Judge Hamilton, a Bloomington native, has served on the US District Court for the Southern District of Indiana since 1994. Hamilton also served as counsel to then-Governor Bayh from 1989-1991. He was President Obama's first nominee to the federal bench in March, but his nomination has been held up by Republican Senators since the Judiciary Committee endorsed him in June.
Judge Hamilton is the nephew of former Indiana congressman Lee Hamilton, and the brother-in-law of Obama's stalled nominee to head the Office of Legal Counsel, IU Professor Dawn Johnsen.
In ruling just announced, the Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed the dismissal of a "birther" lawsuit which claimed that both Barack Obama and Senator John McCain were not "natural born citizens" under the meaning of the U.S. Constitution.
The Court of Appeals centered its discussion upon the argument that Obama could not be President because both of his parents were not U.S. Citizens. Relying upon a lot of well-settled U.S. law and 3 centuries of English common law, the Court declared that Obama was in fact a "natural born Citizen" within the meaning of the Constitution.
Here are a series of videos from the Pro-Health Care Reform rally held on IUPUI's campus in downtown Indianapolis on Monday evening.
We begin with the Obama bus pulling into the rally:
This is a video of the crowd getting fired up as they waited for the rally to begin:
Finally we have a video of U.S. Rep. Andre Carson (IN-7) giving a speech about health care reform. He says that many anti-reform protesters are paid by the insurance companies. Carson also recalls stories he has been told about health care:
There has been a lot of talk this week about the surprising move by Walmart to publically support President Obama’s health care reform plan, supposedly positioning themselves as a
leader in the fight to bring health care to all Americans. As we mentioned in a post on our blog
yesterday, this might be easier to swallow if Walmart had any history of leading by example. Instead, they usually do just the opposite.
Given
Walmart’s long record of trying to build a positive
reputation on ineffective work-arounds to health care coverage
for employee, the recent revelations about sacrificing quality for cheap perescription drugs, and their deceptive PR campaign that severely overstated their workers’ health
care coverage, it’s not hard to understand our skepticism. [get the details in the extended entry]
However, during an interview with Bloomberg News this past weekend, Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), ranking member of Foreign Relations Committee, broke ranks with his party's criticism of Obama. Lugar called it an "important speech," adding that he "thought" it "struck the right tone." Asked if Obama was "tough enough" on Iran, Lugar responded, "Oh I suspect so for that particular purpose."
Lugar's comments include an explicit rejection of Boehner's comments, and a general dismissal of the comments of fellow Hoosier Republican Mike Pence, who claimed that Obama drew a "moral equivalency" between those who want a Palestinian state and Israel. Lugar appeared on Bloomberg, while his colleagues were talking on CNN and Fox News, but this still seems like a fairly major split from the official "Party of No" talking points.
LUGAR: I'm prepared to congratulate the president for really a signal achievement that doesn't really change materially things on the ground and when he attempted to talk about things on the ground - the Palestinian-Israeli situation - both sides felt that after all he was equating their plight with a great deal of equality and as they see it, history has not been that way. If you were looking at it from the Israeli standpoint, that the suffering and holocaust and other occasions as well beyond what would seem to be found in equivalence here and likewise the Muslim and Arab world feels clearly that the Israelis are still intruders. So you're back to square one. The president is asking people to forget the past.
HUNT: But you've seen the speech, do you think there was a moral equivalence message in the speech?
LUGAR: I think there was some attempt to find a balanced nuanced situation. And that always runs the danger, that whichever group feels more aggrieved will feel the president or whoever is giving the speech is less acute in his observations.
HUNT: How about the charge of some critics like Republican leader John Boehner that it was too apologetic, too weak and almost groveling?
LUGAR: I do not agree with that. I believe that the president understands that American popularity in most of the countries, whether it is the pew poll or others - indicates a lack of sympathy for our country. We always rationalize and say it is not the American people; it's the leader whomever it happens to be. And so some would say after all this is a new leader and to some extent, because Senator [sic] Obama has attempted to strike some of the right notes rhetorically. There is something going for him there. But I would say that for the moment, we probably as Americans need to give a lot of speeches in the Arab world.
