News and Notes From All Over

Can't resist noting these news items:

Ohio Citizens Action is highlighting the heavy political contributions ($558,344 to state lawmakers, office holders and parties) by AT&T in the past two years, particularly $1,300 in direct contributions (and $5,000 through lobbyists) to State Sen. Jacobson (R-Butler Township), principal sponsor of the statewide broadband/cable franchise bill over which AT&T and other large telecoms have been salivating.

Why are the Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee pushing through a $140 million increase in funding for "abstinence-only" programs, larger than any increase in the last three years of the Republican-controlled Congress? A recent government funded report shows that such programs contain medically inaccurate information and have no positive effect on persuading teens to remain abstinent.

It's not too late to call your senators and urge them to support the Employee Free Choice Act, designed to remove obstacles to workers making up their own minds about union representation. The toll free number is 1-800-774-8941, and more information is here.

The immigration reform bill might not be dead, after all. Democratic leadership hints that if the GOP can work out a limited number of amendments to offer, the proposal may work its way back onto the legislative calendar. Bush will lobby Republican opponents to the bill tomorrow.

A bipartisan study of rural voters shows that the once solidly-Republican group is now a toss-up in terms of 2008 presidential preference, a change driven largely by disgust with the Iraq War.

Today's symbolic no-confidence vote in the U.S Senate on U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales isn't going to pass, but the Democrats are determined to get Republican lawmakers on the record about it. Some who have said publicly that Gonzales should resign will vote against the measure, calling it a mere political ploy.

Democratic presidential contender Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) has been getting foreign policy advice from Colin Powell, who says it is too early to say who he will support for president in 2008.

The Akron Beacon Journal has a feature on Akron blogger extraordinaire Pho.