Hillary Clinton gave her first national media interview since announcing her candidacy, following a period of evading the press. She spent the interview (transcript here), as she invariably does when interviewed, avoiding answering any questions and playing the victim. A better reporter would have pinned her down better with follow up questions. I wonder if she will ever dare … [Read more...] about Clinton Avoids Saying Anything As Large Crowds Turn Out To Hear Sanders On The Issues
Charging $100,000 to Help Wounded Warriors?
Comments have been made recently about “the Clintons” “charging $100,000” for a White House sleepover. Pretty sleazy you say. But then there is this According to ABC News, “Former President George W. Bush charged $100,000 to speak at a charity fundraiser for U.S. military veterans severely wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.” ABC adds, “former First Lady Laura Bush … [Read more...] about Charging $100,000 to Help Wounded Warriors?
Strange Politics: A Matter of Heritage
Consider the following hypothetical scenario. Suppose that modern-day Jewish citizens of Germany were displaying the Nazi Swastika and claiming that it represented their German heritage. The Nazi Swastika was created to represent people who tried to kill all Jews. It is one thing to display it in a museum or a history book as part of a history lesson. It is another thing to … [Read more...] about Strange Politics: A Matter of Heritage
Emotional Correctness vs. Political Correctness
Progressive activist and pundit Sally Kohn offers a radical message: emotional correctness beats the political kind. Check out her TED talk. Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Lisa Falkenberg sounds a similar call in The Houston Chronicle. Overnight, Betty became a bigot - or, at least, that's how the 74-year-old Brazoria County grandmother fears people will … [Read more...] about Emotional Correctness vs. Political Correctness
The Past Through Pictures VI
Today we will take our photo adventure south of Munich. This is Lake Starnberg (Starnbergersee): This is the beautiful little town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen at the foot of the Bavarian Alps. A popular ski resort in the winter and a fun place to sit in a beer garden in the summer at least until the almost daily thunderstorm comes rolling out of the … [Read more...] about The Past Through Pictures VI
Obama Administration to Target Segregation with New Rules for Cities
The Obama administration is set to resuscitate the Fair Housing Act of 1968's mandate to forcibly reduce segregation, in a bid to racially integrate neighborhoods, making it hard for cities to disobey the law. "The Obama administration will announce long-awaited rules designed to repair the law’s unfulfilled promise and promote the kind of racially integrated neighborhoods … [Read more...] about Obama Administration to Target Segregation with New Rules for Cities
What people do not know hurts our country
Ah, the old saying "what you don't know won't hurt you" is, of course, a false statement for so many reasons. What you don't know about your health issues can kill you. Fortunately, with healthcare more accessible here in the United States, people have a better chance of finding out if they have potential life-threatening illnesses or complications. They can then use that … [Read more...] about What people do not know hurts our country
Political Corruption
In addition to corruption and ethical problems common at the federal level, corruption infects state, municipal, and county officials of both political parties. A report in May 2006 noted that more than 2000 investigations into public corruption were active by the FBI, and over 1060 officials at all levels had been convicted of criminal acts in 2004 and 2005. Between 1998 and … [Read more...] about Political Corruption
That is a Good Question: Answering a TMV Reader’s Inquiry
Whether they write professionally or write for the love of writing, pundits occasionally make the mistake of assuming that their audience already knows what the pundits mean whenever they briefly mention a topic that is not directly addressed. Sometimes, the audience doesn’t already know. This writer made such a mistake in his first post featured on The Moderate Voice. … [Read more...] about That is a Good Question: Answering a TMV Reader’s Inquiry
Politix Update: Why Republican Primary Clown Car Isn’t At All Funny
I'd really like to see a competitive presidential election next year in which the Republican nominee gave Hillary Clinton a run for her money. After all, the sooner the GOP shakes off its self-inflicted torpor and becomes competitive again at the national level the better it will be for all of us, not to mention that creaky old contraption known as democracy. But with a … [Read more...] about Politix Update: Why Republican Primary Clown Car Isn’t At All Funny
