Jackson Browne

The lawsuit brought by singer/songwriter Jackson Browne against Sen. John McCain and the Republicans is moving forward. PRNEWSWIRE:

The United States District Court for the Central District of California has denied the motions of Senator John McCain and the Republican National Committee to dismiss the lawsuit brought by singer/songwriter Jackson Browne for the unauthorized use of Browne's voice and famous song Running On Empty in a presidential campaign commercial. Browne filed suit in August, 2008 for copyright infringement, false endorsement and violation of Browne's right of publicity. In a series of rulings on February 20, 2008, the Hon. R. Gary Klausner, United States District Judge, rejected the defendants' arguments that the First Amendment or copyright's fair use doctrine immunizes their unauthorized use of Browne's voice and song simply because such use occurred in the context of a political campaign commercial. Among the rulings, the Court denied the defendants' special motion to strike (inaccurately dubbed a "countersuit" in some news reports) with respect to Browne's right of publicity claim. In another ruling, the Court dismissed the Ohio Republican Party from the case on jurisdictional grounds, leaving Browne free to pursue his claims against it in Ohio.

The District Court also set a hearing for late April to set a schedule for the case, including a date for the jury trial....

I hope Jackson Browne takes them to the cleaners.

>>>> Paul Krugman, Nobel Prize winner in economics, responds to some questions from Barrons:

Barrons.com: What's the stupidest thing you've heard said about the current economic crisis and how to solve it? What's the smartest?

Paul Krugman: The stupidest is a very tough competition; I tend to think of whichever mind-numbingly stupid thing I've just heard, like [U.S. House of Representatives] Minority Leader [John] Boehner's statement that we shouldn't "reward" Fannie and Freddie by increasing their resources (he apparently doesn't understand the meaning of "government owned.") But I guess the statements from many players that the Obama plan is a spending bill, not a stimulus bill -- when spending is the whole point -- top the list...

That was my favorite answer because it associates John Boehner and the words "...mind-numbingly stupid thing..."

Boehner and the rest of the Republicans have one song and they play it over, and over, and over again---- "Tax cuts! Tax cuts! Tax cuts!" The GOPers cannot think beyond that. The Republicans have no plans, no ideas, no innovative package to get the economy moving. The only hope for positive change comes from President Obama and the Democrats.