For once leading congressional Republicans have it right. Taking to the unquestioning Sunday morning talk shows, they decried the proposed minimum tax rate for millionaires rolled out today by President Obama as "class warfare" and an insidious way to portray the GOP as being indifferent to the many hardships being faced by ordinary Americans. Which, of course, is exactly what … [Read more...] about GOP Speaks Up For Poor, Defenseless Millionaires
Join Dakota Meyer’s Challenge
The young Marine, who has already done more than enough for his fellow Marines, for the Marine Corps and for his country, is now doing something for the families of Marines and Navy Corpsmen. Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer has partnered with the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation to raise $1 million by the Foundation’s 50th anniversary on May 28, 2012. He has also … [Read more...] about Join Dakota Meyer’s Challenge
Will This Be the Republican Argument Against Raising Taxes?
Maybe this will be the battle cry. … [Read more...] about Will This Be the Republican Argument Against Raising Taxes?
Vice President Biden On The Parlous State Of American Politics: This Too Shall Pass
I met future Vice President Joseph R. Biden when I was 12 and on my way to junior high school and he was 17 and entering his senior year at a Catholic boy's school. I was pretty much clueless and he a gangly kid with no apparent social skills and a stutter. We played beach volleyball together at the Delaware shore for a couple of summers and his folks and my folks became … [Read more...] about Vice President Biden On The Parlous State Of American Politics: This Too Shall Pass
Life-and-Death Election 2012
Unless Mitt Romney (or Jeb Bush) stops the Rick Perry steamroller, we are heading toward a referendum on the value of human life next year. When Sarah Palin invented death panels to bash health care reform two years ago, with perfect pitch for political devastation, she planted a seed that has now flowered in the Tea Party frontrunner, who is being cheered for multiple … [Read more...] about Life-and-Death Election 2012
Russian Billionaire Punches Another Russian Billionaire on Russian TV
Should we call this "When Billionaires Collide?" or "Puching with the Stars?" A Russian billionaire loses it with another Russian billioinaire on TV during a discussion on the economy and punches him: It looks like they've been watching too much American politics. … [Read more...] about Russian Billionaire Punches Another Russian Billionaire on Russian TV
Greek Euro
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Greek Euro
Can Obama Calm Democratic Panic?
WASHINGTON -- With apologies to Winston Churchill: The talk in the political class is that this is the beginning of the end of the Obama administration, while the talk in the Obama administration is that this is the end of the beginning. Which will it be? Last week was not exactly what President Obama hoped for when he rolled out his big jobs initiative. He expected … [Read more...] about Can Obama Calm Democratic Panic?
Developing a Moderate Party Platform – Part II
For a competitive 3rd party to arise it will have to have a unifying theme that can be used to establish positions across a range of economic and social issues. To be effective, that theme will have to attract supporters from the right and the left. Perhaps the best candidate for that unifying theme is the growing disdain the general populace has for special interests. … [Read more...] about Developing a Moderate Party Platform – Part II
Google+ As An Identity Service Is Bait-and-Switch
In a classic "bait and switch" customers are enticed ("baited") to purchase a specific product but when they try to buy it they discover that it is "out of stock" and the salesperson begins the up-sell ("switch"). But bait-and-switch as a technique is not such a narrowly-defined behavior. Some people apply the term to product advertising with extensive "fine print" … [Read more...] about Google+ As An Identity Service Is Bait-and-Switch
Maureen Dowd’s Not-So-Funny Column about ‘Blockheads’
I started to read a real funny piece in today’s New York Times---at least funny to Democrats and perhaps even to some Republicans with a sense of humor. Others need not read any farther… It is written by the columnist Republicans love to hate: Maureen Dowd. It is about “Eggheads and Blockheads.” It is about the “egghead Eastern lawyer who lacks the skills or stomach … [Read more...] about Maureen Dowd’s Not-So-Funny Column about ‘Blockheads’
Pakistan’s Energy Crisis and U.S. Interests (Guest Voice)
Pakistan's Energy Crisis and U.S. Interests by James Daley On 7 October 2001, the opening phase of "Operation Enduring Freedom" U.S. military campaign began, which quickly drove the Taliban and its al-Qaida affiliates from Kabul on 12 November. Since then, 1,760 U.S. troops have been killed in Afghanistan along with 942 International Security Assistance Force … [Read more...] about Pakistan’s Energy Crisis and U.S. Interests (Guest Voice)
Should Politics Be A Zero-Sum Game? (Guest Voice)
Should Politics Be A Zero-Sum Game? by Robert A. Levine Otto Von Bismarck, the German chancellor in the late 19th century, responsible for unifying the independent states that now encompass modern Germany, once called politics the art of the possible. However, the political process in the United States is currently stagnant. The expected bargaining and compromise between … [Read more...] about Should Politics Be A Zero-Sum Game? (Guest Voice)
GOP Passes Obama Jobs Bill
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about GOP Passes Obama Jobs Bill
GOP Rejection Guaranteed: Obama to Propose Tax on Millionaires
President Barack Obama will tomorrow propose a tax that specifically would tax millionaires -- a proposal that is absolutely certain to be rejected by Congressional Repulbicans and that his campaign will absolutely certainly use to define Republicans in the 2016 Presidential and Congressional elections. The proposal is similar to Hollywood "high concept" film projects: it's … [Read more...] about GOP Rejection Guaranteed: Obama to Propose Tax on Millionaires
A Decade of Memorials Squandered? (Guest Voice)
A Decade of Memorials Squandered? by Michael Winship A long time ago, I helped produce for public television an annual year's end interview with New York City Mayor Ed Koch. We always shot it in a private room at Windows on the World, the restaurant on top of the north tower of the World Trade Center, with a spectacular view toward the Empire State Building. From that … [Read more...] about A Decade of Memorials Squandered? (Guest Voice)
Non News Story of the Day: House GOP Rejects Obama’s Jobs Proposal
This was highly predictable if you view the responses of the House GOP as not just piecemeal reactions but part of a general strategy as poll numbers see President Barack Obama on the (increasingly shaky) ropes: House Republican leaders say they are rejecting President Barack Obama's jobs proposals to rebuild schools and blighted neighborhoods, and help keep state and … [Read more...] about Non News Story of the Day: House GOP Rejects Obama’s Jobs Proposal
Happy Constitution Day !
Today is Constutition Day and so I thought it worth recognizing since we rely on it for sites like this. … [Read more...] about Happy Constitution Day !
Flipboard Competitor Coming From Google Called Propeller
I'm a big Flipboard fan. Yesterday Robert Scoble posted on his Google+ feed that Google is working on a competitor. "My source says that the versions he’s seen so far are mind-blowing good.” Kara Swisher follows up: Google is indeed working on rolling out the new product, which is currently called Propeller. Sources said Propeller is apparently one of a number of new … [Read more...] about Flipboard Competitor Coming From Google Called Propeller
Are We Safer? License Plate Readers Will Tell Us…
So says Harvey E. Eisenberg, a Maryland Assistant U.S. Attorney, in this moment from Frontline's new monthly magazine series. Watch: The segment, titled Are We Safer, is reported by the WaPo's Dana Priest: Priest examines Maryland... Here, Gov. Martin O'Malley tells FRONTLINE how the Department of Homeland Security backed his state's efforts to track down terrorists, … [Read more...] about Are We Safer? License Plate Readers Will Tell Us…