As you may have heard, Congressional Republicans have sent a letter to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke arguing that "further intervention by the Federal Reserve could exacerbate current problems or further harm the U.S. economy," that is, urging him to do nothing about the economy at this perilous time. As Matthew Yglesias puts it, they are basically urging him to keep unemployment … [Read more...] about The Treasonous Politics of the GOP
(UPDATED) Maybe It’ll Fall On Congress
Yeah, global financial markets are way down, the Pakistani intelligence service conspired with insurgents to attack the U.S. embassy in Kabul, and the Chicago Cubs will not be going to the World Series yet again. But the big news is that pieces of a disintegrating NASA satellite that once was the size of a bus are expected to enter the Earth's atmosphere late Friday or early … [Read more...] about (UPDATED) Maybe It’ll Fall On Congress
Rick Perry: Secessionist Rhetoric, Revisionist Politics
The other night, Rick Perry told Sean Hannity -- who treated Perry the way he treats Sarah Palin, which is to say, the way Sasha Grey, in her former professional capacity, used to treat an erect penis -- that he is not, in fact, a secessionist: HANNITY: Some people said, well, you used the term once "secession." That's not anything -- is that something you believe? PERRY: … [Read more...] about Rick Perry: Secessionist Rhetoric, Revisionist Politics
Scared To Death
After months of drought, it finally rained last night in Middle Georgia. A wild, heavy rain with bouts of loud thunder and lightning that had the dogs running scared. I woke up happy, even mildly euphoric; the rain had arrived, our trees might survive. Soon enough that turned sour. Why? Maybe the dogs? Maybe not. I'm a fairly happy guy. Still, sometimes in the night I … [Read more...] about Scared To Death
All The World’s a Stage (Guest Voice)
All The World's a Stage by Peter Funt With modern media, know this: you can run off at the mouth, but you can't hide. It's surprising how many media-savvy folks fail to grasp that. Some politicians still think they can say things in the hinterlands and not have the remarks rebound on the Internet. Some pundits believe they can let loose in relatively small corners of the … [Read more...] about All The World’s a Stage (Guest Voice)
Class Warfare
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Class Warfare
Texas Abolishes Last Meal For Death Row Inmates
Reuters: "Enough is enough," state Senator John Whitmire wrote in a letter on Thursday to prison officials, prompting the move. "It is extremely inappropriate to give a person sentenced to death such a privilege. It's a privilege which the perpetrator did not provide to their victim." The letter was in apparent response to the dinner requested, but not eaten, by white … [Read more...] about Texas Abolishes Last Meal For Death Row Inmates
Live Blogging of Fox News/Google Republican Presidential Debate
Here is live blogging of tonight's Fox News/Google Republican Presidential Debate at the Orange County Convention Center in Florida. Although news coverage will focus on what is shaping up to be a big battle between front runners Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney who are each going to try to deliver a knock out punch to the other, they will not be … [Read more...] about Live Blogging of Fox News/Google Republican Presidential Debate
Troy Davis is Executed, What Now? It Doesn’t Bring Officer Mark MacPhail Back Or Ease the Sorrow (Guest Voice)
Troy Davis is Executed, What Now? It Doesn't Bring Officer Mark MacPhail Back Or Ease the Sorrow by Janet Shan Troy Davis' death, also considered the lynching of a black man, isn't a vindication for the murder of Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail, but proof it's time to end the flawed system of justice in the U.S.A. and blaming President Obama won't fix our addiction … [Read more...] about Troy Davis is Executed, What Now? It Doesn’t Bring Officer Mark MacPhail Back Or Ease the Sorrow (Guest Voice)
TMV Live Blogging Tonight’s Republican Debate
Yours truly is on the road for nearly 9 months (this is being written from New Jersey). I will be live blogging the Republican debate tonight. The entries will be less about ideology than how each candidate presents themselves and some overall conclusions --which may not be the same conclusion I reach after I have a chance to digest what I've been for a few hours. The live … [Read more...] about TMV Live Blogging Tonight’s Republican Debate
Obama Lite and Bush Dark
Tonight’s installment of the “Mitt and Rick Show,” AKA presidential debates, will introduce a new fringe character to be ignored—-former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson, who will bring to the party the novelty of a GOP wannabe who favors gay rights. Meanwhile, the Texas governor keeps providing colorful language for the long-running sitcom by denouncing Romney to Fox News, … [Read more...] about Obama Lite and Bush Dark
More Evidence That ObamaCare Works
Young adults have long been the group most likely to be uninsured, but thanks to ObamaCare there are nearly a million fewer uninsured young adults since the 2010 law began allowing parents to cover them as dependents on family policies. Three new surveys released this week show that the gains have occurred despite the recession and the fact young adults are unemployed at … [Read more...] about More Evidence That ObamaCare Works
What If I Was Wrong?
