I wonder if anyone failed to see this coming? In one of the craziest elections in American history, he overcame a lack of experience, a funny name, two candidates who are political institutions and the racial divide to become the 44th President of the United States. I suppose I don't have a problem with this. I mean, in the end, who else was it going to be? Even if Obama … [Read more...] about Shocker: Time Names Obama Person of the Year
One Quarter Percent – Has the Fed Learned Nothing?!!
Earlier this year I showed how this entire credit crisis is the fault of the Federal Reserve due to their completely inept handling of interest rates as we came out of the last recession. See http://themoderatevoice.com/22860/guest-voice-the-federal-%e2%80%9canything-but%e2%80%9d-reserved-911-terrorists-strike-again/ . Now they are doing it again. How can we let them? Major … [Read more...] about One Quarter Percent – Has the Fed Learned Nothing?!!
Praise for Gay-Friendly Education Pick Arne Duncan
Following up on Pete's collection of praise, I'll add the NYTimes saying Arne Duncan is known for taking tough steps to improve schools while maintaining respectful ties with unions. And the WaPo that as chief executive of Chicago public schools, Arne Duncan has supported a range of measures to shake up the status quo in urban education, including new charter schools, … [Read more...] about Praise for Gay-Friendly Education Pick Arne Duncan
Equal Opportunity Ire
At the US News-hosted "Capital Commerce" blog, James Pethokoukis offers his list of "The 10 Dopiest Business and Economy Leaders of 2008," acknowledging that ... In a year when Wall Street imploded, the Big Three automakers neared collapse, and the economy plunged into its worst downturn in at least a generation, finding business and economy "leaders" who messed up badly … [Read more...] about Equal Opportunity Ire
Open Thread: Inking Up the Next Generation of Voters
The Pew Research Center, clearly having a lot more time on their hands now that the election has ended, released a study on people in various age groups who embrace "nontraditional appearance-altering practices." These modifications included tattoos, dying one's hair a nontraditional color and body piercings other than ear lobes. I found the results to be a bit surprising, … [Read more...] about Open Thread: Inking Up the Next Generation of Voters
Iraq Invents Weapon for Rulers that Lie: ‘The Nuclear Shoe!’: El Khabar, Algeria
Of the growing corpus of Arab reaction to the Iraqi shoe-attack on President Bush, this article from Algeria is one of the most intriguing yet. According to Abdelaziz Ghermoul of the newspaper El Khabar, the Iraqis have invented a new 'weapon' that is not only effective in combating the lies of foreign leaders like George W. Bush. If things go the way he predicts, Arab … [Read more...] about Iraq Invents Weapon for Rulers that Lie: ‘The Nuclear Shoe!’: El Khabar, Algeria
Putting Aside the Bible for a While
In my last year of seminary, I took a class where one of our assignments one evening was to debate the issue of slavery. Both sides used the Bible to justify their arguments. When the exercise was done, the professor told the side that was against slavery (the side I was on) that it was a losing battle to use the Bible in your argument since the other side could back up their … [Read more...] about Putting Aside the Bible for a While
The Ineffable Likability of Bush
His polling is among the worst of any president. He was used as a whipping post by all sides in the recent presidential election. And there are innumerable people, websites, and Facebook groups devoted to counting down his last days in office. In spite of all of this, in his final days as President of the United States, George W. Bush seems to be re-embracing and … [Read more...] about The Ineffable Likability of Bush
Gingrich Echoes McCain: Denounces RNC Obama Blagojevich Linkage Campaign
Here's yet another sign that some GOPers want their party -- for a while at least -- to move away from being the lock-step talk radio political culture party, indulging in mega partisan accusatory attacks at the drop of even the hint of a hat, before the hat's existence is even proven: former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has denounced the RNC's campaign that is attempting to … [Read more...] about Gingrich Echoes McCain: Denounces RNC Obama Blagojevich Linkage Campaign
First Face Transplant Performed In United States
