Perhaps it is because everyone is enthralled by Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s admission that he smoked crack cocaine “probably in one of [his] drunken stupors.” Perhaps it is because everyone is mesmerized by the horror stories on the Obamacare website glitches. Perhaps it is because everyone has been (shameless self-promotion alert!) glued to my Tidbits from Down … [Read more...] about Where Are the Kudos for the Progress in Removing Syria’s Chemical Weapons Threat?
The Rand Paul Plagiarism Scandal (Guest Voice)
The Rand Paul Plagiarism Scandal (via Plagiarism Today) Update: After this article was finished, but shortly before it was published, Senator Paul announced that he is restricting his office to prevent future plagiarism occurrences. When it comes to plagiarism in politics, in particular U.S. politics, there… … [Read more...] about The Rand Paul Plagiarism Scandal (Guest Voice)
OOPS (Cartoon)
https://politicalgraffiti.wordpress.com/2013/11/06/o-o-p-s/ Copyright 2013 David Donar. All rights reserved. Copyright Donar, Political Graffiti … [Read more...] about OOPS (Cartoon)
2013 Election Results: Republican Establishment and RINOS aren’t dead
Attention new and old media: it may be time to change the narrative. The 2013 election results showed the Republican establishment and RINOs aren't dead and that, in fact, if the GOP wants to win elections -- quite seriously a big if, when you're talking about the party's hard-core, far right ideoligists -- there are clear lessons to be learned. One: the Tea Party isn't dead … [Read more...] about 2013 Election Results: Republican Establishment and RINOS aren’t dead
The danger of “rational” bias (Guest Voice)
The danger of “rational” bias by Peter Johnson Recently Duncan Ross, a Baptist Pastor in Duluth Minnesota, wrote a “Local View” opinion letter to The Duluth News Tribune—one of our local newspapers. In it, he lamented that during the last 20 years “actual definitions of words gradually have been altered in order to formulate arguments that sound traditional and reasonable … [Read more...] about The danger of “rational” bias (Guest Voice)
So magnificent he needed killin’ (Guest Voice)
So magificent he needed killin' by Fred Wehner In the photograph, this Captain Macho holds up the head of an eight-point buck he just shot. “It was running,” he crows, clearly seeking more praise than if it had been standing still, when all he’s really saying is that the animal was trying to get away. There will be folks who find that as tragic as I did. My wife … [Read more...] about So magnificent he needed killin’ (Guest Voice)
A Trimmer Chris Christie is Off and Running for 2016
It's a good thing he slimmed down because he's running. The worst-kept secret in politics is clearly now even less of a secret. With his whopping re-election win, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is in 2016 Republican Presidential nomination-seeking mode. The only questions are whether he'll do it his way (center right), or eventually the base's way (inch far right) -- and … [Read more...] about A Trimmer Chris Christie is Off and Running for 2016
Democrats increasingly worried over Obamacare negatives
One of the arguments Democratic partisans made in favor of the Affordable Health Care Act was that once it started up and Americans got to know it, the Democrats would own it. The problem now is that the start up has been one of the worst start ups for a program in American history and some Americans are getting a bad first impression of it. The result: Democratic politicians … [Read more...] about Democrats increasingly worried over Obamacare negatives
November 6, 1968
Forty Five years ago today November 6th was also a Wednesday but one that changed the course of my life. It was the day after a National election. I woke up that morning realizing that everyone I had voted for had lost and then traveled to downtown Portland to report for the draft. I had graduated from college in June and knew it was coming but the Vietnam war was in full … [Read more...] about November 6, 1968
Rand and Ron Paul’s Literary Libertarianism
The feisty Kentucky Senator, formerly an eye doctor, has been reading other people’s charts--by the pageful. Accused last week of including chunks from Wikipedia in stump speeches, he is now caught lifting sections for an article he “wrote” for the Washington Times. He comes by his problems with authorship congenitally. In 2011, while running for President, his father Ron … [Read more...] about Rand and Ron Paul’s Literary Libertarianism
