The End of Authority in the Republican Party (Peter Beinart) from the Atlantic
"Even as the once-regimented party descends into chaos, the ordinarily fractious Democratic Party has achieved unprecedented order and unity."
Thursday, June 12, 2014
The Downside of Extreme Anti-Gov't Rhetoric
The New Nihilism Is Stifling the Republican Party (Norm Ornstein) from the Atlantic
"It's not just Eric Cantor. Reformist conservatives have good ideas, but until they drop the idea that all government is bad, they'll never be realistic."
"It's not just Eric Cantor. Reformist conservatives have good ideas, but until they drop the idea that all government is bad, they'll never be realistic."
Cantor Killed His Own Reelection Bid, Not Immigration
Cantor Loss Reflection of Unpopular GOP Leadership, District Supports Immigration Reform from Public Policy Polling
Be wary of the prevailing meme about immigration causing Cantor's loss in Virginia. The evidence is NOT there.
"A new Public Policy Polling survey conducted in Eric Cantor’s district last night finds that both Cantor and the GOP House leadership are deeply unpopular, even with Republican voters, and that likely led to his loss. Despite much speculation that Cantor’s position on immigration reform might have cost him the election, it is actually quite popular in his district and voters want to see Congress act on it this year."
Be wary of the prevailing meme about immigration causing Cantor's loss in Virginia. The evidence is NOT there.
"A new Public Policy Polling survey conducted in Eric Cantor’s district last night finds that both Cantor and the GOP House leadership are deeply unpopular, even with Republican voters, and that likely led to his loss. Despite much speculation that Cantor’s position on immigration reform might have cost him the election, it is actually quite popular in his district and voters want to see Congress act on it this year."
What the Cantor Loss May Mean For Jeb and Marco
What Eric Cantor's Loss Could Mean for the GOP (Chuck Todd, et al.) from MSNBC
"Cantor’s loss last night is yet another sign that the Republican Party is fractured heading into the next presidential election. If you’re Jeb Bush -- who supports comprehensive immigration reform and Common Core -- does the result out of Virginia make you think twice about running in 2016? What about Marco Rubio ..."
Bush-Rubio are non-starters ... only if you buy the prevailing meme that it was immigration that killed Cantor's reelection. As the story above suggest, the meme is, at best, overstated.
"Cantor’s loss last night is yet another sign that the Republican Party is fractured heading into the next presidential election. If you’re Jeb Bush -- who supports comprehensive immigration reform and Common Core -- does the result out of Virginia make you think twice about running in 2016? What about Marco Rubio ..."
Bush-Rubio are non-starters ... only if you buy the prevailing meme that it was immigration that killed Cantor's reelection. As the story above suggest, the meme is, at best, overstated.
Eric Cantor -- Who Was He?
Eric Cantor’s Shocking, Richly Deserved Primary Defeat (Jonathan Chait) from New York Magazine
"Cantor went out the way he carried himself throughout his career: making comically disingenuous attacks. ... Cantor actually managed to underestimate the intellectual discernment of his voters. In any case, he had ceded all the premises of the argument to his opponent even in the course of smearing him. Cantor was, finally, Cantor'd. He will not be missed."
"Cantor went out the way he carried himself throughout his career: making comically disingenuous attacks. ... Cantor actually managed to underestimate the intellectual discernment of his voters. In any case, he had ceded all the premises of the argument to his opponent even in the course of smearing him. Cantor was, finally, Cantor'd. He will not be missed."
The GOP Moving Right ... right off a cliff
The GOP's Habit of Eating its Own (Todd Purdum) from Politico
"Eric Cantor’s defeat in Virginia’s GOP primary stunned the Washington political world. But in historical terms, it should not have come as a shock. House Republicans have been eating their young since the Eisenhower era, and the race has been always to the right."
"Eric Cantor’s defeat in Virginia’s GOP primary stunned the Washington political world. But in historical terms, it should not have come as a shock. House Republicans have been eating their young since the Eisenhower era, and the race has been always to the right."
SPACE TRAVEL NUGGET!!
Engage Warp Drive! Nasa Reveals Latest Designs for a Star Trek-style Spacecraft that Could make Interstellar Travel a Reality from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"A Nasa scientist in Houston worked with an artist to create the concept. The interstellar spacecraft builds on previous designs that thoeretically allow distant travel by bending space-time. Called IXS Enterprise, it is similar to the Star Trek ship of the same name."
"A Nasa scientist in Houston worked with an artist to create the concept. The interstellar spacecraft builds on previous designs that thoeretically allow distant travel by bending space-time. Called IXS Enterprise, it is similar to the Star Trek ship of the same name."
NUCLEAR HISTORY NUGGET!!
Two falling nukes almost obliterated North Carolina in the 1960s from The Week
"Two nuclear bombs plummeted from a splintering B-52 bomber in January 1961 and plopped down outside Goldsboro, North Carolina, according to newly-declassified government documents. And though the plane's disintegration triggered the "fuzing sequence" in both weapons, neither went off because of miraculous technical issues."
"Two nuclear bombs plummeted from a splintering B-52 bomber in January 1961 and plopped down outside Goldsboro, North Carolina, according to newly-declassified government documents. And though the plane's disintegration triggered the "fuzing sequence" in both weapons, neither went off because of miraculous technical issues."
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
News Nuggets 1456
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| DAYLEE PICTURE: Lightening storms in the Tanjung Lesung region of West Java, Indonesia. From National Geographic. |
TODAY'S BIG NUGGET: Extraordinary Upset in Virginia: Cantor Loses!
Virginia Primary Results: Eric Cantor Stunned By Tea Party Challenger Dave Brat In Massive Upset from the Huffington Post
"House Majority Leader Eric Cantor was defeated Tuesday by a little-known economics professor in Virginia's Republican primary, a stunning upset and major victory for the tea party. Cantor is the second-most powerful member of the U.S. House and was seen by some as a possible successor to the House speaker."
This is HUGE. Where's all that clucking about the demise of the Tea Party and how the "Establishment" is ascendant? Maybe not.
"House Majority Leader Eric Cantor was defeated Tuesday by a little-known economics professor in Virginia's Republican primary, a stunning upset and major victory for the tea party. Cantor is the second-most powerful member of the U.S. House and was seen by some as a possible successor to the House speaker."
This is HUGE. Where's all that clucking about the demise of the Tea Party and how the "Establishment" is ascendant? Maybe not.
Cantor the First Casualty of the GOP's Immigration "Disconnect"
Cantor Got What He Deserved (Joan Walsh) from Salon
"Immigration foes killed the majority leader, as they’ll kill the GOP. It couldn’t happen to a more swell guy."
"Immigration foes killed the majority leader, as they’ll kill the GOP. It couldn’t happen to a more swell guy."
Being Gay in Russia: The New Reality
Homophobia in Russia Is Taking a Kafkaesque Turn (Jay Michaelson) from the Daily Beast
"LGBT organizations declared foreign agents in one fell swoop, gays being blacklisted by banks, employers, and landlords—welcome to the new reality of being LGBT under Putin."
"LGBT organizations declared foreign agents in one fell swoop, gays being blacklisted by banks, employers, and landlords—welcome to the new reality of being LGBT under Putin."
What the Economic "Recovery" Really Looks Like
No, the Jobs Market Isn't Back to Normal from the Editors of Bloomberg
"There has been much fanfare about how employment in the U.S. has recovered to its pre-crisis peak. Has it really?"
"There has been much fanfare about how employment in the U.S. has recovered to its pre-crisis peak. Has it really?"
In the Steel City, Organized Labor Reorganizes
In Pittsburgh's New Economy, Organized Labor Reorganizes from Essential Pittsburgh
"With help from USW, Duquesne adjuncts voted overwhelmingly to form a union in 2012. Two years later, they’re still fighting the university for recognition. But they’re not waiting to organize workers on other city campuses. Ballots are being mailed out Tuesday to more than 300 contingent instructors at Point Park University, making the downtown Pittsburgh campus the latest battleground in a citywide campaign to organize Pittsburgh’s higher-education workforce."
"With help from USW, Duquesne adjuncts voted overwhelmingly to form a union in 2012. Two years later, they’re still fighting the university for recognition. But they’re not waiting to organize workers on other city campuses. Ballots are being mailed out Tuesday to more than 300 contingent instructors at Point Park University, making the downtown Pittsburgh campus the latest battleground in a citywide campaign to organize Pittsburgh’s higher-education workforce."
