While they remain a powerful backbone of the Democratic Party, a recent poll from Rasmussen Reports indicates that a growing number of Americans feel that the nation’s two major teachers’ unions are more interested in protecting their jobs and benefits than ensuring the education and opportunities of their young charges. [T]wo-thirds of U.S. voters (66%) say the teachers’ unions – the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers – are more interested in...

Given the season, if you see me publishing another article on New York Governor David Paterson, you might suspect it would involve his upcoming task of appointing a new senator. You would be mistaken. Like many other states, New York is facing hard financial times and Paterson is looking for ways to cut costs and shore up our coffers. An admirable goal, but one of his plans has put us back on the silly train, full speed ahead. It seems that we may now be facing an obesity tax. A can of Coke could...

A research team from Vanderbilt University has released the findings of a new study which seems to indicate that humans are pre-programmed to recognize unfair, unjust situations and are prone toward a finding of guilt and punishment of the perpetrators. (They should have enough material to draw upon. Some archaeologists in England announced this week that they found the oldest preserved human brain ever – roughly 2,000 years old.) The Vanderbilt scientists conclude that the legal systems which...

Put away your pencils and calculators. Lock up the accountants and economists in a closet. The solution to the auto industry’s woes has been found and it comes to us courtesy of John Cole. (Hat tip to James Joyner for pointing the way and providing additional snark.) We have been repeatedly reminded – generally by Republican congressmen – that Iraq is shaping up quite nicely, with civilian death rates falling below those of many American cities such as Detroit. Motor City also has...

Eugene Robinson provides some needed cold water on President Elect Obama’s approach to political purity in the Washington Post today. In examining Obama’s approach to and spin on the Blagojevich story, he seems to view the cautious, neutral doublespeak as less of a breath of fresh air and more of the same old same old. In handling questions about the arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich — for allegedly trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama’s former Senate seat to...

Continuing on from the ongoing TMV coverage of the Blago Saga and my earlier column on gay marriage in New Jersey, tonight we’ll be taking to the air on Mid Stream Radio with a couple of special guests to bat the subject around. Be sure to join us to listen, participate in the live, online chat, or call in with your own comments and questions. The show is at our new time of 7 pm eastern, 4 pm pacific to accommodate the Lady Logician’s new schedule. The call in number is still (646) 595-3963....

Close on the heels of the proposition 8 battle in California, the public debate over gay marriage may be moving over to the East coast. It seems that a blue ribbon panel commissioned by the Governor has returned findings that the Garden State’s current program of civil unions doesn’t meet constitutional muster and should be replaced with full and equal marriage as an option for same sex partners. In a report that could lead to New Jersey legalizing gay marriage, the Civil Union Review...

A story from the GOP side of the aisle is breaking this morning over at The Skepticians. James Richardson is reporting that all of the debate over who the next RNC Chairman will be may prove premature. Mike Duncan, the current chairman, might not be ready to vacate the position. The recent Republican victories in GA and MS gave pause to Mike Duncan, current Republican National Committee Chairman, who, until today, was unsure if he would seek a second term. According to individuals with close ties...

Holly already broke this story here, but in terms of media coverage regarding the arrest of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, this headline from the Chicago Tribune really has to take the cake. Blagojevich’s Senate Selection Process Investigated Really? You’re investigating his selection process? Given the details leaking out already, isn’t that somewhat akin to checking out Jeffrey Dahmer’s kitchen for questionable cooking techniques? In one charge related to the appointment...

Musician, songwriter and filmmaker Haylar Garcia has completed work on a new independent film titled Do It For Johnny. You can read the back-story about how he and his colleagues took a “long strange trip” attempting to hunt down actor Johnny Depp and give him a custom guitar with a movie script stuffed into a secret compartment inside. There’s also some background information available from film critic Betty Jo Tucker. We’ll be exploring some more of the background to this...

The generally reliable Chris Cillizza posed an interesting question at The Fix this week. He is pondering the fate of several politicos widely expected to wind up in Obama’s cabinet, but who now seem destined to be left out in the cold. Three of them are fairly standard fare: Kathleen Sebelius, Tim Kaine and John Kerry. The last choice, however, left me picking my jaw up off the floor. Chuck Hagel: The outgoing Nebraska Republican senator was seen as a potential pick as secretary of Defense...

Tribune Co. which is the parent of the LA Times, among other media holdings, has now filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. While this is doubtless sad news for the employees and their families, each time we see a story like this I wonder once again whether or not the tale of EPIC 2014 wasn’t more prescient than entertainment. For those not familiar, EPIC was a flash presentation published in 2004 by Robin Sloan and Matt Thompson which examined the rise of the blogs and new media, projecting...

