Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, December 6. Also see President Obama’s weekly address, in which he highlighted the 10.9 million (!!) new jobs created over the past 57 months – the longest streak of private sector job growth on record (also !!). Yeah, those Democrats and their crazy “socialist” policies (like tax cuts and infrastructure spending) really killed the economy, as Republicans said they would. NOT.

*Hagel: American hostage killed in failed rescue bid

*Pakistan says top al-Qaida militant killed in raid

*Kerry Puts Brakes on CIA Torture Report (This needs to be released and torturers – and those who ordered it – need to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.)

*Kaine sees climate change as a key issue for Congress (“The impact when sea levels rise in Hampton Roads? Sen. Kaine says Congress needs to ask.” And act!)

*Bill aims at better coordination of Chesapeake Bay cleanup

*Warren Liberals Eye Webb to Pressure Hillary (“Liberals are taking a wait-and-see approach to Webb, who is difficult to pin down ideologically.” That’s for sure.)

*After shake-up, New Republic staffers resign en masse (Sad.)

*Tousman: State and local asthma coalitions endorse new carbon standards from EPA

*Hits and misses | Fairness in clinic regulations (“The methodical rollback of onerous regulations singling out clinics that perform five or more first-trimester abortions per month continued this week, with members of the state Board of Health voting to reconsider the rules.”)

*McAuliffe names Virginia’s first climate change chief

*As Republicans gather for Advance, Bolling offers ideas on party’s future (“Bolling’s view of time for a change, which comes from the deposed establishment wing of the party, is not shared by all.”)

*Blame Rolling Stone (“Whether Jackie’s account is truthful or not, the magazine failed her, its readers, and rape victims everywhere.”)

*Va. engineer tried to leak aircraft carrier plans to Egypt, U.S. says

*McAuliffe outlines economic proposals (“McAuliffe said his proposals are meant to help grow and diversify the state’s economy so it can adapt to cuts in federal spending.”)

*Key aspects of gang-rape claim at U.Va. now in doubt

*How Rolling Stone failed in its story of alleged rape at the University of Virginia (“Journalists are paid to be skeptical and to distinguish facts from assertions: Don’t get too close to your sources and check what they tell you.”)

*Rolling Stone’s disastrous U-Va. story: A case of real media bias (Of course, bias of all kinds – particularly “both sides” false equivalence – is rampant in the media, but they almost never call THAT out.)

*Our view: Lessons learned from Rolling Stone (“Even before the Rolling Stone article came out, the governor had appointed a commission to look at sexual violence on college campuses. One way or another, there’s still a lot to talk about.”)

*U-Va. struggles with latest twist in traumatic fall semester

*Dems in 34th District race push for easier absentee voting (“Parisot’s campaign agreed that every vote should count, but supported the Loudoun County decision.” Not good.)

*Hampton mayor’s participation in protest march angers officers

*Mosby jockeys to become next Richmond council president

*A soggy Saturday’s in store, then sparkling but breezy on Sunday

From the Democratic Party of Virginia:

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, December 5.

*Research casts alarming light on decline of West Antarctic glaciers (We need to treat this as the emergency it is.)

*A Deficit of Dignity (“From the day [Barack Obama] took office, his legitimacy has been challenged, his American birth has been suspect, and he’s been personally insulted, lectured, yelled at and disrespected in public, by public figures, in a way that few if any American presidents have ever faced.” Word.)

*If Eric Garner Were White (“His death would be a Tea Party crusade.”)

*Tensions spike as Holder takes on Cleveland police

*White America’s moral disaster: From Eric Garner to Mike Brown, a destructive view of “justice” (“Eric Garner is just one example of black life devalued. Here’s how white victimization is tearing the nation apart”)

*The 4 most bizarre right-wing reactions to the Eric Garner decision (“Fox News’ Gretchen Carlson is worried about a Christmas tree, while Peter King blames Garner’s obesity”)

*#CrimingWhileWhite Is The Only Thing You Need To Read To Understand White Privilege (“White people can get away with crimes that would land a black person behind bars – or worse.”)

