President Pervez Musharraf has long been balancing on a shaky tightrope. Is he now standing on a tightrope in the middle of an unfolding political earthquake? The Christian Science Monitor reports that many Pakistanis are increasingly irate over the politically nimble President's latest maneuver: Atif Jehangir sits in the half-light of Rajah Market on a cool late-summer … [Read more...] about Musharraf’s Political Deal Reportedly Angers Pakistanis
Little Hope of Making Democrats of Iraqis…
Will it be possible to convert Iraq's religious parties to democracy? This op-ed written by an Iraqi attorney warns of the unlikelihood of such an eventuality. "No religious party on earth believes in democracy … How could such people believe in democracy, which recognizes the validity of other peoples' opinions?" By Salam al-Yasiry, a writer and attorney Translated … [Read more...] about Little Hope of Making Democrats of Iraqis…
If He Criticizes Your Side, Demonize Him And Try To Discredit Him (UPDATED)
Even if he's only 12 years old. UPDATE: Several emails ask for my personal opinion. Suffice to say as someone who works extensively with young people (I did a full day at a high school in Central CA on Friday) of ALL ages, my reaction to this attempt to take the kid out is the same as my reaction to President Bush's veto: some Republicans do not realize how mean-spirited … [Read more...] about If He Criticizes Your Side, Demonize Him And Try To Discredit Him (UPDATED)
America’s ‘Senate of Fools’
How do Iraqis feel about the Senate's recent non-binding resolution to partition their nation? This op-ed from Iraq's Kitabat newspaper expresses popular Iraqi rage not only over the Senate resolution, but the entire enterprise of invasion. "The Americans were remarkable and even creative in their zeal to introduce policies of unmitigated stupidity, and once it began, the … [Read more...] about America’s ‘Senate of Fools’
Sandy Berger Now Advising Hillary Clinton’s Campaign
Up until now, you could say that New York Senator Hillary Clinton has run a remarkably smart campaign: she has stayed on-message (straying only a few times), carefully positioned herself, and avoided the kind of dumb, tin-eared political stumbles that candidates make when they're either overconfident or have lousy advisers. Until now: Sandy Berger, who stole highly … [Read more...] about Sandy Berger Now Advising Hillary Clinton’s Campaign
Health Care Crime
Of all the ills of American health care, least visible is the pervasive fraud it encourages in everyone involved--doctors, patients, labs, hospitals and, most of all, the insurers who manage the mess. One small symptom can be seen in a New York Times report of 91 Medicare audits showing “widespread violations of patients’ rights and consumer protection standards†in … [Read more...] about Health Care Crime
Fox News’ Dick Morris Finally Jumps The Shark
Morris hasn't just jumped it, he has leaped over it. I mean REALLY. Will she also eliminate Sunday as a day of rest, tap water and oxygen, too? (NOTE: This site today becomes Dick Morris Free Zone. We'll stick with Larry Sabato.) … [Read more...] about Fox News’ Dick Morris Finally Jumps The Shark
More than Half-Full
Steven Moore writes in the Wall Street Journal about how the world's cup is more than half full in Clear-Eyed Optimists He refers to the United Nations report called "State of the Future" that concludes: "People around the world are becoming healthier, wealthier, better educated, more peaceful, more connected, and they are living longer." Yes, of course, there was the … [Read more...] about More than Half-Full
Those Sunday Morning Talk Shows
Who needs psychics anymore? These shows feature the journalistic elite talking heads making predictions about what WILL happen. These shows are now an institution and those on them surely belong in one. Watch Jon Stewart's take on this HERE. … [Read more...] about Those Sunday Morning Talk Shows
The Israel Lobby – Mearsheimer and Walt Weigh In
I've yet to read Mearsheimer and Walt's book, The Israel Lobby, but I have been following the controversy surrounding its publication. Cries of anti-Semitism have, I'm afraid, been the major way that critics have attempted to discredit the work. Jeffrey Goldberg, in a 7000-word-plus article for The New Republic, provides a typical example. He argues that the book "represents … [Read more...] about The Israel Lobby – Mearsheimer and Walt Weigh In
Center of Attention
A round up of recent posts by various bloggers who either attempt to strike a balanced note on heated debates and controversial issues, or improve our ability to find our own sense of balance by exposing us to new information and different points-of-view. -------------------------- Dan Radmacher, ed-page editor of The Roanoke Times, asks "What about the Middle?" [H/t … [Read more...] about Center of Attention
Fighting For Men’s Rights
Yes, men's rights is an issue, too. Read Dr. Helen. … [Read more...] about Fighting For Men’s Rights
Iowa Caucuses As Smoke-Filled Room
A minister, priest and rabbi walk into a 4-H club . . . I'll eat my straw boater if it turns out that the Iowa caucuses next January play a decisive role in determining who the Republican presidential sacrificial lamb will be, let alone who the Democrats nominate to be the next president. This is because some candidates -- averse to shoveling snow off of potential voters' … [Read more...] about Iowa Caucuses As Smoke-Filled Room
Hillary Clinton Proving Useful Bogeywoman For Republican Presidential Candidates
Forget about President George Bush being "a uniter, not a divider." The real uniter may be Senator Hillary Clinton -- among conservative Republicans. As The Politico notes, she's proving useful to GOPers running for the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination in what seems to be a dry run of the campaign to come if she's the Democratic nominee: Sen. Hillary Clinton’s … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton Proving Useful Bogeywoman For Republican Presidential Candidates
Spineless Dems
Mike Wolverton, Cagle Cartoons … [Read more...] about Spineless Dems
The Jumpin’ Jive
I just got finished watching one of my favorite musicals entitled Stormy Weather (circa 1943). I'm a big fan of the "back in the day" big band. Cab Calloway has always been one of my favorite performers. So vibrant and alive. Those performers "back in the day" flat out entertained regularly. Sadly that is a lost art among a sizable number of performers these days. Notice … [Read more...] about The Jumpin’ Jive
Professor Alleges Jews Monopolize American Foreign Policy
Oh, we're up to it again! And here I thought I was so busy writing about issues, reading, working on some long-range writing projects and driving hundreds of miles doing special programs in elementary and high schools. I KNEW I was forgetting to do something. And TimesOnline's Daniel Finkelstein has reminded me. Finkelstein (uh, oh..that name) has a post noting an … [Read more...] about Professor Alleges Jews Monopolize American Foreign Policy
Who Would Jesus Have Tortured?
NEWARK, Delaware -- The smell of autumn is in the air on this Sunday morning, that intoxicating aroma of decaying leaves, ripe apples and be-dewed grass brilliantly illuminated by the sun in a cloudless azure blue sky. But there is another smell as well and it is not so sweet – the smell of hypocrisy as the faithful file into a fundamentalist Christian church for their weekly … [Read more...] about Who Would Jesus Have Tortured?
Bloomberg For President Bandwagon Gets Flat Tire
It sounds as if the Bloomberg for President bandwagon boomlet, which was all the rage among the political talking heads, writing-with-authority newspaper columnists and ever excited bloggers has now fizzled -- even though New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and his aides continue to give signs that he could jump in at the last minute. The reasons for the apparent fizzle: an … [Read more...] about Bloomberg For President Bandwagon Gets Flat Tire
That’s Not News
From moderate cartoonist Tom Briscoe: … [Read more...] about That’s Not News