Topic: Supreme Court

HUD to offer housing assistance to 4,000 Americans with disabilities

June 29, 2009 |

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today joined President Obama’s commemoration of the tenth anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision by announcing that it will offer rental assistance to 4,000 non-elderly families with disabilities, including 1,000 vouchers specifically targeted to those transitioning out of nursing homes and other care facilities. Through its funding notice, HUD is seeking comment from public housing authorities and others to ensure this critically needed assistance is distributed and administered in the most effective manner possible.

Today’s announcement coincides with the tenth anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling in Olmstead v. L.C. & E.W. which affirmed the rights of individuals with disabilities to live independently. To commemorate this landmark decision, President Obama declared 2009 the Year of Community Living.

“As individuals with disabilities leave institutional care, it is essential that they have housing options that will allow them to live independently,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. «Read the rest of this article»

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Empathy for justice

By Scott Beasley | June 1, 2009 |

President Obama used the word “empathy” to describe Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Its one thing to be empathetic towards people to grasp an understanding of their struggles, but its quite another for a judge to be empathetic. That is not a judge’s job. Their job is to apply the law. It is not to legislate from the bench, as even Sotomayor has openly stated, and openly said she should not say that. It is also not a judge’s responsibility to see that “justice” is done. It is their job to interpret and apply the law. Sotomayor seems to believe otherwise.

Many do not really see the big deal in replacing one liberal with another, but the effects of such a nomination will continue to affect this country long after Obama is gone (just like his huge debt).

Her ruling against the New Haven firefighters was, for lack of a better word, despicable. Firefighters who deserved a promotion based on performance, skills, evaluation, and experience were snubbed because of racial quotas. They call this “reverse discrimination”, but whenever one is judged solely on the color of skin, no matter the color, for any reason, its just good old fashioned discrimination to me. How have we gotten to the point where racial quotas, charity, subsidies and preferential treatment have surpassed traditionally historical methods of advancement such as self-reliance, education, business experience and work skills? Yes, that is old fashioned and mundane, but it has never been more true. You cannot instantaneously ingrain equality into society no matter how badly you want it. Equality is something that has to be attained, not handed out like coupons. Suppose you lived in New Haven and were trapped in a burning building. Would you rather have competent emergency response crews responding, or one which meets the specifications of racial quotas? Would it matter what color the person was pulling you from the fire? «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Opinion | 11 Comments

My Supreme Court nominee

May 27, 2009 |

I am proud to announce my nominee for the next Justice of the United States Supreme Court: Judge Sonia Sotomayor.

This decision affects us all — and so it must involve us all. I’ve recorded a special message to personally introduce Judge Sotomayor and explain why I’m so confident she will make an excellent Justice.

«Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Politics | 2 Comments

AU lauds Senate vote rejecting taxpayer funding of religious institutions

February 8, 2009 |

Senate made the right call in rejecting reckless religious right overture, says Church-State watchdog group

Americans United for Separation of Church and State today hailed a Senate vote rejecting tax funding for religious facilities in the economic recovery package.

“The Senate has voted to reaffirm an important American principle that religious groups should pay their own way and not expect funding from the taxpayer,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United.

The 54-43 vote came after Religious Right groups began complaining that the proposed economic recovery bill (H.R. 1) was hostile to religion. In fact, the legislation merely states that tax funds used for school construction and rehabilitation may not be diverted to religious institutions. «Read the rest of this article»

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Obama signs first piece of legislation into law

By Terry McMoore | January 31, 2009 |

President Obama has  signed a law that expands the time frame in which workers can sue for discrimination they have experienced based on gender, race, national origin or religion.

“We are upholding one of this nation’s first principles: that we are all created equal and each deserve a chance to pursue our own version of happiness,” Obama said before signing the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, which effectively nullifies the 2007 Supreme Court decision.

http://www.truthout.org/012909R

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Role of religion in presidential campaign heads 2008 ‘Top Ten’ church-state stories

By Christine Anne Piesyk | December 29, 2008 |

From radioactive clergy to media inquisitions, religion was a hot topic in this year’s race to the White House, according to editors of Church and State Magazine.

The role of religion in the presidential campaign tops the 2008 “Top Ten” list of top church-state stories, according to the editors of Church & State. The monthly magazine published by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, is the nation’s only news periodical devoted exclusively to the intersection of religion and government.

Said Church & State publisher Barry W. Lynn, “It was a wild and crazy year. To tell you the truth, I’m glad it’s coming to a close. I’m hopeful 2009 will be a lot better.”

