Is it possible that America's natural suspicion of state-power is in a self-destructive phase, radicalized at a moment in which it needs effective government most? Columnist Klaus-Dieter Frankenberger of Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung worries that whatever the many benefits of that suspicion, "this federation in which people expect strong leadership and a willingness … [Read more...] about Suspicion of Government Threatens the United States: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany
Massachusetts Supreme Court Makes Mortgage Securitization Ruling With Potential MAJOR Consequences [Updated: Maybe]
Update 2: Yves Smith points out that this is a narrow ruling that is largely about MA law: The judges based their ruling strictly on Massachusetts law issues, and did not opine on the New York trust law issues we have highlighted. The ruling emphasized the horrible job the banks did in protecting and documenting their ownership interest and the overall carelessness of the … [Read more...] about Massachusetts Supreme Court Makes Mortgage Securitization Ruling With Potential MAJOR Consequences [Updated: Maybe]
Is Repealing Health Care Worth $230 Billion?
Is repealing health care worth $230 billion? The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says repealing health care reform would add $230 billion to the deficit. Of course the idea could not go anywhere since Barack Obama has now talked about reigning in the deficit and Republicans are adamant about not adding anything to the deficit (OOPS! They're the ones trying to repeal … [Read more...] about Is Repealing Health Care Worth $230 Billion?
Giving John McCain His Due
Nothing is trendier these days than trashing Arizona’s senior Senator and former presidential nominee John McCain. Yeah, he can act like a cranky old codger at times and he no longer seems to be the mavericky moderate of 2000. But misrepresenting his positions seems a step too far. Here’s what I’m talking about. Yesterday McCain said that he accepted that repeal of Don’t … [Read more...] about Giving John McCain His Due
Arnold Schwarzenegger Leaves Office
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Arnold Schwarzenegger Leaves Office
Rudy Guiliani Reportedly Considering 2012 Presidential (UPDATED) Run
Man, oh, man does the 2012 Republican Presidential nomination race look like it'll be interesting. In a race shaping up as likely to be dominated in news cycles by the question "What will Sarah Palin do?," it became clear that this race will be the journalists' (and bloggers') dream come true with the news that Rep. Michele Bachmann may throw her straight jacket into the … [Read more...] about Rudy Guiliani Reportedly Considering 2012 Presidential (UPDATED) Run
Transfer of Power Plays
The news keeps arranging itself to tell us things. In Washington, the House chamber presents a convivial scene, with members' children and grandchildren looking on, as Nancy Pelosi, in a tangle of handshakes and air kisses, turns over a huge gavel to John Boehner and resists a likely impulse to crown him with it. In Pakistan, they transfer power differently. A "liberal" … [Read more...] about Transfer of Power Plays
Rules Are Made To Be Broken?
Republicans made a new budget rule that all legislation must be paid for, and one of the first things they did in the new session was break their own rule: … [Read more...] about Rules Are Made To Be Broken?
Health Care Has No Impact On Interstate Commerce Because Babies Are Thrown Into Garbage Cans
There is really nothing, beyond the title, that I can add to this: … [Read more...] about Health Care Has No Impact On Interstate Commerce Because Babies Are Thrown Into Garbage Cans
The House of Professors
WASHINGTON -- Edmund Burke, one of history's greatest conservatives, warned that abstractions are the enemy of responsible government. "I never govern myself, no rational man ever did govern himself, by abstractions and universals," Burke wrote. "A statesman differs from a professor in a university; the latter has only the general view of society; the former, the … [Read more...] about The House of Professors
“Suspicious Bagel” On Plane Leads To Florida Professor’s Arrest
A Florida professor was reportedly arrested for being on a plane with a suspicious bagel. Did they put him in a cell with lots of lox? A Florida professor was arrested and removed from a plane Monday after his fellow passengers alerted crew members they thought he had a suspicious package in the overhead compartment. That "suspicious package" turned out to be keys, a … [Read more...] about “Suspicious Bagel” On Plane Leads To Florida Professor’s Arrest
Obama Picks Reveal More Of The Same
Anyone hoping Obama would change course through his picks for Chief of Staff and National Economic Advisor will be surely disappointed with his selections. Bill Daley has already been announced for the former and Gene Sperling looks like a shoe in for the latter. Both were pivotal in crafting Clinton's neoliberal policies that I believe are the root cause of our economic woes, … [Read more...] about Obama Picks Reveal More Of The Same
God May Have an Excellent Answer to our Financial Mess: Start Over With a Clean Slate
Across the globe, we have accumulated mountains of public and private debts. Many of the debts are effectively unsecured since the underlying assets have fallen steeply in value and will unlikely return to inflated (bubble) values. Furthermore, remaining incomes for most of humanity are insufficient to pay off those debts, now or for the foreseeable future, without decimating … [Read more...] about God May Have an Excellent Answer to our Financial Mess: Start Over With a Clean Slate
Allen West, Scapegoater of Muslims
Think Progress: Rep. Allen West (R-FL), a newly-elected member who has loudly scapegoated Muslims and campaigned on a promise to oppose religious diversity, appeared on Frank Gaffney's radio program last week. Gaffney, who routinely says that Obama is both a secret Muslim and a member of the "Muslim Brotherhood," asked West about how the new Republican Congress plans to … [Read more...] about Allen West, Scapegoater of Muslims
Stuff That Irritates Me
Yes, it has been awhile since I've blogged here. Graduate school has been more of a challenge than I ever imagined. No matter what the amorphous "they" tell you, going back to school after a 22-year absence is not an easy undertaking. Regardless, I survived the first semester and start another Jan. 18. I don't know how much I'll be able to contribute to TMV before or … [Read more...] about Stuff That Irritates Me
Save The Rich, Screw The Unions
I grew up in a working class neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. Many of the people living there were members of public service unions. They were cops, firemen, sanitation workers, social services employees, teachers. It wasn't a ritzy neighborhood but it was comfortable. The houses were small, many attached, but exceptionally well tended, It was a very safe area. People … [Read more...] about Save The Rich, Screw The Unions
Huck Finn, Censored and Sanitized
Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a genuine American classic and one of the greatest works in the history of literature, American or otherwise, is being re-released in a new, cleansed version that takes out the words "nigger," as well as "Injun," the one-word, over-hyped source of controversy that has seen the book, as Publishers Weekly puts it, "disappearing from … [Read more...] about Huck Finn, Censored and Sanitized
Independents, Raise Your Hands
Which major party is swelling its ranks? Neither. Which major party is seeing its ranks dwindle? Democrats. Which bloc of voters is experiencing a surge? Independents. That’s the conclusion of Gallup polling involving an aggregate of 21 separate Gallup and USA Today polls conducted in 2010 with a sample of more than 25,000 adults. Be forewarned. If you’re a Democrat, … [Read more...] about Independents, Raise Your Hands
The Live-and-Let-Live Deli
Convening of the new Congress brings back a long-age image, a Manhattan store called the Live-and-Let-Live Deli with a sign in the window: "Out of Business." The proximate cause is literal--the White House's backing off from a provision in health care reform that would allow doctors to include end-of-life discussions with Medicare patients. Whether this is in response to the … [Read more...] about The Live-and-Let-Live Deli
Comedy Central vs. Happy Meal Ban
This is just too funny not to watch Thanks to Comedy Central and Hot Air … [Read more...] about Comedy Central vs. Happy Meal Ban