Heading for a high court showdown? by Ruth Marcus Washington Post Writers' Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- Don't be so sure the Supreme Court is going to save Obamacare. Again. The question is enormously important: Are health care consumers entitled to subsidies if they buy coverage on insurance exchanges established by the federal government, as they are from state … [Read more...] about Heading for a high court showdown?
Norm Ornstein On The Republican Battle Between The Conservatives And Lunatic Radicals
Yesterday, just prior to this post at Liberal Values, I had a post quoting criticism of Hillary Clinton from Andrew Sullivan. While I am not thrilled by the prospect of Hillary Clinton being president, any Republican alternative would be far worse. With all her faults, Clinton isn’t bat-shit crazy. Norm Ornstein has written again about how extreme the Republican have become. He … [Read more...] about Norm Ornstein On The Republican Battle Between The Conservatives And Lunatic Radicals
This Week in Pantsuit Politics: Lithuania’s Karate Black Belt President Speaks Out
One need only look at the Oval Office to see that when it comes to politics, we've got a bit of a gender discrepancy. In this weekly roundup, Ravishly.com focuses on powerful political women in the news who are helping to break the proverbial glass ceiling of policy-making. Politicos, move aside. We bring you . . . politicas. Dalia GrybauskaiteLithuania's president recently … [Read more...] about This Week in Pantsuit Politics: Lithuania’s Karate Black Belt President Speaks Out
Life Changing Events
We all have events and situations that change our lives forever. For this kid from the backwaters of the Pacific Northwest it was the 4 years I lived in Munich, Germany in my early 20s. I don't think I really appreciated western civilzation before my time in Munich. It truly changed the way I looked at everything. My friends noticed when I returned to the US and said I was … [Read more...] about Life Changing Events
The ‘Power’ of Satire and the Power of Poetry
[icopyright one button toolbar] A little less than two years ago, when we were getting ready to elect a new president, or re-elect Barack Obama, I wrote a little piece at the Huffington Post that created somewhat of a mini uproar. In the article I explained why “I [Was] Voting for Mitt Romney on Nov. 7.” It was satire, of course. There were two clues I thought would … [Read more...] about The ‘Power’ of Satire and the Power of Poetry
MH17: Dutch Should Avoid America’s Post-911 Reaction (de Volkskrant, The Netherlands)
How should people in the Netherlands handle the incredible anger and sorrow that has suddenly struck after the downing of Flight MH17, in which more than 189 innocent Dutch civilians, many of them children, were killed? Continuing with our focus on the Netherlands this week, for de Volkskrant, columnist Lodewijk Pessers advises people to stay calm, and above all, not to react … [Read more...] about MH17: Dutch Should Avoid America’s Post-911 Reaction (de Volkskrant, The Netherlands)
Sullivan on Moving Left
Andrew Sullivan responds to Tom Ricks on moving left on The Daily Dish. [icopyright one button toolbar] But I am now regarded as a leftist by much of the right and to some extent, they’re right. In today’s polarized political climate, I have few qualms in backing president Obama over almost anyone in the opposition, and am genuinely insulted these days when some people call … [Read more...] about Sullivan on Moving Left
Surviving With Perspective
Perspective One of my favorite stories my dad told, he who could not read or write and was filled with hundreds of old tales: [icopyright one button toolbar] Once upon a time, an old watchmaker, the wise man of the village, drew a line in the dirt outside his cottage, and asked the children all around to make that line in the dirt shorter -- but without erasing any … [Read more...] about Surviving With Perspective
VIDEO: Snowden and Elsberg at the HOPE X Summit (Hope X, New York)
This is an extraordinary video of an exchange between Edward Snowden and the man who leaked the Pentagon Papers, Daniel Elsberg. The encounter took place on Monday at the HOPE X Hacker's summit in New York City. Snowden recieves a hero's welcome with long ovations and unmitigated praise from Elsberg, who says Snowden's emergence gave him 'hope' for the first time in many years. … [Read more...] about VIDEO: Snowden and Elsberg at the HOPE X Summit (Hope X, New York)
Cartoon: Sarah Palin
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed by Cagle Cartoons to run on TMV. Reproduction without licensing is strictly prohibited. … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Sarah Palin
