Your daily dose of civil rights and related news This is a theme I've been seeing a lot of lately: Immigrants being mistreated at detention centers. Obama continued to hit the responsibility theme in his speech before the NAACP. It was a message met with "loud applause" by the influential civil rights groups. On that point, Ta-Nehisi Coates (who is a strong supporter … [Read more...] about Civil Rights Roundup: 07/15/08
“Mental Recession” Continues: Wholesale Inflation Soars While Dollar Sets Record Low
Yet more signs that the "mental recession" is a tad bit more than just a "mental" recession: wholesale inflation is now the worst in 27 years -- and the dollar has dropped to new lows. It'll be interesting to see if the White House blames this on the Democratic Congress or if it's painted as somehow part of a past "Clinton recession." But the seemingly- unraveling strands … [Read more...] about “Mental Recession” Continues: Wholesale Inflation Soars While Dollar Sets Record Low
Social Security: Compare and Contrast
Of the many issues which raged in the national debate during the 2004 election cycle but have since fallen down the memory hole, Social Security is surely one of the most curious among the missing. I have never counted myself among the masses crying out that the Social Security system is "hopelessly broken" or needs to be scrapped entirely. However the inversion from an era … [Read more...] about Social Security: Compare and Contrast
TMV Welcomes Its Latest New Member
If you think you've noticed some new names at TMV in recent weeks, you're correct. Over the past month we've added three new people to our list of TMV writers. Two introduced themselves upon coming on board. Yours truly wants to take some time while on a long trip (this is written from Wall, South Dakota) to formally welcome Tony Campbell to TMV. Tony is a columnist for … [Read more...] about TMV Welcomes Its Latest New Member
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
RJ Matson, The St. Louis Post Dispatch … [Read more...] about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Viacom, YouTube, & You: agreement to mask user data
You may have missed it, but over the 4th of July YouTube received a court order to hand over user viewing data from its database -- including usernames and IP addresses -- to Viacom in the ongoing $1 billion lawsuit against the video sharing service. YouTube refused. Randy Picker at the University of Chicago Law Faculty Blog, and David Robinson at Freedom to Tinker … [Read more...] about Viacom, YouTube, & You: agreement to mask user data
Mayer’s ‘The Dark Side,’ Or How The War On Terror Became A War On American Ideals
CHENEY ONLY PRETENDED TO BE SLEEPING; MAYER WAS WIDE AWAKE While it had been widely assumed that the decision to torture enemy combatants and other detainees in the War on Terror began at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq and the Bush administration long hid behind that "trickle up" explanation, it is now apparent that the origins of this dark chapter in American history -- and the … [Read more...] about Mayer’s ‘The Dark Side,’ Or How The War On Terror Became A War On American Ideals
Sabato’s Crystal Ball: CAN MCCAIN OVERCOME THE TRIPLE WHAMMY?
I missed several Sabato’s Crystal Ball emails due to accidental unsubscribing. Here is one of many make-up posts. 05/29/2008 Alan I. Abramowitz's CAN MCCAIN OVERCOME THE TRIPLE WHAMMY? Electoral Barometer Shows Democratic Advantage With the long and contentious Democratic nomination race finally winding down, the attention of the media and the public is beginning … [Read more...] about Sabato’s Crystal Ball: CAN MCCAIN OVERCOME THE TRIPLE WHAMMY?
The Great Depression Part II (Guest Voice)
Is what we're seeing The Great Depression Part II? In this Guest Voice, author Martha Randolph Carr contends we're at a tipping point. The Great Depression, Part Two by Martha Randolph Carr In life there is a tipping point for everything where what had seemed impossible has inched its way forward against the odds and is now about to pick up a lot of speed. … [Read more...] about The Great Depression Part II (Guest Voice)
David Caruso: Acting Genius Or Acting Hack?
When David Caruso did his first season on NYPD Blue he was praised by critics for his exceptional acting and intense performances. And when I went through DVDs of the first season and the few episodes he made during the second season, his performances were works of dramatic art. They hold up quite well. Caruso then left for a movie career which fizzled and his name became … [Read more...] about David Caruso: Acting Genius Or Acting Hack?
Obama New Yorker Cover
Daryl Cagle, MSNBC.com … [Read more...] about Obama New Yorker Cover
New Yorker’s Alternate Cover
Cartoon by Simanca Osmani, Cagle Cartoons, Brazil … [Read more...] about New Yorker’s Alternate Cover
Afghanistan Casualties: Pakistan Under Twin Attack
Pakistan has come under a blistering attack from Afghanistan and India. Afghanistan alleges that Pakistan's intelligence service (ISI) and army are behind the bloody Taliban-led insurgency, calling the security forces the "world's biggest producers of terrorism and extremism." While India has blamed Pakistan's ISI for the suicide attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul, and said: … [Read more...] about Afghanistan Casualties: Pakistan Under Twin Attack
Ventura Won’t Run, Franken Gets Challenger, Coleman Smiles
A couple developments in the US Senate race in Minnesota have helped to give incumbent Senator Norm Coleman (R) quite a bit to smile about. Coming in to the filing deadline today he faced the prospect of a potentially strong challenger in comedian Al Franken and the loss of support to the 3rd party candidacy of former Governor Jesse Ventura. But as it turns out things went … [Read more...] about Ventura Won’t Run, Franken Gets Challenger, Coleman Smiles
The Real History This Fall
As a Chicago Cubs fan I am almost required by law to be superstitious about things but we have reached the All Star Break and I find that not only are the Cubs the number one team in baseball but they are also now favored to win the World Series this fall. People have talked about how this fall could be historic with the election of Senator Obama as President and certainly … [Read more...] about The Real History This Fall
Day-Late-and-Dollar-Short Government
Trot out the clichés about closing the barn door for news today that the Federal Reserve is cracking down on shady lending practices to home buyers and President Bush is fighting high gas prices by lifting a ban on offshore drilling for oil. As Americans drown in bad economic news, these daring rescue moves are the equivalent of throwing them concrete life preservers. … [Read more...] about Day-Late-and-Dollar-Short Government
The ‘Flip-Flopping’ Label Has Jumped the Shark
Terror Watch List Fails… Again
This time, the terror watch list has picked up Clinton-era assistant attorney general, Jim Robinson. He is on this list despite having a recently renewed set of security clearances. It's ok for him to have access to nuclear secrets, but not to get on an airplane without some serious extra hassle. He's been quoted several places: I suppose if I were convinced that … [Read more...] about Terror Watch List Fails… Again
McCain and Obama: Both wrong on Iraq
Both Jazz Shaw and Damozel have written already about Barack Obama's Op-Ed on Iraq in the NY Times today. I'm really glad they've covered the story so well, because it leaves me free to bring up a couple of things that are starting to bug me. First off, I'm getting frustrated with Barack Obama on the surge. While he doesn't directly say so, my direct impression is that … [Read more...] about McCain and Obama: Both wrong on Iraq
Obama: It’s Time to Begin to End the War (Updated)
The New York Times has published an op-ed by Barack Obama. It’s good news, isn’t it, he pointedly notes, that our troops’ sacrifices have got the Iraqis to a point when their government might actually be about ready to take off the training wheels and ride off without us holding the handlebars? (NYT) And whether they are ready are not — see this BBC article … [Read more...] about Obama: It’s Time to Begin to End the War (Updated)