I am a Catholic for all my life. Not 'a recovering Catholic.' But, 'a discovering Catholic,' with roots deep in old ethnic traditions. Watching and attempting to understand all the Vatican's decisions over all these years, is like reading a Gothic novel with every third page torn out. Little or no sunshine until a matter is a fait accompli, or as in this case, a fait … [Read more...] about Pope Benedict XVI and the Benedict Arnold of the Church: Bishop Williamson
More About That Alleged $10 Laptop
The one I mentioned the other day. It's not $10. And not a laptop: There's a reason that India's $10 Sakshat computer is just $10. It does almost nothing. What we thought would be a humming notebook equipped with Wi-Fi and 2GB RAM turns out to be little more than a box with sockets -- no keyboard, no monitor. The Sakshat is a 10"x5" plastic box which, despite an official … [Read more...] about More About That Alleged $10 Laptop
Selling the Stimulus: How Republican Spin Is Dominating the Narrative, and What Democrats Need To Do To Fight Back
Yesterday, my friend Creature noted that public support for the current economic stimulus plan has fallen to 37 percent, attributing this decline to "the failure of Democrats to get their message out." Ryan Avent, linking to Steve Benen, made the same point over at Yglesias's place: "[C]onservatives are winning the public relations battle, and as a result, public support for … [Read more...] about Selling the Stimulus: How Republican Spin Is Dominating the Narrative, and What Democrats Need To Do To Fight Back
Separating the Serious from the Unserious Opposition
I've written often in comments here at TMV that much of the Republican Party's opposition to the "pork" in the stimulus bill is offered in bad faith. I say this for two reasons: 1) Most of these Congressmen voted for the Medicare Prescription Drug and Modernization Act in 2003. This was the largest expansion in entitlements since LBJ. Nobody who approved this legislation can … [Read more...] about Separating the Serious from the Unserious Opposition
Democrats Need To Be Ali, Not Tyson
Reading Publius' post on Republican priorities got me thinking about how the meta narrative for the Republican party is so much different than for the Democrats, and how the Democrats are failing to appreciate it. The gist of his post was that the stimulus is going to help millions of people, and the Republicans are obstructing it by objecting to pieces that are (largely) good … [Read more...] about Democrats Need To Be Ali, Not Tyson
SCOTUS: Justice Ginsburg Having Surgery Today for Pancreatic Cancer
MSNBC just announced that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is having surgery in NYC today for early-stage pancreatic cancer. She is 75 years old. AP via Washington Post: Ginsburg Is Hospitalized With Pancreatic Cancer … [Read more...] about SCOTUS: Justice Ginsburg Having Surgery Today for Pancreatic Cancer
Economy-Killing Wall Street Bonuses
Americans are furious about Wall Street bonuses. They believe these rewards are massively excessive, undeserved, and in the current economic environment totally inappropriate. All true. But what should really be getting people angry is that these bonuses in large measure are responsible for this country's present economic woes. The size of Wall Street bonuses have long … [Read more...] about Economy-Killing Wall Street Bonuses
Shinseki Steps Up To The Plate
I have consistently applauded Obama's selection of General Eric Shinseki to head the Department of Veterans Affairs. When he was selected, I posted his gracious words of acceptance, in which he said in part: A word to my fellow veterans: If confirmed, I will work each and every day to ensure that we are serving you as well as you have served us. We will pursue a … [Read more...] about Shinseki Steps Up To The Plate
Will the Military be Half-Machine by 2015?
How many times do sentient killer robots have to turn against and enslave the human race in science fiction books and films before we realize that building killer sentient robots is generally not a good idea? The guy quoted in this article thinks half the U.S. military will be "half machine, half human" by 2015. Haven't the people working on this technology watched The Matrix? … [Read more...] about Will the Military be Half-Machine by 2015?
