Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) is a junior member of the House, who came to Washington as a federal elected official concurrently with Trump, in January 2017. He served less than one term in the Louisiana House before running for Congress, having been elected in 2015 to fill an open seat. On a party-line vote (220-209), Johnson did what House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), … [Read more...] about From relative unknown to WTH? Mike Johnson holds political positions at odds with most Americans.
MIKE WHO? HELLO TO A REPUBLICAN LOON WHO LOVES THEOCRACY.
To the surprise of absolutely nobody with a functioning intellect, House Republicans have finally solved their leadership crisis by replacing an election-subverting Trump butt-kisser (Kevin McCarthy) with an election-subverting Trump butt-kissing Christian nationalist backbencher with no leadership experience who says that his abhorrent policy views in the secular realm are … [Read more...] about MIKE WHO? HELLO TO A REPUBLICAN LOON WHO LOVES THEOCRACY.
Jewish response to Hamas war criticism comes from deep sense of trauma, active grief and fear
A house in a kibbutz In Be'eri, Israel, was the scene of part of the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. Amir Levy/Getty Images Dov Waxman, University of California, Los Angeles In the wake of the Hamas terror attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and the Israeli military response, Jewish people in Israel and around the world have, at times, been posting on … [Read more...] about Jewish response to Hamas war criticism comes from deep sense of trauma, active grief and fear
NETFLIX TO OPEN RESTAURANTS (CARTOON)
Violent and disturbing war images from the Mideast can stir deep emotions — a PTSD expert explains how to protect yourself and your kids from overexposure
Images of devastation, like the one shown here following an Israeli airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip, can take a heavy mental toll. AP Photo/Mohammed Dahman Arash Javanbakht, Wayne State University The past few years have been filled with a seemingly endless stream of painful stories and images coming from across the globe, including the loss of … [Read more...] about Violent and disturbing war images from the Mideast can stir deep emotions — a PTSD expert explains how to protect yourself and your kids from overexposure
How to deal with visual misinformation circulating in the Israel-Hamas war and other conflicts
Social media is often used during times of conflict to spread fake news. Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images Paul Morrow, University of Dayton In the three weeks since war began between Israel and Hamas, social media has been taken over with images and stories of attacks, many of which proved false. For example, within hours of Hamas’ surprise … [Read more...] about How to deal with visual misinformation circulating in the Israel-Hamas war and other conflicts
CO-DEFENDANT CONDIMENTS (CARTOON, COLUMN AND VIDEO)
I think after Jenna Ellis flipped in the Fulton County Case, and then we found out about Mark Meadows’ immunity deal and testimony with Special Counsel Jack Smith, that it's time for the ketchup cartoon. Plus, I really like this one. I still laughed while drawing it this morning. Ellis is the third attorney for Trump to flip on him. She was facing two charges, including … [Read more...] about CO-DEFENDANT CONDIMENTS (CARTOON, COLUMN AND VIDEO)
Suspect in mass shooting found dead, drawing ‘sigh of relief’ in Maine
Published by AFPLewiston (United States) (AFP) - The suspect in a mass shooting that killed 18 people in the US state of Maine has been found dead, the state's governor said Friday, ending a two-day manhunt that mobilized hundreds of law enforcement agents and set jittery residents of the northeastern state on edge. Robert Card, a 40-year-old Army reservist, died of a … [Read more...] about Suspect in mass shooting found dead, drawing ‘sigh of relief’ in Maine
Israel: The Moral Bulwark of the West
Embed from Getty Images By Boris Kheyfets Israel must assume the mantle of moral leadership in the West. A decisive military victory, buoyed by a program of De-Nazification, will compel the West to abandon its obsession with luxury beliefs and empower the West to solve problems that matter. Israel and the Morality of the West Days after Oct. 7, the destruction … [Read more...] about Israel: The Moral Bulwark of the West
‘I see no happy ending’ — a former national security leader on the Gaza hostage situation
