Flooding, lake rising every day... my heart shakes, water breaks over its banks... My lifetime of books, my art, my everything is stored on ground lower than the lake. It has slash-rained here in the Rockies every day for last thirty... another 11 we'll outdo Noah... Rains in the mountains afternoons- usual. But not like this, thunder, sheet lightning, fork … [Read more...] about Endless Rain, Global Warming, What The Hawks Say
Maybe Not
It's become an accepted piece of conventional wisdom. The United States, it's said, is at risk of falling behind the rest of the world because of continuing shortage of scientists and engineers. Maybe not. [This has also been posted on my personal blog.] … [Read more...] about Maybe Not
Poll: Obama Support Falls To 57 Percent Due To Economy, Loss Of Democratic and Independent Support
President Barack Obama's poll numbers have begun to slide due to increasing pessimism about the economy and his polices' efficacy, and a subsequent loss of Democratic and independent voter support, a new CBS News poll finds: President Obama's approval rating has fallen six points in the past month, a new CBS News poll finds, amid growing skepticism about his handling of … [Read more...] about Poll: Obama Support Falls To 57 Percent Due To Economy, Loss Of Democratic and Independent Support
Republican Opening Statements on Sotomayor—Notice a Trend?
One of my co-bloggers, Patrick Edaburn, wrote a piece today titled, "Sotomayor Day One: No Surprises." In it he says: "The first day of hearings are complete and we didn’t really have any surprises." That's almost an understatement---especially on the Republican side of the aisle. As expected, they talked about Sotomayor's "Latino woman comment;" about empathy (Blame … [Read more...] about Republican Opening Statements on Sotomayor—Notice a Trend?
Federal Deficit Tops $1 Trillion For The First Time Ever
Ouch: WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The fiscal year-to-date U.S. budget deficit broke past $1 trillion in June, a grim testament to the recession and financial crisis. The federal government spent $94.32 billion more than it made in the ninth month of fiscal 2009, the Treasury Department said Monday in its monthly budget statement. Aid to spur the slumping economy and a … [Read more...] about Federal Deficit Tops $1 Trillion For The First Time Ever
John Avlon’s “Wingnut of the Week”: Henry Waxman (D) and Audra Shay (R)
Centrist writer John Avlon has given two more deserving partisans his highly coveted "Wingnut of the Week" award on CNN. This time the honors go to Democratic Rep. Henry Waxman (who said Republicans opposing President Barack Obama's policies are "rooting against the country") and to Republican Audra Shay (who says if you think Obama is anything but anti-American you're … [Read more...] about John Avlon’s “Wingnut of the Week”: Henry Waxman (D) and Audra Shay (R)
Cut Rate Caricatures
RJ Matson, Roll Call This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Cut Rate Caricatures
Obama’s Surgeon General Pick: Alabama Doctor With Record of Service to Rural Poor
With all the news focused on Sonya, you will be forgiven for missing that Obama announced his Surgeon General nominee today. Sue Sturgis at Facing South calls her: ...a trailblazing African-American physician with a long record of service to the rural poor in Alabama. Dr. Regina Benjamin's perspective as someone who has provided care in an under-served community -- and … [Read more...] about Obama’s Surgeon General Pick: Alabama Doctor With Record of Service to Rural Poor
Sotomayor Vote Count
Obviously at this point I don't have much to post in this thread but I thought it would be useful to have one in which we at TMV tracked the announced vote on the confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor. I will update it as votes are announced, so if you're wondering where things stand please keep an eye here. … [Read more...] about Sotomayor Vote Count
Sotomayor Day One: No Surprises
The first day of hearings are complete and we didn't really have any surprises. Members of both parties said what they were expected to say and for the most part they remained reasonably civil. Republicans were careful to strike a balance between satisfying the desire of their base for a thorough review of the nominee and avoiding going too far in their rhetoric. Democrats … [Read more...] about Sotomayor Day One: No Surprises
Judge Sotomayor Will Be Confirmed: Counting Coup Deteriorates to Usual Song and Dance
Inquirers taking pot shots at Judge Sotomayor in hearings today, are doing a flabby and anemic imitation of the old traditionalists of our tribes who count coup. To 'ride up to the enemy' and touch them with your weapon but not to engage, and then to ride away to safety. To be able, at the end of the day, to say to those gathered to hear the stories, "I was brave, I touched the … [Read more...] about Judge Sotomayor Will Be Confirmed: Counting Coup Deteriorates to Usual Song and Dance
Where Bush and Obama Both Go Wrong
I was searching for some way to add to this analysis by Robert J. Samuelson at the Washington Post, but frankly I'm just not that smart. If you want to step back from the partisan walls and see why the Republicans have been doing a bad job at planning for the country's economic future and the Democrats' current plans are making it worse, follow the link and read the entire … [Read more...] about Where Bush and Obama Both Go Wrong
Sen. Feingold: Cheney Violated National Security Act
Sen. Russell Feingold (D-WI) has put out a statement calling for an official probe into the report, broken by Scott Shane of the New York Times, that a still-unidentified presidential surveillance program was kept hidden from Congress for eight years, on the direct orders of former vice-president Dick Cheney. Here is Sen. Feingold's statement, via Brad Friedman: … [Read more...] about Sen. Feingold: Cheney Violated National Security Act
Will Holder Investigate Bush’s Torture Regime?
