By SHAUN MULLEN GUEST VOICE The biggest news last week passed below the radar of a mainstream media obsessed with the stories of the moment -- Barack Obama's 100th day in office and the swine flu outbreak, which of course included Joe Biden's diagnosis of hoof-and-mouth disease. Well, the feared global pandemic seems to not be materializing, the vice president is incurable … [Read more...] about The State Secrets Privilege Power Grab: As Dubya Went So Goes Obama?
Some Notes On Symbols
Note to John McCain: if you're going to pluck someone out of the seething masses and hold him up as an icon in front of millions of people, you should vet that person first. Note to political parties in general: If you put someone forth as symbolic of your party and its values, people will -- for good or ill -- pay attention to him thereafter. Note to Republicans … [Read more...] about Some Notes On Symbols
Cinco de Mayo 2009
Mike Keefe, The Denver Post This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Cinco de Mayo 2009
It Has Never Been A Fight Between Republicans And Democrats
It appears rather strange that many people and commentators are fascinated by the implosion of the Republican Party as if it were necessary for a 2-party system or as a check on the power of unbridled Democratic control. If Republicans are now left with these two arguments, they are pretty well finished as a political party. Viewing recent attempts at reforming the … [Read more...] about It Has Never Been A Fight Between Republicans And Democrats
Gayphobia in Stereo
1. You know what?? Carrie Prejean is a mindless wind-up doll who repeats "God doesn't like gay marriage, but he loves breast implants!" as many times as you pull her chain. … [Read more...] about Gayphobia in Stereo
Hacker Holds Virginia Patient Data Hostage
The ransom note: "I have your [expletive] In *my* possession, right now, are 8,257,378 patient records and a total of 35,548,087 prescriptions. Also, I made an encrypted backup and deleted the original. Unfortunately for Virginia, their backups seem to have gone missing, too. Uhoh :(For $10 million, I will gladly send along the password." The hacked Virginia Prescription … [Read more...] about Hacker Holds Virginia Patient Data Hostage
Quote of The Day: Joe Scarborough On The Politics Of Partisan Hate
Our political Quote of the Day comes from former Republican Congressman and MSNBC talk show host Joe Scarborough who had this to say: In an appearance Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press, Scarborough offered Ronald Reagan as a model of temperamental moderation, saying, “We need to be conservative, but like Reagan. … We can’t scare little kids.” On his own MSNBC program the … [Read more...] about Quote of The Day: Joe Scarborough On The Politics Of Partisan Hate
Obama Plan To Close Tax Loopholes And Halt Tax Havens Gets Frosty Business Reception
President Obama sent what the Christian Science Monitor called a shudder through corporate America with his announcement that he wants to move on a key campaign promise and close tax loopholes and scuttle foreign tax havens. Here's Obama's announcement via an AP video that allows embedding posted on You Tube: Here's how progressive talker Ed Schultz frames it on his … [Read more...] about Obama Plan To Close Tax Loopholes And Halt Tax Havens Gets Frosty Business Reception
‘Tropical Napoleon’ Melts Before Obama’s ‘Empire’: El Tiempo of Colombia
In an interesting juxtaposition to the article we posted yesterday from Venezuela entitled, President Chavez 'Puts Early End' to Honeymoon with Obama, and in line with another article we posted from that country headlined, Obama is No 'Black in Chavez' Pocket', this article by Alexander Cambero of Colombia's El Tiempo lambastes Hugo Chavez as a 'Tropical Napoleon' laid low by … [Read more...] about ‘Tropical Napoleon’ Melts Before Obama’s ‘Empire’: El Tiempo of Colombia
Michael Steele’s Phony Hospitality
Back in January, there were many people who hoped that Michael Steele would become the next chairman of the GOP. He had worked on the centrist Republican Leadership Council and had made some pledges to work hard to include moderates in the party. Five months later, I now see the former Lt. Governor of Maryland as a joke. Instead of standing up for moderates, he has caved … [Read more...] about Michael Steele’s Phony Hospitality
Glimmers of Economic Hope—Growing Brighter
