It's only taken 11 years, but the Black Farmers will FINALLY get their money

from The NYTimes.com

November 30, 2010, 7:24 pm
Black Farmers Settlement Approved
By ASHLEY SOUTHALL

The House has given final Congressional approval to a bill that would provide more than $4.55 billion to settle tens of thousands of longstanding claims brought by African Americans farmers and American Indians.

The bill provides $1.15 billion to African Americans left out of a 1999 settlement of a lawsuit, Pigford v. Glickman; in that settlement the federal government agreed to compensate black farmers and would-be farmers who said Agriculture Department officials denied or cheated them out of federal aid. To be eligible for money now, claimants must have farmed or attempted to farm between 1981 and 1986, have filed a discrimination complaint before July 1, 1987, and have filed a claim after the deadline in the original settlement.

The bill provides another $3.4 billion to American Indian plaintiffs who claim that Interior officials mismanaged royalties from leases of tribal land used to harvest oil, minerals and timber. Plaintiffs will receive $1.4 billion directly, while the government will use $2 billion to repurchase Indian lands broken up under the Dawes Act in the late 19th and early 20th century. Another $60 million will fund scholarships for American Indian students.

Representative James Clyburn, the majority whip, said the bill helped right historic injustices.

“Today we removed the stain on our country’s history and rectified these injustices,” he said, thanking several Republicans for helping with the bill. “What happened to our nation’s African American farmers and Native Americans was wrong, and we have made it right.”

The vote in the House was 256-152. President Obama is expected to sign it soon.

In a statement Tuesday, Mr. Obama applauded the bill’s passage, and pledged to continue efforts to resolve similar claims brought by women and Hispanic farmers. “Yet, while today’s vote demonstrates important progress, we must remember that much work remains to be done,” he said.

Well, it's past time, but it happened. Finally.

And to Republicans like Rep. King of Iowa, who has this to say:

He then said the claims -- which stem from discrimination against black farmers in the 1980s and 1990s -- are "slavery reparations."

"We've got to stand up at some point and say, 'We are not gonna pay slavery reparations in the United States Congress,'" he said. "That war's been fought. That was over a century ago. That debt was paid for in blood and it was paid for in the blood of a lot of Yankees, especially. And there's no reparations for the blood that paid for the sin of slavery. No one's filing that claim.

The Pigford claimants, he said, "They're just filing a claim because they think they can get away with it." Standing up against the settlements, while unpopular, he said, is "a matter of justice and equity."

Go somewhere, sit down, and STFU.

I didn't know Sarah Palin was running for First Lady

She has to be, since she's decided to attack First Lady Michelle Obama.

From Huffington Post.com

Palin Slams Michelle Obama Again, This Time For Anti-Obesity Campaign
From Caribou Barbie on Laura Ingraham's show:

I think she has got a different worldview and she is not hesitant at all to share what her worldview is. And I will take heat again for saying it on your show Laura but she encapsulated what her view of America is, I believe, unless she has evolved and things have changed in the last two years, but she said it on the campaign trail twice that it was the first time that she had been proud of her country when finally people were paying attention to Barack Obama. I think that's appalling. We can think of this infinite number of reasons to be proud of American exceptionalism and it baffles me that anybody would have that view and then allow that view to bleed over into policy.

I'll ask...what other Presidential candidate decides to run by attacking THE FIRST LADY?

Oh, there's so much here. But, let's begin with worldview.

Worldview?

Michelle Obama has a worldview? What worldview would that be?

One in which this country respected working mothers and honored what they do and gave them the support they needed to fulfill their promise and help keep their families on track?

One in which the families of our military personnel were truly respected and not given the short shrift?

One in which the arts were honored and respected, and what the positive that they bring out in our children is honored?

One in which our young men and women are challenged and given the opportunity to get their chance in this country, no matter what their socio-economic background, and how that can be done through hard work and education.

I've followed the First Lady in nearly every public appearance she's made since they went to the White House, and THOSE are the themes that Michelle Obama has repeated over and over.

Proud exceptionalism?

W-T-F is she talking about?

Surely she doesn't count her no-talent, ill-educated, scribble-on-the-hand self as an example of American Exceptionalism.



Here she continues her attack on FLOTUS:

Take her anti-obesity thing that she is on. She is on this kick, right. What she is telling us is she cannot trust parents to make decisions for their own children, for their own families in what we should eat. And I know I'm going to be again criticized for bringing this up, but instead of a government thinking that they need to take over and make decisions for us according to some politician or politician's wife priorities, just leave us alone, get off our back, and allow us as individuals to exercise our own God-given rights to make our own decisions and then our country gets back on the right track.

