How badly has American credibility been damaged by Israeli treatment of Vice President Biden during his visit to the country? According to this article by columnist Elias Harfoush of Saudi Arabia's Dar al-Hayat, seeing Washington get pushed around this way is making it hard for Arabs to resist Iranian threats - and support harsher sanctions over its nuclear program. Harfoush … [Read more...] about Israel ‘Drains the Viagra’ from America’s Credibility: Dar al-Hayat, Saudi Arabia
Health Reform In Trouble ??
According to the latest whip count on The Hill, opponents of the current health care reform bill are just one vote short of victory. The maximum number of Democratic defections that would still allow the bill to pass is 37, and the current No camp has 37 votes in it. Firedoglake, a liberal leaning blog, also has some analysis that does not seem promising, though again the … [Read more...] about Health Reform In Trouble ??
The GOP’s Last Chance To Spread Fear and Distort Truth on Health Care Reform
Republicans in Congress have just a few more days to kill health care reform, and boy are they putting that time to good use. Tea Party activists who came to D.C. on Tuesday to demonstrate at the Capitol were greeted by Rep. Steve King of Iowa, and Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas: … [Read more...] about The GOP’s Last Chance To Spread Fear and Distort Truth on Health Care Reform
A Bit Of An Obama Ooops
President Obama recently told the compelling story of a woman facing the loss of her home because of health care costs. Certainly there are many problems with out health care system, but it looks like this isn't one. … [Read more...] about A Bit Of An Obama Ooops
Dems don’t have acceptable CBO score yet
Nancy Pelosi and House leadership have yet to release the language of the bill they plan to vote on this week that will reshape one-sixth of the American economy. Part of the delay is the lack of a CBO score that would demonstrate acceptable cost savings, both through the original bill itself and the reconciliation fixes being cooked up behind closed doors, out of the sight of … [Read more...] about Dems don’t have acceptable CBO score yet
John Bellinger: ‘Bush and Obama Terrorism Policies Very Similar’
It is my impression that, for whatever reasons, politicians and government officials (including ex-politicians---if one could ever find one of those--- and ex-government officials) are more open and candid when giving interviews to foreign correspondents. A couple of weeks ago, I commented on “one of the most interesting and candid interviews that a foreign newspaper has … [Read more...] about John Bellinger: ‘Bush and Obama Terrorism Policies Very Similar’
Why The FCC Broadband Plan Underwhelms
Media reports of the FCC broadband plan (pdf) that was sent to Congress today were fawning. Almost all contain this quote from FCC Chair Julius Genacowski, which describes the plan to connect 100 million U.S. households (~85 percent) to 100 Mbps high speed broadband by 2020 as a 21st-century roadmap to spur economic growth and investment, create jobs, educate our children, … [Read more...] about Why The FCC Broadband Plan Underwhelms
‘Don’t Be Evil’ Google a Victim of its Own Success: Les Echos, France
Google is being bombarded with lawsuits and criticism around the world. So what became of the California company that everyone loved and that lived by the credo 'Don't Be Evil'? According to Philippe Escande of France's Les Echos newspaper, Google has encountered the inevitible backlash against all innovators, 'whose careers always begin in euphoria and usually end in the … [Read more...] about ‘Don’t Be Evil’ Google a Victim of its Own Success: Les Echos, France
CNN Hires Erick Erickson As a “Political Contributor”
Injured Dog Limps Into Emergency Room
I've written before about my love for dogs and am continually amazed of their exploits. The latest caper is a German shepherd mix who apparently was involved in a dog fight and limped through the automatic revolving doors of the San Juan Medical Center in Farmington, New Mexico, as a matter of good fortune or just plain luck seeking medical help. The dog, a male about … [Read more...] about Injured Dog Limps Into Emergency Room
The End of Irony