Court: In Public Ed, Tenure "Harms" Students
California Teacher Tenure Law Unconstitutional from the Huffington Post
"A judge struck down tenure and other job protections for California's public school teachers as unconstitutional Tuesday, saying such laws harm students — especially poor and minority ones — by saddling them with bad teachers who are almost impossible to fire."
Look out tenured faculty at public and state universities -- a preview of things to come for you. We'll see if this ruling holds up on appeal.
"A judge struck down tenure and other job protections for California's public school teachers as unconstitutional Tuesday, saying such laws harm students — especially poor and minority ones — by saddling them with bad teachers who are almost impossible to fire."
Look out tenured faculty at public and state universities -- a preview of things to come for you. We'll see if this ruling holds up on appeal.
Staggering Range in How MuchEach State Spends on Its Students!
These States Invest The Least In Their Students from the Huffington Post
"A new map compiled by research engine Findthebest.com shows which states provide the most funding for students' educations. New York state tops the list, with average funding per student of $21,168 , while Utah comes in last, with average funding per student of $7,388."
Check out the interactive map! I'd be curious to see what those New York numbers were if the NY metro region was taken out -- would the rest of the state still have a high funding average. Doubt it.
"A new map compiled by research engine Findthebest.com shows which states provide the most funding for students' educations. New York state tops the list, with average funding per student of $21,168 , while Utah comes in last, with average funding per student of $7,388."
Check out the interactive map! I'd be curious to see what those New York numbers were if the NY metro region was taken out -- would the rest of the state still have a high funding average. Doubt it.
New Carbon Rule Causes Concern in Some States
In Coal Country, Skepticism, Worries Over New Carbon Rule from Essential Pittsburgh
"One in five jobs in Greene County are related to the coal industry, according to census numbers. And those jobs could be threatened: by the EPA’s own calculations Appalachian coal production could decline by more than 30 percent under the new rule."
"One in five jobs in Greene County are related to the coal industry, according to census numbers. And those jobs could be threatened: by the EPA’s own calculations Appalachian coal production could decline by more than 30 percent under the new rule."
The Big Lobotomy
How Republicans Made Congress Stupid (Paul Glastris and Haley Sweetland Edwards) from Washington Monthly
"A debilitating brain drain has actually been under way in Congress for the past twenty-five years, and it is Sensenbrenner and his conservative colleagues who have engineered it."
"A debilitating brain drain has actually been under way in Congress for the past twenty-five years, and it is Sensenbrenner and his conservative colleagues who have engineered it."
Bribery in State Politics: Isn't That Just Politics as Usual?
GOP Straight Up Bribes Democratic Senator In Effort To Block Obamacare from the Huffington Post
"The Washington Post is reporting that Republicans offered to move Democratic state Sen. Phillip P. Puckett and his daughter into prestigious jobs in exchange for Puckett's resignation, which will flip the chamber into Republican hands. Pucket will officially accept the offer on Monday, the paper reported."
If true, this is pretty breath-taking. For the sake of a cushy job, this law-maker would sell out on health care availability for 200,000+ of his constituents. Incredible. Side note: how does a lawmaker "officially" accept a bribe? UPDATE: Puckett declares that he will not take the job. My take: He's basically taken a "rain check" on his bribe. He'll take the cushy payoff job once the media stops raining shit on him.
"The Washington Post is reporting that Republicans offered to move Democratic state Sen. Phillip P. Puckett and his daughter into prestigious jobs in exchange for Puckett's resignation, which will flip the chamber into Republican hands. Pucket will officially accept the offer on Monday, the paper reported."
If true, this is pretty breath-taking. For the sake of a cushy job, this law-maker would sell out on health care availability for 200,000+ of his constituents. Incredible. Side note: how does a lawmaker "officially" accept a bribe? UPDATE: Puckett declares that he will not take the job. My take: He's basically taken a "rain check" on his bribe. He'll take the cushy payoff job once the media stops raining shit on him.
Aggressive, Unpredictable and Offensive: The Tea Party Difference
In Mississippi, Senate Hopeful Chris McDaniel Embodies What the GOP Fears About the Tea Party from the Washington Post
"Like many here, McDaniel is a true outsider — surrounded by volunteers with limited political experience, he engages little with the news media and less with leaders of his party. But while those traits may be good for McDaniel’s appeal to the right, he has come to represent everything that establishment Republicans fear about the tea party: He is aggressive, unpredictable and, at times, insensitive — if not offensive — on matters of gender and race."
"Like many here, McDaniel is a true outsider — surrounded by volunteers with limited political experience, he engages little with the news media and less with leaders of his party. But while those traits may be good for McDaniel’s appeal to the right, he has come to represent everything that establishment Republicans fear about the tea party: He is aggressive, unpredictable and, at times, insensitive — if not offensive — on matters of gender and race."
Warren's Impact Being Felt in MA
Elizabeth Warren Is The Most Popular Politician In Massachusetts from the Huffington Post
"Massachusetts voters have an overwhelmingly positive opinion of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who stood out among a field of candidates and elected officials in a poll released Monday."
"Massachusetts voters have an overwhelmingly positive opinion of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who stood out among a field of candidates and elected officials in a poll released Monday."
HILLARY CLINTON NUGGET!!
Madam Secretary Made a Difference (Nicholas Kristof) from the New York Times
"Clinton achieved a great deal and left a hefty legacy — just not the traditional kind. She didn’t craft a coalition of allies, like James Baker, one of the most admired secretaries of state. She didn’t seal a landmark peace agreement, nor is there a recognizable “Hillary Clinton doctrine.” No, her legacy is different."
"Clinton achieved a great deal and left a hefty legacy — just not the traditional kind. She didn’t craft a coalition of allies, like James Baker, one of the most admired secretaries of state. She didn’t seal a landmark peace agreement, nor is there a recognizable “Hillary Clinton doctrine.” No, her legacy is different."
MEDICAL NUGGET!!
Why are Some Depressed, Others Resilient? Scientists Hone in on One Part of the Brain. from the Washington Post
"Scientists continue to search for the underlying genes and neurobiology that dictate our reactions to stress. Now, a study using mice has found a switch-like mechanism between resilience and defeat in an area of the brain that plays an important role in regulating emotions and has been linked with mood and anxiety disorders."
"Scientists continue to search for the underlying genes and neurobiology that dictate our reactions to stress. Now, a study using mice has found a switch-like mechanism between resilience and defeat in an area of the brain that plays an important role in regulating emotions and has been linked with mood and anxiety disorders."
NIXON HISTORY NUGGET!!
Yes, Nixon Scuttled the Vietnam Peace Talks from Politico Magazine
"It’s been rumored for years. Now we have real proof."
"It’s been rumored for years. Now we have real proof."
Monday, June 9, 2014
News Nuggets 1455
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| DAYLEE PICTURE: An underwater garden in Tragoss Lake in Austria. From National Geographic. |
Friedman Interviews Obama on Climate Change
Obama on Obama on Climate (Thomas Friedman) from the New York Times
"Several weeks ago, as he was drawing up these new emission rules, I interviewed President Obama in the White House library about climate and energy. Following are highlights. (The interview is also featured in the final episode of Showtime’s climate series, “Years of Living Dangerously” airing on Monday.)"
"Several weeks ago, as he was drawing up these new emission rules, I interviewed President Obama in the White House library about climate and energy. Following are highlights. (The interview is also featured in the final episode of Showtime’s climate series, “Years of Living Dangerously” airing on Monday.)"
The CIA WANTED the Taliban Leaders Released
CIA Chief, White House Chief of Staff Long Argued the Taliban 5 Could Go Free (Josh Rogin) from the Daily Beast
"As far back as 2011, top Obama aides argued privately that five Taliban leaders could be released. Those aides eventually won the day—and the deal for Bowe Bergdahl was struck."
"As far back as 2011, top Obama aides argued privately that five Taliban leaders could be released. Those aides eventually won the day—and the deal for Bowe Bergdahl was struck."
The Boomers' Legacy: Cut HIS Programs
Dear Millennials, We’re Sorry (Frank Bruni) from the New York Times
"AMONG Americans age 40 and older, there’s a pastime more popular than football, Candy Crush or HBO. It’s bashing millennials. ... We have a hell of a lot of nerve, considering the havoc we’ve wrought on theirs. ..."