*Senate hearing set on role of Congress in military actions

*Jim Webb’s Nostalgia For a Pre-Diversity Democratic Party (“Other than nominating a white guy like him, what does he think is the thing the Democratic Party should do to convince voters it’s a place where white guys are welcome, too?”)

*A visit and conversation with U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine

*Brat win inspires challenge to speaker of Virginia House

*Virginia needs to coordinate and educate on climate change, report says

*One report puts Dan River coal ash spill damage at $295 million (Coal is filthy in every way. Nothing “clean” about it, despite the industry’s Orwellian propaganda.)

*Our view: Virginia waits, and does nothing (“The lawmakers can wait indefinitely; they have insurance. If they worried one whit for the people affected by this ideological intransigence, though, they could look and see how fellow conservatives view the impact in Republican-led states that did accept the money to expand Medicaid.”)

*Dan Moxley To Challenge Emmett Hanger (Ultra right winger challenges far right winger.  Yep, that’s today’s Republican Party of Virginia!)

*Va. health board agrees to review of abortion clinic rules (Elections have consequences, in this case in a good way!)

*Wilder’s legacy as complex as the man

*Protests over Garner decision spread from New York to Roanoke

*Hampton crowd at Virginia Air & Space Center witnesses Orion’s failure to launch

*Hampton University students stage peaceful protest of recent national police incidents

*Prosecutors say Va. murder suspect had hatred for ‘enforcement class’

*Forget about sunshine. Cloudy skies and rain will rule the day.

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, December 4. Also see Attorney General Eric Holder announcing a federal civil rights investigation into Eric Garner’s death.

*Another grand jury. No indictment. More outcry: ‘Black lives matter’

*Former RNC chairman: ‘Black man’s life not worth a ham sandwich’

*The Eric Garner case’s sickening outcome (“The non-indictment of the police officer who killed him was shocking beyond belief.”)

*Wave of Protests After Grand Jury in Eric Garner Chokehold Case Doesn’t Indict Officer (And rightfully so!)

*The Perfect-Victim Pitfall (“Michael Brown, and Now Eric Garner”)

*Return of Focus Hocus Pocus (Yeah, this whole debate about “focus” is idiotic. For starters, the Obama administration did a TON on the economy, saving us from Great Depression Part Deux. Is the argument that they should have done nothing else BUT the economy, when we have many other pressing needs in this country? That’s just dumb.)

*Rolling Stone’s UVA rape story backlash: When narratives are so compelling that we don’t notice unbalanced reporting

*Officer Told Grand Jury He Meant No Harm to Eric Garner (Whether he did or not, it’s utterly unacceptable for a police officer to kill an unarmed person who poses absolutely no threat.)

*Obama courts his own party to fend off GOP attacks (What a concept.)

*Obama says he willing to defy Democrats on his support of Trans-Pacific Partnership

*Jim Webb says Democratic Party has turned into ‘a party of interest groups’ (Aren’t all political parties made up of various interest groups? Not sure about “turned into”…)

*Warner without regrets over his re-election campaign (He’s learned nothing.)

*Warner delays on CO2 rules opinion (Speaking of learning nothing…)

*Hazel says U.S. health care funds could narrow Va. budget gap (The problem is that Republicans aren’t budging from their “hell no” stance.)

*Morrissey rejects legislative exemption option in sex crime case

*Virginia needs these reforms (“Creating and empowering an ethics commission is a critical component in any effort to shore up Virginia’s porous ethics laws. Without it, lawmakers will simply perpetuate a system that has failed them and the public too many times.”)

*Va. health board to vote on review of abortion clinic rules

*UVa dean explains zero-tolerance comments in 2013 video

*Avoiding overreaction (“Despite our outrage, it’s important Virginia respond thoughtfully to sexual violence on campus”)

*Virginia ABC board delays, tweaks plan to increase booze prices (“Price increases on liquor, set to take effect Monday, will now be delayed one to three weeks. However, the ABC notched up the price increases by another penny or so.’)

