These are days of division and fear. Let there be the relief of Thanksgiving today! Thanksgiving is a day when heaven yields some solace from our earthly concerns, when Americans of all faiths sit at one spiritual table with many of the same trimmings and family customs. Thanksgiving liberates us from specific theological claims and allows us to contemplate the common creed … [Read more...] about Thanksgiving is the table of unity at a divided moment
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from all of us here at TMV. … [Read more...] about HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Breitbart isn’t ‘just a publication.’ It’s a pestilence (Guest Voice)
Breitbart isn't 'just a publication.' It's a pestilence by Ruth Marcus Washington Post Writers' Group WASHINGTON -- To President-elect Donald Trump, Breitbart -- the racist, sexist and all-around offensive website once overseen by his campaign chairman and designated White House chief strategist Steve Bannon -- is "just a publication." Breitbart's editors and … [Read more...] about Breitbart isn’t ‘just a publication.’ It’s a pestilence (Guest Voice)
Navigating post-truth politics in Russia and America
Moscow-born author Masha Gessen knows a thing or two about challenging autocratic regimes. The journalist and author is a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin. These days she sees some frightening parallels between Russia's leader and America's president-elect. Donald Trump, she says, is intent on using the tools of democracy to unravel democracy. "The temptation… … [Read more...] about Navigating post-truth politics in Russia and America
Donald Trump, Infrastructure and Jobs
Donald Trump, Infrastructure and Jobs by Anthony Stahelski President-elect Donald Trump will start his administration with low expectations. He is perceived by many as a shoot-from-the-hip frat-boy who acts before he thinks, with no political experience and no coherent policies. I admit that I am one of those with strong misgivings about his ability to govern, but I … [Read more...] about Donald Trump, Infrastructure and Jobs
California becomes the first US state to ban plastic bags
California confirms its status as a leader in American sustainability, becoming the first US state ever to ban plastic bags. Image credits: katerha/Flickr. A silent battle was being fought in California. Eclipsed by the much noisier national elections and by international climate talks, the Plastic Bag Veto Referendum went largely unnoticed, at least by outsiders. The… … [Read more...] about California becomes the first US state to ban plastic bags
Trump White Nationalism
See great cartoons by all the top political cartoonists at http://cagle.com. To license this cartoon for your own site, visit http://politicalcartoons.com … [Read more...] about Trump White Nationalism
Journalists shouldn’t try to win a popularity contest with Trump
WASHINGTON -- It was a pathetic spectacle: TV news executives and anchors filing in to Trump Tower on Monday to be the president-elect's whipping boys. Donald Trump had summoned them for a talk, but it turned out to be part tongue-lashing, part perp walk. The TV news people had foolishly agreed that the session was "off the record," leaving Trump and his aides free to … [Read more...] about Journalists shouldn’t try to win a popularity contest with Trump
Hillary Clinton has been punished enough.
Some parties on the political Right are fretting because President-elect Donald Trump is no longer interested in pursuing legal action against Hillary Clinton. From Politico: Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog agency that sued to get more of Clinton’s State Department emails released, urged Trump on Tuesday to “commit his administration” to investigating Clinton, … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton has been punished enough.
History v. Now: The Fate of the Boomers
Once upon a time, the Baby Boom generation ruled the US. We were the largest segment of the population and nearly every major advancement occurred to respond to the needs of the Boomers. Last April it was reported that the Baby Boomers, born between 1945 and 1964, had been surpassed in population by the Millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996. The Millennials are … [Read more...] about History v. Now: The Fate of the Boomers
Trump Supporters Got Played
Paul Waldman writes what I have been thinking in the Plum line blog in The Washington Post. Imagine you’re one of those folks who went to Trump rallies and thrilled to his promises to take America back from the establishment, who felt your heart stir as he promised to torture prisoners, who got your “Trump That Bitch” T-shirt, who was overjoyed to finally have a candidate … [Read more...] about Trump Supporters Got Played
A Happy Thanksgiving to Our Troops, Wherever They May Be.
