The Old Town section of Sydney, Australia. From the National Geographic.
Obama: The Acrobat from Tablet Magazine
"President Obama’s new Middle East diplomacy seems to eschew symbolic triumphs in favor of a pragmatic vision that keeps all sides guessing. Israel could have a lot to gain by signing on."
Netanyahu's Bizarre Response to Obama's Palestinian Proposal (Peter Beinart) from the Daily Beast
"President Obama’s parameters for a new round of Mideast peace talks were designed to head off U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state based strictly on 1967 borders—which would be catastrophic for Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu’s immediate rejection of the plan suggests he has no grasp of the real world."
A Proud Day for Obama (Josh Marshall) from Talking Points Memo
"Netanyahu believes that US power is forever and that the US political consensus to support Israel in almost any policy choice it makes will never change. So he can simply ignore the currents of history and international affairs and thumb his nose at every other country in the world. But neither is true."
Netanyahu: The Dick Cheney of Israel (James Fallows) from the Atlantic
"By "a Cheney" I refer to the vice presidential version of Dick Cheney, who (in my view) mistook short-term intransigence for long-term strategic wisdom, seemed blind and tone-deaf to the "moral" and "soft power" components of influence, profited from a polarized and fearful political climate, and attempted to command rather than earn support from allies and potential adversaries. "
Afghan Taliban Reject Reports Leader Mullah Omar Killed from RealClearWorld
"Security officials in Pakistan and diplomats, U.S. military commanders and government officials in Afghanistan all cast doubt on reports that Omar, one of the most-wanted men in the world, had been killed while traveling between Quetta and North Waziristan in Pakistan."
Why China’s Leaders Fear Inflation (Minxin Pei) from The Diplomat
"With the Communist Party leadership transition coming next year, China’s leaders are nervous about anything that could stoke instability."
The Symbolic Politics of DSKgate from the Guardian [of the UK]
"Whatever the outcome of the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case, it has already reset debates on class, race, gender and sexuality."
Strauss-Kahn Made Advances on Two Hotel Staffers, Flight Attendant from the New York Post
"Disgraced former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn attempted to lure two attractive hotel employees to his $3,000-a-night hotel suite -- and later put the moves on an Air France flight attendant following his alleged sexual assault on a maid, The Post has learned. "What a nice ass!" he barked to the attendant, using the lewd French expression "Quel beau cul!" as she prepared the business-class cabin for takeoff last Saturday.
This guy's trial is going to be VERY UGLY!
When Austerity Fails (Paul Krugman) from the New York Times
"Underlying this insistence have been economic fantasies, in particular belief in the confidence fairy — that is, belief that slashing spending will actually create jobs, because fiscal austerity will improve private-sector confidence. Unfortunately, the confidence fairy keeps refusing to make an appearance. And a dispute over how to handle inconvenient reality threatens to make Europe the flashpoint of a new financial crisis."
I think Krugman is right on the money here. In my view, the tentative quality of this "recovery" is hampered by continuing economic shocks (gas prices, Europe) compounded by a budgetary conversation in the US which (to be blunt) would sap the confidence of any consumer looking to the future.
Focus on the Family Head: "We've Probably Lost" on Gay Marriage (Tim Murphy) from Mother Jones Magazine
"Last week, a Gallup poll showed that a majority of Americans support gay marriage. It was the third such survey this spring, and if you add in the number of Americans who support civil unions, public support for same-sex relationships has become the dominant position. "
WI Board Clears Way For 3 GOP Recall Elections: Recalls Could Be Held July 12 from WISC-TV [of Madison]
"Kapanke, Hopper and Olsen are among nine lawmakers, six Republicans and three Democrats, targeted for recalls for their positions on GOP Gov. Scott Walker's proposal taking away collective bargaining rights from most state workers. The board plans to evaluate the challenges to the remaining six recall petitions at its May 31 meeting, and likely would certify all the petitions that same week."
Daily Kos has some analysis HERE.
GOP Braces for Medicare Blowback from Politico
"For Democrats, these crystallizing moments would affirm that their Medicare-centric attacks are working — and that they’re on the popular side of a major policy issue, maybe for the first time since the rise of the tea party movement two years ago. For moderate and vulnerable Republicans, these events have the potential to create a lot of hand-wringing and second-guessing for a party that’s been on a roll."
Recall Petition Against Michigan Governor Rick Snyder is Live from Daily Kos
"A recall petition effort to oust Republican Governor Rick Snyder has cleared a hurdle, and can begin collecting signatures aimed at getting the measure on the ballot, unless the governor files an appeal."
GOP Presidential Cattle Call 2012 - Week of 05/22/11 from Daily Kos
"As always, we'll use Markos's formula: "the rankings will be based on where I think they would place if the elections started today, using a mix of poll results, CW, media attention, buzz, and other intangibles.""
Lame GOP field good for Obama (Laura Washington) from the Chicago Sun-Times
"Every morning, Barack Obama must rise, pinch himself and wonder: Am I still dreaming, or is the 2012 Republican field really this lame? Obama would be wise to keep knocking on wood, or shall I say the “wooden” Mitt Romney. The president’s run of personal political good luck is breathtaking."
Can Romney Win Without Fox News? (David Frum) from the FrumForum
"Three take-aways from Gabriel Sherman’s important piece on Fox News and the GOP in New York mag: 1) What Republicans have been producing since January 2009 is a television program, not a political opposition. No rational opposition would have nailed its colors to the mast on the predictably unpopular Ryan budget without the votes to pass it. ..."
This story is in response to THIS LONG ARTICLE from New York Magazine which I posted the other day.
Herman Cain top 2012 Presidential Candidate Among GOP primary Voters (Eric Dolan) from Raw Story
"Former CEO of Godfather's Pizza and Atlanta radio talk show host Herman Cain is the most popular choice of Republican primary voters in the race for the 2012 presidential nomination. Nineteen percent of GOP primary voters would like to see Cain run against President Barack Obama, according to a Zogby poll released Monday."
T-Paw’s Problem: Pawlenty Needs Time and Money. He'll be Hard-pressed to Find Enough of Both (Walter Shapiro) from the New Republic
"To run a competitive campaign, T-Paw will be forced to spend long hours each week ingratiating himself with wealthy donors in places like Houston and Atlanta. But in this cycle’s foreshortened campaign season, Pawlenty cannot afford to shirk even a minute of the face-to-face politics that have proven essential to winning the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary."
This is true for almost everyone in the GOP field -- with the possible exceptions of Romney and perhaps Bachmann.
JOPLIN TORNADO VIDEO!!
Eighteen people huddle in a gas station's cold storage room as the tornado wipes out the building. You can't see very much -- but it is absolutely terrifying!
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