Hearing an echo on Benghazi by Dana Milbank Washington Post Writers Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- House Republicans on Wednesday held Benghazi hearing number 1,372,569, give or take, and this time they were determined to find the proof that had eluded them in the previous 1,372,568: that Obama administration officials had put politics before national … [Read more...] about Hearing an echo on Benghazi
‘Fissures’ in Europe: Putin, Propaganda, and Patriotism (Handelsblatt, Germany)
In the United States, the pitched battle in Europe over Putin's annexation of Crimea remains almost an untold story. Far from closing ranks against Russia's activities, a large segment of the continent is sympathetic to Moscow's position. For Germany's Handelsblatt, columnist Wolfram Weimer lays out the economic, historic and political reasons that this fissure on the continent … [Read more...] about ‘Fissures’ in Europe: Putin, Propaganda, and Patriotism (Handelsblatt, Germany)
More Rare Historical Photos in Color (Photo video and colorized comedies videos)
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I like colorization. It's a scientific advance that can enhance some black and white movies and when used on historic photos it makes the person -- and their time -- much more...like...now. Here's another collection of rare historic photos in color: Here's the first collection of photos and colorized film that ran on … [Read more...] about More Rare Historical Photos in Color (Photo video and colorized comedies videos)
Affordable Care Act Meets its Registration Goal
Last October, the Affordable Care Act's insurance-registration website was moved to live at healthcare.gov. At the time, the site's unveiling was nothing short of a disaster. Few people were even able to access the site at all, and those who could were not able to register for health insurance. Critics of the Affordable Care Act experienced a sort of schadenfreude and took the … [Read more...] about Affordable Care Act Meets its Registration Goal
Texas Gubernatorial Candidate Getting Education Policy From a White Supremacist?
Texas Gubernatorial Candidate Getting Education Policy From a White Supremacist? By Jason Stanford After unsuccessfully mansplaining equal pay for three weeks, Greg Abbott, the Republican frontrunner for Texas governor, finally changed the subject by citing the work of conservative libertarian scholar Charles Murray, a "white nationalist" who opposes universal pre-K. … [Read more...] about Texas Gubernatorial Candidate Getting Education Policy From a White Supremacist?
What the Supreme Court is up to
Jeffrey Toobin has been keeping track. "McCutcheon" is nothing compared to what's coming next. If you think that the Supreme Court’s decision today in McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission was bad, just wait: worse may be on the way. The issue before the Court was fairly narrow, even a little obscure. Congress bars individuals from contributing more than … [Read more...] about What the Supreme Court is up to
Good News On Obamacare Enrollment Leading To More Favorable Coverage
Democrats have suffered damage from the Affordable Care Act far more from negative press than actual negative results. Of course they make the problem far worse by running away as opposed to standing up for the successes of the Affordable Care Act. Two stories last fall did the most harm–the failed roll out and news of people receiving cancellation letters. The computer … [Read more...] about Good News On Obamacare Enrollment Leading To More Favorable Coverage
C Is For Cookie
In pondering what theme to pick for today's post I considered a number of options ranging from charity to calypso but in the end I decided to settle on a childhood (and adult) favorite.. C is for Cookie. Of course we all know this from Sesame Street and I think we all still enjoy humming the tune to ourselves but I wanted to take things an extra step. When we look back at … [Read more...] about C Is For Cookie
One dead, 14 wounded in Fort Hood shooting
One dead, 14 wounded in Fort Hood shooting (via AFP) One person was killed and 14 wounded Wednesday in a shooting at the Fort Hood US military base, scene of a deadly 2009 rampage, officials said. The Texas base said a gunman was initially reported killed, but it could not confirm media reports that the… … [Read more...] about One dead, 14 wounded in Fort Hood shooting
A Blistering Dissent in ‘McCutcheon’: Conservatives Substituted Opinion for Fact
A Blistering Dissent in ‘McCutcheon’: Conservatives Substituted Opinion for Fact (via Moyers & Company) Central to the Supreme Court’s campaign finance decisions in the John Roberts era is that the government’s only legitimate interest in this area is preventing direct, quid pro quo corruption — a donor demanding that a specific law be passed, or… … [Read more...] about A Blistering Dissent in ‘McCutcheon’: Conservatives Substituted Opinion for Fact
