On Thursday, August 13, a very special segment of the Berlin Wall was unveiled at the U.S. Diplomacy Center in Washington, D.C. (above), presently under construction. It is one of approximately 54,000, 2.6 ton reinforced concrete slabs, each measuring over 10 feet high and 4 feet wide, that were used to construct the infamous Wall. On the 25th anniversary of the … [Read more...] about The Berlin Wall: Where Is it Now?
Ending Birthright Citizenship As A Republican Rallying Cry
Donald Trump's newest enemy isn't another presidential candidate or celebrity TV host. It's a constitutional amendment from 1868. In his first policy paper, the real estate tycoon laid out Sunday his plan to reform immigration in the United States. He proposed a wall along the border with Mexico, improved job security for Americans and the end… … [Read more...] about Ending Birthright Citizenship As A Republican Rallying Cry
‘The Cartel’: A love letter to Mexico (Book Review)
'The Cartel': A love letter to Mexico by Esther J. Cepeda Washington Post Writers Group CHICAGO -- Don Winslow's epic new novel, "The Cartel," about Mexican drug lord Adan Barrera's desperate moves to stay on top of a quickly changing political and competitive landscape, couldn't have been released at a better time. The book, which begins with a Joaquin "El … [Read more...] about ‘The Cartel’: A love letter to Mexico (Book Review)
Breaking News: The Northwest Wildfires – Active Duty Troops Deployed (Updated)
Update: The National Interagency Fire Center: For the first time since 2006, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho is mobilizing active duty military personnel to serve as firefighters to assist with wildfire suppression efforts. Currently, approximately 95 large wildfires are burning about 1.1 million acres in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, … [Read more...] about Breaking News: The Northwest Wildfires – Active Duty Troops Deployed (Updated)
Cartoon: Democrats Panicking
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: Democrats Panicking
Jeb Bush, seemingly perfect on paper, just hasn’t caught on with GOP voters
DES MOINES, Iowa — On paper, Jeb Bush is the perfect establishment candidate for the Republican presidential nomination: A two-term governor of a crucial swing state who oversaw economic expansion and spearheaded education reform. A conservative, but with a cerebral, optimistic tone that probably won't enrage moderate voters, unlike the unabashed social-issue warriors in the … [Read more...] about Jeb Bush, seemingly perfect on paper, just hasn’t caught on with GOP voters
Why I like Jeb Bush (Guest Voice)
Why I like Jeb Bush by Jordan Cooper Once people begin to start to look at the facts people they'll be able to see unrequited truths: Jeb Bush was taught to be a man and stand up for bringing out the best in America as its leader. He could honestly boost any American's life if he is in national public office. For too long already, the liberal media has tried to sketch … [Read more...] about Why I like Jeb Bush (Guest Voice)
A Real Argument Against the Iran Deal
Josh Marshall speculates on what may be the real (but unspoken) argument against the Iran deal in some quarters of the Middle East on Talking Points Memo. With all the commentary about the Iran, it is worth noting that there is an argument against the deal. It's just not one that most opponents feel able or comfortable making publicly. It goes something like this. The … [Read more...] about A Real Argument Against the Iran Deal
Life Imitates The Simpsons
Homer Simpson and company were ahead of their time. Some gags in their show are now reality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . In 1998, Homer and his family were able to eat airplane food without … [Read more...] about Life Imitates The Simpsons
Donald Trump and the Republican Base
Ezra Klein has a great piece up over at VOX: The Republican Party doesn’t want to believe its voters agree with Trump. But they do. The Republican Party wants to believe that Trump's success is only because of his star power but it's not. A majority of the Republican base agree with his position on issues as vague as they may be. The Republican contenders for the … [Read more...] about Donald Trump and the Republican Base
Cartoon: Jeb Bush Super PAC
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: Jeb Bush Super PAC
Politix Update: For Jeb Bush, Money Can’t Buy Him Love — Or The Presidency
