WASHINGTON -- The most surprising and disappointing aspect of our politics is how little pushback there has been against the vile, extremist rhetoric that has characterized such a large part of the anti-Obama movement. President Obama's administration has largely ignored those accusing him of "fascism" and "communism," presumably believing that restraint in defense of … [Read more...] about Fighting Extremism With Civility (Guest Voice)
And Now A Lesson For You
TMV is educational, too. So as many TMV readers head back to work, here's a special lesson 4 U: By the way, do you know the name of the man who did the voice for the classic Disney cartoon character Jiminey Cricket? If not you are not alone and he came to a sad end; Here's Cliff Edwards doing the ORIGINAL version of "Singing in the Rain" from a sound film made 80 years … [Read more...] about And Now A Lesson For You
Another Horror Story
Just a warning, for those readers who are bored of hearing about desperately sick Americans who could be successfully treated with surgery but can't get the surgery done because they don't have health insurance, and so are probably going to die: … [Read more...] about Another Horror Story
You Call This “Nothing”?
What has Pres. Barack Obama accomplished in his first year in office? To hear conservatives and Republicans tell it, the answer is "nothing." This, from enthusiastic supporters of the party that has enthusiastically voted "No" on every single piece of legislation this administration has put in front of them. What has the Republican Party accomplished to pull itself out of the … [Read more...] about You Call This “Nothing”?
Hosting Ahmadinejad Diminished Brazil’s Standing in the World: Folha, Brazil
Much to the consternation of Brazilian Jews and many of Brazil's Western allies, Brazilian President Lula has been hosting the much-reviled Iranian President Ahmadinejad according to the theory that he'll be able to get his holocaust-denying counterpart to change his nation's nuclear course. According to this article by Sergio Malbergier of Brazil's Folha newspaper, "Lula’s … [Read more...] about Hosting Ahmadinejad Diminished Brazil’s Standing in the World: Folha, Brazil
Food Stamp Usage Across The U.S.
It's higher than you think. Smart of the NYTimes to run this major piece on Food Stamps on the weekend following Thanksgiving. The number of food stamp recipients has risen by nearly 10 million over the past two years; the program that now feeds 1 in 8 Americans and nearly 1 in 4 children. Click for an interactive graphic that gives a county by county numbers. You will … [Read more...] about Food Stamp Usage Across The U.S.
Freedom
If this does not send chills up and down your spine, you might want to check to see if you have one. :-) … [Read more...] about Freedom
The “Ungrateful Muslims” Narrative
Thomas Friedman serves up his usual stupid and uninformed homily today, on why Nidal Malik Hasan killed 13 innocent people at Fort Hood -- he fell victim to "The Narrative": … [Read more...] about The “Ungrateful Muslims” Narrative
Afghanistan: The “Dithering” Ends. The Soldiering Begins.
Tuesday night, after months of careful deliberation---some have called it "dithering," Gen. McChrystal recently called it a "thoughtful process"--- President Obama will, before an audience of resplendent cadets at storied West Point, announce to the nation how many additional American troops will be sent to fight in Afghanistan. It is expected that the President will call … [Read more...] about Afghanistan: The “Dithering” Ends. The Soldiering Begins.
