This article, written by Richard Oppel, Jr., was published by the New York Times last week:

What do people in our neighbor to the south think of the fledgling U.S. Tea Party movement? Is it just a collection of well-meaning Americans defending the country, or a loud fringe group creating and feeding on fear? According to columnist Angel Luis Lara of Mexico’s La Jornada, it is decidedly the latter. For La Jornada, Angel Luis Lara writes in part: Disenchanted with the political class and the...

Taylor Jones, Politicalcartoons.com This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved.

As readers of the Moderate Voice are aware, for the past few weeks Worldmeets.US has been covering the creation of the Western Hemisphere’s newest international organization, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the distinguishing characteristic of which is the intentional exclusion of the United States. This article from Colombia’s El Tiempo has some harsh words for the new organization....

The Right simply cannot bring itself to apply the word “terrorism” to a plot to overthrow the U.S. government when the militants are good ‘ol Michigan boys.

During the battle for health care reform, there were two strands to the narrative: Barack Obama disappointed his party’s progressive wing and tried to move over towards the center to center right to attempt to win over Republican votes and the center. And now it appears to be happening once again on the issue of drilling off America’s coast. But this time the issue is Obama’s call to end...

Comedy Central’s Jon Stewart again as expected had a field day with the RNC, Michael Steel and the bondage club mini-scandal. And at the beginning of his bit he also satirizes the media and its news decision choices. GO HERE.

A plurality of Americans believe the political maneuvers used by Democrats to secure passage of Health Care Reform were a major reason for the violence that followed, and in some cases preceded, passage of the bill. A clear majority, including 58% of Independents, believe Democratic tactics in gaining passage constituted an abuse of power. The Gallup Poll released yesterday showed Americans spreading the blame...

The firestorm over California Proposition 14 open primary initiative continues. We might expect the major parties to oppose a referendum that gives more power to the people and less to the party bosses. The main opponents of Prop 14 are the Dems and Repubs, however the minor parties have jumped on board. Unfortunately Independent Political Report, the prominent Libertarian blog, has now fallen in line (see their...

If red states like Texas see their national political influence shrinking over the next decade, they can send their complaint letters to Michele Bachmann and Glenn Beck:

Lady Gaga.

For over a year, rumors and news reports have swirled about stubbornly-chilly relations between the presidents of France and the United States. But with the French presidential couple enjoying a private dinner in the White House with the Obama’s, things seem to have changed. According to Le Figaro columnist Pierre Rousselin, the reason can be summed up in a word: pragmatism. For Le Figaro, Pierre Rousselin...

David Fitzsimmons, The Arizona Star This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to appear on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved.

If you’re a news junkie, it’s clear that over the past few months many GOPers wished RNC Chairman Michael Steele would somehow just go away. They had many complaints about him — from his allegedly big bux spending, to his foot in mouth comments, to the unforgivable sin of daring to criticize Rush Limbaugh (he apologized) — but one of their biggest complaints is that they feel that rather...

I’m really glad to see that a few Jewish bloggers have taken public issue with Jennifer Rubin’s typically inane post branding Pres. Obama as “hyperpolitical and condescending” for suggesting that Passover has a broader meaning than just the Jewish people’s liberation from slavery in Egypt three thousand (or so) years ago.

Is the American missile shield in Europe meant to defend against an Iranian missile attack, as the U.S. claims, or is it a thinly-disguised offensive weapon aimed at Russia – which endangers the nations that host it? For Romania’s AZI newspaper, Razvan Voncu warns his countrymen about turning Romania into ‘an American ballistic missile base.’ For AZI, Razvan Voncu writes in part: Thus,...

In his first interview since the passage of the landmark health care reform bill, President Barack Obama oozed confidence, reiterated his desire to work with GOPers but not at the expense of enacting change, and seemed a bit chastened by what he has learned in office about the Presidency and Washington. The interview with the Today Show’s Matt Laurer was of particular interest amid a news narrative that...

There is nothing new about one’s political opponent’s trying to define your philosophy. This is a part of politics as old as the republic, and the more stinking and fearsome you can define how your enemy thinks, the more hay you will make with the electorate. It worked so well for movement conservatives that they have chased the designation “liberal” from public discourse, perhaps for...

Harry Truman risked the permanent division of the Democratic Party, watching Dixiecrats walk out of the convention to form their own party in 1948. He stood by his convictions on desegregation with his own reelection at stake. In an act of politicallly suicidal patriotism, Gerald Ford knowingly threw away his chances to be elected President in his own right when he pardoned Richard Nixon to help the country...

Ten Commandments Movie Poster In the politically ironic story of the week, it appears that the RNC this week has been caught with its’ hand in the proverbial cookie jar at a risque night club in LA. This week is Easter, but it is also the week of Passover for people of the Jewish faith. The political irony is that Republicans (who are supposedly more moral than their left wing counterparts) are being...