Did you know that there is an out-of-sight, out-of-mind parallel, life and death battle being waged in Iraq? The Washington Post offers details on this less publicized but surely deadly parallel war: Private security companies, funded by billions of dollars in U.S. military and State Department contracts, are fighting insurgents on a widening scale in Iraq, enduring daily … [Read more...] about Iraq’s Parallel War: War Of The Contractors
Tear Down This Wall
RJ Matson, The St. Louis Post Dispatch … [Read more...] about Tear Down This Wall
The Latest On a Non-Scandal
A senior Justice Department official who helped carry out the firings of eight U.S. attorneys is resigning. Mike Elston, chief of staff to Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty, is the fifth Justice official to leave after being linked to the dismissals of the prosecutors. More here. … [Read more...] about The Latest On a Non-Scandal
Father’s Day 2007, Open Thread
I don't know if people will see this if it scrolls too fast, I hope they will see and join in. I would love to hear other people's stories about their fathers, funny, strange, odd stories, memories. My foster father passed 9 years ago, a difficult person in the extreme and yet there were things about him that were admirable. Even though he'd brutal things in the … [Read more...] about Father’s Day 2007, Open Thread
Father’s Day, with Love from “Baby Boomers” to “The Greatest Generation”
This came from The Chicago Tribune: Letters, Talk of the Town "When my dad was a few chapters into "The Greatest Generation" by Tom Brokaw, he put it down, saying it had become repetitious. He then told me his generation didn't do anything any other generation, given the same circumstances, wouldn't have done." This from a Santa Fe friend "My father is not a … [Read more...] about Father’s Day, with Love from “Baby Boomers” to “The Greatest Generation”
Scooter & The Conservative Boo Hoo
"The number of people who would be angered by a (Scooter Libby) pardon who haven't already abandoned the president could fit in an airport shuttle bus." -- John Dickerson Dickerson has it exactly right. So how then to explain the hemorrhage of feelings from conservatives this week over the impending imprisonment of a very smart man who nevertheless valued loyalty over … [Read more...] about Scooter & The Conservative Boo Hoo
Mike Nifong Resigns
The New York Times reports that Mike Nifong, the prosecutor in the Duke rape case, says he plans to quit his job. He admitted that he "had 'crossed the line' of ethical standards in some of the public statements he made about the Duke University lacrosse players he charged with rape." Nifong made his announcement "on the stand at the end of several hours of testimony in a … [Read more...] about Mike Nifong Resigns
A Second Cultural Revolution in Iran
The Washington Post has an article up by Robin Wright about the situation in Iran. Iranian authorities are - as most of you will know - enforcing Islamic law very strictly again these days. Female government officials, for instance, go out on the streets to check whether women wear the kind of clothes they are supposed to wear. If they do not dress 'Islamic' enough, the women … [Read more...] about A Second Cultural Revolution in Iran
Guest Voice: Obama’s (and America’s) Generation Problem
NOTE: The Moderate Voice runs Guest Voice posts from time to time by readers who don't have their own websites, or people who have websites but would like to post something for TMV's diverse and thoughtful readership. Guest Voice posts do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Moderate Voice or its writers. This Guest Voice post is by Kevin Anderson, a graduate of Lake … [Read more...] about Guest Voice: Obama’s (and America’s) Generation Problem
Begging His Pardon
Editor's note: Bill Moyers delivered this essay on his PBS program Bill Moyers' Journal. Begging His Pardon by Bill Moyers We have yet another remarkable revelation of the mindset of Washington's ruling clique ofneoconservative elites-the people who took us to war from the safety of their Beltway bunkers. Even as Iraq grows bloodier by the day, their passion of the … [Read more...] about Begging His Pardon
A Final Take On “The Soprano’s” Controversial Finale (UPDATED)
Read the always original Josh Trevino's analysis HERE in National Review. UPDATE: HBO is now bolstering Trevino's view that Tony was probably "whacked" in the final ambiguous scene. They say viewers may be onto something and that there were earlier CLUES. … [Read more...] about A Final Take On “The Soprano’s” Controversial Finale (UPDATED)
Attention To Polls
Mike Keefe, The Denver Post … [Read more...] about Attention To Polls
Sexy Kids’ Underwear Under Fire In Australia
Here's yet another example of how consumers aren't determining a market -- but people marketing goods are imposing something on young people that cuts short what was once considered an era of innocence called "childhood": CHILD experts say marketing racy underwear to girls as young as eight is sexualising children and robbing them of their childhood. Psychologists and … [Read more...] about Sexy Kids’ Underwear Under Fire In Australia
Taxing the Internet: Read The Bloggers’ Lips: No New Taxes, No Old Taxes, No TAXES!
Wait, death and taxes are inevitable, OK, for sure on one, but not necessarily on the other. But what if taxes cause such overburden that taxes actually bring death... death of businesses, death of access, death of wherewithal. Where does it end? Isn't it enough that there are taxes on water, electricity, property, cars, licenses, dogs, for heaven's sakes... dogs... if anyone … [Read more...] about Taxing the Internet: Read The Bloggers’ Lips: No New Taxes, No Old Taxes, No TAXES!
Mahmoud Abbas in his office
Christo Komarnitski, Bulgaria … [Read more...] about Mahmoud Abbas in his office
Why I Hope Bush Pardons Libby
Not least of the vileness that Bush, Cheney and Rove have brought into our public life is the rage of those who cherish traditional American respect for law and decency. That’s why I hope Bush pardons Scooter Libby. His doing so would frustrate our desire for retribution but at the cost of implicating his entire Administration in the hateful enterprise of which Libby’s … [Read more...] about Why I Hope Bush Pardons Libby
The Worst… Is The Best We’ve Got
Bryan Caplan wrote, what seems to be, a very interesting book, in which he tries to explain "why democracies choose bad policies." A review of the book appeared at the Economist. ANYONE who follows an election campaign too closely will sometimes get the feeling that politicians think voters are idiots. A new book says they are. Or rather, Bryan Caplan, an economics professor … [Read more...] about The Worst… Is The Best We’ve Got
Horse Race
Jay Rosen wrote a good article about the way the MSM deal with elections. It's nice to know that Mitt Romney has pulled ahead in New Hampshire, seven months before the primary voting. Thanks, Bill Schneider! Let me ask you something: Who's ahead in addressing a broken health care system? It’s fascinating to realize that Hillary Clinton, a woman, is ahead among women. … [Read more...] about Horse Race
Republican Challenge Revised
Last Saturday, I asked for inputs on a draft letter to Republican leaders. While the feedback was certainly diverse, it generally sorted out into a handful of common themes: Why bother? What’s the desired action by the recipients? It’s too general; get more specific. Make it apply to both parties, not just Republicans. What’s the larger plan; the related … [Read more...] about Republican Challenge Revised
Bad News For Republicans: Poll Shows Voters Souring On GOP
The race for the Republican 2008 Presidential nomination is on -- but a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll suggests the highly sought prize may be in danger of becoming a booby prize: The race for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination has become wide open, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows. But the value of winning it has fallen sharply. The survey … [Read more...] about Bad News For Republicans: Poll Shows Voters Souring On GOP