The Scottish government has announced that it will ban the growing of genetically modified (GM) crops. The move is in response to new rules by the European Union (EU) that allow countries to opt out of growing EU-approved GM crops, including corn and six other crops that are expected to be authorized shortly. Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead described the move as one … [Read more...] about Scotland Is Banning GMOs, but Is It the Right Move?
Politix Update: Scott Walker Is Against Big Government. Unless He’s For It.
“It is a time when one is filled with vague longings. When one dreams of flight to peaceful islands in the remote solitudes of the sea, or folds his hands and says, ‘What is the use of struggling, and toiling and worrying anymore? Let us give it all up.' " ~ MARK TWAIN One of the abiding ironies of the conservative Republican politicians who regularly rail against … [Read more...] about Politix Update: Scott Walker Is Against Big Government. Unless He’s For It.
Donald Trump is NO Ronald Reagan, close former advisors say
Donald Trump is trying to wrap himself in the imagery of Ronald Reagan. But some who knew Reagan are making it clear they do not agree and that much of what Trump says, the tone he uses, and how he politically operates would be anathema to the Republican Party's Greatest Generation icon. Trump is increasingly saying he knew Reagan: "And he liked me. And I worked with him … [Read more...] about Donald Trump is NO Ronald Reagan, close former advisors say
The Faces of the Heroes in Train Attack in France
The U.S. Air Force has released a set of photos of the three American heroes who, through their actions, saved “countless” lives during what the Air Force describes as "a terrorist attack aboard a train headed toward Paris Aug. 21." Read more here and here. Lead photo: Airman 1st Class Spencer Stone along with Jane D. Hartly, the U.S. ambassador to France, and his two … [Read more...] about The Faces of the Heroes in Train Attack in France
(Updates) Two U.S. Troops, ‘Heroes’ in Train Attack, Named
Update III: In continuing updates, the U.K. Telegraph is providing additional details about the foiled attack on the Amsterdam to Paris train on Friday evening. The Telegraph has identified the passenger who was first to attempt to grab the gunman’s AK-47 as Mark Mooligan, an American-born professor at the Sorbonne. The Telegraph: [Mr.Mooligan] tackled the … [Read more...] about (Updates) Two U.S. Troops, ‘Heroes’ in Train Attack, Named
Occupy Argues Clinton Unfit To Run For President; Also Critical Of O’Malley & Of Multiple Republicans
The rise of Bernie Sanders has sometimes called a progression from the Occupy Wall Street movement which drew attention to the dangers of income inequality. Occupy.com recently looked at presidential candidates they consider Unfit To Lead. Their arguments against Hillary Clinton: As the junior U.S. Senator from New York, Hillary Clinton voted for not only the USA PATRIOT Act … [Read more...] about Occupy Argues Clinton Unfit To Run For President; Also Critical Of O’Malley & Of Multiple Republicans
Military Weekend: ‘Patriotism’
TMV author Patricia Smith posted an excellent essay on “patriotism,” and readers waded in with equally excellent thoughts on this concept. In my opinion, we saw a good example of patriotism -- and heroism -- in the brave actions by two American servicemen and an American civilian when all hell broke loose on a high-speed train on its way from Amsterdam to Paris. To … [Read more...] about Military Weekend: ‘Patriotism’
Germany vows to fight xenophobia after attacks on refugee home
By Madeline ChambersBERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's interior minister led calls on Sunday for a crackdown on right-wing militants and racists after a second night of scuffles between protesters and police outside a refugee shelter in an eastern German town near Dresden.Just a day after 31 police officers were hurt in violent protests against the asylum seekers, a Reuters … [Read more...] about Germany vows to fight xenophobia after attacks on refugee home
Stop digging the hole, Secretary Clinton (Guest Voice)
Stop digging the hole, Secretary Clinton Washington Post Writers Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- Dear Secretary Clinton: Your email problem has mushroomed from a self-inflicted nuisance to a self-inflicted wound. The reason is simple: At every decision point, you and your staff have made the wrong choice about how to proceed, erring on the side of … [Read more...] about Stop digging the hole, Secretary Clinton (Guest Voice)
Fact-checking Trump’s immigration plan
