Center of Attention
May 29th, 2007 | 11 responses
A round up of recent reporting and commentary by a few centrist, moderate, and independent bloggers.
Dick Polman recaps the President’s Memorial Day greetings since 2004, interspersed with a few (important) comments from others.
While Michael J. Totten thinks negotiation with Syria is a lost cause … Mohammad Jamal believes “bold and imaginative diplomacy” could succeed with Iran.
McQ examines Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s final step in shutting down of the country’s “oldest TV station.”
Dave Schuler is looking for informed comments on alternatives for reducing carbon emissions.
Daniel DiRito spotlights a BBC series on atheism. This link takes you to the second installement of his series of posts, which in turn links to the first installment, where Daniel offers his thoughts on the series, as well as “the objections that were voiced when PBS decided to air the documentary on American television.”
GTL comments on Cindy Sheehan’s epiphany and reluctantly informs us of the whereabouts of two of the blog’s popular past contributors.
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11 Responses to “Center of Attention”
Thanks for the link to Daniel DiRito. A great site. Everyone should give it a look.
I occasionally take the liberty of using “Center of Attention” as a place to introduce other topics. The editors of this site will probably soon notice that Barack Obama has presented some details about his universal (federal) health care plan. To date Obama has been little but fluff, and as he has been exposed, he is of course a throwback Cyanide Nation liberal. Higher taxes on those with higher incomes are predictable, envy-based organized theft. However, Obama is to be commended to be willing to present details (this, from someone who is seen largely as having no substance, just a cutesy appearance) and risk criticism by advocating (*gasp*) new, high taxes to pay for this health care. While his preferences are derisory, he is to be commended for at least presenting details (at the risk of criticism, much of which is predictable anyway), and besides, we all know that government health care for everybody will require new, high taxes no matter what (unless we expect the feds to borrow until that option is no longer possible!).
Since Obama’s health care plan is now news, the editors might want to introduce it as a topic on this site.
P.S. If I weren’t so highly overtaxed, I might even be able to make a donation to this site. *GRIN*
We already know Chavez is a tyrant, no matter now fiercely (or at times, because of how fiercely) he is defended by the Left here at home.
[...] in to this article: Right Wing Nut House; Democratic Convention Or Bust; The Democratic Daily; The Moderate Voice (”Center Of Attention” feature by Pete [...]
DLS,
do you have handy links to online reports/comments about Obama’s healthcare plan? I can always go searching for those but could probably get up a post quicker if you have those.
A quick search for Obama and his health care plan reveals a lot of links — see very bottom of this posting.
First, though — it seems Bruno is busy with his poplar tree. Will “non-interventionists” claim that our and Europe’s defensive systems are to “blame”?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118045319260117251.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
…
Obamarama
Note more than one article mention’s Obama’s current “celebrity” problem of style over substance. This may an effort to show another side of the candidate.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118043982572317027.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/sns-ap-obama-health,0,191376.story?coll=ny-leadnationalnews-headlines
etc.
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ned=us&ie=UTF-8&q=obama+health
DLS- Do you have a source giving backup for the fierce support that the left is giving Chavez? As far as I know its confined to Cindy Sheehan and Danny Glover and is more about low cost heating oil for the poor than his politics.
http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/52437/
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/oct2003/vene-o08.shtml
Kritter asked:
> Do you have a source
> giving backup for [that
> statement of yours, DLS,
> about] the fierce support
> that the left is giving Chavez?
http://www.americans-for-chavez.com/
http://www.rethinkvenezuela.com/index.html
http://www.vensolidarity.org/
http://www.venezuelasolidarity.org/
Predictable
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=LEN20060921&articleId=3298
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=viewArticle&code=CHA20060921&articleId=3301
http://www.themilitant.com/2007/7120/712002.html
http://www.socialismtoday.org/90/venezuela.html
book, author (note the publisher — similar to Pluto Press, or South End Press, or Common Courage)
http://www.versobooks.com/books/ghij/g-titles/gott_hugo_chavez.shtml
“Also, TEVES is supposed to be completely independent of the government, said Vice-Minister for Communicational Strategy, Amelia Bustillos, in an interview with the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo. Rather, it will be controlled by an independent foundation. The initial board of directors, though, will be appointed by the Ministry of Communication and Information”
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news.php?newsno=2296
“Mr. President: … While Minister of Communication and Information Willian Lara said that TEVES’ editorial line would not be dictated by your administration, we fear that the broadcaster will effectively operate as a government organ. Five of the seven members of the board of directors will be appointed by the executive, as stated in your signed decree. … The threat of losing access to the airwaves hangs over dozens of other television and radio stations whose licenses have also come up for renewal, prompting some news outlets to pull back on critical programming, CPJ research has found. The RCTV decision also comes as your administration has moved aggressively to expand state media and amplify its voice. … Thank you for your attention to this matter. We await your reply.”
http://www.cpj.org/protests/07ltrs/americas/ven24may07pl.html
“‘TEVES will be another sample of the country’s freedom of speech’”
“The new channel is a proof that there is freedom of speech in Venezuela. My message to the Venezuelan people is optimism and confidence. Let’s not pay attention to violence rumors. The people behind the new channel are reliable and responsible. We are going to give a high-quality television to the Venezuelan people”
http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/article_24587.shtml
Chavez is a true problem. However, compare him to Putin and Russia, which also is a problem nowadays. The following makes me feel sorry for poor Putin, almost. Note the difference in style and “smoothness.” Everyone who reads this will find it entertaining; that’s all I will say.
http://www.kommersant.com/page.asp?id=693363
And read this. Chavez sounds like Chris. *grin*
“… imperialist, genocidal, fascist [Bush]…”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4682488.stm
He really is a problem. Think of those AK-47s going all over Latin America. I’d hate them to come here and be used here. (Not that we don’t have them. Many shooting enthusiasts have them already here, and China has in the past been caught using COSCO to ship weapons to U.S. criminal gangs. But what about additional threats from our south?)
http://www.isn.ethz.ch/news/sw/details.cfm?id=16085