It's been a wild ride on the political escalator this past week in which feathers of all stripes were ruffled. People were going crazy trying to understand its totality. That's where I come in as a columnist to make sense of the world around us. My prayers for an answer came with three minor news items on today's menu. I think they bring us back to reality. The real world as … [Read more...] about Ode To Cows, Beer And The Pope
Presidents Obama and Sarkozy: ‘I Love You … Me Neither’ – Le Figaro, France
HAPPIER DAYS: OBAMA AND SARKOZY IN PARIS, JULY, 2008. Now that President Obama's first year in office is over, French are asking what happened to early hopes for a renewed Franco-American partnership. According to Le Figaro's Thomas Vampouille, they were frittered away by "a series of small humiliations" - a kind of petty tit-for-tat between the two presidents. For Le … [Read more...] about Presidents Obama and Sarkozy: ‘I Love You … Me Neither’ – Le Figaro, France
Banking secrecy set to walk the plank?
A surprising Swiss federal court ruling is forcing the government to gear up for a new battle against the US Internal Revenue Service, which is trying to punish rich Americans hiding their wealth abroad to avoid taxes. If it occurs, the Swiss resistance could derail a main plank of the Obama administration’s drive to choke foreign tax havens. The ruling also heaped trouble upon … [Read more...] about Banking secrecy set to walk the plank?
The Best Herbal Tea: Good Earth Caffeine Free Original
Would you believe it if someone told you that there is a cinnamin flavored tea that has the full body of a caffeinated tea or cup of coffee if its brewed long enough and also is sweet enough so that it tastes as if it is sweetened -- yet it is caffeine and sugar and artificial sweetener free? It does exist: Good Earth Caffeine Free Original. I'm a huge tea lover. It really … [Read more...] about The Best Herbal Tea: Good Earth Caffeine Free Original
Obama’s Comeback
Presidents can't afford the luxury of getting depressed, so here we have Mr. Audacity of Hope right after the Scott Brown newsshock being handed a football helmet in a sports equipment factory and telling crowds that he can handle the pummeling. “So long as I have some breath in me," he vows in an upbeat Ohio talk using "fight" as a mantra, "so long as I have the privilege … [Read more...] about Obama’s Comeback
Obama Presidency
Paresh Nath, The Khaleej Times, UAE This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Obama Presidency
Obama Weekly Address: Blasts Supreme Court Ruling and takes Populist Tone
President Barack Obama's weekly You Tube/radio address this week is notable for two things: he blasts the Supreme Court's recent ruling on campaign finance reform (which swept away 100 years of legal and judicial precedents) and as is taking a notably populist tone about battling special interests: … [Read more...] about Obama Weekly Address: Blasts Supreme Court Ruling and takes Populist Tone
Thanks, CNN! (Independents are Dumb)
For our core, target audience at TMV, I'll just start your weekend off with something to perk up your spirits. My friend Ed Morrissey at Hot Air makes a disturbing catch of a segment on CNN letting us know just what they think of Independent voters. Apparently, indies are like "feathers in the wind" and are simply starved for attention. Does anyone else find it odd that a … [Read more...] about Thanks, CNN! (Independents are Dumb)
Air America Exits Stage Left
With all the other huge news stories this past week, from the devastation in Haiti to Scott Brown's election, it could have been easy to miss one other item on the news feed. Air America, announced in 2004 as the liberal answer to Rush Limbaugh, closed its doors once and for all and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection. For all the sound and fury surround the launch, not … [Read more...] about Air America Exits Stage Left
Haiti: Miracle on Day Ten (UPDATES)
They were already called “miracle rescues,” when people were being pulled alive from beneath the ruins in Haiti on day six, and on day seven when at least seven people trapped beneath the ruins were rescued as hopes to find any more survivors were fading. Most search and rescue experts said then that chances to find any more living beneath the rubble were rather … [Read more...] about Haiti: Miracle on Day Ten (UPDATES)
Please Give To Haiti
No partisan agenda here, no words of debate, just encouraging you to donate to whatever charity you feel will do the best to help the suffering. A good resource for donations is here … [Read more...] about Please Give To Haiti
Health Care Reform After the Cataclysmic, Apocalyptic Catastrophe That Shook the World
As we all know, the Democrats have had a massive loss of nerve as the result of losing one Senate seat to a Republican. (Yes, I know, it was Ted Kennedy's seat for decades, but it's still only one seat.) … [Read more...] about Health Care Reform After the Cataclysmic, Apocalyptic Catastrophe That Shook the World
Putting Faith Before Fortune
Say what you will about the wisdom of his decision, it's certainly admirable. http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Oakland-As-prospect-leaving-baseball-for-priesthood-012210 … [Read more...] about Putting Faith Before Fortune
Radical Surgery for Health Care
Once, under local anesthesia on an operating table, I overheard doctors in heated disagreement on what to do next. It was not reassuring, but compared to Washington squabbling over health care reform after the Massachusetts debacle, restful. The Surgeon-in-Chief wants to "move quickly to coalesce around those elements of the package that people agree on. We know … [Read more...] about Radical Surgery for Health Care
Let’s Do The Easy Health Care Reform
With the GOP win in Massachusetts there has been a lot of talk about what to do with health care reform. Some on the left pushing for immediate action while others call for stopping all reform now. What I can't understand is why we can't at least do stage one of the process. There are a number of aspects to health care reform that are, as far as I know, quite non … [Read more...] about Let’s Do The Easy Health Care Reform
An Open Letter To Chief Justice Roberts
To: Chief Justice John Roberts Re: Citizens United vs. the Federal Election Commission Dear John, I am a voter who takes his citizenship seriously. I am not a rich man. I have volunteered my time as an unpaid volunteer to work for various political causes and candidates. In your majority ruling Thursday, you reaffirm that corporations have the same rights as … [Read more...] about An Open Letter To Chief Justice Roberts
Did Health Care Adjust Obama Intinerary ?
President Obama was in Ohio today talking about jobs and the economy. One of the biggest employers in the region is a company called Invacare that makes high tech medical equipment. It would seem to make sense for Obama to visit that employer but he did not. Speculation is it had to do with health care reform. … [Read more...] about Did Health Care Adjust Obama Intinerary ?
Worst Democrat of the Day: Dianne Feinstein
For pulling an Evan Bayh and learning all the wrong lessons from the Massachusetts special election: I think we do go slower on health care. People do not understand it. It is so big it is beyond their comprehension. And if you don't understand it when somebody tells you it does this or it does that and it's not true, you tend to believe it, even though it isn't true. It's … [Read more...] about Worst Democrat of the Day: Dianne Feinstein
The Supreme Court’s Brave New Electionworld
The Supreme Court has struck a mighty blow for corporate freedom. By courageously setting aside past legal precedents that have kept corporations (which after all are just folks like everyone else) from enjoying their full free speech rights, corporations can now express themselves the same way every other decent individual does — with huge infusions of money into the political … [Read more...] about The Supreme Court’s Brave New Electionworld
Haiti: Disaster Could Cause Diplomatic Confrontation
It is strange how disasters, the desire to help out the victims, and political, diplomatic and military issues and sensitivities can sometimes merge into a potential international crisis. That’s what is apparently happening as Taiwan is dispatching a military aircraft carrying aid for earthquake-hit Haiti. According to Reuters, the aircraft has to refuel in the U.S. on … [Read more...] about Haiti: Disaster Could Cause Diplomatic Confrontation