62 Percent Say ObamaCare Individual Mandate Unconstitutional in Latest Reason-Rupe Poll

At Reason, "Obamacare, Mandates and Regulatory Confusion: Reason-Rupe Poll Results with Emily Ekins."

And go straight to the survey here.

Also, "87 Percent of Americans Agree With Conservative Supreme Court Justices on Broccoli Mandate."

Al Sharpton's Conflict of Interest in Treyvon Martin Story

At the Long Beach Press-Telegram, "Sharpton controversy: News network host an activist in Trayvon Martin story":

NEW YORK - Al Sharpton's activism on the Trayvon Martin case has given him a unique role - some would say unique conflict - on MSNBC. The news network host is in the middle of a story he's been featuring every evening on the air.

Half of Sharpton's "PoliticsNation" program on MSNBC Monday was about the Feb. 26 shooting of Martin, an unarmed black teenager in Sanford, Fla., leading with an interview with Martin's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin. Sharpton's only reference to his own involvement in the case was a remark that "we did the press conference" earlier in the day.

The veteran civil rights activist has spoken at rallies in support of Martin. Monday before the Sanford city commission, Sharpton testified that Martin's parents had endured "insults and lies" over reports that their son attacked George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch captain who shot him.

Sharpton's dual role would have been unthinkable on television 20 years ago and still wouldn't be allowed at many news organizations. While opinionated cable news hosts have become commonplace over the past decade, Sharpton goes beyond talking.

"It certainly represents a change in our traditional view of the boundaries between journalism and activism," said Kelly McBride, ethics group leader at the Poynter Institute, a journalism think tank. "Al Sharpton is clearly an activist."

Well, it's okay --- Sharpton's a nationally-recognized civil rights leader (and a Democrat). If this was someone from Fox News reporting on and participating at the tea parties, we'd never hear the end of it from progressives --- especially the folks at Media Matters, for example: "REPORT: "Fair and balanced" Fox News aggressively promotes "tea party" protests."

French Police Investigate Video of Toulouse Attacks

At the Wall Street Journal (via Google):

PARIS — French police are investigating whether the suspected killer of seven people in and around Toulouse was able to mail a video of his attacks to television news channel al-Jazeera before barricading himself into his apartment, or whether the package was sent by someone else.

The Qatari-based channel said it received a video on Monday at its Paris office showing the killings of three soldiers in two separate attacks, and the shooting death at point-blank range of three children and a teacher at a private Jewish school in the southern French city.

Mohamed Merah, the suspected killer who was himself shot dead by police on Thursday after a 33-hour siege of his Toulouse apartment, used a camera strapped to his chest to record footage of the attacks, prosecutors have said.

"There is full footage of the three attacks, mixed with religious chants and Quranic verses as well as footage from the Middle East showing Palestinian children," said al-Jazeera's Paris bureau chief, Zied Tarrouche, who has viewed the film. "The video is very disturbing, horrible," Mr. Tarrouche said. He said the footage had been edited and was "broadcast ready."

Al-Jazeera said it handed the parcel's contents to the police and kept a copy of the video, which it decided not to air.

"Given the video does not add any information that is not already in the public domain, [al-Jazeera's] news channels will not be broadcasting any of its contents," said Osama Saeed, a spokesman for the group.

See also, New York Times, "Al Jazeera Decides Against Showing Video Made by Gunman in Toulouse," and Telegraph UK, "Al-Jazeera decides not to air video of Toulouse attacks."

ObamaCare Train Wreck: Hard Questions From Justices Over Insurance Mandate

An awful day at the Supreme Court for the administration.

See the New York Times, "Justices Split in Questions on Insurance Requirement." (Via Memeorandum.)

And check Althouse, "10 highlights of today's Obamacare oral argument."

Plus, at the Los Angeles Times, "10 moments from the Supreme Court debate on healthcare."

And you gotta love this, from JournoLister and ObamaCare shill Ezra Klein at the Washington Post, "Wonkbook: Do today's oral arguments matter?"

Yes, Wonder Boy, they matter. Even progressive legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin was blown away, and that ought to tell you something. And that's to say nothing of PuffHo, "Huffington Post's Sad Headline."

