A biweekly feature of news and opinion pieces from the Israeli and Palestinian press. 1.) A day after clinching the Democratic nomination, Senator Barack Obama spoke at the annual AIPAC conference (an organization that the Jerusalem Post, in a recent editorial, oddly characterized as "quintessentially American.") Perhaps hoping to allay fears of not being sufficiently … [Read more...] about News From the Israeli and Palestinian Front: June 8th
Business Week: Consumer Credit Arbitration — you lose!
Consumer credit card agreements these days typically include clauses requiring binding arbitration and stipulating which arbitration firm is used. More often than not that firm is The National Arbitration Forum (NAF). They control the market to the tune of nearly 99% of consumer credit card contracts. "Millions of credit-card accounts mandate the use of arbitration by NAF."So … [Read more...] about Business Week: Consumer Credit Arbitration — you lose!
Barack Obama: A Historical Choice In More Ways Than One?
So now that Democratic Senator Barack Obama is the unquestioned "presumptive Democratic party presidential nominee" and could well wind up in the White House he has made history and could make even more history. Right? Correct -- except he could make history in more ways than one. Andrew Sullivan has written several pieces now that put Obama's candidacy into a special … [Read more...] about Barack Obama: A Historical Choice In More Ways Than One?
The Mastermind Speaks!
Mark Penn, the chief strategist who did more than anyone to kill Hillary Clinton's campaign, is copping a plea. In today's New York Times, he explains that "it wasn't the message--it was the money" (the lack of it, he means) that did her in. After the Bay of Pigs, JFK cited the old saying, "Victory has a hundred fathers, defeat is an orphan." But Penn's paternity of Clinton … [Read more...] about The Mastermind Speaks!
Hillary Harps At Obama To Be VP
Daryl Cagle, MSNBC.com … [Read more...] about Hillary Harps At Obama To Be VP
The implications of Obama’s 50-state campaign in Georgia
Jonathan Singer at MyDD and Matt Yglesias offer up some terrific commentary on Adam Nagourney and Jeff Zeleny's look at Obama's plans for a nationwide push into GOP strongholds in the next few weeks. Georgia promises to be a particularly interesting case. Popular (in Georgia) former Republican Congressman Bob Barr is now the Libertarian presidential candidate, with early … [Read more...] about The implications of Obama’s 50-state campaign in Georgia
Father’s Day Early, 2008: When Fathers Row Into The Storm
Fathers, as well as brothers, grandfathers, uncles, best friends, neighbor guy down the road, strangers out of nowhere... all can count as good, sometimes nearly beatific fathers sometimes. Perhaps because no man, no woman, can fit the perfection of the archetypal father or mother, perhaps because there are sometimes too many errors and omissions in parenting without … [Read more...] about Father’s Day Early, 2008: When Fathers Row Into The Storm
Feeding the Hungry: You Can Help, Get Out Your Green Thumb Baby, Put Your Wig-Hat on Your Head
Some time back I wrote about one of the female ministers of Africa, telling of her new social policy exhorting people to go back to growing their own gardens to help feed all families locally... tribal groups had gotten dependent on trucked in food, and between the cost of that kind of food and the falling off of local agriculture, many people were beginning to starve. … [Read more...] about Feeding the Hungry: You Can Help, Get Out Your Green Thumb Baby, Put Your Wig-Hat on Your Head
The New G.I. Bill Revisited
Now that the drama of, and the headlines-grabbing by, the Democratic primaries are over, perhaps Americans can focus again on the other important issues facing us. Issues such as the economy, the war in Iraq, and vital legislation languishing in Congress. One of these pieces of important legislation is the new G.I. Bill. That is the upgraded G.I. Bill sponsored by Senators … [Read more...] about The New G.I. Bill Revisited
Bill Moyers admits bias
His speech at the 2008 National Conference for Media Reform yesterday is burning up the Internets (though I have Joe to thank for directing me to it). In the speech Moyers says: Edward R. Murrow told his generation of journalists, no one can eliminate their prejudices. Just recognize them. Here is my bias. Extremes of wealth and poverty cannot be reconciled with a truly … [Read more...] about Bill Moyers admits bias
Polls: Obama McCain Race Dead Heat In One And Obama Surges In Another
