I don' t know about you, but I don't think the House represents us, do you? We could try something new. Well, not new exactly but more useful and germane than anything we've seen from the Republican dominated House. Let's stop paying taxes. The President seems to be on the right track. President Obama’s aggressive Inaugural Address on Monday presented … [Read more...] about We Could Always Try “No Taxation Without Representation”
ClintonTestimony on Benghazi Today: a Final Bow to US lawmakers
Clinton in final bow to US lawmakers (via AFP) Hillary Clinton will be grilled by Republican lawmakers as she testifies Wednesday on a militant attack on a US diplomatic mission in Libya, in one of her her last major appearances as secretary of state. Despite keeping a low profile after a long period of ill health in her final weeks in office,… … [Read more...] about ClintonTestimony on Benghazi Today: a Final Bow to US lawmakers
Latin America Takes Action to Decriminalize Abortion
Latin America takes action to decriminalize abortion (via GlobalPost) Roe v. Wade provides framework for progressing past restrictive laws. Mandy Van Deven This month is the 40th anniversary of one of the most important legal decisions of our time: Roe v. Wade. This legislative victory changed the course of history for women not only in the United States, but … [Read more...] about Latin America Takes Action to Decriminalize Abortion
Netanyahu Leads Israel Vote, but Centrists Win Big
Netanyahu leads Israel vote, but centrists win big (via AFP) Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu Wednesday emerged from hard-fought elections weakened but still best placed to form a new government and likely to reach out to centrist parties strengthened by the vote. In results that defied expectations, the centrist Yesh Atid became Israel's second … [Read more...] about Netanyahu Leads Israel Vote, but Centrists Win Big
Will a More Aggressive Obama and a Resurgent ‘Mighty Middle’ Reshape America?
Say a prayer. Put up a tombstone that reads "R.I.P." for three prevailing political conventional wisdoms that seem to be quickly biting the dust. The first is that President Barack Obama will always go along to get along, will in the end inevitably choose a mediated, moderate course to gain partial victories. That conventional wisdom is on life support as the more … [Read more...] about Will a More Aggressive Obama and a Resurgent ‘Mighty Middle’ Reshape America?
The Constitution For Us
Too often when we see discussions in the news of the Constitution they try to make it sound like some complicated subject that only intellectuals can examine. In truth it is written for us, for the regular people, for the citizens of this nation and it should be examined as such. With that in mind I am pleased to announce the launch of a new web site which will feature a … [Read more...] about The Constitution For Us
Team Obama Mastered the Science of Mass Persuasion — And Won (Guest Voice)
Team Obama Mastered the Science of Mass Persuasion -- And Won by Eric Siegel, Ph.D., Founder of Predictive Analytics World and author of Predictive Analytics: The Power to Predict Who Will Click, Buy, Lie, or Die Last October, a colleague and I speculated on how a special, powerful form of predictive analytics would revolutionize presidential campaigning -- and, if … [Read more...] about Team Obama Mastered the Science of Mass Persuasion — And Won (Guest Voice)
What is the Debt Ceiling, Should it be a Problem and What is the Deal with This Platinum Coin? (Guest Voice)
What is the debt ceiling, should it be a problem and what is the deal with this platinum coin? by Contributing Columnist Robert P. Coutinho Now that the fiscal [banned word rhyming with stiff] has gone by, what is all the new talk about? Sit down; have a strong drink; smack yourself in the head as needed and read the sad story of a dysfunctional system from the … [Read more...] about What is the Debt Ceiling, Should it be a Problem and What is the Deal with This Platinum Coin? (Guest Voice)
T-Shirt Leads To Airplane Controversy
Ok folks chime in with your quotes Unless you are the one person who has never seen the movie Careful what you wear on a plane. Wynand Mullins of New Zealand told Stuff Magazine that he was asked to remove his T-shirt because other airline passengers found it intimidating. And, yes, we suppose if one weren't familiar with "The Princess Bride," seeing a shirt that … [Read more...] about T-Shirt Leads To Airplane Controversy
The 57th Presidential Inauguration: Our Military March and Dance
The U.S. Marine Corps Band, known as "The President's Own," performs during the 57th Inauguration Day swearing-in at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Jan. 21, 2013. If you enjoyed reading about and seeing the photographs of the roles our military played in the 57th U.S. Presidential Inauguration, you might also like the following photographs. They show various … [Read more...] about The 57th Presidential Inauguration: Our Military March and Dance
Any Thoughts on This Ad?
