Americans' remote controls morph into time machines as they change channels to find Bill Clinton at the White House podium holding forth on Bush tax cuts (among other topics) and Bernie Sanders on C-Span filibustering against them like Jimmy Stewart in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" on TCM. Washington is a farce like "The Office" these days or a giant reality show with … [Read more...] about TV Flashbacks in Washington
NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg on 2012 Presidential Run: “No Way, No How”
On Meet The Press this morning: Bloomberg said...that his advisers should "cease-and-desist" with their suggestions that he run. The Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent says he's focused on his job as mayor. He has occasionally been mentioned as a long-shot presidential candidate. Bloomberg says he wants to leave office having a reputation "as a very good, … [Read more...] about NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg on 2012 Presidential Run: “No Way, No How”
The Heartbreak of Premature Capitulation (Guest Voice)
The Heartbreak of Premature Capitulation by Michael Winship There’s this old joke about the French Revolution. A group of prisoners is lined up before the guillotine. One by one, their heads are lopped off. Then, the next man is put in place. The lever is pulled, but the blade stops just inches above his neck. This must be a sign of divine intervention, the … [Read more...] about The Heartbreak of Premature Capitulation (Guest Voice)
The War Against Wikileaks, Julian Assange, and the First Amendment
Jack Goldsmith has seven thoughts on Wikileaks, and they may surprise you: … [Read more...] about The War Against Wikileaks, Julian Assange, and the First Amendment
So How About A Picture?
I don't know about you but I have politics fatigue. So how about a Sunday morning picture. This is Mt. Hood, Oregon taken from my back yard. Yes, it's not that close, I was using a long lens. Enjoy … [Read more...] about So How About A Picture?
The Wisdom Of Crazy Old Men
The New York Times reports that the man who wants to drown the FED, Ron Paul, will be the chairman of the subcommittee that oversees the Fed. This is good news - while he may not be able to drown it he will certainly be shining some light in dark corners. But when I followed a link at Memeorandum I found this from Mish's Global Economic Trend Analysis which I found even … [Read more...] about The Wisdom Of Crazy Old Men
This Christmas, See the Forest Instead of the Trees
My 11-year-old grandson has been taking violin lessons. He is getting quite good at it. Today he appeared at a Christmas music recital for the residents of a senior citizens assisted living center. He was one of several young boys and girls who dedicated a Saturday afternoon, in addition to many hours of practice and preparation, to get the senior citizens a little bit … [Read more...] about This Christmas, See the Forest Instead of the Trees
Bernie Sanders, Democrats And Other Insane Asylum Members
The Democrats are the best compassionate political party in America and the worst at governing, except for the Republicans who want no part of it but say they do. The Democratic mantra was expressed eloquently and redundantly Friday by Sen. Bernie Sanders, the independent from Vermont. Sanders spoke for eight hours in an empty Senate chambers extolling the grief inflicted … [Read more...] about Bernie Sanders, Democrats And Other Insane Asylum Members
U.S. Assault on Assange Betrays America’s Founding Principles: Berliner Zeitung, Germany
When people in other countries quote the Founding Fathers to Americans, they are almost invariably seeking to strike a nerve that they hope will get the United States to change course. Columnist Holger Schmale in this article from of Germany's Berliner Zeitung asserts to his readers that by seeking the arrest and prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Washington is … [Read more...] about U.S. Assault on Assange Betrays America’s Founding Principles: Berliner Zeitung, Germany
Washington State Legislature Calls Budget-Cutting Saturday Session
Saturday is a red-letter day in Washington State. Its legislative body entered into a special 24-hour (read: rubber-stamp) session designed to chop about a half-billion-dollars from the 2009-2011 budget. It's the first special, or extra-ordinary, session called by the Governor since 2003. This is an opaque rush job. Governor Christine Gregoire announced the special … [Read more...] about Washington State Legislature Calls Budget-Cutting Saturday Session
Bernie Madoff’s Son Dead In Suicide
Today is the second anniversary of the arrest of Berne Madoff. This morning Madoff's eldest son, Mark, was found dead in the living room of his Manhattan apartment. Every suicide is a tragedy. One sad detail from this one, Mark's two-year-old son was asleep in an adjacent room. From the NYTimes: The steps that led to [Bernard Madoff's] arrest began when [Mark] and his … [Read more...] about Bernie Madoff’s Son Dead In Suicide
Muslims, and Mexicans, and Gays, Oh My!
