The Respect for Marriage Act (ROMA) would "restore the rights of all lawfully married couples – including tens of thousands of same-sex couples – to receive the benefits of marriage under federal law." This a direct response to social conservative opposition to same-sex marriage, embodied by the (evocatively named) "Defense" of Marriage Act (DOMA). Sen. Dianne Feinstein … [Read more...] about “Respect” For Marriage Act Would Repeal DOMA
Bachmann Hit Piece
Michele Bachmann continues to surge in the polls so what are the Republican power brokers going to do? The Democrats dream candidate is Ms Bachmann for the Republican elites it's a nightmare. So what are they to do? Call Tucker Carlson's rag The Daily Caller and arrange a hit piece. In late July 2010, Rep. Michele Bachmann’s then-communications director, Dave Dziok, told … [Read more...] about Bachmann Hit Piece
Notion: ‘Pay Politicians Based on Performance’ (News, Switzerland)
Is it time that a law be passed rewarding or punishing politicians based on their performance in office? The idea, suggested by American comedian Andy Borowitz, sounds appealing. Unfortunately, as columnist Patrik Etschmayer of Switzerland's News laments, who would pass it? For Switzerland's News, Patrik Etschmayer writes in part: In one of the very amusing articles on … [Read more...] about Notion: ‘Pay Politicians Based on Performance’ (News, Switzerland)
Democrats Use Ronald Reagan on House Republicans
WASHINGTON - It was the day of cut, cap and... baloney. But it's quite interesting how the House Democratic Caucus dealt with the event this morning. They sent out the above audio excerpt of Pres. Ronald Reagan's 1987 radio address. “Congress consistently brings the Government to the edge of default before facing its responsibility. This brinkmanship threatens the holders … [Read more...] about Democrats Use Ronald Reagan on House Republicans
Obama Endorses Bill To Repeal DOMA
President Obama has announced his support for legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. Certainly his move is partly motivated by politics, he needs to appeal to the GLBT community and he knows that the bill may not pass out of Congress anyway. However I think it is also based in his sincere belief in equality as well as recognition of the fact the bill is … [Read more...] about Obama Endorses Bill To Repeal DOMA
Who Are The Real “Job Creators?”
When I hear Republicans constantly referring to millionaires and billionaires as "job creators," and therefore people who should not be taxed more in this jobs-poor economy, I find myself a tad mystified. It's not that I totally disagree with this identification. It's more like I'm listening to people who just caught the last half of a beginner's economics lecture, and never … [Read more...] about Who Are The Real “Job Creators?”
Quote of the Day: On the Republican Establishment, Congress’ Tea Party Group, the Debt Limit and the GOP
Our political Quote of the Day comes from The Politico's Mike Allen who in one paragraph capsualizes a key part of what is going on in the controversy over raising the debt limit ceiling -- and what it means: Establishment Republicans practically spit contempt for what they call “the default caucus” – the small number of House and Senate members who say they won’t vote to … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: On the Republican Establishment, Congress’ Tea Party Group, the Debt Limit and the GOP
(UPDATED) 9/11 Hacking Allegation is Questionable
An allegation that reporters for Rupert Murdoch's now-defunct News of the World tried to steal personal information from the phones of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center is generating considerable smoke but no fire. This is because the allegation rests entirely on a July 11 story in The Daily Mirror, a News of the World rival, based on an unnamed … [Read more...] about (UPDATED) 9/11 Hacking Allegation is Questionable
Republican Rebranding and the Great Debt Ceiling Debate
Apart from being the first time that partisanship swirling around the raising of the debt limit ceiling threatens to shove the United States into an economic abyss, the Great Debt Ceiling Debate of 2011 marks the rebranding of the Republican Party – even as party bigwigs try to desperately stave off the rebranding. Republicanism once operated within certain perimeters – … [Read more...] about Republican Rebranding and the Great Debt Ceiling Debate
Murdoch Testimony Before Parliament Temporarily Suspended: Man Attacks Murdoch With Apparent Pie (VIDEO)
Rupert Murdoch was apparently attacked with a pie and his testimony before Parliament is now on hold (reportedly to resume soon): The hearing room in which News Corp. chief Rupert Murdoch was being grilled by members of Parliament erupted into chaos when a man attempted to attack Rupert Murdoch with what appeared to be a pie. Wendi Deng Murdoch, his wife, rose from her … [Read more...] about Murdoch Testimony Before Parliament Temporarily Suspended: Man Attacks Murdoch With Apparent Pie (VIDEO)