Let me know in the comments. … [Read more...] about Any Thoughts on This Ad?
McDonalds Sued For Allegedly Not Making Halal Food
Sigh... what happened to common sense. McDonald's and one of its franchise owners agreed to pay $700,000 to members of the Muslim community to settle allegations a Detroit-area restaurant falsely advertised its food as being prepared according to Islamic dietary law. McDonald's and Finley's Management Co. agreed Friday to the tentative settlement, with that money … [Read more...] about McDonalds Sued For Allegedly Not Making Halal Food
Refugees: a Painful and Deepening Wound
Refugees from the Syrian war have swelled to about 664,000 since the uprising began in 2011 while some 147,000 persons have become refugees from Mali since the crisis started in 2012, the UN Refugee Agency estimated today. The outflow from Mali has increased in recent days and could turn into a huge and costly long-term problem like in Syria as the French-led war in Mali … [Read more...] about Refugees: a Painful and Deepening Wound
Influence-Flush U.S. Latinos Must ‘Exploit Unprecedented Moment’ (El Universal, Mexico)
With President Obama at the height of his political and personal power - and his debt to Latinos fresh in everyone's minds, is it time for Mexicans to press the case of the undocumented? This editorial from Mexico's El Universal urges U.S. Latinos, and especially Mexicans, to press for an amnesty for undocumented immigrants now, before the people of the United States forget how … [Read more...] about Influence-Flush U.S. Latinos Must ‘Exploit Unprecedented Moment’ (El Universal, Mexico)
Swearing In (Cartoon)
LEGAL NOTICE ON CARTOON: The 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 Swearing In (Cartoon)
Senate Leaders Eye More Compromise This Year
Senate leaders eye more compromise this year (via AFP) US Senate leaders put aside their partisan bickering Tuesday as they kicked off the first session of President Barack Obama's second term by seeking to "do things differently" to avoid gridlock. Congress faces tremendous challenges in the year ahead, primarily in the need to address the country's … [Read more...] about Senate Leaders Eye More Compromise This Year
The Last Liberal?
Over at World Affairs Journal, James Kirchick has a remarkable piece on former Senator Joe Lieberman, one that, fair warning, matches my own perceptions as a former campaign volunteer for the Senator perfectly: In January 2004, the New Republic endorsed Joe Lieberman for president. By this time, recriminations against Democrats who had supported the Iraq War (or, in the … [Read more...] about The Last Liberal?
Paul Krugman’s Cloying Tribute To Timidity, Mediocrity And Failure
In yesterday's New York Times, columnist Paul Krugman looked over the Obama presidency to date and found it praiseworthy. And to those progressives who might be profoundly disappointed in this President (and his party) Krugman opined: "...maybe progressives — an ever-worried group — might want to take a brief break from anxiety and savor their real, if limited, … [Read more...] about Paul Krugman’s Cloying Tribute To Timidity, Mediocrity And Failure
Israel Votes in Ballot Seen Producing Swing to Right
Israel votes in ballot seen producing swing to right (via AFP) Israelis voted Tuesday in an election likely to return Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as head of a rightwing coalition that will face the challenges of peacemaking with the Palestinians and Iran's nuclear programme. After a slow start, the pace of voting picked up, with long queues forming … [Read more...] about Israel Votes in Ballot Seen Producing Swing to Right
France’s Risky Return as Player on the Global Stage
France's risky return as player on the global stage (via AFP) It spearheaded the international campaign that led to Moamer Kadhafi's downfall, and now its troops are battling Islamists in Mali. But France's dramatic return as a major player on the international stage carries as much risk as kudos, analysts said. France once had the second biggest colonial … [Read more...] about France’s Risky Return as Player on the Global Stage