March 2010
1 post
Jim Bunning has an Overabundance of Class and... →
What a beautiful person; the one who makes a point(which isn’t exactly invalid), but does it after years of tow-the-line service in the Senate, and with healthcare and unemployment benefits on the line during a recession.
-Dack
June 2009
1 post
Tiller's killing was terrorism →
It was intended to frighten American doctors into refusing to perform abortions and it is, sadly, working. Terrorism, as I understand it, is a pattern of violence aimed at implementing policy changes through fear, intimidation and violence. So it’s clear to see that the systematic and frequent attacks on abortion clinics and doctors represents a terrorist movement in the United States.
...
April 2009
5 posts
I'm calling it.
I think Democrats can expect the late comer, Specter, to vote for cloture on the EFCA. Why? Because I think we can read through the lines a little here. What is the one thing Democrats really wanted from Specter? Yeah, we want that vote. Now consider how warmly he’s being welcomed by the SEIU. Lastly, consider that Specter just made himself look like an opportunist and he probably...
Remember When I Wrote That Rant About Hillary?
Well, I still don’t take it back. I heartily disapproved of her campaign tactics. However, I’m really impressed with how she’s been handling herself as SOS. Look at this eloquent and most importantly, genuine, defense of Obama’s foreign policy.
I’m impressed. She was intelligent, honest and humble. This is the side of Hillary I never felt I was seeing during...
Why America Shouldn't Torture: Sheik Issa
One of 22 sheiks in the UAE has been captured on a 45 minute video brutally torturing a man who may have owed him about $5,000. Our dept. of state had to issue the very milquetoast statement that it “urges all governments to fully investigate allegations of criminal acts”.
Not only is that statement weak for a crime of this magnitude, but it’s also BS. There’s a 45...
The Joy of Losing →
Don’t lie to me Karl, tell me how you really feel. The intensity and often times eagerness of former Bush administration officials to viciously mow down lingering distaste of Bush is pretty amazing. It sort of reminds of those who surrounded Nixon. Feeling guilty guys?
-Dack
Of Mice, Men, and Ward Churchill →
Today, controversial academic Ward Churchill was vindicated in court. A jury of his peers came to the conclusion that he was improperly fired from his position at the University of Colorado based on his political positions. Those positions are extremely controversial with large segments of the American public and have been critiqued rather extensively on all sides.
I’m going to ask you, the...
March 2009
3 posts
Obama's Education Policy →
This article seems interesting to me as a future educator (and son of a lifelong educator). What primarily interests me is the core idea of turning to “merit pay” for educators. The idea of merit pay in public education seems like introducing a market mechanism to an institution that is decidedly NOT based on free market principles. Most importantly, schools are not “for...
Who needs the 4th Amendment? →
Most telling paragraph:
“Fourth Amendment protections against unwarranted search and seizure, for instance, did not apply in the United States as long as the president was combatting terrorism, the Justice Department said in an Oct. 23, 2001, memo.”
Unbelievable, no matter how many times I read “revelations” like this.
-Dack
Doesn't Anyone Try The Middle-Ground Anymore? →
Interesting take on how Newt Gingrich is coming back into vogue with the GOP. I find it amusing that the gist of this article past the narration of Newts return, is that GOP lawmakers can’t seem to find anything other than the extremes. They wildly oscillate between policy advice via Think Tanks and then move en masse to K-Street for different policy advice. What this does, is leave them...
February 2009
16 posts
Call and Response →
So, it appears that Bobby Jindal’s response to the president, resided in one hand on a co-opting of the message of cooperation. On the other, the conservative seemed to be calling for cooperation that meant agreeing with Democrats when they enact Republican policies. This has been pretty standard, by saying one thing, and never even remotely doing it, the GOP hope is that the American people...
Eschewing The Balance →
Interesting link from the NYT Week in Review. By no means would anyone expect to the GOP to kowtow to Obama, just out of principle. However, what I find disturbing is the ideological ability to quick shift on any legislation of merit, going from the constructors of certain ideas to quickly opposing anything even resembling the plan. This is, of course, to strike back against the other party,...
The Genius Of The Terminator →
I predicted Schwarzenegger would fail as the governor of California. I have been proven up to this point totally wrong. While not a gleaming success, his moderate views have allowed him huge leeway among the citizens of the state. He then capitalizes on what he wants when he puts them into action with an impressive speed.
Another way in which he succeeds is his practical nature. Take for example...
The Woman Cannot Resist a Camera →
I link to the salon article because I’d rather die than link to fauxnews.
Sarah Palin is stunningly shameless in her hunger for the spotlight as she inserts herself into her daughter’s first interview as an adult. Creepy is really the right word for the vibe you get from watching this. Bristol was being your typical 18 year old and asserting some independence by doing her own...
