McConnell campaign on Ashley Judd: Was secret recording legal? (via The Christian Science Monitor) Copyright ImageClick to View Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of K.Y. answers questions from reporters, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, following a Republican strategy session. The FBI is investigating allegations that McConnell's re-election campaign office was … [Read more...] about McConnell campaign on Ashley Judd: Was secret recording legal?
Jim Inhofe, Senator “No No”
Jim Inhofe, from Oklahoma, a Republican senator, is going to probably have to wear thick makeup to cover his embarrassment at using the grieving souls from the Newtown massacre, as his own personal political fodder. It is likely ever ill-advised to use freshly grieving parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers, wives, husbands, fiancee, friends.... to make your political … [Read more...] about Jim Inhofe, Senator “No No”
Republican Senator James Inhofe Insults Newtown Victim Families
What you are about to read in this news report is indicative of how partisanship, lock-step ideology, and political hatred so skewers a politician's view and his assertions that he not just loses credibility but is a liability to his party, since his comments will get played and run in newspapers and in cyberspace for a long time to come. Just read how Sen. James Inhofe … [Read more...] about Republican Senator James Inhofe Insults Newtown Victim Families
GOP Being Damned Silly On Gun Control
I really think the GOP hardliners are being stupid on the gun control bill. Setting aside the debate over gun control (too heavy a topic for me and my allergy ridden head) they are fighting a dumb battle. For one thing the bill seems to be increasingly minor, mostly background checks and similar items, not any real gun control. The bill is no better than an even bet to … [Read more...] about GOP Being Damned Silly On Gun Control
Landrieu’s Gay Marriage Conundrum Gore Sr’s On Civil Rights
Historic Tidbit via Paul Boller's Congressional Anectdotes: U.S. Department of Transportation Photo Historic Tidbit: Gerald Ford came to Congress the same year as Hubert Humphrey. Ford recalled the first time he heard "his dear friend" talk. "He was in the second hour of a five minute speech. I didn't have a program so I asked the fellow next to me what followed Senator … [Read more...] about Landrieu’s Gay Marriage Conundrum Gore Sr’s On Civil Rights
Big money is out to destroy the NRA’s power
New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is angry. Bloomberg, the billionaire mayor, has said he would tap his personal fortune to finance television ad campaigns defending lawmakers who vote for gun-control measures and attacking those who do not. Earlier this year, Bloomberg spent more than $2 million on an ad blitz for a special primary election in an Illinois congressional … [Read more...] about Big money is out to destroy the NRA’s power
False God (Cartoon)
LEGAL NOTICE ON CARTOON: This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Reproduction elsewhere without licensing is strictly prohibited. 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 False God (Cartoon)
A Post for Dummies
not a big fan of the “For Dummies” publishing empire. Let’s just say if “Home Repair for Dummies” put on a concert, I wouldn’t buy a ticket. For those of you unfamiliar with the “For Dummies” genre, these books exist to educate the ignorant and easily confused masses. Therefore, these mentoring manuscripts cover almost every topic within the spectrum of human existence. … [Read more...] about A Post for Dummies
Nietzsche on Parties
"In every party there is one member who, by his all-too-devout pronouncement of the party principles, provokes the other to apostasy." - Human, All-to-Human … [Read more...] about Nietzsche on Parties
Cheney vs. Clinton in 20xx?
One is 46, the other one is 33. One is a Republican, the other one is a Democrat. One is the daughter of a vice president, the other one is the daughter of a president. One is seriously considering running for political office, the other one is open to running for political office one day. If both women decide to pursue political careers and if both of them … [Read more...] about Cheney vs. Clinton in 20xx?
