Peter Orvetti wrote a post about why older folks don't really deserve a boost in their Social Security benefits. This was well grounded in economist thinking. Which, of course, is why, in my opinion, it is so far removed from reality. His point was that since official inflation was very modest this past fiscal year (1.1 percent), and official inflation was actually down last … [Read more...] about Why Older Folks Deserve a Boost In Social Security
The GOP’s Triple Play
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. -- The Republican Party is running a three-level campaign this year that gives its candidates a wealth of advantages -- in flexibility, deniability, and determination. At the first level are the party's candidates, who can be as reasonable or as angry, as moderate or as conservative, as their circumstances require. Next come the outside … [Read more...] about The GOP’s Triple Play
Republican Joe Miller’s Security Guards Handcuff Reporters (UPDATED)
Now, we all know that in this political season that some reporters have been hamstrung by Republicans running from office who will only be interviewed on Fox News or by candidates who literally run away from them. But now the bar has been lowered/raised (put your political bias here) by the news that Alaska Tea Party favorite and GOP candidate Joe Miller didn't like being … [Read more...] about Republican Joe Miller’s Security Guards Handcuff Reporters (UPDATED)
Obama Defends Himself In Musically
Here's Barack Obama's musical defense of himself: … [Read more...] about Obama Defends Himself In Musically
Are Americans Conspiring with Iran, or are they Simply Fools?: Iraq News Agency, Iraq
It's a conspiracy theory that has been brewing for years and its adherents now believe the moment of truth has come: Have America and Iran made a deal on the disposition of Iraq? Columnist Tariq Hameed of the Iraq News Agency writes that Iraqis who question this conspiracy theory have another perhaps less flattering explanation: Washington is clueless. For the Iraq News … [Read more...] about Are Americans Conspiring with Iran, or are they Simply Fools?: Iraq News Agency, Iraq
Prison-to-Poverty Cycle A New Jim Crow
Sasha Abramsky reports on new research demonstrating precisely how the prison-to-poverty cycle works: In devastating detail in Daedalus [the Journal of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences], the sociologists Bruce Western of Harvard and Becky Pettit of the University of Washington have shown how poverty creates prisoners and how prisons in turn fuel poverty, not just for … [Read more...] about Prison-to-Poverty Cycle A New Jim Crow
The Mortgage Securities Ship Can’t Take On Much More Water Before Sinking
Former lead prosecutor in the Savings and Loan fraud Bill Black and derivative expert/author Janet Tavakoli have been saying for the last couple years that the financial problems were not caused solely due to unforeseen circumstances but the largest fraud in history. Information about the nature of mortgage backed securities that confirms this view has trickled out for years … [Read more...] about The Mortgage Securities Ship Can’t Take On Much More Water Before Sinking
Minnesota’s Largest Paper Endorses Independent Tom Horner for Governor
Here in the North Star State, people on the center right tend to joke about the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Minnesota's largest newspaper. We call it the "Red Star" because it tends to be a liberal paper and tends to endorse liberal candidates. Well today, the "Red Star" has shocked everyone not just by not endorsing a Democrat for governor, but by endorsing a third-party … [Read more...] about Minnesota’s Largest Paper Endorses Independent Tom Horner for Governor
McCain Removes Last Vestige of the Old John McCain
The image of the old Senator John McCain has now left the building. Granted, the Senate race between Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer and Republican Carly Fiorina has been fierce, with Fiorina steadily gaining in the polls with victory within her reach. But at an event here in San Diego McCain injected a new level of poison into it - a toxicity suggestiong that now that the … [Read more...] about McCain Removes Last Vestige of the Old John McCain
Peter Thiel: Libertarianism Taken To Its Logical Extreme
Jacob Weisberg may not believe that (I do) but he calls Thiel out on this: The Thiel Fellowship will pay would-be entrepreneurs under 20 $100,000 in cash to drop out of school. In announcing the program, Thiel made clear his contempt for American universities which, like governments, he believes, cost more than they're worth and hinder what really matters in life, namely … [Read more...] about Peter Thiel: Libertarianism Taken To Its Logical Extreme
In Search of Sanity
Perhaps Frank Rich is right. Sanity will not return to American politics until there is "a decisive rescue from our prolonged economic crisis." Until then, he wrote in Sunday's New York Times: Don't expect the extremism and violence in our politics to subside magically after Election Day -- no matter what the results. If Tea Party candidates triumph, they'll be … [Read more...] about In Search of Sanity
Obama’s Too-Early Concession
Taking transparency too far, the White House is recapping a midterm disaster prematurely with what Mark Shields calls the President's "retrospective before the election." "How would you like to be a Democratic member of the House fighting for your life right now," the PBS News Hour guru asks, "getting hit over the head for having voted for the stimulus bill, and have the … [Read more...] about Obama’s Too-Early Concession
“The Beaver” Remembers TV Mom Barbara Billingsley
Not only baby boomers but anyone with a TV has seen "Leave it to Beaver" as a kid -- a show that was on for 6 seasons and shown continously since it went off the air in 1963 in reruns. Here's the grown up "Beaver" Jerry Mathers talking about his TV mom: … [Read more...] about “The Beaver” Remembers TV Mom Barbara Billingsley
A Prisoner’s Poetry: Serving 15 Years To Life (Anti-Drug Use Poem)
Editor's Note: In going through an old file cabinet, I found a letter that I had used in my anti-drug shows for schools. A letter written in about 1990 by a teen who had been using drugs, got into a struggle with another teen, a gun went off -- and he was in jail...serving 15 years to life. This is being published on TMV without the prisoner's name, since it was a private poem … [Read more...] about A Prisoner’s Poetry: Serving 15 Years To Life (Anti-Drug Use Poem)
Godspeed Mrs. Cleaver
Barbara Billingsley best known to us all as Mrs. Cleaver has died at the age of 94. For many, perhaps most of us she was a comforting memory of childhood and innocence. A couple interesting tidbits. She wore pearls on LITB because she had what she calls a 'hollow' in her neck, a physical defect that would have really shown up on camera back then. They didn't always use … [Read more...] about Godspeed Mrs. Cleaver
No Matter What
In recent weeks we have had a series of tragic suicides and horrifying attacks involving the GLBT community. Even worse, we have had people using the beauty of faith for their own hateful purposes. I fully accept that different people have different views on faith, but nobody should use a loving God for purposes of hate. For all my friends, and indeed for everyone in the … [Read more...] about No Matter What
Christine O’Donnell Moves Up In the Polls
Are the days of laughter about to stop? Tea Party movement member and GOP candidate for Senate in Delaware Christine O'Donnell has apparently made some big gains in the polls, seemingly with the twitch of a nose (and her debate performance against a notably stiffer Democrat Chris Coons) -- not enough but still enough to be impressive. … [Read more...] about Christine O’Donnell Moves Up In the Polls
Bill Clinton and Jerry Brown (Almost) Bury the Hatchet
Former President Bill Clinton and his former Presidential rival Attorney General Governor Jerry Brown buried the hatchet -- at least part of the way -- when Clinton turned up at a rally supporting Brown in his battle to re-gain the governorship. But you have to say "almost" since the CNN report also notes how Brown seemed impatient while Clinton spoke and how they went … [Read more...] about Bill Clinton and Jerry Brown (Almost) Bury the Hatchet
For Pee Wee Herman Fans Everywhere
Pee Wee Herman has risen again (this time on Broadway). And for Pee Wee Herman fans everywhere, here's someone who influenced Pee Wee Herman -- the Emmy-award winning, early 1950s Pinky Lee: … [Read more...] about For Pee Wee Herman Fans Everywhere
Reid Angle
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Reid Angle