As a historian of the 19th century United States, with a focus primarily on the Civil War era in the Upper and Border South, I've found the sesquicentennial to be an exciting time to help reorient the focus of the Civil War on to the "great middle" between the industrial North and the plantation South. Most of the war was fought in that heartland, including especially … [Read more...] about The Civil War Sesquicentennial – No Surrender at Fort Donelson
Are Republicans Actively Working to Lose Womens’ Votes?
Are Republicans actively working with Barack Obama's senior compaign strategist David Axelrod to lose the votes of many women voters? To be sure, the GOP will always have its die-hard followers, and people of both sexes who will sincerely see things via it's prism. But two tidbits today are not going to enhance the image of some GOPers and their party. For instance, Foster … [Read more...] about Are Republicans Actively Working to Lose Womens’ Votes?
HOW AND WHY MY TMV OPINION POSTS ARE WRITTEN
A reader/commentator on my previous TMV post stated a preference that I include footnotes, references, and citations to outside source materials to justify my various statements of fact. That’s just not going to happen very often because I’m not writing an article for a peer-review scientific, legal or academic forum. In most TMV articles/posts/submissions, these types of … [Read more...] about HOW AND WHY MY TMV OPINION POSTS ARE WRITTEN
The Beck-Shultz Party Game
Those who read my posts know I am pretty easy going when it comes to politics. I don't care if you're a right wing reactionary or a left wing marxist. I don't care if you're brilliant or idiotic. As long as you are reasonably tolerant of other views then I don't really care what you say, that's part of a free society. But I am amazed at the abilities of Glenn Beck and Ed … [Read more...] about The Beck-Shultz Party Game
Disciplining Other People’s Children
Writer comment: For some reason this and some other posts of mine showed up without the ability to comment so I am reposting them in case someone wants to. My local mornng radio show hosts were on break last week and so they broadcast some best of episodes. One involved them discussing the issue of children and family. One of the hosts had gone to Washington DC and was … [Read more...] about Disciplining Other People’s Children
Methotrexate: Yet Another Shortage Of A Lifesaving Drug Because Of Manufacturer Neglect
For me, the drug methotrexate is the difference between discomfort and comfort. For children with certain forms of leukemia, it is the difference between life and death. And yet another cautionary tale about regulation of the profit-greedy American drug industry. Methotrexate has been around for six decades and has long proved to be effective against acute lymphoblastic … [Read more...] about Methotrexate: Yet Another Shortage Of A Lifesaving Drug Because Of Manufacturer Neglect
New Poll: Santorum Ahead of Romney in Michigan
When asked about polls that suggest former Senator Rick Santorum is poised to be Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney in the upcoming Republican presidential Michigan primary, Romney flatly says: "That won't happen." But the latest poll suggests former Massachusetts Governor whose father served as Michigan my have to repeat it often to be severely convincing: Former Pennsylvania … [Read more...] about New Poll: Santorum Ahead of Romney in Michigan
Nervous Old Guard Republicans
The Republican establishment has its candidate. Mitt Romney. But angry Tea Partiers and social conservatives just won't go along, and keep falling in behind one unelectable candidate after another... Nervous Old Guard Republicans The Republican old guard is nervous, 'Bout groups Rick Santorum would service; These old line conservatives cringe, Viewing nutty ideas from … [Read more...] about Nervous Old Guard Republicans
Secy. Clinton’s Strength at State Seen in Obama Budget
WASHINGTON - It's the Hillary Effect. An event that occurs or when something important is impacted because of Hillary Clinton's presence, her power and strength of persuasion that is built entirely upon purpose. Pres. Obama's 2013 budget... Provides $51.6 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), an … [Read more...] about Secy. Clinton’s Strength at State Seen in Obama Budget
(BREAKING) No Thanks To Romney, General Motors Posts Its Largest Profit Ever
CADILLAC 16 CONCEPT CAR If Mitt Romney had gotten his way, General Motors would not be reporting its largest profit ever today. The automaker, which has wrested the title of world's largest back from Toyota, made $7.6 billion in 2011, up 62 percent from 2010. Full-year revenue rose 11 percent to $105 billion. There was one dark cloud: G.M. lost $747 million in Europe, … [Read more...] about (BREAKING) No Thanks To Romney, General Motors Posts Its Largest Profit Ever