Soledad O'Brien Will 'Search For the Truth' in Treyvon Martin Case

CNN's Soledad O'Brien will host a "Beyond Trayvon" town hall on Friday, and she pledges to "search for the truth" in the Treyvon Martin case, and she asks, "can there be justice?" and " can justice be fair?"

See: "Beyond Trayvon: Race and Justice in America."

Hmm... "Fair justice?"

I wonder if Soledad will mention that George Zimmerman's a registered Democrat? Probably not. That's likely an inconvenient truth for the left's race-hatred narrative.

RELATED: Vetting Soledad, at Michelle's, "What’s the matter with Soledad O’Brien?"

ADDED: Linked at Big Journalism, "SOLEDAD O'BRIEN TO "DIG DEEP" FOR TRUTH IN TRAYVON MARTIN CASE," and Lonely Conservative, "Soledad O’Brien to Get to the Bottom of Trayvon Martin Case."

"Train Kept A-Rollin'"

From yesterday's drive-time, at The Sound L.A.:

And Sheri Donovan blogged yesterday as well:

Sheri's iPod Pick - Monday, March 26th

Steven Tyler is celebrating another year of life today. I saw him and Aerosmith every time they came to my hometown when I was a teenager... my first concert, in fact, for 7 bucks! And still one of my favorite bands... great memories, although some are as blurry as the video I've posted... click More to watch the boys performing "S.O.S. (Too Bad)" in 1977... and Happy Birthday, Steven!

And here's the set:

9:35 - Paint It Black by Rolling Stones

9:39 - Those Shoes by Eagles

9:44 - I'm Just A Singer (in A Rock And Roll..) by Moody Blues

9:55 - Changes by David Bowie

9:58 - Jamie's Cryin' by Van Halen

10:01 - Under The Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers

10:07 - Bloody Well Right by Supertramp

10:12 - Sundown by Gordon Lightfoot

10:16 - Train Kept A-rollin' by Aerosmith

More later...

More Flexibility

On missile defense.

After the election, after he's reelected, Obama tells Medvedev.

At New York Times, "Microphone Picks Up Obama's Private Exchange With Medvedev."

A live microphone caught a private moment of candor by President Obama on Monday as he told President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia, during a discussion of the contentious issue of missile defense, that “after my election I have more flexibility.”

And see Astute Bloggers, "ROMNEY ATTACKS OBAMA'S SECRET PROMISE OF APPEASEMENT TO PUTIN AND RUSSIA."

Obama Hoodies: Barack 2012 Capitalizing on Trayvon Martin's Death?

At Twitchy, "Is Team Obama capitalizing on Trayvon Martin’s death?"

And at JammieWearingFool, "Wild Coincidence: Obama Website Now Pimping Obama 2012 Hoodies."

BONUS: At iOWNTHEWORLD, "If Obama Had a Son ..."

Supreme Court Won't Delay on ObamaCare Ruling

The background on yesterday's oral arguments at the Supreme Court, at the Los Angeles Times, "Supreme Court appears eager to rule on healthcare law." And, "Supreme Court appears unlikely to put off healthcare ruling":

Reporting from Washington — The Supreme Court justices, beginning an epic debate over the Obama administration's healthcare law, gave no sign Monday they are inclined to put off a constitutional ruling on the legislation's mandate that all Americans have health insurance by 2014.

Instead, the justices in their comments and questions said they did not see a 19th century tax law as a legal barrier to ruling this year on challenges to the healthcare measure.

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, those who do not have basic health insurance in 2014 must pay a penalty on their tax return to be filed in April 2015. Under the 19th century law, however, a taxpayer must pay his tax first and sue for a refund later.

But Justice Stephen G. Breyer, joining others, said he was not convinced that law stood in the way of action by the high court. Congress did not label the penalty a tax in the Affordable Care Act, he said. "It's up to Congress, and they did not use the word 'tax'," he said.

Justice Antonin Scalia said he was inclined to agree, but for a different reason. The courts can usually rule directly on legal challenges unless a law makes clear that judges should hold off. "It is hard to think this clear," Scalia said to laughter in the court.

During the 90 minutes of argument, none of the justices spoke strongly in favor of delaying a decision on the healthcare law.

