This is an adaptation of the latter half of a post I just wrote at The Debate Link. The post there involved a specific debate over American views on tax policy, but the second half discussed some new research regarding how citizens understand facts in political deliberations, and that issue I thought would be more interesting to TMV readers. A friend of mine, exasperated … [Read more...] about Good Facts Won’t Save You This Time
Marc Thiessen: Wrong Then, Wrong Now, and Wrong Again
From Adam Serwer in The American Prospect, comes the thoroughly unsurprising news that Marc Thiessen has been proved wrong yet again on one of his claims in support of torture: … [Read more...] about Marc Thiessen: Wrong Then, Wrong Now, and Wrong Again
President Stamps His Imprint on ‘ObamaCare’
For the first time since the start of the health care reform debate, the president has publicly placed his imprint on the legislative package. He has proposed compromises on key elements that are different in the bills passed by the House and Senate. The summary of what we can now finally call "ObamaCare" without the ridicule from opponents is in a pdf online. It was posted … [Read more...] about President Stamps His Imprint on ‘ObamaCare’
The Fourth, Unknown, Author of the Torture Memos
Unknown until now, that is. In an important exclusive, Zachary Roth of TPMMuckraker reports that, in addition to John Yoo, Jay Bybee, and Patrick Philbin (the named contributors to the Torture Memos), there was a fourth. Her name was redacted throughout the just-released report by the Office of Professional Responsibility -- except for one mention, which was missed: … [Read more...] about The Fourth, Unknown, Author of the Torture Memos
This Can’t Be True
From Reuters (emphasis mine): … [Read more...] about This Can’t Be True
The Olympics: No Longer a Vacation from War, But Still a Happy Distraction – Nachrichten of Switzerland
According to ancient sources, from 776 BC to 393 AD on a pretty regular basis, armed conflict in Greece came to a halt every four years for the holding of the Olympic Games. In this lighthearted look at the usefulness of the Games, Swiss columnist Patrik Etschmayer writes that while they still provide a welcomed distraction, the modern Games usually involve diverting our … [Read more...] about The Olympics: No Longer a Vacation from War, But Still a Happy Distraction – Nachrichten of Switzerland
Democratic Shift? Determined to Finish Health Care Reform Bill?
Have the Democrats made a shift after being shell shocked by last summer's tempestuous anti-health care reform town hall meetings, plummeting support in polls for health care reform, lousy publicity over let's-make-a-deal horsetrading to get prima dona Democrats on board and -- the final body blow -- the election of Republican Scott Brown to fill the Senate seat long held by … [Read more...] about Democratic Shift? Determined to Finish Health Care Reform Bill?
Must Read Explanation Of China-US Trade Imbalance
Michael Pettis is by far the best trade theorist I've come across and is supremely prescient and logical. He has changed my thinking a ton since I've started reading him, but his latest post is perhaps the most world altering for me. It explains what China's currency peg really means, and why their massive reserves won't protect them from a financial crisis. … [Read more...] about Must Read Explanation Of China-US Trade Imbalance
The “Truth” About Disabled Children
THIS JUST IN! Here is the "truth" about disabled children. According to Virginia State Delegate Bob Marshall (R). disabled children are God's punishment to women who have aborted their first pregnancy. Question: Will Sara Palin dispute or denounce this on her Facebook page? … [Read more...] about The “Truth” About Disabled Children
When Rhetoric Gets in the Way of Good Ideas
E.J. Dionne thinks this week -- the week of the health care summit -- "will determine the shape of American politics for the next three years." Even if it's not as momentous a week as Mr. Dionne suggests, I hope it does (at the very least) mark the beginning of the end of the unproductive ways in which the debate has, so far, been framed. Case in point: Published in … [Read more...] about When Rhetoric Gets in the Way of Good Ideas
Joe Lieberman Will Introduce Repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
