WASHINGTON -- The nation's Roman Catholic bishops will make an important decision this week: Do they want to defend the church's legitimate interest in religious autonomy, or do they want to wage an election-year war against President Obama? And do the most conservative bishops want to junk the Roman Catholic Church as we have known it, with its deep commitment to both … [Read more...] about Catholicism Is Not the Tea Party at Prayer
John McCain All Over the TV Shows
Arizona Senator John McCain is on TV so much as a guest on the news shows and reacting to the film "Game Change" that you wonder whether he's running for something. If so, his pitch could go something like this: … [Read more...] about John McCain All Over the TV Shows
Mr. Limbaugh on the Lord’s Resistance Army, Circa October 2011
After posting the “Stop Kony” story on another blog, several readers mentioned remarks defending the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) allegedly made by none other than Rush Limbaugh when President Obama announced the deployment of 100 military advisers to combat the LRA in central Africa. Incredulous, I checked the record. There are many accounts of Limbaugh’s defense of the … [Read more...] about Mr. Limbaugh on the Lord’s Resistance Army, Circa October 2011
U.S. Soldier in Kandhar Kills 16 Afghan Civilians Including 9 Children
This bloody story out of Afghanistan constitutes a tragedy that is sure to aggravate U.S.-Afghanistan tensions as the U.S. winds up its operations there. An American soldier murdered 16 Afghan civiliansl, 9 of them children: A US soldier in Afghanistan has killed at least 16 civilians and wounded five after entering their homes in Kandahar province, senior local officials … [Read more...] about U.S. Soldier in Kandhar Kills 16 Afghan Civilians Including 9 Children
Moral Game Change: Ike to McCain
Tomorrow’s water-cooler topic at work will be the HBO Sarah Palin movie, with riffs on the performances, accuracy and political meaning. It’s not likely there will be much talk about its morality. In 1962, an Eisenhower aide, Emmett J. Hughes, published “The Ordeal of Power,” revealing internal debates during his White House years. It was a first, and when JFK heard about … [Read more...] about Moral Game Change: Ike to McCain
‘How will Egypt Regain Custody of Fugitive Americans?’, Protesters Ask (Al-Gomhuriah, Egypt)
Last week, Egyptian military authorities decided to release 19 Americans ostensibly being held for their involvement in the foreign-funding of non-governmental organizations operating in Egypt. According to this news item from Egypt's state-run Al-Gomhuriah, dual protests in front of the U.S. Embassy demonstrated against their release by military authorities, and then turned on … [Read more...] about ‘How will Egypt Regain Custody of Fugitive Americans?’, Protesters Ask (Al-Gomhuriah, Egypt)
Limbaugh Triggers Avalanche of Earned Media for Civility’s Sake
The most recent avalanche of earned media for the concept of civility undisputedly derives from multiple rants enunciated by Rush Limbaugh - who would have thunk, eh? The Moderate Voice's own post, Talk Radio Bomb: 98 Advertisers Tell Premiere Networks to Avoid Shock Jocks, is testimony to this phenomenon. The initial set of rants that triggered the avalanche targeted a 30 … [Read more...] about Limbaugh Triggers Avalanche of Earned Media for Civility’s Sake
Sally Kohn: Fox’s Liberal Lesbian
Makes this good point: I find most liberals who are critical of Fox news don’t watch it. They have a perspective informed by clips they see on The Daily Show, or the most outrageous thing that they’ve ever seen passed around that Sean Hannity said, but they’re not watching the day-to-day news coverage which is really thoughtful and the probing debates on some of the hot topics … [Read more...] about Sally Kohn: Fox’s Liberal Lesbian
Seven Things About the HBO Film “Game Change” (UPDATED)
Last night HBO aired the film "Game Change," which has gotten mostly rave reviews. Five things: 1. It will go down as one of the greatest political films adapted from a book ever made. 2. It didn't do Saturday Night Live type or cheap caricatures of the key players. It featured actors and actresses who were truly trying to portray characters with all the actors' skills … [Read more...] about Seven Things About the HBO Film “Game Change” (UPDATED)
