SCOTUS

And it's the right thing to do:

"I know all our families do not look alike. We all want the same thing for our families. We want happiness, we want health, prosperity, a bright future for our children and grandchildren. After conversations I’ve had with family members, with people I go to church with and with North Carolinians from all walks of life, I’ve come to my own personal conclusion that we should not tell people who they can love, or who they can marry. It’s time to move forward with this issue.”

For all the flak Kay has taken (much of it justified) for some of her policy approaches and priorities, this took guts on her part, and should be remembered. The GOP will be gunning for her vigorously in the coming months, and it's going to take every tool in the box to keep from losing this seat.

The countdown continues. Only 3 days left until this historic Supreme Court freedom to marry case. Lines have been forming out side the Supreme Court for days now. The polling is moving in our favor at a rapid pace. Even a hundred some prominent republicans have made the jump to supporting marriage equality. There are some big events in DC, but you don't have to go that far to have a piece of history with this landmark case, because events are being held all across the country and across North Carolina.

In 3 weeks the Supreme Court will take up a case considering the constitutionality of Prop 8, the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and generally the freedom to marry for LGBT couples. Recently Equality NC joined with many other organizations, politicians, and faith leaders to oppose marriage discrimination in the form of an amicus brief. Public events and demonstrations relating to the Supreme Court case are starting to pop up in NC, in DC, and around the country. In 20 or 30 years, how will you answer the question, where were you during this freedom to marry case?

The Supreme Court is taking up the Winsdor DOMA challenge and the Prop 8 Case. Depending on the ruling, and how broad or narrow it is, this could potentially end amendment 1, DOMA, and marriage discrimination all across the country.

I recommend to those like me who eagerly await word from the US Supreme Court to follow the story on NPR. They don't dumb down the news, but it is easily accessible for non-lawyers. Check out this story from today. Those in the know expect the decision, which will affect health care nationally in some way, unless the Supremes uphold the Act as written (hardly likely)to come this week.

For the listeners of WUNC-FM in the Triangle, follow what NPR puts out from the Court on a regular basis.

MEDIAGOPOLY: THE MEGACORPS THAT CONTROL MAINSTREAM MEDIA AND MUCH MORE
Global Revolution 1: American Revolution 2: Day 57: Communication 1
IronBoltBruce's Kleptocracy Chronicles for 12 Nov 2011 (g1a2d0057c1)
How many examples of greed and corruption must you see before you act?

"The U.S. media landscape is dominated by massive corporations that, through a history of mergers and acquisitions, have concentrated their control over what we see, hear and read. In many cases, these giant companies are vertically integrated, controlling everything from initial production to final distribution." This chart shows who owns what:

http://www.freepress.net/ownership/chart/main

Kevin Geddings gets his walking papers:

A judge on Tuesday ordered a former North Carolina lottery commissioner convicted of five counts of the honest services law released from a Georgia prison.

Geddings was found guilty of honest services mail fraud for not disclosing his financial ties to a company that was expected to bid for North Carolina's lottery business.

Another step backward for ethics reform. In the absence of this (Federal) statute, what other criminal laws would come to bear on a "failure to disclose" these conflicts of interest?

Making it the first time in history that three women have sat on the highest court:

At 50 years old, Kagan would be the youngest justice on the court, one of many factors working in her favor.

Yet Kagan would be the first justice without judicial experience in almost 40 years.

As the Harvard Law School dean, Kagan openly railed against the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gay service members. She called it discriminatory and barred military recruiters over the matter until the move threatened to cost the university federal money.

The Orange-Chatham Progressive Democrats and the Progressive Democrats of NC will sponsor a public forum on the Citizens United decision on April 11th, from 4-5:30 pm at the Carrboro Century Center in Carrboro. Gene Nichol of UNC Law School will be the primary speaker.

First the District of Columbia, now Chicago:

The justices will be deciding whether the right to possess guns guaranteed by the Second Amendment - like much of the rest of the Bill of Rights - applies to states as well as the federal government. It's widely believed they will say it does.

The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence is urging the court not to do anything that would prevent state and local governments "from enacting the reasonable laws they desire and need to protect their families and communities from gun violence."