Aaron Burr is glacial; Alexander Hamilton is overwrought; King George has skinny legs and a hilarious voice; Eliza Schuyler (Hamilton’s deceived wife) is heartbroken and enraged. The unprecedented and prize-winning musical, Hamilton has been touring far and wide—I finally had the chance to see and hear it here in Southern California. Invigorating, wonderfully brazen, … [Read more...] about ‘Hamilton’ is an unexpected chorus to America’s original values
Thinking about America after Trump
PITTSBURGH -- In the imaginations of his hopeful defenders, Donald Trump was supposed to transcend left and right. He'd break the Republican Party from the shibboleths of the Reagan Era and create a new ideology mindful of the interests of the party's working-class supporters. Trump signaled this regularly. He touted a big infrastructure program. He insisted he would never … [Read more...] about Thinking about America after Trump
Great Music – Chapter 17
This will we continue our examination of more obscure works of Great Music. This week I present Malaguena, piano music written by Cuban composer Ernesto Lecuona. Don’t be surprised when you play the YouTube of this music that it will sound somewhat familiar. You know you’ve heard it before but can’t quite place where. The reason for the familiarity is that the music has been in … [Read more...] about Great Music – Chapter 17
What torching Iran deal says about US commitment to nuclear security
Iranian demonstrators burn a picture of the U.S. President Donald Trump. AP Photo/Vahid Salemi Scott L. Montgomery, University of Washington President Donald Trump pulling the U.S. out of the Iran nuclear deal flies in the face of hundreds of inspections that showed Iran was meeting its end of the bargain. It’s a move that many leaders in the … [Read more...] about What torching Iran deal says about US commitment to nuclear security
Cartoon: Why Trump hated the Iran deal
Trump & Putin By The Book: Five Outstanding Must-Reads About Two Deeply Evil People
The problem with writing a definitive history of the Russia scandal is that the scandal is still writing itself. Revelations come thick and fast, sometimes daily. What authors are left with is writing primers that background the scandal, and with publication last week of Seth Hetenna's Trump/Russia: A Definitive History, there are now five books in particular that … [Read more...] about Trump & Putin By The Book: Five Outstanding Must-Reads About Two Deeply Evil People
‘Cheyenne Mountain’ and I When We Were Both Young, or ‘Claustrophobes Need Not Apply’
One of the most fascinating and rewarding tours of duty during my Air Force career was my assignment to the NORAD Combat Operations Center (the NORAD Cheyenne Mountain “Complex”) just outside Colorado Springs, Colorado, a facility deep inside Cheyenne Mountain, able to “withstand a nuclear blast that would shake the mountain as fiercely as any earthquake could.” The latter … [Read more...] about ‘Cheyenne Mountain’ and I When We Were Both Young, or ‘Claustrophobes Need Not Apply’
Trump White House’s political debasement continues unabated
Just when you think there's a new bottom, some comment comes out intentionally or leaks out from the Trump administration that sets a new low standard for the nose-diving decline of our political "discussion" and the articulation of political differences. The Washington Post's Aaron Blake perfectly describes it: The White House probably thinks it cannot punish Kelly Sadler … [Read more...] about Trump White House’s political debasement continues unabated
Mad Magazine’s clout may have faded, but its ethos matters more than ever before
The magazine taught its readers to never swallow what they’re served. Nick Lehr/The Conversation via Jasperdo, CC BY-NC-ND Michael J. Socolow, University of Maine Mad Magazine is still hanging on. In April, it launched a reboot, jokingly calling it its “first issue.” But in terms of cultural resonance and mass popularity, it’s largely lost its … [Read more...] about Mad Magazine’s clout may have faded, but its ethos matters more than ever before
Godspeed, John McCain. You are my hero.
WASHINGTON -- At long last, have they left no sense of decency? White House official Kelly Sadler, during a meeting Thursday, had this to say about Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for opposing President Trump's CIA nominee over her failure to condemn torture: "It doesn't matter, he's dying anyway." Also Thursday, on Fox Business Network, retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Thomas … [Read more...] about Godspeed, John McCain. You are my hero.
