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The Moderate Voice

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The Best Opening Scene

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I am willing to debate, swap, change and listen to any suggestions on other film scenes for spots ten to two, but I simply won’t have any of it when it comes to my number one. Inglorious Basterds isn’t even close to being Quentin Tarantino’s best film but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a very good film. Basterds’ main issue is that it is very unbalanced. There are a number of … [Read more...] about The Best Opening Scene

Mississippi Federation of College Republicans chairman resigns, joining Democrats

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It isn't only Reagan Democrats, (increasingly extinct) moderate Republicans, independents and traditional conservatives who are being turned off by Tea Party Republicans and the more extreme parts of the party's talk radio political culture. It's also some young Republicans. And now there's a bit of news that is bad "branding" for far-right conservatives: a top young Republican … [Read more...] about Mississippi Federation of College Republicans chairman resigns, joining Democrats

Hillary is not finished

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WASHINGTON -- In politics, as in many endeavors, it helps to be underestimated. In this sense, Hillary Clinton is doing great. Clinton's book tour, which bears some resemblance to a presidential campaign, is being portrayed as some kind of disaster. Her attempt to portray her family as less than fabulously wealthy was bad; her effort to justify that pretense was worse. … [Read more...] about Hillary is not finished

Conservative Activist Court Rules That Employers Can Impose Their Religious Views On Employees In Hobby Lobby Case

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Republicans have long claimed that Roe v. Wade was an act of an activist court to impose liberal views upon them, energizing many religious conservatives to turn out to vote for them. Today's Supreme Court decision allowing come companies to avoid the requirements in the Affordable Care Act to include contraception on religious grounds might do the opposite. This decision will … [Read more...] about Conservative Activist Court Rules That Employers Can Impose Their Religious Views On Employees In Hobby Lobby Case

Supreme Court Limits Contraception Mandate (A Little) [More Analysis]

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>In a predictably split opinion in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, the Supreme Court today limited the reach of the Affordable Care Act's requirement that employers provide health care coverage that includes contraception. The Court held that closely held corporations (corporations that are not publicly traded but instead have all their shares held by a small number of people, usually … [Read more...] about Supreme Court Limits Contraception Mandate (A Little) [More Analysis]

Supreme Court Limits Compulsory Union Membership

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A split Supreme Court has issued its opinion in Harris v. Quinn, holding that Illinois' requirement that home-health-care providers join a union or else pay an "agency fee" to the union is unconstitutional under the First Amendment. The Court rejected Illinois' argument that the Court should rely upon a previous decision holding that public-sector -employee unions could … [Read more...] about Supreme Court Limits Compulsory Union Membership

Supreme Court Rules For Hobby Lobby

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The US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 today in favor of Hobby Lobby and their objections to the birth control mandate portion of the Affordable Care Act. The opinion appears to be narrowly drawn with applies to "closely held" companies. In other words in the case of Hobby Lobby the company is family owned and thus there is a small group with a clear religious point of view. The … [Read more...] about Supreme Court Rules For Hobby Lobby

Supreme Court Rules Against Forced Union Membership

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The US Supreme Court issued two final rulings today. In Harris v. Quinn the Court voted 5-4 that certain workers can opt out of being members of public unions and cannot be forced to pay dues. The case involved home health care workers who were paid by the state and do not want to join the union. The case was decided on a relatively narrow basis and applied to these … [Read more...] about Supreme Court Rules Against Forced Union Membership

The Best Opening Movie Scenes (part 4)

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3 The Sound of Music (1965) Things are usually iconic for a reason, and in the case of The Sound of Music it is because it is simply a sublime film. I don’t think I have ever met a human being who has never seen this film, and it is almost impossible not to sing along with Maria after she has stopped twirling. My thing with this opening is that it is just so … [Read more...] about The Best Opening Movie Scenes (part 4)

Sarah Palin’s Lost Email

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When not inventing conspiracy stories regarding Benghazi, conservatives are preoccupied with conspiracy theories about the IRS, primarily spread by looking at investigations of conservative groups while ignoring similar investigation of progressive groups. The lost email has further excited them, despite a policy of only backing up email on IRS servers for about six months, … [Read more...] about Sarah Palin’s Lost Email

The vital incoherent center

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WASHINGTON -- Here's one political paradox: A substantial majority of Americans do not fit neatly into the conventional "liberal" and "conservative" boxes, yet there is no coherent political center. Those who dream of a middle-of-the-road third party are destined to be disappointed. Here's another: Groups broadly sympathetic to the Democratic Party significantly … [Read more...] about The vital incoherent center

Eve of ‘The War That Didn’t End All Wars’

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Yesterday, June 28, marked the 100th anniversary of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, an event that would spark World War I. The Defense Department has put together an excellent collection of time lines, maps, photos and videos of World War I, including some amazing, historic footage that captures rare moments of the … [Read more...] about Eve of ‘The War That Didn’t End All Wars’

World Cup 2014: If It’s Tuesday, It Must Be Belgium

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The last time the United States played Belgium was in a friendly match in 2013 when Belgium beat the U.S. 4-2. Since then, Team USA has come a long way and will be facing “dangerous" Belgium again Tuesday, but this time in a World Cup Round of 16 game, reaching the knockout stage in consecutive World Cups for the first time in the team’s history. Statisticians, experts … [Read more...] about World Cup 2014: If It’s Tuesday, It Must Be Belgium

Close down the clinics? No problem. Access to abortion is flourishing here in Texas.

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Close down the clinics? No problem. Access to abortion is flourishing here in Texas. Erica Hellerstein calls it "do-it-yourself" abortion, but don't flip out. We're not talking coat hangers. We're talking "miso." We're talking open air markets around Texas and particularly here, in the south. Customers browse simple items—miracle-diet teas, Barbie dolls or … [Read more...] about Close down the clinics? No problem. Access to abortion is flourishing here in Texas.