By now, I suspect, many of you have read, or at least read about, Newsweek's article on Attorney General Eric Holder and the possible appointment of "a prosecutor to investigate the Bush administration's brutal interrogation practices" (i.e., torture). Like Glenn Greenwald, I was, initially, optimistic. Finally, I thought. It's about time. And, like Creature, I was also firmly … [Read more...] about Will Holder Investigate Bush’s Torture Regime?
Part II — Sarah, We Hardly Knew Ya
This is without a doubt, swear on a stack of Bibles, the last article I will post on the announced soon-to-be resignation of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin -- until she actually contributes something of value to national politics. This is not a political obituary for she shall return as certainly as Gen. MacArthur promised, a chap she fondly quoted recently. I take Sarah Palin for … [Read more...] about Part II — Sarah, We Hardly Knew Ya
At Sotomayor Hearings, Sen. Cornyn Uses the Game of Golf to Make a Point—Wrongly
My U.S. Senator, John Cornyn, just had his go at trying to discredit Supreme Court Justice nominee, Sonia Sotomayor. In an attempt to paint certain Democratic judges---and, implicitly, Sotomayor---with the "judicial activism" brush, this is what he said as part of his opening remarks during the ongoing Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings: The Supreme … [Read more...] about At Sotomayor Hearings, Sen. Cornyn Uses the Game of Golf to Make a Point—Wrongly
[video] “Two pipsqueaks sitting around talking”: Plain Dealer deals w/Reader Rep dissing bloggers
If only pipsqueak dust was as magical as fairy dust. Two pipsqueaks sitting around talking Hattip to Jay Rosen and Chris Geidner for the heads up about this video, posted this morning and featuring Plain Dealer news impact editor, John Kroll. Kroll responds to reactions to Reader Representative Ted Diadiun's video from last week, which was about reaction to … [Read more...] about [video] “Two pipsqueaks sitting around talking”: Plain Dealer deals w/Reader Rep dissing bloggers
Protester Interrupts Start Of Sotomayor Confirmation Hearings
An anti-abortion protester interrupted the start of the Senate confirmation hearings now underway for President Barack Obama's Supreme Court pick Sonia Sotomayor. Here's the video of how it was covered on MSNBC: Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy … [Read more...] about Protester Interrupts Start Of Sotomayor Confirmation Hearings
New York’s Stimulating Roadways
Out here in the Empire State, plenty of funds from the original Porkulus bill have arrived. But instead of going into shovel ready projects and the creation of new jobs, our perennially budget challenged state government has channeled the funds into making up shortfalls for their poor planning and inability to mange the public purse. New York state has used most of its … [Read more...] about New York’s Stimulating Roadways
Palin Taking Big Media Hits From Republicans
Soon-to-be-former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is taking more hits -- from Republicans. Despite talk from some of her staunchest conservative fans that the press is going after her and that it's liberals outside and inside her party (yes, there are some who charge the Republican party is controlled by liberals) who are trying to do her in, two new articles indicate that some of … [Read more...] about Palin Taking Big Media Hits From Republicans