Chris Cillizza suggests the answer is somewhere around a half century, as illustrated by a timeline map of presidential and congressional elections, 1960-2008, put together by Cillizza's WaPo colleagues. Of their work, he writes: Need a shocker? Compare the map that elected Jimmy Carter president in 1976 -- a solidly Democratic south counterbalanced by a solidly Republican … [Read more...] about How Many Years Make Up a Political Eternity?
Our Veterans: Harvard University Honors its Heroes
This is the third in a series of articles honoring our Veterans on the occasion of the upcoming Veterans Day celebration. I have frequently written about the Medal of Honor, our nation’s highest military award for valor in combat, and about its recipients. This Veterans Day gives Americans another opportunity to remember and thank all those heroes who have received that … [Read more...] about Our Veterans: Harvard University Honors its Heroes
Lodestar Lieberman
In moments of crisis, Gail Collins writes in the New York Times, "I generally recommend looking to see where Joe Lieberman is going. Then head the other way." Such wrong-way reliability, which has made Lieberman a lodestar for the anxious and confused, delivered two gems yesterday--on the Ft. Hood massacre and health care reform. As investigators conclude that the … [Read more...] about Lodestar Lieberman
Murdoch On Google, Copyright and Pay-To-View
In an interview with SkyNews Australia, Rupert Murdoch continued to insist that Google (and other search engines) are "stealing" his content and that newspapers should never have "given away" their content for free. And he hinted that News Corp. would soon block search engines from indexing their web sites and would successfully challenge the "fair use" of links in court. … [Read more...] about Murdoch On Google, Copyright and Pay-To-View
When Voters Disrupt the Tea Party (Guest Voice)
WASHINGTON -- Here's a story you may have missed because it flies in the face of the dreary conventional wisdom: When advocates of public programs take on the right-wing anti-government crowd directly, the government-haters lose. This is what happened in two statewide referendums last week that got buried under all of the attention paid to the governors' races in … [Read more...] about When Voters Disrupt the Tea Party (Guest Voice)
It Was Twenty Years Ago Today
Today marks the 20th anniversary of one of the seminal moments of the 20th century as the Berlin Wall fell. This event marked the beginning of the end for not only the Warsaw Pact but also the collapse of the Soviet Union. For those readers who were not alive at the time I am not sure if you can fully comprehend the incredulity of the moment. For forty years the East and … [Read more...] about It Was Twenty Years Ago Today
Lieberman’s Ego and Cao’s Conscience
Formerly Democratic, now Independent, Sen. Joseph Lieberman formally and officially confirmed to Chris Wallace this morning that his conscience requires him to vote no on health care reform when a bill reaches the Senate floor kill health care reform by joining a Republican filibuster to prevent the Senate's health care reform bill from ever getting to the floor for a vote: … [Read more...] about Lieberman’s Ego and Cao’s Conscience
Our Veterans: She Almost “Touched the Face of God.”
This is the second in a series of articles dedicated to our Veterans. According to the Department of Veterans' Affairs, Veterans Day is a day to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. Of course, every man or woman who has honorably served our nation in the military is a patriot and is … [Read more...] about Our Veterans: She Almost “Touched the Face of God.”
The Affordable Health Care for America Act
Yes, it's an historic achievement: … [Read more...] about The Affordable Health Care for America Act
Droid Eris by HTC with Google
As I type, I'm listening to Engadget editor-in-chief Joshua Topolsky on NPR explaining why the Droid isn't an iPhone killer. I have to agree, it's not. But competition is good. And I'm resistant to buying three of those shiny apples for my family! A friend showed off his Motorolla Droid this afternoon. He's very happy with it. I'm tempted by the HTC Droid Eris, $100 cheaper … [Read more...] about Droid Eris by HTC with Google
Saturday Night Live Spoofs Fox News’ Election Night 2009 Coverage
Saturday Night Live last night spoofed Fox News' 2009 Election Night coverage, offering comedic caricatures of some of the networks' political coverage faces -- and Glenn Beck. Here it is: … [Read more...] about Saturday Night Live Spoofs Fox News’ Election Night 2009 Coverage
A Minor Variation
It's such a sad composition/But can you blame me/For what's been causing my bad disposition? … [Read more...] about A Minor Variation
American Political Controversy Culture Spanked: George W. Bush and Bill Clinton Cancel Event Due To Way Promoted
To those who've finally wanted to see it happen -- it has happened: America's political controversy culture which permeates the way politics is packaged in much broadcast and old and new media, and influences the country's tone of discussion has finally gotten spanked...by none other than former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. They two former President were … [Read more...] about American Political Controversy Culture Spanked: George W. Bush and Bill Clinton Cancel Event Due To Way Promoted
The House’s Bowel Movement Bill
When Arizona Republican John Shadegg used a seven-month-old baby as a prop during yesterday's debate on health care, his symbolism was more apt than intended. What the House passed last night was a bowel movement of a bill diapered by competitive political posturing to cover a messy pile of mandates, entitlements, wishful savings and iffy tax changes. To call the legislative … [Read more...] about The House’s Bowel Movement Bill
Fort Hood Twitter Atrocity
Paul Carr's righteous TechCrunch contrarian rant is one that's wary of -- weary of? -- 'citizen journalists' with cell phones and Twitter. His case in point, the Fort Hood shootings: [T]he first news and analysis out of the base didn’t come from the experts. Nor did it come from the 24-hour news media, or even from dedicated military blogs – but rather from the Twitter account … [Read more...] about Fort Hood Twitter Atrocity
Media Wakes Up About Obama Administration’s Mideast Failure
Reality Raises It's Head and the Media Wakes Up About the Obama Administration's Middle East Failure By Barry Rubin There’s something big happening in the air regarding American media coverage of the Obama Administration. With the Washington Post in advance, the New York Times waking up the tiniest bit, the Los Angeles Times trailing far behind, and a lot of other … [Read more...] about Media Wakes Up About Obama Administration’s Mideast Failure
Israel-Monsters and Arab Cartoonists (Guest Voice)
Israel-Monsters and Arab Cartoonists By Daryl Cagle The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians still looms large in political cartoons around the world, with an endless flow of cartoons from Arab countries showing monster-Israel assaulting, eating, crushing or somehow decimating the poor Palestinians. The dove of peace has been killed by Israel in every imaginable … [Read more...] about Israel-Monsters and Arab Cartoonists (Guest Voice)
On SCOTUS Cases And Juveniles In Jail For Life
My social work field placement was in the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court in 1989-1990. A large chunk of my work was conducting a part of the process performed that leads to the clinicians providing information to the jurists so that they can decide whether or not a minor is "amenable" to treatment or other juvenile court options if the minor is "found delinquint" or should be … [Read more...] about On SCOTUS Cases And Juveniles In Jail For Life
Muslims Condemn Ft. Hood Violence
Daryl Cagle, MSNBC.com This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Muslims Condemn Ft. Hood Violence
How Not to Play the Minority Party
Yesterday's House vote unraveled in strange ways, have no doubt about it. The real shocker was not that one Republican (Joe Cao) voted in favor of the legislation. Let's face it... the guy is from New Orleans and he's up for election next fall along with the rest of them. No, the real eye opener was exactly how out of practice the GOP seems to be at fighting from the cheap … [Read more...] about How Not to Play the Minority Party