BREAKING: Gunshots reported near US Capitol building. House of Representatives under lockdown. Cops seen sprinting outside. Capitol police officer injured. US Capitol police send out shelter in pace notice to all Capitol Hill staff. NBC employee on @msnbc: 10 or 15 gunshots in rapid succession; police were chasing a black vehicle up Constitution Ave in DC … [Read more...] about Capitol Police Confirm Shots Fired Near Capitol Hill, Female Suspect Dead
A Call to Arms Against ‘American Exceptionalism’ (Izvestia, Russia)
Is the notion of American exceptionalism a danger to the world and its march toward equality in all its forms? For Russia's Izvestia, columnist Boris Mezhuyev calls on 'the best of the world's philosophers, the heads of traditional churches and representatives of all the world’s religions, and countries' to join with Russia in depositing American exeptionalism into the dustbin … [Read more...] about A Call to Arms Against ‘American Exceptionalism’ (Izvestia, Russia)
Senate Chaplain: Stop The Madness
Senate Chaplain Barry Black had a message for lawmakers in his morning prayer to open the Senate today. Read this excerpt and see what you think. Looks like he may have his head on straighter than many of those with whom he shares the chamber. Have mercy upon us, oh God, and save us from the madness...We acknowledge our transgressions, our shortcomings, our smugness, our … [Read more...] about Senate Chaplain: Stop The Madness
Poll: Republicans not making headway on convincing public over shutdown
A new CBS News poll finds Republicans have not made any headway in changing two important political numbers. Number one: the fact that 72 percent in a new CBS News poll are don't like the shutdown. Number two: the fact that more voters blame Republicans than blame President Barack Obama -- and not by a tiny margin: On day three of the partial government shutdown, a new CBS … [Read more...] about Poll: Republicans not making headway on convincing public over shutdown
For sale: Chinese babies and children
For sale: Chinese babies and children (via GlobalPost) Enlarge HONG KONG — No nightmare is more chilling than having one’s child stolen away. But in China, that nightmare becomes real up to 70,000 times a year. Although little known about it outside the country, child trafficking is epidemic in the… … [Read more...] about For sale: Chinese babies and children
Treasury warns shutdown political crisis could trigger ‘catastrophic’ defaul
Frozen by shutdown, US warns of 'catastrophic' default (via AFP) The political crisis gripping Washington could trigger a "catastrophic" US debt default, the Treasury warned Thursday, as America limped into day three of a government shutdown. Despite the looming danger to the US and world economies, there was no… … [Read more...] about Treasury warns shutdown political crisis could trigger ‘catastrophic’ defaul
Excuse our update glitches
There were some glitches today in updating TMV. Please refresh TMV often since MANY posts will be on TMV today, starting shortly. … [Read more...] about Excuse our update glitches
Millions Try to Sign Up for Cruz’ Death March
On its first days, millions of Americans flood web sites and phone lines to ask about health coverage the Tea Party has shut down the government to destroy. Technical glitches aside, have Boehner’s bullies been hoisted by their own petard or, to be less Shakespearian, shot themselves in the foot? The Affordable Care Act, with all its imperfections, looks less like tyranny … [Read more...] about Millions Try to Sign Up for Cruz’ Death March
U.S. Isolationism: A Grave for Europe in Damascus? (L’Orient Le Jour, Lebanon)
Does the Syria crisis show that the United States under Barack Obama has begun a historic retrenchment back to North America? For Lebanon's L'Orient Le Jour, columnist Antoine Courban warns Europe that if it fails to fill the vacuum of American withdrawal, it will end up being what geography intended before the rise of ancient Rome: 'an extension - a peninsula - of Eurasia.' … [Read more...] about U.S. Isolationism: A Grave for Europe in Damascus? (L’Orient Le Jour, Lebanon)
Budget Extremists Unforeseen by America’s Founding Fathers (Polityka, Poland)
Can the U.S. Congress pull things together before a superpower becomes a super deadbeat? For Poland's Polityka, columnist Cezary Kowanda writes that when America's founders thought up 'checks and balances,' they had no idea that Congress would one day be inhabited by people averse to compromise even in the face of disaster. For Polityka, Cezary Kowanda starts out this … [Read more...] about Budget Extremists Unforeseen by America’s Founding Fathers (Polityka, Poland)
Trolls of the Patent Variety
