Rain falls on the Tribute in Light at the site of the World Trade Center several days ago. From the Daily Mail of the UK.
Libya’s Battle-Tested Women Hope Gains Last from the New York Times
"In the Libyan rebels’ unlikely victory over Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, women did far more than send sons and husbands to the front."
Israel's Political Tsunami is Largely of its Own Making (Faisal Al Yafai) from the National [of the United Arab Emirates]
"Israel is right: there is a political tsunami coming. But its source was unpredictable just months ago. It has come from the wave of Arab revolutions that have swept the region, leading to a change in the political contract by which the Arab world has been kept stable. Yet Israel cannot grasp this fact and still believes business as usual can continue. Three recent events herald this new reality."
American Jobs Act Would Ban Discrimination Against Jobless (Arthur Delaney) from the Huffington Post
"Since last year companies and staffing firms have been slipping "must be currently employed" requirements into online job postings, a practice President Obama has said "makes absolutely no sense.""
Study: College Graduates Driving Increase in Bankruptcy Filings from the Washington Post
“We’re told that if you do go and get advanced education, you’re going to be almost guaranteed this economic success,” said Leslie Linfield, the group’s executive director. But the recession proved that “higher education was no guarantee that you weren’t going to be at risk.”
Paul Krugman 9/11 Blog Post Stokes Controversy from the Huffington Post
We posted his original comments yesterday.
"Paul Krugman drew conservative outrage on Sunday when he wrote that the anniversary of 9/11 had become a marker of "shame" for the U.S."
OMG! POLITICAL NUGGET!!
Rep. Issa (R) Hit with Ethics Allegations from The Hill
"The five-page complaint, which was obtained by The Hill, accuses Issa of using his position as chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to add to his multimillion-dollar fortune."
To recap for those who may have missed Issa's shinanigans: from his perch as chair of the House Gov't Affairs Committee, he came out of the 2010 election cycle vowing to launch a huge number of investigations into alleged corruption within the Obama administration. To date, he has found ZERO -- and now, lo and behold, this shows up!
Race and the Tea Party (Kevin Drum) from Mother Jones Magazine
"Maybe it's counterproductive to even mention racial resentment these days. Maybe it's unfair to lots of tea partiers who care only about taxes and big government. But unless there's a problem with Abramowitz's data, it's there. Pretending that it's not doesn't make it go away."
Alan Abramowitz's original paper is HERE.
"It's Not an Entitlement--It's Ours" (Ed Kilgore) from the Democratic Strategist
" It's important to understand that many seniors simply do not look at Social Security and Medicare as "government redistribution programs" no different than Medicaid or Obamacare, but as earned benefits--as an "entitlement" in a very literal sense. ... So ideologues like Perry who have identified Social Security and Medicare as just part of the vast march to socialism during the twentieth century are in danger of an attack that may conventionally look like it's coming from "the left" but may actually threaten them most among staunch conservatives..."
I am quite skeptical that the social security attack line on Perry will work. It is my observation that Tea Party seniors are so grooving with so much of Perry's wing-nut symphony that they either don't hear or (more likely) don't take seriously the darker notes emanating from the social security section. Moreover, Perry has left himself some room on the issue -- basically saying that the way the *program is structured* is a ponzi scheme, not that he thinks it should be completely done away with. It's my guess that most Tea Partiers can easily buy that SS is badly structured and that it is unsustainable -- as it is structured. Ah -- lo and behold, there's THIS at the Huffington Post.
And then there's this:
"I guess Mitt Romney is discovering Rick Perry didn't lose the campaign after all when he said Social Security was a "monstrous lie" and a "Ponzi scheme." In fact, if anybody's losing, it's Mitt."
Reflections on a Former GOPer’s Reflections (Jason Johnson) from the New Pittsburgh Courier
"Lofgren’s piece gives a sincere glimpse into a world that political pundits occasionally talk about but seldom give the level of attention that is needed. The author says that the current Republican Party is like an apocalyptic death cult. That they view any Democratic president as illegitimate..."
Some GOP debate nuggets:
Rick Perry: Let's "Free Up" Wall Street—Because That Worked in 2008 (Andy Kroll) from Mother Jones Magazine
"Talk about a case of amnesia. Let's not forget, it was all those "freed," under-regulated banks, mortgage companies, and investment firms that imploded the economy."
The Frontrunner Has No Clothes (Dana Milbank) from the Washington Post
"The applause identified Rick Perry as the crowd favorite when he took the stage in Tampa for Monday night’s Tea Party debate, greeting his lesser rivals as “fellas.” But two hours later, those fellas – and a gal from Minnesota – had made some serious progress toward exposing the broad-shouldered Texas governor as an empty suit."
Perry Loses Debate But Not the Nomination (Jonathan S. Tobin) from Commentary
"Perry is not the frontrunner because most Republicans think he is a better speaker than either of those candidates. He is ahead because Romney’s record on health care and tendency to flip-flop and tilt toward the center on some issues renders him unlikely to be nominated no matter what he says."
Round Two: Rick Perry and the Seven Dwarfs (Roger L Simon) from Pajamas Media
"They say it ain’t over ’til it’s over or the fat lady sings at least a dozen times, finally making all the high notes in Aida and La Traviata in succession. Nevertheless — after only his second debate — things do look pretty good for Rick Perry."
Five Takeaways from the GOP Presidential Debate (Ronald Brownstein) from the National Journal
"Missed Monday night's one-hour, 52-minute clash of the GOP presidential candidates? Here's a quick rundown:"
The Tea Party Debate: GOP Spins Further from Reality (Jonathan Bernstein) from the Washington Post
"At any rate, the GOP keeps spinning farther and farther from the general election median voter every week. And, in many cases, reality — do these folks really believe that the biggest economic problem today is runaway inflation?"
LOCAL PITTSBURGH HEALTH CARE NUGGET!!
Board of Health: UPMC's Directors are the Ones to Call on Highmark (EDITORIAL) from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette
I think this is from the Pittsburgh Board of Health.
"This ultimatum to the people of Western Pennsylvania laid down by UPMC threatens a historic disruption of health care delivery and has patients, businesses and civic leaders rightfully concerned. Elected officials on two fronts are trying to pressure the health industry giants to resume negotiations toward renewing their agreement. That's a good thing, but their efforts are wrongheaded."
ODD ANIMAL NUGGET!!
Cows Wowed by New Orleans Jazz Band (VIDEO) from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
It is well known that babies like Mozart and snakes dance to pipes. But a herd of cows in France has just proven that cows have a particular ear for jazz."
Check out the video. They come running!
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