Israelis whose relatives are being held hostage demonstrate on October 26, 2023 in front of the Defense Ministry building in Tel Aviv, demanding the government to bring back their loved ones. Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images Gregory F. Treverton, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Hamas took more than 200 people hostage … [Read more...] about ‘I see no happy ending’ — a former national security leader on the Gaza hostage situation
MEET THE NEW BOSS (CARTOON AND COLUMN)
Meet Mike Johnson, the new Speaker of the House. He sounds like a real sweetheart if you like to cuddle with Nazis. After so many failed attempts to install a Speaker after Republicans (not Democrats) removed Kevin McCarthy, Republicans had to resort to someone nobody knows all that well. Mark who? Oh, wait. It’s Mike. Right? Louisiana Representative Mike Johnson will now … [Read more...] about MEET THE NEW BOSS (CARTOON AND COLUMN)
Israel Is Not Just An Intelligence Failure, It’s A Mentality Failure
By Thomas Hoffman Following the withdrawal of Afghanistan, the death of al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, and relatively peaceful times, the public seems to have let its guard down. Many have made the absurd assumption that all terrorism is dwindling. At least here in America, the public seems to be at ease with the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan. The attack on … [Read more...] about Israel Is Not Just An Intelligence Failure, It’s A Mentality Failure
IRAN SURROGATES (CARTOON)
Antisemitism has moved from the right to the left in the US — and falls back on long-standing stereotypes
An Oct. 19, 2023, rally in New York City’s Times Square demanding the freeing of hostages taken in the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images Arie Perliger, UMass Lowell The U.S. is currently experiencing one of the most significant waves of antisemitism that it has ever seen. Jewish communities are shaken and traumatized. Jewish … [Read more...] about Antisemitism has moved from the right to the left in the US — and falls back on long-standing stereotypes
GOP’s House paralysis is a crisis in a time of crises
There’s trouble under the U.S. Capitol dome. iStock / Getty Images Plus Stefanie Lindquist, Arizona State University House Republicans fired one leader, Kevin McCarthy, and have spent almost three weeks trying unsuccessfully to choose another to succeed him as speaker of the House. That’s left the U.S. House of Representatives unable to do its work, … [Read more...] about GOP’s House paralysis is a crisis in a time of crises
BANG AND BLAME (CARTOON, COLUMN AND VIDEO)
Two groups I don’t trust with information are terrorists and Republicans. I’m sorry, was that redundant? One of my friends asked for my opinion on Al Jazeera, the Qatari-owned news outlet that’s probably the most recognized and trusted outside of the Arab world. While it is state-owned, it’s managed by a private trust but it’s often accused of giving favorable coverage to … [Read more...] about BANG AND BLAME (CARTOON, COLUMN AND VIDEO)
The humanitarian crisis that is the Occupied Palestinian Territories
Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 2023. The Netanyahu government responded swiftly and indiscriminately. At least 1,400 people in Israel and 5,000 people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) have been killed. Most are civilians. One of my students at the University of Washington has had their (fortunately unoccupied) family home destroyed by bombs. They have also … [Read more...] about The humanitarian crisis that is the Occupied Palestinian Territories
Hezbollah alone will decide whether Lebanon – already on the brink of collapse – gets dragged into Israel-Hamas wa
Supporters of Hezbollah have been rallying in Beirut in support of Palestinians in Gaza. AP Photo/Bilal Hussein Asher Kaufman, University of Notre Dame Lebanon, which is teetering on the edge of economic and political collapse, risks becoming entangled in the escalating war between Israel and Hamas. Hezbollah has been gearing up for the … [Read more...] about Hezbollah alone will decide whether Lebanon – already on the brink of collapse – gets dragged into Israel-Hamas wa
ANTISEMITISM COMMON GROUND (CARTOON)
Quote of the Day: Andrew Sulllivan on the state of the Republican Party
Andrew Sullivan in The Weekly Dish on Substack on the state of today's Republican Party: A party wedded to ideological abstractions, emotional hissy-fits, constitutional brinkmanship and a strongman candidate is not a conservative party. It is the anti-conservative party. Objecting to everything is objecting to nothing. Gerrymandering yourself into a homogeneous, … [Read more...] about Quote of the Day: Andrew Sulllivan on the state of the Republican Party