WASHINGTON -- What we learned from Tuesday's special congressional election in Georgia is that there is no magical solution to the country's Trump problem. This will be a long fight. Karen Handel's victory over Democrat Jon Ossoff was not an endorsement of the president. It was a personal and party success achieved despite him. Democrats are, well, blue because a loss is … [Read more...] about A victory for party, not Trump
Democrats Get A Reality Check
"It was a gut punch to Democrats’ confidence, a reality check to the idea that vast swaths of the country were ready to deliver a backlash." Those are the words of Molly Ball in an article published by The Atlantic. Ball is commenting on Jon Ossoff's loss to Karen Handel in the special election to fill the open seat in Georgia's Sixth Congressional District. Ball also … [Read more...] about Democrats Get A Reality Check
Indigenous candidate offers voice, unity to Mexico’s long-silenced native people
Their faces appear etched on Mexican pesos and mannequins in their likeness stand behind polished glass in Mexico City’s world famous Museum of Anthropology. But despite the frequent use as of their images as cultural symbols, the voices of Mexico’s estimated 25.6 million indigenous people are largely absent from their nation’s mainstream political life. Mexico’s first… … [Read more...] about Indigenous candidate offers voice, unity to Mexico’s long-silenced native people
Social media is a positive and minorities shouldn’t be picked out as negatives (Guest Voice)
Presidents Carter, Clinton, and Obama have had the most minority staffers of any president living in the social media age. President George H.W. and George W. Bush have had plenty of minority staffers as well. However, the only living president that follows a minority staffer is Barack Obama and none of the staffers he follows are chiefs of staffs or personal aides. … [Read more...] about Social media is a positive and minorities shouldn’t be picked out as negatives (Guest Voice)
America Needs A Macron-Like Figure To Restructure Its Politics
American politics needs a major shake-up if the nation is to prosper in the 21st century. Both the Republican and Democratic Parties are ossified and incapable of meeting the challenges that occur daily as well as dealing with long term problems. Some of this is rooted in their long histories of corruption and willingness to accede to the wishes of individuals and corporations … [Read more...] about America Needs A Macron-Like Figure To Restructure Its Politics
We Need To Bring Back Losing
I first wrote this post back during the economic meltdown but I think the issues addressed are as important now as they were back then. In my work as an attorney I often deal with the financial woes of my clients and was writing about two very interesting encounters. The first came from a younger client, in his mid to late 20's who had graduated from college and started … [Read more...] about We Need To Bring Back Losing
Don’t believe our planet is warming up? Look at this.
Yes, it's happening. 2016 WAS OUR PLANET’S HOTTEST YEAR since humans began keeping records, with average global land and water surface temperatures spiking to 58.69 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s 1.69 degrees warmer than the 20th-century average. It might not sound like a lot, but the difference between our current global average and one during an ancient ice… … [Read more...] about Don’t believe our planet is warming up? Look at this.
Cartoon: Bill Dana R.I.P.
Ossoff Loss Underscores Left’s Fissures in Trump Era
Embed from Getty Images Democrats continued their special election losing streak on Tuesday as one of the party’s bright hopes, Jon Ossoff, lost his bid for a suburban Atlanta Congressional seat long held by Republicans—a painful defeat that highlights deep fissures in the party. Democrats have lost every special Congressional election since President Donald Trump took … [Read more...] about Ossoff Loss Underscores Left’s Fissures in Trump Era
About That Scandal: Can Donald Trump Be Brought To Justice? Yes. No. Maybe.
With news media coverage of the Russia scandal in a sort of stasis -- we're between leaks and the only decent entertainment seems to be Donald Trump's criminal defense lawyers falling all over themselves trying to pretend that he's not under investigation for obstruction of justice -- let's approach his involvement in the successful Kremlin effort to interfere in the 2016 … [Read more...] about About That Scandal: Can Donald Trump Be Brought To Justice? Yes. No. Maybe.