I'll have to say (as one of the over-40 set), I largely missed the bashing-Millennials fad. However, I have on several occasions been guilty of bashing baby boomers. Bruni's piece reiterates several of my key rants. I think Millennials have been so majorly screwed by their "elders" that I grow red in the face when I see some Republican or Democratic lawmaker say with faux outrage words like "How can we in good conscience leave our children with the burden of [fill-in-the-blank]?! What do you mean 'How can you?'? You did exactly that -- and now it is DONE. Let's be clear: unless we plan on making huge cuts in Medicare or Social Security (which we're not going to do), the baby boom generation will not have to "pay" for ANY of their 40+ years of misguided policy-making. Let me be equally clear: I am not talking about the so-called "greatest generation" or Silent generation, those who lived through the Depression and World War II. THOSE folks were astonishingly far-sighted and wise. They invested hugely in infrastructure, education, economic development, and a broad range of other things that kept our economy and middle class strong. They promoted organized labor, scientific development, and made a social safety net that, as far as it went, made sense. I don't want to rehash Bruni's list -- you can read that for yourself. But under the reign of the baby boomers, the over-riding mantra seems to have been "God damn it! Cut MY taxes and cut HIS programs. And I mean now!"
"AMONG Americans age 40 and older, there’s a pastime more popular than football, Candy Crush or HBO. It’s bashing millennials. ... We have a hell of a lot of nerve, considering the havoc we’ve wrought on theirs. ..."
I'll have to say (as one of the over-40 set), I largely missed the bashing-Millennials fad. However, I have on several occasions been guilty of bashing baby boomers. Bruni's piece reiterates several of my key rants. I think Millennials have been so majorly screwed by their "elders" that I grow red in the face when I see some Republican or Democratic lawmaker say with faux outrage words like "How can we in good conscience leave our children with the burden of [fill-in-the-blank]?! What do you mean 'How can you?'? You did exactly that -- and now it is DONE. Let's be clear: unless we plan on making huge cuts in Medicare or Social Security (which we're not going to do), the baby boom generation will not have to "pay" for ANY of their 40+ years of misguided policy-making. Let me be equally clear: I am not talking about the so-called "greatest generation" or Silent generation, those who lived through the Depression and World War II. THOSE folks were astonishingly far-sighted and wise. They invested hugely in infrastructure, education, economic development, and a broad range of other things that kept our economy and middle class strong. They promoted organized labor, scientific development, and made a social safety net that, as far as it went, made sense. I don't want to rehash Bruni's list -- you can read that for yourself. But under the reign of the baby boomers, the over-riding mantra seems to have been "God damn it! Cut MY taxes and cut HIS programs. And I mean now!"
GOP’s Quiet Obamacare Disaster
How this Week’s Biggest Political Story Got Overlooked (Simon Maloy) from Salon
"While everyone obsessed over the Bergdahl flap, the real story was revealed by a nomination hearing and new data."
"While everyone obsessed over the Bergdahl flap, the real story was revealed by a nomination hearing and new data."
Playing the Tough Hand Life May Have Dealt You
If You're Born Poor, You'll Probably Stay That Way (Stephanie Mencimer) from Mother Jones Magazine
"Alexander set out to look at how family influences the trajectory of a low-income child's life. Thirty years later, he's decided that family determines almost everything, and that a child's fate is essentially fixed by how well off her parents were when she was born."
"Alexander set out to look at how family influences the trajectory of a low-income child's life. Thirty years later, he's decided that family determines almost everything, and that a child's fate is essentially fixed by how well off her parents were when she was born."
Lifting the Load on Student Loan Borrowers
Obama Plans Steps to Ease Student Debt from the New York Times
"Mr. Obama is scheduled to announce “new steps to further lift the burden of crushing student loan debt,” said a White House official, who declined to be identified describing the actions in advance of the president’s event. Despite past actions by the administration, borrowers’ debt load is growing and retarding the ability to buy homes, start businesses or otherwise spend to spur the economy, economists say."
"Mr. Obama is scheduled to announce “new steps to further lift the burden of crushing student loan debt,” said a White House official, who declined to be identified describing the actions in advance of the president’s event. Despite past actions by the administration, borrowers’ debt load is growing and retarding the ability to buy homes, start businesses or otherwise spend to spur the economy, economists say."
A Bleak Future for Millennials?
Starting Out Behind from the Editorial Board of the New York Times
"Unlike those who had to enter the work force in the depths of the downturn, they had time, or so it seemed, to wait out the weak economy. But that’s not how things have worked out. While the worst is over, economic conditions are still subpar, damaging the immediate job prospects and long-term living standards of young adults starting out now. In recent years, the economy has grown annually at 2 percent or so. That’s too slow to make up the current shortfall of nearly seven million jobs, let alone to absorb new graduates or push up wages in jobs that do exist."
"Unlike those who had to enter the work force in the depths of the downturn, they had time, or so it seemed, to wait out the weak economy. But that’s not how things have worked out. While the worst is over, economic conditions are still subpar, damaging the immediate job prospects and long-term living standards of young adults starting out now. In recent years, the economy has grown annually at 2 percent or so. That’s too slow to make up the current shortfall of nearly seven million jobs, let alone to absorb new graduates or push up wages in jobs that do exist."
New Deal Rising?
If the Left Had a Tea Party… (David Sirota) from Politico Magazine
"Dan Cantor and the making of a liberal uprising. ... Cantor had been trying both to maximize his party’s new power in New York and to use that success to forge a national opportunity. His goal, he told me, is nothing less than a resurrection of the powerful progressive coalition that shaped the New Deal era."
RANT ALERT: It seems to be the day for kicking the legacy of the baby boom generation. In my view, the left HAD a Tea Party -- multiple Tea Parties back in the late 1960s and thru most of the 1970s. So many on the far left of the time (think much of what came out of the "New Left" and the political activists who came out of the Hippies) were either egregious amateurs with good causes -- or nut cases in pursuit of idiotic causes. Such could easily be said about the Tea Party now. Was Abbey Hoffman really any less nutty or offensive than Sharon Angle or Sheriff Joe Arpaio? The era was rife with so many out-to-lunch lefties, folks that had no use for organized labor or the white working class generally -- and, for reasons that are still unclear to me, the Dems seemed to draw these people like flies. It would take 20+ years for the Democrats to largely rid themselves of these loony tunes. Did some good come from these diverse groups? Sure -- the modern environmental movement was a huge beneficiary of their activism -- but their cultural and generational cluelessness needlessly alienated millions of people who ran from the Democratic Party in droves. Fortunately, I feel confident it will take just as long if not longer for the current GOP to shake loose from the extremists that now populate their party.
"Dan Cantor and the making of a liberal uprising. ... Cantor had been trying both to maximize his party’s new power in New York and to use that success to forge a national opportunity. His goal, he told me, is nothing less than a resurrection of the powerful progressive coalition that shaped the New Deal era."
RANT ALERT: It seems to be the day for kicking the legacy of the baby boom generation. In my view, the left HAD a Tea Party -- multiple Tea Parties back in the late 1960s and thru most of the 1970s. So many on the far left of the time (think much of what came out of the "New Left" and the political activists who came out of the Hippies) were either egregious amateurs with good causes -- or nut cases in pursuit of idiotic causes. Such could easily be said about the Tea Party now. Was Abbey Hoffman really any less nutty or offensive than Sharon Angle or Sheriff Joe Arpaio? The era was rife with so many out-to-lunch lefties, folks that had no use for organized labor or the white working class generally -- and, for reasons that are still unclear to me, the Dems seemed to draw these people like flies. It would take 20+ years for the Democrats to largely rid themselves of these loony tunes. Did some good come from these diverse groups? Sure -- the modern environmental movement was a huge beneficiary of their activism -- but their cultural and generational cluelessness needlessly alienated millions of people who ran from the Democratic Party in droves. Fortunately, I feel confident it will take just as long if not longer for the current GOP to shake loose from the extremists that now populate their party.
Texas' Gay Marriage Battle Heats Up
As LGBT Attitudes Change, Even Texans Are Softening Their Views from the Huffington Post
"“We know them, and we’ve seen them on TV,” general manager Candace Hunt says. “I don’t think anybody should judge them. They should let God judge them when the time comes.” Hunt’s support is emblematic of changing attitudes in Texas, where an independent poll taken in April showed support for gay marriage had pulled even with opposition."
"“We know them, and we’ve seen them on TV,” general manager Candace Hunt says. “I don’t think anybody should judge them. They should let God judge them when the time comes.” Hunt’s support is emblematic of changing attitudes in Texas, where an independent poll taken in April showed support for gay marriage had pulled even with opposition."
President Hillary Clinton: What It Might Mean
Why Clinton Will Run (Ruth Marcus) from the Washington Post
"Nothing is going to change Putin’s attitude toward women generally or Clinton specifically. But it would be interesting to see if Putin dared to try this overt sexism with a female president of the United States. I’d guess he would tone it down. Either way, Putin’s boorishness underscores the importance of cracking that glass ceiling. Certainly, sexism, overt or subtle, isn’t about to evaporate with a single election."
