Global Tributes to Bush...A Statue in Iraq

This is how we can remember W: fittingly, the people of Iraq have erected a statue to commemorate the man who undoubtedly had such impact on all Iraqis.

I must admit, it's kinda awesome. Photo,  over the jump.

Who'll Fill Labor Secretary Hilda Solis' Congressional Seat? (updated--see end of post)

There's a lumpy, jarring, unnecessary speed bump on the road to the Senate confirmation of Congresswoman Hilda Solis (D-CA32) for the position President Obama has appointed her to: Secretary of Labor.

As you might expect, that oxygen-sucking bit of obstruction is an unnamed, anonymous Republican senator who placed a one-week hold on the confirmation. So what's the problem he (or less likely, she) has with Congresswoman Solis?

Education Expert Laura Ewing Testifies about Science in Schools

MOMocrats are happy to welcome guest poster Laura Ewing. Ewing is a retired educator and current educational advocate in Texas. When the State Board of Education was conducting hearings recently about rephrasing standards in science curriculum, Ewing testified in favor of educationally---rather than political or religious---based science curriculum. She eloquently explained why scientific education is so crucial to students, especially for future progress. Following is her testimony:

Testimony by Laura Ewing, Friendswood, TX 

Dear Members of the SBOE:

      I am here today as a retired public school educator and as a person who cares so much about decisions impacting TEKS, testing and textbooks that I ran for the SBOE in 2008.  Most importantly, I am a parent of a son who has attended public schools in Fort Bend as a kindergartner and Friendswood from 1^st through 12^th grade.  He is now a college student at UTSA.

      I ask that you vote FOR the current language of the Science TEKS.  Our students must be educated with the ability to succeed in the 21^st century, and that means teaching them with scientific theories which have been corroborated through research and testing. 

      In December my family spent almost two weeks hiking in the Davis Mountains and Big Bend.  As I viewed the majesty of the mountains and terrain formed by volcanic action and oceanic movement, I marveled at God’s beautiful creations. And, I also realized that solid scientific study has determined that these structures are billions and millions of years old.  We visited with a paleontologist/archeologist who has discovered on his property the fossilized remains of a 75 million year old turtle, first of its genus and species.  It was important for my son to hear about the methods used in scientific research of these lands and this particular discovery.  Our trip allowed him to use his 21^st century scientific learning, which includes his critical thinking skills, to analyze the world around him.   There was no need to discuss whether or not the turtle has evolved.  Critical thinking skills were utilized in determining HOW the species has evolved.   I want for all of our 4.5 million public school children to continue to learn scientific methods that will allow them to be successful in their future endeavors and competitive in the 21^st century global economy.

      I have taught Sunday school at my local Methodist church for over a decade, and as our junior high students discussed the story of Adam and Eve this last Sunday, I realized again why I don’t want politicians politicizing what and how issues of faith will be taught in public schools.  The lesson reinforced the role that houses of worship need to play in educating our children in faith-based issues.  Our students need to be guided to their religious beliefs by their families so that they truly have freedom of religion.  Let’s support the role of public school education in teaching science and truly prepare our students for the 21^st century. I know that down the street there is at least one bill introduced to strip this body of much of its oversight powers because the majority vote decisions have not been following process and have politicized and jeopardized the education of our children.  You have the opportunity to show students, parents and the legislature that you can make educationally sound decisions and not ones that promote personal political agendas. Please open the door for our students to learn and be successful in today’s world. 

Thank you,

Laura Ewing

Making an NSA Spy's Job That Much Easier

Former National Security Agency Analyst Russell Tice recently reported to MSNBC that, under intelligence directives issued during the Bush Administration, the NSA has been spying extensively on American citizens, and has specifically targeted American journalists:

Some journalists who have written critically about domestic spying programs have come forward to say they believe they have been placed under government surveillance in retaliation. New York Times reporter James Rise suspects he has been deliberately targeted, because Bush Administration officials recently revealed copies of James' Rise's phone records to a grand jury investigating government leaks.

And even government officials who have expressed doubt about the usefulness or constitutionality of government domestic spying programs, including Deputy Attorney General Comey and former Assistant Attorney General Jack Goldsmith, have also reported they were subsequently targeted with surveillance.

I've written about government spying programs that target American citizens. I'm not a journalist; I'm a blogger, but the difference is blurring these days. And heaven knows, certain Republican friends of mine have made it pretty clear to me that they consider MOMocrats to be a radical leftist organization. Have I been under government surveillance? If the Obama Administration has not yet shut these domestic spying programs down, could I still be?

Dr. Jill Biden Announces Plans to Continue Teaching

WASHINGTON,D.C. -- Continuing her 28-year career as an educator, Dr. Jill Biden returned to teaching today at a DC-area community college. Dr. Biden will work as an adjunct professor at Northern Virginia Community College this semester, teaching two English courses.  

"I am thrilled to return to the classroom to continue working with community college students, whom I greatly admire and enjoy teaching," said Dr. Biden. "I have always believed in the power of community colleges to endow students with critical life skills, and I am pleased that I can make a difference by doing what I love to do, teaching people who are excited to learn."