One of the greatest threats to many tech startups are the trolls. Not the comments trolls but the patent trolls. Vermont Public Radio reports on a bipartisan effort to do something about them and hopefully make it possible for people who actually work in technology to develop new services and technologies. Cross posted at The DemiGeek … [Read more...] about Trolls of the Patent Variety
It’s not Boehner’s Dilemma, It’s His Ego
Ezra Klein tackles the question of why Boehner is powerless against the Tea Party faction in an interview with Robert Costa. It comes down to his desire to keep the job of Speaker no matter what. There's a lot to the interview in terms of how things have worked out inside the Republican Party and why, including a decline in the power the party organization has over its members. … [Read more...] about It’s not Boehner’s Dilemma, It’s His Ego
A Murder of Crows
Republican House Leadership Certainly not a pride of lions. Perhaps a congress of salamanders. Listen: Holding Firm Robert Costa / National Review The same question keeps popping up: why doesn't Speaker John Boehner just pass a “clean” continuing resolution to fund the government? It's a ubiquitous query at the Capitol, and it was asked many times this afternoon as … [Read more...] about A Murder of Crows
The Truth: ‘Americans Love Obamacare’
OK, that headline at the Los Angeles Times might be an overstatement. How about Americans like Obamacare? Would you accept Americans like the Affordable Care Act? While the LA Times maintains that the (honest) truth is: “The American public loves Obamacare, with as many as 88% in favor, according to one survey,” I would settle for the latter, “Americans like the … [Read more...] about The Truth: ‘Americans Love Obamacare’
Jim DeMint, backstage maestro of mayhem Government shutdown (Guest Voice)
Jim DeMint, backstage maestro of mayhem Government shutdown by the numbers Jim DeMint, backstage maestro of mayhem Environmental groups sue regulators to protect Delaware River fish from energy facilities Philly Office of Transportation celebrates five years of forward movement Excitement, indifference surround 'launch' of health care marketplace in Philly Inmates, victims' … [Read more...] about Jim DeMint, backstage maestro of mayhem Government shutdown (Guest Voice)
Top lawmakers to meet Obama to talk about shutdown
Top lawmakers to meet Obama for US shutdown talks (via AFP) President Barack Obama on Wednesday called congressional leaders to a White House meeting on resolving the US government shutdown, but prospects for a quick solution seemed bleak, with neither side giving ground. The White House is squaring off with… … [Read more...] about Top lawmakers to meet Obama to talk about shutdown
Slamfu’s Home Run
a comment from one of TMV commenters on fabulously rich man Boehner's nah nah nah about monuments being shut down, Boehner screeching: your fault, you you you bad, you you you President you. [whilst children go without food via WIC programs, children have no education and care via Headstart, Native persons having health clinics fatefully narrowed in services. The list is LONG … [Read more...] about Slamfu’s Home Run
Head-Start Programs Shut Down by John Abney Culberson’s Reckless Disregard of Children
Only one of literally millions of examples of Culberson's cruelty toward children since the shutdown: HeadStart programs not only care for and educate the young, whilst giving full weight for the children-- especially the ones who are not, were not and will not be educated and cared for like Culberson's child via Cadillac means, but rather just plain, but meaningful supports, … [Read more...] about Head-Start Programs Shut Down by John Abney Culberson’s Reckless Disregard of Children
John Boehner Accuses President Obama of Turning Back on Veterans
House Speaker John Boehner sent out a press release accusing President Obama of turning his back on veterans as war memorials are closed. Is this a joke? John Boehner and his GOP extremists have turned their backs on 800,000 federal workers. Talk about nerve. John Boehner and the Republicans, including the RNC, which offered to pay to keep the war memorials open for 30 days, … [Read more...] about John Boehner Accuses President Obama of Turning Back on Veterans
Wall Street Looks Strong Despite Shutdown
On Tuesday, October 1, the U.S. government shut down for the first time in 17 years. Many feared that the shutdown would immediately have a negative impact on the economy, though so far the stock market appears to be in good shape. Near the end of the day on Tuesday, the S & P 500 was up 0.57%, while Dow Jones was up around 0.25% and Nasdaq up almost a full percent. Though … [Read more...] about Wall Street Looks Strong Despite Shutdown