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
The Great 2007 Passport Fiasco
Ah, yet another thing to blame the Bush administration for: Making millions of Americans virtual prisoners in their own country because of an enormous backlog of passport applications. With the coming of summer travel season, this is no small matter. Take the case of a friend who is a world traveler: She mailed in her passport to be renewed in early March. Three-plus … [Read more...] about The Great 2007 Passport Fiasco
Lost Watch
Cam Cardow, The Ottawa Citizen … [Read more...] about Lost Watch
Reid: Pace is Incompetent
In an ironic turn of events, Harry Reid called General Peter Pace incompetent during a conference call with some leading progressive bloggers. The Politico reported about this yesterday already, but the bloggers involved all said they did not remember Reid saying this. So, I decided to wait for more information. We’ve got it: Reid, indeed, called Pace incompetent. The … [Read more...] about Reid: Pace is Incompetent
MRAPs & Rumsfeld’s War on the Cheap
As if the whole freaking affair hasn't been so forked up to begin with, some of the consequences of former Defense Secretary Rumsfeld's decision to fight the Iraq war "on the cheap" have been nothing short of criminal. It is an open secret that troops have lacked the necessary protection in body and vehicle armor from the outset of the four-plus year old war because Rumsfeld … [Read more...] about MRAPs & Rumsfeld’s War on the Cheap
Ron Paul on The Colbert Report
Ron Paul on The Colbert Report on June 13th. Paul isn't the one you'd think at the outset of the campaign who'd come across good on TV -- but he does: … [Read more...] about Ron Paul on The Colbert Report
Immigration and the Ironies of Washington
From Mexico's La Chronica de Hoy translated on the indispensible site Watching America: President George W. Bush returned this week from a trip to Europe, where the only countries that received him well were Albania and Bulgaria. Ironically, these countries may have made him forget the nightmare that awaited in Washington, where, against all predictions and against his … [Read more...] about Immigration and the Ironies of Washington
Playing Politics at Justice
Mike Keefe, The Denver Post … [Read more...] about Playing Politics at Justice