Tom Schaller's by the numbers analysis always wreaks of often elicits southern bashing to me. (Who wrote that headline?) He repeats it again today on the OpEd page of the NYTimes: Two pervasive and persistent myths about racial voting in the modern South are behind the notion that Mr. Obama might win in places like Georgia, North Carolina and Mississippi. The first myth is … [Read more...] about Tom Schaller says: The South Will Fall Again
Another Day, Another Story. Foreign Policy in the Lead.
Roughly a week ago, much hay was being made of Barack Obama's lack of a "bounce" following Hillary's exit stage left. While many polls at the time still showed Obama with some sort of lead, the closely watched Gallup Daily tracking poll showed him in what was effectively a statistical dead heat with John McCain. I somehow doubt we'll see the same sources pointing to that poll … [Read more...] about Another Day, Another Story. Foreign Policy in the Lead.
Le Monde Editorial: Obama the Realist
Put this editorial in the category of political wisdom from the French. In abandoning or modifying some of his most cherished political positions, has Obama lost his soul or discovered his vocation? According to the editorial board of Le Monde: "Will the one who wants to be the bringer of 'change we can believe in' keep his promise if elected on November 4? To win this … [Read more...] about Le Monde Editorial: Obama the Realist
Iraqis Who Oppose U.S. Security Deal Are Not Patriots
What's behind the resistance of Iraqis to the U.S. Iraq Security deal - is it a matter of patriotism or sectarianism? Criticizing Iraqi leaders for fanning public suspicion by not releasing the details of the security deal with the U.S. to the public, Malum Abu Ragheef writes for Iraq's Sotal Iraq newspaper: "If for political and tactical reasons, the American … [Read more...] about Iraqis Who Oppose U.S. Security Deal Are Not Patriots
Gutter Politics 2008: Email Tries To Image-Link Obama To Hitler
Of course, if a candidate is a good orator you MUST image-link him to Hitler (if you can't debate a candidate on issues, just raise that wild, loudmouthed guy with the mustache who murdered so many of my Russian and Polish relatives). And that's part of the content of the latest email sent out to smear Democratic presumptive nominee Sen. Barack Obama. Read the details … [Read more...] about Gutter Politics 2008: Email Tries To Image-Link Obama To Hitler
Tunguska Anniversary
Today marks the 100th anniversay of one of the enduring mysteries of the modern era. On June 30, 1908 an object of some sort exploded above some distance above near the Tunguska River in Siberia. The exact nature of the object remains a mystery but the effects were mind boggling. For an area of close to 1,000 square miles everything was flattened. Upwards of 80,000,000 trees … [Read more...] about Tunguska Anniversary
Update — The New G.I. Bill
President Bush today signed the $162 billion war funding legislation that includes the $63 billion New G.I. Bill. According to ABC News, "The GI Bill measure, authored by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., had such extraordinary support from both Democrats and Republicans that White House objections were easily overridden." The New G.I. Bill, which will be officially known as the … [Read more...] about Update — The New G.I. Bill
The New G.I. Bill — From Someone “on the Ground”
I have written several articles in support of the New G.I. Bill, which--after much unnecessary, partisan wrangling--has finally passed Congress and is now on its way to the President, hopefully for his signature. Having been retired from the U.S military for a long 30 years, there is the possibility that my views may be somewhat dated, or politically slanted. It was thus … [Read more...] about The New G.I. Bill — From Someone “on the Ground”
The Murky Evidence For and Against the Death Penalty as Deterrence
The Supreme Court looked at death penalty as deterrent arguments before ruling to reaffirm its constitutionality in Baze v. Rees this term. The opinion [pdf] cited research by both Cass R. Sunstein (arguing that the data points to deterrence) and Justin Wolfers (no deterrence). Justin Wolfers: As two of the supposed flag bearers for the competing views cited by the court, … [Read more...] about The Murky Evidence For and Against the Death Penalty as Deterrence
SCOTUS, McCain-style
From yesterday's WaPo: A Win by McCain Could Push a Split Court to Right Huh, you think? ********** It's obvious, yes, but it needs to be said. Many people still seem to regard McCain as some sort of moderate, a maverick moderate who isn't like most Republicans. While he's broken with his party in the past, though, he isn't nearly the maverick or moderate his media … [Read more...] about SCOTUS, McCain-style
Obama Hating the Wimminfolk!
