WASHINGTON -- To understand why religious freedom matters, put yourself in the position of someone who is part of a minority faith tradition in a town or nation that overwhelmingly adheres to a different creed. Then judge public practices by how they would affect the hypothetical you. This act of empathy helps explain why religious liberty in the United States is such a … [Read more...] about A missed chance on religious freedom
An Oliphant Always Forgets
This was once a reporter, before pulling a Sharyl Attkisson. click for larger I will ladle out his swill undiluted for a paragraph or so: Progressive Bloggers Are Doing the White House's Job James Oliphant / NationalJournal.com This administration enjoys an advantage afforded no other: a partisan media that has its back, minute-by-minute. — Off the record: The Obama … [Read more...] about An Oliphant Always Forgets
Precursors of genocide in South Sudan
Navi Pillay, the UN Human Rights chief who earlier served as President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, said she recognizes many precursors of genocide in the massive human rights violations underway in South Sudan. “I recognize in this account many of the precursors of genocide: hate media including calls to rape women of a particular ethnic group; … [Read more...] about Precursors of genocide in South Sudan
Republicans dust off old scandals ahead of elections
Republicans dust off old scandals ahead of elections (via AFP) Six months ahead of crunch US mid-term elections, Republicans seeking to capture Congress have rehashed well-worn political scandals that they hope will portray the Obama administration and Democrats as abusers of executive power. Republican leaders… … [Read more...] about Republicans dust off old scandals ahead of elections
Cartoons: The Republicans and Benghazi (Guest Cartoonist)
The Republicans and Benghazi: Two Cartoons by Mike Peters OF RELATED INTEREST: --A Heat-Fever Bacchanalian Feast of Stupid --Republicans Didn't "Benghazi" Ronald Reagan Over Hundreds of GI Deaths in Lebanon --Republicans stick with Benghazi cash grab --Forget about Obamacare. Benghazi is the Republican Party’s new favorite 2014 buzzword --How Republicans Twist … [Read more...] about Cartoons: The Republicans and Benghazi (Guest Cartoonist)
Infographic: The Death Penalty in the United States
Death Penalty in the USA The Death Penalty in the USA. Produced from ArrestRecords.com … [Read more...] about Infographic: The Death Penalty in the United States
Vulnerable Democrat Takes Offensive On Obamacare
I have been writing for a while that Democrats need to take the offensive on the Affordable Care Act. As long as they fail to promote its significant accomplishments, voters will only hear the Republican misinformation. If Democrats act scared, people will assume they have something to be afraid of. I was happy to see this example of a Democrat in a tight race using Medicaid … [Read more...] about Vulnerable Democrat Takes Offensive On Obamacare
Nigerian Schoolgirls: Saving the Children – For Real (Guest Voice)
Saving the Children — For Real by Michael Reagan President Obama — three weeks late — has done something to help rescue those Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by extremist Islamist terrorists. He's sending a team of military officials and hostage negotiators to help the hapless Nigerian government track down and retrieve the 223 girls. The girls will almost certainly … [Read more...] about Nigerian Schoolgirls: Saving the Children – For Real (Guest Voice)
The consequential Obama
WASHINGTON -- Is it safe to say that Barack Obama's presidency will be remembered as the most consequential since Ronald Reagan's -- a presidency that "changed the trajectory of America" and "put us on a fundamentally different path"? That was the audacious goal Obama set for himself during his 2008 campaign. Now is a useful time to assess his progress because the sixth … [Read more...] about The consequential Obama
The GOP Circus Is Coming to Town, Again.
I seldom post excerpts of an article without adding my two-cents-worth. This piece by the New York Times Editorial Board is one of those that needs no further comment, except that it is about the upcoming Benghazi event at “Center Ring at the Republican Circus.” Get it, buy it, borrow it, do whatever it takes, but read it Image: www.shutterstock.com … [Read more...] about The GOP Circus Is Coming to Town, Again.
GOP’s Civic Virtue Deficit
William Nitze ctitiques Tea Party attempts to ally itself with the Founders and Constitution in The American Conservative. Support for the U.S. Constitution has been a consistent principle of the collection of activist conservative groups referred to as the “Tea Party,” a name that refers back to the patriots who dumped British tea into Boston Harbor rather than pay the duties … [Read more...] about GOP’s Civic Virtue Deficit
North Korea’s Racist Attacks on Obama
The White House is outraged at a “lengthy and racist North Korean screed against President Obama, calling the rhetoric from Pyongyang ‘particularly ugly and disrespectful,’” according to the Washington Post. Some of the insults hurled by the Korean Central News Agency against the President were “clown,” “dirty fellow” and somebody who “does not even have the basic … [Read more...] about North Korea’s Racist Attacks on Obama
Young blood: elixir of youth?
Young blood: elixir of youth? (via AFP) Young blood may hold the long-sought cure for the decline of the ageing brain, according to research which showed injections of juvenile mouse blood boosting learning and memory in older rodents, scientists said Sunday. Multiple blood transfusions from… … [Read more...] about Young blood: elixir of youth?
Reality Versus Republicans On The Affordable Care Act
Last fall was a wonderful time for Republicans. Their fortunes changed quickly after it looked like they were in serious trouble over another threat to shut down the government. Then healthcare.gov started out a failure and there were stories about people receiving letters canceling their insurance coverage. The Republican luck didn't last. The web site was fixed (with some … [Read more...] about Reality Versus Republicans On The Affordable Care Act
A Bit Of Walton Wisdom
It is interesting where you sometimes will pick up a bit of wisdom. Today I got a little while watching an old episode of The Waltons. Those who watched the show may remember the character of Cora Beth Godsey. She was often a source of bemusement for the others as she tried to live the life of the sophisticate in the backwoods of Virginia. While they were polite to her face … [Read more...] about A Bit Of Walton Wisdom
The End of American Empire? Get Serious! (Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland)
President Obama is mercilessly assailed by Republicans and others for being weak, and America is increasingly called a nation in decline. Is the United States as frail and decrepit as some people fear, and others hope? For Poland's Gazeta Wyborcza, columnist Mariusz Zawadzki writes that such claims are laughable, as demonstrated by any number of statistics that show America is … [Read more...] about The End of American Empire? Get Serious! (Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland)
Fracking and Shaking
The state of Oklahoma is not known for earthquakes but for the first three months of 2014 Oklahoma had more earthquakes than California. Now the USGS has issued it's first earthquake warning for a state east of the Rockies. Mile for mile, there are almost as many earthquakes rattling Oklahoma as California this year. This major increase in seismic shaking led to a rare … [Read more...] about Fracking and Shaking
Cartoon; Benghazi Hearings
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; Benghazi Hearings
National Climate Assessment Predicts Dire Consequences from Global Warming
According to the National Climate Assessment, a scientific report released May 6, climate change is not something reserved for our children's children in the distant future. Rather, global warming is happening right now and is affecting society in a major way. This year's National Climate Assessment was compiled by a large panel of climate scientists, and reviewed and … [Read more...] about National Climate Assessment Predicts Dire Consequences from Global Warming
The Flaw in Obamacare
There's good news and bad news about Obamacare. The good news is some 8 million Americans have signed up for health care, and the national uninsured rate is dropping. The bad news is an estimated 5 million "working poor" Americans can't get insurance because they're considered too poor. Others can get stuck in bureaucracy. Meet a San Diego friend who I'll call Tim Parker. … [Read more...] about The Flaw in Obamacare