"Aside from the film's spectacular cinematography and CGI realism, this film smartly brings two dozen expendable roles to keep the beast fed." Patrick King, REEL BRIEF As we enter the annual post-Oscars drought season of movies that will be deemed unworthy of awards consideration come December, theater expectations must be lowered accordingly. Lest viewers feel cheated… … [Read more...] about Movie Review – “Kong: Skull Island”
Trumpcare is a disaster. Attacks on CBO are desperate.
In a crippling blow that could derail Republican plans to replace Obamacare, the Congressional Budget Office Monday predicted a catastrophe, saying 24 million Americans would lose coverage over the next decade if this plan were approved, 14 million over next year alone. No wonder President Trump and his team have spent the last week trying to… … [Read more...] about Trumpcare is a disaster. Attacks on CBO are desperate.
Jobs, Not Stability Will Determine How Far Trump Falls
The line of the day comes from the opening skit on Saturday Night Live when Kenan Thompson, portraying a General, tells President Trump, played of course by Alec Baldwin how the aliens from the planet, Zorblat 9 have penetrated America. Thomson tells Trump the aliens "have the most advanced weaponized technology we have ever seen," and asks, "What should we do?" Trump's … [Read more...] about Jobs, Not Stability Will Determine How Far Trump Falls
Repeal and Replace Paul Krugman
March 13, 2017 Note to readers: This is the latest entry in Super Baby DonDon’s diary. The series imagines that President Donald Trump has the emotional make-up of a five-year-old and confides his deepest thoughts—such as they are—to Andrew Feinberg, and to readers, every day. In his private moments, he always thinks of himself as Super Baby DonDon. Oh, Super Baby … [Read more...] about Repeal and Replace Paul Krugman
The Children of Today’s Immigrants
Immigrants have been in the news a lot recently: Illegal immigrants, undocumented immigrants, unauthorized immigrants, “slave immigrants,” etc. Most of the stories have been dark and depressing because of what may be in store for so many of those immigrants. Here is an uplifting story about “children of immigrants.” Stuart Anderson at Forbes asks, “What would we lose … [Read more...] about The Children of Today’s Immigrants
Next steps for the Trump resistance
WASHINGTON -- For opponents of President Trump, his first seven weeks in office went about as badly for the country as they expected. The pleasant surprise is their own capacity for resistance and political resilience. What some feared might be a Trump Juggernaut is instead the Trump Jalopy, a wheezing, unsightly contraption with grinding gears and missing parts. Many … [Read more...] about Next steps for the Trump resistance
How to save the republic from World War III? Get Trump to watch ‘Nashville.’
WASHINGTON -- President Trump, during the campaign, famously said he gets his military advice from "the shows." He wasn't kidding. Now, as leader of the free world, he gets up in the morning and, long before receiving his intelligence briefing (if he receives one at all), he flips on cable news and starts tweeting. His comments are in the style of a guy in a La-Z-Boy … [Read more...] about How to save the republic from World War III? Get Trump to watch ‘Nashville.’
Cartoon: Death Panels
S. Africa Proposes Law to Legalize Some Trade in Rhino Horn
South Africa’s parliament could soon consider a new law to allow for limited trade and export of rhino horn for personal purposes. The government proposed the draft legislation earlier this year and an initial 30-day period for public comment wraps up today. The bill has support but has angered animal rights groups. In the proposed law,… … [Read more...] about S. Africa Proposes Law to Legalize Some Trade in Rhino Horn
Cartoon: The Donald Will See You Now
Trump’s troop surge in Syria could scuttle UN peace talks
Embed from Getty Images The Trump administration’s decision to add more ground troops to Syria’s seething cauldron is likely to scuttle United Nations peace talks. It could also be the most toxic of many blows President Donald Trump has dealt himself since he entered the Oval Office. He could soon have the awful task of explaining new body bags holding elite American … [Read more...] about Trump’s troop surge in Syria could scuttle UN peace talks
Pitts on Conservative Resentment
Leonard Pitts comments on the resentment powering the conservative movement in The Miami Herald. Consider for a moment how often in history that change has been forcefully imposed on conservatives. It has been done by statute, by court decision, by executive order and, once, by war. This is not an apology for that. In every instance, force was necessitated by the … [Read more...] about Pitts on Conservative Resentment
U.S. Attorney Bharara Fired After Refusing to Resign
High-profile U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara has been fired by the Donald Trump administration after refusing to submit his resignation alongside other Obama administration holdovers. "I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life," Bharara tweeted Saturday afternoon. RELATED: Sessions abruptly… … [Read more...] about U.S. Attorney Bharara Fired After Refusing to Resign
Cartoon: Donald Trump
Mike Slosberg is a cartoonist and novelist. He lives with his wife and hundreds of drawing pens on the Upper Westside of Manhattan, New York. You can see more of his cartoons and learn about his books by going to: mikeslosbergbooks.com … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Donald Trump
A Big Little Lie From Fox-Trump Media
Sometimes it's possible to tell a big story in few words - as evidenced by an episode earlier this week that nicely illustrates this president's addiction to infauxmation (via Fox News) and blatant lying (via Twitter). Basically, it's a closed loop. Fox News pumps bilge into his brain, and he spews it out through his fingers. Here's how it works: At 6:12 a.m. Tuesday, … [Read more...] about A Big Little Lie From Fox-Trump Media
Trump abruptly fires 46 U.S. attorneys
UPDATE: 3 pm Pacific Preet Bharara Is Fired After Refusing to Step Down as U.S. Attorney On Friday, the Trump administration ordered 46 U.S. attorneys to resign immediately, generating a hailstorm of publicity. The announcement came on the heels of a Fox news commentator, Sean Hannity, calling for the Trump White House to "purge" Obama … [Read more...] about Trump abruptly fires 46 U.S. attorneys
The ACA replacement bill reflects the GOP’s fiscal and moral irresponsibility
WASHINGTON -- It's time to put an end to the myth that Republicans believe in fiscal responsibility. Saving taxpayer dollars takes a back seat to the ideological imperative of blaming and shaming the poor. Witness the GOP's long-awaited plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. House committees are moving forward on the legislation before the Congressional Budget Office … [Read more...] about The ACA replacement bill reflects the GOP’s fiscal and moral irresponsibility
Thoughts on Health Coverage
Everyone is talking about healthcare, so I thought I would weigh in on an idea I have been knocking around for awhile. I recently read a great article by the Brookings Institute on the tweaks that could be made to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), aka Obamacare, to bring it within the realities of the needs of the country, to fix its basic functional issues and to put it into the … [Read more...] about Thoughts on Health Coverage
(Updates) Slaves or (Involuntary) Immigrants?
Update II: Jelani Cobb at The New Yorker has an excellent piece about Dr. Carson’s gaffe in particular: This is roughly akin to arguing that it is technically possible to refer to a kidnapping victim as a “house guest,” presuming the latter term refers to a temporary visitor to one’s home. But more importantly, about Carson’s previously displayed “propensity … [Read more...] about (Updates) Slaves or (Involuntary) Immigrants?
Party Over Country
American democracy has reached a sad state of affairs. Partisanship and allegiance to one’s political party is currently considered by many politicians to be more important than patriotism and concern for the nation. The United States has elected a president around whom questions swirl, regarding his and his surrogates’ association with Russia prior to his assuming the … [Read more...] about Party Over Country