The latest Gallup Daily Tracking poll shows the face between presumptive Democratic and Republican nominees Senators Barack Obama and John McCain remains a dead heat -- but a Rasmussen poll finds Obama starting to surge. Why the apparent surge? Rasmussen attributes it to growing unity within the Democratic party. Gallup Poll Daily tracking finds 46% of registered … [Read more...] about Polls: Obama McCain Race Dead Heat In One And Obama Surges In Another
Bill O’Reilly’s Producer Tries To Ambush PBS’s Bill Moyers
...and he gets ambushed. WATCH IT HERE. Some notes: 1. Moyers correctly notes that "Bill is not a journalist, he's a pugilist..." 2. O'Reilly's producer starts playing the victim card when he is put on the defensive. 3. In the 70s and 80s there was a controversy over "ambush journalism." Now there is the "ambush talk show segment." Same idea (the glare of the … [Read more...] about Bill O’Reilly’s Producer Tries To Ambush PBS’s Bill Moyers
Around The Campaign 2008 Sphere
Hillary Clinton is being praised for The Speech which is leaving Obama supporters relieved, Clinton supporters ecstatic over its delivery and positive feedback, and Republicans suspicious or disappointed because she strongly called for unity. It's just one of the topics buzzing Around The Campaign 2008 Sphere on blogs. Here's a cross section of campaign-related blog links: A … [Read more...] about Around The Campaign 2008 Sphere
Rest Easy, Gentle Democrats
Today, as the roiling battle between the Obama and Clinton campaigns slowly cools to a simmer, there are already signs of worry on the faces of some Democrats. Of course there will be the inevitable wringing of hands and concerns expressed that, "perhaps we made a mistake. Might we have picked the wrong one?" Some will not simply worry, but proclaim that the party has rejected … [Read more...] about Rest Easy, Gentle Democrats
Report from the Texas Democratic Party Convention
Here are a few notes on my participation in the Texas Democratic Party Convention with 14,000 folks this weekend. Thursday was a 6 hour meeting of the Platform advisory Committee which updates the 2006 version. I was gratified to see my finger prints on a variety of items: Same day voter registration, access to voting equipment by the disabled, redistricting reform, Mail in … [Read more...] about Report from the Texas Democratic Party Convention
Obama the Only ‘Surgeon’ Capable of Excising ‘Bushism’
In a nation founded by the owners of Black slaves, a Black man now has a better than even chance of being elected President. And, according to this op-ed written by Ángel Guerra Cabrera of Mexico's La Jornada: "The United States will not emerge from its deep structural crisis or its demented warmongering course without major surgery, even within the system. That requires … [Read more...] about Obama the Only ‘Surgeon’ Capable of Excising ‘Bushism’
Hillary Clinton: “Sustaining American Dream”
If Barack Obama's victory speech was graceful and chivalrous, Hillary Clinton's clarion call to ensure the triumph of Obama in the race to the White House provided a fitting finale to a well fought out battle between the two Democratic Party rivals. If Obama's words were seen as inspiring and forgiving, Clinton's revealed the deep emotive and sensitive side of her … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton: “Sustaining American Dream”
Print Editors: “Future News Online & Free”
A large number of newspaper editors believe that the most common platform for news in the future will be online - and not print. Also, many think the majority of news will be free in the future. These and other interesting findings were revealed in a worldwide survey, "Newsroom Barometer," released in May and conducted by Zogby International for the Paris-based World Editors … [Read more...] about Print Editors: “Future News Online & Free”
Disarming the Discourse
I've been meaning to link to this Hilzoy post for awhile, because it gets at a very important point: If people want to redefine the word "racist" so that only actual slaveholders count, let them. I'm more interested in the "critical reflection" [Ta-Nehasi] Coates rightly says that the "I'm not a racist" move is designed to shut down; in asking: does race play a role in … [Read more...] about Disarming the Discourse
Center Voice Blogroll Reconstruction
We've begun the reconstruction of our Center Voices blogroll. Last week a technical glitch eliminated the category and dumped all of its links into Other Voices. I'm going through each Other Voices link now and between now and Monday the category will be reconstructed. Thank you for your patience.. UPDATE: 5:45 PST I've reinserted many of the Center Voices blogs, but I'm … [Read more...] about Center Voice Blogroll Reconstruction