Like Joni Mitchell with life and love, Karl Rove has seen voter fraud “from both sides now, from win and lose and still somehow,†it’s only the illusions he wants us to recall. As the U.S. Attorney scandals go on, the villainy du jour is now about “caging,†dirty tricks to exclude unfriendly voters as practiced by Rove’s assistant, Tim Griffin, appointed to … [Read more...] about Sad Song for Karl Rove
Prison Quads & Jeering Squads: Scooter Libby, Paris Hilton & Abu Ghraib
Scooter Libby faces 30 months in Gentlemen's Prison, and Paris Hilton is in Powder-Puff Prison... so it might be said. Prison today may mean nearly nothing for what I'd call ‘gold-collar crime.’ Yet, I’ve been wondering with an analyst’s eye, about all the hooting, clapping and applauding around Miss Hilton going to jail. This rousing currently sweeps much of TV … [Read more...] about Prison Quads & Jeering Squads: Scooter Libby, Paris Hilton & Abu Ghraib
Should Scooter Libby Be Pardoned?
Just asking. … [Read more...] about Should Scooter Libby Be Pardoned?
Excommunicating Bush
Greenwald: "The great fraud being perpetrated in our political discourse is the concerted attempt by movement conservatives, now that the Bush presidency lay irreversibly in ruins, to repudiate George Bush by claiming that he is not, and never has been, a 'real conservative.' This con game is being perpetrated by the very same conservatives who -- when his presidency looked to … [Read more...] about Excommunicating Bush
The Al-Hurra Controversy
Al-Hurra, the American-sponsored Arabic television network, has been embroiled in controversy in recent weeks. The controversy has gained center attention through the writings of Joel Mowbray in The Wall Street Journal who has lashed out at high-ranking members of the network's current leadership. He suggests that al-Hurra is so badly run that they've allowed active support for … [Read more...] about The Al-Hurra Controversy
Understanding Iranian Politics Is A Key Element of Smart Policy
Our policy towards Iran needs to be quite delicate. I've discussed the country's fragile political situation before and I've mentioned that there is currently a major power struggle between more moderate elements of the government and hard-liners. We need to carefully take note of these political developments because they must factor into our decisions about how to engage with … [Read more...] about Understanding Iranian Politics Is A Key Element of Smart Policy
Iraq Video Game
Too Beautiful for Politics
Libby Spencer argues that Jeri Thompson is, quite simply, too young and too beautiful for a First Lady. In a post yesterday, Libby called Jeri a "trophy wife." Strangely, people considered that to be some kind of insult. After all: it merely implies that Fred married her because she's young and beautiful, not because of her character or intelligence. What's insulting about … [Read more...] about Too Beautiful for Politics
Scooter’s Off to Prison, Or At Least to An Appeal
Washington Post: Libby Gets 30 Months in Prison, Is Fined $250KFormer White House aide to serve time in prison for lying and obstructing CIA leak investigation. … [Read more...] about Scooter’s Off to Prison, Or At Least to An Appeal
The End Of A Cease Fire In Spain
The Basque separatist ETA has called off the cease-fire it announced last year. Details here. … [Read more...] about The End Of A Cease Fire In Spain
It Just Gets Amazinger and Amazinger
While President Bush was in the Czech Republic today extolling the virtues of democracy and chiding Russian Premier Putin for not living up to the high standards of the United States of America, this appeared in The New York Times: The Bush administration’s attempt to create an alternative justice system for terrorism suspects, in the works for more than five years, has … [Read more...] about It Just Gets Amazinger and Amazinger
An Under-Utilized American Resource
Goats to the rescue, eating kudzu in inaccessible areas. New York Times: In Tennessee, Goats Eat the ‘Vine That Ate the South’ CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Summer is settling onto Missionary Ridge overlooking this southeast Tennessee city. Swallows glide on the warm breeze rustling the hackberry trees, kudzu vines sprout along the hillside and the goats are back at … [Read more...] about An Under-Utilized American Resource
Big Pharma and The Real Moral Decline of American Society
We have the pharmaceutical industry to thank for an amazing array of drugs that alleviate suffering, help repair damaged bodies and minds and prolong life. I myself popped a Lisinopril and a Plavix, along with an aspirin, this morning, which has been a daily regimen since I suffered a mild stroke several years ago. I also take Methotrexate, which originally was a cancer … [Read more...] about Big Pharma and The Real Moral Decline of American Society
Fred Thompson Rides To The Rescue
RJ Matson, Roll Call … [Read more...] about Fred Thompson Rides To The Rescue
Center of Attention
A round up of recent reporting and commentary by a few centrist, moderate, and independent bloggers. Andrew Sullivan responds to Glenn Greenwald responding to what the latter sees as disingenuous Bush-bashing by former Bush supporters. Sean Aqui comments on a military judge's latest ruling in the strange case of Omar Khadr, a Guantanamo detainee who was only 15 when … [Read more...] about Center of Attention
Obama Virtually Tied With Clinton In USA Today Poll
Bad news for Senator Hillary Clinton...and good news for Senator Barack Obama...in a new poll: Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are essentially tied for the Democratic presidential nomination, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, the first time that the New York senator hasn't clearly led the field. The Illinois senator bests Clinton by a single percentage point, … [Read more...] about Obama Virtually Tied With Clinton In USA Today Poll
Poll: Public Dissatisfied With War, Country’s Direction And Democratic Congress
A new poll has some more bad news for the administration -- but it has particularly bad news for the Democratic Congress. In fact, the poll spells t-r-o-u-b-l-e: Growing frustration with the performance of the Democratic Congress, combined with widespread public pessimism over President Bush's temporary troop buildup in Iraq, has left satisfaction with the overall … [Read more...] about Poll: Public Dissatisfied With War, Country’s Direction And Democratic Congress
GOP Titanic
Sandy Huffaker, Cagle Cartoons … [Read more...] about GOP Titanic
Our Blogroll Is Back On The Front Page
We've moved our famous TMV categorized blogroll back on the front page of the newly re-designed The Moderate Voice. You can now find an extensive archive of posts on a separate page, instead of on the site's front page. And many thanks to those of you who contributed to TMV in May. Your contributions helped the redesign happen. … [Read more...] about Our Blogroll Is Back On The Front Page
Anthropology Alert!
LA Times: Chicken bones say Polynesians beat Europeans to New World After decades of contention, New Zealand researchers have provided the first direct evidence that Polynesians sailed across thousands of miles of the Pacific Ocean to reach South America long before the arrival of the Spanish around AD 1500. Their proof? Chicken bones. Using genetic analysis and … [Read more...] about Anthropology Alert!