Republican Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, gets a chanclaso for holding a hearing on “religious liberty” and “freedom of conscience” in regards to women’s contraception preventing any women from testifying.  This is the latest ploy by republican leaders to attack President Obama at every turn. Conservative leaders and groups such as the Conference of Catholic Bishops are upset that employers are mandated to provide health care plans that cover contraception.  Even after President Obama compromised and said that no employer who finds contraception objectionable will have to pay for contraception costs -- instead the cost will be absorbed by the insurance companies – nothing is good enough for Catholic bishops.  Where do the Catholic bishops get the nerve to be the moral police after the widespread child molestation scandals broke out a few years ago?  If you’re unsure about whether health insurance companies should offer contraception, go talk to your mama, hermana, tia, y abuelita, not your priest and certainly not Rep. Issa.

Well, happy Valentine’s to you too, Becky Currie. Mississippi State Rep. Becky Currie introduced anti-immigrant legislation that mimics Alabama’s unlawful treatment of immigrants.  Mississippi has never been a state to be outdone in the hate department, and Rep. Currie has stepped up to the plate to show the country how unwelcoming it is to immigrants.  Part of the legislation would require every public school to verify their students and parents citizenship. I’m sending a flying chancla to Rep. Currie. Elected leaders of MS, leave them kids alone!  That’s my nod to Pink Floyd.

Aplauso:

Congrats to Washington state for becoming the 7^th state in the country to allow gay couples to marry.  Governor Christine Gregoire and numerous leaders in Washington deserve un gran aplauso for making this happen.  ORALE!

—Sergio Lopez