Barack Obama's poll numbers on health care and his approval ratings are moving south just as assuredly as elderly New Yorkers go south to Florida for the winter, NBC News reports: Despite his public-relations blitz over the past two weeks to promote his plans to reform the nation's health-care system -- including holding two town halls on Wednesday -- President Barack … [Read more...] about Poll: Numbers On Obama’s Approach To Health Care And Personal Ratings Go South
Unintended Collateral Damage Of Racist Remarks
I normally don't pay much attention when high-profile conservatives such as Glenn Beck and Michelle Malkin label President Obama a racist for sparking the national debate over the black Harvard professor arrested by Cambridge police. That is, until I read a story that made me wonder if there really is a cause and effect between what people as Beck and Malkin propagate and the … [Read more...] about Unintended Collateral Damage Of Racist Remarks
Nate Silver Explains How to B.S. America on Obamacare
As we've discussed in the past, Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com has proven himself to be a political prognosticator of extraordinary skills since his debut on the scene. This may only come in second to his abilities in scoring major league baseball. Of course, when he wanders off into other areas, such as global warming, his platform as an analyst can go a bit pear shaped, … [Read more...] about Nate Silver Explains How to B.S. America on Obamacare
Let’s End The Score-Settling
WASHINGTON -- The problem with "teachable moments" is that the term sets up one group of people as teachers while another group is consigned to the role of pupils. In a democracy, that's troublesome. In the conflict between Henry Louis Gates Jr. and police Sgt. James Crowley over Gates' arrest at his own home, all parties in the national conversation believe they … [Read more...] about Let’s End The Score-Settling
Obama vs. Baucus for Health Care
In a defining moment for the politics of Change, the President is facing a fight-or-flight choice against a coalition led by a powerful member of his own party. "Sometimes I get a little frustrated," Barack Obama told a town hall yesterday, "because this is one of those situations where it's so obvious that the system we have isn't working well for too many people, and that … [Read more...] about Obama vs. Baucus for Health Care
Now, Isn’t This Interesting
Matthew Yglesias has some interesting graphics up which show that Americans who actually have public health care plans (aka Medicare and Medicaid) have higher levels of satisfaction with them than do Americans who are privately insured. … [Read more...] about Now, Isn’t This Interesting
Recent Poll Shows 76% of Americans Want Public Option
The poll is from mid-June, and was discussed by Sam Stein at The Huffington Post: … [Read more...] about Recent Poll Shows 76% of Americans Want Public Option
Shiva Limbo
Shiva Limbo by Brian Blum The most disconcerting thing about my trip to the U.S. for my father’s funeral was the “pre-shiva” period (known in Hebrew as aninut). Shiva is the seven days stipulated by Jewish tradition for mourning following burial. My father died on a Sunday. But the funeral didn’t take place until Wednesday. The official reason was that it took time … [Read more...] about Shiva Limbo
Selling Out Healthcare for GOP Votes
Here is one blogger's take on the effectiveness of local or regional nonprofit insurance cooperatives, which is the alternative the Gang of Six are touting to a full-throated public option: … [Read more...] about Selling Out Healthcare for GOP Votes
Just When You Thought Partisan Demonization Can’t Go Any Lower
We may as well copy this headline and this first short paragraph (and we will) since we will likely have to use it again and again -- as the political bar with what constitutes debate in our country goes lower and lower: It DOES. Details here. … [Read more...] about Just When You Thought Partisan Demonization Can’t Go Any Lower
The Point Is Health Care Reform, Not GOP Support
Health care reform is about to die because Democrats cannot handle being the majority in Congress, or having a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate: … [Read more...] about The Point Is Health Care Reform, Not GOP Support
Sue & Sue Again
Legal briefs... Overlawyered's Walter Olson: Former tenant Amanda Bonnen had just 22 followers on Twitter when she commented in a strongly negative way about Horizon Realty of Chicago. And here’s what a spokesman for Horizon is quoted as saying about its lawsuit: We’re a sue first, ask questions later kind of an organization. ArsTechnica has more on that. And this: A … [Read more...] about Sue & Sue Again
Is The Healthcare Reform Public Plan Option DOA?
Is the public plan option DOA in the ongoing Congressional discussions on President Barack Obama's stalled healthcare reform plan? Several reports suggest it could well be. The best summary comes from Bill Press, writing on The Hill's Pundit Blog: Don’t look now, but Democrats are about to abandon their commitment to a public plan option, if they haven’t already done … [Read more...] about Is The Healthcare Reform Public Plan Option DOA?
Quote of the Day: Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton
Our political quote of the day is the final two paragraphs of Maureen Dowd's must-read column contrasting Secretary of State Hillary Clinton with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin: As McCain pal and Republican strategist Mike Murphy so sagely observed recently: “If Sarah Palin looked like Golda Meir, would we even be talking about her today?” Sarah should follow her own … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton
White House Beer
RJ Matson, The St. Louis Post Dispatch This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about White House Beer
Republican Candidate in the Making
From an event Monday night in the St. Louis area, hosted by Sen. McCaskill's staff, h/t Jake Wagman ... Agree or disagree with him (and I'm much more in the latter camp than the former), you have to admire this young man's focus, stage presence, and ability to electrify a crowd. (Move over, Sarah Palin. Oh wait ... she already did.) Picking up on one of this young … [Read more...] about Republican Candidate in the Making
Microsoft and Yahoo! Internet Search Pact
As expected, Microsoft and Yahoo! have announced an internet search deal: Microsoft and Yahoo, whose talks about a merger failed last year, on Wednesday announced a 10-year collaboration in Web search and advertising. Under the agreement, which both companies hope will allow them to compete better with Google, Microsoft will power Yahoo’s Web search while Yahoo will become … [Read more...] about Microsoft and Yahoo! Internet Search Pact
The Great Performers: Harpo Marx and the Harp
If you're literally a lifelong student of comedy as I am, you have to constantly watch and study the comedy greats. The era is unimportant: you study the work of great film and TV comedians of the 20th and early 21st century. And any student of comedy has to view at least some of the classic Marx Brothers movies, where they'll be amazed at the antics of all of the brothers -- … [Read more...] about The Great Performers: Harpo Marx and the Harp
White House Brewski
Cartoon by Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about White House Brewski
Race Matters in America (Guest Voice)
Race Matters in America by Martha Randolph Carr Often when there is a question of race in America people lose a certain amount of common sense. On Thursday, July 16th at 12:44 p.m. Harvard scholar, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. was arrested by Cambridge police for attempting to unstick his own front door at the upscale Ware Street home near Harvard Square. There was a mild … [Read more...] about Race Matters in America (Guest Voice)