New Jersey and Virginia: a tale of two elections (via PBS News Hour) By: Terence Burlij and Katelyn Polantz President Obama delivers remarks at a McAuliffe campaign event at Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia on Sunday. Photo by Pete Marovich/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesWhen voters in New Jersey and Virginia… … [Read more...] about New Jersey and Virginia: a tale of two elections (Guest Voice)
Another Drunk Comparison
Thomas Friedman applies the analogy to our Tea Party infected political system after a recent trip to Singapore in The New York Times. Whether we were feared or loved, America was always the outsized standard by which all others were compared. What we built and what we dreamt were, to many, the definition of the future. Well, today, to many people, we look like the definition … [Read more...] about Another Drunk Comparison
The Supreme Court Episode 1: NLRB v. Canning
This is the first in what I plan to be a series of weekly posts about pending cases before the United States Supreme Court. In each of these postings I hope to offer a review of a particular case, the background behind it and a look at where it might go in the future. This week we will take a look at the case of National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning This case … [Read more...] about The Supreme Court Episode 1: NLRB v. Canning
Military Drone Strikes: The Debate Continues (Updated)
UPDATE: A weekend news analysis piece in the New York Times highlights what some may call the unintended consequences of drone killings and which others may classify in the “you can’t win for losing” or “I’ll never understand” column. Referring to the Friday drone killing of Hakimullah Mehsud, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban, who “was Public Enemy No. 1: a ruthless … [Read more...] about Military Drone Strikes: The Debate Continues (Updated)
Two Time Zones?
Yesterday I had a rant on the foolishness of Daylight Savings Time. But this is something that hadn't even occurred to me, the foolishness of four time zones. First a case against Daylight Savings Time: It would seem to be more efficient to do away with the practice altogether. The actual energy savings are minimal, if they exist at all. Frequent and uncoordinated time … [Read more...] about Two Time Zones?
“Masters of Sex” Clueless About Love
The premium cable network Showtime has cornered the market on glossy cynicism, pairing its “Homeland” hit with “Masters of Sex,” now renewed for a second season. Just as the Claire Danes soap opera reduces politics and patriotism to a mindless round of betrayals, the newer series feeds viewers’ voyeurism with nude scenes of heartless copulation, made guilt-free by the … [Read more...] about “Masters of Sex” Clueless About Love
GOP 2016 Presidential Hopeful NJ Gov. Chris Christie Berates Yet Another Teacher
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a 2016 presidential hopeful, seems to have a problem with teachers. How else can you explain the temper tantrum he threw when South Jersey teacher Melissa Tomlinson dared to ask him a question at a political rally in Somers Point: New Jersey’s governor, Chris Christie, has a long history of teacher bashing – not just teachers union bashing, but … [Read more...] about GOP 2016 Presidential Hopeful NJ Gov. Chris Christie Berates Yet Another Teacher
Australia’s Murdoch Newspapers Lying to Public About Climate Change, Says Study Author (Guest Voice)
Australia's Murdoch Newspapers Lying to Public About Climate Change, Says Study Author (via Desmogblog) CONSIDER the following two statistics together. Research into the peer-reviewed science of climate change found that between 1991 and 2011, 97 per cent of studies agreed that climate change is caused mostly by humans. Research into the reporting of… … [Read more...] about Australia’s Murdoch Newspapers Lying to Public About Climate Change, Says Study Author (Guest Voice)
Rand Paul’s Book Had Three Pages Plagiarized From Think Tanks
One of the mini-controversies this week has been increasing evidence that Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul repeats things word for word taken from Wikipedia. Now it emerges that he also uses copy-and-paste-from-others in published form, too -- you know, the kind of plagiarism that would get a college student expelled from many colleges. But, then, in our national politics there really … [Read more...] about Rand Paul’s Book Had Three Pages Plagiarized From Think Tanks
Amid War and Atrocities, a (Bronze) Sign of Peace
In the midst of the fighting and the killing of innocents, “a giant bronze statue of Jesus has gone up on a Syrian mountain, apparently under cover of a truce among three factions in the country’s civil war,” reports the Washington Post. The 12.3-meter (40 feet) bronze statue, the result of an eight-year effort by Samir al-Ghadban, run by the London-based St. Paul and St. … [Read more...] about Amid War and Atrocities, a (Bronze) Sign of Peace