On Tuesday, the high court is scheduled to turn its attention to the crucial question: Does Congress have the power under the Constitution to require all Americans to have health insurance?

That will be later today, and I'll update.

Meanwhile, Althouse has been blogging it like crazy. See, "'The Supreme Court Justices "seemed to be all on the same page looking for a way to go ahead and decide the case even though they had different views on what theory to use'." And more at her tag: "ObamaCare."

Communists Astroturf Treyvon Martin Protest in Los Angeles

The photo below from Pilar Marrero on Twitter.

But check the picture at the Los Angeles Times, "Trayvon Martin case: Protesters gather at Pershing Square."

Sheesh. These commies are pathetic.

The folks at the tea party grassroots have nothing to worry about.

ANSWER's page is here: "Million Hoodie March LA."

George Zimmerman Speaks Out

Well, the New York Times is catching up on the story.

See, "Shooter of Florida Teen Describes Assault":

SANFORD, Fla. — In an account given to Sanford police that was passed on to the state attorney’s office, George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26, said that Trayvon had punched him and then repeatedly slammed his head into the sidewalk in the moments leading up to the shooting.

The details were the most thorough yet to be revealed from Mr. Zimmerman’s point of view, and emerged on Monday as thousands were arriving in town to march and attend a meeting about the shooting and the investigation that followed. In the 911 calls that have been released, Mr. Zimmerman is heard deciding, against a dispatcher’s advice, to follow Trayvon, whom he deemed “up to no good.”

In Mr. Zimmerman’s sequence of events to the police, he returned to his S.U.V. after he was unable to find him, Trayvon then approached Mr. Zimmerman from behind and they exchanged words. Then. Mr. Zimmerman said, Trayvon hit him hard enough that he fell to the ground — which, if true, would explain what Mr. Zimmerman’s lawyer, Craig Sonner, has said was a broken nose—and began slamming his head into the sidewalk.

The account first appeared in The Orlando Sentinel on Monday but was later confirmed by the Sanford Police Department as “consistent with the information provided to the state attorney’s office by the Police Department.”

At a news conference on Monday, the Martin family, their lawyer and supporters said the police were attempting to demonize Trayvon by leaking Mr. Zimmerman’s account to the media.

The most relevant fact in Trayvon’s death, they said, is that Mr. Zimmerman chose to pursue Trayvon, who was walking home unarmed, despite the advice of the police dispatcher to stay put in his car.

“They have killed my son,” Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon’s mother, said tearfully at the news conference. “And now they are trying to kill his reputation.”

Right.

Trying to "demonize" him.

Actually, "Trayvon Martin 'Decked' George Zimmerman."

BONUS: At Blazing Cat Fur, "Obama's Imaginary Son Is Beginning to Look a Lot Like Al Sharpton."

Rick Santorum Goes Off on New York Times Reporter Jeff Zeleny

Well, this is something else, at The Other McCain, "Why Was NY Times Reporter Jeff Zeleny Doing Romney Campaign’s Bidding?"

The End of Innocence? Trayvon Martin Had Multiple School Suspensions

Here's more "#NarrativeFail."

 At the Miami Herald, "Multiple suspensions paint complicated portrait of Trayvon Martin":

SANFORD -- Miami Gardens teenager Trayvon Martin was suspended from school in October in an incident in which he was found in possession of women’s jewelry and a screwdriver that a schools security staffer described as a “burglary tool,” The Miami Herald has learned.

Trayvon, who claimed that an unnamed friend had given him the jewelry, was not disciplined because of the discovery, but was instead suspended for graffiti, according to a Miami-Dade Schools Police report obtained by The Miami Herald.

A lawyer for the dead teen’s family acknowledged Trayvon had been suspended for graffiti, but said the family knew nothing about the jewelry and the screwdriver, calling the information in the report an attempt to “demonize” the youth.

According to the report, on Oct. 21 staffers monitoring a security camera at Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School spotted Trayvon and two other students writing “W.T.F.,” an acronym for “What the f---,” on a hallway locker, according to schools police. The security employee, who knew Trayvon, confronted the teen and looked through his bag for the graffiti marker.

