I don't think his approval ratings ever dropped low enough to call this a second honeymoon, but Obama's non-State of the Union on Tuesday boosted his job approval ratings back near all-time highs. Overall, his approval went from 59% before to 67% after—a respectable jump. But the most interesting result from the Gallup survey was the change in Republican support: … [Read more...] about Obama Wins Back Republicans
‘You Think It’s Bad Here in the US of A?’
A few days ago, ELROD posted an interesting and eye-opening article, the opening sentence of which was "You think it’s bad here in the US of A?" The article, "Eastern Europe is Broke," was about the dire financial straits many of the nations of Eastern Europe find themselves in today, after several years of "astonishing growth." ELROD refers to this as phenomenon as "Oh, … [Read more...] about ‘You Think It’s Bad Here in the US of A?’
[Updated] Obama Administration to Boycott Durban II Due to Anti-Semitism
From JTA: The Obama administration has decided to boycott the so-called Durban II conference out of concerns for anti-Semitism. Multiple sources on a conference call with the White House on Friday told JTA that the Obama administration had opted not to attend any further preparatory meetings ahead of the planned U.N. conference against racism in Geneva in April. The … [Read more...] about [Updated] Obama Administration to Boycott Durban II Due to Anti-Semitism
Pay Raise Parity With the Military, While in a War?
The President's 2010 proposed budget calls for a 2 percent pay raise cap for federal civilian workers and a 2.9 percent pay raise cap for our military. Well, it seems that all hell has broken lose with some federal employees unions. Some federal employees and unions are unhappy about, according to the Washington Post, "The lack of movement toward closing the pay gap … [Read more...] about Pay Raise Parity With the Military, While in a War?
And Now Introducing: The Toilet Paper Police
Environmentalists (and I am one of them on many issues) are now on a roll. Americans are now being criticized for their toilet paper use, but perhaps most Americans will turn the other cheek: The tenderness of the delicate American buttock is causing more environmental devastation than the country's love of gas-guzzling cars, fast food or McMansions, according to green … [Read more...] about And Now Introducing: The Toilet Paper Police
Alison Des Forges: A Legendary American Woman
Last week when a commuter plane crashed in icy weather near Buffalo, New York, a tiny American lady with silver hair was among 50 people killed. Mrs Alison Des Forges, 66, was a rare scholar and human rights activist. She had issued a timely warning of the massacre in Rwanda, that later turned into one of the biggest modern genocides. As it is there are few outsiders who … [Read more...] about Alison Des Forges: A Legendary American Woman
Los Alamitos Mayor Quits Over White House Watermelon Patch Email
Sometimes someone does something so incredibly dumb that you wonder: don't they have any SENSE?? It's something that goes beyond being PC. Something that even a can of ravioli sitting on a shelf in Von's supermarket in San Diego would look at and say: "How could someone be so dense? Doesn't he have any sense?" The AP reports that the Mayor of the small California city of … [Read more...] about Los Alamitos Mayor Quits Over White House Watermelon Patch Email
On Bank Assets
In a recent post, Patrick mentioned some proposals that have been floating around that supposedly would help the banks. One of them is to suspend "mark to market" accounting, which comes from the idea that a lot of the assets at the banks only look so bad because of overreaction. This meme has actually been around for about two years now (it first cropped up when the banks were … [Read more...] about On Bank Assets
Hamas is Not the Answer
By Peter Henne, Truman National Security Project Peter Henne is currently a doctoral candidate in International Relations at Georgetown University. His research focuses on transnational terrorism and the role of religion in political violence. He was previously a Senior Consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton, where he worked on issues involving counterterrorism, Middle Eastern … [Read more...] about Hamas is Not the Answer
LMAO
Hat tip: Matt Yglesias … [Read more...] about LMAO
Consolation for Jindal
In light of the kind words I had for Bobby Jindal earlier in the week, I thought I should weigh in on his response to the President's address. It hurts to say it, but the speech was awful. It was a lost opportunity of epic proportions, unequaled since... Bill Clinton's awful nomination speech at the 1988 Democratic Convention. The speech was so long and so boring that the … [Read more...] about Consolation for Jindal
The Bush Years’ Debt Legacy
On Public Radio this morning an economist gave forth with some frightening numbers about this country private debt—credit card and home and business debt, not the public government variety. This private debt load was equal to about 50 percent of GDP in 2000 but had grown to 100 percent of GDP by 2007. And when was the last time private debt was 100 percent of GDP? "1929," said … [Read more...] about The Bush Years’ Debt Legacy
Limbaugh v. Reason: A Four-Line Play
RALPH WALDO EMERSON Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist. RUSH LIMBAUGH Be a man all you want, but if you're non-conforming to my opinion, I don’t want to hear from you ever again. KEVIN MCCARTHY, chairman of the '08 Republican Platform Committee, citing the platform's preamble As the party of ideas, rather than a mere coalition of interests, we consider … [Read more...] about Limbaugh v. Reason: A Four-Line Play
Conservatism’s Path Out of the Wilderness
With CPAC in full swing, much of the focus has been on examining the root causes of the electoral trip to the woodshed which the Republicans took in the 2006 and 2008 elections. In the usual fashion, it's expected that if you can determine what you did wrong last time you will hopefully avoid those mistakes in the future and improve your prospects. Yesterday, at Pajamas Media, … [Read more...] about Conservatism’s Path Out of the Wilderness
The Great Republican Fear Machine Backfires
By SHAUN MULLEN GUEST VOICE Fear has been the Republican Party's greatest weapon, and notably so during the Age of Bush: Fear of people with funny names and skin colors. Fear of people who do not worship a Christian God. Fear of people who are not red-blooded Americans. Fear of people who don't spout patriotic slogans or wear American flag lapel pins. But now the screw has … [Read more...] about The Great Republican Fear Machine Backfires
Class Warfare
Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Class Warfare
Some Thoughts For Rachel Maddow
Although I do not always agree with her I do enjoy watching Rachel Maddow on MSNBC from time to time. I find her clever and often entertaining but sometimes I think she goes a bit over edge in her criticism of those she disagrees with and since she likes to call people when they step over the line I see no reason to not do the same with her. On some of her recent shows she … [Read more...] about Some Thoughts For Rachel Maddow
Celebrating Femme Fatales Of Yesteryears
Ever wondered why the de riguer femme fatales of yesteryears' movies have almost vanished from the screen. Some believe the dearth of old-style glamour could be one reason. Others think women were avid cinema-goers in the Forties, and maybe later, and these remarkable roles of vamps were created to spark their fantasies. Next month sees a monster celebration of the femme … [Read more...] about Celebrating Femme Fatales Of Yesteryears
Jumping on Jindal
Among other Changes that Barack Obama advocates is a return to civility in American politics, but this week the media and the politicians who feed it failed to get the memo in piling on Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal for his rebuttal to the President's Congressional speech. Ineffectual and lame (my word) as it was, the outpouring of invective over Jindal's effort has prompted … [Read more...] about Jumping on Jindal
Obama Speaks
Eric Allie, Caglecartoons.com This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Obama Speaks