Why GOP Scrooges Really Hate the Poor
Scrooge lives in our minds as a morally crippled miser who begrudges aid for the unfortunate because of his own shriveled soul. Dickens, never the most subtle novelist, enlightens him through miraculous visions. What would it take to convert today’s GOP from its “Bah, humbug” campaign against the poor? What could change politicians willing to let food-stamp help for … [Read more...] about Why GOP Scrooges Really Hate the Poor
GOP: Women Love Jumping Through Hoops
GOP: Women Love Jumping Through Hoops By Jason Stanford Women of Texas, Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott is here to tell you how good you have it. In fact, he recently said, "I'm proud to say there is nobody in the state of Texas who has done more to fight to help women than I have in the past decade." You'll have to excuse the man. He's running for governor, and … [Read more...] about GOP: Women Love Jumping Through Hoops
Will GOP Obstructionism Trigger Nuclear Option? (Guest Voice)
Will GOP Obstructionism Trigger Nuclear Option? (via LA Progressive) Senate Republicans are looking for a fight with the president. This much was clear when they used the power of the filibuster to block the nomination of Rep. Melvin Watt (D-North Carolina) to lead the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which oversees… … [Read more...] about Will GOP Obstructionism Trigger Nuclear Option? (Guest Voice)
LA gunman planned to kill ‘multiple’ TSA agents: FBI
LA gunman planned to kill 'multiple' TSA agents: FBI (via AFP) The gunman who opened fire at Los Angeles airport, killing one security agent, carried a note saying he planned to kill "multiple" officers, the FBI said Saturday. The handwritten note, found in a bag taken into the airport, showed that he "made a conscious… … [Read more...] about LA gunman planned to kill ‘multiple’ TSA agents: FBI
The Habit of Goodness
The image is at the top of the street I live on. When people, places and things push my buttons I work on changing my attitude. The practice involves pausing and remembering our basic goodness. That can be difficult when dealing with people who seem to have the need to be right all the time. For some, any opinion is better than saying “I’m not sure”. I can help change my … [Read more...] about The Habit of Goodness
How Do We Know When We Are In Trouble?
How do we know we are in trouble? When Peter King(R,NY) is the voice of sanity. Rep. Peter King (R-NY) on Friday continued to criticize conservatives and their effort to defund the health care law led by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX). "I wish some of these guys that want to be national leaders would speak out. I don't know anybody else who did it besides me during this time," … [Read more...] about How Do We Know When We Are In Trouble?
Republican blame fingerpointing begins in Virginia Governor’s race — before the vote is even taken
You know a campaign is in trouble when before the votes are even taken a nearly frenzied burst of fingerpointing begins centering on why the campaign failed and was so lousy -- before the vote is even taken. That's what's going on in the long-time bellwether state of Virginia which seems to be a reflection of the national scene: a not-great, flawed Democrat is seemingly … [Read more...] about Republican blame fingerpointing begins in Virginia Governor’s race — before the vote is even taken
Clintons Circle the Wagons for 2016
An ocean away from Washington, Mrs. Clinton unbends enough to admit, “I’m minded to do it.” At a reception in Scotland after an honorary degree from St. Andrews University, she finally responds to repeated pressure about 2016. Be that a single-malt slip or not, it’s a start. Her remark comes after another “leak,” revelation that all 16 women in the US Senate, including … [Read more...] about Clintons Circle the Wagons for 2016
Live Coverage of Submarine North Dakota Christening
This should be neat. Watch live coverage of the Navy's christening of its newest attack submarine North Dakota, today, Saturday, Nov. 2, during an 11 a.m. EDT ceremony at a General Dynamics Electric Boat shipyard in Groton, Conn. Watch the event at Navy.mil, or The Pentagon Channel's web cast. Image: The Virginia-class attack submarine Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) … [Read more...] about Live Coverage of Submarine North Dakota Christening
McConnell Staffer: SCF Like a Drunk
Daniel Strauss reports on the latest GOP quote of the day on Talking Points Memo. Mitch McConnell's chief of staff -- currently assigned as a senior staffer at the National Republican Senatorial Committee through the 2014 election -- compared the Senate Conservatives Fund to a drunk making a ruckus at a bar. "S.C.F. has been wandering around the country destroying the … [Read more...] about McConnell Staffer: SCF Like a Drunk