The House of Representatives has more than its share of loons. While firebrands of both genders are found there, one would like to think the Senate considers itself to be the “grown-ups table.” Republican Congresswomen all too often seem as if they fill character parody roles crafted by late night comedy writers. North Carolina is usually good for a couple of crazy grannies.… [Read more]
Archives for November 2012
Broadening the Dem’s Big Tent – Attention Liberals: You Blew It.
“In every political community there are varying shades of political opinion. One of the shadiest of these is the liberals. An outspoken group on many subjects. Ten degrees to the left of center in good times. Ten degrees to the right of center if it affects them personally.”
-Phil Ochs
As you might recall if you’re not new to my column, I feel so alienated from mainstream liberalism that I was reluctant to even drag my ass to the voting booth.… [Read more]
If they don’t want to be part of the social contract, let them go.
I met a woman recently and she asked this question: Why should the government have the right to tax people and tell them how much they should pay in taxes for things they do not want, like feeding the poor?
She did not believe the government should be in the business of taking care of poor people.… [Read more]
Going Beyond Giving Tuesday
The season of giving has just gotten started.
With Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday over, we as Americans may be out of the shopping spirit. Even though we might not be hitting the malls or online outlets so hard from here on out, I’d like to encourage us to embrace the spirit of giving, as you might have done on this year’s Giving Tuesday.… [Read more]
Obama: On Education, Is The President Liberals’ Piñata?
While the rest of us offered thanks for family and friends on Thanksgiving, one D.C. teacher told a colleague, “I am thankful Obama won, now I can go back to hating him for what he’s doing to public education.” You mean like pumping almost $100 billion in new funds into federal education programs and another $60 billion into saving teacher jobs?… [Read more]
The Norquist “tax pledge” exodus: Further proof there’s no Republican leadership
Some might look at the Republican flight from Grover Norquist’s legendary “tax pledge” as evidence that, finally, Republicans are stepping up and doing what’s best for Americans. Some might see this Republican exodus as proof that, finally, Republicans are done being guided by zealots and are frankly tired of losing elections. Some might see this Republican rejection of Norquist as courageous. … [Read more]
Tyranny in the Private Sphere
The large, tyrannical state has always been one of the greatest threats to freedom and liberty. And even in our current age, unchecked government power continues to stifle human progress and expression, not only abroad but in the United States as well. For, in even in our country, the state, both at the federal and local level, still punishes its citizens for indulging in the “wrong” types of narcotics—it still denies equal rights to those of a different sexual orientation, it still retains the unchecked, lethal authority of one person, the executive, to sentence death upon any citizen the president deems a “terrorist.”
Yet, although the illiberal actions of the state still need to be combated government is not the only source of tyranny—it is not the only enemy of freedom.… [Read more]
Reagan and the Law of Unintended Consequences, a.k.a. Today’s Mess in the Middle East
Yes, hindsight is always 20-20 and, no, this is not a post to bash Ronald Reagan. The Reagan administration certainly did what they had to do and they managed the challenges presented at the time. What they could not see were the consequences of their actions as they were unintended.
How does a country that was a sweetheart of the free world and a defender of democracy end up being the object of hate for so many?… [Read more]
Salvaging and Growing the U.S. Economy: Moving on with Lessons Learned
Ask most and they will tell you there are two ways to salvage an economy: the revenue side, by way of taxation or fees, or on the the spending side, by way of expenditure reductions. Determining where and how much is the point at which negotiations and compromise get bogged down.
The President re-elect has released his budget for 2013 that the administration believes is fair; at another time in history the budget would be viewed as pragmatically centrist.… [Read more]
Why is This News? Should Some Things Be Considered “Newsworthy” At All?
I’ll admit it. I’m probably the least political writer on this site.
I write a lot about education, and occasionally I’ll get fired up enough to write about my political leanings in areas like abortion and women’s rights. I’ll write political leaders letters when I feel like they have taken a wrong turn, which is often since you know…government.… [Read more]
Grover Norquist is Irrelevant
There are all sorts of post war Republican irrelevancies. Think of Reagan’s Trickle Down economics, Nixon’s dirty tricks, small government which always turns out to be a particularly large government, out of control military spending, Bush Jr.’s Weapons of Mass Destruction, The Pet Goat, the entire Bush family, and so on.
