Senator-Elect Scott Brown has requested that Governor Deval Patrick sign his certification of election so he can be seated at once. Patrick has indicated he will sign the document tomorrow which would allow Brown to be seated the same day. Makes sense to me, he won the election 2 weeks ago and in the past newly elected Senators have been seated within a day or two. … [Read more...] about Brown To Be Seated Thursday ?
Colin Powell Says He Supports Repeal of DADT
From TPMLiveWire: … [Read more...] about Colin Powell Says He Supports Repeal of DADT
Colin Powell Backs Repeal of DADT
The general joins the chorus: “In the almost 17 years since the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ legislation was passed, attitudes and circumstances have changed,” General Powell said in a statement issued by his office. He added: “I fully support the new approach presented to the Senate Armed Services Committee this week by Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen.” Steve Benen … [Read more...] about Colin Powell Backs Repeal of DADT
News Feeding Frenzy: Making the Story Bleed
When it comes to the news, we’re all a bunch of roaming carnivores. We might feed on different levels of the food chain, but by day’s end everyone gets a piece of the story. A good news story is like a fresh kill. The less timid news hounds spot their prey’s weakness and rush in. Once the flesh is pierced, the rest of the ravenous pack joins the slaughter. The thrill of … [Read more...] about News Feeding Frenzy: Making the Story Bleed
Radical Thought: Obama Campaigning for Republicans
From today's NYT ... Matthew Dowd, a moderate Republican strategist who was an adviser to President George W. Bush, said that increasing cooperation between the two parties was possible, but difficult given the institutional constraints of the system and Mr. Obama’s role as the leading campaigner for House, Senate and governor’s races. “It’s going to take the president … [Read more...] about Radical Thought: Obama Campaigning for Republicans
Afghanistan Needs More Civil Projects
Following the London Conference on Afghanistan, I have interviewed Dr. Bente Scheller, the Director of the Heinrich Boell Foundation’s Kabul office. The German Boell Foundation is independent, but philosophically close to the Green Party, whose voters are more supportive of the Bundeswehr’s Afghanistan mission than those of the other parties. While 50% of the Green voters … [Read more...] about Afghanistan Needs More Civil Projects
Federal Deficits: A Problem That Must Be Addressed
The seriousness of the ongoing saga of US federal budget deficits is the topic of two interesting recent articles. First, this from The New York Times. Then, this from the BBC. My son, a seminary student with undergraduate degrees in History and Philosophy, linked to it over on Facebook. It elicited the following moderate, non-partisan rant from me.* (By the way, the … [Read more...] about Federal Deficits: A Problem That Must Be Addressed
COUNTDOWN TO OBAMA & BIDEN RESIGNATIONS
If Republicans retake both Houses of Congress this November, President Obama and Vice-President Biden should resign after the new Congress is seated in early January 2011. Following the U.S. Constitution and Federal Law, the person next in line to the Presidency would be the Speaker of the House. If the House were controlled by Republicans, then they would choose the next … [Read more...] about COUNTDOWN TO OBAMA & BIDEN RESIGNATIONS
Catch-22 of Aging Gracefully
Older Americans may find solace in David Brooks' report today on longitudinal studies "producing a rosier portrait of life after retirement. These studies don’t portray old age as surrender or even serenity. They portray it as a period of development..." So much for Charles DeGaulle's famous aphorism, "Old age is a shipwreck," and Freud's assertion, "Old people are no longer … [Read more...] about Catch-22 of Aging Gracefully
Illinois Primaries
UPDATE: As expected Kirk and Giannoulias will face off for the Senate. But the Governor's race is interesting. Right now on the Democratic side Quinn holds a lead over Hynes of about 6,500 votes out of 900,000 cast. This works out to about 0.6% of the vote. There are still around 25-50k votes to count so this race is up in the air. The GOP side is even closer. Brady … [Read more...] about Illinois Primaries
McCain ‘Deeply Disappointed’ by Gates and Mullen DADT Comments
Earlier, Patrick Edaburn noted the comments of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates at today’s Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. I won’t quote them again here, but I will say I was very impressed by the comments. A cranky Sen. John McCain — note the big deal he makes over the … [Read more...] about McCain ‘Deeply Disappointed’ by Gates and Mullen DADT Comments
Poll: Beck, Limbaugh too moderate for GOP
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