There is an interesting article from the Science section of the New York Times that turns a now-cliche phrase on its head: The Non-Tragedy of the Commons --- Cross-posted between Random Fate and The Moderate Voice. --- … [Read more...] about Are the commons not so tragic after all?
Obama Throws Crumbs To Seniors
Biting the hand that feeds me, I think it is a bad idea that President Barack Obama is urging Congress to kick in an extra one-lump $250 to each of the 57 million seniors, veterans and people with disabilities because they will not receive cost-of-living increases in 2010 from Social Security benefits. It's not that I prefer to go without. If Congress goes along with the … [Read more...] about Obama Throws Crumbs To Seniors
Barack Obama … Bird of Peace!: Kitabat of Iraq
After being invaded by the previous U.S. administration based on faulty information, how do Iraqis feel about the current president of the United States winning the Nobel Peace Prize? In the first translation on the subject we've had from Iraq, Abd Al Razzak Al Rabihi doesn't spare the use of exclamation points in his understandable outburst of exasperation. He writes for … [Read more...] about Barack Obama … Bird of Peace!: Kitabat of Iraq
Political Executions In Iran
I just ran across a PBS site dedicated to covering ongoing events in Iran. Iran's post-election turmoil and the ensuing human rights crisis entered a new phase this week, after authorities announced death sentences for four defendants following the mass trials held for more than a hundred people accused of fomenting unrest and challenging the election results. It has raised … [Read more...] about Political Executions In Iran
“Tonight, We Are All ‘Too Irrational To Be Dealt With Sanely'”
Can you imagine -- I mean, can you only just imagine -- if anyone on the left had actually published something as overwrought -- as utterly irrational -- as this? … [Read more...] about “Tonight, We Are All ‘Too Irrational To Be Dealt With Sanely'”
Ranking The Presidents
Guest Post By C.L. Smith aka "Leonidas" C.L. Smith is a frequent, right of center commenter on The Moderate Voice and has been invited as a Guest Voice. ********** Every so often I look back at an eassy/article from the past that is one of my favorites. It doesn't really pertain to current events directly, but it always seems to indirectly. John Silveria wrote a … [Read more...] about Ranking The Presidents
U.S. Military Bases are Alright, Under One Condition …: Semana, Colombia
GENIE ASKS UNCLE SAM: 'WILL IT BE A MILITARY BASE, A COCA BASE OR A DATA BASE?' How do Colombians feel about the seven military bases the United States intends to build on their nation's land? According to this off-color tongue-in-cheek column by Colombian writer and art professor Lucas Ospina, it's alright with him - with one important proviso. For Colombia's Semana … [Read more...] about U.S. Military Bases are Alright, Under One Condition …: Semana, Colombia
Hypocrisy, Hate Crimes, and the Apparent Bigotry of John Boehner
Check out this CBS News article. House Republican Leader John Boehner opposes a bill that would expand hate crime legislation to include gender, sexual orientation, and disability. Currently, the legislation includes race, color, religion, and national origin. His rationale is that hate crimes legislation should only cover "immutable characteristics." Apparently, sexual … [Read more...] about Hypocrisy, Hate Crimes, and the Apparent Bigotry of John Boehner
Disconnect: Dow 10,000, Jobless 10 Percent
Symbolism comes with a heavy hand these days as Stock Exchange traders cheer at the Dow hitting 10,000 while the national employment rate heads for double digits. The disconnect between Wall Street and Main Street keeps widening as money jugglers, who caused the credit crisis that led to bailouts with taxpayer billions, are getting record bonuses while those who do real work … [Read more...] about Disconnect: Dow 10,000, Jobless 10 Percent
ATTENTION: Proposal for a TMV Prognostication Competition
I would like to invite all writers, editors, commentators and readers to make some major predictions for the future that they believe will transpire by or around certain future dates. I ran this idea by Joe Gandelman last week who told me to run with it. These “revelations” can concern science, technology, environment, wars and militaries, climate change, healthcare, … [Read more...] about ATTENTION: Proposal for a TMV Prognostication Competition
Citizenship and the Census
Along with Sen. Bob Bennett (R-UT), Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) has introduced an amendment that would, according to USA Today, "exclude illegal immigrants from the population count used to allocate congressional seats after the 2010 Census. It also would require the Census to ask people whether they are citizens." Well, I like the first part, not the second. I generally favour … [Read more...] about Citizenship and the Census
Rush Limbaugh Deflated
RJ Matson, The St. Louis Post Dispatch This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Rush Limbaugh Deflated
Texas Governor Perry and “Execution, Texas Style.”
