David Brooks at the NYTimes has said about unlimited campaign funding and lobbying allowed by the Supreme Court in January 2010 – “What?, Me, Worry?” [ye Editor paraphrases only slightly]. But in describing the gridlock over climate change and broader legislation, Felix Salmon at Reuters describes the consequences of the Supreme Court’s sheer blundering judicial […]
Lobbyists “Free Speech” Read More »
Birthers do not believe that Barack Obama was born in the USA. Despite the birth certificate and the notification of birth in several Honolulu newpapers. Over 50% of Republicans believe the Birther myth while only 33% of Republicans definitely acknowledge that Obama was born in the US. This is the topic of much analysis including the
President Obama has been as disconcerting for Democrats as he has been judged as outrageous by Republicans. Look at major events over the past 2 years: 1)No Justice Department investigations of the Republican Administration for broad malfeasance particularly in the areas of abuse of power in the lead up to, pursuit of the Iraq War and handling
Obamas Political Tells Read More »
Update: April 22, 2011. After massive shootings of 70++ demonstrators today, Syria Live is back to being truly live on Aljazeera. Syrian PM Assad and the Syrian government warned that demonstrations would be subject to arms fire – and did it. This is a Rubicon crossing. Tribal influences may be coming into play – see
Aljazeera Blinks in Syria: Update Read More »
Who said this? …Republicans should understand that when self-described conservatives such as Malzberg [or Trump]voice question-rants like the one above and Republicans do not recoil from them, the conservative party is indirectly injured. As it is directly when Newt Gingrich, who seems to be theatrically tiptoeing toward a presidential candidacy, speculates about Obama having a “Kenyan,
Republicans at TruthSpeak Read More »
IBD-Investors Business Daily is the chamber of commerce of business daily newspapers. It caters to small and upcoming businesses – the Russell 2000 companies. This is not a bad marketplace to be in today as the need to change and grow new companies becomes the norm in the business world. Also the IBD offers some
IBD Editorials: Jekyll and Hyde Read More »
The Washington Post is reporting today that the movement to recall Wisconsin Republican Senators and Representatives appears to have legs. Popular support has not flagged since the enactment into law of GOP Governor Scott Walker’s draconian budgetary cutbacks plus removal of government union’s negotiation rights. This is important because the focus of press attention has
Wisconsin Recall Has Legs Read More »
One of the most dysfunctional aspects of the current GOP is its rigid PartyThink. Some credit Ronald Reagan for the 11th commandment – thou shalt not speak ill of a GOP candidate or policy. There is a mighty uniform GOP messaging operation on all policy matters . And it is remarkable how uniformly that PartyThink=PartySpeak
David Brooks: On Defection Read More »
In an article in today’s NYTimes, Paul Krugman raises the problem of how Washington policy manipulators … uhh makers have downgraded the issue of Jobs from number 1 to an also ran against “cutting the deficit”. Yet just 4 months before Paul Krugman was a guest commentator on ABC TV Sunday news program, This Week,
Jobs, Health Care Costs, then maybe Deficits Read More »
US voters are clamoring for bipartisanship and for the Democrats and Republicans to work together to deliver much better governance. There are too many polls that tell Washington so. But leaders from both parties cite the stridence and shrill lack of civility that undoes all efforts at good bipartisan governance. Even the one arena, foreign affairs.
Bipartisanship: No Rule of Law for Wall Street Read More »
Of late the Republican Party is fond of wrapping itself up in true constitutionality and the spirit of the Founding Fathers. And thus one must ask in the spirit of Patrick Henry, if this be treason.. then fear not to say it is so. The “it” is the Republican “Starve the Beast” policy starting with Ronald Reagan
If This Be Treason Read More »
The above words are the optimistic exhortation that NYTimes David Brooks provides to Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels on running for GOP Presidential candidate. This is also a fat chance exhortation much like fellow columnist Tom Friedman’s advice in If Not Now, When in which he urges the US to create a gas tax that would
Ye Editor has been patiently waiting for one of the larger news media like the NYTimes, Washington Post or the Milwaukee Sentinel to describe what issues Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker campaigned on – this might shed light on the current controversy in the state capital over Walker induced budget short fall and efforts to remove
Governor Scott Walker: What He Campaigned On Read More »
Two views of Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin have appeared in the news lately – you decide which is more illuminating. The blog Buffalo Beast, did a beastly thing, impersonating Billionaire David Koch making a call to Governor Walker. David Koch is behind Americans for Prosperity lobby group that have been financing Walker’s cuts and
Governor Scott Walker: Koch Whore vs Shock Doctrine Read More »
Only in America could you see a headline like this – American SuperWealthy Wage War on Americans! Such an irony – the SuperWealthy who have risen to power and position by a combination of hard work, good fortune and stealth are finally throwing off the shackles of their dependence on the good will of the
American SuperWealthy Wage War on America! Read More »