Lessig: Supreme Court McCutcheon ruling turning U.S. into “Sheldon City”
Last year Harvard University Law Professor Lawrence Lessig wrote the eBook "Lesterland: The Corruption of Congress and How to End It," which detailed how big money corrupts both parties in Congress, and how lobbyists even market gridlock as a political strategy. In light of the Supreme Court ruling in the McCutcheon case, he has sent out email for Rootstrikers, which defines … [Read more...] about Lessig: Supreme Court McCutcheon ruling turning U.S. into “Sheldon City”
A War Of Words Doesn’t Have To Involve Fighting
A Global Crossing of Wildly Popular World Leaders. The Rock Star Pope Greets The Superman President. The View From The Virgin Islands By John McCarthy TMV Columnist President Obama met with Pope Francis last week in Rome. That’s when I learned that the phrase “conscientious objection” no longer means what we thought it means. The President … [Read more...] about A War Of Words Doesn’t Have To Involve Fighting
MH370 (Cartoon)
https://politicalgraffiti.wordpress.com/2014/04/02/mh370/ Copyright 2014 David Donar. All rights reserved. Copyright Donar, Political Graffiti … [Read more...] about MH370 (Cartoon)
The Donald Rumsfeld I Got to Know
Fellow contributor Shaun Mullen discusses the recent and lengthy four-part New York Times op-ed series by Errol Morris, an op-ed that focuses on former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s “lack of ability to discriminate between truth and fantasy,” on his “gobbledygook philosophy that — seemingly paying lip service to empiricism — devalued evidence and made a mockery of … [Read more...] about The Donald Rumsfeld I Got to Know
Obamacare Enrollment Surpasses Seven Million
The number of people purchasing insurance under the Affordable Care Act has exceeded seven million. This slightly surpasses initial predictions. This also surpasses the reduced prediction of six million made by the Congressional Budget Office as a result of the initial IT problems, (with more expected to sign up in future years) and shows that conservative opponents of … [Read more...] about Obamacare Enrollment Surpasses Seven Million
Missing Airliner Brings Back Fear of Flying
Endless fascination with the Malaysian airliner goes on, rippling out to TV commercials unseen now for decades: courses for those afraid to fly. The condition has a scientific name, pteromerhanophobia, afflicting the famous from football commentator John Madden to comic Whoopi Goldberg, and bringing back memories of my own struggles with the condition. Briefly in World … [Read more...] about Missing Airliner Brings Back Fear of Flying
Can Rand Paul Really Get the 2016 GOP Nomination?
He's the GOP's emerging conservative "rock star" who sets the base on fire. But can he go the distance? Is it realistic to think that Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul can really get the 2016 Republican Presidential nomination and usher in a new GOP era in more ways than one? Or does he have too much political hubris -- some of it from his father? If you believe a series of polls of … [Read more...] about Can Rand Paul Really Get the 2016 GOP Nomination?
Citizens United Expanded (McCutcheon v. FEC)
For those who thought the U. S. Supreme Court might be chastened by the reaction to its Citizens United decision and be reluctant to expand that thinking further, I regret to inform you that your hopes have been officially dashed. In today’s decision, McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission, the Court has ruled, very much relying on Citizens United, that aggregate limits on … [Read more...] about Citizens United Expanded (McCutcheon v. FEC)
GOP candidates kiss up to billionaire
GOP candidates kiss up to billionaire by Dana Milbank Washington Post Writers Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- Who wants to marry a billionaire? John Kasich does. So do Scott Walker, Chris Christie and Jeb Bush. When Sheldon Adelson, the world's eighth-richest person, according to Forbes, let it be known that he was looking for a Republican candidate to … [Read more...] about GOP candidates kiss up to billionaire
The undervaluing of George H. W. Bush
Democrat Ned Lamont, the darling of liberals when he defeated Connecticut Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman in the 2006 Democratic primary, has it right: George H. W. has been undervalued as President -- and I'm predicting he will get his historical due. Here's part of what he writes in RealClearPolitics: Presidential surveys put him in the middle of the pack, but he should be … [Read more...] about The undervaluing of George H. W. Bush