After tomorrow, Denver becomes a one-newspaper town for the first time in 150 years. It has been a two newspaper town all my life. The closing of the Rocky Mountain News with one day's notice to employees, is a historical moment in more ways than one... one for crassness, one for sorrow. We all hoped it would not happen. We saw her, a big and venerable ship called The Rocky … [Read more...] about A Great Ship, The Rocky Mountain News Signaled SOS: Scripps-Owners Said No Help. Tomorrow is Last Edition
Afghanistan: McCain vs. Kissinger
Within the space of 24 hours, both men have elaborated their thoughts on how to turn around the war in Afghanistan. In short, they disagree. As a former McCain staffer, I'm no impartial judge, but I think I can make a pretty compelling case for why McCain's approach is better. The foundation of McCain's approach is the core principle of counterinsurgency doctrine: secure … [Read more...] about Afghanistan: McCain vs. Kissinger
Blagojevich Got Ronald Burris’ Son A Job
There's that icky phrase: "It doesn't pass the smell test." Icky phrase alert: the latest story involving beset Illinois Sen. Ronald Burris' political saga doesn't seem to pass the smell test. In fact, gas masks may well be in order. In case you've been on Mars, Burris has been literally clinging to power despite eyebrow raising stories about him and impeached former … [Read more...] about Blagojevich Got Ronald Burris’ Son A Job
Pressing Forward With The People’s Voice
Former PLO cabinet minister Sari Nusseibeh, and former Shin Bet chief Ami Ayalon, have forwarded a peace plan that they call The People's Voice. It is very good. Are there things I would quibble with? Yes, of course. But they are not sufficient such that I would have any hesitation in voting for it, were it up to me. Indeed, I would say they are not sufficient so as to justify … [Read more...] about Pressing Forward With The People’s Voice
Employee ‘Free Choice’ Act
I have previously posted about my concerns regarding the Employee Free Choice Act. One of my major concerns is the fact that, if the proposal is adopted, there would no longer be secret ballots to determine if a union would be organized in the workplace or not. The sponsors of the union would simply have to get a majority of workers to sign a card saying they want a union. … [Read more...] about Employee ‘Free Choice’ Act
WERC: They Have To Be Kidding !
Earlier today I was listening to one of the better local talk shows, the Armstrong and Getty show when they discussed an e-mail they had received from a listener in Portland, Oregon. The subject of the e-mail was the fact that the union to which the listener belonged had announced to its members that they 'would be supporting' the WERC campaign. There was no debate or … [Read more...] about WERC: They Have To Be Kidding !
On Trip to Asia, Clinton Hits All the Right Notes: The Hankyoreh, South Korea
Reports on Hillary Clinton's Asia trip are almost universally positive - including this editorial from The Hankyoreh of South Korea. But what The Hankyoreh counts as a virtue, many people in this country, particularly human human rights activists, see as a monumental disappointment. The editorial says in part: "Clinton brought up nothing to make the nations she visited … [Read more...] about On Trip to Asia, Clinton Hits All the Right Notes: The Hankyoreh, South Korea
U.S. and E.U. Pressure Spells End of Swiss Bank Secrecy: Nachrichten of Switzerland
The Swiss are up in arms today because of the fear that the IRS - along with the European Union - is about to put an end to legendary Swiss bank secrecy. Who among us hasn’t seen films or TV programs that featured this most prized commodity - a secret Swiss bank account? Well that may all be over soon. The issue causing the controversy is that UBS, Switzerland's largest bank, … [Read more...] about U.S. and E.U. Pressure Spells End of Swiss Bank Secrecy: Nachrichten of Switzerland
Drilling Down on the Budget
Today, in "Obama Plans Major Shifts in Spending" the New York Times reports that: President Obama’s new budget blueprint estimates a stunning deficit of $1.75 trillion for the current fiscal year, which began five months ago, then lays out a wrenching change of course as he seeks to finance his own priorities while stanching the flow of red ink. Then, in a set of … [Read more...] about Drilling Down on the Budget
A Decision On Our Fallen Heroes When They Return Home
I have been writing about the pending decision by the Obama administration on whether to permit media access to our returning fallen heroes when they touch American soil at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. At the White House daily press briefing, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, had this to say about that just a few minutes ago [I hope I copied it all correctly]: The … [Read more...] about A Decision On Our Fallen Heroes When They Return Home