Call me a spoil sport but I'm afraid I have fallen hopelessly behind many other conservatives and Republicans in being sufficiently fearful of Muslims, gays, and Mexicans. For some reason, I just can't summon the proper amount of outrage at Mexicans who are overrunning the country, Muslims who are trying to convert us, and gays who want to hug us... or something. It's not … [Read more...] about Muslims, and Mexicans, and Gays, Oh My!
Poll: Mitt Romney Would Beat Obama As Obama’s Poll Numbers Sink
A new poll finds President Barack Obama's poll numbers are still sinking -- and that former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney could beat him if an election was held today: President Barack Obama's approval ratings have sunk to the lowest level of his presidency, so low that he'd lose the White House to Republican Mitt Romney if the election were held today, according to a new … [Read more...] about Poll: Mitt Romney Would Beat Obama As Obama’s Poll Numbers Sink
The Top Ten Comedic News Stories of 2010 (Guest Voice)
The Top Ten Comedic News Stories of 2010 Raging Moderate, by Will Durst Please be advised: the Top Ten Comedic News Stories of 2010 are not to be confused with the Top Ten Legitimate News Stories of 2010. They are as different as lasagna and asphalt. Ear wax and linoleum. A lunch-wagon sink trap and nuclear-lab clean rooms. Toe shoes and track cleats. Christian Science … [Read more...] about The Top Ten Comedic News Stories of 2010 (Guest Voice)
Obama Moves to the Middle
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Obama Moves to the Middle
Nixon Tape Release Further Soils Richard Nixon’s Soiled Reputation (UPDATED)
The release of yet more of the secret recordings that eventually proved to be President Richard Nixon's undoing will give historians yet more material that won't help his legacy: more evidence as previous recording suggest and a bit of a bigot: Richard M. Nixon made disparaging remarks about Jews, blacks, Italian-Americans and Irish-Americans in a series of extended … [Read more...] about Nixon Tape Release Further Soils Richard Nixon’s Soiled Reputation (UPDATED)
Power to Congress (Guest Voice)
Power to the Congress by Craig Barnes The president has met with Republicans and put together a tax deal that was, he said, the best he could get from them. He argued that something was better than nothing. Since Republicans had declared that they would otherwise demand nothing, the President was being practical. He wanted to get something. To liberal democrats all over … [Read more...] about Power to Congress (Guest Voice)
NASA Announces Warmest November On Record, 2010 Almost Undoubtedly Hottest Year
It's been a few months since I've kept track of my bet to no one in particular that 2010 would be the hottest recorded year. With the conclusion of the Cancun climate meetings proving fruitless and NASA releasing data for November, it's time to see how I did. To briefly recap, in fall 2009 I started to tell people that I believed there was a 99.9% chance that we'd see at … [Read more...] about NASA Announces Warmest November On Record, 2010 Almost Undoubtedly Hottest Year
Balancing The Budget
Americans say they want to balance the budget and have lower taxes - how do you say having their cake and eating it too? As I pointed out here conservatives talk about cutting spending but they really are not in favor of cutting anything. A recent poll shows that Americans still don't want to cut anything. Americans want Congress to bring down a federal budget deficit that … [Read more...] about Balancing The Budget
LET THE BUSH TAX CUTS EXPIRE IN ORDER TO FORCE COMPREHENSIVE TAX REFORM
Perhaps lame-duck Democrats in the U.S. House have finally found their collective “Cojones” by emphatically saying “NO” to the lousy compromise tax package negotiated between the Obama Administration and the Congressional Republicans. Though they have no alternative proposals that could possibly pass both the House and Senate by the end of this year or anytime during the next … [Read more...] about LET THE BUSH TAX CUTS EXPIRE IN ORDER TO FORCE COMPREHENSIVE TAX REFORM