A little diversion on this anniversary day, and one that makes a good point. … [Read more...] about X-Box vs. Rice
Presidential evolution: JFK before and after
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 Presidential evolution: JFK before and after
Thanksgiving with the Cheneys (Guest Voice)
Thanksgiving with the Cheneys By Dick Polman "The holiday turkey sure looks grand this year," Dick Cheney said. "Why don't we go around the table and say what we're thankful for?" Daughter Mary squeezed Heather Poe's hand and declared, "I'm thankful for my wife." "Daddy, there she goes again!" daughter Liz yelled. "She keeps trying to promote her agenda!" "Get off … [Read more...] about Thanksgiving with the Cheneys (Guest Voice)
Rhino poaching nearly outpaces births, group warns
Rhino poaching nearly outpaces births, group warns (via AFP) Deaths of rhinos by poaching are fast approaching a tipping point, with the number of endangered creatures killed annually nearly outnumbering births for the first time, international experts warned Friday. South Africa is the epicenter of the crisis… … [Read more...] about Rhino poaching nearly outpaces births, group warns
How It Felt November 22, 1963: One Story
I woke up feeling good that Friday morning. Someone using my face had been on an eight-day swing of Minneapolis, Detroit and now Chicago, like a politician, selling a version of himself in hotel dining rooms, on morning TV and late-night radio, in offices and auditoriums, not for votes but pages of magazine advertising by making himself more affable to strangers than the … [Read more...] about How It Felt November 22, 1963: One Story
Fifty Years Ago
Fifty years ago, I was sitting in a high school geometry class in Montreal when the intercom came on, piping in a live radio report that John F. Kennedy had been shot. The same thing had happened a little more than a year before, when the intercom and radio informed us that Russian warships had turned back from Cuba. On that October day, I walked to the bus stop, not knowing … [Read more...] about Fifty Years Ago
Willful Perversion of Senate Tradition
David Kurtz shares the thoughts of a former GOP Senate staffer on the filibuster situation on Talking Points Memo. And willful perversion of the Senate's rules is what the Senate Republicans committed themselves to. It is idle to complain about Sen. McConnell as if he were holding up nominees and legislation by himself. Nearly every Republican Senator -- including people like … [Read more...] about Willful Perversion of Senate Tradition
Oswald Acted Alone
We already have some very eloquent posts about the tragic events of this day so I am not going to try and top them. Nor am I going to write a long post explaining my position since it is not going to change any minds. But Oswald acted alone. Period No conspiracy, no CIA plot, no LBJ agenda in Texas, no space aliens on the grassy knoll. A sad sick demented man … [Read more...] about Oswald Acted Alone
Reading Corner: Nixon and Mao
Although we are mostly a political and social commentary site I also think we can do our readers a service by providing them with commentary and reviews on good books, movies and the like. Recently I had the pleasure of reading the above book which is about the week Richard Nixon spent in China during February of 1972. For those of us who look back on this event as history … [Read more...] about Reading Corner: Nixon and Mao
America Remembers
Fifty years ago. Older Americans remember. Younger Americans reflect. … [Read more...] about America Remembers
Nov. 22, 1963: The collective GASP from the junior high audience
It was 2:35 EST on November 22, 1963 at Amity Regional Junior High School in Bethany, CT and this was my big moment. It was my first run for student council. My first-ever talk before an extremely large audience. The auditorium was brimming with a captive 7th and 8th graders gathered to listen to candidates, and I was trying to convince them to choose me for … [Read more...] about Nov. 22, 1963: The collective GASP from the junior high audience
What Happened to the Makin Atoll Marine Raiders?
Veterans Day was two weeks ago, Memorial Day will not be for another six months. I just became aware of an unbelievably heart-wrenching yet uplifting story about some of our World War II troops -- a story that does not need any special occasion to be told. All we need to do is step away for a few minutes from the politics of the day and read and watch. So without any … [Read more...] about What Happened to the Makin Atoll Marine Raiders?
Europe’s Price for Trade Talks Must Be End to U.S. Impunity (Le Temps, Switzerland)
Must America be dragged kicking and screaming back to the concept of civilized behavior - by its wallet? For Switzerland's Le Temp, lawyer and analyst Christophe Germann argues that in order to preserve 'the European mission' to spread peace and justice and preserve cultural and biological diversity, it must insist in trade talks with the United States that Washington begin … [Read more...] about Europe’s Price for Trade Talks Must Be End to U.S. Impunity (Le Temps, Switzerland)
AEI’s Ornstein on Senate Filibuster Changes
Senate Democrats have made historic changes on filibuster rules. Sahil Gapur shares AEI's Norm Ornstein's take on Talking Points Memo. Norm Ornstein, a congressional scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, told TPM that Republicans forced Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to "go nuclear" after his Democratic majority took the historic step Thursday … [Read more...] about AEI’s Ornstein on Senate Filibuster Changes
Some Reflections on Today’s Dire Predictions Following the Execution of the ‘Nuclear Option’
I ask our readers’ indulgence for two reasons. First, for musing (some may wish to call it “crowing” or "making light of" -- it’s their call) over some of the faux outrage that is being expressed today around the beltway after Democrats got some spine and put a stop to the blatant abuse of the filibuster by Republicans in the Senate. As Eugene Robinson so eloquently put … [Read more...] about Some Reflections on Today’s Dire Predictions Following the Execution of the ‘Nuclear Option’
Obama’s statement on Senate passing Nuclear option now and in the past (Videos)
President Barack Obama gave this statement on the Senate passing the nuclear option on filibusters: Like all but a handfull of partisan on each side, Obama's position on ending the filibuster has flipped. Writing this sentence means 1)the political false equivilency police will come after me 2) many will point out how the GOP has abused filibuster use, which is easily … [Read more...] about Obama’s statement on Senate passing Nuclear option now and in the past (Videos)
Enough of GOP obstruction
WASHINGTON -- Way to nuke 'em, Harry. It was time -- actually, long past time -- for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to invoke the "nuclear option" and ask his colleagues to change the Senate's rules. This isn't about partisan politics. It's about making what has been called "the world's greatest deliberative body" function the way the Framers of the Constitution … [Read more...] about Enough of GOP obstruction
A Couple Odd Kennedy Factoids
With tomorrow being the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination I thought I'd post a couple odd factoids. This week we also saw the 150th anniversary of Gettysburg and there was a minor controversy over President Obama failing to attend. But that was not the first time a President turned down an invitation. In 1963 President Kennedy was invited to the … [Read more...] about A Couple Odd Kennedy Factoids
DEMOCRATS USE “NUCLEAR OPTION” — AND POLITICAL RADIATION SPREADS (News and blog reaction roundup) UPDATED
Senate Democrats have dropped the "f" bomb. After concluding Republicans are not making a good-faith effort to evaluate President Barack Obama's judicial appointments but are simply trying to keep Obama from appointing judges of his ideological choice, Democrats have removed the right of the minority to filibuster on most Presidential judicial nominees. Supreme Court … [Read more...] about DEMOCRATS USE “NUCLEAR OPTION” — AND POLITICAL RADIATION SPREADS (News and blog reaction roundup) UPDATED
Typhoon Haiyan: Aid and Relief Efforts Continue
In the aftermath of most major disasters, reports inevitably appear of alleged graft and corruption and of slow, inefficient or insufficient aid and relief efforts. It is, and will be, no different with Typhoon Haiyan. The good news is that aid, donations and support continue to pour and, in fact, are being stepped up. Here are images of our Marines, Sailors and Airmen … [Read more...] about Typhoon Haiyan: Aid and Relief Efforts Continue