The American Autumn: Children of the Lost Decade Revolt by Tina Dupuy The movement known as the tea party started in the mainstream media, on a national show. CNBC's Rick Santelli, fired what cable news would later dub "the shot heard around the world" in 2009, when he lamented paying for the mortgages of the "losers" who couldn't pay their bills. "President Obama, are you … [Read more...] about The American Autumn: Children of the Lost Decade Revolt (Guest Voice)
Fame as Disease; Celebrity as Illness (part ii)
We return to the story of Anna Held, Florenz Ziegfeld's meal ticket from 1895 ... The 1896 Broadway revival of A Parlor Match had two musical highlights – the hit song "Daisy Bell" (also known as "A Bicycle Built for Two"), and Anna Held's performance of the playful "Won't You Come and Play With Me?" To guarantee ongoing publicity, Ziegfeld let out word that Held took daily … [Read more...] about Fame as Disease; Celebrity as Illness (part ii)
(UPDATED) Why The Republicans’ Class Warfare Tactics Will Come Back To Haunt Them
There is something comical, even farcical, to the reaction of the oligarchs and their congressional and news media helpmates to the growing Occupy Wall Street protests, which have laid bare the reality that our so-called democratic system is rigged to benefit the wealthiest 1 percent at the sacrifice of the other 99 percent. The protests will be a failure as a means of … [Read more...] about (UPDATED) Why The Republicans’ Class Warfare Tactics Will Come Back To Haunt Them
From an unlikely source!
Reason Magazine, the Koch Brothers funded libertarian publication had a surprisingly fair and balanced look at the Occupy Wall Street movement. Occupy Wall Street: Beyond the Caricatures Outsiders are criticizing a heterodox movement that they choose not to understand. It's very easy to decree from afar that the Occupy Wall Street demonstrators flooding Lower Manhattan … [Read more...] about From an unlikely source!
Al-Qaeda ‘Concerned’ about Americans Losing Constitutional Rights
The killing of American-born, al-Qaeda-affiliated, terrorist Anwar al-Awlaki has sparked anger among civil liberties groups and has set-off a lively and legitimate debate in our country. In response to an article decrying the killing of American born al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist Al-Awlaki, I disputed the contention that the killing of the terrorist was Unconstitutional, … [Read more...] about Al-Qaeda ‘Concerned’ about Americans Losing Constitutional Rights
Elizabeth Warren’s $3.15m Dwarfs Scott Brown
WASHINGTON - From The Hill: Elizabeth Warren raised more than $3 million in a little more than six weeks to fund her Senate bid in Massachusetts — more than twice the figure pulled in by incumbent Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.). ... Warren pulled in $3.15 million in total for the third quarter, with more than 11,000 people in Massachusetts pitching in, her campaign announced … [Read more...] about Elizabeth Warren’s $3.15m Dwarfs Scott Brown
A President Who Leads From Behind
During most of his presidency, Barack Obama has adopted a respectful attitude toward Republicans, seemingly hoping, against all reason and experience, that this would lead to bipartisan agreements about important issues. Toward one other group, however, Mr. Obama has been consistently and overtly disrespectful, disdainful, patronizing, and occasionally outright hostile — the … [Read more...] about A President Who Leads From Behind
Quote of the Day: Is Occupy Wall Street Really the Left’s Tea Party Movement?
Our political Quote of the Day comes from The Daily Beast's John Avlon who addresses the prevailing question about whether Occupy Wall Street is the left's version of the Tea Party movement. His answer, based on original reporting as well as analysis is: it is not a mirror image of the Tea Party movement at all. Here are some key quotes from his piece, which needs to be read … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Is Occupy Wall Street Really the Left’s Tea Party Movement?
Party Over Country? That’s SO 19th Century!
I have an article in the New York Times Disunion series today on the transformation of American political parties and the nature of partisanship during the Civil War era. In short, extreme partisanship is nothing new, and is a key part of American political identity. But taken to excess, it can have disastrous consequences. Is there a lesson in there for today? Maybe. … [Read more...] about Party Over Country? That’s SO 19th Century!
