I'm a Catholic. Much of the coverage of the resignation of the old pope and election of the new pope couldnt be more unobservant or trite. In both cases, the lack of noting the black underlayment of issues and lack of acute analyses, are significantly missing. I've been following the 'live bloggings' about pope election. Some of it perhaps ought be called 'dead blogging.' … [Read more...] about Much Trite Coverage of Pope-Voting Sidesteps Serious Analyses
Australia Defends Media Reforms Amid ‘Stalinism’ Claims
Australia defends media reforms amid 'Stalinism' claims (via AFP) Greg Wood/AFPA billboard showing the front page of Sydney newspaper the Daily Telegraph is seen in the business district on March 13, 2013. The paper likened Australian Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, seen right on the page, to famous despots including Kim Jong-Un and Stalin, after he unveiled… … [Read more...] about Australia Defends Media Reforms Amid ‘Stalinism’ Claims
Ryan’s Tin Ear (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 Ryan’s Tin Ear (Cartoon)
Rand Paul: GOP’s National Salvation or Doom?
A national political star is born. Kentucky's' Republican Senator Rand Paul became the political Justin Beiber of libertarians everywhere and a role model for GOPers who want to grab media attention by staging a dramatic "talking filibuster." And, suddenly, Republicans who had steadfastly resisted the idea of bringing back talking filibusters were falling all over themselves to … [Read more...] about Rand Paul: GOP’s National Salvation or Doom?
Papal Vote (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 Papal Vote (Cartoon)
(Updated) Cyber Terrorism, Real and Serious or Overblown?
UPDATE: Call it coincidence, call it a sign of things to come, but as I was writing this post on cyberattacks, the website of Chase Bank was experiencing a denial-of-service attack and was inaccessible. The initial service interruption to Chase.com lasted about 90 minutes, from about 5 to 6:30 p.m. ET. According to NBC News: Chase confirmed that the outage was … [Read more...] about (Updated) Cyber Terrorism, Real and Serious or Overblown?
Governor Christie: My First Job Is For New Jersey Not My Political Party
New York Gov. Chris Christie is talking the talk for Americans sick of rank partisanship -- which doesn't mean he can't be partisan. But can someone who talks about the importance of compromise EVER get the nomination in today's Republican Party (despite talk of "rebranding.) Watch..and YOU decide: It used to be country, then party. Used to be... … [Read more...] about Governor Christie: My First Job Is For New Jersey Not My Political Party
Live Blogging: Papal Conclave Begins
Live Report: Papal conclave begins (via AFP) Gabriel Bouys/AFPCardinals attend mass at the St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican before the start of the papal conclave on March 12, 2013. There is no clear frontrunner for pope after Benedict XVI's historic resignation as leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics left behind a Church beset by scandals… … [Read more...] about Live Blogging: Papal Conclave Begins
Quote of the Day: Ryan Vows to Persist in “Destroying the Health Care System” (Department of Oops!)
Our political Quote of the Day is a particularly delicious one, via Rep. Paul "Cut Help to the Poor So Taxes Don't Have to Go Up" Ryan, whose slip of the lip perhaps said more than a nonslip of the lip: "This is something we will not give up on because we are not going to give up on destroying the health care system for the American people." (This is one promise I do … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Ryan Vows to Persist in “Destroying the Health Care System” (Department of Oops!)
