One hundred fifty-two years ago on November 19, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln spoke at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The previous speaker, Edward Everett, a noted orator, gave a speech that lasted two hours. President Lincoln's speech was just 272 words and over in a matter of minutes. He said, "[T]he world will little note nor long remember what we say here". That, of … [Read more...] about President Lincoln, we have not forgotten what you said
The Republicans’ Rhetoric of Hate and Fear
Fear, laced with paranoia, is driving the American response against allowing Syrian refugees into the United States. President Obama has said he would accept 10,000 refugees, all of them subjected to intense scrutiny before being admitted to the country. France, with a population about one-fifth that of the United States, despite the worst attack on its soil since World War … [Read more...] about The Republicans’ Rhetoric of Hate and Fear
Martin O’Malley, We Hardly Knew Ye
It seems a little peculiar to write about anything this week that doesn't involve a discussion of terrorism or security, but the political world continues to turn here at home. One news item you might have missed is that, per The Washington Post, former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley's campaign is "perilously close to financial collapse." The Post notes that his … [Read more...] about Martin O’Malley, We Hardly Knew Ye
Update: Looking Back Longingly
UPDATE: An example of contrasts in American goodwill and compassion just played itself out within the last 24 hours, after Republican governor Mike Pence of Indiana refused to allow a Syrian family to resettle in Indiana. According to UK Daily Mail*, the Syrian married couple and their five-year-old son had been living as refugees in Jordan after fleeing their war-torn … [Read more...] about Update: Looking Back Longingly
Cartoon: Fear itself
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 Cartoon: Fear itself
The House returns to regular disorder (Guest Voice)
The House returns to regular disorder by Dana Milbank Washington Post Columnist WASHINGTON -- Well, it was nice while it lasted. Three weeks ago, Paul Ryan accepted the speaker's gavel with a vow to return to "regular order," in which the Congress runs by deliberation rather than fiat and lawmakers have loose rein to amend and shape legislation. "The … [Read more...] about The House returns to regular disorder (Guest Voice)
How to fight ISIS? With cartoons (Guest Voice)
How to Fight ISIS? With Cartoons by Daryl Cagle Pundits like to complain that there are few voices from the Islamic world that condemn terrorist attacks by Islamic extremists. I run a small business that distributes editorial cartoons from around the world. With every major attack, including the recent attacks in Paris, I see a chorus of cartoons from Arab countries … [Read more...] about How to fight ISIS? With cartoons (Guest Voice)
The war against terror is not about semantics
We are all struggling to create some mental headroom for this new wave of terror that has come to us now from the hallowed streets of Paris. The unwelcome knowledge of it, hurling through media and cyber space, affects our basic sense of well-being, our confidence in the future, and our sleep patterns. There is moralizing (“don’t blame all Muslims”) and there is the unfortunate … [Read more...] about The war against terror is not about semantics
Update: Confirmed Dead: Abdelhamid Abaaoud, “planner” of Paris murders
UPDATE: CONFIRMED The man believed to have planned the Paris murders of more than 100 souls, is dead. He was killed in the police operation in the suburb of Paris. He is a man who also posed for videos over time, such as smiling and talking animatedly in his truck while it is said, he was dragging the bodies of dead victims behind his vehicle. During the police … [Read more...] about Update: Confirmed Dead: Abdelhamid Abaaoud, “planner” of Paris murders
Mission Accomplished
https://politicalgraffiti.wordpress.com/2015/11/18/mission-accomplished/ Copyright 2015 David Donar. All rights reserved.Copyright Donar, Political Graffiti … [Read more...] about Mission Accomplished
Killing the Islamic State with cliches (Guest Voice)
Killing the Islamic State with cliches by Dana Milbank Washington Post Columnist WASHINGTON -- Congressional Republicans unveiled a new strategy Tuesday morning to defeat the Islamic State: Kill it with cliches. House GOP leaders huddled with their caucus in the Capitol basement for an hour before emerging to hit the enemy with an unrelenting barrage … [Read more...] about Killing the Islamic State with cliches (Guest Voice)
Over the top political rhetoric continues: The political Twilight Zone
More episodes in the ongoing program The Political Twilight Zone continues: over-the-top, in accurate in some cases downright dangerous rhetoric, EPISODE ONE: Republican presidentrial wannabe Rick Santorum who in effect is calling Barack Obama a traitor or a fellow-traveler of ISIS: Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum said on Wednesday that President Obama’s … [Read more...] about Over the top political rhetoric continues: The political Twilight Zone
Remember that prediction of less snow?