Even though I live in Texas, the first I heard or read about a case that is now getting nation-wide attention was at The Moderate Voice (TMV). Two weeks ago, Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés, TMV's Deputy Managing Editor, published a guest voice by Elijah Sweet bringing to our attention the disturbing news that Texas Governor Rick Perry had, on Wednesday, September 30, "without … [Read more...] about Texas Governor Perry and “Execution, Texas Style.”
David Vitter: Not Always Better Late than Never
Senator David Vitter, (R - La) along with his somewhat questionable and controversial activities in the past, also comes up with some good ideas. He demonstrated this talent once again recently when he suggested that maybe the next census should be sure that it's only counting legal citizens. As Ed Morrissey points out, the consequences of screwing this up can be serious … [Read more...] about David Vitter: Not Always Better Late than Never
Jon Stewart on the ‘Franken Anti-Government-Contractor Rape Liability Bill’
Jon Stewart's piece on Sen. Al Franken's first legislative amendment. Added to a defense bill passed last week, it prohibits giving defense contracts to any company that requires employees to sign a mandatory arbitration contract preventing them from taking the company to court if they're raped by coworkers. Why was such a provision necessary? Last year a number of women … [Read more...] about Jon Stewart on the ‘Franken Anti-Government-Contractor Rape Liability Bill’
Of Saudi Prince, Obama, Osama & Robin Hood
What is common between Saudi and Chinese officials/leaders? Whenever they speak be prepared to leave a lot of room for interpretations. So let's see what it means when Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal (the long-time director general of Saudi Arabia's intelligence service, the Al Mukhabarat Al Aamah, and the Saudi ambassador to the US) finds similarities between Osama bin-Laden and … [Read more...] about Of Saudi Prince, Obama, Osama & Robin Hood
Since when is Petraeus a Republican?
Andrew Sullivan: How do we know that Petraeus is, or will be, a Republican? Does anyone actually have evidence of this? Or is all this speculation based on the stereotype that military = Republican?Jason Zengerle: As best I can tell, the assumption that Petraeus is a Republican stems from the fact that he is. From Steve Coll's New Yorker profile of Petraeus: Petraeus is … [Read more...] about Since when is Petraeus a Republican?
Fox News: Good Economic News Shows It’s The “Bush Recovery”
The brazenness of partisan rhetoric each day hits new lows. And here is one for the books: For months since January 20, 2009 when President Barack Obama took over any bad economic news was attributed to Obama, even when he was in office for less than a month. But now the stock market has hit 10,000 and amid some gloomy economic news there are some positive signs -- so … [Read more...] about Fox News: Good Economic News Shows It’s The “Bush Recovery”
Dead Al Qaeda leader gives interview
Eli Lake reports. Mohammad Ilyas Kashmiri was killed by a Predator strike last month. This week, he granted an interview to the Asia Times. Comment:Cases like this highlight why drone strikes have to be part of a larger strategy," said Andrew Exum, a former Army Ranger officer and part of an assessment team that advised Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of U.S.-led … [Read more...] about Dead Al Qaeda leader gives interview
Weekly Standard=Pravda?
TNR's Jon Chait is furious about Republican demagoguery:There's not much fun in conceding that your side is winning over public opinion by exploiting ignorance and fear. It's far more pleasant to imagine that the people have risen up in principled revulsion against statism. The vanguard of this fantasy movement rests at The Weekly Standard. One issue from a few weeks ago … [Read more...] about Weekly Standard=Pravda?