Your daily dose of civil rights and related news The US Supreme Court is asking for briefs on whether it should rehear the Kennedy v. Louisiana death penalty case. The Court's decision, which outlawed the use of capital punishment for child rape, had a factual inaccuracy in that it claimed that the US military did not allow such punishment. In a reversal, the V.A. will … [Read more...] about Civil Rights Roundup: 09/09/08
(Updated) Sarah Palin’s Incredible Lightness Of Being: The Revelations Continue To Roll In
In Part One, we learned that Sarah Palin has taken stands opposite John McCain on open government and sex education, feuds with members of her extended family, lies about little things as well as big things, has never expressed a conviction on a major issue, there is a concerted effort to quash an investigation in which she is accused of firing a political enemy, she attends a … [Read more...] about (Updated) Sarah Palin’s Incredible Lightness Of Being: The Revelations Continue To Roll In
The Palin Effect: American Idol?
IMAGE FROM THE MCCAIN STORE/SPAULDING GROUP My "ultra-conservative till since the Great Wall" (his words) neighbor unveiled his new bumper sticker this morning to me. "Sarah all the way, baby!", he exclaimed with a big grin on his face. "What happened to McCain?", I asked. His reply: McCain who? All my wife and I see is Sarah Palin. She can run with Donald Duck for … [Read more...] about The Palin Effect: American Idol?
Polls: McCain Palin Winning Strong Support From Independent And Women Voters
Polls now show that Republican Presidential nominee Sen. John McCain and his Vice Presidential running mate Gov. Sarah Palin are winning the crucial battles for independent and women voters -- big-time. The polls show Democratic Presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama is not just sagging in these areas but politically bleeding -- and losing the support of some … [Read more...] about Polls: McCain Palin Winning Strong Support From Independent And Women Voters
A Conservative’s Three-Point Case Against Sarah Palin
[My 9/10/08 update to this post can be found here.] I was puzzled last week when two of my bosses and one of my friends -- all very conservative, intelligent, and successful people -- chastised me for doubting Sarah Palin. They said I was not giving her credit for her administrative talents and accomplishments. I was open-minded. I gave their arguments due … [Read more...] about A Conservative’s Three-Point Case Against Sarah Palin
Jobs’ Appearance at Let’s Rock Signals a Healthy Apple
Fortune quotes analyst Gene Munster, suggesting his appearance at Let's Rock signals Steve Jobs must be feeling better: In a note to clients Monday, Munster doesn’t claim to have any inside information about the health of Apple’s (AAPL) CEO, who had a cancerous tumor removed from his pancreas in 2004 (see “The trouble with Steve Jobs“). At his last public appearance in June … [Read more...] about Jobs’ Appearance at Let’s Rock Signals a Healthy Apple
New US President’s Nightmare: Fannie, Freddie & The Economy
The US federal government's takeover of mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac not only "exposes the worst possible face of capitalism, one where a taxpayer guarantee is substituted for the old adage of buyer beware", but also indicates the tough financial challenges ahead for the new president of America. Whether it is Obama or McCain, whoever makes it to the … [Read more...] about New US President’s Nightmare: Fannie, Freddie & The Economy
Newspaper: U.S. Forces to Withdraw from Iraq’s ‘Cities, Villages and Towns’ By 2009 – From Iraq’s Al-Sabaah
According to this report from Iraq's Al-Sabaah, an anonymous source from Iraq's leading political party, the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council, has revealed to the newspaper that a clause in the new Status of Forces Agreement with the United States, which the U.S. is expected to respond to within the next 24 hours, reads: "U.S. combat forces will withdraw from all cities, … [Read more...] about Newspaper: U.S. Forces to Withdraw from Iraq’s ‘Cities, Villages and Towns’ By 2009 – From Iraq’s Al-Sabaah
Sarah Palin & Others Who Raised Hackles
When Indira Gandhi (photo above) was a candidate for the post of prime minister in India she was harshly described as a "dumb doll' by even the strong men in her powerful party. Later, when Gandhi ruled with an iron hand she was described by her detractors and admirers as the "only man in her Cabinet of Ministers"! The Times takes a look at the top women leaders with … [Read more...] about Sarah Palin & Others Who Raised Hackles