Oh, come on. You knew it was coming. Super Obama World Click it. Go ahead. You know you want to play.

During our previous examination of New York Governor David Paterson’s options for replacing Hillary Clinton in the Senate, it became evident that there was a good deal of confusion as to how long the appointment would last and when the candidate would stand for election. This question arises again now that Caroline Kennedy is being seriously considered for the position. Owing to the nature of Empire State election law, the newly minted Senator will need to be very comfortable on the campaign...

One of the continuing mysteries of American politics is how William “Dollar Bill” Jefferson managed to keep holding on to his Congressional seat in Louisiana’s second district. After investigators located tens of thousands of dollars, neatly wrapped in tin foil, taking the place of burgers and steaks in his freezer, one might think Bill would have been shown the door. The Democrats took away some of his committee seats, but he remained in the lower chamber. Well, yesterday it seems...

A mystifying story from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. (Hat tip to Think Progress) When a new administration comes in, the old appointees tend to begin gathering up their personal effects and as many office supplies as they can stuff in their bags and head for the parking lot. Not so with Mary Beth Buchanan. Though she was, to put it kindly, a rather avid Bush supporter, she sees no reason to leave the U.S. Attorney’s office. Despite a new administration coming into power, U.S. Attorney Mary...

Just when you thought you were having fun with Twitter, instant messaging, Facebook and the like, somebody has to go and ruin it. You and your friends were probably just getting relaxed, being the “cool kids” on the block and keeping up with all of the latest trends and news on gadgets, entertainment and social ideals. Well, the Republicans have decided to take their pudgy fingers, pick up some newer keyboards, and mess up the whole darned thing for ya.

This week I examine some of the candidates who might fill Hillary Clinton’s Senate seat in my latest Pajamas Media column. One of the more interesting sidebars in this story is how Governor David Paterson suddenly finds himself in a starring role he likely never anticipated or wanted. The original script of the Hudson Valley power brokers never included Paterson spending his nights in the Empire State’s governor’s mansion, to say nothing of filling a seat in the newly burgeoning Democratic...

Some new rounds of polling from Rasmussen Reports indicate that, reality be damned, the future is so bright we should probably wear shades. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of Republican voters now say America’s best days are in the future, while 48% think they are in the past, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Democrats say America’s best days lie ahead by a 53% to 30% margin. Among unaffiliated voters, 48% say the nation’s best days are in the future while 35%...

In the small village of Endicott, located in Upstate New York, we find Lloyd Knecht III, a man who is fed up with “the government under President George W. Bush and Congress trampling on citizens’ rights for the past eight years.” Rather than sitting still in the face of continued outrages, Knecht is striking a blow for liberty and personal freedom. How is he doing this, you may ask? By refusing to let those damned firemen come in to his heating and air conditioning business and...

James Reynolds is an experienced actor with an extensive career. He is probably best known for his Emmy nominated role as Abe Carver on “Days of our Lives” but has also performed in the theater and appeared in a number of big screen films including “Mr. Majestyk” and “Fun With Dick and Jane.” As author and film critic Betty Jo Tucker points out, his work and background extend beyond that. Recently named Chairman of the Department of Veterans Affairs 2009 National...

As we reported earlier, the saga of the recently perforated New York Giants wide receiver, Plaxico Burress, continues to unfold and the story just gets curiouser and curiouser, to quote Alice. With that in mind, we thought it would be appropriate to bring you up to date on the latest news and responses from around the web. The Big Apple’s Mayor Bloomberg has weighed in on the subject and he is not a happy camper. The NYPD first found out about Plaxico Burress’ bone-headed accidental self-shooting...

We’re pleased this week to welcome a fresh entry in the political new media community in the person of James Richardson and his new web site, The Skepticians. James was the Republican National Committee’s Online Communication Manager for the 2008 Presidential election, supporting John McCain’s bid for the White House and was instrumental in providing many bloggers and new media pundits of all stripes with unparalleled access to the GOP campaign. With all of the discussion regarding...

It seems that the New York Giants’ former hero of Superbowl XLII, wide receiver Plaxico Burress, will not be lining up with the offense at Fed Ex Field during today’s meeting with the Washington Redskins. His prospects were already doubtful as he’s nursing an injured hamstring, but we can forget it entirely now, since it seems he managed to shoot himself in the thigh at a nightclub in Manhattan on Friday night. Burress was involved in what the Giants are calling “an apparent...

A recent survey of Americans conducted by Rasmussen seems to indicate that the popularity of the Pledge of Allegiance (never really all that unpopular) is on the rise. Seventy-seven percent (77%) of U.S. voters say school children should say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning at school, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Just 13% say they should not, and nine percent (9%) are undecided. Eighty-two percent (82%) say the words “under God” should remain in the Pledge...