In July of this year, Dana Priest and William M. Arkin published a series of articles in the Washington Post that were the fruit of a two-year investigation into America's national security apparatus. In the introduction to the series -- called Top Secret America -- Priest and Arkin wrote: … [Read more...] about When Systems Don’t Work, People Work the System
Naked Government
TSA screenings pale in comparison to what Wikileaks has just done to Americans--and with less justification. Airport body searches are meant to save lives. The release of all those stolen diplomatic cables strips government bare just for the hell of it. After the Eisenhower years, a former aide named Emmet Hughes wrote a "scathing" book about inner deliberations of the White … [Read more...] about Naked Government
Has WikiLeaks Finally Leaked Too Much?
Has WikiLeaks finally leaked too much? Here's a good roundup that looks at this issue. Meanwhile, a Republican lawmaker wants WikiLeaks labeled as a "terrorist group." … [Read more...] about Has WikiLeaks Finally Leaked Too Much?
Pay Freeze for Most Federal Workers Ordered by Obama
President Barack Obama has ordered a pay freeze for most federal workers for the first time in two years in a step aimed at helping stem the bloating federal deficit: The president’s proposal will effectively wipe out plans for a 1.4 percent across-the-board raise in 2011 for 2.1 million civilian federal government employees, including those working at the Defense … [Read more...] about Pay Freeze for Most Federal Workers Ordered by Obama
We Need a Divorce
One major interpretation of the 2010 Midterm election results is that many progressive, liberal and Democratic policies have been generally discredited among the majority of the American electorate. So what can Progressives, Democrats and Liberals do over the next few years? The national rejection is not just a result of poor messaging, nuance, campaign spending, turnout, … [Read more...] about We Need a Divorce
The Traveling Piano (Guest Voice)
The Traveling Piano by Mickie Friedman as told to Alison Fox My father Nathan Gandelman was a remarkable man. When he was barely the age of twelve he was sent off to the U.S. -- from Minsk, then in Russia -- by his parents to join relatives in New York City, but then chose to settle in New Haven, CT, with other members of his family. He obviously thrive and from a young age … [Read more...] about The Traveling Piano (Guest Voice)
Don’t Taze My Junk, Bro (Guest Voice)
Don’t Taze My Junk, Bro by Will Durst One thing you can say about this whole TSA enhanced pat-down mess: nobody will ever board Virgin Airlines again without ruefully grimacing. Folks are flipping out like wolverines bouncing off of submarine trampolines over new regulations requiring a prospective flier to submit to having his or her naughty bits exposed for all the world … [Read more...] about Don’t Taze My Junk, Bro (Guest Voice)
Blaming Obama’s America First
WASHINGTON -- Can we govern ourselves in the next two years? Do Republicans have any interest in accomplishments that might even indirectly benefit President Obama? These questions hang over this week's meeting between the president and congressional leaders, an encounter that could set the tone for the next two years. Grounds for optimism are thin. The most … [Read more...] about Blaming Obama’s America First
Unreal Reaction To Terror Plot
Now let me make it clear from the start that I do NOT think these comments reflect the views of even a small part of the left or the readership at the Huffington Post. Nor do I have issue with those who are simply concerned about how far government agents go in terms of entrapment issues. However when you read a number of the threads you've got people actually defending the … [Read more...] about Unreal Reaction To Terror Plot
RIP Leslie Nielsen
He has died at the age of 84 … [Read more...] about RIP Leslie Nielsen
The FBI Creates a Terrorist Plot, Then “Thwarts” It
I see that Robert Stein already wrote about the FBI's claim to have foiled a terrorist plot that wasn't, actually, ever a terrorist plot except in the FBI's own design. I just want to add that Glenn Greenwald has a post up about the credulous media reaction to a story based on the skimpiest of evidence -- basically, just the affidavit of one of the FBI agents involved in the … [Read more...] about The FBI Creates a Terrorist Plot, Then “Thwarts” It
Desperado
"Freedom, oh freedom, well that's just some people talking. Your prison is walking through this world all alone." … [Read more...] about Desperado
Small Town Iowa Acceptance
If I were to ask for the least likely place to accept a gay black man in a position of power some of you might very well cite a small midwestern town. Well you'd be wrong … [Read more...] about Small Town Iowa Acceptance
News of Wikileaks Docs Sparks “Global Diplomatic Crisis”
This newest document dump has so far been leaked only to the major media, not the general public: … [Read more...] about News of Wikileaks Docs Sparks “Global Diplomatic Crisis”
Palin Benefits from Insatiable Narcissism, But When Will We?
With Newsweek placing Sarah Palin at an estimated annual earnings of $14 million (topping all women and coming in at #6 overall) on its list of the 50 highest-earning political figures of 2010, it's time for everyone to sit back and let her narcissism work for us. Enough with the "we must ignore her." She's not going away folks, not until she becomes so uncomfortable with the … [Read more...] about Palin Benefits from Insatiable Narcissism, But When Will We?
FBI Creates Terrorists to Catch Them
The sting that led a Somali-born youth to set off a fake bomb in Oregon underlines simmering questions about the FBI role in fighting domestic terrorism. There are surely legal reasons for devoting months of manpower to leading a troubled teenager from jihad aspirations to what he did at a Christmas tree lighting and even some strategic advantage in deterring wannabes with … [Read more...] about FBI Creates Terrorists to Catch Them
How Does Congressman Glenn Beck Sound? (Guest Voice)
How does Congressman Glenn Beck sound? by Karl Frisch In just a few weeks, Republicans will take control of the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time since the 1994-midterm elections brought them to power after nearly half a century in exile. The freshly-minted majority knew just who to thank for its 1994 victory: nationally syndicated conservative radio … [Read more...] about How Does Congressman Glenn Beck Sound? (Guest Voice)
Sarah Palin 2012
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Sarah Palin 2012
Sen. Jon Kyl On Earmarks (Part 2)
It's a lame-duck Congress, and Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), the number two Senate Republican, has decided to stop START (part 1) and renege on fiscal responsibility just three days after Republicans adopted the Tea Party vow to just say no to earmarks (part 2). John Aloysius Farrell points out that the "much-vaunted Republican ban on earmarks" lasted a whopping three days when … [Read more...] about Sen. Jon Kyl On Earmarks (Part 2)
Sen. Jon Kyl On The New START (Part 1)
It's a lame-duck Congress, and Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), the number two Senate Republican, has decided to stop START (part 1) and renege on fiscal responsibility just three days after Republicans adopted the Tea Party vow to just say no to earmarks (part 2). Earlier this week on MSNBC, Cenk Uygur suggested that Kyl's opposition to the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) … [Read more...] about Sen. Jon Kyl On The New START (Part 1)