Connecticut Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman, the formerly-Democratic Senator many progressive Democrats love to hate, reportedly will be the prime sponsor of a bill that will repeal the controversial Don't Ask Don't Tell policy that bans admitted gays from serving in the military. New York's Daily Intel notes: Over the weekend at CPAC, former senator Rick Santorum … [Read more...] about Joe Lieberman Will Introduce Repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell
No Need To Fear ChatRoulette
ChatRoulette, the web sensation that enables anonymous video and text chats, was written by a 17 year-old boy, Andrey Ternovskiy, who some suggest could be the next Mark Zuckerberg (he's caught VC Fred Wilson's attention). He learned to code beginning at age 11 and his family is said to have invested in the ChatRoulette site as it scaled up. Here Andrey turns up in the … [Read more...] about No Need To Fear ChatRoulette
Mike Huckabee Loses Interest in Being President
Say what you like about CPAC, (and there's plenty to say from both sides) it is still one of the most high profile conservative events on the Republican dance card every year and it attracts the interest of conservatives across the nation who make up the GOP base. Because of this, folks who butter their bread via the conservative political arena, be they pundits or potential … [Read more...] about Mike Huckabee Loses Interest in Being President
Schwarzenegger Criticizes Republicans For Stimulus Hypocrisy and Shrugs Off Tea Party Movement (Revised)
Lame-duck California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has criticized fellow Republicans for being hypocritical in the oppose-it-then-take-it-and-brag-about-it position on President Barack Obama's stimulus money -- and shrugged off the Tea Party movement as unproductive. It's just the latest step in the evolution of Schwarzenegger, who has swung in varying degree to be a more … [Read more...] about Schwarzenegger Criticizes Republicans For Stimulus Hypocrisy and Shrugs Off Tea Party Movement (Revised)
The Republican Elephant
Nate Beeler, The Washington Examiner This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to appear on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about The Republican Elephant
Guest Book Review: Ayn Rand and the World She Made
Ayn Rand and the World She Made Reviewed by Ron Beasley The picture on the left may represent the beginning of the deregulation frenzy that resulted in the current world wide economic disaster. It was taken in 1974 by David Hume Kennerly and pictured are President Gerald Ford, Alan Greenspan, Ayn Rand, Rand's husband Frank Conner and Greenspan's mother Rose Goldsmith. The … [Read more...] about Guest Book Review: Ayn Rand and the World She Made
The Elephant at the Health Care Summit (Guest Voice)_
WASHINGTON -- This week will determine the shape of American politics for the next three years. No, that's not one of those journalistic exaggerations intended to catch your attention, although I hope it did. It's an accurate description of the stakes at the health care summit President Obama has called for Thursday. The issue is whether the summit proves to be … [Read more...] about The Elephant at the Health Care Summit (Guest Voice)_
Why China, and Others, Stubbornly Defend Rogue Nations: Die Welt, Germany
Why is it that Beijing, Russia and others are so determined to oppose the Western position on Iran's nuclear program, even at their own expense? For Germany's Die Welt, columnist Clemens Wergin writes that thwarting democracy is far more important to Beijing than what appears in the West to be common sense. He also warns that Beijing's thwarting of the United Nations 'threatens … [Read more...] about Why China, and Others, Stubbornly Defend Rogue Nations: Die Welt, Germany
USA 5 – Canada 3
What a game! In arguably the greatest upset for USA men's ice hockey since the Miracle On Ice in 1980 the unusually young and inexperienced USA team defeated star-studded Team Canada in Vancouver. This is the first time Team USA defeated Team Canada since 1960 at Squaw Valley. This game was an absolute gem to watch. Lots of end-to-end action. The Americans moved so well … [Read more...] about USA 5 – Canada 3
When the Dutch Pull Out of Afghanistan, Can the French and the Germans Be Far Behind?
Short Title: "The Dutch Government Collapse, No Yawning Matter" Judging from the number of comments in response to my “Back-to-Back Dutch Government Crises: First Iraq, Now Afghanistan,” and to subsequent updates on the collapse of the Dutch coalition government over the weekend, the reaction was one big yawn. On the surface, such indifference on our part might be … [Read more...] about When the Dutch Pull Out of Afghanistan, Can the French and the Germans Be Far Behind?