TALK RADIO BOMB: 98 Advertisers Tell Premiere Networks to Avoid Shock Jocks
WASHINGTON - Rush Limbaugh's "slut" and "prostitute" smears have officially become The Talk Radio Tipping Point. He and his right-wing talker spawn have finally been hoisted on their own poison petard. But this latest controversy comes at a particularly difficult time for right-wing talk radio. They are playing to a (sometimes literally) dying demographic. Rush & Co. rate … [Read more...] about TALK RADIO BOMB: 98 Advertisers Tell Premiere Networks to Avoid Shock Jocks
GOP Happy Face
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about GOP Happy Face
(UPDATE) On this First Anniversary of the Great Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, “Letters to the Heart”
[This is being run again today to mark the anniversary of the earthquake. Amazon book icon linked to the book noted here is now at the bottom of this post.] Sunday, March 11, marks the first anniversary of one the most devastating disasters in recent times, the Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011. The broadcast, internet and print media have already started … [Read more...] about (UPDATE) On this First Anniversary of the Great Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, “Letters to the Heart”
The Party of Lincoln
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about The Party of Lincoln
Japan Tsumani Plus One
It is certainly proper I think for all of us to take a moment to remember what happened a year ago... … [Read more...] about Japan Tsumani Plus One
Precious Stone or Kicking Stone?
The Bible says that in Christ each person is a precious stone, a living stone, chosen by God (1 Peter 2:5). Yet when we gaze into the mirror, we often don’t fully see this image. In our spiritual journey, many of us are unwilling to wait long enough for God’s perspective to be revealed in us and through us. The world does not see what God sees, what God saw when he formed … [Read more...] about Precious Stone or Kicking Stone?
Be Careful When Using Chase Online Banking (Bad Experience) UPDATED
I'm on a national tour that ends May 25. About two years ago I switched to using Chase Online banking almost exclusively. I now have had my second very bad experience -- this one near catastrophic. I have to add by saying that I LOVE Chase. It has been my favorite bank. Until now. A few days ago I paid some bills. One was $75 to DRSM National Bank, for a Valero gas credit … [Read more...] about Be Careful When Using Chase Online Banking (Bad Experience) UPDATED
Romney Wins Two US Territories, Kansas Still Up For Grabs Taken By Santorum In A Landslide
Mitt Romney has won Guam and the Northern Marianis (in case you didn't know, non-state US territories do usually get to participate in primaries), which gives him a few more delegates.
He's going to want to play that up, because Santorum has strong hopes for a win in Kansas today. Santorum is pretty obviously trying to get Newt Gingrich to quit so he can make it a two-man … [Read more...] about Romney Wins Two US Territories, Kansas Still Up For Grabs Taken By Santorum In A Landslide
It Could Happen Here
Could the catastrophe that caused the nuclear disaster at Fukishima been predicted? It not only could have it was. But Japan's nuclear regulators and utilities not only ignored the predictions but supressed them. But some insiders from Japan’s tightly knit nuclear industry have stepped forward to say that Tepco and regulators had for years ignored warnings of the … [Read more...] about It Could Happen Here
When Talk Show Hosts Cross the Line
Powerful conservative talker Rush Limbaugh got zero days suspension but KFI's John and Ken got seven.. … [Read more...] about When Talk Show Hosts Cross the Line
Presidency Hanging by a Thread
No one believes the White House (or all of government, for that matter) controls what happens to the economy and certainly not on a short-term basis, but weekly unemployment figures from now until November could help re-elect Barack Obama—-or defeat him. The Caucus rightly concludes: “The biggest test for Mr. Obama and his Republican adversaries in the months to come may be … [Read more...] about Presidency Hanging by a Thread