Eight years after the attacks of September 11, and so far, there are only a few articles / blogs on the anniversary of the worst attack on American soil. Since then, we have been committed by two Presidents to two ongoing military operations that have no end in sight. More importantly, this conflict has been a contributing cause to the increase of suicides of our men and … [Read more...] about 09/11/09
Lamentations 9/11
I posted this last year but it is worth posting again. Via the Washington Post's On Faith: Lamentations: 9/11 I live in New York City. Two friends, including someone at whose wedding I had recently been the rabbi died in the World Trade Center. The acrid smell came through my apartment windows for days and sacred ashes, which I wiped away with tears, fell on my window … [Read more...] about Lamentations 9/11
Sabato’s Crystal Ball – RED DAWN: GOP REVIVAL FOR 2010 HOUSE?
Isaac T. Wood and Larry J. Sabato: RED DAWN: GOP REVIVAL FOR 2010 HOUSE? Republicans will pick up substantially, but fall short of full control While the next slate of House elections does not occur until 2010, congressmen and their challengers certainly don't take off the "off-year." Instead, this year is a crucial one for the parties who must prove their recruiting chops, … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball – RED DAWN: GOP REVIVAL FOR 2010 HOUSE?
Obama vs. Joe Wilson on the Truth-o-Meter
Joe G. noted earlier that Joe Wilson scored very poorly on Politifact's Truth-o-meter. Since that post, there have been five more targeting Rep. Wilson, including Kathy's moderately titled, Is there a politician lower than Joe Wilson? I'm guessing Kathy has heard of Charlie Rangel. Anyhow, I'm not here to defend Joe Wilson, who most people never heard of until yesterday. … [Read more...] about Obama vs. Joe Wilson on the Truth-o-Meter
Obama: Ignore (other people’s) scare tactics
Those talk show hosts are awful. They say the most awful things. But it's the President who runs the country, so I'm much more concerned with his disingenuity. From last night: Instead of honest debate, we've seen scare tactics.Also last night:Everyone in this room knows what will happen if we do nothing. Our deficit will grow. More families will go bankrupt. More … [Read more...] about Obama: Ignore (other people’s) scare tactics
Is There a Politician Lower Than Joe Wilson?
Yeah. His name is Joe Wilson. This is not the Joe Wilson who apologized to Pres. Obama last night for screaming, "You lie! Lies!" in the middle of the President's speech to a joint session of Congress. This is the Joe Wilson who, the day after the speech (that would be today), made a YouTube video using his (in his words) "inappropriate" behavior to ask for money and continue … [Read more...] about Is There a Politician Lower Than Joe Wilson?
Dem corruption
The editors of the New Republic have some harsh words[subscription only] for House Democrats, who toppled a GOP majority in 2006 by promising to clean up Washington. Charlie Rangel and John Murtha, two of the most senior and powerful Democrats in the House, are an embarrassment. Late August brought the stunning revelation that Rangel failed to note two bank accounts, each … [Read more...] about Dem corruption
GOP and Obama Speech
Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about GOP and Obama Speech
Pres. Obama’s Speech: Reaction Roundup
At FiveThirtyEight.com, separate comments by Nate Silver and Tom Schaller -- Nate first: … [Read more...] about Pres. Obama’s Speech: Reaction Roundup
As if viruses and bacteria weren’t enough to worry about
Rogue proteins spread prion diseases all by themselves --- Cross-posted between Random Fate and The Moderate Voice. --- … [Read more...] about As if viruses and bacteria weren’t enough to worry about
The Political Shell Game Begins On Joe Wilson
And so it begins: an attempt to obscure and downplay something that happened -- something that Republican party elders clearly did not want to happen and moved quickly to get the person involved to rectify. Rep. Joe Wilson yelled out "You lie" during Barack Obama's speech to Congress and that was the issue last night. But now, via the Drudge Report and other new and old … [Read more...] about The Political Shell Game Begins On Joe Wilson
Joe Wilson as Preston Brooks
No, calling the President a liar is not the same thing as beating a fellow Senator to a pulp with a cane. But there was something intriguing about the response to the Joe Wilson outburst that reminded me of the infamous 1856 caning of Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner by South Carolina Senator Preston Brooks. Consider a bit of the background to that incident. The Democrats … [Read more...] about Joe Wilson as Preston Brooks
“Man With Gun Arrested During Obama Address”
Just-tweeted from matttbastard. The article linked from matt's tweet is Associated Press, and I do not link to or quote from their articles, but I can and will link to mattt's tweet. Apparently, an attentive security officer's radar was triggered by the man's attempt to park in a secure area. His car was searched (that's a requirement for parking in that area, anyway), and they … [Read more...] about “Man With Gun Arrested During Obama Address”
Joe Wilson Has His Activist Fans
And some visit his office to congratulate him for calling breaking traditional and shouting out and calling a President delivering an address to a joint session of Congress a liar. … [Read more...] about Joe Wilson Has His Activist Fans
The Speech: Obama Defends Health-Care Reform Before Joint Session of Congress
It wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear, but it was close... close enough, I suppose. Alas, President Obama left open the possibility that his preferred public option -- which, in my view, should be non-negotiable (see also Krugman on this) -- could be replaced with some other alternative to private insurance, such as a non-profit co-op system or a "trigger" (which would … [Read more...] about The Speech: Obama Defends Health-Care Reform Before Joint Session of Congress
Joe Wilson, Fight Club Master? No, Joe Wilson Wet-Dynamite Disaster
Where is the public place for loss of personal control? Where is the place for 'fight club?' The gridiron, the clay court, the roped ring, and other similar, are where that all belongs... there are many many venues for men (and women and children) who 'cant bear the burden' one moment longer, to vent their particular pique or outrage. Long ago I knew Chained Lightning … [Read more...] about Joe Wilson, Fight Club Master? No, Joe Wilson Wet-Dynamite Disaster
Energy Policy and National Security Clearly Linked
Guest post by Frankie Sturm Frankie Sturm is communications director at the Truman National Security Project and a free-lance journalist. The debate over climate change and energy legislation is becoming a debate over America's national security. And this is just where the debate belongs. As nearly 150 veterans gear up to visit Washington to ask their senators to take … [Read more...] about Energy Policy and National Security Clearly Linked
Politifact Truth-O-Meter: Joe Wilson Wrong When He Said Obama Lied
The St. Petersburg Times' Pulitzer Prize winning Politifact has its Truth-O-Meter look at Rep. Joe Wilson's shouted "You lied!" to President Barack Obama and finds: Wilson erred. It's an extensive post that needs to be read in full, but here is the conclusion: The best argument that we find that health reform would help illegal immigrants is that some might be able to … [Read more...] about Politifact Truth-O-Meter: Joe Wilson Wrong When He Said Obama Lied
Obamacare We Can Live With
In an attempt to regain control of the health care debate if not his presidency, President Barack Obama crafted a speech a fifth grader could grasp and Congress could follow allowing all Americans to receive affordable medical services. What struck me was all the goals and specifics outlined by the president seem reasonable enough for Congress to adopt with all sides of the … [Read more...] about Obamacare We Can Live With
Why are Jews so darned liberal?
One Right wing blogger raised a bit of a stir earlier this week with his "interesting" explanation of why so many Jews are "liberal" when, if they had the brains God gave a goat, they should be hard core, conservative Republicans. Here's one Jewish lady who was shocked to find out how unintelligent she must be and how Republicans are the real philo-semitic party. (Don't feel … [Read more...] about Why are Jews so darned liberal?