Tea party Republican Todd Akin, who refuses to meet with his constituents, has inspired them to take their questions to the web and Twitter with the #AskToddAkin campaign. The website, AskToddAkin.com allows concerned citizens to automatically send tweets that question why the representative opposes programs that help the people of Missouri.

The AFL-CIO says:

So far, he hasn’t been willing to meet with voters in his district, even though he’s been traveling far and wide to tea party meetings and fundraisers hours outside of his district. When his constituents held a town hall meeting a block from his office, he wouldn’t even contact them to decline, although he did issue a press statement saying he wouldn’t go to a “Union Hall,” calling the town hall meeting a “Rally and Protest.”

Among the questions voters can ask Akin:

Why he voted to eliminate Medicare?

Why he thinks Medicare is unconstitutional?

Where are the jobs?

Akin has a lifetime Progressive Punch score of 1.13 percent on labor issues, which is skewed by a few positive votes dealing with the erosion of workers' rights caused by international trade deals. When it comes to other issues, such as giving aid to workers hurt by those trade deals, union rights, occupational safety and health, outsourcing, protection of worker pensions, workplace rights and the rights of public employees, Akin has never voted in favor of America's workers.

The amount of vitriol being spewed at Michelle Obama from the right-wing paparazzi is really getting gross now. The beltway media remains mum about these vicious smears by the wingnutopia and its appalling. Evey step she makes there's always a John Birch conspiracy theory attached to it by these jackasses. TMZ better move over because did you know the First Lady is really Lady Gaga?

Right-wing media have attacked Michelle Obama for going shopping at Target, claiming she went " 'incognito,' Lady Gaga-style" and asking, "Who does she think she's fooling?" Right-wing media have previously attacked the first lady for everything from promoting health initiatives to wearing a red dress at a state dinner.

It's just getting creepier as the election approaches.

Limbaugh: "It Has Gotten So Bad, They Had To Send Moochelle Out There In A Lady Gaga-Type Getup. She Went Shopping At Target." During the September 30 edition of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show, Limbaugh said: "It has gotten so bad, they had to send Moochelle out there in a Lady Gaga-type getup. She went shopping at Target." [Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 9/30/11, via Media Matters]

Malkin: Obama Went To Target "About As 'Incognito' As Lady Gaga." In a September 29 blog post, Michelle Malkin attacked Obama for shopping at Target, writing that Obama was "about as 'incognito' as Lady Gaga's outfit at her younger sister's graduation." Malkin went on to call the first lady "the glamour queen" and further stated that Obama's Target visit was "[t]o counter the negative diva buzz" and that it "[l]ooks like she left the bling at home." [MichelleMalkin.com, 9/29/11, via Media Matters]

The Blaze: "What Luck!" Obama "Wasn't Snapped Without Make-Up, With Messy Hair Wearing Sweatpants To Do Her 'Everywoman' Shopping." A September 30 post on The Blaze stated:

Our First Lady has sooome luck. Not only is her hubby the leader of the free world, but just as the Obama camps [sic] is desperately looking for a way to relate to America's Average Joes, a staff photographer with the Associated Press just so happened to be there to document her recent Target shopping jaunt.

[...]

What luck! Obama also wasn't snapped without make-up, with messy hair wearing sweatpants to do her "everywoman" shopping... like some of us who will remain nameless.

Exit question: I could see a quick stop in at the local Target store as something that might happen out on the campaign trail. But who really believes Michelle Obama left the White House to pop in at the Alexandria, Va., Target because the East Wing ran out of paper towels? [The Blaze, 9/30/11, emphasis in original]

Weasel Zippers: "Honestly, Who Does She Think She's Fooling?" A September 29 Weasel Zippers post titled, "Pic of the Day," stated, "See, Mooch is just like us!" and showed a photograph of the first lady at Target. The post went on to ask, "Honestly, who does she think she's fooling?" [Weasel Zippers, 9/29/11]

I guess they're cranky. It's the idea of having Mitt Romney running as the 2012 GOP nominee because Chris Christie has continually rebuffed all their slobbering man-crush pleas. Poor right-wingers, they need a nap. Because really, Michelle Obama is in their crosshairs? She has been nothing but a model First Lady. It's a creative game they have of just making stuff up. I'll try it: If she disappeared from sight for a few weeks Beck would say that she must be hiding in a cave in Kenya practicing some ancient voodoo mojo to undo Christianity in America so we'll be more susceptible to becoming Marxistsocialistheavens.