Why A Two-Party System Is Inevitable In The United States (& What To Do About It)
I have struggled for years to concisely explain why a two-party system is an inevitability in the United States. The primary reason for this is our voting system, which is known as "First Past the Post" or "Winner Take All." With a few exceptions in a few states, virtually all of America does it this way, which is the simple rule that you don't have to get a majority of votes … [Read more...] about Why A Two-Party System Is Inevitable In The United States (& What To Do About It)
Santorum Is Crazy (Like A Fox) & A Dream Candidate (For Obama)
There is no doubt that Rick Santorum is crazy, but to the distress of Mitt Romney and Karl Rove and other Republican Party elders, he is crazy like a fox. I have yet to read a plausible scenario through which this right-wing upstart can beat President Obama. He wouldn't even be able to win Pennsylvania, where as an incumbent U.S. Senator he got throttled by 16 percentage … [Read more...] about Santorum Is Crazy (Like A Fox) & A Dream Candidate (For Obama)
Public Employee Spreads Hate on Taxpayers’ Dime
UPDATED BELOW I have to start with my ethics, because I've spent more than 48 hours wrestling with whether what I'm about to do is the RIGHT thing to do. Right as in "correct," and "proper," and not as politics, as is in common parlance. George Washington statue at Independence Hall, Philadelphia You see, I posted three hours of a radio interview into six years of … [Read more...] about Public Employee Spreads Hate on Taxpayers’ Dime
A generational failure
I heard a heartbreaking story today. A story which I am sure I have heard a number of times, but today it has followed me like an ugly familiar shadow. It is a story about an ambitious young lady in her early 20’s. She did the right things; she did her GCSE’s, her A-Levels (UK high-school exams), she went to University and she came back home with a degree. She did the right … [Read more...] about A generational failure
Let’s Never Forget Charlie and Braden Powell and Keep Asking ‘Why?’
DES MOINES, Iowa — The plate clatter grows around dinner time at Spaghetti Works here in Des Moines' historical district. A family enters with two young boys. I look at them and my eyes tear up. A couple comes in with a teenage son. I think about what I read months ago about an ill-fated teen and feel a huge sense of grief. I'm thinking of the horrific final moments of some … [Read more...] about Let’s Never Forget Charlie and Braden Powell and Keep Asking ‘Why?’
Broadening Obama’s Coattails
As the GOP wannabe dogfight gets uglier, the actual President is on a winning streak that parallels Linsanity in the sports world. In eye-to-eye confrontation, John Boehner has just blinked after more than a year of being held hostage by his Tea Party caucus, backing not only a bill to extend a $100 billion payroll tax rollback without spending cuts to pay for it but … [Read more...] about Broadening Obama’s Coattails
Romney’s Big Problem
WASHINGTON -- Mitt Romney has lost his central asset. It is no longer obvious that he is the Republican with the best chance of defeating President Obama. Romney was never fully trusted or liked by the staunchest conservatives, a rather large Republican constituency. But until now, enough of them have been willing to swallow their doubts at critical moments because … [Read more...] about Romney’s Big Problem
Xi Jiping’s hall of mirrors
China’s Xi Jinping, comes across as a down home personality with a soft spot for rural values and the agricultural economy. But he has a mind steeped in Chinese nationalism devoted to making his country an equal of the United States. The Vice President, who is expected to succeed President Hu Jintao in late 2012, has given little away during his five-day visit to the US. But … [Read more...] about Xi Jiping’s hall of mirrors
“You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”
There is a lot not to like about MEP Nigel Farage but when he is right he's right: For the actual people of Greece there is only one solution - default and leaving the Eurozone. The attempts at "bailout" are designed to bail out the big banks and give Germany an economic occupation of Greece. The austerity being forced on the Greeks only … [Read more...] about “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”
How the Parties Switched Stances on the Indvidual Mandate
Interesting article in today's New York Times http://nyti.ms/x77odY of the way Republicans and Democrats completely reversed their positions on the individual mandate since the concept was formulated by conservative economists in the early 1990s. Republicans in Congress, including Newt Gingrich, supported the idea and the Democrats were opposed. Subsequently, there's been a 180 … [Read more...] about How the Parties Switched Stances on the Indvidual Mandate