After studying the past 12 months of news, the editors selected the following 10 stories as the most important and most interesting church-state developments for the year. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: News, Opinion, Politics, Spirituality | No Comments

AU: Litigate Ten Commandments suit on church/state issue, not free speech

November 13, 2008 |

Church-State watchdog group urges justices to require government neutrality toward religion

A Ten Commandments lawsuit to be heard this week by the U.S. Supreme Court inappropriately focuses on free-speech rights rather than church-state separation, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The justices will hear oral arguments Wednesday in Pleasant Grove City v. Summum.

The case tests whether Pleasant Grove City, Utah, can accept a Commandments monument for permanent display in a local park while turning down a monument showing the tenets of another faith. The Summum religion sued the local government after its display was rejected.

The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Summum had a free-speech right to display its monument next to the Commandments monument. «Read the rest of this article»

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1 person, 0 votes : Voters elected Kurita, Committee selected Barnes

By Beth Robinson | September 18, 2008 |

I honestly have nothing against Mr. Barnes.  I have everything against systems that select the winner of an election instead of letting the voting public make that decision.  My vote was stolen.

When the Supreme Court made the wrong decision to decide the presidential election in favor of Bush and not count the votes, I was dismayed.  My vote was stolen.  We all know the ramifications that has had over the past eight years.

1 Person, 1 Vote?

Jessica Cameron made a statement at last night’s session without saying a word.  She is a veteran of the Iraq war and a strong advocate for the environment.  Last year, she was the president of the APSU’s Students Organized to Advance Renewable Energy.

Protesting last night's tri-county convention and its selection of Tim Branes as state Senate District 22 candidate, Jessie Cameron protested the disenfranchising of 4000+ Kurita votes in the primary.

Sections: News, Opinion, Politics | 3 Comments

“Democrat against Democrat…” as Primary vote is overturned; Executive Committees to decide outcome in Senate race

By Debbie Boen | September 16, 2008 |

“Brother against Brother. Democrat against Democrat. The Republicans don’t need to defeat the Democrats – they’re doing that all by themselves.” ~~ Beth Robinson

Some long-time Democrats become “Incurably Uncertain” about remaining in their own party after Kurita’s election win was discredited on September 13. The eight hour session which seemed to most observers to be a sure win for Kurita ended with a 33-11 vote to null and void Kurita’s Senate election win.

When this decision was announced, APSU Associate Professor of Biology, Dr. Joe Schiller, told the officials in the room that “they had been instructed to vote based on the evidence and facts, not on retribution and revenge”. He was asked to leave the room. Feeling disenfranchised, he told me that the whole event was a miscarriage of justice and he is seriously reconsidering his party affiliation. “If it is a Republican conspiracy when Republicans vote for Democrats, that’s a conspiracy I’d like to have.”

“There was no proof. It was a Scopes monkey trial. It was embarrassing”, said Beth Robinson, a Clarksville computer systems analyst and member of The Climate Project. “This reminds me of the Supreme Court ignoring the voting public and handing Bush the White House despite the fact that Gore received more votes.” Beth said she’d like Senator Kurita to explore a write-in campaign and possibly run as an Independent.

Standing room only as the Tennessee Democratic Executive Committee hears evidence in the Kurita/Barnes primary election case

R. Neal wrote his view on the case in the Tenn Views web site. He includes a link to Kurita’s attorney’s response to the Barnes challenge, which you can read here or at http://www.tennviews.com/files/kuritachallengeresponse.pdf Neal writes that Barnes filed a challenge, citing a litany of alleged irregularities. Kurita filed a response refuting them point by point. Read the rest of Neal’s article at http://www.tennviews.com/node/3882. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Events, News, Opinion, Politics | 4 Comments

Montgomery County sets precedent for equal time, equal access

By Christine Anne Piesyk | September 16, 2008 |

Inter – prefix: (1) between, among, in the midst. (2) reciprocal. (3) located between. (4) carried on between.

Denominational: a religious organization uniting local congregations in a single legal and administrative body.

“When the government associates one set of religious beliefs with the state and identifies nonadherents as outsiders, it encroaches upon the individual’s decision about whether and how to worship?Allowing government to be a potential mouthpiece for competing religious ideas risks the sort of division that might easily spill over into suppression of rival beliefs.” ~~ Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor

In downtown Clarksville on Thursday, September 11, congregants and legislators from varied Christian churches across the county gathered. The implied purpose of the gathering, part of a nationwide movement called Cry Out America, was to acknowledge the tragedy of September 11, 2001, an event that cost America the lives of 3,000 of its citizens on home territory, precipitated the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, which cost this country thousands of live lost or irrevocably maimed, and dug a deep hole of nearly insurmountable debt that our children will have to pay. «Read the rest of this article»

Sections: Events, News, Opinion, Politics | No Comments

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