Federal tax law, as it relates to tax-exempt religious ministries, is pretty clear — houses of worship may not legally intervene in political campaigns, either in support of or opposition to a candidate or a party. Those who violate the law run the risk of losing their tax-exempt status. What’s less clear is why the […]
Chances are, few would have heard about professional right-wing loudmouth Bill Cunningham’s tirade against Barack Obama at a McCain event earlier this week, had McCain not personally denounced it. The story created an interesting dynamic — it served to amplify Cunningham’s ugly attacks (which undermines Obama), while making McCain look like he’s above it all […]
Yesterday’s exchanges between Barack Obama and John McCain offered the political world much of what it craves: a fairly substantive back-and-forth between leading candidates from both parties on the year’s biggest issue. As a result, what was a relatively routine dust-up literally became front-page news. Now, as far as I can tell, Obama didn’t start […]
Last month, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg led a group discussion in Oklahoma with elders from the Democratic and Republican parties. The whole thing was going to be awesome — everyone would recognize what a visionary Bloomberg is and how he (and only he) has the unique independent skills to lead the nation during […]
Today’s edition of quick hits. * I’m worried: “Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned Congress that the nation is in for a period of sluggish business growth and sent a fresh signal Wednesday that interest rates will again be lowered to steady the teetering economy… Since Bernanke’s last such comprehensive assessment last summer, the housing […]
It’s unexpected, but even Karl Rove is discouraging Republican attack dogs from throwing around Barack Obama’s middle name. No less an authority figure than Karl Rove has warned Republican operatives from demagoguing Barack Obama’s middle name. At a closed door meeting of GOP state executive directors in late January, Rove said the safest way to […]
To be sure, the real outrage in the scandal surrounding trumped up charges against former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman (D) are the charges themselves. Local Republican officials, in apparent conjunction with Karl Rove, railroaded a sitting governor because he was a Democrat. It was political corruption at its most pernicious. But if we also take […]
In his national radio address on Saturday, the president, predictably, went after House Democrats for refusing to give him all the surveillance powers he wants, along with retroactive immunity for telecoms that cooperated with Bush’s illegal warrantless-search program. Not surprisingly, Bush said our security was absolutely dependent on Congress short-circuiting the legal process and clearing […]
After watching congressional Republicans, during their run in the majority, embrace a fairly transparent culture of corruption, congressional Dems are still anxious to help clean up the mess. Right now, Dems are weighing a proposal to create an independent panel to consider ethics complains against lawmakers, creating a system whereby members would no longer be […]
Whether one embraced or rejected his ideas, few had the impact on modern political thought of William F. Buckley Jr., who died at his home last night. William F. Buckley Jr., the erudite Ivy Leaguer and conservative herald who showered huge and scornful words on liberalism as he observed, abetted and cheered on the right’s […]