Senate's Day of Shame

The United States Senate yesterday had a chance to vote on a UN disability treaty that has been negotiated starting with George W Bush.

WASHINGTON — Led by Republican opposition, the Senate on Tuesday rejected a United Nations treaty on the rights of the disabled that is modeled after the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act.

With 38 Republicans casting "no" votes, the 61-38 vote fell five short of the two-thirds majority needed to ratify a treaty. The vote took place in an unusually solemn atmosphere, with senators sitting at their desks rather than milling around the podium. Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, looking frail and in a wheelchair, was in the chamber to support the treaty.

The treaty, already signed by 155 nations and ratified by 126 countries, including Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia, states that nations should strive to assure that the disabled enjoy the same rights and fundamental freedoms as their fellow citizens.

Including our own Senator Ron Johnson, who voted against it "believing it could interfere with U.S Law"(It doesn't).  

Lawrence O Donnell had his own take it on it, and he lays it on the line.  The new batch of "tea party" republicans continue to hurt America.  The question to ask is, do they actually bring anything positive to the table?  

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Vagina's in Michigan

Michigan state Rep. Lisa Brown (D) was recently blocked from speaking on the House floor in an apparent attempt to punish her for using the word "vagina" on Wednesday during a debate on legislation on reproductive rights.  

One thing that I believe that the Wisconsin protests have brought us is the ability of common people to come together in solidarity and protest when the time is right.  It was right in Wisconsin last year and it was right in Michigan this week.  As the movie said, screw over the American people and they will come.   In Michigan in came Eve Ensler!

H/T Think Progress:

To fight back against being silenced for saying “vagina” during the debate, Brown participated in a reading of “The Vagina Monologues” at the Michigan capitol yesterday along with Byrum and Eve Ensler, who wrote the play. An estimated 5,000 people gathered for the reading.

After the Vagina Monologues were  completed Eve Ensler gave a quick speech:


Here they discuss their day with Lawrence O'Donnell:

Finally, here is singer and comedian Lisa Koch, with her own take on how the republicans have treated women these past couple of years: