Is President Barack Obama learning a painful lesson? Is he getting crushed by the Washington insider doors? In this Guest Voice post, Michael Winship, senior writer for PBS’s Bill Moyers’ Journal, looks at the issue — and pitfalls. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. Get Away from Those Spinning Doors by Michael Winship Not even three weeks in office...

Wells Fargo canceled an expensive shindig for its executives, said shindig a PR no-no now that the bank is receiving TARP funds. In this Guest Voice post, cross-posted from his blog, James Hertsch of In the Alternative, argues that the “savings” are mostly just PR and that over-the-top criticism is unjustified. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. Dudgeon...

So what should the government do now to try and boost employment? In this Guest Voice, TMV reader Marc Pascal, an independent business and management consultant in Phoenix, offers some specific ideas which include reinstituting the draft. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. Public Service and Replacing Lost Jobs: Two For One Solution by Marc Pascal The Labor Department...

Is Turkey heading closer to an Islamist agenda? In this Guest Voice post, Barry Rubin. the director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Center and editor of the Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA) Journal. – who spent 35 years working on Turkish history and politics and says he was the first Israeli exchange professor to teach there — looks at the issue. Guest...

American political leaders are looking for a way for American to start digging its way out of the increasingly grimmer financial crisis. In this Guest Voice post, TMV reader Marc Pascal, an Arizona-based economic psychologist, offers an intriguing idea: move the decimal point. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. Easy Economic Stimulus Package: Move The Decimal Point by...

President Barack Obama’s decision to pay cap on CEOs who participate in a government bailout has brought outrcries of dismay from some people in business and in particular from talk show radio hosts. Here’s humorist Will Durst’s take on it: Triggering a Silent Scream by Will Durst The president is not what you call dim. He’s obviously aware the only thing worse than a bleakening economy...

With a new President, it means cartoonists have to fine tune their skills at drawing the new Prez. In this Guest Voice, MSNBC blogger and cartoonist Daryl Cagle gives away a few of his secrets. How to Draw Obama by Daryl Cagle Obama seems like an easy guy to draw; he’s skinny, has a big chin, expressive eyebrows and lips. As it turns out, no matter how a cartoonist draws Obama, somebody gets mad. When Obama...

In his futile efforts to cling to power and his post-removal p.r. blitz, impeached and former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has rewritten the book for arrogant politicians. This includes an appearance last night on CBS’s Late Show With David Letterman: In this Guest Voice, humorist Will Durst provides an updated top 10 list of the way haughty politicians under fire should act in the future. The School...

What is the Superbowl? In this Guest Voice post, Tom Purcell says the Superbowl is a celebration of the American spirit — and that it has special relevance in Febuary 2009. Going Deep on the Super Bowl by Tom Purcell There’s a reason the Super Bowl is such a big deal. There is no city in the country in which it is a bigger deal this year than in Pittsburgh. I was born and raised in Pittsburgh. As...

Is President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package really a stimulus package or is it a sign of how Democrats who now hold power are like kids unleashed in a candy shop with power to take what they want? In this Guest Voice post, conservative talk show host Michael Reagan argues that it’s the latter. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. Unclogging the...

Is the news media in love with President Barack Obama and giving him a free pass? Did they give him a pass during the campaign? Former CBSer Bernie Goldberg thinks so and in this Guest Interview with columnist Bill Steigerwald explains why. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. Liberals in Love — Interview With Bernie Goldberg by Bill Steigerwald Award-winning...

Is President Barack Obama’s avowed penchant for bipartisanship a double-edged sword? Could it sometimes mean that poor decisions or poor personnel choices are carried foward? And are there some transportation issues the U.S. has yet to seriously address? In this Guest Voice post blogger Average Joe looks at these issues. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. On...

The raging question continues to be: so what should the Republicans do next? What’s the best strategy to become the majority party once again? In this Guest Interview, columnist Bill Steigerwald interviews Republican stragetist Andrea Tantaros who has some specific ideas. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. What Republicans Must Do: Interview with Andrea Tantaros by...

Our political Quote of the Day comes from one of the Internet’s most thoughtful writers, James Hertsch, who used to have a blog and wrote under a pen name. He writes on his new blog about one of several major shifts in the ascension of Barack Obama to the Presidency: the return to normalcy: With all the hope and change that Obama threw around for the past two years, you’d think there’d be a...

President Barack Obama seeks unity but his first act created a bit of division: some felt he gave a great inaugural speech, others felt it was just good, still others felt you can’t judge an inaugural speech until the President serves awhile. And some, like conservative talk show host Michael Reagan, felt it was a poor speech and not as good as Reagan’s Dad’s. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily...

Today is a day to ponder courage and hope. In this Guest Voice post, journalism professor and author Walter Brasch offers some specifics to ponder. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV and its writers. From the Hudson to the Potomac: Courage and Hope for a Depressed Nation by Walter Brasch The people are good at anointing who they believe are heroes. It gives us a warm...

Iranian freelance journalist Kourosh Ziabari strongly believes his country’s image in the United States is not accurate. In this Guest Voice, he interviews New Zealand Herald columnist Jill Worrall, who also feels Iran is misunderstood. One issue in this interview centers on whether the news media stereotypes. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. Jill Worrall, New...

As the Republican party takes stock about what it needs to do to recover in an era of a President Barack Obama, some argue that it needs to return to its true conservative roots. But there is also a school of thought that says it shouldn’t forget one of the most successful Republican Presidents of the 20th century — Dwight D. Eisenhower. In this Guest Voice post, reprinted by permission of the moderate...

In her Secretary of State confirmation hearing, Senator Hillary Clinton said the new administration would use “smart power.” In this Guest Voice, conservative talk show host Michael Reagan asks whether she’s talking about “smart power or just dumb policy.” Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of TMV or its writers. Smart Power or Just Dumb Policy? by Michael...

On January 20th Barack Obama will be sworn in as President and the most scrutinized part of the ceremony will be his inaugural address. Just how important is it? What about some past inaugural speeches in American history? And what can we expect? In this Guest Interview, columnist Bill Steigerwald interview presidential rhetoric specialists Jerry Shuster to get some answers. Inaugural Hits Misses by Bill Steigerwald Barack...

So now what does the Republican party do? In this Guest Voice post that appeared in the moderate Republican Ripon Society Journal and is being run here with their permission, former Republican Congressman Tom Davis has some specific suggestions that some will feel make great sense, and some stalwarts won’t like at all. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. The...

Is the Democratic party Congressional leadership playing power games already with President Elect Barack Obama? And did they show the same backbone to President George Bush? In this Guest Voice Walter and Rosemary Brasch look at this issue. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. Unnecessary Concerns: Democratic Leadership Should Have Little Fear of an Obama Administration by...

Has the soon-to-leave Bush adminstration been conducting a fire sale of public lands? In this Guest Voice post, Michael Winship, senior writer for PBS’ Bill Moyers Journal, looks at the issue. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. What Am I Bid for the American Wild? by Michael Winship We’ve all seen those sitcoms or movies in which someone stumbles...

Is it time for Americans to take a truly seriously look at libertarianism? Joel S. Hirschhorn who is not happy with either party, says that if there is a time to consider libertarianism, the time is now. But what are its prospects? He also discusses someone who hasn’t been in the headlines much these days: Ron Paul. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the views of TMV or its writers. Libertarianism:...

Is a local newspaper bailout by the state about to happen in Connecticut? And, if it does, what will it mean to the news media? In this Guest Voice post, authors and speakers Floyd and Mary Beth Brown warn that it could be a slippery slope, indeed. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. Will the News Media be Neutered? By Floyd and Mary Beth Brown Connecticut is considering...