The U.S. electorate strongly suggested it last November 2008. Perhaps Republicans need to be reminded again. They’re overworked from completely messing up the economy for the past 8 years. They’re overtaxed as they can’t handle the multitude of new programs and policies from a Democratic Administration and Congress. They’re completely exhausted, as in being intellectually, … [Read more...] about REPUBLICANS NEED A VACATION
The North Korea Syndrome
A defiant North Korea claims it will retaliate if its ships are boarded off its western coast and if the United Nations Security Council imposes stricter sanctions on its development of nuclear warheads. The announcement comes a day after the government said it would declare war on South Korea if provoked. The latest war of words has strained the patience of its … [Read more...] about The North Korea Syndrome
The New Look TMV
Hello TMV readers and welcome to the new look. As you can see, it looks totally different from the previous site. First and foremost, I need to give credit to Nick at Elegant Themes for the awesome design. This is one of his stock designs (customized by yours truly). Without him, this redesign wouldn't have happened. Here are the changes and explanation: 1. Removal of … [Read more...] about The New Look TMV
Ted Kennedy’s Health Manifesto
For the coming political battle, the last Kennedy of his generation is sounding the trumpet for health care reform. "Over the last year," he writes in a Boston Globe OpEd, "I've seen our healthcare system up close. I've benefitted from the best of medicine, but I've also witnessed the frustration and outrage of patients and doctors alike as they face the challenges of a … [Read more...] about Ted Kennedy’s Health Manifesto
Clarify the “Wise Latina Woman” Statement?
I believe that I've let enough time slip by for everyone to digest the story, but now I'll need to ask for some help here. The readers of this site provide a more diverse set of opinions than virtually any other political blog I visit, so perhaps this is the only place where a cogent explanation might be found. And please keep in mind that I pose this question coming from a … [Read more...] about Clarify the “Wise Latina Woman” Statement?
Cornyn Gets It
The Senator from Texas counters the primary tempests of the seething stew. This is perhaps not a surprising reaction, given the sizable Hispanic population in Cornyn's home state. But it's also not the first "big tent" move the Senator has made. … [Read more...] about Cornyn Gets It
Quote of the Day: Empathy
"People without emotions cannot make sensible decisions because they don’t know how much anything is worth. People without social emotions like empathy are not objective decision-makers. They are sociopaths who sometimes end up on death row." -- David Brooks … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Empathy
Quote of the Day: Israel’s Own Cuban Missile Crisis?
As more fiery rrhetoric surfaces from Iranian officials and news about Iran's quest to join (along with North Korea) the world's increasingly less exclusive Nuke Club, is Israel facing it's own version of JFK's Cuban Missile Crisis? Our Quote of the Day comes from historian Victor Davis Hanson, writing in RealClearWorld, thinks so -- and argues that it's a crisis "all the … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Israel’s Own Cuban Missile Crisis?
Slaughter in Sri Lanka?
The Times of London has a shocking story about 20,000 Tamils who were killed on the Sri Lankan beach by shelling as the army closed in on the Tamil Tigers (LTTE). Photographs taken by The Times "present clear evidence of an atrocity that comes close to matching Srebrenica, Darfur and other massacres of civilians." More here... … [Read more...] about Slaughter in Sri Lanka?
GM Bankruptcy Probable
It now looks like GM is heading down the bankruptcy path, probably as soon as next week. A deal with bondholders may have made things a little easier but will not prevent the filing for a reorganization. Word is that the government will be the major owner of the new company. So we have seen one company sold to the unions and one to the government. It will be quite … [Read more...] about GM Bankruptcy Probable
Attacks on Sotomayor—What’s Good for the Goose…
Karl Rove today in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece,"'Empathy' Is Code for Judicial Activism": Mr. Obama said he wanted to replace Justice David Souter with someone who had "empathy" and who'd temper the court's decisions with a concern for the downtrodden, the powerless and the voiceless. "Empathy" is the latest code word for liberal activism, for treating the … [Read more...] about Attacks on Sotomayor—What’s Good for the Goose…
Leno Versus Letterman
With Jay Leno heading wrapping up his time at the Tonight Show I have been watching more of the program than I normally do. Generally my viewing of late night TV is limited to when they have a good guest or to watch the opening monologues. But in that viewing I have noted a distinct difference between Leno and Letterman, which I think can be traced, at least in part, to their … [Read more...] about Leno Versus Letterman
For Humanity’s Sake, Put an End to Western Hegemony: The Global Geographic Times, China
Food for thought from China: Is the very nature of Western civilization at the heart of the global financial crisis, the Iraq War, and the failure of Western culture to take hold in much of the world? According to Zhang Wei, the writer of this article from China's state-controlled Global Geographic Times, the Occident had better learn to adopt what is good from other cultures, … [Read more...] about For Humanity’s Sake, Put an End to Western Hegemony: The Global Geographic Times, China
Global Justice Initiative
Josh Meyer has an interesting article in the Los Angeles Times about the greater role the FBI will play in the investigation and prosecution of terrorist activity in the Obama administration: … [Read more...] about Global Justice Initiative
New Dog, Same Old Tricks
Rob Wasinger, a former chief-of-staff to Sen. Sam Brownback, is now a candidate for Congress in Kansas' first congressional district. He's a relatively new dog who has already learned -- or at least enabled -- one of the oldest tricks in the political playbook, namely: Parrot national party talking points, no matter how out of context and misleading they might be. In an … [Read more...] about New Dog, Same Old Tricks
Unreleased Abu Graib Photos Show Sexual Abuse, Including Rape
Gen. Antonio Taguba, author of the investigative report about violations of human rights at Abu Ghraib, has now given an interview to the British paper, the Telegraph, in which he acknowledges that, among the approximately 2,000 photographs of detainee abuse that Pres. Barack Obama refused to release, is photographic evidence of U.S. soldiers raping and sexually abusing … [Read more...] about Unreleased Abu Graib Photos Show Sexual Abuse, Including Rape
A Follow Up To Yesterday’s Massive Interest Rate Spike
Yesterday I talked briefly about how the quickly rising 10 year Treasury is starting to be become a concern and its implications for the economy. This post does an excellent job of describing the underlying consequences caused by the increase in rates: The negative consequences of 5.5% rates are enormous. Because of capacity issues and the long timeline to actually fund a … [Read more...] about A Follow Up To Yesterday’s Massive Interest Rate Spike
Sotomayor’s Singleness
Since the President made so much of biography in introducing his Supreme Court nominee, every facet of Sonia Sotomayor's life seems up for discussion, including her marital history. Divorced in her twenties, the new Justice would be taking over what is being called "the single seat" on the Court from David Souter, a bachelor. At her 1994 appellate confirmation hearing, … [Read more...] about Sotomayor’s Singleness
Tip-Toeing To Peace
Yesterday, I signed on as a supporter of TULIP: Trade Unions Linking Israel and Palestine. TULIP was formed by three labor leaders in the UK, US, and Australia as a counter to the growing movement within the labor community supporting boycotts of Israel. Groups like BRICUP and PACBI, and BDS leaders like Naomi Klein, have consciously placed themselves in opposition to … [Read more...] about Tip-Toeing To Peace
REAL COST CONTAINMENT FOR THE U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM VIA OUTSOURCING.
For several decades and still today, few Americans actually look at their medical bills. That's because someone else was and is paying them – generally an insurance company. Despite the steadily growing army of uninsured in the U.S., over 80% of Americans still have health insurance, principally through their employers. Retirees have Medicare and the very poor have Medicaid, … [Read more...] about REAL COST CONTAINMENT FOR THE U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM VIA OUTSOURCING.