Trayvon’s backpack contained 12 pieces of jewelry, in addition to a watch and a large flathead screwdriver, according to the report, which described the screwdriver as a burglary tool...

That suspension was followed four months later by another one, in February, in which Trayvon was caught with an empty plastic bag with traces of marijuana in it, the boy’s family’s attorney has confirmed. A schools police report obtained by The Miami Herald specifies two items: a bag with marijuana residue and a “marijuana pipe.”

The suspension was the third for the teen. On Monday, the family also acknowledged Trayvon had earlier been suspended for tardiness and truancy.

Like I said, mofos better keep working on that #JusticeForTrayvon meme.

And see Seattle Post-Intelligencer, "Fight claims, pot put Fla. teen's side on defense."

Well, yeah.

See The Mad Jewess, "Who was Trayvon Martin, a Drug Dealer @NO_LIMIT_NIGGA Twitter Handle? New Picture The MSM Hid," and Pat Dollard, "Meet The Real Trayvon Martin: Evidence Emerges He Was A Drug Dealer and Gang Banger..."

PREVIOUSLY: "'Anythang 4 My Niggaz' — Yo, Check Out This Gangsta Video From Florida Rapper Selling 'Pussy Ass Cracker' T-Shirts."

PHOTO CREDIT: Flickr. 

'Anythang 4 My Niggaz' — Yo, Check Out This Gangsta Video From Florida Rapper Selling 'Pussy Ass Cracker' T-Shirts

Hardcore rapper Plies is the dude selling those "Pussy Ass Cracker" t-shirts now going live amid the Trayvon Martin civil rights shakedown story. See London's Daily Mail, "P**** A** CRACKER: Shocking Trayvon t-shirt bearing rapper's crude lyrics go on sale"

And here's the dude re-tweeting DJ Smalls' blog post with the clip: "VIDEO: Plies (@plies) - "Anythang 4 My Niggaz."

#NarrativeFail.

Racial Justice Update: Trayvon Martin 'Decked' George Zimmerman, 'Slammed His Head Into Sidewalk Several Times'

Well, Glenn's got this tagged "#NarrativeFail."

And you can say that again.

See the Orlando Sentinel, "Police: Zimmerman says Trayvon decked him with one blow then began hammering his head":

With a single punch, Trayvon Martin decked the Neighborhood Watch volunteer who eventually shot and killed the unarmed 17-year-old, then Trayvon climbed on top of George Zimmerman and slammed his head into the sidewalk, leaving him bloody and battered, law-enforcement authorities told the Orlando Sentinel.

That is the account Zimmerman gave police, and much of it has been corroborated by witnesses, authorities say. There have been no reports that a witness saw the initial punch Zimmerman told police about.

Zimmerman has not spoken publicly about what happened Feb. 26. But that night, and in later meetings, he described and re-enacted for police what he says took place.

In his version of events, Zimmerman had turned around and was walking back to his SUV when Trayvon approached him from behind, the two exchanged words and then Trayvon punched him in the nose, sending him to the ground, and began beating him.

Zimmerman told police he shot the teenager in self-defense.

Civil-rights leaders and more than a million other people have demanded Zimmerman's arrest, calling Trayvon a victim of racial profiling and suggesting Zimmerman is a vigilante.

Well, let's hope these mofos work on that #JusticeForTrayvon meme.

Also Gateway Pundit, "Nice. New “Pu$$y A$$ Cracker” T-Shirts Hit the Florida Streets."

And at Five Feet of Fury, "Those hair extensions, fake nails and menthol cigarettes aren’t gonna pay for themselves."

California Voters Back November Ballot Measure to Raise Taxes on 'Wealthy'

Well, actually, the poll finds two-thirds support for raising taxes on "high earners," but for the progressives and unions who browbeat Governor Brown, it's actually a classic soak-the-rich scheme.

See the Los Angeles Times, "Strong majority backs Jerry Brown's tax-hike initiative":

California voters strongly support Gov. Jerry Brown's new proposal to increase the sales tax and raise levies on upper incomes to help raise money for schools and balance the state's budget, according to a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll.

