One of the few upsides of a down economy is supposed to be a lack of inflation. And indeed, all the experts agree inflation in our own economy hardly exists these days. Except, of course, it does. The latest contradiction of the officially decreed "pay no attention to that man behind the curtain" approach to inflation reality came to me the other day in the form of a notice … [Read more...] about No Inflation, But Things Cost More Anyway
There is More at Stake than Obama’s Presidency: Tages Anzeiger, Germany
Does the result of the midterm elections threaten the very future of the United States? Correspondent Martin Kilian of Germany's Tages Anzeiger outlines for readers his concern that the apparent gridlock in the American system could threaten not only America's future - but the world. For the Tages Anzeiger, Martin Kilian writes in part: Instead of paving the way for a … [Read more...] about There is More at Stake than Obama’s Presidency: Tages Anzeiger, Germany
Obama’s Interaction With Students At Mumbai’s Famous College
One of the highlights of President Barack Obama's visit to Mumbai was a visit to St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, founded by German Jesuits in 1869. Obama seemed so much at ease with the students, and so communicative, that one wonders whether he should have been a professor or a diplomat instead of being a politician/president, a task some say he should have perhaps left to Ms … [Read more...] about Obama’s Interaction With Students At Mumbai’s Famous College
Keith Olbermann’s Suspension: Did MSNBC Overreact?
The controversy continues to swirl over Keith Olbermann's suspension by MSNBC after it emerged that he had contributed to three Democratic candidates running in the 2010 mid-term elections, one who he interviewed extensively on his show. In many instances, criticism of MSNBC has united left (who support Olbermann and feel it was self-evident that he had political positions and … [Read more...] about Keith Olbermann’s Suspension: Did MSNBC Overreact?
Turkey at the Crossroads
Turkey is a a crossroads. Theodore Couloumbis, Bill Ahlstrom and Gary Weaver, a post on RealClearPolitics take a look at a country that seems to be on the ascent: Turkey is misunderstood by most people in Europe and the U.S. - not the least because Turks themselves comfortably call their country European, Eurasian, Balkan, Mediterranean and Near Eastern, and this very … [Read more...] about Turkey at the Crossroads
The News Cycle
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to appear on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about The News Cycle
What If Hillary Clinton Had Been President?
So here is the big "what it" being discussed by a top Washington reporter and other pundits: what if Hillary Clinton had indeed been elected President? Would she have done some things differently than President Barack Obama. The Washington Post's Dana Milbank looks at this question and has some answers -- partly on the basis of what some close Clinton associates tell him. … [Read more...] about What If Hillary Clinton Had Been President?
Rachel Maddow on Keith Olbermann’s Suspension
The reason Keith Olbermann was suspended from his job as host of MSNBC's Countdown is because he violated an MSNBC rule by donating money to three Democratic political candidates in the election just passed. The reason MSNBC has this rule is because MSNBC is a news organization. Numerous on-air Fox hosts have not just made political donations, but have actively fundraised -- on … [Read more...] about Rachel Maddow on Keith Olbermann’s Suspension
Boehner’s Crying Hurts His Brain
Oh, by the way, this was my favorite part of that article about the tears of John Boehner: … [Read more...] about Boehner’s Crying Hurts His Brain
Listen Up, John Boehner
Do your crying in the rain: … [Read more...] about Listen Up, John Boehner
“We’ll Never Feel Bad Anymore”
"When you're on a golden sea, you don't need no memory. Just a place to call your own as we drift into the zone." … [Read more...] about “We’ll Never Feel Bad Anymore”
Welcome Back to Standard Daylight Time
"I believe the struggle for financial freedom is unfair. I believe the only ones who disagree are millionaires." … [Read more...] about Welcome Back to Standard Daylight Time
Obama Visit: “India’s sweet revenge on the US”
Kanchan Gupta, a well-known Indian journalist & writer, begins an article in his blog by quoting a friend: "There was a time when Indian Prime Ministers used to visit the US looking for food to feed hungry Indians. Now US Presidents visit India looking for jobs for Americans. "To Mr Obama’s credit, as also to his advisers’, no false claims of furthering ‘strategic relations’ … [Read more...] about Obama Visit: “India’s sweet revenge on the US”
Business For Barack Obama; Hopscotch & Fun For Michelle
On reaching India, while US president Barack Obama virtually played salesman-in-chief for American companies/business, his wife Michelle Obama let her hair down and kicked off her shoes to play hopscotch, and sang and danced with children in Mumbai. The Indian media gave her as much publicity as her famous husband. The Indian Express reported: "It’s not everyday that a First … [Read more...] about Business For Barack Obama; Hopscotch & Fun For Michelle
Conventional Wisdom Carries the Day
If you want to know why Republicans trounced the Democrats on Tuesday, read this piece by Glenn Greenwald. Skip the part about the on-air fight between Glenn and Lawrence O'Donnell over what O'Donnell said or didn't say on Scarborough's show. It's both amusing and appalling, but the truly important stuff comes when Glenn takes on O'Donnell's specific argument about why the … [Read more...] about Conventional Wisdom Carries the Day
Olbermann “Network” Remake
The angry anchorman in the 1976 movie gets high ratings for a while and, when they drop, network honchos have him killed on camera. As the Keith Olbermann saga unfolds, the only new wrinkle is doing him in offstage with fine print instead of bullets. In the face of declining ratings, a pending change of ownership and a Republican tide rising, the left-leaning "mad as hell" … [Read more...] about Olbermann “Network” Remake
Some More “Myths” of the Midterm Elections
Continuing my "bestselling" commentary on selections from the “hundreds if not thousands of analyses, ‘Wednesday morning quarter backings’ and prognostications” inspired by Tuesday’s elections, here’s one that I found quite interesting. It is an opinion piece by Michael Cooper in the New York Times this morning and it discusses how every election---including or especially … [Read more...] about Some More “Myths” of the Midterm Elections
Pyrrhic Victories, Left and Right
Democrats took a shellacking, but the big loser was the Untied (no typo) States of America, with the electoral map now looking like a big red blob with thin blue parentheses on both coasts. Politically, the President is still dazed, but there are early signs that Republicans will turn out to be sore winners with a Tea Party headache that won't go away. Some GOP Senators … [Read more...] about Pyrrhic Victories, Left and Right
Apologies To The Very Rich
In a recent post I used a statistic that appeared in a Bob Herbert New York Times column. It incorrectly stated that Americans making more than $50 million a year had seen a huge increase in their earnings between 2008 and 2009, when their earnings had actually decreased by 7.7 percent in that period. Herbert apologized today for using this incorrect statistic in his … [Read more...] about Apologies To The Very Rich
Reagan Speech Writer Peggy Noonan Calls Palin a “Nincompoop”
Just the messenger. Peggy Noonan was a speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan and took a leave from the Wall Street Journal to campaign for George W. Bush's re-election in 2004. From her column in the WSJ: Conservatives talked a lot about Ronald Reagan this year, but they have to take him more to heart, because his example here is a guide. All this seemed lost last week on … [Read more...] about Reagan Speech Writer Peggy Noonan Calls Palin a “Nincompoop”