HUNT: Was he tough enough on Iran?
LUGAR: Oh I suspect so for that particular purpose. He is attempting to guide Arab nations at a time when they feel fearful of Iranian breaking out into nuclear weapons. They understand the problems that would have with all of this. They also understand the sensitivities of many people in the streets, literally, in countries where there still are authoritarian leaders.
In a speech delivered in Prague, Czech Republic on Sunday, President Barack Obama, declaring the future of mankind at stake, said all nations must strive to rid the world of nuclear arms and that the U.S. had a "moral responsibility" to lead because no other country has used one. From AP WHite House Correspondent Jennifer Loven:
"This goal will not be reached quickly - perhaps not in my lifetime," he told a cheering crowd of more than 20,000 in the historic square outside the Prague Castle gates. We "must ignore the voices who tell us that the world cannot change. We have to insist, 'Yes, we can.'"
Life is a constant oscillation between the sharp horns of dilemmas.
~ H.L. Mencken
When in doubt I go to old HL for inspiration! This quote sums up for me where we are with this financial mess. If we do nothing, things get worse ("too big to fail"). If we do something, things get worse (trillions in debt).
...an end to the shameful practice of cowtowing to--let me be plain here--right-wing religious zealots (Christian, Muslim, Jew, Druid or animist) who insist that their interpretation scripture should determine who gets full rights instead of our Constitution. The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment ("Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion") meant something to the Framers, who were descendants of people escaping religious orthodoxy and fundamentalism. They meant what they said.
I'm gonna be popping corn and laying in the sodas for tomorrow when the new Zoo Crew at the Senate is sworn in. There's mischief afoot from the great state of consternation that is Illinois.
(Carefully considering what I'm going to say next...something insightful and appropriate to the station of this fine man. This very, terribly, fine, fine chunk o' man.)
Now, I've been peering, discretely, at this photo over the course of the afternoon, I can no longer contain myself. (Crap! I'm lying. I've been staring at this picture so long it's burned into my rods and cones. Satisfied?)
Michelle Obama smiles an awful lot. I think I know why. Her Hubs is three kinds of gorgeous.
Da-aaa-ang!
(Checking to see if I'm back yet...NO!)
This will be the first president women will be throwing undie-plundies and hotel keys at.
I plan on asking for a gavel for Christmas. People have gotten so unruly when it comes to politics that I want a gavel to rap loudly when things get out of hand. OK-- I know people are always unruly with regard to politics...but my impression was we expected to make progress in all things. Yet not all the folks out there have gotten the message, especially with regard to politics.
Case in point is Doug Olsen who writes a "column" for the opinion page of the Jeffersonville Evening News. His most recent musing likened Obama to the Anti-Christ.
The man has the almost eerie ability to inspire either affection bordering on worship or dread and loathing, depending largely on one's religious views or lack thereof. Whether he and his presidency have any relationship with and relevance to the biblical "end times" we have heard so much about recently - especially through the auspices of the "Left Behind" books - remains to be seen. But as the "mystery man" governs America over the next four years, this writer will be looking for four trends to either be developing or not. What we see unfolding - or conversely, what we don't see - will speak volumes about whether Obama is merely a mainstream politician with a winning voice, smile and a gift for rhetoric, or indeed is a "special" person on some kind of supernatural mission.
Nothing says "Happy Holidays" like writing that you think the President elect might be evil incarnate who will bring the end of the world! There are plenty of nut jobs drinking the Kool-Aid who are ready, willing and able to take a shot (literally) at Obama. All they need is some local yokel "columnist" pouring gasoline on their fire.
So thanks to the Jeff Evening News, this guy is now published on paper and the Internet. Think this is just nuts? Contact Shea Van Hoy, the editor, and tell him "order in the court". Van Hoy can be reached by phone at 812-206- 2130 (this is the number that is published in the paper). You can leave a brief message about this kind of "column"/"journalism". It doesn't have to be long or elaborate. Just tell him that as a citizen, you are appalled by this kind of nasty level of debate. Bang that gavel at him and maybe he'll get the message that civility needs to return to our public discourse. Better yet- sound off (politely) by writing a letter to the editor at Newsroom@newsandtribune.com . We expect people to start behaving better than they have for the last eight years!
