The Daily Kos has made a splash with its poll of 2003 self-identified Republicans. A fifth think the 2008 election was rigged. A third refuse to believe Barack Obama was born in the United States. Sixty percent think he's a socialist. Naturally, this is a good moment for certain liberals to heap scorn upon us Republicans. Either we're pathetically ignorant or just easily … [Read more...] about Poll: Beck, Limbaugh too moderate for GOP
An Easy Expose Of GOP Strategy
The Republicans in Congress must think American voters are really stupid. During the Bush administration they supported trials in federal court for Richard Reed and dozens of other accused terrorists. Now they don't. They supported the TARP bailout of banks. Now they don't. They supported a bipartisan commission to address deficit reduction. Now they … [Read more...] about An Easy Expose Of GOP Strategy
Are Republicans Really This Nutty?
It's not easy being a black, gay Republican and when news stories like this come out, it's even harder. … [Read more...] about Are Republicans Really This Nutty?
The Haunting of Colorado Springs
Seems things aren't so great in Colorado Springs these days: This tax-averse city is about to learn what it looks and feels like when budget cuts slash services most Americans consider part of the urban fabric. More than a third of the streetlights in Colorado Springs will go dark Monday. The police helicopters are for sale on the Internet. The city is dumping … [Read more...] about The Haunting of Colorado Springs
Meet the Republican Base
A Research 2000 poll on behalf of Daily Kos suggests many members of the GOP base are ... how do I put this in a "moderate voice"? ... detached from reality. One example from the findings: While a plurality of 42 percent believe President Obama was born in the U.S., 36 percent don't, and another 22 percent are not sure, giving the GOP base an almost-super majority who … [Read more...] about Meet the Republican Base
Liberalism Restored: Obama’s Regulatory “Revolution”
President Obama isn't "doing all kinds of crazy stuff that risks destroying America," as Bill Kristol claims, echoing a common Republican talking point that Obama himself ridiculed at last Friday's Q&A -- and Kristol just proved his point -- but he is leading what TNR's John Judis calls "The Quiet Revolution": [T]here is one extremely consequential area where Obama has done … [Read more...] about Liberalism Restored: Obama’s Regulatory “Revolution”
Top Military Officer: Repeal DADT
In response to the statement by President Obama during his State of The Union address the Senate Armed Services committee is holding a hearing on repealing the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy (live on CSpan 3 right now). In his opening statement Defense Secretary Gates expressed support for the repeal and indicated he is implementing a study to determine how to proceed with the … [Read more...] about Top Military Officer: Repeal DADT
Quote of the Day: Was Obama Following the Sorkin Strategy in Meeting With House GOPers?
Our political Quote of the Day comes from Dick Polman, who notes that President Barack Obama was appealing directly to independent voters in his talk to House Republicans on Friday. Polman wonders if Obama is following a strategy from a popular TV show: If you're similarly hunkered, go ahead and decide for yourself whether Obama or the House Republicans "won" the faceoff. … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Was Obama Following the Sorkin Strategy in Meeting With House GOPers?
Libertarian Roundup
A small compilation of libertarian articles and musings from the last few days: * Over at Reason Magazine, Steve Chapman argues that runaway federal spending is a bipartisan problem. * Over at the Cato Institute (originally from FindLaw), Robert Levy addresses the recent Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and argues that Campaign … [Read more...] about Libertarian Roundup
What Will the AARP Have to Say?
David Brooks' suggests that senior citizens organize to advocate changes to their government-provided benefits; specifically, changes that would take from them and give back to younger generations. With that suggestion, Brooks probably will not win many friends among the senior set -- especially not with a headline that labels them "geezers" -- but the idea is nonethelss … [Read more...] about What Will the AARP Have to Say?
Why Bipartisanship Can’t Work
The expert view, as told to James Fallows: "GOP member: 'I'd like this in the bill.' "Dem member response: 'If we put it in, will you vote for the bill?' "GOP member: 'You know I can't vote for the bill.' "Dem member: 'Then why should we put it in the bill?' "I witnessed this myself." Read on for more. … [Read more...] about Why Bipartisanship Can’t Work
Prime Minister Obama
There is a thread I'd like to pick up on in the commentary on President Obama's civil debate with the House GOP last Friday. You can see it in the round-ups from both Joe and Kathy. Like a British Prime Minister, Obama took questions directly from the opposition, which is unheard of in American politics. Obama's Q&A session was all the more remarkable because it was … [Read more...] about Prime Minister Obama
Game changed or rules broken?
Game Change, by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, stole the spotlight by informing us that Harry Reid thought of Barack Obama as a "light-skinned", um, "Negro". That quote was quite accurate, since the source was none other than Harry Reid. Yet the more people look at the book, on both the left and right, the more it emerges as the worst possible example of unverifiable … [Read more...] about Game changed or rules broken?
Qaddafi, Chavez, Etc.
Dan Drezner notes that Libya's weirdo-in-chief is not happy about being deposed as head of the African Union. I just have to ask, what kind of continent chooses Muammar Qaddafi as its spokesman anyhow? Probably a continent with so many problems that are so much worse it doesn't care if Qaddafi is its nominal representative. If Hugo Chavez is ever chosen as Supreme Guru of … [Read more...] about Qaddafi, Chavez, Etc.
Madeleine Albright Instructs Russians to ‘Know their Place’: Kommersant, Russia
Impolitic by design? Was she speaking on cue or speaking out of turn? That must have been the question on the minds of Russian officials when they heard the comments of former secretary of state Madeleine Albright, addressing members of the European Parliament last month. Albright, who has been appointed a consultant by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, seems … [Read more...] about Madeleine Albright Instructs Russians to ‘Know their Place’: Kommersant, Russia
UPDATED: The Oscar Nominees Are…
Avatar and The Hurt Locker lead with 9 nominations each, including Best Picture. Inglourious Basterds got 8. The full list is here. While the academy has expanded the Best Picture category to include 10 nominees, The Razzie® Awards have put up only 5 for Worst Picture of the Year. Livestream has the archived version of the announcement on its site for one week. The embed … [Read more...] about UPDATED: The Oscar Nominees Are…
Obama’s $3.8 Trillion Proposed Budget Set To Dominate Political World
The watchwords in 2010 -- more than ever -- will likely be "budget" and "deficit," in light of the President Barack Obama unveiling a proposed $3.8 trillion budget, coupled with his comments that the fiscal situation remains "unacceptable." Get ready for a serious -- and, in the scheme of 21st century politics in some cases extremely loud and outraged and not-so-serious -- … [Read more...] about Obama’s $3.8 Trillion Proposed Budget Set To Dominate Political World
Obama, Year One: A Report Card (Guest Voice)
Obama, Year One: A Report Card Raging Moderate, by Will Durst When asked how he thought his first year as 44th president of the United States had proceeded, Barack Obama gave himself a B+. To say other parties have been less enthusiastic is like saying Tiger Woods is unlikely to receive the NOW Husband of the Year Award. Although the Divorce Lawyers of America might be … [Read more...] about Obama, Year One: A Report Card (Guest Voice)
On the Minds of Newsprint
Brian Fairrington, Cagle Cartoons This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV in full. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about On the Minds of Newsprint
Coming Clean in Washington
As the New York Times' Public Editor puzzles over the paper's coverage of a best-seller "filled with racy anecdotes about dysfunctional marriages and political back-stabbing," we get our first look at Washington's new Mr. Clean, a Senator arrested for shoplifting at 12 who posed naked for a magazine at 22. In his first Sunday interview, Ted Kennedy's replacement tells … [Read more...] about Coming Clean in Washington