Republican establishment beats Tea Party in Alabama runoff
The big news this election night will be about Republican New Jersey Gov Chris Christie winning (as expected) re-election, Democrat Terry McAullife winning (as expected but not as big as expected) in the Virginia Governor's race, and New York Democratic liberal Bill de Blasio getting a landslide win his campaign for New York City Mayor. But the most significant in terms of the … [Read more...] about Republican establishment beats Tea Party in Alabama runoff
Washington Times ends Rand Paul’s column due to plagiarism charges
The Washington Times is saying "buh bye" to Kentucky Senator Rand Paul's column amid a host of plagiarism allegations. All that was missing was Donald Trump saying his famous two words: U.S. Sen. Rand Paul acknowledged Tuesday he had failed to properly source material in published writings, including a column in The Washington Times, after a string of embarrassing … [Read more...] about Washington Times ends Rand Paul’s column due to plagiarism charges
Democrat de Blasio elected New York Mayor in landslide
Talk about sea change. In New York, progressive Democrat Bill De Blasio was elected mayor in a landslide in a seeming voter rejection of NYC's political and economic status quo -- a massive electio victory that will automatically make De Blasio one of the Democratic Party's most prominent elected: Bill de Blasio, who transformed himself from a little-known occupant of an … [Read more...] about Democrat de Blasio elected New York Mayor in landslide
No blowout: McAuliffe squeaks through victory in Virginia Governor’s race
So much for pundit's prognostications of a massive repudiation of the Republican Party and Tea Partiers in particular in the Virginia governor's race. Democrat Terry McAuliffe defeated far right Tea Partier Republican Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli but not with a margin anywhere as many predicted. The result? It's unlikely to be seen as a massive repudiation of the Tea … [Read more...] about No blowout: McAuliffe squeaks through victory in Virginia Governor’s race
Five years in, Obama morphs into Bush poll numbers
Yep. It has finally happened: President Barack Obama's poll numbers -- and popularity -- have morphed into President George W. Bush's. There are a host of reasons why, and partisans will choose the one that fits their agenda and bias. But Yahoo gives us the facts: When President Obama first ran for the White House in 2008, it was with the promise to turn the page on the … [Read more...] about Five years in, Obama morphs into Bush poll numbers
Is Unemployment in Juan Williams’ Future?
I would think that defending Obamacare while employed by Fox News might lead there. … [Read more...] about Is Unemployment in Juan Williams’ Future?
Christie easily wins New Jersey re-election: Virginia Governor’s race too close to call
CNN and other news organizations are now calling the New Jersey Governor's race an easy and impressive win for GOPer Chris Christie -- but the emerging narrative of Virginia's Governor's office being taken by a Democrat due to backlash against the Tea Party has not yet happened: the Virginia race is being called too close to call: New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has won … [Read more...] about Christie easily wins New Jersey re-election: Virginia Governor’s race too close to call
Gerson on GOP Reality
Former Bush staffer Michael Gerson lays out the reality of his party in The Washington Post. Tea party candidates — recall Sharron Angle, Christine O’Donnell, Richard Mourdock and Todd Akin — often lose winnable races. Tea party primary challenges, and the fear of them, encourage a harsher ideological tone among sitting Republican legislators, undermining their … [Read more...] about Gerson on GOP Reality
Live election 2013 election results
TMV will have posts throughout the evening on today's political races. For a great page giving live election results GO HERE. … [Read more...] about Live election 2013 election results
All eyes are on races in New Jersey and Virginia tonight
Contests in Virginia, New Jersey are highlight of off-year election (via PBS News Hour) By: Terence Burlij and Christina Bellantoni Voters line up at a polling station at Spring Hill Elementary School in McLean, Virginia Tuesday. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty ImagesThe polls are open. The closing arguments have been made. And by the end of… … [Read more...] about All eyes are on races in New Jersey and Virginia tonight