Race angles in the Genarlow Wilson case. … [Read more...] about Abuse of Discretion

The scenario is by now familiar: A gung-ho public servant with impeccable credentials joins the Bush administration's War on Terror. He is ignored and marginalized because fresh thinking is verboten. He finally quits in frustration. More here. … [Read more...] about Only the Good Leave Young

It's a sad day for cartoon lovers and they most be grieving in Toon Town. For it is officially the end of an era:Joseph Barbera, an innovator of animation who teamed with William Hanna to give generations of young television viewers a pantheon of beloved characters, including Tom and Jerry, Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound and the Flintstones, died yesterday at his home in Los … [Read more...] about Joseph Barbera: Cartoon Genius Of Hanna-Barbera Fame Dies (UPDATED)

Please read Shaun's post from today: The Generals Draw a Line in the Sand. This post is merely a round-up with opinions from other bloggers about this. Here we go: Balloon Juice:Eventually true statesmen recognize that their historical moment has passed and subsume their ego to the good of the country. LBJ did it. Sadly, I think that we can all acknowledge that Bush is not … [Read more...] about Joint Chiefs of Staff vs. Bush

Bruce Bartlett suggests that Libertarians would likely be more effective as an interest group than as a separate party. I think that the same reasoning is true for Centrists and Moderates.In place of the party, there should arise a new libertarian interest group organized like the National Rifle Association or the various pro- and anti-abortion groups. This new group, … [Read more...] about A More Effective Course for Libertarians and Centrists

Now this might give some conservatives quite a headache... The Bush administration has sent signals since last month's elections that the president is prepared to accept some tax increases on upper-income families, worrying congressional Republicans and fiscal conservative watchdogs who say he will compromise with Democrats to win a legacy accomplishment. These moves come … [Read more...] about Bush to Raise Taxes?

And so the Joint Chiefs of Staff have drawn a line in the sand: No more troops will be committed to the war in Iraq until when and if the White House can present a plausible mission statement. As noted at the end of my previous post, the joint chiefs are unanimous in their refusal to approve more cannon fodder until President Bush stops talking the talk and begins walking the … [Read more...] about The Generals Draw a Line in the Sand

A good read over at Gun Toting Liberal. It seems that U.S. special forces and the CIA clashed with each other on quite some occasions... and not in Iraq. … [Read more...] about Hey! What are You doing Here?

It wasn't so long ago that conservatives were all for free speech, particularly on university campuses, where they opposed P.C. speech codes. (At Tufts in the early- to mid-'90s, during the culture wars, I was with them on this, and, indeed, with my weekly political column in The Tufts Daily I was one of the major voices on campus against any such attempts to regulate … [Read more...] about Newt Gingrich and the GOP’s Culture of Fear

Let me start by apologizing: sorry for the general link, there doesn't seem to be a specific link to the article yet. Anyway, is this reason for concern? Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh received a promise from Iran of extensive economic aid, cash, military cooperation, and also good news, from his perspective. Lower your profile, calm the situation, the Iranians told … [Read more...] about A Major Announcement to Come?

Over at The Reaction, Heraclitus looks at how blogs are better than newspapers (and organs of the MSM generally) in shaping the civil associations and social bonds necessary for the functioning of a healthy modern democracy. It's a fascinating post. See here. … [Read more...] about Alexis de Tocqueville and the uses of blogging

This damaged tank, with armor plate and turret rearranged and one set of tracks off, is an apt metaphor for where the U.S. is in Iraq as we slouch toward the New Year. Three years and nine months into the war, attacks against U.S. troops are at a record high, which is all the more extraordinary because many units are staying in barracks except for occasional forays out among … [Read more...] about Three Years & Nine Months Into the War . . .

JTA reports that Israel is being considered for membership in the British Commonwealth:Commonwealth officials said this week they had set up a special committee to consider membership applications by several Middle Eastern and African nations. Speaking on condition of anonymity, diplomats said those interested in applying include Israel and the Palestinian Authority, both of … [Read more...] about Israel Being Considered for Membership in British Commonwealth

Euro Jules Crittenden writes: "Europhobia" is on the rise across Europe, where many Christian, Jews and secular Europeans are menaced and misunderstood — some on a daily basis — the European Monitoring Center on Racism and Xenophobia said Monday in a new report. The Vienna-based center, which tracks ethnic and religious bias across the 25-country European Union, said … [Read more...] about Europhobia on the Rise… In Europe?

In God's Universe, Harvard Professor of Astronomy and the History of Science Emeritus Owen Gingerich spells out his views on the creation of the universe, arguing that "the universe has been created with intention and purpose, and that this belief does not interfere with the scientific enterprise." He believes that the universe can be seen as a more "coherent and congenial … [Read more...] about Book Review: “God’s Universe”

Japan's conservative government has removed two pillars of its post-World War II pacifism. It now requires schools to teach patriotism and has upgraded its Defense Agency to a full ministry. What to make of this news? Perhaps both too much and not enough given Japan’s unique status and character: Sixty one years after the end of World War II, Germany is a fully fledged … [Read more...] about War & Peace: What Is It With Japan?

The results of the 2006 Weblog Awards are in. The list of 2006 Weblog Award Winners is HERE. All of us here at TMV want to express our appreciation to everyone who voted for this site — ending in our winning the Best Centrist Blog category. As longtime readers of this nearly-three-year-old weblog know, in past years we either had fun with almost satirical posts about … [Read more...] about 2006 Weblog Awards: The Crew At TMV Says “Thank You”

Comedy that adds up: … [Read more...] about Blind Date – Olde English Sketch Comedy

A few things to pass along to TMV readers: THE REFORMAT OF TMV is well underway. You will note some changes on this page. You'll also note that you now can click on CATEGORIES on the lower right side of the site's margin. This will increasingly let you read stories under specific categories. It is NOT retroactive, though, so this is something that will be starting now. Also … [Read more...] about Note To Readers

Do I even have to ask? And did you know that marijuana is becoming the biggest cash crop in the US? More here? … [Read more...] about Are We Winning The War On Drugs?