By Juan Cole, Informed Comment. Posted December 22, 2009. Here are my picks for the top ten worst things about the wretched period, which will continue to follow us until citizens stand up to fix them. By spring of 2000, Texas governor George W. Bush was wrapping up the Republican nomination for president, and he [...]
Archive for December, 2009
23 Dec
Moyers, Moore and Maddow are the Most Influential Progressives
By Don Hazen, AlterNet. Posted December 23, 2009. Recently we asked our readers to rank the most influential progressives. Here are the results. The three M’s — Bill Moyers, Michael Moore and Rachel Maddow — scored highest in a recent AlterNet survey* asking more than 5,000 readers to rate the most influential progressive media figures. Moyers, [...]
22 Dec
We Have a Winner! Sarah Palin’s “Death Panel” Fallacy Named “Lie of the Year”
Posted by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly at 3:30 PM on December 22, 2009. The award was bequeathed by Politifact, an independent fact-checker. THE POOR WOMAN CAN’T HELP HERSELF…. Just yesterday, Politifact’s independent fact-checking feature announced its “Lie of the Year.” It was a fairly obvious choice, but nevertheless well deserved — the ignoble award went [...]
22 Dec
Ever notice how some people just seem to know how to write a letter?
I received this today in my email box. This was written by a Canadian woman, but oh how it also applies to the U.S., U.K. and Australia. It is a powerful bit of prose which reflects the opinion of many, many people. I want to share it with you–what’s your opinion/feeling? Pass it on [...]
22 Dec
Seizing the moment on health-care reform
By Eugene Robinson Tuesday, December 22, 2009 When all is said and done — and, yes, there is a bit more saying and doing to endure, which means that anything can happen — the health-care reform legislation that President Obama now seems likely to sign into law, while an unlovely mess, will be remembered as [...]
22 Dec
For the uninsured, a ray of hope in an imperfect health-care bill
By Richard Cohen Tuesday, December 22, 2009 From the 14th floor of New York-Presbyterian Hospital, I could look across the East River to much of Brooklyn and Queens. Behind me in the hospital bed was the woman I love, who was sick, very sick. She was attended by some remarkable doctors (including her own indomitable [...]
21 Dec
An ugly finale for health-care reform
Monday, December 21, 2009; 2:00 AM By Dana Milbank Going into Monday morning’s crucial Senate vote on health-care legislation, Republican chances for defeating the bill had come down to a last, macabre hope. They needed one Democratic senator to die — or at least become incapacitated. At 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon — nine hours before [...]
21 Dec
Stunning Statistics About the War in Afghanistan Every American Should Know
By Jeremy Scahill, Rebel Reports. Posted December 21, 2009. Contrary to popular belief, the U.S. actually has 189,000 personnel on the ground in Afghanistan right now — and that number is quickly rising. A hearing in Sen. Claire McCaskill’s Contract Oversight subcommittee on contracting in Afghanistan has highlighted some important statistics that provide a window into [...]
21 Dec
Matt Taibbi, Bill Moyers and Robert Kuttner: Why Can’t Democrats Do Anything Right?
By Bill Moyers and Matt Taibbi and Robert Kuttner, Bill Moyers Journal. Posted December 21, 2009. Could a crushing defeat on health reform teach Democrats to stop prioritizing corporate interests? BILL MOYERS: Something’s not right here. One year after the great collapse of our financial system, Wall Street is back on top while our politicians [...]
18 Dec
Obama’s new ‘Just War Peace’ policy
Center for American Progress PROFESSOR, CHICAGO THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite Former president of Chicago Theological Seminary (1998-2008), Thistlethwaite is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. Obama’s new ‘Just War Peace’ policy President Obama broke with traditional Just War thinking in his Nobel prize acceptance speech, and so far almost no one [...]
18 Dec
Center for American Progress | Opportunities to Address Health Care Disparities in Health Care Reform SOURCE: AP/Gene J. Puskar Dr. Diego Chaves-Gnecco talks with the Solis family during a visit on to a bilingual clinic that he runs through Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. By Lesley Russell | December 17, 2009 Read the full report (pdf) [...]
18 Dec
U.S. gave up billions in tax money in deal for Citigroup’s bailout repayment
DEAL MADE TO RECOVER BAILOUT Firms exempted from rule when U.S. sells its stake Citigroup says it has built up $38 billion in losses. With the tax exemption, it will be able to shelter up to $38 billion in future profits. (Richard Drew/associated Press) By Binyamin Appelbaum Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, December 16, 2009 [...]
