The big controversy today raging in the old and news media was President Obama's handshake with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. It set off a major brou-ha-ha typical of modern politics: expressions of (what else?) outrage (the most prevalent form of 21st century politics, which is seemingly displacing perspective) from politicos and some bloggers. A charge is made then … [Read more...] about Were Obama And Chavez All Handshakes And Smiles?
Karl Rove Is A ‘Twitter Creep’ Says Meghan McCain
Senator John McCain's outspoken daughter Meghan McCain has characterized Karl Rove as a "Twitter Creep" -- yet one more step in her seeming evolution as a symbol of new generation voters and of Republicans who are not enamored of the GOP's Rove-Bush-talk-radio political culture. Or is it? Is this a case of like (blunt spoken) father like (blunt spoken) daughter? Or of a … [Read more...] about Karl Rove Is A ‘Twitter Creep’ Says Meghan McCain
Waterboarding “Guidelines” and CIA Prosecutions
Marcy Wheeler's Saturday piece reporting that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Abu Zubaydah were waterboarded a total of at least 266 times has caught a lot of well-deserved attention -- most notably from Scott Shane, who credited Marcy as the source for his article about the waterboarding in today's New York Times. … [Read more...] about Waterboarding “Guidelines” and CIA Prosecutions
Naive Questions About Healthcare Reform
My knowledge of our healthcare system is basically limited to my own experience as a patient. The actual health care has been quite good. But my experience with health insurance has been pretty awful, mostly because I've spent time at three universities and two different jobs over the past several years. Right now, I have insurance through COBRA, which means I still have … [Read more...] about Naive Questions About Healthcare Reform
Weird World: Where Every Budget-Cutting Gesture is Worthless
As of 5 p.m. CT, the Drudge Report had prominently labeled this AP item a "slap" against Obama's earlier-announced $100M cost-reduction effort. I recall (though haven't had time to go back and source) similarly snide dismissals of McCain's earmark-fixation. Running through both critiques is a common, wave-of-the-hand theme: "Posh. A drop in the bucket. Won't do any … [Read more...] about Weird World: Where Every Budget-Cutting Gesture is Worthless
9th Circuit Incorporates 2nd Amendment
In what is almost certainly going to result in a showdown at the US Supreme Court, the 9th Circuit Court Of Appeals has incorporated the 2nd amendment into the 14th amendment. In simple terms this is the first time that the 2nd amendment has been applied to limit the actions of an individual state, in this case the county of Alameda in the state of California. Without … [Read more...] about 9th Circuit Incorporates 2nd Amendment
Labeled
Petar Pismestrovic, Kleine Zeitung, Austria This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Labeled
It Gets Worse Jazz … Rumor Has It Santa Isn’t Real
I have to admit I stunned by the sheer naivete it takes to find it a shocking revelation that Israel might have agents in the US. Why wouldn't they? I bet we have agents in Israel. And France and the UK and Germany and Japan for that matter (and vice versa). And I'm sure they have agents here as well. And sometimes the agents get caught, and get arrested or expelled or … [Read more...] about It Gets Worse Jazz … Rumor Has It Santa Isn’t Real
Thinking Outside The Box — Eliminate West Point
People who think outside the box are either nut cases or geniuses. Isaac Newton, Socrates, Leonardo daVinci, Henry Ford and Newt Gingrich come to mind. Now comes columnist and author Thomas Ricks with a proposal I'm uncertain jumps the shark. Ricks proposes elimination of West Point and other service academies to, uh, save money. The savings would expand ROTC … [Read more...] about Thinking Outside The Box — Eliminate West Point
Glimmers of Economic Hope vs. Pessimism Porn
It's 11 o'clock in the morning (PST). Do you know where your market averages are? Unlike with your children at 11 o' clock at night, you may not want to know the answer to the question about the markets. In keeping with my "optimalistic" outlook on our economy, I will not go there today. Suffice to say, our market averages presently are "down there," somewhere, not in … [Read more...] about Glimmers of Economic Hope vs. Pessimism Porn
