Despite favorable numbers on Obamacare enrollment, many Republicans continue to try to deny the positive results. Two common questions brought up are the number paying their premiums and the number of newly insured. Recently I pointed out that those claiming that as many as twenty percent are not receiving coverage due to not paying their premiums are incorrect because often … [Read more...] about Study Shows Number of Newly Insured Increased By 5.4 Million As Of Early March
Is The United States Religiously Diverse?
Via OTB, U.S. doesn’t rank high in religious diversity I think this survey has a fatal flaw. I think grouping all so called Christian religions in the United States is a false equivalency. An evangelical Christian church and a main stream Christian church are not the same religion. A Pentecostal church and the Lutheran church are not the same religion. It also does not … [Read more...] about Is The United States Religiously Diverse?
GOP NoCare (Cartoon)
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 GOP NoCare (Cartoon)
How much slime is too much slime, politically speaking? (Guest Voice)
How much slime is too much slime, politically speaking? by Richard Barry Even though the internal report commissioned by Gov. Christie’s office blamed the entire Bridgegate mess on two former aides, while absolving Christie, anyone paying even scant attention dismissed it as self-serving nonsense. Still, a lot of people don't even pay scant attention, so it might have done … [Read more...] about How much slime is too much slime, politically speaking? (Guest Voice)
Public relations experts praise David Letterman on timing of exit from CBS’ ‘Late Show’
Editor's note: David Letterman has announced that he'll be retiring. One of the more fascinating aspects of this is the way it was handled in p.r. terms. Here's a take on that via The PR News Channel: During a taping of the show, he dropped the news, saying he would retire from late night and the ‘Late Show with David Letterman‘ in 2015. “I think Dave wanted to bow … [Read more...] about Public relations experts praise David Letterman on timing of exit from CBS’ ‘Late Show’
Sullivan on Obama and History
Andrew Sullivan makes some guesses as to history's ultimate view of Barak Obama on The Daily Dish. Worse, the Republicans are now in the position of nit-picking, cold-water dousing and general negativity that tends not to wear well over time. Once again, it seems to me, they have misjudged this president’s long game. All they have now are scare stories and a narrative that … [Read more...] about Sullivan on Obama and History
Chinese ship finds ‘pulse signal’, no confirmation MH370
Chinese ship finds 'pulse signal', no confirmation MH370: Xinhua (via AFP) A black box detector deployed by a Chinese patrol ship searching for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 picked up a pulse signal in the southern Indian Ocean Saturday, state media said. It is yet to be established whether the signal detected by… … [Read more...] about Chinese ship finds ‘pulse signal’, no confirmation MH370
M is for Military Working Dog
Reading Patrick’s nice piece on what is my favorite animal, too, reminded me that it has been a while since I have posted about my favorite kind of Dog, the Military working Dog (MWD), our “four-legged warriors” So here is a quick trip through 'MWD lane' Former Marine Corps Cpl. Jeremiah Peters stretches as his service dog, Bella, rests at his feet during the 2014 … [Read more...] about M is for Military Working Dog
E Is For Error
One of the most difficult things we face in life is the possibility of error. Nobody likes to be wrong and it is only natural to want to avoid admitting it, even when we know failing to do so often makes things worse. I sometimes wonder about this in my own life. Why is it we are so reluctant to admit that we, as a human being, have acted like a human being ? I am … [Read more...] about E Is For Error
CBS’ Dream Letterman Replacement: Stephen Colbert (and he IS interested)
Now that the great David Letterman has announced that he intends to retire from Late Show as soon as next year, Mashable reports that CBS has a dream replacement: Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert. And that Colbert is indeed interested: Stephen Colbert is CBS' top choice to replace the retiring David Letterman, and has indicated that he's willing to take over the Late Show … [Read more...] about CBS’ Dream Letterman Replacement: Stephen Colbert (and he IS interested)
Clinton’s Hitler-Putin Comment Highlights Weakness of Europe (Trouw, The Netherlands)
A lot of ink has been spilled and Web pages filled over Hillary Clinton's recent remark that Vladimir Putin's justification for annexing Crimea is precisely the one Adolph Hitler used to annex various territories in Eastern Europe. For Trouw of the Netherlands, historian Patrick van Schie writes that Clinton's comments were not only accurate, they reflect another striking … [Read more...] about Clinton’s Hitler-Putin Comment Highlights Weakness of Europe (Trouw, The Netherlands)