A Day Late And A Dollar Short
It wasn't that I didn't want to report on President Obama's speech Tuesday night. I did. My computer crashed: A sinister approach to silence chatter in the blogosphere. Up and running today (Thursday Feb. 26), I browsed through the usual cast of websites and learned the speech has legs. People are still ruminating about it and the response from Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal … [Read more...] about A Day Late And A Dollar Short
Study Supports Obama Health Savings Plan
President Barack Obama's budget plans announced Thursday to reduce health care costs by $634 billion through savings to expand medical insurance coverage seems partially supported in a report being published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The study found that the government is paying twice as much for treating a patient in Miami as in San Francisco. The dramatic … [Read more...] about Study Supports Obama Health Savings Plan
When They Come for Your Guns
An unsettling sign from the Obama Administration this week in the form of statements made by Attorney General Eric Holder. It seems that the specter of the assault rifle ban may be coming round again. The Obama administration will seek to reinstate the assault weapons ban that expired in 2004 during the Bush administration, Attorney General Eric Holder said today. "As … [Read more...] about When They Come for Your Guns
Obama’s Nuclear Leadership Opportunity
The Truman National Security Project bills itself as "the nation's only organization that recruits, trains, and positions a new generation of progressives across America to lead on national security." The following essay (the first in a series for TMV) is from Robin Walker, a Project fellow. As with other "guest voice" posts, this and future contributions from the Truman … [Read more...] about Obama’s Nuclear Leadership Opportunity
Oops! Blago Did A BIG Favor For Burris
Chicago Sun-Times: BURRIS' SON GOT STATE JOB FROM BLAGO The son of embattled Sen. Roland Burris is a federal tax deadbeat who landed a $75,000-a-year state job under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich five months ago, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned. Blagojevich's administration hired Roland W. Burris II as a senior counsel for the state's housing authority Sept. 10 -- about … [Read more...] about Oops! Blago Did A BIG Favor For Burris
Kenneth the Page Responds to Bobby Jindal
Joe warned that Bobby Jindal was headed for trouble if comedians latched on to his poor performance following Obama's Tuesday address, and it looks like the comparisons to the "Kenneth the Page" character from NBC's 30 Rock aren't going away. Here's "Kenneth" responding to the comparisons: … [Read more...] about Kenneth the Page Responds to Bobby Jindal
Who Said What About the President’s Address to the Nation?
The President gave his first Address to the Nation before a Joint Session of Congress Tuesday night. Politicians, journalists, pundits, bloggers, etc. have all by now expressed their opinions on, and done their analyses of the address. My opinion of the speech is really not that important---albeit the readers of my posts can probably guess that I thought the speech was … [Read more...] about Who Said What About the President’s Address to the Nation?
Taxing Illusions
President Obama's proposed federal budget features a dramatic change in the tax code of this country. In the Bush years the aim was to ease the tax burden of the richest Americans, those making more than $250,000, leaving the rest of us with a greater burden when it comes to keeping the federal government fiscally afloat. Under Obama's proposals upper income people would be … [Read more...] about Taxing Illusions
Catching Up With CPAC Underway In DC
This year's CPAC is underway in Washington, DC. There will be a number of high-profile speakers and the topic is sure to focus on the new direction for the GOP during their period in the Beltway wilderness. While the mainstream press will doubtless provide plenty of coverage, for a more personal touch I would suggest stopping by Hot Air for a series of live broadcasts with … [Read more...] about Catching Up With CPAC Underway In DC
US Financial Crisis: Crime & Punishment
Some excellent articles have appeared in the recent weeks to help people understand the magnitude, gravity and the implications of the current financial crisis. I recommend a recent post by William K. Black on this subject in the Huffington Post. See here. Black makes an interesting analysis of the biggest white collar crime the world has witnessed, and which has pushed the … [Read more...] about US Financial Crisis: Crime & Punishment