Israeli Spies? We Don’t Know What You Mean…
Since so many other people are already piling on to the party, I won't spend too much time wondering why Jane Harmon was allegedly caught chatting up an Israeli spy, likely an associate of AIPAC. The question of the day for TMV readers is the following: what do all of these posts have in common? Harmon Recorded Making Deal With Israeli Agents Harman caught on wiretap … [Read more...] about Israeli Spies? We Don’t Know What You Mean…
Quote Of The Day: Texas Gov. Perry, Secession And The De-Mainstreaming Of The GOP
Our political Quote of the Day is more like "quotes" since Dick Polman gives us much to ponder and discuss as he looks at Texas Governor Rick Perry's talk about secession from the United States, how it was received in a Republican party that in the past would have marginalized and condemned such talk, and what it suggests about today's GOP. Polman begins this way: It's … [Read more...] about Quote Of The Day: Texas Gov. Perry, Secession And The De-Mainstreaming Of The GOP
Ten Years Ago: Columbine
We don't -- and won't -- forget the innocents who lost their lives. UPDATE: Meanwhile, some ponder the lessons of Columbine... … [Read more...] about Ten Years Ago: Columbine
Obama and Chavez: BFFs?
President Obama met the Tyrant Chavez at the Summit of the Americas on Friday -- you know, because both men are leaders of countries in the Americas -- and, according to Republican Senator John Ensign of Nevada, behaved irresponsibly by "laughing and joking" with him. Now, I have been a consistent and persistent critic of Hugo Chavez. As a liberal, I am opposed to all forms … [Read more...] about Obama and Chavez: BFFs?
Life and Death in the Google Age — Interview With Jeff Jarvis (Guest Interview)
Life and Death in the Google Age -- Interview With Jeff Jarvis b Bill Steigerwald Q: What does Google do and what’s so revolutionary about it? A: The idea behind the book was not so much to write a book about Google as about the changes in our world – and trying to figure them out by viewing them through the lens of Google’s success. I believe the changes in our world … [Read more...] about Life and Death in the Google Age — Interview With Jeff Jarvis (Guest Interview)
Norm Coleman As The Black Knight
RJ Matson, Roll Call This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Norm Coleman As The Black Knight
Missed the Sunday Talk Shows? Not to Worry.
Do you sometimes sleep in on Sunday morning after a busy Saturday night, or do other commitments and pleasures, such as church or golf---not necessarily in that order---make it hard for you to catch your favorite Sunday morning talk shows? Well, not to worry, over at The Huffington Post, Jason Linkins has got you covered. In his weekly "TV SoundOff: Sunday Talking Heads," … [Read more...] about Missed the Sunday Talk Shows? Not to Worry.
An Open Letter to Obama: Learn Your History, Sir! – La Jornada, Mexico
Venezuela President Hugo Chavez hands President Obama a book titled, Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent, at the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Trinidad & Tobago. How badly do Latin Americans want President Obama to understand the history of the United States in Latin America? In this 'Open Letter' to President Obama, Mexican columnist … [Read more...] about An Open Letter to Obama: Learn Your History, Sir! – La Jornada, Mexico
The Temptation of Sarah Palin
She has become a stereotypical figure--loved or reviled, depending on the beholder's politics--but the other day, for a brief moment, Sarah Palin let herself be seen as a human being with complicated emotions. The Alaska governor made news by telling a right-to-life meeting that, after learning of abnormalities in the child she was bearing last year, she had for "a fleeting … [Read more...] about The Temptation of Sarah Palin
The Case for Prosecution
Salon's Joan Walsh writes about the case for prosecution: The blogosphere has been charged with debate about impeaching Jay Bybee, the deputy attorney general whose name is on arguably the worst torture memo released last Thursday. Bruce Ackerman wrote a convincing case for impeaching Bybee on Friday; today the New York Times joined the cause with a fiery editorial: "These … [Read more...] about The Case for Prosecution