As we dig deeper into the behemoth House health care bill, the blatant honesty of Howard Dean shines through the extensive document. You may recall when the former DNC chair said, "the reason why tort reform is not in the bill is because the people who wrote it did not want to take on the trial lawyers in addition to everybody else they were taking on, and that is the plain and … [Read more...] about So Much for Tort Reform
Do We Really Want Independents To Control Congress?
Senator Lieberman of Connecticut has angered Democrats in his opposition to the “public option” for healthcare reform. Well this is not the first time he has gone his own way. It is perfectly understandable because he is officially an independent and thus he has no duty to the Democratic Party. He answers only to his constituents and himself. Just because he caucuses with … [Read more...] about Do We Really Want Independents To Control Congress?
Does This Sound Familiar?
There are questions in France about why, two years after stepping down as president of his country, Jacques Chirac is standing trial for corruption charges stemming from his time as mayor of Paris in 1977 to 1995. But the questions seem to have less to do with the substance of the charges than with an apparent French tendency to overlook bad behavior on the part of prominent … [Read more...] about Does This Sound Familiar?
Pat Robertson Is Not Happy About Hate Crimes Bill
Another freedom has been taken away from him: … [Read more...] about Pat Robertson Is Not Happy About Hate Crimes Bill
Good for Medvedev
Liz Cheney: Obama Should Not Have Gone to Dover
Fox News Radio host John Gibson asked Liz Cheney for her thoughts on Barack Obama's recent trip to Dover Air Force Base to witness the arrival of the bodies of U.S. troops who died in Afghanistan. Here is her response, via TPMDC: … [Read more...] about Liz Cheney: Obama Should Not Have Gone to Dover
Say Hello To Governor Brown Part II
News breaking that SF Mayor Gavin Newsom is dropping out of the California Governor's race. This pretty much clears the field for former Governor and current AG Jerry Brown. Given the generally Democratic nature of the state it means we will be back in the 70's again. … [Read more...] about Say Hello To Governor Brown Part II
Agreement Reached in Honduras to Restore Status Quo Ante
The ongoing negotiations between Honduras's coup leaders and president-in-exile Manuel Zelaya have borne fruit: … [Read more...] about Agreement Reached in Honduras to Restore Status Quo Ante
Obama Seeks Nobel Prize ‘Deadline’ for START III Treaty: Kommersant, Russia
U.S. National Security Adviser James Jones faces Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the Kremlin, Oct. 29. The American right will no doubt have a field day with this article from Russia's leading business daily, Kommersant. According the Kommersant's Vladimir Solovyev, the White House has made clear that it is eager to see the START III nuclear reduction treaty … [Read more...] about Obama Seeks Nobel Prize ‘Deadline’ for START III Treaty: Kommersant, Russia
Laugh in Tune! Listen to the Capitol Steps’ Halloween Show!
Laugh in Tune! Listen to the Capitol Steps' Halloween Show 'Politics Takes A Holiday!' on your local NPR station or online! Find an NPR Station or LISTEN ONLINE … [Read more...] about Laugh in Tune! Listen to the Capitol Steps’ Halloween Show!
Let’s Give Afghans ‘One More Chance’: Liberation, France
Moving on to another French view of the Afghan conflict, Laurent Joffrin of the newspaper Liberation suggests that however bad the situation may be, the West in the person of President Barack Obama should not pull out of Afghanistan - yet. For Liberation, Laurent Joffrin writes in part: "A second round in the presidential election has now been scheduled. The outlines of a … [Read more...] about Let’s Give Afghans ‘One More Chance’: Liberation, France
‘It’s Time for Obama to Decide’ on Afghanistan: Le Figaro, France
Is it a fact that President Obama is 'dithering' - as former VP Cheney has said - over a decision on Iraq? In his editorial for Le Figaro yesterday, influential French columnist Pierre Rousselin seemed to agree, if not in a much more sympathetic fashion than Mr. Cheney. For Le Figaro, Pierre Rousselin writes in part: "From theory to practice, Obama is having a … [Read more...] about ‘It’s Time for Obama to Decide’ on Afghanistan: Le Figaro, France
Ethics Probe Of 33 Lawmakers A Yawner
The Washington Post breathlessly tells us today that 33 lawmakers are being investigated for questionable conduct that includes defense lobbying and corporate influence peddling. Granted, this is a legitimate story in Washington. But for the rest of the nation, it most likely will produce a collective yawn. "What else is new?" they might ask. The report was prepared in … [Read more...] about Ethics Probe Of 33 Lawmakers A Yawner
Obama has Become a Japanese Verb
The Japanese seem to really like President Obama. This goes beyond last year's song from Obama City in Fukui Prefecture (it's easiest to think of prefectures as being like states). Japanese youths are now using the President's name as the verb "obamu", which means "To ignore inexpedient and inconvenient facts or realities, think 'Yes we can, Yes we can,' and proceed with … [Read more...] about Obama has Become a Japanese Verb
Iran’s Reversal: Why Isn’t This Story Getting More Play?
Front page of the NYT: Iran told the United Nations nuclear watchdog on Thursday that it would not accept a plan its negotiators agreed to last week to send its stockpile of uranium out of the country, according to diplomats in Europe and American officials briefed on Iran’s response. And yet, over at Memeorandum, as of 11:00 am ET, the top three memes were about … [Read more...] about Iran’s Reversal: Why Isn’t This Story Getting More Play?
How Hath The Mighty Fallen
Try to imagine. It's 20 years ago. It's 1989 and you come across the following headline, a headline that actually appeared on today's New York Times website: "China Helps Build Huge Texas Wind Farm." In 1989 you probably would have laughed, thinking this headline was totally whacky. So whacky that it must really have been picked up from that year's equivalent of The Onion. … [Read more...] about How Hath The Mighty Fallen
The House Health Bill: Here come the taxes
Just to be clear, I have not read the entire House health care bill which dropped on our heads like a roughly 2,000 page albatross yesterday. (I've gotten through the first hundred or so, and my hat is off to anyone who reads fast enough to have finished the whole thing already.) However, Americans for Tax Reform have the manpower to split up the job and have helpfully … [Read more...] about The House Health Bill: Here come the taxes
Voice From the Republican Past
Two days after his 90th birthday, Edward Brooke was at the Capitol yesterday to receive the Congressional Gold Medal from President Obama and scold Mitch McConnell for his failure to be bipartisan. Brooke, the first African-American ever elected to the Senate in 1966 as a Republican from Massachusetts, took the occasion to tell his party's leader: “If you can’t stand the … [Read more...] about Voice From the Republican Past
Obama Witnesses: The Escorts of the Dead
I live walking distance to Fort Logan National Cemetary. Every day, every every day come the black hearses, and color guard, the rifle squads and the often old VFW bugler. I can hear taps sometimes when the wind is just right. Military wife here (USAF 21 years of service by my DH). Working in post trauma recovery at VA over decades now, the men who volunteer to be escorts see … [Read more...] about Obama Witnesses: The Escorts of the Dead
Is The House Bill a Real Answer For Health Care?
Although the House has finally come up with a bill for national healthcare it falls short of accomplishing Democrat’s original goal of total healthcare. When the news broke out today it was touted as an $894 billion piece of legislation, but the congressional budget office believes the bill will spend more like $1.05 trillion over the next decade. Republicans fear that the … [Read more...] about Is The House Bill a Real Answer For Health Care?