This is a repost of my commentary from last year on the State of The Union speech. this year of course we will have a slightly different take because of the campaign aspects to the address. Both President Obama and Senator Rubio are likely to add more rhetoric and a bit more of a partisan tilt to their speeches. But overall I think the commentary stands As we move closer to … [Read more...] about State Of The Union Blah Blah
North Korea Stokes Global Fury with Nuclear Test
North Korea stokes global fury with nuclear test (via AFP) A defiant North Korea on Tuesday staged its most powerful nuclear test yet and warned of "stronger" action to follow if the ensuing wave of global condemnation translated into tougher sanctions. Global powers, including Pyongyang's sole major ally China, denounced the test which the North said was… … [Read more...] about North Korea Stokes Global Fury with Nuclear Test
For the GOP, Ignorance Is Bliss
Whether you esteem or detest uber-liberal economist Paul Krugman, his recent OpEd column in the New York Times, The Ignorance Caucus, is worth reading. (http://goo.gl/ftqjy) It lays bare particular characteristics of the Republican Party that makes them unfit to govern in this era when technology and science are the keys to the nation’s economic future. Basically, … [Read more...] about For the GOP, Ignorance Is Bliss
Kelly Ayotte Parrots Lindsey Graham Ignorance on Benghazi
"The forces were moving... ... There was no time or space available to be able to respond in time." - Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta [C-SPAN - See video below] WASHINGTON - Conservatives stubbornly refuse to accept and understand just how quickly the Benghazi, Libya 9/11 terrorist attack engulfed the consulate and also that the Obama administration, Secretary Panetta and … [Read more...] about Kelly Ayotte Parrots Lindsey Graham Ignorance on Benghazi
Paranoid State of the Union
The President will promise progress, GOP and Tea Party rebuttals will predict doom, but a provocative report on America’s state of mind is already available online in sniper Christopher Dorner’s manifesto, a mélange of over-the-top paranoia gripping California with fear and hero-worship, a rogue society-trained killer out of the Bourne movies meets Charlie Sheen in media … [Read more...] about Paranoid State of the Union
ABOUT TMV’s COMMENTERS’ RULES
Here is the link to our commenter's rules. Read them if you wish to comment in the future. We keep our comments area as a courtesy space for civil discussion and teaching. Most all adhere to this, and this makes reading the commenters at TMV enlightening and useful to many. The comments area is for thoughtful comments about the topic of the post only, not what one thinks of … [Read more...] about ABOUT TMV’s COMMENTERS’ RULES
Barack Hussein Obama 2013 State of the Union Drinking Game (Guest Voice)
Barack Hussein Obama 2013 State of the Union Drinking Game Raging Moderate, by Will Durst WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY: Four taxpayers of any sex: One rich white banker-type wearing a Suit. Cuff links would be nice. 1 person in a Blue work Shirt, another in a White shirt and one wearing Rags that in a former life might have been an integral part of a frantic escape through the … [Read more...] about Barack Hussein Obama 2013 State of the Union Drinking Game (Guest Voice)
State of the Union: Can Obama Still be Transformational?
State of the Union: Can Obama still be transformational? (+video) (via The Christian Science Monitor) As a first-time candidate for president, Barack Obama cast himself as a postpartisan, transformational figure – a leader who could change the trajectory of the nation. Now, midway through President Obama's tenure, the postpartisan label is long gone – if he ever … [Read more...] about State of the Union: Can Obama Still be Transformational?
State Of Union Republican PR (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 State Of Union Republican PR (Cartoon)
How Will the Catholic Church Handle a Living Ex-Pope?
How will the Catholic Church handle a living ex-pope? (via The Christian Science Monitor) The resignation of Benedict XVI raises a conundrum not faced by the Catholic Church for centuries: How do you handle a still living ex-pope? For the entire 2,000 year history of the Church, the accepted orthodoxy has been for a pope to rule until he dies. A select group of … [Read more...] about How Will the Catholic Church Handle a Living Ex-Pope?