Try your own hand teabircher thinking. It's shockingly easy.

LIBERTY SQUARE, NY--despite the early morning rain, morale is high. A reported 100,000 copies of The Occupied Wall Street Journal have just arrived. The young occupiers are busy handing out the four page broadsheet to curious passersby and the protest tourists, who linger on the outskirts of Zuccotti Park, snapping photos of signs and the occasional blue-haired hippie.

"The Revolution Begins at Home" reads a headline. "Learning from the World" reads another piece about Americans taking lessons from the spontaneous Arab Spring. In anticipation of an Oct 5th student walkouts and union marches, a caption reads, "New York Unites!"

The rained on, camping crowd of about 200 has swelled to a respectable 400--or so--with a march planned for 3 pm, which is said will attract more.

Some clothes are wet. Most clothes are wet. Everything is a little wet. Still. I'm told protesters could benefit from blankets, jackets, tarps. Anything to keep people warm and dry tonight, and into the coming...weeks?

The on-sight media people -- the only media to be found today, aside from freelancers -- are in need of large external storage devices. They're recording a lot of data.

The first aid people say they need non latex gloves, roller gauze, medical tape and general supplies.

Food is adequate, but storage containers would help organize the supplies and keep the damn pigeons off my bread.

And I need Vicodin. Send Vicodin. Now.

EDITOR'S NOTE: We sent New York occupiers some pizzas yesterday. And by "we" I mean you guys. We raised over $4000 yesterday (Friday) to feed the ground swell of solidarity demonstrations.

If you want to send these guys a slice all amounts are welcome and appreciated!

An inspirational track from Pink Floyd, with an assist from the supporters of Liverpool Football Club at Anfield.

Dr. Nada Dhaif, and Dr. Fatima Hajji discuss the sentences and give their shocked reactions to them.

These doctors, and eighteen more, were sentenced simply for providing aid to injured protesters, the rest of the charges fictitious.

It should also be noted that while the U.S. State Department is "deeply disturbed" by these sentences, Bahrain is home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet, and thus a key ally in the region. The U.S. has provided the tiny island nation of Bahrain nearly $100 million in aid since Barack Obama became president. Iran's PressTV is only too happy to provide (accurate) figures on the contradiction:

The Pentagon has cut deals with Bahrain in arms trade, sending dozens of American tanks, armored personnel carriers, helicopter gunships, thousands of .38 caliber pistols and millions of rounds of ammunition, from .50 caliber rounds used in sniper rifles and machine guns to bullets for handguns, some of which were undoubtedly used against protesters.

In addition to all these gifts of weaponry, ammunition, and fighting vehicles, the Pentagon in coordination with the State Department oversaw Bahrain's purchase of more than $386 million in defense items and services from 2007 to 2009, the last three years on record.

From the CNN report:

(CNN) -- A group of 20 doctors who were detained during this year's protests in Bahrain have been convicted of attempting to overthrow the government and hit with lengthy prison sentences, authorities and a human rights group said Thursday.

Thirteen of the physicians were sentenced to 15 years in prison, two for 10 years and five for five years, said military prosecutor, Col. Yussef Rashid Flaifel.

The U.S. State Department, "deeply disturbed" by the sentences, said the Bahraini government should provide fair trials, access to attorneys and judicial transparency.

Deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said the United States was "concerned about trials of civilians, including medical personnel, in military courts and the fairness of those proceedings."

Charges against the doctors included possession of unlicensed weapons, inciting the overthrow of the government, provoking sectarian hatred and forceful occupation of a public building, officials said. Prosecutors have alleged that, at the height of the protests earlier this year, the accused medical personnel refused to help patients at Salmaniya Medical Complex, the main hospital in the capital city, Manama.

Amnesty International called the charges "ludicrous" in their press release.

“These are simply ludicrous charges against civilian professionals who were working to save lives amid very trying circumstances,” said Philip Luther, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme. “It appears that the real reason for targeting these health workers was the fact that they denounced the government crackdown on protesters in interviews to international media.”

“We’ve repeatedly said that Bahraini authorities should never have used military courts to prosecute ordinary civilians, including doctors, teachers and human rights activists.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Lawrence O'Donnell explained what the hell Sarah Palin was talking about the other day on Greta. Apparently she's miffed at Megyn Kelly for telling the truth about where Palin is in the polls. Oh and then there was calling out her colleague on Fox News, Juan Williams for calling Herman Cain the "flavor of the month." It's like junior high only with more tooth whitener and hairspray.