America has fallen just like Egypt into the grips of ruthless despots. These despots have a rule of law unto themselves[see Frank Rich]. They have accrued huge wealth and unlimited risk insurance from taxpayers; yet the themselves barely pay taxes[see Bob Herbert]. They have accrued $trillions in no small part due to US Federal largesse
Bitter facts are very hard to swallow. A colleague committed to company and work gets laid-off by that company depite warnings. A close relative gets a medical death warrant of short duration. An artist friend sees 2 years of work eviscerated in an unexpectedly caustic review. But these are all personal events and judgments. Broader
Bitter Facts for USA Read More »
Israel’s worst friend by far is the US. The US allows the Israelis to live the lie that the Palestinians are second class people; their 2000 year right to Palestinian land and territory is legitimate. And so once again, the US was the lone veto in the UN Security Council today against a resolution condemning
Israels Worst Friend Read More »
In a 1960 address to the nation, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 5 star general and Supreme Commander of the World War II invasion of Europe, warned against the military-industrial complex. This is the co-ordinated lobbying of defense contractors allied with military supporters in both political parties that would get their way on the size and
To be a leader in the Republican party is a think-less and thankless task. As Paul Krugman has pointed out many the times, Republicans have to reject simple math and logic in justifying their catastrophic fiscal policies. This is GOP party leadership that must carefully evade exposure of its near treasonous “Starve the Beast” economic
Republican Leadership: Thinkless, Thankless Read More »
The NYTimes has done it again- produced the best online graphic of the US Budget available anywhere. And the Times did it one day after the release of the budget proposal by the White House. This graphic tells the story of the budget in 6 ways [click on screenshot to go directly to chart] : 1)The
Best Chart of US Federal Budget Read More »
Here are two views of President Ronald Reagan that were offered on the Sunday News Morning Shows. One, Meet the Press on NBC consciously lionizes Reagan. There are no analytical or moderating opinions here: Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy The other, on Need to Know on PBS presents
Ronald Reagan: Two Views Read More »
Given the huge impact that the Web and Social Media like Facebook and Twitter have had in the Arab revolutions of the last month, a debate has started on whether the Web can be effective as a counter balance to repressive regimes. Or is it, like all other media , subject to corruption and being
The Corruptible Web Read More »
When Time magazine was rumored to make the Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg its Person of the Year, Ye 5th’s Editor thought that another Media “Academy Award” was a little too much. But with the revolt in Tunisia and the outbreak of dissent and protests in Egypt, both largely organized and propelled by social media including Facebook
Revolutions through the Web Read More »
NYTimes Conseravative columnist, David Brooks forecast President Obama’s critical theme message in the the State of the Union Address. Brooks said the crucial idea is that “In the 21st century, the U.S. will no longer be the Big Dog”. And at the top of his address, President echoed the idea in muted form. The US
No More USA As Automatic Top Dog Read More »
Russia has done it again – moved to becoming a dysfunctional, failed state. In the 1900’s under the Czar Nicholas II, Russia made a belated charge towards modernization including dramatic political and economic development. But the there were so many disaffected groups within Russia and corruption was so rife that radicals and communists were able
One could see it in the economic policy – so disjointed and just plainly off target – so much help for the banks and financial sector; too little for creating jobs and a business climate of recovery. Now, the NYTimes has done a major story on the people behind it – and one can see
How the Obama Economic Policy Team Came to Shambles Read More »
A colleague asked “why do you think the TV air waves are filled with so many crime and justice show from CSI to Law and Order:The Latest Variation on a Theme?” A bit no plussed ye Editor replied “Look at the venerable history of thrillers and whodunnits over the past 200 years starting with Mary
Too Big To Jail II Read More »
There are two trends in the Middle East that are very disturbing. First and always, the pot continues to boil under the Israel-Palestine standoff. And as the Economist points out the balance of power has shifted to Hezbollah in Lebanon with some estimates of rockets on the Lebanon border reaching 50,000 and their range and
2 Disturbing Trends in the Mideast Read More »
Ye 5th’s Editor admits plagiarism. I have stolen the above headline from a report by Reuter’s Felix Salmon who has some of the best commentary on whats going on Wall Street. And the plagiarism is blatant. Except for the “II” , the above headline is an exact copy of the title Felix uses in his
JPMorgan Threatens Small Depositors II Read More »
Nicholas Kristoff asks the above question from a telling point of view, public health and safety. And the measures are small, targeted, and not massively intrusive as the NRA will insist. As Kristoff, a boyhood gun enthusiast notes Jared Loughner was considered too mentally unstable to attend community college. He was rejected by the Army. Yet
Why Not Regulate Guns Like Toys and Cars Read More »
Here is an idea that is being adopted around the World, but would never take root currently in America because of divisive partisanship – Pay to Get Rid of Poverty. The city of Rio de Janeiro is infamous for the fact that one can look out from a precarious shack on a hill in a
Pay to Get Rid of Poverty: An American Tragedy Read More »