Nothing Personal →
Where to begin, first a lot of these GOP governors are in states that already have had significant stagnation even before the economy started to turn downwards. Perhaps the key quote:
“‘My concern is there’s going to be commitments attached to it that are a mile long,’said Texas Gov. Rick Perry”
Cause who wants money with conditions for success and specifically...
BFF? →
I guess they wont be buying one another friendship necklaces. Libby deserved to go to jail, the fact he’ll have to be be supported by his well connected group of friends(like Cheney and the rest of Old Guard GOP), will be punishment enough I guess. Once again, however, this only shows more of Cheney treating the executive like it was his, and his alone, to do as he pleased without regard to...
Even More Demagoguery
If you read this via RSS, it’s fair to get you up to speed, and if you read this on the site, you can look to the bottom left of our posts and see a comments link. That’s right, after almost a year, some debate, and a few technological advances with respect to tumblr, we’ve decided to let you comment straight away on our work. Let us know what you think.
-Dack
2 tags
A Recession Without Consequence: Introduction
Obviously, this title is not entirely accurate, for the folks that have lost their jobs, the reason being given usually is the recession, and that is surely a tragic consequence. I wonder though, as I read about these layoffs, about the state of these companies if the economy wasn’t “tanking”. The auto industry, which has been particularly hard hit, were already having trouble...
Protect women. Oppose abstinence only education. →
Here is the letter I wrote to President Obama:
President Obama,
First, if you don’t have time to read this. (likely) Then please look here: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/2/13/132853/662/547/697109
You have a record of supporting age-appropriate sexual education and you work efforts on that front have been admirable. I’m asking you now to take a vital step toward a...
What if they threw a Civil War... →
Oh man! Looks like some folks in New Hampshire feel like they missed out the first time and want a second chance at the secessionist shindig. Apparently there’s a small secessionist movement in the granite state. It’s actually a blast to peruse their arguments for secession. They’re trying to be bipartisan but like many desperate movements they have adopted the shotgun...
Failure to Communicate →
Seriously, Obama, you are getting hosed on these picks. Good news though, Sen. Gregg is really nothing more than opportunistic, and like any good Republican politician, conservatism means only having to believe in your values when it means a convenient excuse.
As an aside, methinks the Congressional GOP believes it has Obama where they want him, and now are going to twist the knife. It’s...
Halliburton Can Save Us Now →
Not much to say, other than Cheney’s whole belief system seems based around being a statesman of fear, not whether he believes it himelf. I think the inherent flaw with his proclamation isn’t that we are vulnerable. We are vulnerable now, certainly were for the last 8 years, and will be in the future. It will continue until this vulnerability either is marginalized, or removed at the...
Hint: It's a Tax Problem →
This almost comedic in its nature.
-Dack
The Big Question →
This article points to an important juncture in the road ahead: Obama’s international trade policies (which haven’t been clearly articulated up to this point). One of the components in the big stimulus bill is the “Buy USA” provision. That provision limits the amount of foreign steel that can be purchased with tax dollars aimed at infrastructure projects. The projectionist measure has threatened...
Cleanup: Aisle DOJ →
From a liberal perspective (or a good government perspective), Obama has quite a few tasks that require him to basically overhaul and clean up messes, intentional or otherwise. From Science to War, the one in the middle is the bureaucratic system. This link is a story about how bad politics played a part in not only unethical behavior, but behavior which in the long run, helped put guilty people...
Chink in the Armor →
The question to me really is, whether or not, Obama’s vetting of these posts though appearing so extensive really never carried through. This tax problem should have been immediately found and examined for damage potential. It seems more often than not, it’s something like this or undocumented workers who torpedo a nomination. Can’t you find this stuff out before Congress does?
...
January 2009
8 posts
Reloading? →
The election of a new party chair in 2004, for the DNC was certainly a key to the last two election cycles. Howard Dean’s reign helped usher in a fresh way to spread funds for national races and a more technology friendly approach helped invigorate Dems in smaller elections. I wonder as I watch the GOP try and turn over a new leaf if they will find themselves with a leader willing to explore...
Now we start asking... →
I know it’s in the past, and so much the better. With respect to this “Analysis”, where was this wonderful tool say 8 years ago?
-Dack
Baby's First Right Wing Conspiracy →
Better to be safe on this point, I agree, with the Administration. It’s sad that we have to make sure he got the words in the precise right order in an oath that doesn’t stop Presidents from doing really heinous things when they say it right.
-Dack
Making a Name →
Second act that caught my attention. The pay freezes are real nice, but the key is the ethics, involving who can work on what and how staffers are treated if they leave to go be lobbyists. Another nice move forward.
-Dack
Hope: Day 1+ →
Let’s hope that this culminates in the full closing of the center. They can move the most legit of these trials to US Continental Soil. It seems possible others will have to now be handled in ways to avoid them openly embracing violence. This is a cautious first step, but it does move forward and after the last 8 years, even stumbling would probably be the right direction. Let’s come...