No, I don't believe the First Lady has said anything about not trusting parents. In fact, the First Lady repeatedly says that she knows parents want the best for their children, but, that possibly: a) they don't know, b) they haven't been given the tools to do what they want to do for their children. The First Lady has repeatedly brought up that this came to her attention because of her OWN CHILDREN'S DOCTOR sitting down and talking to her about it. And, once the INFORMATION was brought to her attention, she formed a plan of action to do what she could to help out her children.

I can read. I can Google. I can watch Youtube clips of the First Lady speaking about how she came to this path. If I can do all this, and can comprehend the English coming out of the First Lady's mouth, then why can't Palin?

The First Lady didn't create the crisis that this country faces with obesity and it is a CRISIS.

We are an OBESE country. And, it costs us on many levels.

But, the First Lady is separating the Obese adults from the Obese CHILDREN. Her focus is on the CHILDREN.

We are raising the first generation in this country that might not live longer than the previous one not because of some disaster, or plague, but because of OBESITY and all the diseases that come with it.

Statistically speaking, the chance that an overweight child will become an overweight adult is pretty high.
It's also easier to begin better habits when kids are young.

What comes from obesity in children?

A group of diseases that until now that had only been seen in ADULTS:children with HEART PROBLEMS...children with TYPE II DIABETES...obese children with ARTHRITIS.

The frightening statistic that one of of THREE children born after 2000 WILL COME TO HAVE DIABETES.

Obesity shortens the lifespan of anyone it touches, so why shouldn't this country be alarmed when the obese rate of children has passed 30%?

From the Let's Move Website:

Obese children and adolescents may experience immediate health consequences and these may then lead to weight-related health problems in adulthood. Obese children and teens have been found to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and abnormal glucose tolerance. In a sample of 5- to 17-year-olds, almost 60% of overweight children had at least one CVD risk factor while 25 percent of overweight children had two or more CVD risk factors. In addition, studies have shown that obese children and teens are more likely to become obese as adults.

Roland Martin had another point that maybe went over the head of the Kim Kardashian of politics (Roland's description- BWA HA HA HA HA):

A study released in April by Mission: Readiness, a nonprofit group of more than 150 retired generals and admirals, concluded that 27 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds are too fat to join the military.

The culprit? Junk food and too much fat in school lunches.

Said the study: "Today, otherwise excellent recruiting prospects, some of them with generations of sterling military service in their family history, are being turned away because they are just too overweight. Our standards are high because we clearly cannot have people in our command who are not up to the job. Too many lives depend on it."

In testimony before Congress, the former head of the California Army National Guard, retired U.S. Army Major Gen. Paul Monroe, said that "80 percent of children who were overweight between the ages of 10 to 15 were obese by age 25."

He and other military leaders want Congress to enact a massive child nutrition bill to remove all junk food and high-calorie beverages from schools, improve nutrition standards in schools, upgrade school menus and, the group said, "help develop new school-based strategies, based on research, that help parents and children adopt healthier lifelong eating and exercise habits."

Monroe testified: "In 1946, Congress passed the National School Lunch Act as a matter of national security. In the past, retired admirals and generals have stood up to make it clear that America is only as healthy as our nation's children. Childhood obesity is now undermining our national security and we need to start turning it around today."

So, Sarah Palin, are you going to also rip into this decorated American and say that he and 150 other military leaders are dead wrong?

If these children are too fat to join the military, then they are also too fat to qualify for the jobs on the local level that would affect every local community: police and fireman. The same mentality that gets someone to join the military, is the same that gets a man or woman to say, ' I'm willing to get a badge and protect the streets of my local community' or ' I'm willing to go into burning buildings to save lives'. We aren't just losing candidates for the military, we're losing candidates for policeman and firefighter too.

This isn't about forcing parents to do anything. It's about confronting an issue which has vast ramifications for us as a country. The health issues are enormous, and the costs associated with Obesity run into the BILLIONS upon BILLIONS of dollars. But, what does she care about healthcare costs, since HER healthcare is PAID FOR BY THE GOVERNMENT, all the while she opens her mumbling mouth to complain about 'socialized medicine'.

Thanks to a terrific hat tip from SouthernGirl2, she caught this from Caribou Barbie:

We’ll focus on preventing disease and promoting healthy living. I’ll ask that physical education be incorporated into daily school schedules, too.

