By ,
Published May 08, 2017
Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine...
Really Long Distance
The government program providing phones to low-income Americans has been issuing cell phones to dead people.
Congressman Tim Griffin of Arkansas says phones have been sent to deceased relatives of constituents under the Lifeline program.
Lifeline has already been criticized for sending multiple phones to one user, providing phones to underage residents, and giving phones to people who do not qualify.
Griffin wants to dial back on that program to provide only landline service. And to stop providing Lifeline to the dead.
Muddied Symbolism
When new CIA Director John Brennan took the oath of office Friday, he used an original draft of the Constitution from 1787.
The White House said Brennan opted for the Constitution instead of a bible to -- quote -- "reaffirm his commitment to the rule of law."
One problem with that symbolic gesture, in 1787, the Constitution did not include the Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights was ratified four years later.
Blogger Marcy Wheeler pointed out the apparent oversight, she writes -- quote -- "The moment at which Brennan took over the CIA happened to exclude (in symbolic form, though presumably not legally) the key limits on governmental power that protect American citizens."
Olivier Knox of Yahoo News added -- quote -- "That means -- no freedom of speech and of the press, no right to bear arms, no Fourth Amendment ban on 'unreasonable searches and seizures.'"
Taking Hollywood to Court
Iran says it will sue Hollywood, for portraying the country inaccurately in the movie "Argo."
A high-profile French lawyer is reportedly meeting with government officials to discuss how to proceed.
Iranian officials say "Argo" is pro-CIA propaganda and unrealistic -- although they are short on specifics.
Meantime Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is taking heat at home for this photo showing him consoling Hugo Chavez's mother at the dictator's funeral last week.
Islamic codes prohibit touching of any kind between unrelated members of the opposite sex.
https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/grapevine-iran-taking-hollywood-to-court