This is the third or fourth (who is counting when you are on a roll?) in my "call-me-naïve" series on hope and optimism for our economy. WARNING: For professional and reliable economic and financial information and advice—albeit probably very depressing—please consult the real experts, here or elsewhere. For rumors and "wishful" thinking on how our economy is failing, … [Read more...] about Glimmers of Economic Hope—Growing Brighter
US Government Drops Spy Case Targeting AIPACers
Details here. For a solid look at the case's background, go here. Both pieces are the good work of Eli Lake. Cross-posted at Conventional Folly … [Read more...] about US Government Drops Spy Case Targeting AIPACers
How The Republicans Can Learn From David Cameron’s British Conservative Party (Guest Voice)
How The Republicans Can Learn From David Cameron’s British Conservative Party by Dalitso Njolinjo The world of Anglo-American politics can be a funny place indeed. In the space of 14 years we have seen the British Conservative Party struggle for it’s political life and social relevance while conservatism in the United States was gaining a second wind through the … [Read more...] about How The Republicans Can Learn From David Cameron’s British Conservative Party (Guest Voice)
Biden Forgets to Restore Science to its Rightful Place
On Sunday morning, the White House sent out its swine flu truth squad to hit all the major Sunday talk shows, including Meet the Press, This Week and Fox News Sunday. The truth squad was clearly desperate to avoid any questions about Joe Biden and his apocalyptic warning this week that no one should travel in trains or planes, lest they catch the swine flu. On Meet the … [Read more...] about Biden Forgets to Restore Science to its Rightful Place
Ignoring Local Politics at Our Own Risk
Former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill once famously opined: "All politics is local." In my latest commentary for St. Louis' NPR affiliate, I voice a nagging concern that too many of us (including me) have forgotten the wisdom of Tip's counsel. … [Read more...] about Ignoring Local Politics at Our Own Risk
RNC Chairman Michael Steele: The Isis Crisis
Isis and Osiris are sister/brother gods from ancient Egypt. Every night, the evil god Set destroys Osiris, cutting him into pieces and scattering his parts over creation. Osiris's sister, Isis, searches for and puts all the parts back together again, so Osiris, the sun god, can rise anew the next morning. Something like that goes on with all of us too. Who hasn't needed a … [Read more...] about RNC Chairman Michael Steele: The Isis Crisis
Ashcroft and Gonzales Defend Torture Program
Dan Abrams of The Daily Beast interviewed first former AG John Ashcroft and second former AG Alberto Gonzales, and they told him that, although it may be torture now, it wasn't torture then, and besides, it worked: Judge Gonzales, I’m going to ask you a very direct question. And it relates to something you just said. Do you believe waterboarding is torture? AG: Here’s what … [Read more...] about Ashcroft and Gonzales Defend Torture Program
The Things That We Miss
No matter how old or young you may be, how many times have you remarked to a friend or just made a mental note to yourself, "Say... that looks interesting. I'll have to get back to that." I find this happens with things in a wide variety of categories, but mostly entertainment or casual study. There are television series, books, movies, plays and travel destinations which I … [Read more...] about The Things That We Miss
Obama’s Grandmother and End-of-Life Care
How much time on earth is enough? How good does it have to be? What price are we willing to pay for it? For decades, Americans have been debating when life begins, but now come the questions about the last days, as Barack Obama raises the hard fact that "those toward the end of their lives are accounting for potentially 80 percent of the total health care bill." As usual, … [Read more...] about Obama’s Grandmother and End-of-Life Care
Mortgaging the White House (Guest Voice)
Mortgaging the White House by Bill Moyers and Michael Winship Finally, [on Friday we were at the end of the] week of a hundred days. As everyone in the western world probably knows by now, this benchmark for assessing presidencies goes back to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who arrived at the White House in the depths of the Great Depression. In his first hundred days, FDR … [Read more...] about Mortgaging the White House (Guest Voice)