PIED TYPE
Obama
Cut heating assistance now? Seriously?
I strongly support cutting federal spending. Average folks know when they’re in financial straits, the first thing they need to do is tighten their belts and cut spending. I’m also well aware that the minute the government starts budget cutting, the entities feeling the cuts are going to object loudly. That said, I still strongly … Continue reading
I still don’t regret voting for Obama
A year and one day ago, I wrote that I didn’t regret voting for Pres. Obama. I still don’t, for all the same reasons. So little has changed that the post would be perfectly apropos today. This evening Pres. Obama will deliver his State of the Union address, or SOTU, as the media like to … Continue reading
A father spoke in Tucson
This was not a good week to be following the news. The shooting in Tucson dominated with analysis, blame, accusations — and, almost lost in all the punditry, updates on the condition of Rep. Gabby Giffords. Then came the memorial service for the six who died, and the president who came to remember them. The … Continue reading
Attacking America
In today’s Washington Post, Ted Koppell writes convincingly that it’s time we stop playing into bin Laden’s hands. We have, in so many ways, exceeded what would have been an appropriate response to the 9/11 terror attacks. And nine years later, we continue to do so. A group of terrorists based in Afghanistan managed to … Continue reading
How to tackle complex legislation
President Obama held a press conference this morning. Nothing new in that. In this election year, I’ve pretty much glazed over whenever he shows up. He did, however, propose something today that got me thinking. He talked about the minority GOP blocking all kinds of Democratic legislation, but noted that the parties agree the middle … Continue reading
The Sherrod debacle
The Shirley Sherrod case is a tragic example of how nasty our nation’s politics have become. A woman loses her job because some commentator wants to make a point about racism and does so with a piece of very selectively edited video. It was a hatchet chop, pure and simple. The truth has come out; … Continue reading
Michael Steele: So wrong and yet so right
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele put his foot in his mouth last week at a fundraiser in Connecticut. He was caught on video making some oddly contradictory comments: “Keep in mind again, for our federal candidates, this was a war of Obama’s choosing. This is not something the United States had actively prosecuted … Continue reading
President speaks, says nothing, about immigration
President Obama gave a speech on immigration this morning. I missed the very beginning but judging from what I did hear, I probably didn’t miss anything. He mentioned the new Arizona immigration law and talked about how bad it is because it imposes a burden on local law enforcement and the state budget. Apparently Arizona’s … Continue reading
McChrystal might get off with only a tongue-lashing
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the U.S. senior commander in Afghanistan, is reporting to his Commander-in-Chief tomorrow in Washington for what some are saying will be a request for his resignation. At least, that’s what’s anticipated, since Obama ordered the general to Washington from overseas. The press is having a field day with comments from McChrystal and … Continue reading
Eight presidents and umpteen promises later
Jon Stewart is probably my favorite news commentator these days. I know, he really hosts The Daily Show on the Comedy Network. But his faux news program hits the mark so often and so well that you really aren’t news if he doesn’t mention you. When President Obama used his oil-spill–inspired Oval Office address the … Continue reading
June 1 brain dump
Lots of stuff going on in the world, almost everywhere but here. * * * BP today is going to be cutting off and removing the collapsed, kinked riser pipe from its leaking well in preparation for the installation of a cap on the blowout preventer, which should significantly reduce the amount of oil escaping … Continue reading
Rand Paul on BP’s mess: ‘Accidents happen’
Rand Paul, Kentucky’s new Republican Senate candidate, has a decidedly minority view of the current Gulf oil mess. On “Good Morning America” this morning he said: What I don’t like from the president’s administration is this sort of ‘I’ll put my boot heel on the throat of BP.’ I think that sounds really un-American in … Continue reading
It doesn’t take an act of Congress to fix immigration
President Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderón, who is in Washington today, held a press conference this morning. Not surprisingly, the immigration issue came up, and Obama referred again to a need for comprehensive immigration reform. Frankly I think our elected officials, when they pontificate about the need for “comprehensive immigration reform,” are just using … Continue reading
Go here to urge Obama moratorium on offshore drilling
It’s easy to send a quick letter to President Obama urging him to put a moratorium on all new offshore drilling, leasing, and exploration (not just in the Gulf of Mexico) until the causes of the Deepwater Horizon disaster are known and future dangers thoroughly understood. The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has an editable … Continue reading
A 22-pen signature
When President Obama was signing the health care reform bill, I was not thinking about the meaning of the bill or of the historical significance of the moment. Nope, none of that high-falutin’ stuff. I was wondering just how big a mess that signature would be after starting and stopping often enough to use 22 … Continue reading
The devil we don’t know
The topic has been thoroughly thrashed over the last year. Health care reform, of course. Now it’s the law of the land. Or about to be. I share the hope of those who supported it, but none of their confidence. And I share the fear of those who opposed it, for many of the same … Continue reading
In the soup: Starbucks, Bing, Congress, et al
Education funding cuts Cutting funding to education? No wonder students are protesting today. The resulting tuition hikes in many cases will be so large that students already on tight budgets won’t be able to stay in school. Teachers will be fired, some classes will be eliminated, others will get much larger. I don’t agree with … Continue reading
Finally, more nuke power
Yesterday President Obama announced federal loan guarantees of $8.3 billion to build two nuclear power plants in Georgia. It’s about time. The rest of the world seems to appreciate the value of nuclear power (the French get 80% of their electricity from nuclear plants) and I’ve been wondering when we’d finally get back on the … Continue reading
I don’t regret voting for President Obama
Over on Real Clear Politics today, there’s an op-ed piece entitled “Why I Regret Voting for President Obama.” It’s written by freelance writer and independent voter Jill Dorson. I wonder what connections you need to call yourself a freelance writer and get published on RCP? I can write. I’m definitely freelance. And I definitely have … Continue reading
Cynic that I am …
Pres. Obama has been all over the news the last couple of days. I haven’t been listening that closely to what he’s been saying, beyond noting what seemed a renewed and very sharp attack on banks and Wall Street. I haven’t been listening because the whole thing has looked like a knee-jerk reaction to that … Continue reading
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