"Nothing is going to change Putin’s attitude toward women generally or Clinton specifically. But it would be interesting to see if Putin dared to try this overt sexism with a female president of the United States. I’d guess he would tone it down. Either way, Putin’s boorishness underscores the importance of cracking that glass ceiling. Certainly, sexism, overt or subtle, isn’t about to evaporate with a single election."
Senator Michelle Obama?
Is Michelle Running for the Senate? from Reuters
"She could represent the Democrats’ best chance to pick up a desperately needed — and winnable — seat. A December 2012 Public Policy Polling survey put her ahead of Kirk, 51 percent to 40 percent. Democratic leaders’ pressure on her to run might get intense. But the most acute pressure could come from within."
"She could represent the Democrats’ best chance to pick up a desperately needed — and winnable — seat. A December 2012 Public Policy Polling survey put her ahead of Kirk, 51 percent to 40 percent. Democratic leaders’ pressure on her to run might get intense. But the most acute pressure could come from within."
MOON NUGGET!!
Lunar Rocks Are First Direct Evidence of Collision That Formed Moon from National Geographic
"Lunar samples from Apollo landings confirm a long-held theory."
"Lunar samples from Apollo landings confirm a long-held theory."
COMIC NUGGET!!
EXCLUSIVE: ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ creator Bill Watterson returns to the comics page — to offer a few ‘Pearls’ gems from the Huffington Post
"AT THE END OF 1995, the beloved “Calvin and Hobbes” sledded off the comics page for the final time, and its long-reclusive legendary creator, Bill Watterson, retired from the business, never to draw another syndicated newspaper strip. Until now."
"AT THE END OF 1995, the beloved “Calvin and Hobbes” sledded off the comics page for the final time, and its long-reclusive legendary creator, Bill Watterson, retired from the business, never to draw another syndicated newspaper strip. Until now."
D-DAY NUGGET!!
Then and now: This unique set of photographs shows D-Day locations as you have never seen them before from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"One photographer armed with a handful of D-Day photographs went out to find the original locations. Then, using the exact spot used 70 years ago, a new photograph of the same scene was taken. From troops loading in Weymouth, Dorset, to the aftermath of the battle for Caen there is a striking similarity."
"One photographer armed with a handful of D-Day photographs went out to find the original locations. Then, using the exact spot used 70 years ago, a new photograph of the same scene was taken. From troops loading in Weymouth, Dorset, to the aftermath of the battle for Caen there is a striking similarity."
Friday, June 6, 2014
What the Recession Has Wrought with the Larger Economy
How the Recession Reshaped the Economy from the New York Times
"The private sector has regained the nine million jobs it lost in the Great Recession. But not all industries recovered equally."
"The private sector has regained the nine million jobs it lost in the Great Recession. But not all industries recovered equally."
Why Save Bergdahl?
President Obama Was Right (David Brooks) from the New York Times
Can't say I recall the last time I posted one of Brooks's columns -- It's been a looong time!
"It doesn’t matter if Bergdahl had deserted his post or not. It doesn’t matter if he is a confused young man who said insulting and shameful things about his country and his Army. The debt we owe to fellow Americans is not based on individual merit. It is based on citizenship, and loyalty to the national community we all share. Soldiers don’t risk their lives only for those Americans who deserve it; they do it for the nation as a whole."
Can't say I recall the last time I posted one of Brooks's columns -- It's been a looong time!
"It doesn’t matter if Bergdahl had deserted his post or not. It doesn’t matter if he is a confused young man who said insulting and shameful things about his country and his Army. The debt we owe to fellow Americans is not based on individual merit. It is based on citizenship, and loyalty to the national community we all share. Soldiers don’t risk their lives only for those Americans who deserve it; they do it for the nation as a whole."
Getting Bergdahl to Get Obama
In Bergdahl Case, ‘Conservatives’ Ignore Basic American Principles (Joe Conason) from the National Memo
"What the Bowe Bergdahl saga demonstrates beyond question – to anyone who still nurtured any doubt – is that the Republican right will junk just about any basic American value to satisfy its hatred of Barack Obama."
"What the Bowe Bergdahl saga demonstrates beyond question – to anyone who still nurtured any doubt – is that the Republican right will junk just about any basic American value to satisfy its hatred of Barack Obama."
Judging Bergdahl by the GOP
The Rush to Demonize Sgt. Bergdahl from the Editorial Board of the New York Times
"This hypocrisy now pervades the Republican Party and the conservative movement, and has even infected several fearful Democrats. When they could use Sergeant Bergdahl’s captivity as a cudgel against the administration, they eagerly did so, loudly and in great numbers."
I begin to wonder if Bergdahl will ever get a fair hearing given the hysteria the right-wing is creating around him. Is it even possible? Many sides are getting deeply invested on how it all goes.
"This hypocrisy now pervades the Republican Party and the conservative movement, and has even infected several fearful Democrats. When they could use Sergeant Bergdahl’s captivity as a cudgel against the administration, they eagerly did so, loudly and in great numbers."
I begin to wonder if Bergdahl will ever get a fair hearing given the hysteria the right-wing is creating around him. Is it even possible? Many sides are getting deeply invested on how it all goes.
The "Facts" of the Bergdahl Case
Conflicting Reports on Bergdahl Disappearance Highlight that Many Reported 'Facts' Aren't (Laura Clawson) from Daily Kos
"The rock-bottom response to all the yelling from the right about awful things Bowe Bergdahl allegedly did and caused is the one coming from President Obama, among others: The U.S. "do[es] not leave anybody wearing the American uniform behind." But a New York Times article also reminds us that, amid all the allegations, there's a huge amount we do not know and probably won't know for a while."
"The rock-bottom response to all the yelling from the right about awful things Bowe Bergdahl allegedly did and caused is the one coming from President Obama, among others: The U.S. "do[es] not leave anybody wearing the American uniform behind." But a New York Times article also reminds us that, amid all the allegations, there's a huge amount we do not know and probably won't know for a while."
Four Myths About the Bowe Bergdahl Swap
Four Myths About the Bowe Bergdahl Swap That Must Be Destroyed (John Knefel) from Rolling Stone Magazine
"Don't believe everything you hear when it comes to the return of the highest profile American POW in a generation."
"Don't believe everything you hear when it comes to the return of the highest profile American POW in a generation."
What Happens if Obama Broke the Law?
Obama Broke the Law. He Needs to Admit It (Marc Ambinder) from The Week
"There are no bones about it: In trading five Taliban detainees at Guantanamo Bay for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, President Obama willfully broke a law. ... What can Congress do? What happens if the president breaks a law like this? Nothing."
Let me say up front -- Obama knew precisely how far out on a legal limb he was with this case. Not only is he a top-flight constitutional lawyer, he certainly conferred with good lawyers before doing what he did. I'm CERTAIN that the legal foundations for his actions are there -- and that there is nothing that has happened that will warrant action by Congress, the courts or anyone else.
"There are no bones about it: In trading five Taliban detainees at Guantanamo Bay for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, President Obama willfully broke a law. ... What can Congress do? What happens if the president breaks a law like this? Nothing."
Let me say up front -- Obama knew precisely how far out on a legal limb he was with this case. Not only is he a top-flight constitutional lawyer, he certainly conferred with good lawyers before doing what he did. I'm CERTAIN that the legal foundations for his actions are there -- and that there is nothing that has happened that will warrant action by Congress, the courts or anyone else.
The Tea Party - As Always, Their Own "Worst Enemy"
Tea Party Is About Power Not Conservatism (Margaret Carlson) from Bloomberg
"That sounds like good, old-fashioned dirty politics. Congratulations Tea Party, like so many movements, you’ve become the thing you hate."
"That sounds like good, old-fashioned dirty politics. Congratulations Tea Party, like so many movements, you’ve become the thing you hate."
Another Clinton Campaign. Hmmm.
The Myth of Inevitability (Joe Klein) from Time Magazine
"As a veteran Clinton watcher, I approach the coming spectacle with a combination of obsession, exhaustion, dread and exhilaration. This is going to be horrible fun–and crucial, as the Clintons always are. If she runs."
"As a veteran Clinton watcher, I approach the coming spectacle with a combination of obsession, exhaustion, dread and exhilaration. This is going to be horrible fun–and crucial, as the Clintons always are. If she runs."
Accountability at CBS News?