The Next Batch of Obamacare Horror Stories – ‘They’re Acoming’
If you though that -- after the Obama administration met its target of seven million new private insurance signups under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and after disproving pretty much every Obamacare “horror story,” and after even some conservatives are “telling their brethren to stop fooling themselves into thinking the ACA will inevitably implode” -- the nation could start … [Read more...] about The Next Batch of Obamacare Horror Stories – ‘They’re Acoming’
‘Annexing’ Crimea and ‘Uniting’ Jerusalem (Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland)
Why is it that one of America's strongest allies and usual supporter of all things Western has refused to stand by sanctions against Russia for annexing Crimea? For Poland's Gazeta Wyborcza, columnist Mariusz Zawadzki writes that the answer is simple: Israel, too, has annexed nearby territory, and been widely condemned for it - in East Jerusalem. For the Gazeta Wyborcza, … [Read more...] about ‘Annexing’ Crimea and ‘Uniting’ Jerusalem (Gazeta Wyborcza, Poland)
[Brendan] Eich Carumba: The difficult marriage of politics and business (Guest Voice)
[Brendan] Eich Carumba: The difficult marriage of politics and business (via The Inquirer) THE LAST TWO WEEKS have highlighted the difficult balancing act that we must make in these modern enlightened times. Brendan Eich, Mozilla's very short-term CEO, was appointed to a position at a technology firm, and was expected to do well in that role… … [Read more...] about [Brendan] Eich Carumba: The difficult marriage of politics and business (Guest Voice)
The Clarence Thomas Court?
He may be considered as silent on the court as "Silent Cal" Calvin Coolidge was by legend (not so much in reality) as President, but is what we're really seeing now The Clarence Thomas Supreme Court? The Hill asks that question -- and makes a good case that we are indeed seeing just that: Justice Clarence Thomas’s influence was on full display in the Supreme Court’s … [Read more...] about The Clarence Thomas Court?
Golf Digest: Disrespecting Women Golfers?
Confession: I love golf. I play the game. I watch tournaments on television. But, I also have a hard time with the game’s sometimes racist and often sexist past. It was only a few years ago that Augusta National Golf Club, home to the Masters, admitted its first women members, and not much before that its first members of color. So when sexism raises it head again with … [Read more...] about Golf Digest: Disrespecting Women Golfers?
This is how the US Navy tortures whales to death (Guest Voice)
This is how the US Navy tortures whales to death (via GlobalPost) Sound literally tears through a whale. Imagine: First, a deafening sound penetrates your whole body. It's so loud you can hardly see straight. You have no idea where you are. Then, air bubbles start to form in your blood and tissue. The bubbles grow… … [Read more...] about This is how the US Navy tortures whales to death (Guest Voice)
Many Of Those Not Paying Obamacare Premiums Obtain Alternate Health Care Coverage And Remain Insured
Now that we have data on the number of people who have signed up through the exchanges there remains a question as to how many will actually pay their premiums and obtain coverage. It is not possible to have an exact number on this as coverage for those who signed up in the late April surge doesn’t start until May 1 and the premiums aren’t due until mid April National … [Read more...] about Many Of Those Not Paying Obamacare Premiums Obtain Alternate Health Care Coverage And Remain Insured
As the 70th Anniversary of D-Day Approaches, a Grateful Ally Remembers
While, politically, Franco-American relations have seen their ups and downs, the historical and cultural ties that bind the French and the American people are deep, solid and lasting -- Congressional "Freedom Fries" and other silliness notwithstanding. Recently, relations between France -- our oldest ally -- and the United States have been "especially robust" and France has … [Read more...] about As the 70th Anniversary of D-Day Approaches, a Grateful Ally Remembers
Josh Marshall on The Brittle Grip
Josh Marshall offers his third in the series on the brittle grip the ultra-wealthy believe they have on power on Talking Points Memo. Extremely wealthy people - enabled by a series of key Supreme Court decisions as recently as yesterday - want to be able to spend gargantuan amounts of money in the political process and remain essentially private persons who don't get knocked … [Read more...] about Josh Marshall on The Brittle Grip