The above is via Barry Ritholz. Can you read it? You should be able to - your mind works in strange ways. In case you are having trouble research at Cambridge University determined that when we read we don't look at every letter and as long as the first and last letter are where they should be the mind can decode the rest. … [Read more...] about Who Needs Spelling
Has Barack Obama Found His Mojo?
Has President Barack Obama suddenly found his mojo? Centrist writer and CNN contributor John Avlon, writing on The Daily Beast, thinks so. A few meaty excerpts: Almost lost in the debate over the tax cut compromise this week was a striking moment of defiance and self-definition from President Obama. It came in the final five minutes of Tuesday’s afternoon press … [Read more...] about Has Barack Obama Found His Mojo?
John Boehner, House Crier
John Boehner, the Speaker of the House come January, is a crier. So what? He’s an emotional dude. We just haven’t seen House Speakers who cry at the drop of a chat with a bunch of school children. A few Americans unaware of his personal traits that helped him crawl from rags to riches saw for the first time his crying jag on election night Nov. 2. On Sunday night he … [Read more...] about John Boehner, House Crier
Poll: 69% Support Tax Deal Compromise
A Washington Post-ABC News poll finds that 69% of Americans (including many liberal Democrats) support the highly touted and in some circles highly condemned tax deal hammered out last week by President Barack Obama and GOpers in Congress. So much for the outrage on the left, Tea Party members upset on the right, ideological talk shows that suggested it will eventually fail, … [Read more...] about Poll: 69% Support Tax Deal Compromise
Curtains for Obamacare? Not Hardly
The ruling by Judge Henry E. Hudson that parts of Obamacare are unconstitutional has set off a wave of euphoria among opponents of the law who believe that the decision will make it impossible to implement the bulk of reforms contained in the bill. At issue was the coercive requirement that all Americans purchase health insurance. It appears to me that the judge zeroed in on … [Read more...] about Curtains for Obamacare? Not Hardly
WikiLeaks: Australia’s Growing Support For Son Of Soil
The US administration's clumsy handling of the WikiLeaks affair is endangering America's traditionally strong ties with Australia, its trusted comrade-in-arms. In fact Australia's prime minister Ms Julia Gillard and the Aussie foreign minister Kevin Rudd have begun to sing different tunes. (Kevin Rudd was removed from his post as prime minister owing to an internal coup and Ms … [Read more...] about WikiLeaks: Australia’s Growing Support For Son Of Soil
If Only Wikileaks Would Expose Hugo Chavez: Tal Cual, Venezuala
While criticism of WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange is fierce in some quarters, people in many countries long for him or someone like him to give leaders and secret communications in their countries the 'WikiLeaks treatment.' One example is columnist Elizabeth Araujo of Venezuela's Tal Cual, who wonders what skeletons would be found in the confidential closet of … [Read more...] about If Only Wikileaks Would Expose Hugo Chavez: Tal Cual, Venezuala
Judge Rules Obamacare Provision Unconstitutional
A U.S. District Court judge in Virginia has ruled a provision of the health care reform law is unconstitutional. It is the provision that mandates all Americans have a minimum level of coverage, or pay a fine if they do not. The Los Angeles Times reports Judge Henry Hudson said the mandate exceeds federal authority. This challenge, among many in the federal court system, was … [Read more...] about Judge Rules Obamacare Provision Unconstitutional
Judge Rules Health Care Mandate Unconstitutional
As most obsevers expected, a federal judge in Virginia has ruled that the portion of the health care reform bill that mandates everyone obtain coverage violates the Constitution. Judge Henry E. Hudson ruled that Congress does not have the power to compel people to purchase coverage. Supporters had claimed that the Commerce clause of Article One does allow them to do so while … [Read more...] about Judge Rules Health Care Mandate Unconstitutional
Can Obama lose the Left and win in 2012?
Can Obama lose the Left and win in 2012? GO HERE for a roundup. … [Read more...] about Can Obama lose the Left and win in 2012?
Padding a Resume
Anyone who has a career has found himself or herself in a position where they did something that was a nice line on a resume but really didn't amount to much if you looked at it. Such was Sarah Palin's high-touted-on-Fox News (Palin gave Fox sole access -- a continuing part of the narrative where she controls her message and coverage by limiting herself mostly to Fox, Facebook, … [Read more...] about Padding a Resume
The Specter Haunting Obama
WASHINGTON -- American decline is the specter haunting our politics. This could be President Obama's undoing -- or it could provide him with the opportunity to revive his presidency. Fear of decline is an old American story. Declinism ran rampant in the late 1970s and early '80s. Stagflation, the Iranian hostage crisis, anxiety over Japan's then-commanding economy and … [Read more...] about The Specter Haunting Obama
Quote of the Day: Big Consquences if Democrats Reject Obama’s Tax Deal
Our political Quote of the Day comes from NBC's Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg who in their indispensible First Reads analysis point out that Democrats could face serious political consquences if they reject President Barack Obama's tax deal with Republicans: *** The Democrats’ tax-cut dilemma: On the tax deal, do some Democrats realize that … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Big Consquences if Democrats Reject Obama’s Tax Deal
Hateful Words
' This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Hateful Words
Bye Bye Michael Steele? Steele Not to Seek Second RNC Term (Or Will He?)
Bye bye Michael Steele? Advance reports indicate Michael Steele -- the gift that kept on giving to media types who could get a great political unwise quote that could turn into a controversy, the gift that kept on giving to talk show hosts who depend on anger, derision and controversy, the gift that kept on giving to blogs that comment on hot political stories whipping … [Read more...] about Bye Bye Michael Steele? Steele Not to Seek Second RNC Term (Or Will He?)
Follow Live: No Labels Launch in NYC
It could be easy to say that the No Labels organization represents merely Republicans who can't stomach the tea party people, but numerous left of center and progressive political figures are engaged with it as well (see the agenda's list of speakers here). Watch and participate and comment, of course. … [Read more...] about Follow Live: No Labels Launch in NYC
Ghost of Wikileaks Past
Casting for a 21st century take on "A Christmas Carol" is coming along nicely. Julian Assange, the Scrooge who doesn't hoard but gives away everybody else's stuff, is in chains. And right on schedule, enter Richard Nixon, the ghost of Christmas Past, to rattle on with "Bah, Humbugs" about everyone in sight. Unlike the contents of Assange's Santa bag, the Nixon stuff is … [Read more...] about Ghost of Wikileaks Past
Welcome Christmas !
Anyone who has read TMV for more than a year knows I am a Christmas nut. In the spirit of the holiday season I am going to be doing my own '12 (or more) days of Christmas' by posting some holiday videos each day. Our readers will also know I am a big fan of the TV show Glee so it only seemed sensible to put the two together. As always the images and sounds remain the … [Read more...] about Welcome Christmas !
Charles and Camilla
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Charles and Camilla
WikiLeaks Threat to America is Nothing for Europe to Snicker About: Die Welt, Germany
A good German counterpoint to yesterday's article from the Berliner Zeitung headlined U.S. Assault on Assange Betrays America's Founding Principles is this article from Die Welt, headlined WikiLeaks Threat to America is Nothing for Europe to Snicker About by columnist Thomas Kielinger. Kielinger warns readers that to encourage and support organizations that undermine U.S. … [Read more...] about WikiLeaks Threat to America is Nothing for Europe to Snicker About: Die Welt, Germany