We have alarming levels of heart disease, diabetes, childhood obesity – and all of these maladies are on the rise. Now, I won’t stand here and lecture – for very long – but health care reform on an individual basis is often just this simple: we could save a lot of money, and a lot of grief, by making smarter choices.

It starts by ending destructive habits, and beginning healthy habits in eating and exercise. In my case, it’s hard to slack when you have the ever-present example of an Iron Dogger nearby. But many of us could use a little more time in our great outdoors – and when you live in the Great Land, there’s no excuse.

Protecting good health is largely a matter of personal responsibility, but government policy can help. Our new Alaska Health Care Commission will recommend changes that affect the well-being of Alaskans far into the future.

So, what did she say there that was any different from what the First Lady has been saying?



So, why is she doing this? Antagonizing the First Lady?

It's because she tried going after the President, and, what did he say to Barbara Walters?

When asked specifically if he thinks he can beat Sarah Palin in 2012, the President told Walters "I don't think about Sarah Palin."

She wants the First Couple to respond because that would elevate her to their level, but the problem is for her, is that they won't do it.

She's a piece of trash, and it's not up to the First Couple to swat back against Caribou Barbie. It's up to other folks. It's up to US.

As the wordsmith Town so righteously put it:

But here you have this simple b---- attacking Michelle Obama. And Michelle Obama is going to ignore Palin like the temp from the secretarial pool that she is, and Palin's going to start putting Malia and Sasha's names in her mouth. You watch, Palin's going to start attacking Michelle Obama on her mothering skills by name OR she's going to be slick and start talking about "welfare moms" and "ungrateful people" and stuff of that nature.

Just sit back in the cut and watch.

We will sit and watch. We also will respond.

Quote of the Week: The Good 'Ol Days

Most generations look back on their childhoods as a time of innocence and purity and 'when the world made sense' and 'everything was in its place'.  That might be a tad of an exaggeration but you get the gist of it.  President Ma of Taiwan the Republic of China is no different in this respect except that for him the 1970's were a time to fondly remember. That's the 1970's in Taiwan. Under Martial Law. Under a dictatorship and a period known as the White Terror for the fact that suspected opponents to the regime were often harassed, beaten and politically detained if not murdered.  At the time, Ma was a rising star in the KMT inner circle and a close confidant of the dictator Chiang Ching-kuo.  He later became Minister of Justice and opposed democratisation.  That much is now known without debate.  Touring a museum yesterday, Ma made the following remark:

“I miss the good old years,” President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) said as he looked at pictures of himself at the recently opened Presidential and Vice Presidential Artifacts Museum in Taipei.

The photographs had been taken in the 1970s, when Ma was a secretary and interpreter for then-president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國), son of dictator Chiang Kai-shek (蔣介石).

I think this really signals that Ma has always been far more inclined to support a 'benign' dictatorship than a democracy.  To look back at the 1970's and remark that they were good old years, no matter whether his judgement of them as 'good' was entirely from his personal experience, is a terrible and open slap in the face to those who suffered during that time and those who fought, and died, for the democracy that allowed Ma to become President.  It also exposes Ma's previous comments about KMT attrition for what was done to Taiwanese as false and disingenuous.  The KMT never changed. It just changed it's PR.

I reckon that if Ma begins his second term as President, and as Taiwan slips further into economic, judicial and political 'synchrony' with the PRC with all the attendant social and economic impacts that will have, many Taiwanese will become gradually aware how the good old days were really 1996 to 2008 when at least the people had Presidents who championed the country and its then independent people rather than cravenly pay tribute to Beijing to share the crumbs that fall off the Emperor's table.

Cartoon of the Week: Wikileaks

Steve Bell of The Guardian

APBD Jabar Defisit Terus

Anggaran Pendapatan dan Belanja Daerah (APBD) Provinsi Jawa Barat Tahun Anggaran 2011 akhirnya bisa ditetapkan tepat waktu menjadi Peraturan Daerah (Perda). Penetapan tersebut dilakukan dalam Rapat Paripurna DPRD Provinsi Jabar kemarin pada 29 November 2010. Tindak lanjut Perda tersebut selanjutnya tinggal menunggu hasil evaluasi dari Mendagri.

Posisi APBD Jabar sejak 4 (empat) tahun terakhir selalu mengalami defisit. Anggaran belanja daerah lebih besar dibandingkan dengan pendapatan daerah. Pemerintahan baru Ahmad Heryawan-Dede Yusuf belum bisa menaikkan posisi defisit kurang dari 1 triliun.