It's been a tough summer for America's two leading family political dynasties. Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush were once seen as locks on their party's presidential nominations, but Clinton's campaign is encountering rough seas, while Bush's campaign has never left port, although in the end -- and with the 2016 election still a distant 15 months away -- these dog-day travails may … [Read more...] about Politix Update: For Jeb Bush, Money Can’t Buy Him Love — Or The Presidency
Drawing a Line In the Oil Sands (Guest Voice)
Drawing a Line In the Oil Sands by P.J. Sullivan Since President Bush signed an executive order in 2004 to require presidential approval of any oil pipeline crossing the U.S. border, eight applications have been processed, with an average review time of 478 days. The outlier is the still-pending Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to Texas. TransCanada Corp. applied for … [Read more...] about Drawing a Line In the Oil Sands (Guest Voice)
Carson suggests Obama is ‘anti-Semitic’ with Iran deal
Did he REALLY say that? Yep. Is there no cliche, no trite phrase not cliche enough or not trite enough to be used in 21st century polemics? Note I won't say political "discussion." Gone are the days of actual ideas and debating policy points. We're in the era of the name-calling. It's all about defining those who dare to see things differently through their own political prism. … [Read more...] about Carson suggests Obama is ‘anti-Semitic’ with Iran deal
Trumpism and the center: when Yeats comes knocking
WASHINGTON -- W. B. Yeats' "The Second Coming," written in 1919, is my nominee for the most cited poem in political commentary. The line invoked most -- "The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity" -- is irresistible. It's always tempting to assume that the side we oppose brings vast reservoirs of demonic energy to bear against our own sad … [Read more...] about Trumpism and the center: when Yeats comes knocking
Hunting for a miracle on global warming (Guest Voice)
TMV NOTE: Due to a technical issue that will soon be resolved, this column is run under a different byline above. It is a replacement column for a vacationing columnist. The byline issue will soon be fixed. Hunting for a miracle on global warming by Michael Gerson WASHINGTON -- In recognition that Internet questionnaires get more eyeballs than earnest … [Read more...] about Hunting for a miracle on global warming (Guest Voice)
SciFi Weekend: Hannibal; Mr Robot; Jessica Jones; Patrick Stewart; DC Television Universe; Star Wars Expansion at Disney; The Last Ship; Person of Interest; Homeland August 16, 2015 — Ron Chusid | Edit
...And The Beast From The Sea continued the portrayal of Red Dragon on Hannibal, and provided the first glimpse of Hannibal Lecter wearing the mask he is famous for in the movies. Hannibal remained in contact with the Tooth Fairy, and even joked about using personal ads or notes on toilet paper to facilitate this in a reference to the novel where this was a more substantial … [Read more...] about SciFi Weekend: Hannibal; Mr Robot; Jessica Jones; Patrick Stewart; DC Television Universe; Star Wars Expansion at Disney; The Last Ship; Person of Interest; Homeland August 16, 2015 — Ron Chusid | Edit
Clinton Had A Good Joke, But Her Violations Of Government Policy Are No Laughing Matter
Someone on Hillary Clinton's writing staff has a sense of humor, and extra points to Clinton if she thought up this joke by herself: “You may have seen that I recently launched a Snapchat account. I love it. I love it. Those messages disappear all by themselves.” The joke is funny, but the email scandal is no laughing matter. Back when George W. Bush was in office, we … [Read more...] about Clinton Had A Good Joke, But Her Violations Of Government Policy Are No Laughing Matter
Fond memories of Julian Bond (Guest Voice)
Fond memories of Julian Bond By Rabbi Ben Kamin ENCINITAS, California — Julian Bond, who has unexpectedly died at 75, did not think of civil rights as matter of color. With his distinguished baritone enunciation and meticulous choice of words, he fought for the human rights of black people, for gender equality, and like his mentor, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he stood … [Read more...] about Fond memories of Julian Bond (Guest Voice)
Did Morton Downey, Jr set the tone for today’s politics? (with VIDEOS)
Did the late, loud and confrontational talk show host Morton Downey Jr. influence the tone of today's politics? I've long contended that American politics now resembles a combination of political sports team worship, professional wrestling -- and a talk show where anger and rage takes priority over thought and solutions. Downey most assuredly played a role in what we see (and … [Read more...] about Did Morton Downey, Jr set the tone for today’s politics? (with VIDEOS)