As residents of Kansas dig out from the snow that fell on that state (20 inches in some places), let's recall a snow forecast from the year 2000. That is the year in which a British newspaper published a story titled "Snowfalls are now just a thing of the past". That particular newspaper story has been scrubbed from that newspaper's website, but not before it was … [Read more...] about Remember that prediction of less snow?
Clinton Attacks Sanders On Progressive Agenda Including Single Payer Health Care
Hillary Clinton distorted the meaning of single payer health plans in the second Democratic debate and is continuing to attack Sanders' progressive agenda on the campaign trail. Politico reports, "Three days after the fairly cordial second Democratic debate, Clinton’s campaign is mounting an attack against Sen. Bernie Sanders for proposals to raise taxes on the middle class … [Read more...] about Clinton Attacks Sanders On Progressive Agenda Including Single Payer Health Care
John Kasich Proposes New Government Agency To Spread Judeo-Christian Values Around The World
John Kasich is supposedly the saner sounding Republican, but he isn't sounding like that today. His response to the terrorist attacks in Paris is to establish a new government agency to promote Judeo-Christian values. From an interview with NBC News: As part of a broad national security plan to defeat ISIS, Republican Presidential candidate John Kasich proposed creating a new … [Read more...] about John Kasich Proposes New Government Agency To Spread Judeo-Christian Values Around The World
NRA, Republicans block proposed law to stop suspected terrorists from buying guns in U.S.
It seems that Republicans who are now using the events in Paris to urge banning all Syrian refugees from coming into the country (except perhaps in cases where they can prove they're Christian), and are talking about how the administration is bungling the war on terrorism and ISIS, actally don't want to do a full court press. Like kids who get to school without their homework, … [Read more...] about NRA, Republicans block proposed law to stop suspected terrorists from buying guns in U.S.
Politix Update: Syrian Child Refugee Crisis Is A Shameful Moment In Our History
It was the late 1930s and there was a refugee crisis in Europe because of the rise of Nazism in Germany. My grandfather led local efforts to place refugee children with adoptive families in our small northeastern U.S. city, home to many immigrant communities. Politicians of all stripes and the leaders of all religious denominations (except for one) came together, and dozens … [Read more...] about Politix Update: Syrian Child Refugee Crisis Is A Shameful Moment In Our History
What would Obama’s critics do?
WASHINGTON -- As Paris mourns its dead, critics of President Obama's caution in the fight against the Islamic State are full of sound and fury. But those who throw around such words as "weak" and "feckless" should tell us if they support the logical alternative: Sending in tens of thousands of U.S. troops. Clearly our nation has ample military strength to crush the … [Read more...] about What would Obama’s critics do?
Could a Paris-Style Attack Happen Here?
This article first appeared on the Daily Signal. The Washington Post reports a social networking site related to the Islamist terrorist group in Syria-Iraq, also known as ISIS, has released a video threatening a terrorist strike on Washington, D.C. It is no surprise ISIS would make such an announcement through social networking—online activities are a key… … [Read more...] about Could a Paris-Style Attack Happen Here?
Second Verse Same as the First
Kevin Drum bemoans the stupid, historically ignorant saber-rattling of conservative hawks on ISIS on Mother Jones. What really gets me about this is not just that it's true. It's that we've seen this movie before with Al-Qaeda. We know perfectly well that it's ISIS that wants to turn this into a war of civilizations, just as Al-Qaeda wanted to do. It's no secret. Why are so … [Read more...] about Second Verse Same as the First