Walaupun pendapatan daerah mengalami kenaikan tiap tahunnya, hal itu tidak menuruni belanja daerah yang juga selalu naik. Terhitung sejak 2008, defisit sebesar Rp 353.728.216.947,69. Pada tahun 2009 sebesar Rp 1.310.594.009.826,00 dan tahun 2010 sebesar Rp 1.803.008.115.263,54. Sedangkan untuk APBD 2011 defisit sebesar Rp 1.413.020.000.000,00.

Tantangan Gubernur Ahmad Heryawan dan jajarannya ke depan adalah memperkecil jarak belanja dengan pendapatan daerah. Lebih ideal lagi bagaimana pendapatan daerah lebih besar dibandingkan dengan belanja sehingga posisi anggaran bisa surplus. Penambahan pendapatan daerah yaitu dengan meningkatkan Pendapatan Asli Daerah (PAD) lewat pajak, retribusi daerah, hasil pengelolaan kekayaan daerah dan lain-lain PAD yang sah. Pembenahan BUMD yang sedang gencar dilakukan Pemprov tentu juga akan berdampak positif jika dilakukan dengan profesional. Wassalam.


*) Ramlan Nugraha, Peneliti di PATTIRO Jabar

Support The Clinton Foundation With A Private Dinner

Anyone that wants to support the Clinton Foundation can do so buy bidding on a dinner with with President Clinton on Ebay with all proceeds going to the foundation.  At this typing the bid was at $28,400.

What Follows The Irish Bailout

As most of you know, the EU (and predominantly Germany) has bailed out Irish banks after serious austerity promises were made.  The problem could lie with future bailouts and the politics of it.  Here are some of the possible issues as relayed by Pat Buchanan:

Angela Merkel, whose Germany is fronting much of the bailout money, has been demanding that bondholders take a haircut – lose some of the face value of their bonds – in all future bailouts.

Sunday, the EU agreed to consider it for all bailouts after 2012. But we may not get there before nervous investors decide to dump their bonds first and the European house of cards comes crashing down.

For if bondholders know they will be among the first victims burned in bailouts in 2013, they may suspect a singeing even before then. This will impel them to start shedding the bonds of any nation with deficit and debt problems, which will deepen those deficit and debt problems. 

If bondholders are not compensated for deals made by banks and backed by the government(s) then a tidal wave could ensue that could ensnare all of Europe and even the U.S.  Now, this is somewhat fatalistic, but it is almost definite that Portugal will also receive a bailout (which is nothing), but if Spain follows then we might need too keep our heads down:

...unlike America, Spain is on the edge of a debt crisis. The U.S. government is having no trouble financing its deficit, with interest rates on long-term federal debt under 3 percent. Spain, by contrast, has seen its borrowing cost shoot up in recent weeks, reflecting growing fears of a possible future default.

Should Spain try to break out of this trap by leaving the euro, and re-establishing its own currency? Will it? The answer to both questions is, probably not. Spain would be better off now if it had never adopted the euro — but trying to leave would create a huge banking crisis, as depositors raced to move their money elsewhere.

Poor Michael Steele....they wanna kick him to the curb....LOL

from Black Politics on the Web

Steele on thin ice at helm of Republican Party
By The Admin on November 26, 2010

A significant bloc of Republican National Committee members wants embattled chairman Michael Steele to step aside, but the rank and file have failed to settle on a clear alternative, according to Associated Press interviews with committee members.

More than four dozen interviews with members of the 168-member central committee found fear that a badly damaged Steele could emerge from the wreckage of a knockdown, drag-out fight to head the party as it challenges President Barack Obama in 2012. While most agree that Steele’s time has been rough — and costly — the members also recognize that a leadership fight could overshadow gains that Republicans made in the midterm elections.

With balloting set to take place in just two months, many just want Steele to go.

“You can’t keep spending the kind of money they’re spending every month just to operate the RNC,” said committee member Ada Fisher of North Carolina. “I would hope he would step aside.”

“The question is who should be hired for the next two years, It’s not a matter of firing anybody,” said James Bopp, a committee member from Indiana who holds great sway among social conservatives on the panel. “I just don’t think Steele has performed at the level we need for the presidential cycle.”

In interviews with 51 committee members, 39 said they preferred Steele not be on the ballot when they meet near Washington in mid-January to pick their leader.