Sixty-four percent of those surveyed said they supported the governor's measure, which he hopes to place on the November ballot. It would hike the state sales tax by a quarter-cent per dollar for the next four years and create a graduated surcharge on incomes of more than $250,000 that would last seven years. A third of respondents opposed the measure.

Brown's new plan, rewritten recently amid pressure from liberal activist and union groups that had a competing proposal, relies on a larger share of revenue from upper-income earners than his original measure. Correspondingly, it leans less upon sales taxes, which are paid by all California consumers. The poll shows that taxing high earners is overwhelmingly popular.

"These poll results illustrate that Brown was very smart to put together this initiative the way he did," said Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC.

Shirley Karns, 74, an independent voter from the Northern California town of Lakeport who backs the governor's new plan, said the wealthy should pay more.

"Those who have an unbelievable amount more than those who do not should contribute more," she said. "And on the sales tax, the more you buy, the more you pay. It's pretty tough on low-income people who have to pay an extra nickel here and there, but we've got to get the money from somewhere."

Brown reached a deal with a coalition led by the California Federation of Teachers to tweak his tax measure. In exchange, the group dropped its rival proposal — also aimed at the November ballot — which would have increased levies exclusively on incomes of more than $1 million.

See what I mean? The Governor's earlier proposal would have taxed folks making more than $1 million a year, which is more in the "wealthy" neighborhood than $250 thousand annually. My wife and I cleared $150 thousand on our taxes for 2011, and I'll tell you, money's been tight. But the left's constant class warfare agenda has successfully defined down who's "wealthy," according to a Gallup poll out late last year: "Americans Set "Rich" Threshold at $150,000 in Annual Income."

Meanwhile, public employees continue to live like Bourbon royalty. See CBS Sacramento, "California Public Employees Highest Paid of Any State."

I'll have more later. Recall that executives at the California State University continue to pull down huge salaries and bonuses, while classes are being cut at CSU, and elsewhere layoffs are being threatened around the state. See: "Cal State University Executive Pay Scandal."

I'll be more sympathetic to tax hikes when I see public officials using public funds with greater care and judiciousness.

The Fight for Freedom

From the Heritage Foundation:

Three Reasons to End ObamaCare

Via Theo Spark:

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood Seeks Shift by Hamas for Co-Existence With Israel

I'll believe it when I see it.

At New York Times, "Islamist Victors in Egypt Seeking Shift by Hamas":

CAIRO — As it prepares to take power in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood is overhauling its relations with the two main Palestinian factions in an effort to put new pressure on Israel for an independent Palestinian state.

Officials of the Brotherhood, Egypt’s dominant Islamist movement, are pressing its militant Palestinian offshoot, Hamas, which controls Gaza, to make new compromises with Fatah, the Western-backed Palestinian leadership that has committed to peace with Israel and runs the West Bank.

The intervention in the Palestinian issue is the clearest indication yet that as it moves into a position of authority, the Brotherhood, the largest vote getter in Egypt’s parliamentary elections, intends to both moderate its positions on foreign policy and reconfigure Egypt’s.

Brotherhood officials say that they are pulling back from their previous embrace of Hamas and its commitment to armed struggle against Israel in order to open new channels of communications with Fatah, which the Brotherhood had previously denounced for collaborating with Israel and accused of selling out the Palestinian cause. Brotherhood leaders argue that if they persuade the Palestinians to work together with a newly assertive Egypt, they will have far more success forcing Israel to bargain in earnest over the terms of statehood.

“Now we have to deal with the Palestinian parties as an umbrella for both of them, and we have to stand at an equal distance from each,” said Reda Fahmy, a Brotherhood leader who oversees its Palestinian relations and is now chairman of the Arab affairs committee in Egypt’s upper house of Parliament. “Any movement of the size of the Muslim Brotherhood, when it is in the opposition it is one thing and then when it comes to power it is something completely different.”

The shift in the Brotherhood’s stance toward neutrality between Hamas and Fatah — acknowledged by officials of both groups — may relieve United States policy makers, who have long worried about the Brotherhood’s relationship with the more militant Hamas. The United States considers the Palestinian group to be a terrorist organization. But the shift in Egypt’s policies may unnerve Israel, because it is a move away from former President Hosni Mubarak’s exclusive support for the Western-backed Fatah movement and its commitment to the peace process. Israeli officials have said they will not negotiate with a Palestinian government that includes Hamas.

