A round up of recent posts by various bloggers who either attempt to strike a balanced note on heated debates and controversial issues, or improve our ability to find our own sense of balance by exposing us to new information and different points-of-view.
Think Progress excerpts a bipartisan letter from Governors Spitzer and Schwarzenegger to the President, “calling on him to reverse new [SCHIP] rules instituted by his administration that deny thousands of children health care coverage.”
Libby Spencer pens an extremely thoughtful post on immigration and profiling, and finally puts into words the random thoughts that have been, I’m sure, running through many of our heads; such as this one …
I’ve spent time in Third World countries, living among those who live in poverty. I’ve slept in their huts, danced at their parties and shared their meager food. If you can look into the eyes of a five year old who follows the food to your mouth like a puppy and not understand why someone would take any chance simply to lift their family out of those circumstances, well, I can. And it’s useful to remember that when our ancestors came to this country, there weren’t any immigration laws. Whose to say how many would have broken the law, if there was one, for the opportunity to do the same?
Surprise: These are not the Republican Party’s finest days. But it’s gotten so bad, Steven Benen writes:
While blogging every day, I often wonder how, exactly, someone looks at the Republican Party of 2007 — its leaders, its decisions, its priorities, its conduct — and says, “You know, that’s the party for me.â€
Meanwhile, the GTL actually hopes the GOP will turn things around:
Think I’m celebrating the demise of the Republican Party? THINK AGAIN.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Eagle needs TWO wings to fly, friends. Without intelligent discourse and a strong middle, we have an Eagle with heart murmurs, one left wing and no right wing. Does that sound good? Not to me …
Heal thyself, Republican Party …
At Stubborn Facts, Pat adds to David Schraub’s excellent exposition yesterday on centrism and moderation.
On the subject of oil, Kevin Sullivan wants public officials to stop “blaming the buyer.”
Elyas Bakhtiari looks at Saudi Arabia and Iran and asks again why the U.S. is treating them differently.
McQ and Ed Morrissey remember Richard Jewell.