At the beginning of a hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution yesterday, Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) noted that there are plenty of challenges that warrant the chamber’s time. “As a nation, we are facing many pressing and problematic issues at this very moment — the war in Iraq, devastation from flooding and hurricanes, […]
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: * With a little over two weeks before voters decide the next governor of New Jersey, Sen. Jon Corzine’s (D) lead in the polls is bouncing back nicely. A new Rasmussen poll shows […]
It’s tempting to say that former FEMA Director Mike “Brownie, you’re doing a heck of a job” Brown has been humiliated enough. But that temptation is easily whisked away when we learn that taxpayers are still paying his salary. Before we get into that, consider what we’ve learned about Brown’s “leadership” of FEMA this week. […]
The questions about Harriet Miers have been piling up, but nearly all have been about her lack of qualifications, her sycophantic tendencies, her lack of a record, and her unknown beliefs. Today, however, we learn of a slightly different question that might be even more difficult to answer. The AP reported that Miers’ law firm […]
I’m a little behind on the Ed Schultz mess, but it’s a real embarrassment that deserves more attention. Last year, the Senate unanimously approved a resolution sponsored by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) to improve the balance on Armed Forces Radio when it comes to political commentary. For years, it’s been all-conservative, all the time. Facing […]
When a Supreme Court nominee wants to win over lawmakers, he or she tries to use a combination of charm and intelligence in what are called “courtesy calls.” As Byron York explained, one of the strategists working on Harriet Miers’ behalf said these calls may be courteous, but that’s not enough to help. (via Kevin) […]
There are any number of important updates on the Plame scandal in the major media today, but one stands out. * The New York Times informs us that Rove and Libby “have been advised that they may be in serious legal jeopardy.” (Does this mean target letters? Probably.) * The incomparable Murray Waas wrote another […]
William Rivers Pitt wrote a very funny item for Truthout that I could really relate to. I hope I’m not the only one. 8:12 am – Wake, sling blankets aside, startling cat into sudden flight. 8:13 am – Pull up New York Times web site, scan for news of Fitzgerald indictment. 8:14 am – Thump […]
At this point, the evidence looks like No Child Left Behind is failing to deliver. Reading scores among fourth- and eighth-graders showed little improvement over the past two years, and math gains were slower than in previous years, according to a study released yesterday. The disappointing results came despite a new educational testing law championed […]
A decade ago, things didn’t quite work out for the Clinton White House when it launched an initiative to reform the nation’s health care system. The public, Republicans said, just won’t accept a liberal approach to health care. (Whether the Clinton plan was really liberal or not was largely irrelevant.) More than 10 years later, […]