No local, state or federal law can violate the U.S. Constitution. Neither can a policy of Congress. The 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that this country's public debt "shall not be questioned." Obviously, because of disagreements between congress and the president over the federal budget, the country's public debt IS being questioned. So... So this coming … [Read more...] about Time To End The Debt Ceiling Game. Time For Obama To Invoke The 14th Amendment
The Attack in Norway and Jumping the Gun on Blaming Islamists
James Fallows sounds upset that bloggers jumped the gun in speculating that al-Qaeda or Islamic terrorists were responsible for the attack in Oslo yesterday: No, this is a sobering reminder for those who think it's too tedious to reserve judgment about horrifying events rather than instantly turning them into talking points for pre-conceived views. On a per capita basis, … [Read more...] about The Attack in Norway and Jumping the Gun on Blaming Islamists
The Best Photographs of the Week
The best photographics of the week: a gallery via RealClearWorld. … [Read more...] about The Best Photographs of the Week
Book Lover’s Lament: Closing The Wrong Borders (Guest Voice)
Book Lover's Lament: Closing The Wrong Borders Tyrades! By Danny Tyree Sometimes coincidences can really dampen your spirits. This week I was driving around with a CD that features Johnny Cash lamenting "I don't like it, but I guess things happen that way." Then I learned that the Borders bookstore chain will be shutting down completely by the end of September. One of … [Read more...] about Book Lover’s Lament: Closing The Wrong Borders (Guest Voice)
Obama, Boehner, Tea Party
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Obama, Boehner, Tea Party
How Right is the Right?
As the right jams its utopian economic theory down America’s throat, polls indicate many Americans have begun to question the historical economic basis for the right-wing’s claims. As politicians from both sides of the political spectrum seem to be drinking Eric Cantor’s Kool-Aid, out here in Middle America, our natural sensibility toward the middle of political thought is … [Read more...] about How Right is the Right?
More Than 90 Killed In Norwegian Shooting, Bombing
Update: 1.47 am Pacific, 26 July : the number killed has been revised downward to 76 Update, 2.40 am Pacific, 23 July via Twitter: Utøya shooting eyewitnesses describe two gunmen - more @ http://t.co/qG4Hzan (in Norwegian) #news According to Reuters, at least 84 young people were killed Friday at youth camp on Utoeya. In addition, seven victims were killed earlier when a … [Read more...] about More Than 90 Killed In Norwegian Shooting, Bombing
And Now a Bit of Borscht Belt (Classic Comedy)
A comedy classic: quick one liners, corny and all from Henny Youngman (a 1966 TV appearance).Note the joke about Mitt Romney's dad: He kept it up for years: I love this segment where he heckles Milton Berle. Classic vaudeville: … [Read more...] about And Now a Bit of Borscht Belt (Classic Comedy)
Boehner in a Box, Obama in a Rage
The Tea Party won’t take yes for an answer. Even as the President caves in to their debt-ceiling demands, the Speaker of the House comes out like a ventriloquist’s dummy and demolishes the deal they were making. “I have decided,” John Boehner harrumphs, “to end discussions with the White House and begin conversations with the leaders of the Senate in an effort to find a path … [Read more...] about Boehner in a Box, Obama in a Rage
Politico: Boehner Gave House Republicans What They Wanted
As the United States now is poised on the brink of what experts and non-talk-show-political-culture analysts (including establishment Republicans) say is a financial catastrophe, when House Majority Leader John Boehner walked away from negotiations over the debt ceiling limit with President Barack Obama, according to The Politico he gave House Republicans what they wanted. … [Read more...] about Politico: Boehner Gave House Republicans What They Wanted
What Default Would Look Like
What would default look like? It would be scary -- and many Americans would feel its impact in terrible ways. But some really don't seem to care since they are blinded by other considerations and influences. … [Read more...] about What Default Would Look Like
Why San Francisco’s Bay Bridge is the ‘Pride of China’ (Beijing Youth Daily, People’s Republic of China)
Should China's people feel pride that the state of California contracted over two dozen giant steel modules for the San Francisco Bay Bridge out to a firm in Shanghai rather than building them in America? In this article from the state-run Beijing Youth Daily, the author, Wang Chuantao, mixes in equal measure national pride over the progress this represents for the "Made in … [Read more...] about Why San Francisco’s Bay Bridge is the ‘Pride of China’ (Beijing Youth Daily, People’s Republic of China)
Caught Between Obama and the Tea Partyers, Boehner Faints. Dissolve to 14th Amendment?