CBS's Lara Logan Problem (Simon Maloy) from Salon
"In a just and equitable world, a journalist’s complicity in such gross and opportunistic fraud would be met with consequences. CBS News apparently has other ideas. Lara Logan, after a six-month leave of absence, is coming back to “60 Minutes.” That doesn’t speak well of CBS News’ commitment to accountability. "
"In a just and equitable world, a journalist’s complicity in such gross and opportunistic fraud would be met with consequences. CBS News apparently has other ideas. Lara Logan, after a six-month leave of absence, is coming back to “60 Minutes.” That doesn’t speak well of CBS News’ commitment to accountability. "
CBS NEWS NUGGET!!
Benghazi and the Bombshell (Joe Hagan) from New York Magazine
"Her colleagues, including veteran CBS correspondents Steve Kroft and Bob Simon, were apoplectic about the damage to 60 Minutes’ reputation. Morley Safer, the only founding member of the cast left on the 45-year-old program, went into the office of CBS News chairman and 60 Minutes executive producer Jeff Fager’s office last fall and demanded that he fire Logan. But Fager ... refused. "
"Her colleagues, including veteran CBS correspondents Steve Kroft and Bob Simon, were apoplectic about the damage to 60 Minutes’ reputation. Morley Safer, the only founding member of the cast left on the 45-year-old program, went into the office of CBS News chairman and 60 Minutes executive producer Jeff Fager’s office last fall and demanded that he fire Logan. But Fager ... refused. "
The Legacy of the Tea Party
Tea Party Dead-Enders (Timothy Egan) from the New York Times
"As a movement, it is down to a couple of former talk-radio hosts running for office in two states of the old Confederacy, Texas and Mississippi. And in the latter, the Senate candidate, Chris McDaniel, has given a keynote to a group that considers Abraham Lincoln a war criminal. It’s not hard to make the case that the Tea Party has been distilled down to it logical essence. “They don’t want to go to the moon,” said the comedian Bill Maher. “They want to howl at it.” Still, the Tea Party has also been around long enough to have a record, of sorts. Let’s look at the legacy:..."
"As a movement, it is down to a couple of former talk-radio hosts running for office in two states of the old Confederacy, Texas and Mississippi. And in the latter, the Senate candidate, Chris McDaniel, has given a keynote to a group that considers Abraham Lincoln a war criminal. It’s not hard to make the case that the Tea Party has been distilled down to it logical essence. “They don’t want to go to the moon,” said the comedian Bill Maher. “They want to howl at it.” Still, the Tea Party has also been around long enough to have a record, of sorts. Let’s look at the legacy:..."
TELEVISION NUGGET!!
Here's the Secret to Getting a Lower Cable Bill from Vox
"Basic economics suggests that companies can increase their profits if they charge different customers different amounts. Under this strategy, known as price discrimination, companies charge high prices for customers who can afford it, and low prices for those who can't."
"Basic economics suggests that companies can increase their profits if they charge different customers different amounts. Under this strategy, known as price discrimination, companies charge high prices for customers who can afford it, and low prices for those who can't."
FUNDRAISING NUGGET!!
Kickstarter Finally Trusts Wisdom of the Crowd (Leonid Bershidsky) from Bloomberg
"Kickstarter, the service whose name has become synonymous with crowdfunding, has simplified its rules and will cut down on vetting projects. This controversial move is designed to reinforce a truth the current money-oriented startup community keeps forgetting: If an idea is crazy and unfeasible, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be funded."
"Kickstarter, the service whose name has become synonymous with crowdfunding, has simplified its rules and will cut down on vetting projects. This controversial move is designed to reinforce a truth the current money-oriented startup community keeps forgetting: If an idea is crazy and unfeasible, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be funded."
URBAN GARDEN NUGGET!!
The Garden in the Sky Coming to a City Near You: Incredible design for 'skyfarm' filled with green space revealed from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"Skyfarm is 160m high, and crams over 144,000 square meters of green space into the tower. Has hydrophonic gardens. Some areas used as public parks."
"Skyfarm is 160m high, and crams over 144,000 square meters of green space into the tower. Has hydrophonic gardens. Some areas used as public parks."
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Europe's Economy: The Continuing Story...
Europe Is Struggling to Avoid the Grip of Deflation from the New York Times
"Economists fear that an outbreak of ultralow inflation across the 18-nation euro zone is doing more harm than good to the bloc’s economic recovery."
"Deflation!? What's that?" Most Americans might wonder since the last time the US seriously faced this phenomenon was during what -- you guessed it, the Great Depression. The incompetence of European leaders to deal with their economic crisis is breath-taking.
"Economists fear that an outbreak of ultralow inflation across the 18-nation euro zone is doing more harm than good to the bloc’s economic recovery."
"Deflation!? What's that?" Most Americans might wonder since the last time the US seriously faced this phenomenon was during what -- you guessed it, the Great Depression. The incompetence of European leaders to deal with their economic crisis is breath-taking.
America Has Survived NOT Going to War
Claims of U.S. Weakness and Retreat of U.S. Power are Unfounded (David Ignatius) from the Washington Post
"I have increasingly been struck by its recurring cyclical themes, as opposed to the specifics involving Obama. Yes, this president may be overly cautious. But a retreat to lick the nation’s wounds is fairly common after wars — and rarely does lasting damage."
"I have increasingly been struck by its recurring cyclical themes, as opposed to the specifics involving Obama. Yes, this president may be overly cautious. But a retreat to lick the nation’s wounds is fairly common after wars — and rarely does lasting damage."
The Bankruptcy of Much of Foreign Policy Punditry
U.S. “Indispensability” and Alarmism (Daniel Larison) from the American Conservative
"Ignatius’ review of the Alsops’ constant alarmism reminds us of something else that should be only too familiar to those of us that have observed or participated in foreign policy debates. No matter how often such people are profoundly wrong about important events and the appropriate way that the U.S. should respond to them, they continue to be relied on as authorities and guides in subsequent debates. Alarmists are never held accountable for their alarmism..."
"Ignatius’ review of the Alsops’ constant alarmism reminds us of something else that should be only too familiar to those of us that have observed or participated in foreign policy debates. No matter how often such people are profoundly wrong about important events and the appropriate way that the U.S. should respond to them, they continue to be relied on as authorities and guides in subsequent debates. Alarmists are never held accountable for their alarmism..."
Wealth Bleeding Out of the Middle Class
9 Reasons the American Middle Class is Dying (Peter Van Buren) from Salon
"One percent of Americans now own more than a third of the country's wealth. Raising the minimum wage isn't enough."
"One percent of Americans now own more than a third of the country's wealth. Raising the minimum wage isn't enough."
More Medicaid Coverage ... But Still Some Gaps
One in Five Americans is Now on Medicaid (Sarah Kliff) from Vox
"People who earn less than the poverty line cannot qualify for subsidized private insurance — the legislators who wrote Obamacare anticipated that this population would gain Medicaid coverage and so did not include them in the subsidies. That’s left some of the poorest Americans in a coverage gap, where they are too poor to earn subsidies to help purchase insurance."
"People who earn less than the poverty line cannot qualify for subsidized private insurance — the legislators who wrote Obamacare anticipated that this population would gain Medicaid coverage and so did not include them in the subsidies. That’s left some of the poorest Americans in a coverage gap, where they are too poor to earn subsidies to help purchase insurance."
Former Bush Official Blasts GOP On Bergdahl
"Bush Would Have Done The Same Thing" from Buzzfeed
"A former Bush administration official broke with Republicans on Tuesday to defend President Obama’s prisoner exchange, arguing that since “the war in Afghanistan is winding down,” the United States would be required to return prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay back to Afghanistan."
"A former Bush administration official broke with Republicans on Tuesday to defend President Obama’s prisoner exchange, arguing that since “the war in Afghanistan is winding down,” the United States would be required to return prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay back to Afghanistan."
Executive Power and Its Limits
Mad at Obama? Blame Republicans from National Journal
"It's hard to see what the GOP has gained from obstructionism other than a president willing to stretch the limits of executive power beyond recognition."
"It's hard to see what the GOP has gained from obstructionism other than a president willing to stretch the limits of executive power beyond recognition."