From the Department of Defense, a Thanksgiving wish to the troops: From us, a Happy Thanksgiving to our troops, wherever they may be: Whether snow training in Estonia Army photo by Sgt. Lauren Harra Conducting machine gun training in Djibouti. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kenneth W. Norman Manning an M240B machine gun on the guided-missile … [Read more...] about A Happy Thanksgiving to Our Troops, Wherever They May Be.
Feature Doc ‘7 Days in Syria’ More Relevant Than Ever
Feature Doc '7 Days in Syria' More Relevant Than Ever by Robert Rippberger Four years ago this month, Newsweek Middle East editor Janine di Giovanni, Nicole Tung, Patrick Wells, and Matthew VanDyke went to Aleppo to document the Syrian Revolution. The goal — to show the West what civilians are enduring, to incite action toward a resolution, and combat xenophobia by showing … [Read more...] about Feature Doc ‘7 Days in Syria’ More Relevant Than Ever
Cartoon: Hamilton
Cartoon: Hamilton by Clay Jones Vice President-elect Mike Pence decided to expand his culture a bit and attend the Broadway musical “Hamilton.” He was booed by the audience and then he received a lecture from the cast at the end of the show. The cast asked Pence to work on behalf of all Americans. Gee. If a Midwestern homophobe can’t be comfortable at a Broadway show what’s … [Read more...] about Cartoon: Hamilton
Trump needs to disown his white nationalist hangers-on
WASHINGTON -- I'm afraid I missed the conference of white supremacists in Washington this weekend. I was hosting my daughter's bat mitzvah. But I have a pretty good picture of what happened, because luckily -- for me, if not for them -- several other journalists attended Saturday's gathering of alt-right leader Richard Spencer's National Policy Institute at the … [Read more...] about Trump needs to disown his white nationalist hangers-on
Brace Yourselves for the Age of Trump
Here in Philadelphia, a sudden cold snap brought an abrupt end to a long and dazzling Indian summer. As the wind skittered across our garden and sent the dead leaves flying, I stepped outside and took a fond last look at the annuals. They were still bursting with blooms, but tonight would bring the first frost. Tomorrow they'd most likely be defunct, and a long winter lay … [Read more...] about Brace Yourselves for the Age of Trump
What Will a Trump Presidency Mean for the Refugee Community?
Donald Trump’s administration-in-waiting doesn’t skew toward the Right — it skews toward the medieval. And that’s left thousands of political refugees wondering: what’s going to happen to me now? The US has had a troubling couple of years where refugees are concerned, and regrettably, the results of the 2016 election are unlikely to ease the … [Read more...] about What Will a Trump Presidency Mean for the Refugee Community?
GOP Health Care Reform
Sara Kliff has an interesting interview with Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) up on vox.com. Cassidy and Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) have proposed the Healthcare Accessibility, Empowerment and Liberty Act, one of several GOP health care proposals. Its major features include tax credits and health savings accounts in place of subsidies, cheaper plans that cover less, and more power … [Read more...] about GOP Health Care Reform
CINEMA OF CHANGE VS PROPAGANDA
Cinema of Change VS Propaganda by Robert Rippberger What differentiates a good message movie from a movie that’s too preachy? How does a movie effectively present a point of view without insulting the intelligence of its audience? As a Cinema of Change filmmaker, these are questions I am asking myself more and more. This year is the 70th Anniversary of Frank Capra’s … [Read more...] about CINEMA OF CHANGE VS PROPAGANDA
History v Now: And Then Technology Struck
Now we are getting to the time period most of those alive and voting today actually remember. Those of us in the Baby Boom generation remember it all too well. Around the same time that US companies began to move relatively low skilled jobs overseas to China, SE Asia and eventually India, to make goods for US companies to be sold in the US and elsewhere, a massive explosion of … [Read more...] about History v Now: And Then Technology Struck