But Mr. Fahmy said the Brotherhood believed that Palestinian unity could break the deadlock in talks with Israel. “A Palestinian negotiator will go the table and know that all the Palestinian people are supporting his project,” Mr. Fahmy said.  “This will be a huge change and very important to both sides.” Jailed at times by the Mubarak government for his role in the Brotherhood, Mr. Fahmy spoke this month from an ornate hall of Parliament.

I'm skeptical, frankly.

According to Gallup, more Egyptians favor the 1979 peace treaty with Israel than oppose, although the numbers are down by more than 10 percent from before the revolution. See: "Egyptians Sour on U.S., Eye Closer Ties to Turkey, Iran: Perceptions of Peace Treaty with Israel steady."

But see Barry Rubin, "Egypt is a Volcano, The West Snoozes, But Israel Won't Play the Role of Pompeii":

Reality: Those who are, or will soon be, governing Egypt view themselves as being at war with Israel for all practical purposes.  It matters relatively little that there is still a peace treaty. In Cairo, there are no thoughts of peace.

This is the second biggest disaster of the “Arab Spring.” The same applies to the Egyptian government’s attitude to the United States. That is the biggest disaster.

It is a disaster that U.S. policymakers and journalists have not even begun to recognize, much less counter.

Well, there you go.

Continue reading at the link.

Marijuana Growers Cultivating More Potent Pot, Smooth and Aromatic, the Kind Expected by Ever-More Discriminating Buyers

You know, you'd think the editors at the Los Angeles Times like to bogart some fat ones, or something.

See, "'Master growers' cultivating a higher grade of marijuana":

Behind the bolted steel doors of an old brick warehouse, Big Wes meets a nutrient company scientist to see if he can increase his crop yield. Rows of hydroponic marijuana plants soak up solution flowing through plastic troughs and light blazing from high-pressure sodium lamps.

Big Wes has spent more than half his life calibrating his system of growing high-grade marijuana to its utmost efficiency. At 50 years old, he harvests a crop of dozens of plants every week from five rented warehouses scattered along the rutted streets and alleys around the docks of Oakland.

His problem is that OG Kush, the ultra-popular strain he specializes in, produces notoriously low yields of bud per plant. For this reason the scientist has come with a nutrient solution made from deep-sea algae, which he promises will boost the output. Big Wes — who asked that his real name or certain identifying traits not be revealed because his career could land him in federal prison — is going to test it against his usual concoction, and try 15 different combinations of the two.

Big Wes is new breed of cultivator, a "master grower" who produces marijuana that is potent and mold-free, tastes smooth and has a pleasing aroma — the kind of product now expected by ever-more discriminating consumers who frequent medical cannabis dispensaries.

He and others like him have revolutionized weed in recent years, growing sophisticated new varietals with scientific precision and assembly-line efficiency. Their expanding role in the burgeoning industry is shifting cultivation from clandestine rural plots to highly controlled indoor grows in urban centers.

"It's kind of becoming the big leagues now," said Kyle Kushman, a writer for High Times magazine and a grower who teaches organic and "veganic" cultivation classes. "Just like any other industry, as it gets older, the talent gets better."

No mention of who are those patrons visiting the "dispensaries." I'll bet they look more like Wiz Khalifa than some old run-down hospital patients.

This whole "medical marijuana" thing is a f-king scam. Let's just be out with it: The legalization movement is for recreational drug users, and the culture is moving towards legalization. Seriously. The Times' story is on the front page, with a full-color photograph of blooming, booming high-grade buds. So quit with the bulls-t about medical users, blah, blah. Regular folks just want to get stoned, so proponents should stop lying about it.

PREVIOUSLY: "Pot Backers' Ballot Effort in Disarray in California."

BONUS: California voters defeated Prop. 19 in 2010, and polls showed just under half of all voters opposing the measure. But nationwide, there's been a trend toward increasing acceptance of legalization. See Gallup from last October: "Record-High 50% of Americans Favor Legalizing Marijuana Use."

More later...