The "High Value" of the Gitmo Detainees
The Bowe Bergdahl Controversy Could Be Politics At Its Very Worst (Sam Stein) from the Huffington Post
"When Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday morning that "this was likely the last, best opportunity to free him," the key word was "best." ... Ken Gude noted at ThinkProgress that because none of the five prisoners were "facing charges in either military or civilian courts for their actions" and because the war is coming to an end, they had to be released anyway. John Bellinger, a former Bush administration lawyer, made a virtually identical point:"
"When Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Tuesday morning that "this was likely the last, best opportunity to free him," the key word was "best." ... Ken Gude noted at ThinkProgress that because none of the five prisoners were "facing charges in either military or civilian courts for their actions" and because the war is coming to an end, they had to be released anyway. John Bellinger, a former Bush administration lawyer, made a virtually identical point:"
All Calls for "Impeachment" Come from Those With No Cred Whatsoever
Republicans Quick to Jump on Train to Crazytown (Paul Waldman) from the Washington Post
"... the Republicans will never win that debate if one of the first things out of their mouths is “Impeach!” These days, they seem incapable of arguing in terms that anyone who isn’t already a Republican can accept. And that’s the essence of persuasion."
Waldman hits the nail here. As with so many of the GOP's constantly-in-need-of-resuscitation Obama scandals, they can't convince anyone outside their already-crazed base that what Obama has done has any real merit.
"... the Republicans will never win that debate if one of the first things out of their mouths is “Impeach!” These days, they seem incapable of arguing in terms that anyone who isn’t already a Republican can accept. And that’s the essence of persuasion."
Waldman hits the nail here. As with so many of the GOP's constantly-in-need-of-resuscitation Obama scandals, they can't convince anyone outside their already-crazed base that what Obama has done has any real merit.
The Right’s Unhinged Bergdahl Hypocrisy
The Ultimate Way to Savage Obama (Joan Walsh) from Salon
"Should accused deserters face trial by Bill Kristol before being rescued? Understanding the latest wingnut hysteria."
"Should accused deserters face trial by Bill Kristol before being rescued? Understanding the latest wingnut hysteria."
Critics Will Be Critical -- No Matter Where Bergdahl Ended Up
Conservative Bloggers were for Bergdahl Release Until Obama Did It (Travis Gettys) from Raw Story
"It turns out some of the Obama administration’s most dogged critics were for the release of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl – “using all means available, including force” – before they were against it."
"It turns out some of the Obama administration’s most dogged critics were for the release of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl – “using all means available, including force” – before they were against it."
The Implications of the GOP's Bergdahl Spin
The Bowe Bergdahl Story Is Right-Wing Crack (Michael Tomasky) from the Daily Beast
"Never mind that Bush would have done the same as Obama. Republicans are hitting the pipe big time on the ‘deserter’—and their creepy bottom line is that he should have been left to die."
"Never mind that Bush would have done the same as Obama. Republicans are hitting the pipe big time on the ‘deserter’—and their creepy bottom line is that he should have been left to die."
Reinventing the GOP - A Surface Job at Best
Lipstick on an Elephant (Frank Rich) from New York Magazine
"... real Republican leaders don’t want any reinvention that ventures much beyond forced smiles; retooled, focus-group-tested language (in English and Spanish); and blather about “the kids.” As another moderate conservative pundit, Kathleen Parker, has conceded since the election, her party now “is the fringe.”"
"... real Republican leaders don’t want any reinvention that ventures much beyond forced smiles; retooled, focus-group-tested language (in English and Spanish); and blather about “the kids.” As another moderate conservative pundit, Kathleen Parker, has conceded since the election, her party now “is the fringe.”"
GOP Voters Get What They Deserve in Two Senate Races
When the Tea Party Wins, GOP States Lose (Paul Waldman) from the Washington Post
"One of the triumphs of the Tea Party has been to nationalize every race, meaning that the interests of a particular state, or even a particular state’s GOP, get subsumed beneath what the conservative movement sees as its broader interests. And the voters, bless their hearts, will sometimes get exactly what they want, and what they deserve."
"One of the triumphs of the Tea Party has been to nationalize every race, meaning that the interests of a particular state, or even a particular state’s GOP, get subsumed beneath what the conservative movement sees as its broader interests. And the voters, bless their hearts, will sometimes get exactly what they want, and what they deserve."
HISTORY NUGGET!
Springtime in Tiananmen Square, 1989 (Kate Phillips) from the Atlantic
"While teaching English in Beijing, I witnessed one of the most tumultuous protests in modern history."
"While teaching English in Beijing, I witnessed one of the most tumultuous protests in modern history."
COMIC BOOK MOVIE NUGGET!!
The Pow! Bang! Bam! Plan to Save Marvel, Starring B-List Heroes from Bloomberg Businessweek
"The Winter Soldier will be Marvel’s ninth movie in six years. They’ve all performed well, and some have done phenomenally. The Avengers sold $1.5 billion in tickets globally in 2012, making it the third-highest-grossing movie of all time. All told, Marvel has made consistent hits, which is supposedly impossible in a creative business. “It’s almost like we have a built-in GPS system for the storytelling,” Iger says."
"The Winter Soldier will be Marvel’s ninth movie in six years. They’ve all performed well, and some have done phenomenally. The Avengers sold $1.5 billion in tickets globally in 2012, making it the third-highest-grossing movie of all time. All told, Marvel has made consistent hits, which is supposedly impossible in a creative business. “It’s almost like we have a built-in GPS system for the storytelling,” Iger says."
ICELAND PHOTO NUGGET!!
Awesome Iceland: Breathtaking photos reveal the dramatic landscapes that have inspired Hollywood film locations from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
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| Kirkufell in Iceland. |
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| Reynisfjara Beach near Vik, Iceland. |
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| Grundarfjord peninsula in the west of Iceland. |
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
News Nuggets 1452
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| DAYLEE PICTURE: A Short-eared Owl in the Kuwait Nature Reserve. From National Geographic. |
What Direction is Europe Really Going These Days?
A Tale of Two Europes (Anne Applebaum) from Slate
"Ukraine is desperate to escape what Europe’s far-right wants to become."
"Ukraine is desperate to escape what Europe’s far-right wants to become."
Big Benefits Predicted with Obama's New Carbon Rules
Nearing a Climate Legacy from the Editorial Board of the New York Times
"The proposed rule by the Obama administration to cut carbon pollution is likely to be enormously beneficial for the planet and future generations."
"The proposed rule by the Obama administration to cut carbon pollution is likely to be enormously beneficial for the planet and future generations."
Ambitious Climate Change Rules Get People's Attention
EPA Coal Plant Proposal is the Right Step (Eugene Robinson) from the Washington Post
"Even for people who don’t believe in it, climate change just got real. It’s about time. The Obama administration’s proposed new rule for existing power plants — reducing heat-trapping carbon emissions by up to 30 percent by 2030 — is ambitious enough to get anyone’s attention."
"Even for people who don’t believe in it, climate change just got real. It’s about time. The Obama administration’s proposed new rule for existing power plants — reducing heat-trapping carbon emissions by up to 30 percent by 2030 — is ambitious enough to get anyone’s attention."
Obama's Climate Change Policy: A Historic Success?
Obama Makes His Bid to Become the Environmental President (Jonathan Chait) from New York Magazine
"... Obama has done everything within his power to fight the most urgent crisis of our time. That is to say, he has put in place a climate-change policy agenda that is likely, though not assured, to be regarded as a historic success."
"... Obama has done everything within his power to fight the most urgent crisis of our time. That is to say, he has put in place a climate-change policy agenda that is likely, though not assured, to be regarded as a historic success."
Clearer Picture of What Bergdahl Did and Did Not Do Emerges
Bowe Bergdahl’s Vanishing Before Capture Angered His Unit from the New York Times
To date, the clearest precis of what happened and didn't happen with Bergdahl's flight in 2009.
"The release of Sergeant Bergdahl (he was promoted in captivity) has created political problems for the Obama administration, which is having to defend his exchange for five Taliban detainees held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, but it also presents delicate politics for Republicans who are attacking, through surrogates, America’s last known prisoner of war."
To date, the clearest precis of what happened and didn't happen with Bergdahl's flight in 2009.
"The release of Sergeant Bergdahl (he was promoted in captivity) has created political problems for the Obama administration, which is having to defend his exchange for five Taliban detainees held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, but it also presents delicate politics for Republicans who are attacking, through surrogates, America’s last known prisoner of war."
Let the Hero Rot -- or Bring the Deserter Home? Choose.
Mixed Reaction to Bergdahl’s Recovery by Service Members who Consider Him a Deserter from the Washington Post
"The news was hailed by President Obama on Saturday as a sign of Washington’s “ironclad commitment to bring our prisoners of war home.” But the reaction from current and former U.S. service members was decidedly more mixed."
