Tucker Carlson’s The Daily Caller has quickly distinguished itself as an online news source full of people just like Carlson — tired hacks with little intellectual integrity. Patrick Howley, who dubs himself an “investigative reporter,” breathlessly exposes the “strong Obama connections” of the husband of Lois Lerner, the IRS official who apologized last week for that agency’s targeting of conservative groups for additional scrutiny. Here’s what he managed to come up with:
May 20 2013
Another Daily Caller Thud
May 20 2013
The Convenience of Political Scandal
As the media and politicians explore three stories — Benghazi, the IRS targeting of conservative groups, and the DOJ’s seizure of AP phone records — Ryan Lizza points out something very important, that these scandals really only have two results: a media feeding frenzy and convenient political posturing. Actual solutions have no part to play in this well-worn drama:
May 20 2013
Ooh, America Under Influence of Satan
Dan Delzell, an “exclusive” columnist for the Christian Post, is always good for a chuckle or two. On first read, his new column might appear to offer a classic fallacy of the excluded middle because he claims that you’re either influenced by Jesus or Satan, no other possibilities in between. But since neither of those people/entities actually exist, it’s more like a fallacy of the excluded reality.
May 20 2013
What Is ‘Primarily Political’?
The Inspector General for Tax Administration at the Treasury Department has issued a preliminary report on the IRS’ targeting of Tea Party and “patriot” groups that applied for 501(c)(4) status. You can see that report here. The report does conclude that inappropriate criteria was used, but finds no evidence that it was anything other than bureaucratic incompetence that caused it:
May 20 2013
A New Book on Atheist Parenting
My friend Aubrey Adrianson, the faculty adviser for the SSA club at Ferris State University, is working on a new book called A Secular Parent’s Guide to Teach Religion. She’s got a Kickstarter project set up for it, through which you can get a free copy of the book when it’s finished. And you can read a sample chapter here.
May 20 2013
Obamacare Has Killed a Million People!
That is the headline of an email sent by Charisma Media on behalf of Capitol Hill Daily, the extremely far right “news” site run by Floyd Brown, the guy who brought you the Citizens United ruling. With no evidence, or even a specific claim, whatsoever, it declares that Obamacare “just killed its millionth person.”
May 20 2013
TVC Lies About Muslims and Obamacare
On Planet Wingnuttia, no lie ever dies. Even years after a lie is debunked, they will continue to be repeated over and over again. A perfect example is the Traditional Values Coalition, which is still telling its members that Muslims are exempted from having to buy health insurance under the Affordable Care Act.
May 19 2013
Pat Robertson on Adultery
We’re used to Pat Robertson saying batshit crazy things in response to questions from 700 Club viewers, but this one just leaves me shaking my head. A woman says that her husband cheated on her and his response was to say hey, he’s a man, they do that — and it’s your job to be so wonderful that he won’t want to cheat.
May 19 2013
Principal Still Punishing Katelyn Campbell
Remember Katelyn Campbell, the West Virginia high school student who very publicly protested a dishonest and disgusting mandatory assembly on abstinence at her school? It seems the principal who threatened to call the university she planned to attend for that isn’t done trying to punish her:
May 19 2013
Jesus vs Voodoo in North Miami Mayoral Race
On Tuesday, the voters in North Miami went to the polls to elect a new mayor. One of the six candidates for that office is Anna Pierre, who is — to put it mildly — batshit crazy. A month ago she claimed that her opponents were using voodoo against her. But that’s okay, because she has Jesus on her side. This is a flier her campaign has released:
May 19 2013
Another Brave Student Speaks Out
Gage Pulliam last week courageously revealed his identity so that others in his school would not be blamed for forcing the school to take down the Ten Commandments plaques they had in every classroom. Now another brave student is speaking out publicly after filing a lawsuit against her school for flagrantly violating the First Amendment by promoting Christianity. This time it’s the young lady who filed suit over mandatory Christian assemblies at her school in Mississippi.
May 19 2013
Humanist Weddings Controversial in Britain
It appears that non-religious weddings are more controversial than same-sex weddings in Britain, where members of parliament are running into opposition in trying to add recognition for humanist weddings into a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage.
May 18 2013
Why is Obama Going After AP So Hard?
The Obama administration has a terrible track record when it comes to pursuing whistleblowers and leakers, far worse than Bush ever had. But why are they going after the Associated Press so aggressively over the leak about the CIA operation in Yemen? No operational details were released and the AP even held off on the story and left some things out at the request of the administration, they weren’t being uncooperative when it comes to protecting national security secrets. Marc Armbinder suggests several reasons:
May 18 2013
The Lumpkin Prayer Case Gets Worse
Remember that situation a couple weeks ago at a school in Georgia where a coach and 50 student prayed together in his office for two hours as the students missed class? Things seem to have been much worse than originally indicated. The FFRF has written a letter to the school with new information from their investigation.
May 18 2013
Judge Endorses Heckler’s Veto
The Dearborn Arab International Festival has been the site of many clashes between the police and Christian evangelists who go there to preach to the mostly Muslim crowd. This has resulted in several arrests that ended in acquittals and lawsuits that vindicated the protesters and forced the city to apologize. But in one case from last year, a federal judge has endorsed the heckler’s veto and dismissed a lawsuit by a Christian group that was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct after Muslims at the festival through bottles and other things at them. The ruling describes what happened:
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