A group lists the 13 most corrupt men and women in congress (not including Tom DeLay). It comes out to 11 Republicans and 2 Democrats, and, if you include DeLay, it tags 4 of the top 6 Republican Leaders on the Hill. I wish I could say I found this surprising. But I don't. … [Read more...] about “Beyond DeLay”

Don Adams, whose most famous role was Agent 86 in the television series Get Smart, a spoof of the spy genre, has died. Thanks to Doug Mc. of The Reality Stick for the news and the link. … [Read more...] about Another icon of popular entertainment passes on

We have one thing to say about Tim Russert's almost cliched ambush of a guest from whom he did have a right to seek on-the-record clarifications: "Oye." If a reporter gets a dramatic quote or piece of broadcast tape and runs it — and runs with it — so it becomes the rage of the day...and then it turns out to be flawed, filled with inaccuracies or even lies, that … [Read more...] about Tim Russert’s Effective Ambush

TMV, aka The Wandering Jew, is on one of his most brutal trips yet. A drive yesterday that was supposed to be some 9 hours morphed into 12 due to some complicating factors. TMV himself will be able to post very little today. But, as you can already see (scroll down) our always-independent co-bloggers are doing their thing (and TMV has a post below...and MAY be able to do one … [Read more...] about Big Note To Readers

John Roberts's passage through the Senate has, thus far, been relatively easy (despite some lingering concerns) — and nothing is likely to change. But some Senate Republicans are already preparing for a more rigorous examination of President Bush's second nominee (the one to replace the retiring Sandra Day O'Connor), who may be announced as early as this week. The New … [Read more...] about Republicans could challenge next SCOTUS nominee

(Cross-posted at The Reaction.) Is President Bush a socialist? In yesterday's Sunday Times (of London, not New York), Andrew Sullivan, libertarian extraordinaire (more or less), makes the case that he is. Consider the facts: "When you add it all up, you get the simple, devastating fact that Bush, in a mere five years, has added $1.5 trillion to the national debt. The interest … [Read more...] about The socialism of George W. Bush

With most of my focus on Hurricane Rita this weekend, I've neglected a major event in Washington, D.C. Here's the story: Tens of thousands of people packed downtown Washington [on Saturday] and marched past the White House in the largest show of antiwar sentiment in the nation's capital since the conflict in Iraq began. The demonstration drew grandmothers in wheelchairs and … [Read more...] about Washington’s anti-war demonstration

...at Wall Street Poet. Every commentary on politics or life doesn't have to be angry or snarky (see all of our posts below...). You CAN occassionally look at things in a more lyrical, and clever style — which is what the highly talented Michael Silverstein does on his site. We're run some of his stuff several times because when we read it, it's so good we feel it must … [Read more...] about Take A Peek…..

Cross posted at The Smoking Room The younger Bush is becoming more like Poppy in his look-the-other-way, realpolitik refusal to cut foreign aid to all but 3 governments - Myanmar, Cuba and North Korea - on the State Department's list of 14 that have done squat to limit trafficking in prostitutes, child sex workers and forced laborers:Of those 14, Bush concluded that Bolivia, … [Read more...] about Bush keeps funding for 11 of 14 countries on State Department’s human trafficking list

The Mighty Middle's Michael Reynolds looks at this weekend's anti-war demonstrations. Read the whole post because it does get across the fact that sometimes actions, words and the politidal style on the left and right spark a kind of backlash. It raises a key question: are demonstrations to show force in numbers, consolidate activist support, or to also win some people over … [Read more...] about A Look At The Anti-War Demonstrations From The Middle

But sometimes there is, you know, wasted effort.... … [Read more...] about It’s Good To Prepare For Hurricanes

Sometimes during sermons.... … [Read more...] about We All Make Mistakes

Amid anti-war demonstrations all over the country, San Diego's Citizen Smash held another one of his counter-demonstrations -- if it really qualifies as one. For, you see, most of Smash's demonstrations try to focus firmly on the theme of thanking the military that are out in the field. We went Balboa Park last year amid a demonstration and wound up doing a post for Dean's … [Read more...] about He Got His Message Across

...never forget that there are scandals involving Democrats, too. … [Read more...] about And Just In Case You Think Only Republicans Get Snarled In Scandals….

But has one Democrat's rationale showed a way to lay the groundwork for future Democratic Supreme Court nominees to get through? … [Read more...] about Strange Political Bedfellows

TMV is on a long drive today and unless he finds a Starbucks he will not be posting many entries today. However, check back and you'll likely find some new, thought-provoking reading by our always independent-thinking co-bloggers. So check back often. (And note that our post on Bill Frist's latest troubles below has been UPDATED with an extensive roundup). … [Read more...] about Light(er) Blogging Today

It's bad enough that Senator Bill Frist has gotten the image of a not-always successful Majority Leader and as a master political panderer, but now the question is arising: is he insidious, simply careless or just plain dumb? YOU decide (and the voters eventually will). Consider two stories that comprise a double whammy of rotten political imagery that will be pounced upon by … [Read more...] about A Fristfull Of Trouble (UPDATED)

This is one of a series of posts for readers that try to keep things in perspective — that there is MORE to life than political stands, political analysis, news and one side winning or losing. There are the Things That (really) Matter. People get so wrapped up in the process of reading weblogs — sites that are often provocative because they contain blunt opinions … [Read more...] about Things That Matter: A Blogger Takes Stock

I won't double post it here, but over at The Reaction I have an update on national and local coverage of Hurricane Rita, along with links to more local news outlets that are doing an incredible job covering this incredible storm. See also this post for other links to local news outlets (many of which are running blogs in place of their main sites). And this one as an … [Read more...] about The devastation of Hurricane Rita

Rita has hit the U.S. Coast — if not as mind-boggling as originally feared, fearsome nonetheless with top winds of 100 mph/ According to CNN, Rita has now become a Category 2 storm (winds 96-110 mph). And right now predictions are that the storm's force will be slowing down over the next 24 hours. MSNBC reports:BEAUMONT, Texas - Hurricane Rita plowed into the Gulf Coast … [Read more...] about A Weakened But Deadly Rita Slams Into Gulf Coast UPDATED