Under its new president, Juan Manuel Santos, Colombian policymakers are preparing for a change in relations with the United States, which, according to columnist Alvaro Forero Tascon of Colombia's Semana, has been based on Colombian weakness and the-now-diminishing American influence. For Semana, Alvaro Forero Tascon writes in part: What President Santos calls … [Read more...] about Colombia Should Ditch U.S. ‘Special Relationship’: El Espectador, Colombia
Bristol Palin’s Dancing on Dancing With The Stars Has Impressed Some People
But -- most assuredly -- it has not impressed some others... … [Read more...] about Bristol Palin’s Dancing on Dancing With The Stars Has Impressed Some People
Partisan Politics and the National Interest
This is what it means to put partisan politics above the national interest: … [Read more...] about Partisan Politics and the National Interest
Idaho Open Primary: The People v. The Parties
Yesterday attorney Harry Kresky reported on his recent trip to Idaho to help defend independents there facing attack from a faction of the Idaho Republican Party hoping to close the primaries in order to control the electorate. Idaho does not have partisan registration, so closing the current open primary system in Idaho would require voters to declare a party. Today Kresky … [Read more...] about Idaho Open Primary: The People v. The Parties
Around the Sphere
Our famous linkfest providing you links to interesting posts and stories of varying viewpoints. Links do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. Does Change In Washington Mean "What People In DC Carry In Their Pockets"? Ah, yes, a new Congress and change. But wait! Just look who's in charge there and at the RNC (but some change could be afoot THERE). A … [Read more...] about Around the Sphere
Republicans’ Top Priority: A Roundup
Which is more important, if you are a Republican in Congress: working to solve the nation's problems, or working to make sure Barack Obama is a one-term president? Perhaps more to the point, how do we think most Americans -- including the Americans who voted for Republican candidates in the election just passed -- would define "working to solve the nation's problems"? Would … [Read more...] about Republicans’ Top Priority: A Roundup
Ugly Truth About D.C. (Guest Voice)
Ugly Truth About D.C. by Tom Purcell There's something ugly going on in Washington, D.C. Travel + Leisure magazine asked travelers to rank 35 American cities in a variety of categories, including which has the most attractive residents. Washingtonians were ranked the sixth least attractive. I think, borrowing from Jay Leno, I know why: "Politics is show business … [Read more...] about Ugly Truth About D.C. (Guest Voice)
Charlie Rangel
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Charlie Rangel
More Racism from Rush Limbaugh?
So what else is new? … [Read more...] about More Racism from Rush Limbaugh?
Ending the Afghan Charade
How much more blood and how many more billions will America pour into a senseless enterprise as it enters its tenth year with the threadbare façade of strategic coherence crumbling? As the President goes to Lisbon this week to "confront" Hamid Karzai right after he enraged Gen. Petraeus by publicly demanding the US scale back its operations, reality calls for more than the … [Read more...] about Ending the Afghan Charade
Could This Be The Independent Ticket in 2012?
Could it be that in 2012 we'll see an independent ticket consisting of Michael Bloomberg for President and his running mate Joe Scarborough? Details here from The Huffington Post's Howard Fineman -- who is not known for wild stories. … [Read more...] about Could This Be The Independent Ticket in 2012?
Aggressive Patdowns
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Aggressive Patdowns
Calling A Spade A Spade: Time To End TSA Theatre And Corporate Profiteering
If you are planning to fly over the Thankgiving holiday, be sure to figure out if yours are part of the 70-or-so airports that have whole body imaging (WBI) machines. These are your stimulus dollars at work: in March, TSA began deploying 450 advanced imaging technology units which were purchased with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds; they expect to have … [Read more...] about Calling A Spade A Spade: Time To End TSA Theatre And Corporate Profiteering
The Conspiracy to Make Amtrak Profitable
I am not generally given to positing conspiracies of any kind but the actions of the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) in their use of full body scanners and pat downs of airline passengers got me thinking. Sherlock Holmes said, "[W]hen all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." Of course, in my youth, it was a neck and … [Read more...] about The Conspiracy to Make Amtrak Profitable
American Arrogance Will End Dollar’s Dominance
In the past 24 hours, we've posted two very hard-hitting articles from China's state-run Global Times that bear attention. The first article, an editorial headlined American Arrogance Will End Dollar's Dominance, is Beijing's reaction to the FED's "QEII" - the second round of U.S. quantitative easing now underway that involves the FED buying $600 billion on U.S. Treasury … [Read more...] about American Arrogance Will End Dollar’s Dominance
Medal Of Honor Awarded
I'd write more about this brave soldier but the WSJ did a fine job on it's own. … [Read more...] about Medal Of Honor Awarded
Putting The Rangel Ethics Conviction In Ethical Perspective
One would think after 50 years of public service Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-New York) might have gamed the system for more than what the House Ethics Committee convicted him. Rangel, the gravel-voiced nattily dressed Harlem congressman, was not a crook in the criminal sense. Rather, Blake Chisam, the committee prosecutor, suggested, the congressman was “overzealous” and “sloppy … [Read more...] about Putting The Rangel Ethics Conviction In Ethical Perspective
Rangel Guilty
A House Ethics committee has found veteran Congresscritter Charles Rangel guilty of 11 ethics charges. The committee will now decide what punishment to commend to the full House with most expecting a reprimand or censure instead of expulsion. Readers are cautioned to wear sunglasses before clicking the link as the blindingly obvious can be dangerous to view without proper … [Read more...] about Rangel Guilty
Democrat: Party Responded “Like Hoover” When Should Have Responded Like FDR
A Democratic leader has criticized his own party for responding like Herbert Hoover to the unemployment crisis when it should have responded like FDR -- signalling again that a major soul searching is going on within the Democratic part on how they managed to blow the significant support it got from voters in 2008 in just two short years: The Democratic Party's Herbert … [Read more...] about Democrat: Party Responded “Like Hoover” When Should Have Responded Like FDR
Sympathy for Jim DeMint and David Axelrod
Poor Jim DeMint. The Republican senator from South Carolina, the financial godfather of the Tea Party movement, the other day had to explain on TV the "compromise" being worked out between his party and the Democrats over extending tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 percent of American earners. And he had to do so while being so deliriously and deliciously bemused about what he and … [Read more...] about Sympathy for Jim DeMint and David Axelrod