Harold Goes to the White House
Dear Predsient Trump, Thank you for letting my class visit you at your House. It sure is White! I'm sorry we did not get to meet you because you were studying TV. But Mrs. Trump was very nice to us, and she is very pretty. We got to see many rooms with predsient's names, like Lincoln, Roosevelt and Map. The rooms are really great with so many pictures and … [Read more...] about Harold Goes to the White House
With Paris withdraw, cities move to center stage
On June 1, when President Trump announced that the U.S. would pull out of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced (see here and here) that his city and 60 others have another plan. Los Angeles with San Gabriel Mountains in the background. Credit: Todd Jones (Flickr) (CC BY 2.0) "The President's… … [Read more...] about With Paris withdraw, cities move to center stage
The endgame of accommodation with Trump
by Michael Gerson Washington Post Writers Group Columnist WASHINGTON -- Nearly 150 days into the Trump era, no non-delusional conservative can be happy with the direction of events or pleased with the options going forward. President Trump is remarkably unpopular, particularly with the young (among whom his approval is underwater by a remarkable 48 percentage points in … [Read more...] about The endgame of accommodation with Trump
War not enough of a ratings grabber to be of note
But look way down the page of Memeorandum, less trafficked and important than "Senate GOP Plans Health Care Vote Next Week", "GOP considers cancelling August recess to salvage agenda ", "Spicer searching for candidates to take over White House briefing", "Megyn Kelly's Alex Jones interview got lots of attention, but not many viewers", "Otto Warmbier, American student detained … [Read more...] about War not enough of a ratings grabber to be of note
The Fool on President Trump’s Legal Team
It is said that, if a man is his own attorney, then he has a fool for a client. In President Trump's case, he has a fool for an attorney. That attorney is Jay Sekulow, who made a big fool of himself when he appeared on the 06/18/17 edition of Fox News Sunday, hosted by Chris Wallace. Here is the video of the exchange between Sekulow and Wallace: Here are excerpts … [Read more...] about The Fool on President Trump’s Legal Team
Georgia GOP says mass shooting of congressmen is actually a good thing (Guest Voice)
by John Aravosis Always like a Republican to see the mass-shooting glass half-full. A local GOP party chairman in Georgia, Brad Carver, says the recent attempt by a crazed gunman to kill several Republican members of Congress who were playing softball will be a boon for GOP candidates, especially Karen Handel in Georgia, who is running against Jon Ossoff. “I’ll tell … [Read more...] about Georgia GOP says mass shooting of congressmen is actually a good thing (Guest Voice)
Otto Warmbier dies after being detained by North Korea
WASHINGTON, June 19, 2017 – After being imprisoned in North Korea for more than 17 months, 22-year-old Otto Warmbier has died. Warmbier was charged with committing "hostile acts" against the DPRK for allegedly stealing a propaganda poster from his Pyongyang hotel in January 2016. He was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor. Warmbier was in… … [Read more...] about Otto Warmbier dies after being detained by North Korea
Mueller team lawyer brings witness-flipping expertise to Trump probes
By Karen Freifeld (Reuters) - A veteran federal prosecutor recruited onto special counsel Robert Mueller's team is known for a skill that may come in handy in the investigation of potential ties between Russia and U.S. President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign team: persuading witnesses to turn on friends, colleagues and superiors. Andrew Weissmann, who headed the U.S. … [Read more...] about Mueller team lawyer brings witness-flipping expertise to Trump probes
Megyn Kelly, NBC News take gloves off in Alex Jones interview and now he’s mad
Megyn Kelly presented a highly critical 19-minute piece on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on her NBC newsmagazine "Sunday Night" after a week of harsh criticism over the decision to present his views on network TV. Jones is notorious for saying the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., was staged to promote tougher… … [Read more...] about Megyn Kelly, NBC News take gloves off in Alex Jones interview and now he’s mad
In the Midst of This Week’s Shootings, A Look Back to the ’54 Carnage.
Historic Quote: “I’ve had all the shooting I can take for one day.” – Iowa Congressman Ben Jensen to his Tennessee colleague Clifford Davis. The two had been sharing a hospital room after being wounded in the U.S. Capitol shooting and were arguing over whether they should listen to “Raw Hide” on the radio (as Davis wanted) or music. Jensen got his way. The recent shooting … [Read more...] about In the Midst of This Week’s Shootings, A Look Back to the ’54 Carnage.