Dr. Biden has been a teacher for over 28 years, having spent 15 years teaching English Composition at Delaware Technical & Community College. Prior to that, she worked as a Reading Specialist and English teacher in the Delaware public school system. While working full-time and raising a family, Jill earned two master's degrees: a Master's degree in English from Villanova University (1987) and a Master's degree in reading from West Chester University (1981).  Jill earned a Doctorate in Education from the University of Delaware in 2007. Her dissertation focused on how to retain students in community colleges.

In addition to her work as a professor, Dr. Biden recognizes the critical importance of quality education to the nation's economic well-being and to our communities, and will continue to promote these issues in the coming months.  Last week, Dr. Biden welcomed over 200 DC Public School students to the Vice President's residence as the first guests to her new home.

Obama reaches out to Muslim world in Al-Arabiya Interview

From the interview:

"My job to the Muslim world is to communicate that the Americans are not your enemy. We sometimes make mistakes. We have not been perfect."

Obama said the United States "will go after terrorist groups that kill innocent civilians but will do so while respecting the rule of law." Obama added that that difference "makes America great."

As an American who for the past eight years has had a very different idea of what diplomacy should be, I want to thank President Obama for his sensible, steady approach to this delicate issue. He has set us on the path to restoring America's standing with the world. A more peaceful world where we solve problems with words, not wars, where we listen more and dictate less, is the dream I've had for my young daughters since they were born.

—Stefania Pomponi Butler

Start Dialing! SCHIP on the Senate Floor Today

Calling all MOMocrats and allies! Today the Senate will begin debating H.R. 2, a bill that would reauthorize the State Children's Health Insurance Program. The bill already passed the House on January 14.

Please call your senators today and urge them to support passage of this vital piece of legislation. And please spread the word!

President Obama: Words for How We Feel Now by Emily Troutman

Equal Pay Passed Without You, but Women Won't Forget....

Please welcome Progressive Gal, a dear friend of mine who blogs at The Liberal Life of a Navy Wife. She's been my political partner in crime since she cyber-stalked me and we met for the first time in July of 2008 and discovered we both live in the same Virginia suburb.

Although you probably wouldn't know this from reading my political posts at MOMocrats, Glenn Nye is not really my congressman.  My actual congressman, Randy Forbes, is a right wing Republican.  He was also running against a Democratic candidate in 2008 who didn't have a bat's chance in hell or two nickels to rub together.  So PG and I threw our efforts into the congressional race in the 2nd District between Thelma Drake and Glenn Nye.  Sometimes we like to pretend that we live in Nye's district but, alas, we do not.

When PG wrote our actual congressman about his vote regarding the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, he wrote back an email that pissed us both off. We had to reply, and so we wrote this response together. 

Snark by PG, wonk by me.

***************************************************

With the passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act by both the House and Senate, we wanted to take the time to share the rationale of one Congressman who voted against it. Congressman Randy Forbes (R-Va.) is one of the 171 Congressmen who voted against equal pay for women. Here is an excerpt from his (or apparently a less able staffer's) lackluster rationale to defend his vote against women along with our critique of his arguments. The short version is: I really care about fair pay, really I do. I just don't want to take any measures that actually ensure any regulation. You'll just clog up the court system when they need to be concentrating on other things like ensuring my rights to use taxpayers' time and money to host Congressional Prayer Caucuses. It's all about family values, dontcha know?

Here is his response:

The House of Representatives passed H.R. 11, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, by a vote of 247 - 171 without my support. This bill would allow employees to file charges of alleged employment discrimination within 180 days of the last paycheck received that is affected by alleged discrimination. By permitting such claims to be brought within 180 days - not of a discriminatory pay decision, but of a paycheck affected by that decision - the measure would effectively eliminate the statute of limitations on such cases. While this bill's stated intention was to improve pay equity, this ill-advised provision would almost certainly encourage the filing of claims that are not timely, and thus add to the already considerable burden on the courts. There is no evidence to suggest that the current statute of limitations has resulted in any demonstrable prejudice against claims by employees for pay discrimination.

Well, Congressman Forbes, let's talk about your "problems" with the bill.

MOMocrats Guest Post from Jackie Augustine: New York's Newest Senator? MOMocrat Kirsten Gillibrand

The MOMocrats welcome Upstate New Yorker Jackie Augustine who introduces us to her new senator.

In a noontime announcement today, Governor David Paterson named Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand as the successor to Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat following Clinton’s confirmation as Secretary of State in the Obama cabinet.

Gillibrand, 42, is currently serving her second term in Congress representing NY’s 20th District, a largely agricultural district that extends from the Hudson Valley north through the Adirondack Mountains and includes such well-known areas as Saratoga Springs and Lake Placid (home to the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics). Gillibrand and her family live just outside of the City of Hudson--south of Albany but far enough north of New York City to be considered ‘Upstate’. Speaking of her family, her husband Jonathan and their four year old son just welcomed a sibling, little Henry Gillibrand in May 2008, delivered the day after Gillibrand helped to pass an amendment in the Armed Services committee that she serves on.