*Norfolk couple who spearheaded same-sex marriage case in Virginia reflect on quest

*Va. governor: Plant’s opening ‘exactly what we need to do’

*It’s going to feel a lot like Seattle the next few days: Cool, damp and cloudy

Not that I’m surprised someone as far-right-wingnut as Del. David Ramadan would bash “DREAMers,” but it’s still awful, mean spirited, nasty, stupid, ugly, wrong, etc. Basically, this is about taking kids who are now pursuing their dreams of higher education and YANKING THEM OUT OF COLLEGE. Great, huh?  

HB 1356 In-state tuition; students granted Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Action

…In-state tuition; students granted Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Declares that absent congressional intent to the contrary, any person granted Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services does not have the capacity to intend to remain in Virginia indefinitely and, therefore, is ineligible for Virginia domicile and for in-state tuition charges at public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth.

I can’t even tell you how angry and disgusted I am at this (No Indictment in Eric Garner Chokehold Case for N.Y.P.D. Officer). Is there rule of law in this country or not? If you’re not white and/or wealthy, the fact is that the justice system is massively biased against you in this country, and has been for…ever, basically. How on earth is that acceptable in the United States of America in the year 2014?!? It certainly isn’t to me, that’s for damn sure. Anyway, here are a few comments that sum up how I feel right now, also believe are worth passing along. Also, check out that video and wrack your brain about how a grand jury wouldn’t even send this on to be heard in a court of law. I’m just speechless.

Booman Tribune:

It’s legal to kill black people in this country if you are a police officer. This is not hyperbole…The whole thing can be captured on film. An illegal chokehold can be used. It doesn’t matter. If you’re a police officer, you won’t even have to explain yourself in front of a judge…The police killed a man and it means nothing. Essentially, it never happened.

New York Times top-rated comment:

Chokeholds are banned by NY Police rules. Yet this officer used one to kill someone.

And yet he’s not even taken to trail by jury, out in public. And people wonder why African-Americans protest? He killed a man for selling loose cigarettes, because it upset local business owners. This is what our country has come to. Rule of law? Hardly.

Top-rated comment at the Washington Post:

“Body cameras won’t help if cops aren’t being indicted for strangling a man to death on camera.”

One of the smartest people I know, on his Facebook page.

This is a tragic day for the American system of justice, as a NY grand jury declines to indict NYPD officer in the chokehold death of Eric Garner, a man whose only crime was selling loose cigarettes on the street. Combined with the recent Ferguson decision, today’s ruling sends the worst possible message, not only the African American communities across the nation, but to the public in general-that police are allowed to answer any perceived breach of order with deadly force, and without fear of prosecution.

This goes beyond a misstep, or simple bias, this is a clear and resounding affirmation that the police are considered not simply part of the legal system, but are immune from prosecution under it. What recourse does the public have within the rules of a system that refuses to purge itself of bad cops?

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand:

While this decision is shocking, I want to echo the statement of a wide range of leaders inside and outside of government who are urging that protests remain peaceful in the aftermath of this decision. The death of Eric Garner is a tragedy that demands accountability. Nobody unarmed should die on a New York City street corner for suspected low-level offenses. I’m shocked by this grand jury decision, and will be calling on the Department of Justice to investigate.

Balloon Juice:

I got nothing.  This is not a justice system.  This is not policing in any form that I understand.  This is how law serves as cover for power when the forms but not the substance of civil society are all that is left.

Hot Air

Lots of conservatives whom I follow on Twitter are shocked by the failure to indict. Here’s a good question from Red State’s Dan McLaughlin. Did the prosecutor ask for manslaughter at all?

Shakesville (breaking my no-profanity rule for this one)

Today, a grand jury failed to indict the NYPD officer who killed Garner, Officer Daniel Pantaleo. On camera. Illegal chokehold. Ruled a homicide. No charges. I am hardly the first person to ask: If even this killing does not result in an indictment, what the fuck will?