Since William Howard Taft a century ago, no American president has come close to matching his portly presence at 300 pounds, but next year's Republican field could change that. The subject comes up after a GOP split over Michelle Obama's campaign against obesity, with conservatives mocking the First Lady as Mike Huckabee and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie applaud her efforts … [Read more...] about GOP’s Fat Chances for 2012
Charlie Sheen and Charles Manson
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Charlie Sheen and Charles Manson
Huckabee Off The Rails; A Chronology Of Obama’s Childhood
If this was a senior moment, it was a doozy. In an interview with FOX radio personality Steve Malzberg, former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee had this to say about President Obama: And one thing that I do know is his having grown up in Kenya, his view of the Brits, for example, very different than the average American... his perspective as growing up in … [Read more...] about Huckabee Off The Rails; A Chronology Of Obama’s Childhood
Sheen and Galliano: Roads To Career Self-Destruction
If Charlie Sheen doesn’t get his axed CBS show “Two and Half Men” back then perhaps he can team up with British fashion designer John Galliano to star in a new show: “Two Half Wits.” It’ll be a reality show. The news cycle has been dominated by news of Sheen and Galliano — yet further examples of super-rich, super-pampered and super-arrogant celebrities who have it all … [Read more...] about Sheen and Galliano: Roads To Career Self-Destruction
California AG to Federal Court: Lift Stay On Marriage Equality
Kamala Harris, the new Attorney General of California, has asked the 9th Circuit Court Of Appeals to lift the stay on the order which would have allowed same sex couples to marry while the issue is being reviewed by the courts. If the court agrees then couples could start marrying now rather than later. Although I thought the stay was wrong in the first place I doubt the … [Read more...] about California AG to Federal Court: Lift Stay On Marriage Equality
Mexicans Must Face the Truth: We are at War (El Universal, Mexico)
There is a lot of hand wringing on both sides of the U.S.-Mexican border about what to call the drug-related conflagration in Mexico - and much talk about whether the U.S. should intervene directly. While stopping short of calling for U.S. troops, for Mexico's Excelsior newspaper, military analyst Jorge Luis Sierra makes no bones about what he would call it: a full-scale war. … [Read more...] about Mexicans Must Face the Truth: We are at War (El Universal, Mexico)
Politics, Twitter and Living A Public Life
What would happen if your Governor -- not the press secretary but the Governor -- suddenly blocked specific journalists from attending press conferences? In a perfect world, newspaper editors and TV station news managers would tell the Governor that he didn't get to decide who reports on the business of the state. Down in Texas, we have a one-step-removed situation that … [Read more...] about Politics, Twitter and Living A Public Life
Health Care on Life Support
In eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation, the President blinks by telling governors he will let states opt out of the individual mandate for medical insurance in 2014, three years earlier than the reform law allows. After a waste of two months with a House dog-and-pony show of repeal and Senate failure to go along, the bipartisan mess that politicians have made of American health … [Read more...] about Health Care on Life Support
Tina and Andrew
WASHINGTON -- The Ann Coulter of blogging has a new job. Given how Ms. Brown detests Sarah Palin this hire makes perfect sense. There's no way Brown and the Daily Beast would care about Sullivan's pathological hatred of Sarah Palin or his fictional tales of fake pregnancy. His countless hit pieces on Palin fit Brown's editorial policy perfectly. Not that Sarah … [Read more...] about Tina and Andrew
Russian Source Calls Gaddafi a “Political Corpse” (UPDATED)
Despite his insistence (in English) in an interview with ABC that his people really "love me," a Russian political source has told a reporter that Gaddafi is a "political corpse" and should step down: A Kremlin source on Tuesday called Muammar Gaddafi a "living political corpse", and said the Libyan leader should step down, Russia's Interfax news agency reported. Russia … [Read more...] about Russian Source Calls Gaddafi a “Political Corpse” (UPDATED)
Quote of the Day: How Prolonged Budget Impasse in Wisconsin Hurts Scott Walker
Our political Quote of the Day comes from Marc Ambinder, who notes that although Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker has the power in his state (in fact I predict this will end with public unions' collective bargaining right stripped) every day the budget impasse goes on weakens Walker and his and his GOP supporters' position: The Democrats, without leverage to move Walker an … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: How Prolonged Budget Impasse in Wisconsin Hurts Scott Walker
Income Inequality Is America’s Shame, Republicans & Democrats Share The Blame
OH, FOR THE GOOD OLD DAYS The rise of the Tea Party amidst the right-wing takeover of the Republican Party has merely exacerbated what some of us have known for many years: America is going to hell in a handbasket. If you, like me, are of the librul persuasion, it is tempting to lay America's sundry and growing woes -- so vividly shown in the chart below this post … [Read more...] about Income Inequality Is America’s Shame, Republicans & Democrats Share The Blame
America’s Shame Close Up & Personal
CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO ENLARGE. Source: IMF via The New York Times … [Read more...] about America’s Shame Close Up & Personal
Society Is Doomed
I'm not sure if the Bible specifically mentioned this show as a sign of the Apocolypse but they should have. … [Read more...] about Society Is Doomed
Polls: Americans Back Public Unions as Wisconsin Gov. Walker’s Polling Nosedives
Will we start to see a bit of Republican pullback in light of two polls that suggest that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is at increasingly variance with the country's center over the issue of public unions -- and that he'd lose the election if it was held today amid his ongoing efforts to disembowel public union collective bargaining? That's the prevalent question in light … [Read more...] about Polls: Americans Back Public Unions as Wisconsin Gov. Walker’s Polling Nosedives
The Impossible Dream
Some more amazing music … [Read more...] about The Impossible Dream
Those Government ‘Benefits’ We Tend to Ignore
When discussing federal “benefits” to individuals one of the arguments that is made by those opposing such benefits is that it leads to a nanny state, that it increases the size of government and the size of its spending, deficit, debt, etc. I use the word “benefits” circumspectly because many of these so-called benefits have---to some extent---already been paid for with our … [Read more...] about Those Government ‘Benefits’ We Tend to Ignore
Iran Channels Charlie Sheen
Just when you thought Charlie Sheen was the king of stupid statements. Iran is calling the logo for the 2012 London Olympics racist because they say it resembles the word Zion and thus is offensive to Muslims. I don't see it but some have said if you read vertical rather than horizontal and if you really squint you might be able to make it out. Then again for Iran to … [Read more...] about Iran Channels Charlie Sheen
Egypt’s Imaginary Revolution: Semana, Colombia
Has there been, as we have all been told, a 'revolution' in Egypt? For Semana of Colombia, columnist Antonio Caballero writes that the only thing which has changed is the person leading Egypt's 60-year-old military government, and he cites as evidence the apparent satisfaction of President Barack Obama. For Semana, columnist Antonio Caballero writes in … [Read more...] about Egypt’s Imaginary Revolution: Semana, Colombia
WISCONSIN IN PERSPECTIVE
Both the left and right consider current events in Wisconsin as singularly defining to their respective causes. Our shallow 24/7 info-entertainment news media enjoys whipping up more excitement and exaggerated controversy. It is wholly uninterested in providing the public with most of the unbiased facts that surround the situation. Both Republicans and Democrats narrowly … [Read more...] about WISCONSIN IN PERSPECTIVE