I can't believe it's not a democracy!

Wow:

Vermont legalizes gay marriage. And you know what's really amazing? The legislature voted to override the republican governor's veto of the bill that extends marriage to gays and lesbians. Two-thirds of each chamber voted for justice and decency. I really have to plan a vacation to Vermont.

And if that wasn't enough, there's this: DC to recognize gay marriage in other states. Reuters reports that "[s]ome city lawmakers lauded the move as a prelude to legal same-sex marriage in the U.S. capital." Four states allow gay marriages now. New Jersey allows for civil unions (will full marriage rights be next?), and California, well, the fiht continues. So, which state is next? Sadly, I don't think New York is ready yet, but you never know.

Hope this is the first of many similar articles:

Sallie Mae to add 2,000 jobs to US in 18 months. And where are these 2,000 jobs coming from? Overseas. Apparently, Sallie Mae has announced that it will bring 2,000 jobs to the U.S. as it shifts call center and other operations from overseas. The article should say "returns 2,000 jobs, because I'm guessing these were jobs that were killed here for some call center in Bangalore.

Good for Sallie Mae, although I guess things have gotten so bad here that it's just as cost efficient to move the call centers back to the U.S. rather than off shore them to India. Still, it's a first step. Now if only the government would kill the tax provisions that encourage businesses to move operations abroad and keep the money there. If that happens, Sallie Mae won't be the only corporation to bring back jobs back they outsourced abroad.

It's time for the Feds to play hardball. This is a good first step:

Feds looking to freeze Ruth Madoff's assets-NY Post. Click the link for the story. Yes, it's the Post, but they know their audience can be whipped into a froth with the Madoff story and they are working their sources. Long and short, the feds want to freeze Ruth Madoff's assets--$93 million is held in her name--because she smells like a flight risk. Apparently there is a voluntary freeze in place, but according to the Post "that agreement is not legally binding." And the feds are working up a criminal case against her. While it appears she didn't play a role at her husband's company, she did withdraw $15.5 million before her husband's arrest and mailed more than $1 million worth of jewelry and watches in violation of a court order. Hope the feds go after her and the sons. Put the whole fucking family in jail. Yeah, it's been one of those days.

Thanks to John for the link.

Obama gets another point:

Pentagon allows coverage of war coffins. CNN reports that the Pentagon will lift its ban on media coverage of the flag-draped coffins of war dead, but families of the dead soldiers will have the final say on whether to allow the coverage. That seems like a sensible plan. I am not happy with Obama's economic team, and I am worried about the planned bank bailout, but he seems to have made so very good decisions (so far) about some other important issues, like lifting this ban so that Americans can't pretend that men and women aren't dying in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Thanks to Mr. Slice for the link.

Blago booted:

Illinois governor unanimously convicted, tossed from office.

Update: And it looks like the fine folks in Illinois caught a lucky break. Namely, their new governor sounds like a good guy: New Illinois governor made career as a grass-roots crusader. Yes, Illinois' new governor apparently has built his career "on grass-roots organizing to cut government and protect the little guy." And he's a former tax attorney. What's not to love?

Well, there is one potentially good outcome coming out of Iceland's financial meltdown (emphasis on coming out):

Icelandic Minister, Johanna Sigurdardottir, Would Be World's First Gay PM. Icelandic journalist Iris Erlingsdottir, reporting for the Huffington Post, writes: Icelandic Social Affairs Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir would be the world's first openly gay leader if she becomes Prime Minister of Iceland, as is widely expected. Although Per-Kristian Foss served as acting Prime Minister in Norway very briefly in 2002, this represents the first time that a gay leader would assume the reins of a modern state.

As has been extensively reported, Iceland is in the midst of an economic and political crisis [ed: brought on by the financial crisis brought to us all by Wall Street and the unrelenting greed of the world's super rich] that has brought down the ruling coalition of Geir Haarde. Although elections have been called for in May, Mr. Haarde has announced that he will step down because of the discovery of a malignant tumor on his esophagus earlier this week.

So, will the people of Iceland rise up against this obvious attempt by the gays to push their agenda? Apparently not. Erlingsdottir writes: Huh? Why, who cares? Even after living in America all these years, where hounding politicians into surrealistic hell about their private lives is the norm, it didn't really ring bells for me. "I don't see what her sexual orientation has to do with anything," my mother told me yesterday. "It's no one's business but her own."

My usually taciturn father agreed strongly. "She is the most trusted and respected politician in the country," he said, "and she is simply the best person available for the job. Ja, that is just twisted thinking," he replied when I told him that her sexual orientation would probably be more newsworthy in America than anything else surrounding her appointment.

Wow. Imagine living in a country where the people (and the press?) don't give a shit about a politician's orientation; rather, they want someone who is, gulp, capable and trusted. And she is. Erlingsdottir notes that Sigurdardottir "is one of the most popular politicians in the country," and she is also "the only minister whose popularity had increased compared to a similar poll undertaken in December 2007." The reason for her high numbers? I guess it could be this: She is often described by many of her countrymen as the only politician who really cares about the "little guy." She has devoted her career to fighting for the welfare and equality of minority groups - women, the elderly, the poor, disabled, and immigrants. She holds no fancy foreign diplomas - she has a Commercial degree from the Commercial College of Iceland - nor extensive family or wealth connections like many Icelandic politicians but has diligently worked her way up the political ladder through hard work and determination.

One small step for man...

Thanks to John for the link.

This should be interesting:

Conyers Subpoenas Karl Rove. "Time to Talk.". The link brings you to a Daily Kos diary by Setrak, who writes: For the second time, John Conyers Jr. has issued a subpoena for Karl Rove to testify before Congress. Before, Karl Rove claimed immunity due to his status as a former presidential adviser. However, U.S. District Judge John Bates has rejected that claim. Now without George W. Bush and Mukasey to protect him, Karl Rove is looking mightily vulnerable. Mr. Conyers wants answers involving the politicization of the Justice Department, especially in regards to the firing of U.S. Attorneys for their refusal to prosecute Democrats and for the issues swirling around once-imprisoned former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman.

Karl had better be concerned about the Siegelman investigation, because what those assholes in the Alabama to that man could very well result in a separate wing at the local federal prison just for Rove and his U.S. AG buddies. What I hope is that Rove says fuck you to Conyers who smiles, exercises congress' inherent contempt authority to enforce the subpoena and sends out the Sergeant-at-Arms to drag Rove's flabby to the House floor. That would be excellent.

About fucking time:

Say goodbye to McMansions, Americans are buying 'right-sized' homes. I know that few people could stand to live in my tiny apartment (allegedly 350 square feet, but more likely 250-ish), and I would like to have more space, but 6,000 square feet for a family of four is insane. And the energy bills? Can't be cheap. If McMansions are going away because of the subprime mess, etc., then at least one good thing will come from this avoidable mess. Let's hope sensibility is coming back in vogue (assuming it ever was).

Here's a good idea:

Proposed legislation would put new "white-collar" cops on the beat at the SEC. One thing to keep in mind is that Chuck Schumer, the puppet of the hedge fund industry, is one of the sponsors. Of course, hedge funds aren't under the watch of the SEC, but that could--and should--change. Still, increasing the enforcement, investigation and prosecution resources of the SEC is a very good first step.

And the American people give W a proper send off:

Shoes thrown by protesters litter a driveway entrance outside the White House in Washington January 19, 2009, one day before the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama.

REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES)