One of the best newspaper and blog political analyists Dick Polman writes, in a post that needs to be read in full: On the eve of the November ’08 election, one commentator warned that Obama should not “mistake a solid win for a sweeping ideological agenda,” because, after all, “contemporary America is actually slightly right of center.” That was me, folks, writing in … [Read more...] about I Told You So of the Day
Biden Won’t Run For Senate
In a move that is all but certain to lock up a Senate gain for the GOP, Delaware AG and VP son Beau Biden has announced he will not run for his father's old seat. This pretty much means Senator Mike Castle (R-DE) will take office next year. In Arkansas, a second Congressman, Democrat Marion Berry has announced his retirement. This means Arkansas will be very competetive this … [Read more...] about Biden Won’t Run For Senate
Whatever Happened to Drill Here, Drill Now?
Maybe we just dreamed the whole thing? Or perhaps I've only now awakened from some sort of alternate reality, Twilight Zone style fantasy. Does anyone else remember the election of 2008 when it seemed like every candidate and their mothers had a plan to address the nation's energy woes and promote domestic security by making us more independent in terms of energy production? … [Read more...] about Whatever Happened to Drill Here, Drill Now?
Is “Red Versus Blue” Over with Scott Brown Massachusetts Win?
Our political Quote of the Day is actually comprised of a batch of quotes from independent, centrist writer John Avlon, who worked for former Mayor Rudy Giuliani, appears on CNN and has a new book out Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe Is Hijacking America. In a post on The Daily Beast, he argues that GOPer Scott Brown's upset victory in supposedly liberal Democratic … [Read more...] about Is “Red Versus Blue” Over with Scott Brown Massachusetts Win?
Solution To Federal Campaign Financing
The Supreme Court decision to allow corporations to spend unlimited funds in elections may have opened the door finally to revamp our campaign financing laws. President Barack Obama in his weekly Saturday address said he will be working with Congress to forge a "forceful bipartisan" counterattack in what amounted to a rare but firm rebuke of the court's decision. “We have … [Read more...] about Solution To Federal Campaign Financing
State of Barack’s Union
David Fitzsimmons, The Arizona Star This copyrighted cartoon is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about State of Barack’s Union
Quotes for the Day
“We have to consider everything. We have to put taxes on the table.” “There is nothing good for America that will come out of arguing which part of the debt each party is responsible for." -- Former Republican Senator Pete Domenici, the co-leader of an independent bipartisan group to be announced today. It's goal: To study and recommend ways to reduce the national … [Read more...] about Quotes for the Day
Move Over, Mark Sanford
South Carolina has a new embarrassment: Andre Bauer, the lieutenant-governor -- and the man who is running to replace Mark Sanford as governor: … [Read more...] about Move Over, Mark Sanford
Jim DeMint Denies Saying He Wanted Health Care To Be Obama’s “Waterloo”
When the truth doesn't serve, lie: … [Read more...] about Jim DeMint Denies Saying He Wanted Health Care To Be Obama’s “Waterloo”
Obama and Sarkozy: the US and Europe facing the world
The world expectantly awaits word from its most powerful man, Barack Obama who delivers his State of the Union address on January 27. On that day, France’s Nicholas Sarkozy will make a keynote speech at Europe’s most prestigious annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland, of global political, business and civil society leaders. The only significant American personality at the … [Read more...] about Obama and Sarkozy: the US and Europe facing the world
Why Not A 60-Second Tax Return?
It's tax time. Wouldn't it be nifty if you could download your return pre-completed with the data your employers and financial institutions have already sent to the government? Review it, edit it, upload it, and be done with it! California does it, and it's a real money saver. They say it costs $2.59 to process a paper return; 34 cents to process a "ReadyReturn." Funny … [Read more...] about Why Not A 60-Second Tax Return?
The Urgency of a Teddy Roosevelt Moment (Guest Voice)
WASHINGTON -- "Populism" is the most overused and misused word in the lexicon of commentary. But thanks to a reckless decision by Chief Justice John Roberts' Supreme Court and also the greed of the nation's financial barons, we have reached a true populist moment in American politics. The Supreme Court's 5-4 decision last week giving American corporations the right to … [Read more...] about The Urgency of a Teddy Roosevelt Moment (Guest Voice)
Health Care and the Moderate Republican
It can be hard at times to be a Republican that supports health care reform, because you are immediately tagged with wanting some kind of massive state system ala Canada or the UK. There are shouts of wanting "liberty" and a "free market" in health care without really putting forward real plans. Shay over at Booker Rising, assumes that because I want a "government … [Read more...] about Health Care and the Moderate Republican
Gerrymandered States
James Fallows points to Neil Freeman at FakeIsTheNewReal.org who has mapped out a proposal for Electoral College Reform: The electoral college is a time-honored system that, has only broken down three times in over 200 years. However, it's obvious that reforms are needed. the organization of the states should be altered. This Electoral Reform Map redivides the territory of the … [Read more...] about Gerrymandered States
Corporations Are A Legal Fiction, And Now So Is Political Speech
Fiction. As in, not real. Which is pretty much what the United States Supreme Court has made of our fundamental right to freedom of speech when political speech is involved. As in, made it not real but just a fiction of a concept. From SCOTUSblog on this point of corporations being only legal fiction: Justice Stevens, writing for the dissenters, turned Chief Justice John … [Read more...] about Corporations Are A Legal Fiction, And Now So Is Political Speech
The Tragically Missed Economic And Political Opportunity
Democratic Party policy-setters are overly smart people. In consequence, they have a gift (of sorts) for avoiding the obvious. There was an easy way to give a dramatic and effective boost to the economy; one that would not have cost more than the cumbersome and half effective policy chosen; one that would have been viewed very favorably by most Americans and mightily helped the … [Read more...] about The Tragically Missed Economic And Political Opportunity
Progressives: Don’t Mourn, Organize (Guest Voice)
Progressives: Don't Mourn, Organize by Michael Winship Tragic events continuing out of Haiti make all the bad news for progressives this week wither in comparison. Nonetheless, over these last few days, for liberals in particular, there has been no joy in Mudville - aka American politics. Just for starters: Thursday's Supreme Court decision opening the floodgates for … [Read more...] about Progressives: Don’t Mourn, Organize (Guest Voice)
Eternal Damnation to Mouse Over Pop-Up Ads
There was a time I feared for human civilization because of the rise in cell phone usage. The ubiquitousness of these gadgets - their effect on the manners of ordinary folk who thought nothing of bringing these infernal machines wherever they went, endlessly talking gibberish while impolitely ignoring the rest of the world - caused me a lot of angst until about 5 years ago. It … [Read more...] about Eternal Damnation to Mouse Over Pop-Up Ads
Yglesias on liberal condescension
Matt Yglesias on Ben Bernanke: I note that liberals, in their condescension toward conservatives, sometimes wind up tying themselves into knots about guys like Bernanke. Bernanke is very smart and incredibly accomplished. Many smart liberals think conservatives are dumb. So if Bernanke is so smart, it must be that he’s not really a conservative! But no. Smart conservatives are … [Read more...] about Yglesias on liberal condescension
The Barack H Obama 2010 State of the Union Drinking Game (Guest Voice)
The Barack H Obama 2010 State of the Union Drinking Game Raging Moderate, by Will Durst What You Need to Play: • Four taxpayers: One rich white guy banker type wearing a suit (Bank Boy). Two ordinary folks wearing jeans, one in a blue work shirt, the other in a white shirt, no tie, sleeves rolled up (the Jeans), and one person wearing clothes that look like they were … [Read more...] about The Barack H Obama 2010 State of the Union Drinking Game (Guest Voice)