Look, here's the thing: this is all Palin does. She's a petty, myopic mean girl who wants nothing more than to lash out at people she thinks have done her wrong. She's has one trick and this is it.

I compiled a list of Palin's feuds. Here it is. I'm now adding these two. So the list is up to 90 entries and it's only getting funnier.

Courage is contagious, and the Occupy movement continues to grow. Yesterday there were arrests in Boston and San Francisco:

BOSTON -- A group called Occupy Boston took over Dewey Square in Boston Friday night holding a 60s-style sit in.
"
It doesn’t look like the politicians are serving the people any more," said John, a protestor who would only give his first name. "They’re serving people with money."

This is part of nationwide movement that began with a large protest last week on Wall Street.

"We're talking about government reform. We’re talking about finance reform," said Nadeem Mazen, from Occupy Boston. "And we’re opening up a national dialogue as part of a really big issue that’s on so many people’s minds."
A few blocks away a group called Take Back Boston lead hundreds of people marching from Boston Common to the Financial District.

At 100 Federal Street the protesters gathered at both entrances to the Bank of America building shouting "We got sold out." The crowd included dozens of families facing foreclosure.

"The bank took over my property. Tried to evict everybody," said Mallerrie McCoy of Dorchester. "They boarded up my windows. They changed our locks. I’m here to say I’m not going anywhere."

And in San Francisco, protesters went into the belly of the beast:

SAN FRANCISCO -- Hundreds of protesters took to the streets of San Francisco today to protest Wall Street banks and six were arrested, police said.

The protesters marched along Market Street this afternoon, stopping in front of Bank of America, Charles Schwab and Wells Fargo, organizers from ReFund California said.

Six activists went inside a Chase Bank branch in the 500 block of Market Street with sleeping bags and pillows and prepared to stay, organizers said.

According to police, officers repeatedly warned the protesters they would be arrested if they refused to leave.

The activists refused to leave and were arrested for trespassing, police said.

EDITOR'S NOTE: We donated pizzas to the SF and Boston protesters yesterday with your help. You can feed these folks by donating here:

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Looks like the pressure applied by progressive groups like Credo Action, MoveOn and Progressive Change Campaign Committee really helped. But this is only the beginning. We all know the banks are applying all the leverage they can to block any threat of accountability, and they're not going to give up. We'll stay on top of this and what's happening in other states -- like NY AG Eric Schneiderman's investigation into mortgage bank fraud:

California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris will no longer take part in a national foreclosure probe of some of the nation's biggest banks, which are accused of pervasive misconduct in dealing with troubled homeowners.

Harris removed herself from talks by a coalition of state attorneys general and federal agencies investigating abusive foreclosure practices because the nation's five largest mortgage servicers were not offering California homeowners relief commensurate to what people in the state had suffered, Harris told The Times on Friday.

The big banks were also demanding to be granted overly broad immunity from legal claims that could potentially derail further investigations into Wall Street's role in the mortgage meltdown, Harris said.

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Informed Comment: Visiting Liberty Street (Occupy Wall Street).

Faith in Public Life: Tom Tancredo attacks Rick Perry over immigrants and Muslims.

Smart Politics: Rick Perry, cliché king.

P3: Defenders of freedom.

Guest post by Batocchio. Email tips to mbru AT crooksandliars DOT com.

Alabama's crazy new laws targeting illegal immigrants have started an exodus from their schools. Alabama's laws are said to be even more severe, more draconian than in Arizona.

The video clip is from WAAY in Huntsville, Alabama.

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (AP) – Hispanic students have started vanishing from Alabama public schools in the wake of a court ruling that upheld the state's tough new law cracking down on illegal immigration.

Education officials say scores of immigrant families have withdrawn their children from classes or kept them home this week, afraid that sending the kids to school would draw attention from authorities.

There are no precise statewide numbers. But several districts with large immigrant enrollments — from small towns to large urban districts — reported a sudden exodus of children from Hispanic families, some of whom told officials they would leave the state to avoid trouble with the law, which requires schools to check students' immigration status.

The anxiety has become so intense that the superintendent in one of the state's largest cities, Huntsville, went on a Spanish-language television show Thursday to try to calm worried parents.

"In the case of this law, our students do not have anything to fear," Casey Wardynski said in halting Spanish. He urged families to send students to class and explained that the state is only trying to compile statistics.

Here's the superintendent:

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