Too tired to post? It's round up time! Get 'em while they're hot. … [Read more...] about Round ’em Up

Speaking of my Reaction co-blogger Creature, which I did earlier today (see below), he has a new post on Bush's shortened vacation schedule -- yet more "image over substance" coming from this White House, which wants us all to believe that Bush is "on top of the job". For more, see here. … [Read more...] about Bush on vacation

As many of you know, the Senate has voted down a bill which would have both raised the minimum wage and slashed the Estate Tax. The Carpetbagger Report gives its award for dumbest argument in favor of the bill to Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R), who claimed: "[W]e are turning our back on the middle-class and poor people in this country who depend on the minimum wage and … [Read more...] about Poor Poor People

As I reported on Sunday, DR Congo has held its first free elections in 40 years. Violence during the campaign and allegations of voting irregularities cast doubt on the legitimacy of those elections, and now there is an accusation that there was "massive fraud": One of Congo's four vice presidents said Tuesday that a historic national election on Sunday was marred by "massive … [Read more...] about Allegations of fraud taint DR Congo’s elections

Over at State of the Day, the home blog for Reaction co-blogger Creature, Ted has written a great post on the situation in the Middle East, arguing that there won't be a lasting peace until Israel's right to exist is recognized by its neighbours (and enemies). It's a view I share. You can find the post here. … [Read more...] about How can there be peace in the Middle East?

Can he be more blunt than this?Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday the solution to the Middle East crisis was to destroy Israel, Iranian state media reported. In a speech during an emergency meeting of Muslim leaders in Malaysia, Ahmadinejad also called for an immediate cease-fire to end the fighting between Israel and the Iranian-back group … [Read more...] about Ahmadinejad’s Call For A Final Solution On Israel

E.J. Dionne, Jr. on the minimum wage increase/inheritance state tax bill that failed in the Senate:President Bush, his defenders say, has pioneered a new philosophical approach, sometimes known as "big-government conservatism." The most articulate defender of this position, the journalist Fred Barnes, argues that Bush's view is "Hamiltonian" as in Alexander, Thomas Jefferson's … [Read more...] about Quote Of The Day: E. J. Dionne Jr. On Conservatism Today

THIS JUST IN from investigative reporter Andy Borowitz:Bush Awards Gibson Presidential Medal of Freedom President: 'Thanks for Taking the Heat off Me This Week' In a stunning moment of redemption for the embattled actor Mel Gibson, President George W. Bush today awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, telling the star, "Thanks for taking the heat off me this week." Mr. … [Read more...] about This Just In!

… [Read more...] about Definitive Proof Against “Intelligent Design”

One again Congressional Republicans are finding that a highly-hyped piece of legislation that dominated news cycles, talk radio, weblogs and political discussion has failed with a familiar name being associated with the failure: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. Pundits often note that Dr. Frist isn't running for re-election because he wants to run for President in 2008. If … [Read more...] about Minimum Wage Bill Blocked In Major Defeat For Bill Frist

Some now say Mel Gibson is a victim of the evil you-know-what (who one of our commentors said is run by the you-know-whos which might be news to this guy and others). The Gibson-related link above reads like a member of a (political and financial strata) team supporting another member of "his" team...and his team-mate supporting his team mate. (To those who feel this doesn't … [Read more...] about Mel Gibson A Victim?

Hopefully it won't rub you the wrong way. Play the BUSH BACKRUB GAME HERE. … [Read more...] about Play This GREAT New Game

GQ has an article out that appears to have broken the back of Ralph Reed's base. May his political career rot in hell. … [Read more...] about The Last Supper

For all the talk about how charges of anti-Semitism are thrown at the drop of a hat (which strikes me as quite parallel to similar accusations of constant plays of "the race card" or "man-hating" or other assorted over-statements of how often oppression really is discussed in modern political discourse), it seems clear that anti-Semitism as an institution is disturbingly … [Read more...] about The Discrimination That Dare Not Speak Its Name

In recent hours, the US is being forced to back down in the UN Security Council because Israel seems unable to destroy Hizbullah on the battlefield despite steadfast support from Washington. It looks as if the Security Council, emasculated by years of US and Israeli scorn, may not be able to soon deliver the durable peace now so vital for Israel’s security. There may be a … [Read more...] about The quagmire deepens

When feminists talk about autonomy they don't mean it in the traditional "laissez-faire" style we've been trained to hear them as. Feminist autonomy is a far richer and more interesting conception: one in which people do depend on each other and can expect things of each other. Ayn Rand's worst nightmare...but then, that's a feature, not a bug. … [Read more...] about Needing Each Other

Monkeys! On a Train! … [Read more...] about Where The &%@# is Samuel L. Jackson When You Need Him?

Monkeys! On a Train! … [Read more...] about Where The &%@# is Samuel L. Jackson When You Need Him?

Cross-Posted at the Debate Link Okay, here's a good debate topic for all you sports fans out there. My family and I have been discussing which is the worst town in sports. By "worst", we don't mean atmosphere or fan loyalty. We mean in terms of the overall performance of its major, professional teams in recent memory (say, the mid-80s and up). The criteria: 1) The town must … [Read more...] about Worst Luck Sports Town

From The Washington Post: Hezbollah shattered two days of relative calm in northern Israel on Wednesday, spraying the region with more than 230 rockets that set buildings and forests ablaze, wounded at least 33 civilians and killed a man as he rode his bicycle in front of his home. Hezbollah's largest barrage of the war — 80 more rockets than struck the Jewish state … [Read more...] about Hezbollah bombards Israel, Qana inquiry completed