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
City Council Schools Supreme Court
Apparently, WaPo commenters "are still all fired up about Justice Samuel Alito's murmured 'not true' response to President Obama's pointed criticism of a Supreme Court decision in his State of the Union message." The referenced decision was, of course, the Court's 5-4 ruling on Jan. 20 in the Citizens United case. Elsewhere, with limited fanfare, the city council of a … [Read more...] about City Council Schools Supreme Court
Who are the Independent Voters and How do they View the Obama Adminsitration? (VIDEO)
Here's a video clip of a CNN discussion on "Who are the independents in America? And what is their take on what is working and not working with the Obama administration?" that ran Sunday on Don Lemon's newscast.The panel included Dr. Omar Ali, a professor of history at Towson University in Maryland and a national spokesperson of the independent movement, Nicole Kurokawa of the … [Read more...] about Who are the Independent Voters and How do they View the Obama Adminsitration? (VIDEO)
If You’re In The Mood For a Hilarious Movie
I recommend Noises Off. I'm not sure why I thought about it this morning, but I did and it made my day. I've seen it three times over the course of my life and laugh harder each time. The last time I had to stop watching it for about 10 minutes because my diaphragm was cramping and I was worried about it starting to spasm so much I wouldn't be able to breathe. After the movie … [Read more...] about If You’re In The Mood For a Hilarious Movie
End of American “Exceptionalism”
For too long we have lived under the myth that the U.S. is better, smarter, stronger, richer, uniquely special, and simply “exceptional” when compared with the rest of the world. The past few years should have put to rest that massive delusion. Many well-known commentators and pundits in the blogosphere and Media have lamented for years our nation’s utter inability to … [Read more...] about End of American “Exceptionalism”
Republicans Use Military as a Stage Prop (Yet Again)… and This Time May Have Broken the Law
Guest post by Rob Diamond Rob Diamond, a Truman National Security Fellow, is a Senior Vice President at Realty Capital International LLC, a global real estate investment banking and advisory firm. He was previously a Vice President at Bear Stearns & Co. Prior to his career in finance, he served as an officer in the United States Navy, completing deployments in support of … [Read more...] about Republicans Use Military as a Stage Prop (Yet Again)… and This Time May Have Broken the Law
Sometimes You Don’t Know Whether To Laugh Or To Cry…Right Now I’m Doing Both
I don't know about you guys, but to me it seems like our politics and economics are growing increasingly surrealistic and absurd. I'm growing increasingly convinced that we are actually in the largest performance art piece the world has ever seen, and at some point millions of people will just be like, "Surprise! We got you!" I recently discovered that this phenomenon isn't … [Read more...] about Sometimes You Don’t Know Whether To Laugh Or To Cry…Right Now I’m Doing Both
Haiti: Stars and Stripes Finally There
If the title sounds somewhat enigmatic, bear with me. It should soon become obvious that I am not talking about that much-dreaded U.S. “military invasion” of Haiti. While deployed overseas during my military days, sometimes the only newspaper in English, the only source of news from back home, was the venerable Stars and Stripes newspaper. I say venerable with good … [Read more...] about Haiti: Stars and Stripes Finally There
Chemical Ali and the Unfolding Fraud of Iraq’s Elections: Kitabat, Iraq
Saddam's cousin 'Chemical Ali,' moments before his hanging: From mass killer to political football. Trying to make sense of Iraq's political scene is a daunting challenge at the best of times, let alone before a major round of national elections. With the control of the National Assembly at stake and the United States wanting to keep the situation as free of American … [Read more...] about Chemical Ali and the Unfolding Fraud of Iraq’s Elections: Kitabat, Iraq
Thank You, Justice Alito (Guest Voice)
WASHINGTON -- The nation owes a substantial debt to Justice Samuel Alito for his display of unhappiness over President Obama's criticisms of the Supreme Court's recent legislation -- excuse me, decision -- opening our electoral system to a new torrent of corporate money. Alito's inability to restrain himself during the State of the Union address brought to wide … [Read more...] about Thank You, Justice Alito (Guest Voice)