The good news for those who've backed expansion of children's health care coverage is that it passed after a bipartisan vote in the House. The bad news for them -- and Republicans running for re-election, most likely -- is that many members of the Republican Party have continued the 2007 trend in following the administration's wishes so the vote margin means there won't be … [Read more...] about House Vote To Expand Children’s Health Insurance Too Weak To Survive Bush Veto
Supporter Launches Ron Paul YouTube Video Contest With Money Prize
OK ... perhaps the prize isn't as whopping as America's Got Talent's or American Idol's. But a Ron Paul supporter is insisting that he's launching a Ron Paul video contest on YouTube with the top prize $4,000. Yes, friends, this is indeed the Age Of You Tube. First, you had weblogs where any citizen could be his/her/it's own editor, publisher at a shockingly low cost. The … [Read more...] about Supporter Launches Ron Paul YouTube Video Contest With Money Prize
Republican Watts Calls GOP Front Runners’ No Show Decision On Minority Debate “Stupid”
The n.s. has hit the fan in the Republican Party. "N.S." stands for no shows, the GOP's top, leading candidates who insisted they just could not squeeze in the time to participate in a debate focusing on minority issues. Of course, it's merely a coincidence that it just happened that none of the four big front-runners showed up. And former Rep. J.C. Watts, a charismatic … [Read more...] about Republican Watts Calls GOP Front Runners’ No Show Decision On Minority Debate “Stupid”
Obama Immigration Interview
Immigration Law Profs exclusive interview with the candidate is now available. … [Read more...] about Obama Immigration Interview
Iran President Ahmadinejad
Rainer Hachfeld, Neues Deutschland, Germany … [Read more...] about Iran President Ahmadinejad
Disentangling Perpetrators from Victims
When someone is accused of moral wrongdoing, they have the right to procedural protection and a fair hearing, and should not be presumed guilty of the act without cause. When someone has been morally wronged, they have a right to compensation and restitution, and should not be assumed to be lying about the wrong in absence of specific evidence to that effect (e.g., if I say … [Read more...] about Disentangling Perpetrators from Victims
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. -------------------------- Andrew Sullivan highlights the voice of a pragmatic reader who thinks, for all the hoopla … [Read more...] about Center of Attention
On Defining Dissent, Treason
This weekend, I noticed and posted at Central Sanity what I found to be an intriguing dichotomy: Two attempts to limit the free expression of opinions, one from the left (taking issue with planned protests of Ahmadinejad's Columbia U. appearance) and one from the right (labeling war protestors as treasonous). Yesterday, an anonymous commenter made several points on that … [Read more...] about On Defining Dissent, Treason
Freedom of Speech 1, Ahmadinejad 0
One of the more puzzling traits of the right wing, which waves Old Glory at every opportunity and professes to have a deep and abiding love for America, is how little faith it actually has in the pillars of the American legal and political system when push comes to shove. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the right wing has slavishly supported the Bush's administration's … [Read more...] about Freedom of Speech 1, Ahmadinejad 0
New Jersey: A Garden State of Mind
It took years for New Jersey to wrestle the unofficial Most Corrupt State title from Louisiana and public officials there are determined not to relinquish the crown. Just the other day, in yet another round of government corruption-related arrests yet another passel of mayors and other public officials from three counties were caught accepting payoffs from undercover agents … [Read more...] about New Jersey: A Garden State of Mind
Reading Ahmadinejad: Underlying the Bombastic
I’ve looked at several films of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaking. The one below is the one I’ll focus on here. In all the films, he uses repetitive gestures; holding up and pointing with his index finger... unremarkable in itself, but he then ...employs poking motions with that finger, gestures while holding his finger laterally sometimes, upright others, other times … [Read more...] about Reading Ahmadinejad: Underlying the Bombastic
Ahmadinejad Takes a Victory Lap
Given the kerfuffles over whether Mahmoud Ahmadinejad should be allowed to visit Ground Zero and questions over whether there is something strange in the drinking water at Columbia University, it has been easy to overlook that as the Iranian president makes his annual sojourn to the U.S. and the U.N., he arguably has played the fools in the White House . . . for fools. Put … [Read more...] about Ahmadinejad Takes a Victory Lap
The Ahmadinejad Show: Less Horror Show And More Like Crossfire
It was a big "special," aired on TV, radio,sparking hours of talk radio outrage and angry (of course) blog rants. The event: the debut of the one shot made-for-TV special, The Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Show. But was it a horror show? Or more like "Crossfire?" Or containing the nuttiness of the guests on Jerry Springer? The build up to the event -- SURE to ensure maximum … [Read more...] about The Ahmadinejad Show: Less Horror Show And More Like Crossfire
Guest Poet: moveon, speaksout, demslose
Another poetic gem from TMV's favorite poet, Michael Silverstein, aka Wall Street Poet: Anyone with any political savvy understands what Bush has been doing in recent months to keep his Iraq policies afloat: playing The Wizard Of Oz card. Having become so personally unpopular, he's been saying, in essence, pay no attention to that man behind the curtain (me). Focus … [Read more...] about Guest Poet: moveon, speaksout, demslose
Ahmadinejad Bombs
Vince O'Farrell, The Illawarra Mercury, Australia … [Read more...] about Ahmadinejad Bombs
The Right Response to Ahmadinejad
Give him a mic, let him make a fool of himself, laugh him off stage. Watching Columbia students literally start giggling when he tried to argue there are no homosexuals in Iran was a priceless moment -- but getting him in a high-profile position in front of international cameras where he tried to argue that there were no homosexuals in Iran is a major diplomatic coup. When … [Read more...] about The Right Response to Ahmadinejad
Ahmadinejad Meets His Media Match
The Presidents of Iran and Columbia University vied today for the world's heavyweight title for hypocrisy and fought to a draw. For my scoring, click here. … [Read more...] about Ahmadinejad Meets His Media Match
Iran’s President Ahmadinejad Says There Are No Gays In Iran
At first the Columbia University audience thought Iran's President was making a joke..but then it became clear he was speaking seriously: And THESE PHOTOS perhaps show why there aren't any or many gays in Iran... Also read THIS and THIS and THIS and THIS. … [Read more...] about Iran’s President Ahmadinejad Says There Are No Gays In Iran
Newspaper: Bush Advising Clinton And Other Democrats On Iraq War Rhetoric
According to a new book, Senator Hillary Clinton and other Democrats have a behind-the-scenes political advisor on the war. His name is President George Bush: President Bush is quietly providing back-channel advice to Hillary Rodham Clinton, urging her to modulate her rhetoric so she can effectively prosecute the war in Iraq if elected president. In an interview for … [Read more...] about Newspaper: Bush Advising Clinton And Other Democrats On Iraq War Rhetoric
The Intellectual Dilemma over “Intellectually Lazy”
An unidentified Bush administration official said Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama exhibited "intellectual laziness." It's kind of a ridiculous charge, given Obama's background (and given the source). But a few liberal bloggers also complained that the charge itself was reminiscent of racist stereotyping in which Black people were seen as academically weak … [Read more...] about The Intellectual Dilemma over “Intellectually Lazy”