If you live long enough anything can happen and now one of the things has: the first face transplant has been performed in the United States. Does this mean that politicians can get two-face transplants? … [Read more...] about First Face Transplant Performed In United States
Your Evening’s Radio Entertainment
Alert the media! This evening, at 8 pm eastern, I'll be raising a ruckus over at The Rick Moran Show where we will discuss a host of topics, most of which are sure to annoy me and peg the snark-o-meter into the red zone. Ed Morrissey and Doug Ross will also be joining in on the verbal jousting. Stop by for the online chat or call in with your own outrageous views. See you on … [Read more...] about Your Evening’s Radio Entertainment
Hillary Clinton To Supporters: Don’t Involve Me In Anti-Caroline Kennedy Senate Seat Drive
Incoming Obama administration Secretary of State Sen. Hillary Clinton has reportedly told some of her followers that she does not want her name used in their efforts to stop growing momentum for the appointment of Caroline Kennedy to serve out the remaining time on her Senate seat once she starts her new job. Apparently Clinton doesn't want to get enmeshed into the kind of … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton To Supporters: Don’t Involve Me In Anti-Caroline Kennedy Senate Seat Drive
The “Helicopter Drop” Has Begun
The Fed cut interest rates to effectively 0% today, but that really isn't important. The problem is that even though money is now (pretty much literally) free for banks to borrow and lend back out, they are having a hard time finding anyone that is a good credit risk and wants it. Even worse, they have to worry about all the existing debt starting to go bad, so creating new … [Read more...] about The “Helicopter Drop” Has Begun
Shoe
David Fitzsimmons, The Arizona Star … [Read more...] about Shoe
National Popular Vote (NPV) in Michigan and Georgia
The National Popular Vote (NPV) is a campaign encouraging states to enact legislation that would give their electoral votes to the presidential candidate who receives the most votes nationwide. That would ensure the candidate with the most popular votes nationally wins the election. The change will take place once states with at least 270 electoral votes, the minimum needed by … [Read more...] about National Popular Vote (NPV) in Michigan and Georgia
Quote Of The Day: Obama On Cleaning It Up
The Quote of The Day comes from President Elect Barack Obama: If they do their business, and you've got some poop, you don't just leave it there. Was Obama talking about the Bush administration's economic policies? Its policies involving the War in Iraq? Or about the Senate Seat For Sale Illinois Governor and the Gov's associates? Or is this a statement designed to … [Read more...] about Quote Of The Day: Obama On Cleaning It Up
Passing Out
Writing a blog takes on many fronts. For some, it is an ego trip. They thrust their view of life into cyberspace and pray for hits. Most seek confirmation for their myopic observations. Others simply seek attention for being outrageous. For me, it is writing down impressions on how I see the world around me. I try to be fair and see many issues from both sides of the … [Read more...] about Passing Out
The Greatest Excuse Ever—For Everything
When asked why $350 billion already spent on government bailouts had brought about no noticeable improvement in the economy, a Treasury official stated recently that things would have been worse if the Treasury had not acted as it did. When George Bush was recently asked how he summed up the war in Iraq, he said that had we not gotten rid of Saddam the world would certainly … [Read more...] about The Greatest Excuse Ever—For Everything
A Real 435 District Strategy
From former Governor Christine Todd Whitman: To fully understand the importance of centrist Republican candidates in the 2008 elections, it is important to take a look at the results of this year’s hard fought Republican primaries and see how these candidates performed in the general election. It is in primaries, after all, where the voters must choose the candidate … [Read more...] about A Real 435 District Strategy
Introductions and Overviews
Hello Good Readers, My name is Scott Payne and I'm happy to introduce myself as the newest author/contributor here at The Moderate Voice. You will be able to read my bio in the appropriate section before too long, but by way of introduction I'll give you a sense of who I am and what I hope to bring to the site. As you may have already deduced from some of my spelling … [Read more...] about Introductions and Overviews