effort, but at least it has mainly left the aid agencies to their own devices, enabling them to distribute supplies throughout the region.

Sitagu Sayadaw has had great success both raising funds and getting supplies into the country (including during the first three weeks). If you want to contribute to his efforts, you can do so here.

Power to the Peaceful

A little Michael Franti in celebration of his upcoming return to ACL Fest. His first visit was a real breath of fresh air in the dark early days of (as Michael sang in "We Don't Stop") Bush War II.