Having been eligible for the draft and an all-expenses-paid trip to Vietnam since I was 18, 1968 was the year that I turned 21 and finally was old enough to drink and vote, which I did in that order and with great enthusiasm. I had a front-row seat for this year of great change -- including antiwar protests, the King and Kennedy assassinations, and the coming of age of the … [Read more...] about In Which We Compare 1968 & 2008: The Answer, My Friend, Is Blowin’ In the Wind
When Facts Get In the Way of a Good Rant
Christine Flowers, a conservative Republican attorney, has provoked something of a storm over "I'm Immune to the Obama Swoon," a factually challenged rant on the Democratic presidential contender in the form of a Philadelphia Daily News op-ed column. The column reveals why people smugly ensconsed in the status quo -- in Flowers' case a career measured in billable hours at a … [Read more...] about When Facts Get In the Way of a Good Rant
Poetic Political Commentary: Election (Under) Coverage
If you try really hard and know where to look, you can find the major presidential candidates' positions on important issues. But you sure won't learn these things from what passes in this country for prime time election coverage... Election (Under)Coverage The media treats this election Like a sporting event where the need Ain't informing the voters' 'bout … [Read more...] about Poetic Political Commentary: Election (Under) Coverage
Meet TMV’s Newest Voice
For nearly two years TMV has been honored to run the incredibly creative -- and often on target -- political and economic poetic commentaries of Michael Silverstein aka Wall Street Poet. But he has another side as well: he's a former senior editor with Bloomberg Financial News, who now writes financial poetry and prose from his Philadelphia home-base. We've run virtually … [Read more...] about Meet TMV’s Newest Voice
U.S. military intervention, occupation in Muslim world: at best inadequate, at worst counter-productive, on the whole, infeasible
That's how the Rand Corporation is describing the large-scale intervention we've gotten ourselves into in their most recent study. This is from the Rand Corp., which, I am pretty sure, is supposed to skew conservative. From the press release: Recognizing that the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will not be the last of their kind, a new RAND Corporation study issued today … [Read more...] about U.S. military intervention, occupation in Muslim world: at best inadequate, at worst counter-productive, on the whole, infeasible
Obama – Savior Superstar
Says France's Le Monde, The United States is a country that prides itself on its insistence on the merits of individualism. Nothing is more embarrassing to this country than these great moments of collective obsession (shared, of course, with Superbowl frenzy), where every critical faculty appears to have been abandoned in the service of a universal pursuit. And the … [Read more...] about Obama – Savior Superstar
The Olympic Games and the U.S. Elections: Bad Timing for Beijing
What do the Olympic Games and Steven Spielberg have to do with the U.S. elections? It all has to do with the calender. According to Pierre Rousselin, deputy editorial page editor of France's Le Figaro, The rage of Steven Spielberg is not in itself conclusive. But it's significant for what it announces. Spielberg is Hollywood. And Hollywood is an arm of the Democratic Party … … [Read more...] about The Olympic Games and the U.S. Elections: Bad Timing for Beijing
Now Obama Also Visits John Edwards To Seek His Support For 2008 Democratic Presidential Nomination
It's becoming a pilgrimage, of sorts. First, Senator Hillary Clinton visited former Senator and former Presidential wannabe John Edwards -- seeking his endorsement and support. And now, in yet another meeting at Edwards' home, Senator Barack Obama has visited Edwards. The goal of each campaign: get Edwards' endorsement and, not parenthetically, his delegates -- particularly … [Read more...] about Now Obama Also Visits John Edwards To Seek His Support For 2008 Democratic Presidential Nomination
Threat of Failure in Afghanistan
If you are interested in what is going on in Afghanistan, and its historical and regional context, then this superb piece from France's Le Monde is well worth your time. Apparently, things aren't looking good. With shocking simultaneity, four reports by military experts recently sounded the same alarm: without a fundamental revision of current strategy (indeed, the … [Read more...] about Threat of Failure in Afghanistan
Confessions in Search of Conviction: Redux
