Ezra Klein made this point on Countdown last night: … [Read more...] about Déja Vu Again and Again and Again
Will The Real Barack Obama Stand Up
Will the real Barack Obama, who appeared as Everyman during his presidential campaign, step up and govern for crying out loud. I'm growing disenchanted with the president who suddenly has donned the cloak of a populist which is akin to David Dukes joining the NAACP. Taxing banks and capping salaries is a bogus effort circumventing the real issues. Whatever the president … [Read more...] about Will The Real Barack Obama Stand Up
Senate Health Bill: Will Fear Trump Logic?
Andrew Sullivan continues adding to his "Pass. The. Damn. Bill" series, encouraging a majority of House Democrats to embrace the Senate's version of health-care reform. I appreciate Andrew's effort, in particular his link to this persuasive take on the issue by Jonathan Rauch.* Even then, I think the odds of convincing the swing votes in the House to accept the Senate … [Read more...] about Senate Health Bill: Will Fear Trump Logic?
Haiti: While Americans Approve of Longer Stay, U.S. Military Envisage Exit
As the number of U.S. troops arriving in Haiti was quickly mounting during the early days of the humanitarian relief effort, there were scattered wails that the U.S. was invading and trying to occupy that country. Those who had such worries may want to read recent reports where some officials with extensive experience in humanitarian relief and peacekeeping now express … [Read more...] about Haiti: While Americans Approve of Longer Stay, U.S. Military Envisage Exit
Tomorrow’s News as Old News
Headlines from the President's State of the Union speech have been leaking all week--a three-year spending freeze on domestic programs today following yesterday's package of tax credits for child care, caps on student loan payments and automatic retirement savings for employees. After whatever revelation the White House is saving for tomorrow morning, by the time Barack … [Read more...] about Tomorrow’s News as Old News
The Spending “Freeze” Is By Far Obama’s Worst Politicial Decision To Date
Normally I don't like to devote much time to punditry about political tactics because a) it's almost always just a tempest in a million teapots and b) I like to preserve my naivete that the quality of policy ideas matters at all. Also I'm far too masochistic to debate short term issues that resolve quickly and far prefer talking about long term structural issues that will take … [Read more...] about The Spending “Freeze” Is By Far Obama’s Worst Politicial Decision To Date
Libertarian Roundup
Those of us who have been here long enough know that one of TMV's greatest strengths is its diversity of views. Sometimes we have rather passionate debates with those with whom we disagree on political matters, but hopefully by hearing differing political views, we become that much more informed. And here at TMV, we strive to give you the opportunity to hear viewpoints that … [Read more...] about Libertarian Roundup
A Pointless Loss
Sometimes losing is winning. Sometimes the way you lose, and the way the loss is perceived, turn it into the precondition for later victories. If one appreciates this political truism, the real tragedy of the Obama loss on health care reform becomes obvious. What was on view here? A principled leader determined to bring about long overdue change? A fighter against entrenched … [Read more...] about A Pointless Loss
Macroeconomics: Hayek vs. Keynes Rap
Well, here's something you don't see everday . . . a debate between the Austrian and Keynesian schools of economics . . . in rap. I thought it was pretty amusing, if not informative. Who says you can't learn anything useful on Youtube? … [Read more...] about Macroeconomics: Hayek vs. Keynes Rap
Hope Revisited
Cam Cardow, The Ottawa Citizen This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Hope Revisited
An Opportunity To Help
Gary Farber, who writes the blog Amygdala, needs our help, folks. He has been struggling for years with severe clinical depression as well as other serious conditions, and now his application for SSD has been denied, and he has to file an appeal. In addition, and not coincidentally, he is dealing with serious financial problems. … [Read more...] about An Opportunity To Help
The Insanity of Exempting Military From Spending Freeze
Glenn Greenwald's article about the automatic, unquestioned exemption of military spending from inclusion in the spending freeze Barack Obama reportedly plans to announce in the SOTU tomorrow evening has this stunning pie chart: … [Read more...] about The Insanity of Exempting Military From Spending Freeze
Quote for the Day: Populists
"Ever since I started covering politics, the Democratic ruling class has been driven by one fantasy: that voters will get so furious at people with M.B.A.’s that they will hand power to people with Ph.D.’s. The Republican ruling class has been driven by the fantasy that voters will get so furious at people with Ph.D.’s that they will hand power to people with M.B.A.’s. Members … [Read more...] about Quote for the Day: Populists
Nah, That Would Be a Sucker’s Bet
Greg Sargent, noting a new CNN poll that shows, for the first time since Barack Obama has been in office, that a higher percentage of Americans think that Democratic Party control of Congress is bad for the country than think it's good for the country, puts the question to us: … [Read more...] about Nah, That Would Be a Sucker’s Bet
Obama the Fiscal Conservative?
The "next big thing" has arrived in the political arena this week, though how "big" it will really turn out to be remains to be seen. President Obama, proving once and for all that he actually is capable of reading poll numbers, is proposing a three year spending freeze on domestic discretionary spending. Before you deficit hawks get too excited, we're talking about roughly 20% … [Read more...] about Obama the Fiscal Conservative?
Year Two of Obama: ‘A Solar System with No Sun’ – Financial Times Deutschland, Germany
The global fretting over Obama's first year in office is striking. If Arabs are disappointed with President Obama for failing to resolve the intractable problems of the Middle East, Ines Zottl of the Financial Times Deutschland writes that Europeans should fear his complete 'abdication' of American leadership. For the the Financial Times Deutschland, Ines Zottl writes in … [Read more...] about Year Two of Obama: ‘A Solar System with No Sun’ – Financial Times Deutschland, Germany
Hollywood’s First Movie: A Centenary Celebration
America, or the entire cinematic world, celebrates next month the centenary of Hollywood's first movie. The filming in February 1910 of D. W. Griffith's "In Old California" was considered a cultural landmark. Equally fascinating are the details about the development of Hollywood (situated just 11 kms from Los Angeles) coinciding with the birth of the first movie. Director … [Read more...] about Hollywood’s First Movie: A Centenary Celebration
Always on Your Side
I think this song is just exquisite. … [Read more...] about Always on Your Side
Barack Obama: A Dream in Reverse! – El Watan, Algeria
It's the season of discontent over President Obama. Wherever one looks, both in and out of the United States, people are disappointed - and the Arab world is no exception. For Algeria's El Watan, columnist Hassan Moali writes that entrenched interests and the pro-Israel lobby have overcome the desire of President Obama to recast U.S. foreign policy and that he 'obviously … [Read more...] about Barack Obama: A Dream in Reverse! – El Watan, Algeria
A Really Big Surrender
You think that a homeowner surrendering a house is a big deal.... Check this out This does not help with my fears of the pending commercial real estate market collapse either. … [Read more...] about A Really Big Surrender