Yesterday and Today...
I agree with Dan, it is time to get back into this thing. Election season really zapped me! I found it quite stressful, intense, and all encompassing for months and months on end. After November 5th, I was completely zapped. Then, came finals and finally a well deserved break!
I’m finally back in the game and I think it really is time to turn the page.
I woke up at around 8:54 or so this...
Turn the Page
That’s what we hope to do here at PD. After a well deserved break from the political grind, the soon to be new President should provide another chance to provide our insight and political philosophy.
-Dack
Making a comeback, and Alito's Professionalism →
Let’s see if this gets us back into gear.
-Dack
November 2008
4 posts
Down and Dirty →
An excellent 7 chapter take on the election from Newsweek. These reporters who were embedded were not allowed to release these observations until just after the election. If you wanted to know how cool Obama really was, or how the taint of W.’s campaigners worked their magic on McCain, this is a must read.
-Dack
Formalities
Congratulations President Barack Obama. Stay tuned after the election as we continue to bring you our analysis.
-Dack
Why I Voted Today
This was my first time voting. I will admit it, I did not vote in 2004. John Kerry personally disgusted me as a ridiculously weak candidate (one who I absolutely couldn’t stomach voting for) and voting for Bush was just NOT an option. I got started on the path to voting that year, I really did. I registered and was mailed an absentee ballot. I just couldn’t make myself fill it out.
...
October 2008
9 posts
Upperclassmen →
This cronyism in the face of how her dealing with the pipeline is portrayed in the media is pitch perfect. Her policy views to the execution to her spoken word on those beliefs, are in the ratio of a seasoned politician. She understands how to sell herself and those beliefs. It would appear she seemingly lacks experience in the media to help her out of her own shit storms of nervousness. Quite...
It's too late. Your ship is already sinking below... →
For anyone paying attention, John McCain has repeatedly derided Obama’s willingness to use diplomatic tools with countries like Iran. For McCain and other neocons, the idea of sitting down with a dictator, a rogue state, or even one that the neocons just don’t like (read = Spain) is a naive proposition that is ultimately useless, unproductive, or perhaps even dangerous. The Bush...
Talk about Projecting... →
This kind of campaigning is too absurd to fit in a Joseph Keller novel.
-Dack
The Myth of the Margin: Why economic attacks on...
The Margin is one of the fundamental aspects of economic analysis and theory. The theory generally goes that the value of any given thing is subjective and may fall based on circumstance and cost vs. benefit considerations. Imagine your car is out of gas in the middle of the desert. I drive by and offer to sell you a gallon of gas for 5 bucks. You’ll probably take it so that you can get to the...
Thoughts and Hopes →
The link says that Obama’s grandmother’s health “has deteriorated to the point where her situation is very serious.” Obama is canceling some events to fly back to Hawaii to see her. From what the article seems, his 85 year old grandmother very well might die soon. Obama has talked about how much this woman invested in his education, his personhood, and his development as a...
Return of the Tate! →
The words are hard to hear at the end, but your patience will be rewarded.
-Dack
Does This Even Make Sense to Her? →
Even when the questions are softballs, she can’t form more than one coherent sentence in an entire response. Christ.
-Dack
Hypocrisy (What's New?)
Is anyone else fed the heck up with Sarah Palin and McCain berating Obama for “wanting to spread the wealth around?” If these jerks were genuine free market conservatives, I wouldn’t be bothered by such a critique on Obama. However, Palin is extremely popular in Alaska precisely because she has “spread the wealth around” by taxing the heck out of oil companies and...
Choose Your Own Adventure- Sarah Palin Style →
Check out the link, laugh a bit, and create your own PALINdrome. :)
Also - check out the “most popular” ones. Those ones are a hoot.
-E
September 2008
5 posts
Wall Street Vs. Main Street
Today, Dack sent me a link to a quote by Bernie Sanders:
“Also, I think that we have got to be—we on the left have got to be thinking big and learn a little bit from our right-wing friends who are able to pivot on a dime. For years now, they’ve told us that we can’t afford—that the government providing healthcare to all people is just unimaginable; it can’t be done. We don’t have the money...
Racism, Classism, No Nothing-ism →
I shall respond to my wonderful colleagues below, but as a quick aside, whether it be subtle racism, or painting Obama as an elitist, it should be noted when you have anti-intellectuals running for office. Take the link above for Mrs. Palin’s first gaffe of the campaign. Methinks she’s been cramming a little too hard.
-Dack
IRT to Cyranicles
I have been mulling over the possibility that Tom has recently brought up as well: the idea that a unique brand of racism is at work here in this presidential election. While I don’t disagree with Tom’s analysis and I agree that there is probably a significant amount of that sort of racism, I think there is something else that is also boosting Palin : classism. The Republican...