American Waterloo
Hilariously, I was listening to Erick Erickson on All Things Considered, on NPR, with some inside-the-beltway journo and the obligatory, obsequious* NPR moderator. And Erickson ticked off the misconstruction that Trump has created, and noted that Trump had paid "no consequences." And I wondered why those dead, unarmed Palestinians weren't "consequences" -- the current Kent … [Read more...] about American Waterloo
Mike Peters Guest Cartoon: Donald Trump and Iran
OF RELATED INTEREST: --How Trump’s Iran deal decision may lead to war --Is Trump repeating the mistakes of the Iraq War in Iran? --“ALL EGO, ZERO STRATEGY”: HAS TRUMP SET THE U.S. ON A PATH TO WAR WITH IRAN? Mike Peters is recognized as one of our nation’s most prominent cartoon artists for his outstanding work as both a political and comic strip cartoonist. His favorite … [Read more...] about Mike Peters Guest Cartoon: Donald Trump and Iran
Is Trump throwing a match into the Middle East tinderbox?
WASHINGTON -- The one area in which any president has almost complete latitude is foreign affairs. Lord save us. Lord save the world, actually. President Trump is making rash and risky moves that promise either brilliant success or catastrophic failure. Given that it's Trump we're dealing with, I do not like the odds. I can only applaud his achievement in securing the … [Read more...] about Is Trump throwing a match into the Middle East tinderbox?
No, the war in Afghanistan isn’t a hopeless stalemate
Afghan Northern Alliance fighters in 2001. Almost two decades later, the war continues. AP Photo/David Guttenfelder Robert M. Cassidy, Wesleyan University The war in Afghanistan has become so protracted that it warrants the epithet the “Groundhog Day War.” Fighting has gone on for nearly 17 years, with U.S. troops in Afghanistan seven years longer … [Read more...] about No, the war in Afghanistan isn’t a hopeless stalemate
Ways YOU can help The Moderate Voice
Efforts continue behind the scenes to help The Moderate Voice grow, despite this site and others having lost a source of great free syndicated content. Efforts are going on to upgrade our content and technical set up. And, heading into 2020, there is reason to expect TMV will grow. But here are some ways you can help: 1. Share TMV posts you like on social media. You'll … [Read more...] about Ways YOU can help The Moderate Voice
Reprehensible Remarks by a Retired Air Force General ( FINAL UPDATE)
FINAL UPDATE: As Trump continues to brazenly refuse to apologize for – or even address -- the disgraceful remarks made by one of his staff members about Senator John McCain(below), one prominent Republican has had the guts to “blast” White House officials for “refusing to condemn a vile remark made about the mortality of Sen. John McCain…” Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) … [Read more...] about Reprehensible Remarks by a Retired Air Force General ( FINAL UPDATE)
Why the betrayal of Bill Cosby, Eric Schneiderman and other influential men is deeper than you think
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman at a news conference in New York in 2016. AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File Hilary Jerome Scarsella, Vanderbilt University New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman resigned on Monday, May 7, hours after The New Yorker published an article in which four women accused him of physical abuse. This came soon … [Read more...] about Why the betrayal of Bill Cosby, Eric Schneiderman and other influential men is deeper than you think
Trump’s flawed version of disruption
WASHINGTON -- On the same day that President Trump recklessly pulled the United States out of the nuclear deal with Iran, the lawyer for adult film star Stormy Daniels fired the informational equivalent of a heat-seeking missile at the Trump presidency. Taken together, these events clarify the nature of what Trump has inflicted on our country. Trump is regularly described … [Read more...] about Trump’s flawed version of disruption
Trump’s Anti-Nuclear Strategy- Pooof!
It is amazing how often Donald Trump acts on important issues without a significant strategy. He cannot put two and two together to understand how one action can impact another. In trying to get North Korea to surrender its nuclear weapons, Trump did not give full consideration to how his Iran action would affect North Korea. He was itching to withdraw from the Iran pact made … [Read more...] about Trump’s Anti-Nuclear Strategy- Pooof!
Trump’s Anti-Nuclear Strategy- Pooof!
It is amazing how often Donald Trump acts on important issues without a significant strategy. He cannot put two and two together to understand how one action can impact another. In trying to get North Korea to surrender its nuclear weapons, Trump did not give full consideration to how his Iran action would affect North Korea. He was itching to withdraw from the Iran pact made … [Read more...] about Trump’s Anti-Nuclear Strategy- Pooof!