Through understanding, grasping the sense of the world as we dance through the movement of history....
The Obama Administration is rumored to announce new airport security policies for pilots. The TSA has been under fire for its intrusive security protocols. Passengers must either submit to a full body scanner or opt out to an extensive full body pat-down, which includes physically checking for harmful materials in private areas.
If a new, responsible security policies emerge for the pilots, who already undergo extensive background checks, then I would suspect new policies for flight stewardess would also emerge. However, the administration does not seem to actively review the new security screenings against passengers in terms of effectiveness and the Constitutionality of the procedures.
Former Republican now Democrat Senator Arlen Specter from Pennsylvania announced his party switch in Washington. Senator Specter has been only a few moderate Republicans left in the Capital Hill, and historically he has crossed party lines and voted with the Democrats time to time. Specter has remarked that the break was a tough decision, and Republicans have criticized Specter's move. Democrats have welcomed Specter to their party and promised fundraising support for his Senate reelection next year. If the state of Minnesota confirms Democratic Senate candidate Al Franken as its Senator, then Democrats will have a 60 majority in the Senate that can help the party push through some key legislations without the procedural hurdles from the Republicans.
This is big news. I knew Arlen Specter was quite a moderate Republican, but this party switching is unexpected. Now the pressure is on the Minnesota's Senate race, which has been dragging on by Norm Coleman's legal appeal. There seems to be an echoing sentiment by the moderate Republicans that the party has moved too far to the right. I think this is a wakeup call for the Republican Party, because in the short term Democratic Party dominance will lead to successful policy execution.
The Treasury Department is considering using its $250 billion of the $700 billion rescue package fund to encourage strong banks to purchase weaker banks. Some analysts called this as the extension of the government’s role of not only stabilizing the financial industry but also reshaping it. Many weaker banks have been open for sell, and the big stable banks, such as Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and Wells Fargo, have already acquired several weak banks.
U.S. Treasury to favor new bank mergers – The International Herald Tribune
California Secretary of State Debra Bowen has announced that an initiative to amend the California’s constitution to ban gay marriage would be put forth on the November ballet. Opponents to gay marriage have gathered over one million signatures. Polls have shown that majority of Californians are in support for gay marriage. Gay couples are allowed to marry now as long as the courts do not intervene.
California’s Office of Vital Records has announced that Californian counties can issue marriage license to Gay couple on June 17. Opponents have asked the courts to postpone the date until the November, but polls show that majority of Californians are opposed to such idea. There is a movement among Conservatives in California to pass a constitutional amendment that will ban Gay marriage.