That Was Qwikster: Nexflix Scuttles Plan to Spin Off DVD Rentals To Qwikster Site
It's hard to find a company that seems in as muchlf-inflicted chaos as Netflix -- one of my own personal favorite companies. In recent months it seemingly has not just shot itself in the foot but bit itself in the lower proximities. Is that an exaggeration? No. Just look at this story about a massive corporate about face: Netflix Inc. is abandoning its widely panned … [Read more...] about That Was Qwikster: Nexflix Scuttles Plan to Spin Off DVD Rentals To Qwikster Site
Cain Proves Power of ideas in Republican Race (Guest Voice)
Cain Proves Power of ideas in Republican Race by Floyd and Mary Beth Brown America's media is obsessed with every tick of every poll. The reason they cover polls is because they don't want to cover ideas. Republicans should resist being sucked into this reality show mentality and focus instead on the candidate's ideas. Herman Cain used this to great effect in the Florida … [Read more...] about Cain Proves Power of ideas in Republican Race (Guest Voice)
Refuting Straw Liberals
WASHINGTON -- It's not often that a sound bite from a Democratic candidate gets so under the skin of my distinguished colleague George F. Will that he feels moved to quote it in full and then devote an entire column to refuting it. This is instructive. The declaration heard 'round the Internet world came from Elizabeth Warren, the consumer champion running for the U.S. … [Read more...] about Refuting Straw Liberals
Final Solution
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Final Solution
Making Sense of the Stimulus
In this political climate of loud no’s and yesses, good journalism is vital to disentangle all the maybes and what if’s. As Republicans brand the 2009 stimulus of $787 billion a total failure and Democrats defend it as keeping the recession from getting worse, Ezra Klein of the Washington Post reports what economists and politicians were actually thinking and doing back … [Read more...] about Making Sense of the Stimulus
Fame as Disease; Celebrity as Illness (part i)
"A pretty girl is like a malady," quoth the poet. Celebrity and its handmaiden, Publicity, have been with us ever since P.T. Barnum perfected the art and artifice, and Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. learned how to create ticket sales for a "celebrity" who nobody'd ever heard of, Anna Held, whom he stole from the Folies Bergere in Paris: The 1896 Broadway revival of A Parlor Match … [Read more...] about Fame as Disease; Celebrity as Illness (part i)
The New Cyberia: The Dark Side of Steve Jobs’ Extraordinary Legacy
Millions of people claim they were at Woodstock despite the fact there were only 400,000 or so. And with the passing of Steve Jobs, millions will claim that they bought the 128K, the first Apple computer, 25 years ago before the brand became the standard by which all other computers are compared. No matter. I myself finally escaped the clutches of Bill Gates and his evil … [Read more...] about The New Cyberia: The Dark Side of Steve Jobs’ Extraordinary Legacy
China’s Veto on Syrian Sanctions is a Turning Point for UN Security Council
NATO’s apparent victory in Libya, led by France and Britain with full US support, unveils a defining moment for NATO cooperation to protect civilians from massacre by a tyrant. But it is not one that the Obama administration can welcome without reserve. It seriously eroded American influence by causing China to join Russia, which Beijing leaders distrust and despise, in … [Read more...] about China’s Veto on Syrian Sanctions is a Turning Point for UN Security Council
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz on CNN: 150 CEOs So Far Agree to Withhold Campaign Contributions
Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, an interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS, says 150 CEOs have heeded his call to withhold campaign contributions from politicians of both parties, He stressed that this isn't aimed at President Barack Obama, said the country sorely needs bipartisan cooperation and gave his ideas -- which don't have a talk show political culture tone to them as do … [Read more...] about Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz on CNN: 150 CEOs So Far Agree to Withhold Campaign Contributions
The Silent Majority, 2011
This weekend, GOP presidential candidates are groveling at the “Values Voters Summit” in Washington, a noisy minority with frontrunner Mitt Romney defending his faith from attacks as “a cult.” All this is reported with a straight face by media large and small, who a generation ago would have dismissed such fringe doings as a crackpot sideshow. Today, the Tea Party and the … [Read more...] about The Silent Majority, 2011
Several Republican Presidential Candidates Parse Words on Attack on Mitt Romney’s Reigion
You've heard about the JFK book "Profiles in Courage?" This could be the inspiration for a book "Profiles in Political Jellyfish": several Republican Presidential candidates are carefully parsing their words on the attack on former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's religion and whether that rules him out for the Oval Office. They clearly don't want to lose ANY voters so why … [Read more...] about Several Republican Presidential Candidates Parse Words on Attack on Mitt Romney’s Reigion