WASHINGTON -- Republican panic at the prospect of facing Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race has suddenly reached Godzilla-nearing-Tokyo proportions. The election is more than two years away, and Clinton hasn't even decided whether to run. But none of this seems to matter to the GOP strategists and spinmeisters who are launching the whole arsenal at her -- … [Read more...] about Clinton gets the GOP treatment
Scott Walker’s anti-Obamacare snark, and the Catch-22 that may turn him out of office (Guest Voice)
Scott Walker's anti-Obamacare snark, and the Catch-22 that may turn him out of office (via Uppity Wisconsin) Gov. Scott Walker looks more and more like Milo Minderbinder, the war-profiteering rapscallion in Joseph Heller's famous satirical novel, “Catch-22.” Minderbinder is an Army Air Force officer in World War II who believes “the business of government… … [Read more...] about Scott Walker’s anti-Obamacare snark, and the Catch-22 that may turn him out of office (Guest Voice)
Health Care Policy Briefs: Early Retirement, The Two Americas, Sabotaging Obamacare, Marijuana Not A Gateway Drug, And The Pentagon’s Plan For The Zombie Apocalypse
Five health care policy items today: Goldman issued a report on how availability of health insurance allows people the option of retiring early (or as Republicans would put it, become takers) as opposed to waiting until they qualify for Medicare. The found that "the annual probability of retirement--i.e., what share of workers of a given age will retire within the next … [Read more...] about Health Care Policy Briefs: Early Retirement, The Two Americas, Sabotaging Obamacare, Marijuana Not A Gateway Drug, And The Pentagon’s Plan For The Zombie Apocalypse
The Real Problem With Manufacturing
I spent my most working career in manufacturing. Initially it was as a production operator but most of it as a manufacturing engineer. I found both rewarding. As the economy improves manufacturing is returning to the United States but there is a problem - the people who have customarily filled the manufacturing jobs are aging and retiring and the young people are not … [Read more...] about The Real Problem With Manufacturing
Christie’s former campaign manager says Governor knew of bridge closing in advance
New Jersey Gov. Christ Christie's presidential hopes aren't symbolized by a growing rose these days, but a piece of toast. The latest blow is a big one: his former campaign manager now claims Christie was told of the politically motivated George Washington Bridge closing in advance: Gov. Chris Christie’s former campaign manager says he told the governor about plans to … [Read more...] about Christie’s former campaign manager says Governor knew of bridge closing in advance
Is Sears Crashing and Burning?
How sad to read this. Soon it'll be "Buh-bye Sears...": Sears has been on a downward spiral almost since the day it merged with Kmart in 2005. And that plunge seems to be picking up speed. The company said this week that it may sell its 51% stake in Sears Canada, which operates nearly 20% of the company's stores worldwide. It has quietly closed nearly 100 U.S. … [Read more...] about Is Sears Crashing and Burning?
Climate Change May Be a Threat to National Security
Recently, the U.S. government released its third National Climate Assessment, which was compiled by more than 300 experts overseen by a federal advisory committee. The report had somewhat dire, foreboding findings about the current state of our climate. In the past, people were aware that climate change was a possibility, but global warming was also talked about as if it were a … [Read more...] about Climate Change May Be a Threat to National Security
Now, the Military Jumps on the Climate Change Bandwagon
Another bastion of Liberalism, the U.S. Military, swears allegiance to the crazy climate change myth. Commenting on a report published by the CNA Corporation Military Advisory Board -- a leading government-funded military research organization -- which finds that the “accelerating rate of climate change poses a severe risk to national security and acts as a catalyst for … [Read more...] about Now, the Military Jumps on the Climate Change Bandwagon
Newspapers Dropping Comics – Not a Smart Move (Guest Voice)
Newspapers Dropping Comics - Not a Smart Move by Tom Richmond It is with great disappointment, and no small amount of confusion, that I learned of the New York Post's recent decision to entirely drop the comics page from its publication. As the current president of the National Cartoonists Society, and being that the NCS is an organization of professional cartoonists among … [Read more...] about Newspapers Dropping Comics – Not a Smart Move (Guest Voice)
Inauguration today: 9/11 Museum which takes painful look into tragedy outrage
