One of the great political memes of the Trump era was that Maine’s moderate GOP Sen. Susan Collins is “concerned” over the president’s latest extreme action — even as she continued to vote in lockstep with a GOP dominated by the Former Guy. But one thing that Collins insisted she wasn’t concerned about — even as Donald Trump tilted the Supreme Court to the far right with his … [Read more...] about Will Bunch: Overturning Roe v. Wade would throw a political live grenade into 2022 midterms
Withholding Weapons from Israel Makes the US Weak
by Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) and a group of like-minded colleagues wanted to sink the proposed $735-million sale of a Boeing-built arms guidance kit to Israel. The Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) kit converts unguided or “dumb” bombs into precision-guided munitions. The goal, according to Politico, is “leverage to push … [Read more...] about Withholding Weapons from Israel Makes the US Weak
Israel-Hamas truce takes hold after 11 days of fighting
By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dan Williams GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -An Egyptian-mediated truce between Israel and Hamas began on Friday and U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to salve the devastated Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid after the worst fighting in years. Palestinians, many of whom had spent 11 days huddled in fear of Israeli shelling, poured into Gaza's streets. Mosque … [Read more...] about Israel-Hamas truce takes hold after 11 days of fighting
DEMOCRATS SHOULDN’T NEGOTIATE WITH TERRORISTS
Why do most Capitol Hill Republicans oppose the creation of a bipartisan commission to investigate the deadly coup against democracy staged on Jan. 6? Duh, take one guess. They know darn well that a thorough investigation will implicate them. They can’t handle the truth. That’s why 80 percent of the House Republicans voted “no” Wednesday night, even as the commission cleared … [Read more...] about DEMOCRATS SHOULDN’T NEGOTIATE WITH TERRORISTS
US seizes tigers, lions from ‘Tiger King’ park
Washington (AFP) - The US Justice Department said Thursday that it had seized 68 lions, tigers and lion-tiger hybrids as well as a jaguar from the former animal park of Joe Exotic, the star of the Netflix hit "Tiger King." Justice Department officials on Monday raided the Tiger King Park in Thackerville, Oklahoma for ongoing Endangered Species Act violations. They said the … [Read more...] about US seizes tigers, lions from ‘Tiger King’ park
As trust between Israeli Jews and Arabs reaches new lows, Netanyahu rises again
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a briefing at the Hakirya military base in Tel Aviv on May 19, 2021. Sebastian Scheiner/Pool/AFP via Getty Images Eli Gottlieb, George Washington University Pro-Palestinian demonstrators in the world’s capitals in mid-May 2021 blamed the Israeli government for recent bloodshed in Israel and Gaza, and … [Read more...] about As trust between Israeli Jews and Arabs reaches new lows, Netanyahu rises again
World’s worst pandemic leaders: 5 presidents and prime ministers who badly mishandled COVID-19
Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko visits a hospital for COVID-19 patients, unmasked, in Minsk on Nov. 27, 2020. Andrei Stasevich\TASS via Getty Images Sumit Ganguly, Indiana University; Dorothy Chin, University of California, Los Angeles; Elizabeth J King, University of Michigan; Elize Massard da Fonseca, Fundação Getulio Vargas; Salvador Vázquez … [Read more...] about World’s worst pandemic leaders: 5 presidents and prime ministers who badly mishandled COVID-19
TRUMP DEVOURING HIS PARTY (CARTOON)
Capitol attack commission advances in Congress amid Republican resistance
By Richard Cowan WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A proposal to create a 9/11-style commission to investigate the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol attack by a mob of Donald Trump's supporters advanced in Congress on Tuesday even as one key Republican announced opposition and another suggested the former president could become a witness. The Democratic-backed proposal won approval in the House of … [Read more...] about Capitol attack commission advances in Congress amid Republican resistance
The Israeli-Palestinian War: A Personal Reflection
by Donald H. Harrison TMV Columnist SAN DIEGO — A friend asked what is my reaction to the current war between Israeli Jews and Palestinian and Israeli Arabs. It’s painful to watch. I imagine every other Jew and every Arab feels exactly the same way. I’ve long held to the theory, probably just a fantasy, that Jews and Palestinians are cousins many, many generations … [Read more...] about The Israeli-Palestinian War: A Personal Reflection
Where Is the GOP Going?