Stimulus Fine Tuning: The Way It Should Be Done
From a Tribune Co. report, this passage seems to signal the most reasonable and promising path forward: [Obama] met Wednesday with two Senate Republicans and a Democrat considered to be key moderates: Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, both Maine Republicans, and Sen. Ben Nelson, a Nebraska Democrat. The three are part of a group of senators seeking to "scrub" the … [Read more...] about Stimulus Fine Tuning: The Way It Should Be Done
Google Latitude: Cool or Scary ?
The folks at Google have unveiled their latest application and my own reaction to it has shifted between an initial 'Wow how cool is that' to a bit of 'Gee that might be a bit creepy'. At this point I am still not sure which side of the internal mental debate will win but I thought it worth a debate. The system is called Latitude and is a system to allow users to keep track … [Read more...] about Google Latitude: Cool or Scary ?
Salary Cap For Executives
Patrick Chappatte, The International Herald Tribune This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. … [Read more...] about Salary Cap For Executives
Bonfire of the Vanities 2009
When Tom Wolfe dramatized the Age of Greed in the 1980s, his novel satirizing the downfall of a Wall Street Master of the Universe was not taken as prophecy, but reality is overtaking his art. Now David Brooks, the New York Times pop sociologist in residence, is declaring that "after the TARP, the auto bailout, the stimulus package, the Fed rescue packages and various other … [Read more...] about Bonfire of the Vanities 2009
Time to Roast Chicken Little-ism
Much needs to be done to right the US economy. Democrats and Republicans seem to agree on the need for stimulus, though not on the means for doing it. Unemployment is still too high. Solvent banks need to make loans. Corporate executives need to be reined in. Government money can't be doled out like penny candy. Unemployment insurance and Medicaid monies need to be available. … [Read more...] about Time to Roast Chicken Little-ism
A Conservative Take on Health Care Reform
I've told this story a few times, but I will tell it again: In November of 1996, I fell ill. It started as a flu which became pnuemonia and then a massive infection. The end result was that I was in the hospital for two weeks as they tried to get the infection under control. At the time, I didn't have health insurance. I was 27 and working for a coffee chain that did … [Read more...] about A Conservative Take on Health Care Reform
What Honeybee Insurance???
Kevin Drum noticed that Neil Cavuto has been carrying on for the past week about an item in the stimulus package. Cavuto calls it honeybee insurance: Mitch McConnell and David Vitter have joined in on the Senate floor to mock this disgraceful waste of taxpayer money. It's shocking! Now, you will be unsurprised to learn that the program in question isn't honeybee insurance at … [Read more...] about What Honeybee Insurance???
Quote Of The Day: Obama Let Guard Down And Is Losing Stimulus Fight To GOP
Our political Quote of the Day comes from Washington Post columnist E. J. Dionne, Jr. who details how President Barack Obama has begun quickly losing the stimulus fight to a defeated GOP: The irony of President Barack Obama's Blue Tuesday is that the wall-to-wall television interviews he granted were designed not to apologize for Tom Daschle's fall from grace but to fight … [Read more...] about Quote Of The Day: Obama Let Guard Down And Is Losing Stimulus Fight To GOP
The Goverati
Dr. Mark Drapeau writing at Read/WriteWeb has a piece today on Government 2.0: the rise of the goverati. What is the goverati? It is made up of people with first-hand knowledge of how the government operates, who understand how to use social software to accomplish a variety of government missions, and who want to use that knowledge for the benefit of all. The goverati … [Read more...] about The Goverati
What Would You Do ?
Every once in a while a program comes on to television that really catches your eye. In a world full of reality shows and numerous versions of American Idol, it is not often that you find one that tests you with some really good social commentary and observations on society. Well one new show that I think does this quite well is an ABC program called "What Would You Do … [Read more...] about What Would You Do ?
New Rule For Presidential Appointments
On the campaign trails and during the debates, presidential candidate Barack Obama argued the power of lobbyists had to be curbed and the Washington political culture changed. I said at the time, and I quote myself accurately, "lotsa luck, fella." Nary a honeymoon, not the first 100 days, but just 15 short days into his new administration, President Obama finds himself … [Read more...] about New Rule For Presidential Appointments