Not to be immodest about the US progressive movement's efficacy, but we apparently didn't just win this for America's sake. That's some powerful good we worked in the world. :-)
I realize that this is topically a bit bigger than the state blog beat, but we ought to take ownership of the meta/civilizational changes we helped create too.
Obama's victory stirs Europe to confront race issue
LONDON - For months before Barack Obama's election last week, his popularity ratings in Europe soared to levels never matched in America. Now that Obama is headed to the Oval Office as the first African-American president, his victory is prompting Europeans to confront some uncomfortable questions about race within their own countries.
In Britain, the head of the government's Equality and Human Rights Commission sparked a public debate for saying that a minority politician as "brilliant" as Obama would struggle to "break through the institutional stranglehold on power within the Labor Party."
"The problem is not the electorate, the problem is the machine," Trevor Phillips, who is black, told The Times of London. "It's institutional racism" that extends beyond a single political party, he said.
In France, meanwhile, the wife of President Nicolas Sarkozy has thrown her support behind a new campaign that seeks to wipe out racism and end the white stranglehold on France's elite political and social institutions. Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, a musician and former model, is backing a manifesto published over the weekend that is subtitled "Oui, nous pouvons!" (French for "Yes, we can!").
I heard that Barack Obama's Grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, passed away yesterday morning. I'd been praying that she could make it long enough to see the election through. Senator Obama and his sister lauded her as the pillar of their family who helped usher them to successful adulthood during their long absences from their mother and after that much-loved mother died all-too-soon.
After considerable and careful analysis and deliberation, The Democratic Tribune predicts that Democratic Party Candidate Barack Obama (D-IL) will be elected the 44th President of The United States.
Our specific allocation of popular and electoral votes is as follows:
I'm stunned about the Barack Obama event that I'll be attending. The last time a Democratic candidate visited NW Indiana this late in an election was LBJ in East Chicago in 1964. I'm so pumped! My mom told me she got to see Bobby Kennedy once before and she is coming with me.
Early Vote for Change Rally
with Barack Obama
This Friday, October 31st, please join Barack Obama for a rally in Highland, where he will talk about his vision for creating the kind of change we need.
Early Vote for Change Rally
with Barack Obama
Wicker Memorial Park
8554 Indianapolis Blvd.
Highland, IN 46322
Public Entrance at Ridge Rd. and Prairie Ave.
Friday, October 31st
Doors Open: 6:00 p.m.
Program Begins: 7:30 p.m.
The event is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required; however an RSVP is strongly encouraged. Please do not wear costumes.
For security reasons do not bring bags or umbrellas. Please limit personal items. No signs or banners allowed.
Parking is available on the Wicker Memorial Park Driving Range. Pedestrian and vehicular entrance at the intersection of Ridge Rd. and Prairie Ave.
I plan on leaving around 12:00, does anyone know if this is early enough since it's an outdoor rally?
I also signed up for Saturday and Sunday to GOTV and canvass or phone bank or whatever it takes to help Barack carry Indiana for the first time since 1964.
What are you doing to help Barack become our President?!
Democratic Party Presidential Candidate Barack Obama (D-IL) has opened up a significant lead in the battleground state of Indiana at a time congruent with historic voter excitement in the Hoosier State.
According to the Indianapolis Star, early voting totals in Indiana have already surpassed levels reached during the 2004 presidential election.
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In a speech delivered in Prague, Czech Republic on Sunday, President Barack Obama, declaring the future of mankind at stake, said all nations must strive to rid the world of nuclear arms and that the U.S. had a "moral responsibility" to lead because no other country has used one. From AP WHite House Correspondent 
(Carefully considering what I'm going to say next...something insightful and appropriate to the station of this fine man. This very, terribly, fine, fine chunk o' man.)