Andy McCarthy, who has yet to meet a torture technique he doesn't love, has a long, long, looonnng article at NRO bemoaning the "Slaughter of the Constitution" (it's a pun -- get it?) via the constitutional travesty known as "deem and pass" (or the self-executing rule -- which, come to think of it, sounds like a torture technique Andy should know about, if he doesn't already). … [Read more...] about The End of Irony
Tightrope Walked By Spouses Of The Famous
If she was Jane Doe and featured founder of a nonprofit group catering to "citizen activists" and preserving and reaffirming freedom of our "core founding principles," few people would raise an eyebrow, as the expression goes. But Virginia "Ginni" Thomas is no ordinary Jane. She is the wife of Justice Clarence Thomas, the most reticent and one of the most conservative … [Read more...] about Tightrope Walked By Spouses Of The Famous
Blue Dogs Overboard (Guest Voice)
This guest cartoon is by Sarjex, who describes herself as “a lonely little wingnut in the crazy liberal mecca of San Francisco.” … [Read more...] about Blue Dogs Overboard (Guest Voice)
David Brooks Beclowns Himself, Again
If you have the patience to get through the set-up, which takes up half of this extraordinarily foolish column, you will reach Brooks' point -- he is concerned that using reconciliation to pass health care reform destroys the "spirit of sympathy" and the "person-to-person relationships" that make the Senate so much more "humane" than the House: … [Read more...] about David Brooks Beclowns Himself, Again
Honoring St. Patrick’s Day (Two Guest Voices)
In honor of St. Patrick's Day, TMV via Cagle Cartoons gives you these two great guest columns. Happy St. Patrick’s Day by Martha Randolph Carr Last St. Patrick’s Day I was living in New York City, which you’d think would carry the day for celebrating the Emerald Isle. But, this year I’m perched in Chicago where there are signs everywhere that say, ‘Kiss me, I’m … [Read more...] about Honoring St. Patrick’s Day (Two Guest Voices)
The John Edwards Love Quadrangle
In politicians' philandering, from JFK to Bill Clinton and beyond, "love means never having to say you're sorry" (to quote the soupy 1970s movie) until your enablers run out of ways to keep you from getting caught. Few have gone as far as Andrew Young, who tried to take a bullet for John Edwards by claiming he was the father of Rielle Hunter's baby, but greater love hath no … [Read more...] about The John Edwards Love Quadrangle
Big Michael Jackson Estate Deal: Michael Jackson’s “New” Career
It is now a cliche but here is a case showing that is true: it has turned out true that Michael Jackson's death was a great career move: Even in death, Michael Jackson remains the King of Pop. Less than a year after his shocking passing, the administrators of the late pop icon's estate have signed the biggest recording contract in music history, a deal that the Los … [Read more...] about Big Michael Jackson Estate Deal: Michael Jackson’s “New” Career
Quote of the Day: U.S. Israeli Crisis Due to Bibi Netanyahu Not Obama Administration
Our political/international Quote of the Day comes from RealClearPolitics' Kevin Sullivan who (like some other Americans) seems weary of the 24/7 polemical political wars which have spilled over into commentary over the recent frost in U.S. Israel relations sparked by the annoucement that Israel would build more settlments -- an announcement made right when Vice President Joe … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: U.S. Israeli Crisis Due to Bibi Netanyahu Not Obama Administration
Making Peace with Reality
Nate Silver conducts an analysis of the health care negotiations, borrowing a model from an NYU political scientist. Silver's conclusion: Adjust the variables here and there and you still get what you've got. … [Read more...] about Making Peace with Reality
Iran, Latin America and the Blunders of Empire: La Jornada, Mexico
Is the United States coming down too hard on Iran, which it believes is building a nuclear weapon? That is the ever-more popular narrative being espoused by important powers that include China, Russia and now, Brazil. According to this article by columnist John Saxe-Fernandez of Mexico's La Jornada, Brazil's rejection of U.S. demands for harsh sanctions is a demonstration of … [Read more...] about Iran, Latin America and the Blunders of Empire: La Jornada, Mexico