On the domestic political front, one thing is clear: this was a no-win scenario for the Obama administration. If they leave this guy behind, the right will hammer Obama for "leaving one of our brave heroes behind." If he gets him out, as we now see, Obama is "trading terrorists for a deserter"!! Pick your poison. But as some of the other postings here reveal, there were many compelling reasons to cut this deal!
"The news was hailed by President Obama on Saturday as a sign of Washington’s “ironclad commitment to bring our prisoners of war home.” But the reaction from current and former U.S. service members was decidedly more mixed."
On the domestic political front, one thing is clear: this was a no-win scenario for the Obama administration. If they leave this guy behind, the right will hammer Obama for "leaving one of our brave heroes behind." If he gets him out, as we now see, Obama is "trading terrorists for a deserter"!! Pick your poison. But as some of the other postings here reveal, there were many compelling reasons to cut this deal!
The Meat of the Matter on Bergdahl's Release
Obama Struck a Good Deal With the Taliban from the Editorial Board of Bloomberg
"On balance, the exchange made sense. It isn't just that a U.S. soldier has been recovered at little net cost to U.S. security interests: The release is part of a broader effort to serve those interests. The administration has long been trying to engage with the Taliban as the U.S. war effort winds down, and rightly so. ... If the U.S.'s exit from Afghanistan is not to end in disaster for the people of that country, there must be some kind of accommodation between their government and the Taliban. By releasing the five Taliban commanders, the administration hoped not just to get Bergdahl back, but also to move that larger process along."
"On balance, the exchange made sense. It isn't just that a U.S. soldier has been recovered at little net cost to U.S. security interests: The release is part of a broader effort to serve those interests. The administration has long been trying to engage with the Taliban as the U.S. war effort winds down, and rightly so. ... If the U.S.'s exit from Afghanistan is not to end in disaster for the people of that country, there must be some kind of accommodation between their government and the Taliban. By releasing the five Taliban commanders, the administration hoped not just to get Bergdahl back, but also to move that larger process along."
Why Did Obama Make the Bergdahl Deal?
What People Don’t Understand About the Bergdahl Deal (Fred Kaplan) from Slate
"America negotiates with terrorists. These were not terrorists. And this could be the start of something big."
"America negotiates with terrorists. These were not terrorists. And this could be the start of something big."
Bergdahl's Case Will Have a Long Shelf Life for the GOP
Bowe Bergdahl Is the Right’s New Benghazi (Michael Tomasky) from the Daily Beast
"Buckle up: The right is going to try to turn the Taliban prisoner swap for ‘deserter’ Bowe Bergdahl into a Willie Horton moment for the president—and they’ll ride it to January 2017."
I actually suspect the stories (swirling around Bergdahl at least) will be sorted out way sooner -- although if I were Bergdahl I wouldn't like what my future is going to look like. What's almost certain to occur is (either on the merits or from GOP political pressure) a high-profile court martial. Bergdahle will also be at the center of a hyper-political sh@# storm for the next year or so (if not longer) for reasons that have nothing to do with the merits of his case. If the story enunciated in the New York Times investigation above is true, he stands a good chance of being found guilty. But, as with some much of the crap that comes off the Republican fan, this all could be a big nothing. We shall see. Read the Times piece above to get a clearer grip on the facts as known right now (and the degree to which GOP spinmeisters are already politicizing the storyline).
"Buckle up: The right is going to try to turn the Taliban prisoner swap for ‘deserter’ Bowe Bergdahl into a Willie Horton moment for the president—and they’ll ride it to January 2017."
I actually suspect the stories (swirling around Bergdahl at least) will be sorted out way sooner -- although if I were Bergdahl I wouldn't like what my future is going to look like. What's almost certain to occur is (either on the merits or from GOP political pressure) a high-profile court martial. Bergdahle will also be at the center of a hyper-political sh@# storm for the next year or so (if not longer) for reasons that have nothing to do with the merits of his case. If the story enunciated in the New York Times investigation above is true, he stands a good chance of being found guilty. But, as with some much of the crap that comes off the Republican fan, this all could be a big nothing. We shall see. Read the Times piece above to get a clearer grip on the facts as known right now (and the degree to which GOP spinmeisters are already politicizing the storyline).
Those Folks Looking to Run the GOP Asylum
Fear and Loathing at the Republican Leadership Conference (David Freelander) from the Daily Beast
"It bills itself as the first stop on the road to the White House, but many GOP players skipped the New Orleans confab. Enough were there, however, to show a party at war with itself. ... On and on it went, for hours on end, one side urging conservatives to throw the impure out of the temple, the other advocating for a bigger tent to defeat the Democrats."
"It bills itself as the first stop on the road to the White House, but many GOP players skipped the New Orleans confab. Enough were there, however, to show a party at war with itself. ... On and on it went, for hours on end, one side urging conservatives to throw the impure out of the temple, the other advocating for a bigger tent to defeat the Democrats."
Monday, June 2, 2014
TODAY'S BIG NUGGET: Obama's Wariness of War is NOT Crazy
Obama’s Foreign Policy Book (Thomas Friedman) from the New York Times
"... when so much foreign policy involves dealing with countries that are falling apart or an entire region engulfed in civil war — and the only real solutions are not deterrence but transforming societies that are completely unlike our own and lack the necessary building blocks and we already spent $2 trillion on such projects in Iraq and Afghanistan with little to show for it — the notion that Obama might be a little wary about getting more deeply involved in Syria and is not waxing eloquent about the opportunity does not strike me as crazy."
"... when so much foreign policy involves dealing with countries that are falling apart or an entire region engulfed in civil war — and the only real solutions are not deterrence but transforming societies that are completely unlike our own and lack the necessary building blocks and we already spent $2 trillion on such projects in Iraq and Afghanistan with little to show for it — the notion that Obama might be a little wary about getting more deeply involved in Syria and is not waxing eloquent about the opportunity does not strike me as crazy."
Eastern Europe & Western Europe: Heading in Opposite Directions?
Europe is Seeing a East-West Clash of Values (Anne Applebaum) from the Washington Post
"... they have comparable political systems, similar economies, identical border guarantees. By any measure, all of them are more prosperous now than they were in 1989. Ukraine wants in. Poland is relieved to be there. And as for the nations formerly known as Western Europe? Quite a few of them want out of Europe altogether. Indeed, on the same day that Ukrainians voted for “European values” — and almost exactly a quarter-century after the Poles voted for “European values” — another landmark, landslide election propelled an unusually virulent group of anti-Europeans into prominence"
Applebaum asks why western Europeans are turning against the system. No surprise, like most well-heeled pundits for whom the Great Recession passed like a distant thunderstorm, it never occurs to her that the EU and most national democratically-elected leaders have done NOTHING to deal with the Great Recession as it has played out in western Europe. For six straight years, these governments have embraced policies that have made NO difference. In many cases, if anything, those policies only made people's daily lives worse (see Greece, Italy, and Spain). Side note: Thankfully, we have had Obama and the Dems to make sure the US did not waste the last six years in similar fashion. The lesson here is that when economies go deep into recession (or depression), democracies (US, European, wherever) CANNOT simply sit on their hands, election in and election out, with little or no improvement, and not leave mainstream leaders, parties, and ultimately the democratic systems themselves discredited. I doubt that many of those people who voted for the far right-wing parties actually supported their policies -- it is a primal scream at mainstream parties to WAKE UP!
"... they have comparable political systems, similar economies, identical border guarantees. By any measure, all of them are more prosperous now than they were in 1989. Ukraine wants in. Poland is relieved to be there. And as for the nations formerly known as Western Europe? Quite a few of them want out of Europe altogether. Indeed, on the same day that Ukrainians voted for “European values” — and almost exactly a quarter-century after the Poles voted for “European values” — another landmark, landslide election propelled an unusually virulent group of anti-Europeans into prominence"
Applebaum asks why western Europeans are turning against the system. No surprise, like most well-heeled pundits for whom the Great Recession passed like a distant thunderstorm, it never occurs to her that the EU and most national democratically-elected leaders have done NOTHING to deal with the Great Recession as it has played out in western Europe. For six straight years, these governments have embraced policies that have made NO difference. In many cases, if anything, those policies only made people's daily lives worse (see Greece, Italy, and Spain). Side note: Thankfully, we have had Obama and the Dems to make sure the US did not waste the last six years in similar fashion. The lesson here is that when economies go deep into recession (or depression), democracies (US, European, wherever) CANNOT simply sit on their hands, election in and election out, with little or no improvement, and not leave mainstream leaders, parties, and ultimately the democratic systems themselves discredited. I doubt that many of those people who voted for the far right-wing parties actually supported their policies -- it is a primal scream at mainstream parties to WAKE UP!
