Guest Post by Morbo School will be back in session soon, which means it’s time to celebrate that unsung hero of American life, the public school teacher. One of the reasons I like public school teachers so much is that the kook right can’t stand them. I figure teachers must be doing something right to […]
I know I mentioned this the other day, but I’m still annoyed. Dick Cheney spoke to the 73rd National Convention of the Military Order of the Purple Heart last night and delivered his usual spiel trying to connect the attacks of 9/11 with the war in Iraq. But before he did that, Cheney spoke glowingly […]
Apropos of nothing, I was reviewing some reports from August 2004 and noticed something interesting: talk about domestic terrorist attacks, orange alerts, and the need for constant vigilance dominated the news. August 2005? Not so much. A year ago this week, for example, U.S. News & World Report reported that the ongoing threat was so […]
The Washington Post had an interesting item today on how politicians have just run out of things to say about high gas prices. Voters are angry, Bush’s energy bill offers little in the way of solutions, the strategic petroleum reserve is off limits, and GOP talking points have, if you’ll pardon the expression, been tapped […]
Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers: * William Weld, the former governor of Massachusetts, has finally acknowledged publicly that he plans to run for governor of New York next year. Weld said he was encouraged by former Mayor Rudy […]
We’ve all heard about concerted attempts by the U.S. government to improve our nation’s image in the Middle East. I never delved too deeply into the details, but I more or less assumed the initiative would include print and broadcast media that emphasizes the best America has to offer in the way of ideals, values, […]
A year ago, Arnold Schwarzenegger was allegedly a political powerhouse. The question was not whether he’d win re-election in 2006, but whether Congress would amend the Constitution to allow him to run for president. Dem opponents? There were plenty of ambitious Golden State Dems, but also plenty of hesitation in taking on the popular movie […]
A month ago, The Hill reported that a House resolution that calls on the president to develop and implement an exit strategy for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq had picked up its 29th co-sponsor. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, a conservative Maryland Republican and decorated Vietnam veteran, joined the diverse group of resolution supporters, including […]
Just a month ago, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) chatted with the New York Times Sunday Magazine, shortly after telling U.S. News that the White House’s policies in Iraq are “completely disconnected from reality.” He added, “The reality is that we’re losing in Iraq.” The NYT gave Hagel a chance to reverse course, but he stood […]
There are any number of reasons not to shop at Wal-Mart. Abhorrent labor policies, financing the conservative movement and right-wing causes, the devastating effect on local retailers, the pressure on manufacturers to build factories abroad, the puritanical sales standards … let’s just say it isn’t my favorite store. But now there’s a new problem with […]