The GOP: Back to the 1950s or Possibly the 1250s!

Source of GOP Position On Birth Control!

Mainstream politics of the 1950s completely rejected the introduction of Catholic doctrine into political decisions. Today, while Santorum's advocacy of recriminalizing birth control would in many states be a reversion to the status quo ante, his reason for doing so is not the general-pupose misogyny of pre-Sexual Revolution time, but what looks like a heartfelt  religious conviction that makes Scudderism a real consideration.

Misogyny can be cured by evidence. Women have proven they are able to make reproductive decisions without interference from government, and there is substantial evidence that (contrary to Santorum's belief) sex can have socially useful purposes other than making babies. For some, there is the Lysistra treatment.
In contrast, Santorum's position is based on a proudly unthinking doctrine based on infalliable reasoning from divine revelation (... a doctrine that is demonstrably heretical or at least schismatic in my view, but that's another matter ...) that canNOT be altered by any number of mere facts.

That's dangerous.

As for the GOP's other leading policy prescriptions: have you read the Republican Party platform of 1952?

Eisenhower: Too Liberal for Today's Politics!

It's quite entertaining reading; although it leads with the ritual denunciation of Democrats as Communists, it includes such gems as demands for:

"...The right to establish "union shop" contracts by agreement with management.

The right to strike.

The right to free collective bargaining.

...The right to assurance from employers that they will bargain only with certified unions as a protection against unfair labor practices.

...The Federal Government and State and local governments should continuously plan programs of economically justifiable public works.

... We favor amendment of the Old Age and Survivors Insurance system to provide coverage for those justly entitled to it but who are now excluded.

...We favor support of scientific research. We pledge our continuous encouragement of improved methods of assuring health protection.

..The tradition of popular education, tax-supported and free to all, is strong with our people.

[W]e believe that the Federal Government should take supplemental action within its constitutional jurisdiction to oppose discrimination against race, religion or national origin.

We recommend to Congress the submission of a Constitutional Amendment providing equal rights for men and women.

We favor legislation assuring equal pay for equal work regardless of sex.

We favor eventual statehood for Puerto Rico.

We pledge a more efficient and frequent mail delivery service."

See: Republican Party Platform of 1952.

The Republican Party of 1952 was, in many respects, far to the left of today's Democrats!

Topics in Digital Law Practice - a MOOC

I just signed up for Topics in Digital Law Practice, a Massively Open Online Course (MOOC), and listened to the 1st lecture (recorded). Since it started a few weeks ago, I have some catch-up to do but should be cruising along with the rest of the class within a few days.

While this course is not registered for CLE, according to its website, that may be just a matter of filling out the paperwork. It's understandable that the organizers either don't want to bother with extra work that can and should be born by participants, or don't want to poke the wasps' nest that may be the CLE enterprise. That's ok; I'll poke it for them! I've just applied for credit for the first hour.

It's patently obvious that live, in-person CLE is expensive, ineffective and untimely in most cases. We would never consult a dictionary, shop manual or mentor that was available only with a month's pre-registration and in another city, and there's no reason to think that CLE should be any different ... other than tradition. I'm used to thinking of 4freeCLE being ahead of the curve, in that I have yet to encounter the hint of anyone else doing anything similar, but TDLP hints at something awfully close, if one but has eyes to see.

I'm amused by the course's advertized appeal to Law Students and Law Faculty, neither of which tend to have actual current experience or immediate need-to-know in Law Practice. However, I may be leaping to conclusions; the precourse surveys and the course wiki may, I hope, reflect actual experience in the field.
We'll see - this is an exciting time to be engaged in life-long professional learning!

Meet And Greet Monday: Do You Have A Green Blog? Or Do You Write Occasionally On Green Topics?

My bloggy friend Small Footprints has another fun idea!

Do you have an Eco-friendly blog or site? Do you occasionally write about the environment or ways to live green? If you answered yes to any, you're invited to link up. Here are the rules:

1. If you have a green-living blog and/or write about the environment, sustainability, etc., please use the "linky" below to list your site.
2. If you only occasionally write about green living, please use tags such as "green", "Eco", "Environment", etc. and then link to that collection of posts so that visitors will be directed to pertinent articles.
3. Visit at least one other site (and while not required, it would be nice if you told them that you found them here).
4. The linky will stay active until Thursday at 6:00 pm (est).
5. I will randomly choose one of the sites and feature it next week."

More at Meet And Greet Monday.

This is a great idea! It's fun to participate, and it provides a list of more than a dozen green blogs, each with some pretty interesting reading.
Now, my blog is more of a scrapbook of whatever interests me than strictly a green blog, but I do write on green topics now and then. By tagging green posts with the tag "green", I construct a virtual green blog.
You can do the same - why not try? - and be sure to submit your green blog (actual or virtual) to Meet And Greet Monday.