When we win
You don't want to miss Ariel Levy's New Yorker profile of Cindy McCain: When I travelled with the campaign in late spring, I asked the McCains, who were seated on the curved banquette at the back of the Straight Talk Express, how they imagined Cindy’s role as First Lady might affect her humanitarian work. “I think some of her travels might be curtailed,” Senator McCain, who … [Read more...] about When we win
The Republican National Convention Reprised
RJ Matson, Roll Call … [Read more...] about The Republican National Convention Reprised
The RNC’s Two Americas: Small towns vs. big cities
In speech after speech at last week's RNC, Republicans argued that one of Sarah Palin's virtues as a candidate is her upbringing in a small town. It was a way for voters to connect with her and at the same time provided an opportunity to attack Obama for the cardinal sin of being too "cosmopolitan" (a phrase uttered without irony by the former mayor of one of the biggest cities … [Read more...] about The RNC’s Two Americas: Small towns vs. big cities
Iraq Would Be a Fool to Refuse America’s ‘Outstretched Hand’: Azzaman of Iraq
Once again we have an article by that inimitable columnist from Iraq's Kitabat newspaper, Khadir Taahar. Taahar is responsible for previous articles we have translated, such as 'The American CIA:'Defender of Humanity'; 'Security Deal With America is Iraq's 'Opportunity of a Lifetime'; 'Teheran 'Infiltrating' and 'Poisoning' Iraqi Culture!; Iraqi Shiites! Stand Up and Reject … [Read more...] about Iraq Would Be a Fool to Refuse America’s ‘Outstretched Hand’: Azzaman of Iraq
Trig Paxson Van Palin: The Child Safely Arrived
Todd and Sarah Palin have named their little guy Trig, which according to the family, is a Norse word meaning "true" and "brave victory:" The name is in honor of his great uncle, a Bristol Bay fisherman. The name Paxson comes from a snowmobiling area in Alaska which the Palins cherish. If this little boy's names are an indication of his family's hopes for him, their … [Read more...] about Trig Paxson Van Palin: The Child Safely Arrived
The Smart/Shrewd Divide
After eight years of obstinate stupidity in the White House, the change voters should want most is a combination of common sense and common decency. "You can't beat brains," JFK used to say, but this year's debate has somehow been shifted to a mistrust of intelligence--at first by Hillary Clinton's attacks on Barack Obama as naïve, followed by John McCain's claims of wisdom … [Read more...] about The Smart/Shrewd Divide
It’s Football Season!
OK, time for a politics-free discussion. I love football - all levels of it. In my hometown of Maryville, Tennessee our high school team has won 63 games in a row and roughly 111 out of the last 112. They've won 4 straight Tennessee 4A state championships, and 7 of the last 8. Yeah, you could say Maryville High School is pretty good. ESPN ranks them 7th best in the country at … [Read more...] about It’s Football Season!
Sarah Palin Goes to Kuwait
CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait -(July 28, 2007) During her recent visit to Kuwait, Gov. Sarah Palin discussed Alaska issues with Staff Sgt. Duane Middleton at an Army dining facility. The governor was visiting Alaska Army National Guard Soldiers stationed in Kuwait. Middleton is a member of 3rd Battalion, 297th Infantry, and lives in Wasilla, Alaska. (The legend of this photo reads a … [Read more...] about Sarah Palin Goes to Kuwait
Governor Sarah Palin: This is Wasilla
An Iraq War Veteran’s View of The Republican Convention
In part as a response to vicious reports that “Democrats had desecrated” American flags at Invesco Field, I wrote, “The U.S. Flag: America’s Symbol, or Political Football?” There I said, While, at worst, it appears that the manner in which one or two individuals handled the thousands of flags, left for pickup or for storage at a shipping dock at Invesco Field, may not … [Read more...] about An Iraq War Veteran’s View of The Republican Convention
Civil Rights Roundup: 09/08/08
Your daily dose of civil rights and related news Hopefully, the Senate will fast track the passage of the ADA when it returns from recess. Students registering to vote on college campuses is confusing registrars. The DOJ is widening its investigation after an Asian student with perfect SAT scores was rejected from Princeton University. The student says that he was … [Read more...] about Civil Rights Roundup: 09/08/08