“So what do you guys think?” Steve’s loud tone and exaggerated gestures conveyed his lack of faith in his audience’s receptivity. “Let’s do this thing! Instead of wasting a bunch of money on a bunch a useless stuff, let’s make this Christmas memorable. This year. . . let’s make our own Christmas presents!” Steve Forester’s fourth grade daughter Lystra burst into tears, … [Read more...] about The Fruitcake Chronicles: A Terrible Misunderstanding (Part 4 of 6 installments)
Republicans Still Hope to Defeat Health Care Reform As New Poll Shows Most Americans Oppose It
(Republican) hope springs eternal? Or is the conventional wisdom to be quietly swept under the new and old media rug again as what new and old media pundits suggest won't happen happens? Two new tidbits perhaps explain why President Barack Obama has decided to delay his year-end Hawaii vacation until health care reform definitively clears the Senate. 1. The Weekly Standard … [Read more...] about Republicans Still Hope to Defeat Health Care Reform As New Poll Shows Most Americans Oppose It
Congressman To Switch Parties Over Health Care
Congressman Parker Griffith (D-AL) is going to become Congressman Parker Griffith (R-AL). His switch is reportedly over health care … [Read more...] about Congressman To Switch Parties Over Health Care
Will Obama Be A Bartlet?
Network television is terrible these days, but I don't care. The awful re-runs of shows that stank to begin with, the endless reality twaddle featuring pathetic individuals debasing themselves for a 15 minute shot of shame, the holiday fare that at best is only fair, at worst gluttonous, and almost always too often aired, none of this bothers me. I have "West Wing." For … [Read more...] about Will Obama Be A Bartlet?
A Christmas Carol
As we come closer to Christmas I am starting on my traditon of holiday themed posts. I hope we can all enjoy them in the spirit of the season. This is a repost from last year. I think most of us, regardless of faith, find it difficult to make it through the holiday season without watching at least one version of A Christmas Carol. The warmth and spirit of this classic are … [Read more...] about A Christmas Carol
Ahmadinejad Told to ‘Corroborate’ American Threat to the ‘Mahdi’: Iraq of Tomorrow, Iraq
As we have been covering over recent days, Iranian President Ahmadinejad has been whipping up audiences with talk of how the United States is threatening Iran because it knows that the arrival of the Twelfth Imam - or 'Mahdi', is imminent, and that Iran is preparing the way for him. An article we translated the other day quoted Ahmadinejad as saying that after the appearance … [Read more...] about Ahmadinejad Told to ‘Corroborate’ American Threat to the ‘Mahdi’: Iraq of Tomorrow, Iraq
Do the Right Thing
Al Franken did a supremely right thing, and Pres. Obama signed it into law: … [Read more...] about Do the Right Thing
Poll: Support for Health Care Reform and Obama Go Up in December 6 Percent
A new CNN poll has found that support for heath care reform and President Barack Obama have both jumped 6 percent in December. Why the increase for Obama? The poll shows that Obama is in particular winning over younger voters, although overall many voters feel he has not lived up to expectations. And for the Democrats: there are signs that the Democrats' seemingly fracturing … [Read more...] about Poll: Support for Health Care Reform and Obama Go Up in December 6 Percent
Is Nathan Myrhvold Onto Something?
Put aside any questions you may have as to whether global warming exists, is a problem, or is created by human beings. Too much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere isn't a good thing for the planet, whatever your views of global warming. Nathan Myrhvold is accustomed to thinking differently about problems. The former chief strategist and technology officer at Microsoft has … [Read more...] about Is Nathan Myrhvold Onto Something?
Split Between Progressives on Health Care Reform Continues
There have been a raft of point-counterpoint articles today flying back and forth between the Firedoglake crew and health care policy experts like Ezra Klein and Jonathan Cohn. Here they are, and you may want to read them in this order: … [Read more...] about Split Between Progressives on Health Care Reform Continues
Fiasco!: West Bets Climate Change Will Hurt Poor the Most – Le Quotidien d’Oran of Algeria
It's a lowdown dirty allegation, but is it true? Have the large multinationals concluded that a little global warming wouldn't be bad for their bottom lines? Furthermore, are their actions based on the belief that people in the developing world would be hurt the most? That is precisely what K. Selim of Algeria's Le Quotidien d’Oran charges in this hard-hitting attack on … [Read more...] about Fiasco!: West Bets Climate Change Will Hurt Poor the Most – Le Quotidien d’Oran of Algeria
How The Grinch Filibustered Christmas
RJ Matson, The St. Louis Post Dispatch This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction strictly prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about How The Grinch Filibustered Christmas
This Is Totally Awe-Inspiring
In Nazareth, religion, science, and history have come together just days before Christmas. I don't care what religion you are or if you have one at all: This is profoundly moving. ... and darn it, I just noticed that it's an AP story, so I can't link to it directly or quote from it. Here is the site where I found the link. It's the top headline on the right. … [Read more...] about This Is Totally Awe-Inspiring
Mexico City Legalizes Same Sex Marriage
City legislators passed the bill 39-20. Mexico City is the first Latin American city to legalize gay marriage. The LATimes: The bill calls for changing the definition of marriage in the city's civil code. Marriage is currently defined as the union of a man and a woman. The new definition will be "the free uniting of two people." The change would allow same-sex couples to … [Read more...] about Mexico City Legalizes Same Sex Marriage
It’s The Public, Not The Process, Fools
Sometime between now and the day next year President Barack Obama signs the historic healthcare bill into law -- based on the path they are now headed -- I want to know how much the private insurance carriers gain in all this. We know they will pick up potentially 31 million new customers. We know some of their practices of arbitrarily denying claims and refusing to insure … [Read more...] about It’s The Public, Not The Process, Fools
About that Filibuster…
Deja Vu' is a cruel mistress, as I'm sure most of us with a few gray hairs have figured out by now. But in the wake of the crumbling health care debacle ... (I'm sorry - "debate") it's hitting some of us awfully hard today. I couldn't help but notice quite a few supporters of Obamacare (tm) chiming in with their mournful regrets about the Senate filibuster. These include the … [Read more...] about About that Filibuster…
Don’t Pull A Gun At A Snowball Fight
You have undoubtedly heard the highlights: Hundreds of 20- and 30-somethings show up for a Twitter fueled snowball fight at 14th and U streets NW in DC on Saturday. All was apparently fun and games until a snowball hit a Hummer driven by an off-duty DC policeman. He pulled his gun. Unsurprisingly, many in the geeky crowd had video cameras. Video was quickly posted to … [Read more...] about Don’t Pull A Gun At A Snowball Fight
4 Thoughts on Health Insurance Reform
Notice I never call it health care reform? That's because it isn't. Very little of what is being discussed will change what happens between you and your doctor beyond how (and how much) he* gets paid. As I see it, there are 4 points of view on the bill currently being rammed through the Senate: 1. It goes too far. This point of view has a problem with anything that might … [Read more...] about 4 Thoughts on Health Insurance Reform
Ending the Abuse of the Supermajority Rule
The difficulty of ending a filibuster because of the 60-vote rule, combined with the increasing abuse of the filibuster itself, has made the Senate a place where it is next to impossible to get anything done. … [Read more...] about Ending the Abuse of the Supermajority Rule
Back to the “War” on Christmas
The following is cross-posted from PoliBlog: The LAT has a good piece on seasonal complaining that is worth reading: Stop that Christmas griping: please spare me the gauzy romanticization of some pure, pre-commercial American Christmas past. Maybe it's because ours is the most untraditional and coldly utilitarian of cultures, but whether we're liberals or … [Read more...] about Back to the “War” on Christmas