For his part, Steele hasn’t said whether he will pursue the 85-vote majority needed for a second term. Already, members have been hearing from others interested in that quest.

.......................................

Steele started the job with a $23 million surplus; the RNC raised more than $79 million this year and has spent all of it. Some went to places that previously saw little RNC cash or interest, including five U.S. territories that each has three votes on the central committee.

Oh MC Steele.....

You can't be surprised by this, can you?



Sitting out here, just as a casual observer, it was obvious from the moment of your election that you served one purpose and one purpose only: to give the GOP COVER as they attacked the first Black President.

Which, you were only so willing to do.

There was no racist remark that you weren't willing to shin and grin and try and explain away over the past 2 years.

They'd do something obviously racist, and there you were, sitting there on national tv, with a calm expression on your face, pointing out how it wasn't racist, no matter how strong the dogwhistle has been.

Nothing was too outrageous for you; nothing was said or published that made you go ' WTF, I'm not defending this crap on national tv'.

NOTHING.

You shucked and jived your way through these two years, showing no resemblance of dignity or self-respect. It was all good, because you were getting paid. You had to grovel after you were actually honest about Rush Limbaugh...it really was cringeworthy, watching, time after time, that you tried to explain away the OBVIOUS - not the subtle, but dogwhistles so loud, they could be heard in another continent.

Well, now, they feel they've gotten their legs back, along with Citizens United, and, you've got to go, Michael. You've served your purpose.

But, why do I get the feeling that it's going to go down like this?

The First Couple on 20/20

The Full Interview with President and Mrs. Obama on 20/20 Friday.

Vermont Wins IDAS 2010 Tournament

Stephen Boyle with his team from Vermont, John Sadek and Jessica Bullock

John Sadek and Jessica Bullock have won the 60 team 24 country International Debate Academy Slovenia 2010 tournament held at the Faculty of Administration, University of Ljubljana in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Filip Dobranic and Maja Cimernan of Ljubljana, the reigning EUDC ESL champs, came second, other teams in the final Were Anna England Kerr and Crt Podlogar from Ljublljana along with the Serbian team of Goran Jankuloski and Pedrag Pevicevic from Belgrade. JUDGES:

Anne Valkering, Netherlands (chair), John Hampson, British Council, Loke Wing Fatt, Singapore, TJ Senamngern, Thailand and Maja Nenadovic, Netherlands.

Semifinals: bold go through

ROOM:  AUDITORIUM

Kerr Podlogar 1O

Williams Eng 2O

Cimerman Dobranic 1P

Pitic Moscovici 2P

ROOM: 14

Dicu Gadeke 1O

Jankuloski Petricevic 2P

Sobocan Denkovski 1P

Sadek Bullock 2O

Quarterfinals: bold go through

ROOM: 2

1 Cimerman Dobranic, Slovenia/Ljubljana

16 Alexandrescu Sovaiala-Ionescu, Romania/Argo

8 Pitic Moscovici, Romania/Argo

9 Durrani Joyce, USA/St. John's

ROOM: 3

4 Kerr Podlogar, Slovenia/Ljubljana

13 Vignevic Cirovic, Serbia/Belgrade

5 Suleic Kolundzic, Serbia/Belgrade

12 Williams Eng, USA/Air Force Academy

ROOM: 4

2 Dicu Gadeke, Romania-Germany

15 Jutersek Polsak, Slovenia/Maribor

7 Jankuloski Petricevic, Serbia/Belgrade

10 Salapic Martinic, Croatia

ROOM: 5

3 Sadek Bullock, USA/Vermont

14 Sobocan Denkovski, Slovenia/Maribor-Cambridge

6 Vrecic Zitek, Slovenia/Ljubljana

11 Velikovski Georgievska, Macedonia

Speakers:

Position	Name	Team	Total points	Average
1	Maja Cimerman	Cimerman Dobranic	481	80,16
2	Filip Muki Dobranic	Cimerman Dobranic	479	79,83
3	Marietta Gadeke	Dicu Gaeke	475	79,16
4	Eveline Dicu	Dicu Gaeke	473	78,83
5	Goran Jankulovski	Jankulovski Petricevic	472	78,66
5	Jessica Bullock	Sadek Bullock	472	78,66
7	Anna England Kerr	Kerr Podlogar	470	78,33
7	Serban Pitic	Pitic Moscovici	470	78,33
9	Mlden Suleic	Suleic Kolundzic	469	78,16
10	John Sadek	Sadek Bullock	468	78,00

Motions:

1. THW require migrants wishing to have European citizenship to pass language and value tests.

2. This House would return national treasures to their country of origin

3. This House believes that adoption agencies that receve state funding should give priority to same sex couples and infertile couples.