TRENTON -- How much of Donald Trump's recently released policy paper about combatting unauthorized immigration is accurate? FactCheck.org has posted a lengthy examination of the claims made by Trump, the billionaire businessman turned Republican presidential frontrunner. Some of the key findings: * In the nearly 1,900-word paper released Sunday, Trump's campaign calls for an … [Read more...] about Fact-checking Trump’s immigration plan
Media Are Out to Get Everyone (Guest Voice)
Media Are Out to Get Everyone By Peter Funt Journalists pass a litmus test for fairness in covering politics when both parties hate their work. It's refreshing, therefore, at this early stage of the 2016 presidential campaign, to hear Democrats criticizing so-called liberal media, and Republicans chastising conservative media. Republican Donald Trump attacked Fox News … [Read more...] about Media Are Out to Get Everyone (Guest Voice)
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s re-election bid: The power and perils of incumbency
“You know,” Stephen Harper once said, “the longer I’m prime minister . . . the longer I’m prime minister.” Aside from giving his biographer Paul Wells a clever title for his 2013 bestseller, The Longer I’m Prime Minister, Harper’s stating of the obvious was a reminder that the Conservative leader has always been in it for… … [Read more...] about Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s re-election bid: The power and perils of incumbency
Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren meet in D.C.
Vice President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Washington, D.C., on Saturday to meet with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, spurring more rumors that Mr. Biden is very close to announcing a 2016 run. Mr. Biden and Ms. Warren, who also faced early pressure from Democrats to run for the oval office, met in the vice… … [Read more...] about Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren meet in D.C.
Politicaly Correct Land Mark Names
I don't have much to say that the other TMV authors have not said already so here is a Saturday picture. This is Mt Washington in Oregon. The native Americans called it squa tit a name that continued to be used by settlers until the state of Oregon decided to "clean up" geographic names. Another example is Rooster Rock in the Columbia gorge. It was called "cock rock" by … [Read more...] about Politicaly Correct Land Mark Names
What is patriotism?
Miriam Webster's online dictionary defines patriotism as love for or devotion to one's country. Perhaps the images most associated with patriotism are of someone waving the American flag or displaying the American flag or wearing an American flag pin. The tea party members and the right wing militia groups believe themselves to be not only patriotic, but following … [Read more...] about What is patriotism?
Donald Trump Calls Martin O’Malley A Weak Pathetic Baby
Maybe the debates will help get O'Malley's campaign on track, but he will have to wait until October for that opportunity thanks to the Democratic National Committe's decision to protect Hillary Clinton. OMalley did receive some unexpected attention--an attack from Donald Trump for apologizing after offending black lives matters activists. Politco reports: Democratic … [Read more...] about Donald Trump Calls Martin O’Malley A Weak Pathetic Baby
Cartoon: Trump’s Wall
See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Trump’s Wall
It’s Time to Take on Trump (Guest Voice)
It's Time to Take on Trump by Michael Reagan Is Donald Trump the Republican Party's "Music Man"? Is he the celebrity con man who's going to lead the GOP's parade of candidates from now all the way until next November? I hope not, but so far that's exactly what the 2016 script is looking like. Trump — a political novice -- has been leading the Republican's … [Read more...] about It’s Time to Take on Trump (Guest Voice)
Two US Marines reportedly foil attack on European train
BERLIN — Two U.S. Marines on a train from Paris to Amsterdam apparently broke up what is being investigated as a possible terror attack Friday that injured three people, including one American. According to the French newspaper Le Monde, the Marines, in civilian clothes at the time, heard "the sound of a heavy weapon being loaded"… … [Read more...] about Two US Marines reportedly foil attack on European train
Drumbeat: Trump’s target is Fox, and the arrows are beginning to hit dead-center
If you Google "Trump Fox" these days, you get a raft of entries -- all suggesting (nothing new here) that Donald Trump is a "mole," that his candidacy is an effort to bring the Republican party down. That's believable, if not necessarily what's going on. A more interesting edge to the story was reiterated this morning on NPR. Is this also about Roger Ailes, Ailes' effort … [Read more...] about Drumbeat: Trump’s target is Fox, and the arrows are beginning to hit dead-center