GOP Congressional Candidate: “I Don’t Care” What Puerto Rico Is; “It Doesn’t Matter”

Republican Vaughn Ward, running for office in Idaho’s first congressional district, claimed that Puerto Rico was a country during a debate. Asked about whether Puerto Rico should become a state, Ward answered:

“The problem with extending statehood to some, to any other country, is that then the infrastructure requirements…cost an enormous amount of money…

Ward’s opponent in the Republican primary, Raul Labrador, born in Puerto Rico, corrected him:

“I just need to correct, Puerto Rico is not a country, Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States. It’s about time that we took some civics lesson and we …

Terrorism: What’s News And What Isn’t

by James Frye

We’ve had two terrorist attacks on American soil recently – one killed people and one didn’t but could have, and neither happened in Times Square in New York City. Did you hear about either of them? Chances are that you didn’t or if you did, it wasn’t because of wall-to-wall hours of coverage on any cable or network news.

Here’s the first act of terrorism:

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — An antigovernment Ohio man who had had several run-ins with the police around the country was identified Friday as one of two people suspected of gunning

…

BP Tells EPA It Can’t Find Less Toxic Dispersant; Says It Will Use Mud To Plug Oil Leaks

British Petroleum was asked by the Environmental Protection Agency to find an less toxic application to break up the oil spill than Corexit, but says it can’t find one. (h/t The Political Carnival)

BP spokesman Scott Dean said Friday that BP had replied with a letter “that outlines our findings that none of the alternative products on the EPA’s National Contingency Plan Product Schedule list meets all three criteria specified in yesterday’s directive for availability, toxicity and effectiveness.”

Dean noted that “Corexit is an EPA pre-approved, effective, low-toxicity dispersant that is readily available, and we continue to use …

Arizona’s Next Step: Going After “Anchor Babies”

The Arizona state senator behind their despicable anti-immigration law Russell Pearce, is now targeting what he refers to as “anchor babies” and their mothers. “Anchor baby” is a derogatory term for a child born in American to an illegal immigrant.  (h/t Think Progress)  Pearce is circulating emails using this term and says he sees nothing wrong with it.

Pearce wrote in one e-mail: “I also intend to push for an Arizona bill that would refuse to accept or issue a birth certificate that recognizes citizenship to those born to illegal aliens, unless one parent is a citizen.”

…

One …

Rand Paul Calls Obama’s Handling Of Oil Spill Crisis “Un-American”

Kentucky Senate candidate Rand Paul says President Obama’s anti-BP stance on the Gulf oil spill is “un-American”.

“What I don’t like from the president’s administration is this sort of, ‘I’ll put my boot heel on the throat of BP,’” Paul said in an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “I think that sounds really un-American in his criticism of business.”

This goes to the heart of Paul’s belief of limited government, especially as it applies to private businesses.

Other Republicans have criticized the administration’s handling of the oil spill, but few have been so vocal in defending BP, the …

New Texas School Curriculum: Less On Slavery And Civil Rights; More On Biblical Values And The Confederacy

The Texas School board has revised its Social Studies and history curriculum to satisfy the conservative political agenda of its board members. More emphasis will be put on the Confederacy, Biblical values and free enterprise, and less on slavery, civil rights. Chair Gail Lowe, a creationist chosen by Governor Rick Perry to run the board, is pictured.

Other changes water down criticism of Senator Joe McCarthy’s anti-communist witchhunt in the 1950s and portray the UN’s funding for international humanitarian relief and environmental initiatives as threats to individual freedom and U.S. sovereignty.

Students will be required to study conservative organisations and …

On Friday’s Radio Show…

• Where would you go in the event of an Armageddon-like disaster? Robert Vicino, founder of The Vivos Project, tells Alan that for $50,000 he can guarantee your family’s security.

• Rev. Franklin Graham, who wrote the foreword of the new edition of his father Billy Graham’s Storm Warning, talks with Alan about the political and cultural problems facing America today.

• It’s the Friday Night Free-for-All!…

Newt Gingrich Reiterates Comparison Of Obama Administraton To Nazis And Soviets

Newt Gingrich continues to state the claim in his new book that, “The secular socialist machine represents as great a threat to America as Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union once did.” On Greta’s show on FOX News, he called his argument “reasoned and compelling.”

I argue in this book — and I think it’s a pretty reasoned and compelling argument — that the fact is, the values of a secular socialist movement are antithetical — and you hear from President Obama all the time. … The secular socialist left doesn’t want God anywhere in public life and doesn’t want …

Jobless Rate Drops In 34 States And DC

The jobs picture is looking a bit brighter with new numbers out Friday.

The Labor Department said Friday that 34 states and the District of Columbia reported lower jobless rates in April. Six states reported higher rates, while 10 saw unemployment hold steady.

That marked an improvement from March when 16 states and D.C. reported declines in unemployment, 22 states saw increases, and 12 had no change, according to revised figures.

As sales and profits improve, more companies are hiring.

Friday’s report also said that a majority of states saw employers boost jobs in April. The top three gainers: …

Whoops! Michele Bachmann Forgot To Pay Her Property Taxes

It was probably just an oversight. Besides Bachmann doesn’t like taxes, and once told people not to pay them if heath care reform passed. (h/t Angry Liberal)

The Minnesota Republican missed the due date for a $3,740 tax on her 5,200-square-foot home on the 18th hole of Stoneridge Golf Course. For the missed payment, she was penalized by the state of Minnesota a scant $74.90.

Notified of the missing payment, a spokesman for Bachmann said that she and her husband have since taken care of the matter.

No hypocrisy here, as Bachmann, who is known for the pet …

“N-Word” Sign Maker Now “Tea Party Columnist” for Washington Times (Updated)

Desperate times call for desperate measure, and Dale Robertson, who regards himself the founder of the tea party, has been brought on by the financially struggling Washington Times‘s “Tea Party Report” blog.  Robertson got caught in a lie when he first was seen parading around with a misspelled sign featuring the n-word, and then claimed the work was forged. Sadly, for him, we had him on tape contradicting his denial.

Tommy Christopher, who’s been covering this charade for Mediaite, suggests this could just be another PR stunt by a guy who seems desperate for attention.

Furthermore, the press …