4. This House would require large online social networks to be controlled democratically by their users.

5. This House would refuse to negotiate with kidnappers and hijackers.

6. This House believes that Roma should be recognized as the first transnational minority in the European Union.

Quarters. 

THBT Arabic nations should stop selling oil to France until it removes restrictions on Islamic dress.

Semis. THBT the ECB should have veto power over member states budgets
Finals. THBT the free market does not make the workers free.


The oprogram is sponsored by ZIP Slovenia, World Debate Institute USA, European Union, Europe for Citizens Program and the law firm of Bickell and Brewer. 

Vermont Wins IDAS 2010 Tournament

Stephen Boyle with his team from Vermont, John Sadek and Jessica Bullock

John Sadek and Jessica Bullock have won the 60 team 24 country International Debate Academy Slovenia 2010 tournament held at the Faculty of Administration, University of Ljubljana in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Filip Dobranic and Maja Cimernan of Ljubljana, the reigning EUDC ESL champs, came second, other teams in the final Were Anna England Kerr and Crt Podlogar from Ljublljana along with the Serbian team of Goran Jankuloski and Pedrag Pevicevic from Belgrade. JUDGES:

Anne Valkering, Netherlands (chair), John Hampson, British Council, Loke Wing Fatt, Singapore, TJ Senamngern, Thailand and Maja Nenadovic, Netherlands.

Semifinals: bold go through

ROOM:  AUDITORIUM

Kerr Podlogar 1O

Williams Eng 2O

Cimerman Dobranic 1P

Pitic Moscovici 2P

ROOM: 14

Dicu Gadeke 1O

Jankuloski Petricevic 2P

Sobocan Denkovski 1P

Sadek Bullock 2O

Quarterfinals: bold go through

ROOM: 2

1 Cimerman Dobranic, Slovenia/Ljubljana

16 Alexandrescu Sovaiala-Ionescu, Romania/Argo

8 Pitic Moscovici, Romania/Argo

9 Durrani Joyce, USA/St. John's

ROOM: 3

4 Kerr Podlogar, Slovenia/Ljubljana

13 Vignevic Cirovic, Serbia/Belgrade

5 Suleic Kolundzic, Serbia/Belgrade

12 Williams Eng, USA/Air Force Academy

ROOM: 4

2 Dicu Gadeke, Romania-Germany

15 Jutersek Polsak, Slovenia/Maribor

7 Jankuloski Petricevic, Serbia/Belgrade

10 Salapic Martinic, Croatia

ROOM: 5

3 Sadek Bullock, USA/Vermont

14 Sobocan Denkovski, Slovenia/Maribor-Cambridge

6 Vrecic Zitek, Slovenia/Ljubljana

11 Velikovski Georgievska, Macedonia

Speakers:

Position	Name	Team	Total points	Average
1	Maja Cimerman	Cimerman Dobranic	481	80,16
2	Filip Muki Dobranic	Cimerman Dobranic	479	79,83
3	Marietta Gadeke	Dicu Gaeke	475	79,16
4	Eveline Dicu	Dicu Gaeke	473	78,83
5	Goran Jankulovski	Jankulovski Petricevic	472	78,66
5	Jessica Bullock	Sadek Bullock	472	78,66
7	Anna England Kerr	Kerr Podlogar	470	78,33
7	Serban Pitic	Pitic Moscovici	470	78,33
9	Mlden Suleic	Suleic Kolundzic	469	78,16
10	John Sadek	Sadek Bullock	468	78,00

Motions:

1. THW require migrants wishing to have European citizenship to pass language and value tests.

2. This House would return national treasures to their country of origin

3. This House believes that adoption agencies that receve state funding should give priority to same sex couples and infertile couples.

4. This House would require large online social networks to be controlled democratically by their users.

5. This House would refuse to negotiate with kidnappers and hijackers.

6. This House believes that Roma should be recognized as the first transnational minority in the European Union.

Quarters. 

THBT Arabic nations should stop selling oil to France until it removes restrictions on Islamic dress.

Semis. THBT the ECB should have veto power over member states budgets
Finals. THBT the free market does not make the workers free.


The oprogram is sponsored by ZIP Slovenia, World Debate Institute USA, European Union, Europe for Citizens Program and the law firm of Bickell and Brewer.