House Speaker John Boehner has walked away from negotiations with President Obama over a deal to raise the debt limit. "In the end, we couldn't connect. Not because of different personalities, but because of different visions for our country," Boehner said in a letter to colleagues. He said Mr. Obama " is emphatic that taxes have to be raised" and "adamant that we cannot … [Read more...] about Caught Between Obama and the Tea Partyers, Boehner Faints. Dissolve to 14th Amendment?
STALEMATE: Boehner Walks Out of Debt Ceiling Limit Talks With Obama (UPDATED with ROUNDUP)
First Rep. Eric Cantor walked out of talks with Vice President Joe Biden on raising the debt ceiling limit -- and now Majority Leader John Boehner has walked out on talks with President Barack Obama. Consider this crisis now extra grave -- although there have been predictions it would reach this stage and eventually be settled in the Senate. And it's likely some of the crisis … [Read more...] about STALEMATE: Boehner Walks Out of Debt Ceiling Limit Talks With Obama (UPDATED with ROUNDUP)
Attack On Norway Takes Me Back In Time
In 1975, I spent the summer in Oslo, at the International Summer School hosted at the University of Oslo. It was my first trip abroad (although I'd been across the Texas border into Mexico). The school was top of mind after I saw the headline: Oslo hit by bomb explosion and youths shot at camp. I was tipped to the story by a tweet which had been retweeted by someone in my … [Read more...] about Attack On Norway Takes Me Back In Time
Libya: NATO and US in a labyrinth
Steadily, NATO and the US are digging themselves into a hole in Libya. Six months into the war, victory is far from sight and the anti-Gaddafi fighters recently recognized by Washington as Libya’s legitimate regime are fracturing by the week. The only quick end would be an Osama bin Laden-style assassination of Gaddafi but that it unlikely any time soon. Of course, the US … [Read more...] about Libya: NATO and US in a labyrinth
Obama’s Blink
The President has apparently caved in to Tea Party blackmail, the cliché about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory has become a working principle in Washington, and the future could be even worse. Behind news of ”a package calling for as much as $3 trillion in savings from substantial spending cuts and future revenue produced by a tax code overhaul” is the reality … [Read more...] about Obama’s Blink
I Am no Michael Smerconish, but …
Today’s headlines on the Pentagon being set to certify that it is ready to end “Don’t ask, Don’t Tell,” remind me of a recent column written by Michael Smerconish at the Philadelphia Enquirer. At the time I read the Smerconish column, I said to myself, “Wow, I could have written this myself---perhaps even better than Smerconish.” Now, do not get me wrong, I am no … [Read more...] about I Am no Michael Smerconish, but …
Special Quote of the Day: Roger Ebert on Today’s Republican Party
A special political Quote of the Day comes from Roger Ebert, who nails it in a post titled "The Republicans Exit History": What I read,and hear is that the Republican Party is abandoning its hopes of speaking for a majority of Americans. It will still win elections. It controls the House. Perhaps it will elect the next President. But steadily and fatally it is moving out … [Read more...] about Special Quote of the Day: Roger Ebert on Today’s Republican Party
UPDATED AGAIN: Terrorists Hit Oslo
UPDATE: The New York Times: After the shooting the police seized a 32-year-old Norwegian man on the island, according to the police and Justice Minister Knut Storberget. He was later identified as Anders Behring Breivik and was characterized by officials as a right-wing extremist. The man was arrested in connection with both attacks. CNN: [Update: 10:20 p.m. ET, … [Read more...] about UPDATED AGAIN: Terrorists Hit Oslo