Free CLE Newsletter - Feb 20, 2012

This, the latest issue of 4freeCLE: The Free CLE Newsletter!, is mostly for my lawyer buddies, but non-lawyers may like some of the free on-demand stuff too.

4freeCLE: The Free CLE Newsletter! Feb 20, 2012 Why Not Earn A Credit Over Lunch?   Reciprocity Note: if an event is not accredited in your state, you might be able to get credit through reciprocity or by applying to your credit-granting authority. Try BaranLaw's CLE Reciprocity Page Webinar CLE In most jurisdictions, webinars qualify for the same credit as live, in-person CLE, while letting you participate from your home or office. Pre-registration is smart, because sometimes the webinar host has a participation limit. Feb 27/Web - General Counsel: Principled Advisor to Management and the Directors. By American Bar Association. Free to ABA members. Feb 28/Web - A Better Way to Do Business: The Competitive Advantages of Online Client Collaboration for Law Firms. By Lexis-Nexis.    Feb 29: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 - Part II. By Blue Cross/Blue Shield.    On-Demand CLE Why not spend part of a lunch hour earning free credit - or merely enjoying these programs for the love of learning? Disability Insurance Claims. By Dell & Schaefer.     Guilt By Association: You Didn't Design, Make or Sell It, But You Could Be Liable Anyway. By Trial.com.    Legal Considerations When Assisting a Client Form a Business. By Lexvid. OpenSource Due Diligence in M&A and Financing. By Black Duck.    In-Person CLE Unless stated otherwise, credit has been applied for in the state in which the program is located. Feb 22/San Francisco - Consumer Bankruptcy Practice. By AIDS Legal Referral Panel (ALRP). Feb 22/Stillwater, MN - Criminal Expungement: Process and Law. By Washington County Law Library.   Feb 23/Las Vegas - Effects on Custody After Fleeing Domestic Violence. By Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada.    Feb 24/Chicago - Effectively Deposing Your Opponent's Financial Expert. By McGovern & Greene LLP.  Feb 29/Cleveland - Criminal Justice Forum IV - How to Reduce Crime by Releasing Prisoners. By Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Mar 6/Boston - Family Law 102. By VLP.      Mar 7/San Francisco - Social Security Eligibility Hearings. By ALRP. Mar 8/NYC - Child and spousal support - inMotion Training. By inMotion.    Mar 13/Salem, OR - Legal Aid/Pro Bono Cases with Attorney Fee Clauses. By Marion County Bar Association.    Apr 25/Atlanta - Veterans Pro Bono Training. By Morris, Manning & Martin LLP and the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program. Previous training filled up months in advance, so apply now to ensure seating. Provider Profile: Dell & Schaefer This week we introduce a new provider of free CLE: the Dell & Schaefer law firm. Do you remember the helpful lawyer mentor, seen in movies and on TV, always available to share crusty old wisdom with fresh new associates? Today, it can be hard to find your Rumpole of the Old Bailey, especially if you're in solo practice, but Dell & Schaefer are the modern equivalent: experienced lawyers providing their expertise to all comers, via web video. You can register for their Disability Insurance Claims course any time day or night and, unlike Rumpole, the video never gets tired of being played over and over! It would be a better world if more law firms did something like this; 4freeCLE will be happy to publicize any who do! Kudos to Dell & Schaefer! Was This Forwarded To You? Get Your Own Subscription For Free!  This is a free newsletter, delivered weekly.  Sign up for future issues for free!

Birth Control WTF?

If you had proposed a year ago that the Republican Party would hitch its fortunes to the banning of birth control, I would have said you were a looney.
It's not that I didn't know the anti-Pill faction didn't exist. Many leaders of the Anti-Choice movement condemn The Pill as an abortifacient (...I don't want to link to them 'cuz it helps their search rank, but look it up ... it's there!) but I couldn't believe that a national political party hoping to take the White House would give air time to a bunch of freaks so at odds with the vast majority of Americans.
I was wrong! Little Ricky Santorum ... a man so corrupt and nutty that he was thrown out of office by a double-digit margin ... is now the leading contender for the GOP nomination; unless Lord Rawmoney can buy a lot more friends, the party of Gingrich will be headed by someone who thinks contraception is wrong and states should feel free to criminalize it.
I have a few Republican friends and even some family members, and I feel their pain. This outcome is the natural result of their Party's growing ideological fanaticism; it must be like watching your dog go crazy and start biting people. Isn't it time for the remaining few decent Republicans do pull an Old Yeller, and put their Party out of its misery?