And now that many Republican legislators are finally jumping from his ship, irrelevant as well is Grover Norquist, his Americans For Tax Reform and his infamous, so-called Taxpayer Protection Pledge which protects only the wealthiest 2% of taxpayers.… [Read more]
Giving Tuesday – Random Charitable Donations and Acts of Kindness
In case you’re not aware, today is “Giving Tuesday“. According to the organisation’s website:
#GivingTuesday™ is a campaign to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season. It celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations.
The Giving Tuesday campaign is the brainchild of the deputy executive director of the Jewish community center 92nd Street Y, Henry Timms, and Kathy Calvin, CEO of the United Nations Foundation. … [Read more]
A Woman’s Place is in the House and the Senate
Sen. Harry Reid (R-Nev.)
Senate Majority Leader
Searchlight, Nev.
Dear Harry,
No doubt, hidebound Senate rules to govern traditional committee assignments are, of necessity, more intricate than a cloakroom coin toss. That said, there is some exceptional talent coming in, which shouldn’t be wasted doing an apprenticeship in the shadows.
Sen.-elect Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), the Harvard Law professor and the financial industry’s Public Enemy No.… [Read more]
Wall Street versus Main Street: The “Greedy Bastards” Strike Again
They’re opportunists. That’s how they’ve made their fortunes. Being an opportunist isn’t necessarily a bad thing if it means being willing and able to see an opportunity and take advantage of it by maximising its benefits. But in this case, being an opportunist is not a good thing. Not that they ever stopped, but it seems those “greedy bastards” are at it again.… [Read more]
Right Wingers Find New Mary Jo Kopechne
The victim had every reason to believe there was a long, successful life ahead. Seated in the car, there was no reason to worry, no way to know that death was just seconds away. When the victim was eventually taken to the morgue, there was talk that the death was not accidental. But the killer was never charged in the untimely death of someone so young, someone whose life held so much promise.… [Read more]
Shed those holiday dinner pounds: ‘Inauguration Lite’ Suggested for the POTUS
There are perfectly logical topics which simply bring out my “inner wiseguy.” It was a long campaign. In his entirely sensible piece on NPR bringing up whether, as it is a reelection and we have this sizable umpteen-trillion dollar deficit, Linton Weeks wrote, perhaps we could trim some of the pomp and circumstance from a usual American Presidential inauguration.… [Read more]
Nobody voted for Grover Norquist. He’s the Wizard of Oz.
Wrapping up this week means continuing the discussion that has been taking place since Election Day: the nation’s economy and finances. Many say that both parties need to take heed of a couple of points that voters made: the Democrats won the White House but still don’t have a House majority. Republicans, on the other hand, maintained their majority but gave up Senate seats — and it is noteworthy to mention that some of the bigger losses were those suffered by Tea Party-supported candidates.… [Read more]
I’m Not a Scientist, Man!
The 2012 presidential election is barely over and Republicans, still in the process of licking their wounds, are casting about for a viable candidate to run in 2016. And, according to rumor, at the top of the list is the Freshman U.S. Senator from Florida, Marco Rubio.
…and Marco Rubio is a member of the Senate Subcommittee on Science and Space!… [Read more]
Hit the Road, Jack
For today’s Say It In Song pick, Ray Charles’ Hit the Road, Jack is an appropriate choice. Why? Because weeks after the presidential election, vocal secessionists are still making this an issue. The issue of secession was been decided ages ago; still want to secede and don’t believe me? How about paying attention to the rightest of right-wing Supreme Court Justices, Antonin Scalia, and what he said back in 2006, long before President Obama was re-elected:
“If there was any constitutional issue resolved by the Civil War, it is that there is no right to secede. … [Read more]
Small Business Saturday
Everyone is concerned about our economy. Fiscal cliffs and what-have-you.
The easiest and best way for all of us to do something RIGHT NOW to help is to support small businesses.
That’s right. Forget the big box stores and the corporate greed, and go local and go small.
When you support small businesses, you put money back in the pockets of the middle class.… [Read more]