Scrolling through the world and Asia news sections on CNN and NPR like I do most evenings, I came across a poll summary that was a refreshing change from what I usually spend my time scouring over. This poll was conducted by AFP-Ipsos, a Hong Kong-based think tank. The survey targeted two major economic forces with which we share incredibly important ties: China and Japan.… [Read more]
Years ago, Mitt Romney’s father, George, noted that it should be a given that candidates running for president should release multiple years of tax returns. George Romney released 12 years of returns. His son, today, hasn’t followed that tradition. Mitt and his wife, think similarly on that issue as Ann said that they’ve given “all you people need to know.”
Years ago, George Romney was said to be — whether one agreed with him or not — a transparent man of principle.… [Read more]
In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, the contrast is striking. On the one hand, we have a President who’s cancelled campaign stops, and who’s calling on donations to the American Red Cross instead of his campaign. As reported by the Huffington Post: “On the campaign side, Obama halted his flood of fundraising emails on Sunday, and the campaign is now using its Twitter, Facebook and campaign pages to instead urge donations to the Red Cross storm relief.… [Read more]
As city after city surveys the damage left in Hurricane Sandy’s path in the east coast, photos show the devastation of entire neighbourhoods covered in sand and slowly-receding water. Even more sad is the reported loss of lives to the storm; a sad fact from which some may never recover. According to MSNBC nearly 8 million remain without electric power — and though crews are working feverishly to restore and repair, it’s impossible to pinpoint when a sense of normalcy will return.… [Read more]
Hunkered down in my apartment in Virginia Beach, VA, I’ve been running circles from the windows to the TV to the computer, obsessing on Hurricane Sandy since 3:45 Monday morning. I noticed something unusual—little to no political ads. Not much in the way of campaign propaganda whatsoever. Was I simply sleep deprived, or was something unusual going on?… [Read more]
Throughout this election season many of us have heard numerous reports about charges of voter fraud, voter suppression tactics, Tagg Romney‘s ties to a company that owns Ohio voting machines, and even CEOs who have threatened employees with termination should Mitt Romney lose the upcoming presidential election. We’ve heard about the respective candidates’ poll numbers and who is gaining/losing support among women, the impact of the economy, and the weight of endorsements.… [Read more]
As the Presidential election draws ever closer, talk concerning how to deal with the economy has intensified. Last week’s 2nd Presidential Debate gave voters the clearest distinction yet between President Obama’s pragmatic plan for economic growth and GOP candidate Mitt Romney’s preposterous ‘vision’ embracing Reagan’s failed trickle down economics.
Political observers on the left rightly point out that President Obama still has a great deal of work to do to remedy the mess the created by 8 years of George W.… [Read more]
In the past few weeks the presidential campaign has seen its share of ups and downs on both sides. According to recent polls, Mitt Romney continues to experience a bounce due in large part to his debate performance, while President Obama’s declining poll numbers reflect what many perceive to be his lack of fight. Unfortunately for voters, with this shift has come a noticeable change in the issues presented to voters — and much of what receives attention is not what has the most impact on the populace.… [Read more]
This year’s presidential election seems to center around the economy but there are many other important issues that need to be resolved on which the two candidates have vastly different views. One important matter where President Obama and GOP candidate Mitt Romney differ is the subject of renewable energy subsidies. Renewable energy sources are those that create electricity using non-traditional means, such as wind turbines and solar panels.… [Read more]
Perhaps it’s foul to put it quite that bluntly but, as is the case for many of us, election day can’t arrive soon enough. The campaign season seems endless; misleading ads, voter suppression efforts and full-throated lies may be what is expected but that doesn’t make it easier to endure. After all, while the follies go on there’s still a nation to run — and the more time we spend watching an extremely lackluster candidate who is supposed to represent the best that the ‘loyal opposition’ has to offer, it’s now just a matter of time and how disgusted the voting public can become.… [Read more]
We now know who the scariest Obama camp staffer is, the one who strikes fear into Republican hearts, the one who can be counted on not to back down or cower in the face of Republican mud and slime. You know how we know? Because that’s who Sean Hannity has recently targeted as the subject of one of his little “exposes.”
Irony:”The use of words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning.” Thank you, Sean, for so poignantly and eloquently displaying for us the absolute, clear, exact meaning of the word irony.… [Read more]
You have to be kidding me if you tell me that there’s anyone who considers Mitt Romney to be of viable presidential material after his latest blunder, in which he called Barack Obama supporters people who are always looking for a government handout. He said the 47% of Americans who support the President for re-election do so because all they want is a government to give them something like health care, housing, food.… [Read more]
Sino-American relations have always been a carefully choreographed exercise. This exercise has been well-played by President Obama and has worked to manage China relations for the benefit of American business. But what would a change in choreography mean for our country’s relationship with China?
Although not unusual, it is always intriguing to follow the logic behind the China-stance of a presidential nominee.… [Read more]
“Now let me tell you a story…’bout the Attack Ad Blues…” (with apologies to George Thorogood and his Delaware Destroyers)
Once upon a time, when American politicians first understood the Marshall McLuhan mantra that the ‘medium is the message’ (another Canadian genius, we have spawned several), political campaign television advertising had a vestigial legitimacy. Slagging the opposition with assaults that maintained only a tenuous connection to truth has been campaign sport since the first Athenian demos, but throughout history such attacks usually made at least passing reference to why our guy was right for the job!… [Read more]
As election day draws closer, here’s something to consider. Rightfully so, we’ve pounced on Mitt Romney’s character (or lack thereof); his inability to remember the Lord of the Flies style bullying incident in which he was the ringleader; the fact that he’s incredibly phony and boring; and his Etch-A-Sketching being indicative of his unquenchable thirst for power — but what about this: What if he truly believes what he says?… [Read more]
Good grief, Newt! It surely took you long enough to figure out something that the rest of us have known for a long (no, looooooonng) time: You can’t win. You couldn’t win. You’ll never win. See what happens when you piss off upset nearly everyone in your party (and most of the country)?
We are as long on memory as you are in goodbyes; we remember your temper tantrum leading to the government shutdown during the Clinton administration, your ethics violations, and the fact that, well, you’re just plain deceitful and use that horrid character trait to continually attempt to rewrite history.… [Read more]
Poor guy…well, not so much. I wonder if he has said anything that people could consider somewhat offensive? Whyyyyyyyyy won’t people listen?… [Read more]
I watched the HBO movie “Game Change” this weekend. I thought Julianne Moore did an outstanding job of capturing the essence of Sarah Palin, along with an almost uncanny resemblance. Woody Harrelson did a great job as her political Svengali, Steve Schmidt, but this is not a movie review.
I’ve read that Sarah Palin hated this film, and has done nothing but whine and play the victim since it became a reality.… [Read more]
Caucuses, straw polls, primaries, and Twitter. This is how the GOP presidential candidate will be decided in 2012. Well, maybe not actually on Twitter, but political pundits are watching Twitter closely this election cycle as if peering into a crystal ball. Can anything be gleaned from the Twitter feed?
As social media continues to grow in number of active users and collective influence, these sites are providing valuable feedback this election cycle.… [Read more]
When Mitt Romney announced his second run for President in June 2011, he began his announcement speech in a seemingly innocuous way. He briefly mentioned the diversity of the crowd gathered to listen to him. Pointing out retirees, college students, couples, a single mom and people of “different backgrounds,” he seemed pleased with the turnout. He did not, however, make any connection as to why people of “differing backgrounds” would be gathering other than to participate in the democratic process of electing a new president.… [Read more]
