So much for meaningful reform that tries to seriusly fix the system in general. Instead we get yet another demonstration about why one-party rule has proven to be a disaster in terms of authentic problem solving and biparitsan solutions:The House approved campaign finance legislation last night that would benefit Republicans by placing strict caps on contributions to nonprofit … [Read more...] about House Passes Measure That’ll Hurt Mostly Democrats

You'd think that if he was unhappy with his doctor he'd sue and have the patience to stick it out. But that was the problem... … [Read more...] about Man Sends Bomb To Doctor

Secretary of State Condoleeza rice was grilled in Congress over the controversial deal between the United States and India announced by President George Bush in March. And it was not a clear-sailing session for her. Perhaps the most descriptive account of what occurred was run by the Calcutta Telegraph, whose correspondent K.P. Nayar writes:US secretary of state Condoleezza … [Read more...] about Rice Grilled In Congress Over India-US Nuke Deal

We might disagree on affirmative action. But we can agree that if we are going to have it (and I for one think we should), a minority shouldn't be excluded from the program just because they're conservative. … [Read more...] about Minority Conservatives are People Too, Y’know

Alan Stewart Carl has the stats and they ain't pretty. More here. … [Read more...] about Our Bloated Tax Code

Thanks to the Bush tax cuts, the rich are most certainly getting richer. But how much more? Find out. … [Read more...] about It’s A Good Time To Be Rich

I'll have more on this soon, when I do a fuller post on rendition and torture, but I wanted to link to this important story. According to the BBC, Amnesty International has released a report that "provides detailed accounts of the experiences of three Yemeni men who claim to have been held in at least four different secret US prisons between October 2003 and May … [Read more...] about Amnesty uncovers U.S. prisoner rendition program

From Bull Moose:It is likely that Delay himself recognized both the possibility of his own indictment and the harsh judgment of the voters, and stepped down. He may also sense that the GOP is about to lose its control over the House. The Era of '94 is over, done, kaput...The millions of good conservatives outside of Washington should understand that their leaders have betrayed … [Read more...] about Quote Of The Day: On DeLay’s Political Demise

You know, I really like the new HBO show Big Love, but Saskatchewan is absolutely right to stand firm against a polygamist sect, The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, that may be trying to set up a new community in the province. For those who think otherwise, polygamy is not the same as same-sex marriage and should not be tolerated. The leader of this … [Read more...] about Saskatchewan says no to polygamy

Sign of the Apocalypse #30 at The Reaction: According to The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz, long-time Today Show co-host Katie Couric is set to take over the CBS Evening News from Bob Schieffer. An announcement is expected this week. Why is this a SOTA? Not because of Couric herself, although I don't think she's the right person to take over a nightly network news broadcast … [Read more...] about Katie Couric heads to CBS

Yesterday there was the news of a homeland security official arrested in a child porn sting. But there was also another story all over the airwaves last night, the amazing saga Justin Berry who was underage when he ran a per pay site that got quite a following from men — and led to him being molested. Berry testified yesterday before Congress and the Bush administration … [Read more...] about The Boy Whose Turned In Pedophile List Gathers Dust In Washington

Best divorce filing. Ever. [PDF]. I especially like the pictures. And the random font size changes and underlining. H/T: Wings and Vodka. … [Read more...] about Till Death Due Us Part

The Washington Post's David Broder wonders whether Tom "The Hammer" DeLay's decision to resign from Congress will usher in a new era more conducive to compromise and — we'll use that dirty word here (to some) — bipartisanship:It is one thing to see a Randy "Duke" Cunningham go to jail for bribery. Few outside his San Diego district had ever heard the name of the … [Read more...] about Broder: Will Tom DeLay’s Exit Usher In A New Era In Congress?

Here's a story that is sure to spark a teeny weenie bit of debate:Rare conditions could have conspired to create hard-to-see ice on the Sea of Galilee that a person could have walked on back when Jesus is said to have walked on water, a scientist said today. The study, which examines a combination of favorable water and environmental conditions, proposes that Jesus could have … [Read more...] about Did Jesus Actually Walk On Ice?

It's ironic but an official working to improve the Homeland Security Department's image in the press has been arrested on child porn charges — which isn't something that will burnish his agency's image very much:The deputy press secretary for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was arrested Tuesday for using the Internet to seduce what he thought was a teenage girl, … [Read more...] about Homeland Security Official Arrested On Child Porn Sting

Another poetic gem from TMV's favorite poet, Michael Silverstein, aka Wall Street Poet:In 1963 The Orlons were singing about a place in Philadelphia where all the hippies meet "South Street." Here's a song about "K Street" in Washington, where today's lobbying elite meet and greet Congressmen seeking a treat. K Street Where do lobbyists all greet (K Street, K … [Read more...] about Guest Poet: K Street

It's about to become a reality. More here. … [Read more...] about Mandatory Healthcare In Massachusetts?

When it comes to communicating with voters, it's the quality stupid. From Political Wire:One of the most important things to do on a campaign is to target your resources. Target your time. Target your money. And target your message. Don’t try to "sell" a 30 year-old father of two the same way you "sell" a 75 year-old grandmother of ten. Ask yourself, "How does this … [Read more...] about Centrist/Moderate/Reformer Candidates…Take Note

Here's one view. … [Read more...] about Has China Been Responsible For The Loss Of U.S. Jobs?

Yes, it's happening...In the new procedure, doctors extract muscle and bladder cells from a small piece of the patient's own bladder. The cells are grown in a Petri dish, then layered onto a three-dimensional mold shaped like a bladder. In a few weeks, the cells produce a new bladder, which is implanted into the patient. Within a few more weeks, the new bladder has grown to … [Read more...] about Growing Organs