The Rainbow Congress: Two Narratives
The composition of the 116th Congress has garnered a lot of attention. The singular event for the House Democrats was the swearing-in of its diverse caucus, a happy moment amid the gloom of the ongoing government shutdown. Among the new faces was Representative Rashida Tlaib, one of two Muslim women first to hold a seat in Congress. Two Native American women gained House seats … [Read more...] about The Rainbow Congress: Two Narratives
Elizabeth Warren admits to lying . . . sort of.
Elizabeth Warren has finally admitted that she lied . . . sort of. From The Hill, 5 January 2019: Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Saturday faced questions related to the results of a DNA test she took last year while stumping in Iowa for her first trip since running for president. Warren, who announced on New Year's Eve that she is forming an exploratory committee … [Read more...] about Elizabeth Warren admits to lying . . . sort of.
The Post-Holiday Blues
by Kim Mooney Sometimes when the holidays are over, we experience a letdown kind of sadness and depression. Visiting friends and family have gone home, all of the gatherings are over, the decorations come down, and we are left with more time alone and more silence. In some ways, this may be a relief. In others, it may remind us that we are not being buffered from our … [Read more...] about The Post-Holiday Blues
How Religion Wrecks Our Democracy and Our Justice System.
Click open the newspaper and behold: stories of religion, the monotheisms born of desert honor culture particularly, messing something or someone up, often fatally. Click open the international section where conflict and war follow the bloody borders of faiths. Inter-faith and sectarian aggression have been the primary drivers of war throughout history. In the highly … [Read more...] about How Religion Wrecks Our Democracy and Our Justice System.
DIY RACIST POLITICAL CARTOON (Cartoon, Column and Video)
As soon as Elizabeth Warren’s name is mentioned, somewhere a political cartoonist starts drawing her with a tom-tom, tomahawk, smoke signal, war paint, etc. I’m surprised I haven’t seen one of her campaign HQ being a teepee (there’s a free one for ya’, boys). Don’t believe me? Do a Google image search for “Elizabeth Warren cartoon.” It’s embarrassing. I decided to save … [Read more...] about DIY RACIST POLITICAL CARTOON (Cartoon, Column and Video)
Will China’s moon landing launch a new space race?
What will China discover on the far side of the moon? BeeBright/Shutterstock.com Wendy Whitman Cobb, Cameron University China became the third country to land a probe on the Moon on Jan. 2. But, more importantly, it became the first to do so on the far side of the moon, often called the dark side. The ability to land on the far side of the moon is a … [Read more...] about Will China’s moon landing launch a new space race?
Now is the time for Democrats to be the grown-ups voters want
WASHINGTON -- I watched from the House gallery Thursday afternoon when the Democrats' socialist sensation, Rep. , in suffragist white, rose to announce her vote for speaker. "Nancy Pelosi," the 29-year-old firebrand declared. From the Republican backbenches came boos and derisive groans. Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., later complained about being singled out. "Over 200 members … [Read more...] about Now is the time for Democrats to be the grown-ups voters want
Trump’s perilous withdrawal from Syria
by David Ignatius Washington Post Writers Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- Asked to describe U.S. policy toward Syria after President Trump's sudden decision on Dec. 19 to withdraw U.S. troops from that country, several key officials use the same two words: "total chaos." There's another phrase that comes to mind in assessing Trump's move: snatching defeat from the jaws of … [Read more...] about Trump’s perilous withdrawal from Syria
Facebook tables new feature aimed at promoting civil political discourse
Few people deny today's political climate has grown increasingly hostile. Across social media platforms, people post divisive content that incites flame wars, destroys friendships and even creates rifts between family members. Social media giant Facebook originally planned to help return a bit of civility to online political discourse by launching their Common Ground … [Read more...] about Facebook tables new feature aimed at promoting civil political discourse
Pelosi will show Trump he’s not the only one in Washington with power
By EUGENE ROBINSON WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Capitol really was "the people's house" on Thursday. The sky may have been overcast and the temperature chilly, but still there was the feeling of dawn. The new Congress was being sworn in and the building was thronged with friends and family who came to fill the galleries. Because of the unprecedented diversity of the incoming … [Read more...] about Pelosi will show Trump he’s not the only one in Washington with power
So where is the government shutdown headed?
Where is the government shutdown headed? Keep a few things in mind here. First, Trump promised his supporters a wall that Mexico would pay for. Ridiculous or not, that's what he promised over and over. The $5 billion requested for the wall comes from US taxpayers, not Mexico (and not via the USMCA deal either). Second, Trump took ownership of the shutdown on December 11. … [Read more...] about So where is the government shutdown headed?
Cartoon: Shutdown’s Parks and Wreck
After Xmas Gift Wish List
Raging Moderate by Will Durst It's way past time to congratulate the baby Jesus on the anniversary of his birth. While all those annoying unending ads for the Christmas sales have blessedly come to an end, they've been replaced by all those annoying unending ads for the after-Christmas sales. The only major difference is there are much fewer jingle bells on the … [Read more...] about After Xmas Gift Wish List
Nancy Pelosi victorious – why the California Democrat was reelected speaker of the House
Nancy Pelosi of California, once more Speaker of the House. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite Kathryn L. Pearson, University of Minnesota Despite some brash and not insignificant opposition, California’s Nancy Pelosi is returning to her previous role as speaker of the House. She will preside over a chamber that is 77 percent male and a Democratic Caucus … [Read more...] about Nancy Pelosi victorious – why the California Democrat was reelected speaker of the House
Cartoon: Dr. Pimple Popper
No. I did not pull this out of my butt. Doctor Pimple Popper is actually a thing. If you haven’t heard about it before, now you will. Anytime something new enters the pop culture lexicon, political cartoonists think, “Can I use this for a cartoon”? It’s something I had to train my brain to do when I first started cartooning, and I’m still working on it. Sometimes, I have to … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Dr. Pimple Popper
The EPA has backed off enforcement under Trump – here are the numbers
Oil refiners are fined for exceeding air pollution limits when rules are enforced. AP Photo/David J. Phillip Marianne Sullivan, William Paterson University; Chris Sellers, Stony Brook University (The State University of New York); Leif Fredrickson, The University of Montana, and Sarah Lamdan, CUNY School of Law The Trump administration has sought to … [Read more...] about The EPA has backed off enforcement under Trump – here are the numbers
Tough Love from Nancy Pelosi
WASHINGTON -- Incoming speaker Nancy Pelosi wants to be clear about what the new Democratic House majority will (BEG ITAL)not(END ITAL) be: They will not, she insists, act like the Republicans. "We believe that we will not become them," she said in a New Year's Day phone interview during a visit to her native Baltimore. "We're not going to do to them what they did to … [Read more...] about Tough Love from Nancy Pelosi
Cartoon: Requiem for Earth
“Green” New Deal Not So Green
That Green New Deal being promoted by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez happens to be a light shade of green. From The Hill, 2 January 2019: "House Democrats have formally proposed creating a new committee on climate change, without many of the main factors that progressives wanted in the panel’s structure. . . It also is not being explicitly charged with developing Green New Deal … [Read more...] about “Green” New Deal Not So Green