Something to Know - 1 February

1.   Most of the news today was the nasty Republican Senators badgering Chuck Hagel in his confirmation process for Obama's Secretary of Defense.   Meanwhile, the normal idiot GOP behavior reflects itself in the Tennessee legislature.  There is a proposal to scale back or deny government assistance to families if any of their children fail to receive decent grades in school.  Really?......yes really.:

http://www.memphisflyer.com/TheBruceVBlog/archives/2013/01/24/campfields-solution-for-kids-who-fail-school-starve-them

2.  The current "hearings" on the regulation of firearms readily points out that Wayne LaPerriere and the NRA is really nothing more than a shill for the firearms industry, and nothing more.  Charles Blow points out how this is playing out in DC:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/opinion/blow-the-national-regulation-resisters-association.html?ref=opinion&_r=0&pagewanted=print

3.  NY Times editorial.   The Republican Senators who did nothing but pounce and badger Hagel....did nothing but go on record as supporting the Military-Industrial complex...plain and simple.   They probably know that Hagel is going to get confirmed, but they were grandstanding to their paymasters and military contrators:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/01/opinion/a-chuck-hagel-confirmation-ordeal.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

4.  It is amazing how the obvious fact that the GOP lost the election in large part because of its sneering and contentious stand on immigration issues with the Hispanics.  So, now the political reality is that it really is a good deal for the USA to embrace reform and roll out the nice welcome mat.   David Brooks calls it a no-brainer.   This will drive the extreme right zealots somewhere that the Republicans are now really fractured, and the Hispanics really could not care less about the change of GOP attitude:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/01/opinion/brooks-the-easy-problem.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

5.  When McCain, Graham, Inhofe, and Cruz wake up this morning, they will have to wonder if they are vital members of the opposition party, or just another vein of putrefaction in the body GOP.   The right wing is going nowhere fast:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/right-flight/?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

6.  California, the dynamic face of the future.   Latinos, Hispanics, Mexicans, and whatever other name may be relevant...will soon be the majority demographic in the state.   This is just a statement of fact, and there are various ways to address the challenges and the needs for the future, especially when it will be coming to another state, which may will be your own if you live elsewhere:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0201-latinos-young-20130201,0,6412247,print.story

--
Juan

"If you are a dog and your owner suggests that you wear a sweater, suggest that he wear a tail."
       -- Fran Lebowitz