Yet Another Right-Wing Obama Freakout
Yet Another Right-Wing Obama Freakout By Dick Polman Americans typically celebrate the Fourth of July with family, friends, fireworks, food, and flags. But alas, some people are incapable of swinging with the holiday spirit. I'm referring, of course, to the Obama haters. They never take a day off, and they're constantly off their meds. Their latest freakout occurred … [Read more...] about Yet Another Right-Wing Obama Freakout
Subway Drops Jared Fogle Amid Child Pornography Rumors
Jared Fogle and Subway will no longer be synonymous -- at least for now. The sandwich giant decided to cut ties with its spokesman after 15 years following a search by federal and state agents of Fogle's Zionsville, Indiana, home Tuesday morning as part of a child pornography investigation involving a former employee of his foundation.… … [Read more...] about Subway Drops Jared Fogle Amid Child Pornography Rumors
South Carolina’s Hurt — and Challenge
South Carolina's Hurt -- and Challenge by Jordan Cooper I know it hurts the bottom of the people's hearts who came before us in South Carolina to see that we are removing a symbol of the experiences of the residents of S.C. The Confederate Battle Flag is likely to come down and be put in another museum in S.C. hopefully. The feverish efforts to remove Ben Tillman's … [Read more...] about South Carolina’s Hurt — and Challenge
The sense and sometimes nonsense of time zones
In 1884 the International Meridian Council suggested a zero point and a way to match clock time with the position of the sun. It looked good on paper but hasn't always made sense. We can see in the map below that times zones can be chaotic, Time zones are often social instruments rather than logical ones. China should have five time zones but only has one. India … [Read more...] about The sense and sometimes nonsense of time zones
The Current Presidential Race
Aristotle said that Man by nature is a political animal. When he said "animal", he wasn’t referring to the kind of animal that one might find in a petting zoo. Political animals are more like the carnivores that one might encounter during an African safari. When dealing with one, it is a good idea to be armed with an elephant gun and plenty of ammunition. Speaking of … [Read more...] about The Current Presidential Race
Donald Trump’s diabolical plan to own centre stage
I think everyone is noticing a phenomenon that Steve Benen wrote about a few days ago, which is that Donald Trump is driving a lot of the debate amongst Republican presidential candidates. It reminds me of something a counsellor friend once said to me, which is that in any group of people, whether family or friends or co-workers or whatever, one person frequently gets the … [Read more...] about Donald Trump’s diabolical plan to own centre stage
The Past Through Pictures V
It's not as hot today but it's still warm so how about some more winter pictures from Munich. Swans in the Isar river that cuts through Munich. Ice skating: Links to previous posts. Change Is Hard – II The Past Through Pictures The Past Through Pictures II The Past Through Pictures III The Past Through Pictures IV … [Read more...] about The Past Through Pictures V
South Carolina Senate Approves Flag Removal Bill
State Senate gives final passge of the bill on a vote of 36-3 with 5 not voting. They needed 67% they got 92% of those who voted and 82% of overall membership. Goes to State House next, where test votes suggest similar margins. One test vote passed 93-18 which is 83% or 75% of overall membership. … [Read more...] about South Carolina Senate Approves Flag Removal Bill
Bernie Sanders, Guns, And A Respect For Individual Liberty
Clinton supporters have increasingly been trying to smear Bernie Sanders by claiming he is pro-guns and supports the NRA. Actually the NRA has in various years given him grades of F and D- on gun control measures which he has supported, including bans on assault weapons, restrictions on concealed weapons, ending the “gun-show loophole,” and expanded background checks, plus … [Read more...] about Bernie Sanders, Guns, And A Respect For Individual Liberty
The American Nightmare
In my old age I find myself musing more and more. So what is the American nightmare? It's the suburbs. I grew up in a middle to upper middle class neighborhood less than 2 miles from downtown Portland. Our neighborhood was a community. We interacted with each other and helped each other as needed. We had community barbecues on the weekends and occasionally took a weekend … [Read more...] about The American Nightmare