That would be Nancy “Ball” Pelosi and Harry “Chain” Reid. After Pelosi’s stammering press conference about what she knew (or not) and when re: waterboarding ... we get this from Reid. REID: I’m saying that the United States Senate, Democrats and Republicans, do not want terrorists to be released in the United States. That’s very clear. QUESTION: No one’s talking … [Read more...] about Obama’s Ball and Chain
Quote Of The Day: Powell Tells Cheney & Limbaugh There’s Room For Him In “Emerging” Republican Party
Our political Quote of the Day comes from former Bush administration Secretary of State Colin Powell, who has an answer to former Vice President Dick Cheney and talk show host Rush Limbaugh who basically said there's no room for his kind of moderate Republican in the GOP and that he should take a hike, if he hasn't already done so: Before some 1,500 business leaders in … [Read more...] about Quote Of The Day: Powell Tells Cheney & Limbaugh There’s Room For Him In “Emerging” Republican Party
This Day and Age
From today's NYT: [New York's] Roman Catholic bishops have been somewhat distracted, too, having focused their lobbying energies this session on defeating a bill that would extend the statute of limitations for victims of sexual abuse to bring civil claims, and have appeared unprepared for the battle over marriage. H/t Patrick Appel. … [Read more...] about This Day and Age
Magic & Mystery Of Shakespeare’s Sonnets
Was Shakespeare better known for his plays or his sonnets? Well we can go on arguing about that. The Independent carries a piece by Boyd Tonkin who introduces his selection of sonnets, while fans nominate their favourites to mark the 400th anniversary. "In 1609, the publisher Thomas Thorpe issued Shakespeare's 154 sonnets in a handy quarto-sized edition, with a mysterious … [Read more...] about Magic & Mystery Of Shakespeare’s Sonnets
UPDATE: House Severs Guns in Parks from Credit Cards; Must Pass Separately to Move On
Huffington Post reported last night that the U.S. House Rules Committee separated what I call the Sunday in the Park with Guns amendment, which got tacked on via a Senate amendment put forth by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) and was approved there, from the credit card reform bill. You can read the bill here and see that Sec. 512 is the Coburn amendment. You can also read here the … [Read more...] about UPDATE: House Severs Guns in Parks from Credit Cards; Must Pass Separately to Move On
Turning Point For U.S.-Israeli Relations?
No matter what course it takes, it's clear that the U.S. -Israeli relations are at a turning point -- with yet another factor added just today with news that Iran has announced a new surface-to-surface missile test -- a missile that can reach Israel. RealClearWorld's Associate Editor Gregory Scoblete writes: Typically a meeting between an Israeli Prime Minister and an … [Read more...] about Turning Point For U.S.-Israeli Relations?
Retro Quote of the Day
"Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite." -- John Kenneth Galbraith … [Read more...] about Retro Quote of the Day
The Cheney Doctrine (Guest Voice)
The Cheney Doctrine by Will Durst I’m sick of torture. And the fact that we’re one of the countries way up there on the J.D. Powers annual “torture reliability” list makes me unwell as well. As does talking AROUND torture. What this country needs is an up-front national referendum on whether we should or shouldn’t be torturing people. Oh wait. That’s right, we did … [Read more...] about The Cheney Doctrine (Guest Voice)
What Makes U.S. Great
Here’s the self esteem boost our country needs. Read this week's cartoon and be proud, America! (Click the cartoon for a full size image.) For more, visit Tom Briscoe's Small World cartoons. … [Read more...] about What Makes U.S. Great
Not Only Should Obama Not Send Flowers for the Confederate Monument at Arlington…
The thing ought to be dismantled. … [Read more...] about Not Only Should Obama Not Send Flowers for the Confederate Monument at Arlington…
California Voters Reject Ballot Measures
In a not very surprising move the voters in California appear to have rejected a series of ballot measures intended to help cure the recent budget crisis. This means that the legislature and the Governator will have to figure out a way to work through about $ 20-40 billion in deficits through some other method. As I previously discussed, this was basically a choice between … [Read more...] about California Voters Reject Ballot Measures
As Palestinians Await Obama’s Egypt Speech, We Must Show Unity: Alhayat Aljadeeda, Palestine
It would be hard to exaggerate the interest among Muslims in President Obama's upcoming address to the Islamic world. According to columnist Yahi Rabah of Palestine's Alhayat Aljadeeda, Palestinians more than any other group in the Muslim world are eagerly awaiting President Obama's comments. For Alhayat Aljadeeda,Rabah writes in part: "The Palestinian dialogue … [Read more...] about As Palestinians Await Obama’s Egypt Speech, We Must Show Unity: Alhayat Aljadeeda, Palestine
WaPo: The CIA Is Hampered By Ban on Torture
Walter Pincus sympathetically passes on the "fears" of CIA officials that, without torture, they will not be able to do their jobs right: … [Read more...] about WaPo: The CIA Is Hampered By Ban on Torture
Interview with Ramzi Kassem
Continuing (or perhaps resuming) my series of interviews with relevant players in what was formerly known as "the war on terror" and the plight of "enemy combatants" (both of which terms await their new nomenclature in the Obama Administration), as issues from resumption of the military commissions to release of detainee abuse photos make the headlines, habeas counsel, such … [Read more...] about Interview with Ramzi Kassem
Obama’s Failure
Yaakov Kirschen, The Jerusalem Post, Dry Bones This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Obama’s Failure
Millennial Study Reax
TMV's Kathy Kattenburg chimed in earlier on the recently released CAP study re: just how progressive the Millennial Generation seems to be. Sitting in for Andrew Sullivan, Patrick Appel added to the reax with the headline, "We are All Socialists Now," then pointed to Derek Thompson's take that "Millennials are stoked about the goals of liberal government ... but pretty … [Read more...] about Millennial Study Reax
Healthcare Crisis: Step 5 – If Needed
Years and years of tradition and entrenched industries will bog down sweeping reforms to the healthcare system. In this series I have suggested that a step by step approach would work, perhaps without getting too far past step 2. You can find steps 1 through 4 somewhere in this site or at my blog at http://lipspeak.blogspot.com/ Step 1: Remove State regulation. Create one … [Read more...] about Healthcare Crisis: Step 5 – If Needed
Egypt’s Comments on Israeli Nukes a Betrayal of Muslims: Amal Al Ummah, Egypt
Days ago, Egypt's foreign minister made a comment that shocked many in the Muslim world. According to Egypt's Amal Al Ummah, the newspaper of Egypt's Muslim brotherhood, which includes the largest group of opposition members of parliament, Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said the following: "The Egyptian perception of perils to our national security don't differentiate … [Read more...] about Egypt’s Comments on Israeli Nukes a Betrayal of Muslims: Amal Al Ummah, Egypt
Democrats Achieve Parity on National Security
Well, there goes the GOP's home court advantage: Executive Summary A new Democracy Corps poll released by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner today shows that after 100 days in office, President Barack Obama has, at least for now effectively erased doubts that Americans have historically harbored about the Democratic Party’s vision and competence on national security. Key … [Read more...] about Democrats Achieve Parity on National Security
Quote of the Day: On Cheney, Limbaugh And The GOP
Our political Quote of the Day comes from Democratic strategist Paul Begala: The inimitable Mark Shields says there are two kinds of political parties: those that seek out converts and those that hunt down heretics. Barack Obama - like Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton before him - is a classic seeker of converts. He chose as his running mate one of his defeated rivals for … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: On Cheney, Limbaugh And The GOP