by Shannyn Moore
Like it’s not bad enough. I’ve been hearing loons talk about secession up here my whole life. In Alaska, the three top ballot seats: President, Senate and House of Representatives, have candidates on the ballot from the secessionist Alaska Independent Party. In two of the three, the AIP holds at least 4% of the vote. The felonious Ted Stevens looks like he has convinced over a hundred thousand Alaskans what he couldn’t convince 12 jurors of a few weeks ago. + READ MORE
by Dave McGill
The circus has come to town in Raymondville, South Texas. But, first off, you’ve got to hand it to the sparsely populated Willacy County grand jury that had the guts to do something the Democratic leaders in Congress have not had the courage to do.
It indicted Vice President Dick Cheney. + READ MORE
by Bernard Weiner, The Crisis Papers
Our men’s group, currently in its 17th year, is composed of middle-class professionals — lawyers, educators, therapist, writer, corporate manager, doctor, etc. — and each of us in this perilous economy in recent months has taken a deep financial hit of one form or another or knows (or has heard of) someone personally who is struggling to hold onto or already has lost his/her job. + READ MORE
the contrarian - Is the U.S. on Track to Stiff its Debtors?
Nov 17 2008
Posted by dajorie in Domestic policy, economy |
Dave McGill
Over two trillion dollars have been pumped into the sagging financial sector over the past few months. Some of it has been injected quietly by the Federal Reserve and some has been voted by Congress and parceled out by an obviously uncertain and ambivalent administration.
And the result has only seemed to highlight the need for more funds, considerably more. Everyone appears to be getting in line, from the auto industry to Starbucks. + READ MORE
The Toll - 11/16/08 - Security Pact Approved by Iraqi Cabinet
Nov 17 2008
Posted by dajorie in Foreign policy, Iraq |
by Dave McGill
Iraq’s cabinet approved the long-negotiated security agreement today after it received the blessing of the nation’s top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani. It is now anticipated that the parliament will follow suit before the end of the month.
According to Reuters, some Iraqi politicians have said it was easier to endorse the plan after the election of Obama. + READ MORE
Obama’s Economic Challenge Underestimated
Nov 13 2008
Posted by sleser in Domestic policy, economy |
by Steven Leser
Anecdotally, my perception is that about 80% of the country wants the Obama Presidency to be a success. On the other side of things, you have about 18% of the far right who want him and the country under him to fail, and you can read all about the things those folks have to say at the website Free Republic, www.freerepublic.com. You also have about 2% of the country who are the extreme elements of the progressive left who have spent the last eight years trying to convince people that the Republican and Democratic Parties are the same and thus those people also have an investment in the failure of an Obama Presidency. You can read about what those people have to say among the comments of more pragmatic progressives at many progressive news agencies like www.OpEdNews.com. + READ MORE
Progressives Have Leverage NOW: Use It Or Lose It
Nov 12 2008
Posted by bweiner in Domestic policy, Elections '08, economy |
by Bernard Weiner, The Crisis Papers
As with most Americans, my emotions were on overdrive last Tuesday night as the symbolic and actual enormity of Obama’s victory hit home. So much to think about, but for the first few days I felt as if I were wandering through a dream-world and was somewhat fuzzy in the head. + READ MORE
A Great Day, Nine Years, Three or Four Centuries
Nov 10 2008
Posted by rsolnit in Domestic policy, Elections '08, Iraq |
The Jubilant Birth of the Obama Era
by Rebecca Solnit
Citizenship is a passionate joy at times, and this is one of those times. You can feel it. Tuesday the world changed. It was a great day. Monday it rained hard for the first time this season and on Election Day, everything in San Francisco was washed clean. I went on a long run past several polling places up in the hills around my home and saw lines of working people waiting to vote and contented-looking citizens walking around with their “I Voted” stickers in the sun and mud. + READ MORE
The Toll - 11/9/08 - Challenges Await Obama
Nov 10 2008
Posted by dajorie in Elections '08, Foreign policy, Iraq |
Dave McGill
When President-elect Barack Obama steps into the oval office in January, the economy may be his first priority but pressing problems on the international stage are likely to be equally daunting.
In Iraq, it appears that our troops will be essentially moved out of the urban areas by mid-year, but the timing of the total withdrawal and the completion of a security agreement between Iraq and the U.S. are still being worked out. + READ MORE
the contrarian - THE ANGER’S STILL THERE
Nov 08 2008
Posted by dajorie in Domestic policy, Elections '08, Foreign policy, Iraq, economy |
by Dave McGill
…And maybe it’s because it is now evident that they will get away with it. The changing of the guard has brought the sudden realization that “they” will walk away - scot-free - and leave the mess behind them for others to unravel, just like the capitalists who supported them.
There will be no retribution for the lies and manipulations that led us into an unnecessary war causing over 4,000 American deaths, leaving possibly hundreds of thousands impaired and amassing a cost projected to ultimately exceed $2 trillion. + READ MORE