Museum takes painful look into 9/11 attacks (via AFP) President Barack Obama inaugurates Thursday a museum commemorating the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the culmination of three years of delays, controversy and financial woes as he opens a memorial to an event that changed America. On the eve… … [Read more...] about Inauguration today: 9/11 Museum which takes painful look into tragedy outrage
Josh Marshall on Obama and Race
Josh Marshall discusses the GOP freak-out over President Obama on Talking Points Memo. For years, we've had a running conversation about how much or whether the often vitriolic, seemingly gut level opposition to President Obama is tied to his race as opposed to simple partisanship, opposition to policies and more. It's a tangled question since supporters and opponents each … [Read more...] about Josh Marshall on Obama and Race
One Way Obamacare Is Lowering Insurance Premiums
While insurance policies purchased through the exchanges and Medicaid expansion (or blocking it in many red states) have obtained the bulk of the publicity regarding the Affordable Care Act, there are many other aspects to the law. (No, Sarah Palin, establishment of death panels is not one of these). In the last post I looked at the benefits of enabling students to remain on … [Read more...] about One Way Obamacare Is Lowering Insurance Premiums
Cartoon: Brain Damage
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: Brain Damage
Escape from video games to world of human interaction (Guest Voice)
Escape from video games to world of human interaction By Jonas Jacobs LA JOLLA, California — As I grew up, I discovered I loved the theater. I thought that theater was important to people of all ages. But for me, theater was more than entertainment; it became my dedicated hobby. I believe many children today don’t have a hobby and instead play video games alone … [Read more...] about Escape from video games to world of human interaction (Guest Voice)
On Rudeness and Incivility (Guest Voice)
On Rudeness and Incivility By Tom Purcell What do you mean Americans have gotten ruder?" "Poll after poll has been showing it in recent years. More than 70 percent of the respondents questioned in an Associated Press poll believe people are ruder than they were 20 or 30 years ago." "Why would that be?" "Life is moving faster these days. Companies are employing … [Read more...] about On Rudeness and Incivility (Guest Voice)
New Yorker: Abramson fired as New York Times editor because she demanded equal pay
The media world was rocked by two bombshells today. The first was the news story that New York Times editor Jill Abramson was abruptly fired by Arthur O. Sulzberger Jr., the publisher of the paper and the chairman of The New York Times Company. The Time's own story said he " told a stunned newsroom that had been quickly assembled that he had made the decision because of … [Read more...] about New Yorker: Abramson fired as New York Times editor because she demanded equal pay
Knox Trial Shows in Italy, Guilty Fare Better than Innocents (Altri Mondi, Italy)
It would appear that Italians are just as suspicious of the murder verdict against Amanda Knox as a majority of Americans seem to be. For Italy's Altri Mondi, columnist Giorgio Dell'Arti issued this indictment of the Italian justice system, writing that when going to trial in that country, defendants are better off being guilty than innocent. For Altri Mondi, Giorgio … [Read more...] about Knox Trial Shows in Italy, Guilty Fare Better than Innocents (Altri Mondi, Italy)
Young Earning More Due To Obamacare Thanks To Remaining On Parents’ Insurance Plan & Conservatives Distort Report On Narrow Networks
Two health care items today, one on a benefit of the Affordable Care Act and another on a news item which conservatives are distorting to attack Obamacare. First the positive news. I have discussed the benefit of the Affordable Care Act freeing people from the "insurance trap" in which they take jobs they otherwise would not want to work at purely to obtain health insurance. … [Read more...] about Young Earning More Due To Obamacare Thanks To Remaining On Parents’ Insurance Plan & Conservatives Distort Report On Narrow Networks
(Updates) #BringBackOurGirls with #SomeHelpFromOurTroops
Update II: Fox News and others are claiming that a “Leahy Law Makes It Harder To Bring Back Our Girls.” You see, they claim, “a 1997 law known as the Leahy Amendment is complicating the joint effort with Nigerian forces. The law, named for its sponsor, Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., bars U.S. forces from working with militaries, or units within them, accused of chronic human … [Read more...] about (Updates) #BringBackOurGirls with #SomeHelpFromOurTroops
Now you can own Dracula’s castle
Now you can own Dracula’s castle (via GlobalPost) Count Dracula never lived in Bran Castle, in the Transylvania region of Romania, because he was a fictional character. But look, it’s a Gothic-looking castle in Transylvania — plus, Vlad the Impaler, the historical figure who inspired Bram Stoker… … [Read more...] about Now you can own Dracula’s castle