StateGate Update: Reality Bites
I do hope Eddie knows that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, because my title above was, in part, lifted from her Obama Foodorama post. Says Eddie, "It's hard to imagine the details of the State Dinner Crashers getting weirder": Rep. Edolphus "Ed" Towns (D-NY), the chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, announced his demand for a briefing … [Read more...] about StateGate Update: Reality Bites
Tosh On Timmy And Ben
A headline in this weekend's Wall Street Journal reads: "Geithner Calls on US Banks to Boost Lending." The actual story, however, notes that the Treasury Secretary did not say "pretty please" when he made the request. Tosh on you, Timmy. Tosh. In other recent news, the Fed under Chairman Bernanke, began criticizing banks for not easing their mortgage loan terms. This comes … [Read more...] about Tosh On Timmy And Ben
British PM Brown: Pakistan Must Get Tougher on Al Qaeda
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has a message for Pakistan: you've taken some measures against Al Qaeda but you need to get tougher on it and Osama bin Laden: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called on Pakistan to take tougher action against al Qaeda and step up its efforts to track down the group's leader Osama bin Laden. Brown said the efforts of British and … [Read more...] about British PM Brown: Pakistan Must Get Tougher on Al Qaeda
Jesse Ventura: An American Treasure
Former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura is back in the news as he prepares to launch a new show on the Tru-TV network. It's going to be all about conspiracy theories and dark, shady government secrets.This has prompted a few interviews, such as this one in the LA Times, and as always, the big man has some eyebrow raising stories to share. One of them concerned the shelving of … [Read more...] about Jesse Ventura: An American Treasure
Senate Report: U.S. Could Have Captured bin Laden in 2001
A Senate report says the Bush administration could have captured terrorist Osama bin Laden in December 2001 -- three months after 911 -- but that poor judgment calls by then defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and then-top military commander Gen. Tommy Franks allowed him to get away. The New York Daily News gives a good summary of the report, which comes right as President … [Read more...] about Senate Report: U.S. Could Have Captured bin Laden in 2001
Love Makes the World
Here is Carole King talking about what she had in mind with "Love Makes the World" -- the title song from her album of the same name, and also the album that has "An Uncommon Love," which I posted here not long ago. I am very disappointed to say that I cannot find the actual song video for "Love Makes the World" -- it's very beautiful. … [Read more...] about Love Makes the World
Obama Will ‘Regret’ Failure to ‘Back Up’ Colombia: El Tiempo, Colombia
On behalf of all of the people of WORLDMEETS.US, I want to wish everyone who works on or visits the Moderate Voice a very Happy Thanksgiving. It's a venue that would have to be invented if it didn't already exist. But Thanksgiving or no, world news rolls relentlessly on. Somewhat overshadowed by other major news stories, the trouble between Venezuela and Colombia, … [Read more...] about Obama Will ‘Regret’ Failure to ‘Back Up’ Colombia: El Tiempo, Colombia
The Black Jail and the Loophole
The black jail is a secret detention and interrogation facility at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan. The loophole is that the jail is run by U.S. Special Operations, not by the C.I.A. That means it was not included in Barack Obama's executive order to shut down black sites, which he issued shortly after he took office. And both the Washington Post and the New York Times … [Read more...] about The Black Jail and the Loophole
Is “Republican Moderate” Becoming an Oxymoron? How About “Democratic Moderate”?
Or will 2010, based on the Republican Senate campaign strategy being pursued by Texas Senator John Cornyn, bring a resurgence of moderate Republican officeholders? It's an uphill fight for Cornyn within the GOP, reports Todd J. Gillman of the Dallas Morning News. Of course, the Democratic Senate campaign of several years ago, under the leadership of New York's Chuck … [Read more...] about Is “Republican Moderate” Becoming an Oxymoron? How About “Democratic Moderate”?
Bush’s War Crimes Trial
What is as close as we're going to get to a calling-to-account for the former Decider and his puppet Tony Blair for thousands of deaths in Iraq is unfolding, largely out of American media sight, before a panel of British nobles. The Chilcot inquiry is hearing from such witnesses as the then-Ambassador to the UN that he threatened to quit in the runup to the Iraq invasion … [Read more...] about Bush’s War Crimes Trial
The Economist’s Interview with Radley Balko
Today's edition of The Economist features an interview with Radley Balko, who is a senior editor at Reason Magazine and creator of the libertarian blog The Agitator. In the interview, Balko discusses the current state of our criminal justice system, the growing militarization of law enforcement, civil liberties, and the future of libertarianism. Balko's revelations … [Read more...] about The Economist’s Interview with Radley Balko