A former prosecutor remembers sleepless nights: Some might consider that admission a sign of weakness or a lack of resolve, but in retrospect, I see those nights as ones in which I was fully human. The cost of being wrong as a prosecutor is almost unthinkable. This is especially true in a capital case, such as the recent and tumultuous end game in the Troy Davis case in … [Read more...] about What If I Was Wrong?
Do Cultural Conservatives Pull Punches When Polled on Women Candidates?
From Nate Silver's Five Thirty Eight, with this lede from new research by Christopher Stout and Reuben Kline, both political scientists: Looking at Senate and Gubernatorial candidates from 1989 to 2008 (more than 200 elections in over 40 states), we analyze the accuracy of pre-election polls for almost the complete universe of female candidates and a matched sample of white … [Read more...] about Do Cultural Conservatives Pull Punches When Polled on Women Candidates?
The Zero Cost Job Stimulus the White House Should Be Pursuing and The Reason Why General Electric Pays No U.S. Corporate Income Taxes (Guest Voice)
The Zero Cost Job Stimulus the White House Should Be Pursuing AND The Reason Why General Electric Pays No U.S. Corporate Income Taxes by Johnny Byrd How many times in the past year have you heard someone in the political sphere make reference to the fact that General Electric pays no U.S. income taxes as proof that the U.S. corporate tax system is broken? Plenty. I’ve … [Read more...] about The Zero Cost Job Stimulus the White House Should Be Pursuing and The Reason Why General Electric Pays No U.S. Corporate Income Taxes (Guest Voice)
(UPDATED) The Republicans Slay Yet Another Sacred Cow
In the latest and perhaps most pungent sign that the inmates have taken over the GOP asylum, leading congressional Republicans are demanding that the Federal Reserve butt out and stop trying to fix the economy. The demand in a letter signed by Senators Mitch McConnell and John Kyl and Representatives John Boehner and Eric Cantor comes as the Fed concludes a two-day meeting … [Read more...] about (UPDATED) The Republicans Slay Yet Another Sacred Cow
Is Rick Perry’s Window Of Opportunity Closing?
Political polls are snapshots in time and the results of poll 14 months before Election Day must be viewed in that context, but the new USA Today/Gallup poll of Republican presidential nomination preferences are bad news for everyone except Mitt Romney, but perhaps especially bad news for Rick Perry. Michele Bachmann, Ron Paul, Herman Cain and Newt Gingrich have, for all … [Read more...] about Is Rick Perry’s Window Of Opportunity Closing?
Tax the Rich
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Tax the Rich
How Obama Can Reboot His Presidency
George W. Bush never admitted a mistake. It’s time for his successor to save a crumbling presidency by admitting his own while going head-to-head with Tea Party treason that is subverting his and America’s future. “These guys are playing a different game than the president’s playing,” Vice President Biden tells Democrats about the intransigence of Congressional Republicans. … [Read more...] about How Obama Can Reboot His Presidency
When Socialism Saves Capitalism
WASHINGTON -- Have you noticed that one of the Obama administration's most successful programs is also its most "socialist" initiative? OK, the bailout of General Motors and Chrysler was not socialist in the classic sense: the government was not looking to hold onto the companies over the long run. Their turnaround was accomplished in significant part by tough, … [Read more...] about When Socialism Saves Capitalism