Today, the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War actually begins -- not that you'd know it from the coverage. It was hotter than hell today at Manassas National Battlefield Park, in Prince William County in Northern Virginia. According to the (Manassas) News & Messenger: Manassas, Virginia 99° Feels Like: 105°. The Civil War started in earnest one hundred fifty … [Read more...] about The Running of the Bulls in Manassas
Pentagon to Certify End to ‘Don’t ask, Don’t tell’ Tomorrow
The Los Angeles Times reports that: Pentagon officials will announce Friday that the ban on homosexuals serving openly in the military can be lifted without harming military readiness, a step that will likely bring the controversial "don't ask, don't tell" policy to an end in September, two Defense officials said, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Adm. Mike … [Read more...] about Pentagon to Certify End to ‘Don’t ask, Don’t tell’ Tomorrow
Allen West: Steadfastly Boorish (UPDATED)
After calling Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) “vile, unprofessional, and despicable” and “not a lady;” after refusing to apologize for his crude remarks and after using these very same insults for fundraising purposes (below), Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) now blames his boorish conduct on his military service. Appearing on Fox Business Network, West said an … [Read more...] about Allen West: Steadfastly Boorish (UPDATED)
After Quake, Japan’s World Cup Win is Best Form of Medicine (Mainichi Shimbun, Japan)
For a nation recovering from one of the greatest series of cataclysms in recorded history, the victory of the Japan women's national football team over Team USA in the FIFA World Cup was an invaluable elixir. According to this editorial from Japan's Mainichi Shimbun, what made Japan proudest was when Japan's national team circled the stadium with a huge banner thanking the … [Read more...] about After Quake, Japan’s World Cup Win is Best Form of Medicine (Mainichi Shimbun, Japan)
Can Europe’s Economy Be Saved?
Can Europe's economy be saved? The good news: this breezy CNN report sums up the situation: The bad news: This increasingly seems like it could be slightly changed and be used to describe how America's political class is dealing with the debt ceiling limit. … [Read more...] about Can Europe’s Economy Be Saved?
U.S. Authorities Should Be Punished for ‘Fast and Furious’ (Excelsior, Mexico)
Do Mexicans have a right to feel intruded upon, now that the United States has admitted allowing high-powered weapons to be sold to representatives of the Mexican drug cartels? Excelsior columnist Jesus Ortega Martinez writes that the recent U.S. sting operation 'Fast and Furious' undermines the Mexican state, violates international law and endangers innocent people on both … [Read more...] about U.S. Authorities Should Be Punished for ‘Fast and Furious’ (Excelsior, Mexico)
What America Needs: Structural Political Change
What Can Change in America: The Structure of Politics STRUCTURAL POLITICAL REFORM A way out of our dysfunctional politics (By Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post/Opinions) What has steadily changed over the past three or four decades is not so much the ideological intensity (though it has grown) but the structure of politics, making it more beholden to narrow, specialized … [Read more...] about What America Needs: Structural Political Change
Walter Mittys In The Tea Party House
The reluctance of Tea Party Republicans in the House fo Representatives to accept any compromise on the debt ceiling is generally attributed to three things: ideologically-based economics; fear of Grover Norquist and the no-tax pledge he made them sign; and retribution at the polls by Tea Partiers if they caved on anything. All these factors play into the behavior of these … [Read more...] about Walter Mittys In The Tea Party House
Quote of the Day: Republicans’ Base Instincts Could Sink Them With Independents
Our political Quote of the Day comes from political analyst Charlie Cook from a column in The National Journal titled "Cook: Partisan Myopia Can Be Deadly." He explores many Republican's fixation on pleasing their Tea Party base at the expense of turning off independent voters who decide elections -- a turn off that a parade of polls show is now occuring. Some key … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Republicans’ Base Instincts Could Sink Them With Independents
Blowing Up the House
WASHINGTON -- Media reports are touting the Senate’s Gang of Six and its new budget outline. But the news that explains why the nation is caught in this debt-ceiling fiasco is the gang warfare inside the Republican Party. We are witnessing the disintegration of tea party Republicanism. The tea party’s followers have endangered the nation’s credit rating and the GOP by … [Read more...] about Blowing Up the House
Grover Norquist: A Democrat’s Best Friend
SSH! GENIUS AT WORK The last time that I visited the budget deficit debacle was in a post titled "The Great Republican Retreat of 2011." The headline pretty much said it all -- that the GOP House leadership was hell bent on grabbing defeat from the jaws of compromise -- and would rue the day it made promises that defied fiscal reality. After weeks of moving deck chairs … [Read more...] about Grover Norquist: A Democrat’s Best Friend
Murdoch Channels George W. Bush
In the Parliamentary hearing about media misdeeds, Rupert Murdoch resembled his favorite American President. During eight years in office, George W. Bush, who called himself the Decider, never took responsibility for anything that went wrong. At the low point of the Iraq war, he would go only as far as to admit, “Mistakes were made.” In the same way, Murdoch and his son … [Read more...] about Murdoch Channels George W. Bush
WELCOME HOME ATLANTIS !
After 30 years and 135 missions the Space Shuttle program is at an end. The shuttle Atlantis made a picture perfect landing at the Kennedy Space Center at 5:56am (EST) ending its final mission and the final mission of the shuttle program. For the time being the United States will step out of the manned space launch program, though we will continue to send people to the … [Read more...] about WELCOME HOME ATLANTIS !
Happy Moon Day 2011
Perhaps the finest moment in the life of our species. Forty-two years ago today, on a hot summer evening. A species from this planet ... … [Read more...] about Happy Moon Day 2011
F-16s for Iraq? (UPDATED)
UPDATE: Gen. Ray Odierno, who has been nominated to be the next Army chief told Congress during his confirmation hearings, “I think it’s important that we provide [Iraq] the support they think is necessary.” Commenting on recent Iranian efforts to arm Shiite extremist groups in Iraq Odierno said, “It is clear that Iran is attempting to influence this decision with … [Read more...] about F-16s for Iraq? (UPDATED)
Whether Difficult or Incapacitated, Ladies? We’re Not Fit to be Elected or Public Officials
What is it with women like Sheila Bair, former head of the FDIC, who is just soooo difficult, and Elizabeth Warren, creator and designer of the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau, who is just soooo controversial and now U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D, FL-20) who is just soooo not acting like a lady? I mean, really. Who do we think we are when we use our voice - a … [Read more...] about Whether Difficult or Incapacitated, Ladies? We’re Not Fit to be Elected or Public Officials
Budget Debate Straight Talk (Guest Voice)
Budget Debate Straight Talk And the truth about Medicare by Susan Stamper Brown If indeed the road to Hell is paved with good intentions, President Obama and his cohorts in the Democratic Party must be feeling the heat on their backsides on the eve of the Cut, Cap and Balance (CCB) vote. In response to the GOP's proposal, it should come as no surprise that White House … [Read more...] about Budget Debate Straight Talk (Guest Voice)
Compassionate Conservatism
This copyrighted Cagle Cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Compassionate Conservatism
Rothenberg Says House Probably Not In Play In 2012
Stuart Rothenberg is a well respected analyst and far from a conservative hack and he says that House is probably not in play in 2012. He bases this on a review of redistricting changes that he says probably give the GOP a slight edge. I tend to agree with his review although I certainly can see where people could dispute one part or another. Also worth remembering is that … [Read more...] about Rothenberg Says House Probably Not In Play In 2012
Borders Closing
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Borders Closing