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Politics : Liberalism: Do You Agree We've Had Enough of It? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: mph who wrote (76476)	12/18/2009 8:09:14 AM
From: lorne	Respond to of 224724

BBC news website asks users: 'Should homosexuals face execution?'Talkboard post seeks readers' views ahead of interactive World Service programme Africa Have Your Say Stephen Brook guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 16 December 2009 guardian.co.uk The BBC's Have Your Say talkboard The BBC today asked users of its news website "Should homosexuals face execution?" on a talkboard discussion for a World Service programme for African listeners. Posted on a BBC News premoderated talkboard, the thread was designed to provoke discussion ahead of the latest edition of interactive World Service programme Africa Have Your Say. "Yes, we accept it is a stark and disturbing question, but this is the reality behind an anti-homosexuality bill being debated on Friday by the Ugandan parliament which would see some homosexual offences punishable by death," the post said. The talkboard post asked users to send in their views to the programme, which goes out on the World Service and is also available online. "Has Uganda gone too far? Should there be any level of legislation against homosexuality? Should homosexuals be protected by legislation as they are in South Africa? What would be the consequences of this bill to you? How will homosexual 'offences' be monitored?," the post added. Premoderated posts included one from Chris, Guildford, posted at 8.59am, which attracted 51 recommendations of support. He wrote: "Totally agree. Ought to be imposed in the UK too, asap. Bring back some respectable family values. Why do we have to suffer 'gay pride' festivals? Would I be allowed to organise a 'straight pride' festival? No, thought as much!! If homosexuality is natural, as we are forced to believe, how can they sustain the species? I suggest all gays are put on a remote island somewhere and left for a generation - after which, theoretically there should be none left!" Another, from Aaron in Freetown, said: "Bravo to the Ugandans for this wise decision, a bright step in eliminating this menace from your society. We hope other African nations will also follow your bold step." The Africa Have Your Say programme aired at 4pm today. By 5.30pm, the headline of the discussion had been changed to "Should Uganda debate gay execution?". Liliane Landor, the BBC World Service acting head of Africa region, defended the radio programme and talkboard post, saying it allowed gay men and lesbians from Uganda, whose voices have never been heard in the UK, to talk with dignity about the impact the legislation would have on their lives. The show also included the opinion of those who supported the anti-homosexual legislation, including religious leaders, she said. "The programme was a dignified exchange between people who have differing beliefs," Landor added. Landor said that the World Service realised that the headline on the talkboard was blunt, but it was carefully put in context. "We wanted to frame the question starkly, in order to reflect the stark reality of the Ugandan bill," she added. The BBC Pride board, composed of gay and lesbian staff at the corporation, lobbied the World Service to change the headline and close discussion "to minimise negative reflection on the BBC". Eric Joyce, the Labour MP for Falkirk, labelled the post "more than offensive". "It's completely unacceptable. And it's mainly British people replying," he said on Twitter. The talkboard post is understood to have been written by a female member of the BBC World Service Africa bureau. The World Service, which broadcasts in 32 languages on TV, radio and the web, is part of BBC Global News, but funded by the Foreign Office.

To: mph who wrote (76476)	12/18/2009 12:45:40 PM
From: TideGlider	1 Recommendation Respond to of 224724

How to handle over zealous neighbors! flickr.com@N00/4192942581/

To: mph who wrote (76476)	12/20/2009 8:08:36 PM
From: Hope Praytochange	1 Recommendation Respond to of 224724

Taxation: Congressional hearings were held Thursday to create a task force that will write a deficit-reduction plan. Unfortunately, as some are pointing out, the proposed panel will be more of a tax-hike commission. The bipartisan task force is to be made up of eight congressional Democrats, eight congressional Republicans and two participants from the administration. Its recommendations would go to Congress after next year's midterm elections — supposedly to keep the ideas from becoming campaign issues. Lawmakers would then vote on them in January 2011 before the next Congress is sworn in. Today's record federal debt and deficits are inarguably a threat to our prosperity, and most Americans would agree they must be brought under control. But some in Washington don't believe that can happen through traditional channels. We'd guess Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana sums up the Beltway wisdom when he says that tension across party lines makes it tough to rein in the debt and deficits. "Democrats want to spend more than we can afford," he said. "Republicans want to cut more taxes than we can afford." GOP Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, who with Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota came up with the idea for the panel, sees the parties in conflict joining hands and jumping "off a cliff together." As inspiring as that would be for many voters weary of Washington's insatiable appetite for other people's money, it's not likely to turn out that way. Likelier, those who recommend spending cuts will be pushed off the cliff and unable to oppose tax hikes. Which brings us back to Bayh's comment that "Republicans want to cut more taxes than we can afford." It's tax hikes, not cuts, that we can't afford. We can't even afford the taxes being imposed now. Research has found that economic growth is maximized when combined federal, state and local taxes are 23% of the gross domestic product. The combined rate today is close to 30%. America is the economic engine that moves the world. If the task force recommends tax hikes, and the Democratic Congress passes them and the president signs them into law, the shock will be felt here and abroad. But if the panel does an honest analysis, it will find Washington has spending issues, not a revenue problem.