Four days ago, I invited readers to challenge and question me as I explained why I was leaning toward an Obama vote in the general election. To say that they took me up on the offer would be a remarkable understatement -- especially in the context of my now-withdrawn post on McCain. In that post, I argued that McCain’s apparent lurch to the right -- including his vote last … [Read more...] about Confessions in Search of Conviction: Redux
Around The Campaign 2008 Sphere
NOTE: Our famous link-fest giving you links to Campaign 2008 posts from weblogs of differing viewpoints, and our pithy comments about many of them. Links and quotes do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of TMV or its co-writers. The Case For Hillary Clinton And Against Barack Obama is laid out in a MUST READ post by The Democratic Daily's JoAnne Tybinka Blasko. … [Read more...] about Around The Campaign 2008 Sphere
The Tactics of Public Campaign Financing
Centerfield and Daniel Drezner have a discussion on whether Obama should accept the funding and restrictions of public campaign funds. Other than the fact that Obama took the initiative to publicly declare this intention; if the two candidates are restricted to public funds would not their supporters look for alternate paths? For instance the Democratic National Committee, … [Read more...] about The Tactics of Public Campaign Financing
The Mother of All Mideast Scandals
Huge bribes, arms deals and threats of terrorism are the elements of an unfolding plot centering on the good friend of both Presidents Bush, Prince Bandar bin Sultan of Saudi Arabia. Testimony in a London court this week led a judge to comment that former Prime Minister Tony Blair appeared to have "rolled over" for Bandar "just as if a gun had been held to the head" of the … [Read more...] about The Mother of All Mideast Scandals
A Philosophy of Party Delegations
John Broder writes a brief overview and history of party delegates in Show Me the Delegate Rules and I’ll Show You the Party. He covers the differences between, and within, the delegate process of the GOP and Democrats. I would summarize one difference is that Democrats general aim for inclusiveness and fairness and proportional votes while the GOP aims more for and … [Read more...] about A Philosophy of Party Delegations
Nightmare on Deregulation Street
The greatest fallacy of government deregulation of financial institutions is that it's been great for the economy. That proved to be catastrophically wrong after savings and loans were deregulated and looted. That has again proved to be catastrophically wrong after banks were deregulated and allowed to dive into the subprime mortgage cesspool, which among other things has … [Read more...] about Nightmare on Deregulation Street
For Stimulus Purposes Only
John Darkow, Columbia Daily Tribune, Missouri … [Read more...] about For Stimulus Purposes Only
An Open Letter to President Johnson-Sirleaf: Capitalize On Rare Proximity to Bush
If you were the president of Liberia, one of the world's poorest nations but one founded by manumitted American slaves, what would you ask the leader of the free world when he dropped in on you for a state visit? The editorial board of Liberian newspaper The Analyst has more than a few suggestions. According to this open letter, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf must seek not … [Read more...] about An Open Letter to President Johnson-Sirleaf: Capitalize On Rare Proximity to Bush
Change and Barack, America’s First Leftist President?
The provocative claim of this piece from Mexico's La Jornada is that Barack would be the U.S.' first true leftist president - a conclusion drawn after broad (and generous) surveys of both Democratic candidates' strengths and qualifications. Of Hillary, She can move with agility and fluidity among the heads of established power. She is among her peers. She masters … [Read more...] about Change and Barack, America’s First Leftist President?
America Prepares to Turn the Bush Page
The French daily, Le Figaro, offers a review of U.S. electoral themes, which captures of the flavor of the political times... ... How all are ready for Bush to leave, ... How there is too much money in the American political process, ... How the candidates are divided, but not by policy, ... How programs count less than personalities. ... How both parties are … [Read more...] about America Prepares to Turn the Bush Page
Gallup Poll: Obama Opens “First Statistically Significant Lead” Against Clinton
A new Gallup poll shows Illinois Senator Barack Obama widening his national lead against Senator Hillary Clinton in their increasingly heated battle for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination -- a lead Gallup says is Obama's first "statistically significant" lead. Meanwhile, a top adviser to Clinton said today that in effect it doesn't matter what happens in the … [Read more...] about Gallup Poll: Obama Opens “First Statistically Significant Lead” Against Clinton