West’s Sliding Scale of Human Suffering is a Gift to Putin (Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland)
The basis of the Buddhist religion is that 'life is suffering.' In that spirit, pointing to situations as diverse at the Israeli-Palestinian crisis and MH17, philosopher Jaroslaw Makowski writes in Poland's Gazeta Wyborcza that when we forget that suffering binds us all, and when we value the suffering of our own people over others, it diminishes our humanity and drives … [Read more...] about West’s Sliding Scale of Human Suffering is a Gift to Putin (Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland)
As Russia’s Isolation Grows, Oil Companies Caught in Middle (Guest Voice)
As Russia's Isolation Grows, Oil Companies Caught in Middle By Nicholas Cunningham of Oilprice.com The confrontation between Russia and the West took a turn for the worse with the downing of a Malaysian airliner on July 17, and that could spell trouble for several major oil companies operating in Russia. [icopyright one button toolbar] Just one day earlier, U.S. … [Read more...] about As Russia’s Isolation Grows, Oil Companies Caught in Middle (Guest Voice)
Another Picture From Balch Creek Canyon
While it's always rewarding when a post generates a conversation as my post yesterday did there come a time when I really do prefer to enjoy to appreciate the wonders of nature. As I noted earlier Balch Creek Canyon is where I grew up and returned after I was grown with my cameras, You may like these images but to me they are indeed precious memories. We had no computers or … [Read more...] about Another Picture From Balch Creek Canyon
In 2012, Earth narrowly escaped solar blast so powerful it could ‘knock civilization back to 18th century’
graphic (not part of original article) via shutterstock.com … [Read more...] about In 2012, Earth narrowly escaped solar blast so powerful it could ‘knock civilization back to 18th century’
Blind ideological justice
WASHINGTON -- Retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens captured our ideal when he wrote of the judge as "an impartial guardian of the rule of law." By effectively gutting the Affordable Care Act on Tuesday, two members of a three-judge panel on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals showed how far right-leaning jurists have strayed from such impartiality. We are … [Read more...] about Blind ideological justice
The Cost Of Global Warming
Here in Oregon and Washington a week ago last Sunday we had several high base thunderstorms move through. For those of you who might not be familiar with the term "high base" thunderstorm they produce plenty of lightning but little or no rain. The result was a number of wild fires in both states burning thousands of acres and many structures. The cost of wild fires has been … [Read more...] about The Cost Of Global Warming
Why Many People In The Middle Now Identify With The Left
While the country has become more liberal in some ways, the Republican Party has moved to the extreme right, and the Democratic Party has filled in the vacuum in the middle by also moving to the right on many issues. As a consequence, many people who previously considered themselves in the middle are finding that the current views of the left are closer to their views. Thomas … [Read more...] about Why Many People In The Middle Now Identify With The Left
General Dempsey Speaks on the Ukraine Crisis
[icopyright one button toolbar] Adding insult to injury -- if the cowardly downing of a passenger airliner can be couched as such -- Russian president Vladimir Putin is responding to the outrageous crime by his thugs in eastern Ukraine by escalating military aggressive actions against Ukraine. This morning, both Reuters and the Washington Post report on Russia firing … [Read more...] about General Dempsey Speaks on the Ukraine Crisis
Klein: Halbig Won’t Destroy ACA
Ezra Klein argues the Halbig decision won't gut the Affordable Care Act on Vox. The Halbig case could destroy Obamacare. But it won't. The Supreme Court simply isn't going to rip insurance from tens of millions of people in order to teach Congress a lesson about grammar. As Adrianna McIntyre explains, the Halbig case holds that Obamacare's subsidies are illegal in … [Read more...] about Klein: Halbig Won’t Destroy ACA
A Late King’s Words to Netanyahu Still Resonate Today
[icopyright one button toolbar] I have always liked and admired the late King Hussein of Jordan. In my opinion, he was a kind, wise leader -- a haven of peace, reason and steadfastness in the always-troubled Middle East. Thus I was not surprised to find very similar words in his official biography: His Majesty King Hussein bin Talal, the father of modern … [Read more...] about A Late King’s Words to Netanyahu Still Resonate Today