Satchmo On Jazz: ‘Man, If You Have To Ask What It is, You’ll Never Know’
THE MOST FAMOUS PHOTOGRAPH IN JAZZ HISTORY Writer and essayist Gerald Early once wrote that when American civilization is studied two thousand years from now, there there will only be three things that Americans will be known for -- the Constitution, baseball and jazz. "They're the three most beautiful things Americans have ever created," Early said, and I could … [Read more...] about Satchmo On Jazz: ‘Man, If You Have To Ask What It is, You’ll Never Know’
Perceptions of America’s Political Parties
It is obvious that Republicans, Democrats, and independents, have differing views of the characteristics and values of the two political parties. This was reinforced by a recent Gallop Poll (http://goo.gl/aYs4c) that surveyed citizens about what they liked and disliked about the Republican and Democratic Parties. In addition to overall answers, the replies were broken down by … [Read more...] about Perceptions of America’s Political Parties
Jim Carrey is Funny, But That Doesn’t Mean He’s Always Right
For those living in the caves of Waziristan, Jim Carrey’s video, “Cold Dead Hand,” is not only breaking Funny or Die records for viewership, it is also driving the Fox News correspondents into a frenzy. It’s catchy, funny and fierce, I confess that I burst out laughing at work, something I can usually avoid. But while the song itself is funny and poignant, when Carrey shifts to … [Read more...] about Jim Carrey is Funny, But That Doesn’t Mean He’s Always Right
Sequester Cuts: Not In My Backyard! (Guest Voice)
Sequester Cuts: Not In My Backyard! by Dick Polman Back in the winter, Republicans were perfectly happy to let the sequester happen. They hewed to their math-challenged belief that Washington could slash the budget deficit by taking an axe to entitlement programs, preserving or hiking defense spending, lowering tax rates, and foregoing any new revenue. And if the Obama … [Read more...] about Sequester Cuts: Not In My Backyard! (Guest Voice)
(UPDATE) Surgical Paralysis as Punishment? In 2013?
UPDATE: The BBC, one of the first to report on the story, now reports that a Saudi justice minister has “tweeted” that the judge in the case has decided to dismiss demands for the surgical paralysis of the man accused of causing paralysis of a friend. Earlier, Princess Basmah Bint Saud, of the Saudi royal family, condemned the sentence in an interview with Jeremy Paxman … [Read more...] about (UPDATE) Surgical Paralysis as Punishment? In 2013?
Newspaper revenue down 6%, but display ad revenue trumps Google
According to the Newspaper Association of America, advertising revenue dropped 6% in 2012. Total revenue was down 2% to an estimated $38.6 billion.* That's the doom-and-gloom story. The one that's not making any waves that I can see is this: the $3.4 billion in digital ads reported by NAA is more than the $2.6 billion in display ad revenue reported by Google last … [Read more...] about Newspaper revenue down 6%, but display ad revenue trumps Google
Honest Assessments of Thatcher’s Demise
Glenn Greenwald makes an important point: Margaret Thatcher and misapplied death etiquette Glenn Greenwald / Guardian The dictate that one ‘not speak ill of the dead’ is (at best) appropriate for private individuals, not influential public figures — News of Margaret Thatcher's death this morning instantly and predictably gave rise to righteous sermons on the evils of … [Read more...] about Honest Assessments of Thatcher’s Demise
A GREAT World Cruise: Diary Part 2
Editor's Note: Cruises that go terribly or tragically wrong are always in the news, starting with the Titanic. But what about the many, many cruises that are sheer joy? Last year retired French professor Jeffry Foster went on a world voyage. We are presenting his diary in several parts. Here's Part 2: World Voyage Part 2 by Jeffrey Foster Monday, January 9: The show last … [Read more...] about A GREAT World Cruise: Diary Part 2
Republican Filibuster of Gun Control Now Official? McConnell Joins Filibuster
You can now bet the bank on it: if attempts at even the tepid parts of barely-surviving gun control proposals that proponents are now trying to get through the Senate die because of a Republican filibuster, the party won't escape blame for refusing to let it come to a vote because it's now all but an official act: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has made it known he's on … [Read more...] about Republican Filibuster of Gun Control Now Official? McConnell Joins Filibuster
Zack Kopplin on Real Time with Bill Maher
Texas college student and staunch science advocate Zack Kopplin has done some Guest Voices on TMV (go HERE for his take on Bobby Jindal and creationism, and HERE for his call to stop funding creationism in schools in his home state of Louisiana). Here's his recent appearance on Real Time with Bill Maher: As I've said before, it's reassuring to see someone dedicated to … [Read more...] about Zack Kopplin on Real Time with Bill Maher