International Pressure Could Prevent Iranian Mother's Stoning, Says Author

Robert Hune-Kalter-Talk Radio News Service

Sakineh Mohammandi Ashtiani could be stoned to death at any moment. This sentence comes after a 2006 court in Iran found the 42 year old mother guilty of adultery.  Ken Timmerman, an author and Executive Director of the Foundation for Democracy in Iran, says the international community has the power to prevent this death sentence.

“The Iranian regime is not a regime of law, it is an arbitrary regime. Anything can happen, in any direction.  The woman could be suddenly acquitted should there be a tremendous amount of international pressure on the regime.  They could acquit her tomorrow,” Timmerman said in an interview with Talk Radio News.

Stoning was reinstated by the Ayatollah in 1979 after the Islamic Revolution.

According to Timmerman, The supporters of stoning in Iran are the hardline supporters of the Islamic regime under Ali Khamenei, the Republic’s supreme leader.

“They are young people, as well as old people.  They are the people who benefit from the regime, predominantly in rural areas, socially conservative areas, and areas of a male dominated society,” Timmerman said.

Congressional Black Caucus Urges Senate To Pass Jobs Bill

Robert Hune-Kalter
Talk Radio News Service

The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) hand delivered a letter to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Wednesday, urging him to support job creation, especially for America’s youth.

The Senate recently rejected a provision put forth by the House to create summer employment for youths but CBC Chairwoman Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said they were able to make headway in creating jobs for young Americans.

“In this bill we were able to negotiate a $1 billion provision for a summer youth jobs program, our black farmer settlement [and] an expansion of temporary assistance for needy families,” Lee said.

The CBC points out that although the unemployment rate dropped May, the unemployment rate for African-American youths showed a 1 percent increase between April and May to 38 percent.

“I used to remember when the summer came, young people were just anxious to have that opportunity for their first job, to deny that opportunity to young people today is a crime,” said Rep. Donald Payne (D-N.J.)

The CBC is looking at passing a jobs bill as soon as possible, saying that funding would be most effective during the summer months while students are out of school.

“If the bill is approved at 3:30 today, we still have a problem, and that’s why we can’t wait,” said Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-Mo.). “The money goes through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to the state governments, then they go to the municipal government, which requires a vote to accept the money.”

Boehner Says Barton Will Remain Ranking Member

Robert Hune-Kalter-Talk Radio News Service

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) told reporters Wednesday that Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) will continue to serve as Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee despite the Texas Republican’s widely criticized apology to BP.

“Joe Barton recanted his apology to BP last week, and apologized to colleagues today,” Boehner said during a press briefing at the Republican National Committee headquarters.

The White House had suggested that House Republicans reconsider Barton’s status, pointing out that it may be unwise to let somebody with the Congressman’s views to have such a prominent voice in shaping energy policy.

Boehener was joined at the briefing by House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Republican Conference Chair Mike Pence (R-Ind.). The Republican leaders blasted the Democrats’ for declining to submit a budget.

Barton’s apology came during BP CEO Tony Hayward’s Capitol Hill appearance last week. Barton described the White House’s attempt to have BP set up a $20 billion escrow account to handle claims arising from the Gulf Coast spill as a “shakedown.”

“I do not want to live in a country where any time a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong is subject to some sort of political pressure that … amounts to a shakedown. So I apologize,” Barton said.

Watchdog Group Questions Kagan's Qualifications

Robert Hune-Kalter
Talk Radio News Service

Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group, held a panel Tuesday with hopes of shedding light on Supreme Court Justice nominee Elena Kagan’s lack of experience.

“Would you pick an imminent jurist with years of experience on the bench, known for fairness and application to the law, perhaps, President Obama did not, he chose someone with zero levels of experience,” said Carrie Severino, Chief Counsel and Policy Director at the Judicial Crisis Network.

According to Judicial Watch, Kagan has had very little experience trying cases in court or spending time as a judge and the group said there is very little known about her policies and consider her to be a “stealth candidate.”

“She freely mixes in her legal analysis, ideology, personal opinions, policy, all as if there is no difference,” said Curt Levey.

The panel hopes the Senate will weigh all options and take all factors into consideration before making a decision.

“Our founding father’s never envisioned the Senate being a rubber stamp for the president,” said Brian Darling, Director of Senate Relations at Heritage Foundation. “That does not mean the Senate should be a rubber stamp for whomever the President sends for confirmation.”

White House Puts Out Plan To Tackle Homelessness

Robert Hune-Kalter-Talk Radio News Service

The White House put forward an ambitious strategy to tackle homelessness Tuesday during a forum held by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH).

The plan, entitled Opening Doors, seeks to provide affordable housing, stabilize the U.S. economy, link health care and assistance programs and ultimately acknowledge homelessness as a crisis.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan laid out the goals the Obama administration hopes to achieve through the strategy.

“First, we will end chronic homelessness in five years. Second, we will prevent and end homelessness among veterans in five years,” said Donovan. “Third, we will prevent homelessness for families, youth, and children within a decade and, finally, we will set a path for ending all types of homelessness in this country.”

Donovan stated that the aims will be backed by the $2 billion dollars in Recovery Act funds awarded to USICH to help fund the programs.

The plan has already helped provide 30,000 units of permanent supportive housing to veterans and their families.

According to Donovan, the plan will be presented to Congress shortly.