Hagel ‘Has Heard the Concerns,’ Directs Review of Distinguished Warfare Medal
As one of his last acts as Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta authorized a new Medal, the Distinguished Warfare Medal (DWM), to be awarded to service members whose extraordinary achievements, regardless of their distance to the traditional combat theater, deserve distinct department-wide recognition. Some of the recipients of this new medal who Panetta had in mind were the … [Read more...] about Hagel ‘Has Heard the Concerns,’ Directs Review of Distinguished Warfare Medal
Canada’s Judicial Activism (Guest Voice)
Canada's Judicial Activism by Jared Milne For years, conservative writers have been complaining about what they call “judicial activism”. Writers like Ted Morton, Rainier Knopff and Robert Martin sharply criticize judges whose rulings, based the Charter of Rights, make social policy that elected politicians are reluctant to challenge. Social activists use the courts to try … [Read more...] about Canada’s Judicial Activism (Guest Voice)
Crass Commercialism Crassly Commercialized
Santa's Little Helper Sarah Palin's ghostwriter's pen-flipper must be tired. But the third tome in the "Makin' Money From Politics" trilogy is now scheduled for fall/winter release from that most literate of enterprises, Rupert Murdoch's sleaze-o-rama, in this case the tentacle identified as "HarperCollins." Sarah Palin tackles ‘War on Christmas’ in new book ‘Amidst the … [Read more...] about Crass Commercialism Crassly Commercialized
Cardinals Poised to Begin Historic Conclave
World waits as historic papal election looms (via AFP) Johannes Eisele/AFPItalian carabinieri police stand in front of St Peter's square on March 11, 2013 at the Vatican. The historic conclave to choose a successor for the first pope to resign in over 700 years begins on Tuesday, with the world in suspense over a secret election with no clear frontrunnerThe… … [Read more...] about Cardinals Poised to Begin Historic Conclave
Top Republican Strategist: GOP “Doesn’t Give Equal Opportunity to Women”
SCHMIDT: I think in any organization where women are not at the table, where it is skewed male in today’s day and age, that’s an organization that’s deficient. That’s an organization that’s going to have problems. It’s one of the problems we have structurally in the Republican Party. We don’t have enough women at the table. But any company, any organization in today’s day and … [Read more...] about Top Republican Strategist: GOP “Doesn’t Give Equal Opportunity to Women”
A Tyranny of the Conservative Minority Controls the Legislative Process
In 1787, when the nation’s Founding Fathers created the Constitution, with all its checks and balances to protect against autocracy, they could not have envisioned the way their system would make America nearly ungovernable far into the future. One of their concerns was that an uninformed majority, perhaps led by populist demagogues, would trample on the rights of minorities … [Read more...] about A Tyranny of the Conservative Minority Controls the Legislative Process
North Korea: Does Nullifying the 1953 Korean Armistice Mean War?
North Korea: Does nullifying the 1953 Korean armistice mean war? Some thoughts HERE. … [Read more...] about North Korea: Does Nullifying the 1953 Korean Armistice Mean War?
GOP Rebranding Pains: Palin and Trump Get Longer Times at CPAC
So much for progress on GOP rebranding: Time to address conservatives from across the country at CPAC is a prime commodity, especially for politicians eyeing a 2016 run — and it’s not being distributed equally. According to an internal draft of the minute-by-minute schedule at CPAC, Rand Paul, Rick Perry, Bobby Jindal, and Scott Walker are each slated to give 13-minute … [Read more...] about GOP Rebranding Pains: Palin and Trump Get Longer Times at CPAC
Brown Walks Through A Revolving Door
Gone are the days when a loss at the ballot box meant a loss in political currency. Today the revolving door leads to TV riches as often as lobbying power. And sometimes doors number one and two both open. According to The Boston Globe, former U.S. Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) is celebrating his loss to Elizabeth Warren with two lucrative positions. First, he's signed on … [Read more...] about Brown Walks Through A Revolving Door
Ryan in Fantasyland
WASHINGTON -- If Rep. Paul Ryan wants people to take his budget manifestos seriously, he should be honest about his ambition: not so much to make the federal government fiscally sustainable as to make it smaller. You will recall that The Ryan Budget was a big Republican selling point in last year's election. Most famously, Ryan proposed turning Medicare into a voucher … [Read more...] about Ryan in Fantasyland
Breaking the Silence: Secrets of Papal Elections
Breaking the silence -- secrets of papal elections (via AFP) Arturo Mari/Osservatore Romano/AFP/FileCardinals enter the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican before the start of the conclave in April 18, 2005. The conclaves of cardinals which elect a new pope are laden with rituals and shrouded in secrecy, but tantalising details have emerged from previous votes of… … [Read more...] about Breaking the Silence: Secrets of Papal Elections