Here's a cram course in "Family Values" for those who need the refresher. … [Read more...] about Family Values 101
Secret CIA Program: Al Qaeda Hit Teams, or Death Squads?
This CIA assassination team story is getting bigger, and the questions are multiplying. … [Read more...] about Secret CIA Program: Al Qaeda Hit Teams, or Death Squads?
Sotomayor Hearings
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Sotomayor Hearings
Coming Up: It’s Round Two For Hillary Clinton In Asia
While the big (usually politically polarizing) flavor of the day political stories grab most attention in the new and old media, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been doing some far quieter work of her own: setting a new tone and shoring up links with Asian countries and their leaders. In a post on Real Clear World, Simon Tay, chairman of the Singapore Institute of … [Read more...] about Coming Up: It’s Round Two For Hillary Clinton In Asia
West Side Story II
RJ Matson, The New York Observer This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about West Side Story II
Sotomayor: It’s Day Two, and Sen. Kyl Stands Out
Yesterday, I commented on the single-minded approach and the one-track mind of Republican Senators during their introductory statements at Judge Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearings. It was a cacophony of insinuations and implications, all of which included one, some or all of the following: The “Wise Latina" comment;” Sotomayor's personal background, gender, … [Read more...] about Sotomayor: It’s Day Two, and Sen. Kyl Stands Out
Sotomayor and Whitehouse
Sonia Sotomayor will be confirmed easily by the Senate, with substantial Republican support, but Conservatives like Dear Leader Rush will continue to take ugly swipes at her, just as they have all along. But no matter. She is, as she proved once again yesterday, with her opening statement, a remarkable woman and an impressive jurist. Yes, she said all the right things, and her … [Read more...] about Sotomayor and Whitehouse
Sotomayor Day Two: Dog and Pony Show
The confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor are dragging through their second day, and it's getting harder to stay awake while watching them. Thus far, not only are there few surprises, but I tend to agree with Ben Pershing at the Washington Post, who has concluded that the Democrats no longer really care if they get a single Republican vote coming out … [Read more...] about Sotomayor Day Two: Dog and Pony Show
We Are The Children
Gary McCoy, Cagle Cartoons This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about We Are The Children
Benjamin is No Gupta (and That’s a Very Good Thing)
President Obama today introduced Dr. Regina Benjamin as the new U.S. surgeon general (pending confirmation, of course). I don't know anything about her -- in fact, I'd never heard of her until today. Looking over her career accomplishments, though -- notably: family physician, founder of the Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic (which was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina), … [Read more...] about Benjamin is No Gupta (and That’s a Very Good Thing)
Journalism And TV: An Oxymoron?
In my How To Save The Newspaper post I promised I'd get to TV. I'm still working on it. But where I'm going is hinted at in a Jeff Jarvis Buzz Machine post today: Journalism and TV: an oxymoron? Well, not always. But often. Local TV news has sucked for years – that horse is out of the barn, over the horizon, and in the glue factory already. Fluff and fires, that’s most of … [Read more...] about Journalism And TV: An Oxymoron?
The Geithner, Ensign & Sanford Effect on Local Politics
This morning's Plain Dealer editorial page features a column by senior political reporter, Mark Naymik, titled, "Small tax issues still matter in a heated campaign, even among two Democrats." (And hey, I read it in the printed version, not online first). In it, Mark writes: Taxes seem to matter to U.S. senators when people come before them seeking confirmation to … [Read more...] about The Geithner, Ensign & Sanford Effect on Local Politics
The New Strain Of H1N1 Flu May Have Century-Old Roots
This is unsettling: Swine flu resembles feared 1918 flu, study finds New H1N1 strain more likely to cause pneumonia than regular flu viruses The 1918 flu pandemic killed between 3% to 6% of the entire world population, and possibly may have killed more people than the Black Death. Yet, where are we putting most of our efforts? --- Cross-posted to Random Fate and The Moderate … [Read more...] about The New Strain Of H1N1 Flu May Have Century-Old Roots
Questions About Cheney CIA Story
Okay, I have a few non-political, that is non-partisan, questions about an alleged Bush Administration cover-up of a CIA program that, if implemented, would have authorized killing foreign leaders. My questions go beyond the legality of such a program or about whether it was right for the former administration to conceal it from the Congress. I hope that those more … [Read more...] about Questions About Cheney CIA Story
Endless Rain, Global Warming, What The Hawks Say
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)