Well, from a President & Co. who ARE socialist,

it makes sense:
According to the Wall Street Journal, Polish officials requested that Walesa accept the Medal of Freedom on behalf of Jan Karski, a member of the Polish Underground during World War II who was being honored posthumously this week. The request makes sense. Walesa and Karski shared a burning desire to rid Poland of tyrannical subjugation. But President Obama said no.

Administration officials told the Journal that Walesa is too “political.” A man who was arrested by Soviet officials for dissenting against the government for being “political” is being shunned by the United States of America for the same reason 30 years later.

Meanwhile, one of the recipients of the Medal was Dolores Huerta, the honorary chair of the Democratic Socialists of America. So socialist politics are acceptable, but not the politics of a man who stood up and fought socialism.


My, aren't they a wonderful bunch of people?


Yeah, besides the "Scare people for daring to contact a .gov flunky", why the hell DOES the EPA have a SWAT team?


Speaking of SWAT, one of the things very troubling about the SWATting crap: since when is a assault team sent out ON THE BASIS OF A PHONE CALL? The whole idea, originally, was 'barricaded suspects, hostage situations, possibly actual high-risk warrant service'; now they're sent out with no confirmation there's an actual problem because "We got a phone call"?
I repeat: someone gets killed there's going to be some very serious questions- hell, they should be asked NOW- on "Just why did you send this team out when all you had was a phone call?"


Remember all the "If you want to handle assault weapons, join the military" crap politicians like John Effing Kerry like to throw out? A slightly different version that actually makes sense for law enforcement, especially like the 'Constitutional bullshit' commander in the DC police:
Uh oh. There’s that word. Tactical. The SWAT team that night had “tactical operators” who were “operating tactically,” and it all needed an overall review of the “tactical operations.” The tactical operators were likely wearing Tru-Spec tactical pants, carrying drop holsters and body armor, and thought they were going to engage in room clearing operations just like they think they have seen on television coverage of Iraq.

With a son who actually did room clearing operations in Fallujah, Iraq, with the 2/6 Marines, I can supply a perspective concerning these kinds of “tactical operations.” Actually, it is his own perspective. So, you want to be an operator? Good. Sign up, take the training, fly across the pond, and do it for real. If you are a police officer in the U.S., you should first and foremost see yourself as a peace officer.
As opposed to a trigger-happy oath-breaking jerk in a ninja suit.


Something actually good in the news, possibly restoring leg function in people with spinal injuries.


Please crawl back into whatever fascist hole you crawled out of. I’m absolutely serious about this. You are a fascist. Stop telling people how to live their lives. It is absolutely none of your fucking business whether other people like sugary drinks.
"oooh, but it affects our HEALTH CARE SYSTEM! so it's my business!" Etc. I refer the fascist to that quote in my sidebar:
Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their consciences.