Live Feed: James and Rupert Murdoch Testify Before Parliament
NOTE: Due to a technical glitch very early uncompleted version of this post was published rather than the one that should have gone on TMV. We regret the error. Live Feed Via MSNBC: News Corp owner Rupert Murdoch and son James Murdoch testify before Parliament on the phone-hacking scandal. (Note that there will be breaks so keep clicking on the embed to see the … [Read more...] about Live Feed: James and Rupert Murdoch Testify Before Parliament
Congress Shall Make No Law
So concludes Sean Parnell, president of the Center for Competitive Politics, as he fails to recite the full text of the First Amendment in a Stephen Colbert interview last night: Colbert has managed to keep all sides of the campaign finance debate worried by setting up his own Super PAC. What's a Super PAC? Super PACs are a new breed created after several 2010 Supreme … [Read more...] about Congress Shall Make No Law
Palin, Potter and a Tea Party Disaster Flick
On the nation’s movie screens, the Sarah Palin-as-saint movie is running a dismal second to Harry Potter, but in Washington, the Tea Party is offering its own fantasy to entertain Americans until the economic apocalypse premiers on Aug. 2. “The House and Senate this week,” reports The Caucus, “plan to hold politically charged but largely symbolic votes on fiscal policy in … [Read more...] about Palin, Potter and a Tea Party Disaster Flick
Negotiating Table
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to appear on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Negotiating Table
Rupert Murdoch and the Cost of Success (Guest Voice)
The Cost of Success by Martha Randolph Carr Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, News Corporation, which includes American TV’s Fox News, is extensive to the point of global and is coming unraveled. At first the fallout from the phone and email tampering scandal seemed like it was going to be contained to a few people getting fired across the Atlantic pond. Perhaps there would … [Read more...] about Rupert Murdoch and the Cost of Success (Guest Voice)
The Debt Bomb: The U.S., Europe and Now … China? (Folha, Brazil)
Is the last shoe in the global debt crisis about to drop? Folha columnist Patricia Campos Mello writes that with a possible slowdown on the horizon and a municipal debt crisis that may amount to 30 percent of China's GDP, the 'bond buyer of last resort' for both America and struggling E.U. countries may no longer be capable of coming to the rescue. For Folha, Patricia Campos … [Read more...] about The Debt Bomb: The U.S., Europe and Now … China? (Folha, Brazil)
The Dumb & Google Corps
If ever was there a watermark for just how low in the cesspool we're mired, the latest iteration of "Atlas Shrugs, Part I" is surely it. Consider the bizarrely plastic "screengrab" that Faux Nooz™ used to illustrate a 'borrowed' Reuters story and a 'borrowed' blog story: This is Faux Nation's plastic notion of an Audio-Animatronic® 'screengrab' to promote their 'borrowed' … [Read more...] about The Dumb & Google Corps
Is Rupert Murdoch on Borrowed Time as News Corp. CEO?
Is Rupert Murdoch on borrowed time as News Corp. CEO? It sounds that way. I was a working reporter overseas and in the United States for some years and it's clear trial balloons are now being sent out via news stories to see the impact of news that Murdoch might go bye-bye in his present job. … [Read more...] about Is Rupert Murdoch on Borrowed Time as News Corp. CEO?
Debt Ceiling Attack By U.S. Republicans ‘Backfires’ (Salzburger Nachrichten, Austria)
Have Republicans gone too far with their absolutest positions on raising the U.S. debt limit and demanding tax cuts without any new revenue? Try as one might, there are precious few people abroad who see the economic world like the Republican Tea Party faction does. Salzburger Nachrichten columnist Thomas Spang writes that U.S. Republicans have already lost their attempt to … [Read more...] about Debt Ceiling Attack By U.S. Republicans ‘Backfires’ (Salzburger Nachrichten, Austria)
America’s Astonishing ‘Battle for the Ceiling’ (For Gazeta, Russia)
For columnist Fyodor Lukyanov of Russia's Gazeta, America's ugly debate about raising the U.S. debt ceiling serves as a disturbing counterpoint to Greece's flirtation with bankruptcy. According to Lukyanov, it is precisely the sense of fruitless confrontation in Washington that is the greatest source of American discouragement. For Gazeta, Fyodor Lukyanov writes in … [Read more...] about America’s Astonishing ‘Battle for the Ceiling’ (For Gazeta, Russia)