President Obama Presents Medal of Honor to Afghanistan War Hero
President Barack Obama presents the Medal of Honor to former Army Staff Sgt. Clinton L. Romesha during a ceremony in the East Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., Feb. 11, 2013. Romesha received the Medal of Honor for his actions during a daylong firefight in Afghanistan in October 2009. (White House photo) Today at a White House ceremony, the President bestowed … [Read more...] about President Obama Presents Medal of Honor to Afghanistan War Hero
A Non-European Pope
The act for which Pope Benedict XVI may be remembered most is his resignation, since it is the most potent gesture towards liberalizing Vatican traditions in over six centuries. He is the first Pope to leave voluntarily since Celestine V in 1294. His decision to resign may be the shock needed to pull the Vatican out of its traditional ways and complacency. The modern Roman … [Read more...] about A Non-European Pope
Bad GOP Imagery: Democrats Invite Gun Victims to State of Union and Republican Invites Ted Nugent
It sounds like the Republican Party has an awful lot of image reconstuction work to do. When President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address tomorrow, look for the media to note a contrast: many Democrats are inviting gun shooting victims, while a GOP Congressman will be inviting former rock star Ted Nugent, whose verbal hate was a big story during the campaign … [Read more...] about Bad GOP Imagery: Democrats Invite Gun Victims to State of Union and Republican Invites Ted Nugent
Bring On The Sequester
Over at TPM Brian Beutler thinks the House Republicans won't pass any legislation to stop the sequester because they can't. The libertarians and conservative "foreign policy realists" don't see this as a bad thing. Last week in the post Real Conservative Foreign Policy I quoted Andrew Bacevich: When it comes to foreign policy, the conservative position should promote … [Read more...] about Bring On The Sequester
America’s ‘Pulse’ Is Having a Bad Day
Memeorandum is a neat site that gathers news and opinion pieces written by “experts and pundits, insiders and outsiders, media professionals and amateur bloggers” and arranges their links “in a single, easy-to-scan page” that gives one a quick impression of what’s in the news, what’s being gossiped about and what is really bugging these experts and pundits, insiders and... -- … [Read more...] about America’s ‘Pulse’ Is Having a Bad Day
The Paradoxes of Pope Benedict
WASHINGTON -- Pope Benedict's resignation shouldn't have surprised us as much as it did. As an institutionalist who believes in the Roman Catholic Church as the carrier of truth in a sinful world, he would worry a great deal about the impact of his own infirmities on the institution's capacity to thrive. He is a traditionalist who was nonetheless much affected by … [Read more...] about The Paradoxes of Pope Benedict
Obama Will Throw Down Political Gauntlet in State of the Union Address
Don't look for President Barack Obama to do a State of the Union speech tomorrow night that'll sound like he's paling around with Congressional leaders and going to do whatever it takes to accommodate or placate them. According to The Politico, Obama intends to throw down the political gauntlet and go for it -- go for his second term agenda: President Barack Obama’s State … [Read more...] about Obama Will Throw Down Political Gauntlet in State of the Union Address
Senate Landscape Portends GOP Gains,But Control A Stretch
The November 2014 elections are 21 months away but clues are already emerging with regard to the Senate landscape. Republicans would like to complete what they had envisioned starting at this time two years ago; depriving the Democrats of their majority. But a combination of bad candidates, misstatements, and climate actually set the GOP back two seats, so that Democrats now … [Read more...] about Senate Landscape Portends GOP Gains,But Control A Stretch
Committee to Hold Hagel Confirmation Vote Tuesday: Aide
Committee to hold Hagel confirmation vote Tuesday: aide (via AFP) The Senate Armed Services Committee will meet Tuesday to consider the nomination of Chuck Hagel to be the new US defense secretary, an aide to the committee chairman said. Ex-senator Hagel has encountered stiff opposition from fellow Republicans who expressed concern about his positions on Iran, … [Read more...] about Committee to Hold Hagel Confirmation Vote Tuesday: Aide
Plight of the Shooter Who Killed Osama bin Laden
You can expect a lot of attention due to this Esquire piece titled "The Man Who Killed Osama bin Laden... Is Screwed. Even though it's right now being overshadowed by the Pope's resignation, this is a story with "legs," drama -- and one that arouses outrage. Newser's Kate Seasons gives the best summary and here's part of it: Phil Bronstein, the executive chair of CIR … [Read more...] about Plight of the Shooter Who Killed Osama bin Laden