CNS News jumped out today with a provocative article titled, Obama's for Equal Pay, Yet Pays Female Staffers Less Than Males. In it we find a horrible tale of woe, where Obama (who "has vowed to make pay equity for women a top priority if elected president") has a lower percentage of female employees on his staff and they ear less, on average, than their male co-workers. On … [Read more...] about Obama Hating the Wimminfolk!
Georgia Supreme Court considers proportionality in sex offender case
The AJC: The judge had only one option when he sentenced Cedric Bradshaw: life in prison. Bradshaw had not committed murder, rape or armed robbery. His offense was failing to properly register as a convicted sex offender for a second time — even though he had repeatedly tried to follow the law.... On Monday, the state's highest court will consider whether the law is … [Read more...] about Georgia Supreme Court considers proportionality in sex offender case
A Choice, Not a Rant
I've been trying to read Reclaiming Conservatism, by former Congressman Mickey Edwards. It has been a difficult read. It's not because it is hard to read. What has bothered me so far is page after page of Edwards' rants against the Bush Administration and the feckless Republican Congress that let the President get away with so much. After a while it gets a bit tedious. … [Read more...] about A Choice, Not a Rant
Obama Fights For A Piece Of The Patriotism Franchise By Wrapping Himself In The Flag
That Barack Obama felt compelled to give a speech today on patriotism speaks volumes about the lousy state of political discourse in the U.S. That few minds will be changed although the speech was a noble effort is a fact of life for this African-American with a foreign-sounding middle name and an opposition with toxic intentions. That there are so many real issues crying out … [Read more...] about Obama Fights For A Piece Of The Patriotism Franchise By Wrapping Himself In The Flag
The Way We Live Now
Beyond the headlines, we occasionally get "soft" news about how the post-9/11 world really is, as we do today in disturbing narratives about the unseen wars in Iran and Pakistan--patterns of secrets and lies that Americans and their representatives in Washington either don't fully know or want to talk about publicly. In the New Yorker, Seymour Hersh details a new "major … [Read more...] about The Way We Live Now
That’s just SO gay… I mean “homosexual”
I honestly don't even know what category this story falls into, but by the time I finished laughing, I decided it was worth a few inches of virtual ink here at TMV. Apparently there are some web sites or "news" services on the web which use their spellchecker's Auto Replace function to tune up their news text to be friendly to their target demographics. In the case of some of … [Read more...] about That’s just SO gay… I mean “homosexual”
Tell Me It Ain’t So, Paul.
Why does Paul Krugman, New York Times columnist, call Sen. Obama a centrist because of his changing positions on various issues?Being a centrist is one thing, not taking / keeping a position on the issues is another. More News and Commentary for Moderates ”’Moderate’ is not a 4-letter word.” … [Read more...] about Tell Me It Ain’t So, Paul.
Economic Exit Strategy
Larry Wright, The Detroit News … [Read more...] about Economic Exit Strategy
Of “Worthies” and of “Fellow Citizens”
In his much-awaited, Monday morning, pre-July Fourth New York Times column, Bill Kristol writes a stirring and fitting tribute to the signers of the Declaration of Independence. In "The Choice They Made," he quotes a Thomas Jefferson letter in which Jefferson writes, referring to his fellow signers, “That host of worthies, who joined with us on that day, in the bold and … [Read more...] about Of “Worthies” and of “Fellow Citizens”
Civil Rights Roundup: 06/30/08
One of the things I do for my job at the LCCR is help "clip" articles from around the country relating to civil rights and related areas each morning. The articles are saved into del.icio.us and come up in a feed on our website. So I figure: so long as I've got all this stuff in front of me, why not share it with you? All this is to announce what I hope to be a daily feature … [Read more...] about Civil Rights Roundup: 06/30/08