News just breaking that Disco queen Donna Summers has died at the age of 63. Some reports say she had been battling cancer. Summer won five Grammy awards during her career, which peaked during the 1970's Disco era. For those who grew up in the 70's and 80's the Summer's hit Last Dance either brings back treasured memories of a magic moment at a school dance, or more likely … [Read more...] about Donna Summer Dies At 63
Brandon Darby, Leftwing Anarchist To Conservative Activist
Brandon Darby 2012 Brandon Darby is probably not a name you are familiar with. After you read this you will wonder why you aren't familiar with him. His story, to say the least, is fascinating. I met Brandon when he spoke at BlogCon a few weeks ago. The short version is this. Darby was approached by the FBI in late 2007 and asked to infiltrate a group of Leftwing anarchists … [Read more...] about Brandon Darby, Leftwing Anarchist To Conservative Activist
The Big Political Story: Romney Nearly Matches Obama in April Fundraising
The big political story is that presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney has nearly matched Barack Obama in fund raising for April. Coming on the heels of some polls that suggest Barack Obama's campaign faces an ever tougher fight than some Democrats had predicted, and the belief that PACS supporting Romney and the Republicans can dwarf Democratic PACs, it adds … [Read more...] about The Big Political Story: Romney Nearly Matches Obama in April Fundraising
What Were They Thinking? – A Department of Justice Misstep
The Department of Justice’s anti-trust action against Apple and five publishing houses was a serious misstep. The action was pursued because of apparent collusion by the defendants in setting the prices for digital books. However, it appears that the DOJ did not carefully consider all the ramifications before instituting this suit. Lower e-book prices for consumers are not the … [Read more...] about What Were They Thinking? – A Department of Justice Misstep
Best President Money and Media Can Buy
Six months from now, the most highly educated Americans in history will have chosen someone to lead them through hard times. In my lifetime, that process has advanced from control by political bosses in smoke-filled rooms to one dominated by media and money across the spectrum. Tammany Hall is gone, but now thanks to Citizens United, we are in the hands of the Koch brothers … [Read more...] about Best President Money and Media Can Buy
No Sense Of Humor About Voter IDs
A couple of days ago a piece of mine ran in The Philadelphia Inquirer. It was a satirical one that looked at new voter ID laws from a personal vanity perspective. A fair number of people emailed me about it — almost all of them angry Obama-haters. It's hard to be funny these days when the subject has any sort of political edge. Here's a link to my Inquirer piece: … [Read more...] about No Sense Of Humor About Voter IDs
Why Americans Are Fat
Isn't it obvious? This study finds 96% of restaurant entrees exceed USDA limits: [R]esearchers looked at the nutritional content of 30,923 menu items, including those from children’s menus, from 245 brands of restaurants. They found that 96% of them failed to meet recommendations for the combination of calories, sodium, fat and saturated fat set by the U.S. Department of … [Read more...] about Why Americans Are Fat
Romney’s Clintonesque Moment
WASHINGTON -- Mitt Romney was against Bill Clinton before he was for him. There was Romney, campaigning Tuesday in Iowa, praising the nation's last Democratic president and casting him as far superior to the current incumbent. "Almost a generation ago, Bill Clinton announced that the era of big government was over," Romney declared. "Clinton was signaling to … [Read more...] about Romney’s Clintonesque Moment
U.S. Should Keep its Nuclear Weapons Away from Koreas (Huanqiu, People’s Republic of China)
U.S. Congress members appear to be considering redeploying American nuclear assets to the Korean Peninsula. Would such a decision make matters there go from bad to worse? This editorial from China’s state-run Huanqiu warns of the unintended consequences of pointing nuclear weapons in North Korea’s general direction. The Huanqiu editorial says in small part: Right now, the … [Read more...] about U.S. Should Keep its Nuclear Weapons Away from Koreas (Huanqiu, People’s Republic of China)
The Romney Con
If you scan through all the media attention Romney’s speech received, you are hard-pressed to find any news accounts that tell readers the following rather relevant points: 1) Nonpartisan experts believe Romney’s plans would increase the deficit far more than Obama’s would. 2) George W. Bush’s policies arguably are more responsible for increasing the deficit than … [Read more...] about The Romney Con
Businesses Fleeing California
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Businesses Fleeing California
How to Turn Off Independent Voters
Try reprehensible: it will not get Mitt Romney any new voters but turn off some voter who feel that if you sit next to a skunk you start to smell like one. And this smells. … [Read more...] about How to Turn Off Independent Voters
Attatchment Parenting
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Attatchment Parenting
Huckabee Demands Fundraising Letter Supposedly Quoting Him Be Pulled
Many partisans may think this is cute, fun and effective but I'm betting a lot of independent voters are going to be turned off by language aimed at Presidential candidates that don't really have to do with strong language about their policies or ideology -- but just, basicallly, lash out, name calling hate language. And we saw prime example of one: a fundraising letter under … [Read more...] about Huckabee Demands Fundraising Letter Supposedly Quoting Him Be Pulled
Leslie Sabo: A True American Hero
President Obama today awarded the Medal Of Honor to a soldier for actions during the Vietnam War. The citation reads in part "Even though his platoon was ambushed from all sides by a large enemy force, Sabo charged the enemy position, killing several enemy Soldiers. He then assaulted an enemy flanking force, successfully drawing their fire away from friendly Soldiers and … [Read more...] about Leslie Sabo: A True American Hero
Black Voices On Pres. Obama’s Gay Marriage Stance
In gaging the reaction to Obama's announcement of his support of gay marriage, I thought it might be interesting to hear the opinion of black voices across our country. Although it was easy to find black pastors who differed with Pres. Obama because of their Christian faith (Imagine! Pastors choosing the gospel over Obama!), I thought Carl Jeffers brought up an interesting … [Read more...] about Black Voices On Pres. Obama’s Gay Marriage Stance
Obama, Democrats Fundraising for April $43.6 Million: a Decline
Barack Obama and the Democrats found their April fundraising take was down from the previous month -- but they're expecting May to be better. Many Democrats who still seem confident (alarmingly so according to James Carville) that they'll win in the end underestimate the financial battle they're in with the GOP. For instance, when Team Obama's PAC made a big TV buy it was … [Read more...] about Obama, Democrats Fundraising for April $43.6 Million: a Decline
Romney Looks Good in New Set of Polls Against Obama
WASHINGTON - NO IDEOLOGICAL COMPASS and no economic message since before the 2010 midterms has come back to bite Pres. Obama, giving Mitt Romney a strong showing according to multiple polling snapshots of the presidential race today. A larger stimulus would have been more effective, while illustrating Pres. Obama had a progressive economic plan, with a strong message in … [Read more...] about Romney Looks Good in New Set of Polls Against Obama
Nate Silver’s A 30,000-Foot View on the Presidential Race
See saw polls. Partisan on each side on weblogs touting polls that show their side ahead as proof that the other side is in trouble and often ignoring polls that show the opposite. When a poll comes out that gets a lot of attention showing the other side ahead, using the increasingly tired mantra of "bad methodology" (the latest example is Team Obama). And YES there are … [Read more...] about Nate Silver’s A 30,000-Foot View on the Presidential Race
“Really Bad Political Idea” Bombs Out
News flash: “Americans Elect, the deep-pocketed nonprofit group that set out to nominate a centrist third-party presidential ticket, admitted early Tuesday that its ballyhooed online nominating process had failed. “The group had qualified for the general election ballot in 27 states, and had generated concern among Democrats and Republicans alike that it could wreak havoc on … [Read more...] about “Really Bad Political Idea” Bombs Out