Cross-posted to The Debate Link The release of Clarence Thomas' new book has led to a spurt of interesting blogging on the quietest and most conservative Supreme Court Justice. No comments from me, just a round-up of the variety of posts out there. Sherilynn Ifill, a law professor at UMD blogging at BlackProf, takes issue with Thomas' lynching metaphor ("an insult to the … [Read more...] about The Clarence Thomas Roundup
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. -------------------------- With a little help from others, Andrew Sullivan plays Solomon on the subject of legalizing … [Read more...] about Center of Attention
Will You Be There When I Get Back?
The wife of a US sailor, about to leave for his third Iraq tour, is facing deportation. The wife came to America as a political refugee at age five and was granted asylum, but due to bureaucratic delays and mazes, she hasn't been able to secure her status. I don't know what's more terrible: that's mostly our own fault that she's not legal yet, or that the rabid right-wingers … [Read more...] about Will You Be There When I Get Back?
Bush’s War on His Own Party
He did it this morning, without comment or news coverage, an act that proves George Bush to be, depending on your politics, either the most steadfast or stubborn, the most principled or heartless of American Presidents in memory. But there is common agreement in Congress that, by vetoing the bipartisan bill that would have dramatically expanded children's health insurance, a … [Read more...] about Bush’s War on His Own Party
S-CHIP Bill Vetoed Behind Closed Doors
President Bush this morning quietly vetoed a bill with broad bipartisan support that would have expanded the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Unlike previous vetoes on federally-funded stem cell research and Iraq troop withdrawals, this veto was executed without ceremony or television cameras and behind closed doors. The shyness of a president who seldom misses … [Read more...] about S-CHIP Bill Vetoed Behind Closed Doors
Online Petition Proposes Nobel Peace Prize For Burmese Monks
An online petition has been started to try and get a Nobel Peace Prize for the Burmese monks -- a petition that concerned readers of TMV and other websites can sign, with a click of their computer. It is HERE and here's the full text: To: To the Esteemed Norwegian Nobel Committee: As the Norwegian Nobel Committee decides on the winner of the Nobel Peace … [Read more...] about Online Petition Proposes Nobel Peace Prize For Burmese Monks
“Flies Across Their Eyeballs”?
From The Garlic: No, the above title isn't from an upcoming Discovery Channel program, nor is it booming out of a trailer of bloody, gore-filled scenes of a Quentin Tarantino-Robert Rodriguez movie. It is from J. Cofer Black, former CIA veteran and now vice chairman of Blackwater USA, allegedly describing to President Bush the outcome of invading Afghanistan after … [Read more...] about “Flies Across Their Eyeballs”?
A Tale of Two Wars & Two Presidents
And so on the second day of the seventh month of the fifth year of the war in Iraq, the final episode of Ken Burns' The War ran on PBS. This vivid mosaic of World War II at home and abroad was a big hit by public broadcasting standards, drawing the most viewers since an episode of Antiques Roadshow in 2000, although falling far short of prime-time heavy hitters like CSI and … [Read more...] about A Tale of Two Wars & Two Presidents
Carter Gets In Shouting Match With Sudanese Officials In Darfur
Former President Jimmy Carter has never been known to flinch from controversy -- and he has sparked more than a few. He has become an irritant to a host of Presidents who followed him. Above all, he speaks his mind. Now he has shouted it in Darfur -- this time for a cause and in circumstances that many of his critics would likely applaud: Former U.S. President Jimmy … [Read more...] about Carter Gets In Shouting Match With Sudanese Officials In Darfur
Rudy Giuliani
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant … [Read more...] about Rudy Giuliani
Around The Sphere Blog Roundup Oct. 3, 2007
Our linkfest offering readers links to blogposts from websites of many different viewpoints. Linked posts do NOT necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. Security Guards Gone Wild Department The Sequel: No, they didn't taser the student this time, they just broke the 16-year-old girl's arm. Pandagon: In short, this teenage girl spilled some cake, was told … [Read more...] about Around The Sphere Blog Roundup Oct. 3, 2007
Village People
Mike Lester, The Rome News-Tribune … [Read more...] about Village People
Rush Limbaugh Versus Democrats Has Deeper Political Significance
Skirmishes. And more skirmishes. Punch. And counter punch. In Congress. On weblogs. And in the REAL trenches of political activism these days...talk radio. The nation's top progressive talker, Ed Schultz, spent much of his program lambasting top conservative talker Rush Limbaugh for Limbaugh's "phony soldiers" comments -- and playing extensive parts of the tape over and … [Read more...] about Rush Limbaugh Versus Democrats Has Deeper Political Significance
Court Invalidates Portion of Bush Executive Order
D.C. Federal District Court judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly has struck down a narrow portion of Executive Order 13233, a 2001 directive from President Bush which sharply limited future access to presidential and vice-presidential records. The ruling [PDF] came yesterday in the case of American Historical Association et al. v. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and … [Read more...] about Court Invalidates Portion of Bush Executive Order
The Other Moderate Voice – New York Times
Andrew Rosenthal, the editorial page editor of The New York Times, answered questions from readers Sept. 24-28. Link Finally, there are issues that the Times editorial board considers of transcendent importance — the nation's security and its global image; the relationship between government and the people, which includes the balance among the branches of our democracy, … [Read more...] about The Other Moderate Voice – New York Times
Examining the Surge: Lynch Speaks at CATO
Marc Lynch, a professor at George Washington University, is one of those must-read commentators on the Middle East. He's extremely knowledgeable, has got a good sense of humor, and he doesn't appear to harbor any particular agenda. Lynch, in a major way, has helped to shape my view of the Iraq debate. Unlike many other analysts, Lynch actually reads Arabic and has an extremely … [Read more...] about Examining the Surge: Lynch Speaks at CATO
Washington’s Response to the Crisis in Burma…
...has been "pathetic." … [Read more...] about Washington’s Response to the Crisis in Burma…
Is Retaliation The Next Roberts Victim?
The Supreme Court is taking aim at one of the most important elements of our civil rights laws. I have a simple solution that will forestall all the expected legal wrangling: preempt the ruling. Nobody seriously believes that retaliation shouldn't be included in anti-discrimination laws. So, although I don't particularly like it when the Supreme Court decides to split with … [Read more...] about Is Retaliation The Next Roberts Victim?
Back in the Former USSR: News from Russia and the Ukraine
(Cross-posted at The Reaction.) I've been doing a lot of international-news-oriented posts recently -- not because I'm turning away from the U.S. -- I'm still mostly U.S.-focused -- but because, well... because there's been lot going on around the world. The situation in Burma is the big story at the moment, and rightly so, and I and others been covering it extensively, but … [Read more...] about Back in the Former USSR: News from Russia and the Ukraine
Bloodshed of Burma
(Cross-posted from The Reaction.) Via Brad Plumer: England's Daily Mail is reporting on the unofficial (if "official" is what the totalitarians are telling us) but likely accurate death toll in Burma, as well as on the nature of the brutality, the mass murder of the regime's opponents: Thousands of protesters are dead and the bodies of hundreds of executed monks have … [Read more...] about Bloodshed of Burma