What is REALLY Going On When Fringe Groups Surge in Europe?
Is Europe Falling Apart? (Henry Grabar) from Salon
"Elections last weekend sent tremors through Europe as fringe groups dominated the polls. Here's what it means. ... Anti-immigrant, anti-globalization parties in the core states of the European Union owe their popularity to voters in the hinterland and around the cities that globalization has left behind. As the Economist stated this week, “they rarely thrive in large cities. In provincial towns, villages and suburbs around the continent, people whose jobs and livelihoods have been disrupted by immigration, outsourcing and automation no longer fit into the same social democratic ‘big tent’ as urban professionals, ethnic minority voters, students and public-sector workers.”
"Elections last weekend sent tremors through Europe as fringe groups dominated the polls. Here's what it means. ... Anti-immigrant, anti-globalization parties in the core states of the European Union owe their popularity to voters in the hinterland and around the cities that globalization has left behind. As the Economist stated this week, “they rarely thrive in large cities. In provincial towns, villages and suburbs around the continent, people whose jobs and livelihoods have been disrupted by immigration, outsourcing and automation no longer fit into the same social democratic ‘big tent’ as urban professionals, ethnic minority voters, students and public-sector workers.”
Immigration and White Fear in the UK
Whites in England Feel Like ‘Second Class Citizens’ Compared to Ethnic Minorities ‘Surrounding’ Them from Agence France-Presse
"Ostensibly fuelled by antipathy to immigration and Europe, UKIP's rise has nonetheless helped bring the issue of race to the fore ahead of the May 2015 general election. ... Adding to anxiety among many British voters is the influx of immigrants from eastern Europe under European Union rules allowing the free movement of workers, reinforcing UKIP's anti-EU, anti-immigrant message."
Definitely a common theme today! As noted above, this is simply another dimension of what we've been discussing here for some time: the pervasive economic failures of EU policy during the Great Recession. As in America, working-class whites in the UK have been hammered -- and the mainstream parties have done nothing that makes any difference. It is much easier for all concerned to blame immigrants (or as here in the US, the black guy in the White House) rather than deal with widespread, deep-seeded economic breakdown, inequality and other problems.
"Ostensibly fuelled by antipathy to immigration and Europe, UKIP's rise has nonetheless helped bring the issue of race to the fore ahead of the May 2015 general election. ... Adding to anxiety among many British voters is the influx of immigrants from eastern Europe under European Union rules allowing the free movement of workers, reinforcing UKIP's anti-EU, anti-immigrant message."
Definitely a common theme today! As noted above, this is simply another dimension of what we've been discussing here for some time: the pervasive economic failures of EU policy during the Great Recession. As in America, working-class whites in the UK have been hammered -- and the mainstream parties have done nothing that makes any difference. It is much easier for all concerned to blame immigrants (or as here in the US, the black guy in the White House) rather than deal with widespread, deep-seeded economic breakdown, inequality and other problems.
Faith Leaders Finally Waking Up on Obamacare
Faith Leaders Condemn States Blocking Medicaid Expansion: 'This Is People's Lives At Stake' from the Huffington Post
"Faith leaders called Thursday on the Republican governors and lawmakers in the 24 states refusing to expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act to forsake their political agendas and address the larger “moral crisis” leaving millions of low-income Americans uninsured."
"Faith leaders called Thursday on the Republican governors and lawmakers in the 24 states refusing to expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act to forsake their political agendas and address the larger “moral crisis” leaving millions of low-income Americans uninsured."
Obamacare and the LGBT Community
Obamacare Is the Most Important Piece of Gay Rights Legislation Ever Passed (Mark Joseph Stern) from Slate
"Given the myriad boons to gay rights we’ve seen this decade, it’s easy to overlook the fact that the Affordable Care Act is brimming with new regulations that directly benefit LGBTQ Americans."
"Given the myriad boons to gay rights we’ve seen this decade, it’s easy to overlook the fact that the Affordable Care Act is brimming with new regulations that directly benefit LGBTQ Americans."
A New School Day ... that Kids Like!
Kids Who Spend All Day at School (Liz Riggs) from the Atlantic
"Districts are experimenting with longer classroom hours—and surprisingly, students and teachers seem to love it."
"Districts are experimenting with longer classroom hours—and surprisingly, students and teachers seem to love it."
Obamacare and the Road to a National Health Care System
GOP’s Obamacare Fears Come True from Politico
"The federal option was supposed to be a limited and temporary fallback. But a shift to a bigger, more permanent Washington-controlled system is instead underway — without preparation, funding or even public discussion about what a national exchange covering millions of Americans means for the future of U.S. health care. It’s coming about because intransigent Republicans shunned state exchanges, and ambitious Democrats bungled them."
"The federal option was supposed to be a limited and temporary fallback. But a shift to a bigger, more permanent Washington-controlled system is instead underway — without preparation, funding or even public discussion about what a national exchange covering millions of Americans means for the future of U.S. health care. It’s coming about because intransigent Republicans shunned state exchanges, and ambitious Democrats bungled them."
Gay Rights v. Freedom of Religion and of Speech?
Baker Who Refused Wedding Cake Order from Gay Couple is Told He Can't Discriminate Against Customers Over their Sexuality from the Daily Mail [of the UK]
"Phillips, a Christian who owns the Masterpiece Cakeshop in the Denver suburb of Lakewood, said the decision violates his First Amendment rights to free speech and free exercise of his religion. 'I will stand by my convictions until somebody shuts me down,' he told reporters after the ruling."
"Phillips, a Christian who owns the Masterpiece Cakeshop in the Denver suburb of Lakewood, said the decision violates his First Amendment rights to free speech and free exercise of his religion. 'I will stand by my convictions until somebody shuts me down,' he told reporters after the ruling."
"Good" Conservative Pundits and the Soft Bigotry of Los Expectations
There Are No More Honest Conservatives, So Stop Looking For One (Rick Perlstein) from the Nation
"The mainstream and liberal press’s quixotic search for a ‘good’ conservative merely reinforces the soft bigotry of low expectations."
"The mainstream and liberal press’s quixotic search for a ‘good’ conservative merely reinforces the soft bigotry of low expectations."
CONSERVATIVE MEDIA NUGGET!
Guess the Median Age of Megyn Kelly’s Audience? (Jonathan Chait) from New York Magazine
"... it turns out Kelly is bringing down the age of her audience — all the way down to a sprightly median age of 71.7 years old. Her audience agrees with her that Jesus was white because they knew him when he was still alive."
"... it turns out Kelly is bringing down the age of her audience — all the way down to a sprightly median age of 71.7 years old. Her audience agrees with her that Jesus was white because they knew him when he was still alive."
REVOLUTIONARY WAR NUGGET!!
John Hancock and Samuel Adams’ Fascinating Alliance: Family, Economics and the Road to the American Revolution (Walter Borneman) from Salon
"The American revolution wasn't automatic, but emerged from colorful heroes, ragtag militias -- and personal drama."
"The American revolution wasn't automatic, but emerged from colorful heroes, ragtag militias -- and personal drama."
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Growing Rage in China
Tiananmen: Could It Happen Again? (Gordon Chang) from National Journal
"The use of force during the Beijing Spring of 1989 irrevocably changed the Party’s relationship with the Chinese people. China’s ruling organization lost devotion and respect, but, as Deng understood, it did not matter. Fear replaced legitimacy, and he regained what he had temporarily lost, control of his country. Today, like a quarter century ago, discontent is growing in Chinese society."
"The use of force during the Beijing Spring of 1989 irrevocably changed the Party’s relationship with the Chinese people. China’s ruling organization lost devotion and respect, but, as Deng understood, it did not matter. Fear replaced legitimacy, and he regained what he had temporarily lost, control of his country. Today, like a quarter century ago, discontent is growing in Chinese society."
REPRODUCTION NUGGET!!
Making Babies: Five Predictions About the Future of Reproduction (Alexis Madrigal) from the Atlantic
"... some of the reproductive technologies on the horizon could test our flexibility. Here, drawn from interviews with scholars, doctors, and entrepreneurs, are a handful of guesses about how the future may change what’s involved in making a person—from the ease of getting pregnant, to the mechanics of procreation, to our very definition of family."
"... some of the reproductive technologies on the horizon could test our flexibility. Here, drawn from interviews with scholars, doctors, and entrepreneurs, are a handful of guesses about how the future may change what’s involved in making a person—from the ease of getting pregnant, to the mechanics of procreation, to our very definition of family."
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