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The Moderate Voice

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Is This Country Getting Better or Worse?

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[icopyright one button toolbar] When the religious right turned itself into a political action tool, they changed the very nature of our country. Republicans aligned themselves to their movement. It represents a large block of votes. That is what politicians focus on when they are campaigning—blocks of votes. Career politicians spout a lot of rhetoric on the campaign … [Read more...] about Is This Country Getting Better or Worse?

Could a Democratic Congress ruin a Republican president’s tenure?

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[icopyright one button toolbar] Could a Democratic Congress ruin a Republican president's tenure? Sure, if the Republican Congress "sues" our current Democratic president. Turnabout is fair play. But the kind of childishness Republicans have been engaged in damages the country, not just a few misguided politicians. Vox analyzes the possibility of Boehner's suit … [Read more...] about Could a Democratic Congress ruin a Republican president’s tenure?

SciFi Weekend: Extant, The Last Ship, and other Summer Shows; Community and other Genre Comedy; Arrow; Doctor Who Leaks; Harry Potter; Time Travel Lover

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We were spoiled by the high quality of television shows airing in late spring, including Orphan Black, Continuum, Hannibal, Fargo, and Game of Thrones. The summer season does not look like it will come close, but at least we have come a long way from the days in which we were limited to the major networks which only aired reruns. So far Extant appears to be the most promising. … [Read more...] about SciFi Weekend: Extant, The Last Ship, and other Summer Shows; Community and other Genre Comedy; Arrow; Doctor Who Leaks; Harry Potter; Time Travel Lover

Boehner Throws Small Business Owners Under The Bus In Order To Find Suit To File Against Obama

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The weakness of Republican efforts to paint Barack Obama as a dictator who has been abusing his presidential powers have been shown to be a sham with John Boehner's attempt to find grounds for a law suit against Obama. Boehner, in a desperate attempt to ward off the Tea Party fanatics who are pushing for impeachment, decided on filing a frivolous law suit against Obama instead. … [Read more...] about Boehner Throws Small Business Owners Under The Bus In Order To Find Suit To File Against Obama

Signs are Chris Christie is running for President: Rhetoric Veers Right

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[icopyright one button toolbar] There are now signs that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is gearing up to try and get the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination. And if you don't believe me, well, then let me tell you a convincing story about how major traffic on a famous bridge linking New York and New Jersey was completely caused by a traffic study and then exploited by a … [Read more...] about Signs are Chris Christie is running for President: Rhetoric Veers Right

1994 – The Year The Internet Came Of Age

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I think it was in 1994 that I first installed a modem in my very slow PC and signed up with America On Line.  Via Andrew Sullivan, Leon Neyfakh thinks that 1994 was the year that the internet became a major part of our lives not just a tech curiosity. The Web had existed for a couple of years as a kind of insiders’ tech experiment, and the Internet had been around longer. But … [Read more...] about 1994 – The Year The Internet Came Of Age

Military Retirees: Light ‘Em Up – at Your Own Risk.

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[icopyright one button toolbar] I am a military retiree. In the back of my mind I knew that retired members of the armed forces (who are entitled to pay) are still subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). As a hopefully law-abiding retiree I have never given it much thought, however. Furthermore, it was my understanding that if a retiree was ever … [Read more...] about Military Retirees: Light ‘Em Up – at Your Own Risk.

Is Conservatism Genetic?

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Tom Edsall reviews the evidence in The New York Times. In “Obedience to Traditional Authority: A heritable factor underlying authoritarianism, conservatism and religiousness,” published by the journal Personality and Individual Differences in 2013, three psychologists write that “authoritarianism, religiousness and conservatism,” which they call the “traditional moral values … [Read more...] about Is Conservatism Genetic?

Mideast Turmoil Could Rally Neocons to Hillary (Le Figaro, France)

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Is Hillary Clinton positioning herself to win the 'Dick Cheney' vote? For France's Le Figaro, world affairs columnist Pierre Rousselin writes that the turmoil in Iraq and Syria, if Republicans nominate a candidate with more isolationist tendencies like Rand Paul, is likely to result in significant neocon-Republican support for the former first lady. For Le Figaro, Pierre … [Read more...] about Mideast Turmoil Could Rally Neocons to Hillary (Le Figaro, France)

Good Bye Miami

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One of the bastions of climate change denial is Miami, Florida.  Ironically it may be one of it's first victims.  Not everyone in the area is in denial, the South Miami mayor recently referred to Senator Marco Rubio as an idiot. Sen. Marco Rubio's (R-FL) views on climate change have apparently not won him any favor in Miami. Experts say that sea-level rise could easily … [Read more...] about Good Bye Miami

Robert Stein, veteran journalist, magazine editor, book editor, blogger and TMV co-blogger dies at 90

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Robert Stein, the veteran Greatest Generation journalist, magazine editor, book editor and, later in life, superb blogger, has passed away. He was a co-blogger here at TMV, admired by its writers and readers. I also had the pleasure of visiting him for a few hours at his Connecticut home about 7 years ago. His son Keith put this post on Bob Stein's blog Connecting the … [Read more...] about Robert Stein, veteran journalist, magazine editor, book editor, blogger and TMV co-blogger dies at 90

A Day in the Life of a President – in Austin, Texas

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As most know, President Obama traveled to Austin this week where, according to the White House, he simply “sat down for coffee with a letter writer, delivered a speech on the economy, and grabbed some lunch at a local BBQ joint.” Of course the President did much more than that. For example, that unassuming “delivered a speech” represents, in my opinion, one of the best, … [Read more...] about A Day in the Life of a President – in Austin, Texas

This Week in Pantsuit Politics: Elizabeth Warren vs. Hillary Clinton, and an Ode to Harriet Harman

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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 Ravishly.com roundup, we focus 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. Elizabeth WarrenWhile Elizabeth Warren has … [Read more...] about This Week in Pantsuit Politics: Elizabeth Warren vs. Hillary Clinton, and an Ode to Harriet Harman

The Cleveland Celebrezze Built Had Week Of triumph

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JFK Library [icopyright one button toolbar] Historic Tidbit: When Abe Ribicoff stepped down as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare in 1962, President Kennedy told an aide to replace him with “that little Italian from Cleveland.” The aide offered the position to Mayor Anthony Celebrezze. Some wonder if Kennedy meant Ohio’s Governor Mike DiSalle, though Bobby Kennedy … [Read more...] about The Cleveland Celebrezze Built Had Week Of triumph