Since Trump took over the Republican Party in 2015, the question that needs to be asked is where is this political party headed? What is their raison d’etre or reason for being? In the 2020 election, the Party ran without a platform or specific policy objectives. The only factor that bound members together so it could be called a party was its support of Donald Trump. That … [Read more...] about Where Is the GOP Going?
FIRST THEY COME FOR THE STORYTELLERS AND THE HOLY PEOPLE: THE EVIL BOMBING OF AL JAZEERA AND AP HEADQUARTERS
As a child who grew up in a war refugee and deportee family, I know the hideous stories of what invaders do to the people they invade. Calling them out of their houses Shooting dead a child and an elder in front of the village Taking away the Holy people, the artists, the writers, the helpers, the storytellers, the saints of the village, the elders who remember … [Read more...] about FIRST THEY COME FOR THE STORYTELLERS AND THE HOLY PEOPLE: THE EVIL BOMBING OF AL JAZEERA AND AP HEADQUARTERS
When babies and the innocent are murdered where they stand, the killers represent NO civilized nation
In the fetid rush to 'show them' --that murders pregnant women, elders, babies, children, the innocent, those who are hit while they pray.... This is beyond unacceptable. It is atrocity. Yes, we who are elders who are somehow still surviving a world-wide what I call, "Slaughter of the Elders," from mismanagement of travel quarantine, reckless disregard of the actual deadly … [Read more...] about When babies and the innocent are murdered where they stand, the killers represent NO civilized nation
Calling Forth a Healing Story
This month I had the pleasure of performing my original monologue, Wise Woman of the Mill, as part of a monologue showcase online. (You can watch my monologue performance here https://youtu.be/kgSn1kZC5Ss.) When I watched the recording of my performance, I found myself listening to the Mistress of Story as if she were speaking her wisdom directly to me. Because this month, I’ve … [Read more...] about Calling Forth a Healing Story
ARIZONA STATE OF MIND (CARTOON)
AT&T to combine CNN, HBO, more with Discovery in $43 billion deal
NEW YORK (AP) — AT&T will combine its massive media operations that include CNN, HBO, TNT and TBS in a $43 billion deal with Discovery, the owner of lifestyle networks including the Food Network and HGTV. Faced with cord-cutting and incursions by streaming services, major broadcast media companies have retrenched and sought strength through mergers. The deal announced Monday … [Read more...] about AT&T to combine CNN, HBO, more with Discovery in $43 billion deal
Conservative majority Supreme Court takes up abortion case
Washington (AFP) - The US Supreme Court agreed on Monday to hear a case that could pose a challenge to the landmark 1973 ruling legalizing abortion. The case, involving a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, will be heard during the court's Fall term beginning in October. It will be the first abortion case considered by the nation's highest … [Read more...] about Conservative majority Supreme Court takes up abortion case
Actor Ricky Schroder harasses Costco worker over mask in California
Actor Ricky Schroder posted a bizarre video on Facebook in which he berates a Costco worker who was not letting the former child star enter the store without a mask. The video was posted on Saturday afternoon and shows Schroder arguing with a Costco supervisor named Jason at the entrance to a location in Los Angeles. In the video, the worker explains that despite the new … [Read more...] about Actor Ricky Schroder harasses Costco worker over mask in California
What to do about Israel?
As people learn about the rockets that Hamas and the Israeli military recently fired on each other, it is easy to lose sight on the underlying friction that produced those rocket launches. From Reuters, 15 May 2021: "Hamas began its rocket assault on Monday after tensions over a court case to evict several Palestinian families in East Jerusalem, and in retaliation for … [Read more...] about What to do about Israel?
Social Distancing: Bipartisan Indifference
There is a controversy brewing in the U.S. This controversy has spread from the programs of FOX News to the beaches where spring break is occurring. There are people who are not wearing masks and people who are. There are people who are still practicing social distancing, people who are practicing social distancing to a certain extent, and people who refuse to social distance … [Read more...] about Social Distancing: Bipartisan Indifference