Topic of the Day: Peter King, republican Congressman from Long Island and perennial irritation to Democrats looking to consolidate the Long Island delegation, is back in the headlines.

Apparently, Michael Jackson is well described as a pervert, child molester, and a few other choice expressions. His funeral was today. Outraged fans of the singer have put up an ActBlue page to support the eventual Democratic candidate against King.

UPDATE: POSTPONED...will repost when there is more info.

Got this from DFNYC and a reader. Sunday, 6/14, there will be a protest against Hiram "Slasher" Monserrate, the State Senator infamous for slashing the face of his girlfriend and for engineering the GOP Coup in the State Senate. [UPDATE: just remembered Monserrate was also accused of trying to run over a tow truck driver who was repossessing his car on 9/11/2001]. Here's the info:

VOTERS TO RALLY IN HIRAM MONSERRATE'S DISTRICT TO EXPRESS OUTRAGE AT GOP COUP OF STATE SENATE

Will Call Upon Monserrate, Elected as a Democrat, Not to Give Up Control of State Senate to Republican Party

The NYS Young Democrats and hundreds of local voters will rally in Senator Hiram Monserrate's Queens district on Sunday, June 14 at 1 p.m. to express their outrage at the GOP-manufactured coup that has brought state and city government to a grinding halt and disenfranchised the millions of New York voters who elected a Democratic majority to the State Senate for the first time in four decades.  read more »

If anyone thinks that last week's crushing, humiliating defeat might have launched a process of self-examination among the defeated and rejected, think again. This is what's on the front page of The New York Times right now.

Democrats Seek Help for Automakers

Lobbyists Swarm the Treasury for Piece of Bailout Pie

Democrats in Congress are saving the collapsing auto industry; republicans at Treasury are throwing your money out the windows for the benefit of lobbyists. It doesn't get clearer than that.

The Jewish morning prayer service ends with the Psalm of the day. Psalm 82 concludes the service on Tuesdays, which is also Election Day in this Country. I find it an interesting coincidence that the Psalm, written more than two millennia ago and admonishes hypocritical leaders who favor the powerful over the poor, is read on Election Day. When I read it, I always imagine a biblical era prophet chastising contemporary Republicans.

The Birnbaum Siddur or Prayerbook reads right to left with the odd pages written in Hebrew while the even pages contain translations of the Hebrew text in archaic King James style English. I choose to pray with Birnbaum when it's an available option, over books with easier to understand English, because I'm used to its liturgical translation. Although I know how to read Hebrew and recite some prayers in that ancient tongue, I understand little of the language and pray mostly in English. Using other English translations throws me off.

Containing just 8 sentences, Psalm 82 is among the Bible's shortest chapters. Below is the Birnbaum version of the Psalm.  read more »

Securing the votes in Congress to pass real immigration solutions into law isn’t going to be easy. The next President – no matter who wins – will need to lead his own party first to get it done.

Senator Obama would surely have an uphill climb, even with a Party Platform that favors comprehensive reform. But, given an enforcement-only Party Platform and the policy positions of most Republicans in Congress, Senator McCain may need to scale a brick wall to bring his party on board!

Nevertheless, both candidates continue to talk about reform (at least in Spanish).  read more »