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The Republicans’ Political Coup — Taking Taxes Off The Table
We have huge federal budget deficits in this country. They have to be addressed. The natural, the sensible, the obvious way to do this is with a combination of spending cuts and increased tax revenues. The national debate should revolve around where and how much to cut, and where and how much to tax. Except that's not how the national debate over deficits is being carried … [Read more...] about The Republicans’ Political Coup — Taking Taxes Off The Table
Musings On The Looming Deficit Reduction War
While I took a few swipes at President Obama and congressional Democrats last week as the grand game of Budgetary Chicken played itself out, it was the Republicans who came in for the most scorn for threatening to trigger a government shutdown over abortion, greenhouse gases and a new consumer protection bureau established in the wake of the financial collapse resulting in Bush … [Read more...] about Musings On The Looming Deficit Reduction War
Did Republicans Win The Battle But Lose The War?
That headline reflects the general thrust of Bill Schneider’s takeaway from the budget battle. As he wrote at Politico: “Here’s the bottom line of the Budget Showdown of 2011, Part I: Republicans got more. But they paid a heavier price.” Central to his thesis is that Republicans, in gaining more spending cuts than Democrats wanted to give, exposed the extent to … [Read more...] about Did Republicans Win The Battle But Lose The War?
Donald Trump, Apprentice President
How can you satirize someone who does it himself every day? Today's Trumpery is a letter to the New York Times attacking columnist Gail Collins, which malicious pencil pushers there have left unedited: "Her storytelling ability and word usage (coming from me, who has written many bestsellers), is not at a very high level." Collins responds evenly, noting, "I once got an … [Read more...] about Donald Trump, Apprentice President
New Terrifying Tsunami Video
There are many terrifying videos of the Tsumani, but CNN's Don Lemon (who is a younger anchor admirably of the serious "old school" of television anchors) presents a new video that puts the earthquake that took place a month ago in even more personal terms. Some people see the beginnings of the tsunami -- and begin to run for their lives. … [Read more...] about New Terrifying Tsunami Video
The End of Shutdowns
WASHINGTON -- One image perfectly captured the absurd, irrational and wholly unnecessary confrontation over whether to shut down the federal government on the basis of differences over a small part of the budget. During a tea party rally near the Capitol last Wednesday -- "rally" being generous for a gathering of a few hundred people -- Rep. Mike Pence, the Republican … [Read more...] about The End of Shutdowns
Obama for President 2012 (Cartoon)
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Sarah Palin Jumps Aboard Birther Bandwagon
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin once called the birthers' clamor for President Barack Obama a "distraction." No more: "I appreciate that the Donald wants to spend his resources on something that so interests him and so many Americans, you know more power to him," Palin said Sunday on the "Judge Jeanine" show on Fox News. The former Alaska governor's remarks on Sunday … [Read more...] about Sarah Palin Jumps Aboard Birther Bandwagon
Classic Comedy: Abbott and Costello’s Loafing Routine
The classic comedy team of Bud Abbott and Lou Costello are best remembered for their "Who's on First" baseball routine. But they had other routines (most based on burlesque routines that they reworked) that were funnier. My favorite: the loafing routine. Not that this doesn't just work due to the scripting but the the timing and onstage chemistry between the two. A short … [Read more...] about Classic Comedy: Abbott and Costello’s Loafing Routine
Corporate Taxes
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Making Sense Of The NewsCorp Phone Hacking Scandal (A Timeline And Why U.S. News Consumers Should Care)
The British press are in an uproar this weekend over the just-won't-die story about how News International (the U.K. subsidiary of Murdoch’s News Corporation, hereafter referenced as NewsCorp) "journalists" at News of the World (NotW) "hack[ed] into the mobile phone records of celebrities and public figures." It should be news when journalists are arrested for privacy … [Read more...] about Making Sense Of The NewsCorp Phone Hacking Scandal (A Timeline And Why U.S. News Consumers Should Care)
Middle East Money Pit vs. Mugging the Old
When he makes his long-term budget proposal this week, the President must include choices about all the money that has been draining into the Middle East Money Pit for the past decade. In Baghdad last week, Robert Gates was reassuring troops they would be paid, even as he told them they may be staying longer than scheduled. "If folks here are going to want us to have a … [Read more...] about Middle East Money Pit vs. Mugging the Old
If the First Amendment Had to Be Ratified Today… (Guest Voice)
If the First Amendment Had to Be Ratified Today... By Tina Dupuy Republicans will tell you they’re the sole Constitutional purists in the country; they worship the document more/better than you do. But imagine if the First Amendment had to be voted on today. It would need two-thirds majority in both Houses just to be proposed. Consider it: “Congress shall make no law … [Read more...] about If the First Amendment Had to Be Ratified Today… (Guest Voice)
Three Men in a Bed
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Values, Interests and American Intervention (Estadao, Brazil)
Is Washington giving Saudi Arabia and Bahrain a free pass when it comes to democratic reform? According to this article by Demétrio Magnoli for Brazil's Estadao, the Obama Administration will have to move beyond pressuring countries like Syria and move on to its Persian Gulf allies if it wants to be seen as putting its values before its interests. For Estadao, Demétrio … [Read more...] about Values, Interests and American Intervention (Estadao, Brazil)
Personal Bests
Best definition of today's GOP I've seen yet comes from Tom Levenson at Balloon Juice: gluttons for (other people's) punishment. … [Read more...] about Personal Bests
WHEW! THANK YOU KARL ROVE!
A Federal Government shutdown was averted Friday Night. The deal temporarily saved some federal funds for various smaller programs including Planned Parenthood but it cut almost $40 billion from other discretionary domestic spending. This last-minute agreement was not entirely due to the negotiating skills of Senator Majority Harry Reid, House Speaker John Boehner or … [Read more...] about WHEW! THANK YOU KARL ROVE!
Egypt Inspires People in U.S. and Around the World (Al Messa, Egypt)
Having toppled an obdurate dictator in just 18 days of determined protest, the people of Egypt are justifiably proud of what they have accomplished. But as proud as they are, columnist Hamad Hassan of Egypt's Al Messa newspaper expresses astonishment that people in places like Madison Wisconsin have drawn strength and inspiration from their history-making stand in Tahrir … [Read more...] about Egypt Inspires People in U.S. and Around the World (Al Messa, Egypt)
“First, Do No Harm”: the Constitution & Conservative Liberals
One of the most fascinating things for me as a Brit about engaging with American politics is that all political issues are filtered in the media through an extraordinarily crass Left vs. Right paradigm. Left and right are not the two paradigms of American politics. They are the two flavors of only one. America has been brought to its knees by a Left that has empowered … [Read more...] about “First, Do No Harm”: the Constitution & Conservative Liberals