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
What U.S. media are ignoring in government shutdown coverage
Forty years ago, Congress got tired of the President refusing to spend money that it had allocated. The President at the time: Republican Richard Nixon, who was a little pre-occupied with Watergate. In frustration, Congress passed the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (introduced in 1973) which governs the procedures for adopting a budget resolution. It also established … [Read more...] about What U.S. media are ignoring in government shutdown coverage
Tom Clancy Dies
Author Tom Clancy has died at the age of 66. I remember first discovering him back in the 90's and I have always enjoyed his writing. He will be missed … [Read more...] about Tom Clancy Dies
Greatest Generation Crashes Tea Party Shutdown
One thing about the Greatest Generation: When we needed to overrun an enemy position, we seldom hesitated. Remnants of our troops did it again in Washington yesterday, crashing barricades set up by the government shutdown and occupying the position. The image tickles me. As all national parks remain closed by Tea Party insurgents in the House of Representatives, 91 … [Read more...] about Greatest Generation Crashes Tea Party Shutdown
Warning to Brazil Lawmakers Before Meeting with Edward Snowden (Estadao, Brazil)
As the recent opening of the U.N. General Assembly demonstrates, quite a few nations continue to publicly fume over unrestrained NSA surveillance. At the head of the pack is Brazil, which is seeking global legislation to reduce U.S. Web dominance and is pressing Washington for guarantees that spying on Brazilian leaders, civilians and corporations will end. Meanwhile, … [Read more...] about Warning to Brazil Lawmakers Before Meeting with Edward Snowden (Estadao, Brazil)
What “Breaking Bad” Reveals About Now
Thanks to one son and two grandsons, I was whizzing through seasons of “Breaking Bad” on Netflix as millions savored the finale last weekend and now carry on a philosophical debate over its power and meaning. Partial ignorance may not be bliss, but still under the spell of multiple episodes, I venture to join the discussion. Is Walter White more than a logical successor … [Read more...] about What “Breaking Bad” Reveals About Now
Will this woman please run for President?
It is time to end the debate about whether the Affordable Care Act should exist and whether it should be funded. Congress voted for this law. President Obama signed this law. The Supreme Court upheld this law. The President ran for reelection on this law. In fact, his opponent said he would repeal it – and his opponent lost by five million votes. Sen. Elizabeth Warren … [Read more...] about Will this woman please run for President?
The Republican Party Breaking Bad
GILROY, Calif. -- You can smell it as soon as you drive into town. Gilroy calls itself the "Garlic Capital of the World," due to its big garlic crop and its top-of-the line Gilroy Garlic Festival, which features authentic garlic ice cream. At first you can't pinpoint what the smell is; but it's a strong smell, but not a totally unpleasant one. Then there is the city's wonderful … [Read more...] about The Republican Party Breaking Bad
Quote of the Day: Andrew Sullivan says it’s “nullification” not shutdown by “the Nullification Party”
Our political Quote of the Day is from a blunt post by Andrew Sullivan (a favorite of many of us here at TMV) who says the House Republican engineered shutdown is not a shutdown but a "nullification" attempt. Some key quotes of this post, which must be read in full: But there is something more here. How does one party that has lost two presidential elections and a Supreme … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Andrew Sullivan says it’s “nullification” not shutdown by “the Nullification Party”
A Skunk By Any Other Name Would Stink As Badly
The House GOP voted to fund the entire government except the ACA. The Democrats in the Senate and the President refused to go along. A majority of the populace, according to every poll I am aware of, blame the Republicans more than the Democrats. Now as the Republicans thrash around trying to come up with anything that will reverse the decline in opinions concerning them, they … [Read more...] about A Skunk By Any Other Name Would Stink As Badly
The tea party created an existential threat to America, not Obamacare (Guest Voice)
The tea party created an existential threat to America, not Obamacare (via The Christian Science Monitor) Sen. Ted Cruz (R) of Texas departs the Senate floor Sept. 30 after a late-night vote rejected budget legislation from the House that would have undermined the Affordable Care Act. Op-ed contributor Justin Holbrook writes: Tea party Republicans 'should… … [Read more...] about The tea party created an existential threat to America, not Obamacare (Guest Voice)
Who shuts down the federal government more often: Ds or Rs?
UPDATED: There are lots of analyses of prior federal government shutdowns, but there are a couple of things to remember. First, both parties have been the disruptor in the past. Second, we date the shutdowns from 1976 because that's when the current budgeting process was born. Third, the current shutdown is the 18th; the length has ranged from 1 to 21 days with an average of … [Read more...] about Who shuts down the federal government more often: Ds or Rs?
Mission accomplished: The tea party shutdown
WASHINGTON -- The tea party Republicans should hang a "Mission Accomplished" banner across the House of Representatives. They could flank it with large portraits of Sen. Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican who has in fact, if not in name, replaced John Boehner as speaker of the House. The right-wing extremists got exactly what they wanted. Now, what will the country do about it? … [Read more...] about Mission accomplished: The tea party shutdown
Polls: Republicans taking bigger shutdown hit than Barack Obama
Two new polls are showing Republicans are already taking a bigger hit for a government shutdown than Barack Obama and the Democratic Party -- and it's early in this new era of a shutdown. And we haven't even hit the debt limit crisis-to-be yet. The most potentially devastating of the two comes from the respected Quinnipiac University. It's worth looking at this Talking … [Read more...] about Polls: Republicans taking bigger shutdown hit than Barack Obama
House Engineered Government Shutdown Newspaper Cover: a classic
The New York Daily News' cover, a take off on Nexflix's House of Cards series, is an instant classic and will be displayed for years. To wit: … [Read more...] about House Engineered Government Shutdown Newspaper Cover: a classic
Bernie Sanders: ‘It is unconscionable…’
The morning after Republicans unsuccescfully tried to kill or eviscerate the Affordable Care Act, Bernie Sanders, the Independent U.S. Senator from Vermont, writes at the Huffington Post: It is unconscionable that in one of the most advanced nations in the world, there are nearly 50 million people who lack health insurance and millions more who have burdensome copayments … [Read more...] about Bernie Sanders: ‘It is unconscionable…’
(Video animation) Breaking Bad fans’ withdrawl pains
Now the hard part for Breaking Bad fans: life without one of the best TV shows ever made. And some still can't get their minds off it: … [Read more...] about (Video animation) Breaking Bad fans’ withdrawl pains
The World Ends Today: Obamacare Begins
Civilization as we know it is over. Those who doubt that can cling to a faint hope offered by Barack Obama’s favorite physician/writer. During the health care debate in 2009, the President made his staff read a New Yorker article by Dr. Atul Gawande dramatizing the borderline thievery sanctioned by America’s fee-for-service system: about two communities in Texas, one with … [Read more...] about The World Ends Today: Obamacare Begins
NH GOP State Rep. William O’Brien Says Obamacare as Bad as Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
The Tea Party continues to destroy the Republican Party as New Hampshire state Rep. William O’Brien claims Obamacare is every bit as bad as the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Wow, the Fugitive Slave Act? The extremists in the Republican Party can't get any lower than this. Wait. They did. The government shutdown that will see 800,000 workers furloughed is as low as you can go. … [Read more...] about NH GOP State Rep. William O’Brien Says Obamacare as Bad as Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
Who is more American?
WASHINGTON -- Are Germans now more American than we are? As we face several more weeks of ludicrously irresponsible hostage-taking politics driven by tea-party radicalism, we'd do well to study how postwar Germany -- yes, encouraged by the United States -- has embraced the sort of consensual, problem-solving politics for which we were once famous. On Sept. 22, … [Read more...] about Who is more American?