Many Americans probably yawned when they saw the news that Spain's King Juan Carlos decided to abdicate the throne in favor of his son, Prince Felipe. But they should have been in awe of the King's name. He's a historical figure who displayed guts despite personal danger in helping modern-day Spain become a democracy. The reign in Spain has been anything but plain. On two … [Read more...] about Juan Carlos’ Courageous Reign in Spain
Cartoon: Student Loan Debt
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: Student Loan Debt
The Brat Win in Virginia
Gingrich explains Brat win in Virginia “What the Republican establishment and the Chamber of Commerce don’t understand is that there’s a large element of America that wants a fight,” said former Speaker Newt Gingrich. “If you’re a conservative, you think Barack Obama is literally destroying the country you love. And you watch your leadership and they seem unwilling to … [Read more...] about The Brat Win in Virginia
Wordsmiths
A brief non political post and I will mostly do those in the future. In my 68 years I have been a spy, a scientist and an engineer. But I have always loved and appreciated literature. There are authors and writers and then there are wordsmiths - craftsmen of the English language. They are rare but I have three special favorites. Alduos Huxley is the first, in addition to … [Read more...] about Wordsmiths
Mike Peters Guest Cartoon: the Tea Party Beats Eric Cantor
The Tea Party Beats Eric Cantor by Mike Peters OF RELATED INTEREST: ---M-U-S-T READ: 11 political lessons from Eric Cantor’s loss --CNN: 7 Reasons why Eric Cantor lost --Will Virginia be biggest loser from Eric Cantor’s defeat? --CANTOR LOSES, AND WASHINGTON GOES APE Mike Peters is recognized as one of our nation's most prominent cartoon artists for his … [Read more...] about Mike Peters Guest Cartoon: the Tea Party Beats Eric Cantor
Peak Pollution: China Aims For The Top So It Can Go Down (Guest Voice)
Peak Pollution: China Aims For The Top So It Can Go Down By Nicholas Cunningham of Oilprice.com City-dwelling Chinese may still be choking on smog, but amid all the haze, China may turning a corner in its fight on pollution. Top Chinese officials have hinted at the fact that China is working hard to achieve "peak" greenhouse gas emissions, which may come sooner than … [Read more...] about Peak Pollution: China Aims For The Top So It Can Go Down (Guest Voice)
Cartoon: Another school shooting
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: Another school shooting
Blip or bombshell, Tea Party again makes mark on Washington
Blip or bombshell, Tea Party again makes mark on Washington (via AFP) The Tea Party keeps jolting American politics, with Republicans struggling Wednesday to grasp implications of the ouster of one of their political masters who despite his stature failed to crush an insurrection from within. House Majority Leader Eric… … [Read more...] about Blip or bombshell, Tea Party again makes mark on Washington
Cohn on Cantor’s Loss
Jonathan Cohn interprets Eric Cantor's GOP primary loss in The New Republic. But Cantor’s loss sure looks like a reminder that the GOP establishment may not have so much control after all. If so, it seems only fitting that Cantor, who repeatedly stoked Tea Party frustrations in order to undermine Boehner, would himself fall to a Tea Party challenger. As my colleague Danny … [Read more...] about Cohn on Cantor’s Loss
How long will Dave Brat last if he’s against the biggest, worstest people in Washington?
His win signals that it's not just the policies supported by the BRT and the Chamber that are under threat. The business lobby groups and big firms themselves have increasingly become political targets--along with any lawmakers who are seen as working closely with them. ...JiaLynnYang,WaPo Really, one has to wonder. Brat won, it is said, thanks to his outspoken … [Read more...] about How long will Dave Brat last if he’s against the biggest, worstest people in Washington?
Seven Key Takeaways From Eric Cantor’s Shocking Defeat
Seven Key Takeaways From Eric Cantor’s Shocking Defeat (via Moyers & Company) No incumbent majority leader had lost a seat in Congress since 1899, when the post was first created. Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) broke that streak last night. He’s announced that he’ll step down from leadership within weeks. Cantor’s stunning defeat… … [Read more...] about Seven Key Takeaways From Eric Cantor’s Shocking Defeat
The State of Our ‘Culture’ in One Photo and Five Words
Bulletproof blankets for our schoolchildren* ~.~ * Sorry, eight words: For tornadoes, too. Read more/Image: Protecht/FB … [Read more...] about The State of Our ‘Culture’ in One Photo and Five Words
Hillary Clinton Avoided Hard Choices
I did consider ordering Hillary Clinton's new book, Hard Choices, but my but feeling was that if she has any intention of running for president she would avoid saying anything controversial (or interesting). Michael Scherer's review for Time reinforces this, confident that the book was written by (or actually for) someone who is definitely planning to run: Without the reality … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton Avoided Hard Choices
Eric Cantor and the tea party purge
WASHINGTON -- In 1961, John F. Kennedy said: "In the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside." In November of 2010, Eric Cantor said: "The tea party are ... an organic movement that played a tremendously positive role in this election. I mean, certainly, it produced an outcome beneficial to our party when you're picking up … [Read more...] about Eric Cantor and the tea party purge
The Sarah Palinization Of The Mainstream Media: Why It Continues To Allow Itself To Be Co-Opted
I have been reading books about and by Sarah Palin lately. Two reasons for this: I am contemplating collaborating with a scholar on a book about the Palin Birth Hoax and the mainstream media's cowardly retreat from the likelihood that she faked a pregnancy in the run-up to the 2008 presidential election. And although I do not believe that there is an ounce of genuineness in … [Read more...] about The Sarah Palinization Of The Mainstream Media: Why It Continues To Allow Itself To Be Co-Opted
Sabato: Eric Cantor’s loss to Tea Partier “stunning”
Eric Cantor loses US House seat in shock upset (via AFP) In a stunning defeat, number-two House Republican Eric Cantor has been ousted by a more conservative primary challenger who delivered a body blow to the Republican establishment. Majority Leader Cantor, a powerful party insider who was widely seen as… … [Read more...] about Sabato: Eric Cantor’s loss to Tea Partier “stunning”
Washington Post gives op-ed soap box to pseudo-academic rant
Call it the "Buzzfeed-ization" of headline writing, but this one from Tuesday's Washington Post op-ed section is a doozy: One way to end violence against women? Stop taking lovers and get married. The data shows that #yessallwomen would be safer hitched to their baby daddies. WaPost - "One way to end violence against women? Stop taking lovers and get … [Read more...] about Washington Post gives op-ed soap box to pseudo-academic rant
Hillary’s pre-campaign campaign
WASHINGTON -- The curse of inevitability isn't likely to ruin Hillary Clinton's presidential ambitions, assuming she has them. Not this time. Playing the role of president-in-waiting is the most precarious high-wire act in American politics. Clinton found that out in 2008, when a charismatic young senator from Illinois launched a wildly improbable campaign and somehow … [Read more...] about Hillary’s pre-campaign campaign
Why No Mention of Domestic Right-wing Terrorism?
Why No Mention of Domestic Right-wing Terrorism? By Dick Polman Two right-wing losers, locked and loaded, strode Sunday into a Vegas pizza shop and executed two cops - a classic case of domestic terrorism. Yet nobody wants to use the "T" word. The losers dumped the dead cops on the floor, sprinkled them with Nazi swastikas, covered them with a replica 18th-century "Don't … [Read more...] about Why No Mention of Domestic Right-wing Terrorism?
Cartoon: The Solution to Government
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: The Solution to Government