Roland S. Martin's Blog, page 698

Sen. Tom Harkin: House Republicans Have Morphed Into 'A Cult'

Source: Elise Foley / The Huffington Post Washington – Senate Democrats attacked the "Cut, Cap and Balance" measure on Wednesday, calling the House-passed bill "devoid of substance" and "dead on arrival" in the Senate, where it will receive a vote later this week. Senate Democrats contended the bill is evidence that Republicans, especially those in the House, are intent on changing Medicare and preserving tax breaks for the wealthy. "The sad thing is America no longer has a two-party system," [...]

WATCH: Michele Bachmann Questions Black Farmers' Claims (VIDEO)

Rep. Michele Bachmann characterizes a settlement to black farmers as fraud. WATCH:

Ex-Players Sue NFL Over Concussions

Source: ESPN Seventy-five former players are suing the NFL, claiming the league intentionally withheld knowledge of the damaging effects of concussions for 90 years. The plaintiffs claim that "the NFL knew as early as the 1920s of the harmful effects on a player's brain of concussions; however, until June of 2010 they concealed these facts from coaches, trainers, players and the public." The group includes former Pro Bowlers Mark Duper of the Miami Dolphins and Rodney Hampton of the New [...]

Boy, 15, In Lamar Odom Crash Dies

Source: ESPN Neighbors have buried a teenager who died when a motorcycle collided with a vehicle carrying Los Angeles Lakers player Lamar Odom and hurtled onto a New York sidewalk. Odom, who stars in a reality TV show with his wife, Khloe Kardashian, was visiting his native Queens on Thursday afternoon when a motorcycle tried to turn left in front of the chauffeured Cadillac Escalade sport-utility-vehicle he was riding in, police said. The motorcycle hit the front bumper of the [...]

President Obama Would Agree To Short-Term Extension Of Debt Ceiling — With Conditions.

Source: CNN Washington – President Barack Obama will meet at 2:50 p.m. Wednesday with Democratic leaders in the House and Senate, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said. President Obama would agree to a short-term extension of the federal debt ceiling, something he has steadfastly opposed until now, if there is agreement on a significant deficit reduction plan by Democrats and Republicans that needs more time to be passed by Congress, Carney said. To follow this topic visit CNN.

Mike Vick To Go To Capitol Hill To Support Crackdown On Dog Fighting (VIDEO)

Source: Lateef Mungin / CNN Philadelphia Eagles star quarterback Michael Vick is scheduled to pledge his support Tuesday for new legislation to crack down on supporters of dog fighting. Vick will be joined at a news conference on Capitol Hill by Wayne Pacelle, the head of the Humane Society of the United States, Vick announced on his official website. The bill, H.R. 2492, seeks to penalize people who finance and bring children to dog fights and cock fights. To read [...]

Defense Rests In Trial Of Accused Ohio Serial Killer

Source: CNN The defense rested Tuesday in the case of alleged Ohio serial killer Anthony Sowell, who is accused of sexually assaulting, killing and dismembering 11 Cleveland-area women between 2007 and 2009. The defense called no witnesses and presented no evidence during the trial, according to CNN affiliate WOIO. Prosecutors rested their case against Sowell on Monday. Opening statements in the trial were held June 27. If convicted, Sowell could face the death penalty. He has pleaded not guilty by reason [...]

Birth Control Coverage Proposed For Most Health Insurance Plans

Source: N.C. Aizenman / The Washington Post Virtually all health insurance plans could soon be required to offer female patients free coverage of prescription birth control, breast-pump rentals, counseling for domestic violence, and annual wellness exams and HIV tests as a result of recommendations released Tuesday by an independent advisory panel of health experts. The health-care law adopted last year directed the Obama administration to draw up a list of preventive services for women that all new health plans must cover without [...]

Casino Magnate Steve Wynn Says Business Owners 'Fear' President Obama

Casino magnate Steve Wynn blasted Obama on a recent conference call with investors, saying business people are sitting on their money out of "fear of the president." "I'm telling you that the business community in this company is frightened to death of the weird political philosophy of the president of the United States," Wynn said. "And until he's gone, everybody's going to be sitting on their thumbs." A partial transcript: "Everybody complains about how much money is on the side [...]

WATCH: Roland Martin & Jackie Hood-Martin / Bill & Kim Allen's 'It Flows Through Us' Panel Discussion (VIDEO)

On Sunday, July 17, 2011, the Rev. Dr. Christopher A. Bullock and First Lady Dr. Debbie Bullock and the Canaan Baptist Church hosted CNN's Roland Martin and his wife Jackie Hood-Martin as they moderate a panel discussion and book signing of Billy and Kim Allen's new book release, "It Flows Through Us."